"The Mortal Forbidden Zone plan?"
Gu Hong's voice carried a trace of confusion.
Chen Xu struggled to prop himself up. Yu Han leaned on her Magic Artifact, while the others gathered around.
"...Jiang Taibai?"
Gu Hong spoke the name, his brows knotting together. "That sword-path Immortal Emperor who disappeared? Didn't he already..."
As he spoke, Lu Yu took the Jade Slip and projected its contents into the Void.
Dense lines of text appeared before them.
[Breakthroughs have grown increasingly difficult for cultivators. The spiritual energy of heaven and earth shows signs of depletion. If this continues, the Immortal Realm will have no new blood.] [Cultivation is, in essence, a struggle with heaven and earth for spiritual energy. If one person contends, heaven and earth can recover. If ten thousand contend, heaven and earth can replenish themselves. If countless millions contend... given time, heaven and earth must decline.] [Without restraint, a day will come when spiritual energy runs dry and all arts perish.] [Thus, I have devised the "Mortal Forbidden Zone" plan: select remote stars, drain their spiritual energy, relocate mortals there, and restrict cultivators from setting foot upon them.] [This will divert potential cultivators and slow the consumption of spiritual energy.]
"What kind of bullshit theory is this?"
Gu Hong cursed, then froze, because everyone, himself included, saw what came next.
[If this plan succeeds, it should be extended throughout all heavens and realms.] [If it fails...]
"What happens if it fails?" Gu Hong demanded.
Lu Yu turned another page and fell silent.
"What happens?" Gu Hong grew impatient.
Lu Yu raised his head, glanced at him, and projected that page.
[If it fails... then I was wrong. When that time comes, I shall atone with my death.]
The hall fell utterly silent.
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