Doubts and Suspicions, Trust for Now

The old man did not answer immediately.

He seemed to be communicating with the will of heaven and earth, or perhaps weighing the pros and cons.

The entire hall was silent; everyone held their breath, waiting for the old man's reply.

At this moment, both the righteous and the demonic factions forgot their enmity.

They were completely bewildered by what they heard—the concepts of Return to the Origin and Ancestral Vein True Spirit were utterly incomprehensible.

But they could tell that Li Yunjing seemed to have struck up a conversation with this group of terrifying Dao Guardian.

Moreover, it seems the Dao Guardian are genuinely considering it.

After a long while, the white-haired old man finally spoke.

"Can."

I'll give you ten days.

"If we can gather the Ancestral Vein True Spirit within ten days and perform the Return to the Origin, we will naturally lend a hand."

"If you can't do it in ten days..."

The old man's tone turned cold. "Everyone, leave this place. Anyone who dares to covet the Dao Fruit again will be killed without mercy."

A single sentence, like a boulder thrown into a lake, instantly creates a thousand ripples.

"Return to the Origin? What exactly does ' Return to the Origin' mean?"

"What exactly does Sect Leader Li want to do? Return the Dao Fruit to Heaven and Earth?"

"What a joke! Dao Fruit that only comes once every 100,000 years, are we just going to return it to heaven and earth like that? Wouldn't we have come for nothing?"

"..."

The righteous faction was abuzz with discussion. Some were puzzled, some were dissatisfied, and some thought Li Yunjing had gone mad.

The situation was even more chaotic on the demonic path.

"This is utterly absurd!" the Old Devil Bone Spirit shrieked. "Why should he say he can just Return to the Origin Return to the Origin? We won't allow it!"

"That's right! The Dao Fruit belongs to everyone, why should he have the final say?" the Old Devil Yin Corpse echoed.

Yan Tianjin's face was so gloomy it could drip water.

He didn't understand anything about Return to the Origin to the Return to the Origin, but he knew that once the Dao Fruit returned to Heaven and Earth, his ten-thousand-year plan would be completely ruined.

Luck and immortality—all vanished like bubbles.

But looking at the seven Dao Guardian, he dared not lash out.

If even he couldn't defeat such a powerful figure, and they were to turn against each other, they would all die here.

Zhang Jianchen frowned and shouted, "Sect Leader Li, what exactly happened? Explain yourself!"

Li Yunjing turned around, facing the righteous cultivators, then glanced at the Devil Cultivator on the west side, and said loudly:

"Everyone, Return to the Origin means reintegrating the Dao Fruit into the Dao Realm Origin."

"Seizing the Dao Fruit only grants one person the fortune, but at the cost of their life, and the lives of countless cultivators who died in battle."

"But if Return to the Origin, the power of the Dao Fruit will be evenly distributed throughout the entire world."

At that time, the Spiritual Qi of the entire Tianyuan Dao Realm will be more abundant, the earth's veins will be more stable, cultivation will be easier, and everyone will benefit.

"More importantly, the cycle of cleansing that occurs once every 100,000 years will come to a complete end."

There will be no more countless people dying in the struggle for the Dao Fruit, nor will there be any more those who try to seize the fruit be assimilated and perish.

The righteous and the demonic paths no longer need to fight to the death for the sake of destiny.

His voice resonated clearly throughout the hall, each word striking a chord in everyone's hearts.

Everyone was stunned.

Benefit everyone?

Ending the 100,000-year cycle?

No more war?

Is this... even possible?

"You make it sound so easy!" someone shouted. "How can the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi be improved so easily? Do you think the Dao Fruit is like sprinkling water, dissipating at will?"

"Exactly! What if we fail? Our Dao Fruit is destroyed, who will we turn to?"

Questions and criticisms arose one after another.

Li Yunjing calmly said, "Whether it succeeds or fails, we'll only know after trying, but at least this is the only way to break the cycle of reincarnation."

Instead of fighting and suffering countless deaths, only to end up with nothing, why not give it a try?

"Furthermore, the senior Dao Guardian of the Dao will also lend a hand; with them on board, the success rate is at least 70%."

Everyone looked at the seven Dao Guardian.

The Dao Guardian remained expressionless, neither confirming nor denying.

But the fact that they didn't refute it already speaks volumes.

Zhang Jianchen and the two Loose Immortal immortals discussed a few words in hushed tones.

Xuanjizi nodded slowly. "If it can truly end the cycle of reincarnation and benefit the entire Dao Realm, that would be an immense merit."

Even if we fail, the Dao Fruit might not be destroyed; it's better than falling into the hands of the Demon Emperor and unleashing an even greater calamity."

Yunyouzi snorted coldly, "I think it's feasible. It's better than watching a bunch of people fight and die. As for the demonic path, whether they agree or not is irrelevant. With the Dao Guardian the Dao here, they can't cause any trouble."

Zhang Jianchen pondered for a moment, then made up his mind.

He stepped forward and declared loudly, "I trust Sect Leader Li. The righteous path is willing to provide full assistance in the matter of Return to the Origin."

With the alliance leader's decision finalized, the righteous faction members, though still harboring doubts, refrained from further discussion.

Yan Tianjin, on the west side, turned pale and then flushed.

He wanted to object, but the Dao Guardian stood there, and he dared not act rashly.

agree?

He was unwilling to accept it.

After a hundred thousand years of waiting, is the demonic path really going to be abandoned just like that?

"Your Majesty, Demon Emperor," the Old Devil Bone Spirit leaned closer and whispered, "Why don't we agree first? When they implement the Return to the Origin, there might be a flaw."

Then we can seize the opportunity to steal the fruit, or... directly disrupt the Return to the Origin, causing the Dao Fruit to spiral out of control. Then none of us will have a good time."

Yan Tianjin's eyes flashed.

good.

Let's stabilize the situation and assess the situation first.

If there's a chance, grab the fruit. If not, destroy it.

If he can't have it, no one else can either.

"Very well." The Demon Emperor raised his head and said coldly, "I'll give you ten days. I want to see what tricks you can pull."

"But let me make this clear: if the Return to the Origin fails, Dao Fruit is destroyed..." He swept his sinister gaze over Li Yunjing, "I will make you all pay with your lives."

Li Yunjing said calmly, "There's no need for the Demon Emperor to worry. If the Return to the Origin is successful, it will also benefit the demonic path. With the increase in the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, Devil Cultivator will also benefit."

"Hmph." The Demon Emperor snorted coldly and turned his head away, clearly not believing it.

And that was the end of it.

The righteous and demonic factions retreated to their respective sides, set up camp on the spot, guarded their Dao Fruit, and remained wary of each other.

The seven Dao Guardian remained standing in front of the coffin, motionless like stone statues.

Li Yunjing returned to the righteous camp and was immediately surrounded by the crowd.

"Sect Leader Li, is it really possible to summon the Ancestral Vein True Spirit?" Zhang Jianchen asked anxiously.

"Okay." Li Yunjing nodded. "The Northern Dark True Spirit of the Ten Ancestral Vein has a past connection with me. Back then, it fell from its Ancestral Vein status, and I helped it return to the ranks of Ancestral Vein."

It wouldn't refuse this favor; if it intervened, the other nine Ancestral Vein True Spirit would most likely agree.

"That's good, that's good." Zhang Jianchen breathed a sigh of relief. "If you need anything, just let us know, and the Immortal Alliance will fully cooperate with you."

"Not for now," Li Yunjing said. "I will first communicate with the Northern Dark True Spirit using my divine sense, asking it to invite the other Ancestral Vein. If all goes well, the Ancestral Vein True Spirit will arrive within ten days."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.

Things seem to be moving in a positive direction.

Li Yunjing found a quiet corner, sat down cross-legged, and closed his eyes to Spirit Concentration.

In his mind's eye, the Five Spirits Lord stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the Dao Fruit in the center of the hall, lost in thought.

"Five Spirits Lord," Li Yunjing asked telepathically, "What do you need me to do when Return to the Origin?"

"You are the key." Five Spirits Lord turned around and looked at him. "The Five Aggregates Cauldron is Immortal Artifact that can suppress the origin and stabilize the Return to the Origin process. At that time, you will need to use yourself as a medium to activate the Five Aggregates Cauldron, in conjunction with Yuanchu and the Ancestral Vein True Spirit, to complete the final Return to the Origin ritual."

"Me?" Li Yunjing was taken aback. "I'm only at the Early Void Refinement. Can I do it?"