Tian Hai looked into Tian Yongheng's eyes before speaking.
"At the end of every Heavenly Karmic Cycle, Immortal Gods from the Upper Realm descend upon the Nine Great Mortal Worlds."
His voice was calm, but every word carried unimaginable weight.
"They carry out what the ancient records call the Cleansing, the purpose of which is simple: extermination. They slaughter ninety-nine point nine percent of all living beings and erase ninety-nine point nine percent of all inheritances left behind throughout the world."
Tian Yongheng's expression froze.
Although he had heard fragments of these legends before, hearing them spoken so matter of factly by Tian Hai made them feel far more terrifying.
The old man continued.
"When countless lives are extinguished and countless inheritances disappear, the world's Providence declines dramatically. The foundation of Mortal World Providence lies in living beings and the legacies they create. Once they vanish, heaven and earth weaken alongside them, the Spirit Qi permeating the world also falls to unprecedented lows as the aura of death and accumulated karma spreads across the land."
He raised his gaze toward the distant sky.
"When that happens, the prosperous age comes to an end and the Mythical Era collapses. The Great Era, the Revolutionary Era, and all the glory accumulated over hundreds of millions of years disappears; what remains is only desolation, and thus begins a new Heavenly Karmic Cycle."
Tian Yongheng listened in silence.
The implications of these words were staggering.
No matter how powerful a sect, how invincible a cultivator, or how prosperous a faction, all of them would ultimately face destruction when the Cleansing arrived.
"In this way, no force can remain supreme forever, as the world is reshuffled at the end of every Heavenly Karmic Cycle."
Tian Hai's voice grew quieter and quieter.
"The Divine Sovereign lived three complete Heavenly Karmic Cycles ago, and since his ascension, the world has already undergone three separate resets."
After a brief pause, he added,
"Of course, there are exceptions; certain ancient forces have survived across multiple Heavenly Karmic Cycles, with the Great Qin Immortal Family and the Great Tian Immortal Family being among them. The reason is simple: they have ancestors who reside in the Upper Realm, every major faction does so, and their influence extends beyond just the Mortal World."
"Yet, even so..." Tian Hai shook his head.
"That does not guarantee eternal survival. Throughout history, countless great powers have endured through several Heavenly Karmic Cycles for one reason or another, only to perish during a later Cleansing. No inheritance is truly everlasting."
A heavy silence followed his words as the wind swept across the barren landscape around them.
Only after several moments did Tian Hai continue, "The current Heavenly Karmic Cycle entered its Mythical Era thirty million years ago. That means approximately seventy million years remain before the next Cleansing."
He gave a faint smile.
"At least according to the ancient legends that have circulated throughout the cultivation world for countless generations."
Tian Yongheng lowered his head.
The scale of everything he had just learned was almost impossible to comprehend for a mortal, but Tian Hai still told him because he was the only remaining member of the Jiangnan Tian Family.
Suddenly, a faint realization struck him, causing his breathing to quicken.
"Uncle Hai, you mean the Divine Sovereign's inheritance..."
Tian Hai nodded slowly.
"The inheritance we obtained is real, but it is incomplete, many parts having already been lost to time. However, what remains is still enough to shake the entire cultivation world. Even if it is nothing special, just the name of the Divine Sovereign is enough to drive countless cultivators mad."
He extended his hand as several storage pouches appeared before Tian Yongheng.
"Within them are Dharma Artifacts, medicinal pills, array formation diagrams, cultivation techniques, Immortal Arts, talismans, and countless other treasures. Although not comparable to the legacy of major factions, by the standards of today's cultivation world, they can still be considered first rate.
I'm leaving them all in your care, Young Master. If you use them wisely, they will allow you to protect yourself."
Just then, Tian Hai's expression suddenly changed, a premonition rising within his heart.
Without another word, he immediately searched through the inheritance and retrieved two ancient talismans shimmering with profound spatial fluctuations.
His voice became urgent as he called out, "Young Master, it won't be long before the truly powerful experts from behind the scenes catch up to us. There is no time to waste."
He activated both talismans without hesitation, spiritual light erupting around them.
"I will head in another direction to draw away our pursuers. This Void Traveling Talisman can teleport you a hundred million miles in an instant.
When you arrive, you will already be at the very edge of the Eastern Continent. There are almost no major cultivation factions there. You must survive and stay safe. Do not get involved in the matters of the cultivation world."
Before Tian Yongheng could say a single word in response, endless spatial power enveloped them both.
The surrounding scenery twisted violently.
*Vrrr!*
The next instant, they disappeared into the void, not a single trace remaining behind.
...
A short while later.
At the edge of the Eastern Continent, far beyond the territory controlled by any major cultivation force.
Tian Yongheng slowly opened his eyes.
The teleportation had left him somewhat disoriented.
He looked around blankly.
There were no towering immortal sects or bustling cultivation cities as far as the eye could see, only vast wilderness stretching endlessly beneath a gloomy sky.
His eyes were filled with sorrow, the images of his fallen family refusing to leave his mind.
His mother's corpse, his dead father, the blood covered ancestral grounds, everything replayed again and again.
Dark clouds gathered overhead.
The heavens seemed to darken momentarily as a special fluctuation spread across heaven and earth.
Without warning, a bolt of lightning descended directly from the sky.
*Boom!*
The brilliant strike landed squarely upon Tian Yongheng.
"ARGHHHHHH!"
He cried out in agony as lightning surged throughout his body.
The pain was unlike anything he had ever experienced.
Yet, amidst that unbearable suffering, unfamiliar memories suddenly flooded into his consciousness.
Scenes from another lifetime unfolded before his eyes, of a completely different world, a completely different life.
His previous life, past experiences, and even the memories of his own death returned with astonishing clarity.
The torrent of recollections merged seamlessly with his current consciousness.
As the heavenly lightning gradually dissipated, another sound echoed within his mind.
[Ding!]
[The Host has successfully awakened the memories of his past life and met the conditions for activating the System.]
[Concealing the heavenly secrets...]
Before Tian Yongheng could process those words, more notifications appeared.
[Host's special physique carried over from the past life, the Five-Elemental Spiritual Body, has been successfully upgraded to the Five-Elemental Divine Spiritual Physique as a reward for activating the System.]
[Five-Elemental Divine Spiritual Physique (Expand to view description).]
The mechanical voice continued without pause.
[Congratulations to the Host for successfully activating the System.]
[You have obtained the following Connate Providences]:
[Bloodline of the Primeval Lord of Heaven, the Celestial Venerable of Primordial Beginning (Expand to view description).]
[Divine Scripture of the Primordial Beginning (Expand to view description).]
[Innate Talents of Sword Heart, Primordial Meridians, and Primordial Bones (Expand to view descriptions).]
Finally, the last notification appeared.
[Congratulations to the Host for embarking upon the Path to Immortality.]
Tian Yongheng stood completely motionless, his mind utterly blank.
He looked around in confusion before unconsciously muttering,
"What...?"
He could scarcely believe what had just happened.
At the same moment, an enormous phenomenon spread throughout the Myriad Worlds, the Lower Realm, the Upper Realm, and even the 33 Heavens Divine Realm.
Countless powerful beings simultaneously sensed an indescribable disturbance within the heavenly secrets.
...
Second Great Mortal World, Central Continent.
Heavenly Region, Kunlun Divine Mountain.
At the summit of the tallest peak stood a handsome young man whose aura seemed ancient beyond measure, his face bearing several parts of resemblance to Tian Yongheng.
He silently observed the sky as dark thunderclouds rolled across the heavens.
After watching for several moments, he softly murmured, "There appears to be a change within the heavenly secrets."
A thoughtful expression crossed his face.
"I wonder whether the Immortal Gods have noticed it as well."
He let out a quiet sigh.
The next instant, his figure disappeared into thin air.
...
Upper Realm, Second Great Immortal World.
Upon a magnificent floating island stood a secluded temple hidden deep within its interior.
Inside, a middle aged man sat cross-legged in silent cultivation.
Suddenly, his eyes snapped open, a trace of disbelief appearing on his face.
He immediately formed several hand seals, attempting to divine the heavenly changes through karmic calculations.
However, before he could complete them, his expression transformed into horror.
He violently spat out a mouthful of blood, his body trembling with fear.
"No... how can this be possible...!"
His voice shook uncontrollably.
"We have to commence our plan far earlier than originally intended!"
...
At this moment, beyond the Upper Realm.
A young man radiating boundless might floated alone above the heavens.
His gaze pierced endless dimensions as he observed the disturbance.
"Hmm... the Second Great Mortal World..."
He narrowed his eyes slightly.
"There seems to be an impenetrable fog concealing its heavenly secrets."
A faint smile appeared on his face alongside a hint of excitement.
"The Providence of an Emperor? No, it seems much more than that... an Almighty..."
...
The Divine Realm, within the 33 Heavens.
At the highest Heaven stood a majestic palace suspended above the clouds, overlooking the infinite worlds beneath.
Upon the plaque at its entrance were inscribed two ancient words.
'Heavenly Court.'
Inside its grand hall, a tall middle-aged man sat upon the supreme imperial throne.
His aura was immeasurable, his face obscured by a chaotic mist that even the greatest powers in the Great World couldn't peer through.
He possessed the dignity of a god emperor who had ruled since time immemorial.
After remaining motionless for an unknown length of time, he slowly opened his eyes, two bursts of brilliance golden light erupting from within the chaotic mist.
A grand voice filled with a sense of amusement and anticipation echoed throughout the vast hall.
"So... it's finally here."
Across the countless worlds and dimensions that composed the Great World, similar scenes unfolded one after another.
Yet, the one responsible for all of it remained completely unaware.
Standing alone at the edge of the Eastern Continent, Tian Yongheng had unknowingly set off a commotion that reverberated throughout heaven and earth.