Hello there fam, Nyt_city here. Sorry for the slow updates, I've been kinda busy as of late with job hunting and part time jobs. Thank you all for the wonderful powerstones.
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At this moment, Li Tiantong was also a bit curious: "Then how did you succeed in Transcendence? Did you transcend through the passage left by the Dao Ancestor?"
Han Xuanji shook his head and explained: "I have already negotiated with the will of chaos. It is no longer as stubborn as before and now coexists peacefully with Chaos Cultivators."
"Ah?"
Li Tiantong wore an expression of disbelief, not knowing how Han Xuanji had managed it.
What did it mean to negotiate? What did it mean to coexist peacefully?
Being able to negotiate with the will of chaos meant that perhaps this junior from the Immortal Realm had already... But he didn't dwell on it, assuming this junior had extraordinary capabilities. He then said in a low voice:
"By the way, you don't need to call me Senior. Although you obtained my Legacy in the Immortal Realm, your current strength and status are far above mine. You and I can address each other as Fellow Daoist; just call me Tiantong."
Han Xuanji nodded, signaling for Li Tiantong to continue. He was also curious about what had happened to the two of them later.
"We prepared for a long time and chose what we thought was the safest moment to succeed in Transcendence."
Li Tiantong's voice lowered:
"I didn't expect that as soon as we left the Chaos, we would be swept away by a storm in the Hongmeng Sea."
Li Tiantong gave a bitter smile:
"It was extremely difficult for the Dao Ancestor and me to survive in the storm. Our Qi was almost exhausted, and we almost thought we were going to die there. In the end, we were blown in an unknown direction. Fortunately, we drifted onto a small island."
He paused and added:
"It was a solitary island floating in the Hongmeng Sea, and there was an Immortal Cave left behind by a fallen Cultivator. We obtained his relics there—a few Jade Slips recording information about the Eternal Continent, as well as some Medicinal Pills and resources. Relying on these things, we managed not to die in the Hongmeng Sea."
Han Xuanji nodded silently upon hearing this. Surviving a great disaster, there must be future blessings. The Dao Ancestor and Tongtian Dao Venerable were both blessed with Luck.
"We stayed on that island for thousands of years."
When Li Tiantong said this, his tone was as calm as if he were telling someone else's story:
"It wasn't that we didn't want to leave, but we couldn't. Our cultivation was not enough, and we couldn't cross the Hongmeng Sea. We could only Cultivate on that island and wait until we reached the Eternal Dao Master Realm before we started exploring the isolated island."
Thousands of years trapped on an isolated island, with no one to call for help. This kind of loneliness and torment was something only a Cultivator could endure.
Han Xuanji sighed inwardly.
"Fortunately, we encountered a fleet."
A glimmer of light flashed in Li Tiantong's eyes. "It was a small fleet in the Hongmeng Sea specialized in hunting sea beasts, with a powerhouse at the Eternal True God level sitting in command. They discovered us and took us in. I disguised myself as a wandering Loose Cultivator, used an alias, and fabricated my background, following them to the Eternal Continent."
Han Xuanji nodded, praising the two for their caution.
In the Eternal Continent, the identity of a Transcendent was very sensitive. Some forces specialized in hunting Transcendents, refining or enslaving them to find the Primordial Chaos and obtain the Law Origin of the Primordial Chaos.
"After arriving at the Eternal Continent, life was not easy either."
Li Tiantong sighed:
"We were in an unfamiliar place, without identity or background, and even the most basic cultivation resources had to be earned by ourselves. We wandered at the bottom for many years, doing manual labor, working as guards, watching over mines for others, and we were also deceived, robbed, and beaten."
He said it very plainly, but Han Xuanji could imagine how much he had suffered over those years. A peerless powerhouse who once dominated the endless Chaos had to start from the very bottom upon arriving at the Eternal Continent, not even daring to reveal his true identity. This disparity was enough to crush most people.
Han Xuanji was quite lucky; he met True God Heiyan and had a place to stay as soon as he arrived at the Eternal Continent, with the protection of the Hun Family, which allowed him to pass through the most dangerous stage relatively smoothly.
"Then what happened later? How did you come to Qianhun City? Why didn't the Dao Ancestor follow you?"
Han Xuanji asked.
Li Tiantong was silent for a moment, his voice dropping a few notches:
"In order to change our fate, we headed to an unknown Secret Realm. His talent was much better than mine, and his cultivation was much higher than mine."
Han Xuanji was stunned.
"That Secret Realm was a ruin left by an unknown powerhouse. At first, we joined forces to explore the Secret Realm and gained quite a bit. But later, an accident occurred. We were teleported from the periphery of the Secret Realm to the depths of the Secret Realm and encountered a guardian beast whose cultivation far exceeded ours. To cover my escape, the Dao Ancestor lured the guardian beast away alone, and from then on... he never appeared again."
The Immortal Cave fell silent, with only the koi in the pond occasionally leaping out of the water, splashing tiny ripples.
Han Xuanji looked at Li Tiantong's weathered face, feeling a bit heavy-hearted.
He knew what the Dao Ancestor meant to Li Tiantong—not just an existence akin to a teacher, but also a close friend who had fought side by side, a partner to whom he could entrust his Life and Death.
He hadn't expected that after Transcendence, it would end up like this.
"I searched for a long time."
Li Tiantong looked up, his eyes slightly red:
"I searched around that Secret Realm for a hundred years and asked others for information, but there was no news..."
He didn't continue, but the meaning was already very clear.
"Later, I eventually came to Qianhun City."
Li Tiantong took a deep breath, calming his emotions:
"I looked for a few Sects, but the exploitation of ordinary Cultivators was too severe. Hearing that the Five Elements Tower was recruiting Disciples, I came to try. I luckily passed the assessment and became an Outer Sect Disciple. As for what happened later, you already know. Although the Five Elements Tower has similar things, it is still much better than other places."
"I see."
Han Xuanji comforted him:
"Regarding the Dao Ancestor's matter, Fellow Daoist Tiantong need not worry too much. He is blessed by the heavens and should be fine."
This wasn't him talking nonsense, but a feeling from the void. He cultivated the Dao of Fate, and although he couldn't directly deduce Karma now, he trusted his intuition.
The Dao Ancestor's Luck was undoubtedly stronger than Tongtian Dao Venerable's; he had likely already found an Opportunity in the Secret Realm.
"However, do you still remember the specific location of that Secret Realm?"
"I naturally remember. It is in the Seven Star Province of the Shenghui Domain."
Li Tiantong gave a bitter smile, his tone full of helplessness:
"That Secret Realm is the place where a Saint-level powerhouse of the Holy Court attained the Major Achievement and practiced Dao. Although that powerhouse is now nowhere to be found, the Secret Realm has been sealed by the Holy Court. It is almost impossible for outsiders to enter."
Han Xuanji frowned even tighter.
Although he hadn't been to the Seven Star Province, he had heard of it; it was a major province ranked high in the Shenghui Domain, far more prosperous than the Jiuxuan Prefecture where Qianhun City was located.
If the Secret Realm were in the Jiuxuan Prefecture, he might have been able to find a way through the Hun Family's connections.
But crossing provinces, the Hun Family's influence was not enough.
Han Xuanji pondered secretly, but didn't reveal anything on his face.
Perhaps he could ask True God Heiyan about it.
He was a member of the Eternal Chamber of Commerce, and the Chamber of Commerce's influence spread throughout the entire Eternal Continent; perhaps there was a better way.
Or he could wait until his cultivation was higher and try to find a way to obtain the qualifications to enter the Secret Realm as an individual. But these were just assumptions and would likely be difficult to achieve in the short term.
"Fellow Daoist Tiantong need not worry too much."
Han Xuanji withdrew his thoughts, his tone peaceful but with a hint of certainty:
"I will find a way, it will just take some time."
Li Tiantong looked at him, a glimmer of hope flashing in his eyes, but it quickly dimmed.
He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but it finally turned into a sigh:
"I am already very grateful that you have this intention. As for the Dao Ancestor's matter... let it be as fate dictates."
So many years had passed; if something had really happened, there was nothing to be done.
Han Xuanji did not reply, nor did he explain.
Some things were better done than said.
Rather than continuing to offer empty comfort here, it was better to improve his strength first; when he had enough capital, then he would talk.