"No need for formalities," the Red Star Emperor's voice was gentle, a strand of golden light lifting Zhao Xing up. "Have you made any discoveries regarding Void Ancestor's Shedding Bone?"
"Yes, Your Majesty," Zhao Xing responded, "I seem to have copied a secret method from Void Ancestor's Shedding Bone, but I am unsure of its exact nature."
"However, it will be somewhat troublesome to take it out now."
Zhao Xing then explained in full detail the strange events that occurred when he returned.
Although it happened in the Transmission Realm Tower and the Red Star Emperor wasn't a divine teacher, the Heavenly Master's Manor might still know about it.
The Karmic War provided the Heavenly Master's Manor with plenty of information, so hiding it would be a foolish choice.
Zhao Xing had come to the Empire thanks to Qing Yuzi's blessing, and since Gu Luohe was aware, the Red Star Emperor must know as well. Thus, there was no need for concealment.
After hearing Zhao Xing's account, the Red Star Emperor fell silent for a moment.
Gu Luohe was a bit surprised by how long the Red Star Emperor took to think; it was quite unusual.
Finally, the Red Star Emperor spoke, "With just a strand of divine power, I can temporarily stabilize your origin space. Then, you can safely take out the statue."
"Considering your merits, I will also give you a 'Primordial Dao Tower.'"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Zhao Xing was overjoyed.
The basic Boundary Tower was a standard tool for cultivating the Primordial Realm.
The Primordial Dao Tower, on the other hand, was the best tool for cultivating the Primordial Realm. It could display the four stages of world changes and also serve to stabilize the world.
This tower was created by the Red Star Emperor himself, solving the problem of slow and unstable inner world evolution for the Shennong of the Primordial Realm.
It was said that the Primordial Dao Tower was one of the products of the Red Star Emperor's path to divinity. It was created at the moment he ascended to godhood!
This was undoubtedly a divine artifact.
"You can't open your origin space right now, so I'll have Gu Luohe assist you. Don't resist."
"Yes."
Zhao Xing obediently stood in place.
Gu Luohe flew over, a shadow entered Zhao Xing's dantian, and effortlessly pried open the previously heavy origin space.
"Gu Luohe is truly the strongest Demigod. With two Emperor-class plant battle units and a statue bearing divine power, the three maintained a delicate balance in the fragile origin space, but he can easily open it for me," Zhao Xing admired Gu Luohe greatly.
Zuo Qiyu and the Five Venom Emperor's ability to work with Gu Luohe was not without reason.
"Vroom~"
In just a thought, Zhao Xing felt the pressure in his inner world vanish.
The Qing Yuzi statue transformed into a beam of golden light and flew toward the Red Star Emperor.
In its place, a nine-story tower appeared, shimmering with starlight. It had eighty-one windows and emanated chaotic energy that stabilized the origin space, as well as the Black Sky Moon Tree and the Soul Devouring Grass.
At this moment, Zhao Xing could clearly sense the difference between Qing Yuzi and the Red Star Emperor.
The Qing Yuzi statue not only suppressed the two plant battle units but also suppressed the origin space, causing him to lose control over the core of his self-cultivation, able to see but unable to access it.
But now, with the Primordial Dao Tower, the two plant battle units were no longer tense. They began to grow freely, surrounded by the chaotic energy released by the Primordial Dao Tower, forming an independent living space. Zhao Xing could now open his origin space again without being affected.
One was a rough suppression, and the other was a gentle stabilization. Clearly, the Red Star Emperor's method was more refined.
"The secret method on Void Ancestor's Shedding Bone is called 'Devouring Calamity Technique,'" the Red Star Emperor said after taking the statue. "The fragment needs to be assessed and improved before it can be practiced."
"Zhao Xing, since you brought this method back, when you reach the Reincarnation Realm, you can come and practice this technique," the Red Star Emperor made a promise.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Zhao Xing bowed again.
Devouring Calamity Technique? It sounded incredibly powerful!
His decision not to cultivate it within the Transmission Realm Tower now seemed correct, as even the Red Star Emperor said the fragment needed to be evaluated and perfected first.
As times progress, most top-tier secret methods now come with protective measures. Without such protections, cultivating these techniques could lead to madness and even death.
The God of Mechanisms, the Red Star Emperor, was the best at this. Before the new generation, most of the side effects of cultivation methods had been eliminated by him. Using the Primordial Dao Tower to perfect the Primordial Realm was just one of the Emperor's many achievements.
After receiving the Void Ancestor technique and statue, the Red Star Emperor's golden figure dispersed.
What descended was merely a divine power avatar, and now, it would be Gu Luohe, the true body, who would ensure Zhao Xing's safe return.
Gu Luohe took Zhao Xing, along with the ship, into the inner world. In just a few breaths, they had traveled from the center of the Xuanling Star Domain to the Eastern Empire territory.
A few more breaths passed, and they arrived at the Primordial Realm.
"Whoosh~"
Zhao Xing was released, finding himself at the top of the Primordial God Tree's highest leaf, in a small city.
"Master."
Gu Luohe shook his head. "Don't call me Master anymore. Like the others, just call me Senior Gu."
Zhao Xing was confused. He had always called him Master before, and Gu Luohe never minded. But now, it seemed like he was firmly rejecting it?
"Old... Senior Gu, are you about to break through?"
Gu Luohe was already a Demigod, seeking to break into godhood. Of course, he would not be influenced by karma, as that could interfere with his breakthrough.
A deity like Qing Yuzi, who had been greatly influenced by Zhao Xing's karmic ties, was a prime example of the opposite.
After becoming a god, Zhao Xing had to worry about him constantly.
First, he sent Zhao Xing to the Empire, then had Gu Luohe step in to teach him, even breaking the rules to send him the secret technique of the Divine Palace's reincarnation, finding a world-sealing stone for him, and helping in the Karmic War… In the end, even a time-space divine body was destroyed.
"It's just a small breakthrough I'm seeking," Gu Luohe said calmly. "Whether I succeed or not is still unknown."
Zhao Xing nodded. He didn't plan to ask further; since Gu Luohe said it wasn't possible, he decided to just call him Senior Gu.
But unexpectedly, Gu Luohe's tone shifted: "To settle our karmic ties, I will tell you a few things."
"Our karmic ties?" Zhao Xing was puzzled. Besides Qing Yuzi's arrangement for teaching, did he have any other entanglement with Gu Luohe?
"Ever since the Yuanhai Conference incident, everything from coming here, to me taking you as a disciple, has been arranged by Qing Yuzi," Gu Luohe said. "Not only did he ensure that you would enter the Primordial Realm and that I would teach you, but he also prepared a world-sealing stone long ago."
"As long as you break through to the Reincarnation Realm and open up your inner world, the current problems will be solved."
Saying this, Gu Luohe pinched his fingers, and a small light blue dot appeared at the tip of his finger.
It was the size of a rice grain, yet seemed to contain an entire world. Zhao Xing couldn't help but stare at it, unable to look away.
The World-Sealing Stone!
Its enhancement effect during the opening of the inner world was second only to the legendary Primordial God Stone!
Of course, without such an enhancement item, one could still forcibly open their inner world, but the danger was much higher. In ancient times, the Shennong of the Self School were weak because the chances of exploding their bodies during this step were as high as ninety percent.
"The Red Star Emperor's Primordial Dao Tower only stabilizes things. Right now, although you can open your origin space, you still can't control the two Emperor-class plant battle units."
"In the end, you must open your inner world yourself to completely solve this issue."
Zhao Xing understood. The Red Star Emperor's method was just a temporary solution.
The Primordial Dao Tower was meant to enhance the inner world, but since Zhao Xing's origin space wasn't fully developed yet, it hadn't been fully effective.
External items are only supplements; in the end, Zhao Xing's origin space needed to transform into his inner world, expanding and improving to accommodate the plant battle units and then control them.
"With the Red Star Emperor's Primordial Dao Tower assisting you, you will quickly accumulate enough. When the time is right, you can use it to open your inner world."
"The World-Sealing Stone is now yours. I've completed Qing Yuzi's instructions, and our karmic ties are now cleared."
Zhao Xing stored the World-Sealing Stone in his chest but didn't place it into his origin space.
The World-Sealing Stone had a catalytic effect. If he threw it into his origin space now, the transformation would become irreversible, so it wasn't yet time.
"Now, let's talk about you," Gu Luohe said, looking at Zhao Xing. "I'm sure you're wondering why we need to clear our karmic ties."
Zhao Xing nodded.
Yes, logically, Gu Luohe only had karmic ties with Qing Yuzi. His previous teaching and taking Zhao Xing as a disciple were based on the agreement between Gu Luohe and Qing Yuzi.
One matter doesn't trouble two masters, and Qing Yuzi's karma should cover all the people and events involved in the agreement, without any extra karmic threads. This is something the Reincarnation Divine Palace is skilled in, and it wouldn't allow Gu Luohe to have any extra entanglements with Zhao Xing.
"Because you solved the problem of Diejie Mountain, accelerated the development of the Siyue Barren Domain, and provided information about the Rain Immortal Festival ritual in the Lingxu Origin Realm, all of this was preserved by the Primordial Realm."
"This is very important to me," Gu Luohe said. "Because of this, my cultivation has been assisted, and I am about to achieve a small breakthrough."
"I apologize for my ignorance. I don't understand how this helps you," Zhao Xing still didn't fully comprehend.
"This is exactly what I'm going to explain," Gu Luohe waved his hand, and the scenery of the hall immediately transformed into a vast void. "I will tell you about my path to divinity as a way to repay you."
"It's widely known that in the theory of the Self School, the world has four stages."
"Primordial, Origin, Myriad Forms, and Annihilation."
"When a small world reaches the Annihilation stage, everything will head towards destruction, and the universe is no exception."
"The birth of the Barren Domain means that our universe is moving from the Myriad Forms stage towards the Annihilation stage."
"You should know that the Xuanling Star Domain is a part of the Gu He Realm."
Zhao Xing nodded, watching as Gu Luohe painted a map of the universe.
"The spiritual energy from the Void River has created brilliant cultivation civilizations. Spiritual energy domains have risen around this great river."
"During the Five Emperors era, the Xuanling Star Domain was far larger than it is now. In fact, when we speak of the Five Emperors unifying the human race's territory, it includes the entire Gu He Realm, not just the Xuanling Star Domain."
Zhao Xing's pupils constricted. He saw that the map drawn by Gu Luohe was ten thousand times larger than the present. Could it be that his understanding of his past life was flawed?
In his previous understanding, the Xuanling Star Domain was just one of the territories, and the Gu He Realm should have many more civilizations and powers similar to the Xuanling Star Domain.
"Senior, are you saying the Gu He Realm...?" Zhao Xing asked, his voice tinged with confusion.
"Yes," Gu Luohe replied, his tone carrying a rare hint of emotion, a touch of sorrow. "The Gu He Realm, too, has been ruined along with the development of the universe."
"Since the end of the Five Emperors Era, many barren domain strips have suddenly appeared, cutting the Gu He Realm into many large and small territories."
"In the propaganda of the various nations and superpowers, the universe is said to have vast territories and abundant spiritual energy."
"But in reality, this is impossible. Since the universe is about to enter the Annihilation stage, such a theory cannot stand."
"So, the Xuanling Star Domain is now the largest, most spiritually abundant, and most populated territory within the Gu He Realm."
"Now, when we develop the Siyue Barren Domain, it's merely to seize the resources and spiritual energy from the other lost territories of the Gu He Realm and replenish them into the Xuanling Star Domain, delaying the inevitable demise."
Zhao Xing's expression froze. This was completely different from what he had imagined.
He had always thought that the world was vast and the universe even more so, but what Gu Luohe was saying now was essentially a version of the "end of the world" theory.
And he couldn't refute it.
Indeed, if the formation of barren domains was a sign of the Annihilation stage, then no matter where one went, annihilation would eventually happen.
Zhao Xing gazed at the map Gu Luohe had drawn, feeling a bit lost.
Each miniature territory was separated by barren domain strips, looking as if the "cosmic ocean" had revealed segments of riverbed, dividing the territories into ponds of various sizes.
The Xuanling Star Domain was the largest spiritual pool, and opening up the Siyue Barren Domain was like siphoning water from another pond, delaying the inevitable demise.
This theory had too much supporting evidence—such as why the Great Dao didn't manifest in the barren domains and why the spiritual energy was weak.
Why, for instance, the Black Sky Barren Domain had no Dao Manifestation or Dao Ancient Layer at all.
Why it had become increasingly difficult to break through to the Reincarnation Realm, and how the godly realm had disappeared from history.
This kind of pessimistic "end of the universe" theory would undoubtedly deal a heavy blow to cultivators.
Of course, those at lower realms with limited lifespans might not care, as they wouldn't live long enough to worry about the world's destruction one hundred or even a thousand epochs from now (perhaps even longer or shorter).
Would it affect them in their mining jobs?
But for those in higher realms, this could be an imminent threat.
The reason why Gu Luohe's theory wasn't publicly promoted was probably to avoid causing panic.
Zhao Xing thought carefully. Since the third epoch of the barren domains, the environment had indeed gotten worse. Later versions even showed the onset of the Ice Age.
His failure to break through to the godly realm might not have been due to a problem with his cultivation but because at that time, the appearance of a new godly realm might have been forbidden.
"Wait," Zhao Xing suddenly furrowed his brows. "In later versions, the godly realm appeared more frequently and with greater power. This contradicts Gu Luohe's theory..."
"No, maybe it's because the channels opened, and the other spiritual energy domains still had godly realms due to the competition for resources? This doesn't mean Gu Luohe's theory is wrong."
Gu Luohe waited patiently until he felt Zhao Xing's emotions calm down before continuing, "Did you just feel that cultivation and effort have no meaning?"
Surprisingly, Zhao Xing shook his head. "It's too far for me, and I might never see that day. Even so, I don't think it's meaningless. The pursuit of the Dao's end in itself holds meaning."
Gu Luohe looked at Zhao Xing with approval. "To have such a mindset, sitting and discussing the Dao with you does not insult my Dao."
Zhao Xing understood that Gu Luohe was about to formally discuss his path to cultivation. Perhaps he would hear some secrets he had never known.
"Once the framework of the Self School's world theory was established, the ancients predicted that the world would ultimately be destroyed. Some became pessimistic, sitting and waiting for death, and even changed their nature, beginning to recklessly slaughter a star domain."
"Others continued to uphold their beliefs, trying to find a way for all beings to survive," Gu Luohe said, his tone resolute. "My Gu family has existed since the Five Emperors Era, and from that time, we have been searching down this path."
"By my time, I have finally discovered a path that shows the first signs of light."
"That is, beyond the Primordial, Origin, Myriad Forms, and Annihilation stages, there should be a fifth state."
"That is the legendary Eternal Realm!"
The Eternal Realm? Zhao Xing's body trembled. Certain seals in the depths of his memory seemed to loosen.
"After the Five Emperors Era, with the help of the Emperor, I walked a path of Self-Dao cultivation that no one had ever practiced before—the 'Eternal Realm.'"
"I cannot control the aging of the universe, but I can control my inner world."
"When the inner world I cultivate contains all the embryonic forms of the Great Dao of the universe's territories, my inner world may become strong enough to exist eternally and complete the second creation!"
At that moment, Gu Luohe seemed to be radiating light. Zhao Xing recalled his experience in Gu Luohe's inner world.
Indeed, every plant life in Gu Luohe's inner world broke the rules.
He had inscribed his name in the source of life divisions, causing ordinary resilient vines to grow to Emperor-class, and his life Dao had allowed him to comprehend the "Reviving Straw Puppet" technique.
Everything about Gu Luohe's Dao proved that it was vastly different from that of others.
At this moment, Zhao Xing finally understood.
Gu Luohe was called the strongest Demigod for a reason.
Because once he became a god, in theory, his inner world would transform into the "Eternal Realm," creating a world that exists eternally.
There would be no aging phase, no possibility of annihilation, and the world could exist in any stage. In the same way, Gu Luohe would become an immortal, indestructible being!
When the Xuanling Star Domain reaches the 100th epoch of the barren domain, all life would face inevitable death. However, if Gu Luohe could possess the Eternal Realm, he could take all the Xuanling human race into his inner world, avoiding the collapse of the universe.
Gu Luohe would essentially become his own universe! No, his goal was to create a new universe and become a creator god!
"The Extreme Star Theory of the Celestial Time School and the Extreme Land Theory of the Earth School are nothing compared to the Self School's 'Eternal Realm Theory,'" Zhao Xing couldn't help but sigh.
Wherever the Red Star Emperor went, he always took Gu Luohe with him, even treating him as an equal. Gu Luohe could make deals with beings like Qing Yuzi, who was in the divine realm, showcasing his uniqueness.
And he was indeed special because Gu Luohe was a potential 'savior'! He walked a path that transcended time and space.
"So the opening of the Siyue Barren Domain was not just for the development of the empire, but to provide a reference for you, Senior Gu," Zhao Xing finally understood why Gu Luohe said he had karma with him.
The appearance of the Diedian Mountain Theory accelerated the development of the Siyue Barren Domain, and the discovery of the Lingxu Origin Realm allowed Gu Luohe to obtain a new Origin Realm Great Dao model.
In other words, his paper not only helped the Primordial Hill but also indirectly helped Gu Luohe. For someone of Gu Luohe's level, time was crucial!
"Gu Luohe, contemporaneous with the Emperor, had the Emperor become a god and surpassed even Qing Yuzi in power. However, Gu Luohe did not. He created the Primordial Realm, and by all reasoning, someone of his caliber should have already become a god. But he did not, not because he couldn't, but because he has grander ambitions."
"But can he really succeed?" Zhao Xing thought to himself, uncertain. If Gu Luohe's vision came to pass, his becoming a god might surpass all others in the divine realm. Yet, the Self School had god-level plants, but no godly Shennong, which was Zhao Xing's understanding from his previous life. In the version with the Time God Tree, there were even rumors that Gu Luohe had died.
Of course, Zhao Xing wasn't fully dismissing this possibility. After all, in his previous life, his highest achievement was attempting to break through to the godly realm. It was possible that Gu Luohe truly was the savior.
Once the philosophical discussion ended, Gu Luohe resumed his previous state, indifferent to everything, his emotions calm and stable.
Then, he brought up the question Zhao Xing was most concerned about: "You have learned the Primordial Avatar Technique. You should have seen Jin Yan's existence."
"Yes," Zhao Xing nodded. "But I can't sense his exact location."
"Of course, you can't sense him," Gu Luohe said. "He's in the Demon Clan's territory, relying on the protection of the Shadow Temple and the Demon Clan to stay alive. Otherwise, just being expelled from the empire would have been enough to kill him many times over."
"In the future, if you have the chance, you may try to kill Jin Yan."
"Zuo Qiyu and you—it's up to you who lasts longer."
Gu Luohe forbade Zuo Qiyu and Zhao Xing from fighting each other directly, offering a solution in one word: "Endure!"
If either Zuo Qiyu or Zhao Xing failed to survive the True Spirit Tribulation, they would naturally fall, and the other would inherit all the power, monopolizing the Straw Puppet Dao.
Originally, Jin Yan was younger than Zuo Qiyu. He, too, held the mindset of enduring.
Even with Soul Splitting and death-replacement tribulations, the True Spirit Tribulation was growing stronger. Zuo Qiyu would eventually die before Jin Yan. Once Zuo Qiyu was dead, Jin Yan would naturally inherit everything and could continue on, perhaps advancing to Demigod and possibly even the godly realm.
But now, with the emergence of a younger Zhao Xing, there was a new variable.
Zhao Xing had a higher chance of inheriting everything.
"Senior Gu, can Jin Yan create another person who can use the Primordial Avatar Technique?" Zhao Xing asked this question.
If Jin Yan failed and overcrowded the path, evenly distributing the power, then this Straw Puppet Technique would have been a waste of effort.
Gu Tianyang, Gu Luohe's brother, should be familiar with this technique.
"It's impossible," Gu Luohe gave a firm answer. "Three people walking the same path is the limit."
"Senior Gu, what is the ultimate goal of the Primordial Avatar?" Zhao Xing asked his final question.
"The universe's Primordial Beginning, a true god without calamity," Gu Luohe said. "He must want to use the Straw Puppet Technique to survive the collapse of the universe. My brother created this technique, and we are on the same path, but unfortunately, he died too early."
...
"The universe's Primordial Beginning, a true god without calamity." Even after leaving Gu Luohe's palace, Zhao Xing still repeated these words in his mind. He recalled the notes he had seen in Wei Tianchen's library. "Gu Tianyang, such a monstrous genius, did he really die?"
"Gu Luohe's mention of the Eternal Realm... it seems familiar."
Zhao Xing's mind drifted as he entered the deep recesses of his memories. There, he saw a large door, with a dog licking its face, a chicken pecking at rice, and a lamp burning the lock.
"It still can't be moved..." Zhao Xing muttered to himself as he stood in front of the palace door. "The memory seal I set when I left the Xuanhuang Realm... Is this still my Yuanfeng Method?"