A star had its own consciousness. It could cultivate. Its cultivation was based on how many creatures lived in its world. Using those creatures' life energy, it could become an Upper-World level star. The more living beings the star held, the richer its life-source; the fewer the creatures, the harder it was to rise.
From ancient times, when our star tried to break through to the Upper-World level, an Immortal-World artifact fell. Every sect and powerhouse rushed to seize it. As a result, a great war began. Greed spread fast, and simple covetousness turned into wide-scale slaughter.
This had happened three times in different eras. In the first two times, immortal-level artifacts had fallen from the sky. But the third time a different thing fell: a jade slip that contained an immortal-level refining method. That jade slip carried a recipe, not the finished treasure itself, and people fought for the secret it contained.
During that last time, the world was full of chaos—everywhere there was only war. The Heavenly Court tried to stop the great disorder and to bring peace, but they failed. Their orders could not stop the fighting; the conflict spread until many regions were ruined and many lives were lost.
The owners of the first two artifacts had been the two strongest sects in the world. Everyone knew that whoever obtained the refining recipe and successfully refined an immortal artifact would become the next strongest power. But at the end of the war, the jade slip carrying the recipe suddenly vanished. No one knew where it had gone. Its disappearance only deepened fear and suspicion among the surviving powers.
Later it was discovered that the jade slip had been made from condensed Qi that had a limited time to exist. At the same time, the Heavenly Court found that the previous artifacts and this jade slip were a trap set by the Upper World. A star needed a huge amount of life-source during its breakthrough, and that source came from the living creatures on the star. By dropping these artifacts, the Immortal World had stirred greed in mortals; people fought and killed for the prizes. In the end the great war killed so many creatures of the star that the star could not gather enough life-source.
As a result, the star failed its breakthrough. Its spiritual energy sank, and cultivation to higher realms became impossible for ten thousand years. For ten thousand years the star remained weak; whole generations suffered under the damage caused by that greed.
A teacher taught this in the academy. All the students were hearing him. He was a wise and powerful figure. His long silver-white hair was tied in a neat topknot, matching his full and noble beard. He wore a deep blue robe with light embroidery, showing quiet elegance. His body was lean but dignified, and his sharp, aged eyes reflected a lifetime of teaching and mastery in martial arts. His presence was calm yet commanding, carrying an aura of authority. He spoke slowly and clearly so the students could feel the weight of the lesson.
At that time a boy stood from his bench. The boy, appearing around twelve, stood with a striking, serious handsomeness, dressed in deep indigo robes intricately embroidered with silver. His dark hair was styled in a topknot. He asked, "Teacher, why are you telling us this information when that recipe was banished?" His voice was firm; he looked curious and not afraid to question.
The teacher replied, "Liang Zhu Ye, your question is good.
This was the main plan of the Immortal World so that our star would not become an Upper-World like them. By sending this artifact they caused chaos, and because so many creatures died, our star's breakthrough failed. If they tried it again, our next generation would fall into their trap.Thats why I teaching you about this so that you will not fall there trap." He looked at them slowly, wanting them to understand the scale of the danger.
Another student stood and asked, "Teacher, can't they come to our world?" The teacher replied, "When they came to our world, their cultivation realms were suppressed and they could only use up to the Fusion Dao Stage. That is the seventh stage in cultivation, while in our world the eighth and ninth stages exist." He explained the differences plainly so the students could grasp the imbalance between worlds.
Another student asked, "Teacher, have you met them?" The teacher shook his head and said, "How could I meet them? They were god-like figures. The most important thing was that no eighth- or ninth-stage cultivators were alive here now; they were legends. Only seventh-stage and quasi-eighth-stage cultivators remained. I met one of them when I was a child." For a moment his gaze went distant; he did not speak more.
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Present Time
A young-looking man suddenly opened his eyes and said, "I don't think this is the true reason behind the immortal artifact recipe's disappearance.All the people of this world and even I was taught false story." His tone was calm but challenging; the class turned toward him.
No one knew about the truth he spoke of. At that moment, within his knowledge sea, a figure sat on a mountaintop. That mountain had been formed from thousands of dead bodies. He sat on a throne at its peak. Emitting a demonic aura, he said, "Liang Zhu Ye, this is the truth I uncovered by sacrificing my life." The voice was cold and grave.
Liang Zhu Ye started laughing so loudly that he sounded more demonic than that soul in his knowledge sea. The laughter echoed in the hall.
Suddenly his pupils shrank. He said, "I will show them what true betrayal is, what true demonic nature looks like. Wait for me, Heavenly Court and all the so called righteous people of this world." His promise hung heavy in the air, and the students felt its weight.
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