Eternal Tale

Jiang Xuechen’’s eyelids twitched slightly. She rarely stayed at the Five Aggregates Sect and hadn’’t noticed this before. What truly astonished her was the Mountain Protection Array of the sect, eternal and ever-flowing with the world...

”Ancestor, when do you plan to leave?” Liu Han asked cautiously, eyes fixed on the figure so near yet so unreachable. ”Will you return?”

Shi Wujun and Ji Zhao unconsciously left their seats, their fingers trembling slightly.

Jiang Xuechen merely sighed softly. The path of cultivating immortality was vast and boundless, the road ahead endless. In the vastness of heaven and earth, where could those two be left behind?

”Wait until your Ancestor Bull sets up the large teleportation array,” Chen Xun’’s voice was always calm, yet he was always gazing at the stars. ”Little ones, there will always be farewells; don’’t dwell too much on it.”

Black Bull let out a low moo, and Little Chi looked at the slightly cold dishes on the table, feeling a bit melancholic for reasons unknown.

The three solemnly cupped their hands. They were no longer who they once were; their eyes had become more resolute and strong. Now they could support a part of the sky for the Five Aggregates Sect.

Chen Xun laughed heartily, ”The future is truly full of wonders and unknowns. I look forward to hearing the name of the Five Aggregates Sect in the great world!”

”We will not disappoint the Ancestor’’s expectations!” The three lowered their heads, speaking in unison, their words filled with determination.

Although they didn’’t know what the great world meant, the steps of the Five Aggregates Sect would never halt. One day, the name of the Five Aggregates Sect would echo through the heavens and reach the ears of the two ancestors!Chen Xun nodded gently, placing a storage bag into Jiang Xuechen’’s hand. A single dominant force is never ideal; there must be trustworthy allies.

The latter gave a deep bow; they were all smart people, no need for many words.

”You go make arrangements; we’’ll stay here for a while,” Chen Xun looked deeply at them, speaking with a meaning hard to grasp, ”It’’s quite good.”

Black Bull also gave them a deep look, running over to nuzzle each one, as if to remember their scent forever.

Liu Han’’s eyes were brimming with tears, ”Ancestor...”

Shi Wujun gently shook her arm, shaking his head lightly.

Ji Zhao felt a mix of emotions, unsure of what to say.

Whoosh!

A gentle breeze swept by, causing the four to cry out in surprise as they were blown far away. This time, the Ancestor and Ancestor Bull did not point fingers, leaving only a silhouette behind.

Yet Little Chi started to chuckle, squatting on the ground and pointing.

”Damn it, what are you laughing at, Bull, flatten it!”

”Moo moo!!”

”Ah! Xun! Brother Bull!!”

...

From the cliff came cries like ghosts wailing and wolves howling. Little Chi struggled madly as Black Bull held it by the neck, this time without Little Crane to protect it.

While Chen Xun was beating it, he casually glanced at the four in the distance. He didn’’t have any Qi-Enhancing Pills for advancing to the Deity Transformation stage or techniques for cultivating divine sense.

With their current lifespan, they couldn’’t slay Filthy Longevity; he could only send them this far. On the path of cultivation, he couldn’’t always shield them. Without hardships, how could there be growth?

Today’’s farewell, the foundation of the Five Aggregates Sect was already solid, no longer needing him much, which relieved him greatly. He could now let go and venture into the grand world... the Three Thousand Great Worlds!

...

The next day, the sky was cloudless and windless, a red sun rising slowly, high in the sky, with peaks floating like islands.

Black Bull and Little Chi were already busy, setting up the large Five Elements Teleportation Array and practicing the control of the array flags, with Ji Zhao following closely behind.

On the cliff, Jiang Xuechen bid farewell to Chen Xun, and a treasure shuttle broke through the sky as she left to arrange matters at Moon Tower.

Liu Han and Shi Wujun convened a sect meeting, the hall packed, with the elders’’ expressions solemn, the atmosphere in the grand hall unusually heavy and powerful.

The entire Five Aggregates Sect seemed to burst with a new wave of vitality, the sound of breaking through the sky unceasing, with every disciple performing their duties.

Chen Xun withdrew his gaze, a hint of amusement in his eyes, then turned and disappeared from the cliff’’s edge.

He had already left the Jade Bamboo Range, walking on air towards the Endless Mountain Range in the south.

Yet he was in no hurry, planting some spiritual herbs and scattering opportunities in various ordinary cliffs and caves.

In the past, he and Black Bull often searched these places but found nothing. Now, he left these opportunities behind, waiting for those destined to find them.

From a dark cave came a low growl.

”The auspicious time has come, open the furnace and perform the ritual!”

Chen Xun set up an incense burner, five hearts facing the sky, eyes showing reverence, ”This is my way of giving back to this world. May the heavens, gods, and Buddhas bless us brothers with success in all endeavors!”

The surrounding smoke curled, rainbow light burst forth, and Chen Xun’’s eyes became tranquil, though a crooked smile inadvertently betrayed him.

As the smoke drifted, Chen Xun also vanished with it, silently.

...

Three days later, in the southern Kingdom Qian, the Endless Mountain Range.

Looking up, one could see layers upon layers of distant mountains stretching towards the horizon, clear up close, gradually blurring into the distant sky.

Between the mountains was a thick layer of fog, only the mountain tops visible, not the bases.

Everywhere were towering ancient trees, filled with a mysterious aura of ancient times. The great demons lived deep within the Endless Mountain Range, their cultivation terrifying, with no mortals daring to enter lightly.

On the outskirts of the range, many cultivators were stationed, half from the Five Aggregates Sect, half from Moon Tower, their bodies surrounded by a murderous aura, facing off against the great demons from afar.

Today, a man sat cross-legged in a cave abode, his appearance unremarkable, with thick black hair and an expression of calmness as steady as a mountain, making him not to be underestimated.

He was Qi Hao, at the mid-Nascent Soul phase. Though his vitality seemed somewhat depleted, his life force was quite vigorous, appearing quite strange at first glance.

But this situation could only be explained by having consumed life-extending heavenly treasures!

Tap...

Footsteps echoed from outside the cave abode, and Qi Hao’’s eyes snapped open, a sense of absolute danger washing over him. He lightly patted his spirit beast bag, simultaneously summoning his magical artifact and Nascent Soul, his mana surging in all directions.

He frowned and probed, ”Who?!”

A man in gray walked in with a smile, his aura calm and serene, even the array outside the cave couldn’’t stop him in the slightest.

He seemed to exist outside this world, independent of the world of immortals, unaffected by any cultivation techniques.

Qi Hao was shocked, never having seen such a powerful figure! Nor had he ever heard of one!

But when he saw the man’’s face clearly, his shock turned to wild joy, and he quickly bowed:

”Disciple of the Five Aggregates Sect, Qi Hao, greets the Ancestor!”

”No need for formalities, it’’s been hard on you these years.”

Chen Xun smiled, raising his hand, looking carefully at his face, as if there was no memory of this person’’s appearance, ”Young friend, do you know me?”

”Ancestor... do you remember Liu Yuan, Master Liu?”

Boom!

A vast, deep rumbling echoed through the cave abode, and the smile in Chen Xun’’s eyes gradually turned profound.

A drop of cold sweat appeared on Qi Hao’’s forehead, his breathing becoming exceptionally difficult, his mana circulation coming to a halt.

His face turned slightly pale, recalling that terrifying scene from years ago, the spiritual qi retreating, the overwhelming power leaving the disciples of the Tianwu Sect with no escape, annihilating everything with one axe...