Chapter 586: The Shocking Deception
Upon hearing the words “Cause of Calamity,” Chen Yan’s expression shifted slightly.
He hadn’t expected that this would actually be the starting point of everything.
Perhaps it was precisely because of the later misinterpretation of those two words, “Cause of Calamity,” that led to so many catastrophes afterward.
“That’s right. Using these two words to describe this karmic bond is more than appropriate.”
Chen Yan nodded and said:
“Currently, everyone present in the Profound Scripture Hall represents the Five Great Sects behind them, and also the order of the Chenping Continent. I imagine that you all, who wish to maintain the current order, certainly don’t want such a disaster to happen again… No one can guarantee that the next time such a calamity occurs, it won’t become even more widespread.”
There were no fools among those who could sit in the position of Supreme Pivot Elder of the Five Great Sects.
They could all hear the implication behind the words of this young man dressed in plain white daoist robes.
That is, he had a way to resolve this calamity.
“Please enlighten us, Your Excellency.”
Ren Anhe, seated in the main seat, spoke up again.
“That would be, to uproot the ‘Cause of Calamity.’”
Chen Yan gave his answer.
Inside the Profound Scripture Hall, upon hearing these words, the Grand Elders of the Five Great Sects all fell into silence once more.
Because the highest cultivation among all the Grand Elders present here was none other than Ren Anhe, who was only at the late-stage Dao Union Realm.
Cultivators at the Dao Union Realm were not qualified to pry into the secrets of Heaven’s will or cause and effect.
Until eight thousand years later, the only exception that had appeared on the Chenping Continent was Li Haoran. However, even Li Haoran, who had glimpsed the secrets of Heaven’s will, ultimately ended up with a damaged Dao Basis and a severe loss of his lifespan.
In other words, the understanding of cause and effect among the Grand Elders in the Profound Scripture Hall was practically zero.
Chen Yan wasn’t much better off either.
His understanding of cause and effect relied entirely on the Emptiness Annihilation Art, as well as the obscure words that Li Haoran and Mr. You had spoken to him back then.
After all, Chen Yan’s current actual cultivation realm was merely at the peak of the Divine Ability Realm.
“May I ask, Your Excellency, how does one uproot the ‘Cause of Calamity’?”
Ren Anhe continued to inquire.
“It cannot be spoken.”
Chen Yan said with a serious expression:
“This karmic bond is closely tied to the Chenping Continent. It should be resolved by you cultivators of the Chenping Continent yourselves, and not by an outsider like me.”
As soon as these words were spoken, it was clear that the Grand Elders in the Profound Scripture Hall began to lose their composure.
This handsome cultivator in the plain white daoist robes was actually someone from outside the Chenping Continent?
What exactly lay beyond the Chenping Continent?
Countless cultivators had once pondered this question.
However, Chen Yan, who was currently standing in the center of the Profound Scripture Hall, wore a stern expression that seemed to say, “Don’t ask about what you shouldn’t pry into,” causing the Grand Elders to abandon any thoughts of pressing him further about his origins.
Of course, everything Chen Yan had said was a lie.
He was deceiving these “naive” Grand Elders of the Five Great Sects in order to achieve his goal.
That goal was, how to uproot the karmic bond of the True Lord of Imperial Void that was attached to himself.
This was the answer Mr. You had given him. The purpose of his coming to this current era was to shed the karma he carried, and to “plant” the Cause of Calamity in this era.
“If you obtain the method to uproot the ‘Cause of Calamity,’ you can come to Heavenly Summit Mountain and inform me. If your answer is correct, I can also lend you all a hand. After all, to settle a karmic bond, it is still something that only cultivators above the Immortal Ascension Realm can accomplish.”
Chen Yan spoke slowly, and his tone inadvertently carried a slightly heavier emphasis on the word “above.”
“…This junior understands.”
Ren Anhe stood up, put down his walking stick, and made a bow in Chen Yan’s direction.
Chen Yan nodded.
No one questioned this great senior who had suddenly appeared in the Profound Scripture Hall and claimed to be “above the Immortal Ascension Realm.”
Of course, no one dared to question him either.
Under the current situation, being driven by Chen Yan seemed to be the only way out for the Five Great Sects.
And this deception would lead to the path to immortality being severed on the Chenping Continent for seven thousand years.
…
Western Region of the Chenping Continent, Liaolong.
Su Hongzhen only stayed at his uncle and aunt’s house for one night before taking his leave, citing the excuse of being busy with trivial matters.
There is a divide between mortals and immortals; remember not to harbor too many unrealistic expectations.
That was what Chen Yan had said to him.
In truth, Su Hongzhen had never had any excessive expectations. He just felt that after so many years, he really ought to come back and take a look.
And now, he had already seen them.
He believed that after he left, his uncle and aunt would definitely live very well.
That ferry was still docked in Huangquan City. With the ferry as the center, no one dared to come within a hundred and fifty zhang around it.
However, there were still mortal youths who dared to stand far away and gaze from a distance, hoping to catch a glimpse of the majestic appearance of immortals.
The crew members on the ferry did not stop them either. In fact, they quite enjoyed being admired and looked up to by these mortal youths. After all, they themselves had no great ambitions for their immortal path. For these people, they would likely be stuck in the Body Forging Realm for the rest of their lives, at most reaching Energy Channeling.
Among these Rogue Cultivator crew members, some would spend their lives idling away at the ferry, while others might save up enough spirit stones, leave the ferry to find a city in one of the secular dynasties, marry and have children, and establish a cultivation family.
Mortals are countless living beings, and cultivators are the same.
The Swordsman in the green robe slowly walked toward the ferry. Seeing the champion of Heavenly Summit Mountain return, the Rogue Cultivators who had been lounging on the deck immediately began to busy themselves.
“Champion Su, are you leaving?”
The person in charge of this ferry, the cultivator at the early Martial Spring Realm, quickly walked toward Su Hongzhen. He clearly hadn’t expected that this champion of Heavenly Summit Mountain, returning to his hometown in glory, would only stay here for a single day.
“Mm.”
Su Hongzhen nodded.
“Where are we headed?”
The cultivator at the early Martial Spring Realm asked again.
And this question of his caused Su Hongzhen to pause slightly.
Su Hongzhen himself didn’t know where he was going.
“What do you think?”
Su Hongzhen asked casually.
Hearing Su Hongzhen’s question, the cultivator at the early Martial Spring Realm also paused slightly.
How could he be answering a question with another question?
His mind raced at top speed, and then, as if he had thought of something, he put on a troubled expression:
“Champion Su, I’m afraid this ferry of ours doesn’t have the qualifications to go to Mirage Palace.”
“We’re not going to Mirage Palace.”
Su Hongzhen shook his head and asked:
“Do you have any places to recommend?”
“Places to recommend?”
After thinking for a moment, the cultivator at the early Martial Spring Realm suddenly had a flash of inspiration:
“Could it be that Champion Su wishes to travel the world?”
Hearing this, Su Hongzhen nodded.
“Then you’ve come to the right person. Have you heard that there is a secret realm in the Western Region of the Chenping Continent…”
The ferry slowly rose into the air.
The people of Huangquan City all lifted their heads, looking at the enormous floating ship that blotted out the sky with both fear and reverence.
And at a corner of the street, a young woman in a deep green daoist robe was sitting at a tea stall, slowly sipping her tea.
Su Hongzhen had invited her to leave Liaolong with him.
But she had refused.
Because Zhou Jinyun’s visit to Liaolong this time was not to see Little Su.
Currently, Mirage Palace had matters more important than Su Hongzhen.
She took out the secret letter she had received not long ago from her sleeve and once again confirmed the emblem of the Supreme Imperial Law Court on it.
Since Imperial Law Elder Shang had given this order, it must mean…
Zhou Jinyun thought to herself, and then she used true qi to ignite a thin flame at her fingertip, burning the secret letter to ashes.