266: Chapter 266 The Truth About the Harvest

When Shen Zhao and Xing Lan returned to Yongning City from the abandoned outpost, it was already seven days later.

When the flying boat landed at the Star Port, Director Su Yun was already waiting there.

Her white hair had grown much more than seven days ago, and the dark circles under her eyes were heavier; she obviously hadn't slept for another night.

Seeing Shen Zhao walk out of the cabin hatch, she hurriedly went up to him, looking up and down at the young man who no longer looked like his original self—hairless, full of wrinkles, with a stooped figure, like an old man on the verge of death.

"You... why did you again..." Director Su Yun's voice choked with sobs, her eye sockets so red as if they were about to bleed.

Shen Zhao smiled, his smile filled with exhaustion.

"This Disciple is fine. Just aged a bit more." His voice was very soft, so soft like a flickering candle in the wind, which might go out at any time.

Director Su Yun did not say anything more, only supporting him as they walked toward the small courtyard beside the Monument of Heroes.

Xing Lan followed behind, holding the silver-white Jade Slip in her hands. The runes on the Jade Slip were still glowing faintly; that was all the information she had copied from the data core.

Shen Tianxing and Lin Ruoxue were already waiting at the entrance of the small courtyard.

Seeing her son's appearance, Lin Ruoxue did not speak, but simply stepped forward, took her son from Director Su Yun's hands, and supported him as they walked into the small courtyard.

Her eye sockets turned red, but she did not let the tears fall—because she knew her son did not like to see her cry.

Shen Tianxing stood at the courtyard entrance, watching his wife's back and his son's stooped figure, his fingers trembling slightly.

He wanted to say something, but his throat felt as if it were blocked by something, unable to utter a single word.

Shen Zhao lay in bed for three days.

Xing Lan came to see him every day, channeling Teleportation Power to him.

Director Su Yun came to deliver medicine every day, personally feeding it to him.

Shen Tianxing and Lin Ruoxue guarded the bedside every day, not leaving even a single step.

On the morning of the fourth day, Shen Zhao was finally able to sit up.

His hair still hadn't grown back, and the wrinkles on his face were still as deep as knife-carvings, but his eyes remained clear and steadfast.

He leaned against the head of the bed, looking out the window.

The sunlight outside the window was very pleasant, spilling into the small courtyard and gilding the stone table and stone stools with a layer of gold.

That half jar of spiritual spring water from the Lingxi Realm was still on the stone table, and the water droplets on the jar body glowed faintly in the sunlight.

"Xing Lan, this Disciple wants to see Guardian Ancestor Ling Xi and Director Su Yun." His voice was very soft.

Xing Lan nodded and turned to walk out of the small courtyard.

Half an hour later, Guardian Ancestor Ling Xi and Director Su Yun arrived at the small courtyard.

Guardian Ancestor Ling Xi wore the azure-gold magic robe of the Guardian Patriarch, with the qinglian sword hanging at her waist—that was the sword Shen Zhao left for her, and the qinglian patterns on the sword body shone brilliantly in the sunlight.

Director Su Yun followed behind Guardian Ancestor Ling Xi, holding the chief token of the Investigation Department in her hands, the runes on the token glowing faintly.

Shen Zhao looked at them, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly.

"This Disciple found the truth of the harvesting in the data core of the outpost." His voice was not loud, yet it made everyone's heart tighten.

Guardian Ancestor Ling Xi walked to the bedside and sat down, holding his withered and thin hand.

"Patriarch, take your time."

Shen Zhao took a deep breath and began to explain that The Designers were not willing executioners of the Tribunal.

They used to be an ordinary civilization, with their own home, their own loved ones, and their own dreams.

The Tribunal descended and gave them a choice—to become executioners or be destroyed.

They chose to become executioners because at least they could still live.

Guardian Ancestor Ling Xi's hand paused slightly.

"So, The Designers are also victims?"

Shen Zhao nodded.

"Yes. They are just like those harvested Souls, all victims. It's just that they had no choice and could only obey."

Director Su Yun's brow furrowed.

"Then why did the Tribunal do this? Why harvest Souls?"

Shen Zhao's gaze fell upon that half jar of spiritual spring water outside the window, falling silent for a moment.

"To live. To maintain the operation of Higher Space. Higher Space is not naturally formed, but constructed by the Tribunal using the Origin Power of countless Universes. It is the fortress of the Tribunal, and also its cage."

"A cage?" Guardian Ancestor Ling Xi's voice carried a hint of doubt.

Shen Zhao nodded.

"The Tribunal Master and the thirteen judges are all trapped in Higher Space, unable to leave. They need a steady stream of Origin Power to maintain the stability of Higher Space and sustain their own existence. If the Origin Power is exhausted, Higher Space will collapse, and they will perish along with it."

Director Su Yun's hand paused slightly.

"So, they harvest Souls for no other reason than just to live?"

Shen Zhao nodded.

"Yes. To live. Just like us, they only want to live. It's just that the way they chose is to sacrifice others."

The small courtyard fell into silence.

No one spoke, only the rustling sound of the wind blowing through the bamboo leaves.

After a long while, Guardian Ancestor Ling Xi spoke.

"Patriarch, what should we do then? What else can we do?"

Shen Zhao looked at her, his gaze calm.

"Wait. Wait for the cracks in the Wall of Eternity to expand until the Tribunal Master can break through. Then, this Disciple will go to Higher Space and settle things with it once and for all."

Lin Ruoxue's tears finally fell down.

"Zhao'er, with your current body, how can you go?"

Shen Zhao held his mother's hand.

"Mother, this Disciple can still hold on for a long time. This Disciple promised you that I will return alive. This Disciple will not break my promise."

Lin Ruoxue did not speak, only hugging her son and weeping silently.

Shen Tianxing stood aside, looking at his wife and son, remaining silent for a long time.

Then he turned around, walked out of the small courtyard, stood before the Monument of Heroes, looking at the name of his younger brother Shen Yuan, his father's name, and the names of countless heroic martyrs.

His fingers gently stroked those names, an indescribable emotion welling up in his heart.

"Yuan Di, are you watching Zhao'er from the heavens? He has grown up, stronger than your brother. Rest assured."

The colorless light at the top of the monument beat gently, as if responding to him.

In the following days, Shen Zhao recuperated quietly in the small courtyard and rarely went out.

Xing Lan came every day to teach him higher Realms of Teleportation Power.

Director Su Yun came every day to bring him the latest monitoring data from the Investigation Department.

Guardian Ancestor Ling Xi came once every few days to report to him on the situation of the Guardian Academy and the Star Sea Alliance.

Shen Tianxing and Lin Ruoxue guarded the bedside every day, not leaving even a single step.

Shen Zhao's hair slowly grew back, but it was still white.

The wrinkles on his face did not decrease, but his spirit was much better.

He would go to sit before the Monument of Heroes for a while every day, talking with his uncle, talking with the Patriarch, and talking with those who had already departed.

On this day, Shen Zhao was sitting before the Monument of Heroes when Xing Lan hurried over, her complexion as pale as paper.

"Shen Zhao, the Investigation Department monitored that the cracks in the Wall of Eternity are accelerating their expansion. Director Su Yun said that according to the current speed, at most in three thousand years, the cracks will expand to the point where the Tribunal Master can break through."

Shen Zhao's hand paused slightly.

Three thousand years, shorter than expected.

"This Disciple understands."

Xing Lan looked at him, her eyes filled with worry.

"What do you plan to do?"

Shen Zhao raised his head, looking at the colorless light at the top of the monument.

"This Disciple is going into seclusion. This Disciple wants to thoroughly fuse the Fourteen-Color Power and Breakthrough to the Later Stage of Integration. Only in this way can we fight the Tribunal Master."

Xing Lan's hand paused slightly.

"Your current Mid Stage of Integration is not even stable yet, how can you break through to the Later Stage?"

Shen Zhao stood up and patted the dust off his robes.

"This Disciple has a way. This Disciple is going to the Eternal Forbidden Zone to find the Space-Time Azure Dragon. It knows how to Breakthrough."

Xing Lan's brow furrowed.

"The Eternal Forbidden Zone? That place is too dangerous. Your current body..."

Shen Zhao raised his hand to interrupt her.

"This Disciple is not alone. This Disciple has the Fourteen-Color Power, Origin Power, and Teleportation Power. This Disciple will not be in danger."

Xing Lan looked at him, remained silent for a long time, and then nodded.

"Alright. I will accompany you."

Shen Zhao shook his head.

"You stay behind. Help this Disciple take care of my parents, and help this Disciple keep an eye on the cracks in the Wall of Eternity. This Disciple will go alone."

Xing Lan wanted to refuse, but Shen Zhao's gaze left her unable to speak.

That gaze was very calm, very steadfast, carrying an unquestionable power.

She nodded.

Three days later, the spacetime flying boat rose from the Star Port and flew toward the direction of the Eternal Forbidden Zone.

Shen Zhao stood before the porthole, gazing at Yongning City below, which was becoming smaller and smaller.

Those familiar buildings, those familiar streets and alleys, and those familiar faces were all fading away from him.

But he knew he would return.

Because this place was his home.

The flying boat sped through the star sea, the Fourteen-Color Power flowing around the hull.

The Fourteen-Color Power—Primordial, Chaos, Space-Time, Karma, Life, Dao Protection, End, Nothingness, plus the powers of the five Chosen Ones: Pan, Yi, Nong, Xuanyuan, and Bai Yunzhou, along with Teleportation Power—slowly rotated in his Dantian, forming a miniature Universe.

The miniature Universe was evolving, stars were being born, and Life was multiplying.

That was his own power, and also the power of countless predecessors.

Shen Zhao closed his eyes, feeling those powers flowing within his body.

Warm, cold, violent, gentle; every kind of power had its own character and its own will.

They had coexisted within his body for decades, experiencing countless refinements and adjustments from initial conflict to current Fusion.

He remembered the words of the Spirit of Nothingness— "Thirteen colors are not the end, but the starting point. True power is to make the thirteen colors return to one."

Now he had already achieved returning to one, but it was still not enough.

He needed to make the fourteen colors return to one as well, allowing all powers to thoroughly fuse and transform into the true Origin.

The flying boat sailed in the star sea for a full month.

When the outline of the Eternal Forbidden Zone appeared in his field of vision, Shen Zhao had the flying boat slow down and slowly approach.

That gray, hazy space still spanned across the Void Realm, the grayish-white mist surging like countless rivers flowing.

Shen Zhao walked out of the cabin hatch and suspended in the Void Realm.

The Fourteen-Color Power flowed across the surface of his body, resisting the erosion of the forbidden zone.

He flew toward the depths of the forbidden zone, passing through the Time Labyrinth, passing through the space fragment area, and passing through those illusions that had once terrified him.

Now, those illusions could no longer shake him in the slightest.

Because he knew those were all the past. What he guarded was the future.

The tree of life still stood tall in the Void Realm, its trunk as thick as giant pillars propping up heaven and earth, its canopy covering the entire Void Realm.

Every leaf was glowing, exuding a soft golden light.

The tree roots plunged deeply into the Void Realm, as if absorbing the Life Power of the entire Universe.

The Space-Time Azure Dragon coiled atop the canopy; seeing Shen Zhao, a trace of surprise flashed in its eyes.

"Latercomer, you have come again. You have aged too much compared to when we last met."

Shen Zhao knelt in the Void Realm and deeply kowtowed toward the Space-Time Azure Dragon.

"Senior, this Disciple has encountered a Bottleneck. This Disciple needs to Breakthrough to the Later Stage of Integration."

The Space-Time Azure Dragon remained silent for a long time.

"There are too many powers within your body. Fourteen kinds of powers, fourteen kinds of wills, they coexist within your body, but have not truly fused. You need to make them thoroughly unite and transform into the true Origin."

"What should this Disciple do?"

The Space-Time Azure Dragon descended from the canopy, landing before Shen Zhao. Its ten-thousand-zhang-long body coiled into a circle, enclosing him in the center.

"The tree of life has an Origin fruit, bearing only one every hundreds of millions of years. It contains the entire power of the tree of life. Eat it, and you can use Life Power to reconcile the fourteen kinds of powers and allow them to thoroughly fuse. But the price is that your lifespan will be further shortened."

Shen Zhao's hand paused slightly.

"How much lifespan does this Disciple have left?"

The Space-Time Azure Dragon looked at him, its eyes filled with compassion.

"At most three thousand years."

Three thousand years.

The same as the time for the expansion of the cracks in the Wall of Eternity.

"Enough." Shen Zhao raised his head, his gaze steadfast.

The Space-Time Azure Dragon remained silent for a long time, and then nodded.

It turned around and flew toward the canopy.

Shen Zhao followed behind it, passing through layers of branches and leaves.

The interior of the canopy was a huge space, in which countless points of light floated. Every point of light was a Life fruit, exuding a faint green light.

The Space-Time Azure Dragon stopped before the largest fruit.

"This is the Origin fruit of the tree of life. Eat it, and you can acquire the entire power of the tree of life."

Shen Zhao reached out and plucked that fruit.

The fruit felt warm in hand, like a miniature Life.

He took a bite; the fruit flesh was sweet and melted instantly in his mouth.

A majestic surge of Life Power poured into his body, intertwining and fusing with the fourteen kinds of powers.

Primordial Power said: "I am creation, the source of all things."

Power of Chaos said: "I am inclusion, the form of all things."

Power of Space-Time said: "I am circulation, the flow of all things."

Karma Power said: "I am connection, the chain of all things."

Life Power said: "I am growth, the root of all things."

Power of Dao Protection said: "I am guardianship, the heart of all things."

End Force said: "I am destination, the end of all things."

Power of Nothingness said: "I am the Origin, the beginning of all things."

Pan said: "I am courage."

Yi said: "I am perseverance."

Nong said: "I am hope."

Xuanyuan said: "I am guardianship."

Bai Yunzhou said: "I am Legacy."

Transporter said: "I am connection."

Fourteen kinds of voices, fourteen kinds of wills, intertwined within Shen Zhao's body into an eternal movement.

It was not one devouring another, nor one conquering another, but mutual acceptance, fusing into a single entity.

Shen Zhao's cultivation began to climb.

Mid Stage of Integration, Peak of Mid Stage of Integration, Later Stage of Integration.

He opened his eyes, the fourteen-colored light flashing past in his eyes and finally returning to colorless.

Yet within the colorless, it seemed to contain endless starry skies, endless years, and endless Karma.

The Space-Time Azure Dragon looked at him, its eyes filled with shock.

"You did it. This deity has lived for hundreds of millions of years, and has never seen anyone able to fuse so many kinds of powers."

Shen Zhao knelt in the Void Realm and deeply kowtowed toward the Space-Time Azure Dragon.

"Thank you, Senior."

The Space-Time Azure Dragon shook its head.

"There is no need to thank this deity; it is your own Dao Heart that brought you to this step."

It turned around and flew toward the depths of the canopy.

"Go, latercomer. Someone outside is waiting for you."

Shen Zhao stood up, wiped away the tears at the corners of his eyes, and turned to fly toward the direction of the exit of the Eternal Forbidden Zone.

His hair was still white, and the wrinkles on his face were still deep, but his gaze was more steadfast than ever before.

He broke through.

Later Stage of Integration.

Three thousand years later, when the Tribunal Master descended, he would have the power to fight.