279: Chapter 279 Kasyapa's Test

The flying boat sailed slowly through the starry sea, heading in the direction of the Sixth District.

Shen Nian sat cross-legged in front of the control console with the qinglian sword horizontal across his knees, closing his eyes and quietly comprehending the six newly fused powers within the sword.

Pangu's world-opening power was like a surging river inside his body, turbulent and violent, causing his Meridians to faintly ache with every circulation.

God Yi's archery power was like a fine silk thread, entwined around his bones, tough and enduring, as if it would never break.

Nong's Life Power was the gentlest, like spring drizzle moistening his withered Meridians, slowly recovering his damaged body.

Ling Shuang's Guardian power was like a mountain, steady and heavy, pressing down into his Dantian to make his Foundation even more stable.

Kashyapa's Karma Power was the most mysterious, like an invisible net connecting all things together, allowing him to perceive the karmic connections between things.

Five Legacies, five wills, five powers.

They intertwined within his body, fusing with the Green Lotus Sword Intent and resonating with the Power of Dao Protection.

His cultivation base had already stabilized at the Peak of the Mid Stage of Integration, only a step away from the Late Stage.

But he was not in a hurry.

Because he knew that a Breakthrough required an opportunity and could not be forced.

Yue Li sat by the porthole, holding the black token in her hand, the samsara lotus on the token glowing slightly.

Her complexion was much better than yesterday, and the bloodshot veins in her eyes had decreased a bit, but she still remained silent, quietly looking at the starry sea outside the window.

Shen Nian opened his eyes and looked at her.

"Senior, what are you thinking about?"

Yue Li did not look back, only saying softly,

"I am wondering what the trial of the Sixth District will be."

Shen Nian was silent for a moment.

"No matter what it is, this Disciple will face it."

Yue Li turned her head to look at him, a trace of complexity flashing in her eyes.

"Aren't you afraid?"

Shen Nian thought for a moment and answered honestly,

"Afraid. This Disciple is naturally afraid. But this Disciple is even more afraid of letting down those who believe in this Disciple. Even more afraid of those sacrificed dying in vain. Even more afraid that the Progenitor will be disappointed when watching this Disciple from heaven."

Yue Li looked at him and was silent for a long time.

"You and your Master are really alike."

Shen Nian's lips curved up slightly.

"This Disciple is inferior to the Progenitor. This Disciple only did what should be done."

Yue Li did not say anything more, turning her head to continue looking at the starry sea outside the window.

The flying boat sailed in the starry sea for a full ten days.

On the morning of the tenth day, the flying boat arrived at the Void Realm between the Fifth District and the Sixth District.

The scene outside the porthole made Shen Nian hold his breath.

That was a Void Realm he had never seen before—no stars, no stardust, no Spiritual Qi whatsoever, only endless darkness and boundless silence.

Floating in the darkness were countless broken timelines, like broken strings of a zither, floating gently in the Void Realm.

Each timeline was glowing slightly, emitting a faint radiance that illuminated this darkness.

Those were the invalid timelines "pruned" by the Tribunal—those timelines that lost meaning after being harvested by The Designers, those histories that should have existed but were erased.

Yue Li's voice was very soft.

"The Sixth District has arrived. The former Tribunal Master is right here."

Shen Nian slowed down the flying boat and moved forward slowly.

The deeper they went, the denser those broken timelines became; some were only an inch long, while others were a thousand feet long.

They drifted past him like countless snakes swimming in the darkness.

He could feel that every timeline contained a forgotten history—the birth and destruction of a Universe, the rise and fall of a civilization, the laughter and crying of a living being.

Those histories had all been erased by the Tribunal, harvested by The Designers, and forgotten by everyone.

But they were still here, in these broken timelines.

Waiting for someone who could remember them.

Shen Nian walked out of the cabin and floated in the Void Realm.

Six-colored light circulated on the surface of his body—no, adding the Green Lotus Sword Intent and the Power of Dao Protection, it was eight colors.

He flew toward the depths of that Void Realm, with Yue Li following behind him.

The deeper they went, the stronger that sense of oppression became.

It was not the oppression of Karma Power, nor the oppression of Life Power, but a nameless and unspeakable sense of existence.

It was as if something was watching him in the darkness.

Shen Nian did not stop, because he knew that was the former Tribunal Master.

The Guardian of the Sixth District, the former Tribunal Master, the Master of the current Tribunal Master.

He was right here, in the deepest part of this Void Realm.

After flying for a long time, a faint light appeared ahead.

That light was very pale, so pale it was almost imperceptible, but it was particularly eye-catching in the darkness, like a lonely star.

Shen Nian accelerated and flew toward that light.

The light became brighter and closer.

When he flew in front of the light, he stopped his footsteps.

That was an old man sitting cross-legged in the Void Realm, closing his eyes as if in a deep sleep.

His beard and hair were all white, his figure was emaciated, and he wore a tattered gray robe without any decorations, only countless fine cracks, which were the traces left by time.

His expression was very calm, and the corners of his mouth carried a faint, illusory smile, as if he were having a wonderful dream.

But on his body, there was no breath of Life at all.

Shen Nian's hand paused slightly.

"Senior?"

There was no response.

The old man still closed his eyes, still motionless like a sculpture.

Yue Li walked to his side and said softly,

"He is asleep. It is not his body that is asleep, but his consciousness. He is waiting, waiting for someone to wake him up."

Shen Nian's brow knitted together.

"How should this Disciple wake him up?"

Yue Li thought for a moment.

"Use your Dao Heart. The former Tribunal Master did not guard the demon god origin with power, but with will. What he wants to test is not the cultivation base of the visitor, but the visitor's original intention. Only a person with a pure Dao Heart can wake him up."

Shen Nian was silent for a moment.

Then, he walked in front of the old man, knelt down, placed the qinglian sword horizontal across his knees, and kowtowed deeply.

"Senior, this Disciple Shen Nian, a Disciple of the Guardian Academy, requests to see Senior."

There was no response.

He called out again.

"Senior, this Disciple has come to take the sixth demon god origin. This Disciple needs your help."

Still no response.

Shen Nian did not give up, just kneeling there and calling out over and over again.

"Senior..."

"Senior..."

"Senior..."

Not knowing how many times he called, the old man's fingers finally moved a bit.

Then, his eyes slowly opened.

Those eyes were golden, exactly the same as the Tribunal Master, but deeper and more vicissitudinous, like two stars that had weathered countless years.

He looked at Shen Nian, with no emotion in his eyes, only scrutiny.

"Latecomer, you have come."

His voice was very soft, as light as a sigh about to dissipate in the wind, but it clearly entered Shen Nian's ears.

Shen Nian kowtowed deeply.

"This Disciple Shen Nian greets Senior."

The old man looked at him and was silent for a long time.

"There are the breaths of five Legacies on your body—Pangu, God Yi, Nong, Ling Shuang, Kashyapa. And your Master's Origin imprint. You are very strong, stronger than your Master was back then."

Shen Nian's hand paused slightly.

"Senior has seen this Disciple's Master?"

The old man nodded.

"Seen him. He has been here, also to take the demon god origin. But he did not take it away."

Shen Nian was stunned.

"Why?"

A trace of reminiscence flashed in the old man's eyes.

"He said, 'I do not need the demon god origin. What I need is time. My time is running out, and I cannot waste it on taking the demon god origin. Leave it to the latecomers, they need it more than I do.'"

Shen Nian's tears gushed out of his eyes.

Progenitor, you are always like this.

Always leaving the best to others, never thinking of yourself.

The old man looked at him, a trace of gratification flashing in his eyes.

"You are different from your Master. Your Master knew his time was running out, so he chose to give up. You don't know how much time you have left, but you chose to persist. Both of you are right, just with different choices."

He raised his hand, and a dark red crystal core emerged from his palm—the sixth demon god origin.

"I have guarded it for countless years, and today, I can finally hand it over."

He did not hand the crystal core to Shen Nian, but instead withdrew his hand.

"But before that, you need to pass my trial."

Shen Nian nodded.

"This Disciple is willing."

The corners of the old man's mouth turned up slightly, revealing a trace of a smile.

"My trial is very simple. Sit here and chat with me. Once I am satisfied, the demon god origin is yours."

Shen Nian's hand paused slightly.

Chat with him?

Just like that?

The old man seemed to see through his thoughts.

"You think it's simple? You'll know once you try. I haven't spoken to anyone for countless years. I have a lot to say, but no one listens. Are you willing to listen?"

Shen Nian was silent for a moment, then nodded.

"This Disciple is willing."

He sat down opposite the old man, placed the qinglian sword horizontal across his knees, and looked into those golden eyes.

"Senior, what do you want to say?"

The old man was silent for a long time, so long that Shen Nian thought he would not speak anymore.

Then, he slowly said,

"My name is Xuantian. No one has called this name for countless years."

Shen Nian's hand paused slightly.

Xuantian.

The former Tribunal Master, the Master of the current Tribunal Master.

A person betrayed by his own Disciple and exiled to the Sixth District.

A person who guarded here for countless years, waiting for someone who could inherit the demon god origin.

"Senior, your Disciple... the current Tribunal Master, why did he betray you?"

A trace of compassion flashed in Xuantian's eyes.

"Because he felt I was too weak. He felt the Tribunal should be tougher and more ruthless. He said, 'Mercy is an excuse for the weak, only ruthlessness can maintain order.' I disagreed. I said, 'Order is not maintained just for the sake of maintaining it, but to let more people survive.' He wouldn't listen. He led thirteen adjudicators to drive me out of the Higher Space and exile me here."

Shen Nian clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white.

"Senior, do you hate him?"

Xuantian shook his head.

"I don't hate him. He is my Disciple; I watched him grow up, watched him Cultivate, and watched him become an adjudicator. I understand him, he is not a bad person, he is just too obsessed with order. He thinks order is everything, thinking that as long as order is maintained, more people can survive. He doesn't know that order itself is not the purpose, living is."

Shen Nian's tears swirled in his eyes.

"Senior, this Disciple also has a Master. This Disciple is not his Personal Disciple, but his Disciple nonetheless. He taught this Disciple sword techniques, taught this Disciple how to be a person, and taught this Disciple what guardianship is. He has left, and this Disciple misses him very much."

Xuantian looked at him, a trace of complexity flashing in his eyes.

"What is your Master's name?"

"Shen Zhao."

Xuantian was silent for a long time.

"Shen Zhao... I remember him. He has been here, kneeling before me and saying, 'Senior, I have come to take the demon god origin.' I asked him, 'Why do you want to take it?' He said, 'For guardianship. To guard the starry sea, to guard the common people, to guard everyone who needs to be guarded.' I said, 'Good, go. I will wait for you.' He didn't come back. He went to the Higher Space and traded his Life for the peace of the New Universe."

Shen Nian's tears finally fell.

"Yes. The Progenitor has gone. But this Disciple will walk the path for him. This is this Disciple's promise."

Xuantian looked at him, his eyes full of gratification.

"Good, very good. I believe you."

He raised his hand, and that dark red crystal core flew up from his palm, suspending in front of Shen Nian.

The sixth demon god origin.

"Take it. My power is also given to you."

He raised his hand, and a wisp of golden light gushed out from his palm, pouring into the qinglian sword.

That was Xuantian's power, the power of space-time, and the power of the Tribunal.

Shen Nian's cultivation base climbed once again, from the Peak of the Mid Stage of Integration to the Perfection of the Mid Stage of Integration.

He took the demon god origin and stored it in his storage ring.

"Many thanks, Senior."

Xuantian shook his head.

"No need to thank me. It is your own Dao Heart that allowed you to pass the trial."

He raised his head and looked at the endless darkness.

"I have guarded it for countless years, and today, I can finally rest."

His body began to disintegrate, starting from his feet, turning into golden light spots inch by inch.

Those light spots drifted in the Void Realm, merging into one with the broken timelines.

"Senior!"

Xuantian smiled, a smile of incomparable relief.

"No need to be sad. I waited for countless years, waiting for someone who could inherit the demon god origin. Once waited for, it is enough. I do not regret it."

His figure became fainter and more transparent.

"Latecomer, help me tell my Disciple—the Great Dao is fifty, and the Heavenly Derivation is forty-nine. The escaped one is the hope."

Shen Nian knelt on the ground, kowtowing deeply toward the dissipating light.

"Senior, rest assured, this Disciple will definitely bring these words."

Xuantian's figure completely dissipated, turning into flying golden light spots drifting in the Void Realm.

Those light spots drifted toward the broken timelines, merging into them and becoming an eternal part of them.

Shen Nian knelt on the ground for a long time without getting up.

Yue Li walked to his side and said softly,

"The sixth one is obtained. There is only one last one left."

Shen Nian nodded, wiped away his tears, and stood up.

He took one last look at that Void Realm; those broken timelines were still drifting, and those golden light spots were still flickering.

Xuantian was gone, but his will was still there.

In the qinglian sword, in his heart.

He turned around and flew toward the flying boat.

Yue Li followed behind him, the two of them one after the other, shuttling through the darkness.

Returning to the flying boat, Shen Nian placed the sixth demon god origin on the control console.

Six dark red crystal cores suspended side by side, their dark red lights intertwining and illuminating the entire cabin.

Yue Li looked at those crystal cores, her eye sockets turning red.

"There is still one missing. The very last one is still missing."

Shen Nian nodded.

"This Disciple's Master said that the seventh one is inside your Master's body. The Gate of Reincarnation needs to be opened to take it out."

Yue Li was silent.

She remembered her Master Yuehua, remembered her back when she stepped into the formation, remembered what she said— "Lier, Master is not going to die. Master is just living in another way."

She had waited for countless years, waiting for someone who could save her Master.

Now, that person had come.

Although he was already gone, his Disciple was still here.

"Shen Nian, are you ready?"

Shen Nian took a deep breath.

"This Disciple is ready."

Yue Li nodded, raised her hand, and the black token flew up from her palm, suspending above the six demon god origins.

The samsara lotus on the token suddenly lit up, and the dark red light intertwined with the light of the six crystal cores, opening a door of light in the cabin.

Behind the door of light was endless radiance and an illusory calling sound.

That was the direction of the old site of the Reincarnation Hall, the sealing place of the seventh demon god origin, and the place where Yuehua had slept for countless years.

"Let's go."

Yue Li stepped into the light door first.

Shen Nian put away the six demon god origins and followed behind.

The qinglian sword gently swayed at his waist, the qinglian patterns on the sword body glowing with a faint blue light amidst the dark red radiance.

The six Legacy powers circulated in his body, resonating with the Power of Dao Protection.

He took a deep breath and stepped into the light door.

Behind him, the flying boat suspended quietly in the Void Realm, its silver-white hull glowing faintly in the darkness.

Outside the porthole, those broken timelines were still drifting, and those golden light spots were still flickering.

Xuantian was gone, but his will was still there.

In every broken timeline, in every forgotten history, in every heart that needed to be guarded.

The moment Shen Nian stepped into the light door, a low hum came from behind.

That was the engine sound of the flying boat, the sword cry of the qinglian sword, and even more, the beliefs of countless martyrs echoing his voice.

He did not look back, only continuing to walk forward.

Because he knew countless people were watching him from behind.

There was the Progenitor, the uncle, Ling Shuang, Kashyapa, Xuantian.

There were all those who believed in him.

He could not let them down.