247: Proving the Dao in Heaven—Among the Flowers

Just as Li Jinian was preparing to self-destruct his Clone, the small black spheres lunging toward him suddenly stopped in unison, slowed down, and gradually moved away.

Those small black spheres seemed to fear something and dared not approach any further.

"This is...?"

Li Jinian was completely dumbfounded; the sensation of being gnawed on vanished, and he couldn't quite understand what was happening.

Had they discovered he was the poorest of the poor among Heavenly Daos and had no value in being devoured, so they gave up their attack?

However, Li Jinian soon realized that they were wary of something else.

He immediately looked in the direction the black spheres feared, only to see a tattered and ancient pale red Eye of the Heavenly Dao slowly opening in the Void Realm... The moment it opened, Li Jinian felt as if his entire perceived world had dimmed.

This Eye of the Heavenly Dao was like an eye opening in a bottomless abyss, containing a terrifyingly powerful aura.

"This is... an Eye of the Heavenly Dao!"

"Who would show up here at a time like this? Are they courting death?"

Li Jinian was greatly shocked. Seeing another Eye of the Heavenly Dao appear, he didn't know whether he should be thankful, relieved, or terrified.

If this Eye of the Heavenly Dao decided to move against him, his Clone certainly wouldn't be able to escape, and the result would be no different from being devoured by the black spheres.

But in the next breath, the other party suddenly unleashed over a dozen unadorned attacks, their targets aimed directly at the black spheres surrounding Li Jinian.

Puff, puff, puff... Following the other party's assault, those black spheres actually disintegrated instantly, leaving not even a trace behind.

There was none of the grand spectacle of the Heaven-Slaying Sword, only an effortless annihilation.

In a single breath, the crisis Li Jinian faced was resolved just like that.

"Thank you for the rescue, friend. I am Li Jinian, and I am deeply grateful."

With the crisis resolved, Li Jinian immediately expressed his gratitude to the Eye of the Heavenly Dao.

Seeing the other party's lethal stance, he immediately understood that they must be the Heavenly Dao of the Great World before him.

Although he didn't know why the other party had stepped in to save him, Li Jinian realized that now was a perfect opportunity to escape, allowing him to save his energy.

However, just as he was about to activate his heavenly dao origin to flee, a woman's voice suddenly drifted out from that unfamiliar Eye of the Heavenly Dao.

"Hmm?"

"This voice is..."

Li Jinian's expression shook upon hearing that voice.

After repeated confirmation, he finally determined that the voice really did come from the battered Eye of the Heavenly Dao across from him.

The language used by this voice was unfamiliar, but the other party simultaneously threw over a cluster of linguistic information energy.

Li Jinian immediately caught and refined it, completing his digestion and understanding in an instant.

She said, "Friend, won't you stay a while longer?"

The voice was very gentle, sounding like a mature and charming older sister.

But how could Li Jinian dare to stay? He wanted nothing more than to bolt away immediately, otherwise, what if those black spheres came back to cause trouble?

Seemingly seeing through Li Jinian's fear of the black spheres, the battered Eye of the Heavenly Dao spoke again to soothe him.

"Friend, you needn't worry."

"It is exerting all its strength to devour my various planes; its primary target now is my main body."

"Friend, you can rest easy. You are too small—so small that you're not even enough to fill the gaps between its teeth."

Li Jinian felt a bit depressed. How did those words sound like they had a double meaning?

Although it felt strange, the black spheres really didn't reappear, so Li Jinian simply grew a bit bolder.

"I am Dao Attainment Heaven—Between the Flowers! My world is called the Cihua Great World."

"I am Dao Attainment Heaven—Li Jinian! My world is called the Jinian Great World!"

After hearing the other party's introduction, Li Jinian also responded in kind. He was quite curious to hear what the other party wanted to discuss, though he still asked cautiously.

"Friend, you won't attack me while we're chatting, will you...?"

"Friend, you're overthinking it. I won't attack you."

"My main body has been targeted by it and cannot escape."

"Now, I am left with only this battered Eye of the Heavenly Dao. My only thought now is..."

"To have you... live on in my stead."

Hearing Between the Flowers' words, Li Jinian asked with some confusion, "Friend, have me live on in your stead? What do you mean?"

"Exactly what it sounds like..."

Between the Flowers replied, "Within my Great World, almost all living beings have already died while following me to fight against it."

"We have waged a long, protracted war against it."

"Even with the power of over four hundred planes and the help of all living beings, I could not prevail."

"Now the Daos are all damaged, the living beings are all dead, and I can only wait quietly for the final moment to arrive."

"When all the planes of my Great World collapse, my Origin will also completely return to nothingness..."

Between the Flowers said she wanted someone to talk to, but instead, she just kept talking incessantly, giving Li Jinian no chance to speak at all.

Fine, it seems you're just too lonely and looking for a confidant to vent to.

Forced by circumstances, Li Jinian could only stand by and listen to her rambling.

"Do you know what it's called?"

After speaking freely for a long time, Between the Flowers suddenly turned and looked at the massive black sphere behind them, asking Li Jinian.

The latter replied tentatively, "An Unknown Entity?"

"Hahaha, it's even more troublesome than an Unknown Entity."

"By now, it has been devouring me for a full five hundred thousand years. Any Great World targeted by it can hardly escape the fate of annihilation."

"It is called... despair heaven!!!"

Li Jinian was shocked to hear her words. "despair heaven???"

Sensing the confusion in his voice, Between the Flowers gave a soft sigh.

Then, with a pop sound.

The battered bronze eye emitted waves of mysterious power, and she manifested a humanoid body, taking the form of a slender young girl.

The girl's appearance was very cute, with long jet-black hair cascading down her back and two black eyes as bright as stars.

She wore a white gold-patterned Daoist robe, a jade crown on her head, and black upturned-toe boots on her jade feet.

While dressed in typical Cultivator attire, a pair of pure white wings glowed on her back; those white feathers spread gently, giving her a divine and inviolable aura.

However, at this moment, she appeared extremely haggard, as if she had just gone through an earth-shattering battle, looking exceptionally exhausted.

Stepping through the Void Realm, Between the Flowers walked slowly toward Li Jinian and explained, "This is one of the races within my Great World; they call themselves the Star-Floating Winged Race."

"I like their appearance."

On the other side, Li Jinian also manifested the appearance of his Fellow Countryman Qin Dong and walked over to converse with her.

Taking this opportunity, he suddenly, by some strange impulse, asked a question that had puzzled him for a long time...