Chapter 1957: An Oil Paper Umbrella

Three months later, something changed beneath the skies of the Immortal Realm.

The dense tribulation clouds repeatedly sank, rumbling like thunder and lightning throughout the forty-nine provinces of the Immortal Realm. This startling phenomenon triggered widespread uproar.

When the populace looked up, they saw that the chaos clouds were brimming with resplendent, colorful divine light. It was dreamlike and ethereal, and it illuminated the entire sea of clouds. The indistinct outline of a mysterious hidden realm was visible deep within the clouds, but it was very faint. No one could see it clearly.

“Is that… perhaps the Epoch Battlefield of legends?” Countless people watched, wide-eyed and tongue-tied.

Throughout the Immortal Realm’s long history, nothing of the sort had ever happened. In other words, this was the first time the Path of Divinity had appeared in the Immortal Realm since the Immortal Realm’s inception!

“Alas, this grand stroke of fortune is too lofty and distant for the likes of us to covet,” some people sighed.

The Path of Divinity! A stroke of good fortune only Great Profound Stage cultivators were qualified to fight for. None beneath the Great Profound Stage had any hope of claiming it. But the populace didn’t lose heart over this; when good fortune was too distant and unattainable, they’d merely envy those blessed to enjoy it. They wouldn’t feel bitter.

That was true when people were too far apart, too.

“That’s definitely the Epoch Battlefield! The storm set to sweep the Immortal Realm is about to begin…” Everyone was excited and eager.

Boom!

That same day, several of the Immortal Realm’s forbidden zones transformed.

The Cave of Divine Tears, the Place Abandoned by Heaven, and several other ruins of prior epoch were completely destroyed, wiped from the universe. At the same time, several mysterious, primordial territories surged with explosive chaos source power, as if a long-dormant volcano had finally erupted.

These changes brought a startling transformation to the order of the entire Immortal Realm. Surging spiritual energy and life force erupted throughout the Immortal Realm. Every cultivator could clearly sense the changes.

Some people cried out in excitement, “Everything is being renewed, like extreme sorrow turning to joy!”

“Our golden age has finally arrived!” some people murmured ruefully.

Some people were full of eagerness and ambition. “The Immortal Realm has lain dormant for far too long. Now, it’s finally welcomed an unprecedented age of prosperity! I can see it already. Soon, countless prominent experts will arise throughout the forty-nine provinces and display their brilliance for the whole world to see!”

The entire Immortal Realm boiled over. No one had anticipated that the appearance of the Path of Divinity would cause such a disturbance. The people of the Immortal Realm felt as if they’d witnessed an unprecedented miracle.

The transformation continued for three days.

When the third day arrived, the chaos clouds overhead were as dense and unmoving as rocks. The outline of that mysterious realm hidden within the clouds was now clearly discernible. This was the Epoch Battlefield!

On that same day, although no one knew it, one god after another appeared from across endless space and time.

……

“The gods are taking action. Wind and rain have permeated the Immortal Realm. Should I stay behind to watch the excitement?” murmered the spearwoman, Lin Jinghong. She sounded a bit eager.

“No, forget it. I ought to take A’Cai and slip into the God Domain while the gods’ attention is focused on that Su guy. When A’Cai finds good fortune sufficient to condense an Undying Godhead, she’ll be capable of helping me go to the Eternal Forbidden Zone!”

In the end, the spearwoman cast aside all thoughts of lingering in the Immortal Realm. “As for that Su guy…. There’s no way something as trivial as this will be enough to defeat him.”

……

All the way to the west of the Immortal Realm.

Boom!

A figure with a terrifying aura shot into the firmament. He was a handsome man in white, looking rather free and unrestrained. When he looked around, his eyes flashed with divine radiance.

It was Jiang Tai’e, the founder of the Church of Supreme Oneness!

“A long, long time has passed. The day I’ve been waiting for has finally arrived!” Jiang Tai’e threw back his head and laughed, then stepped into the air and soared into the nine heavens.

Within just a few blinks of an eye, he’d shot into the chaos clouds, opening a path to the Epoch Battlefield.

……

“A man knows how to bide his time, then strike like lightning. He knows when to lie low, but when he soars, he soars straight into the firmament! Now is the time to sever all past grudges and enmities!”

The Blood Firmament Immortal Sovereign emerged from his hiding spot, his Daoist robes swaying around him. He had a willowy beard, a face like jade, and his eyes shone with the vicissitudes of countless years. When he walked, auspicious clouds surged beneath his feet, carrying him into the heavens.

On this day, Jiang Tai’e, the Blood Firmament Immortal Sovereign, Nan Pingtian, Chu Shentong, and Wang Ye’s other greatest, oldest enemies emerged from hiding and headed straight for the Epoch Battlefield.

……

“That’s the battlefield where everyone will vie for a chance at divinity, but it’s also obviously a deathtrap targeting Su Yi. The gods arranged this opportunity purely as bait to lure Su Yi to his death!” Feng Wuji sighed ruefully.

He wasn’t particularly interested in killing Su Yi, but that didn’t stop him from keeping tabs on the events. Not long ago, the divine clan behind him sent word that he was not to get involved in this impending storm no matter what. The storm was too great and too perilous, as the gods would seize this opportunity to get involved!

Feng Wuji thus got to work without any delays.

The other divine children all emerged from hiding and shot toward the Epoch Battlefield too. Huo Jianfeng, Jia Yun, Wenren Qingyu, and the other unparalleled figures all brought an enormous number of divine emissaries with them. Each led a grand procession through the sky.

But some of the divine children traveled on their own.

“A’Ning, the Epoch Battlefield has already opened. Let’s set off,” Luo Tiandu said valiantly.

Xi Ning suddenly said, “If you see Fellow Daoist Su in danger in the Epoch Battlefield, will you go to his aid?”

Luo Tiandu was stunned, and his expression filled with uncertainty, but before he could respond, Xi Ning said, “I hope you won’t try to help him.”

Luo Tiandu was flabbergasted. “Why?”

Xi Ning said solemnly, “If the danger is too great for him to resolve on his own,

you’ll

just be throwing your life away.”

“.....” Luo Tiandu had nothing to say. Xi Ning had attacked him like this so many times that he’d grown numb to it.

“I’m not saying that to hurt you. I’m simply stating a fact,” said Xi Ning. “Don’t take it to heart.”

The corners of Luo Tiandu’s lips twitched. “And you, A’Ning? What would you do?”

“Me?” Xi Ning instantly sank into silence. “Let’s discuss it if and when it comes up.”

“.....”

“Let’s go.” Xi Ning then got to work without another word.

……

It wasn’t just the divine children and Su Yi’s old enemies who got busy. Every old-timer who’d reached the Great Profound Stage took action. One by one, they rushed into the Epoch Battlefield.

That day, it rained heavily over the Academy of Eternal Night. The droplets clattered against the roof.

Su Yi sat beneath the eaves on a wooden bench, gazing into the curtain of rain and eating a piping-hot bowl of vegetarian noodles. Then, he ordered Qing Wei, who was attending him, to give him a neat and tidy Daoist topknot.

He drained half a jug of wine, then passed the jug to her. “I’m leaving. I’ll leave this here and drink the rest when I get back.”

Su Yi took out an oil paper umbrella and casually opened it before strolling into the rain.

He in no way needed an umbrella; he could disperse the rainclouds with a swish of his sleeves. But that would ruin the ambiance.

Heaven and earth brimmed with wordless beauty: the cycle of the seasons, the wind, rain, lightning, and forest. This was the splendor of nature. Ruining it for the sake of convenience would be no different from boiling a crane to make soup or burning a zither for firewood.

Qing Wei watched Su Yi’s tall, upright figure disappear into the curtain of rain. For some reason, she felt inexplicably moved.

The whole world was in uproar. Even the staff and disciples of the Academy of Eternal Night were paying close to attention to the Epoch Battlefield. All of them struggled to remain calm—all except for Su Yi. He didn’t care in the least. On the contrary, he seemed as leisurely and composed as ever, as if none of this had anything to do with him.

How could Qing Wei be anything but rueful?

What level of calm is required to be so unflappable in the face of both honor and humiliation?

Qing Wei didn’t understand, but she longed for it.

Meanwhile, outside the Academy of Eternal Night.

“Master, take care!” Ning Xiu, Lin Feng, the Sword-Bearing Ape, the Red Dragon Dao Monarch, and numerous other familiar faces were waiting for Su Yi outside.

When Su Yi saw this, he couldn’t help but grin. He waved. “Go on. No need to see me off any further.”

With that, he sauntered off. His steps looked unhurried, but he rapidly vanished into the dome of heaven. He left even the rain clouds behind.

Were someone to gaze down from the dome of heaven, they’d discover that even as the cloud churned and heavy rain washed the landscape, the skies above it were radiant and clear. It was a stunning, wondrous sight.

“I see the charms of heaven and earth, and I imagine heaven and earth see me too.” As Su Yi murmured to himself, he put the umbrella away and ventured deeper into the chaos clouds.

When he reached the heart of the clouds, everything shifted around him. It was as if he’d leaped out of the Immortal Realm completely. When his field of vision regained its clarity, he saw firelight churning beneath the distant skies. Chaos mist permeated the landscape. A boundless, mysterious world was visible within it.

This was the Epoch Battlefield!

Su Yi took out a jug of wine, had a sip, and walked over. Gradually, he disappeared into churning light and chaos. There was no longer any sign of him.

On that day, the Path of Divinity appeared in the Immortal Realm. The winds rose and the clouds gathered as all of the Immortal Realm’s unparalleled experts made for the Epoch Battlefield. And just like that, the curtains opened on the event that would determine the course of the Immortal Realm’s future.

On that same day, Su Yi entered the Epoch Battlefield alone. He knew countless dangers were waiting for him, but he was looking forward to it.

......

Late at night, the chaos clouds had completely solidified. They were like an impenetrable barrier in the sky; the denizens of the Immortal Realm could no longer see the Epoch Battlefield inside. But everyone knew that the “Battle for Divinity” that even the gods were watching had already begun. As for who would have the last laugh? None dared give a clear answer.

It was also late at night that a group of terrifying Great Realm experts appeared outside the Academy of Eternal Night. The murderous intent billowing from them stirred up the wind and clouds.

Who could have imagined that catastrophe would befall the Academy of Eternal Night immediately after Su Yi left for the Epoch Battlefield?