Chapter 2240: Longevity Is Not True Immortality, and Immortality Is Not Indestructibility

That was the second time Shang Xia stepped into the Heavenly Field.

However, unlike his first visit, the fully formed Seven Essence Heavenly Field immediately locked onto and captured his presence the instant he stepped within. A force far greater than before, an immense will, descended upon him like a crashing waterfall from the heavens.

Had it been the old Shang Xia, that force alone would have suppressed 30 percent of his strength, and that was merely the natural instinct of the Heavenly Field.

But one had to remember, the will of the Heavenly Field had long since been replaced and controlled by the Star Origin Lord.

In the next instant, the Star Origin Lord’s will, now one with the wills of various worlds, descended in full force. A suppression far stronger than before arrived, and Shang Xia found himself completely isolated and rejected.

If they were to clash at that very moment, even though one had advanced to the Eighth Order before the other, the gap in time between them was short. How much difference in cultivation could there really be?

Regardless, both of them stood at the Eighth Order. It was the peak of individual cultivation level.

𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Shang Xia did not know whether there were traits shared among all experts at their level, but at least for himself, as he faced the full rejection of the Heavenly Field, he merely took one step forward, and immediately, he broke free of it.

It was as though the space he occupied became an independent world of its own, standing parallel to the Seven Essence Heavenly Field. The Seven Essence Heavenly Field was so close it seemed he could touch it, yet he remained beyond the reach of its suppression.

In Shang Xia’s own words, it was like he had stepped beyond the Three Realms, outside the Five Elements.

A calm voice echoed beside his ear. “Ultimately, Young Friend Shang, you were the first to step into the Eighth Order.”

The Star Origin Lord’s tone sounded tranquil, almost indifferent, as if it made no difference to him.

Shang Xia revealed a faint smile as he stood in the void. “I was merely lucky,” he replied lightly. “Though I fear it left your many Essence World Clones disappointed.”

A shadowy figure started to condense before him in the void. Whether this was the Star Origin Lord’s true body or another clone was impossible to tell, but the flowing aura around him left no doubt... His cultivation had reached the Martial Eternity Realm.

The Star Origin Lord’s voice rang out again. “Since you have managed to enter the Eighth Order ahead of me, you must have received the blessing of the Ninefold Grand Star Field. Then, I suppose, you already know the secret of ascending to the Ninth Order?”

He smiled faintly. “That, I imagine, is the very root of the conflict between you and me.”

Shang Xia sighed softly, then nodded, neither denying nor confirming. Instead, he asked curiously, “I am, however, quite interested to know, how did senior come to learn of this secret even before the Ninefold Star Field completed its transformation?”

The Star Origin Lord laughed. “No mystery there. It is simply because I was never truly a native cultivator of the Chaotic Sea of Stars.”

Shang Xia’s brows lifted slightly. “You come from beyond the Chaotic Sea of Stars? No, that can’t be right. Even the other Star Fields aren’t necessarily stronger than the old Chaotic Sea of Stars. Such a secret would never have spread among them.”

He quickly dismissed his own theory, studying the Star Origin Lord’s calm, knowing smile. “Unless your status was unusually high... Wait, were you once a Star River Stowaway? No... that doesn’t fit either.”

He rejected the notion once more. “If you truly were a Star River Stowaway, that could explain how you learned such secrets. Those wanderers who resist the erosion of time naturally have the opportunity to encounter many Star Fields, perhaps even Grand Star Fields themselves. In that case, obtaining such information wouldn’t be strange at all.

“But if that were true, how did you manage to enter the Chaotic Sea of Stars, earn the trust of the Heaven Observation Sect, and even rise to become the Star Origin Lord? And after the sect’s downfall, how did you survive nearly 1,000 years in the Heaven Observation Star Region? With only the cultivation of a Sage and no access to the Star River, where did you find so much lifespan to waste?”

The Star Origin Lord laughed out loud, his gaze upon Shang Xia filled with approval and even a trace of admiration.

After a moment, he stopped laughing and said calmly, “The answer is simple. My father was a Star River Stowaway, one whose lifespan was nearing its end. Guided by the Heaven Observation Sect’s arts of stargazing, he entered the Chaotic Sea of Stars at the twilight of his life.”

“My father had met many other stowaways during his thousands of years of wandering through the Star River. Through them, he gained countless secrets of the various Star Fields. Yet he never found a chance to put them into practice. By the time he finally reached the Chaotic Sea of Stars, he no longer had the time or vitality to prepare for his next breakthrough.”

“With no other choice, he made his foundation in the Chaotic Sea of Stars and passed down his bloodline. During his final years, he used his unique status to greatly aid the Heaven Observation Sect, while secretly influencing and promoting the connection between the Chaotic Sea of Stars and the foreign Star Fields. In time, he became a key force behind the great convergence of the nine Star Fields! All of his ambitions and legacy were passed down to me, his inheritance, his knowledge, and even an Eternity Treasure he carried from the Star River.”

“So that’s how it was.” Shang Xia nodded slowly, the last of his lingering doubts finally resolved.

The Star Origin Lord said flatly, “My father had the cultivation, the foundation, and the strength. He possessed knowledge, inheritance, and power. The only thing he lacked was a stroke of fortune, the chance to put it all into practice. Thus, he perished wandering the Star River. The cruelest irony of fate was that, when his lifespan was nearly exhausted, the Chaotic Sea of Stars and several neighboring Star Fields appeared before him. Shame... He no longer had the time or energy to seize it.”

A thought flashed through Shang Xia’s mind. “Then... The legacy of Beast Warriors... Was that also...”

“Yes,” the Star Origin Lord interrupted directly. “But it did not come from his hands. It came from mine. Still, that inheritance ultimately originated from him. Among the Star River Stowaways, the Beast Warrior legacy was hardly a secret.”

Shang Xia drew a deep breath, then clasped his hands in salute. “Thank you for enlightening me.”

The Star Origin Lord’s tone softened slightly. “No need for thanks. These secrets have weighed on my heart for 1,000 years. Speaking them to someone at last brings a strange sense of relief.”

In response, Shang Xia sighed faintly, “After stepping into the Eighth Order, longevity is no longer a dream. Before coming here, I had wondered if this battle was even necessary. But after meeting you, senior, my resolve has only grown firmer.”

The Star Origin Lord, facing Shang Xia’s cold, steady gaze, remained unfazed. “Longevity is not true Immortality, and immortality is not indestructibility. The Eighth Order may be beyond the erosion of time, yet one can still be slain. Only by stepping into the Ninth Order, by achieving actual transcendence, can one claim to be a real immortal being. And since the Ninefold Star Field can support only one such being, you and I must settle this today. We will decide victory, and decide life and death.”