No matter how shocked he was, Chen Xi finally understood why Chen Lingjun had chosen to reincarnate at the peak of his life.

All of it was because of the 9th River Diagram fragment.

All those years ago, he’d participated in the Battle of Dao Protectors at Godrank Mountain and obtained the 9th River Diagram fragment by chance, and this had caused his fate to undergo a shocking transformation.

Chen Lingjun had relied on the 9th River Diagram fragment to lead the Chen Clan into battle through the Primal Chaos Origin, and they’d occupied the Ninth Spirit World, allowing the entire Chen Clan to leap into the ranks of intermediate level clans.

However, it was exactly this treasure that made Chen Lingjun suffer the Heaven Dao’s attacks as it intended to seize the 9th River Diagram fragment from him. Even though Chen Lingjun had protected the treasure in the end, he had no choice but to choose to reincarnate in order to avoid the Heaven Dao’s continuous attacks.

But Chen Lingjun was still unable to avoid this calamity when he finished reincarnating, and only after three reincarnations did he clearly realize that he would be constantly pursued while he possessed the treasure.

Thus, he’d handed the treasure to his son, Chen Xi, in the end!

...

However, Chen Xi still couldn’t figure out when exactly he’d obtained the 9th River Diagram fragment and why even he wasn’t aware of it?

Chen Lingjun didn’t give him an explanation immediately and continued instead. “Later on, I realized that this fragment of the River Diagram is unlike the other 8 fragments. Because it was melted by the mysterious energy of the Heaven Dao and transformed into the character for Dao.

“This character wasn’t a material object. It was like smoke yet wasn’t, like air yet wasn’t, like water yet wasn’t as well. It was like dew yet didn’t dissolve into anything; it was like blood yet was without any vitality. It was truly unfathomable.”

Chen Lingjun’s eyes carried a trace of surprise. “However, when I obtained it at that time, I noticed that it contains a strand of the true energy of the Heaven Dao, and that allowed me to clearly sense the source profundities, Laws, Dao Insights, Order, and everything else related to the Heaven Dao!”

Chen Xi was shocked again, and he almost didn’t dare believe his ears.

Because when cultivators sought to stride forward in their path towards the Dao, every single one of them had relied on their own wisdom to comprehend the secrets of the Heaven Dao, and the comprehensions they obtained were merely the Dao Insights that they were able to sense. That was why cultivators took a myriad of paths towards the Dao. It was because there were many reasons and factors that influenced it.

If one was able to truly lay eyes on the quintessence profundities of the Heaven Dao, then it was obvious how shocking its influence on one’s cultivation would be.

It was even to the extent that one wouldn’t have to worry about advancing and undergoing transformations. One just had to continue cultivating and would be able to ascend step by step to the peak of the Grand Dao!

“Unfortunately, once I reincarnated, the energy of the Heaven Dao within it was suppressed, and it was impossible to sense anyone. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have to cultivate bitterly in the three dimensions, and I would have definitely not suffered repeatedly at the hands of the Sovereign Sect.” Chen Lingjun sighed.

“The energy of the Heaven Dao was suppressed?” Chen Xi was astounded.

“Perhaps others are incapable of accomplish that, but the strength of that River Diagram fragment could accomplish that. It’s a feeling I’m unable to explain.” Chen Lingjun had clearly considered this question in the past, and he explained without the slightest hesitation. “However, it was merely able to suppress a small portion of it. Otherwise, how could the whole River Diagram be shattered into 9 pieces by the Heaven Dao.”

Chen Xi couldn’t help but mutter. “No wonder the River Diagram fragments within my sea of consciousness aroused a fluctuation similar to detest and hatred when I faced the Eye of Heavenly Tribulation all those years ago. So it turns out that it was shattered by the Heaven Dao.”

Chen Xi said with surprise, “Something like that happened?”

Chen Xi quickly described everything that had occurred at the God Attainment Region when the River Diagram fragments had suddenly resisted the Eye of Heavenly Tribulation.

Chen Lingjun couldn’t help but chuckle when he heard this. “They really were like a pair of enemies in battle.”

Chen Xi shrugged. “That’s what I felt as well.”

Chen Lingjun thought for a moment before he said, “I’ve always had the feeling that the Heaven Dao shattered the River Diagram because it probably wanted to completely refine and absorb the River Diagram, and then take control of the secrets it possesses. However, the River Diagram would definitely be unwilling to let the Heaven Dao accomplish its wish, so it scattered itself throughout the world upon being shattered into pieces. So, only a single fragment of the River Diagram was obtained by the Heaven Dao, that fragment which I got from Godrank Mountain.

“After all, it had already been melted by the energy of the Heaven Dao when I obtained it all those years ago, and it had been transformed into that mysterious character ‘道’. When I took it away at that time, it was no different than snatching food from the jaws of a tiger, and I’d completely infuriated the Heaven Dao.

“However, it was exactly because of it that I was able to directly lay eyes on the true quintessence profundities of the Heaven Dao, and it allowed my cultivation to grow tremendously and lead my clan to seize such power.

“Later on, when I entered the three dimensions to reincarnate myself and cultivate once more, this fragment of the River Diagram had finally recovered its strength, and it suppressed the energy of the Heaven Dao that was within it instead.”

When he spoke up to here, Chen Lingjun added. “Of course, all of this are my own guesses, and it’s probably only the Heaven Dao that knows the specifics.”

Chen Xi was stunned, and then he thought for a short while before he said, “This guess is within reason. However, it’s very difficult to determine if it’s really correct.”

Chen Lingjun suddenly smiled, and then he gazed at Chen Xi and said, “Actually, it isn’t difficult for you. After all, you have the complete River Diagram now.”

Chen Xi’s brows raised, and then he smiled bitterly. “Father, when exactly did you give that 9th fragment to me? Why do I still have no knowledge of it?”

Chen Lingjun took a deep breath, and then he finally revealed the answer. He spoke word by word with a serious expression on his face. “It fused into your body before you were even born, and it became a part of your life.”

In an instant, Chen Xi felt as if he’d been struck by lightning, and even his heart was trembling. I possessed the 9th River Diagram fragment before I was even born?

How could that be possible?

Why have I been completely unaware until now? It’s even to the extent that I didn’t notice until now?

“Remember what I said earlier? The 9th River Diagram fragment was melted by the Heaven Dao, and it was transformed into the character, Dao. It’s strange, mysterious, like mist, like air, like water, like blood.... It’s completely different from anything else in the world.” Chen Lingjun spoke lightly. “But in the end, it’s still a fragment of the River Diagram, but it carried a strand of the Heaven Dao’s energy.”

“All those years ago when I travelled the Northern Underworld Ocean of the Dark Reverie with your mother, I relied on the memories from my reincarnation as Daoist Sheng Ji to find the Manor that the Founding Ancestor of Oracle Mountain, Fuxi, had left there.

“However, we were pursued when we left there. The powers from the Dark Reverie were naturally nothing to worry about, but I never expected that even the Sovereign Sect had dispatched its experts. At that time, my cultivation was still weak while your mother was six months pregnant, so I had no choice but to flee for my life.

“The situation at that time was too grim, so we had to make preparations for the worst. Thus, we sealed the Manor within a pendant and your mother hid the 9th River Diagram fragment within you. At that time, I’d decided that I would protect the two of you no matter what because our child was within her. Right, you.

“But never had we imagined that that the strange and mysterious character actually transformed unexpected within your mother, and it was like water that fused into you. Moreover, it was impossible to withdraw no matter what sort of technique we employed.”

When he spoke up to here, Chen Lingjun couldn’t help but shake his head with a grin on his face. “It horrified us at the time. We thought it would be impossible to save you, but we didn’t notice anything unusual after that, and we finally relaxed.

“After that, we returned to Pine Mist City, and it wasn’t long before your mother gave birth to you. Once I noticed it was impossible to extract the 9th River Diagram fragment from you, I gave up completely on it.

“Perhaps that was destiny. Without the 9th River Diagram fragment, the Heaven Dao couldn’t detect my tracks anymore, and it resolved the danger that I’ve been facing continuously for so long.”

When he spoke up to here, Chen Lingjun looked at Chen Xi and said, “Now, you should understand everything. The 9th River Diagram fragment became a part of you a very long time ago, and no one can extract it from within you.”

Chen Xi was unable to calm down when he finished listening to all of this.

Never had he imagined that the sequence of events would actually be filled with so many twists and turns, and he hadn’t imagined that the 9th River Diagram fragment had become a part of his life before he was even born!

All of this seemed so inconceivable, and it caused Chen Xi to find it difficult to digest in a short period of time.

But in next to no time, Chen Xi still couldn’t refrain from asking. “But why have I been unable to sense its existence until now?”

Chen Lingjun replied with a question. “Could it be that you haven’t noticed. Since you started cultivating until now, regardless of who it was or what cultivation that person possessed, it has been impossible for them to see through your destiny!”

Chen Xi’s pupils suddenly constricted, and he said with a surprised tone, “So it was its energy that concealed my destiny?”

He was extremely surprised!

He’d thought that his destiny had been concealed from the workings of the heavens because of the energy accumulated after he obtained a few River Diagram fragments.

But never had he imagined that it was destined to happen before he was even born!

“Of course, that’s merely one of the 9th River Diagram fragment’s abilities. Perhaps when you attain the Daolord Realm and start to comprehend the Dao of Destiny, you’ll be able to fully sense its existence.” Chen Lingjun spoke in a light tone.

“The Grand Dao of Destiny....” Chen Xi took a deep breath and muttered.

Today, he’d found out about numerous things that he was unaware of in the past, and he’d resolved many questions that were in his heart. Now, besides feeling suddenly enlightened, it still felt quite unreal to him.

The origins of the 9th River Diagram fragment.

The reason the River Diagram had shattered.

How he came to possess the 9th River Diagram fragment....

All of this was too inconceivable, and any other person would probably find it impossible to accept in a short period of time.

A long time later, Chen Xi finally awoke from his deep thought, and his expression returned to calm. Only now did he notice that his parents were looking at him with gazes that carried faint concern.

This made warmth surge through his heart, and he said with a smile on his face, “I’m fine.”

“That’s good.” Chen Lingjun patted Chen Xi on the shoulder.

“Father, since you’ve avoided the energy of the Heaven Dao, then why did you bring mother back to the Chen Clan? Moreover, you were even taken to be a criminal and locked up by them?” Chen Xi suddenly thought of this and couldn’t help but inquire about it.