Chapter 2735 Shedding All Pretense of Cordiality

That thunderclap acted like a trumpet that heralded the apocalypse. The world began to crumble, the sky and earth cracked, and all things started to wither...

The cultivation civilization faced a calamity never before seen. Cultivators' foundations and energy began to dwindle. Their physical forms began to rot, their spirits began to dim, their mental states began to plummet, and their willpower began to fall apart...

No matter how high their cultivation was, even overlords on the Immortal path could not escape this tragedy... Eventually, the world sank into ruin, the heavens collapsed, and all creation perished! Everything returned to primordial chaos, falling eternally into darkness...

Lin Xun broke out in a cold sweat upon reaching this part, his heart gripped by indescribable terror. It took him a long time to gradually calm down.

What he had witnessed was a true epochal change. It revealed the endless affairs and transformations that had unfolded from the birth of an era to the moment of extinction, when everything returned to darkness and silence.

Within this process lay numerous mysteries: the birth of all things, the shifting tides of worldly affairs, the rise and fall of civilizations, and the ceaseless evolution of the dao...

All of them concealed profound secrets on the great dao! Especially the emergence of the Immortal path. It had been like a key found after eons of knowledge accumulation to finally unlock the door to a radiant age.

However, all of that had vanished in the end, disappeared in that apocalyptic calamity!

Recalling the scenes of destruction he had just witnessed, Lin Xun still felt a lingering dread.

“Was that the Five Dao Decays...?” he whispered, recalling the cases of Evil God Dishen, Wei Mingzi, law spirit Wushuang, and Mister Lu.

They had all endured the turning of epochs and survived the Five Dao Decays to reach this era.

After a long time, Lin Xun once again looked at the Chronicle of Epochs floating in the air. He finally understood how extraordinary this Immortal legacy cherished by the Origin Sect as its foundation truly was.

He sat down cross-legged and entered meditation. In his mind, he replayed the scenes from earlier and the feelings they had given him. As he contemplated the mysteries and intricacies in them, he gradually lost himself in the process.

Time flowed by. Ten days later, Lin Xun quietly opened his eyes. He stood up and again sent his spirit sense into the Chronicle of Epochs.

The same darkness presented, then chaos began to emerge, clear and turbid separated, and all things took form. The birth of an epoch transpired in Lin Xun's mind like a magnificent colored scroll or an epic saga filled with both joy and sorrow.

Unlike during his first experience, he now focused on perceiving the profound truths hidden in the great changes and comprehending the various developments preceding the emergence of the Immortal path.

His heart and mind were immersed in the river of time, not only witnessing but also experiencing those transformations. He became oblivious to the passage of time in the outside world. Finally, along with that terrifying thunder, the calamity descended again, plunging the entire epoch into destruction.

However, Lin Xun was prepared this time. He poured every drop of his strength into feeling and fathoming, for he knew that there were beings who had survived this epoch-ending Five Dao Decay!

Like Dishen, Wei Mingzi, Wushuang, Mister Lu...

Hm?

In the very moment the epoch crumbled and all was about to fall into darkness, he keenly detected an anomaly. Within the dark void, obscure auras that felt as though they were timeless lay dormant! Only then did darkness descend as everything sank into eternal silence.

However, Lin Xun finally understood: though the epoch perished, certain ‘eternal’ energies did not. Instead, they hibernated in the darkness, awaiting the dawn of the next epoch!

“Could those auras be the power attainable at the Eternal Stage?” he murmured. He had never expected to uncover such a world-shaking mystery from the Chronicle of Epochs!

If my speculation is correct, then wouldn't it mean that the Eternal Divine Clans of the Ninth Heaven Domain can defy the threat of an epochal destruction?

His heart trembled at the thought of this. A long while later, he sat down and entered another meditation session. The Five Dao Decays and the profound truths behind eternity remained too distant. They were not subjects he could study at his present cultivation. The pressing matter now was to comprehend the secrets of the Immortal path.

The beginning of an epoch and its flourishing growth often signaled the emergence of an Immortal path. Only by unraveling the principles therein and grasping their essence could one achieve a momentous transformation!

Another dozen days went by in a flash. Lin Xun rose from his meditation again. Having penetrated quite a number of mysteries, there were still some that remained vague and elusive. Thus, he once again probed his spirit sense into the Chronicle of Epochs.

......

Outside the ancient building on Scripture Mountain...

Jiang Ye, lying in his rocking chair with his eyes closed, said, “You best leave now.”

A group of disciples were standing in front of him with indignant expressions. They had come to Scripture Mountain to consult the texts, only to be stopped outside by Jiang Ye.

“So we'll never get to come in if Lin Xun refuses to come out for the rest of his life, is that it?” one asked angrily.

“Rest assured, it won't be that long,” replied Jiang Ye calmly, his eyes still shut. “Besides, Lin Xun has only been in there for three months. Who knows, he might even emerge soon.”

In the end, the disciples reluctantly left. Jiang Ye remained in the rocking chair as he couldn’t help but feel a faint pressure.

Three months had passed. Countless disciples had come to Scripture Mountain during this period, only to be turned away by Jiang Ye each time, which had earned the discontent of many bigwigs. Even some elders of Origin Emptiness Pavilion had discreetly expressed their displeasure.

However, Jiang Ye had no other choice. Merely entering to read or borrow scriptures was no problem, but the concern here was that someone was hiding their intent to disrupt Lin Xun's meditation, the consequences of which would be serious.

Over these past three months, the undercurrents had been strong in the Origin Sect, with most of them directed at Lin Xun.

Jiang Ye couldn't help but worry: once Lin Xun came out and learned of the recent events, would his state of mind be affected?

Half a year after Lin Xun entered the Ninth Hall, a prominent figure arrived at Scripture Mountain. It was Fu Wenli, a deputy pavilion master of Origin Sky Pavilion!

“Greetings, Master Fu.” Jiang Ye rose promptly from his rocking chair to pay respects. As an elder, his authority paled in comparison to that of the other party.

“Is Lin Xun still poring over the Chronicle of Epochs?” inquired Fu Wenli expressionlessly. His tall and slender figure was clad in black clothes, his features were handsome, and his eyes gleaming with an unsettling, mysterious light.

Jiang Ye nodded, “Indeed.”

Fu Wenli pressed on, “And your Origin Emptiness Pavilion has been barring other disciples from the building because of him?”

Jiang Ye took several moments to respond, “As you already know, external interference during the study of the Chronicle of Epochs is most taboo.”

Fu Wenli snorted coldly, “Many have accessed the chronicle, but never once has that led to the whole place to be restricted. You clearly have no regard for the sect's rules.”

Jiang Ye's heart sank, realizing that the other party was here to condemn him!

As a deputy pavilion master of Origin Sky Pavilion that oversaw discipline, if Fu Wenli decided to make a problem out of this matter, then it would definitely spiral beyond what a mere elder of Origin Emptiness Pavilion could handle.

“I can give you a chance to make amends, but you'd best not stand in my way.” Fu Wenli lifted his foot, about to stride into the building.

“Hold your step!” Jiang Ye sharply looked up. “It is my duty to guard Scripture Mountain. Even you, Deputy Pavilion Master Fu, cannot enter this place at will!”

His blue robe and white hair framed a calm expression as he met Fu Wenli's gaze, refusing to yield an inch.

“You really don't know what's good for you. If you insist, then don't blame me for punishing you according to the rules!” A cold glint flared in Fu Wenli's eyes, and a terrifying aura radiated from him.

Jiang Ye's expression faltered, but he did not retreat, “You’ve got this one wrong, Deputy Pavilion Master Fu. The rules of Scripture Mountain have always been set by our pavilion. If you wish me to let you through, so be it—but only with an explicit approval from Origin Emptiness Pavilion.”

Fu Wenli nodded, “Very well. You shall have it.”

The moment these words dropped, a figure materialized at the foot of Scripture Mountain. Clad in a crimson robe with a white jade belt around his waist and a scholar's hat, he was handsome and refined.

He was Chi Wen, a deputy pavilion master of Origin Emptiness Pavilion!

“Jiang Ye, why aren't you standing back?!” Chi Wen declared the second he appeared, his voice tinged with displeasure.

Jiang Ye's heart lurched further. With two deputy pavilion masters against him, the situation grew increasingly dire.

Right at this juncture, a stern voice cut through the air, “Scripture Mountain has always been under my jurisdiction. Since when did you, Chi Wen, have the right to interfere?”

Whoosh!

The air rippled in the echo of Dugu Yong's voice while his icy gaze swept at Chi Wen. Jiang Ye instantly looked like a heavy weight had been lifted off of his shoulders.

Chi Wen frowned, “Brother Dugu, since there are no outsiders here, I'll be frank: are you sure you want to get involved in this? Do not forget that your Dugu Clan is based in the Seventh Heaven Domain!”

This was no doubt a threat.

Without a shred of emotion on his face, Dugu Yong said, “Before you push it too far, better weigh the consequences of pissing me off. I'm capable of anything when I'm angry.”

Chi Wen's expression darkened as his gaze shifted to Fu Wenli who was standing at the side.

“I hope you won't regret what you just said, Dugu Yong,” Fu Wenli shot Dugu Yong a glance before turning away. Chi Wen followed suit and left.

Jiang Ye was surprised. They had arrived so fiercely, but simply left just like that?

Dugu Yong looked frosty, “They weren't here to cause trouble for you, but instead to test my stance. Now that they've got the answer, they naturally have no reason to stay around.”

“Doesn't that mean they now view you as an opponent?” Jiang Ye's expression changed.

“It was bound to happen sooner or later. Pay them no mind,” said Dugu Yong calmly. “Just keep a close watch over this place. No matter how reckless they are, they don't dare trample on the sect's rules at a critical time like this.”

𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

With that, he vanished into thin air.

Jiang Ye stood alone, enveloped in silence.

Has the situation become this tense merely because Lin Xun wishes to break into the next stage in his cultivation? What exactly is Fu Wenli’s party wary of?

Jiang Ye had a feeling that the Immortal path Lin Xun sought was likely very unique, to the point that it had forced people like Fu Wenli and Chi Wen, who had always lurked in the dark, to crawl out of the woodwork to stop him!