Chapter 700: Conjuring A Friend From Nothing, Memories of the Nuwa Race

It had been over a hundred thousand years, yet this ancient battlefield—which was covered in the flesh and blood of the Heavenly Court's soldiers and the rebel army that opposed it—still hadn't experienced peace.

Accompanied by his two "great generals," Hu Chang and Long Liekong, Wang Sheng found the Xinghai Sect hiding in one of the restricted lands that the Fengli Sect had owned before. He finally breathed a small sigh of relief.

Only a handful of Protectors were with them. The rest were elders and their disciples.

Before the Celestial Wind Sect launched its full-scale assault, Yao Xingzi had divined a sign of great calamity. A mysterious letter had also arrived at the sect, warning them to prepare in advance. Lan Huilin, who had previously defected to the Celestial Wind Sect, had most likely sent it.

In response, Yao Xingzi immediately dismissed their Protectors for the time being. Each received a generous gift and a promise that once the Xinghai Sect was back on its feet, they would be invited back to their posts. Afterward, the servants, off-heritage disciples, and all those deemed nonessential were sent to Xinghai City to depart with the unaffiliated practitioners, ensuring that no spies were mixed into the fleeing ranks.

Only then did they enter the ancient battlefield. They relied on Yao Xingzi's divination arts to remain hidden and safe. As long as these elders and disciples survived, the foundation of the sect would endure. The lost Daoist Canon could always be recovered with time.

Though news of Wang Sheng's return had already reached them through a message from Linyuan, seeing him in person stirred inexplicable excitement in many elders.

Lishang even came gliding through space from afar, her serpent tail swaying. The moment she saw Wang Sheng, the cold edge in her beautiful face softened, and her lips curved into a faint smile. She hesitated several times, as if she had a lot to say, but in the end, she only greeted, "I'm glad you returned safely."

She looked noticeably worn, clearly exhausted from guiding the Xinghai Sect through crisis after crisis. Now that Wang Sheng was back, though, much of that burden seemed to have been lifted from her shoulders. Unlike Earth's cultivators, she did not view him as the pillar of support, but she still felt as though she finally had someone to rely on and that she no longer had to fight alone.

"Vice Sect Master, how severe are our losses?"

Lishang replied softly, "No casualties, but we lost a lot of resources. If we just keep drifting around without a stable home, morale will eventually fall apart."

"No need to worry." Wang Sheng took several storage artifacts from his robe and handed them to her. "Distribute these Spirit Stones and alchemical pills to everyone. I picked these up while traveling; it was a fortunate windfall. Double the monthly stipends for elders, sect members, and disciples. As long as we endure these next two years, we will be able to retaliate against the Celestial Wind Sect."

"Master has already told me you sent people to seek powerful allies." Lishang sighed softly. "Even so, I still feel as though we have lost to the Celestial Wind Sect."

An elder beside indignantly asked, "Are we not in this position because the Fengli Sect broke their word?"

The other elders erupted into a storm of criticism, voices sharp with anger. Wang Sheng listened carefully from the side.

"Exactly! They came to us for an alliance, only to abandon us without a second thought and leave us alone against the Celestial Wind Sect. That was no different from condemning us to extermination!"

"The Celestial Wind may be cruel, but they are not even half as despicable as the Fengli Sect!"

Wang Sheng also felt the urge to curse the Fengli Sect for their treachery. However, venting would only bring momentary satisfaction and accomplish nothing. Once the complaints subsided and the greetings ended, the elders withdrew one by one to rest in the rock caverns that had been hastily carved within the restricted land.

"Where is the sect master?" Wang Sheng asked. "I will pay my respects first. We can talk afterward."

"Come with me." Lishang sighed softly.

As she turned, faint immortal light shimmered along her serpent tail, transforming it into a pair of delicate jade feet and slender legs. She led Wang Sheng toward a corner of the area.

When Wang Sheng entered a cavern, Yao Xingzi raised his gaze from the divination disk floating before him and offered a gentle smile. Wang Sheng couldn't help but notice that the Heavenly Immortal Realm sect master looked far older than before. His eye sockets were also deeply sunken.

"Elder Pi, you're finally back."

Wang Sheng said gravely, "Sect Master, you no longer have to force the use of divination. If the Celestial Wind Sect finds us, we are strong enough to hold them off."

"The hexagram shows that although you have returned, it is not yet time to launch a counteroffensive." Yao Xingzi exhaled slowly. "But don't worry. I will not follow my late master's footsteps. Since I have rarely divined for others in these past years, I have accumulated quite a reserve of fortune. And now that you are back, I no longer worry about matters related to heavenly fate."

Wang Sheng only smiled and shook his head. "Sect Master, you should rest for now. Give me three years. I will make the Celestial Wind Sect pay the price and restore the Xinghai Sect's prosperity."

Yao Xingzi chuckled softly as he watched him. "I shall await that day. Since the opportunity has presented itself, let us speak openly. I now somewhat understand the potential of Earth's cultivators, but I still do not know your intentions for the Xinghai Sect."

Wang Sheng fell silent for a moment, then answered solemnly, "I have considered many possibilities over the past few years. My train of thought has changed again and again, but just recently, I have finally settled on a path. The Xinghai Sect will not be a subordinate of Earth's cultivators.

"For certain special reasons, I would rather see it stand in the open as a powerful force, while Earth's cultivators remain hidden under it for the next ten thousand years, even tens of thousands. I know you have concerns and many doubts, Sect Master. I can only offer my life as a guarantee. If anyone from the Earth's cultivation world ever dares to scheme against the Xinghai Sect, I will be the first to show them no mercy!"

Yao Xingzi smiled. "I can finally rest a bit easier. Will you continue serving as an elder of the Xinghai Sect from now on?"

"Of course." Wang Sheng glanced at Lishang, who stood quietly beside them, and smiled. "I joined the sect through the vice sect master's assessment. Since I have not done anything wrong, you cannot expel me yet, Sect Master."

𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

Lishang's lips twitched slightly, then snorted softly. Meanwhile, Yao Xingzi laughed heartily, his energy clearly rising.

After seeing the sect master enter meditation to rest, Wang Sheng and Lishang stepped out of the cave.

Wang Sheng arranged for Long Liekong and Hu Chang to patrol outside. Long Liekong was a late-stage Heavenly Immortal, and his immortal perception could sweep across great distances. Hu Chang possessed astonishing combat strength. Together, the dragon and the tiger made a solid combat team.

While strolling through the endless space, Lishang asked about Wang Sheng's senior sister. He gave her a brief update on her situation.

After a moment of thought, Wang Sheng finally voiced the question that had been weighing on his mind.

"Vice Sect Master—"

"Just call me Lishang."

"Then, Lishang," Wang Sheng corrected, then frowned slightly. "Has Empress Nuwa's lineage been passing down the murals I saw in your race's ancestral land since ancient times?"

Lishang nodded lightly. "

Mm.

Humans like to record stories with brushes and ink. We prefer carving them into stone walls so they endure forever, allowing future generations to learn about them."

"Could you tell me in detail what your records say about where Empress Nuwa ultimately went?"

Lishang tilted her head. "Why are you suddenly interested in this?"

"Well..." Wang Sheng smiled wryly. "While traveling, I met a friend who might have a tiny connection to Empress Nuwa. I am asking on his behalf."

New skill unlocked: creating a new friend out of thin air.

Lishang immediately believed him.

"I see." She set up a soundproof barrier around them, then softly answered, "This is actually one of our race's closely guarded secrets. However, since our race is already on the brink of extinction, and you're the one asking, I see no harm in telling you. Do you remember why the murals said she exiled most of our race's experts?"

"Because they caused turmoil during the Primal Era?"

"

Mm.

After ending chaos, she devoted herself to maintaining order and stability in the Immortal Saint Realm, allowing countless living beings to exist freely. In her eyes, all creatures were equally precious. She never judged them based on their strengths or weaknesses. Anyway, all of that is connected to where she ultimately went."

Wang Sheng raised a hand. "After repairing heaven, did she feel heartbroken over the chaos of the world and choose to shake the Sea of Dao Laws, endure the backlash of countless Great Daos, and write her will into the evolution of the Great Dao?

"In other words, she set the fate that the chaos of the Immortal Saint Realm would eventually be destroyed, heaven and earth would return to order, the Three Realms would be established, and that all things would grow and coexist in harmony?"

Lishang stared at him in surprise. "How do you know all that?"

Wang Sheng smiled bitterly. "My friend told me."

Deep down, he sighed quietly. He had struggled to accept it, but it seemed this was the truth.

"We have always said that Empress Nuwa left this world and went beyond the Three Realms to a new heaven and earth, but that story was just meant to comfort our people. In the memories my mother left me, it is mentioned that by the Ancient Era, the power of the Sea of Dao Laws had already far surpassed what it was in the Primal Era.

"Even though Empress Nuwa was powerful, the force of the Great Dao she endured would have inevitably crushed her." Lishang sighed softly. "We did not want to speak of it, but Empress Nuwa likely died."

"I'm sorry."

"

Mm.

" Lishang shook her head gently. "We know she died for the sake of all living beings. She likely had no regrets."

Wang Sheng felt a surge of emotion. "Then, have you heard of the sacred spirit?"

Lishang's eyebrows instantly knit. She glared at him. "How do you seem to know everything?"

"My friend is quite interested in closely guarded secrets."

"The elders who followed her to the end said that she used the last bit of her strength to give birth to a sacred spirit who would open up the Three Realms." Lishang paused, then whispered, "You do not have to know what came after. It involves the Heavenly Court and brought a devastating disaster upon our race, which is also why we could not carve it onto the stone walls. It could only be passed down through bloodline memory."

Wang Sheng leaned closer and whispered back, "Did the Immortal Emperor do that sacred spirit in?"

"

Mm...

So you really do know."

Wang Sheng muttered, "How did the Immortal Emperor do it? Come on, tell me. Yaoyun has already been sent out to seek help. Just treat this as a secret between us. I swear I will not breathe a word."

Watching Wang Sheng act all sneaky, Lishang did not know whether to laugh or cry. Finally, she came to a realization.

Since Wang Sheng had leaned in, they were extremely close to each other now.