Chapter 18: The Unalterable Ancient History

The eyes of the Nanyang Ancestor were cloudy, like those of an elderly countryman approaching the twilight of his life, yet within this decaying physical vessel lay vast, hidden energy.

"The path to immortality has appeared. If I do not tread upon it in this lifetime, if I do not vie for that sliver of immortal destiny, then my existence has been in vain," the Nanyang Ancestor said, a sharp glint flashing through his murky eyes.

"But what if? What if the future you have foreseen is not accurate?" Since time immemorial, who could claim their visions of the future were infallible? Not even the ancient Great Emperors could guarantee that.

"Fellow Daoist, you must understand—this path to immortality is the final chance for cultivators like us, whose lifespans are reaching their end."

Time slays the proud, and the years grind down the brilliant. For the first time, Luo Yan felt the weight of time upon those who were once the most spirited and peerless geniuses. In his youth, the Nanyang Ancestor had been a man of unparalleled talent who roamed the world, watching clouds rise and fall with a smile, leaving a brief yet deep mark in the history of the human race.

"There are Emperors beneath the Forbidden Zone," Luo Yan finally uttered. He knew he could not stop these people who were making their desperate final stand.

The Nanyang Ancestor was startled, asking in disbelief, "Are there truly ancient Great Emperors still alive in this era?"

Luo Yan replied, "There are... there always have been! They are waiting for an opportunity."

"What opportunity?"

"To become immortal."

"Dare I ask, senior, does immortality truly exist in this world?"

Luo Yan remained silent; immortality had always existed. The legendary Undying Immortality Medicine was but the remains of fallen Immortal Kings. They waited in the mortal world, recovering amidst the dust, yet they were no longer their complete selves.

"Senior, would you be willing to take her as your disciple?" The Nanyang Ancestor looked toward the Saintess of Tianxuan.

Luo Yan shook his head. "The Saintess possesses peerless talent. Her future achievements will be no less than mine. If she does not perish prematurely, she will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the ancient Great Emperors. From ancient times to the present, only a handful of people could ever overshadow her."

"If I may, I would rather address the Saintess as an equal."

The Nanyang Ancestor was stunned. Even a Quasi-Emperor claimed that the Tianxuan Saintess could rival an Emperor in the future. Perhaps she would truly be the first to attain the Dao after the Azure Emperor of the Desolate Era.

"Nowadays, the spiritual energy of the world is exhausted, becoming increasingly unsuitable for cultivation. Can anyone truly attain the Dao as an Emperor?" the Nanyang Ancestor asked his most pressing question. The world was undergoing its most terrifying upheaval in history; perhaps in the near future, even the Saint realm would be impossible to breach.

Luo Yan said, "When things reach an extreme, they reverse; the world seeks balance. The end is a beginning. The descendants of the Ancient Sovereigns will reappear in the world six thousand years from now."

The Nanyang Ancestor was shocked and offered a solemn bow. Today, Luo Yan had revealed many vital pieces of information: that living Emperors resided beneath the Desolate Forbidden Zone, that immortality existed, and that a golden age would dawn in six thousand years. Such selfless revelations were worthy of the highest respect.

...

Not long after, two pieces of news emerged from the Tianxuan Holy Land.

The first was that in three years, the Holy Land would commit its full strength to assault the Desolate Forbidden Zone and march toward the path of immortality. Elders and disciples were given the choice to withdraw. This was met with universal agreement; with an Ancestor leading the way wielding an Imperial weapon, no one believed they would fail.

The second piece of news was that the Holy Land would seal a portion of its disciples to ensure a future for Tianxuan, so that the lineage would not be severed should they fail. The first to be sealed would be the Saintess, who would serve as the hope for the Holy Land's revival. Next would be the Three Talents of Tianxuan, with at least one to be sealed, alongside other disciples of remarkable talent and insight. Naturally, this second piece of news was known only to the upper echelons.

Another day passed. Wei Yi and the Little Madman redoubled their efforts in cultivation.

The person chosen to be sealed for the future was ultimately the Holy Son of Tianxuan—a suggestion from Luo Yan. This surprised the elders, as the original plan was to seal Wei Yi, the youngest and weakest of the group. Given that Luo Yan had brought Wei Yi to the Holy Land, it would have been logical for him to recommend the boy, yet he had insisted on the Holy Son.

Luo Yan knew that the Little Madman and Wei Yi would not die during the attack on the Forbidden Zone; they would go on to attain sainthood in the Age of Dharma Decline and provide help to Ye Fan in the future.

Luo Yan had tested the rules of the Heavenly Dao. He realized that his indirect guidance would not draw its notice—such as influencing the elders to enact the "lineage preservation" plan. However, directly interfering with the course of history would trigger its gaze. Killing someone like Fang Jin, who was blessed with extraordinary fortune, or changing the fates of the Little Madman and Wei Yi, would certainly attract the attention of the Heavens.

Luo Yan mapped these rules not just for the present, but for the future. If he could return to a more distant age—to see the Void Emperor or the Hengyu Emperor—and indirectly reveal the future to them, perhaps fewer lives would be sacrificed during the coming Dark Turmoil. It might even bring more reinforcements to that Huang Tiandi who fought through the ages, ensuring he would not have to face the source of darkness alone.

Time slipped away, day after day. The Saintess of Tianxuan sought him out once more; by his count, it was the fifth time this month.

Her brow was etched with sorrow, her former radiance replaced by a heavy heart. There were many things she wished to say, but she could only vent to Luo Yan. Now, all of Tianxuan was preparing for the assault on the Forbidden Zone, and even she, who had once been the center of everyone's attention, saw fewer visitors.

The Saintess drained her cup of fine wine. No one knew better than she that attacking the Desolate Forbidden Zone was a disastrous decision, yet she lacked the power to stop it. Her slightly tipsy face was streaked with tears; she seemed to be weeping, her heartache contained within the wine.

Everyone in the "lineage preservation" plan, save for her, had already been sealed within source stones. As the representative of the Holy Land to the outside world, she still received many guests, and she would eventually choose a suitable time to "enter seclusion" to avoid suspicion.

There was nothing more painful in the world than watching one's friends and family die while being powerless to stop it, knowing it was a death trap yet forced to watch them walk toward their demise step by step.

"This is their decision, Saintess. You need not be so sorrowful," Luo Yan said, thoughtfully pouring her another cup.

She paused, looking at her own reflection in the cup. "Brother Luo Yan, I truly do not want to wake up and find that my beloved Ancestor, my respected Master, and the elders who cared for me are gone forever!" Her eyes were red-rimmed, her expression one of bitter, heart-wrenching fragility.

"If I were strong enough, could I have stopped this tragedy?" she lamented.

Suddenly, she pushed the wine away, leaning across the table toward him. Her jade-like arms brushed against her cheeks, and she muttered drunkenly, "How about this? Brother Luo Yan, why don't you suppress them all? With your cultivation, suppressing them would be no problem at all!"

"Saintess, you are speaking nonsense," Luo Yan said, looking at her breathtaking face and flawless skin, a strained smile on his lips.

"I am not! That's it! Suppress them! Suppress them all! Brother Luo Yan, come with me and suppress the Ancestor!" She grabbed his sleeve.

Luo Yan remained unmoved, shaking his head with a sigh.

Perhaps realizing he would not be swayed, the Saintess gritted her teeth, throwing herself into his arms. Her warm, soft voice whispered in his ear, "Brother Luo Yan, if you help me stop the Ancestor and the others, I will be yours!"

"I am the greatest beauty in the Eastern Wasteland, you know! Think about it, please!"

Her voice was thick with despair; she had run out of options.