“It makes sense it would be restricted,” said Wu Hong, sipping her wine. “Heavenly Dao wants a potent civilization to cultivate powerful Great Emperors. No matter how brilliant your civilization is, it’s still a mortal one with an average lifespan of more than 100 years.
“If they keep growing, they might disturb the current cultivation civilization, leading to infighting and weakening the entire Myriad Emperor World.”
“A battle between Science & Technology and Cultivation?” added Wang Wei with shining eyes. “That would be an interesting sight to see.”
If it were before, Wang Wei might be sure cultivation would win. However, after seeing the development of the Science and Technology World and the Quantum Realm, he was not so sure.
“Who do you think would win?” asked Wu Hong, also intrigued by the notion.
“It depends,” replied Wang Wei. “Cultivation should have the advantage in terms of raw power or individual with ultimate power. Meanwhile, Science & Technology has the advantage in population and weaponry.”
“I understand their advantage with people since Science & Technology have solved the issue of people’s livelihood, resulting in a large population-based,” commented Wu Hong, who learned to despise how cultivators ignored mortals to survive on their own.
“However, winning on weaponry?” She shook her head. “Cultivators have Artifact Refiners. How could they lose?”
“High-Level Technology does not lose to Artifact refining,” added Wang Wei. “However, they have an advantage over cultivators: mass production. It could take dozens to hundreds of years for a Weapon Refiner to refine a Quasi-Emperor Artifact. During the same time spawn, Science & Technology could produce hundreds of space-ships of the same level depending on their technologies’ development.”
“Indeed, I did not consider this.”
“So, in a battle where they are relatively equal, cultivation will win if the war is short and quick. However, if it’s a prolonged battle, they have no chance.
“Of course, you should understand battles are not simple.”
Wu Hong nodded as she knew any war was not so easy to analyze and summarize since anything could happen; in war, even pure luck could decide the final outcome.
“Alright, let’s not talk about such a heavy topic as war and enjoy our diner,” said Wu Hong as they changed the conversation. Afterward, both were satisfied with their experience.
“Where to next?”
“Tomorrow, we will have a beach day.”
“Excellent,” replied Wu Hong as they stayed in the most luxurious hotel in this city. The next day, they teleported to the end of the Central Continent in their beach wears.
Wang Wei and Wu Hong walked on the beach, watching many cultivators dressed in shorts and bikinis, playing volleyball, surfing, and building sand constructs.
Wang Wei had a weird look on his face. On earth, this should have been an ordinary thing. However, seeing so many cultivators with long and flowing hair in shorts and doing these activities was strange to him, especially seeing some people who did not want to change their regular clothes and were dressed in “ancient clothes.”
“Is this what you called cultural invasion?” asked Wu Hong, who also found the entire thing a little strange.
“This is the power of influence,” commented Wang Wei. “I am considered the Heaven Chosen with the highest probability of proving the Dao in this generation. So, many cultivators worship and imitate me.
“They believed: Wang Wei, the powerful sect master of the Dao Opening Sect, used this weird method to relax after cultivation. Maybe, there is a secret to it, so they copied it.”
“Your thinking is too cynical,” argued Wu Hong. “Cultivation requires both hard work and relaxation. Previously, cultivators would drink, chat with friends, travel the world, or visit brothels to relax. But your method showed them a new and exciting way.
“Furthermore, your bikini has become a new way for women to demonstrate their freedom and fight against many of the patriarchal ideologies present in the cultivation world.”
“Cynical, huh?” muttered Wang Wei. “You’re probably right. Maybe, I’ve been too assimilated by this world, and I haven’t even noticed it.”
“This is inevitable,” replied Wu Hong. “After all, you only spent a few decades on Earth.”
The two enjoyed a few days at the beach before leaving.
“Where to next?”
“The largest and best brothel in the world: the Heavenly Moon Restaurant,” replied Wang Wei, making Wu Hong give him a weird look.
“Most men will secretly go to the brothels, but you actually bring your wife.”
“These men do not have such an awesome wife as you,” he replied with a flattering smile.
“Do you think I don’t know what you are planning?”
Wang Wei coughed lightly, pretending he did not hear anything. The last time he went to the brothel, Wu Hong boldly declared she could do it better than these women and danced for him.
And to this day, Wang Wei has never forgotten that dance, turning it into one of his core memories. She was beautiful and ethereal; the entire world seemed more cheerful and happy as she danced. At that exact moment, she was the center of the world, shining brighter than any stars and nobler than even Heavenly Dao.
“Fine, I will indulge you.”
The two headed for the Heavenly Moon Restaurant in the Yin Moon Sect’s central Domain. They paid the price to have the best courtesan serve them. And she was pretty talented at her job, knowing poetry, dance, calligraphy, and painting. However, Wang Wei did not care and quickly dismissed her after a short performance.
Two hours later, Wang Wei walked out of the restaurant, wiping the blood from his nose, “Danm it, this woman almost destroyed my Willpower.”
“Hehe, you’re the one who wanted a show,” said Wu Hong.
“This day will forever stain my credibility as a manly man.”
“You can redeem yourself as long as you destroy that recoding talisman.”
“Who wants to be a manly man, anyway,” replied Wang Wei as he embraced her, displaying his shameless side to the fullest.
“Let’s go.”
The two then traveled the world together, eating food from different restaurants, regions, and continents. They visited the most famous spots in the world, like the Yaochi Heavenly Tree in the Central Continent–which is similar to an enormous Sakura Tree from Wang Wei’s previous life.
The tree has remained pink ever since its existence and has never changed. And on the full moon, it will shine, becoming more beautiful; the entire thing was a spiritual experience. There are rumors the tree is the only thing in the world that can heal Dao Hearts, and the Hua Clan–whose founder Yaochi Emperor planted the tree–took advantage of this rumor to their full extent.
Although it was not true, the tree did have the power to bless the mind and increase cultivation for a short period. So, the Hua Clan used it as a tourist spot, allowing them to prosper for countless generations.
For the next hundred years, Wang Wei and Wu Hong traveled all over the world; they experienced numerous things and met plenty of new people. Although they did not reveal their identity, this fact made the experience more memorable.
Finally, they stopped at the Heavenly Tree Village.
“They developed very fast,” commented Wu Hong as she looked at this village.
“Indeed. In one generation, they’ve become a Supreme Holy Land,” nodded Wang Wei as he looked at this weird village. Most people looked like normal mortals, dressed in ordinary clothes and working the farm.
However, one-tenth of these people were cultivators, many already in the Supreme Realm. However, they blended perfectly well with the mortals and lived no differently from them.
“The last time I came, the person with the highest cultivation was only the Divine Altar Realm,” added Wang Wei, with some surprise. Many factions spent generations without giving birth to a Saint, let alone a Supreme Realm True Monarch.
Although he gave the people of the village a cultivation method, it only reached Primordial Spirit Realm.
“A place full of destiny,” added Wu Hong. “In a few generations, they will become a terrifying Emperor Lineage.”
“Indeed,” agreed Wang Wei. The concept of cultivators and mortals living in harmony with nature made this village very special. Power will corrupt or change a person’s mind. So, a cultivator needs a certain mindset to incorporate and live with mortals.
Furthermore, with their long life span, they will watch the people they are close to or interact with every day die one generation after the other. As long as they do not become cold and indifferent to death and accept this natural cycle of death, it will be a great way to temper their Dao Heart.
“Let’s go see it.”
Wang Wei did not disturb the village and went to a small world only knowns to only a few individuals in the village. He gazed at a towering tree in the distance with wonder.
The tree had some consciousness and noticed their arrival. It prepared to defend itself and attack until it felt Wang Wei’s aura. Then, it released an intimate aura like a child seeing their father.
“You cultivated a World Tree?” asked Wu Hong in surprise.
“I didn’t think it would succeed.” Back then, he only decided to fuse Space-Time-related resources to the tree. He did not think it would evolve into a rare World Tree.
“No wonder this village is blessed with so much destiny,” nodded Wu Hong. “What are you going to do with it?”
“I have my plan,” he replied before explaining what he was going to do.
“That’s a good idea; maybe you’ll receive merit.”
The two no longer spoke as they admired this towing specimen. The tree bore 300 fruits, and they could tell each one was a world comparable to a Middle-Grade Thousand.
“You’re leaving, aren’t you?” asked Wang Wei.
“Yes,” replied Wu Hong calmly.
“Although I knew this day would come, I still hope I was wrong.” He sighed and exhaled deeply as if he wanted to breathe out all his negative emotions.
“Can’t you stay?”
“No.” She shook her head. “You should know I’m only a clone, and I cannot stay.”
“That’s not really an explanation.”
Wu Hong briefly paused, “The real reason is I can only use my Emperor Strenght a limited number of times.”
“Is it because you used [Existence Reconstruction] on me the last time?”
“No. I left a seal in the sect,” continued Wu Hong. “If you fail the battle, you only need to survive and return to the sect. It will activate and hide the Dao Opening Sect. By then, Di Tian will not find you no matter what method he tries.”
Wang Wei turned to face her, holding her hands and clothes to his chest; he knew this might be the last opportunity in a very long time.
“I don’t want you to go.”
“And I don’t to, either,” she replied with a smile; her eyes showed no sadness. “However, there is no everlasting banquet in this world.”
“A sad truth.”
“Don’t be too sad since it’s only a temporary parting,” she added, caressing his handsome face. “Few things before I leave.”
Wang Wei gently placed his head on hers, feeling the warmth of her body; he could even hear her slow beating heart.
“Your path of cultivation will be full of trials and tribulations. Although I don’t think I need to remind you, I will just in case: don’t ever give up until you achieve your goals.”
“I won’t.”
“Don’t let me give up as well.”
“I won’t.”
“You might think of your friends and families as your weakness and things to protect,” continued Wu Hong. “But they are your greatest allies and strength.”
“I will keep that in mind.”
“Secondly, the Seven Moons are not much of a threat to you, so don’t stress about them. Even without you, their fate is already doomed.”
“Is that so?”
“Take time to prepare in advance for your Path of Transcendence,” added Wu Hong. “For most people, it would be counterproductive to think about something so far away and so illusive, but you’re different.
“I’ll listen to you.”
“You can trust Maitreya. Although her recent behaviors have been shady, she is still trustworthy.”
“Okay.”
“Lastly, take care of yourself when I’m gone,” said Wu Hong with some tears in her eyes. “You are too accident-prone, so be careful not to die again. Eat your food; I have left a space ring with more food inside for you and some information I feel will be more in the future.”
“You know I love your food the most. So, of course, I will eat them,” replied Wang Wei, also with tears in his eyes.
“Say goodbye to father, mother, and grandfather for me–I did not have the heart to face them.”
“I will,” nodded Wang Wei as he saw Wu Hong slowly disintegrating into numerous motes of lights.
“When we meet again, show me the New Era you’ve created–I was looking forward to seeing its brilliance.”
Wang Wei did not say a word and only nodded; he could not prevent a few tears from dropping from his eyes.
“Remember: I love you no matter the space-time, beyond fate, and to eternity,” she said with a smile.
“To eternity,” muttered Wang Wei as he watched his empty hand; the only thing left was the empty void in his heart.
…
Eternal Ascension World, Origin Seal Continent:
Wu Hong sat in her cultivation room, trying to heal her injuries. She suddenly opened her eyes as countless memories flooded in.
She took a moment to review the memories and discovered many were sealed, and she could not remove them even at her peak.
“Interesting,” she commented with squinted eyes. “My Fate Companion? So, you’ve finally shown up.”