Li Fan noticed the deliberate omission in Senior Sister Zhao’s words, and a thought crossed his mind.
However, he did not pursue it further.
Although they were Dao companions, she, being the Dao Child of the Grand Dao Sect, was destined to come into contact with highly classified secrets. It was natural for her not to reveal everything.
“Regardless, the act of seizing and publishing the ‘Primordial Scripture of Taishang’ indirectly saved countless cultivators. It could be considered a great merit,” Li Fan sighed.
Suddenly, as if a thought struck him, Li Fan froze slightly.
“What’s the matter?” Senior Sister Zhao noticed his unusual behavior and asked, a bit surprised.
“The logic against heaven…” Li Fan turned his head, staring directly at Senior Sister Zhao.
“Isn’t it the natural law that one cannot cultivate multiple techniques at once? But if there is a cultivator who reverses this law and achieves eternal Dao, wouldn’t that mean the Xuanhuang Realm could be saved?”
Senior Sister Zhao was silent for a moment, then gently shook her head. “You’re not wrong, several seniors did try to do this.”
“The stronger the law of heaven, the harder it is to reverse. The law against cultivating multiple techniques is something the heavens imposed to counterbalance us cultivators, a natural alteration.”
“If you think deeply, this law was already reversed once. To reverse it again… the difficulty is far more than doubled.”
“Otherwise, why do you think the countless geniuses within the Ten Great Immortal Sects haven’t attempted to defy the Dao of Transmission of the Immortal Ancestor, completely eradicating the foundation of the new methods?”
Senior Sister Zhao explained to Li Fan.
Li Fan pondered the meaning behind her words, sinking into deep thought.
After three years of chaos, cultivators seemed to have gradually adapted to a life where they could no longer cultivate multiple techniques.
It was simply that their cultivation realms could no longer advance. However, this allowed them to avoid the daily grind of cultivation and instead idly wandered around the sect, enjoying leisurely days.
Life was not too bad.
As for those with exceptional talent, they were arranged by the sect elders to practice one technique alone.
Senior Sister Zhao was no exception.
The technique she was cultivating now, ‘The Eternal Scripture of Impermanence’, although not as powerful as Heaven-Slaying Dao Scripture, was still sufficient for her to cultivate to the Longevity Realm.
However, with her lofty aspirations, Senior Sister Zhao would not be content with mediocrity.
As the saying goes, after experiencing the best, it’s hard to settle for less. Having personally practiced the most profound techniques in the world, switching to a lesser technique felt like chewing wax — tasteless and dull.
Thus, she turned her attention to the two remaining techniques of the Xuantian Sect.
After much deliberation, she chose ‘The Scripture of Heaven’s Sorrow and Earth’s Grief.’
“Heaven’s sorrow, earth’s Grief’s, the world mourns. This technique is only half a step below Heaven-Slaying Dao Scripture,” Senior Sister Zhao remarked.
“The Xuantian Sect was indeed once the ruler of the entire Xuanhuang Realm. Even a Heavenly King carried so many profound and exquisite techniques. I wonder how many more treasures were on that escaping Holy Envoy,” Senior Sister Zhao casually sighed.
“An holy envoy? The envoy of the Xuantian Sect?” Li Fan asked curiously. “He managed to escape the pursuit of the Ten Great Immortal Sects?”
“Yes, not only did he escape, but he also took the Xuantian Sect’s most precious treasure, the Xuantian Mirror, with him. Since then, he’s vanished without a trace. Even though the Ten Great Sects have scoured the entire Xuanhuang Realm, they haven’t found a sign of him.”
Senior Sister Zhao shook her head, glossing over the matter.
“Junior Brother, it’s been a while since we’ve dual cultivated…” A slight blush appeared on her cheeks as she whispered.
“Heh…” Li Fan, understanding her intentions, pulled Senior Sister Zhao into the secret chamber and sealed the surrounding space.
——
The peaceful days didn’t last long.
Li Fan didn’t know what was happening in the outside world, but when the first disciple of the Grand Dao Sect died because they could no longer break through their cultivation realm and exhausted their lifespan, a wave of anxiety and unease began to spread among the people.
Li Fan attended the funeral of the deceased cultivator named Zhu Jun.
It was very simple, just a quick cremation of the body, and according to Zhu Jun’s wishes, he was buried on a mountain.
The funeral wasn’t filled with deep sorrow, but Li Fan could clearly see the grief in the eyes of the cultivators attending—a shared sense of fate.
Not long after, a saying began circulating within the Grand Dao Sect: “Yesterday it was Zhu Jun, today it’s all of us, tomorrow it will be the Sovereign’s turn.”
The Grand Dao Sect had Longevity Realm cultivators suppressing the situation, so even if there was rebellion, nothing could overturn the balance.
Rather than dying in vain in the mountains, it was better to go down and search for a glimmer of hope!
Affected by Zhu Jun’s death, several disciples held this belief and voluntarily abolished the sect’s techniques, applying to leave the sect in search of survival.
Sect Master Ji Changxi was not a heartless person and agreed to their requests.
He also promised that if they found no way out and regretted their decision, they could return at any time.
Some disciples were so moved that they shed tears on the spot and decided to stay in the sect, ready to live and die with it.
However, a few cultivators still insisted on leaving.
Ji Changxi did not stop them.
With these unstable elements gone, the Grand Dao Sect returned to peace.
Yet, it was clear to any discerning person that beneath this calm surface, a terrifying storm was brewing, ready to explode at any moment.
Just half a year later, some of the disciples who had left returned to the sect in tears, begging for the Sect Master to let them come back.
When they returned and recounted the situation outside, the surviving cultivators in the sect realized how lucky they were.
Due to the inability to cultivate multiple techniques, the outside world had turned into a horrific slaughterhouse.
The former peace had completely disappeared.
Walking on the road, one could be randomly attacked by a cultivator intent on fighting to the death, all for the possibility of gaining a technique.
The disciples who left the sect had abolished their techniques and only had a few magical tools for protection. How could they survive such chaos?
Severely injured, those who returned alive were the lucky ones.
These people had lost their courage and no longer mentioned cultivation, simply waiting for death within the sect.
The remaining disciples of the Grand Dao Sect also felt a deep sense of foreboding.
They no longer mentioned leaving.
On this day.
“Senior Sister, have you noticed anything strange?” Li Fan found Senior Sister Zhao, his expression serious.
“Hmm? Is there something wrong with the cultivation technique?” Senior Sister Zhao was unusually distracted.
It took her a long while to respond, frowning.
“Why do I see many disciples coughing?” Li Fan noticed her strange behavior, but his eyes flashed, and he didn’t ask more.
Instead, he mentioned the bizarre phenomenon he had observed.
“Coughing? Impossible. Even though they abolished their techniques, their cultivation realms are still intact. How could cultivators fall ill like mortals?”
As she said this, Senior Sister Zhao extended her divine sense outward.
Upon seeing the situation, her expression changed dramatically.
Without a word to Li Fan, she flew out to find a sickly disciple.