At the end of the Great Plague Era, under the coercion of cultivators, the vast majority of mortals were relocated to various hidden realms and small worlds.
However, as the influence of the “incompatibility of immortal cultivation techniques” grew stronger, the cultivators ultimately could not escape the fate of mutual destruction. The immortal sects collapsed, and the cultivation civilization entered a prolonged period of darkness.
As the saying goes, “When one declines, another rises.”
The number of cultivators dwindled to near extinction. Yet, mortals, like resilient weeds, began to emerge once again across the world.
Regarding the origins of these newly born mortals, some claimed they were survivors of the great migration. Others believed they were the descendants of cultivators. There were also those who suggested that mortals from the small worlds had broken through the blockade of the Immortal-Sealing Formation and returned.
Regardless, as cultivators gradually vanished from the land, the mortals of the Xuanhuang Realm began to thrive in the gaps left behind.
Along with the resurgence of mortals came the Xuanhuang Clear Heart Mantra.
Like folk songs and legends of unknown origin, it spread by word of mouth. Eventually, nearly every human tribe became aware of this technique, which allowed mortals to escape the influence of the Immortal-Mortal Miasma and once again embark on the path of cultivation.
Today’s cultivators speculate that this could very well be the work of the Mysterious Eastern Extremity Heavenly Sovereign of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance.
However, now that Li Fan understands the true nature of the Xuanhuang Clear Heart Mantra, he finds this possibility unlikely.
The Eastern Extremity Heavenly Sovereign, the nominal leader of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, only appeared a few times in the alliance’s earliest recorded history before vanishing entirely.
Rather than believing he was a true immortal, Li Fan considered it more likely that, like himself, the Eastern Extremity Heavenly Sovereign had uncovered the secrets of the Xuanhuang Clear Heart Mantra.
Perhaps, inspired by this discovery, he later created the Purification Spirit Pool.
“Could the disappearance of the Eastern Extremity Heavenly Sovereign also be related to the Xuanhuang Clear Heart Mantra?” This thought surfaced in Li Fan’s mind.
Yet, when he tried to search for records on the Eastern Extremity Heavenly Sovereign, he found almost nothing—just as before, the information was nearly nonexistent, with no additional records to be found.
This was completely inconsistent with the status of a leader of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance.
“This is truly unsettling.”
Li Fan decided not to dwell on it further and instead focused once again on comprehending the Xuanhuang Immortal Heart Mantra.
Half a month later, Li Fan gathered everyone in the Administration Hall once more.
At first, they thought he had another major announcement to make, but instead, they were greeted with the news that he was going into seclusion again.
“Didn’t he just leave seclusion not long ago? And now he’s going back? Could it be that ancient cultivators were all this diligent?”
“Lord Envoy doesn’t lack contribution points, so he can maintain the [Spiritual Awakening] state permanently. Cultivation for him is practically a pleasure. If I had the same opportunity, I’d do it too.”
“There were rumors that Lord Envoy had already restored his Nascent Soul realm. Could it be that he is now breaking through to the Soul Transformation stage?”
…
Amid the heated discussions, only He Zhenghao appeared deep in thought.
“It seems that Lord Envoy is making preparations for the descent of the Spirit of Heaven and Earth.”
He casually glanced at Zhou Qingang beside him.
When Lord Envoy announced this matter, Zhou Qingang’s expression remained completely unchanged, clearly indicating that he had already known about it beforehand.
Thinking back, he had once been the most trusted subordinate of Lord Envoy. Unfortunately, due to a moment of greed, he had lost that trust to this young man.
At this thought, a wave of discomfort surged in He Zhenghao’s heart.
His eyes flickered, and an idea surfaced in his mind.
He transmitted his voice to Zhou Qingang, saying, “Daoist Zhou, how has your cultivation been progressing lately?”
Zhou Qingang looked at He Zhenghao in surprise. After a brief moment of contemplation, he immediately understood He Zhenghao’s underlying intentions.
With a cold sneer in his heart, he responded along He Zhenghao’s line of questioning, “Hehe, Brother He, you must be joking. You know very well that Lord Envoy does not manage affairs personally, leaving all matters, big and small, to us. Originally, Gao Yuan helped share the workload, but he recently took a leave of absence to travel. That has made things even busier.”
“Just handling political affairs takes up nearly all of my time—how could I possibly have the peace of mind to cultivate?”
He Zhenghao pretended to be in complete agreement, sighing as if sympathizing.
However, before long, he shifted the topic.
“I have something to say—would Daoist Zhou be willing to hear it?”
Zhou Qingang was momentarily stunned before responding quickly, “Please speak, Brother He.”
He Zhenghao said solemnly, “Daoist Zhou, your dedication to assisting Lord Envoy is commendable.”
“But…”
He Zhenghao continued meaningfully, “One must still rely on their own strength! No matter how much favor you have from Lord Envoy, your cultivation level remains at the Golden Core stage—moreover, at its weakest early stage. In a small place like Congyun Sea, you can still maintain authority over your subordinates. However, as Lord Envoy’s cultivation continues to recover and his realm grows higher, he will inevitably attract numerous Nascent Soul and Soul Transformation cultivators. If you stagnate at your current level, how will you command their respect?”
Upon hearing this, Zhou Qingang expression changed slightly.
He initially looked as if he wanted to argue, but after a moment, he fell into deep thought.
Seeing this, He Zhenghao secretly felt pleased with himself.
“That rhetoric from Gao Yuan is truly effective. If not for my firm Dao heart, I might have been swayed by him back then,” He Zhenghao mused.
After a long while, Zhou Qing’ang seemed to have come to a realization, though a bitter smile appeared on his face.
“You are right. But I truly cannot spare the time—I find it difficult to cultivate in peace,” he said, looking at He Zhenghao.
He Zhenghao’s eyes lit up. “Daoist Zhou, why not follow Gao Yuan’s example? There must be great opportunities hidden within the ruins of the Chaoyuan Sect. If you can obtain them, you could easily advance by one minor realm. Perhaps even breaking through to Nascent Soul isn’t out of reach.”
Zhou Qingang hesitated, as if he wanted to speak but refrained.
However, He Zhenghao seized the moment and continued, “I know what worries you. You fear that your absence will affect governance, correct? Rest assured, I am here! If I’ve already taken on extra responsibilities, what’s one more?”
Zhou Qingang looked at him suspiciously. “If that’s the case, why don’t you go yourself? Since when have you been so considerate of your colleagues?”
He Zhenghao’s expression darkened slightly. “How could you say that? Lord Envoy once reminded us that we must prioritize unity among ourselves. If my two brothers can enhance their cultivation, what’s a little hardship on my part?”
“As Lord Envoy’s cultivation grows, more and more followers will rally to his side. We are natural allies—helping you is helping myself.”
He Zhenghao paused, observed Zhou Qingang expression carefully, and then continued, “Besides, I’ve had some insights recently. I believe I’m not far from breaking through to Nascent Soul. Even without external opportunities, I’m confident I can advance within ten years!”
“Why not let me help you achieve this?”