Xu Bai gazed deeply at the other party.
Chen Tianhai’s words carried profound meaning.
Did he see through Xu Bai’s clone’s origins?
However, he didn’t expose it, maintaining an air of mystery. This left Fang Zaiji somewhat puzzled.
“But you were right about one thing earlier. Our Taiyan Sect is indeed very interested in scenes beyond the Immortal Ruins.”
“To be precise, any records from outside the Xuanhuang Realm are of great importance to us.”
“What do you want in exchange?”
Chen Tianhai abruptly shifted the topic, speaking bluntly.
This caught Xu Bai slightly off guard.
However, he quickly regained his composure and decisively made his request.
“Dao Deviation Stones…” Chen Tianhai pondered for a moment before shaking his head slightly.
“We no longer have any individual Dao Deviation Stones within the Taiyan Sect. You might have better luck searching within the Xuanhuang Realm.”
“Choose another request.”
Fang Zaiji was displeased upon hearing this.
“Old Chen, are you underestimating our Sect Master just because he’s young? The person who brought us in earlier clearly said that joining your Taiyan Sect would earn us a mid-grade Dao Deviation Stone for free.”
“So why do you claim there are none now?”
Chen Tianhai glanced at Fang Zaiji and smiled.
“Brother Fang, there’s no need to probe any further.”
“Just as you suspected…”
“We now exist solely by relying on the Dao Deviation Stone Mother.”
Even though Fang Zaiji had vaguely speculated about this before, hearing Chen Tianhai confirm it still sent a shiver through him.
“You…”
In that instant, Chen Tianhai’s body once again turned blue and transparent.
“To maximize the power of the Dao Deviation Stone Mother, we gathered every Dao Deviation Stone we could find back then. Since then, we have never separated from it. That is why we truly have none to give you.” He looked at Xu Bai and stated this matter-of-factly.
“Relying on the Dao Deviation Stone Mother to exist…”
Xu Bai wasn’t particularly disappointed.
He simply observed Chen Tianhai’s body in silence.
After the initial shock, Fang Zaiji boldly stepped forward and reached out to touch Chen Tianhai.
As expected, like light projection, there was nothing there.
His hand passed right through.
“A dignified cultivator… and you’re willing to exist like this?” Fang Zaiji was still struggling to accept it.
“There’s actually not much difference. Instead, it comes with many conveniences. Would you like to try?” Chen Tianhai asked indifferently.
Fang Zaiji was so startled that he quickly retracted his hand.
“Your entire Taiyan Sect—what exactly is your current state? From what you said, the whole sect has become an illusory existence. Then what about that Dao Integration cultivator who went to negotiate with the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance? Wasn’t he real?” Fang Zaiji asked in confusion.
“We shift freely between reality and illusion. Most of the time, we exist in an illusory state. If necessary, we can manifest physical bodies, making us no different from actual cultivators.”
Chen Tianhai explained truthfully.
“However, doing so consumes a vast amount of resources and the computational power of the Dao Deviation Stone Mother. Unless necessary, we won’t do it.”
“On normal days, we only maintain the real form for a dozen or so disciples.”
Fang Zaiji clicked his tongue in amazement.
“You can do that?”
“This is the solution you came up with for the Great Catastrophe?” Xu Bai asked curiously.
“Isn’t the cost a bit too heavy? You’re eternally imprisoned within a stone. And if it shatters, you all face collective destruction.”
Xu Bai didn’t hesitate to voice his skepticism.
“The Great Catastrophe?”
A sinister smile once again crept onto Chen Tianhai’s face.
“If you want to safely overcome the calamity of [The Technique Cannot Be Cultivated Together], our Taiyan Sect has dozens of methods.”
“But that is not what we seek.”
A transparent blue figure stood with hands clasped behind its back, and a sudden surge of heroic spirit emerged in its tone.
“What we, the Taiyan Sect, truly desire is genuine [Transcendence].”
“Even in the face of apocalyptic calamities such as the collapse of the Immortal Ruins or the destruction of the Xuanhuang Realm, we must remain unfazed in our [Transcendence].”
These words sent a shockwave through Xu Bai and Fang Zaiji’s minds.
Fang Zaiji couldn’t help but retort, “Just with your Dao Deviation Stone Mother? You may not fully understand the terror of the Immortal Ruins…”
Chen Tianhai, however, unceremoniously waved his hand, cutting Fang Zaiji off.
“I know. The suction force of the Immortal Ruins is strong enough to distort time and space.”
“But that is its limit.”
“It has not yet reached the point of completely annihilating time and space.”
Chen Tianhai lightly stomped his right foot on the ground, and a ring of blue light spread outward from beneath him.
Moments later, the walls once again turned transparent.
At the same time, the entire building—along with the entire floating city—suddenly became like Chen Tianhai himself: blue and transparent.
Upon closer inspection, countless flickering scenes could be seen within the blue hue, as if entire worlds were constantly being created and destroyed.
“This floating city… is the Dao Deviation Stone Mother?” Fang Zaiji finally saw the truth of his surroundings and reacted in shock.
Chen Tianhai did not answer.
Instead, he continued speaking, “As long as time and space are not destroyed, information can exist eternally. And as long as that remains true, our Taiyan Sect will always endure.”
“Dao Deviation Stone Mother? There is no such thing anymore.”
“At that moment, we became one with it.”
Fang Zaiji opened his mouth but was at a loss for words, clearly once again shocked by the sheer madness of the Taiyan Sect.
“Time and space remain intact, and information persists forever. Truly an unprecedented and ingenious idea. And you Taiyan Sect actually managed to realize it. Impressive.” Xu Bai couldn’t help but applaud.
“Although ordinary methods may not be able to destroy you completely, within the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance, there exists your natural nemesis.”
“The Tianxuan Mirror.”
“With the power of the Tianxuan Mirror, it may not be able to erase you outright. But trapping you within it for eternity… that should be possible.”
Xu Bai mused, “No wonder you surrendered so quickly.”
“Survival is nothing to be ashamed of. Besides, even if we were to fight, it wouldn’t be easy for ‘It’ either. Right now, Its priority is to complete Its ascension. Naturally, It has no reason to target us. And since there is no conflict of interest between us, It simply accepted our surrender.” Chen Tianhai admitted without hesitation, speaking indifferently.
“Well said. But I have a question.” Xu Bai stared directly at Chen Tianhai.
“How exactly did your Taiyan Sect determine that the [Immortal Ruins] cannot destroy time and space?”
“What if the suction force of the [Immortal Ruins] has been gradually increasing over the years?”
“Just because it cannot now, does not mean it never will.”
Xu Bai’s voice carried a deep, eerie tone.