Longevity, starting from being a chicken raising servant Chapter 2304: 68: Wanxiang Ancestor

The reverence gleaming in Hui Yunzi’s eyes was a familiar sight to the elder. Over the long centuries, every disciple who ascended looked upon him with that same profound respect, a devotion that only served to deepen his hidden sense of remorse.

Releasing a heavy sigh, he spoke softly:

“You must not harbor resentment toward him. He carries the weight of an entire Sect upon his shoulders, and his mind is occupied by many burdens. With my Cultivation severely hampered by these injuries, the pressure he faces is monumental. Even if his heart yearns to liberate those trapped in the Little Cang World, he simply lacks the strength to act.”

Hui Yunzi opened his mouth to protest but hesitated, ultimately choosing to remain silent rather than argue the point.

He was no newcomer to this realm. Having lived here for many years, he had traveled widely and even paid his respects to the Qitian Patriarch, even if he hadn't personally met the Chongyuan Patriarch before today. Consequently, he possessed a clear understanding of the internal dynamics of the Wanxiang Sect within the Cloud Sky Realm.

Beyond the primary factor of Chongyuan Patriarch’s critical condition, the Sect was composed of disciples from both the Little Cang World and the Cloud Sky Realm itself. While the Wanxiang Sect maintained a facade of harmony, the logistics of inter-realm rescue missions were far too complex. Such endeavors demanded an immense drain on resources, manpower, and effort, which inevitably led to a clash of interests.

Back when Chongyuan Patriarch was at the height of his power, his word was law, and no one dared to voice opposition; the Sect followed his will without question.

Now, however, the Patriarch was struggling just to survive. Under such circumstances, the disciples beneath him naturally began to prioritize their own personal gains.

Nevertheless, Hui Yunzi could not bring himself to speak of such ugly realities in front of the esteemed Patriarch.

Zhong Yuanzi likely grasped the core of the issue, yet he found himself willing but unable to change it. Furthermore, the Wanxiang Sect currently required total unity among its members and desperately needed a Crossing Tribulation Cultivator to maintain order. It was not the time to provoke internal strife. Changing the subject, he asked with a note of curiosity:

“If my calculations are correct, the Chaos Origin Substance surrounding the Little Cang World has been exhausted, leading to further degradation. Soon, the world will likely be unable to sustain even the Immortal Ascension stage. Since you managed to ascend, you must have endured extraordinary trials, haven't you?”

Hui Yunzi did not dare to hide the truth. He immediately began to recount everything he had witnessed and lived through within the Little Cang World.

Zhong Yuanzi’s expression remained stoic even as he heard of the rupture in the realm membrane. It was only when Hui Yunzi described how the cultivators of the various continents sacrificed themselves to mend the heavens—and how the Wanxiang Sect, led by the Sect Master, saw their path to Immortal Ascension halted—that he let out a long, sorrowful sigh:

“The will of the Dao is forever impossible to predict. I anticipated the natural disasters of the Little Cang World, yet I failed to foresee these human tragedies… Those poor youths. What a pity, what a truly terrible pity!”

He repeated the word ‘pity’ several times, his voice thick with a regret that seemed to permeate the very air.

Hui Yunzi continued his report, speaking rapidly of how Wang Ba had risen to the position of Deputy Sect Master. He described how Wang Ba assisted two consecutive Sect Masters, braved dangerous frontiers to establish Taoist Fields, and faced the threat of Han Yanzi from the primitive Demon Sect, who had summoned World Eaters from the void. He told of how Wang Ba decisively executed Han Yanzi and finally stood alone to mend the sky, shifting the very fate of the world before his story paused.

This was the extent of what he had seen before his own ascension.

As he listened to the straightforward account, Zhong Yuanzi’s face shifted from astonishment to deep contemplation, eventually settling into a look of confusion:

“If this young man possesses such incredible talent, why did he not simply seize the position of Sect Master for himself?”

Hui Yunzi was caught off guard by the question. He realized he had never truly considered it before, and upon reflection, he found the matter quite baffling as well.

Zhong Yuanzi did not press for an answer. After a moment of thought, he remarked:

“This child, by saving his world from such dire peril, is clearly a chosen one, blessed by the destiny and fortune of the Little Cang World. One would assume he would have ascended by now. However, if he has not, then given the current state of that realm, I fear…”

He trailed off, but his meaning was painfully clear to Hui Yunzi.

Without the nourishment of Chaos Origin Substance, the Little Cang World would slowly wither away until it reached total extinction. This was the terrifying realization Hui Yunzi had faced during his own ascension. Though he had been forced to leave before he could warn Wang Ba, he remained haunted by the unknown fate of those he left behind.

With a heavy heart, he spoke with grim determination:

“Disciple understands the Sect’s current hardships, but our brothers in the Little Cang World are still in grave danger. I guarded the Ancestral Hall for thousands of years with the hope of leading my juniors to the Cloud Sky Realm to escape this doom. Now that I am here and they are nowhere to be found, my soul cannot find peace. I beg the Patriarch for his blessing; I wish to descend back into the Little Cang World through the whirlpool in the Realm Sea.”

“Even if I cannot save them, I am willing to perish alongside them!”

Zhong Yuanzi was visibly moved by these words!

He looked at Hui Yunzi, his mind racing with conflicting thoughts, before finally sighing:

“The members of your Emotion Lineage are all the same; once your mind is set, you will walk into certain death without turning back… Very well. My time in this world is drawing to a close. If the chance presents itself, I will help you, making one final effort for the juniors of our Wanxiang Sect in the Little Cang World. However, the Supreme True Buddha is currently sowing chaos. Only after they have been repelled—and assuming I am still breathing—will I look into the situation at the Cloud Sky Sect.”

Hearing the Patriarch’s vow, Hui Yunzi performed a deep, formal bow:

“On behalf of the entire Wanxiang Sect of the Little Cang World, this disciple thanks the Patriarch!”

Zhong Yuanzi did not move to stop the bow. He simply gazed into the distance, a faint sigh escaping his lips.

When luck is on one's side, the world aligns; when fortune vanishes, even a hero loses his freedom.

During his era in the Little Cang World, despite occasional setbacks, his path had been largely smooth. Alongside his Master and Junior Brother, they were the titans of their age, an unstoppable force when united.

Even after ascending to the Cloud Sky Realm, their combined strength allowed them to flourish. They had founded a Sect with grand ambitions and quickly earned a formidable reputation, right up until their successive attempts at Crossing Tribulation drew the wary eyes of others.

It seemed, however, that his path had reached its end.

When success reaches its peak, decline is the only path forward.

The Supreme True Buddha had shattered the boundaries between realms, crushing his aspirations and destroying any hope of further progress.

He was no longer the protagonist of this world; the time had come to leave the stage to his successors while he walked toward his own quiet end.

Though he felt the sting of reluctance, he had to submit to the invisible, untouchable hand of fate.

Suddenly, the young boy who had been stationed at the gate came running toward them, shouting breathlessly:

“Ancestor! Ancestor! It’s urgent! The Sect Master has sent for you immediately!”

Zhong Yuanzi frowned in confusion and asked from a distance:

“The Sect Master wishes to see me?”

He felt increasingly perplexed. Although he could still move, his injuries made any excursion a risk. The Sect Master was well aware of his condition and would not normally send a messenger with such a request.

“There must be a matter of great importance.”

By now, the boy had reached them, gasping out the news:

“An influential figure from the Cloud Sky Sect, a man named Chen, is here. He is requesting your presence at a celebratory feast!”

“The Cloud Sky Sect? Someone named Chen?”

As Zhong Yuanzi repeated the name, the confusion in his eyes only grew deeper…