Longevity, starting from being a chicken raising servant Chapter 2481: 229: Origin (Part 3)

"It appears that should I undergo reincarnation, my fate would be to manifest as an Innate Divine Demon, or perchance a feral Spirit Beast wandering the endless Realm Sea... inevitably destined to be tracked or captured by a practitioner of Cultivation."

"Heaven truly leaves no soul unscathed."

He allowed a rare, bitter smile to touch his lips.

When he spent his early days tending to Spirit Beasts, never in his wildest dreams did he anticipate walking this very road; it is a profound cycle of cause and reward, for retribution is never denied.

Yet at that very moment, a sensation washed over him. His consciousness drifted, catching sight of a tiny particle suspended in the water, which slowly disintegrated until it vanished completely, dissolving into the ‘seawater’ without revealing even a trace of emotion.

Wang Ba’s heart plummeted!

"Has the True Spirit bypassed reincarnation only to become mere fuel for the Realm Sea of Origin?!"

"Am I destined to meet the same end..."

Having pursued immortality for the duration of his life, is this the ultimate conclusion?

He fell into a heavy silence, a sigh rising from within, impossible to suppress.

However, that sigh quickly faded into stillness once more.

The greatest boon of a life filled with vast experiences is the ability to confront any worldly trial with calm indifference.

And so it was for him.

He had long since traversed the boundaries of life and death, and while this specific predicament was novel, to him, it remained nothing more than another trial.

Thus, following a momentary agitation, he returned to peace and deliberate composure.

Yet, calmness and composure are far from acceptance.

Wang Ba swiftly scanned his environment, his mind sharpened to a point:

"Even reincarnation and the total loss of past identity is preferable to being worn away into nothingness, unable to safeguard even a fragment of one's True Spirit..."

This, perhaps, is the primary obsession of all living things in this world—a desperate drive to survive regardless of the cost.

Once this realization took root, it consumed his total concentration.

His spirit revitalized, he scrambled to consider possible escape routes.

Within this void, there was no definition of up or down, left or right, nor any hint of where a gateway might lie.

However, he understood clearly that remaining here was synonymous with annihilation; it was merely a matter of time.

"I cannot linger; staying here means I will eventually mirror the fate of these other True Spirits!"

Realizing this truth, Wang Ba wasted no time. He surged forward toward the direction where he had glimpsed the ‘footprint’ earlier, propelling himself like a creature through the deep ocean.

He intuited that this path might lead to the surface.

Yet, this exertion clearly signaled the rapid exhaustion of his True Spirit.

"I cannot stop!"

As he felt his memories fraying at the edges and his consciousness drifting into the depths, Wang Ba gathered the last of his willpower.

No mana, no Primordial Spirit, nor Dao Domain remained to assist him...

Relying solely on sheer stubborn intent, he drove himself toward the direction of that shimmering ‘water surface,’ striving, struggling, and breaking through again and again!

Time became meaningless; he had even forgotten his own identity.

His vision narrowed down to the slowly approaching surface...

And yet, his pace faltered. Though he seemed so close to the surface, it felt as though it remained thousands of miles distant.

Fatigue, profound exhaustion...

Amidst this daze, he suddenly caught the sound of chattering voices from above, as if beings were holding a conversation.

His heart surged, and pushing past his absolute limit, he executed one final, desperate leap!

Splosh—

In that singular heartbeat, his gaze breached the water, beholding the ‘sky’ above!

A vast, deep blue expanse, as dazzling as a starry void.

Time seemed to freeze.

He felt his final reserve of energy vanish entirely...

As he felt his form begin to plummet—

Plop!

Gurgle gurgle...

"In the end, did I fail...?"

A ghostly sigh echoed in Wang Ba’s heart.

His consciousness began its slow descent into darkness.

At the very last moment.

He perceived a slender, jade-white hand cutting through the gray-blue surface, reaching down to meet him...

Near his ear, he faintly made out sounds of surprise coming from those above:

"How did this lad arrive in this place..."

…

Outside the Ruins of the Zhang Clan.

Deep in the void.

Heavenly Monarch Chao and the Master of Quiet Cave both wore expressions of immense gravity.

"I reject the notion that he would perish so easily; if his True Spirit is absent from the Realm Sea, it is possible he has drifted into the Realm Sea of Origin. As a Crossing Tribulation Cultivator, he should possess enough vitality to endure for a duration. I shall enter to seek him out!"

Declared the Master of Quiet Cave with a heavy voice.

Heavenly Monarch Chao nodded solemnly:

"That appears to be our only remaining hope... it is a favor I owe our Taoist Friend."

Though he possessed the power of a Mahayana Cultivator, his perception was limited by the barrier of the Realm Sea of Origin; reaching inside to retrieve someone remained an insurmountable challenge.

Only beings such as the Master of Quiet Cave, forged from the very essence of the Realm Sea, could traverse it without losing themselves.

"Watch over my physical body!"

Hearing the tone of address, the Master of Quiet Cave cast a deep glance at Heavenly Monarch Chao. Without further delay, he detached a True Spirit—clear as primordial essence, with distinct brows and eyes.

Heavenly Monarch Chao, not having expected such absolute trust, was momentarily stunned. Realizing how much weight was placed upon Taiyi, he fell into silence before declaring with grave intent:

"I, Chao, swear upon the Realm Sea; as long as I draw breath, not a single hair shall be harmed on our Taoist Friend!"

The Master of Quiet Cave offered a single nod.

Ignoring Heavenly Monarch Chao and the Wu Monkey King left to guard the physical shell, he merged his True Spirit into the void, darting directly toward the Realm Sea of Origin.

Splosh—

He plummeted into the dark, gray ‘seawater’ in an instant.

Appearing as a titanic presence, he moved with blurring speed through the expanse.

With a mere thought, the tides surrounding him accelerated, churning into massive torrents.

He sensed the particles within the current, bypassing passing spirits and even spotting others like himself—massive entities dwelling within...

After cycles of searching, he eventually slowed to a halt.

His heart filled with crushing disappointment:

"No trace to be found."

"Could it be… his True Spirit has truly been erased?"