My Longevity Simulation Chapter 1245: Subduing Ruomu with Reason

“Indeed, the guise of being from the same clan proved remarkably effective. I hadn’t anticipated a mere casual remark would secure its immediate agreement.”

“What?” Wang Xuanba’s expression shifted dramatically upon hearing Lin Ling’s confession.

“Forming an alliance with that ancient entity? Junior Sister, are you serious about this?”

The Earth Vein Ancient Tree’s sudden transition from haughtiness to deference had elicited a profound sense of disdain within Wang Xuanba.

“It was merely a clever ruse, a deceptive statement crafted to appease it. An alliance…”

“Does such a notion even warrant consideration?” Lin Ling’s voice remained composed, yet the deep-seated indifference was unmistakably clear.

“Now that it has pledged allegiance to the Holy Dynasty, could it possibly renege on its promise? Should it dare to broach such a subject in my presence…” Lin Ling let out a cold scoff.

Wang Xuanba stood momentarily taken aback.

Having always placed considerable importance on the sanctity of promises, Lin Ling’s blatant disregard for her word was something he found difficult to reconcile.

Noticing his reaction, Lin Ling’s expression softened into a gentle smile: “Senior Brother, the annals of warfare teach us that deception is a vital stratagem.”

“When confronting adversaries, would it not be profoundly foolish to insist on upholding every promise and commitment?”

Wang Xuanba found himself without a retort.

“Furthermore, Senior Brother, do you recall Master’s instructions to us prior to our encounter with the Earth Vein Ancient Tree?” Lin Ling inquired once more.

“Naturally, I remember. Master stated that if the ancient tree remained obstinate, I, Junior Sister, would be permitted to assume its position,” Wang Xuanba recalled and responded.

“The appellation ‘Earth Vein Ancient Tree’ carries a distinctly imposing resonance. Initially, I harbored certain expectations, but upon witnessing its form firsthand, only disappointment remained,” Lin Ling’s declaration left Wang Xuanba somewhat astonished.

“Far too feeble. Excessively weak. The Earth Vein Ancient Tree’s paramount strength lies in its intrinsic connection with the Xuanhuang earth veins, enabling it to channel the surging power of these veins throughout the entirety of the Xuanhuang Realm. This symbiotic relationship constitutes both its defining characteristic and its primary advantage; however, it simultaneously dictates the Earth Vein Tree’s ultimate potential. Moreover, the physical structure of the Earth Vein Ancient Tree is excessively cumbersome. From the perspective of true masters of cultivation, it presents a multitude of vulnerabilities,” Lin Ling articulated, shaking her head slightly.

“My highest aspiration is to achieve a stature comparable to Master’s. Should I truly transform into a mere Earth Vein Tree, my power might experience a significant surge in the short term, but my future trajectory would be irrevocably curtailed. I am hardly inclined towards such folly.”

“My only recourse is to continue deceiving that ancient entity and ensure its continued service.”

Lin Ling cast a sideways glance at Wang Xuanba: “Senior Brother, what kind of person do you perceive me to be?”

A gradual return to lucidity dawned upon Wang Xuanba. Feeling a touch of embarrassment, he ruffled his hair and offered an immediate apology: “I have misjudged you, Junior Sister.”

He turned his gaze towards the Earth Vein Ancient Tree within the Holy Emperor’s grand hall and nodded in agreement: “The ancient beings of Xuanhuang certainly possess formidable power. Nevertheless, they merely derive their strength by harnessing the power of the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao’s laws. When the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao prospers, they naturally ascend alongside it. However, should the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao be subjugated by an entity such as the Immortal Ancestor, as is currently the case, these ancient beings are relegated to merely subsisting in the shadows, wistfully recalling their former glories.”

“I had not anticipated your eloquence, Senior Brother, nor your profound erudition in matters of the Dao. It remained uncertain whether Lin Ling’s praise was genuine or subtly laced with sarcasm.

“I did not contemplate such elaborate reasoning. My sole desire is to attain greater strength.”

“Enough discourse. I intend to resume my cultivation. The assimilation of a portion of that ancient entity’s essence during this engagement has indeed yielded tangible benefits. Had I foreseen this outcome, I would have exercised greater ruthlessness and consumed a more substantial quantity,” Lin Ling’s voice, tinged with a hint of regret, resonated in Wang Xuanba’s ears.

In the ensuing moments, her physical form gradually dissipated, and her aura completely vanished.

Wang Xuanba offered a wry smile, chiding himself for engaging in overly complex deliberation.

...

Within the Xuanhuang Realm, specifically the Tianyu Prefecture.

A location renowned throughout the Immortal Alliance for its breathtaking natural splendor.

A colossal fissure, stretching for several hundred li, lacerated the earth’s surface, resembling a stark, black scar.

Even from considerable distances, an undeniable, pervasive chill emanated from the chasm’s depths.

The proximity to the fissure correlated directly with a precipitous drop in ambient temperature.

Even cultivators at the Golden Core stage found prolonged exposure to the frigid conditions intolerable, rendering extended stays impossible.

At the abyssal floor of the fissure, intermittent surges of deep azure luminescence periodically erupted.

These were manifestations of intensely frigid air.

Yet, paradoxically, from the fissure’s edge, one could perceive countless lotus blossoms fashioned from pure flame, unfurling within this frigid abyss.

These were not flames imbued with cold, but rather genuinely searing, incandescent flame lotuses.

Ice and heat, fundamentally contradictory principles, yet somehow existing in a state of simultaneous interrelation within this chilling abyss.

The Faceless Holy Emperor of Great Qi, Li Ping, materialized in the vicinity of this extraordinary spectacle, a juxtaposition of icy depths and fiery blossoms.

Much like the throng of numerous tourists drawn to this phenomenon, he stood in quiet contemplation, gazing downward.

“A spirit like a resonant bell, fostering beauty and wonder; truly a marvel of creation.”

After a considerable interval, Li Ping couldn't help but emit an internal sigh. The spectacle unfolding before him was, in fact, distinct from the perceptions of ordinary cultivators.

The azure ice abyss genuinely emanated a profound aura of demise.

Utterly black and oppressively stifling.

Conversely, the resplendent crimson fire lotuses presented as pure white, radiating an vigorous essence of life.

What appeared to be a convergence of frigidity and heat was, in reality… “A black chasm, white blossoms. An abyss of death, flowers of life.”

Li Ping advanced, his feet finding purchase on nothingness, and his form swiftly descended into the obsidian abyss.

His vanishing act went unnoticed by the surrounding cultivators.

At this precise juncture, from Li Ping’s vantage point, the surrounding panorama abruptly distended and contorted.

Though the alabaster blossoms of vitality seemed within reach, Li Ping had already been in freefall for an extended duration, yet they drew no nearer.

The entirety of the black abyss’s spatial expanse appeared to unfurl and stretch into infinity as he plummeted.

Accompanying this was a correspondingly intensifying miasma of death.

Perceiving the deathly exhalations attempting to encroach upon him, Li Ping scoffed inwardly but gave them scant attention. For a typical cultivator, even one inhabiting the Dao Integration realm, such tenebrous deathly vapors would precipitate a drastic reduction in their lifespans upon mere contact.

Yet he, Li Ping, was the very embodiment of the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao and an intrinsic component of the Xuanhuang laws. Even if it was a fragment that had slipped beyond its leash, how could it possibly inflict harm upon him?

Ever since he had forcibly assimilated the malevolent thoughts of Xuanhuang, Li Ping had indeed sensed a subtle distancing from the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao.

He was, however, entirely convinced that this was merely the Heavenly Dao’s reflexive response following the consumption of those aberrant impulses.

With the passage of a bit more time, the intrinsic connection between himself and the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao would inevitably revert to its customary state. Although he currently found himself within a period of attenuated linkage, it was still insufficient for the death aura present here to exert any influence.

As anticipated, even without recourse to any protective measures, the Holy Emperor Li Ping remained intrinsically invulnerable to all discernible laws. The somber death aura merely eddied around him in concentric layers.

It proved utterly incapable of finding any vulnerability.

Li Ping’s gaze penetrated the dense veil of deathly emanation, fixing resolutely upon the blossoms of life situated below.

“The demarcation between mortality and existence, the genesis of all sentient beings.”

“The Xuanhuang Realm has devolved into such a state, yet it merely conceals itself within this clandestine sanctuary, barely persisting…”

“To what end do you exist!”

A surge of lethal intent abruptly emanated from Li Ping’s person.

It forcefully repelled the surrounding death aura.

“Retreat before my might!”

Li Ping intoned in a hushed voice. The concentric layers of death aura beneath him actually parted, unveiling an avenue. The spatial distortion ceased. Li Ping’s form drifted forward and traversed it instantaneously. A potent influx of life force surged towards him. The white blossoms of life were now within immediate proximity.

Dark clouds imbued with death’s essence floated and swirled ominously overhead, refusing to dissipate.

Confronted by the concentrated vital energy, Li Ping’s heart suddenly adopted a somber mien.

In contrast to unadulterated death aura, an abundant quantity of superfluous life force was akin to a potent poison.

This was because vitality, by its very nature, represented a state conducive to well-being.

As the embodiment of the Heavenly Dao, Li Ping could, naturally, partake in this boon bestowed by the cosmos. It remained unknown how many epochs had transpired since a cultivator, not spurned by the heavens and earth, had ventured here.

The life force, having accumulated over countless millennia in proximity to the dark chasm and the pale blossoms, now seemed to have finally discovered an egress. It surged with wild abandon towards Li Ping. Despite his conscious efforts to erect barriers, he proved incapable of withstanding the excessive abundance of vital qi prevailing here.

Inevitably, a portion still permeated Li Ping’s physical form.

Vital energy, it was true, did confer certain advantages.

However, Li Ping was not a practitioner solely devoted to the path of the Longevity Immortal, depending exclusively on his personal cultivation.

Source power essence, the blessings of the Holy Dynasty, the benedictions of the Heavenly Dao…

It was only through the synergistic confluence of all these disparate forces that he had attained his present might, which rivaled that of the Longevity Immortal realm.

By this point in time, Li Ping’s physiological state had long since achieved an equilibrium subsequent to his breakthrough.

Presently, however, this delicate balance was being gradually destabilized by the unceasing inundation of boundless vital energy.

Li Ping’s tresses, as if imbued with sentience, began an unrestrained proliferation.

In the span of a mere eye-blink, they had already elongated to cascade down to his ankles.

His corporeal form simultaneously underwent expansion.

One zhang, two zhang…

Amidst the groaning protestations of his skeletal structure, in no more than a handful of breaths, Li Ping had metamorphosed into a colossal entity spanning three zhang.

This transformation certainly lent him a more imposing presence, yet for the Li Ping of this moment, it represented an adverse development.

He subtly furrowed his brow and exerted his utmost effort to transmute and absorb the surging vital energy.

Yet, the rate of retraction lagged considerably behind the pace of growth.

While diligently maintaining the equilibrium of the diverse energies within his being, Li Ping surveyed his surroundings, actively seeking a viable means to access Ruomu’s concealed refuge.

Having consumed the Xuanhuang evil thoughts, very little within the Xuanhuang Realm could elude his perception. Even if certain memories from the evil thoughts had faded, a mere glance was enough for him to re-sense them.

With a swift movement, Holy Emperor Li Ping dematerialized from the depths of the Black Abyss.

The vital energy, which had abruptly lost its intended recipient for infusion, seemed momentarily bewildered. The cluster of white flowers swayed gently, compelled to withdraw the vital energy.

He found himself in a realm saturated with an unsettling aura, resembling a desolate world carpeted with faded, withered leaves.

Within this eerie domain, Li Ping's form, now towering nearly five zhang tall, materialized.

An immense surge of vitality radiated from his colossal frame, extending outwards.

However, in this peculiar, blighted environment, the vitality seemed incapable of propagation.

Soon, much like autumnal foliage succumbing to decay, it transmuted into brittle, withered yellow matter, descending from the air.

With an avenue to expel the surplus vital energy, Li Ping gradually purged the element disrupting his internal equilibrium.

His immense physique began to contract.

Yet, due to the shift in his internal balance that occurred during that brief interlude.

As Li Ping reverted to his normal size, certain physical attributes remained altered, becoming integral to his form. For instance, his stature settled at three zhang and three chi, while hair as dark as ink cascaded down to his waist.

His build grew more robust, hinting at formidable power concealed beneath the golden-yellow robes.

Li Ping placed no particular emphasis on these transformations.

They were, in his view, superficial. Should he desire, he could assume his original form at will.

Presently, his focus was entirely absorbed by the peculiar surroundings.

The pervasive scent of decay instilled a sense of unease even within him.

What commanded his attention more profoundly was the epicenter of this blighted landscape.

A colossal tree, reaching towards the heavens, stood in silent prominence, its entire being afflicted by a withered yellow hue and mottled with blemishes.

Even Li Ping's gargantuan, three-zhang-tall form appeared no larger than an ant at the base of this immense arboreal titan.

Draped across its desiccated yellow branches were an innumerable host of cultivators, hanging in dense profusion.

They resembled ripe fruits adorning the tree.

Each cultivator's eyes were shut, their countenances etched with peculiar expressions of utter contentment.

Li Ping's gaze swept the expanse, and aside from this ancient, withered tree, no other entities were discernible.

“So, only the primary form is present here…”

Li Ping recalled that Ruomu utilized a separate clone, which was known to venture out, luring cultivators to this place and transforming them into Golden Core fruits as a means of alleviating its ingrained hatred. It appeared this clone was currently absent.

Li Ping, unhurried, continued his meticulous examination of the environment.

Deep, faint lacerations adorned the towering trunk, suggesting it had sustained a catastrophic injury.

Li Ping narrowed his eyes, attempting to re-establish the connection between this celestial creation and the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao. However, perhaps influenced by the pervasive withered yellow corruption, Li Ping's summons went unanswered. Instead, it inadvertently triggered the ancient tree's dormant defensive mechanisms.

Patches of the withered yellow substance began to creep from the ground beneath Li Ping's feet, tracing the intricate vascular network of the colossal tree.

Li Ping deliberately lowered his guard, allowing a fragment of the withered yellow essence to be absorbed into his being. He then encased it within his golden source power essence, preventing its further propagation, and proceeded to scrutinize it intently.

Despite the eerie nature of the withered yellow power, it proved incapable of breaching the seal imposed by the source power essence. Within this effluence, Li Ping perceived not merely the hallmark of aging, but an overwhelming sense of universal decay—the very fabric of existence seemingly unraveling.

It felt as though the heavens themselves were on the precipice of collapse, revealing an irretrievable decline.

“This is…”

“The world is descending into ruin.”

A cascade of visions flooded Li Ping's mind, depicting events across various regions of the Xuanhuang Realm, all instigation by the earth-shattering decay, unleashing untold calamities.

Yet, Li Ping was aware that, in reality, these cataclysmic events, which should have transpired throughout the Xuanhuang Realm's prefectures, had not materialized.

“Ruomu serves as the genesis of all life within the Xuanhuang Realm, and to a significant extent, it mirrors the realm’s vital state.”

“Ruomu now exhibits this appearance of decay, yet the Xuanhuang Realm itself continues to exude vitality…”

Li Ping’s brow furrowed slightly.

He soon grasped the underlying reason.

“Were it not for the continuous external infusion of vital energy, the Xuanhuang Realm would undoubtedly decline in tandem with Ruomu.”

“And the origin of this vital energy is…”

“The residual essence from other consumed immortal cultivation realms.”

“Although they were dismembered, during the process of amalgamation, the remaining vital energy was siphoned from these remnants of immortal realms.”

“Consequently, Xuanhuang has been revitalized…”

Li Ping mused.

“This procedure is executed with unparalleled, exquisite precision.”

Reflecting on the millennia that had transpired, the embodiment of the Heavenly Dao and the one designated as the victim could only offer unwavering praise for the events that had unfolded.

"Life and death are fleeting. Birth and decay are unending."

"I was once a being who dictated the ebb and flow of existence, yet now I find myself in such a diminished state."

"The world has cast me aside. How could I not harbor resentment..."

While Li Ping was lost in contemplation, a peculiar voice abruptly emerged from behind him, catching him completely off guard.

Li Ping recognized the speaker as Ruomu.