My Longevity Simulation Chapter 1254: Mysterious Force Hidden Within the Rift

As Yi Jue uttered the words, the Stone Tablet grasped the meaning implicitly.

Within the boundless sea of consciousness, the Dao Deviation Stone contained miniature versions of the Stone Tablet, instantly distinguishing themselves.

Records of the Genesis Stone Tablets, descending like a gentle snowfall, were channeled into these numerous child avatars.

The transformation was so swift that the Stone Tablet experienced a profound sense of ease, a feeling long absent.

“This is merely a temporary measure. To fully eradicate my underlying concerns, substantial storage is still imperative.”

A flicker of understanding seemed to dawn upon the Stone Tablet.

With a shift in his thoughts, those myriad miniature child avatars began to expand, directly integrating into the Dao Deviation Stone.

The once azure crystal, under the refining process guided by the Stone Tablet’s technique, transformed into a scaled-down replica of himself.

Peering through the ‘eyes’ of the Dao Deviation Stone Tablet revealed an astonishing sight: countless distinct Stone Tablets arranged in a complex, interlocking grid, creating an illusion of infinite reflections.

“I have truly pushed the computational capacity of this Dao Deviation Stone to its absolute zenith. It is indeed a miraculous artifact. A single high-grade fragment is capable of housing the entirety of the Genesis Stone Tablets' information without any strain…” The Stone Tablet mused internally, unable to suppress his admiration.

“Furthermore, this stored data remains under my complete dominion. Following its meticulous sorting and analysis by the Dao Deviation Stone’s myriad avatars, retrieval has become even swifter than before.”

With the looming threat neutralized, he did not rise immediately. Instead, he reveled in a tranquility he had not known for millennia.

The incessant influx of images and sounds that had once overwhelmed his sea of consciousness was gone, replaced by a vast emptiness that almost brought tears to his eyes.

Only after what felt like an eternity did the Stone Tablet finally rise to his feet.

He offered a solemn bow towards the Holy Emperor standing before him: “My deepest gratitude, fellow Daoist, for gifting me a new existence!”

“It was but a minor undertaking!” The Holy Emperor replied, though he accepted the gesture with grace.

Having exited the formation’s core, the Holy Emperor gestured, and a potent aura coalesced, obscuring the void above.

Returning to his seat, the Holy Emperor, Li Ping, spoke with candid honesty: “While I have assisted you in resolving the Stone Tablet’s chaotic data predicament, I shall not leverage this deed for any demands.”

“Your willingness or unwillingness rests entirely upon your own discretion.”

The Stone Tablet perceived the genuine sincerity in the Holy Emperor’s words, his heart deeply touched.

He declared directly: “My fate has always been intertwined with the Xuanhuang Realm’s fortunes. In my previous state of torment, I held little regard for the mortal world. Now that I am free, I shall certainly not remain indifferent.”

Li Ping offered a slight nod, acknowledging the Stone Tablet’s declaration.

He did not, however, revisit the prior [Xuanhuang Orthodox] initiative.

Instead, he shifted the conversation to a different concern.

“What are your thoughts regarding the Heavenly Capital Grand Mage?”

“Should I find myself in conflict with the Immortal Ancestor, would he intercede?”

Upon hearing this question, both the Stone Tablet and Yi Jue’s expressions shifted subtly, tinged with a hint of strangeness.

Observing Yi Jue’s reticence, the Stone Tablet took it upon himself to respond: “To my understanding, the Grand Mage has been in seclusion, recuperating in Daoyuan Prefecture these past years. Matters of the outside world…”

“...would likely struggle to capture his attention.”

The Stone Tablet cast a glance at his companion, Yi Jue. “Recall when the Ten Great Immortal Sects faced dire straits during the great calamity; they sought the Grand Mage’s aid multiple times, yet were unable to even gain an audience. They were never able to return after departing Heavenly Capital back then.”

A note of regret colored the Stone Tablet’s tone.

“The character of Xuantian King was truly a model of integrity. You Ten Sects, driven by your own selfish ambitions, conspired with the foreign Grand Mage to annihilate the Xuantian Sect. You were truly aiding a tiger in its evil deeds,” the Holy Emperor commented with a composed demeanor.

The Stone Tablet offered a wry smile, making no attempt to defend the past actions.

Daoist Yi Jue’s expression remained impassive: “The Holy Emperor perceives the truth. The actions of the Ten Sects that year were indeed questionable. However, all things pass like clouds and smoke, scattered by the wind. The original instigators have long since departed. As for Xuantian King…”

“His confrontation with the Grand Mage was preordained. Even without the involvement of our Ten Sects, such a clash was inevitable. Moreover, accounts from those who witnessed it firsthand suggest Xuantian King’s disappearance was rather enigmatic, not solely attributable to the Grand Mage.”

“After the Xuantian King vanished, the Xuantian Sect disintegrated like loose sand. It was only natural for the Ten Sects to seize control. During the Xuantian Sect’s reign, cultivators worldwide faced intense oppression. Following the Ten Sects’ ascent, they largely implemented a restorative policy, ushering in a rare epoch of tranquility for various great and small sects to flourish.”

Yi Jue articulated these points, not in defense of the Ten Sects, but as a statement of unvarnished truth.

The Stone Tablet, in tandem, projected the historical scenes of that era within the Holy Emperor’s grand hall.

Witnessing the rapidly unfolding events, Li Ping offered a slight nod of acknowledgment.

After a brief period of contemplation, Li Ping voiced, “The Grand Mage’s transcendence of this mortal realm is palpable. While the likelihood of his direct involvement is exceedingly low, we cannot afford to dismiss it entirely.”

Both the Stone Tablet and Yi Jue exhibited a subtle astonishment, unforeseen by Li Ping’s unwavering resolve in his original plans.

“Nevertheless, I possess my own strategies. You two need not trouble yourselves.”

“To what extent do you two comprehend the current state of the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance?” Li Ping redirected the conversation once more.

The Stone Tablet deliberated for a moment before slightly shaking its head. “The Immortal Alliance’s central headquarters resides within the dimensional space of the Xuantian Treasure Mirror, establishing its own realm that effectively conceals itself from the Genesis Stone Tablet’s perception. Though I possess records of various prefectures and regions under the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance’s influence throughout the years, my knowledge of the Alliance’s innermost secrets remains quite limited.”

“However, the highest echelon of the Immortal Alliance, the Dharma-Transmitters, comprised surviving cultivators from the Xuanhuang Realm of that bygone era. I have their dossiers, albeit restricted to information predating their withdrawal into the Xuantian Treasure Mirror.”

“Since the re-establishment of the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance, they have channeled resources from the Xuanhuang Realm to cultivate their exclusive domains. Furthermore, bolstered by the enhancements from the Immortal Ancestor’s secret treasures, their current might undoubtedly surpasses their former strength by an immeasurable degree. The intelligence I can provide should serve only as a preliminary reference,” the Stone Tablet stated gravely.

A solitary point of azure light, coalescing a substantial volume of visual and informational data, slowly drifted towards the Holy Emperor.

Upon absorbing it, a myriad of scenes instantaneously flooded Li Ping’s consciousness.

“This is sufficient,” he declared in a resonant tone.

At this juncture, Daoist Yi Jue cleared his throat, “Regarding the visual records from within the Immortal Alliance’s headquarters…”

“Our Du’e Sect does possess certain insights.”

“Indeed?” This remark elicited surprise even from the Stone Tablet.

“That can’t be right, Yi Jue. When your entire sect was subdued by the Dharma-Transmitters, the current Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance hadn't even been formed yet, had it?”

Perceiving Stone Tablet’s skeptical scrutiny, Yi Jue’s golden effigy offered a faint smile.

“This circumstance arose from a peculiar coincidence. During the construction phase of the Immortal Alliance’s headquarters, a spatial anomaly containing a World-Observing Divine Eye was unearthed by their forces and subsequently integrated into the Immortal Alliance’s main dimensional space.”

“Although it wasn't a position of paramount importance, we managed to glean certain fragments of information over the ensuing years. It wasn't a state of complete ignorance.”

As Yi Jue expounded, the Book of Du’e, as if presenting a precious artifact, continuously turned its pages. The shifting light and shadow gradually coalesced into a single book page, which then slowly floated before Li Ping.

Li Ping absorbed this page and swiftly perused the recorded imagery contained within.

After a considerable interval.

“Are there still World-Observing Divine Eyes within the Xuanhuang Realm that elude my detection?” the Holy Emperor inquired, his tone lacking commendation but filled with genuine questioning.

Daoist Yi Jue hastened to reply, “Apart from the unique isolation imposed by the Xuantian Treasure Mirror, all other divine eyes have been successfully retrieved by the Holy Emperor.”

“However…” Yi Jue paused, a hint of hesitation in his voice.

“Proceed without reservation.”

“While the originally positioned divine eyes have since been recovered, their prolonged presence has imbued the very fabric of the space with certain characteristics mirroring those of the divine eyes themselves.”

Hearing this, Daoist Yi Jue’s demeanor grew notably more serious.

Yi Jue elaborated, “Consequently, our Du’e Sect can still discern events occurring in proximity to those specific locations. The efficacy, however, does not match that of direct observation by a divine eye.”

To substantiate his claim, Yi Jue deftly flipped the Book of Du’e, simultaneously projecting the multitude of light and shadow records from those distinct vantage points.

The scope of their vision was somewhat reduced compared to the World-Observing Divine Eye’s full capacity, and the projected images appeared considerably indistinct. Yet, precisely as Yi Jue had stated, it was merely a degradation in performance; the fundamental monitoring function remained undeniably intact.

“Yi Jue, what precisely is the origin of this World-Observing Divine Eye?”

For a moment, Stone Tablet pondered, a trace of shock coloring its query, echoing the very question Li Ping held.

After all, the divine eye's ability to warp the fabric of space it occupied was far from a simple feat.

To be precise, in a manner of speaking, this bordered on reversing the fundamental laws of heaven and earth.

Daoist Yi Jue offered no pretense: "When the Heavenly Sword Sect was forging the World-Rifting Divine Weapon, a blade that sundered reality itself and sent tremors through the Xuanhuang Realm, I ventured to explore the remnants of their Sect."

"That World-Rifting fissure tore through space, leading to realms unknown. For any ordinary cultivator who dared to enter, only demise and the dissipation of their Dao awaited. Yet, our Du'e Sect's Eternal Tribulation World possessed the peculiar ability to endure, even within such a rift, for a time."

A kaleidoscope of emotions flickered in Stone Tablet's gaze.

"However, with the peril of near-certain death, I pressed into the World-Rifting fissure. Guided by the lingering aura of the World-Rifting Divine Weapon, I ventured deeper, seeking confirmation of the Heavenly Sword Sect's ultimate success…"

"Alas, the fissure sealed itself far quicker than I anticipated. An unseen force, alien to the Xuanhuang Realm, actively mended the wound. Having lost the trail of the World-Rifting Divine Weapon and reaching the very edge of my own endurance, I was compelled to retreat in helplessness…"

"This World-Observing Divine Eye was subsequently refined using the very essence of that power I managed to collect from within the World-Rifting fissure."

Daoist Yi Jue’s narrative concluded abruptly.

Yet, the vivid imagery he painted spurred profound contemplation in the other two present.

"So, this World-Observing Divine Eye wasn't deliberately shaped by your hand? Instead, it is a pure manifestation of the power's inherent essence?" Stone Tablet suddenly grasped the implication.

Yi Jue offered a solemn nod.

"Indeed. How else could our Du'e Sect possess a technique that even the Immortal Ancestor could not counter?"

A heavy silence descended upon the Holy Emperor's hall.

Within Li Ping's perception, the golden-robed figure from the Du'e Sect spoke no falsehood.

Contemplating further, the implications of his words became quite chilling.

Did this suggest that even more potent forces, akin to the World-Observing Divine Eye, were currently observing the Xuanhuang Realm?

And what entity lay behind such powers?

Was it something beyond the High Wall, or…?

A sudden recollection seized Stone Tablet, its demeanor shifting palpably.

Yet, the words remained unspoken, caught on its lips.

Li Ping, sensing Stone Tablet's subtle agitation, focused his divine sense upon it briefly, choosing to wait for it to speak. Stone Tablet, recognizing Li Ping's silent inquiry, waved a dismissive hand: "Fellow Daoist misunderstands."

"I merely recalled an ancient rumor concerning the origins of the Xuanhuang Realm."

"This fragment of knowledge was something I inadvertently discovered within the deepest strata of the Genesis Stone Tablet, dating back at least tens of thousands of years."

These revelations instantly captured the rapt attention of Li Ping and every paper effigy representing the Du'e Sect.

Stone Tablet furrowed its brow, its voice laced with memory as it continued: "In the epoch preceding the Great Cataclysm, during the zenith of the immortal path, amidst the boundless cosmos, our Xuanhuang Realm stood out with remarkable singularity."

"Not only did it engage in more frequent communion with the Upper Realm and host an abundance of immortal artifacts, but our Xuanhuang Realm also bore witness to the existence known as the Great Celestial Venerable."

"Typically, upon ascension, cultivators severed all ties to the lower realm. However, this Great Celestial Venerable possessed the ability to maintain a connection with the Upper Realm, even drawing celestial items down to the Xuanhuang Realm."

"Furthermore, the Great Celestial Venerable wielded an authority within the Xuanhuang Realm that ordinary cultivators could scarcely dream of attaining…"

At this juncture, Stone Tablet cast its gaze toward Li Ping.

Li Ping responded with a slight shake of his head: "No such memory exists within me."

Unperturbed, Stone Tablet continued: "The Great Celestial Venerable of that era differed fundamentally from the one we understand today. Their cultivation and might were not necessarily paramount; they functioned more akin to a…"

"Vicar-like title."

Stone Tablet paused in thought before uttering these two words.

"It was akin to an official post bestowed by the Upper Realm. Provided one garnered recognition from above, even a mortal utterly devoid of strength could assume the mantle of Great Celestial Venerable."

"The present situation is entirely different. Without absolute power, one cannot secure the acknowledgment of the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao, much less attain the position of Great Celestial Venerable."

"The precise time this divergence occurred remains unknown. However, what I wish to convey is this…"

“The power that manifested the World-Observing Divine Eye within the World-Rifting fissure may not necessarily come from outside the Star Sea. It could be a characteristic inherent to the Xuanhuang Realm itself.” Stone Tablet cast another glance at Li Ping.

This perspective even drew Yi Jue from the Du'e Sect into deep thought.

“The earliest Great Celestial Venerables could control the world with a mortal body. What they perhaps relied on was a power akin to the World-Observing Divine Eye, deeply integrated within the Xuanhuang Realm. However, at some unknown juncture, the link between this power and the Xuanhuang Realm was mysteriously severed.”

Stone Tablet's pronouncements resonated throughout the hall of the Holy Emperor.

These words touched upon ancient mysteries, knowledge of which Li Ping possessed none prior.

“Before the immortal path was severed, alterations undetectable by ordinary cultivators must have transpired within the Xuanhuang Realm,” Li Ping stated with gravitas.

“It is merely my conjecture. My original point was that there is no need for excessive concern over powers originating beyond the Star Sea. Even if external interference truly exists, given the Xuanhuang Realm's long existence and their absence thus far...”

“They are likely beyond reach even here.”

Stone Tablet concluded gently.

“I share that sentiment,” Daoist Yi Jue agreed, his composure returning to its prior state.

“Our immediate concern remains the threat posed by the Immortal Ancestor. As for these other matters...” Li Ping reached a similar conclusion.

“While we shouldn't fixate on them, we must still maintain vigilance.”

The Holy Emperor's choice of words mirrored his earlier discussion regarding the Heavenly Capital Great Mage, leaving both Yi Jue and Stone Tablet in stunned silence.

“I possess my own strategies. You two need not trouble yourselves over it.”