Chapter 918: The Legendary End Point
Only after being soaked in Bluesky Water would the Timesource Vine seed remove its camouflage and expose its real body. No matter who one might be, they required both the water and the vine to enter the source.
Both were completely indispensable. Moreover, they were both exceedingly rare since the start of time. Obtaining them was more prohibitive than reaching the heavens.
Take, for instance, the Timesource Vine. Once the vine was ripe, a seed would immediately fly away and fall into a larger world. However, this process couldn't be reversed, not even by an Immortal Emperor.
Moreover, these vines rarely produced seeds. There would only be three to five seeds each time. Think about it, only three to five seeds being lost in huge worlds… It would be easier to find a grain of sand in an ocean compared to finding one of these seeds.
Because of this, Li Qiye hunted down these seeds for five generations before he finally obtained one. Hard work paid off in the end and he was finally successful. He placed this seed on top of the rotten bridge by the cliff then poured more Bluesky Water on it.
In a short period of time, a miracle occurred. This seed germinated and took root in the muddy ground. In the blink of an eye, one could hear sounds of something crashing.
A huge vine sprouted out of the ground with many branches growing from it. These branches twisted into many different sections like a winding snake. These branches interwove together to extend the existing bridge. The impossible happened; this bridge began to extend into the vast emptiness, to the other side.
Li Qiye didn't dare to waste time, he immediately began to walk across the vine bridge that was quite lengthy. Once he reached the other side, nothing could be found around him, there was only an endless nothingness that seemed to break all temporal boundaries. In this place, time had stopped and space had disappeared.
This place gave the feeling as if one was taking the first steps in an era. It seemed that this was the starting point of the world. There were no living beings here, and even time itself had yet to exist.
Li Qiye walked on the wooden bridge for an unknown amount of time before he finally reached his destination. He climbed down from the vine bridge afterward.
The moment his feet touched the ground, the Timesource Vine suddenly withered at a rapid pace. The entire bridge wilted in just a moment.
One could faintly see three to five seeds from the Timesource Vine within the bridge. They emitted their golden glow.
"Crash!" Right when the Timesource Vine died, the bridge collapsed and the vines fell into the endless space. The seeds seemed to have grown wings and fly away at a supreme speed. They penetrated the void itself and disappeared from this location.
These seeds would then fly into the larger worlds. No one knew which regions they would land on. Even if someone were to find them, they wouldn't know of its true purpose. After all, very few people knew about the Timesource Vine.
Li Qiye only sighed after seeing the seeds flying away. Who knew who would be able to grab these seeds in the future and realize the treasures that were in their hands?
After calming down, Li Qiye turned around. Before him was a pond that didn't seem to be very special at a first glance.
The naked eye wouldn't be able to discern its magical properties. However, it would be a different story once someone opened their heavenly gaze. They would finally be able to see the majestic scene before them.
The pond was full of dao runes. These were the most profound and mysterious runes in the world. All the worldly laws seemingly originated from this place. No matter how brilliant one might be, they would be dazzled by these runes after looking at them for a long time. Those with weaker talents would faint on the spot or even result in death.
The water in the pond was even more incredible. They flowed like an immortal aqua and emitted a beautiful divine light. Each drop exuded a transcendent aura and seemed to be sustaining three thousand worlds.
This was not pond water but rather the legendary immortal aqua! Even if someone had never seen immortal aqua before, they would think that the best aqua in this world would only be at this level at best after seeing the water in this pond.
"Provenance's Splendor." Li Qiye gently sighed. He knew what it was even without opening his heavenly gaze!
Provenance's Splendor was something the world had never heard of before. If an Immortal Emperor heard its name, they would start to salivate and would try to obtain a bottle through any means.
It was even more valuable than Worldly Prime Liquid or any of the other supreme essences in this world. The disparity was of an incalculable proportion.
Moreover, the even more wondrous aspect was that any existence could handle it, unlike the tyrannical Myriad Star Water!
There was a legend stating that the source of the three ancestral veins was the beginning of the formation of this world. In the beginning, countless essences gestated the nine worlds and myriad realms. A few items did not melt during that time and fell into the worlds. Perhaps these items would form the materials found here, at the source of the three veins. There was enough essences here to create a new world and sustain its inhabitants.
This legend had no basis. Nevertheless, the Provenance's Splendor was definitely the most valuable essence in this world. No existence would be able to escape its temptation.
Despite it being within his grasp, Li Qiye did not take any action for he knew that it wasn't so simple. This was because the dao runes surrounding the pond were extremely powerful. Without the acceptance of these runes, an Immortal Emperor would be teleported outside in an instant; they wouldn't be able to stay here any longer.
"Buzz!" The dao runes covering the pond began to light up. They came together with a splash.
These dao runes piled up onto each other like slow, flowing water. They began to change from one person to another. First was a handsome, burly man. Next was a mysterious person shrouded behind a cloak. Then suddenly, it was just an ordinary looking fella…
Eventually, the runes took on a complete form. A crow appeared before Li Qiye. The spreading of its wings blotted out the world; myriad realms were lost in darkness. This crow loomed over everything as it suppressed the heaven and earth.
"You still dare to come back to my place?!" The crow's speech echoed like a supreme Immortal Monarch giving their command, as if many Godkings were prostrating before him.
"Your derivation is wrong. This was my old crow form; my body is now a living being and not an illusion like before." Li Qiye said with a smile.
It turned out that all the characters earlier were the different forms Li Qiye took to travel this world! Of course, those were only illusions and transformations rather than his true form.
"Buzz!" At this time, the crow disappeared. A different person appeared before Li Qiye. Anyone would gasp in shock after seeing this. This was another Li Qiye. All of his gestures and demeanors were exactly the same. A stranger would find it impossible to determine which one was real and which was fake.
"So you're here to trick people again?" The other Li Qiye glanced at Li Qiye with a leisurely and nonchalant expression.
"Okay, don't transform into me or try to scheme against me. You are only a universal law without life and emotions, there's no need to learn how to talk!" Li Qiye responded with a grin: "Your true self is the most important thing, these trivial aspects are meaningless."
"Buzz!" This Li Qiye disappeared and a blurred shadow took its place. It carried the high heavens above and determined the fate of the universe below. All was within its grasp.
"There's no need to transform into the high heavens either. You are not the high heavens, and to be frank, this is not its form anyway." Li Qiye chuckled at this transformation.
"I'll do what I want, it's none of your business." The blurred shadow replied with disdain.
Li Qiye couldn't help but smile wryly. He rubbed his nose and helplessly said: "It seems like I am guilty. I shouldn't have corrupted you last time, making you deriving the emotions of mortals."
"I am the law of this world. I can become anything, there's no need for you to teach me." The blurred shadow contemptuously stated with great arrogance.
Li Qiye had come here once before as the Dark Crow. Moreover, he stayed here for a very long time. Back then, the law of this location was not like this. Later on, it retained all kinds of habits from Li Qiye's teasing.
"Yes, yes, yes, you are the law of the heaven and earth, capable of transforming into all things." Li Qiye smiled.
The blurry shadow suddenly disappeared. In the blink of an eye, a woman appeared before Li Qiye. Her beauty was indescribable with words.
"Am I pretty?" She asked Li Qiye with an enchantingly scornful smile.
"Fuck! You dare to transform into her? You think I won't tear you into pieces?!" Li Qiye couldn't resist cursing: "Your style is so unnatural, it really makes me want to puke!"
918 TeaserOnly after being soaked in Bluesky Water would the Timesource Vine seed remove its camouflage and expose its real body. No matter who one might be, they required both the water and the vine to enter the source.
Both were completely indispensable. Moreover, they were both exceedingly rare since the start of time. Obtaining them was more prohibitive than reaching the heavens.
Take, for instance, the Timesource Vine. Once the vine was ripe, a seed would immediately fly away and fall into a larger world. However, this process couldn't be reversed, not even by an Immortal Emperor.
Moreover, these vines rarely produced seeds. There would only be three to five seeds each time. Think about it, only three to five seeds being lost in huge worlds… It would be easier to find a grain of sand in an ocean compared to finding one of these seeds.
Because of this, Li Qiye hunted down these seeds for five generations before he finally obtained one. Hard work paid off in the end and he was finally successful. He placed this seed on top of the rotten bridge by the cliff then poured more Bluesky Water on it.
[collapse]Chapter 919: What Are You?
"Fine then, I'll stop transforming, what's the big deal?" The woman quickly turned back into the blurred shadow situated in the most secretive recess of the sky, a location above all else. 1
Li Qiye was speechless after seeing the law transforming into so many different things. He felt a bit guilty after seeing this since he was the one who had corrupted the poor law.
The law protecting the pond was created from the heaven and earth. It was the purest of laws, one without life or emotions. However, it was able to transform into all things, or at least their forms.
The blurred shadow asked: "Oh right, how is that woman doing now?"
Li Qiye looked at it with one eye and answered: "What does it have to do with you? You are not a living being, so stop caring about other people's business."
The blurred shadow quipped: "Oh, so you broke up. What's wrong, did that woman dump you? Look at your pitiful state, my guess must be correct. But yeah, who would like a crow anyway?"
Li Qiye angrily said: "Fuck, since when did a lifeless thing like you gain such a big mouth? You're just like the gossipers outside, you love to babble on and on all the time."
"Babble my ass." The blurred shadow retorted with disdain: "Who was the incessant one back then? Just babbling in my ears all day about Su'er and then Zhan'er… you made me sick listening to it all the time."
Li Qiye frowned after hearing this: "Fuck, I knew I shouldn't have told you all of those things!"
"Hehehe, it is too late now. I already know so many of your secrets." The shadow said gloatingly.
Li Qiye gave it a look: "I was only playing around with you. Besides, how could I actually tell you any secrets?"
"Please, playing with me? I am the law of the heaven and earth and can derive all things with ease." The shadow asked: "How can I not differentiate real stories from fake ones?"
Li Qiye was slightly speechless. The opponent was not a living being or an existence at that, it was just a universal law. However, the damned thing really knew how to banter; its attitude was just like him in the past. This nearly made him vomit blood.
The shadow said: "Hey, I gave myself a couple of names, tell me which one is the best."
"Why do you want a name, your name is simply law." Li Qiye answered.
"Nevermind then. If you don't want to listen, don't come begging for me later." The shadow snorted with an arrogant demeanor that nearly drove Li Qiye crazy.
"Fine, tell me then." Li Qiye had no choice but to acquiesce.
The shadow became spirited after finding a listener: "There are a couple, check them out. Sha Qiye, Zhen Qiye, Mie Qiye, Tu Qiye, Zhan Qiye… which one do you think is the best?" 2
After the shadow said more than ten names in one breath, Li Qiye almost vomited blood again.
"None of them are you, you should just name yourself 'Kill Your Sister'!" Li Qiye's face turned black. 3
With that response, the shadow tilted its head and seriously pondered for a bit before continuing: "I think it would be nice to call myself Dark Crow."
"That's my title!" Li Qiye snapped back: "Plus, you are just a universal law. You want a name? How about my ass!"
"Bah, who says I don't want a name? I am the greatest in this world, the one and only across all the eons, so naturally I would want a cool name!" The shadow arrogantly declared: "This immortal wants your name. From now on, I am Dark Crow!"
"Okay, can we talk for real now?" Li Qiye felt helpless and weakly spoke: "Calling yourself Dark Crow is only copying someone else. If you are the greatest in this world, wouldn't this be too shameful?"
"Makes sense." The shadow contemplated some more: "I am the greatest, so why should I share a title with you? Okay then, from now on, I am Zhan Xian!" 4
"Why Zhan Xian?" Li Qiye curiously smiled.
"You said it before, in the ancient era, immortals were the only things in this world; they were above all else." It arrogantly proclaimed: "Thus, I want to defeat and kill all immortals, hence the name Zhan Xian."
"Very catchy, great name." Li Qiye immediately praised. No matter if it was the truth or mere flattery, it was better than letting the shadow have the name Dark Crow. Li Qiye thought that his prestige would be ruined otherwise.
"I know it is good. How could a name chosen by me not be good?" The shadow laughed in a very narcissistic and arrogant manner.
Li Qiye chuckled and said: "How is the thing in the lake?"
"Are you up to no good again?" The shadow immediately became cautious and asked coldly after hearing this.
A universal law should be without emotions. However, it had been influenced by Li Qiye since he stayed here for a very long time in the past. It was even copying him to some extent.
"Nothing bad." Li Qiye cheerfully smiled: "The truth is that I stumbled upon some new findings recently…"
"New findings? Not interested." The shadow replied: "Plus, you are a bad person and had always been eyeing this place. Don't think that I don't know."
"Well, I won't deny that I'm interested in the thing inside." Li Qiye smiled: "It is not a secret or anything. Just let me do what I want and perhaps it will be beneficial for you too."
"What benefits? Don't try to bribe me." The shadow wasn't very interested at all.
"If, say, that thing is completed, wouldn't you be free as well?" Li Qiye smirked.
The shadow instantly became happy after hearing this. But afterward, it glared at Li Qiye to say: "Both you and I know that this is very difficult to accomplish! Don't try to trick me!"
"I can guarantee you that it will definitely be successful this generation." Li Qiye persuaded: "However, I'm just missing a little bit. If I can get that other thing done, then I can do this as well."
"Haha, there's no need to tempt me." The shadow sneered: "I know just what kind of person you are. You tricked me last time, so I'm not listening to your crap again."
Li Qiye didn't blush at all. He smiled and said: "Yes, I tricked you last time, but technically, the thing inside already belongs to me since you lost, right?"
"So what if it belongs to you?" The shadow looked down on Li Qiye: "If I don't let you through, you wouldn't be able to take it even if it belongs to you."
"How should I put this? Even though this thing could be considered yours back then, it is still ultimately an item without a master. But you've been here for so long that it really should be yours. Do you not want it at all?" Li Qiye tried to persuade it again.
The shadow spoke with a lack of interest: "Not interested. You were right, I'm not a human or an existence or anything at all for that matter, I'm just a universal law. What do I gain from obtaining it?"
Li Qiye found this to be quite problematic. If it didn't bite no matter what, then all of his plans were done for.
"What do I have to do for you to let me through?" Li Qiye smiled: "Because of our friendship, we don't have to fight till the sky collapses in this place, right?"
"Sky collapses my ass." The shadow said with disdain: "If I didn't want you here, I could teleport you away the moment you attack. Just like you said before, even Immortal Emperors can't do anything!"
Li Qiye regretted telling this thing all of this information back then.
"Moreover, I have no emotions so we don't have any friendship to speak of." The shadow looked at Li Qiye with one eye.
The shadow's attitude left Li Qiye helpless. He raised his hands and said: "Okay, okay, I give up. State your conditions. If possible, I will meet all of your demands."
"You sure?" The shadow immediately stared intensely at Li Qiye. Li Qiye was getting the willies from this glare.
"Fine, go for it." Li Qiye said with a smile.
The shadow's attitude resembled Li Qiye very closely at this moment. It leisurely said: "Well, my condition is very simple. You will stay here and keep me company like in the past and I'll let you through."
"That won't do." Li Qiye shook his head: "You are taking complete advantage of me. Plus, I am not the same as before. In the past, I had everlasting life, but if I get stuck here now, that means I will be completely screwed."
"Then forget it, I don't care. Don't even think about passing." The shadow sneered.
Li Qiye chuckled and said: "You shouldn't say no so fast. How about this, to make things fair, we'll make a bet. If I lose, then I'll stay behind. If I win, you have to let me through."
Another Long Jingxian? ↩ Sha = kill, Zhen = suppress, Mie = extinguish, Tu = slaughter, Zhan = slash/behead. ↩ This is a common retort to say something rude + your sister. Don't think it works as well in English. ↩ Zhan Xian = Fight (Against) Immortal. ↩Chapter 920: Another Bet
The shadow replied with disdain in regards to the bet: "It was a bet last time too, and it ended with you throwing me into the pit!"
To which Li Qiye responded with a smile: "That was last time, now is now. Plus, you won't be losing anything, right? If I lose, then I'm done for. I'm not immortal anymore, so staying here would ruin me."
"Stop egging me on." The shadow sneered: "No matter what you say, I won't fall into your trap. Who doesn't know that you are a liar who specializes in fooling people?"
"Your words do me injustice." Li Qiye helplessly said: "This time, I came with sincerity. Just imagine, this treasure is completely worthless to you, but if I lose, I will have to give up everything. Just think about it, how heavy is my bet? This is the greatest gamble in history!"
"Stop acting like that. I already said I won't be tricked by you." The shadow immediately rejected. It was very cautious after being fooled once in the past.
"There's nothing I can do if you don't want to." Li Qiye said with disappointment: "I guess I have to leave. The only thing I can say is that this trip was such a waste."
"Really now?" The shadow snorted: "You spent a tremendous amount of effort to get here. Who would believe that you're giving up this easily?"
"I know you don't believe me." Li Qiye shook his head and reluctantly said: "But I can't force you to trust me, so what else can I do besides leave? Do I have to assault this place? You know that I can't penetrate your defenses anyway."
"I'm not convinced at all." The shadow sneered: "A lawless person like you would give up so easily? When was the last time you admitted defeat?"
Li Qiye said with a smile: "Times are different now. I'm no longer immortal, I no longer have unlimited time. Time is too precious for me right now. I would rather do other things outside instead of spending a thousand years in here. That would be much more exciting."
"Hmph, whatever you say." The shadow snorted, still unconvinced.
Li Qiye grinned in response: "Okay then, it seems like there's no point in talking any further. Take care of yourself. Who knows if we will have the chance to meet again in the future. Goodbye, friend."
With that, Li Qiye turned around to leave this place. Meanwhile, the shadow grew quiet.
"How do you want to bet?" The shadow finally broke the silence and asked Li Qiye before he could get far.
Li Qiye turned around and looked at the shadow: "If you want to bet, then how about we wager with our lives? I know of your power. Your curse will certainly end in death; even Immortal Emperors would suffer the same fate. Thus, I want to try using my true fate to withstand your curse." Li Qiye paused for a moment: "If I can't live after my true fate is afflicted, then I lose. If I can come back to life, then you lose. What do you think?"
"Haha, don't act like that. I know you are still immortal. Even if I curse you, it still wouldn't be able to kill you." The shadow snorted.
Li Qiye shook his head: "You still don't believe me? You are the most profound universal law in this world. If you are still skeptical, then you can try and derive it. In this generation, I have obtained my true body and escaped from the Immortal Demon Grotto. I stand before you not as an illusion, but as a living being with flesh and blood. If I was still immortal due to the grotto, would you be able to derive it then?"
"Fine, I'll do it." The shadow scowled and continued to change. Every single one of its transformations was very mysterious and profound. Even the most brilliant genius wouldn't be able to understand its transformations.
After many changes, the profound law finally turned back into its blurred shadow form, still as powerful as ever as if it was the tyrant of all things.
"It seems like you are telling the truth. Your body is truly your original and the immortal power has disappeared." The shadow finally acknowledged Li Qiye's claim.
"I have no need to trick you since we have always been honest with each other." Li Qiye smiled: "We have stayed together for so long, so how could I bear to trick you?"
The shadow coldly said: "Right, just like last time." Although it shouldn't have emotions, it still clearly remembered when Li Qiye tricked it last time and was very annoyed with him.
Li Qiye shook his head: "Strictly speaking, I didn't fool you last time, it was just part of the plan. You and I both knew the conditions, I didn't lie at all. Under the circumstances back then, I only made a subtle change, that's all."
"What about this time then? What are you going to do?" The shadow uttered: "I don't believe that you are not afraid of dying."
To which Li Qiye responded with a smile: "Of course I am afraid of dying. Nevertheless, I have become enlightened with a particular grand dao, so I am confident in withstanding your curse. I have absolute faith of it being able to stop even an Immortal Emperor. Come give it a try if you don't believe me."
"Such a big tone!" The shadow was instantly annoyed. Such words were completely underestimating its power. How could it swallow such disdain?
It continued on to say: "Even if you have accepted the Heaven's Will, I can still torture you to death!"
"Come then." Li Qiye provoked: "I'm not afraid of your invincible curse. I will stand strong and watch it be completely ineffective against me."
With that, a series of rumbles could be heard. Li Qiye's true fate emerged and floated around him. He smiled towards the shadow: "Come, let me experience the power of your curse."
"Fine, I want to see just how powerful you are!" Li Qiye's provocation had angered the shadow. In the blink of an eye, the dao runes rushed forward like a flood. It turned into a very mysterious mantra with an unspeakable force. It seemed to be eternal. There was no return after being struck by its power!
"Zzz—" The mantra quickly imprinted itself on Li Qiye's true fate like a branding iron burning flesh. This sensation was extremely painful, but Li Qiye still managed to withstand it.
After making its mark, the mantra immediately left his true fate but didn't imprint itself at a deeper area.
It turned back into the blurred shadow and angrily said: "Son of a bitch, you tricked me again! You got the legendary Death Scripture!"
It was a law of the heaven and earth of an extremely profound level. However, the Death Scripture was also born during the inception of this universe. Even if it was unfathomable, it couldn't derive or calculate the Death Scripture. It knew that it had fallen into Li Qiye's trap the moment it imprinted its curse on his true fate!
"Yes, I am cultivating the Death Scripture." Li Qiye faintly smiled. This agony from the imprintation on his true fate was too much to bear. Anyone else would be rolling on the ground in pain. However, Li Qiye had suffered too many painful experiences. He was able to stand and smile without a problem.
"You tricked me again!" The shadow repeated.
Li Qiye smiled in response: "I didn't trick you and I never said that I didn't cultivate the Death Scripture either. I only said that I could withstand your curse, am I right?"
The shadow couldn't argue on that point, but it still coldly said: "Hmph, so what if you cultivate the Death Scripture? I can still kill you!"
Li Qiye smiled and said: "I believe that your curse can definitely kill me. However, I recall our bet was not about you killing me, but about whether I can survive or not. I never said that I would lose after dying, only if I can't come back to life."
"You spouted a bunch of nonsensical drivel just so that you can lead me on and distract me!" The shadow finally realized that it had jumped into a hole dug out by Li Qiye.
Li Qiye gently shook his head: "As a universal law, you should always be in your most focused state to derive and calculate without being influenced by emotions."
"Bastard, not again!" The shadow was furious.
"I know you are blaming me." Li Qiye slowly said: "But it is not like I am not giving you a chance. The time has come for the thing inside so long as I am successful. It will definitely take off and you will be free as your mission would be over. You are an extraordinary universal law, so you can go wherever you want."
"Hmph, all of this talking doesn't change the fact that you tricked me!" The shadow coldly uttered.