Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Five centuries.
That was neither a long nor a short time; some powerful cultivators—who sat and watched the galaxy change—saw it as a mere blink of an eye or a nap, which passed by while they stabilized their levels, refined Dharma Spells and Divine Powers. Some cultivators who loved to observe the workings of Dao might even watch for a thousand or ten thousand years in one sitting.
But for a universe that had a turbulent situation, five centuries was too long.
The universe had changed drastically in Chen Fan’s five centuries of life. Many Overlords had appeared and tons of talents rose. Some Overlords who had reached the Dao Reunion level looked over the universe from the top and there was even Chen Fan, the one known as the North Mystic Celestial Lord who had hopes of going through the Tribulation.
Before Chen Fan, there hadn’t been anyone who ascended to become a Deity in a hundred million years.
In fact, most parts of that universe thought the Deity Realm and Ascension itself were ancient legends, and that the Dao Reunion cultivators were at the top of the cultivation journey. The title of Perfected Immortal—which was used to describe Deities in Heaven—was eventually used to address Dao Reunion cultivators. The Grand Divine Powers they could display, including looking over the galaxy, crushing planets with a finger and swallowing the sun, were admired by everyone; it made them think they had reached the peak of cultivation.
All cultivators on any path saw that as the peak.
Only the most talented people dreamed about becoming Dao Reunion cultivators. Most would already be satisfied if they were able to reach the Golden Core or the Nascent Soul level. They didn’t even dare to think about reaching the Soul Formation level or above. Even though the universe and the Central Galaxy were quite vast, a Soul Formation Overlord was the dominator of a region, while Dao Reunion Perfected Immortals were even as rare as the real Deities, like dragons in the sky. Each of them counted as a powerhouse in the universe; many people would have usually seen one Dao Reunion cultivator throughout their lives.
Simply put, it wasn’t something humans could achieve.
‘The Golden Core level is achieved by eating. The Nascent Soul Level is cultivated. The Soul Formation level is gifted!’
As for Dao Reunion Cultivators.
Were they still human at that point?
So, when reincarnated Grand Cultivators appeared one after the other, more Overlords would reach the top of the Dao Reunion level and a powerful being like the North Mystic Celestial Lord would show up, while the eyes of most people in the universe would pop out.
Tribulation and Ascension weren’t matters of legend. Deities truly existed.
But for Chen Fan—
Those five centuries were as long as ten thousand years. Even when he closed his eyes, all the things he had experienced in the five hundred years—all his former friends, all the enemies he had fought with and defeated, all those people who loved him and he loved, those who hated him and he hated, people he tried to save but couldn’t—slowly spread in his mind like a Chinese painting roll.
The young man had only lived on Earth for thirty years, but he lived in the universe for five centuries.
Life wasn’t a bed of roses.
There was nothing to be done to change it.
Even though he was the North Mystic Celestial Lord, he had also suffered and spurted out blood in his past life. A person would more or less have missed a chance, regretted something, hated someone, remained silent and experienced parting during the course of his life. Having been a Celestial Lord, he had experienced those things even more.
However, Chen Fan was living a good life at the moment.
He had slowly dealt with matters on planet Earth and prepared everything to leave. He had conquered Planet Tianhuang in the past decade, defeating the seven Divine Sects. He had acquired tons of ships, Dharma Treasures, cultivation arts, medicines and Spirit Stones. If he changed them all for Spirit Stones, all of it would be worth billions. And yet, most of them were useless for Chen Fan. He had recently reached the Nascent Soul level with the standards of the Deity Realm, so nothing could faze him. He was perfect, self-sufficient, free and relaxed.
The Full Nascent Soul Power was enough to suppress Soul Formation cultivators in the human world.
Other than facing Soul Formation enemies, Chen Fan didn’t think there would be other Dharma Treasures or cultivation arts on Earth that were useful for that level of battles.
“I’ll take the World Thousand Spirit Water and the broken sword with me, and some Spirit Stones to use as money in space. I can keep one of the ‘flying ships’ of the Taichu Divine Realm or Apollo Palace for traveling across the universe and for relaxing,” Chen Fan thought.
There weren’t a lot of things he could take in his trip to space.
Chen Fan was able enough to deal with most emergencies by leveraging his own strength, and he prepared some general medicines, the few top Half-Divine Medicines he had and some special talismans. He certainly couldn’t take things like the little Qilin evolved from the Heavenly Pill of Earth Essence.
“If only I could take away the Dharma Seal of the ancient Deity underground…” Chen Fan was a little disappointed.
That was a real Deity Treasure.
If he wasn’t able to control it, he would immediately go to the True Martial Celestial Sect and stamp Master Cangqin’s face.
And yet, he only thought about it for a little bit. He would truly leave Earth this time; he wasn’t going to take anyone along with him. The universe seemed safe, but it had in fact more dangers and barren lands, other than living things. There were many universe monsters able to swallow Nascent Soul cultivators, hiding in some small planets and in the sky. Cultivators would mostly die in a long trip across planet regions, except for the Soul Formation Grand Cultivators.
A’Xiu, his most powerful disciple, was only a Nascent Soul Cultivator. Taking her with him would only drag him down.
Chen Fan divided the entire Abandoned Planet Region into two parts; one with Planet Tianhuang as the center and the other with Earth as the center. Planet Tianhuang and the surrounding regions were being managed by Xiao Qiong as the base of the Chinese, while Earth was ruled by the North Qiong Sect, also occupying most areas of the Abandoned Planet Region.
A’Xiu, Qi Xiu’er, Lu Yanxue and Auntie Tang would stay on Earth as the senior members of the North Qiong Sect.
Once the seal of the deity ground was opened, the surging Spirit Qi would gradually kill the entire planet. Earth was like a huge, strong heart, beating slowly. Every pulse created a powerful tide of Spirit Qi, which nourished the growing cultivators on the planet.
Chen Fan believed that the cultivators in the surrounding planet regions would no longer dare to underestimate the people on that planet in less than fifty years.
Spirit Qi was like mist on a mountain; clouds rolled and a gentle breeze made the willows flutter.
What a great time for poems and wine.
A young man and a girl were sitting on an azure rock like an immortal couple.
That immortal couple had a huge difference in seniority.
“You may also be able to become a Soul Formation Divine Lord in the future,” Chen Fan said to the little girl.
Chen Fan had never underestimated the potential of Earth’s denizens. After building strength for thousands of years, there was currently an outbreak of power. A large number of Overlords would certainly appear, and there was a Fiend Zombie in the deity ground. Cultivators might even be able to enter the Void Returning level, let alone the Soul Formation level. As for the Dao Reunion level, it would depend on their luck. Since Fang Qiong and Chen Fan had taken the accumulated energy from the deity ground, it would need at least a thousand or ten thousand years to nurture a Dao Reunion cultivator.
“Grandmaster, don’t worry. I will certainly become a Soul Formation cultivator soon, then I’ll go travel through the universe with you to protect you.”
Chen Yaoyao was wearing a white, breathable vest and a pair of denim shorts, exposing her ivory long legs. She was sitting on an azure rock next to a willow, eating watermelon. Her cheeks bulged and she talked unclearly, quite unlike the image expected of a senior member of the North Qiong Sect and a Connate Cultivator.
Ever since she knew Chen Fan was A’Xiu’s master, she had switched to calling Chen Fan “Grandmaster,” instead of “Sect Master.”
He had one more identity all of a sudden.
“Your father Chen Xiao and I are peers and distant cousins. Don’t call me something randomly.” Chen Fan glared at her.
That Connate Cultivator with a mouth stuffed with watermelon wasn’t reliable, at all.
“Besides, the universe is a place based on rules. It’s great that you’re constant with your cultivation, but don’t forget to enjoy life; people live for themselves after all. Cultivation occupies a huge part of your life, but it’s not that important sometimes,” Chen Fan said gently.
With a reincarnated Grand Cultivator like him, a boundless warrior who had once killed a Pseudo-Soul Formation cultivator—
Those Grand Cultivators in the Little South Heavenly Realm would pause and relent. If they couldn’t make sure Chen Fan would die, what was the point of destroying Earth? The Grand Cultivators could live for quite a long time. When Chen Fan returned a century later, who would be able to bear his anger?
Didn’t they cultivate so that their descendants could enjoy a more splendid time and living?
“I don’t think so.”
Chen Yaoyao shook her head.
The Abandoned Planet Region was already too fierce in her eyes. The seven sects from the Little South Heavenly Realm had mobilized their forces to attack Earth, and they almost killed all the creatures on the planet. Putting that into perspective, the vast space would certainly have tons of Overlords, talents and dangers every step of the way.
“It’s true that there are many Overlords. The universe is quite vast after all; Earth is just a drop in the bucket when considered from that point of view. And yet, you’ve thought too much about the other things.” Chen Fan smiled.
As for the real universe—
As Chen Fan said…
That was a place that focused on rules. The Little South Heavenly Realm didn’t go by this way of life because it was in a remote, barren area of the universe; it was just as if there were still aboriginal cannibals on Earth’s civilized and modern world.
“If the universe didn’t care about rules, the world would have fallen into chaos, soon being torn apart.”
There were things Chen Fan didn’t tell them.
They would truly understand when they traveled in the rest of the universe and opened their eyes to appreciate its vastness.
Those who had power but squandered it were merely beasts.
Being able to keep power in check was the only reason why humans had been able to become that powerful.
Besides, if Chen Fan really encountered someone unreasonable, he could merely kill that person with a single hand. He was at the moment afraid that people would talk about rules with him.
A twelve-foot man in iron armor said, “This Little South Heavenly Realm is indeed a barren region in the universe. I used to hear people talk about it and thought they were just exaggerating, joking around. I can’t believe it’s true. The locals kill people over an argument. That Connate Cultivator merely said a disrespectful thing and then the old Nascent Soul Cultivator smashed him to death. I thought I was in the realm of Monsters.”
A beautiful woman in a light green gown replied, “The Little South Heavenly Realm is too far from the core areas of the universe after all. We even had to cross quite the long black sandstorm area when we came from the South Heavenly Realm. Normal Nascent Soul cultivators would have never been able to travel through that place; it’s like they’re separated, even from the very edge of civilization. So, there’s a reason why they’re so barbaric.”
A young man in a purple outfit—with purple glitters and nine talismans in his eyes—was looking up and pondering in front of them.
The three of them walked in a metropolis as if the city were deserted; no one knew they were there.
“It’s strange. A technology-based civilization developed at the center of the Abandoned Planet Region, knowing how precious the power of restraints is,” the woman said as she looked at the young man in purple outfit.
“This is just a technological civilization in its infancy. It’s vulnerable. I can destroy it with a halberd.” The man in armor grunted.
“We’re here to meet someone. If we can rope in this reincarnated Grand Cultivator, Chen Beixuan, Young Master will certainly be at an advantage when fighting for the position of Sacred Prince Candidate,” said the beautiful woman.
The three of them kept on walking.
They had no idea Chen Fan had already left.
A ship sailed straight towards the Star Ocean.