Chapter 613: The Very Beginning of Antiquity, the Birth of the Dao

But from these past few days of observation, the current social form of the Xuan Realm...

Couldn't really be called bad.

She had once calculated all manner of possibilities for the future of the Earth Immortal Realm, but even the best among them still fell short of the Xuan Realm of today.

However, this was solely because of the existence of 'True Immortals.'

They could stand at a higher, more transcendent vantage to decide the trajectory of this world.

But such a state, in essence, was the same as the future of the Earth Immortal Realm she had calculated—an absolute high-position individual will guiding the world forward...

Within reason, and also within expectation.

The Xuan Realm of today was already good enough; the True Immortals' ability to correct errors was far beyond what a Return-to-Void cultivator could match, and the best future she could imagine was no more than this.

But Xili still felt...

A sensation very hard to describe.

She had originally thought that after ascending to the 'Immortal Realm,' she would see a world that had never appeared in her calculations, would see a path she had never conceived.

Hearing this question, Xu Xing also fell silent for a long while.

"The world I hope for..."

He paused, a trace of helplessness surfacing on his face.

"You've really hit upon my weakest area this time."

What exactly was the world he himself hoped for?

Even he himself only had a vague answer to this question in his heart.

"From my own perspective, I don't wish to impose my own will upon the world or any individual." Xu Xing sighed softly.

"But that's impossible. Since I've already stood at this height, no matter what I do, whether or not I make a choice, countless people will be affected by it."

"Moreover, many times I have no choice but to make a decision."

He did not wish to impose his own will upon all beings; he hoped that each person would have their own free will.

But the result of doing nothing was, for him, for the height at which he stood, no different from 'letting things be.'

Where there is desire, there is action.

In those years when he long dwelled on the starry front-line battlefield, the Central Continent was overrun by demonic cultivators, and even within the Xiang Jianzong there were many who committed all manner of evils.

Could he truly stand by and do nothing?

Could he truly let their free will grow wild?

Obviously not.

So he raised his sword, and made many attempts besides.

Truth be told, there was one moment back then when he truly entertained the thought of a single sword-stroke severing all evil thoughts from the hearts of all beings, leaving only perfected persons in the world.

Fortunately, he calmed down in the end.

People are born into the world; the seven emotions and six desires—greed, anger, ignorance, love, hate—are the most ordinary of feelings.

If he truly erased all evil thoughts from all beings, how could people still be people?

And how could they be called perfected persons?

With even the true self rendered incomplete, all beings would become puppets beneath his sword.

"I know what you want to ask." Xu Xing sighed softly once more. "But some answers, even I myself am still seeking, so I cannot answer you either."

He truly was unaccustomed to these matters.

Even Xu Xing sometimes felt himself rather melodramatic.

As a transmigrator, he had clearly already stood at such a height, clearly only needed to lower his bottom line a little and...

But if he truly did that, he wouldn't be himself anymore.

And he'd be even more unworthy of what Master once...

His thoughts stirred, yet not a hint showed on his face, as Xu Xing continued.

"Perhaps after another person is found, you may obtain a different answer from him."

"Compared to me, he's actually better at these things."

"What you see today of the Xuan Realm in all its aspects cannot be said to be entirely due to him, but he played the most crucial role within it."

"..." Xili was silent for a while. "You mean Saint Emperor Yuan?"

"Correct."

Xu Xing was not surprised that Xili could think of who it was so quickly.

Since she wished to understand these things, she could not possibly be unfamiliar with the Great Reform Era, and naturally could not be unaware of Yuan.

"I understand."

Xili nodded slightly and did not say more on this topic.

The senior himself said he was still seeking answers, and Saint Emperor Yuan had gone missing over fifty years ago, and from the sound of it had still not been found.

Then saying more would serve no purpose.

"By the way, Senior, I have one more question."

"Go ahead."

"These past few days, I wanted to learn about the developmental history of the Xuan Realm at the Scripture Transmission Hall, but I found that the history of the Xuan Realm seems a bit strange..."

In the vast Scripture Transmission Hall, there was not a single book that completely recorded the history of the Xuan Realm from ancient times to the present.

Not even a brief description.

Only the lives of a few True Immortal ancestors and a handful of Dongzhen cultivators were relatively clear.

And the further back in time, the vaguer the related content became.

It felt as if the entire history of the Xuan Realm were shrouded in a layer of fog.

What's even stranger is that, although the Xuan Realm surpassed the Earth Immortal Realm in every respect, it didn't even have a calendar for recording years…

"These things are still far too distant for you right now." Xu Xing paused, then said, "You only need to know that at this current stage, the 'past' of the Xuan Realm does not belong to the human race."

The past…

Does not belong to the human race?

Is it related to the 'great enemy' the senior mentioned before?

All sorts of guesses surfaced in Xili's mind, but in the end she bowed once more, her thoughts settling into calm:

"Thank you, senior, for clearing up my doubts. I have no more questions."

"Mm."

Xu Xing gave a slight nod, and on his open palm appeared another pearl, radiating five-colored light, yet within it was a chaos of murk.

"Speaking of which, this is also related to the fall of the Beast God back then." He mentioned it casually. "Nurture it well, and you'll have a portable grotto-heaven — it'll be convenient for traveling around in your daily life."

"Thank you, senior."

Xili didn't decline either, respectfully receiving it with both hands.

The instant the World Seed landed in her palm, a wondrous Dharma method also began to circulate within her sea of consciousness—

*Tai Xu Yan Jie Guan Shen Fa*

The situation in the Earth Immortal Realm was special — it was clearly a world of the Dongzhen energy tier, yet it only permitted the birth of Return-to-Void cultivators. Combined with the fact that it had been suppressed by the Beast God Clan for a hundred thousand years, the methods for nurturing a grotto-heaven had long been lost, so naturally one had to be given.

As for Daoist Xuanling, the instant he ascended and arrived at the Xuan Realm, he was detected by Hong Zun, who directly transmitted to him through the Xuan Immortal Net the four dharmas given to Jiang Lin—

the *Summon God Fa*, *Control God Fa*, *Enslave God Fa*, and *Devour God Fa*.

The four dharmas combined into one — the *Zong Hu Shi Ji Ji Wu Zhen Jing* — a True Dharma inheritance.

The various divine abilities within were all-encompassing, naturally including methods for nurturing a grotto-heaven.

Overall it was about the same as the *Tai Xu Yan Jie Guan Shen Fa*, and its affinity was even better, so naturally he had no need to take such an unnecessary step.

Watching Xili put away the World Seed, Xu Xing asked, "What are your plans after this?"

Plans, huh…

Earlier she had been preparing to join the Xiang Jianzong, but now…

"I'm preparing to go take a look at the Orthodox Alliance."

A choice entirely within expectations.

Xu Xing raised his hand and waved, sending her as well to the outer gate of the Xiang Jianzong.

Then, he turned to look at the setting sun that had already completely sunk down.

A long while…

Xu Xing raised a hand and pressed his brow.

"These days the questions the younger generation asks are getting more and more tricky…"

As the words fell, his figure vanished into thin air before the Xiang Jianzong Hall.

……

……