Chapter 641: Divining Yuan's Whereabouts

"Many thanks, Senior!"

Chen Shang's heart jolted. He immediately sat cross-legged on the cushion that had suddenly appeared before the dao arena, and hurriedly flipped open the jade book in his hands.

In truth, before coming here he hadn't really expected to get an answer — he'd only been trying his luck.

After all, Senior Xiang Jianzong had a myriad of affairs to attend to every day; he might not be able to spare the time…

Never imagined there'd actually be progress!

As a Tongxuan, the speed at which he absorbed information was far beyond what ordinary people could match, so it didn't take long before Chen Shang had flipped through the entire jade book several hundred times, committing every detail to memory.

The spirit of the Jieyan Yi had followed the First Generation Speaker away.

And the First Generation Speaker, in order to save her, had altered the original route…

The information recorded in the jade book flashed through his mind unceasingly.

A long while.

"Many thanks, Senior."

Chen Shang rose once more and offered a bow.

Xu Xing said nothing more about it, but instead said:

"Regarding the matter of Ascension, I spoke to you about it before, and during this period your Orthodox Alliance should have heard quite a bit of news as well."

Although the related news only circulated within the Xian Sect's internal network.

But with so many people in the Xian Sect, top to bottom, it was inevitable that people outside the Xian Sect would learn of it.

Not to mention the Ascension mission had already been posted at the mission pickup point like any ordinary mission…

The Orthodox Alliance, which had been keeping a close eye on the Xian Sect's movements, had surely studied it in private the moment they got wind of it.

"This…" Chen Shang held the jade book, a little awkward. "Indeed, there are some."

As the strongest faction aside from the Qidaxian Sect, how could the Orthodox Alliance not keep an eye on the Xian Sect's movements!

Things were a bit better now. After the incident with the Hehuan Sect, everyone had a better sense of their own limits.

But a hundred years ago, there was a period when the Orthodox Alliance actually studied the Qidaxian Sect as a 'hypothetical enemy'!

Of course.

Now, the purpose of watching the Xian Sect's movements was mainly to avoid falling too far behind.

And it wasn't just them — among the still-existing, named factions in the Xuan Realm today, which one could afford not to watch the Xian Sect's movements?

"It's only human nature; you needn't feel awkward about it," Xu Xing said.

If the Orthodox Alliance weren't watching the Xian Sect, that would be the abnormal thing.

And although Chen Shang had been the leader of the Orthodox Alliance in recent years, not everything could go according to his wishes.

Just like the Sect Master of the Xiang Jianzong, there were actually many things he had to take into consideration.

"Let's get back to the main topic."

Chen Shang's expression grew solemn, and he once again sat cross-legged on the cushion.

"Please go ahead, Senior."

Without a word of preamble, Xu Xing explained directly: "Before you came to the Xiang Jianzong, Ling Yin Fang's Sister Wan Zhu and your Orthodox Alliance's Ming Yu had already come here."

Just as expected!

Chen Shang wasn't surprised.

He said nothing and continued to listen quietly.

"The Taixuan Immortal Net is built upon the foundation of the 'Ascension Plan,' referencing the divine dao system of a world, and constructed with my power as its core. Its purpose is mainly to assist the 'Ascension Plan.'"

"The previous Xian Sect Grand Competition was, in fact, also a test of the Immortal Net's functions."

"Originally, we were going to wait until the Immortal Net's various functions stabilized further before considering expansion and deployment."

"But when those two heard there was news of the Abyss outside the world, they volunteered to take part in the Immortal Net's expansion and deployment…"

Previously, although Xu Xing had mentioned some concepts and ideas about the 'Ascension Plan' and the 'Taixuan Immortal Net' to Chen Shang, that was all it had been.

But this time, he went through the specific details, even touching briefly on the matter of the Taiyi Realm.

As for why…

The current 'Ascension Plan' had already reached the stage of gradual public disclosure; telling him wouldn't have much impact.

After a while, Chen Shang, who had listened to all of Xu Xing's explanations, fell silent.

Only after a good long while did he finally raise his head.

"Senior Xiang Jianzong, during the period when Daoist Ning and Daoist Ming Yu return to rest and recuperate, may this junior take over for them and take part in the Immortal Net's expansion and deployment?"

Before saying this, he had also thought it through carefully.

Although the Starry Sky Frontline battlefield was important, he was only a Tongxuan who had barely met the standard.

To put it bluntly, the battlefield wouldn't miss him with one fewer, nor gain much with one more.

Moreover, although battles did occur, they didn't happen at every moment.

"You want to go too?" Xu Xing felt it was a little strange.

Ming Yu and Sister Wan Zhu were Yuan's confidantes.

But you…

At most you'd only count as Yuan's 'colleague,' right?

"I ask Senior Xiang Jianzong to grant my wish."

Chen Shang's tone was firm as he bowed deeply.

Compared to the Starry Sky Frontline battlefield, the Immortal Net expansion and deployment involved traveling to unfamiliar realms and continuously setting up Immortal Net connection nodes — far more grueling.

As the former Speaker of the Orthodox Alliance — and one who had committed a grave mistake at that —

he naturally had to shoulder the responsibility. How could he let Daoist Ming Yu and Daoist Ning of Ling Yin Fang bear it alone!

……

……

The Taiyi Realm.

Located above the one hundred and eighth heaven, the Taiyi Continent longed for by countless living beings.

A certain Empty Extremity Holy Domain, hidden within the dim and unseen present world of the continent.

The core area of the Gao Ta within the city.

The soft dawn light emanating from the ground illuminated the surrounding strange crystals, each one sealing away a figure.

Before a crystal wall that sealed away many artifacts left behind by outsiders, a half-finished puppet floated silently.

Ming Yu stood before the puppet, channeling magic power from her fingertip, sketching out one mysterious, unfathomable semi-transparent rune after another before her.

Sister Wan Zhu, meanwhile, assisted from the side, drawing the runes Ming Yu had sketched toward the vicinity of the puppet.

The Kongji Shengzhu of Empty Extremity stood behind the two of them, watching their actions, a hint of something unfathomable flickering in her eyes.

With her own discernment, it was naturally not difficult to see that the two were employing a miraculous method entirely different from the supernatural system of the Taiyi Realm.

These outsiders this time were truly extraordinary…

One could see dense runes spread all around the half-finished puppet, resonating with one another like layer upon layer of spreading waves, flickering with a strange hue.

Under the effect of the runes, an elusive connection, using the half-finished puppet as a medium, continuously extended toward a distant and unknowable direction…

This was a method of divination.

Though Ming Yu's temperament was somewhat more impatient compared to the gentle Sister Wan Zhu, she had perfectly inherited the divination secret art passed down through the generations of the Listening Rain Tower—

"Listening Rain Observance of Omens Scripture"

Before the Listening Rain Tower was merged into the Orthodox Alliance, it was renowned throughout the Tai Xuan Realm precisely for this divination secret art.

"It's done!"

As the words fell, a sound like a raindrop hitting the ground gently rippled outward.

The runes spread around the half-finished puppet suddenly blazed with brilliant light, echoing one another; that faint, tenuous connection also became incomparably clear at this moment, swiftly extending toward a certain 'direction.'

The two stared intently at that tenuous connection extending into the dim unknown, and a flicker of curiosity also passed through the eyes of the Kongji Shengzhu of Empty Extremity.

Could it be that they truly could, by means of this miraculous method, find that unknown outsider who had crafted this half-finished puppet?

However, in the very next instant!

The connection extending into the dim unknown suddenly paused, and then, like a silk thread violently snapped by someone, the severed portion fluttered down.