Chapter 287: Creation from Nothingness

“Regardless, hand over the item first.”

From the identity device came Lu Qingqing’s voice: “The compensation I promised you will not be lacking in the slightest.”

Jiang Jian’s expression turned peculiar, but he said nothing more and agreed outright.

The Book of Life and Death originated from the divine essence stored in the Odd Realm, forged from void into substance, shrouded in profound secrecy.

Previously,

he had already examined it with the Earth Store Jade Seal.

Making it truly functional is not easy.

It seemed she sensed Jiang Jian’s thoughts.

Lu Qingqing’s tone shifted and she spoke: “Jiang Jian, what are your thoughts on using the Book of Life and Death?”

Jiang Jian paused to consider, then said: “This Book of Life and Death has limited utility; on its own, it holds little power.”

“But if paired with the rules of the Underworld, using special methods to integrate it, perhaps other transformations may arise.”

His words fell silent.

Lu Qingqing nodded lightly and said: “That is precisely my thought.”

“Not just me.”

“Even the ones behind me share this intention.”

As she spoke,

her tone subtly grew somber.

“To be honest, the moment I obtained the Book of Life and Death in my personal capacity, I will immediately surrender it to my family’s ancestral elder.”

“He will personally journey to the Underworld, visit the True Lord of Death, and jointly study this artifact with him.”

“The reason our Lu family does this—”

“is because the True Lord of Death himself once said—”

“the current rules of the Underworld, though slightly altered, remain fundamentally chaotic and twisted.”

“The notion that the dead must inevitably appear in the Underworld is no blessing at all.”

“I have seen it with my own eyes.”

“The dead exist in that horrifying manner.”

“Is this called a second life? It’s absurd!”

“This suffering is torment—for both the deceased and their loved ones.”

Lu Qingqing’s voice grew resolute.

“This Book of Life and Death, forged by the Odd Realm’s might from void into substance, must at least possess one unique trait!”

“I still believe it can serve a purpose!”

Upon hearing this,

Jiang Jian’s expression grew slightly solemn.

He realized—

Lu Qingqing’s goal was not to use the Book of Life and Death to extend others’ lifespans.

She sought to fundamentally rectify the rules of the Underworld!

But Jiang Jian knew well—

to restore the Underworld’s rules to completeness,

a single Book of Life and Death was far from enough.

Only if the entire Yinshan Odd Realm, like the Moon Realm to the Moon World,

were to descend into the Underworld, shed its Odd Realm nature, and merge its space with it, might such a thing become possible.

“Lu Qingqing.”

Jiang Jian suddenly spoke: “This Book of Life and Death can indeed alter lifespans.”

After weighing his options, he chose to reveal the truth.

He knew full well: once this news spread, it would ignite a storm across the Surface World!

Yet—

what Jiang Jian truly wished to see was—

how the one who obtained the Book of Life and Death would use it.

Though Lu Qingqing took the Book of Life and Death in her personal capacity,

Jiang Jian understood—

given her relationship with the Jade Capital Sovereign,

it was implausible that her actions lacked the True Lord’s guidance behind them.

Moreover,

the Book of Life and Death contained only limited primordial essence.

Without subsequent power to sustain it, it would be like a tree without roots or water without a source—its utility would not last long.

Upon hearing this,

the other end of the communication fell instantly silent.

After several seconds,

Lu Qingqing said: “Jiang Jian, you can’t be joking about this. Are you serious?”

Jiang Jian spoke softly: “I only just discovered it myself.”

“The Book of Life and Death can alter lifespans, control life and death.”

“This artifact, forged from void into substance, carries within it the primordial essence of a deity.”

“As long as a name and birth date are written upon it, one can expend its divine essence to use the Book’s unique trait to extend a being’s lifespan.”

Jiang Jian’s gaze was calm, his tone inexplicable.

“Yet the divine essence consumed to extend lifespan is unimaginable.”

“If abused recklessly,”

“this Book of Life and Death will not last long.”

On the other end,

Lu Qingqing remained silent, still processing this shocking revelation.

The essence of the matter was, in fact, very simple.

The primordial essence of a deity was the core power behind extending lifespan.

The Book of Life and Death was merely a method—a way to utilize divine essence.

Deities could do anything.

But for mortals, without special means, they could do nothing against the divine essence, vast as heaven itself.

The Book of Life and Death was forged from void into substance.

Its true function lay in formulaically using divine essence through relatively correct methods.

“True divine essence.”

After a long pause, Lu Qingqing let out a bitter laugh: “This is simply too rare.”

The acquisition of primordial divine essence was exceedingly scarce.

Broadly speaking,

every divine gift weapon, every divine gift talent on Earth contained divine essence.

All spiritual flowers, rare herbs, heavenly treasures, and sacred lands emerged only by sensing divine essence.

Yet the divine essence within these things was far too thin to be practically utilized.

Even the scarce spiritual treasures struggled to yield divine essence.

Across the Four Worlds of Earth and Moon, the only places universally recognized as rich in divine essence were the Odd Realms.

Aside from planetary rings,

the Odd Realms absorbed the most divine essence.

Artifacts born of “void into substance” within them naturally carried vast quantities of divine essence!

Because only with abundant divine essence could one achieve creation from nothingness!

Creation from nothingness. Void into substance.

Such acts, defying logic and physical law,

could be accomplished by no one—

save deities.

The various Odd Realms, born from absorbing divine essence, were among the few places in the Four Worlds where one could directly encounter divine essence.

“Where shall we meet?”

Jiang Jian looked at the identity device: “I’ll deliver the item to you.”

Lu Qingqing sighed: “If it’s convenient for you, come to the Seventh Realm. My ancestral elder wishes to meet you.”

Jiang Jian’s gaze sharpened: “Is it Lu Yezhen, the True Lord?”

“Precisely him.”

Lu Qingqing nodded: “When you arrive at the Seventh Realm, simply call on your identity device. I’ll come out to meet you.”

The communication ended.

Jiang Jian paused in thought, then flipped his palm and activated the Earth Treasury Jade Seal.

The vast Yinshan Wonder trembled instantly!

The space around it blurred and twisted, piercing through dimensional barriers at an unimaginable speed, heading toward Chang’an Prefecture.

“If I remember correctly,”

“the Jade Capital Lord also bears the surname Lu.”

Jiang Jian’s eyes narrowed in thought.

The Lu family is the second-most prominent clan on the surface world.

Two True Lords in one family.

Even across the Four Realms of Earth and Moon, there is no other such case.

For ordinary beings,

the Spirit Platform realm is already unattainable.

Yet within a single clan, two True Lords have emerged.

The probability is so vanishingly small, it can be entirely disregarded.

Rumors once claimed,

that Lu Yezhen was merely a spiritual manifestation of the Jade Capital Lord.

The two Spirit Platform cultivators were, in fact, the same person.

For after he glimpsed the Spirit Platform, he withdrew into seclusion, remaining within the Seventh Realm, never stepping out.

But this claim shattered instantly after the Earth Alliance issued its official decree—utterly baseless.

Lu Yezhen is recognized by the Four Realms of Earth and Moon; in the eyes of the world, he is a true Spirit Platform True Lord.

However,

Jiang Jian once glimpsed a hidden corner of the Lu family within the Wall-Contemplation Hall.

Lu Yezhen’s Spirit Platform realm, in another interpretation, was not a true Spirit Platform.

Rather, the Jade Capital Lord had used an unknown method to elevate his cultivation beyond the Divine Palace, reaching a state akin to a “Spirit Platform.”

Even so,

the true nature of the matter remains unknown to all.

Jiang Jian speculated that Lu Yezhen’s inability to leave the Seventh Realm for centuries might be tied to this very matter.

Suddenly,

the identity device chimed again.

Jiang Jian lifted his wrist and glanced at it.

The incoming call identifier clearly read “Jiang Jian.”

However,

beneath it was marked: “ Fushushenfenqi .”

Jiang Jian swiped his finger to answer the call.

“Y-you’re out!”

A voice like a golden oriole rang from the device.

At the same moment,

the other side activated live video.

A gray fox sat on the ground, raising its paw, gazing at him with wide, hopeful eyes.

“Jixue.”

Jiang Jian raised an eyebrow. “You’re still on the Interrealm Shuttle?”

The background behind the gray fox was unmistakably the shuttle’s cabin.

“I—I am.”

Jixue stammered, speech halting.

Jiang Jian fell silent for a moment. “Calm down first.”

Jixue nodded vigorously.

It had not spoken to Jiang Jian in too long; a faint sense of distance had formed deep within its spirit.

After a while,

Jixue took several deep breaths, steadied its mind, and Mianqiang regained its former familiarity.

It gazed at the holographic screen and whispered, “I’ve been outside the Second Realm with Guai Guai for nearly two years—the shuttle’s fuel is almost gone.”

The next second,

it seemed to remember something and hastily raised its wrist. “Oh! The Zhou family of Taiping Prefecture sends resources every half-year—I’ve already inventoried them all for you!”

“The total estimated value of these spiritual resources is eighty-four million Alliance Credits!”

Jixue beamed with pride, clearly seeking approval. “Over these two years, the resources Guai Guai consumed totaled seven million Alliance Credits.”

“The things I used amounted to one million three hundred thousand Alliance Credits.”

“I’ve recorded every item meticulously—no oversight whatsoever.”

Beside it,

Zhou Qingyue walked into frame, her high ponytail swaying, arms crossed. “The entire Linjiang Prefecture is empty—you’ve only just emerged?”

Jiang Jian glanced at her, then asked Jixue, “How much fuel remains on the Interrealm Shuttle?”

Jixue calculated carefully. “Enough for half a year.”

Jiang Jian nodded. “No need for that long. Stay put. Wait outside the Second Realm’s gate—I’ll have new orders in a few days.”

Hearing this,

Jixue visibly brightened, wagging its fluffy tail and chirping, “Alright!”

Zhou Qingyue leaned against the sofa beside it. “By the way, I need to tell you something.”

Jiang Jian asked, “What is it?”

Zhou Qingyue said, “After Linjiang Prefecture was sealed, many were relocated to neighboring prefectures.”

“I heard from Zhou Lingling,”

“that a girl was assigned to her neighborhood—she looks exactly like you.”

Her expression grew slightly grave.

(End of Chapter)