Chapter 352

Deep within the Profound Subtle Peak's cave abode, the quiet chamber is dustless.

Wang Ping sat cross-legged on a warm jade futon of chaotic hue, his eyes slightly closed, his breath subtly harmonizing with the circulation of the cave abode's spiritual veins and even the natural Dao rhythm of Profound Subtle Peak. Within his dantian, the Chaos Nascent Soul's precious light lustrous, the Heaven-Overturning Seal and Chaos Calamity Sword each occupying a side, nourished by the chaotic flow, their spirituality growing day by day, and their bond with Wang Ping becoming ever more seamless.

After returning from discussing the artifact theory, another seven days passed. During these seven days, Wang Ping did not go out, nor did he rush to start a new artifact forging or deeply study the《Chaos Immortal King's Artifact Forging Insights》. He simply sat in meditation, carefully sorting out the various insights, impacts, and inspirations gained from forging his two personal magic treasures and exchanging views with the three patriarchs, letting them settle as part of his foundation.

Artifact forging is not merely a skill; it is a deep excavation and integration of one's understanding of the Great Dao and one's own power. Through forging, he gained a more concrete and subtle comprehension of the various aspects of chaotic power—'inclusion', 'evolution', 'harmony', 'suppression', and even 'destruction'. Discussing the Dao with the patriarchs broadened his horizons, making him realize the lofty and unique nature of the inheritance he had received, and he saw a possible path to combine it with the present cultivation world's artifact forging system.

At this moment, he was immersed in a deeper contemplation of the concept of 'law ecosystem construction'. Within his sea of consciousness, taking the 'Suppress' character divine glyph as a foundation, the Chaos Immortal Essence simulated various law fragments of different attributes and tendencies (simulated from his past experiences with materials, divine abilities, and celestial phenomena), attempting to construct tiny, stable 'law modules' with specific functions such as protection, spirit gathering, and illusion-breaking. This was not for immediate application but a mental exercise aimed at enhancing his understanding and structuring ability of complex law systems.

Just as his mind and spirit calmed, and his deduction reached a critical balance point——

"Whoosh!"

A faint yet exceptionally clear ripple transmitted from the outer protective formation of the quiet chamber. This ripple was not an attack or a forced intrusion, but a specific, permitted communication access request, and it carried a familiar sharp and aloof intent that Wang Ping recognized.

Wang Ping slowly opened his eyes; the chaotic hue in his pupils flowed, and in an instant he penetrated the walls of the quiet chamber and the external formation, seeing the object that triggered the ripple—a talisman hovering in the mist outside the cave abode.

This talisman was anything but ordinary. It was not a typical jade slip or paper crane, but a roughly three-inch-long strand of condensed, substance-like 'sword qi'! The sword qi shone with a clear, cold silver-white like autumn water, its edges flowing with starlike faint light, hovering silently yet spontaneously slicing the surrounding air and spiritual energy, exuding a piercing sword intent of 'cutting through falsehood, pointing straight to the truth'. It was the unique sword-intent communication talisman of Cang Xuan.

With a thought from Wang Ping, the outer formation of the cave abode opened a slit. The sword-shaped communication talisman, as if sentient, transformed into a fine yet extremely swift silver light, slipped through the gap, and in the blink of an eye appeared inside the quiet chamber, hovering about a foot before Wang Ping, its tip trembling slightly, pointing at his brow.

"Cang Xuan Brother's message…… actually takes this form, and seems to have added a special sword-intent encryption." Wang Ping's eyes narrowed slightly. Using sword qi as a talisman is already rare, and furthermore it bears an encryption that can only be deciphered by a specific sword intent or divine sense frequency, indicating the sensitivity and importance of the message's content.

He did not touch it directly with his hand, but extended his divine sense gently, not with a forceful impact, but by imitating a certain quality of the 'lone blade' sword intent he had felt when fighting side by side with Cang Xuan—that resilient fortitude forged through vicissitudes yet unyielding, and the decisive resolve to cut through all mist. At the same time, his own Chaos Divine Sense coiled upward, using its all-encompassing nature to try to 'soothe' and 'communicate' with this sharp sword qi.

Chaos and sword intent—one inclusive, one sharp—seem contradictory, yet under Wang Ping's exquisite control they achieved a certain subtle balance. His Chaos Divine Sense resembled the most supple silk, wrapping around that sword qi, seeping in thread by thread, not breaking it but rather resembling 'resonance'.

"Clang—"

An extremely faint sword chime, as if ringing directly from the depths of his soul and spirit, emanated from the sword qi. Immediately, the silver light on the sword qi's surface flared brightly, the sharp sword intent melting away like ice and snow, revealing a slender thread of condensed starlight that truly carried the information. The starlight dispersed, transforming into countless tiny, sparkling runes bearing Cang Xuan's sword dao aura, which arranged and combined, eventually condensing in Wang Ping's sea of consciousness into clear words and image fragments. The whole process lasted about three breaths, after which the sword qi communication talisman exhausted its power and silently dissipated into the air.

In his sea of consciousness, Cang Xuan's cold yet subtly concerned voice sounded, accompanied by some blurry but information-rich images:

"Wang Brother, seeing the talisman is like meeting you. I have safely returned to the Heaven Azure Tribe."

The image flashed: Cang Xuan's back as he stood before a towering, perilous mountain range where sword qi pierced the heavens, with palaces and pavilions built into the mountains in the distance, their style stern and simple—exactly the landmark scenery of the Heaven Azure Tribe.

"Regarding Daoist Youying, I have not forgotten for a moment. Upon my return, I immediately activated the Star Palace's secret-transmission disciple privileges, and after reporting the relevant interests and harms to the elders of the tribe (omitting absolute secrets like 'disorder' and emphasizing only the involvement of ancient forbidden arts and important companions), I gained access to the storage area of the 'Void Secret Record' deep within the Hidden Sword Ancient Pavilion."

The image shifted, revealing a dust-filled chamber with shelves lining the walls, yet permeated with strong spatial fluctuations and an ancient aura. On the shelves were not ordinary books, but numerous pieces of dim-colored bone fragments, jade tablets, and metal shards of various shapes, etched with indecipherable ancient patterns.

The 'Void Secret Record' is ancient and fragmented, involving the Dao of Space, making it hard to decipher. I spent over a month sifting through three hundred twenty-seven related fragments, and finally on a piece recording the migration and major events of the ancient 'Void Clan'—the 'Sacrificial Bone'—I found a faint clue possibly related.

In the sea of consciousness, that grayish-white bone fragment, its surface covered with tiny pores and spiral patterns, was magnified. Cangxuan's voice followed, carrying a hint of solemnity:

According to the vague records in the fragment, at some ancient time, an extremely unstable 'Return to the Abyss Rift' appeared deep in the void, posing a danger of devouring all things and polluting reality. The nearby 'Void Clan' (a people skilled in spatial arts, said to have long vanished) mobilized the entire clan to perform a forbidden technique called the 'Great Void Seal'. The specific principle is unknown; the fragment only mentions 'using the clan's blood as a guide, the void as a prison, eternally sealing the rift's source, causing the clan's fortune to decline.' The price was extremely heavy; after this battle, the Void Clan suffered great vital injury and soon disappeared in the river of history.

In the vision, an extremely blurry phantom appeared: countless figures stood in the void, jointly forming seals, as vast spatial power surged, forming a huge, complex cage seemingly made of countless chains and runes, pressing toward a twisted rift emitting an ominous aura. The vision was filled with tragedy and desolation.

Cangxuan's voice continued: "I carefully compared the aura and residual Dao rhythm of Daoist Youying when he last performed the 'Void Eternal Seal', as well as the fragment's sporadic descriptions of the 'Great Void Seal' (such as 'the void as a prison', 'eternal seal', etc., core concepts). I infer that the technique Youying employed, even if not the 'Great Void Seal' itself, is highly likely to be a higher-level, more extreme variant thereof, or a similar forbidden technique inspired by it. Its core is to sacrifice the practitioner's own and the void's partial 'vitality' as payment, in exchange for absolute sealing and isolation of the target's 'state of existence'."

Wang Ping's mind and spirit were shaken. Although he had already guessed, receiving the clue verified by Cangxuan from the ancient records of the Tiancang Clan still made his emotions surge. The resolute figure beneath Youying's icy visage appeared again before his eyes.

"If this speculation is true," Cangxuan's voice grew more solemn, "then breaking the 'Void Eternal Seal' is absolutely not something that can be done by brute force or ordinary spatial arts alone. The fragment hints that once such a forbidden technique succeeds, it becomes deeply bound to the 'spatial structure' and 'void origin' at the site of its casting, forming a near 'law-level' sealed state. Forcibly breaking it would likely cause the imprisoned one, together with that space, to be utterly annihilated."

"Therefore, the way to break it may require satisfying two extremely stringent conditions." Cangxuan spoke, pausing between each word as if weighing their weight: "First, a specific spatial environment. One may need to find a special spatial node similar to the setting when the forbidden technique was cast, or possessing some 'void resonance' characteristic, to serve as the 'fulcrum' or 'buffer' for breaking it. Second, an extremely high-level spatial origin object. This object must have the ability to gently permeate, and even temporarily 'replace' or 'neutralize' the part where the forbidden technique binds to the void, creating conditions for safely disengaging the seal. Both are indispensable."

"I have already reported this matter to a reclusive elder of our clan who specializes in ancient void secret arts and lost history, the 'Star Scar Elder'. The elder has shown interest in this matter and agreed to use his private collection and connections to continue investigating more detailed records of the 'Great Void Seal', as well as clues to possible 'spatial origin objects' that could meet the conditions. As soon as there is news, I will transmit it to you immediately."

Finally, Cangxuan's voice softened: "Brother Wang, Daoist Youying fought with his life to secure a chance for us. This kindness and grace are as vast as heaven and earth. Pursuing the method to break it, I, Cangxuan, cannot shirk my duty; I will exert my utmost effort. You, at the Dao Academy, please take care and persist in cultivation. Should we gain anything later, we may need to gather again to discuss breaking the seal. Take care."

The transmission ended here. The images and sounds in the sea of consciousness gradually faded, leaving Wang Ping sitting alone in silence, his emotions unsettled.

"Void Clan… Great Void Seal… specific spatial node… spatial origin object…" Wang Ping silently recited these keywords, his eyes sharp as a blade. The information brought by Cangxuan, though still vague, at least pointed a direction, breaking the near-desperate confusion he had been in. Especially the point of 'spatial origin object' made him involuntarily think of the Jianmu seed within his dantian.

Jianmu, connecting heaven and earth, stabilizing myriad worlds, is undoubtedly the ancestral root of space, its essence undoubtedly belonging to the highest-level spatial origin object! But it is currently in its infancy, its power weak, and deeply bound to him; whether it can be used to break the 'Void Eternal Seal' remains unknown. Nevertheless, this is a hope, a unique advantage that only he might possess.

"It seems that accelerating the cultivation of the Jianmu seed and investigating its related spatial mysteries must be put on the agenda." Wang Ping secretly resolved. At the same time, he must also pay attention to information about other possible spatial origin objects existing in the cultivation world.

Just as he had finished digesting Cangxuan's transmission and was preparing to think further—

"Ding……dong……"

A wave of extremely ethereal, elusive fairy music, as if transmitted from beyond the nine heavens, suddenly rang out in the quiet chamber. This sound was not heard through the ears but acted directly upon the soul, like the purest spring water cleansing the mind, and like an echo in an empty valley, carrying a soothing and purifying power.

Wang Ping blinked slightly, then immediately realized: "Liuli Fairy?"

In the quiet chamber, as the celestial melody flowed, specks of pale gold light, like fine starlight, appeared out of thin air. They did not drift randomly; instead, they danced and combined lightly to the rhythm of that ethereal melody, gradually tracing out one complex and beautiful musical pattern after another, resembling natural Dao markings. These musical patterns were not static; they breathed and flickered like living things, ultimately forming a completely illusory yet beautiful talisman made solely of melody and spiritual light—the Celestial Sound Transmission.

Yu Liuli hails from the Fallen Immortal Clan, excelling in the Dao of sound and soul; naturally, her method of transmission is unique, filled with an ethereal artistic sense and the clan's characteristics.

Wang Ping fixed his gaze and tried to read them directly with his divine sense. However, as soon as his divine sense touched those musical patterns, he felt a slight stagnation and resistance; the patterns seemed to have their own rhythmic barrier, rejecting a blunt probe.

"Need a specific musical rhythm to decipher…" Wang Ping recalled his parting with Yu Liuli; she had mentioned that if there were a transmission, it could only be fully understood by resonating with the Dao of sound. Clearly, this is a clever method the Fallen Immortal Clan uses to prevent transmissions from being intercepted and decoded.

As for sound, Wang Ping was not versed in it, but he had his own method. With a thought, the 'Seal' character divine seal in his sea of consciousness flickered faintly, exuding a tranquil Dao rhythm that suppresses myriad laws and clears chaos. At the same time, he mobilized his own chaotic divine sense, simulating the 'pure', 'soul-cleansing', 'lucid' state he felt when contacting Yu Liuli's celestial sound bell.

The power of chaos can derive all myriad laws. Though Wang Ping is not versed in sound, he can use his own cultivation realm to 'simulate' and 'approach' that specific Dao rhythm frequency. Like the most patient listener, he gently adjusts the 'fluctuation' of his divine sense, attempting to produce 'resonance' with the inner rhythm of those musical patterns in the air.

At first it was not smooth; those musical patterns continued to flicker, keeping him at bay. But Wang Ping remained calm and unhurried, settling his mind to carefully perceive the tranquility, compassion, insight, and a faint hint of vigilance hidden within the ethereal celestial melody. Gradually, his chaotic divine sense seemed to take on a thin golden halo, and its fluctuation became smooth and rhythmic.

"Hum…"

When the fluctuation of his divine sense finally matched a key musical node, the musical patterns in the air all trembled at once, then, like dandelion seeds blown by the wind, they turned into countless finer specks of light that flowed into Wang Ping's sea of consciousness.

This time, there were no clear words, but rather a segment that seemed to act directly on the soul, filled with vivid imagery—a 'sound imagery' and a 'soul whisper'.

In the imagery, first appeared Yu Liuli's exquisite, ethereal visage; she was in a realm of misty clouds, flying cranes, and palaces of jade and pearl half-hidden, with a backdrop of a colossal tree seemingly carved from white jade and a spring flowing with seven-colored iridescent light—exactly the sacred scenery of the Fallen Immortal Clan.

The soul whisper then sounded, its voice ethereal and pleasing, yet with a hint of gravity: 'Daoist Wang Ping, be at ease upon receiving the message. Liuli has returned to her clan; her wounds have largely healed under the Nine‑Cycle Soul‑Nurturing Immortal Pill and the nourishment of her homeland, and her immortal soul has further improved—do not worry.'

The scene shifted to a library filled with ancient scrolls, bamboo slips, and silk fabrics, the air redolent of sandalwood and the scent of old volumes. Yu Liuli sat upright before a jade table, before her spread a yellowed brocade embroidered with special silk threads into intricate patterns and ancient characters.

"After returning to the clan, I immediately consulted the clan's secret archives, especially those concerning ancient mysteries, records of other races, and some prophecies and ballads. Given the strange aura and unfathomable methods of that silver‑robed cultivator, I suspect his origin is anything but ordinary, and perhaps traces of him lie in even older records."

The view focused on that embroidered brocade; what was stitched thereon was not a continuous text, but a series of seemingly fragmented lyrics rich in metaphor and symbolic meaning, accompanied by tiny ancient annotations. Yu Liuli's fingertip was resting on one of those passages.

The soul whisper continued: 'In a fragment of the ancient ballad collection titled An Shi Yao, whose age is unknown, I found a passage extremely obscure and long debated. The original text reads: "Silver‑clad envoy, coming from the far shore, holding rule and square, measuring the world's edge. Freezing life, solidifying the river of time, sowing seeds of silence, awaiting… the day of reaping."'

As the whisper sounded, the corresponding lyrics on the brocade glowed faintly; the ancient characters seemed to come alive, outlining in Wang Ping's sea of consciousness the corresponding image: a vague figure clad in silver robes, wielding a strange tool like a ruler and a set square, walking across a barren land—wherever he passed, all things congealed, colors faded, life was cut off, leaving only cold, lifeless silver‑white.

This image bears a striking resemblance to the silver‑robed cultivator they encountered in the immortal palace fragments—his aura of freezing spiritual power, extinguishing life, and exuding absolute order and indifference. Especially the descriptions 'holding rule and square, measuring the world's edge' and 'freezing life, solidifying the river of time' are practically a portrait of that cultivator's abilities.

Yu Liuli's voice carried a hint of chill and bewilderment: 'This passage, in the clan's historical commentaries, is often interpreted as a symbolic depiction of some kind of heavenly calamity, the end of the Dharma, or external demons—because it is so extraordinary and lacks concrete evidence, it is usually regarded as ancient imagination or a prophetic metaphor. But having seen that silver‑robed cultivator with my own eyes, I strongly suspect that the object described in this lyric likely shares the same origin, or is the force behind him.'

"The An Shi Yao is of extreme antiquity, possibly even predating the war that ended the ancient era. If what it points to is true, then the existence of this "Silver‑Clad Envoy" and the force he represents could stretch back farther than imagination allows, and its purpose—"measuring the world," "freezing life," "awaiting the harvest"—is downright chilling."

The scene shifted again: Yu Liuli left the library and came to a secluded valley shrouded in hazy moonlight, where a few simple thatched huts stood; before one of them sat a blurred figure whose aura seemed to merge with the moonlight—an old man.

This is no trivial matter. I have already reported my findings and speculations to an Ancestral Grandmother who lives in seclusion year-round and is said to inherit the Fallen Immortal Clan's most ancient 'Moonlight Spirit Communication' method. Upon hearing, the Ancestral Grandmother fell silent for a long time, only saying that this ballad involves great weight; she needs to calmly sense the ancient intent of the moonlight, attempt to communicate with even older inheritance marks, in order to give a more definite interpretation. I have left a means of contact; once the Ancestral Grandmother has any result, she will inform me immediately.

Finally, Yu Liuli's face appeared clear once more, her eyes showing concern and resolve: "Wang Ping Daoist, the matter of the Silver-robed cultivator is shrouded in doubt; behind it may lie a great secret that could overturn understanding. I and Cang Xuan Daoist are both investigating; you, being in the Dao Institute, also need to be cautious. The Dao Institute's inheritance is long-standing; perhaps it also contains relevant records. Let us stay in contact, exchange information. I hope your cultivation advances and all is well."

The imagery and faint whisper of the immortal sound transmission slowly faded, the quiet chamber returned to silence, only that ethereal melody seemed to linger faintly in the air.

Wang Ping remained silent for a long time.

Cang Xuan brought a precious clue about the possible source and solution direction for the Shade's "Eternal Void Confinement"; although the road ahead remains difficult, at least there is a glimmer of hope.

And Yu Liuli's discovery is even more chilling. If the lyrics of the "Ballad of Pacifying the World" truly point to the Silver-robed cultivator and the power behind him, then what they face may be a colossal entity that has existed for who knows how many ages, with a bizarre and terrifying purpose, and evidently left traces even in the War that Ended Antiquity, or earlier! "Measuring the World," "Freezing Vitality," "Awaiting Harvest"... these terms combined paint a picture that sends chills down one's spine.

"Silver-clad apostle… holding a rule, measuring the world, freezing the vitality of all things…" Wang Ping repeated softly, his eyes deep. This feeling completely matches the "absolute order," "eliminating anomalies," "cold observation" he sensed during his previous encounter. What are they? Where do they come from? What is their purpose? And what relation do they have to the "Origin of Chaos"? Are they hostile, or is it some more complex relation?

Problems are like layers of mist, but at least Yu Liuli has found a possible historical anchor. The existence of the "Ballad of Pacifying the World" means this force did not appear suddenly; it has left faint yet unsettling traces in the long river of history of the Spirit Realm (or the wider world). This in itself is a major breakthrough.

"The Dao Institute's inheritance is long-standing..." Wang Ping recalled Yu Liuli's reminder. The Ninth Dao Institute has stood for countless eons; the core area of the Myriad Phenomena Sutra Pavilion's library holds vast collections, and perhaps there truly are traces concerning the "Ballad of Pacifying the World" or similar records. It seems that consulting the relevant sections mentioned in the Secret Chronicles Scroll of the library should also be put on the schedule.

He slowly rose and walked to the window of the quiet chamber. Outside, the clouds and mist of Profound Subtle Peak drifted slowly in the night, and the lights of the distant Dao Institute sparkled like scattered stars. Beneath the tranquil surface, undercurrents already surged.

The Shade lies dormant in the Eternal Void Confinement, awaiting a faint ray of redemption; the mysterious Silver-robed force is like a ghost, appearing and disappearing in the shadows of history, its purpose unfathomable; while the threat of Chaos has been temporarily sealed, it remains like a sword hanging overhead, unknown when it will fall again.

The road ahead is rugged, mist thick. But Wang Ping harbors no fear, only an ever more firm determination and sense of urgency.

He returned to his mat and sat down, not acting immediately but first repeatedly pondering, memorizing, and integrating the information sent by Cang Xuan and Yu Liuli in his sea of consciousness; then he began to consider his next steps of action.

1. Accelerate the cultivation of the Divine Tree Seed, exploring the means to wield its spatial-origin power. This is a key reliance for possibly breaking the Eternal Void Confinement in the future, and also one of the cores of his own Grand Dao of Chaos growth.

2. Study the "Chaos Immortal King's Artifact Forging Insights" deeply to quickly improve artifact-forging skill and mastery over Chaos power. A strong magical treasure is the basis of Dao protection, and the forging process itself tempers one's comprehension of the Grand Dao.

3. Go to the Myriad Phenomena Sutra Pavilion to search for ancient secret records possibly related to the "Ballad of Pacifying the World," the Silver-robed force, the Void Clan, the Great Void Seal, and Objects of Spatial Origin.

4. Regularly keep in contact with Cang Xuan and Yu Liuli, synchronize information, and coordinate actions.

5. Fulfill the duties of a Dao Institute instructor, accumulate contributions, while using the Dao Institute's resources and platform to raise cultivation, expand connections, and stockpile resources against possible future major changes.

With thoughts clarified, Wang Ping's state of mind returned to clarity. He closed his eyes again, not to continue his previous logical deductions, but to sink his awareness into the dantian, communicating more attentively with the Chaos Nascent Soul and the Divine Tree Seed, beginning a new round of cultivation and nurturing.

Outside the cave dwelling, the night deepened and stars filled the sky. Profound Subtle Peak remained tranquil; only within the cave dwelling did that deep and vast Chaos aura, like a soundless tide, pulse slowly with the master's breath, accumulating the power to rip apart darkness at dawn.