Chapter 1818: Seeking the Answer

The spatial crystal containing the sealed Yin Li Tianwang and the Spirit Tome fell before Jiang Li Tianwang, and the many Outer Shenzhou Tianwangs led by the latter were all shaken by Li Luo's plain words.

Gazes filled with disbelief stared at the two figures frozen within the spatial crystal.

One of them was none other than Yin Li Tianwang!

The Divine Fruit Li Tianwang, who had wrought evil across the Outer Shenzhou world for years, leading the Guiyi Hui and bringing countless calamities upon the Outer Shenzhou—had he truly been sealed so effortlessly by Li Luo in this very moment?

The many Tianwangs exchanged glances, each seeing the complexity and surging waves within the other's eyes.

In the end, these emotions coalesced into a profound reverence, all of it converging upon Li Luo.

Although to the Outer Shenzhou Tianwangs present, Li Luo was merely a rising junior of the younger generation, on the path of cultivation the accomplished come first, and Li Luo had clearly now reached the very end and pinnacle of Xiangli.

That was a step beyond Li Tianwang.

He commanded the pseudo-Tenth Grade "Misty Void Xiang," and this strength had already surpassed that of the Divine Fruit Li Tianwang.

Among the many Tianwangs, Li Taixuan and Dantai Lan also gazed at the tall, straight-backed youth with eyes full of comfort and pride; seeing Li Luo achieve what he had today brought them far greater joy than if they themselves had stepped into the pseudo-Tenth Grade realm.

As parents, what brings the greatest pride is never one's own accomplishments, but children who are like dragons.

They knew the hardships Li Luo had endured along this path, and naturally felt proud of what he had achieved.

The youth who once fretted and agonized over his Empty Xiang had now reached a level that even Tianwangs regarded with reverence.

Yet amid the reverent gazes of the many Tianwangs, Li Luo fell into a brief silence because of the question Jiang Li Tianwang had asked with such expectation.

Had he found the answer?

Was the final answer within the ruins of the Faceless Holy Sect this pseudo-Tenth Grade "Misty Void Xiang"?

"This answer is still not enough." Li Luo slowly shook his head, his voice somewhat low.

When his voice spread out, the excitement that had surfaced on Jiang Li Tianwang's and the others' faces immediately began to fade, for they understood what Li Luo meant.

Even though he now commanded the pseudo-Tenth Grade "Misty Void Xiang," this power was still insufficient to change the fate of the Outer Shenzhou world.

Because when the ten-year deadline arrived, that "An Sect Master" would reach perfection and step into the true Tenth Grade realm.

That realm was beyond any comparison with the pseudo-Tenth Grade.

It was the true sovereign of worlds.

The many Tianwangs could not help but raise their heads, gazing at the black sun and blood moon at the edge of the heavens—that eerie monstrosity seemed like a pitch-black demonic eye, looking down upon the world's living beings with mockery and cruelty as they made their final death throes.

A powerful sense of helplessness rose within the Tianwangs' hearts.

The joy brought by Yin Li Tianwang's sealing had by now completely vanished.

A heavy, oppressive atmosphere spread out.

"Luo Li Tianwang, can you advance into the Tenth Grade?" In the end, Jiang Li Tianwang took a deep breath and asked.

To defeat the An Sect Master, they could only rely on the true Tenth Grade realm, and in today's world, only Li Luo still held even a sliver of that possibility.

And faced with Jiang Li Tianwang's question, brimming with final hope, even Li Luo at this moment could not give him an answer—for how arduous was the true Tenth Grade?

Back then, that Sect Master had likewise commanded a pseudo-Tenth Grade Light Xiang, yet even so, she had failed to take that final step.

Even the terrifying "An Sect Master," born from the fusion of that Sect Master and the Source of All Evil, had needed long ages of scheming before finally touching upon the Tenth Grade realm.

And what about him?

He had merely relied on the lingering grace of those before him to command the pseudo-Tenth Grade "Misty Void Xiang," so Li Luo did not feel he could compare with that Sect Master.

Li Luo raised his head and gazed at the grand, mysterious cluster of divine palaces atop the "Black Sun and Blood Moon" at the edge of the heavens; mysterious light flowed across the palaces, as if Jiang Jiang Qinge's gentle gaze were watching over him.

However, this was no reason to give up.

The time Sister Jiang Qinge had poured out all her strength to win for him—he would not let it be wasted.

No matter how arduous this path, he would strive to seek it out.

Because he wanted to, on the day the ten-year deadline arrived and Sister Jiang Qinge fell into unprecedented weakness, truly stand before her and become the mountain that sheltered her.

"For the coming years, I will remain within the sect ruins to seek that final answer." Li Luo spoke calmly.

The many Tianwangs led by Jiang Li Tianwang all wore solemn expressions, then bent deeply and performed a great bow toward Li Luo.

"The survival of the Outer Shenzhou is entrusted to you, Luo Li Tianwang."

They knew whether the Outer Shenzhou world could endure a few more years—its final hope rested upon Li Luo.

If he truly could find the answer to the Tenth Grade, then naturally everything would be resolved; if not, then the Outer Shenzhou world would utterly become the An Sect Master's plaything, trampled and manipulated by him, transformed into a place of eerie distortion.

Li Taixuan and Dantai Lan stepped forward; the former patted Li Luo's shoulder and said with a smile, "Don't put too much pressure on yourself. Just do your best."

Dantai Lan said gently, "If it truly doesn't work out, then when the time comes, take Jiang Qinge and return to House Luolan House. Your father and I will be waiting for you there. Even if the Outer Shenzhou truly perishes, at least our family will be together, and so even that destruction would be nothing to fear."

Hearing their words of comfort, Li Luo smiled and nodded, then reached out and embraced them both. Without lingering, his figure moved and vanished into the void.

Jiang Li Tianwang and the others gazed at his disappearing figure and could not help but let out a wistful sigh.

Now that Yin Li Tianwang had been sealed, the Guiyi Hui was utterly leaderless; this once-dire threat was no longer to be feared, and the Dark World had also quieted down, so for a moment, all the Tianwangs felt a sense of bewilderment, not knowing what to do.

"Everyone, return to your own places and enjoy the time that remains."

Jiang Li Tianwang looked at the Tianwangs and said, "These years you have all toiled holding the Wang Hou Battlefield—I speak on behalf of the Outer Shenzhou's living beings to first thank you all for your sacrifices."

He cupped his fists and bowed to the Tianwangs, and the others likewise returned the courtesy in turn.

In the end, Jiang Li Tianwang's eyes were complex as he said, "The matters of the future are no longer something we can handle. Therefore, the Li Tianwang Alliance is hereby dissolved. May each of you find smooth passage on your Dao."

At these words, the many Outer Shenzhou Tianwangs present all showed a trace of sorrow in their eyes. This alliance—built through the efforts of the previous generation of Tianwangs during the darkest era of the Outer Shenzhou, sustaining its lifeblood through one difficult moment after another—had now met its end.

This ending was somewhat bleak, steeped in helplessness.

Because they all understood that once that An Sect Master descended, this Li Tianwang Alliance, which had guarded the Outer Shenzhou for ages, would lose its reason to exist.

They could change nothing.

Tianwangs, who in the eyes of the world stood lofty as gods, were no different from ants before that An Sect Master.

The Tianwangs' spirits were low, and they said no more; one figure after another turned and departed, vanishing into the heavens and earth.

Jiang Li Tianwang watched the Tianwangs leave, his expression also somewhat forlorn. Then he cupped his fists toward Li Taixuan and Dantai Lan, who had yet to depart, and without a word, his figure faded and vanished.

Li Taixuan and Dantai Lan exchanged a glance, cast one last look at the Faceless Holy Sect ruins, and with a soft sigh, took each other's hand and set off toward House Luolan House.

They would wait there for Li Luo and Jiang Jiang Qinge's return.

And no matter what the outcome, they would face it with equanimity.

Outside the ancient ruins, silence returned.

Li Luo's figure, meanwhile, appeared once more within the Starry Sky Arena. He stood before the Wang Zuo, his gaze fixed on the purple meditation cushion at its center.

This was the place where that Sect Master had cultivated.

Li Luo sat down cross-legged before the purple meditation cushion. He stared at it for a long while, his frost-silver eyes rippling with strange waves. He faintly sensed that on the purple meditation cushion, there lingered a wisp of subtle aura.

That aura was ancient and grand, powerful and mysterious.

Yet it hovered between existence and non-existence.

Li Luo understood that this must be the aura belonging to that Sect Master.

But even now, he could not truly see her.

Was it because he was not yet worthy of that qualification?

Then, what was still lacking?

Li Luo's frost-silver eyes gradually closed, as if he had entered the deepest level of meditation. He was contemplating the final answer.

Perhaps it would take a very long time, but he had a vague premonition.

If nothing unexpected happened, the direction of that answer was the Many-Phase Seed.