Xu Xian’s lips twitched. Above the Heavens, dark creatures, the Spirit-Devouring Tribe?
He did not deny it, but...
"Master was right. However, I still have to stay alive first."
If he were to fall in Fanzhou and die at the hands of the Twilight Emperor, then going to the realm Above the Heavens would be a moot point.
The five of them fell silent.
Li Taibai’s expression was somber as he said helplessly, "I know. However, even the three First Ancestors could not wipe him out. What could I possibly do? If there were a way, he would have ceased to exist long ago."
Xu Xian hurriedly said, "I am not saying we should kill him. I am asking if we can reinforce the seal so he simply cannot come out."
Li Taibai pondered for a moment. "It is possible."
Xu Xian’s eyes lit up.
But in the next second, Li Taibai doused his excitement with a bucket of cold water.
"To extract Fanzhou’s fortune to reinforce that seal would come at a price: the trapping formation sealing the Sky Gate would weaken," Li Taibai said calmly.
The implication was clear.
Either defend against the Twilight Emperor.
Or defend against the dark creatures.
The priority was obvious.
He was also telling Xu Xian that it was not that he did not care about the Twilight Emperor, but that he had no way to deal with him.
The Twilight Emperor’s awakening could still be delayed somewhat.
But once the Sky Gate formation weakened and the Breath of Darkness poured into the world of Fanzhou...
What awaited Fanzhou would be a dark invasion that even Immortal King powerhouses Above the Heavens could not withstand.
Xu Xian gave a bitter smile. "Pretend I didn't ask."
His senior brothers also gave bitter smiles.
The current predicament was indeed too cruel and difficult for this little junior brother they had picked up for free.
But...
He was the Sword Bearer.
If even he could not handle it, then Fanzhou’s fortune was truly meant to end.
Li Taibai comforted him, "I can sense that although the seal is loosening, it is still subject to the suppression of this world’s laws. His true body will not break free for the time being. You still have time..."
Time?
Xu Xian felt a wave of dejection. He had time, but what could he do with it?
He could not reach the heavens to find an Immortal Soul.
He could not burrow into the ground to kill the Twilight Emperor.
Time...
It was nothing more than a waste of his life.
At least at this moment, he could not think of how to respond to or resolve these troubles.
But he did not complain. Compared to the sacrifices made by the five people before him for the sake of Fanzhou, his thoughts were insignificant.
After all, it was because of their protection that he had survived until now.
"Perhaps... I will try my best."
Xu Xian’s reaction made the five of them feel a faint sense of unease.
He was too calm.
From beginning to end, he was neither arrogant nor impatient, displaying a terrifying level of composure.
They were not sure if he was simply stunned by the news or if his mental fortitude was truly that strong.
Li Taibai returned to the main topic. "Do you... have anything else you want to ask?"
As his thoughts settled, Xu Xian gradually became calmer, and the chaotic ideas in his mind formed a clear line of inquiry.
Since he was here...
He should ask everything he ought to know and even the things he shouldn't.
He asked Li Taibai if the Chaos Mist could be traversed.
He wanted to confirm if there were any other paths from Fanzhou to the realm Above the Heavens besides the Sky Gate.
Li Taibai answered with certainty, "Before Fanzhou’s sky collapsed, it was impossible. Entering it would lead to certain displacement..."
Fanzhou, like the Wendao Sword Sect, possessed a world-protecting formation, and the Sky Gate was the formation eye.
He then asked Li Taibai if he knew what the Nether Beast of the Demon Abyss was.
Li Taibai thought for a while and eventually shook his head, saying ambiguously, "I am not sure. I only heard of it after coming to Fanzhou. Legend has it that the Nether Beast was born in the Nether Pool, and beneath the Nether Pool, a great terror of the Immortal King stage is suppressed. He might know..."
Xu Xian understood.
He had asked the old tortoise.
The old tortoise said he didn't know.
He asked Li Taibai again whether there were other Immortal King powerhouses suppressed in Fanzhou besides the Twilight Emperor and the old tortoise mentioned earlier.
Li Taibai answered truthfully, "In the past, there were seven Immortal King powerhouses under the Sovereign who shared a symbiotic existence with him. Four of them are in Fanzhou, while the whereabouts of the remaining three are unknown."
"Which four, and where are they?"
Li Taibai named them one by one. "There is one in the Demon Abyss, right beneath the Nether Pool. There is one beneath the Divine Moon Pool in the Great Desolation. There is one in the Cold Abyss of the North Sea, and there is one in the Central Plains."
Xu Xian silently committed these to memory.
He had to visit these places to see if there were similar leftover sword steles.
And to see if these fellows possessed good things like the Nether Tortoise did.
Xu Xian’s fourth question: "It is said there is a line in the North Sea that demon immortals cannot cross. What is that about?"
Li Taibai explained, "The demon masses of the North Sea were exiled by my Li clan ancestors."
"Oh?"
Li Taibai explained slowly, "In the past, when Fanzhou was first established and the formation was just completed, the Twilight Emperor had just been suppressed. His divine sense still remained, and he incited the first generation of Fanzhou’s living beings to launch the War of Heaven-Slaying."
"In that battle, the powerhouses of Fanzhou’s first generation gathered and forced open the Sky Gate to attack the heavens."
"The powerhouses of my clan descended to the lower realm."
"With a mere wave of their hands, they annihilated everything and suppressed the rebellion."
"The powerhouses of my clan, considering that these beings had been incited by the Twilight Emperor to act this way, acted out of mercy and respect for life, and drove those beings to the North Sea."
"To prevent the tragedy from repeating and the mortal realm from suffering, a law boundary wall was derived at the shores of the North Sea, prohibiting those powerful beings from crossing with their true bodies."
"Otherwise..."
"They would inevitably face the backlash of Fanzhou’s Heavenly Dao, which would wipe them out."
"This has been the case for a long time and has been maintained until now."
"However..."
"While the true bodies cannot come over, spirit bodies can. Those of the younger generation who have not been branded can also come over."
"After I came to Fanzhou..."
"I discovered this flaw and feared it might lead to trouble, so I personally made a trip to the North Sea and borrowed the Ten Thousand Demon Banner that can suppress the demon race, placing it within the sect."
"The purpose was to prevent the North Sea from descending into chaos and shaking Fanzhou’s foundation while we were sealing the Sky Gate."
After listening, Xu Xian came to a sudden realization.
So that was it.
Everything explained itself.
Descending to the mortal realm, sweeping through the Northern Borders with a sword, and establishing the Wendao Sword Sect—all of it was preparation for sealing the Sky Gate.
And the establishment of the Wendao Sword Sect was to balance this world and provide external security for the formation.
Waiting for his appearance.
This wait had lasted ten thousand years.
It was no wonder Li Taibai had set those rules back then, and no wonder the Wendao Sword Sect looked at character as well as talent when recruiting.
The responsibility the Wendao Sword Sect bore was never just to protect the peace of the Northern Borders.
It was to ensure the continuation of Fanzhou.
He understood everything now.
Everything was connected.
Xu Xian became even calmer.
They remained silent as the world grew quiet.
A glint of spiritual light flashed in Xu Xian’s eyes as he looked up. "One last question..."
"Speak."
The fires of gossip burned fiercely in Xu Xian’s eyes, carrying a hint of teasing as he asked, "Did you and Tu Sisi ever love each other?"
It was purely out of curiosity.
As soon as these words were spoken, Li Taibai was momentarily stunned, and the other four also took a sharp breath.
Their gazes shifted from the youth to Li Taibai.
Did they love each other?
Was there a story there?
They wanted to hear this gossip too.
Very much so.
The atmosphere became somewhat strange.
It was no longer heavy;
there was only gossip.
Li Taibai was somewhat surprised. "Who told you that?"
"Don't worry about that. Just say it, did you love her or not?" Xu Xian asked playfully.
The others also wore meaningful expressions, and their withered faces broke into teasing, half-smiles.
Li Taibai fell into his memories and then suddenly chuckled.
"I loved her."
"Ooh..."
The other four made a collective sound of intrigue.
Xu Xian followed up mischievously, "And now? Do you still love her?"
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