The five of them looked on with somber eyes.
There was no blame or resentment in their gaze, only admiration for the five who had passed and heartache for Xu Xian...
Dying because of him.
Severing their own reincarnations.
Sacrificing their very souls.
In many cases, those who remain alive suffer more than those who have died.
The scene before them was proof of that...
They thought that if he had any other choice, their little junior brother would never have done this. It was no wonder he said he had a reason he must ascend to the heavens, a reason he had to brave such danger.
"Little Eleven..." Jiang Wanyin started to speak, but the myriad words of comfort died in her heart before they could reach her lips.
She knew that any words would be pale and powerless against the self-blame and pain Xu Xian carried.
Xu Xian still laughed cheerfully, acting as if it were nothing. "It’s fine... I’ve long since gotten used to it. It’s been four hundred years, after all."
Four hundred years.
Indeed.
For four hundred years, he had carried these secrets alone.
And yet, he could still stand here.
He could still squeeze out a smile. Even if it was forced, it was enough to show the strength of his heart.
The five of them remained silent, unsure of how to comfort him as they silently processed everything they had learned...
The Cangming Realm above.
Fanzhou below.
The Sky Gate before them.
Xu Xian asked as if talking to himself, "Senior Sister, Senior Brothers, do you think this is retribution?"
The five were confused, unable to follow his train of thought.
Xu Xian took it upon himself to explain. "Back then, someone made me swear an oath. If I broke it, my master would meet a gruesome end. I made the oath, and then I broke it. So, Master really did meet a gruesome end."
His eyes held a pleading wait as he gazed at the five in front of him, as if he truly cared about receiving a definitive answer from them.
Was that how it was?
For four hundred years, he had thought about this question every single moment. Much like Nangong Ning in the past, he couldn't help but ask himself: Why wasn't it me who died?
Having truly seen through Xu Xian's thoughts...
Jiang Wanyin smiled.
"Hehe..."
It was a laugh mixed with helplessness and heartache.
Ye Xianyu smiled as well...
Then followed Lin Fengmian, Yao Xiqiao, and finally, the most slow-witted one, Lei Yunche...
"Haha!"
"Hehe!"
"Haha!"
Now it was Xu Xian's turn to be confused. He furrowed his brows and asked, "What are you laughing at?"
Jiang Wanyin said warmly, "We are laughing because although you are a sage of the mortal realm, you are as childish as a boy."
Ye Xianyu chimed in, "Indeed. Just like a little kid."
Lei Yunche nodded in agreement. "Yes, very childish."
Xu Xian was stunned, his thoughts in a whirl...
Yao Xiqiao's broad palm landed on Xu Xian's shoulder. He gave it a gentle pat and said seriously, "Little Eleven, these years have been hard on you."
Xu Xian's gaze slowly swept across these five familiar faces, and he naturally understood.
He wasn't stupid.
In fact, he was quite cunning.
He also felt that asking such a question was indeed a bit childish.
The past...
Is in the past.
Time will not flow backward.
Those events will not be undone just because of self-blame, regret, or remorse.
Live in the moment.
Look to the future.
As his master had said, the rights and wrongs would be judged by future generations; it wasn't for him to worry about.
As long as he had a clear conscience,
That was enough!
He adjusted his thoughts, smoothed his brow, and smiled from the bottom of his heart. "It wasn't hard. Tenth Senior Sister once said that with great power comes great responsibility."
An old saying.
A joke.
And yet, it was the truth.
Ye Xianyu gave him a mock glare. "Using my words against me again?"
Xu Xian chuckled.
Seeing the subject change, Jiang Wanyin stopped dwelling on the past and spoke directly. "Since everything has been laid bare and we know the cause and effect, ascending to the heavens is indeed urgent. For Fanzhou, for the world, and for the ambitions of our predecessors, we can only let you bear this hardship alone."
Xu Xian responded solemnly, "It is my duty."
Jiang Wanyin didn't say anything more and continued, "We cannot help you with things in the heavens, but in the mortal realm, we will do our utmost, even if it means giving our lives."
Lei Yunche immediately stated his stance. "Senior Sister is right. Little Eleven, just say the word. What do you need us to do?"
Casting aside their sorrow and looking at the present, the five of them gazed at Xu Xian with burning eyes.
Xu Xian's throat bobbed. His gaze fell upon the Five-Direction Platforms and the Sky Gate. He no longer hid anything and revealed his entire plan.
"If I want to ascend to the heavens, I must first open the Sky Gate."
"On the day of my ascension, I will destroy this formation to trigger the lightning tribulation and become a True Immortal. I will welcome the Sky Gate onto the Ascension Platform and open the path leading above the heavens."
"At that time."
"The Breath of Darkness will surely pour into the mortal realm in a continuous stream."
"I need my five senior brothers and sisters to set up another great formation to suppress and kill the Breath of Darkness."
"To ensure,"
"That before I reach the heavens, the Breath of Darkness will not spread throughout the mortal realm."
"If any dark creatures take the opportunity to emerge,"
"They must also be suppressed and killed immediately..."
The five of them understood. This was not difficult to grasp, and doing it wouldn't be hard either—it was nothing more than a major battle.
They had no objections.
However...
Jiang Wanyin asked cautiously, "And afterward? Will this Sky Gate need to be sealed again?"
Xu Xian shook his head.
"No?"
Ye Xianyu followed up, "What do you mean?"
Xu Xian told them the truth. "Once I reach the heavens, I will shatter the Sky Gate, completely severing the passage between Fanzhou and the world above."
Upon hearing this, their hearts skipped a beat.
Even if,
They had predicted it earlier.
Hearing it with their own ears was still different.
Shattering the Sky Gate.
Those above wouldn't be able to come down.
Those below wouldn't be able to go up.
Recreating the path to immortality was merely a ruse...
"Then doesn't that mean you won't be able to come back either?"
"Yes, isn't that too risky?"
Xu Xian said with a hint of helplessness, "Right now, this is the only way to extend Fanzhou's life for another thousand years, or even longer."
Hearing that it was the only way, their attempts to persuade him stopped.
Compared to the life and death of all living beings, any other argument or reason...
Was far too pale.
Ye Xianyu pouted, her mood low, but her tongue remained sharp as she complained, "Master only sealed the Sky Gate, but you're actually going to cut off Fanzhou's path to immortality... Future generations will surely curse you to death."
"They'll curse you, Xu Xian, for taking away all the world's powerhouses."
"They'll curse you, Xu Xian, for severing the immortal opportunity for those who come after."
Xu Xian said dismissively, "Better to have people cursing than to have a world devoid of spirit, barren and silent, wouldn't you say?"
Ye Xianyu said weakly, "I can't win an argument with you. You've been glib-tongued since you were a child. Even Little Qingshan often suffered at your hands..."
Xu Xian didn't deny it.
He did indeed have some talent for words.
Not much,
But enough!
After a brief silence, Xu Xian returned to the main topic. "Senior Brothers, Senior Sister, if there are no other issues, I will teach you the formation now so we can get familiar with it."
Jiang Wanyin looked up, her eyes like autumn water as she asked, "Can you really... still come back?"
"Of course," Xu Xian said with absolute confidence.
The others were half-convinced, their eyes filled with intense scrutiny.
Xu Xian took the initiative to comfort them. "Don't worry. There isn't just one path in this world. Wait for me for a thousand years. Once my twelve stories of the Sword Tower are fully open and I can cover the heavens with a single sword, I will step across the sky and take you all with me..."
He bragged a little.
Showed off a bit.
But for some reason,
The five of them believed him without a shadow of a doubt.
Jiang Wanyin pondered for a moment. "Alright, let's begin then..."
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