Chapter 779: The Starry Sky and a Shift in Tone
If Xiaomiao follows Star Deity Wenqu to study for a few hundred years, her Dao of Strategy should improve greatly.
With that thought in mind, Wang Sheng shifted his gaze to the third and fourth panels.
In the third panel, several simple wooden boats hid within a mass of mist. This likely meant the qi-powered fleet had grown to a certain scale and was now concealed in the shadows, ready to strike at any time.
The fourth panel contained more detail.
It was clear that Xiaomiao had taken a shortcut. Not wanting to draw too much or too precisely, she had compressed multiple scenes into one.
There was a shadow hidden beyond the edge of the frame. A large hand reached toward a wind-swept star, only for another hand to intercept and push it aside. At the point where the two hands collided were six "explosions."
This likely meant that over the years on Fengmo, an opposing force had launched six attacks, but the Xinghai Sect's experts had repelled them every time.
Someone had been probing Fengmo repeatedly...
Wang Sheng found this slightly puzzling.
Feng Jiu had once approached him directly and said a string of dramatic and embarrassing things. At the time, he had treated it as a joke. Only later did he realize that he himself could have been the one being treated as amusement.
Feng Jiu knows about Earth. If Feng Jui really is the Immortal Emperor, then he should have a clear understanding of the planet's situation. Why would he keep probing Fengmo in secret? Isn’t that a bit contradictory?
Wang Sheng considered several possibilities. In the end, he concluded that the entrances and exits of the Time-Cycle Grand Array were now sealed. Unable to enter, Feng Jui was no longer aware of Earth's current situation. Hence, he sent his subordinates to probe Fengmo instead.
This explanation made sense.
The Time-Cycle Grand Array was different from other arrays. It seized the workings of heaven and earth, then altered the flow of time within it. It was unlikely to have multiple entrances.
Wang Sheng had also considered that if Feng Jiu truly was the Immortal Emperor, then after the Three Pure Ones had taken him down, he might not have fully replenished his primal qi yet.
That said, can't the Three Pure Ones just directly eliminate the external devil?
Thinking about it confused him. He even doubted his own understanding.
He was only the reincarnation of a sacred spirit. What did he know about maintaining peace in the Three Realms?
"At least everything is fine."
He crushed the paper into powder and let it fall into the trash bin beside the sofa. He then stood and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window. Looking out at the lake, he saw several aircraft hovering above the water.
In just a few years, the world had already become unfamiliar.
Wang Sheng made a few more calls. He spent half an hour checking in on his parents and his mistress, asking about the current situation of the Hua Republic, and showing concern for his master, junior brother, junior sister, and their cultivation progress. It took him half an hour to handle all those matters.
Afterward, Ling Sheng and Er Gou stepped forward to pay their respects. Wang Sheng instructed them not to come into conflict with any beings here and to wake him if trouble arose. Only then did he sit back on the sofa, returning this portion of his awareness to his Primordial Spirit and continuing to focus on accepting the Dao of Creation.
Right now, Wang Sheng could sense Lishang’s presence.
Lishang had entered a mysterious state, lingering at the edge of the Dao of Creation. Together with Wang Sheng’s Primordial Spirit and Spiritless, she existed within a subtle, strange, and small world.
As Wang Sheng accepted the Dao of Creation and gradually merged with it, he became more aware of the changes taking place within Lishang.
Nuwa's bloodline was steadily awakening. The world they were in had a large amount of primordial power, which Nuwa had left behind, and a small portion of it flowed toward Lishang. The majority flowed toward Wang Sheng’s Primordial Spirit and Spiritless.
The word "Creation" carried endless possibilities, and the Dao of Creation acted as a catalyst for other Great Daos. Born before heaven and earth, it existed beyond them. By leaving it to the sacred spirit, Nuwa intended for the sacred spirit to take her place and continue protecting the Three Realms.
Looking at his own hands, he murmured, "Is it not exhausting to dedicate every bit of effort I can muster into protecting everything?"
Wang Sheng had much simpler goals: eliminate the external devil and protect what he could. He had neither the will nor the strength to concern himself with everything else.
Lishang would likely gain many benefits here. After leaving, she could even become a powerful figure representing Nuwa's lineage. Moreover, he no longer had any use for the ancient treasures she had given him before. He could return them to her and allow the brilliance of Nuwa’s lineage to shine once more in the endless space.
Spiritless had already been fully restored, and its sword spirit was undergoing subtle changes under the Dao of Creation's influence.
Wang Sheng had spoken with Yaoyun before. Through the Dao of Creation, he could allow her to shed her identity as a sword spirit or remain as one and grow even stronger.
Yaoyun had chosen the latter without hesitation. Now, as Wang Sheng inherited the Dao of Creation, he held Spiritless within his Primordial Spirit, allowing it to gradually transform.
Even he could not say how powerful the sword would become in the future. Once his Primordial Spirit emerged from seclusion, he would continue nurturing it with Chaos Spiritual Dawnlight. It could even become a forged spiritual treasure comparable to innate spiritual treasures.
This was only his speculation. He would have to wait seventy to eighty years, when he had fully accepted this complete Great Dao, for the actual outcome.
During this century, he would not have the capacity to comprehend the other Great Dao he had previously comprehended.
The Dao of Creation's brilliance overshadowed other Dao, including the Dao of the Stars and the Dao of Pure Yang. Even so, Wang Sheng would not neglect them. A Dao inherited from another was like borrowed power. It would certainly be strong and stable, but the Daos he had developed himself gave him a greater sense of grounding.
"Several decades..."
Wang Sheng sighed quietly.
How many decades does a person even have in a lifetime? I already have such an incredible fortune. I even got the chance to grasp a Great Dao of this level in just a hundred years. If everything goes smoothly in the years ahead, then in the final twenty years, I’m going to keep a portion of my awareness outside.
My parents still won't be that old by then, but my future will likely be spent traveling far and wide. I won't be able to stay at home and fulfill my duties as a son. In those twenty years, I will also have to find a way to improve my own depth and bearing.
Wang Sheng decided to read and study academic works, philosophical writings, and famous military texts. He wanted to enrich himself and broaden his thinking and perspective.
Books contain vast amounts of wisdom and imagination. This is the fastest way I can think of to improve myself. Come to think of it, among my subordinates and companions, doesn’t it feel a bit like the balance is tilted?
Ling Sheng had broken through her limits with the help of the Dao of Creation. In a few decades, Lishang will also grow into a formidable expert. My other two subordinates, Hu Chang and Long Liekong... Forget it. No need to bring them up.
Wang Sheng shook his head and focused on accepting the Dao of Creation. His emotions gradually faded until he no longer felt sorrow or joy, leaving only stillness within the Dao.
***
In a great city beneath the Primal Qi Passage of Tianfeng.
Hu Chang muttered, "Haaaa... When will I get to see Miss Ling Sheng again?"
In a large residence, he lounged in a reclining chair as several delicate female cultivators massaged his legs and fanned him.
Long Liekong, who was seated cross-legged on a cushion in the distance, glared at him. "Watch your mouth."
Hu Chang waved it off with a grin. "Yeah, yeah."
He stretched lazily, dismissed the attendants, then carried his chair over. He sat beside Long Liekong, who raised a hand and set up a barrier.
Only then did he open his eyes and sternly scold, "That secret concerns our master’s safety. Do not treat it lightly. It must never be exposed."
Hu Chang chuckled. "I know that. Those girls are not outsiders."
"How can you be sure they are not spies?"
"I already slept with—ahem, I already checked!" Hu Chang said, patting his chest. "Relax, Old Long. If anything happens, I will take the responsibility."
"Hmph. You and I are as insignificant as dust. Our deaths mean nothing," Long Liekong replied calmly, which made Hu Chang roll his eyes.
The two followed Wang Sheng, but there was a difference between them. Long Liekong was under the Fiend-Controlling Incantation's effects. His thoughts revolved solely around serving Wang Sheng.
Meanwhile, A Great Dao oath bound Hu Chang. Since following Wang Sheng, his life had been comfortable and enjoyable. He never felt bored.
The difference between them was clear.
Hu Chang was about to tease him further when a streak of golden light shot in from beyond the sky and landed outside the city.
Soon after, they heard a knock on the door. With a gesture from Hu Chang, two female cultivators stepped forward to open it. They led a young monk with delicate features into the building.
Huai Jing, one of the current pillars of Earth’s cultivation world, had paid them a visit.
Hu Chang and Long Liekong immediately stood to greet him. The trio then entered a secret chamber. After activating multiple layers of arrays, they discussed serious matters.
Huai Jing was Xiaomiao's most trusted and relied-upon expert. After all, he was Wang Sheng’s close friend and someone who always put Earth first. He used to be the well-regarded Dragon-Subduing Arhat as well, slaying fiends and devils while protecting mortals.
Having reincarnated, he was now a rather famous gaming-obsessed monk. His heart remained devoted to single-player games, though he had shed tears over online games.
Huai Jing had recovered about eighty percent of his peak strength thanks to the foundation from his previous life. In single combat, it would be easy for him to defeat an ordinary Taiyi Golden Immortal.
In many situations where their own major experts could not act, Huai Jing was the one who stepped in to resolve matters.
Among the arhats, those who subdued dragons and tigers were not ranked especially high, but they were known as the enforcers of the Buddhist sects. They were quite powerful.
"We have an urgent matter," Huai Jing said steadily. "From what I've seen so far, it is quite troublesome. I need two capable and reliable people to assist me. Would you two be willing?"
With a troubled expression, Long Liekong hesitated. He muttered, "Buddhist Master, you are my master's close friend, but asking for our help so often feels somewhat—"
"He is not an outsider, Old Long," Hu Chang cut in. "Stop being so stingy. It is just a favor. Buddhist Master, when do we leave? Where are we going? Who are we dealing with?"
Huai Jing paused, then took out three pairs of eyeglass-shaped "treasured artifacts" from his sleeve. "The accounts are ready for you two. We will talk inside."
Long Liekong and Hu Chang exchanged serious looks and nodded. They put on the glasses and soon sat down cross-legged.
Before long, a brand new scene appeared before their eyes, slightly blurred at the edges. Their adventure for the day began.
This was one of the three great tools of Earth’s cultural expansion.
Within the civilization of cultivation, they had built a large-scale virtual network centered on planets, combining cultivation, social interaction, and gaming.
This format spread rapidly and generated immense profit, supporting a large portion of the qi-powered fleet.
