"The Star Sea Origin Dao intent..."
Li Fan repeatedly savored the subtle insights transmitted from the Sacred Emperor.
At the same time, he faintly sensed the current state of the Xuanhuang Realm—a revival spreading from within outward.
"If not for the new-method cultivators devouring heaven and earth from within, and the Immortal Ruins looming outside, perhaps the Xuanhuang Realm truly could have gained a new lease on life."
"What a pity... it is doomed to treat only the symptoms, not the cause."
Even as he shook his head slightly, a sliver of doubt surfaced in his mind. Logically speaking, the Heavenly Dao of Xuanhuang could not possibly be ignorant of this. Instead of husbanding this power of revival to unleash it during the eventual final showdown, it had impatiently allowed it to unfold and spread.
What was the purpose behind this?
"Heh, let us wait and see."
***
The perspective shifted back to the Sacred Dynasty of Great Qi.
Upon sensing the unusual movements in the Xuanhuang Realm, Stone Slab immediately rushed to the Sacred Emperor Throne. Seeing the Sacred Emperor surrounded by the same surge of profound, mysterious aura, Stone Slab was taken aback.
"Do you already know what is happening in the Xuanhuang Realm?"
"No need for alarm. There is only benefit, no harm," the Sacred Emperor replied.
Stone Slab's expression eased slightly. "I thought the Xuanhuang Realm was facing its final doom and experiencing a terminal lucidity..."
"You are not entirely wrong. This power of revival, bursting forth from a fleeting moment of enlightenment, is destined not to last. But for us, it may well be a once-in-a-millennium opportunity," the Sacred Emperor said slowly after a brief silence.
"You mean... the Xuanhuang Orthodoxy plan?" Stone Slab paused briefly, then quickly understood.
"Indeed."
The Sacred Emperor nodded, and a miniature projection of the Xuanhuang Realm appeared before the two of them.
The original, primordial portions of the Xuanhuang Realm were represented by a glowing yellow.
The grotto-heavens and worlds captured using the Grand Star-Crossing Array by the indigenous forces of the Xuanhuang Realm, the Profound Heaven Sect, and the Ten Sects of the Immortal Dao following the collapse of the immortal dao were displayed in an eerie green.
Meanwhile, the wreckage of other cultivation realms forcibly stitched together by outsiders after the great calamity spread and shattered the sea of stars appeared as a dead, lifeless black.
This was information transmitted directly from the Heavenly Dao of Xuanhuang.
One could see that the yellow occupied less than one-thirtieth of the entire miniature realm.
The green made up about one-tenth.
As for the remainder, it consisted of vast expanses of pitch-black.
Seen this way, the yellow of Xuanhuang seemed like an anomaly.
Yet unlike the green and black, the glowing hue representing the Xuanhuang Realm seemed to possess an awareness and vitality of its own. As it pulsed, it continually seeped into and spread across the surrounding disparate regions.
To the naked eye, the green and black territories were not pure.
They were speckled with dots of dark yellow.
However, over several millennia, this erosion had grown increasingly sluggish, to the point of threatening to be overwhelmed in reverse.
Yet...
With the recent sudden surge of vitality across the Xuanhuang Realm, the outward diffusion of the Xuanhuang color had accelerated dramatically.
"Xuanhuang Orthodoxy..."
Stone Slab pondered. "There is no need to speak of the territories that originally belonged to the Xuanhuang Realm; everything that occurs within them is recorded in detail upon the Genesis Stone Slab. As for those green regions..."
Stone Slab examined them closely. "Some fall within the scope of the slab's records, while others do not."
"As for those black regions, they are complete blind spots."
Sacred Emperor Li Ping said, "If we do nothing, the ultimate fate of the Xuanhuang Realm will be to be swallowed by that overwhelming majority of black. In time, that darkness may well evolve into something entirely different."
"Therefore, we must strike first and deeply infuse Xuanhuang orthodoxy into the remnants of those external realms."
The Sacred Emperor's voice was low, yet the resolve within his words was unmistakable.
"How shall we proceed?" Stone Slab asked with growing interest.
"Observe the Dao of Heaven, execute the conduct of Heaven..."
The Sacred Emperor spoke slowly, and Stone Slab listened with rapt attention, nodding from time to time.
After thoroughly explaining the method, the Sacred Emperor's tone grew solemn. "When carrying this out, you must be exceedingly cautious, lest the culprit behind all this detects it."
Although the Sacred Emperor did not explicitly name the person, Stone Slab understood perfectly.
A rare, playful smile surfaced on Stone Slab's face. "As they say, moistening things silently. This method is so covert, and with the Heavenly Dao of Xuanhuang actively cooperating and obscuring it, even someone with peerless cultivation will find it impossible to notice, in my view."
The Sacred Emperor said gravely, "Do not be careless. Even if he is not present in Xuanhuang, we must remain vigilant against the contingencies he left behind."
Stone Slab nodded to acknowledge the warning.
"The fewer participants involved in this matter, the better. Ideally, Ruomu would have been the most effective choice. As an innate Tree Spirit, he is far more closely tied to the Xuanhuang Realm."
"It is not that I distrust him, but every move Ruomu makes draws the attention of the realm's other powerhouses. Acting directly would be far too conspicuous for him. Conversely, everyone believes you are crushed under the weight of the Genesis Stone Slab, oppressed at every moment, so they will subconsciously overlook you." Perhaps because the future of Xuanhuang was at stake, the Sacred Emperor was uncharacteristically verbose.
It sounded as though he were speaking to Stone Slab, yet also as though he were speaking to Ruomu.
"The darkest place is under the candlestick, as they say," Stone Slab agreed with a nod. "Now that I am freed from the weight of the stone slab, I need only alter my form, and I guarantee that not a single soul in the Xuanhuang Realm will ever connect me to my former self."
"Then wait a few days until this surging power of revival reaches its peak before taking action. That will yield twice the result with half the effort."
Stone Slab agreed immediately.
He did not leave, but stood quietly in the hall of the Sacred Emperor Throne, gazing at the miniature projection of Xuanhuang conjured by the Sacred Emperor.
The light at the center of Xuanhuang pulsed ceaselessly. Like a beating heart, it pumped strands of Xuanhuang radiance to every corner of the realm.
This included the green and black regions.
Even though the radiance showed signs of gradual assimilation within those foreign domains, the continuously supplied power of revival allowed it to temporarily maintain its true color. Slowly, at long last, even the outermost pitch-black fringes of the Xuanhuang Realm were tinged with a faint, imperceptible trace of Xuanhuang.
"It is time to begin," the Faceless Sacred Emperor said deeply.
Stone Slab smiled slightly. His figure flickered, and in an instant, two identical bodies split from him within the Sacred Emperor Throne.
Then two became four, four became eight, and eight multiplied into sixteen.
In merely the blink of an eye, the hall was filled with countless identical figures of Stone Slab, densely packed.
"Change! Change! Change!"
The Stone Slabs cried in unison.
In a flash, the clones transformed into all manner of living, real individuals across the Xuanhuang Realm.
There was an elegant scholar in white robes, a hunched woodcutter, a woman of peerless beauty, an irreverent old man...
Every form was vivid and distinct, bearing no trace of having originated from a single entity.
"I take my leave."
They bowed to the Sacred Emperor in turn, each wearing a smile, before their figures vanished from the Sacred Emperor Throne.
***
Simultaneously, across every province of the Xuanhuang Realm, unnoticed by anyone,
Several peculiar presences emerged.
Gathered within the Sacred Emperor Throne, they had appeared crowded; dispersed across the Xuanhuang Realm, they did not cause so much as a ripple.
"Observe the Dao of Heaven, execute the conduct of Heaven."
"When Heaven and humanity act in unison, the foundation is set amid myriad transformations..."
Murmuring these words under their breath, they made their way toward the populous mortal cities of each province.
The Sacred Emperor's plan was simple in concept.
In truth, it was to anchor heaven's foundation through human will.
Leveraging Stone Slab's ability to disguise himself as anyone, countless avatars infiltrated the mortal population.
They subtly and gradually spread knowledge of the existence of the "Xuanhuang Realm" to all mortal living beings.
Mortals of this age only knew of the tiny corners of the world in which they lived. They possessed no conception whatsoever of this world, the Xuanhuang Realm.
The very concept of the Xuanhuang Realm did not exist within their thoughts.
The first step in establishing Xuanhuang orthodoxy was to introduce the concept of the Xuanhuang Realm they inhabited into their minds.
Naturally, this was not something that could be achieved in a single day; it would require years, or even over a decade, of dissemination.
Moreover, to avoid detection, he had to take the trouble of immersing himself among the mortals, spreading it by word of mouth.
Yet with Stone Slab's capabilities, even dividing into tens of thousands of avatars, achieving this was not difficult.
A single mortal, a hundred, or a thousand were as insignificant as ants, but when all mortals across the Xuanhuang Realm were united, they constituted a force that could never be ignored.
Once consensus was reached among the mortals of the Xuanhuang Realm, the second phase of the plan could proceed.
Using the will of All Living Spirits of Heaven and Earth, they would mount a synchronized counterattack to encircle, suppress, and devour the lingering consciousnesses of those foreign cultivation realm remnants.
This step required the assistance of Master Yin.
As a being akin to a world wraith, Master Yin possessed a profound understanding of how to devour world consciousness.
After working alongside the Heavenly Dao of Xuanhuang to complete the encirclement and suppression of the realm remnants, the final step would be to help those remnants fully integrate into Xuanhuang.
In reality, the vast majority of regions in the Xuanhuang Realm had already achieved superficial integration.
Only a very few provinces still suffered frequent anomalies due to improper fusion.
Such regions were like festering sores and rotten flesh, requiring a thorough surgical cleansing to destroy before rebuilding.
If the first and second steps could still be concealed beneath the radar,
The third step would inevitably alert the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals, and perhaps even Heavenly Venerable Chuanfa beyond the starry sky.
At that point, a clash of arms would be unavoidable.
However, according to the Sacred Emperor, as long as the second step was completed, even if they ultimately failed,
The grand trend would already be set, and no one would be able to reverse the tide.
Unless they gathered more remnants of cultivation realms and spent nearly ten thousand years carrying out another cycle of dismemberment and reassembly.
Faced with the Sacred Emperor's grand plan, Stone Slab—who had not felt excitement for ages—found his blood boiling.
Beyond saving the Xuanhuang Realm, the benefits of success were self-evident.
He would grasp even more authority over heaven and earth, ascending to become an existence far surpassing the Longevity realm.
For whatever reason, Stone Slab would never refuse such an initiative.
A dozen or so years was nothing more than the blink of an eye to him.
***
Within the Sacred Emperor Throne,
Li Ping summoned Ruomu.
A truly wise man never placed all his eggs in one basket.
Naturally, he would not entrust a task as momentous as establishing Xuanhuang orthodoxy solely to Stone Slab.
Even though Stone Slab was trustworthy, and even though the plan carried low risk.
He spoke words nearly identical to those he had told Stone Slab, merely phrasing them differently.
The primary agent for executing the goal became Ruomu.
And the Living Spirits of Heaven and Earth meant to absorb the concept of the Xuanhuang Realm were switched to the ordinary flora and fauna of the realm.
"You are the progenitor of all living creatures beneath the heavens. Exerting a subtle, imperceptible influence upon them should be well within your power."
"The will of the Xuanhuang Realm must be established."
To Ruomu, this was a trivial task.
Moreover, the fact that his withered branches had recently sprouted fresh buds had reinvigorated his spirit.
Filled with rare drive, he readily agreed.
***
"Ruomu, Stone Slab."
"Relying on them alone is still not enough."
"In the end, I must take the field in person."
"A threefold insurance is the only way to ensure nothing goes amiss."
The Sacred Emperor's thoughts flowed steadily.
"Clashing directly with the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals is the open battlefield."
"Establishing Xuanhuang orthodoxy is the battle in the shadows."
"By comparison, this shadow conflict is far more critical. There is only one chance; to lose is to lose everything."
While the Sacred Emperor contemplated, his forehead slowly bulged.
Amid swelling flesh and blood, a fleshy growth steadily expanded.
Li Ping remained motionless, as though completely oblivious.
After nearly half a day, the flesh burst open, and a mass of Xuanhuang qi bounded out.
Wreathed in Xuanhuang qi, the image within appeared hazy.
It looked somewhat like Mr. Bai, yet also resembled Li Ping himself.
"Cat Treasure."
The Faceless Sacred Emperor woke Cat Treasure from its slumber.
Only after he gave the scruff of its neck a squeeze did it reluctantly activate its duplication ability.
Another identical mass of Xuanhuang qi appeared within the Sacred Emperor Throne.
"Go!"
The Sacred Emperor gave a soft cry, and the two masses of Xuanhuang qi pierced through the void, departing the pocket world of the Sacred Dynasty and flying toward different provinces of the Xuanhuang Realm.
They did not merge directly into the Heavenly Dao, but lay dormant in secret.
The Sacred Emperor let out a soft cough. Even with his immense strength, he felt a brief, subtle wave of weakness at this moment.
That mass of Xuanhuang qi separated from his body could, in a sense, be viewed as the Xuanhuang malice he had swallowed in the past.
Only, after his own refinement and blend with the Sacred Dynasty's fortune through the Heavenly Emperor's Qi Canon, it had transformed into something akin to a tangible manifestation of Xuanhuang fortune.
Had he not ventured deep into the sea of stars and witnessed the true intent of the Star Sea Origin, condensing this tangible fortune would have been quite difficult.
"Each mass of tangible fortune can integrate into and govern roughly three provinces."
"Setting aside the Five Elders Association for now, covering the entirety of the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals will not take long with Cat Treasure's help."
After a few breaths, the Sacred Emperor's aura returned to its peak strength.
Yet Li Ping knew this was thanks to the support of the Sacred Dynasty's fortune reserves and the feedback from his own enlightenment.
If he condensed them too frequently, his recovery would certainly not be so rapid.
"Integrating Xuanhuang fortune into heaven and earth is equivalent to reclaiming sovereignty."
"Even if Ruomu and Stone Slab fail, Xuanhuang orthodoxy will remain firmly under our grasp."
"Of course, it would be all the better if they succeed."
In Li Ping's calculations, it was best for the confrontation with the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals to take place after Xuanhuang orthodoxy was firmly established.
For by then, in confronting the 'heretics' of the Alliance, he would be fighting on home ground. With a single thought, regardless of spatial distance, he would be able to mobilize the power of the Heavenly Dao of Xuanhuang and bring down endless heavenly tribulations.
Victory could then be secured without expending a single soldier.
Chapter 1263