"Listen to the way you talk..." The Taiyan Sect cultivator cast a side-glance at Fang Zaiji. "After so many years, even a monkey would have turned into a spirit, let alone our Dao Transformation Mother Stone."
They scoffed at Fang Zaiji's question.
Fang Zaiji, however, shot Xu Bai a meaningful look and transmitted his voice: "Sect Master, something is off. I remember back in the day, the Taiyan Sect considered the Dao Transformation Mother Stone gaining self-awareness to be a tremendous taboo.
"After all, a cultivator's lifespan is finite, while the Dao Transformation Mother Stone's lifespan is limitless. If it truly gained sentience...
"It would be hard to say who actually calls the shots in the Taiyan Sect. We'd better watch our step," Fang Zaiji warned.
Xu Bai gave a slight nod, his expression remaining completely placid.
Feigning intense curiosity, he asked, "To be frank, since we have traveled so far, we do possess some understanding of your Taiyan Sect.
"Though the Taiyan Divine Calculation can deduce the future through endless computational power, it still requires baseline data to support it. You have hidden within this Taixuan Realm for thousands of years, cut off from the outside world, while earth-shaking changes have long since swept the Xuanhuang Realm. How can you ensure the accuracy of your deduction results?"
Hearing Xu Bai's words, the middle-aged Taiyan Sect cultivator was rather surprised. Then, delight blossomed across his face. "So you even know a bit about the Dao of deduction? It seems you truly are destined for our Taiyan Sect!
"As for your concern..."
He said with a hint of smugness, "Who said our Taiyan Sect has been cut off from the world for thousands of years? In truth, the sect sends out designated personnel at regular intervals to gather all sorts of intelligence from the Xuanhuang Realm, aiming to calibrate the Mother Stone's deduction results.
"Otherwise, the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals launched their conquest of the myriad realms not so long ago. If we hadn't anticipated it in advance, how could we have reacted so swiftly?"
"Calibrating, is it? I see," Xu Bai murmured, nodding thoughtfully.
"All right, we've told you this much already. Are you willing to join our Taiyan Sect or not?!"
By this time, they had nearly flown to the outskirts of the floating city in the sky. Among the Taiyan Sect disciples, a short, hunchbacked cultivator finally grew impatient.
"I really am a bit tempted," Xu Bai said, stroking his chin.
Beside him, Fang Zaiji immediately shot him a sideways glance.
Hearing this, the Taiyan Sect disciples could not help but beam with joy.
"However, I still have some reservations. To be honest, before coming here, I had already joined another sect. And due to certain special reasons, I cannot leave it. I wonder if you would mind?" Xu Bai said with utmost sincerity.
"Huh?!" The Taiyan Sect disciples froze in unison, their bodies abruptly halting mid-flight. They all turned back to stare at Xu Bai.
"Are you here looking for trouble?!" the short cultivator snapped furiously.
Just as he was about to lash out, the middle-aged cultivator reached out a hand to stop him.
"When Senior Brother assigned the task, he didn't say this wasn't allowed." After pondering for a moment, he looked Xu Bai up and down carefully.
Gritting his teeth, he actually said, "I can't make the call on this matter. How about this: follow me back to the sect first! Whether it works or not, we'll let Senior Brother decide."
Even Xu Bai hadn't expected the Taiyan Sect's desire to recruit disciples to be this strong—that they could tolerate even this.
Still, having nothing to fear, he nodded casually.
Upon arriving outside the floating city in the sky, Xu Bai discovered that the entire perimeter of the city was enveloped in a protective layer of transparent crystal.
When the crystal reflected the middle-aged cultivator's face, a glimmer of blue light—one deeply familiar to Xu Bai—rippled across the transparent crystal barrier.
A moment later, the middle-aged cultivator transformed into a streak of blue light and flashed into the city. The other disciples followed suit.
"You may come right in," the middle-aged cultivator called from just ahead, speaking through the crystal barrier.
Seeing this, Fang Zaiji flew toward the city ahead of Xu Bai.
Just as he was about to touch the transparent crystal barrier, the barrier seemed as though it didn't exist at all, letting him pass straight through without the slightest obstruction.
Fang Zaiji glanced left and right, noticing nothing amiss.
Only then did he signal to Xu Bai that it was safe to enter.
The moment Xu Bai leaped across the crystal barrier, it felt as though he had passed through a space composed of countless mirrors.
He saw innumerable different versions of himself, seemingly undergoing all manner of disparate events.
An instant later, he returned to reality.
"Let's go. I'll take you to see Senior Brother," the middle-aged cultivator said with a smile, glancing at Xu Bai.
Walking through the floating city, one could see many Taiyan Sect cultivators around them.
Their cultivation levels varied, ranging from Qi Condensation to Soul Formation.
Occasionally, there were even one or two white-bearded cultivators who made Fang Zaiji look solemn—evidently possessors of Dao Integration cultivation.
They all seemed remarkably at ease. Some spoke to one another in hushed tones; others pinched their fingers, calculating something to themselves.
Still others held objects shaped like puzzle cubes, toying with them in their hands. Judging from the constantly shifting imagery on their surfaces, they looked somewhat similar to the Heavenly Lock Treasure Box that Li Fan had once found in Yin Hang's tomb.
Watching Xu Bai and his group pass by, they merely cast casual glances before looking away, paying hardly any attention to Xu Bai's peerless countenance.
Strangest of all, when they greeted the guides leading the way ahead, they referred to one another exclusively as 'Senior Brother' or 'Junior Brother.'
Even those white-haired Dao Integration elders did the same.
Xu Bai could not help but frown slightly.
"Sect Master, have you noticed anything wrong?" Fang Zaiji transmitted his voice stealthily.
"It is rather strange. The Taiyan Sect's strength has been preserved a bit too well. Just along the path we've walked, we've seen no fewer than a dozen Dao Integration experts, haven't we? Can the Taiyan Sect's foundation truly run so deep?
"What's more, mighty Dao Integration figures are actually calling Qi Condensation cultivators brothers..."
A flicker of intrigued amusement surfaced on Xu Bai's face.
"No, not that!" Fang Zaiji's voice carried urgency.
"When I first entered, I didn't realize it. But after watching closely for a while, I've just discovered...
"This place is a damn ghost town!"
Xu Bai paused slightly in his tracks. "A ghost town? What do you mean, Elder Fang?"
"Take another close look at these people, Sect Master. None of them actually exist!" Fang Zaiji's voice sounded faint and unsteady. "Even this city beneath our feet might be completely fake!"
Hearing Fang Zaiji's warning, Xu Bai's gaze hardened.
Continuing to walk slowly alongside the others, he scrutinized everything anew.
Xu Bai's natural talent was truly among the very pinnacle of heaven and earth.
Focusing his attention to look closely, he indeed caught a subtle anomaly.
The cultivators in this floating city—from Dao Integration down to Qi Condensation—all emitted faint auras that were entirely identical!
It was as if every single one of them was the exact same person!
Merely wearing different faces.
And right at that moment, as if sensing Xu Bai's reaction, the middle-aged cultivator leading the way suddenly turned his head.
A chilling smile curled on his lips. "What is it, Fellow Daoist? Do you have some doubts?"
Chapter 782