Xu Bai looked deeply at the man.
Chen Tianhai's words were laden with meaning. Had he seen through avatar Xu Bai's origins?
Yet he did not lay it bare, maintaining an air of mystery that left Fang Zaiji utterly bewildered.
"Still, what you said earlier was correct. Our Taiyan Sect is indeed very interested in scenes beyond the Immortal Ruins.
"Or rather, any records from beyond the Xuanhuang Realm are of immense importance to us.
"What do you want in exchange?"
Chen Tianhai changed the subject, speaking with blunt straightforwardness.
This came as something of a surprise to Xu Bai.
"I want Dao Transformation Stones—the higher the quality, the better." However, he quickly put forth his demand decisively.
"Dao Transformation Stones..." Chen Tianhai pondered for a moment, ultimately shaking his head slightly.
"There are no individual Dao Transformation Stones left within our Taiyan Sect. You might try your luck in the Xuanhuang Realm proper.
"Make another request."
Hearing this, Fang Zaiji grew disgruntled. "Old Chen, do you take our sect master for an easy mark just because he's young? The fellow who led us in just now claimed plainly that joining your Taiyan Sect comes with a free medium-grade Dao Transformation Stone.
"How is it that once we get to you, there are none left?"
Chen Tianhai glanced at Fang Zaiji and smiled. "Brother Fang, there is no need to keep probing.
"It is just as you suspected...
"Today, every one of us exists solely by relying on the Dao Transformation Mother Stone."
Even though he had already vaguely suspected as much, hearing Chen Tianhai admit it with his own lips still sent a slight shudder through Fang Zaiji's frame.
"You..."
In that instant, Chen Tianhai's body once more turned blue and translucent.
"Back then, in order to maximize the power of the Dao Transformation Mother Stone, we gathered every single Dao Transformation Stone we could find. Since then, we have never separated them again. So as for your request, we are truly powerless to help," he said frankly, looking at Xu Bai.
"Existing by relying on the Dao Transformation Mother Stone." Xu Bai was not particularly disappointed. He merely studied Chen Tianhai's form in silence.
After his initial shock, Fang Zaiji boldly stepped forward and reached out to touch Chen Tianhai. Sure enough, as if formed by projected light, it was completely insubstantial. His hand passed straight through the body.
"A dignified cultivator, actually enduring existence in such a form?" He clearly found it hard to accept for the moment.
"There really isn't much difference. In fact, there are far more conveniences. Do you want to try it?" Chen Tianhai asked nonchalantly.
Frightened, Fang Zaiji hastily yanked his hand back.
"Just what kind of state is your entire Taiyan Sect in right now? Going by what you say, everyone in the sect is already an illusory existence. Then what was the deal with that Dao Integration cultivator who went to negotiate and surrender to the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals?" Fang Zaiji asked, puzzled.
"We shift freely between the illusory and the real. In the vast majority of cases, we exist in an illusory state. If necessary, we can also manifest physical bodies, indistinguishable from genuine cultivators," Chen Tianhai replied truthfully.
"However, doing so consumes a tremendous amount of resources and the computing power of the Dao Transformation Mother Stone. Unless necessary, we do not do it.
"Under normal circumstances, we maintain the 'real' form of only a dozen or so disciples."
Fang Zaiji clicked his tongue in wonder. "You can even do that?"
"Is this the method you devised to survive the great catastrophe back then?" Xu Bai inquired with curiosity.
"Isn't the price a bit too steep? Imprisoned in a stone for all eternity. And should it shatter, you face the risk of collective annihilation," Xu Bai questioned quite bluntly.
"The catastrophe?" That grim, eerie smile resurfaced on Chen Tianhai's face once again.
"To safely weather the tribulation where dharmas cannot be cultivated concurrently, our Taiyan Sect had dozens of methods.
"Yet that was never what we sought."
The translucent blue figure clasped his hands behind his back, a sudden surge of lofty pride entering his voice.
"What our Taiyan Sect desired was true transcendence.
"A transcendence that allows one to remain completely unperturbed even when facing a true world-ending calamity like falling into the Immortal Ruins or the destruction of the Xuanhuang Realm."
These words shook both Xu Bai and Fang Zaiji to the core.
Fang Zaiji could not help countering, "Relying just on this Dao Transformation Mother Stone of yours? You probably don't fully realize the horrors of the Immortal Ruins..."
Chen Tianhai waved a hand dismissively, cutting Fang Zaiji short without mercy.
"I know. The pull of the Immortal Ruins is powerful enough to distort space-time.
"However, that is the extent of it.
"It has not yet reached the point of destroying space-time."
Chen Tianhai gently tapped his right foot against the ground, and a ring of blue light rippled outward from beneath his feet.
A moment later, the walls turned transparent once again.
And in that instant, this structure, along with the entire floating city, became blue and translucent just like Chen Tianhai.
Looking closely, countless scenes seemed to flicker endlessly within the blue luminescence, like worlds constantly rising and falling.
"This floating city is the Dao Transformation Mother Stone?" Fang Zaiji came to his senses after seeing his current surroundings clearly, asking in astonishment.
Chen Tianhai did not answer. Instead, he spoke as if to himself: "As long as space-time is not destroyed, information will endure forever. And our Taiyan Sect will be able to exist perpetually.
"The Dao Transformation Mother Stone? There has long ceased to be any Dao Transformation Mother Stone in this world.
"At that moment back then, we merged into one."
Fang Zaiji opened his mouth, unable to utter a single word for quite some time. Clearly, he was once again stunned by the Taiyan Sect's mad undertaking.
"Space-time does not perish, and information endures forever. A truly rare and wondrous concept. And that your Taiyan Sect actually managed to achieve it is truly magnificent." Xu Bai could not help clapping his hands.
"Though ordinary means cannot thoroughly destroy you, there is a natural nemesis to you within the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals.
"The Heavenly Profound Mirror.
"With the Heavenly Profound Mirror's capabilities, she might not be able to easily erase you, but trapping you within herself for eternity should be well within her power."
Xu Bai said thoughtfully, "No wonder you surrendered so quickly."
"Doing what it takes to survive is nothing to be ashamed of. Besides, if we truly clashed, she wouldn't have an easy time of it either. Right now, her top priority is completing her own elevation, so naturally she wouldn't move against us. And since there is no conflict of interest between us, she readily accepted our surrender," Chen Tianhai said unconcernedly, not denying it.
"Well said. But I have a question." At this point, Xu Bai stared straight at Chen Tianhai.
"How does your Taiyan Sect know that the Immortal Ruins cannot destroy space-time?
"What if the Immortal Ruins' pull has been continuously strengthening over these years?
"The fact that it cannot now doesn't mean it won't in the future."
Xu Bai spoke in an eerie, quiet tone.
Chapter 784