Trifles

"It really has become a ruin." Yaoguang cast his gaze across the grounds of the Penglai Immortal Sect. He could tell that a great battle had taken place here, and a fierce one at that. Only... What puzzled Yaoguang was that even if Dao Lord Penglai had not left behind a semi-immortal artifact for the sect, he had still helped them lay down a rank fifteen formation. With the Ten Immortal Sects holding undisputed dominance over Beihai Star, what Dao Lord would dare provoke universal condemnation by wiping out the Penglai Immortal Sect? Just then, he seemed to sense something. Two cultivators—one in the Heavenly Fire realm and the other in the Constant Light realm—flew through the air and landed upon the ruins of the Penglai Immortal Sect. The pair appeared to be master and disciple. After descending into the rubble, they quickly reined in their auras and cautiously surveyed their surroundings. Only after confirming that there were no other cultivators and no looming danger did they begin searching for something. As they searched, they communicated via divine sense. Yet what they believed to be a secret exchange was no different from ordinary conversation in Yaoguang's "eyes." "Master, is this really the Penglai Immortal Sect that was once at the height of glory?" "Indeed." The middle-aged man addressed as master sighed with emotion. "According to our sect's historical records, the Penglai Immortal Sect was once one of the Eleven Immortal Sects, founded personally by Dao Lord Penglai, who held sway across the world. That Dao Lord was a legendary figure, once hailed as the foremost powerhouse on Beihai Star." "A Dao Lord!?" Puzzlement surfaced on the younger cultivator's face. "Isn't it rumored outside that Dao Lords don't exist at all? People say that the powers among the Ten Immortal Sects merely invented a realm far beyond Void Piercing Patriarchs, Void Refining mighty figures, and even Void Shattering Supremes just to add weight to their own stature. Wasn't it just meant to deter rogue cultivators, ensuring that even if a rogue cultivator became a Void Piercing Patriarch, they still wouldn't dare challenge their authority in the slightest?" "Wind does not rise from an empty cave without reason. The legend of Dao Lords has circulated for hundreds of thousands of years, perhaps even a million. How could it be false?" the middle-aged man replied. "Yet looking across the thousands of years on Beihai Star, Void Shattering Supremes have stepped forward one after another trying to reach the realm of a Dao Lord, and every single one ended in failure without exception. It is precisely because of these bloody lessons that rumors spread claiming Dao Lords are merely a myth..." The young cultivator frowned. Before he could finish, the middle-aged cultivator cut him off. "You said it yourself—countless Void Shattering Supremes have stepped forward one after another seeking to enter the Dao Lord realm. If Dao Lords truly didn't exist, why would those aloof Supremes risk a nine-out-of-ten chance of death to assault that realm? You don't actually believe that the Void Shattering Supremes who dominate Beihai know less about cultivation than small-sect loose cultivators like us, do you?" "Those who assault Dao Integration are always Supremes nearing the end of their lifespans. Perhaps knowing their time is short, they simply wage their lives on a desperate gamble to see if there truly is a new realm beyond Void Shattering. But in truth, Dao Integration might not exist at all—just a fond fantasy of those at the peak..." The young cultivator mumbled, "Back on our homeworld, wasn't there a mortal emperor who sought the immortal path of longevity? Yet he never knew that our world had long lost its worldly origin qi, making it impossible to produce cultivators in the first place." "And haven't you stepped onto the path of cultivation as well? Though it was only because I passed by, saw you were clever, and granted you a stroke of immortal fate, hope is something a person must always have." The middle-aged cultivator waved his hand. "Enough. Search quickly and see if anything good was left behind in the Penglai Immortal Sect. For a great sect on the level of the Ten Immortal Sects, even leftover scraps would be enough to vastly advance our cultivation." "Right." The young cultivator nodded, but could not help sighing again. "Say, how did such a massive sect suddenly vanish?" "Their virtue did not match their standing. How else?" The middle-aged cultivator sneered. "Among the disciples left behind by Dao Lord Penglai, only Sect Master True Monarch Shi Lin had initially attained Void Shattering, allowing her to keep her three junior brothers and sisters in check. But as those three also stepped into Void Shattering, they naturally grew dissatisfied with True Monarch Shi Lin as sect master. They used every means at their disposal to force her to abdicate. For the sake of the greater good, True Monarch Shi Lin did step down—but who was to take the seat?" "Who?" the young cultivator asked blankly. "Leng Qingqiu, Shui Yunhan, and Zhan Xiao—all three Void Shattering cultivators wanted it! Yet none would yield to the others. And when none yielded, what else could they do? Fight! And so, it ended like this." The middle-aged cultivator spread his hands. "Ah?" The young cultivator was dazed for a moment. "The Penglai Immortal Sect was destroyed by internal strife?" "Both internal strife and external trouble," the middle-aged cultivator said. "The Penglai Immortal Sect was not only founded by Dao Lord Penglai, the foremost Dao Lord of Beihai Star, but also had deep ties with that legend of Beihai Star—Dao Venerable Yaoguang, who attained an invincible stature in merely a thousand years. That Dao Venerable laid down an immortal formation for them, rendering the Penglai Immortal Sect impregnable. Unless a Dao Lord intervened, no one dared lay a finger on them. And what Dao Lord would dare offend the invincible Dao Venerable Yaoguang?" "Then how..." "Dao Lords didn't dare, but Void Piercing, Void Refining, and Void Shattering cultivators dared! Especially those Void Shattering experts nearing their lifespan limit with no hope of achieving Dao Integration. After all, that foremost Dao Lord of Beihai Star had offended quite a few people in his time." The middle-aged cultivator continued, "During the Penglai Immortal Sect's civil war, the three juniors fought with true fury and shattered the immortal formation from within. Having lost the formation's protection and suffered devastating losses from the civil war, those Void Piercing, Void Refining, and Void Shattering experts who had long harbored deep hatred for the sect naturally swarmed in... In the end..." He sighed, looking over the ruined grounds. "It became like this." The young cultivator stood stunned, silent for a long while. Only after several breaths did he speak again. "Then... what about those people?" "True Monarch Shi Lin was the first to be killed by her three juniors. True Monarch Shui Yunhan seems to have died in the civil war as well. As for the remaining two True Monarchs... who knows. Likely dead." The middle-aged man looked toward the ruined mountain gate of the Penglai Immortal Sect. "A sturdy fortress is often breached from within. No matter how much foundation and wealth the Dao Lord left for the sect, it still could not withstand the bottomless greed and desire in people's hearts." Hearing this, the young cultivator was at a loss for words. Beside them, Yaoguang felt a pang of emotion as he listened to their conversation. The destruction of the Penglai Immortal Sect... Foreign invasion had been a factor, but at its root, it was due to internal strife. *Shi Lin... was a good senior sister, but not a good sect master. It was precisely her indulgence that brought about this fate for the sect, and her doting upon her junior siblings that ultimately led to her death at the hands of those closest to her.* One had to admit, it was an irony. Yaoguang extended his divine sense, sweeping across Beihai Star in search of Leng Qingqiu and Zhan Xiao. The result... He sensed no trace of their auras. Perhaps they were dead. Or perhaps they had left Beihai Star. Regardless, it no longer mattered. This powerful sect, which had flared into brilliance like a fleeting meteor, had quietly reached its end in less than ten thousand years. It had become the shortest-lived Dao Lord lineage on Beihai Star. Shaking his head, Yaoguang gathered some Pure Yang immortal qi with a wave of his hand, condensing over ten thousand Pure Yang Great Pills, sealed them inside a small bottle, and tossed it into a relatively secluded corner. These pills... Would serve as compensation to the two cultivators for the information. *Back then, I racked my brains just to obtain dozens or hundreds of Pure Yang Great Pills, even risking my life when selling divine ability manuals. But now, whenever I wish, I can easily draw upon Pure Yang immortal qi and condense hundreds of thousands, millions, or even hundreds of millions of them.* Yaoguang smiled inwardly. The somewhat melancholy mood brought on by the sight of the Penglai Immortal Sect's fall instantly turned bright again. He had always been someone who knew how to find contentment. Even during dull journeys through the void of space, simply watching the vast sea of stars would move him. He would even pause before a three-thousand-zhang waterfall cascading down a mountain peak, marveling at the uncanny craftsmanship of nature—even though a single breath from him could grind that entire mountain to dust. With a light and cheerful mood, and... With the abundance of at least several tens of thousands of peaceful years at his disposal, he decided not to rush back to the Nine Cauldrons Sect. He had already checked earlier; the Nine Cauldrons Sect was developing splendidly. Under the governance of Su Yaoxue, Li Qingshan, and the others, it was orderly, thriving, and had already become the leader of the Ten Immortal Sects. There was no need to hurry. And so, like an ordinary cultivator, he took his time traveling toward the Nine Cauldrons Sect, strolling through scenic mountains and rivers, stopping whenever he pleased. At times, upon seeing lush and verdant forests, he would rest for the night. When he came across crystal-clear lakes, he would plunge in for a swim. On certain mountain peaks and bizarre crags, he carved his name: *Yaoguang was here.* When meeting kind-hearted cultivators, he did not mind giving them a pointer or two, or even bestowing pills upon them. Of course, if anyone blocked his path to rob him, he struck them down with thunderous force without hesitation. "The structure of this peak is quite nice... send it to the Lord of Heavenly Dao." "This river, along with the surrounding trees and grasslands, forms a breathtaking landscape. Good, very good. Lord of Heavenly Dao, replicate this several times in my world." "This desert is not bad either. In the center of the desert, there are clear rivers and lakes, flanked by trees with golden leaves. Beautiful, I like it. Replicate this natural scenery over there as well." In this completely relaxed and leisurely manner, he hardly missed a single sight on Beihai Star that caught his eye. Whenever he found something pleasing, he had the Lord of Heavenly Dao duplicate and shape it within the material plane he had created. He was determined to gather the finest scenic wonders under heaven and forge his primary material plane into a true earthly paradise. Because this whim consumed a vast amount of time, a full century had passed by the time he finally arrived at the Nine Cauldrons Sect. He had spent a hundred years along the road. Equivalent to a mortal's entire lifetime. This century... Brought Yaoguang a sense of genuine, heartfelt fulfillment. "This journey was not in vain, nor was this life." Looking at the mountain gate of the Nine Cauldrons Sect close at hand, knowing his journey was nearing its end, Yaoguang murmured to himself, "In all my lifetime of cultivation, I have no regrets, no sorrow."