"Have you... ascended to Eternity?"
The Sovereign's voice trembled.
"No, not just yet."
Lu Changsheng shook his head, gazing into the boundless void as if seeing that ever-surging River of Spacetime.
"To ascend to Eternity, one must go to the River of Spacetime. In a hundred years, I will enter the River of Spacetime to make my breakthrough to Eternity. All may come to observe. Consider this the final gift I leave to this spacetime..."
Having said this, Lu Changsheng withdrew his True Realm Universe and returned to his cave dwelling.
Everything seemed to have returned to normal, yet tumultuous waves surged within their hearts.
"In a hundred years, entering the River of Spacetime to charge into Eternity... Truly incredible."
"Is a great Eternal finally about to be born in our spacetime?"
"The Fourth Realm, Eternity... It boggles the mind. If he succeeds, then Sovereign Changsheng's sermon today points straight along the path to Eternity..."
Countless Sovereigns could hardly contain the excitement in their hearts.
Lu Changsheng, however, was exceptionally calm.
He returned to his cave dwelling and immediately brought up his attribute panel.
Host: Lu Changsheng
Comprehension: Top-tier comprehension
World Master: Third Realm
True Realm Universe: A super universe capable of growth
True Self: Glimpse a spot to know the whole; omniscient and omnipotent; transcending life and death, transcending matter, transcending energy, transcending spacetime—this is Infinity!
Sure enough, his immortal soul had also transformed into the "True Self."
Yet now that his True Self was born, Lu Changsheng acutely sensed something unusual about this attribute panel.
All along, he had assumed the attribute panel was innate, something he had been born with.
Yet it was exceedingly strange.
Why would an attribute panel simply appear out of nowhere?
Even when Lu Changsheng had ascended to a Third Realm Sovereign, even when his immortal soul possessed tremendous perception, he had never detected the attribute panel's physical existence.
Now, things were different.
When his immortal soul transmuted into the True Self, he became all-knowing and all-powerful, able to glimpse a single spot and comprehend the whole.
Although the attribute panel had aided him in coming this far and had always been shrouded in mystery, the instant Lu Changsheng birthed his True Self, he perceived it.
*Swish.*
Lu Changsheng turned his hand.
He drew the attribute panel out from within himself.
This so-called attribute panel was actually a piece of immortal substance!
Yes, immortal substance.
Moreover, this piece of immortal substance had clearly been refined, appearing exceedingly intricate. Crafting it had undeniably been no easy feat.
The reason Lu Changsheng had never detected it before was that the attribute panel had concealed itself within his soul. No matter what kind of soul it was—even an immortal soul—it was still a soul. Hidden within and integrated into his soul, Lu Changsheng had possessed no way of discovering it earlier.
It was only when his immortal soul transmuted into the True Self that the immortal soul collapsed, naturally exposing the attribute panel to the perception of his True Self.
Yet who possessed the ability to refine such immortal substance?
Sovereigns certainly lacked such means.
And who had merged this piece of immortal substance into Lu Changsheng's soul?
Apart from Lu Changsheng, had anyone else obtained similar immortal substance and thus possessed an attribute panel?
Lu Changsheng had many questions, none of which he could answer right now.
However, he harbored a faint premonition.
Perhaps once he ascended to Eternity, the truth behind everything would come to light. At that time, there was nothing he would not know.
Still, Lu Changsheng harbored some misgivings.
Though he had birthed his True Self and possessed a True Realm Universe capable of infinite expansion—an infinite True Self paired with an infinite True Realm—the combination gave him an excellent chance of breaking free from the River of Spacetime. Yet what lay beyond breaking free?
Would it truly be Eternity?
Lu Changsheng did not know.
Even so, his resolve remained steadfast. Come what may, he would attempt to break through to Eternity in a hundred years!
There was still a century left.
Cultivation had ceased to have much meaning. For these hundred years, Lu Changsheng wished to accompany Lin Qingluan.
Thus, Lu Changsheng returned to the Great Universe, returning to Mount Feilong.
Lin Qingluan already knew everything.
She knew that in a hundred years, Lu Changsheng would enter the River of Spacetime to make his breakthrough to Eternity. This would be the sole time anyone in this spacetime had ever attempted such a feat. What lay ahead, even Lu Changsheng himself did not know. But since Lu Changsheng had made his choice, Lin Qingluan would support him forever!
"Changsheng, take me out for a walk," Lin Qingluan spoke up suddenly.
"Where to?"
"To where you once lived. To where you first started out. I want to see where you began, and how you walked forward step by step to reach where you are today."
Hearing this, Lu Changsheng fell into deep thought.
Where had he begun?
Even Lu Changsheng himself could hardly remember clearly. It had been far, far too long.
However, Lu Changsheng had now birthed his True Self and was essentially omniscient. With only a brief recollection, the memories flooded back, and images from the distant past resurfaced in his mind.
"The place where it began... should be Miaoshou Garden..." Lu Changsheng murmured softly.
Still, he granted Lin Qingluan's request. Or rather, Lu Changsheng also wished to see it for himself—to look back upon the path he had traversed.
And so, Lu Changsheng separated out a very weak avatar and, alongside a weak avatar of Lin Qingluan, traveled to where it all had begun.
***
"Miaoshou Garden is gone..."
Lu Changsheng took in the scene before him.
Seas had turned into mulberry fields; the world had completely changed. After all, several tens of thousands of years had passed since he began cultivating. After tens of thousands of years, how could Miaoshou Garden still exist?
Fortunately, the world remained, and the continent remained.
People still inhabited this land, and it had even welcomed a golden age of cultivation. Regrettably, everything familiar in Lu Changsheng's memory was gone. Everything was utterly unfamiliar.
"Perhaps only by reversing time could one witness the past again," Lu Changsheng said with a smile.
He still remembered the apothecary Old Wen back then, who could be considered his first teacher. And there was his master, Wu Jing, a renowned physician of his generation who had practiced medicine to save the world.
Who could have imagined that Lu Changsheng had started out as a mere apothecary apprentice?
"Yes, unless time flows backward, everything and everyone changes. Alas, not even a Sovereign can reverse spacetime. Perhaps the legendary Eternal Realm can?" Lin Qingluan said with a smile.
Yet these words seemed to strike a chord in Lu Changsheng.
A tremor ran through Lu Changsheng's entire being. He stood frozen where he was.
"Reversing time..."
A flash of inspiration sparked in Lu Changsheng's mind.
In the dark, he vaguely felt this was of paramount importance. But why was it important? There was something he sought to grasp, yet could not quite seize.
"Time..."
A Sovereign was powerful enough to annihilate a universe in a single blow, yet remained utterly helpless before time. Time could not be seen or touched, yet it existed tangibly and affected every single person. Everyone lived within time.
If time ceased to exist, what would happen?
"Qingluan, what do you think would happen if a person existed without time?" Lu Changsheng suddenly asked.
"Without time? How could that be? Everyone exists within time. If time truly ceased to exist for someone, perhaps every trace of that person would vanish. No one would even remember them, and everything would disappear without a trace," Lin Qingluan said with a furrow of her brow.
A bolt of lightning seemed to strike Lu Changsheng's mind, instantly illuminating everything.
"Time... Yes, time is the foundation of all things! The River of Spacetime is merely the manifestation of time. To attain Eternity, how could it be about breaking free from the River of Spacetime? What must truly be broken free from is time itself..."
Everything clicked in Lu Changsheng's mind.
The True Self was all-knowing and all-powerful. Because of this, Lu Changsheng also grasped the true secret of Eternity.
"Changsheng, did you gain another insight?"
Seeing this, how could Lin Qingluan not realize that Lu Changsheng had experienced another epiphany? She had long grown accustomed to his sudden insights; it was entirely normal. She had witnessed him gain enlightenment countless times before.
"Yes, indeed I have had an insight. But there is still a century left. There is no rush..."
Lu Changsheng led Lin Qingluan along the path from Miaoshou Garden, visiting every place where he had once cultivated and walked. Many places had changed beyond recognition, while many others remained largely the same.
A century slipped by in the blink of an eye.
Lu Changsheng brought Lin Qingluan back to Mount Feilong.
"Changsheng, go to the River of Spacetime. This time, I will accompany you. I am already a Second Realm cosmic mighty figure now; I can go to the River of Spacetime to observe..."
This was Lin Qingluan's only request. She knew very well what Lu Changsheng's departure for the River of Spacetime entailed. Although Lu Changsheng had consistently expressed confidence in this breakthrough, confidence was one thing, and successfully attaining Eternity was another. Regardless of the outcome, she wanted to see it with her own eyes.
"All right," Lu Changsheng agreed with a nod.
However, Lu Changsheng had promised to let others observe, and the venue was to be the Eternal Academy. Thus, Lu Changsheng brought Lin Qingluan to the Eternal Academy.
At this moment, the Eternal Academy was packed with an immense crowd. Every cosmic mighty figure and Sovereign who had received the news had rushed over.
Lu Changsheng saw many familiar faces: Sovereign Yongye, Sovereign Shenyan, Sovereign Qianheng, and others. He knew they had all come to witness how he would ascend to Eternity. Failure or success, it would provide an invaluable experience for them!
*Whoosh.*
Lu Changsheng extended a hand and made a sweeping gesture. Instantly, a colossal River of Spacetime manifested within the void of the Eternal Universe. With Lu Changsheng's present capabilities, making the River of Spacetime manifest was simplicity itself.
"Today, I shall make my bid for Eternity!"
With that, Lu Changsheng leaped forward, instantly bringing Lin Qingluan into the River of Spacetime.
Many Sovereigns followed suit and entered the River of Spacetime as well. Along the banks of the River of Spacetime, many Sovereigns had already been waiting for a long time.
"Greetings, Sovereign Changsheng! May Sovereign Changsheng successfully ascend to Eternity!"
All the Sovereigns bowed respectfully to Lu Changsheng. This was a tribute paid to a forerunner, for Lu Changsheng was indeed their forerunner now.
In truth, charging into Eternity was an intensely private matter. The more observers there were, the easier it was to disrupt him. Yet Lu Changsheng was still willing to let everyone come and watch. Many felt deep gratitude, and this bow was offered with complete sincerity.
Lu Changsheng gazed across the vast, boundless River of Spacetime.
He was no stranger to it. Controlling the Spacetime Boat, he had entered the River of Spacetime twice before. Yet both times had been from aboard the boat. This time, just like his alternate self from another dimension, he had to jump into the River of Spacetime himself to confront it directly.
This was entirely different.
The expressions of many Sovereigns turned complex. Once Lu Changsheng jumped into the River of Spacetime, if he failed, he would become trapped within it. That would be an immense tragedy. Yet this was Lu Changsheng's path, and he had to see it through!
*Swish.*
Lu Changsheng moved.
Taking a step forward, he flew directly above the River of Spacetime. A mysterious force governed the river, preventing anyone from flying above its waters, and Lu Changsheng was no exception. Thus, with a loud splash, he fell straight into the River of Spacetime.
Everyone widened their eyes, staring intently at the sight.
Lu Changsheng had indeed dropped into the river. Confronting the vast expanse of the River of Spacetime, he felt no panic. Instead, a sense of familiarity washed over him. After all, he was thoroughly acquainted with the river's immense waters. Furthermore, his immortal soul had already transmuted into the True Self. Even if he were to live within the River of Spacetime permanently, it would pose no issue at all.
"Come, expand my True Realm Universe..."
Lu Changsheng allowed vast torrents of the River of Spacetime's waters to wash over his True Realm Universe. In an instant, as if under time acceleration, his True Realm Universe began to swell rapidly under the river's erosion. At this moment, free from all worries, the True Realm Universe expanded frantically.
Along the riverbank, everyone watched the spectacle in utter shock. They could see Lu Changsheng's True Realm Universe ballooning wildly at a rate visible to the naked eye.
The reason it expanded so swiftly was precisely because Lu Changsheng had submerged himself in the River of Spacetime and was being eroded by countless waters of time. It was equivalent to his True Realm Universe experiencing countless epochs in an instant. Over such a vast span of time, his True Realm Universe naturally underwent self-expansion. Moreover, because his True Self had virtually no limits, he could permit the True Realm Universe to expand without restraint.
Tenfold, a hundredfold, a thousandfold, ten-thousandfold...
At this moment, no one could find words to describe the scene unfolding before their eyes. How vast was the River of Spacetime? It was virtually infinite, stretching beyond sight. Yet right now, they watched with their own eyes as Lu Changsheng's True Realm Universe ballooned frantically, casting an enormous shadow.
Though still submerged in the waters of the River of Spacetime, its colossal bulk possessed an immense presence, exceedingly conspicuous. All that anyone could see was a colossal shadow—a massive cosmic silhouette that seemed to blot out the River of Spacetime entirely, leaving only the shadow of the True Realm Universe visible while hiding the river from view.
"One can do it like this?"
Doubt flooded the minds of every Sovereign. This appeared utterly different from what they had imagined the breakthrough to Eternity to be. The style was entirely divergent. Shouldn't ascending to Eternity involve deep enlightenment? One would gain realization, and then body and soul would break free from the shackles of the River of Spacetime together.
Yet what was Lu Changsheng doing? He was directly ballooning his True Realm Universe—unscrupulously, without reservations, expanding without limit. Was he trying to replace the River of Spacetime through sheer mass? At such a rate of expansion, to what extent would his volume grow? It would likely reach a point where even the River of Spacetime could no longer contain him.
Lu Changsheng, however, was thoroughly exhilarated.
"Yes, exactly like this... Infinite True Self, infinite physical body... The infinite of infinities—that is how one breaks free from the River of Spacetime and transcends time..."
Lu Changsheng did not care what anyone else thought. He simply continued along his own Dao. His Dao was infinite expansion: fusing an infinite soul with an infinite body to possess infinite power, using the infinite to transcend the finite. No matter how boundless the River of Spacetime appeared, in Lu Changsheng's eyes, it was ultimately finite. The infinite transcending the finite was entirely reasonable.
Expanding, expanding, and expanding further.
The Sovereigns could only watch numbly. Before Lu Changsheng's colossal True Realm Universe, even the River of Spacetime seemed to pale in comparison. Lu Changsheng even put away the Boundary Suppressing Stele. Previously, he had used it to suppress this segment of the river so his True Realm Universe would not be swept downstream by the current. Now, he no longer needed it. His own mass was unimaginably immense—so vast that even the River of Spacetime could no longer wash him away. As long as he did not wish to move, he could remain stationed here indefinitely.
Sensing the aura emanating from Lu Changsheng's colossal mass, the countless Sovereigns on the bank felt terror in the depths of their hearts. How could the current Lu Changsheng still be considered a Sovereign? A mere breath from him could likely snuff out a host of Sovereigns; an idle exhale might cause countless universes to collapse. They even felt an absurd sensation: what kind of majestic power was this? Perhaps the Eternal Realm was merely this?
Yet none of them had ever seen Eternity, so none knew what kind of existence an Eternal truly was.
As time passed, Lu Changsheng's mass continued to expand. When it reached a certain threshold one day, Lu Changsheng suddenly felt that the River of Spacetime was nothing remarkable after all; its restraint upon him had become practically negligible.
And so, Lu Changsheng lifted his foot.
*Rumble!*
The entire River of Spacetime trembled as if on the verge of collapse. Then, Lu Changsheng simply stepped out of the River of Spacetime. Relying on the sheer power of his True Realm Universe, step by step, he strode out of the river and walked into the space above it.
Step after step. Lu Changsheng did not know how long he walked. Only now did he see that the vast River of Spacetime looked like nothing more than a bubble. Then, he leaped upward with immense force.
*Buzz.*
Lu Changsheng felt an overwhelming lightness throughout his body. His True Realm Universe remained behind inside the "bubble," instantly disintegrating and reducing to ashes. Yet Lu Changsheng did not die, nor did he remain within the bubble. Instead, through a special manner, he had thoroughly sublimated. Yes, sublimated—much like how his True Realm had once sublimated.
At this moment, Lu Changsheng could feel countless spacetimes, countless spaces, countless worlds, and countless timelines constantly converging.
In the past, he was at Miaoshou Garden.
In the present, he was at the River of Spacetime.
And there were countless futures.
At this moment, scene after scene vanished. The disappearance of each scene meant the loss of that period of time—or rather, not a loss, but the complete convergence of timelines. Past, present, and future were all gathered into one.
"The Unified True Self is Eternity! So this is Eternity..." Lu Changsheng murmured softly.
Eternity transcended spacetime. Spacetime was merely a zither's strings for them to pluck at will; even annihilating or modifying a segment of spacetime was effortless. Lu Changsheng had converged all spacetimes, meaning he did not exist in the past, nor in the present, nor in the future. Everyone would forget his existence—or rather, it was not forgetting, but that he simply had never existed at all. He would be erased from the memories of everyone, and every trace of him would vanish.
"At last, a second Eternal is born. From now on, I will no longer be alone..."
Suddenly, a voice reached Lu Changsheng's ears.
"Who?"
Lu Changsheng looked up. Not far before him, a figure clad in white was walking toward him step by step.
"You may call me the Spacetime Walker, or you may call me an Eternal. It makes little difference either way," the white-robed man said calmly.
Lu Changsheng's pupils contracted. A realization struck him.
"Spacetime Walker, Chen?"
"Indeed, it is I." Chen smiled.
Lu Changsheng thought of the Boundary Suppressing Stele, and thought of many other things.
"Chen, I want to know: was it you who merged this piece of immortal substance into my soul?" Lu Changsheng asked, taking out the immortal substance—the very piece that had formed the attribute panel.
Chen glanced at it and nodded. "Yes. I scattered these pieces of immortal substance into the River of Spacetime, and they drifted into many universes. Those fated to find them would merge with them; they were seeds I cast into the River of Spacetime. Yet up until now, out of so many seeds and so many pieces of immortal substance, only you broke free from spacetime and achieved Eternity!"
"In truth, you were not the seed I valued most; you were rather unremarkable among them. The one I held higher hopes for was Lei Dao. Unfortunately, after too long a time, his mind developed some problems..."
Chen gave a casual wave of his hand, and an image materialized within the River of Spacetime. It depicted an entity of unimaginably colossal proportions, continuously devouring universes as if born solely for that purpose. That mass was even greater than the infinitely expanded mass Lu Changsheng had possessed earlier. Yet that entity had not ascended to Eternity.
That could only indicate one thing: the entity's soul had not birthed the True Self. Relying purely on the physical body, no matter how formidable, one could never ascend.
"Lei Dao... indeed has some problems in the head..." Lu Changsheng discerned Lei Dao's current condition at a glance.
These were all Chen's seeds, including Lu Changsheng. In the end, Lu Changsheng was the one who had successfully ascended to Eternity.
"How many Eternals are there currently?" Lu Changsheng asked.
"Presently, only you and I are Eternals."
Lu Changsheng fell silent for a moment before speaking slowly. "An Eternal can traverse spacetime. If you did not want anyone else to attain Eternity, no one ever could—including me. Why did you permit someone who poses a threat to you to exist?"
"A threat to me?" Chen laughed. "An Eternal cannot be killed. You should know well that since we have converged spacetime, neither of us can locate the other's past, present, or future. Therefore, you cannot kill me, and likewise, I cannot kill you. As for why I permitted your birth, the reason is simple: even the River of Spacetime was created by my own hand, solely to foster the birth of more Eternals. Alas, you are the only one so far. After endless eras with only me as an Eternal, don't you think being alone is far too boring, far too lonely?"
"You cannot feel it yet, because you still have your dao companion and your loved ones. By the way, now that you have converged spacetime to ascend to Eternity, no one from the past remembers you, including your dao companion. If you want her to remember you, it is simple: just bestow upon her all her previous memories. Unfortunately, even though we are Eternals and can grant our kin eternal time, their souls cannot endure such prolonged spans of time. Even if we erase their memories or wash their souls clean time and time again, they will ultimately break down in the end. An Eternal is destined to be lonely. Go on and enjoy your brief period of warmth first..."
Having said this, Chen departed.
Lu Changsheng looked thoughtful, understanding what Chen meant.
He cast his gaze toward the banks of the River of Spacetime. There stood Lin Qingluan, Sovereign Yongye, Sovereign Feilong, Sovereign Qianheng, and others—all people who had once known Lu Changsheng. Regrettably, their faces were now filled with bewilderment.
"What are we doing here?"
"It seems we came to observe the River of Spacetime? Did something happen to the River of Spacetime?"
"Not sure..."
Many looked utterly lost. They merely remembered coming to the River of Spacetime to observe something, but what they were observing was entirely blank in their minds.
Lin Qingluan was equally bewildered. She furrowed her brow, unable to recall anything, merely feeling as though she had forgotten something of utmost importance...
Lu Changsheng observed this in silence. Time held no meaning for him. He extended a finger, and the time in that region accelerated swiftly: ten thousand years, a hundred thousand years, one epoch, a hundred epochs, a thousand epochs...
So many living beings, such an immense region. The once-lofty Sovereigns were like toys in Lu Changsheng's hands; he could manipulate time as he pleased. Even when accelerated past ten thousand epochs, no one remembered "Lu Changsheng." There was not even a single word left of him—including by Lin Qingluan.
This was the convergence of spacetime.
Lu Changsheng smiled. Life and death were effortless to him now. As for making Lin Qingluan remember him, it was equally simple: he only needed to instill all her previous memories. For an Eternal, that was child's play.
And so, Lu Changsheng plucked Lin Qingluan out of the universe and instilled her memories into her. Only then did Lin Qingluan learn that Lu Changsheng had ascended to Eternity. Thereafter, Lu Changsheng took Lin Qingluan to travel across various universes, even roaming the River of Spacetime and traversing countless timelines across the past and future.
Regrettably, even though Lu Changsheng helped Lin Qingluan birth an immortal soul and even ascend to the Third Realm, that was the limit. Lin Qingluan could never birth the True Self, and naturally could not ascend to Eternity.
Time flowed on endlessly.
An unknown number of epochs passed. Time and again, Lu Changsheng erased Lin Qingluan's memories and even reversed time, yet Lin Qingluan still could not bear such prolonged ages. Those who were not Eternals could not enjoy eternal time.
The Spacetime Walker, Chen, reappeared. He looked at Lu Changsheng and sighed deeply. "An Eternal is destined to be lonely. I was once just like you, accompanying my loved ones for countless years, even reversing time and repeatedly sending them into reincarnation. Yet because they were not Eternals, they could not endure eternal time. In the end, they pleaded with me to seal their souls. They only wanted to sleep, no longer wishing to experience eternal time..."
Lu Changsheng said nothing. In truth, he had known this would be the outcome, for Lin Qingluan had spoken the exact same words to him. She would rather have her soul sealed than continue enduring eternal time.
An Eternal was destined to be alone.
"So, you created the River of Spacetime with your own hands, hoping for the birth of other Eternals," Lu Changsheng said.
"Indeed. Though the results were poor, you were born at last, which counts as a blessing amid misfortune."
"I doubt it is merely loneliness. Spacetime Walker, Chen, tell me your true purpose. Or rather, what is it that you fear?"
Lu Changsheng's words startled Chen slightly. He then let out a long sigh. "It seems you have also sensed that faint threat. You are right: I am afraid. Afraid of that unknown danger. Surrounding us is the boundless Guixu, yet concealed within Guixu is a hidden danger. I do not know what that danger is, but in the dark, I can sense it. Therefore, I created the River of Spacetime and scattered countless pieces of immortal substance, hoping the seeds would grow strong and ascend to Eternity, so that more Eternals could join me in contending against the unknown dangers within the boundless Guixu."
"Now that you are familiar with the methods of an Eternal, you can help me guard the River of Spacetime, and my mind can be at ease. I must now venture deep into the boundless Guixu to seek the source of that unknown danger. Are you willing to guard the River of Spacetime for me?"
Lu Changsheng looked toward that River of Spacetime and nodded.
"By the way, you should choose a title for yourself."
Lu Changsheng pondered for a moment. "Let it be World Master."
"World Master? Eternal World Master, Spacetime Walker World Master... Good, that suits you quite well. Well then, I wish you luck."
With a flash of his silhouette, Chen strode toward the boundless Guixu.
Gazing at the River of Spacetime, Lu Changsheng grew pensive.
"Chen's previous methods were too crude. Even as a game, it was far too monotonous. Perhaps some of the rules can be changed..."
Countless inspirations flashed through Lu Changsheng's mind. He, too, was an Eternal, equal to Chen. Chen's "game" was something he could alter as well!
"Now, it is time for my game..."
Lu Changsheng smiled. His gaze fell upon the River of Spacetime, toward those countless universes. Perhaps under this new game, he would find some interesting people.
Endless time, countless living beings. In Lu Changsheng's eyes, it was merely one game after another.
"Eternal World Master, I hope that when I return to the River of Spacetime, I will see even more Eternals..."
As Chen's parting words faded, his entire figure vanished completely into the boundless Guixu.
Chapter 553