Wait, How Did My Digital Girlfriend Become a Sword Immortal? Chapter 693: Old Devil Xiao Knows Everything
Previously on Wait, How Did My Digital Girlfriend Become a Sword Immortal?...
Chapter 693: Old Devil Xiao Knows Everything
...
The spirit gathering great formation of the Sect was currently funneling a portion of spiritual energy into the subterranean veins.
Chen Huaian remained oblivious to this development.
Even if the news reached him, he likely would have dismissed it as a trivial matter.
The earth veins running beneath the Moon Shadow Sect served as the foundation for the Sect’s destiny and fortune; fortifying them could only provide advantages to the Moon Shadow Sect without any negative repercussions.
Furthermore, he saw no issue with this spiritual energy migrating through the earth veins to reach other corners of the Cangyun Realm.
Had the common consensus not been that the resources of the Cangyun Realm were nearly exhausted?
One could view it as a charity for the entire Cangyun Realm. After all, the Moon Shadow Sect was on the verge of total world domination, and the absorption of other Sects was merely a matter of time.
If everyone possessed spiritual energy for Cultivation and spirit stones for their needs, allowing them to grow powerful together, wouldn't that be a positive outcome?
“Still, with such a massive disturbance occurring in the Sect, why hasn't Old Demon Xiao made an appearance?”
Chen Huaian rubbed his head, noting that a significant amount of time had passed since he last encountered Old Demon Xiao, who remained in closed-door cultivation.
Given Old Demon Xiao’s Great Ascension Stage Cultivation and his prior expertise in the Heavenly Demon Art, transitioning to the updated version should have been effortless—a truly seamless shift. While a typical cultivator might require a year or two to adjust, Old Demon Xiao would likely finish in less than a month.
Chen Huaian flickered into the small timber cabin located within the Bamboo Sea, yet Old Demon Xiao was nowhere to be found.
In the neighboring chamber, Young Master Yinyu remained in seclusion, showing no reaction to either the exit of Old Demon Xiao or the arrival of Chen Huaian. Young Master Yinyu had shed every trace of his former effeminate and delicate look; since practicing the modified Heavenly Demon Art, his frame had transformed into something remarkably powerful and grand.
After a quick scan of the area, Chen Huaian eventually spotted a jade slip that Old Demon Xiao had left atop a desk in the inner chamber.
[...Elder brother, the restrictions of the heavenly and earthly laws have shifted. This younger brother shall head out first to scout the immortal path on your behalf!]
The jade slip contained a secondary layer of restrictions.
It held data intended solely for Chen Huaian's eyes.
He sent a thread of divine sense into the object, and a message immediately manifested that caused his skin to crawl:
[Fellow Daoist Chen, to speak plainly, this younger brother is aware that you are not my biological elder brother. On the day the heavenly laws shifted, the secrets of the heavens were unveiled, and this old man came to understand the truth... However, were it not for you, I might still be consumed by the guilt of the past.]
[Thus, this old man chooses to believe you share a bond with my elder brother—perhaps his final wish was for you to come here and untangle the knots within my heart!]
[Hehehe! Do not fret, elder brother. If the Immortal Realm is truly as magnificent as we imagined, you may follow me later!]
...
“Holy beans!” Chen Huaian felt a cold sweat drenching his back.
Old Demon Xiao had known all along.
And he had made this discovery while Chen Huaian wasn't even present in the Cangyun Realm.
How... terrifying!
It was a stroke of luck that during his time acting as the elder brother, he had treated Old Demon Xiao with genuine sincerity, truly nurturing him as if he were his own flesh and blood.
He had granted Old Demon Xiao every resource he required.
Whenever Old Demon Xiao sought guidance regarding the modified Heavenly Demon Art, Chen Huaian had offered patient explanations based on the system's data...
It just goes to show that sometimes, unexpected sincerity yields the best results.
Had he shown even a hint of a desire to exploit Old Demon Xiao during that time, the Moon Shadow Sect would likely have been met with total annihilation.
“But... the heavenly laws' suppression of Great Ascension Stage experts has lessened? Can the old freaks in the Void Abyss actually achieve immortality now?” Chen Huaian winced and sucked air through his teeth, sensing something was off even if he couldn't name it.
When anomalies occur, there is usually a hidden scheme at play.
He would need to wait for a Great Ascension Stage cultivator to undergo their tribulation to understand the reality of the situation.
If Old Demon Xiao was the first to face the trial and the power of the heavenly tribulation remained overwhelming, Chen Huaian might still have a chance to save him.
...
Cangyun Realm, Immortal Realm.
“The exhausted spiritual energy of the Cangyun Realm is actually showing signs of revival?”
Real Person Jade Compassion, who had been keeping a constant watch on the spiritual energy levels of the Cangyun Realm, snapped her eyes open, her heart racing with alarm.
She suddenly thought back to her recent talk with the Sword Bearer.
The Sword Bearer had claimed he could diminish the intensity of the heavenly tribulation, providing those at the Great Ascension Stage a window of opportunity to reach immortality.
Instead of barring the path to immortality entirely.
She had suspected the Sword Bearer was laying a trap, yet he had maintained that the drainage of the Cangyun Realm’s resources would soon cease.
She hadn't put much stock in his claims, yet the phenomenon was actually occurring!
“The origin of this spiritual energy recovery is... the Moon Shadow Sect!” Real Person Jade Compassion concluded her divinations, the shock in her gaze slowly fading.
The pieces of the puzzle were starting to fit together.
The Sword Bearer was a dead ringer for Chen Huaian.
There was clearly a strange link between the two.
And the renewal of the Cangyun Realm’s resources was radiating outward from Chen Huaian’s Moon Shadow Sect.
She found it impossible to believe that the Sword Bearer wasn't behind this!
Combined with the fact that Chen Huaian was an outsider to this world...
“The Sword Bearer is already utilizing Chen Huaian to siphon resources from a different world.” Real Person Jade Compassion narrowed her eyes.
She had solved it.
No wonder this returning spiritual energy felt distinct from the natural spiritual energy of the Cangyun Realm.
It required filtration and refinement through the earth veins before it could be spread across the realm.
To put it bluntly, the fuel for this spiritual energy was fundamentally not from the Cangyun Realm.
Everything was becoming clear.
Yet, one mystery remained for Real Person Jade Compassion.
“If the Sword Bearer can already harvest resources from another world via Chen Huaian, he could easily treat that world as a strategic supply base for the Cangyun Realm. Why push for a merger? A merger implies conflict, and the Sword Bearer permitting the rise of new immortals is likely preparation for a clash between the peak powers of both worlds during the integration.”
“Jade Compassion, I didn't deceive you, did I.” A cold voice resonated from behind her.
Startled, Real Person Jade Compassion let out a small hiccup and immediately stood tall.
“Don't dawdle. Undo the blockade of the heavenly laws this instant.” White Sword looked at her anxious, beautiful face and said flatly: “The previous intensity of the heavenly tribulation was excessive. Cut it by half.”
He tossed a golden orb toward Real Person Jade Compassion.
She caught it instinctively and peered at it, only to realize it was a massive golden eye.
The giant eye radiated a Daoist pressure from the heavens that made her very soul shudder. Real Person Jade Compassion had a sudden, vague realization.
This massive eyeball, watching her with a detached gaze, was the physical manifestation of the Cangyun Realm’s Heavenly Dao will.
She trembled involuntarily.
—Had the Sword Bearer truly reached such a level of dominance over the Dao?
To have refined the Heavenly Dao into this eye, and... to throw it around so carelessly?
Then... just how high was his power?!
Holding the giant eyeball, Real Person Jade Compassion felt as though she were clutching a burning coal—she couldn't hold it comfortably, yet she dared not drop it.
“One more thing.” White Sword stopped briefly as he prepared to depart, reflecting: “There is a fox who has taken too many lives, resulting in a heavy burden of karmic debt. She will encounter a heavenly tribulation thousands of times more powerful than normal, with virtually zero hope of surviving... When her time comes, watch over her. Deliver a punishment, but ensure the heavenly tribulation doesn't actually kill her.”
Real Person Jade Compassion blinked in surprise: “What, is she your lover?”
White Sword’s frame froze for a split second before he turned and walked away.
Only two freezing words echoed from the distance.
“Too talkative!”