Eternal Tale

”Dao Ancestor.” Wan Xiangying beamed, having already discerned his attitude from his tone. ”Are you here to reclaim the deposits from the spirit seal?”

”Indeed.”

Chen Xun nodded expressionlessly, having no personal ties with her. ”Our family has several hundred billion mid-grade spirit stones, naturally, we can’t leave them unclaimed. Is the Spirit Bank willing to return them?”

”Moo.” Black Bull snorted in agreement from the side.

With those words, a hint of tension flickered in the eyes of the cultivators on the long path, their hands trembling slightly in their respectful gestures.

The Dao Ancestor hadn’t emitted any overt pressure, yet his words alone were enough to terrify them, each syllable striking at the core of their immortal essence, leaving no room for doubt or dissent.

Even their connection with the star pivot had severed upon his arrival... It was as if he embodied the heavens and earth, capable of altering the laws of nature with a mere thought, his power overwhelming.

Wan Xiangying lowered her gaze, her phoenix-patterned dress trailing on the ground.

She hesitated slightly, speaking respectfully, ”Dao Ancestor... this matter is somewhat difficult. Your divine sense imprint has long dissipated over thousands of years, everything erased, making it impossible to determine the exact amount.”

”Miss Wan, I won’t make things difficult for you. Who can make the decision on this matter?”Chen Xun appeared indifferent, treating spirit stones as mere dirt. ”Give me a coordinate and a name, and we’ll find him to resolve this. This isn’t a trivial amount.”

”Dao Ancestor... the Spirit Bank has no such precedent, nor will it set one.”

”Then I should have the qualification to set a precedent for the All-Heaven Myriad Realms Spirit Bank.”

Chen Xun spoke quickly, interrupting Wan Xiangying before she finished, ”You only need to tell me the identity, the rest won’t implicate you.”

”Star Pivot... Boundless Starry Sky, North Heng...”

Wan Xiangying recited a long string of star pivot coordinates, finally speaking solemnly, ”Shen Tai Immortal, overseeing the All-Heaven Myriad Realms Spirit Bank, including the Great World of Taiyi.”

”Thank you.”

Chen Xun gave Wan Xiangying a slight nod and smile, ”Farewell, young friends.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Black Bull vanished with Chen Xun, even the footprints on the road slowly fading, as if this world couldn’t bear the steps of an immortal...

Once they left, everyone felt as if they had burst from the depths of the ocean, gasping for fresh spiritual qi, their bodies drenched in cold sweat.

Though they remembered the Dao Ancestor’s visit, their memories of his appearance were fading, as if waking from a deep dream.

”Is this what an immortal is like...”

Wan Xiangying murmured softly, not daring to deepen her thoughts, feeling an ominous sense of impending dread the more she pondered, as if facing a being of an entirely different life level.

Silence reigned, both inside and outside the ancient building, no one daring to move.

This eerie situation persisted for three whole days before dissipating, everyone resuming their duties, avoiding any discussion of that day’s events.

In the sky, aboard the Boundary-breaking Ship.

Black Bull looked at Chen Xun with awe, ”Moo moo?”

”Naturally, it’s the Qi cultivation phase.” Chen Xun chuckled, patting Black Bull, ”I merely released a wisp of immortal essence pressure, that’s the aura of the immortal realm.”

”When collecting debts, one can’t be too amiable; we must assert our stance and strength.”

”Your eldest brother’s life level is that of an immortal, just with a lower realm, not entirely useless.”

”Moo...”

Black Bull’s eyes still held awe, truly, the aura of an immortal was intimidating... though it couldn’t cause substantial harm, it was enough!

Chen Xun truly knew how to hide, even deceiving it.

”Haha.” Chen Xun laughed heartily at Black Bull’s shocked expression, ”Bull, your eldest brother is a genuine immortal, don’t underestimate my Qi cultivation phase...”

”Moo!” Black Bull nodded thoughtfully, eyes gleaming, perhaps it wouldn’t need to rescue Chen Xun in the future.

”Shen Tai Immortal... never heard of him.”

Chen Xun squinted slightly, a meaningful smile on his lips, ”I wonder if this person participated in the Milky Way War, if he crossed paths with this Dao Ancestor, that would be easier.”

Black Bull grinned widely, as if recalling something amusing.

...

Star Pivot.

In the vast starry sky, a burly, stern-faced man suddenly opened his eyes, the immortal light within piercing through everything, a twitch at his brow.

”An immortal is plotting against me...”

A deep thunderous voice echoed through the starry sky, the man surveyed the surroundings, smiling calmly, ”Daring to plot against the All-Heaven Myriad Realms Spirit Bank, interesting... bold.”

After speaking, he fell silent again.

His divine sense had long split into countless threads, managing the affairs of spirit banks across several great worlds, multitasking tens of thousands, even millions, instilling fear in those who heard of it.

In an instant, he learned of the Five Elements Dao Ancestor’s visit to the spirit bank in the Great World of Taiyi, Xuanwei Heaven domain.

This man was the Shen Tai Immortal mentioned by Wan Xiangying.

Though Shen Tai closed his eyes, his expression turned intriguing, not expecting it to be the Dao Ancestor of the Forbidden Immortal Path...

”It seems a bit troublesome.”

Shen Tai murmured to himself in the starry sky, ”A change in rules would affect the operation of spirit banks across the Three Thousand Great Worlds, the loss far exceeding several hundred billion mid-grade spirit stones. If you, Five Elements Dao Ancestor, can find me in the Qi cultivation phase...”

”I shall return them to you with top-grade spirit stones, of course, as a personal gift.”

His calm words seemed etched in the starry sky, a short sentence preemptively avoiding many future misunderstandings, an immortal’s words carrying their own cause and effect.

He didn’t wish to offend the Five Elements Dao Ancestor, nor to befriend him, for this person was somewhat mad, severing the Human Emperor’s bloodline, openly withdrawing from the human race... problems solvable with spirit stones aren’t true problems.

...

In the skies above Li Chen Island.

Chen Xun’s Five Elements Immortal Eyes suddenly appeared, the law pattern at his brow lightly pulsating, sensing something, yet unable to pinpoint it.

”Moo?”

”Something unclean.”

Chen Xun calmly glanced at the sky, ”It could be that Boundless Immortal is discussing this Dao Ancestor, sensing it internally, or perhaps it’s that Shen Tai Immortal.”

Black Bull exhaled a long breath, growing more curious about the immortal realm... it was too mysterious, wondering if any little cows were thinking of it.

”Bull, I’m going to another place.”

Chen Xun suddenly shifted the topic, ”I’ve sent a message to Third Sister and Little Chi with the law disk, telling them to wait for us at Immaculate Immortal Ridge once they’re done.”

”Moo?”

”The mortal realm of the human race in Xuanwei Heaven domain.” Chen Xun turned to Black Bull, meeting its gaze, ”We’re going to see Yao Yue and the old gentleman, and the descendants of those two disciples.”

”Moo moo~” Black Bull’s eyes lit up, no problem!

”Hehe, let’s go~”

Chen Xun stood atop the crane’s head, waving his hand, the Boundary-breaking Ship instantly activating the power of the Five Elements, transforming into a stream of light shooting towards the distant horizon, leaving Black Bull in awe.

Eldest brother currently lacks the power of the Five Elements, yet the Boundary-breaking Ship can autonomously operate it!

Could it be about to birth a spirit?

Chen Xun stood with one hand behind his back, gazing at the world, having nurtured the Boundary-breaking Ship for so many years, it should be time for it to birth a spirit...

The grandeur and effects of this Dao Ancestor’s Qi cultivation phase journey depend on you, good brother!