调查研究

After Mu Han left, Yan immediately set out to verify the information. Even without a far-reaching intelligence network, he could still get to the bottom of it.

He first contacted Su Jin. After some small talk to ask how she was doing, he tried to reach out to Bai Ping, the one who had led his entire army to ascend from the village where Yan once lived. From him, he learned a few more details. As for the Celestial Clan, he saw no need to probe them.

His father was indeed under house arrest due to the discontent he had stirred up back then. However, given the current situation, those in the Heaven Beyond Heavens prioritized the bigger picture. They understood what was at stake, and for now, they had no intention of moving against the Sub-Institute.

As for the Lord of Heaven Beyond Heavens, his seclusion seemed to be his normal state, hardly a secret. What was unusual, though, was that his younger brother, who usually governed in his stead, had also gone into seclusion.

On Bai Ping's end, his army had just arrived in the Heaven Beyond Heavens and hadn't yet integrated. Because their mass ascension as a unified force was extremely rare, many were wary of them. They probably wouldn't be notified until they were actually needed for a campaign. Yan could only ask him to send word if there was a large-scale troop mobilization or a significant outflow of forces from the Heaven Beyond Heavens's armies.

Afterwards, he contacted the Imperial City, instructing them to send someone to deliver condolences to Yang Sha of the Celestial Clan. They were to ask how his recovery was progressing after his fierce battle with Su Xian. They needed to record every micro-expression, every subtle shift in his demeanor, every detail. If possible, they should film it. Given his recklessness during their first encounter, he couldn't hide his emotions. A provocation like this would likely yield plenty of clues.

Yan himself wasn't idle either. He took out the doppelgänger talisman Qian Qi had once given him and cast a spell to transport himself to Bai Ping's location. He stealthily wandered around the Heaven Beyond Heavens a few times but found nothing. However, recalling the look in Mu Han's eyes when he warned him—the constant darting glances, yet the certainty in his gaze at crucial points, and his tone which didn't sound like a lie—he decided to explore a few more rounds.

As expected, he discovered a secret chamber. Despite it being the beginning of summer, black frost had condensed there, or perhaps it was just a shadow cast over it. Either way, it was wrong. Just as he moved closer, a violent surge of energy erupted from within. It instantly destroyed his physical form. Even cutting off his spiritual sense in time was useless. Back in his real body, blood immediately sprayed from his seven orifices.

Yan gasped for air, his breath ragged. That aura was familiar, an indescribable terror and despair flooding his entire being. It took a long time for him to recover.

He couldn't determine yet if that thing was meant to deal with the old Dean or to be used in the struggle against the Celestial Clan. Either way, he had to be prepared.

Not daring to be careless, Yan first informed E Ye so they could devise a counter-strategy before the Dean returned. He stood up, about to wipe away the black blood oozing from his orifices. The moment his finger touched it, his mind jolted. In an instant, his soul was pulled into a silent, tranquil space.

He stood there, or perhaps floated there. Surrounding him was a black tinged with deep gray, speckled with blurry black-and-white dots. It felt as if he could see something, yet also as if he could see nothing at all.

Looking up, Yan thought he saw a colossal figure standing before him, or maybe it wasn't before him—it was just a feeling. But there was also a sense of being infinitely distant.

Yan could clearly see his face, clearly see his entire body, yet he was utterly unable to describe his features. He only knew that the figure was immense. Helplessness and fear corroded every inch of his soul. When the figure merely slightly opened and closed his eyes, the blood in Yan's veins froze, and he could barely breathe.

The figure noticed Yan. His aura exploded violently, and a terrifying pressure solidified the void itself. Yan's soul was immobilized, cracks forming under the immense strain, on the verge of being completely crushed.

At the same time, his physical body contorted in a gruesome manner. Blood surged uncontrollably from everywhere. Even if his soul held out a moment longer, his body would bleed out and wither, leading to certain death.

At the critical juncture of life and death, a finger pressed against his brow. The flow of blood stopped.

Immediately, a cyan glow shielded Yan. No matter how intense the pressure became, it couldn't harm him in the slightest.

"Easy there, little brother. I've got you." Su Xian walked up from behind Yan, clapped him on the shoulder, and the soul on the verge of shattering began to mend.

"A mere projection cannot protect him!" The figure spoke. A shockwave of air arrived first, followed by the sound itself echoing from all directions.

With one arm shielding Yan, Su Xian raised his other hand to block the front. He then enveloped the area with Mind Force, barely managing to neutralize the residual impact of those words.

"That this projection cannot protect him is indeed true, as you say." Su Xian steadied himself, adjusted his stance, his gaze sharpening slightly though his tone remained calm.

"Should you kill him, Xian's true self will awaken, seek you out, and exterminate you. Exterminate you across all your lifetimes, slay your past and present! Through nine cycles spanning myriad years, I, having inherited the past and ended the future, have synthesized the great achievement of nine lifetimes. Should I fear your petty, minor attainment?" His words grew heavier, nearly causing the projection to collapse under the previous aftershock.

"Past, present, future—whether Xian can slaughter you, you are welcome to test it!" Su Xian steadied his projection. The turbulent air around him dissipated. The distance separating him from that figure was beyond any worldly measure, yet at this moment, it was but a single step away.

"The future... you causality-defying madman!" The figure seemed apprehensive. It faded from view, and Su Xian brought Yan back to his physical body.

"Brother Xian, that was..." Yan's heart still pounded with fear. Sweat poured from his forehead like rain. Only now did his rigid body begin to relax slightly.

"It's nothing. His identity is not for you to concern yourself with yet. He will not come before you have achieved great mastery of the Dao." Su Xian handed Yan a pill. "And he may not truly come to hunt you. Trust me, his heart is no longer in such pursuits. As for the rest... you will know when the time comes. Forgive me for not being able to tell you now."

Yan swallowed the pill and nodded. Yet, he couldn't stop himself from wondering who that figure was, and what they always meant by "nine lifetimes." He couldn't recall seeing any related terms in the texts he'd read. Some memory fragments felt vaguely connected, but most were mismatched and incoherent, yielding no useful information.

Seeing Yan still lost in thought, Su Xian shook his head.

"Little brother, how much of your memory has returned?" Noticing Yan's furrowed brow remained tense for a long while, Su Xian guessed he was stuck and asked.

"Brother Xian, only some things about cultivation techniques and... some not-so-good memories. As for the rest, I just have a feeling they're there, but I can't recall them when I try to focus," Yan replied, recognizing Su Xian was trying to distract him.

"It's fine, no rush. Since the first breach has been made, the rest will likely return soon." Seeing Yan's strange expression, Su Xian added, "The past wasn't only suffering. There was also much joy hidden within the ordinary. You've just forgotten. It will surface in your mind when you need it!"

Su Xian seemed to think of something, shifting the topic, his tone growing somewhat heavy.

"From now on, you must take good care of yourself. I cannot be by your side every moment. Maintain your curiosity about the world, but remember to know when to stop. Don't be too fixated. Some things don't yield results through sheer stubbornness alone. Letting go is also a skill."

The atmosphere grew heavy for a moment. Yan's complexion wasn't good. He didn't say anything, but the occasional sound of him sniffling said it all.

Su Xian quickly corrected himself, "This is just a projection of me. My true self is still in slumber. What I mean is, if you encounter trouble you can't handle, it will take time for my true form to arrive. So, you must learn to protect yourself in the interim."

"Brother Xian, what about Mother..."

"Hiss... The Third Ancestor has decreed that past great powers wishing to enter can only do so via avatars. But as for who exactly... I cannot say for certain." Su Xian hesitated before answering.

Early the next morning, a sharp sound came from Master Mu's residence. Master Mu had observed the celestial phenomena throughout the night and performed a divination at the cost of his entire lifespan. The exact nature of the divination remained unknown. It was only known that he had sought out E Ye, and the next time he was seen, his body was being carried out from his dwelling.

A somber atmosphere hung over the entire sect. Some disciples were restless and anxious, but Mo Wenxi remained unperturbed. Instead, he turned and took up Master Mu's final will, commencing a new cycle of divination based on his predecessor's original findings.