Chenping Continent, Northern Region, Floating Light Summit.
The so-called Floating Light Summit was actually just a mountain peak over eight hundred zhang high. However, this mountain peak held truly extraordinary significance for Wind Ravine Valley.
Chen Yan first looked up at this eight-hundred-zhang-high mountain. Mountains of this height were unremarkable on Chenping Continent.
Then, he looked down at his feet.
A gentle breeze brushed past, rolling a few grains of sand from beside Chen Yan's feet, tumbling into the bottomless abyss before his eyes.
The so-called "bottomless abyss" was not an exaggerated description, but a genuine ten-thousand-zhang-deep chasm.
Forty thousand years ago, the great power of Wind Ravine Valley who had reached the Immortal Ascension Realm, Realman Bai Shang, cleaved Floating Light Mountain apart with a single sword strike, leaving behind only this half of Floating Light Mountain on the ground, and beneath their feet, a bottomless abyss over twelve thousand zhang deep.
Since then, this half of Floating Light Mountain has been called the "Floating Light Summit," and the ten-thousand-zhang-deep abyss at its foot has been called "Bai Abyss."
Chen Yan gazed at the abyss beneath his feet, lost in thought.
If it were Su Hongzhen...
It wasn't until Chen Yan saw the Bai Abyss before him that he finally realized just how terrifying an existence a cultivator of the Immortal Ascension Realm truly was.
Thinking of this, Chen Yan suddenly turned his head to look at Mr. You beside him.
And Mr. You clearly also knew what Chen Yan was thinking.
"Hmph, a mere trifling skill, not worth mentioning."
Mr. You just snorted coldly and said this.
"Can Mr. You also cleave an abyss of this level with a single sword strike?"
Chen Yan asked.
He saw the corner of Mr. You's mouth twitch slightly.
Then, he began lecturing about things like "the depth of one's cultivation is absolutely not something that can be distinguished by hacking at the ground," or saying things like "such a shallow comparison is like two children comparing who can pee farther," and also things like "as expected, a young one who has never ascended to immortality has a shallow perspective, you can't discuss ice with a summer insect"—things Chen Yan simply couldn't understand.
However, Chen Yan felt the atmosphere was quite cheerful.
"But..."
Chen Yan looked down again at the ten-thousand-zhang abyss beneath his feet:
"A single sword strike like this could even be said to have altered the very topography of the Northern Region of Chenping Continent. Wouldn't such an act incur cause and effect?"
"Not everything is related to cause and effect. Otherwise, wouldn't cultivators of the Immortal Ascension Realm be unable to do anything?"
Mr. You replied:
"Moreover, the so-called Heavenly Dao Fate might not be that strict. Who knows? In the end, it's all just idle speculation. I merely wish to use you to see what the end of the Heavenly Dao Fate truly looks like."
The end of the Heavenly Dao Fate.
If Mr. You's speculation was correct, then it was highly likely that his own cycle of reincarnation and save-scumming were related to that so-called Heavenly Dao Fate.
Through his own corrections, to connect the causal links of this world's Heavenly Dao Fate, guiding everything onto the correct path.
As for the end of the Heavenly Dao Fate...
Would it represent his true death?
Chen Yan didn't know.
He also didn't know what the meaning of his continued existence was now. He only felt like a mere tool of the so-called Heavenly Dao Fate, constantly pushing the development of cause and effect.
Chen Yan shook his head, trying to cast these abstract concepts out of his thoughts.
What is the meaning of life? This question was a very elusive one, both for his past self in his previous life and for his current self who had crossed over to this cultivation world.
To seriously ponder these things was simply asking for trouble.
For Chen Yan at present, the most important matter was obtaining the Nine Revolutions Chaos Heaven Tempering Meridian Pill and repairing his shattered meridians.
Therefore...
Chen Yan looked toward the other side, at Si Youyou who was clutching the hem of his daoist robes.
He could only rely on this child.
...
The Floating Light Summit was bustling with noise and excitement.
All the more prestigious cultivation sects from the entire Northern Region of Chenping Continent had gathered here. Among them were many disciples wearing daoist robes that Chen Yan had seen before at Heavenly Summit Mountain, looking somewhat familiar.
The cultivation sects that received the invitations had all sent their disciples. After all, no one wanted to offend Wind Ravine Valley; they had to come to show face no matter what.
Chen Yan didn't know if there were any survivors of the Heavenly Summit Mountain Cataclysm present, but he was currently wearing a Mirage Palace human skin mask, so it should be fine.
Presiding over this Floating Light Summit Dao Inquiry Assembly was Dignity Elder Chang Yongfeng from Wind Ravine Valley's Qingjin Ravine, a cultivator of the Myriad Transformations Realm who had already cultivated over three hundred strands of innate true energy.
"Invitation."
Not long after ascending the Floating Light Summit, two outer sect disciples of Wind Ravine Valley blocked the path of Chen Yan, Mr. You, and Si Youyou.
These two Wind Ravine Valley outer sect disciples both appeared to be at the Qi Circulation Realm cultivation.
Mr. You took out the invitation obtained from the Lightning-Severing Sect and handed it to the two outer sect disciples.
The outer sect disciple who took the invitation flipped through it casually. After confirming it was genuine, he spoke again:
"Who will be participating in this Dao Inquiry competition? Sign your name on this roster, and then we will proceed with the grouping."
Chen Yan and Mr. You both looked down at the little girl beside them.
Then, Si Youyou raised her right hand high, waving it twice in front of these two Wind Ravine Valley outer sect disciples:
"It's me! Me!"
The two Wind Ravine Valley outer sect disciples looked down at Si Youyou for a moment, clearly finding this clever and lively little girl amusing, but they quickly put on stern faces:
"Stop fooling around!"
"It really is her who's participating."
Chen Yan spoke up from the side.
"I say, you kid, how can you also..."
The two Wind Ravine Valley disciples obviously felt they were being made fun of and immediately became displeased.
"Youyou."
Chen Yan said softly.
In the next instant, Si Youyou's meridians relaxed, her Martial Spring surged, and her true qi emanated outward. Instantly, the air within several zhang around them became somewhat oppressive.
"Martial Spring Realm..."
The two Wind Ravine Valley outer sect disciples clearly wore expressions of disbelief.
A Martial Spring Realm cultivator at this age was simply unheard of.
Probably throughout the entire history of Chenping Continent, there had never been a single case.
Unless... Fusheng City?
But Fusheng City never interacted with the outside world, how could this be?
"Can I sign now?"
Si Youyou looked up, blinking her eyes as she asked.
"...Y-yes, you can."
The Wind Ravine Valley outer sect disciple became somewhat stuttery. Who would have thought this little runt's cultivation level would actually be higher than their own?
No, they definitely had to report this to the Supervisor later, and then have the Supervisor report it to the elders.
Both Wind Ravine Valley outer sect disciples had made up their minds about this.
"Look, that person is a Dao Gate Traveler from one of the Five Great Sects!"
Suddenly, whispers came from the side.
"Which sect's Dao Gate Traveler?"
"I don't recognize those robes... Is it Kongshan Sect's?"
Chen Yan's heart suddenly tightened upon hearing the three words "Kongshan Sect." No matter who the current Kongshan Sect Dao Gate Traveler was, it was highly likely to be an old acquaintance of his.
Chen Yan followed the direction of those people's voices and gazes. When he saw that figure, his heartbeat skipped a beat—
"What nonsense are you talking? Kongshan Sect's robes are pure white. How is that Kongshan Sect's Dao Gate Traveler?"
"Sorry, my mistake, my mistake. Then who is he really?"
"He's the contemporary Dao Gate Traveler of Mirage Palace, Xiao Bo'an!"