There was nowhere to escape.
After Jiang Chao perished before the eyes of the Wind Ravine Valley disciples, all hope within the people had completely crumbled.
What in this world could be more despair-inducing than witnessing the highest combat power of one's own sect, a grand Dao Union Realm great power, a Supreme Pivot Elder, die a miserable death like a stray dog right before your very eyes?
A Dao Union great power could traverse ten thousand miles in an instant.
Jiang Chao had already exerted his utmost effort, rushing back to Wind Ravine Valley before the demonic aura destined to engulf the entire Chenping Continent reached the Northern Region.
But even with this information, what could these Wind Ravine Valley disciples actually do?
Escape?
But where exactly could they escape to?
Perhaps it was fortune, or perhaps it was misfortune.
Everyone, in the blink of an eye, turned to bleached bones.
[Reincarnation Ended.]
[This Reincarnation Rating: B (When the true end of the world arrives, is it unwillingness, or is it release?)]
[Accumulated Cultivation: Peak Qi Sea Realm]
[Reincarnation Reward: Cultivation realm advances by one minor stage]
[Reincarnation settlement complete. Host will return to the previous reincarnation save point, inherit the accumulated cultivation from this reincarnation, and restart life.]
...
Noisy, yet exceptionally clear sounds reached his ears.
Chen Yan could extract all the information contained within the sounds transmitted to his ears.
He could also sense the flow direction of every single strand of true qi within his meridians.
It was as if everything was under his control.
Very quickly, Chen Yan understood why he was experiencing such a marvelous sensation.
Spirit Connection Realm.
After this reincarnation ended, Chen Yan's cultivation realm welcomed another breakthrough, advancing from the Peak Qi Sea Realm to the early stage of the Spirit Connection Realm.
Compared to the Qi Sea Realm, the increase in the sheer volume of true qi upon reaching the Spirit Connection Realm wasn't as dramatic as the leaps seen in previous realm advancements.
For an ordinary cultivator breaking through from the Martial Spring Realm to the Qi Sea Realm, the increase in total true qi volume brought by the realm breakthrough typically ranged between fifteen to twenty times.
Whereas the increase in total true qi volume from breaking through the Qi Sea Realm to the Spirit Connection Realm was only between two to four times.
However, compared to the Qi Sea Realm, the enhancement in divine sense strength for a cultivator upon stepping into the Spirit Connection Realm was no less than a hundredfold.
If, before the Spirit Connection Realm, a cultivator's control over the true qi within their body was limited to roughly directing its flow within the meridians, then a Spirit Connection Realm cultivator could effortlessly and casually summon any two specific strands of true qi from their Qi Sea and tie them into a bow.
This was also why the Spirit Connection Realm formed the foundation for achieving the Myriad Transformations Realm.
To derive innate true energy, this kind of extremely refined control over true qi was essential.
Chen Yan opened his eyes.
He found himself standing on a seemingly familiar arena platform. Surrounding the platform were many cultivators dressed in various styles of daoist robes, and before him stood a viewing stand.
At the very top of the viewing stand sat an elder wearing the Qingjin Ravine daoist robes of Wind Ravine Valley.
Seated at the elder's feet were the five Daomen Xingzou from the Five Great Sects of Chenping Continent.
And by his own side stood a little girl whose height only reached his waist.
Was this eight years ago?
Chen Yan could feel the vast, surging true qi flowing within his meridians. His meridians at this moment were intact.
Come to think of it, the effects of the Nine Revolutions Chaos Heaven Tempering Meridian Pill should also be inherited along with his accumulated cultivation.
So it was perfectly normal for his meridians to be as good as new upon returning to this point in time.
Chen Yan lifted his head again, his gaze sweeping towards the crowd beside the arena platform. When he focused his entire attention, he could clearly see the true qi meridians on each person's body, thus knowing their current cultivation realm.
This guy is in the Qi Circulation Realm, that guy is in the Martial Spring Realm.
Then, he shifted his gaze to the viewing stand. The cultivation of the Daomen Xingzou from the Five Great Sects were all at the Qi Sea Realm.
As for Chang Yongfeng's cultivation...
Chen Yan couldn't discern it.
A Spirit Connection Realm cultivator could only see through the cultivation realms of those below their own level.
"Young man, are your meridians completely broken now?"
Chang Yongfeng on the viewing stand spoke thus. The words he would say next, Chen Yan had already heard once eight years ago... or rather, the Chen Yan from eight years ago had already heard them.
According to the previous course of events, Chang Yongfeng would next extend another invitation for Chen Yan and Si Youyou to join Wind Ravine Valley.
Having spent eight years in Wind Ravine Valley during the previous reincarnation, Chen Yan had gained a general understanding of the sect's internal style and atmosphere.
Overall, it was relatively casual and free-spirited.
Although within Wind Ravine Valley, he ultimately only reached the position of Training Grounds Protector, still far, far removed from the sect's true upper echelons.
Chen Yan couldn't guarantee that there were no individuals like Fu Qian or Huo Mu within Wind Ravine Valley.
But he knew that as long as he didn't stir up trouble, if he were to join Wind Ravine Valley, he could basically ensure his personal safety for the next eight years.
Since that was the case...
Wait.
Why was his reincarnation save point this time at the moment eight years ago when he had to decide whether to join Wind Ravine Valley?
A full eight years had passed, yet the reincarnation save point hadn't shifted at all.
So, did this mean that his decision to join Wind Ravine Valley was a mistake?
The only correct destiny...
Chen Yan thought this, then swept his gaze once more across the crowd beside the arena platform. He didn't find Mr. You's figure among the people.
He absolutely had to find Mr. You.
Eight years later, that Great Demon's Egg within the Fallen Sword Mountain Range would annihilate the entire Chenping Continent.
He only had eight years.
This Immortal Ascension Realm great power, skilled in divination, might know something.
Chen Yan, thinking this way, already knew what he had to do.
"No, they are only slightly damaged."
Chen Yan replied.
"Oh? If they are only slightly damaged, why would you need this Nine Revolutions Chaos Heaven Tempering Meridian Pill?"
Chang Yongfeng asked.
"My little sister here has always wanted to give me the very best of everything."
Chen Yan said with a smile.
Si Youyou looked up in surprise, wearing an expression that said, "I didn't, don't talk nonsense."
"Another matter. I just checked the roster. Are both of you currently Rogue Cultivators?"
Chang Yongfeng inquired.
"Yes."
Chen Yan answered.
"Since that's the case, how about the two of you join our Wind Ravine Valley?"
Chang Yongfeng proposed.
"That won't be necessary. I brought my younger sister here to participate in the Floating Light Summit Dao Inquiry this time merely to broaden her horizons."
Chen Yan said this while performing a respectful bow with clasped hands.
"Oh?"
As if clearly not expecting this young man before him to dare refuse, Chang Yongfeng's brows furrowed slightly.
He felt a sense of dissonance.
From the start, this youth with completely shattered meridians seemed to have suddenly become a different person.
"This is not a good choice."
Chang Yongfeng wasn't threatening Chen Yan.
A little girl merely six years old, and a youth with damaged meridians who had shone so brightly at the Floating Light Summit Dao Inquiry—there were far too many eyes fixed on the two of them.
Among those watching gazes, there were certainly some filled with malice.
"Thank you for your kind intention. Even though my meridians are slightly damaged, it should be more than sufficient to ensure the safety of myself and my younger sister."
Having said that, Chen Yan began to fully operate the Hidden Immortal Art. True qi surged within his meridians.
After stepping into the Spirit Connection Realm, his control over true qi had increased by no less than a hundredfold.
And then, Chen Yan activated the Great Derivation Art, transforming the surging true qi within his meridians into vast spiritual energy, unleashing his aura completely.
On Floating Light Summit, including Chang Yongfeng, the breath of every single cultivator hitched for half a beat—
An Upper Three Realms cultivator!