Another Cliché Cultivation Story

Ji Xian cast Dong Zongying a few brief glances before looking away. He had seen all he needed to see regarding her usage of Ethereal Blight. Truly, he couldn’t help but find the world miraculous. As someone who possibly transmigrated to this realm of cultivation and possessed the simulation, he considered himself an abnormality, but upon witnessing Dong Zongying’s Ethereal Blight, it appears there are also many other people out there like him.

This wasn’t to say he believed there were other transmigrators, but rather, there were people beyond the limits of understanding.

Shaking his head, Ji Xian mused to himself.

Ahh, why am I even surprised, after all, isn’t Lihua and Yueyin the same? Whether it’s their bloodline, draconic transformation, or abilities, I can’t see through them. Though I can perceive how they operate their True and Astral Essence, due to our anatomical and genetic differences, I can’t replicate anything they have. At this point, they are too far from being humans— especially Lihua, who has already undergone multiple awakenings. She may appear as any other person, but if we’re comparing bone to bone, muscle to muscle, blood to blood, the difference is immense.

Ji Xian scratched his chin as a ridiculous thought suddenly emerged in his head.

I guess the more they advance in their cultivation, the more the two will shed their humanity, reverting to their origin. I wonder if their mortal form will change at all… will they grow horns or something… or maybe a tail? Wait a minute, don’t dragons have snouts? …Huh, does that mean their faces might end up like that one day? …Ah, what a shame, what a shame.

Ji Xian narrowed his eyes, devoting an excessive amount of time to pondering this matter. If Xia Lihua was here and knew what his absurd thoughts were, no doubt she’d have the urge to give him a beating. Has he forgotten that certain beasts and monsters could achieve an almost flawless human form upon reaching a high enough stage in their cultivation? Why would she and Yueyin be any different?

Ji Xian was naturally aware of this, but Xia Lihua and Xiao Yueyin belonged to a heritage rarely seen, thus, it would be foolish of him to assume they would follow the same patterns as others.

Still, watching him delve so deeply into this matter, one might wonder if the true foolishness lay with him instead…

Meanwhile, he appeared oblivious to the fact that there were many people present— all of them cautiously eyeing him. He had given only Dong Zongying a part of his attention while outright ignoring the rest. They watched as he mumbled to himself. It annoyed them to no end but none of them wanted to be the first to confront Ji Xian.

“All of you saw that too, right?” One of the six Graha who had attacked earlier asked, his voice trembling with astonishment.

“…Mm,” Bohai slowly nodded, his own shock mirroring theirs.

“How… how is still alive?” Another Graha stammered, disbelief etched across his face.

They had all seen it— Ji Xian’s unexpected emergence. Standing in front of Dong Zongying, he was struck by six beams of fog. What happened afterward should’ve been the total annihilation of his soul, and yet, he was still alive, casually whispering to himself.

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This was the reason for their hesitation, the reason why everyone stood at a standstill.

Not far away, the Great Ancestor and Yatong broke away from their bout and stared at Ji Xian in shock. If they were in his place, chances are, they would’ve likely perished. A combined soul attack of that magnitude would render even soul artifacts useless and in addition to the bizarre corrosive energy that was wrecking the atmosphere, there should be no one in the Lower World capable of surviving that, including those at the Extreme level of the Holy realm.

While Yatong was still processing this unexpected turn of events, the Great Ancestor seized the moment. In all the countless visions he had seen of how this war might conclude, not a single one had included this mysterious new figure.

An anomaly! He inwardly exclaimed.

He attempted another divination, hoping to glimpse at the slightest deviation of the possible future. Unfortunately, even after coughing up a mouthful of blood from the accumulated strain of using this ability, the fate of the Mortal Desolate World remained unclear. Victory and defeat flickered back and forth, endlessly shifting, offering no certainty.

The Great Ancestor frowned, confusion gnawing at him. But then, he noticed something strange— these visions were changing far too rapidly, to the point where he was failing to keep up.

Within the innumerable moving scenes, countless possibilities unfolded. It wasn’t merely a matter of whether they won or the Graha did, but there were also scenes of mutual destruction, tragic stalemates, and disastrous losses on all sides. ṟ

The lightning speed of differing outcomes sent a sharp piercing pain through his mind.

The Great Ancestor clutched his head in agony, the overwhelming number of visions making it feel as though his skull was on the verge of exploding.

“What… is this?” He muttered, his voice strained. “This didn’t happen before… so why now?”

“What am I seeing? It’s almost like…”

His words trailed off as his gaze landed on Ji Xian. Shock and disbelief showed in his expression. “It’s almost as if… the fate of everything is entirely dependent on this person.”

“Not to mention…” The Great Ancestor hesitated. “This person is outside the realm of fate. I can’t see him. I… can’t see him… wait.”

A thought suddenly struck the Great Ancestor. He recalled what Dong Zongying once told him— about Xiao Yueyin’s encounter with a mysterious man and woman at the Solitude Auction House, where they obtained the Empress’ book.

“Is he… the person who closed the Chaos Tunnels?”

At the same time when the Great Ancestor performed his divination, Ji Xian stopped muttering to himself, sensing a peculiar sensation. His gaze shifted to the frail, seemingly blind old man. After a brief glance, his eyes glimmering with a faint, clear light, Ji Xian smirked.

“A seer? Oh, but it’s merely an incarnation and not a true body. Looks like it’s reaching its limits as well,” Ji Xian remarked, his focus dropping to the old man’s arm, where the slithering cracks continued to spread.

He had spoken aloud, allowing Dong Zongying to hear him. She snapped out of her daze, giving the Great Ancestor a great look of concern. Just when she was going to ask Ji Xian to clarify what he said, she was hit by the weight of her exhaustion. The True Essence surrounding her dispersed, unable to maintain her flight and slowly losing consciousness, she plunged from the air. It wasn’t long though that she felt a pair of strong arms holding her. With her vision blurring, she unknowingly slipped into its warm embrace.

In the instant that Ji Xian carried Dong Zongying, a figure in white appeared next to him, attracting all the attention in the surroundings.

Naturally, it was Xia Lihua, who arrived after having protected the old couple from their doom.

The two of them stood side by side, almost like an immortal pair of lovers, taking away the breaths of enemies and allies alike. With Xia Lihua’s arrival, the Great Ancestor was now sure who these two people were, and he was somewhat relieved.

Xia Lihua indifferently took a glance at the woman in Ji Xian’s arms before giving him a look full of meaning.

“What? Jealous?” Ji Xian said jokingly, laughing.

Xia Lihua shook her head, “What did you do?” She asked vaguely.

“What do you mean?”

“You stood by and did nothing, didn’t you?”

“…”

Ji Xian held his tongue, feeling that Xia Lihua was getting to know him a little too well.