Chapter 373

Chapter 373: Peace

After sending off Daoist Qing Xuan and the three others, Ye Xu walked into a separate Time and Space.

"Ye Li" was present here.

Boom!

Ye Xu manipulated his Second Primordial Spirit Avatar, and with a thunderous roar, a majestic Divine Mountain flew out of "Ye Li’s" Purple Palace, towering millions of zhangs high, its body inscribed with Innate Primordial divine patterns, incredibly profound and mysterious.

"It’s truly a great treasure."

Ye Xu sighed with admiration.

This Innate Primordial Divine Mountain was equivalent to a Primordial Dao Fire, and was worth at least tens of billions of heavenly secrets points.

"This is just one of the Five Innate Elements Divine Mountains. I wonder where the other four are?" Ye Xu thought to himself.

He looked at "Ye Li".

"Ye Li’s" cultivation was only at the initial stage of Immortal King, which, before the Innate Primordial Divine Mountain, was like an ant.

He took away the Divine Mountain and put it into his Purple Palace, but the entire Purple Palace was shattered by the power of the innate primordial Dao.

Ye Xu activated his magic power, and the power of the Life Dao surged into "Ye Li’s" body, helping him recreate the Purple Palace.

After a short while, the Purple Palace was restored to its original state.

He then took out that Creation Jade Butterfly.

The Creation Jade Butterfly was a product of the Qing Xuan plane, but its intrinsic value wasn’t great; however, it counted as a top-tier Immortal Venerable treasure, achieving the ultimate in the Great Dao of creation.

"System, exchange the Creation Jade Butterfly."

Ding!

["Congratulations, host, you have obtained 800 billion heavenly secrets points."]

Ye Xu’s gaze fell on the Innate Primordial Divine Mountain again.

This kind of naturally born treasure, use one and there’s one less; he truly felt a bit reluctant.

"Exchange."

["Congratulations, host, you have obtained 800 billion heavenly secrets points!"]

"Wow!"

Ye Xu was extremely excited. One Innate Primordial Divine Mountain could be exchanged for 800 billion heavenly secrets points. That old madman was truly generous—without hesitation, he gave it to him.

"So benevolent!" Ye Xu was so moved he nearly shed tears.

"Launching a small alt was indeed a wise move."

Going out once brought him nearly 900 billion in income; Ye Xu couldn’t stop smiling.

"Now, I have 900 billion heavenly secrets points. Advancing to the proof of the First Primordial Spirit is no problem, but I wonder if I can attain the proof of the Second Primordial Spirit and become a semi-Immortal Emperor?"

As this thought arose, Ye Xu immediately commanded the system.

"System, exchange all 900 billion heavenly secrets points for my cultivation."

Ding!

["Congratulations, host, you have spent 900 billion heavenly secrets points."]

The next moment, a vast torrent of power flooded Ye Xu’s physical body. In almost an instant, he broke through from mid-stage Immortal Venerable to late-stage Immortal Venerable.

Countless insights arose within him, sharpening his understanding of the abstruseness within the Great Dao rules.

A day later, his cultivation successfully reached Immortal Venerable’s pinnacle. His Great Dao of creation achieved perfection as he attained the proof of the First Primordial Spirit, becoming invincible in the present.

But it was not over.

Advancing to the proof of the First Primordial Spirit required only two hundred eighty billion heavenly secrets points. The remaining six hundred twenty billion heavenly secrets points could propel him further, yet it clearly fell short of breaking through to the proof of the Second Primordial Spirit.

Mysteriously, Ye Xu touched upon the mysteries of the past. His spiritual soul wandered freely into the lower stream of the river of time like a spectator, observing the splendor and decay of all realms—a sensation profoundly sublime.

Days later, the power derived from nine hundred billion heavenly secrets points was entirely depleted. Ye Xu stood merely one step away from ascending to the proof of the Second Primordial Spirit and attaining invincibility within the bounds of the past.

“System," he inquired, "how many heavenly secrets points are needed for me to cultivate to the proof of the Second Primordial Spirit, given my current state?”

[Four hundred billion!]

A glint stirred within Ye Xu’s eyes.

Four hundred billion heavenly secrets points—this was precisely within his expectations.

“Then breaking through to the Three Yuan Proof would likely require twenty trillion… perhaps even thirty trillion heavenly secrets points,” Ye Xu murmured.

For figures like the Heavenly Emperor and Mad Daoist aspiring toward ascension, ninety trillion heavenly secrets points were necessary. And for his own breakthroughs, the cost would likely be substantial.

The higher one’s cultivation, the more resources required for advancement.

This was simple logic.

“I wonder who’ll end up footing the bill for this sum of heavenly secrets points?” Ye Xu sighed.

At present, Mad Daoist was a loyal client.

Members of the Primordial Daoist Sect were potential clients.

As for the Heavenly Emperor…

Ye Xu held little hope.

The Heavenly Emperor was fiercely self-reliant, bent on forging his own path. He wouldn’t pin his hopes elsewhere. After all, with the Heavenly Emperor’s power, a sweep across the cosmos might even amass ninety trillion heavenly secrets points.

Ye Xu reined in his thoughts. "Ye Li" transformed into a streak of light that shot out from Heaven’s Secret Pavilion, leaving only the little girl, Xixi, behind.

The two materialized within Heaven’s Secret Pavilion.

Suddenly finding herself in this unfamiliar place, Xixi felt a flutter of fear and unease.

"Little one," Ye Xu chuckled softly, "you were with me all this time. Now that you meet the real me, you turn timid." He proceeded to explain the situation.

"You’re big brother?" Xixi blinked, doubt clear in her eyes. "But… you’re obviously two different people."

"He is of me," Ye Xu smiled, "yet I am not merely him."

Utter bewilderment clouded Xixi’s face.

Her cultivation was still shallow; she grasped nothing of the principle behind external incarnations.

"Stay here," Ye Xu instructed gently, "and cultivate in peace. In the coming days, chaos will sweep through all realms. My dwelling may be modest, but it remains the safest place under heaven.”

The invasion of the Qing Xuan plane was a variable.

Ye Xu estimated that the collapse of the Immortal Realm might arrive earlier than originally predicted.

This was the unpredictability of the future.

Even someone like himself could guarantee no variables would arise.

"Do I need to work?" Xixi asked cautiously.

"Of course."

Ye Xu replied earnestly, "You’ll do odd jobs at Heaven’s Secret Pavilion. I’ll provide your meals."

"Okay."

Xixi beamed with joy.

His words put her mind at ease.

"Master, this old one requests an audience."

An aged voice sounded – the human ancestor had arrived.

Ye Xu’s gaze turned complicated. He knew the Primordial Daoist Sect’s invasion would inevitably trouble the human ancestor, driving him back to Heaven’s Secret Pavilion once more.

This old man had truly lived an extremely tiring and bitter life.

"Come in," Ye Xu instructed Xixi. "Go brew tea quickly."

"Right away!"

Xixi immediately set to work.

"Master."

The human ancestor’s frame seemed even more stooped. Wrinkles marked his aged face, etched deeply with worry. He bowed to Ye Xu. "This visit is to understand the aims of those invaders."

He cut straight to the point. "Will their arrival hasten the collapse of the Immortal Realm? How much harm will they inflict upon the world’s living beings?"

"Grandfather, tea for you."

Xixi was sweet and obedient, offering a cup with both hands.

"Thank you."

The human ancestor took the cup, his expression still clouded with sorrow.

"Daoist friend, Heaven’s Secret Pavilion’s rules remain unchanged. To obtain knowledge, you must offer something in exchange," Ye Xu shook his head slowly. "Yet now, what can you truly offer?"

"The Nuwa Temple? The Jianmu divine tree? Or the Xuantian Merit Dao Embryo?"

The human ancestor flinched inwardly.

"Better keep these things for yourself."

"Without them aiding you, facing the Great Calamity in the Immortal Realm, your survival chances are almost zero," Ye Xu’s gaze turned profound.

Though he styled himself a shrewd merchant, the human ancestor’s actions evoked deep respect. Today, he truly had no desire to profit further from this old man.

Warmth surged through the human ancestor.

The world claimed the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion was purely profit-driven.

Yet here, he sensed a hint of genuine concern in Ye Xu’s words.

"You must understand, the Primordial Daoist Sect’s sect master is not weaker than you. Those possessing the Three Yuan Proof are not singular. Even if told, could you single-handedly hinder them?"

Ye Xu imparted counsel earnestly. "You’d do better focusing your efforts on the Great Calamity—the collapse of the Immortal Realm."

"Only then might a sliver of hope remain."

Utter dejection washed over the human ancestor; he seemed to age centuries in an instant.

The invasion by strong beings from the Qing Xuan plane filled him with profound helplessness.

This matter seemed more dreadful than the looming Great Calamity.

The slightest misstep could reduce the entire universe to ashes.

"The will of natural law never bends to individual effort. Powerful as you are, to hold back the collapse of the Immortal Realm, wouldn’t it still demand your own sacrifice?"

"Yet, have you considered? After your sacrifice, without your upholding, the postnatal beings remain nothing but lambs awaiting slaughter."

Ye Xu revered the spirit of the human ancestor.

However, his approach was flawed.

As Ye Xu had said, even if the human ancestor could hold the line for an era, could he resist eternity?

"Master’s words strike me profoundly," the human ancestor lifted his head, his eyes flaming, unextinguishable. "But amidst calamity, someone must stand forth."

"This failing corpse—perish it may."

"If I can preserve a seed of hope for future generations… ensure even one era of peace… then this old one’s death will be worth its due."