Chapter 280: Sacrificing to the Everlasting Fairy
Chapter 280: Sacrificing to the Everlasting Fairy
Translator: yikaii Editor: yikaii
If the second possibility is true, then it is hard to imagine that the rise and fall of a dynasty, both major events, would not have been recorded in great detail.
But now, there are no records at all, not even the name.
Who was the founding emperor, how many years did the dynasty exist, how many Tribulation Crossing Stage cultivators were there, what problems led to its downfall, why is there no record of any of this... these questions remain unanswered.
The most crucial question is the last one, which may have similarities with the method used to erase the existence of the Everlasting Fairy.
"Fairy, do immortals' falls have any celestial phenomena?"
The Everlasting Fairy was taken aback by this question: "There has never been a recorded instance of an immortal falling in history, so who knows if there are any phenomena... Oh, wait, I have died before."
"I don't know what happens after death, probably nothing?"
The Everlasting Fairy wasn't very sure.
"No phenomena," Yun Zhi answered this question for the Everlasting Fairy, surprising Lu Yang.
How did Eldest Senior Sister know this?
Lu Yang didn't delve into this question further. If an immortal's fall had no phenomena, it might mean that no one would know when an immortal fell.
Why did the Four Ancient Immortals not resurrect the Everlasting Fairy?
Was it because they didn't want to, couldn't, or simply didn't know that the Everlasting Fairy had fallen?
No, even if they didn't know at the time, over the span of 300,000 years, they should have realized that something was wrong and that the Fairy needed to be resurrected.
"Stop thinking about this," Yun Zhi said, not lingering in front of the mural and walking away directly. Lu Yang and the Everlasting Fairy quickly followed.
"The only text in the ruins is on that mural. If we can't think of an answer right now, let's wait until we've gathered more information," Yun Zhi reminded Lu Yang not to get stuck on this problem.
Lu Yang listened to Yun Zhi and nodded, stopping his thoughts on the matter.
"This ruin has nineteen floating platforms. Though there are many, their layouts are mostly the same, just some buildings."
Eldest Senior Sister spread her hands, creating a model of the ruins in her palm. The eighteen floating platforms were arranged in a guarding formation around the largest floating platform, with a regular layout, as if they were performing some kind of sacrificial ritual.
On the largest floating platform, there were numerous pavilions, also arranged in a protection formation, guarding the central altar.
The three were headed to this altar.
The Everlasting Fairy found the layout increasingly familiar: "This sacrificial method, why does it look like the one used to sacrifice to me in ancient times?"
"Like sacrificing to the Fairy?"
The Everlasting Fairy nodded and revealed a secret about immortals: "Yes, after I became an immortal, Ying Tian Immortal and the others insisted on giving me a planet."
"They said that becoming an immortal meant having followers, to conveniently demonstrate one's power and celestial dignity. I said it was troublesome, and they said it didn't matter, they could design a sacrificial process for me."
"The sacrificial method in these ruins is similar to what Ying Tian Immortal and the others designed. They said the number eighteen has special significance in cultivation. Nine is the extreme, and eighteen is the double extreme, the ultimate of ultimates. This sacrificial method symbolizes that I have received eighteen blessings, allowing me to endure forever, neither increasing nor decreasing, the highest standard of sacrifice. The four of them don't even do this."
Lu Yang took a deep breath, amazed at the grandeur afforded to the Fairy. Four immortals collaborated to design a sacrificial process for her and even explained their design concept?
The Four Ancient Immortals were truly broad-minded, not minding the Everlasting Fairy causing trouble everywhere. Perhaps only with such a mindset could one become an immortal.
Lu Yang had some insight but felt that something was off.
Eldest Senior Sister, who had been silently listening to the Everlasting Fairy's story, had a strange expression on her face. She said, "But according to the old scholars' research on this sacrificial method, combined with ancient records, they believe this is an obscure formation from ancient times called the 'Eighteen Hells Demon-Slaying Formation.'"
Lu Yang felt that everything made sense now.
The Everlasting Fairy gritted her teeth upon hearing this, wishing she could single-handedly challenge the Four Ancient Immortals to show them who the strongest immortal was. "Those dog bastards, Ying Tian Immortal and the others, I treated them well, yet they dared to do this to me!"
'I think they were being quite restrained with you.'
Of course, Lu Yang only thought this to himself and wouldn't dare say it aloud in front of the Everlasting Fairy for fear of being beaten.
"Yes, it must be because I beat them too many times before they became immortals, and when they saw me form the Everlasting ariya-phala upon becoming an immortal, they were jealous of my talent and sought revenge!" The Everlasting Fairy quickly found the reason within herself, attributing it to her own overwhelming strength.
The three of them arrived at the center of the altar, where a giant immortal statue stood, a hundred meters tall. It was the same indistinguishable gender figure of the Everlasting Celestial that Lu Yang had seen before.
It seemed that this was the origin of the Everlasting Celestial statue. The first Sect Leader had seen this statue and established the Undying Sect.
At the feet of the statue, there were various rare delicacies made from rare treasures of heaven and earth. The lowest quality ingredient was a 5,000-year-old Ganoderma. (TL Note: Ganoderma is a genus of polypore fungi in the family Ganodermataceae that includes about 80 species, many from tropical regions. They have a high genetic diversity and are used in traditional Asian medicines. Ganoderma can be differentiated from other polypores because they have a double-walled basidiospore. They may be called shelf mushrooms or bracket fungi. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganoderma.)
Perhaps due to the high quality of the ingredients, they hadn't molded or spoiled after such a long time.
The Everlasting Fairy showed a face of disdain, very displeased with the Undying Sect's method: "How crude, placing food at the feet."
This was left by the Undying Sect when they came here for sacrificial offerings before their downfall.
The Everlasting ruins were of utmost importance to the Undying Sect. Besides the once-a-decade prayers, significant events such as appointing or blessing the Sect Leader and even betraying the Sect Leader all took place here, under the watchful eye of the Everlasting Celestial.
"Let's go. According to the report, there's something special inside the statue."
Yun Zhi led the two around to the back of the statue, where a door was hidden. Mysterious symbols floated in front of the door, continuously sinking, floating, and shaking, sealing the door shut and preventing it from being opened.
Yun Zhi felt the strength of the mysterious symbols and believed she could forcefully open it, but doing so might damage the things inside.
"The first Sect Leader discovered several immortal treasures behind this door. He accidentally opened it and took a few items. When he tried to return for more treasures, the door had already closed."
"He tried several times but still couldn't open the door. Helplessly, he had to leave the ruins with the treasures he had taken and established the Undying Sect."
"The first Sect Leader spent his entire life trying to open this door but failed. Every subsequent Sect Leader also tried to open the door to take the treasures and strengthen the Undying Sect, all to no avail."
"The old scholars were also at a loss, saying this was a seal left by an immortal, and only an immortal could open it."
"Fairy, do you know what this symbol means? Can you open this door?"
The Everlasting Fairy had a look of reminiscence: "Why does this look like my kitchen door?"
"Look at this symbol; I wrote it myself. It means 'Important kitchen area, no idle people allowed.'"