Chapter 709: Eternal Overcast Source, Gaining Immortality
Jia Jiuer might only look to be around 15-16 years old, but this was due to the lifespan of the Eternal Overcast Royal Family. She was actually already over 100 years old! Thus, Gu Changge did not treat her as a normal girl; besides, she was also Jia Nan's assigned spy.
"If you don't want to leave, then stand on guard at the entrance of the palace." Gu Changge's expression became teasing and he went straight into the palace without waiting for her reply.
"Young Master—" Jia Jiuer called out, unable to conceal her panic when she saw him disappear. She might have been quiet and reserved in nature since little, but that didn't mean she didn't know what to prioritise.
The Eternal Overcast was facing an unprecedented challenge, with all six Ancestors coming out of seclusion and appearing in unison, which had not happened in the past no matter how serious the matter was. Anyone who wasn't an idiot could guess that something critical was about to take place in the Eternal Overcast.
Jia Nan had already stressed the importance of the Reincarnation Platform more than once, so Jia Jiuer would become an irredeemable criminal in the eyes of the Eternal Overcast Kingdom if Gu Changge noticed something in advance. She now regretted why she had shown her unwillingness and emotional conflict before this.
Just as she was about to grit her teeth and enter the palace, a surge of terrifying and powerful aura rushed towards her, as if there was a demonic mountain which expelled its evil aura standing before her.
"My Master has ordered that no one is to disturb his rest." A giant muscular figure in a battle suit made of Hell's Iron appeared and stared coldly at her.
Jia Jiuer turned pale and cold sweat trickled down from her brow. She did not dare move recklessly, sensing a threatening divine sense surrounding her. If she dared take another step forward, the muscular figure would mercilessly kill her with one strike from his hand. This was a genuine True Daoist, after all. Not to mention, one that was unrivalled and difficult to beat even in the Upper Realm.
"Y-yes." She had no choice but to retreat, her voice shaking since she did not dare challenge a True Daoist. She hadn't expected Gu Changge to bring such a subordinate with him to the Eternal Overcast, who didn't fear the Eternal Overcast fog here.
Ah Da stood emotionlessly at the entrance of the palace, watching her retreat without any change in his expression as if looking at a lowly ant.
Jia Jiuer's expression shifted several times, fright, unwillingness, and regret all apparent in her face. She had been overconfident and lofty, assuming that she didn't have to show submission, caution, and wariness towards Gu Changge like the other Royal Family members. However, she still wasn't much different to an ant in his eyes.
"I hope nothing goes wrong tonight..." After taking a deep calming inhale, she stood at the palace entrance.
She would have to tell her sister that he refused to let her enter the palace when the time came, since she wasn't brave enough to anger him in fear of being killed. With Gu Changge's capabilities, he didn't need to waste any effort in leaving the palace to head somewhere without her knowledge. Her current action, of staying here, was just to give an appropriate explanation to Jia Nan when that happens.
Gu Changge did not care about the shift in Jia Jiuer's expressions from within the palace. [She's just a little girl. Did she really think I would take her seriously?]
"The depths of the Eternal Overcast Kingdom is still cloaked in a grey fog." He sat cross-legged in his bed, a dark light shimmering between his eyes. It was as if a palace standing at the summit of Reincarnation was slowly materialising.
Terrifying Dao Principles wove together and made the void in front of him start to collapse into ashes and nothingness, as if unable to accommodate the aura of his Spiritual Palace.
*Buzz!*
The door of the Spiritual Palace opened and a tiny figure completely resembling Gu Changge walked out. Its gaze was deep and emotionless, like all feelings had been removed from it. Its eyes were so cold and chilling that it might make a True Daoist submit and prostrate himself in terror.
"Go," Gu Changge told his Primordial Spirit.
*Mmmm!* The tiny figure's cold gaze didn't change as it stepped out and tore apart the void to disappear.
...
The deepest part of the Eternal Overcast Kingdom was a deathly quiet place surrounded by mist. It was dark and gloomy, surrounded by an unknown aura. Light and various Principles seemed to break apart and become separated by an invisible matter, which consumed everything, leaving behind only eternal darkness and coldness. Every wisp of smoke looked very heavy and they hung in the air without dissipating while being moved by an unknown force.
"After countless years of waiting, if there's really someone on the other end, why haven't they come to rescue us?" A highly-decomposed man sat cross-legged, with a damaged body which seemed to be made up by piecing together different beings. He sounded calm and cruel, emotions seemingly unaffected by any external influences.
"Right now, we can currently sacrifice something on the altar," replied another being with a cold and ancient expression. Giant stars seemed to rotate within them with frightening rumblings. It sounded as though the surrounding Principles were on the verge of exploding.
As the Six Great Ancestors of the Eternal Overcast, they had existed for a very long time. As such, they had existed before the Eternal Overcast did. This was when the Eternal Overcast had an obscure history, with no expert able to find any relevant records or locations of when the Scourge had first swept through the Upper Realm. It had been so sudden and unprecedented, it was as if it had come from a mysterious unknown world to corrode the Upper Realm and its millions of connected ancient worlds. It was such an unfathomable and terrifying force which even True Daoists did not dare touch.
"The ancient wells are drying up. If we still can't find that place, we may have to sleep forever. The Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being may not be able to do what he has promised us," they murmured while looking into the deepest part of their ancestral ground with worry and yearning, as well as unwillingness and regret.
Life had to end eventually, even those Immortals would eventually die. However, they had relied on the three ancestral wells to live on for many gruelling eras and countless years. Even if their cultivation could no longer improve,they would not perish.
They had been waiting for a chance to achieve Absolute Detachment and become Immortals, or escape this prison since the birth of the Eternal Overcast. They have been continuing to do so even now. However, they couldn't experience the event predicted by the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being even when the three ancestral wells were about to dry up.
"The Reincarnation Platform contains the power of life and death. It can reverse the situation and to give us a final burst of life. If we still cannot change our situation and return, we will have to accept eternal rest." The Six Eternal Ancestors sounded calm and emotionless. If even they had to rest for all of eternity, what did it matter if the entire Eternal Overcast collapsed?
They had been tainted by a grey fog from somewhere unknown and accidentally entered an extremely strange place where their bodies and souls had disintegrated and re-formed hundreds and thousands of times in the most torturous way. Due to the uniqueness of the location, they hadn't died even after such treatment and remained conscious and aware. It was also there that they discovered the three ancient wells, which was now known as the three ancestral wells of the Eternal Overcast.
None of the Upper Realm Forces would have expected that the terrifying Eternal Overcast Scourge had originated from these three ancient wells.
The Six Great Ancestors had tried everything they could to find that strange place to return to, but to no avail. That place symbolised misfortune and terror, and they had nearly become Immortals after accidentally entering its outskirts, even if they paid an imaginably heavy price as a result.
"Hmm. Why do I feel like someone is spying on us?" One of the Ancestors frowned towards the outside of their homeland, sensing that someone was spying on what was happening here. While their long lifespan hadn't given them any improvement in their cultivation, their Spiritual Energy had developed and their divine sense had become more sensitive, such that they did not fear anyone even in the Immortal Realm.
"Who dares come into our land!? Bold!" The other Ancestors became enraged as well. Divine sense emanated from some of them, which were as powerful as the weight of the heavens and caused Principles to break apart. The entire earth cracked apart deafeningly while expelling great clouds of mist.
They were extremely sensitive and could already conclude that someone had arrived. It couldn't be a hallucination. However, that person had already disappeared without any trace as if he had never existed.
"Seems like it is that young man surnamed Gu. Looks like he is too restless to sit still," one of the Ancestors coldly remarked.
"Since he has come here, he must have become suspicious of the Eternal Overcast. The construction of the Reincarnation Platform is of utmost importance, so we'll tolerate him for now. If that fails, then he won't be able to escape as well and will die with us. We don't have to care about him for now."
The other Ancestors fell silent as well and did not attack. In terms of cultivation, they were at the highest stage of the Nirvana Realm. Though they were not even Remnant Immortals, they were confident enough to claim that no one was their equal in terms of spiritual energy and control of Principles. This was even if the Forces of the Upper Realms simultaneously attacked.
They weren't concerned even if Gu Changge was terrifyingly strong. They were filled with assurance that they could overcome him easily. There were six of them, after all. Furthermore, they had the aid of the three ancestral wells, which could cleanse all manner of decay and grant them eternal life.