Different Worlds
Different Worlds . . .
Once Qin Wentian and Jun Mengchen had received their rewards from the Heavenly Treasures Pagoda, they exited its mystical confines. The guardian who had guided them was no longer present, and even Zi Qingxuan had already departed.
"Shall we go?" Qin Wentian suggested, his voice carrying a note of eagerness. In a flash, they moved with swift grace, their forms blurring until they reached a mountain peak where they found Zi Qingxuan seated on a stone platform, her gaze fixated on the distant horizon.
"Senior sister!" Jun Mengchen couldn't contain his excitement and sped towards Zi Qingxuan, with Qin Wentian following closely behind.
Zi Qingxuan turned her head to them and greeted them with a warm smile. "Have both of you received your rewards?"
"Yes, senior sister Qingxuan. If there's another opportunity, you'll surely succeed as well," Jun Mengchen tried to reassure her. However, Zi Qingxuan responded with a melodious laugh, "Don't worry about me. My resolve remains unwavering. You two should focus on your cultivation. I'm planning to enter seclusion for a while."
"We believe in you, senior sister," Qin Wentian said, returning her smile.
Zi Qingxuan ran her fingers through her hair, her face illuminated by a rare, radiant smile as she looked at Qin Wentian. "Both of you must continue working hard. Who knows, when we meet again, I might surpass you."
"I look forward to that day," Qin Wentian's eyes sparkled with determination. Zi Qingxuan nodded before standing up and walking away, leaving the two young men to their own paths.
"Let's head to our cultivation places. The gains from this immortal banquet are significant, and I need to enter seclusion as well," Qin Wentian said to Jun Mengchen as they separated, each seeking out a suitable spot for cultivation.
Qin Wentian settled on a rocky outcrop at the edge of a precipice. The environment was serene, with occasional gentle gusts of wind causing his robes to flutter. He closed his eyes and immersed himself in his cultivation, impervious to the external world's distractions.
...
Meanwhile, news of the immortal banquet's results spread rapidly across the thirteen prefectures.
The names of Qin Wentian, Jun Mengchen, Gusu Tianqi, and Hua Taixu became widely recognized among countless experts.
Qin Wentian and Jun Mengchen, in particular, attracted considerable attention. They had achieved the first and second rankings at the immortal banquet but had rejected the opportunity to become disciples of the Eastern Sage Immortal Emperor. Rumors circulated that their true master was the Thousand Transformations Emperor Lord, a long-standing rival of the Eastern Sage Immortal Emperor. Their participation in the immortal banquet was seen as a way to challenge and embarrass the Eastern Sage Immortal Sect. As a result, the Thousand Transformations Emperor Lord secured six out of the thirteen prefectures, effectively dividing the realm.
The landscape began to change as sects affiliated with the Eastern Sage Immortal Sect initiated their relocations, leaving behind once-thriving, now-deserted buildings in their wake.
Three months had passed since the Eastern Sage Immortal Sect completed its relocation, leaving no traces of its presence in the Cloud Prefecture. In its place, the formidable figure of the Thousand Transformations Emperor Lord now dominated the landscape. He had taken control of the Cloud Prefecture's manor and summoned the most powerful experts from the six prefectures to pay their respects. None dared to defy his authority, as he was a figure who could contend on equal footing with the Eastern Sage Immortal Emperor himself. Even the Eastern Sage Immortal Emperor had to cede six prefectures to him as part of their territorial division.
An extravagant immortal banquet, surpassing the grandeur of the Eastern Sage Immortal Sect's once-per-hundred-years celebration, was organized. Invitations were extended to major powers throughout the six prefectures. Fear and anxiety gripped the hearts of the Cloud Prefecture's major powers, for they harbored grudges against Qin Wentian. Little did they know that Qin Wentian, Zi Qingxuan, and Jun Mengchen were not just anyone—they were the personal disciples of the Thousand Transformations Emperor Lord.
Thankfully, Qin Wentian and his fellow disciples did not attend the banquet.
The Cloud Prefecture was now teeming with experts, creating a majestic spectacle. However, beneath the surface, dark undercurrents swirled. The Thousand Transformations Emperor Lord announced the establishment of the Thousand Transformations Immortal Sect, with its headquarters in the Cloud Prefecture. They began recruiting disciples, inviting major powers to join their ranks. In theory, this sect, backed by a figure capable of challenging the Eastern Sage Immortal Sect, should have seen a flood of applicants. Yet, the reality was starkly different. None of the major powers dared to join the Thousand Transformations Immortal Sect, fearing the wrath of the Eastern Sage Immortal Emperor. He had vowed to send his forces to invade and annihilate any sect formed by the Thousand Transformations Emperor Lord. While the Thousand Transformations Emperor Lord was formidable, a newly established sect could hardly withstand the might of the Eastern Sage Immortal Emperor's troops, which had trained for tens of thousands of years. Who would willingly court such certain destruction?
For Qin Wentian, these changes in the Cloud Prefecture were of little concern. He remained steadfastly focused on his cultivation within the Heavenly Talisman Realm, undistracted by external affairs.
...
Beyond the boundaries of the vast immortal realms lay a multitude of particle worlds, each unique and brimming with fantastical peculiarities. Among these countless particle worlds, one stood out—a peculiar realm where the balance between life and death was profoundly skewed.
This realm was known as the Forest of Death. Within its boundaries, the Death God Tribe made their home. The overwhelming presence of death qi permeated the atmosphere, rendering the forest an inhospitable place. Only a rare few could venture deep enough into its depths to encounter the enigmatic Death God Tribe.
At the forest's boundary, marking the territory of the Death God Tribe, stood a monumental gate adorned with a striking image—an equinox flower, symbolizing death.
In this mysterious realm, an equinox flower held immense significance—it was the sacred totem of the Death God Tribe, encapsulating the profound powers of life and death.
Death qi permeated the surroundings, but amidst this ominous aura, a glimmer of life and vitality began to draw near, steadily approaching the territory of the Death God Tribe.
A series of swishing sounds echoed as a lone figure emerged on the horizon. Clad in simple and somewhat weathered attire, this young man exuded an air of determination, and his rugged features possessed a touch of rugged handsomeness. Despite the dust covering him, his attractiveness remained undeniable. His strides were resolute as he made his way toward the heart of the Death God Tribe.
As he drew nearer, the young man's presence didn't escape the notice of several tribe members, who promptly materialized before him, casting cold, piercing gazes upon him. Their eyes conveyed a chilling intensity, and they uttered unintelligible sounds, the tribal language unfamiliar to the young man.
"I've come for the equinox flowers," the young man calmly stated, advancing steadily. The tribe members reacted as if they comprehended his words, their expressions contorting into a wild, bloodthirsty fervor. Armed with a variety of weapons, they lunged at him, intent on ending his life.
With a mere wave of his hand, the young man effortlessly dispatched several of the tribe members, sending them hurtling away. Following this display of power, none dared to approach him any further. Undaunted, the young man shook his head and continued his purposeful journey deeper into the tribe's territory.
The number of tribe members surrounding him continued to grow, yet the young man appeared unruffled by their presence. He pressed on, and no matter how tenaciously they attempted to close in, none could breach the invisible barrier keeping them at bay.
Eventually, a potent aura emanated from the distance, prompting all the tribe members to kneel, their eyes gleaming with reverence. The tribal shamans had arrived.
"Who are you, and what brings you here?" one of the shamans inquired, speaking the same language as the young man.
"I've come to gather equinox flowers. Please forgive my intrusion," the young man replied, standing with hands clasped behind his back and regarding the speaking shaman.
"The equinox flowers determine life and death, serving as our tribe's totem. You cannot simply take them as you please," the shaman declared in a commanding tone.
"In that case, it seems I have no choice but to take matters into my own hands," the young man remarked resolutely, resuming his advance. The shamans responded by releasing their constellations, creating a celestial phenomenon that intensified the surrounding death qi. Kneeling tribe members offered fervent prayers in their unknown language, deepening their display of respect.
Unperturbed, the young man paid little attention to this. The tribe members believed the phenomenon was a manifestation of their divine entities, unaware that it was merely a natural occurrence within the realm of celestial laws. Such phenomena could be generated by any cultivator who had reached the Celestial Phenomenon Realm.
Above him, a dazzling constellation materialized in the form of a diagram. The tribe members stared in astonishment and disbelief, as if confronted with the impossible. Their eyes held bewilderment and confusion.
With a wave of his hand, the young man's constellation surged forward, directly impacting the shamans. In a matter of moments, expressions of fear contorted the shaman's faces. A flick of the young man's sleeves sent the shamans hurtling aside. These individuals were too feeble; their constellations proved no match for his prowess.
The tribe members bore looks of incredulity and disbelief, as if their cherished faith was crumbling before their eyes. The god they had revered had been effortlessly vanquished, and their unwavering faith now faced an unprecedented crisis—who, then, was the true divine presence?
No longer obstructed, the young man pressed forward into the heart of the tribe. Here, the death qi had reached an unsettling intensity. Before him lay a bed of equinox flowers, their petals opening and closing as though imbued with sentience, wielding the power to decide life and death.
"The equinox flowers determine life and death, but how?" pondered the young man aloud. In this moment, the constellation-formed diagram radiated forth, unleashing a potent sealing energy that encapsulated the death qi entirely. A gentle suction force collected several equinox flowers, imprisoning them within the diagram.
Having accomplished his mission, the young man's silhouette flickered as he departed the area.
Unbeknownst to many, this young man was none other than Di Tian, the alternate incarnation of Qin Wentian. He had been transported to various particle worlds by the elderly administrator of the Vermilion Bird Immortal Palace, a journey meant to broaden his horizons and forge his character.
As such, Qin Wentian was afforded the unique experience of two distinct lives, a privilege beyond the reach of ordinary individuals. This exceptional journey not only bolstered his resolve but also imparted an extraordinary temperament.
...
Both of Qin Wentian's incarnations grasped the significance of time, wasting not a single precious moment as they dedicated themselves to relentless cultivation, experiencing continuous improvement.
The diverse encounters and trials faced by each incarnation contributed to the fortification of his mental strength. He aimed to become a stalwart tree capable of withstanding the fierce winds of the vast immortal realms, refusing to be uprooted by a mere gust and reduced to an insignificant speck drifting in the wind.
Meanwhile, in a distant particle world, the night air was bitingly cold. A figure of exquisite beauty stood before a window, gazing out at the mountains and ancient trees, her thoughts consumed by the meteoric rise of a free-spirited young man who had brought an end to the reign of the Royal Sacred Sect. Bathed in the ethereal glow of the moonlight, she exuded an air of melancholy. But whenever his image crossed her mind, a radiant smile, as warm as the sun, graced her lips.
How many nights had it been? Every time night descended, under the gentle embrace of the moonlight, thoughts of Qin Wentian would inevitably surface, bringing a brilliant smile to her face.