My Longevity Simulation

Chapter 1252: The Background of the Immortal Ancestor

Li Ping paid no attention to what the Stone Tablet was thinking and led him straight into the Du'e Sect.

Ascending the mountain, descending the mountain, endlessly repeating courtyards...

All flashed rapidly before them, until finally the main hall of the Du'e Sect appeared before the two.

“Go in.”

The Stone Tablet followed inside and confirmed that this was indeed the former site of the Du'e Sect.

He could sense that countless paper figures, seemingly alive yet dead, were hidden in this dim hall.

“They were one of the Ten Great Immortal Sects of the Xuanhuang Realm, enjoying the immortal cultivation resources produced by the Xuanhuang Realm. Yet at the moment of calamity, they chose to hide from the world and escape disaster. They truly deserve to be called parasites of the Xuanhuang Realm, just like those so-called World-Observing Divine Eyes.” Li Ping’s words were ice-cold as he criticized mercilessly.

“Eternal Aeon of Tribulation, cultivating by exploiting the world’s calamities. This is inherently a technique that brings harm to heaven and earth. If heaven and earth were thriving without calamities, these people would probably create calamities themselves. Such a sect should have been eradicated long ago.” Li Ping continued.

It seemed as though they heard the Holy Emperor’s words; a cold wind suddenly blew through the eerie hall without cause.

A golden chain emerged from the Holy Emperor’s body.

Silently, it shot fiercely into the depths of the hall’s darkness.

Just like fog being stirred, the blackness within the Du'e Sect hall rippled like water waves.

Stone Tablet examined the golden chain, a trace of surprise flashing in his eyes.

Then, within Li Ping’s body, a golden vortex phantom slowly took shape.

Countless chains whistled out, following the direction of the vortex’s rotation.

Bang, bang...

As they flew into the darkness, they continuously emitted muffled sounds as if colliding with something.

The Holy Emperor’s aura was too overwhelming; even the Stone Tablet had to step back temporarily.

The Stone Tablet secretly felt alarmed: “This one’s strength is quite a bit stronger than an ordinary Longevity Immortal Realm cultivator.”

“And...”

“It seems to be more than just the power of the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao.”

Creaking sounds rose and fell throughout the hall.

As the golden vortex nebula within the Holy Emperor’s body reversed, the golden chains contracted.

Something in the darkness seemed to be bound by the chains and was forcibly dragged out.

If ordinary cultivators saw this scene, they would undoubtedly feel their hair stand on end.

Yet the stone tablet felt a rare surge of excitement in his heart.

When a paper figure with a somewhat terrified face emerged from the darkness, the Stone Tablet’s eyebrows rose slightly.

It was these guys!

The paper figure bared its teeth and claws, still trying to struggle.

The end of the chain binding it burst with dazzling light, and the paper figure instantly wilted as if struck by lightning.

Fear, accompanied by listlessness; several different expressions could actually appear on the hollow paper face, which was truly somewhat wondrous.

Li Ping reached out and gripped the paper figure tightly in his palm.

Around the Holy Emperor, countless golden chains danced continuously, dragging more and more paper figures out from the darkness.

The hall began to shake unsteadily; even the entire Du'e Mountain seemed on the verge of collapse.

“Hmph!”

Li Ping stomped fiercely. Golden light rings spread outward from beneath his feet.

The space that was about to shatter froze as if encased in ice.

Li Ping lowered his head and fixed his faceless gaze on the paper figure in his hand.

He applied slight force, and a wail suddenly issued from the paper figure in his hand.

“Fellow Daoist, ease up, ease up...”

“We have no grudge or enmity; why resort to such ruthless measures!”

The paper figure stopped playing dead and hastily spoke.

“Fellow Daoist? You think you deserve that?!” Li Ping’s tone was full of disdain as he applied a bit more force.

At the same time, the countless golden chains around him synchronously emitted brilliant light.

In the hall, the pained voices of the paper figures rose and fell one after another.

“Venerable One, spare us! Venerable One, spare us!”

The situation was stronger than the man; the paper figures finally stopped being stubborn and begged for mercy repeatedly.

Li Ping did not stop immediately.

The vortex nebula continued to rotate as he retracted the chains.

He gathered all the Du'e Sect paper figures into one place before ceasing the torment.

“Is this the renowned Du'e Sect of ancient times?”

Li Ping looked at the pile of paper figures stacked together before him and said in a deep voice.

“We dare not claim such renown, we dare not...”

“We only sought survival, that is all.”

Amid the paper figures’ wails, one voice stood out as rather unique.

The Holy Emperor’s golden chain moved slightly, and one of the paper figures was pulled before Li Ping.

It was somewhat different from the others. This paper figure showed little fear on its face. Instead, it looked listless and lethargic.

Its thick eyebrows slanted upward, giving it a rather comical appearance.

“Seeking survival?”

“If the skin is gone, where can the hair attach? If the Xuanhuang Realm is destroyed, where can you all survive!” the Holy Emperor said coldly.

The thick-browed paper figure smiled bitterly: “Our Du'e Sect has only mediocre strength. If the Xuanhuang Realm is truly destroyed, there is nothing we can do, is there? We can only accept it.”

“Could it be that Venerable One would blame the mortals of this world for not stepping forward to save the Xuanhuang Realm? One can only do as much as one’s ability allows…”

Li Ping did not argue with the Du'e Sect paper figure. The golden chain tightened slightly once more: “Sharp-tongued even at death’s door, still unrepentant.”

The golden light slowly condensed, changing from chain-thick to thread-thin. It wrapped around the thick-browed paper figure layer by layer.

The other captured paper figures all cried out in extreme terror. Only the thick-browed paper figure sat upright as if in solemn meditation, its expression turning grave.

It chanted softly: “Time turns to emptiness, calamities endure eternally. A hundred lifetimes and a thousand tribulations, melt my golden body…”

The golden source power that the Holy Emperor had always wielded with unstoppable success lost its effect for the first time.

Li Ping only felt that the power exerted on the thick-browed paper figure was ingeniously neutralized by an invisible force.

It was even absorbed by the other party and became part of its foundation.

The golden threads slowly dissolved. The thick-browed paper figure remained unmoved, but the color of the paper figure changed from its old yellowish-white to a brilliant gold close to that of source power essence.

Stone Tablet, who had been watching from the side, instantly grew serious: “Fellow Daoist, be careful. This is precisely the Du'e Sect’s supreme technique Eternal Aeon of Tribulation, which can transform all the calamitous forces of the world into nourishment for one’s own cultivation.”

Li Ping sneered coldly: “Nothing but a cowardly turtle hiding its head. You want to borrow my power to cultivate? Then I shall oblige you!”

Dazzling golden radiance like blazing flames erupted from the Holy Emperor’s body.

The flames of light blazed fiercely, illuminating the entire Du'e Sect space in golden yellow.

The golden flames, as if condensed into solid form, were poured entirely into the paper figure’s golden body along the remaining chains.

The paper figures that were not the Holy Emperor’s main targets but merely caught in the aftermath all let out earth-shaking wails as if being roasted by fierce flames. One could imagine the intense pressure the golden-bodied paper figure endured. It appeared twisted, as if about to melt.

Yet the thick-browed paper figure remained steadfast and unmoved, its expression calm.

This scene caused the Stone Tablet to feel secretly alarmed.

Although they had transformed into paper figures and their original appearances could not be recognized, those who could remain composed and unharmed under the Holy Emperor’s overwhelming might were rare even in the Du'e Sect at its peak.

The Stone Tablet was speculating about the identity of the thick-browed paper figure.

At the same time, the Faceless Holy Emperor did not lessen the torment on the Du'e Sect paper figures.

The golden flames burned even more vigorously. Although they did not completely incinerate the paper figures, they slowly plated them with an indelible layer of gold.

Especially the thick-browed paper figure, wrapped in raging flames, its body’s golden light grew even more striking.

“You wish to hide from the world and avoid calamity, but I will not allow it!”

“The prosperity and peril of Xuanhuang concern all of you!”

The Holy Emperor’s voice thundered like lightning as source power essence erupted fiercely.

It shone into every corner of the space. The brilliance was so intense that even the Stone Tablet could not help but close his eyes to avoid it.

Once the light receded, the darkness in the Du'e Sect’s main hall completely vanished. The extremely discomforting gloomy aura was nowhere to be seen.

The paper figures, now free from the chain restraints, fell to the ground in a chaotic heap.

Compared with before, they seemed to possess a bit more vitality.

The leading thick-browed paper figure had directly transformed into a “little golden man.”

The golden figure still wore that listless, dejected look. He sighed: “Venerable One has wasted so much source power essence on useless trash like us. It is truly a reckless squandering of heavenly resources!”

“It is simply not worth it!”

Li Ping said in a deep voice: “If all matters in the world were decided by pure reason, the Xuanhuang Realm would have perished long ago! How could you still be here making noise!”

Before he finished speaking, a large “X” suddenly appeared on the golden paper figure’s face, sealing its mouth.

The rest of the paper figures followed suit.

The Du'e Sect’s main hall, which had been as noisy as a marketplace, fell silent in an instant.

“Fellow Daoist Yi Jue?” Only then did the Stone Tablet look toward the golden paper figure and ask tentatively.

The golden paper figure could not speak but merely blinked at the Stone Tablet.

It was unclear whether it was admitting or denying.

The two had no time to catch up. After losing the support of the source power essence, the space gradually became unstable.

“Let us leave first.”

Li Ping brought the Stone Tablet, along with the group of paper figures who had lost their sense of self, and flashed outside the Du'e Sect.

This ancient immortal sect, which had been suppressed by the Immortal Ancestor’s seal, finally revealed its true appearance at this moment.

A book unfolded in the air.

There were no words inside the book, only embossed mountains and empty architectural scenes.

As the book turned its pages naturally, the scenes within it kept changing. Yet everything appeared as silhouettes, looking both comical and eerie.

Li Ping’s giant hand grasped the Book of Du'e. In an instant, the mountains and grand vistas inside were dyed with a layer of gold.

“Collect!”

The Holy Emperor gave a low shout. Countless paper figures stacked together, including the thick-browed little golden figure, flew uncontrollably into the Book of Du'e.

Bang!

Li Ping pressed his right hand down, closing the book.

All anomalies vanished in an instant.

“This place is not suitable for lingering. Although my method of cracking the Immortal Ancestor’s restriction was extremely clever and restored the restriction while breaking it, there is still no guarantee that the anomalies here will not be discovered by the Immortal Ancestor.”

“Follow me.”

Li Ping spoke in a deep voice. His figure had already disappeared from the sealed space.

Stone Tablet followed the Holy Emperor all the way, passing through the Xuanhuang Realm’s spatial channel and arriving in an endless void.

Even at their speed, they flew through the void for quite some time before sensing the aura of a world ahead.

“That is…”

The Stone Tablet was slightly stunned.

“The Five Elements Cave-Heaven of the First Origin Sect? It is actually here. Does this not mean that the Longevity Immortal realm cultivator who once transported the Cave-Heaven back then…”

While the Stone Tablet was still pondering, Daoist Hundred Flowers had already come forward to greet them.

After her gaze lingered on the Stone Tablet for a moment, she transmitted something to Li Ping.

Li Ping nodded slightly.

Daoist Hundred Flowers then nodded toward the Stone Tablet before flying back into the Five Elements Cave-Heaven.

“This place is where I rest and recuperate. What does Fellow Daoist think of it compared to the Xuanhuang Realm itself?” Li Ping brought the Stone Tablet into the Great Qi small world.

With a sweep of divine sense, the general scene of the small world appeared in Stone Tablet’s mind.

Although some areas were obscured by mysterious power and he could not perceive everything, what was revealed on the surface was enough to shock Stone Tablet greatly.

Although the reputation of the Genesis Stone Tablet for recording all things under heaven had become somewhat undeserved, it had once known every event that occurred in the prefectures and regions of the original Xuanhuang Realm with perfect clarity.

Yet when compared with this Great Qi small world…

It felt like lagging behind by several centuries, an entire era.

Many things within it were even beyond the Stone Tablet’s own comprehension.

Moreover, he sensed the auras of old acquaintances here.

Such as the Earth Vein Ancient Tree, and that member of the Beast Taming Sect.

By the time they reached the Holy Emperor’s hall, the Stone Tablet’s shocked emotions had gradually calmed down somewhat.

“I have carried this Stone Tablet for so many years, thinking that all affairs under heaven were contained within my mind. Only after seeing and hearing what I have today do I realize that the matters of the world have long surpassed my expectations…” Stone Tablet said with a sense of loss.

“Fellow Daoist need not be discouraged. Constant renewal and change is the true path. If the world remained stagnant for thousands of years…”

“Would that not make us appear incompetent?” Li Ping smiled faintly.

Stone Tablet not know how to respond for a moment and remained silent.

Ever since coming into contact with this “Heavenly Dao incarnation,” the shocks he had received had been far too great.

Compared with the scenes he was witnessing now, the Xuanhuang Realm in his mind seemed like nothing more than a stage play, a false image purely performed for his benefit!

This left the Stone Tablet feeling somewhat dazed and absent-minded.

“I have long known that the Five Elders Association, the Ten Thousand Immortal Alliance, and the other supreme experts in the Xuanhuang Realm who knew of the existence of this stone tablet behind me would do everything possible to avoid its records. But I never expected that the truth of the world had already developed to this extent…”

Li Ping vaguely sensed the Stone Tablet’s inner thoughts and said slowly: “The Xuanhuang Realm is the final surviving ground of the Darkest Star Sea. The Xuanhuang Realm itself, fragments of other worlds, Star Sea survivors, and forces beyond the High Walls.”

“All converge here. The complexity of its form is such that not even you, Fellow Daoist, nor the Immortal Ancestor or the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao itself, can claim full understanding of this place.”

“Yes…” The Stone Tablet sighed and nodded.

He also thought of the Fishing Pond he had seen earlier. How many such hidden treasures were still concealed within the Xuanhuang Realm?

As an ancient remnant of the Xuanhuang Realm, he finally experienced a faint sense of being out of step with the times.

“Things remain, but people have changed. The story is no longer the same.”

Scenes from the earliest days of the Xuanhuang Realm long ago surfaced in the Stone Tablet’s mind, leaving him momentarily dazed.

The Holy Emperor’s voice interrupted him.

“The fusion of the realms has become inevitable. A battle between me and the Immortal Ancestor is certain. However, no matter who wins or loses, it will not change the fact that the Xuanhuang Realm will be reborn from ruin.”

Li Ping did not mention helping the Stone Tablet resolve its mental overload. Instead, he suddenly spoke in this manner.

Stone Tablet’s thoughts gathered. He focused and looked at Li Ping.

“The key to the problem lies in who will become the new orthodoxy of the Xuanhuang Realm.”

“Does Fellow Daoist know the background of the Immortal Ancestor?”

Li Ping’s divine sense locked onto Stone Tablet as he asked in a deep voice.

Stone Tablet pondered for a moment before replying: “When the Immortal Ancestor first appeared back then, our Ten Great Immortal Sects investigated him. This person was indeed a native cultivator of the Xuanhuang Realm. His life trajectory from childhood to adulthood was completely clean and fully documented.”

“The Immortal Ancestor’s is named Xuanyuan, given name Tuo. He grew up in a rural village, and because he was frail and often ill as a child, his parents gave him the nickname ‘Goudan.’ (Dog Egg).”

“Before the age of fifty, his life trajectory was no different from that of an ordinary farmer. It was only after he turned fifty-one that he suddenly attained enlightenment and rose in a single morning.”

“Precisely because of this, the Ten Immortal Sects’ initial investigation could not uncover his origins. He had truly achieved enlightenment suddenly.”

Stone Tablet recounted slowly.

Scenes from those years also appeared within the Holy Emperor’s hall.

...

“Xuanyuan Tuo.” Li Ping watched the somewhat silly and foolish youth on the screen gradually turn into a silent and reserved middle-aged farmer, then slowly transform into a white-haired elderly man.

“It is possible for a mortal to attain enlightenment in a single morning, but it usually happens in youth. The Immortal Ancestor’s transformation occurred almost at the point when his lifespan was nearing its limit.”

“It is truly puzzling and suspicious.” Li Ping commented.

Stone Tablet nodded: “The Ten Sects had the same suspicion back then. However, we used secret techniques and received confirmation from the Heavenly Dao that no possession or impersonation by an external person had occurred on his body.”

“Yet the Immortal Ancestor remains extremely mysterious. It is as if he was a congenital knower. Back then, several Longevity Immortal realm experts from the Ten Sects launched a surprise attack on him, yet he somehow resolved it by unknown means. From then on, he completely slipped beyond our control. Perhaps if the Ten Sects had struck with full force at the beginning, the outcome might have been different…” Stone Tablet said with some regret.

The hall suddenly fell silent.

After a long time.

Li Ping suddenly asked: “Heavenly Dao confirmation… What if the opponent’s method of stealing identity transcends the Heavenly Dao itself?”

Stone Tablet froze in astonishment.

At first glance, these words seemed unreasonable.

But upon careful reflection, Stone Tablet realized that it was precisely because the Ten Sects had placed too much faith in their own methods back then that they had held this unshakable conclusion for thousands of years.

“At this point, what use is there in pursuing the Immortal Ancestor’s background?”

After a brief moment of loss, this thought rose in the Stone Tablet’s mind. With lingering doubt, he looked toward the Holy Emperor once more.

The Holy Emperor’s voice thundered and echoed within the hall: “Just as I said earlier, the key to the newborn Xuanhuang Realm lies in the word ‘orthodoxy.’”

“It is like assembling a brand-new body from severed limbs. Who becomes the brain is very important.”

“Right now, the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao still considers itself the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao. But before long, that may no longer be the case.”

Li Ping’s tone was profound.

Stone Tablet knew that the other party was a Heavenly Dao incarnation and would not speak without reason. His expression changed: “Please explain in detail, Fellow Daoist.”

“The things you observe through the Stone Tablet can all be viewed from an outsider’s perspective, detached from the events. However, when realms merge, the memories feel as though experienced personally, blurring the line between truth and illusion. Over time, one can no longer distinguish the false from the real, or the self from the external.”

“Especially…”

Li Ping’s gaze turned toward the Xuanhuang Realm proper, countless miles away.

“The Heavenly Dao today is already weak, and its power to resist is minimal.”

“If one day the remnant wills of the Heavenly Daos from the various realms surge in like a collapsing flood.”

“I fear the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao would be unable to withstand it in the first instant and would go mad, losing its sense of self.”

Li Ping’s tone carried a hint of self-mockery.

“After that, if someone uses a relatively intact Heavenly Dao will to guide and erode it, they could steal the heavens and replace the sun, changing the orthodoxy of the Xuanhuang Realm. At that time, although it would still be called the Xuanhuang Realm, from the inside out, it would no longer be the original Xuanhuang.”

Upon hearing this, Stone Tablet fell into deep thought.

The objective Li Ping referred to in his words was clearly the Immortal Ancestor.