Chapter 397: Nine Thousand Years Ago
Jiang Li looked down at the sea surface, where he could see the Nine Provinces world from nine thousand years ago, flourishing wildly with cultivators at the Tribulation Transcendence Stage appearing endlessly.
“Just jump in?”
“Let me warn you first, Human Sovereign Jiang. These are events that have already happened—history itself. I know your powers reach the heavens with no equal, but history has its own conclusions. Returning to the past only allows you to observe. You must never interfere, or history will deviate, and both of us will enter a parallel world!”
“Emperor Shun knows about parallel worlds?”
“Having observed the ages, sitting through eternity, I naturally know some rarely understood things.”
“There are multiple causes for parallel worlds. The main one stems from individuals who may exhibit varying personalities—people significant enough to influence the world and history’s course. Different personalities lead to different choices in identical situations, creating timeline deviations and thus parallel worlds.”
“Another cause is someone returning to the past and altering history, which can also spawn parallel worlds.”
“I don’t know how to traverse between parallel worlds. If we end up in another, we truly won’t find our way back.”
“I’m helping you because you’re a subject of Great Zhou. After becoming Human Sovereign, you’ve led by example, respecting Great Zhou’s laws. Don’t drag me into a parallel world.”
“I understand the gravity.”
Before leaving, Jiang Li turned back. “One more request, Emperor Shun.”
“Speak, Human Sovereign Jiang.”
“I once visited a zombie world where time kept resetting. Until time normalized, I couldn’t intervene directly. Could you restore that world’s timeline?”
“That’s easily done.”
…
“So this is the Nine Provinces from nine thousand years ago. How wonderful—the Celestial Ladder still stands, allowing free passage to the immortal realm.”
Arriving in the past, Jiang Li gazed at the Celestial Ladder with profound emotion.
He’d exhausted himself collecting fragments of that very ladder just to reach the immortal realm. Had he been born in this era, he could have traveled there freely.
“A single province with two Tribulation Transcendence cultivators?”
Covering an entire province with his spiritual sense, Jiang Li marveled at their numbers.
“Immortal Elder Changcun once said this period had twenty Tribulation Transcendence cultivators—Nine Provinces’ peak strength.”
“Though I wonder how long remains before the Celestial Ladder shatters.”
Suddenly, Jiang Li frowned. A thousand miles away, a demonic cultivator conducted public blood sacrifices. An entire city’s populace wailed, cursed, and begged before dissolving into ash—fuel for the demon’s growing power.
“This era’s Nine Provinces truly is barbaric.”
Such atrocities were unthinkable in Jiang Li’s time.
Flying through the air, Jiang Li arrived instantly, witnessing the demonic cultivator’s laughter.
“Teaching mortals the ‘Spiritual Energy Diagram’ was indeed beneficial! Ordinary mortals can’t compare to those at Qi Refining’s third level!”
“After absorbing millions of lives, I’ve advanced from early to mid Tribulation Transcendence Stage. Immortality is within reach!”
This was Li Wu, one of Nine Provinces’ twenty Tribulation Transcendence cultivators.
“Demon Li! Sacrificing mortals again!”
Another Tribulation cultivator, having sensed demonic activity, arrived swiftly. The scene enraged him.
“Ah, Yuan Shang. What hypocritical lecturing brings you here?” Li Wu sneered, dismissive of his equal-ranked opponent’s fury. What could Yuan Shang do?
Nothing but impotent rage.
Li Wu despised Yuan Shang and his Xuantian Sect.
The Xuantian Sect claimed to act as heaven’s proxy, advocating salvation and relief for the masses. They’d compiled the ‘Spiritual Energy Diagram’ to enable universal cultivation. Yuan Shang took it furthest, preaching against demonic cultivation, insisting on self-reliant immortality.
Ridiculous! Weren’t the lives Li Wu took through his own skill also self-reliance?
“Demon Li! You dare slaughter my Tianyuan subjects!”
The Tianyuan Emperor of this era appeared, golden-robed and radiating terrifying Tribulation Transcendence aura.
“A weakling barely touching the Tribulation edge through imperial fortune dares bark at me?”
Li Wu chuckled.
“Shall I report this to the immortal realm? Inform my Tianyuan Dynasty’s ancestral founder?” threatened the emperor. Though Tianyuan’s fortune encouraged conflict, this wholesale city eradication severely damaged imperial destiny.
“Comparing backers? My master is an immortal realm Celestial. Your dynasty’s founder was merely a Celestial too.”
“Who do you think will intervene—my master defending me, or your ancestor protecting some distant descendant?”
Li Wu remained unconcerned. In cultivation, none in Nine Provinces surpassed him. In connections, his immortal realm patronage made him untouchable.
The emperor gnashed his teeth. In Nine Provinces’ cultivation world, talent, power, and backing were essential—lacking any meant certain failure to achieve immortality.
Even if immortals weren’t supposed to interfere with the mortal realm, what could the immortal realm actually do if one secretly acted? Execute an immortal?
Yuan Shang attacked without further debate. His Xuantian Sect also had significant immortal realm backing—he feared no retaliation.
The three tacitly relocated their battle to space. Fighting over Nine Provinces would slaughter millions, truly provoking Tianyuan’s ancestral wrath.
Three Tribulation Transcendence cultivators clashed in the cosmos—bodies colossal, movements unleashing tsunamis of force, vital energies like raging floods, dimming sun and moon, shattering stars, leaving all living things trembling.
When Bai Hongtu and three others demonstrated at Great Zhou’s Spiritual Treasures Convention, Nine Provinces’ populace watched admiringly, hoping to witness more Tribulation Stage techniques.
But in this era, people simply prayed for the battle to end.
Yuan Shang fought frustratedly. The emperor participated halfheartedly—clearly performing for the public, warning other demonic cultivators against provoking Tianyuan.
The emperor hadn’t even summoned the Wishful Gourd.
Li Wu’s arrogance matched his capabilities—neither Yuan Shang nor the emperor could subdue him.
“Enough! Must you become laughingstocks?”
A resonant voice interrupted the battle.
Seeing the newcomer, the three ceased fighting and bowed. “Golden Daoist.”
Golden Daoist shook his head toward the Celestial Ladder’s direction. “We cultivate for immortality—why fight lethally?”
“Li Wu acted wrongly, but demonic cultivation relies on such methods. His actions are understandable.”
“Yuan Shang, you consistently overreach despite limited ability. Do you know how many demonic cultivators want you dead?”
“Let this matter end here.”
“We’ll all become immortals eventually. In the immortal realm, Nine Provinces’ cultivators must unite. Must you invite others’ mockery?”
Golden Daoist stood one step from immortality—Nine Provinces’ most advanced Tribulation cultivator. Considering himself Nine Provinces’ orthodox representative, he loved flaunting status, appearing wherever conflicts arose to mediate.
With Golden Daoist intervening, Yuan Shang had to withdraw.
The emperor sighed in relief. Without Golden Daoist’s interruption, the battle’s escalation would have been uncontrollable.