Chapter 2987: All Things Have Spirit! Life Always Strives Upward!
This truth was too cruel. Li Daoyan and the others could hardly accept it, remaining silent for a long, long time.
They stared at the timeline without a word.
Nian Hongyan also seemed lost in thought, distracted, her mind elsewhere…
Jiangnan broke the silence:
(˵¯̫͒¯͒˵)"Don't be so sad either~ Isn't the current situation pretty good?"
"Everyone lives in the dreamscape beneath the canopy. Though there are shackles, the powerful Starry Sky Will quietly maintains the development of the era's civilization—a grand age of prosperity!"
"Major wars between eras and chaos in the Starry Sky World are hard to come by. Isn't that acceptable too?"
Li Daoyan shook his head, his eyes full of bitter smiles: "This isn't good. Not good at all…"
"Us cultivators, why fear a single battle? Walking the immortal path from a mortal body is a process of swimming against the current, constantly chasing greater strength!"
"We once believed the immortal path was a broad road with no end, but now we see it's been cut off—severed by the Starry Sky Will…"
"A cultivator's heart is one that ceaselessly pursues greater strength, constantly striving upward! Yet now, we are blocked here, with no possibility of going further!"
"In the endless, long years and vast stretches of time, we don't even know the meaning of our existence anymore. We've lost our goal… lost the path forward. Does life still have meaning?"
"Lord Demon Lord! All things in the world have spirit; since the day life is born, it strives upward!"
When Li Daoyan said this, Jiangnan was startled for a moment, and a hint of emotion flickered in his eyes.
Life always strives upward?
That phrase sounds so familiar. The history of human struggle has carried this principle to the very end.
There's no special reason needed to chase the peak, because life always strives upward—it's the most primal instinct of life itself.
Who would willingly live their entire life beneath the canopy?
Yan Xing urged urgently:
(งᵒ̌﹏ᵒ̌)ง "Lord Demon Lord, is there… is there no way to break through this canopy and let us take another step forward?"
Jiangnan's gaze shifted: "If I truly intended to destroy the world and did so, the Dao World Tree would indeed grant you all permission."
"But are you sure? The Starry Sky Will isn't so easy to fool. If I'm going to do it, I'd have to make it real."
Looking at Jiangnan's expression, the group shivered violently.
Lingque wiped her forehead sweat:
(٥•́ɞ•̀) "Maybe… maybe we'd better not? We already know the outcome…"
If the Eternal Demon Lord went all out, even without the shackles, it would be utterly useless.
Qingyu's eyes sparkled:
(ʃƪ⁰̷̴ω⁰̷̴) "Lord Demon Lord, during the previous battle, we could feel our worlds' craving for that silver energy!"
"The essence of the Genesis Realm is creating worlds, right? Could that silver energy possibly…"
At this mention, everyone's eyes lit up.
Jiangnan said flatly: "That thing is called Realm Source Energy, originating from the fifth-dimensional Life Forbidden Zone. It's the primal energy used to create Starry Sky Worlds."
"However… not everyone can bear Realm Source Energy. It will wear you down. But given your willpower, carrying a bit shouldn't be a problem…"
"It is possible to slowly nurture your small world into a true world by absorbing Realm Source Energy."
Yan Xing's eyes blazed:
(ʃƪ✪⥎✪) "Lord Demon Lord? Then…"
Jiangnan shook his head: "Don't think about it. I won't give you Realm Source Energy. Even if I could help you grow and strengthen yourselves with it, you'll still face a choice in the end. The Starry Sky Will won't allow you to become Cosmos. At that point, do you choose to achieve Cosmos or maintain the peace of the era?"
"Do you sacrifice yourselves or sacrifice all living beings of the era? The choice Qingcheng Xian faced—you will have to face it again."
"Moreover, the Starry Sky Will is stronger now than it was then. If you choose to sacrifice the era and achieve yourselves, then everyone who dies because of you will be my doing. That sin is too heavy; I can't bear it."
"If you choose to sacrifice yourselves for the era, then what's the point of me helping you? It would only harm you."
Li Daoyan urged eagerly:
(งᵒ̌﹏ᵒ̌)ง "What if all seven of us combine forces? Still not enough?"
Jiangnan narrowed his eyes: "Do you think the seven of you have the power to contend with the entire Starry Sky World?"
"Besides… I don't want to meddle in the affairs of your world. Helping you grow, breaking shackles, rebelling against the Starry Sky Will? The implications are too vast. Who knows what the consequences might be?"
"After all, I haven't even sorted out my own family business. I don't want any unnecessary trouble. If I were already a Cosmos now, it wouldn't matter. But I'm not. There are too many constraints."
"Don't count on me to intervene. This is your world. The shackles must be broken by you. If you want to resist, it must be you who swing your sword at the Starry Sky Will."
That was Jiangnan's real thought. He wouldn't help them rebel against the Celestial Palace Starry Sky Will.
He just wanted to get through these three hundred-plus years safely first.
Even if Jiangnan did help, within these three hundred plus years, using Realm Source Energy to nurture them, he couldn't help Li Daoyan and the others reach Cosmos. There simply wasn't enough time.
After all, nurturing a world requires long accumulation. Their small worlds were too weak to bear much at once.
Qingyu urged: (￢﹏￢) "Then… could we go to another world? Avoid these shackles, break through, and then go back?"
Jiangnan rolled his eyes:
(꒪ั～꒪ั*) "Don't even think about it. Not everyone can run off to another world. This situation is extremely special. Under normal circumstances, two worlds are completely isolated islands with no connection."
"Besides, you have to follow the law of conservation. If it's broken, the consequences would be disastrous. Otherwise, why would that big-and-small-eyed kid be so nervous about me?"
At that, Li Daoyan and the others' faces darkened. Were all paths upward completely blocked?
No matter what method, they couldn't rise any further?
Jiangnan smiled: ╮(•́ω•̀)╭ "But don't be too sad. I said *almost* no way, not *no* way."
"I won't help you with other things, but I can indeed help improve your strength and perfect your system. Over on our side, aside from willpower being a bit lacking, we have things you don't: utilization of basic world rules, development of domains, advancement of the tech tree, understanding of various dimensions, application of racial abilities, and even methods to control your own worlds."
"Just learning these will be enough to give you a massive power boost. And if these systems are disseminated throughout the cultivation world, who knows what sparks will collide?"
"I will plant a seed of knowledge in the Celestial Palace Starry Sky World. This seed will take root and sprout in your cultivation world. Whether it ultimately bears abundant fruit and whether you can use it to break the shackles—that's up to you."
That was Jiangnan's plan: exchange knowledge, spread the systems of the myriad races here, and bring the cultivation system of this side back to the myriad races.
This would be a rare opportunity for growth for the living beings of both worlds.
Li Daoyan and the others swallowed hard, their eyes shining with light again.
Even this was enough!
They were almost grateful that Jiangnan had come to exchange knowledge.
Even though he hadn't done anything humanly decent, he had brought the seed of hope.
If not for Jiangnan, they would never have known so much, nor would they have had any possibility of moving forward.
"Words cannot express our gratitude. Then… we've finished our homework. When can we… exchange knowledge?"
Jiangnan pointed a finger:
(≖◡≖๑)☛ "There~ Gale is blowing right over there, isn't it? Inside it, all the glory of the Myriad Races Starry Sky World is stored. Go get beaten up and learn~"
"Practice yields true knowledge, right? Getting beaten helps you remember better."
At that moment, Yan Xing, Qian Hai, and the others' faces turned green. So they still had to get beaten up?
But to break the shackles, they'd go all out!
With determination to die, they rushed into the wind to get beaten and learn, while Jiangnan watched with a gleeful cackle.
(˵¯͒〰¯͒˵) "Come, Hongyan. Let's study the Six Paths Fusion method!"
Nian Hongyan snapped back to attention with a jolt.
"Oh~ Alright, alright!"
The days that followed went smoothly. The years passed one by one.
Every day, the Six Paths Study Group delved into the theories of Six Paths Fusion, even forgetting time. Nian Hongyan's talent and comprehension grew increasingly terrifying, even taking on the role of project leader.
Even Jiangnan and Li Daoyan could only assist her in this matter.
And whenever a new idea emerged, Jiangnan would run to the Life Forbidden Zone to verify it.
As for Six Paths Fusion, even Li Daoyan and the others poured all their efforts into it.
Because once developed, fusing the strengths and advantages of the Six Paths would allow them to cultivate it themselves.
It could also be promoted throughout the cultivation world—perhaps this was the opportunity for a great fusion of the Six Paths.
After all, to break the canopy and shackles, fighting separately as the Six Paths would never work. They would be picked off one by one.
So it was better to fuse and integrate the power of the Six Paths first.
In the Taichu Era, Qingcheng Xian fell. In the Huangxian Era, the Six Paths split, each developing independently. Now in the Dayan Era, each path had its own achievements, expanding territory in its respective field.
If a great fusion were realized now, it would surely surpass the path taken during the Taichu Era.
This might be an opportunity, so they were all extremely dedicated.
Finally, in the thirtieth year after Jiangnan descended into the Celestial Palace Starry Sky World, the basic beginning of the Six Paths Soul Refining Technique was developed.
It solved a major difficulty, completing the leap from zero to one.
In this process, Nian Hongyan played a crucial role. It could be said that 80% of the Six Paths Soul Refining Technique was deduced by her.
With such a good start, the rest would be easier.
At this pace, the full development of the Six Paths Soul Refining Technique might not even take a hundred years.
Jiangnan officially began cultivating the Six Paths Soul Refining Technique from scratch. Just at the beginning, his body could already store thirty drops of Realm Source Energy.
This shows how terrifying this method's enhancement of Jiangnan's willpower is.
But it was only the beginning.
Jiangnan was immensely looking forward to the ultimate effect of this technique.
And with Nian Hongyan's increasingly monstrous talent and top-tier resource supply, she had already broken through to the Eternal Realm within these thirty years.
Furthermore, she was advancing rapidly toward the Genesis Realm.
As Nian Hongyan's strength grew, her speed in developing and deducing the Six Paths Soul Refining Technique became even more terrifying.
Li Daoyan and the others were stunned. What kind of genius was this?
Wouldn't they have another Genesis Realm powerhouse in the Celestial Palace Starry Sky World in a few more years?
This was a great thing!
More strength, more power.
However, as Nian Hongyan's level increased, her state became increasingly strange. Sometimes she would stare blankly into the starry sky for a long time.
Other times, she would secretly gaze at Jiangnan's back—and stare for a long time as well.
And it was worth mentioning that as Nian Hongyan's level rose, she became more and more beautiful, stunning beyond compare. Calling her constitution "Hongyan Immortal Body" seemed particularly apt.
Time flowed on silently. During this period, Jiangnan never returned to the Immortal Boat Star, nor did he go back to the villa they had all built together.
It wasn't that Jiangnan didn't want to go back; it was that he was afraid seeing those things would remind him of people, afraid he would miss home…
And even though he had grown extremely familiar with Li Daoyan and the others, Jiangnan never allowed them near the Immortal Boat Star—not even Nian Hongyan.
Although every day was fulfilling, Jiangnan still felt… time was so long… so long…