The oppressive atmosphere had yet to disperse when a distant, gentle voice echoed through the hall. It seemed to cross the span of a thousand years, carrying with it the weariness of time—and a quiet hope.
“It seems you have finished viewing the Memory Flow Crystal… To break through layer upon layer of trials and reach this place proves that in will, in strength, and in character, you are all of the highest caliber.”
Gu Qing and Milton both turned toward the source of the voice, light flickering in their eyes.
Before them, a translucent figure slowly gathered in the void.
It was a man of striking elegance. His face was as flawless as carved jade, his features clear and refined. His figure stood tall and slender like pine and bamboo. Snow-white robes draped over him without a speck of dust, wide sleeves stirring lightly in the air. His bearing was pure and ethereal, like an immortal descended to the mortal realm.
Gu Qing’s gaze trembled slightly. He spoke with careful respect.
“…Are you Xuanxiao Immortal Venerable?”
“It is I.” The apparition inclined his head faintly. “Though now, only a remnant soul remains.”
At once, Gu Qing stepped forward, cupped his hands, and knelt in formal salute. His expression was solemn, his voice low and steady.
“Disciple Gu Qing greets Ancestor-Master.”
Xuanxiao Immortal Venerable’s gaze rested upon him. He nodded gently, a trace of emotion in his tone.
“So you are a descendant of the sect… After so many years, I did not expect to see another from the cultivation world.”
He paused, eyes drifting into the distance, his voice lowering.
“I remained here to seek one who could inherit my legacy and confront the demonic qi. As you have seen, the vessel that carries the demonic seed has left the immortal palace and vanished. If demonic qi spreads unchecked, this world will relive the world-ending catastrophe of ten thousand years past… That would be my failure.”
Gu Qing raised his head slightly, sincerity and reverence in his eyes.
“You bore the safety of an entire realm alone. You severed the connection between the cultivation world and this world, confined the demonic qi here, and prolonged peace for a thousand years. With such righteousness and devotion to all living beings, you have nothing to regret.”
The Immortal Venerable fell silent for a moment. A faint shadow crossed his gaze before he straightened, his tone turning grave.
“Though I sealed the primary demonic seed, I did not eradicate its aura entirely. Demonic qi still seeps across time and boundaries, infiltrating the very roots of this world.”
“This world differs fundamentally from the cultivation realm. Here, demonic qi has mutated—becoming cunning, concealed. It no longer manifests as the black mist of malevolent intent familiar to cultivators. Instead, it seeps into the spiritual sea and the foundations of the world itself, transforming into forms this world can bear—corruption and mental collapse.”
His voice grew heavier.
“I discovered that it most easily hides and breeds aberration within the bodies of aberrant beasts… and within the spiritual seas of female Zerg.”
Gu Qing’s heart jolted. Scattered clues he had sensed before suddenly aligned into a single, clear thread. At last, he understood the origin of the faint, insidious demonic traces he had perceived.
Xuanxiao Immortal Venerable’s gaze shifted gently into the void.
“So… it has come as well. That sphere of light—within your spiritual sea—is a remnant consciousness of the Heavenly Dao, is it not? It seems the world’s origin has not completely collapsed. A sliver of hope remains.”
Milton’s eyes flickered. He glanced sideways at Gu Qing.
So… he truly was never one of them.
Inside Gu Qing’s spiritual sea, the Heavenly Dao Little Dumpling jolted, popping out its small head in protest.
“Y-you can see me? Hey! You are just a remnant soul—how can you still see me? And if you call me ‘remnant’ again, I am filing a complaint for defamation! I am Little Dumpling! I have a name!”
Gu Qing could not help but smile faintly.
The Immortal Venerable chuckled softly, warmth in his voice.
“You are not incomplete. You are newly born. Your existence is the will of this world, conceived at the brink of collapse in an attempt to save itself.”
Within the spiritual sea, silver light burst outward like startled fur. The Little Dumpling spun frantically.
“I—I remember now! That is why I was born! I just… lost too many memories. I could never piece them together…”
It hovered at the center of Gu Qing’s consciousness, voice low and subdued.
“No wonder I always felt like I had so much to do… but forgot how to do it. I was supposed to be amazing, and instead all I do is cling to you…”
“You were forced into early manifestation when the world’s origin began to shatter,” the Immortal Venerable said gently. “Your memories fragmented, your authority diminished… You have already done far more than I anticipated.”
His gaze settled firmly on Gu Qing.
“You are one from beyond this world, untouched by its karmic currents. Your soul resonates naturally with the fragments of the Heavenly Dao. It chose to attach itself to you not only because you can bear it, but because you hold the possibility of changing this world.”
Gu Qing’s expression remained calm. He inclined his head slightly.
He had long known the Little Dumpling was no ordinary existence. He had long understood that the connection between himself and this fractured Heavenly Dao was no coincidence.
But hearing it spoken aloud made it real—and heavy.
Within his consciousness, the Little Dumpling spoke again, voice quiet yet stubborn.
“I will remember… the things I forgot. The things I am meant to protect. Even if I am broken like this, I will piece myself back together… because I still have you.”
Gu Qing’s tone softened, though his resolve did not waver.
“I know. The day you formed the Heavenly Dao contract with me, I knew—this is not a game I carry alone.”
The Little Dumpling froze—then exploded into a ring of silver light.
“Ahhh—! Sword Sovereign, how can you say things like that? You are going to make me cry again!”
The Immortal Venerable watched them with quiet satisfaction.
“This bond is this world’s final chance—its only hope. I entrust to you the shared burden of its future.”
“I will stay by your side,” the Little Dumpling added, floating above Gu Qing’s spiritual sea. “Until this mess is finally over.”
“Then we walk forward together,” Gu Qing replied gently.
Milton stood to the side, gazing silently at the light he could never touch.
He knew Gu Qing was not speaking only to the Immortal Venerable.
He was speaking to something Milton could not see—his voice softer than Milton had ever heard.
His fingers curled unconsciously. He forced himself to appear indifferent, but he could not suppress the strange tightness in his chest.
So that presence… had always been there.
Did Gu Qing still need him?
He did not know what he wanted from Gu Qing. Trust? Reliance? Even the smallest place at his side?
In that moment, he suddenly understood.
Perhaps he had never been the one truly standing beside him.
At that moment, Xuanxiao Immortal Venerable raised his sleeve and produced a ring glowing faintly with dim light.
Gu Qing recognized it at once—a Sumeru Spatial Ring, an extremely high-level spatial treasure of the cultivation world. It could house living beings, and time within could flow differently from the outside.
From within it, the Immortal Venerable withdrew a jade slip. His expression turned solemn, voice steady and ceremonial.
“This contains all I have learned in my lifetime concerning the demonic seed—methods to locate it, ways to destroy it, as well as certain remaining treasures and inheritances.”
He placed the entire spatial ring into Gu Qing’s hands.
“I entrust everything… to you.”
As Gu Qing accepted the ring, he felt the stable, immense spiritual energy within. A powerful sense of responsibility surged through him, stirring his heart.
This was not merely inheritance.
It was a final will.
He sensed the Immortal Venerable’s soul flickering, nearing exhaustion.
At once, Gu Qing knelt again and performed the highest salute of the cultivation world.
Milton, solemn, straightened and rendered a formal military salute.
“Thank you for guarding this world.”
The Immortal Venerable smiled faintly.
“Thank you… as well.”
His gaze grew distant.
“When my soul dissipates, this immortal palace will collapse with me. It does not belong to this world. If left behind, it would become a hidden danger. More importantly… remnants of ancient demon souls are still suppressed here.”
His eyes settled on Gu Qing once more.
“When that time comes… I leave it to you.”
With that, he turned and walked slowly toward the depths of the immortal palace.
His figure receded, step by step, growing fainter as he went.