"No," Reincarnation Brush explained. "It will be a rebirth in the truest sense."
Bai Shengyi nodded thoughtfully, then let out a deep sigh.
"What's wrong?" Reincarnation Brush asked.
Bai Shengyi said, "Although it might sound like hindsight, I really don't understand what Tianji Sword was thinking. It's not about anything else, but I don't understand why, as the spirit of a divine artifact, it had to be so fixated on finding Princess Ruyi. It could have had a bright future."
Now that Bai Shengyi had many of Princess Ruyi's memories, she could clearly sense from them that Princess Ruyi had always treated Tianji Sword as her companion, and even believed that if Tianji Sword were to take human form, it would be a girl.
Furthermore, during their time together, Princess Ruyi had not done anything to mislead Tianji Sword.
So why did Tianji Sword have such a biased emotion?
Even if Tianji Sword loved Princess Ruyi, didn't it know that Princess Ruyi was the most kind and most cared for her people back then?
To have betrayed so many innocent people, including the King and Xuan Qing, for Princess Ruyi, Princess Ruyi would likely only feel more heartbroken!
In a way, she and Qin Si were the same type of person. Even their rare moments of emotion were imbued with ample rationality, which was why Bai Shengyi couldn't comprehend Tianji Sword's actions.
"Because Shengyi awakened it."
It wasn't Reincarnation Brush who answered Bai Shengyi, but Cui Yu.
The large Profound Glare Tiger had shrunk itself to the size of a cat, following behind Bai Shengyi with fluttering wings, remaining silent and in low spirits.
Years ago, the sects led by the Supreme Sect intended to separate the Divine Revelation Continent from the Divine Revelation World, forcing Xuanjizi of the Profound Heaven Sect to take action.
Although Xuanjizi nominally sacrificed himself with the divine artifact Tianji Sword, in reality, Xuanjizi himself did not die. Instead, the divine artifact Tianji Sword was destroyed, its spirit fell into a slumber, Tianji Sword entered a temporal passage, and was eventually picked up by Princess Ruyi.
Princess Ruyi was frail from birth and destined not to live past fifteen. However, she loved riding horses and wielding swords, treating the half-crippled Tianji Sword as her best friend. Even when Xuanjizi, disguised as the Imperial Preceptor, tried his best, he couldn't snatch Tianji Sword from her.
She would talk to Tianji Sword whenever she had the chance, always keeping it by her side. With constant companionship day and night, Tianji Sword's vitality was restored.
Cui Yu let out a mournful "oowoo" and said, "To me, Shengyi was a benefactor and friend who accidentally saved my life. For Tianji Sword, Shengyi was its everything."
Bai Shengyi understood.
Divine artifacts had spirits, and they also had emotions.
She gripped the rusty longsword, and a sense of immense familiarity washed over her. She suddenly realized why every time she used a sword, the sword in her hand felt not quite right – because that sword was not Tianji.
Princess Ruyi, Shengyi, was a part of "her" that had fallen into the temporal passage, while the missing fragment of Princess Ruyi's soul had gone to the future, deep within that temporal passage.
...
Qunyu Mountain, one of the most treacherous and majestic peaks in the Divine Revelation World.
At this moment, the once-in-a-century Qunyu Mountain Banquet was being held atop the summit.
Within the vast immortal forest, clear melodies drifted faintly. White jade steps forged from top-grade spirit stones crisscrossed the area, and spirit fruits and heavenly dew were everywhere. Numerous Dao Lords and Sect Masters came and went; every person here was a renowned figure on the continent.
The higher one ascended the mountain, the greater their status.
Currently, five people were seated at the very peak. One was the Mountain Lord of Qunyu Mountain, Hu Yu, and the other four were the Mountain Lord of Hualing, the Sect Master of the Supreme Sect, Li Tingyun, the Demon King of the Thousand Demons Pavilion, Lin Qingyu, and Qing Lan. However, only Lin Qingyu was present with a clone; the others had come in their true forms.
"Daojun, coming this year, are you still after the Heavenly Star Chessboard?" Li Tingyun's eyes flashed with a hint of mockery as he stroked his beard and said, "If I may say, Daojun, why not just use your deduction skills directly? With your deduction techniques, why would you even need the Heavenly Star Chessboard?"
The Qunyu Mountain Banquet was so highly regarded, attracting so many high-level cultivators and virtuous individuals, not only because it symbolized their reputation and status on the Divine Revelation Continent, but also because the summit of Qunyu Mountain possessed half a divine artifact, the Heavenly Star Chessboard.
Legend had it that this Heavenly Star Chessboard could calculate destiny and the future. It was originally the natal artifact of Hu Yu, the Mountain Lord of Qunyu Mountain. Later, Hu Yu placed it on the summit of Qunyu Mountain. All living beings on Qunyu Mountain therefore acknowledged Hu Yu's status, forming the Mountain Lord's Seal, and Hu Yu thus became the third Mountain Lord.
Qing Lan did not perceive the mockery in Li Tingyun's words. His gaze was as clear and calm as still water, and his face was indifferent as he said, "If we speak solely of deduction skills, I am indeed superior to Sect Master Li."
Li Tingyun was momentarily stunned. This was his first face-to-face conversation with Qing Lan, and thus, his first time discovering that Qing Lan spoke so directly.
The elders and Dao Lords he usually dealt with all spoke in a roundabout and subtle manner. Encountering someone like Qing Lan caught him completely speechless.
The Demon King Lin Qingyu chuckled unapologetically.
This Li Tingyun truly was getting more foolish with age. After being rebutted by Daojun Qing Lan so many times, why hadn't he learned his lesson?
Hearing Lin Qingyu's laughter, Li Tingyun's face changed slightly. With a gloomy expression, he forced a smile and said, "Daojun Qing Lan is so confident! Then has Daojun Qing Lan also calculated what will happen in the Continent of Abandoned Gods after you leave?"
Calculating the time, the Nine Revolutions Destiny Seizing Formation should be complete by now, shouldn't it?
Qing Lan said nonchalantly, "Of course I have calculated it. There will be dangers but no actual harm, and blessings in disguise. Thank you for your concern, Sect Master Li."
Li Tingyun's face grew even uglier!
Concerned?
He wasn't concerned at all! He only hoped his clone would be effective and quickly seize the destiny of the Continent of Abandoned Gods so that he could break through to the Mahayana stage sooner.
"Venerable Qing Lan is so confident? In my opinion..." Before Li Tingyun could finish speaking, he received a message from his clone, and his expression immediately changed.
The Nine Revolutions Destiny Seizing Formation had indeed failed?
And it was destroyed at a critical moment?
Also...
Li Tingyun's expression became increasingly grim, and he finally turned his stern gaze towards the Mountain Lord of Hualing and said, "Mountain Lord Hualing, what do you mean? Is Hualing Mountain also going to emerge and meddle in the continent's affairs?"
He actually had his clone go and help Qin Si?
The failure of the Nine Revolutions Destiny Seizing Formation made Li Tingyun furious, but the fact that the Mountain Lord of Hualing and Chan Master Ku had intervened to help Qin Si made Li Tingyun not only angry but also more wary.
Could it be that, as Daojun Qing Lan had said, the Continent of Abandoned Gods was indeed experiencing blessings in disguise?
The Mountain Lord of Hualing remained incredibly calm in response to Li Tingyun's questioning. After calmly taking a sip of spiritual tea, he opened his mouth and said, "Sect Master Li, please do not be agitated. It was merely a small matter of helping someone in need when encountering injustice."
Li Tingyun almost spat blood.
A small matter? A small matter had ruined his grand plan!
Could Mountain Lord Hualing be any more specious in his lies?