Inside the Fire Cloud Palace.
Compared to the outer areas where mostly Outer Disciples and official disciples reside, those who can live in the grand halls of the Fire Cloud Palace are invariably the direct disciples of various Immortal Venerables. Nᴇw ɴovel chaptᴇrs are published on 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵~𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖~𝙣𝙚𝙩
Of course, since there are over a hundred Immortal Venerables in the Fire Cloud Palace, though most of the time they are stationed, cultivating on the Heart of the Cosmic frontline, their disciples generally remain in the Fire Cloud Palace.
Aside from those out on training missions, there are still thousands of them.
Additionally, these Immortal Venerables’ direct disciples often have many attendants and maids, and some graduates continue to work in the palace or invite people they favor to take up positions, making the grand halls of the Fire Cloud Palace quite bustling.
Gu Jinlai’s official identity is that of a protector in the Xi Divine Hall.
Each Immortal Venerable can establish their own hall within the Fire Cloud Palace, leaving their legacy.
"Inner Mansion Honorable Daoist, True Disciple, Immortal Seed, direct disciples of Immortal Venerables..."
As Gu Jinlai flew alongside Immortal Venerable Hong Luan, he couldn’t help but think of the bits and pieces of the Golden Immortal Realm.
As one of the most important stages on the path of cultivation, this realm often represents a person’s future.
Because once immortality is achieved, there are no other choices left, a cultivator can only steadfastly pursue this path, moving forward unrelentingly.
Unless one harbors the intent of idly passing time, otherwise, stopping progress would mean being wiped out by the Daoist Ancestor is their only end.
"Please come in, Honorable Daoist Gu, Master is waiting for you inside the hall."
Immortal Venerable Hong Luan said.
With a movement, he stepped directly into the hall.
And as he stepped inside, he clearly felt as if he had entered another space.
Even though the surrounding environment hadn’t changed, when he gazed outside through the hall, he could still see the artificially replicated starry sky above the Sky Dome, but inside this palace and outside...
There was indeed an invisible barrier seemingly isolating the interior from the exterior of the space.
Before he could observe the palace environment thoroughly, his divine sense was already drawn to a figure in the center of the palace.
It was a man, dressed in long robes, appearing to be white-haired and aged.
Although his head was full of white hair, he showed no signs of aging, but rather exuded vigor and spirit.
Especially his eyes seemed to contain billions of stars, filled with endless mysteries.
When Gu Jinlai’s gaze fell on him, the man’s gaze also fell on him.
At that moment, Gu Jinlai felt as if every part of his being was thoroughly seen through.
This exposure of having all secrets laid bare almost made him want to turn around and leave immediately.
Fortunately, the man seemed to realize this as well, quickly saying, "Apologies, my main cultivation is the Karma Dao, where my gaze falls, karma is born, and you, ever since cultivating the Galaxy Map, have been entangled in karma with me. The pull of the Great Dao might make you feel uncomfortable."
As he spoke, he withdrew all the mysterious karma, and the sense of being fully exposed on Gu Jinlai’s body gradually disappeared.
Gu Jinlai’s expression grew serious.
In the current world, the top three always are Fate, Karma, Reincarnation.
No matter how other Daos rank differently, these three Daos remain unshakable.
Even though these three Daos are not specialized in fighting, each possesses unbelievable mysteries.
The most terrifying aspect of the Way of Karma is its insight.
It’s said that the Divine Spirit lineage back then used the Way of Karma as its foundation, continuously developing, branching out into countless sub-branches, thereby growing stronger.
And Emperor Xi stated that while cultivating the Galaxy Map, he was already entangled in karma with him...
"It seems Emperor Xi already knows."
Relying on the Innate Star River Map to elevate his divine sense to the fifteenth rank, it’s likely these secrets are also fully revealed before Emperor Xi.
For a moment, he couldn’t help feeling a touch of sentimentality in his heart.
Great Power seekers pursue omniscience and omnipotence, and they will go to great lengths to perfect this ability.
Any cultivator exposed to the view of a Great Power essentially has no secrets.
Knowing this, he still intended to conceal his Immortal Venerable cultivation, planning to retreat to the Fire Cloud Palace using his Twelve-Rank Divine Sense Ability, but now it seems...
He underestimated the divinity of the Great Power.
Emperor Xi smiled, not entangling further with these issues but directly asked, "Looking at you, was there an accident during the process of reincarnation? Or have you attempted something new?"
His words carried a hint of concern.
"I cannot give you an accurate answer at the moment."
"Aren’t you worried I might belong to an alien Great Power?"
Gu Jinlai was slightly surprised.
"It seems you haven’t recovered yet, it shouldn’t be."
Emperor Xi showed a hint of confusion: "Even if one just barely breaks through to become a Great Power before undergoing Silent Annihilation, one would initially recover in the Immortal Realm, let alone you now... have become a Great Immortal Venerable, correct?"
After speaking, he smiled and explained: "The limitations between species can sometimes be very strict, but sometimes very loose. Whether or not you belong to our Human Clan as a Great Power, your choice to reincarnate within our Human Clan’s domain indicates that your soul acknowledges our Human Clan, otherwise, your spirit could not truly allow you to enter a state of Silent Annihilation."
"Indeed, acknowledge."
Emperor Xi smiled slightly: "Would you sleep peacefully in the home of your enemy? Would you entrust your life to a stranger? Silent Annihilation does not simply require you to gather your entire divine sense to let it vanish into emptiness; this kind of vanishing includes a spiritual plane of annihilation. Mortal beings may sometimes do irrational things, but we Great Powers... cannot deceive our own spirits."
He looked at Gu Jinlai with goodwill: "Thus, even if you are truly a Great Power of an alien race, I presume you have significant recognition and trust in our Human Clan. Now that you have reincarnated into our Human Clan, it is another form of relationship. In such circumstances, who would turn away the trust of a Great Power?"
Gu Jinlai listened and came to an understanding.
"Originally, seeing you, I felt that you seemed to have some distrust between us. After sensing that you had already broken through to become a Great Immortal Venerable and possessed enough of a sense of security, I presumptuously asked Hong Luan to invite you over, hoping to clarify our stance to you. The Human Clan warmly welcomes any Great Power who acknowledges us. However, when I saw you had not yet fully awakened, I realized that you might have faced an accident during reincarnation."
As Emperor Xi spoke, he added: "Of course, it may also be some new attempt of yours; I only hope that my premature actions towards meeting you do not affect the plans you are executing even at the risk of annihilation."
"Then that’s good, if you are willing... if you have any questions, feel free to ask in detail."
Emperor Xi said: "If you need any assistance, please do not hesitate to ask."
"There’s really nothing."
Emperor Xi nodded: "Indeed, you are now a Fifteenth Rank Great Immortal Venerable; if you truly need anything, you can mostly obtain it yourself."
Listening to his words, Gu Jinlai was moved: "Since Emperor Xi already knew about the anomaly in me, then someone must have been sent to investigate the world of my origin, correct?"
Emperor Xi nodded: "After all, our Human Clan hasn’t heard of anyone falling into reincarnation recently."
Saying this, he shook his head again: "Although I went to the world you come from, due to the recent disturbances of the Evil God, joining forces with it, and some other races intending to break out of the Heart of the Cosmic, my True Body was restrained in the depths of the Heart of the Cosmic and could not go, only sending an incarnation to investigate. I could only see traces of Great Power arrangements there, but as to which Great Power’s handiwork it was, I couldn’t ascertain."
"Couldn’t ascertain?"
Gu Jinlai was somewhat surprised.
"Before a Great Power reincarnates, they may make arrangements targeting that world and even surrounding worlds to smoothly get through their period of weakness. However, such arrangements should not be too obvious, nor leave any identity-proving clues, otherwise, should enemy Great Powers learn of it and set traps to sabotage secretly, it would be counterproductive."
As Emperor Xi spoke, he added once more: "Of course, you can personally search when you have the leisure. After all, that is your place of reincarnation; if you go in person, under the resonance, you might find something."
Having left Blue Star for several hundred years, he really should take some time to go back and have a proper look, thoroughly searching Blue Star.
"Before heading to Blue Star, I plan to borrow some classics from Fire Cloud Palace... Well, exchanging Merits is fine too. The Divine Spirits fallen by my hand in the Ashen Star Domain aren’t few."
Since Emperor Xi already knew of his "Great Power Reincarnation" identity and had accurately mentioned that he had now broken through to the Great Immortal Venerable realm, he had nothing to hide anymore.
Revealing himself as the Immortal Venerable, who was wreaking havoc in the Ashen Star Domain, was no longer an issue.
"Since you are interested, all the classics in our Fire Cloud Palace are yours to exchange at will; even if you wish to exchange for the inheritances of our three, it would be fine."
Emperor Xi said magnanimously.
An inheritance is one thing, but whether one can use such an inheritance to break through to the Great Power realm is quite another.
At their level, to break through the shackles and glimpse the Daoist Ancestor Realm, those with foresight have often gathered Great Powers, attempting to pool collective wisdom to find a viable path.
Although they failed, those top-tier inheritances in the circle of Great Powers are not as precious as imagined.
Moreover, since their inheritance stems from the Human Clan, the more the other party delves into the Human Clan’s inheritance, the deeper the influence by the Human Clan.
This is also a kind of alternative inheritance transformation.
Emperor Xi directly produced a token: "A Guest Minister Palace Master Token of Fire Cloud Palace. With this token, you may enjoy exchange and reading privileges within Fire Cloud Palace, equal to that of Emperor Yan and Black Emperor."
Gu Jinlai accepted it.
Although it’s just granting access, it still serves as a substantial assistance to him.
"Haha, I’m curious, exactly which Great Power’s reincarnation you might be."
Emperor Xi said with a smile.
After a bit more polite conversation, Gu Jinlai left the grand hall.
And as he left the hall, two somewhat blurred phantoms appeared simultaneously.
Although unclear, it was obvious that the two were looking in the direction Gu Jinlai had left.
"I am not here with my True Body, it cannot be determined."
Emperor Xi said, with a pause in his tone: "However... besides him, I can’t think of anyone else."
"We’ve waited so many years, we need confirmed information."
One voice said: "I will find a way to get you time, let your True Body come back once."
Emperor Xi nodded: "Very well, the True Body’s deduction should be able to discern his identity."