Chapter 460: Ever-Changing Tides
White Dragon maiden bombarded Lu Heng with an array of questions, causing his mind to ache.
The crucial point is that the current him had no intention to entertain these trivial questions from the girl.
He had been contemplating the existence of the Heavenly Court organization and the profound significance it represented.
And how exactly did the Heavenly Court come to be?
Following behind the three individuals from the Linmu Mountain, they soared through Sanchi City on clouds, heading towards the distant sky. Unaware of the presence of Lu Heng and his companion trailing behind them, the sect leader continued to inquire in great detail about the ancient predecessor, Lu Ren.
However, Lu Heng's interaction with the two young men in plain green robes was limited to just a few brief exchanges. With minimal contact between the parties, there were no further questions to be posed in a short period of time.
Subsequently, a period of time passed, and a mountain range emerged over the plains ahead.
The mountainous terrain undulated, connecting in a graceful manner, with spiritual birds soaring through the mountains and myriad beasts harmoniously coexisting. Within this scene, swift currents cascaded, and pavilions nestled amidst the landscape, truly presenting an ethereal ambiance reminiscent of an immortal realm.
However, in Lu Heng's eyes, the entirety of the Linmu Mountain was enveloped by an intangible grand formation, restraining the flow of spiritual energy and making it difficult for ordinary individuals to approach.
Following behind the sect leader and two others from the Linmu Mountain, they flew over the grand formation of the Linmu Mountain, ascending towards the highest peak within the mountain. Along the way, one could catch glimpses of an ethereal aura emanating from the vast sect, with disciples and followers of various cultivation levels scattered among the mountain springs, engaging in playful activities, finding joy and contentment.
The sect named the Linmu Mountain, within its walls, fostered a harmonious atmosphere.
However, Lu Heng didn't come to investigate for the purpose of graduate entrance examination. He had little interest in this sect. He had been following behind the sect leader of the Linmu Mountain, hoping to accompany him to the so-called Heavenly Court.
However, upon arrival, it seems that this sect leader doesn't intend to go to the Heavenly Court? Instead, are they planning to return home directly?
Could it be that the path leading to the Heavenly Court must be traversed from within the sect?
Or perhaps they are returning to pack their belongings?
Lu Heng followed curiously behind the three individuals and soon arrived at the peak of the Linmu Mountain.
Here, there is a grand hall, which is the very core of the entire sect.
After the two young disciples, named Qingyu and Qingye, arrived here, they respectfully bid farewell to the sect leader and left. Only the young man in the green robe, carrying a large gourd on his back, flew towards the rear of the main peak.
In the end, he brought Lu Heng and the young maiden named Bailong to a suspended island.
This suspended island is very small in size, with a diameter of only a few dozen meters. On this tiny island stands a magnificent nine-story crystal tower.
Under the blazing noon sunlight, the tower body of the nine-story crystal tower emanates a brilliant radiance.
The young man in the green robe landed directly in front of the tower, stood outside the tower gate, tidied his attire, and only then proceeded inside with the large gourd on his back.
Behind him, Lu Heng, accompanied by the young maiden Bailong, also descended, but Lu Heng didn't immediately follow inside.
He stood outside the crystal tower, surveying the treasure pagoda before him, his eyebrows slightly furrowed.
The young maiden Bai Long beside him curiously asked, "Master, why aren't you going inside?"
Lu Heng shook his head without explanation, gently gesturing towards the empty space ahead. Surrounding the once radiant crystal tower, a circle of icy, sharp radiance suddenly appeared.
Upon seeing this deadly prohibition, the young maiden Bai Long couldn't help but widen her eyes and exclaimed, "This… Is this the Shadow Wheel?"
The young maiden couldn't help but gaze at Lu Heng and said, "Master, this… could it be that the Linmu Mountain is related to our Hanyu Mountain?"
The Shadow Wheel is an extremely perilous lethal restriction, originally recorded in the "Evil Arts" manual. Later, it was improved by Lu Heng, enabling even orthodox cultivators to utilize it. Although its destructive power is not as potent as the original dark arts version, it surpasses it in terms of concealment and resilience, making it more difficult to disrupt.
This spell was originally developed solely by Lu Heng, theoretically meant exclusively for the cultivators of Hanyu Mountain, but now…
In the astonished gaze of the young maiden Bai Long, Lu Heng shook his head and said, "You will know once you go inside and see."
As he spoke, he had already discerned the core of this Shadow Wheel prohibition, and with the young maiden Bai Long in tow, he stepped directly into it, entering the exceedingly treacherous realm of the Shadow Wheel without alerting anyone.
After crossing the Shadow Wheel, Lu Heng and the young maiden Bai Long arrived at the Tower of Glass.
The Tower of Glass consists of a total of nine levels, and the figure of the man in the green robe is no longer visible on the bottommost floor.
Clearly, he went upstairs.
Lu Heng led the young maiden Bai Long through the empty first floor of the pagoda, ascending directly along the staircase.
The pagoda consists of a total of nine levels, with each level enshrining a divine immortal.
However, Lu Heng was unfamiliar with any of the deities present.
Until he arrived at the top floor and stood before the statue that the man in the green robe was kneeling and bowing to, only then did he catch sight of a familiar figure.
At the pinnacle of the nine-tiered glass pagoda, amid the resplendent radiance, there stood an altar adorned with a figure of a malevolent bird with crimson eyes. Its plumage was the color of profound yellow, and its beak sharp and blood-red.
Even as a sculpture, this fierce and malevolent divine bird appeared lifelike, imposing immense pressure upon onlookers. The air was infused with a dense aura of spiritual essence.
And this malevolent bird…
"Fei Yi?!"
Lu Heng, with a peculiar expression, stared at the greatly enlarged fat bird, almost doubting his own eyes.
However he looked at it, this bird resembled the fat bird Fei Yi he had once raised in every aspect. That kind of lazily indifferent temperament was vividly conveyed through the lifelike sculpture.
Meanwhile, the sect leader of the Linmu Mountain respectfully knelt in front of the statue, addressing the statue of the fat bird and saying, "Please, divine envoy, convey to the Heavenly Court that an ancient cultivator from the Yun sect has emerged, identifying himself as Lu Ren…"
Speaking thus, the sect leader of the Linmu Mountain released two disciples from his divine consciousness projection.
At the top floor of the nine-tiered Crystal Tower, a man dressed in white and a young maiden in a white gown stood in the void, conversing with two nonexistent disciples dressed in green robes. This beautifully depicted the scene from that time in its entirety.
However, the white-robed man projected by the divine consciousness had a blurred visage, making it impossible to discern his true countenance no matter how much one tried. Therefore, his demeanor could not be accurately conveyed through the projection.
However, even so, it is still quite astonishing.
That immense statue of the fat bird slightly moved its head, as a hint of bewilderment appeared in its bloodshot eyes.
Why does this man in white… seem somewhat familiar?
After a moment of contemplation, the colossal the fat bird spoke indifferently, "I have come to a realization. This person appears somewhat familiar, perhaps he is an extraordinary ancient cultivator. I shall return to consult the records of the Immortal Celestial Clan, to see if he is listed among them. Meanwhile, you should continue to observe, and if you encounter him again, invite him to the mountain as an honored guest and provide him with proper hospitality."
"As the intense conflict between the righteous and demonic factions rages on, it is imperative not to offend this long-secluded ancient cultivator, and at the very least, prevent him from siding with the forces of darkness…"
Having given the instructions, the colossal fat bird tilted its head and prepared to depart from this statue using its divine consciousness.
However, at this moment, a peculiar sensation suddenly emerged within its heart.
"Hmm? Who is there?"
The colossal fat bird suddenly turned its head and looked toward the empty corner, only to find it devoid of anything, suddenly feeling momentarily stunned.
As the green-robed man, startled by the actions of the fat bird, prepared to summon a colossal gourd to confront the enemy, he noticed the celestial messenger had fallen silent again, causing him to hesitate ever so slightly.
"Um… Celestial messenger?" the green-robed man cautiously asked, "Have you noticed anything?"
At the empty top floor of the nine-story crystal pagoda, the colossal fat bird stared blankly at the vacant corner, blinking its eyes in disbelief.
In that fleeting moment just now, it vaguely sensed a familiar aura…
Upon closer inspection, however, it realized that it was a mere illusion.
Such a peculiar situation, if it didn't have enough confidence in its own eyes, it would almost suspect that someone had slipped in right under its eyelids.
In the intense gaze of the Linmu Mountain sect leader, the colossal fat bird fell silent for a moment before finally shaking its head and saying, "It was just an illusion, there's no need to be concerned. You go attend to your tasks, and I should also take my leave."
As the voice fell, the colossal deity statue ceased to move, returning to its original form.
While the fat bird's divine consciousness had long departed from this place, leaving behind only a bewildered figure of a man in blue robes standing within the nine-tiered glass tower, unaware of what had transpired.
As the fat bird's aura rapidly dissipated within the glass tower, Lu Heng stood at the edge of the floating island outside the nine-tiered glass tower, watching intently. Unable to help himself, a bitter smile escaped his lips.
"I concealed myself so well, but I was still almost discovered… This foolish bird has improved, indeed."
In that moment just now, if it weren't for his quick reaction, instantly retreating back outside the tower, it is feared that his whereabouts would have truly been discovered.
Regarding this, Lu Heng couldn't help but find it amusing yet also helpless, experiencing an immensely complex mix of emotions.
By his side, the young white dragon girl wore an expression of excitement.
"The Heavenly Court is indeed related to our sect!"
The young white dragon girl happily exclaimed, "Even Fei Yi, who has the least sense of presence, has such an impressive demeanor. Martial Sister Xiao Ai and Martial Brother Sun Yan must surely be even more formidable!"
The young girl was extremely excited, but Lu Heng remained noncommittal.
He shook his head and said, "This silly bird is just a messenger. Haven't you heard the sect leader of the Linmu Mountain referring to it as a celestial envoy? The position of an envoy, so-called messenger, is usually one with the least influence, probably an insignificant figure from the fringes of the Heavenly Court."
"Even the fat bird is just a mere messenger, I'm afraid your senior martial brothers and sisters are not doing well inside there."
Lu Heng poured a bucket of cold water on the excited young girl.
However, deep down in his heart, he felt quite pleased with the current cultivation of this silly bird, Fei Yi.
Clearly, this silly bird, which had the least sense of presence in the mountains, has truly made progress. Its cultivation is not low, and it has even mastered its own divine abilities. It nearly revealed its whereabouts to Lu Heng, indicating such strength that should hold a respectable position in the Heavenly Court.
After all, even the sect leader of the Linmu Mountain, who is at the Profound Heaven stage, treats it with utmost respect, and the fact that it occupies the pinnacle of the nine-leveled Lustrous Tower… All these pieces of information indicate that Fei Yi doesn't hold a position of insignificance in the Heavenly Court.
Meanwhile, inside the nine-leveled Lustrous Tower, a man in a green robe, carrying a large gourd on his back, quickly emerged and flew towards the main hall.
However, Lu Heng didn't keep up with the opponent's speed this time, but instead stood in place, watching as the other party departed.
Regarding this, the young White Dragon girl was somewhat confused, "Master? Are we no longer going to follow him?"
Lu Heng shook his head and said, "Since he is not going to the Heavenly Court, what's the use of us following him? Next, let's go to Hanyu Mountain and see how the mountain gate looks. Perhaps the Heavenly Court is right above that large tree."
Lu Heng put forward a highly intriguing conjecture.
Upon hearing this, the young White Dragon girl's eyes lit up with excitement.
"Master, are you saying that the Heavenly Court could be established on top of that gigantic peach tree? Wow! Does that mean our Hanyu Mountain is the Heavenly Court?"
Lu Heng gave her a sharp glance and said, "I didn't say that… I just said that the Heavenly Court might be in that direction."
With that, Lu Heng directly summoned his divine radiance and flew towards the enormous peach tree in the distance, taking the young White Dragon girl with him.
That towering giant tree, standing between heaven and earth, seems to stand at the edge of the world, visible even from afar with utmost clarity. It can be said that it is the most prominent symbol of the Celestial Desolation Realm.
As Lu Heng and his companions flew closer, they gradually gained a clearer view of the magnificence and grandeur of this colossal divine tree.
Originally, it was just a towering tree standing between heaven and earth. However, as they approached, in Lu Heng's view, the tree transformed into an immense wall, obscuring the vast world ahead.
After flying forward, the trunk directly transformed into a massive celestial canopy, reaching up to the heavens and descending to the earth, spanning across the front. It seemed to obscure everything in its presence.
After gazing at it for a long time, it could even induce a sense of dizziness.
The young girl with the white dragon was somewhat horrified, exclaiming, "If this terrifying tree were to become sentient, how dreadful it would be…"
Even the usually carefree and boisterous young girl with the white dragon couldn't help but feel a touch of fear and unease at this moment.
As she descended further towards the base of the tree, she started to feel as if she was drifting farther away from the mortal realm, completely ensconced and unable to escape from the shadow of this enormous tree.
However, peculiarly, while this colossal tree obscured the heavens and blocked the scorching sun, the area beneath it was not dim but rather filled with a refreshing breeze and abundant spiritual energy. The surrounding mountains and land beneath the tree were all vibrant and picturesque, resembling a heavenly realm even more so than the previously visited Linmu Mountain.
Above the clouds, Lu Heng ceased his forward flight.
Because beyond that point, there were no longer any residents or cities.
The trunk of this tree was incredibly vast, occupying an immense area. The former Hanyu Mountain vanished completely beneath the expanse of its mighty trunk.
Even the location of Luoye City, where the residents of Shuisheng Village used to go every year to purchase Lunar New Year goods, was embedded within the trunk of the tree.
For Lu Heng, this was truly a profound transformation of the world.
After four thousand years have elapsed, the once familiar Hanyu Mountain, along with every blade of grass and every tree on its slopes, have all vanished, leaving behind only a colossal peach tree that stands ominously in the world…
Wordlessly shaking his head, Lu Heng said, "There's no need to proceed further; there is nothing ahead."
Saying this, he directly descended from the clouds and landed in the city below, accompanied by the young girl.
This city is the closest human settlement to the trunk of the divine tree, yet it still lies thousands of miles away.
Within the city, there is an abundant aura of spiritual energy, and the residents live in peaceful prosperity.
On the city gate, the prominent characters "Luoye City" are engraved.
It appears that the Luoye City, previously known to Lu Heng, has now relocated to this place.
Although situated beneath the canopy of the divine tree, the city is not gloomy; on the contrary, it is bathed in sunshine and everyone wears a smile, presenting a picturesque scene reminiscent of an earthly paradise.
Even the incense at the Fire God Temple is not the most abundant in cauldrons.
The most flourishing in cauldrons within the city is, indeed, a temple known as "the Ancestral Shrine," housing within it the colossal divine tree.
With curiosity, Lu Heng and the young white dragon girl landed in front of the Ancestral Shrine, standing amidst the incessant flow of worshipers. They gazed at the colossal divine tree statue within the temple, as well as…
"Um… Master, the deity standing in the central position of the altar, it seems to be you…"
The young white dragon girl let out a sound of astonishment.
To their surprise, what they had not expected was that on the main position of the altar in the temple of the divine tree, it was not the divine tree that was enshrined, but a statue of a smiling man dressed in white.
The slightly blurred facial features and the relaxed, gentle temperament were unmistakably identical to those of Lu Heng!
The statue representing the divine tree, however, could only be relegated to the side of the man in white, unable to occupy the central position within its own temple.
