A Will Eternal

Bai Xiaochi was trembling in unprecedented fashion. From the moment Bai Xiaochun had returned, he had been able to sense a familiar aura on him, which had grown even more intense throughout the process of rising to the Archaean Realm.

He had even started to respect Bai Xiaochun more because of it. But then Bai Xiaochun noticed what was happening, and intentionally changed his behavior, causing those feelings within Bai Xiaochi to fade.

He had assumed that perhaps he was mistaken, and that it had all been some strange aspect of Bai Xiaochun’s cultivation base. But now, as he looked at Bai Xiaochun standing in front of the valley of clouds, his heart began to pound.

He was sure that he wouldn’t make a mistake in this aspect. Although the person he was looking at was clearly not the Worldly Daoist, Immortal Imperator, there was something about his aura that was causing even the void to tremble. It was something that Bai Xiaochi was sure… that only his master could do!

For Bai Xiaochi, everything disappeared, including the void, the ruins around him, and everything else. The only thing that remained was that figure standing there like a mountain!

It was the same for the ruins of the Immortal World. They were trembling as though something had awoken which had been dead since the most ancient of times. A soul had returned, born again, prompting everything and everyone to prostrate to… the Immortal Imperator!!

Bai Xiaochun stood there quietly, unmoving, right in front of the valley of swirling black clouds. Eventually, he looked up, and in that moment, he seemed powerful and tall. He could shake heaven and earth, and cause the starry sky to tremble! His aura was one of matchless dignity and splendor, filled with unstoppable energy!!

Even as everything trembled, Bai Xiaochun slowly turned to look at Bai Xiaochi, who was still on the treasured fan.

His facial features were those of Bai Xiaochun, but now, even someone who had only seen him a few times would realize… that this was not Bai Xiaochun!

There was something ancient in his eyes that Bai Xiaochun did not possess, as well as a profound grief. Right now, he seemed like a sovereign, the type of unique being who people would drop to their knees to worship as soon as they laid eyes on him.

“Xiao Chi….” he said softly.

Bai Xiaochi’s jaw dropped, and he rushed forward. Dropping to his knees, he said, “Milord!!”

Bai Xiaochun looked at Bai Xiaochi for a long moment, at the tears in his eyes, and at his excited expression. Then, Bai Xiaochun smiled. It was an emotional smile, filled with memories of primeval times. From the glint in his eyes, he was looking around at things that he hadn’t been able to gaze upon for countless years.

“Don’t cry, Xiao Chi,” he said softly, reaching out to tousle the spirit automaton’s head like an adult would a child’s. More tears began to stream down Bai Xiaochi’s face as he inched forward and threw his arms around Bai Xiaochun’s leg, worried that if he didn’t, his master would vanish.

“You did well. You found a great successor for me….” Although Bai Xiaochun’s voice sounded as light and airy as it usually did, there was something profound and ancient to it, something that almost made him seem like an old man.

“I don’t exist anymore. The only thing left behind are my memories, and the focus within them…. It won’t last for long. And in fact, if I hadn’t seen this valley of clouds, it would have faded away naturally in a few years.” Bai Xiaochun turned to look back at the valley of black clouds, and the focus in his eyes grew clearer.

“Xiao Chi, wait here for your new master to return…. From now on, please take good care of yourself. And be obedient.” Even as Bai Xiaochi wept, Bai Xiaochun looked around at his old home, then turned and headed toward the valley!

As he walked forward, his aura grew stronger and more powerful, causing more pressure to weigh down on the area. Soon, it seemed to surpass the archaean level, and approach that of a sovereign!

As the last bit of will and focus from his memories burned away, he was given a very short window of time in which his energy could soar!

If an archaean were in the area, they wouldn’t be able to endure such levels of force, and would instantly be killed in body and soul. As Bai Xiaochun stepped into the valley and made contact with the clouds, that temporary surge of energy caused everything to tremble.

The roiling clouds seemed to contain terrifying powers of corrosion, and yet, they met their match when facing the will of a sovereign. As such, Bai Xiaochun was not harmed at all. He disappeared into the clouds, and Bai Xiaochi looked on, tears in his eyes, staring at the valley.

Inside the clouds, Bai Xiaochun seemed completely calm and unflustered. Driven by tenacious focus, he slowly strode deeper and deeper into the valley.

Everything was quiet, with nothing but roiling mist around him. Sometime later, as he reached the depths of the valley, an enormous shape appeared up ahead.

Soon, it became completely visible; it was an enormous battleship!

Upon catching sight of the ship, his eyes began to glitter brightly. He continued to walk, hurrying forward until he was able to see… a dilapidated ship, stranded amidst sand and stone!

It seemed to have been baptized by the passage of countless years. It was black, with tattered sails, and seemingly so old and ancient that it had surely existed far longer than the Immortal World….

Bai Xiaochun stopped in front of the dilapidated, ancient battleship, his eyes gleaming with understanding. Apparently, he had long since speculated about what mysteries were in this valley, and now, his speculations were being proved true.

“So,” he murmured, “the legends are true….” He began to float up into the air, until he was at the same level as the prow of the ship, where he saw someone sitting there cross-legged, back to him!

It was a corpse that had clearly been dead for countless years. The clothing draped on it was tattered by the passage of time, and it was also the origin of the misty clouds that filled the valley.

The moment Bai Xiaochun caught sight of the corpse, he gasped sharply, and his eyes began to glitter brightly. Clearly, this corpse was incredibly old, even older than the ship itself.

In fact… it was a sensation of ancientness that surpassed the entire starry sky!!

Despite being dead, this corpse’s aura filled Bai Xiaochun with a sensation of boundless and majestic power that… went beyond the level of a sovereign!

The sensation of death, and the profound pressure, was so intense that it caused the sovereign aura around Bai Xiaochun to begin to crumble.

At the same time, he heard the screams and howls of countless dying people!

Face draining of blood, he forced himself closer toward the corpse, which was when he realized that despite being completely withered, there was a wound in its forehead!

That wound was the true reason for the corpse’s death. He… had been killed with a single finger attack!!