Chapter 601: Ending the Chaos of the Immortals
Deterrence.
Between the shattered sky, the lingering resonance of the immortal path hummed low, shrouding the entire land. Ten thousand immortal artifacts, blotting out the sun and clouds, silently materialized behind the handsome young man clad in a plain white daoist robe.
Though Chen Yan made no further move, the mere manifestation of those one hundred thousand immortal artifacts was an immensely heavy blow to the three Ascending to Immortality cultivators who had just been confronting him.
Or rather, a deterrence.
Although the three opposing Chen Yan below were all Ascended Stewards who had roamed the Chenping Continent for over a thousand years and were seasoned Ascending to Immortality Realm great powers.
This was a sight they had truly never witnessed before.
No will to fight could stir in their hearts.
In fact, the moment those one hundred thousand immortal artifacts appeared, Realman Sun-Eroding had already released his grip on the Thousand Clouds Blade.
The petty skirmish was completely over.
To the side, within the rock face of Cang Luan Cliff, Gu Jing lay motionless, covered in rubble and dust. He had been hiding in the shadows, observing the situation.
And now, the situation was crystal clear.
But what truly made Realman Lingxuan—who might have been able to turn the tide through the Heavenly Summit Palace—abandon the fight wasn't the sun-obscuring array of one hundred thousand immortal artifacts.
It was that the cause and effect of over sixty thousand years, which Chen Yan bore upon his shoulders for this region of heaven and earth, had vanished without a trace.
To overthrow this history of over sixty thousand years, having the "vessel of cause and effect" bear the backlash was a necessary condition.
Now, making Chen Yan shoulder the history of over sixty thousand years after the fall of Heavenly Summit Mountain had become nearly impossible.
"I can give you one last chance."
Chen Yan, standing in midair, spoke indifferently:
"Submit to me, or vanish from this world completely."
The low hum of countless immortal resonances behind him added a touch of divinity to Chen Yan's voice.
The one hundred thousand immortal artifacts blotting out the sun lent his words an unquestionable authority.
The Ascended Stewards of the three great sects fell silent for a moment, earnestly contemplating Chen Yan's ultimatum.
In the end, Liang Huan, Realman Sun-Eroding of Mirage Palace, was the first to choose submission.
This Ascending to Immortality Realm great power slowly knelt on one knee and lowered his head.
Seeing this, Kong Yang and Lou Ye no longer intended to put up any futile resistance.
The overwhelming might of one hundred thousand immortal artifacts had completely crushed the rebellious will of these Ascending to Immortality great powers.
Gu Jing, who had been bent on overthrowing this history of over sixty thousand years, was no exception.
Because it was no longer meaningful.
The Battle of Immortals on Heavenly Summit Mountain came to a complete halt with Chen Yan's arrival.
As for the future of Chenping Continent after the Great Chaos of the Immortals—
The mountains and rivers were shattered.
The calamity known to the world as the "Great Chaos of the Immortals" had already ended for nearly a year.
From Kong Yang's personal arrival at Heavenly Summit Mountain to Chen Yan's pacification of the Great Chaos of the Immortals, it all happened within the time of one stick of incense.
And yet, in that single stick of incense, Chenping Continent underwent a cataclysmic transformation.
No, using the word "transformation" to describe it was not quite fitting.
A more appropriate word was "disaster."
Within a radius of thirty thousand li centered on Heavenly Summit Mountain, there was not a single living thing.
On Heavenly Summit Mountain, towering over eight thousand three hundred zhang in height, the melting of snow and ice accumulated over a hundred thousand years caused a flood, turning the thirty-thousand-li radius around the mountain into a massive lake.
Furthermore, the entire Chenping Continent suffered varying degrees of disaster due to the collapse of the laws of heaven and earth.
Roughly a quarter of Chenping Continent's population perished within that single stick of incense and the chain of consequences that followed.
After the Great Chaos of the Immortals ended, Kong Yang, Lou Ye, Yin Xia, and Liang Huan each returned to the northwest, east, north, and west regions of Chenping Continent to quell the disasters triggered by the Chaos.
As for the southern region of Chenping Continent, Chen Yan's final decision was to personally visit the Star Heaven Sect.
"Star Heaven Sect, Supreme Pivot Elder Gu Jiancheng, pays respects to the Realman!"
At the Heavenly River Platform, within the Grand Elder Council of the Star Heaven Sect, all the upper three realms cultivators stood at the ferry dock, respectfully bowing to the young man clad in a plain white daoist robe who hovered in the sky.
Faced with such a spectacle, Chen Yan merely nodded lightly.
Before this, Gu Jiancheng had been in seclusion the entire time, only making a brief appearance when Gu Jing and Qiu Siruo, both Ascending to Immortality cultivators, visited the Star Heaven Sect.
But even then, he had never personally come to the Heavenly River Platform to welcome an Ascending to Immortality Realman in the manner he did today.
After the Great Chaos of the Immortals, the sharp-nosed cultivators had already sensed something.
Chen Yan did not stay long at the Star Heaven Sect. He came here only because the Ascended Stewards of the Lingxiao Temple, Mirage Palace, Kongshan Sect, and Wind Ravine Valley had all already expressed their submission to him.
Of the Five Great Sects of Chenping Continent, only the Star Heaven Sect had yet to make its stance known.
This time, Chen Yan came seeking the submission of the Star Heaven Sect.
And he achieved his goal.
...
Heavenly Summit Mountain.
The once sacred land of cultivation on Chenping Continent was now still a heap of ruins.
And amidst those ruins sat a tea table.
On the east and west sides of the table sat two young men.
The one on the east wore a plain white daoist robe, his features handsome.
The young cultivator on the west was clad in a plainer daoist robe of a light green hue, idly toying with a token of Heavenly Summit Mountain in his hand.
"Who would have thought that this Great Chaos of the Immortals, which could have led to the destruction of Chenping Continent, would be resolved in such a way."
The young cultivator in the plain-colored daoist robe said slowly.
"It's not that simple."
Chen Yan picked up his teacup, took a light sip, and continued:
"Perhaps in some unknown timeline, Chenping Continent has already been destroyed once."
The young cultivator smiled:
"Are you saying you know that for a fact?"
Chen Yan said nothing, only shook his head lightly.
Both of them knew the truth without needing to speak.
"I've been waiting for you to come find me, Master."
Chen Yan spoke.
"Realman Chen is busy with a thousand affairs. Now that Chenping Continent is rebuilding from ruins, even the Five Great Sects must seek your approval for anything they wish to do."
Mr. You smiled:
"A wandering idler like me wouldn't dare to casually disturb you."
"If you're so idle, you can take this seat instead."
Chen Yan also smiled.
"If I sat in Realman Chen's seat, I'm afraid it would be hard to command respect."
Mr. You waved his hand:
"After all, I don't have one hundred thousand immortal artifacts."
"They're just intimidating to hear about. How could they compare to the reputation of 'Immortal Venerable Fusheng'?"
Chen Yan said.
Hearing this, the young cultivator just smiled again, saying nothing more.
He had never told Chen Yan his true identity, but the fact that Chen Yan now knew he was Immortal Venerable Fusheng felt entirely natural.
"I've met the Master from eight thousand years ago."
Chen Yan said.