Chapter 317: The Key

Nothing gained.

That was the only way Chen Yan could describe this trip to Fusheng Island.

Without Fusheng City, Fusheng Island was nothing more than a common deserted isle.

Even Youyou had been taken back to Heavenly Summit Mountain by Realman Lingxuan because of Xiao Bo'an’s appearance.

As for the future, no one knew.

“A little while ago, I met Kong Yang.”

Walking behind Mr. You, Chen Yan spoke up.

“Hm?”

“He said he wanted me dead, but someone made a deal with him, so he can’t kill me within ten years.”

Chen Yan said.

“Not only Caiyun can’t kill you, the Sun-Eating of Mirage Palace, the Phantom Vessel of Lingxiao Temple, and the Frost Rain of Wind Ravine Valley—those few of them can’t kill you within ten years.”

Mr. You replied without turning his head.

“They all want to kill me?”

“Of course. With karmic backlash of over sixty thousand years weighing on you, if it detonated, who knows what would happen?”

Mr. You said matter-of-factly.

“Kong Yang said someone doesn’t want me dead.”

Chen Yan said.

“Besides me, who else would want you to live?”

Hearing this, Mr. You laughed, sounding a bit helpless as he shook his head:

“Ascending to Immortality, ascending to Immortality, never having seen the true vastness of heaven and earth, still frogs at the bottom of a well in the end.”

Chen Yan was slightly stunned. Mr. You’s words carried a lot of implied information.

“Mr. You, could you be above Ascending to Immortality?”

After hesitating a moment, Chen Yan tested with that question.

“Heh.”

Mr. You only gave a light chuckle, lifted his head, and strode forward, not directly answering Chen Yan.

Since written records began on Chenping Continent, only thirty-one cultivators had ever reached the Immortal Ascension Realm, and only two had touched realms above Ascending to Immortality.

One barely brushed above the threshold, Su Hongzhen.

The other was Immortal Venerable Fusheng.

Could Mr. You be one of those two?

Chen Yan thought it unlikely. If Mr. You were the reincarnation of Immortal Venerable Fusheng, how could he have been stopped outside Fusheng City?

And if he were the reincarnated Su Hongzhen, the continent’s former Sword Immortal, he surely would have been capable of feats like Realman Bai Shang of Wind Ravine Valley—splitting out the ten-thousand-zhang-deep Bai Abyss with a single slash.

Outside Chenping Continent.

Was it possible Mr. You wasn’t an immortal of Chenping Continent at all, but came from beyond?

Yet Realman Lingxuan’s reaction when he met Mr. You made it seem like they had met before.

Lingxuan, Gu Jing, the Eighth Generation Steward of Heavenly Summit Mountain, had presided over the mountain for six thousand five hundred years, ascended nine hundred fifty thousand years ago, and had been active between ninety-eight thousand and eighty-eight thousand five hundred years ago.

In Gu Jing’s era there were intersecting cultivators who touched above Ascending to Immortality—aside from the Seventh Generation Steward Realman Yuxiao and the Ninth Generation Steward Realman Aicheng, there was Immortal Venerable Fusheng.

But still...

Who exactly was he?

Everything could only be Chen Yan’s own conjecture.

As for Chen Yan’s recent question, it was hard to say what Mr. You’s light laugh truly meant.

It might have been tacit agreement, or it might have meant nothing at all.

Mr. You remained the most inscrutable person Chen Yan had encountered so far, bar none.

According to Mr. You, among the current incarnations of Ascending to Immortality, the four from the Five Great Sects all wanted Chen Yan dead, Realman Lingxuan of Heavenly Summit Mountain’s attitude was ambiguous, and Jingchen had not yet awakened her memories.

The only one who wanted him alive was Mr. You himself.

As for why Mr. You wanted him alive, that must be tied to his own motives.

Heavenly Dao Fate.

Or perhaps, from the day Mr. You chose to approach him, it was all for that so-called Heavenly Dao Fate.

“Since those reincarnated Ascenders won’t kill you within ten years, that at least means you don’t have to hide and look over your shoulder all the time. With your current cultivation, you can basically roam Chenping Continent freely.”

Mr. You said.

“Why ten years?”

Chen Yan asked.

“Because my bargaining chips can only buy you ten years.”

Mr. You answered:

“No—there might not be that much time. Entering Fusheng City before Jingchen recovers her memories is the only way to break free from the karmic backlash spanning over sixty thousand years.”

“Before Realman Jingchen recovers her memories?”

Chen Yan asked.

“That’s right. Once Heavenly Summit Mountain has two Immortal Ascension Realm cultivators and gathers the five fragments of the Heavenly Summit Mirror, it’s only a matter of time. If the history from sixty thousand years ago is altered, the karmic backlash will erupt... and when that happens, the unlucky parties will be more than just you.”

Mr. You said.

Excluding the fragment in his own possession, the other four fragments of the Heavenly Summit Mirror were held by Lingxiao Temple, Mirage Palace, Star Heaven Sect, and Wind Ravine Valley.

“But how does entering Fusheng City relate to escaping the sixty-thousand-year karmic backlash?” Chen Yan asked again.

“You’ll understand once you go inside.”

Mr. You said calmly. He raised his hand and with a light flick produced a golden key from his palm.

The Dao Basis of Star-Paying-Respects Realman of Star Heaven Sect.

Chen Yan recognized the key.

“Since ancient times on Chenping Continent, there have been thirty-one Immortal Ascension Realm cultivators. After those Ascenders perished, the remaining Dao Bases scattered in the world—aside from the one I hold belonging to Star-Paying-Respects, and the Dao Basis of Su Hongzhen corrupted by the Heavenly Dao, there are six more.”

Mr. You said.

“There were thirty-one Ascenders in total. Subtracting the seven Ascender reincarnations, the Sword Immortal Su, and the Falling Star Realman, there should be twenty-two Dao Bases left. But... six?”

Chen Yan voiced his doubt.

“That’s right, only six.”

Mr. You said:

“Because the other sixteen Dao Bases are all inside Fusheng City.”

Chen Yan looked incredulous.

“Being accepted by Fusheng City is actually simple. When you enter the city, just hand over an Ascender Dao Basis.”

Mr. You said.

Hearing this, Chen Yan fixed his gaze on the golden key in Mr. You’s hand.

“No, the Star-Paying-Respects Dao Basis has other uses.”

Mr. You said:

“In other words, within these ten years, you must obtain the Dao Bases of other Immortal Ascension cultivators, and then enter Fusheng City.”

“Mr. You, if there are sixteen Dao Bases currently inside Fusheng City, doesn’t that mean at least sixteen people once entered Fusheng City?”

Chen Yan asked.

“Not that many.”

Mr. You shook his head with a smile and spoke calmly:

“As far as I know, at most eight people have entered Fusheng City.”

“But if that’s the case, why are there sixteen Dao Bases inside the city?” Chen Yan continued.

“This question is simple.”

Mr. You replied:

“Because I have entered Fusheng City nine times.”