Embodiment Beyond the Body

The Saint Emperor's Capital!

Upon hearing this name, Zhou Jia's expression instantly darkened. Understanding the gravity of the situation, but still somewhat incredulous, she asked:

"Why would the Saint..."

The black-robed man replied helplessly: "It's said that the Saint observed celestial phenomena and calculated that the Great Zhou Dynasty would produce a top-tier prodigy within three thousand years, so he seized the opportunity first."

This was the profound method of the Saints. Since a Saint had spoken thus, it would surely come to pass.

No one dared question a Saint. The current Saints were the most supreme existences in all of heaven and earth.

The highest cultivation realm in all the All Heavens was that of Saint, and now it seemed a golden age had arrived, with over a dozen Saints. It was said that among them, some even had hopes of breaking through to the Great Emperor Realm.

Currently, the highest-ranking leaders were the Saints of the Saint Emperor's Capital and Qiu Li, followed by slightly weaker Saints like Li Yang and Bai Kai.

These Saints were said to have been truly outstanding geniuses in the past, worthy of being called Great Emperor candidates in their youth.

Even more interestingly, it was said that the Saints of the Saint Emperor's Capital, Qiu Li, Li Yang, and others were once cultivators from the same sect.

The exact identity of this sect was a secret. Most cultivators who knew had passed away, and few in the current era were aware. Even those who knew wouldn't dare speak carelessly.

After all, it involved the past of several great Saints. No one dared to gossip recklessly.

Zhou Jia sighed softly. No wonder her imperial father was so anxious. Since they had caught the eye of a Saint, she nodded to the black-robed man and said:

"I'll prepare and set out soon. You stay at the Cloud-top Sword Sect and help them resolve their issues."

"Understood," the black-robed man nodded solemnly.

"One more thing," Zhou Jia suddenly turned, her beautiful eyes shining in the moonlight, and continued:

"Take good care of Chen Xia for me."

After all, he was the disciple she had personally brought back. She had to look after the karmic connection she had picked up.

"I will," the black-robed man nodded.

The moonlight was particularly rich that night.

Chen Xia sat at the edge of the cliff as usual. Over a hundred years, he had recalled many things, such as who he was and what he had done.

But his memories were so dense that he hadn't finished recalling everything yet. He needed to continue.

By now, he had remembered matters concerning the realm boundaries.

This was the progress of one hundred and twenty years.

Afterwards, the Cloud-top Sword Sect declined further and further. No cultivator could stand out, and they could only watch helplessly as the sect's disciples were oppressed.

This was the helplessness of a declining sect.

One hundred and thirty years later.

Zhou Jia suddenly disappeared without a trace, telling no one.

She was like moonlight from the heavens; when she first joined the Cloud-top Sword Sect, it was merely her initial descent to the mortal realm.

The Cloud-top Sword Sect had little to lament, as they had long anticipated such an outcome.

That same year.

A black-robed man emerged from nowhere in the Cloud-top Sword Sect, killing several Great Vehicle Stage cultivators who were besieging the sect. Standing tall above the Cloud-top Sword Sect, he proclaimed:

"From now on, I shall protect the Cloud-top Sword Sect. If anyone isn't afraid of death, feel free to come. I wouldn't mind taking a few more Great Vehicle Stage heads."

The Great Vehicle Stage cultivators, who seemed so lofty in the eyes of other cultivators, were mere trash that the black-robed man could kill with ease.

This was the final act of grace Zhou Jia left for the Cloud-top Sword Sect.

The sect's grand elder had guessed as much, his face full of excitement, nearly prostrating himself before the black-robed man in the sky.

The appearance of the black-robed man had extended the Cloud-top Sword Sect's lifeline.

But it wasn't permanent. The black-robed man only agreed to protect the Cloud-top Sword Sect for two hundred years. After that, he would leave too. During this time, the Cloud-top Sword Sect needed to strive for its own rise, or else it would be disbanded.

This was reasonable, and the grand elder urged the sect's disciples to cultivate diligently.

In this atmosphere, Chen Xia seemed increasingly out of place.

If Zhou Jia was moonlight occasionally descending to the mortal realm, then Chen Xia, whom she had brought back, was like a maggot burrowing to the surface.

He was truly impervious to influence!

No matter how hard others cultivated, he remained oblivious, lost in his own thoughts.

The black-robed man visited Chen Xia once during this time. He frowned at first glance and spoke directly upon approaching:

"I've been entrusted by the princess to look after you. Choose one: magical artifact, divine ability, or pill. I'll give you the highest grade, something you'd never encounter otherwise in your lifetime. Be grateful for your good fortune."

Chen Xia turned and glanced at him briefly, his expression calm, and asked:

"What's Zhou Jia's background?"

"Heh, the Crown Princess's background is not for you to inquire about. You'll never reach that threshold in your lifetime. What do you think of the Cloud-top Sword Sect? And what about the other sects in this world?"

Without waiting for Chen Xia's reply, the black-robed man continued:

"Do you think these sects are lofty? Let me tell you, these sects you consider lofty wouldn't even qualify as entry-level disciples in the dynasty I come from!"

The black-robed man spoke with great pride, then shook his head and continued:

"I advise you not to harbor any unrealistic ambitions. Accept my reward, sever the karmic connection, and you might keep your life in the future."

His words made sense.

Chen Xia nodded, feeling that he should indeed sever the karmic connection, and replied:

"Then give me the pill."

"At least you're sensible and know what's valuable," the black-robed man laughed, taking out an exquisite box from his robes and slowly opening it. A fragrant aroma wafted out, and pill light shimmered. He continued:

"A high-grade spirit pill. I'm reluctant to eat it myself. You're lucky to have it. After you take it, hide it well. If you want to consume it yourself, choose a moonless night. After taking it, you can gain mastery over fire and water divine abilities. It's quite powerful."

Chen Xia didn't respond, merely accepting the pill calmly.

The black-robed man thought he was feigning indifference, probably overwhelmed internally. Haha.

He saw through it but didn't comment, as the karmic connection had been severed. He turned and vanished instantly.

After the black-robed man left, Chen Xia summoned the sect's big black dog, which was at the Qi Condensation realm, and fed it the pill.

In Chen Xia's view, a high-grade spirit pill was indeed only fit for dogs.

The big black dog howled, its aura surging. Half its body burst into flames, the other half turned to ice, then it instantly reverted to its ordinary black dog form.

It looked at Chen Xia pleadingly, its tongue lolling out longer than its face.

Chen Xia ignored it, recalling more, thinking of other things, and realizing where he was.

The Great All Heavens, the Blue Sky Sword Sea.

Memories from over twenty thousand years ago flooded in.

His eyes gazed towards the sky, piercing through distant galaxies, past countless stars, his soul reaching a desolate star region.

On a pitch-black giant coffin, a hand suddenly grasped the edge.

An avatar!