https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-717-A-Jug-of-Wine-Recalling-the-Past/13274718/
Chapter 716: A Fragmented Corner of Space and Time
Chapter 716: A Fragmented Corner of Space and Time
Outside the boundaries of Wuxiang City.
Chen Yue and Chen Yao followed Chen Mu, leaving the city, and were enveloped by the radiant Dun Guang that Chen Mu controlled, ascending into the Heavens.
"This Wuxiang City Lord, comparable to a Zun Zhe in power, is yet bound by countless restraints, lacking freedom. The path of cultivation seeks freedom, but he has reached a point where he is torn between difficult choices, having already strayed from his fundamental pursuit."
Chen Yue glanced back at Wuxiang City, pondered briefly, and spoke softly.
Chen Mu looked at her and smiled, "If it were you, what would you choose?"
"I would definitely choose to start anew," Chen Yue replied without hesitation.
Chen Yue's answer was resolute. The cycle of reincarnation from life to life, losing everything from the previous life, in her eyes, was not a true form of longevity, but merely a struggle for survival. She would rather take a chance in one life than be trapped in a dilemma, with no way forward or back.
Chen Mu observed Chen Yue's response and sighed, "For you, who have cultivated to this point, making such a choice is natural. But if you were born as the Wuxiang City Lord, without the memories and karmic cause and effect of your past lives, and if you had stood at the pinnacle of the universe from the start, could you make such a choice? Could you give up that status, which is almost supreme, and re-enter the cycle of reincarnation?"
"This..."
Hearing Chen Mu's words, Chen Yue hesitated this time.
She had followed Chen Mu, rising from insignificance, taking each step with determination. She had also undergone trials, and during the Great Proclamation, she did not always stay under Chen Mu's protection. She had experienced numerous life-and-death tribulations, and her will was steadfast. But if she had been born at the apex from the beginning, overlooking the multitudes, without the journey of forging herself from insignificance to the peak, she might not have been able to decisively abandon everything and start anew, relying solely on her own abilities.
"If I had no memories of my past lives and all that came before, what choice would I make? It would all depend on my original heart." Chen Yao, standing by her side, spoke thoughtfully.
"Indeed."
Chen Mu nodded in agreement, "Everything depends on the original heart, the true self, and the innate nature... Two beings, born without any karmic memories, would make opposite choices. One is willing to give up everything, striving for the honor of a lifetime, while the other refuses to lose what they have, guarding the Dao they have attained. What determines this is their purest innate nature."
At this point,
Chen Mu paused briefly, then turned his gaze towards the distance, where the vast and cloud-shrouded Wuxiang Mountain stood. "Speaking of which, this is a good place to temper your original hearts and true selves."
"Hmm?"
Chen Yue and Chen Yao were both surprised and looked towards the direction Chen Mu was gazing at, their eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Chen Mu didn't say much more. With a flash of Dun Guang, he disappeared from his original spot and reappeared, already leading Chen Yue and Chen Yao across the boundless void to the depths of Wuxiang Mountain.
In this realm, Wuxiang Mountain, as renowned as Wuxiang River, was also a perilous place. The waters of Wuxiang River connected to the Zao Hua Chang He, capable of cleansing all beings. And deep within Wuxiang Mountain, the Wuxiang Fog permeated the air, connected to the Shua Yue Chang He, and could potentially engulf all that beings possessed, causing them to lose everything they had in the present!
Wuxiang City contained most of the Xu Kong Daozhi Li, Wuxiang River held most of the Zao Hua Daozhi Li, and Wuxiang Mountain possessed most of the Shuayue Daozhi Li. This place was not only suitable for Chen Yue and Chen Yao's training but also worth a visit for Chen Mu to witness the turning of time and use it as a boundary to observe the flow of the Dao.
"What is this? Is it Huan Wu?"
Chen Yue and Chen Yao felt their vision blur for a moment, and before they knew it, Chen Mu had brought them into the forest. At the edge of their sight, a bizarre mist reminiscent of the Huan Wu in Fan Gu Kong Yu's Fu Meng Jing enveloped the area.
Chen Mu's expression was calm, "No, this is the Shua Yue Fog."
"Here, the flow of time can be disrupted. If a Shenjun were to inadvertently step into it, they would likely never return, sinking into the river of history. But with my protection, you can safely enter and experience it."
Hearing Chen Mu's words, Chen Yue and Chen Yao exchanged glances. With Chen Mu's presence, they felt no fear. Without hesitation, they stepped forward, both entering the Shua Yue Fog.
At the same moment,
Chen Mu also walked forward, taking a step and disappearing into the Shua Yue Fog.
After Chen Mu, Chen Yue, and Chen Yao vanished into the Shua Yue Fog, some figures approached from a distance, one of them looking at the Shua Yue Fog with uncertainty, "Just now... Did someone enter?"
The Shua Yue Fog within Wuxiang Mountain was a place of great danger. Once stepped into, the outcome was often grim. Rarely did a Shenjun return from within, so all who encountered the Shua Yue Fog would immediately retreat.
In the recent past, a group of strangers seemed to have deliberately ventured into the Mists of Time.
"Are they newcomers to Wuxiang City who are unaware of the dangers of the Mists of Time?"
"It seems so, what a pity."
"There have been many newcomers to Wuxiang City recently."
"Indeed, the outside universe seems to be reaching its end. We must also speed up our progress. Can we unravel the entirety of the Dao and attain the position of a Venerated Sovereign before the end?"
...
In the dead of night, the wind howled through the cracks, carrying fine rain that filtered through the dilapidated window frames. On the moldy walls, silver threads weaved intricate patterns, while the thatched roof creaked and groaned under the weight of the rain.
Chen Mu felt a slight dizziness in his vision as he looked down and saw an old quilt covering his body. In his embrace, a small figure curled up, and it was none other than Chen Yue. At this moment, Chen Yue did not possess the majestic aura of a Shenjun Overlord but appeared as a young girl of only ten years old, shivering as she huddled in his arms.
Chen Mu also felt a chill, as if all the power within his body had been completely drained, and he had returned to the frailty of his mortal days. This scene was all too familiar to Chen Mu, reminding him of the toughest times when he first arrived in the World of Great Proclamation and relied on Chen Yue for survival.
"The passage of time is indeed unfathomable."
Chen Mu sensed the changes around him; this was not an illusion, but a genuine reality. He had truly traveled back in time, arriving in a past that was disconnected from the future, existing independently.
"Unfortunately, I am already a Dao Venerate, and this level of Dao power is still insufficient to seal my will."
Chen Mu surveyed his surroundings, taking in the familiar scene of a dilapidated house with bare walls and worn-out furniture, as well as the shivering little girl in his embrace. A trace of nostalgia appeared on his face, and he sighed.
The power of the Dao of Time was extraordinary, truly opening up a past that was disconnected from the future. If he were merely in his Shenjun body, his will and power would have been completely sealed, and even his previous memories would not exist. He would have been thrown into this broken past, experiencing everything anew in a state of innocent ignorance, perhaps even falling into an endless cycle of reincarnation from which he could not escape.
But now, he was already a Dao Venerate.
Although his physical body seemed to be under restriction, with all his power seemingly gone, this body was, in essence, just one of his manifestations. His true self, his will, resided high above the Nine Heavens and spanned across the Primordial River, an eternal and indestructible star. Therefore, this level of power from the Dao of Time had no effect on his true self and could not erase his memories.
Similarly, with just a thought, he could forcefully break free from all these constraints and shatter this past created by the Dao of Time.
"Brother..."
Chen Yue, curled up in Chen Mu's embrace, shivered despite her efforts to hold back her chattering teeth. She stubbornly pressed her lips together, refusing to complain about the cold, and she tried her best to stick close to Chen Mu, sharing body warmth with him.
Chen Mu knew that the Chen Yue before him was just a fragment of the past recreated by the Dao of Time, but he still lovingly caressed her small head, and suddenly, an invisible ripple appeared in his palm.
Ka!
A blinding bolt of lightning tore through the heavens, causing the entire world to tremble for a moment and nearly shatter. Simultaneously, a seven-colored light burst forth from Chen Mu's palm and flowed into Chen Yue's body.
Chen Yue's shivering, frail body suddenly stopped trembling, and she looked up in surprise. She felt a warm current flowing through her limbs and expelling the cold, giving her a sense of boundless strength.
At the same time, Chen Yue also saw the mysterious seven-colored light emanating from Chen Mu's palm, from which she sensed a towering, vast, and awe-inspiring Supreme Power.
"Brother?"
Chen Yue tilted her head up, looking at Chen Mu with a mix of confusion and bewilderment.
Chen Mu gently caressed her head, stood up from the bed, and said, "Although this is just a fragment of the past created by the Dao of Time, you will always be my Yue'er. I have other matters to attend to and won't stay here. I leave this power with you, and in this corner of the world, you can live a carefree life."
As his words fell, Chen Mu's figure shimmered with seven-colored light and disappeared like a dream bubble, leaving behind only the young Chen Yue, who was momentarily stunned and at a loss for what to do. But whether it was the cold autumn wind or the relentless rain, she no longer felt the cold. Instead, she felt as if a sun was shining within her body, infusing warmth into her limbs and bones.
As little Chen Yue stood there, unable to comprehend what had just happened, in the dimly lit heavens, Chen Mu's figure stood with hands behind his back, gazing down at the dilapidated house below, and shook his head slightly.
"A broken corner of time and space, is ultimately not an illusion."
This was the power of the Path of Time, a fragment torn from the River of Time, and everything here was real, just completely disconnected from the original space-time. Precisely because this place was not an illusion but an independent corner of space-time, Chen Mu did not use the power of a Great Daoist to forcefully destroy this world.
However, he wouldn't stay here either, for if the River of Time couldn't hold him captive, he could see through all essences, and everything here would be meaningless. This independent corner of space-time was, in essence, a cage of the River of Time.
Here,
Everything was almost the same as in the original universe.
The only difference was that in this universe, not a single Great Daoist existed, and none would be born, for the Great Daoist had already merged with the Great Dao, transcending the scope of influence of the individual Path of Time.
In a sense, this broken universe of time and space was born because of him.
Chen Mu didn't have much emotion for this place, but for Chen Yue, even if it was just a shadow of the past, he still felt affection for her. So he bestowed upon Chen Yue the protection of the Great Dao, allowing her to never wither away in this past space-time. This was his blessing.
If in the future, Chen Yue in the original universe could attain the status of a Great Daoist, then everything on her timeline would be gathered, including this broken corner of space-time. All the 'Chen Yue' would merge into one, just like him, who was also the sole one in the universe, and the power of the Path of Time couldn't hide his traces.
Chen Mu looked at Chen Yue with affection, and after a moment, he turned his gaze away, looking into the distance at the familiar Yu City. His eyes revealed a thoughtful expression, and he suddenly took a step forward, landing in a courtyard.
In the courtyard,
A figure in a straw raincoat sat by the pond's edge, holding a fishing rod.
"Old master."
Chen Mu quietly appeared in the courtyard, took a few steps forward, and approached the old man in the raincoat sitting by the pond. He gently called out, "Old master."
Yu Jiujiang's hand holding the fishing rod tightened slightly as he looked at the unfamiliar young man who had suddenly appeared before him. His gaze was serious, but he wasn't flustered. He spoke solemnly, "A distinguished guest has come, and I have not received you from afar. Please forgive my rudeness."
Chen Mu carefully examined Yu Jiujiang, revealing a nostalgic smile. He then also came to the edge of the pond, sat cross-legged, and made a subtle gesture. Suddenly, a fishing rod materialized in his hand, falling into his palm, and he cast the fishing line into the pond.
Seeing Chen Mu's actions,
Yu Jiujiang's eyes flashed with numerous lights, but he quickly regained his composure. He also gently cast his fishing line into the pond and laughed, "A distinguished guest from our sect, I presume? I've been away from the sect for many years, and I never thought someone from the sect would come to visit this old and decrepit man."
He couldn't see through Chen Mu's methods; he only knew that Chen Mu could appear here silently. Chen Mu's attitude was clearly very friendly, and it seemed as if he knew him, so he could only think of the Qi Xuan Sect. He had been an administrator in the Qi Xuan Sect, serving there for several decades. Perhaps Chen Mu was once a disciple of the Qi Xuan Sect, and they had some connection. Now, with his cultivation surpassing Yu Jiujiang's, he had come to visit while passing through Yu City.
However, Yu Jiujiang couldn't remember when he had met Chen Mu or what role Chen Mu had played in the Qi Xuan Sect.
"Indeed, I am a disciple of the Qi Xuan Sect."
Chen Mu smiled gently and said, "The old master once had grace upon me. As I passed through here, it was only right to come and visit. Please forgive my intrusion."
"Hahaha! A young talent like you still remembers this decrepit old man and takes the initiative to visit. My heart is truly comforted. How could I blame you?"
Yu Jiujiang smiled upon hearing these words.
Although he couldn't recall who Chen Mu was, this wasn't the right time to ask, especially since Chen Mu remembered him, and it would be impolite if he couldn't remember Chen Mu. Moreover, having a young talent from the Qi Xuan Sect come to visit him was undoubtedly a great blessing for Yu Jiujiang and the entire Yu family.
It didn't even require Chen Mu to do anything. As long as some rumors spread that a young generation member of the Qi Xuan Sect's upper echelon had passed through Yu Prefecture and personally visited Yu Jiujiang, then the He, Xue, and other families in the city would all treat the Yu family with more caution and wouldn't dare to provoke any disputes with them for a while.
(End of Chapter)
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