C1749 The Remnant

"I'm sorry."

Yu Yuan bowed deeply to Tan Junshan, his head hung low, genuinely feeling remorseful for letting him down.

The Boulderdawn Sect had been unable to do anything about Lee Sha's demise. There simply hadn't been enough time to act.

The overconfident leader of the Moon Sect hadn't given Boulderdawn any warning. She had descended upon the Everlands in silence, attempting to secure a divine position for the Starmoon Sect. There were certainly grave issues with Lee Sha's actions, but her death was undeniably tragic.

Yet, in that moment, faced with Lin Daoke, who could have possibly stood in his way?

With Taishi absent from the Everlands, Taixu without a physical form, and Tianqi in the Moonfall Sanctuary, Lin Daoke's swordsmanship was unmatched!

The anguish and loss on Tan Junshan's face when he spoke of Lee Sha's passing went beyond seeing her as just the leader of the Moon Sect or a mere senior sister.

The love in Tan Junshan's eyes was as intense as the wine he clutched!

Lee Sha was his beloved, the one he had vowed to protect his entire life, yet she was slain by Lin Daoke's sword. The divine position she had sought for him and Jun Chen ultimately went to Ji Ningshuang.

How could he possibly come to terms with that?

The man responsible for Lee Sha's death was Lin Daoke of the Sword Sect, the most formidable Grand Sword Immortal in human history.

Even if Tan Junshan were to ascend to one of the highest ranks in the Everlands, challenging Lin Daoke would likely result in the same fate that befell Lee Sha.

Her death had drained the color from his life; he lost interest in cultivation, the Way of Heaven, and even vengeance.

He spent his days in a haze of sorrow, drowning his sorrows night after night in the lands of the Moonlit Wanderers. It was there he unexpectedly encountered Ji Ningshuang and himself, leading to his inebriated arrival.

"Ah."

Yu Yuan sighed softly, knowing that nothing he said would make a difference to Tan Junshan.

"You two talk."

With those words, Ji Ningshuang drifted away, wisely sensing that her presence would only deepen Tan Junshan's sorrow and his resentment towards Boulderdawn and Yu Yuan.

Lee Sha's death didn't concern her in the slightest. She harbored neither fondness nor disdain for the Starmoon Sect or Tan Junshan. They were simply not on her radar.

"Mr. Tan, rest assured that Senior Duan Yisheng will come to no harm. I will ensure the release of all those held captive by the Starmoon Sect. And I will fulfill my promise to locate Liu Ying for you," Yu Yuan said, noticing Tan Junshan pouring himself another drink. "Regarding Lin Daoke, we truly had no means to contend with him in the past. We lacked the power to do so."

"And now?" Tan Junshan asked, his eyes bleary with drink. "Do you really think you stand a chance now? I've witnessed his swordsmanship. I can't believe anyone from your Boulderdawn Sect could surpass Lin Daoke! Not Taishi, not Tianqi or Taixu, and certainly not Soul-Capturing, who hasn't even returned. I see no hope there."

"Perhaps there is," Yu Yuan interjected abruptly.

Tan Junshan looked taken aback.

"You've been in the Star River for far too long, and your access to the latest news has slowed. Soul-Capturing is expected to soon venture to Ionodios to challenge Lin Daoke," Yu Yuan informed him of the latest developments.

Tan Junshan wiped his mouth with his sleeve and let out a cold laugh. "I'll be there to witness it! I'm curious to see if your God-King of Boulderdawn will meet the same fate as my Senior Sister Lee Sha at the hands of Lin Daoke!"

His gaze then shifted to the direction in which Ji Ningshuang had departed. "Yu Yuan, you're being too selfish! She's claimed two sacred ways, Star and Ice, severing the Way of Heaven for both Jun Chen and Liu Ying!"

"I'm aware, and it's possible that this could change in the future. The cosmic order as it stands isn't immutable," Yu Yuan said, taking a deep breath and speaking earnestly. "Mr. Tan, on behalf of Boulderdawn, I assure you that Starmoon Sect will see the rise of a new supreme being."

"The path you're on has the potential for divinity. You're only lacking the essence."

Tan Junshan, who had mastered the power of the moon, stood at the pinnacle of the Unbound Realm. He was undeniably equipped to ascend to godhood.

"Taishi made us promises, yet my Senior Sister is dead, and you can't lay a finger on Lin Daoke. I find it hard to trust your words now. Besides, even if I were to become an immortal god, I still wouldn't stand a chance against Lin Daoke. And I'll never see my Senior Sister again."

"What's the point then?"

Tan Junshan, shaking his empty wine pot, had no desire to engage further with Yu Yuan. He perched atop the crescent-shaped object, drifting off into the vast starry sky.

Watching him depart, Yu Yuan was at a loss for words, his regret for Tan Junshan deepening.

After some time, Ji Ningshuang arrived, finding Tan Junshan gone. "Lee Sha's death..."

"It was Mr. Lin's sword that took her life, not yours," Yu Yuan turned away, pausing before continuing, "Don't burden yourself with it. Before Gu Xingkui of the Sword Sect passed, Han Miaoyuan and Lin Daoke were already laying the groundwork for you. If Lee Sha had just been a bit more patient, she might have witnessed Tan Junshan's ascension to godhood."

"They're not my concern," Ji Ningshuang said with a slight shake of her head, indicating she felt no remorse. The Sword Sect was formidable, and since they possessed the power to claim a divine position for her, there was no justification to concede it to the Starmoon Sect.

Moreover, their Sect Master, Lin Daoke, was not one to preach about the Way of Heaven.

"We should head back to the Ashlands now," Yu Yuan suggested.

"Aren't you going to keep watching? I don't mind wandering and exploring with you," Ji Ningshuang remarked, somewhat wistfully.

"There will be other chances in the future."

"Okay."

Ji Ningshuang responded nonchalantly, yet she showed no urgency to depart. She furrowed her brow and said, "The Starpierced Armor from the Ashlands, perhaps you should give it to that girl, Liu Ying."

"What do you mean?" Yu Yuan asked, taken aback.

"She's from the Star Sect lineage. Maybe with a Starpierced Armor that matches her attributes, she could have the potential to become one of the strongest, like President Lyi, and find a different path." Ji Ningshuang seemed to recognize his sense of guilt. "With Lee Sha gone, and having cut off Jun Chen and Liu Ying's sacred way, the Starmoon Sect will hold you accountable."

"If you can find Liu Ying and bring her to the Ashlands to interact with the Starpierced Armor, a miracle might occur. As for myself, having successfully ascended to godhood, I merely need to glimpse the Starpierced Armor to grasp the mysteries of the stars."

"I never intended to tame it, to make it my mount, to soar with me through the Star River."

Ji Ningshuang appeared nonchalant.

"Stars, the Way of Frost. If I had to choose a singular ultimate path, I might lean towards the Way of Frost."

"This?"

Yu Yuan held her hand, pondering for a moment before responding, "Then I'll attempt to locate Liu Ying and bring her to the Ashlands to see the Starpierced with you."

"Understood."

...

Deep within the enigmatic Star River lay a prismatic land, gleaming like a crystal.

Surrounding a radiant lake, Voidweavers gazed with an unusual intensity at a man who exuded an aura akin to their own, yet was unmistakably of the Everlands' human race.

Pei Yuling!

This cultivator, adept in space magic and held in high regard by the Origin Deity, immersed himself in the Voidweavers' holy lake, declaring with reverence, "The deity we worship still exists!"

The Voidweavers perished in the Ashlands, Diggs fell to Lin Daoke's sword, and the corrupted Uxthar Tree was vanquished by Taishi and Han Miaoyuan.

Yet Pei Yuling survived.

Not only did he live, but he also seemed to have taken the place of the Voidweavers and Rovi, earning the trust of the entire Voidweaver Clan and continuing to proclaim the presence and might of the Origin Deity.

Hua! Hua! Hua!

Pei Yuling's lifeblood transformed into a multitude of splendid butterflies, fluttering around him.

With a prayerful demeanor, he assured those before him, "Fear not, for I shall be your guide henceforth. The lifeblood coursing through me is that of your ancestral giant beast, the Sunsorrow. I shall surpass her and even Rovi!"

Pei Yuling had assimilated the entire culture and doctrine of this clan through the lifeblood of the Voidweavers.

Moreover, he could traverse the Origin Realm freely, communicating with its Evil Gods.

A fragment of the Origin Deity's soul was concealed within President Lyi's body. It would continue to engage with the world's hidden affairs, with the ability to glean knowledge directly from the Origin Realm.

"Pei Yuling, haha."

In the Origin Realm, where one can only navigate and perceive through the soul, a colossal phantom emerged, radiating an aura of wisdom from its spirited body.

Surrounding the phantom were numerous ancient and formidable souls, seemingly upholding and venerating him as their followers.

"Lord Jihui!"

At the sacred site of Voidweaver, within the Holy Lake, Pei Yuling was in soulful communication with the entity from the Origin Realm.

His demeanor was remarkably reverent.

…