Chapter 514: The True Face of Time
The Time Primordial Divine Tree did not speak. Before her, fragments of time appeared in the sky above this secret realm.
In these fragments, there were scenes from the boy's life.
In the imperial hall, a baby in someone's arms received a name, becoming famous throughout the world as soon as he was born, known to all by the imperial decree.
Born into a prestigious family, countless people admired him. His life was destined for endless wealth and glory.
Yet, the courtyard of this child was extremely simple, displaying the frugality typical of a family of nobility.
Playing chess, fishing, frolicking…
He did not practice cultivation like other children, nor did he train in archery or horsemanship, and he never studied military strategy or war tactics.
He was born unable to build a combat body, yet effortlessly mastered various sword techniques and cultivation methods.
His background, admired by countless others, seemed to have led to a simple life.
It was only when his family members returned victorious from a military expedition that the boy's fate changed. That battle's godly might illuminated Qingzhou City, and early winter snow began to fall, burying the boy's footsteps as he left his family's mansion.
The Time Primordial Divine Tree silently gazed at the drifting fragments of time. She could see that the boy in this life was a reincarnation, with extraordinary early wisdom that could not simply be explained by talent.
But despite this life being full of glory, it was not a happy one.
As the Time Divine Tree, she had seen many geniuses and their pasts.
There were those who suffered, who had lost both parents at a young age, like a lonely star, yet rose from adversity, gaining opportunities, finding mentors, and eventually shining throughout the world.
There were those born into royal families, receiving countless opportunities from childhood, living without worry, but their hearts remained strong and unwavering, not swayed by beauty or external distractions. They eventually carved their own path of cultivation.
There were those with blood-stained grudges, bullied since childhood, yet ultimately fought their way out, breaking free from their prison!
She had seen all kinds of strange backgrounds.
For her, this boy's birth was unremarkable.
The so-called prestigious Divine General's mansion, in her eyes, was merely a piece of fringe from a royal tapestry, insignificant.
If the boy had enjoyed a smooth journey through the Divine General's mansion, or if he had faced some setbacks but ultimately stood firm against adversity, she wouldn't have cared at all.
She had seen many such examples.
But this boy was different.
It couldn't be said that he suffered greatly, as he had lived a life of luxury since childhood.
It couldn't be said that he was fortunate either, as even the childhood companion who had cared for him left to walk their own path.
In the end, he even lost his own name, far worse than those burdened with blood-soaked grudges.
She only saw desolation and loneliness in his small figure, a sense of solitude far from the world.
And in the endless river of time, no matter how brilliant you are, you will eventually fade away.
No matter how peerless you are, you will eventually become a withered bone.
Even with the cultivation of an Emperor, suppressing the world, you will still fall into oblivion.
What can time leave behind? Nothing. Only countless brilliant, happy, hopeful, and striving lives will eventually lead to their extinction.
This is the fate of all things, a kind of sorrow, and also a kind of loneliness.
The boy was like a miniature version, like a piece of amber, dropping into her heart's lake, making her feel a tinge of emotion, a moment of daze.
"I thought my sister could truly be indifferent and treat everyone equally. It seems there are still surprises," said the Space Divine Tree incarnation with a soft laugh.
The Time Primordial Divine Tree withdrew her gaze, her eyes falling on the fragment of time showing the boy's battle against demons, his bloody struggle in an Immortal Court.
She murmured, "You gave him the Dao Fruit of the Divine Tree so easily, without even a contract. This is not your usual style."
"Kindness is the sharpest blade. This boy received help from the five figures in the Five Dao Primordial City. I've also quietly observed him. Sister, don't forget, after spending time with you, I've picked up a little about time," said the Space Primordial Divine Tree incarnation with a mischievous smile.
The Time Primordial Divine Tree glanced at her younger sister, knowing that beneath her beautiful exterior, it was only this sister who was the sharpest and most ruthless in the world.
"Sister, are you feeling sorry for him? This boy has indeed had a hard life. As a genius, I've seen those who've lived terribly. I've seen children whose parents died early, sold to common brothels, enduring all kinds of humiliations. But those are just pain and hatred. This boy's story is harder to describe," the Space Primordial Divine Tree said.
The Time Primordial Divine Tree remained silent. She understood that pain and sorrow were two different feelings.
Pain is to hold on, while sorrow is to let go.
"Sympathy? Do you think I would feel that?"
The Time Primordial Divine Tree heard her sister's mocking voice, but her eyes grew cold as she replied, "Can't you see? There is an extraordinary power guarding this boy from behind."
"Is it the existence of this extraordinary power that you are interested in?"
The Space Primordial Divine Tree raised her eyebrows slightly. Given her understanding of her sister, she knew that this was most likely the case.
To say it was sympathy was impossible. As someone who had witnessed countless moments of time, her sister could never harbor such feelings.
"I can't even discern his previous identity, but he could learn many cultivation methods at a glance since childhood. He must carry memories of his past life, and his cultivation from the previous life wasn't low," the Time Primordial Divine Tree continued, believing Li Hao to be the reincarnation of a powerful being. Such situations were not uncommon, as many geniuses or powerful beings were reincarnated into prominent families, although this required prior negotiation with those families. Otherwise, once the family discovered it, misfortune would follow.
In the major families of the True Realm, children's soul lifespans were measured from a young age. The soul lifespan of a normal child matched their actual age, while reincarnated individuals had a different soul lifespan.
This allowed for the prevention of powerful beings reincarnating and infiltrating prominent families as spies.
Those powerful beings who had made prior deals with these families would receive careful nurturing from birth, making it, in essence, a joint venture.
"Indeed, this is quite astonishing. To block even my sister's probing, it must be at least the Eighth Realm of Immortal King or even higher!" the Space Primordial Divine Tree said with a serious expression.
The Time Primordial Divine Tree coldly responded, "Moreover, one of the time fragments is restricted by some force and cannot be revealed. He fell into that demonic valley, but how he climbed out must have a reason. He must have inherited an incredible legacy there. From his performance, it's likely the inheritance of a top-tier Immortal King, or perhaps, the inheritance left by the Emperor who created that false realm."
The Space Primordial Divine Tree's eyes moved, and she nodded slightly, without questioning the speculation.
"If he truly received that Emperor's inheritance, with this boy's talent, there is a high chance he will forge his own path and become a new Emperor in the future. Bestowing him a nectar is worth it," the Time Primordial Divine Tree said.
The Space Primordial Divine Tree quietly said, "But will he encounter his own opportunities? Relying solely on the Nine Sequences Immortal Seal, it's still not enough. Without condensing it into the Dao Source Immortal Seal, there is no hope in this life."
"He still has time. Though his Immortal Seal has been fixed at the Immortal Lord realm and cannot be changed, the Nine Sequences transformation into Dao Source is a different matter. As long as he doesn't reach Immortal King, and the Immortal Seal hasn't evolved into an Immortal Kingdom, he can still succeed!" the Time Primordial Divine Tree replied.
"His soul lifespan is barely a hundred years. His talent is extraordinary, and he has reached the peak of the Immortal Lord realm. Even at the fastest speed, it will take him at least a thousand years. He should have enough time. I hope he doesn't meet the same tragic fate as other fleeting geniuses, dying halfway," the Space Primordial Divine Tree said, shaking her head and sighing.
They had seen too many geniuses—brilliant at first, astonishing in their rise—but eventually, some encountered setbacks, failed to overcome them, or got stuck at certain bottlenecks. As time passed, they gradually became ordinary.
The Time Primordial Divine Tree said nothing, but her gaze remained fixed on the time fragments, her expression uncertain.
...
On the Time Primordial Divine Tree, Li Hao received the Time Nectar and, without hesitation, immediately consumed it.
As the nectar flowed into his body, a breath of the Dao of Time filled him. His pores seemed to tremble, as though he was undergoing a baptism in the sands of time.
His body felt like it turned into countless grains of sand, merging with the surrounding tidal waves of the river of time. Every grain of sand and every part of his skin was intricately sensing the fluctuations of the Dao of Time.
Li Hao immersed himself in this delicate sensation, and suddenly, he realized that the river of time was not truly like a flowing river, constantly moving forward from its source.
Time was a constant, yet chaotic force.
It was as if it were part of a cycle, constantly repeating itself, never-ending.
The end is the beginning, and the beginning is the end.
Or perhaps, time is a painting.
Wherever your gaze lands, that place is the origin!
With this realization, Li Hao suddenly felt a chill. If that were the case, didn't it mean that everything was already predetermined in the dark?
If one had immense control over time, could they even wander through the river of time?
Then could the past still be called the past?
Could the future still be called the future?
The past is the future, and the future is the past?
Then who am I?
His entire body trembled, yet in this moment, he was lost, terrified, and shocked. He felt a sense of inexpressible awe.
Earlier, he only felt the vastness of the Dao of Time, but now he truly realized that this vastness surrounded him, and in the river of time, he was nothing but a speck of dust!
Seeing the true self, knowing the vastness!
In that moment, Li Hao truly leapt beyond the Third Realm of the Dao of Time, catching a glimpse of the true face of time!
It seemed like only a brief moment had passed, but Li Hao was suddenly ejected from the overwhelming flow of time. He felt an overwhelming sense of exhaustion, his body trembling with shock, fear, and awe.
But at the same time, his understanding of the Dao of Time had undergone a qualitative leap compared to before.
Time was not a relentless flow, but something still!
When he realized this, his Dao of Time advanced from the Third Realm to the Fourth Realm, truly stepping into the realm of mastery, gaining control over the Dao of Time!
Li Hao sat on the branch, without the joy one might expect after a breakthrough in cultivation. Instead, his face was filled with horror and complexity, constantly changing. If everything was still, then what was the point of his own struggles? What about the countless others who diligently cultivated—what was the meaning of their efforts?
If everything had already been decided, then what was the meaning of all the suffering and striving?
Perhaps, the meaning of time itself was the absence of meaning?!
He sat there dazed, lost in thought, completely forgetting that every second was precious for cultivation.
A long time passed.
Gradually, Li Hao calmed down from the confusion and shock, and a faint sense of relief began to grow in his eyes, relief that he had made the right choice from the start.
If everything was already destined, if the end was the beginning, if nothing had any meaning, then perhaps the greatest meaning was simply to live this life well.
So, all along, when he watched flowers bloom and snow fall, it wasn't a waste of time, nor a neglect of cultivation—it was something he did because he liked it, and thus it gave his life meaning.
Thinking of this, he felt a sense of clarity wash over him, as if something that had been neglected, yet occasionally echoed in his heart, had now completely vanished.
Since time was still, and if everything had no meaning, then everything had meaning!
Having realized this, he smiled, yet in his mind, there was a slight ringing sensation.
His Dao heart seemed to undergo a baptism in time, shining with a more brilliant light, taking another small step toward the highest Heavenly Dao Emperor Realm.
This change in his Dao heart didn't directly improve his strength, unless it was a specific Immortal technique targeting the Dao heart.
In the Time Primordial Divine Tree's secret realm.
The Space Primordial Divine Tree watched the boy on the branch, whose expression was constantly changing, and couldn't help but laugh. She had seen this scene many times before and said, "Sister, it seems your nectar is very effective. His Dao of Time has broken through to the Fourth Realm, which is almost on par with the level you provided with the Dao Fruit, right?"
The Time Primordial Divine Tree stared, calmly responding, "Only at the Fifth Realm would he be worthy of receiving my Dao Fruit. Moreover, I've already run out of Dao Fruits. Unlike the five siblings of the Five Dao City, who can condense one in a thousand years, we need thirty thousand years to form one. The two I had accumulated were already given to that young girl."
"Is it the one who crossed over not long ago? She truly deserves it. I didn't expect that she survived that battle. In this life, she might even reach the Emperor Realm and surpass her mentor!"
The Space Primordial Divine Tree said.
"With the Dao she cultivates, it's difficult, but if she really succeeds, she'll be a force to be reckoned with among the Emperors," the Time Primordial Divine Tree remarked.
"It's a shame for this boy, though. He came a step too late. He's just caught a glimpse of the tip of the iceberg of time, and by now, he's probably trembling. I wonder if his Dao heart will falter," the Space Primordial Divine Tree said, looking at the boy, whose face revealed shock and fear, teasing him.
The Time Primordial Divine Tree didn't reply. She had seen such things many times before. The Dao of Time, aside from being difficult to comprehend, would lead to an even deeper realization. The more one comprehended, the further one would drift from the original understanding of the world, even leading to a complete overturn of one's perceptions. Many people couldn't handle it when this happened.
The fate that stands at the peak of all paths had driven countless geniuses to madness. When they realized their fate, it could drive them insane, and the consequences could be even worse.
While they were speaking, the Time Primordial Divine Tree suddenly saw the boy's expression of fear gradually calm down. He suddenly smiled to himself.
It was a relieved smile, a light and carefree smile, which made her momentarily dazed.
The Space Primordial Divine Tree was also stunned, her eyes filled with astonishment.
After a while, the Time Primordial Divine Tree's lips slowly curled into a rare smile, and she said calmly, "It seems he's indeed different from the others. He deserves this nectar."
The Space Primordial Divine Tree remained silent, staring at the boy. Her assessment of him had risen another level.