Chapter 1361: Grasping Like Stardust

Within the Star Tower, the scene resembled that of a pagoda.

Jiang Wang stood at its heart, unable to discern which level he occupied. To his left and right, above and below, the surfaces shimmered with the hue of powdered gold. Along the walls, at regular intervals, hung resplendent golden Buddha niches, each housing a golden Buddha statue, remarkably lifelike.

The appearance of this Star Tower wasn't an exact replica of the Seven Star Tower that had materialized upon the initial opening of the Seven Star Secret Realm, yet the underlying principles seemed akin. Perhaps, Master Guan Yan had employed some esoteric method, mimicking the scene of the Seven Star Secret Realm's opening to facilitate Jiang Wang's reception.

Unable to perceive the external world, Jiang Wang could only sense the Star Tower's movement. Lacking any reference points, judging its speed was impossible. However, it was undeniably swifter than Tian Xili's Dao techniques and far surpassed the speed of the streaking starlight Tian Anping had wielded from afar through the Auxiliary Building.

Recalling Tian Anping, an involuntary thought crossed Jiang Wang's mind – was Ji City his fortress, and the Auxiliary Building his formidable crossbow? During the previous decree transmission, Jiang Wang had already experienced a peculiar sensation; Tian Anping's Inner Mansion seemed to have been externalized, refined and merged with Ji City itself. And on this very night, infiltrating the Seven Star Valley, that individual had once again demonstrated his prowess, launching an attack from a distance via the Auxiliary Building, a might that seemed no less potent than Tian Xili's.

Were these the methods by which Tian Anping circumvented the cultivation seal? Under the restrictions of the Inner Mansion realm cultivation, was he indirectly leveraging the power of the Divine Arrival realm through the Auxiliary Building and Ji City? It seemed he had placed his cultivation system outside his body, thereby evading the seal imposed upon his physical form. In a sense, both the Auxiliary Building and Ji City could perhaps be counted as extensions of his being...

Truly a terrifying figure, one who defied conventional understanding. If not for the seal of these ten years, how formidable would Tian Anping be today? Tian Chang's understated demeanor, Tian He's calculated dormancy – while each had their own motivations, how could it not be partly due to Tian Anping's sheer terrifying presence? They dared not risk attracting his attention by revealing themselves too soon. Otherwise, with their abilities, they should have long since soared.

Before Jiang Wang could delve deeper into his imaginings, the Star Tower's rapid flight ceased abruptly. Like a sandcastle crumbling in the wind, everything that composed the Star Tower dissolved into motes of starlight, swirling in the air... only to gather in a single palm. The hand belonged to a figure clad in moon-white monastic robes, his shining scalp radiating a jade-white glow, his countenance divine and extraordinary. It was indeed Guan Yan.

This place was still a landscape of towering ancient trees and dense forests, their canopy largely obscuring the sun. Thus, the starlight was all the more conspicuous. Yet, the surrounding environment struggled to capture even a fraction of the gaze directed towards Guan Yan.

"Senior!" Jiang Wang's face registered surprise, mingled with joy. The last time they had met, Master Guan Yan's true spirit had been merely wandering the rifts between worlds, requiring Su Qi Yun's 寄神玉 (Ji Shen Yu - Spirit-Hosting Jade) for even a brief manifestation. Now, to appear directly in physical form, he had clearly achieved a significant breakthrough.

A hint of weariness touched Guan Yan's face, but his smile remained warm and gentle. He casually collected the cluster of starlight, stating simply: "Little friend, follow me." Noticing Jiang Wang's gaze upon the starlight in his hand, he explained: "This is the Star Tower I established when I achieved the Outer Building realm back then. Because I invested considerable effort into it, even after my demise, it did not dissipate, merely losing contact... In my subsequent state, I had no need for it. This time, to receive you, I specifically sought it out. I used it to connect with the Seven Star Tower secret realm."

This statement once again shattered Jiang Wang's understanding! A Star Tower could possess such power that it could exist independently even after the cultivator's death! Furthermore, beyond refining the body, expounding the Dao, and projecting starlight, a Star Tower could actually be utilized as a magical artifact! He instantly felt that the Outer Building cultivators he had known before, and the Star Towers he had witnessed, all seemed to become unreal.

Master Guan Yan seemed to anticipate Jiang Wang's thoughts completely, and added: "Of course, the Star Tower I established back then is somewhat different from typical Star Towers. As I said, I invested considerable effort..."

"Somewhat different"? And he called that "considerable effort"... what level of effort was that exactly? Jiang Wang was momentarily speechless. However, recalling Master Guan Yan's ability to read minds, he dared not harbor too many internal criticisms.

Guan Yan then continued: "Rest assured, I did not use mind-reading on you. While it is my ability, it is not my right; generally, I do not employ it. The last time you came to the Senhai Source Realm... I had insufficient control over my true spirit state and was unable to fully control the divine abilities I had regained. Now I have them under control. The reason I seem to be able to perceive your thoughts is merely a rough feeling, not the power of a divine ability..."

Jiang Wang fully comprehended Master Guan Yan's words. He himself, when not actively employing his aberrant path divine ability, could sometimes, by grasping the flow of battle, create an effect similar to that ability. This was a habit, or rather an instinct, that had gradually formed after gaining control of his divine ability. Guan Yan, possessing the mind-reading divine ability, had witnessed countless human hearts. Naturally, in most circumstances, even without using his divine ability, he could discern the thoughts of others.

What truly moved Jiang Wang was Master Guan Yan's statement: "It is my ability, but not my right." Upon mastering potent power, transcendent cultivators often easily succumbed to the illusion of being "gods," viewing all sentient beings as mere blades of grass, objects to be manipulated at will. But in Jiang Wang's view, that was merely a manifestation of a heart insufficient to control such power. Possessing the ability to truly peer into the thoughts of others, how many could restrain themselves from doing so? Even Jiang Wang himself wasn't certain he could.

He sighed: "For many, the reach of their ability is the reach of their right..."

Guan Yan gazed at him profoundly. "At least for you, little friend, that is not the case... We have arrived."

It was only upon hearing these words that Jiang Wang suddenly realized he had, without conscious awareness, followed Guan Yan to a massive, fallen piece of rotten wood. This was an exceptionally large, already decayed Shenlong Wood, lying on the ground like a wall. Jiang Wang of course recognized it – this was the landmark indicating the path to the Suspended Skull Forest, and also the former lair of the Yan Xiao.

However, he had just descended into the Senhai Source Realm and had clearly only followed Guan Yan for two steps. How had they already arrived at the Suspended Skull Forest? Originally, the journey from the Divine Shade Land to the Suspended Skull Forest had taken a considerable amount of time.

"This is the power of rules," Master Guan Yan's explanations were always timely, rarely requiring Jiang Wang to voice his questions. It was Master Guan Yan who had exerted influence, thus reducing the journey to merely two steps! Jiang Wang gained some understanding. He had experienced a similar phenomenon before. When Chongguang Zhenren of Diaohai Building had sent him to the Maze Realm to wash away sins, the colors had vanished, scenes had peeled away, and landscapes had shifted... and he had arrived in an instant. However, Chongguang Zhenren's methods at that time had been far less natural than Master Guan Yan's this time. So natural, in fact, that from beginning to end, Jiang Wang had only felt as though he had taken two leisurely steps, utterly light as clouds and wind, devoid of any trace of effort.

However, this was not the focus of the trip. Jiang Wang surveyed the surrounding environment and couldn't help but ask: "Senior has brought me to the Senhai Source Realm this time... has a new Yan Xiao been born?"

In this Outer Realm of Senhai Source Realm, besides Master Guan Yan, another entity had left a profound impression on Jiang Wang... the Yan Xiao. The undying evil bird, the skull-eating fierce bird. "When the Yan Xiao cries, a hundred heads must fall."

Their group had clearly killed the Yan Xiao the previous time, completing the so-called Dragon God Response Seat task. Yet, in the moments before leaving the Senhai Source Realm... they had heard the cry of the Yan Xiao once again! Thus, when Master Guan Yan had mentioned something at Xingyue Plain, Jiang Wang had immediately thought of the Yan Xiao. Returning to the Senhai Source Realm this time, with Master Guan Yan leading him directly to the Suspended Skull Forest, further validated his inner guess. Hence, he asked so directly.

Guan Yan gazed at the enormous rotten wood before him and lightly sighed: "The Yan Xiao has never died."

"How is that possible?" Jiang Wang almost couldn't believe his ears. During his previous trip to the Senhai Source Realm, he, along with Wu Qu Ji, Su Qi Yun, and Qing Qi Shu, had joined forces, fighting to the death to slay the Yan Xiao. Even Qing Qi Shu, who had always been so "agreeable," had perished in that battle. After the conflict, they had even dismembered the Yan Xiao. He himself had taken the Yan Xiao's beak back to the present world, had Lian Que refine it into the Killing Nail, and then had refined that Killing Nail into the Buzhou Wind... All of this was real and true. How could the Yan Xiao have never died? What had they killed then?

Guan Yan said: "What you killed last time... was the projection, the shell, the divine rank."

"Projection? Shell? Divine rank?" Jiang Wang's confusion deepened.

Guan Yan raised a finger and pointed to his forehead. Mind-reading, also known as knowing one's heart, or understanding one's intent. Related memories of Guan Yan thus slowly flowed into Jiang Wang's mind—

Over eight hundred years ago in the Senhai Source Realm, the Yan Xiao had been born from evil thoughts, knocking on doors, begging for food, and devouring human skulls. After numerous failed attempts to resist, the Senhai Holy Clan had made a decisive choice – "skull hunting." They abandoned direct confrontation with the Yan Xiao and chose to massively hunt other tribes within the Senhai Source Realm, beheading them and sacrificing them to the Yan Xiao, using the sacrifice of foreign tribes to preserve their own clan. The Senhai Holy Clan, protected by the Dragon God, was the strongest tribe in this realm. No other tribe could withstand the Senhai Holy Clan's hunts. From then on, the Senhai Source Realm plunged into a long period of darkness. This was a cruel history of slaughter, a bloody tale of foul blood and chaos that lasted for three hundred years.

During the period when Guan Yan had descended, the Senhai Source Realm was already in a state of utter chaos. Hatred, killing, blood... all the evils of human nature surged within the Senhai Source Realm at that time. If the Yan Xiao was the greatest demon in the Senhai Source Realm at that time, then the Senhai Holy Clan was the most brutal executioner. The "Dragon God messengers" who descended at the same time as Guan Yan were all captured and killed by the Senhai Holy Clan, their heads consumed by the Yan Xiao. Only Guan Yan was an exception...

Another five hundred years later, Jiang Wang and others descended. The other "Dragon God messengers" from the same batch had all perished in various accidents. Only Jiang Wang, Su Qi Yun, and Wu Qu Ji had survived and helped the Senhai Holy Clan, who were hiding in the Divine Shade Land, to kill the Yan Xiao, completing the Dragon God Response Seat task... But this was not the entire truth.

How had the Yan Xiao been born? Like Jiang Wang at that time, Guan Yan was also seeking the answer to this question. According to the ancient records once seen by Su Qi Yun— "After the owl dies, evil thoughts do not cease. Among ten thousand owls hung for display, only one extremely evil bird will be bred from the owl heads... named Yan Xiao." This was probably the oldest record about the Yan Xiao in Toutian Mansion, recorded in a form akin to legend. It certainly possessed credibility.

But the Yan Xiao that had stirred chaos in the Senhai Source Realm was not born this way. Guan Yan, who possessed mind-reading, once he was determined to seek an answer, the secrets of the human heart had nowhere to hide. After "inquiring" all those who had direct contact with the Yan Xiao, especially "inquiring" the previous generation of Senhai Holy Clan elders before the little old woman... Guan Yan found the answer.

The Yan Xiao of the Senhai Source Realm was not naturally bred from evil thoughts, but formed under the deliberate cultivation of some existence. And that existence... was the "Dragon God" of the Senhai Source Realm! It was the Dragon God that created the Yan Xiao, instilling fear in the Senhai Holy Clan. It was the Dragon God that guided the Senhai Holy Clan to choose the path of killing other tribes. Including the subsequent "Night Invasion" that swept across the entire Senhai Source Realm and claimed countless lives, it was also the Senhai Holy Clan elders utilizing forbidden methods, borrowing the Dragon God's power to achieve it! Essentially, that situation was orchestrated by the Dragon God!

Then what was the Dragon God? Why did the Dragon God do this? Crowned with the name of a deity, why had it become the source of all suffering in the Senhai Source Realm?

Guan Yan began to trace the entire history of the Senhai Holy Clan. With great courage and wisdom, risking his life, he alone explored the truth lost to time. He discovered that the Senhai Holy Clan was not the "Holy Clan" from the beginning. Even the Divine Shade Land, which held great significance for the Senhai Holy Clan, had been stolen from other tribes. It was after believing in the Dragon God, gaining the Dragon God's protection, being granted the Dragon God's power... under the guidance of divine will, that the Senhai Holy Clan had gradually risen and grown strong, becoming the most powerful tribe in the Senhai Source Realm, becoming the so-called "Holy Clan." And finally becoming the master of the Senhai Source Realm. In this process, the Dragon God had also become increasingly powerful, slowly becoming the sole true god of the Senhai Source Realm!

Guan Yan's memories ended here. These were the truths he had unearthed from the history of the Senhai Source Realm. One must understand, when he had initially descended to the Senhai Source Realm, he was only at the Inner Mansion realm of cultivation. He had been confronting the entire Senhai Source Realm, fighting against that Dragon God that had created all these tragedies, alone uncovering the history of this realm!

Jiang Wang's mind reeled. He couldn't help but ask: "So the Yan Xiao, the Night Invasion, the Dark Period... are all schemes by the Dragon God to strengthen itself? Just like supporting the Senhai Holy Clan to rise?" The relationship between the Dragon God and the Yan Xiao explained many doubts left from the previous trip to the Senhai Source Realm, but it also raised many new questions.

"I think it should be of the same lineage," Guan Yan said.

"Is that Dragon God intending to exterminate the entire Senhai Source Realm? Or to devour it?" Jiang Wang became more perplexed. "As a deity, exterminating its own believers, I truly cannot understand how it benefits from that!" Although Jiang Wang didn't claim to understand the cultivation of the divine path, he did have a rough grasp of some common knowledge. After all, the present world's He Kingdom and Mu Kingdom were divine path countries, and he had visited them. He had also come into contact with the White Bone Dao, which sought to establish a present world divine country. He knew that the divine path placed great importance on believers. And this Dragon God, having painstakingly guided the Senhai Holy Clan to grow strong, instead of focusing on unifying the faith of the entire Senhai Source Realm, had painstakingly created the legendary most evil bird to exterminate the lives of this realm. Truly baffling.

"At first, I didn't understand either. Later, I discovered, the Dragon God's target is not the divine position at all..." Guan Yan lifted his head, looking at the sky— "But it!"

Jiang Wang followed his gaze, only to see the solitary Jade Balance Star, hanging in the high heavens!