Translator: Fate Translation Checker: Silavin The calamity brought upon by the Epoch Cicadas Clan should rightfully be shouldered by the very Clan itself. Qingyi, being young and naive at the time, had yet to grasp the magnitude of this calamity for the entire clan. All she knew was that she had been chosen, along with her Mother, the High Priest, and others, to be sacrificed and labelled as a so-called Saintess. In reality, this sacrifice meant being offered to the unknown, with her life and future hanging in the balance. Although the usually kind-hearted High Priest continuously assured her that being appointed a Saintess to serve a supreme being was a privilege, and the highest honour that most could only dream of, Qingyi knew it was just a ploy to keep her from escaping. No one truly knew what lay beyond the lands they inhabited. Throughout history, any Civilisation daring enough to approach the Land of Truth had been reduced to mere ruins, lost and forgotten in the long River of Time. Even with the long lifespan and unmatched Talents of the Epoch Cicadas Clan, they were mere dust in the Land of Truth – insignificant and easily obliterated. As a young girl, Qingyi had yet to fully comprehend these matters. Within the Epoch Cicadas Clan, she was showered with love from her Older Sisters and enjoyed a carefree life. All of a sudden, she was shocked to be told that she would be offered up to the Land of Truth as a sacrifice. What made it even more difficult was that her own Mother and beloved Sisters were the ones who had decided and informed her of this destiny. Naturally, Qingyi rebelled against this path that had been chosen for her. She was filled with an overwhelming fear of the Land of Truth. According to ancient legends, it was the source of all darkness and terror, the ultimate destination for all existence. Due to a catastrophic event during her birth, Qingyi’s innate foundation had been damaged, leaving her far inferior to her Sisters in terms of strength, as well as the control and comprehension of the Tree of Epoch’s power. In her perspective, she was the most useless among her Sisters. Her rebellious and headstrong nature also made her the perfect candidate for sacrifice. After all, her Sisters were destined for greatness in the future so they would never be considered for such a fate. As a result, Qingyi grew resentful towards her Sisters and a rift appeared between them. In the end, she made the bold decision to escape from the clutches of the Epoch Cicadas Clan, refusing to accept her predetermined role as a sacrifice. Qingyi appeared to accept her fate on the surface, but secretly, she was plotting her escape. On the day before the sacrificial ceremony was to begin, Qingyi finally found a suitable opportunity. She fled from the Epoch Cicadas Clan, taking with her the extremely precious Immortal Flame Core from an Immortal Dao Civilisation. This was later used by her in the Mountains and Oceans True World, serving as the catalyst for the growth of all living beings and opening the doors to Immortal Realm cultivation. For many years, Qingyi hid in the Boundless Expanse, never returning to the Epoch Cicadas Clan. If it had not been for the woman in black, it may have been a long time before Qingyi confronted her past again. The memories of her actions weighed heavily on her, filling her with guilt and remorse. She was afraid to face the absurd and wrong things she had done in her youth. The woman in black, however, was unaware of Qingyi’s inner turmoil when Qingyi inquired about what had transpired in the Epoch Cicadas Clan after her escape. A mixture of bitterness and mockery crossed her face as she began recounting the events. “After you left the Epoch Cicadas Clan, the Ancient Shroud Civilisation was furious. They sent many experts in search of your whereabouts and were determined to bring you back. You escaped the day before the sacrifice and had greatly disrespected the Land of Truth. No one could bear the dire consequences that would befall them. The High Priest of the Ancient Shroud Civilisation was so enraged that he sent troops to surround the Epoch Cicadas Clan, demanding an explanation…” The woman in black shook her head as she recalled the events. The Ancient Shroud Civilisation was a Supreme Civilisation to which the Epoch Cicadas Clan belonged to. Both of them shared a symbiotic relationship. The Ancient Shroud Civilisation provided protection, abundant resources, and territories to the Epoch Cicadas Clan, while their Clan nurtured the Tree of Epoch and oversaw the evolution of all creatures for them. This contract had lasted for a long time and was expected to continue until one party perished. However, numerous disasters befell the Ancient Shroud Civilisation as they were implicated by the incident involving the Mother Tree of Epoch and the Epoch Cicadas Clan. Their boundless ancient Fortuity was immediately severed, and the once prosperous Ancient True World quickly declined and withered. It was impossible for the Ancient Shroud Civilisation not to harbour any resentment towards the Epoch Cicadas Clan after what had happened. The Epoch Cicadas Clan was given an opportunity to make amends by offering up a suitable candidate to appease their anger, but they failed to seize this chance and allowed the sacrifice to escape. This further fuelled the Ancient Shroud Civilisation’s fury and they sought nothing less than the eradication of the Epoch Cicadas Clan. Qingyi lowered her eyes, trying to hide the guilt that weighed heavy on her conscience. “What happened after that?” “The High Priest of the Ancient Shroud Civilisation was convinced that we had intentionally let you escape. In response, several Ancestral Dao Realm experts surrounded the ancestral home of the Epoch Cicadas Clan, demanding a solution to the matter. If we failed to provide one, our entire Clan would be wiped out, and they were not bluffing. If the Ancient Shroud Civilisation ceased to exist, then our Epoch Cicadas Clan was left with no reason to exist either. These were the exact words of the High Priest.” The woman in black smiled faintly, whether it was self-deprecating or mocking, Qingyi could not quite tell. Although the woman spoke about the matter in a light tone, Qingyi could sense the severity of the situation from her words. The Epoch Cicadas Clan was on the verge of extinction. Any Ancestral Dao Realm expert was unstoppable, as they could traverse the Boundless Expanse unhindered. Yet, there were several such beings surrounding the Epoch Cicadas Clan. It was a Force that could undoubtedly destroy any Force in the Boundless Expanse. The fact that the woman in black stood before Qingyi now meant that the Epoch Cicadas Clan had not met its demise. Noticing Qingyi’s silence, the woman in black shook her head and continued, “I suppose what the High Priest said was true. After all, how could you have escaped with your strength alone if we hadn’t intended for it to happen?” “Mother and Eldest Sister feigned ignorance and insisted that you had managed to escape on your own. They bravely faced the Ancient Shroud Civilisation, clearly expressing their every intention to retaliate against them. The High Priest chose not to fight out of fear of the power that slumbered within the our ancestral home, but still insisted that we provide him a solution…” “In the end, it was Eldest Sister who took your place as the sacrificial offering and went to the Land of Truth. It only then did the anger of Heaven gradually get appease.” By the time the woman in black finished recounting the event, she could not help but let out a sad sigh. “Eldest Sister?” Qingyi’s mind was in a whirl. A mix of confusion and disbelief clouded her face. She could not help but recall a face, one that was both beautiful and dignified. Her Sister, who had always doted on her the most. Qingyi had never expected that her Eldest Sister would sacrifice herself in her place. She could not understand why another replacement was chosen in the end if she had already been selected as the sacrifice in the first place. As a child, Qingyi had always believed that this was a collective decision made by her Mother and Older Sisters, but she later realised that she had been wrong. The suitable candidate to be offered up as a sacrifice was not randomly selected. It was chosen by the will of a higher power, and fate could not be altered at will. Disobeying that will would only invite punishment and catastrophe. To the Boundless Expanse, the Land of the Truth was the true ‘Heaven’. The woman in black continued, “Back then, Eldest Sister was just taking a gamble. Little did we expect that her sacrifice would eventually quell the fury of Heaven and restore the Ancient Shroud Civilisation to its former glory… Yet, she has vanished without a trace, and we have never heard from her since that fateful day. However, we can sense that her Soul remains alive, as her Soul Lamp continues to burn…” Although the woman did not elaborate on the events that followed, Qingyi could already guess the outcome. Once the fury of Heaven and the calamity had subsided, the Ancient Shroud Civilisation simply gave up on tracking her down. As time passed, no one mentioned about the incident again. “It’s all my fault that Eldest Sister…” Qingyi’s eyes brimmed with remorse and shame. She had never anticipated such a conclusion. She fled, while her Eldest Sister remained trapped there indefinitely, her life and safety unknown. The woman in black glanced at Qingyi, realising that she had changed significantly since their last meeting. She had only skimmed through some of Qingyi’s important memories, so she was not fully aware of everything Qingyi had experienced in the intervening years. “I came to find you because Mother has sensed her own impending Tribulation. Her lifespan is rapidly depleting, and she wishes to see you one last time…” The woman in black revealed. “Mother’s impending Tribulation?” Qingyi was once again taken aback. Her Mother, the Empress of the Epoch Cicadas Clan, possessed unimaginable power. Even the Ancestral Dao Realm experts from the Ancient Shroud Civilisation had to be respectful in her presence. It was difficult to fathom that she too would face potential demise. It seemed like she knew she might not be able to transcend the approaching Decay Tribulation. “It seems like I must return to the Epoch Cicadas Clan.” Qingyi sighed inwardly. Their lifespan was incredibly long, but their emotions diminished with time compared to average creatures. The reunion between Qingyi and the woman in black lacked the expected joy. Qingyi’s feelings towards her Mother had reduced to only reverence, gratefulness, and guilt that had accumulated over the years. If she did not return now, she feared she would carry that regret for the rest of her life. As for the Prosperous Dao True World, everything was still progressing according to plan despite the unexpected turn of events. Gu Changge had proven to be capable in handling the matters and Qingyi had no reason to worry. …… Meanwhile, on the ancient warship of the Spirit Ruin Royal Family… Gu Changge stood before a crystal-clear ancient mirror that slowly dissipated. The scene reflected in it also vanished in an instant. The curse that Ni Chen had cast using the remaining Fortuity of the Deep Control Clan before his death, had finally penetrated the void and ensnared Gu Changge. It was as dark as ink and bound Gu Changge like a chain, carrying with it an endless stream of resentment and hatred. It seemed determined to drag Gu Changge into an abyss of darkness where he would be tormented eternally. However, with a mere flick of Gu Changge’s hand, the curse instantly disintegrated, leaving no trace behind. He had been closely monitoring the events unfolding in the Prosperous Dao True World, including Ni Chen’s exposure and Gu Xianer’s ascension as the new Chosen One. Everything had been progressing according to his plans in order. With this war now behind him, Gu Changge no longer needed to devote too much attention to the affairs of the Prosperous Dao True World. Gu Xianer, as the Chosen One of the Heavenslayers Alliance, possessed great Fortuity and now had the aid of the Chaos Tree that he had condensed. Given enough time, she would soon step foot in the Dao Realm. Gu Changge had paved the way for her, knowing that it would be difficult for her to establish a foothold in her world without reaching the Dao Realm. After all, the reputation of the Heavenslayers Alliance would soon reverberate throughout the Boundless Expanse. It would indeed be embarrassing for the Chosen One of such a reputable Alliance to not have reached the Dao Realm. As for the matters concerning the Nine Heavens, Gu Changge was not too worried about them as he had already made the necessary arrangements. The arrival of the Tranquil Primal Sage was undoubtedly a directive from a higher power in the Nine Heavens. After all, the possession of the Immortal Flame Core by a Nascent True World was definitely connected to a significant event if it was not a mere coincidence. The person behind the Tranquil Primal Sage must have sensed this and held a deep interest in it. Similarly, the person behind Gu Changge’s new disciple, Ah Man, was undoubtedly aware of these developments too. In other words, at least two immensely powerful Forces were now closely monitoring the current state of the Prosperous Dao True World. “Ah Man… is a Variable, a chess piece that has been buried long ago. She will inevitably come into play, but not now… Based on the current circumstances, she won’t be a hindrance to my plans just yet.” Gu Changge mused. He no longer needed to put so much effort into monitoring the affairs of the Prosperous Dao True World, so he redirected his focus toward the Boundless Expanse instead.