“Why not?” He chuckled and briefly answered.
Li Yuzhen looked at him and said: “Dao Brother, I can’t figure out your grand dao. It is as if I’m looking at the reflection of the moon on a river or trying to look at the flowers through the early morning mist. It feels intangible and surreal, may I ask what art you cultivate?”
She wasn’t trying to pry information out of him. This was sheer curiosity since Li Qiye appears normal yet was unbelievably mysterious. It seemed as if he wasn’t actually within the three worlds and had escaped the five elements. That’s why he seemed rather immaterial.
She wasn’t an arrogant person but she certainly believed in her own abilities. Alas, she has never met someone like him before.
In her opinion, no other youth in Imperial could match her. However, this Li Qiye came out of nowhere so she rightfully became curious.
“It is a unique grand dao, the only of its kind in history that will open an entirely new epoch and cultivation method.” He said without a care.
She responded with a skeptical look. Many would consider this to be the ramble of a mad man.
Three Immortals World has produced numerous progenitors and dao systems. These progenitors wouldn’t dare to make this claim, not even the brilliant Gao Yang. But now, Li Qiye boasted without any hesitation.
She certainly didn’t look down on him but his big tone still stunned her all the same, leaving her speechless.
After a while, she regained her wits and asked: “A new cultivation system? What is it like?”
She became interested in his cultivation system, leaving aside her skepticism of his claim.
“You’ll find out when that day comes.” He smiled mysteriously: “Not just Three Immortals but all worlds will turn to a new page. Alas, who knows if it will be a time of darkness or light? That’s up to the individual world.”
“What do you mean?” The knowledgeable girl still found this perplexing.
He chuckled in response and didn’t elaborate. His expression remained normal and natural.
She was smart enough to not pry. People at their level had the right amount of propriety.
After a while, the two finally landed at the bottom of the pit. They looked around and saw nothing but darkness.
Of course, darkness couldn’t shield anything from their gaze so they were aware of everything in their surroundings. Alas, they found nothing but loose mud on the ground.
“It’s not here, such a big city nowhere to be found, this is unbelievable.” Yuzhen became surprised.
White Apricot was a vast city but it wasn’t here now after falling down. No inhabitants were around either; no ruins or a single eave-tile. The entire place disappeared from thin air as if it had been swallowed whole by a monster.
“There should be a reason for this.” Li Qiye grabbed a handful of soil and carefully pinched it with his other hand. Specks streamed down his fingers.
“Where have the citizens gone?” Yuzhen searched through the area with her divine intent but there was nothing here except the two of them.
“Even deeper.” Li Qiye said: “Something has come here and took them away.”
“Is it still nearby?” Her gaze swept around with lightning speed. There was no doubt that once she took action, the result would be quite impressive.
“Long gone now.” He threw the remaining pile of mud on the ground and wiped his palms: “The time is ripe so it finally wants to take action.”
“Dao Brother, so there is really something evil at work here?” She asked.
“I don’t know if it is evil or not, but it certainly isn’t a good thing after causing the collapse of this system.” Li Qiye chuckled.
“What is it?” She inquired: “Stone Harmony was prosperous back then with a True Emperor around. Its power far exceeded the Mu and the Li. People said that unless it’s a progenitor, defeating this system would have been difficult. I’ve never heard of a great battle or anything before its decline.”
“This is beyond the imagination of regular people.” He walked around and surveyed the area carefully: “The only thing I’m sure of is that this thing is not from this world.”
“Not from this world? A creature outside of Three Immortals?” She became startled.
“What worlds are outside of Three Immortals?” She paused for a moment before asking again.
Of course, the cultivators of Three Immortals didn’t know about the worlds outside of their own, such as the nine worlds and thirteen continents.
“Not that simple.” Li Qiye shook his head: “Ordinary existence can’t cross to this place. To be more exact, this thing should be from above Three Immortals.”
“Above Three Immortals?” Yuzhen’s eyes became serious: “I heard that above us is a place with immortality.”
“No.” Li Qiye chuckled: “Who knows the validity of that claim, this so-called world of immortality. All I know is that above Three Immortals is a place that can surpass the high heaven.”
“High heaven?” She looked up towards the sky vault. Since they were at the bottom of an abyss, her gaze pierced through thousands of miles before seeing the blue expanse.
In fact, cultivators in this place had a very vague impression of the high heaven. They only believed that it was above the sky vault.
“Yes, you have no idea what it is because this place doesn’t suffer from tribulations.” Li Qiye understood her reaction.
Back in the nine worlds and the thirteen continents, each breakthrough would end with a heavenly tribulation full of lightning arcs. The survivors there knew exactly what the high heaven was. Some even cursed and referred to it as villainous heaven or other derogatory names.
“I have heard of tribulations before. When the wise sages want to reach a higher level, they might have to face these tribulations. Are you saying that the disappearance of this city is due to a tribulation?” She said.
“The old villainous heaven isn’t that bored.” Li Qiye shook his head: “Plus, if it wants to send down even just a tiny tribulation, it wouldn’t end with just this.”
“What kind of tribulation would it be then?” She knew nothing about this topic.
“An apocalypse.” He casually answered.
“An apocalypse?” She was still moved despite her immense strength.
After a brief pause, she continued on: “What is the power entailed in this apocalypse?”
Li Qiye looked at her and answered: “Someone like you is only an ant, same with the majority of progenitors.”
She took a deep breath. Most would first become embarrassed then anger would be next. It sounded like an insult but she took it seriously.
She had confidence in her strength. Though she might not be the strongest, but if she was only an ant under that tribulation, just how strong must it be? That scene must be terrifying.