Time is merciless

Chapter 620: Ruthless Passage of Time

“Boom!”

Brilliant light shone, runes flickered across the sky, and array patterns enveloped nearly a thousand people as they departed for the Ti Ba (Dam) World.

This time, Lin Fan was exceptionally cautious. He wasn’t alone; many Cultivators hadn't reached the Supreme Realm and needed his protection.

Soon after, a group of people emerged from the passage, a mighty procession, all Prodigies from the Holy Emperor Palace and Heavenly Court.

“Is that… the Ti Ba (Dam)?!” someone exclaimed. Though they were all quite old, they were as curious as children.

This was understandable. Before them lay a boundless Ti Ba (Dam), stretching across the horizon, an incredibly magnificent sight.

Furthermore, some corpses hung on the Ti Ba (Dam), emitting an Immortal aura, immediately terrifying everyone.

Those were True Immortal remains, yet they were simply hanging there. How could the human Cultivators, save for Lin Fan, not be shocked?

“The Lightning Abyss—that’s where you’ll undergo your trials,” Lin Fan said, unwilling to let them linger near the Ti Ba (Dam).

Because only three hundred years had passed, another skeleton had been added to the few already hanging there, clearly having climbed over recently from that side.

He was very worried that if any living creatures emerged from the Boundary Sea, landed, and returned, it would be extremely troublesome.

True Immortals and Quasi-Immortal Kings were fine; he could deal with them. But if an Immortal King climbed over, it would be a catastrophic disaster.

Everyone felt a chill in their hearts, realizing how terrifying this place was. As the path for the return of ancient Supremes, it was truly perilous.

“Did Willow God go into the Boundary Sea?” Shi Hao pondered, a crystal-clear willow branch appearing in his hand.

Lin Fan glanced at it and nodded, saying, “Throughout history, countless Supremes have followed faint footprints into it. Some are to quell the source of the turmoil, while others are to Breakthrough from King to Emperor!”

Everyone was startled and wanted to know more, but Lin Fan said no more. Knowing some things in advance was useless, only adding to their troubles.

Subsequently, upon reaching the Lightning Abyss, the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals were once again awestruck. One lightning pool after another floated within.

This place resembled the source of Heavenly Tribulation, with all kinds of strange and terrifying lightning!

“Go, but act within your limits!” Lin Fan did not leave. He sat down, intending to protect their Dao, fearing any problems.

At the same time, he provided guidance for their cultivation. Many had already switched to his Qi Refining method but had also hit a Bottleneck.

Yue Chan and Qing Yi, who had switched earliest, were also in the same situation. They showed no signs of Breakthrough in the Dao Integration step.

One hundred years might be a lifetime for a Mortal, but for a Cultivator, it was truly nothing.

However, some individuals were strong-willed and eager to soar, but ultimately couldn't persevere and died in the Lightning Abyss.

Moreover, such people were not few. After more than a dozen people successively perished, Lin Fan was alerted and immediately intervened.

“Cultivating the Dao emphasizes natural progression. A moment of insight surpasses everything; charging ahead recklessly is not suitable for everyone.”

“The key is to find your own suitable Dao!”

Lin Fan sternly warned them that there would be many opportunities in the future, and time was long. There was no need for such anxiety; haste makes waste.

He even cited an example of someone who only achieved Breakthrough when their Lifespan was about to end, yet still managed to reach the pinnacle of the Extreme Dao.

“Is there really such a Prodigy…?” someone asked in surprise. They had almost said 'oddity' but felt it was disrespectful and changed their wording.

“Of course there is. Cultivating the Dao first requires cultivating the heart. If the heart is not calm, it is easy to suffer Qi Deviation,” Lin Fan nodded, recounting various examples.

Many, hearing this, sat down by the edge of the Lightning Abyss, no longer forcing themselves.

A hundred years flew by, and Shi Hao returned from the Ti Ba (Dam). Unlike the others, he had gone there to temper himself.

Unfortunately, at the pinnacle of the Extreme Dao, his Dao cultivation still hadn't increased. He couldn't take that half-step to Breakthrough and achieve Immortal Ascension!

“Brother Xiao Fan, does Immortal Ascension truly require enduring the passage of time?” Shi Hao frowned.

“Your path, walk it yourself!” Lin Fan said, unwilling to interfere with him. Being told by others and discovering it oneself were different.

Perhaps, this was the difference between an originator and a successor. If everything was told, it would be merely parroting others.

A hundred years later, the two arrived at the Lightning Abyss to receive their disciples.

Most people were excited. They had been tempered, their Dao cultivation had surged, and they had made progress, more or less.

However, the leading figures among them, Ning Fei, Heavenly Horned Ant, Yue Chan, and others, were dispirited. They still hadn't become Supremes.

It should be known that by now, these individuals were all five hundred years old, yet they still saw no hope, unable to break their shackles.

“If not this time, then next time!” Lin Fan said.

“Chi!”

As the century ended, the Void Realm ripped open, and array patterns flowed like molten iron, enveloping them as they returned, appearing in the Yin and Yang Cross Forbidden Zone.

The world was still the same, but the cruel End of Dharma Era had claimed the lives of many older generation Cultivators. Even the Holy Emperor Palace had gained some new graves.

Supremes like Ning Yu and Meng Xu, being among the first to follow Lin Fan, would not step half a pace out of the Emperor Star unless absolutely necessary.

The oldest among them were seventeen or eighteen thousand years old, and the youngest were also a hundred thousand. If it were before the End of Dharma Era, their ages would certainly not be considered great.

But now, with the will of heaven cutting down Lifespans, Supremes could only live for a little over ten thousand years, making their ages seem very advanced.

If not for Lin Fan's early preparations, with Immortal Dao Laws suppressing the entire Emperor Star and the presence of Immortal matter, these individuals would likely have lost half their lives.

“I, too, am growing old…” Qing Yao sighed, her eyes misty. Her age was truly not young; she was even older than Ning Yu and the others.

In the past, she and Lin Fan lived in the same era. Although she had become a Supreme, she couldn't change the fact that she was growing old.

Lin Fan's heart trembled. Even though he had witnessed countless births and deaths in the human world and was once called a Devil Head, he still felt terrible.

Because Qing Yao was different from Yue Chan and Qing Yi; she was not a Prodigy of this era, being two hundred thousand years older.

“You won’t; you will never grow old, always remaining youthful. There are Immortal flowers in the world that can grant you ageless beauty.”

Lin Fan embraced her, comforting her. This woman had waited for him for so many years, filling him with a sense of guilt.

How many women in the world could wait for two hundred thousand years, their most beautiful youth gone?

Qing Yao smiled through her tears, saying, “But it’s alright. I finally waited for you. Even for a moment, I have no regrets.”

In fact, she was still afraid. Time was ruthless, and she didn't want Lin Fan to see her gradually aging, her ugliest side.

Because she knew that one day, her beauty would completely fade, her hair would turn white, and her face would be covered in wrinkles.

By that time, Lin Fan would still be as he was when they first met, unchanged, standing at the pinnacle of life.

She was very afraid, and she didn't want to lose him!

“Don’t overthink it. No matter what you become, I will never leave you. With Xian Yao (Immortal Medicine) in hand, I won’t let you die of old age.”

Lin Fan kissed her fair forehead and presented her with the Palace of Immortality.

This was a palace crafted from the body of a Life Xian Yao (Immortal Medicine) tree, containing Immortal matter. If a living being resided within it, time would find it difficult to erode them.

Qing Yao smiled through her tears. What more could she regret? What she cared about most was leaving her most beautiful side for Lin Fan.

“I want a child!”

She smiled radiantly, wishing to continue his Bloodline. If there was any remaining obsession, this was probably it.

Lin Fan had always been without an heir, which was a concern for many in the Holy Emperor Palace. They all hoped he could have his own Legacy.

Unfortunately, his Dao cultivation was profound, and his Bloodline was formidable, making it extremely difficult to have offspring. Even Yue Chan and Qing Yi had yet to conceive.

“Very well, we shall start trying from today!” Lin Fan agreed.