Eternal Tale
Chapter 279: In the grand world, enduring teachings; reincarnating through countless lifetimes

The heavens blurred, shrouded in chaos.

A man lay on a stone bed, struggling to open his eyes. A faint glimmer of light pierced the darkness, and his head throbbed with intense pain.

He felt as if he had been asleep for a long time, as though lost in an endless dream...

The rising sun nestled among majestic mountains, scattering crimson rays that mingled with the almost tangible spiritual energy saturating the air, forming brilliant, multicolored halos.

This was the hidden sanctuary of an ancient, transcendent sect, a forbidden place among the great powers of the world—a taboo of the highest order in the grand era, the training ground of the Gou Sect!

Verdant trees flourished across the mountain range, and ancient Crane Spirit Trees, thousands of years old, were everywhere. Occasionally, a gray phantom would flit by, their expressions unusually serene and unassuming.

Without exception, they all possessed five-element spiritual roots. Despite its long history, Gou Sect had only a few thousand disciples, leaving everything to fate.

Outside a cave dwelling, a young female disciple with twin braids came running, her voice filled with excitement:

"Senior Brother Chen Xun, you're finally awake!"

She waved her hand, opening a gap in the formation with a flick, her expression brimming with emotion. "You've been unconscious for three years!!"

Chen Xun's eyes were blank, his memories scrambled. "Did I achieve immortality? Old Ox! Wait... who's Old Ox?"

He muttered to himself; the dream he'd had seemed interminable, yet much of it was now hazy and unclear.

"Oh, immortality? Senior Brother Chen Xun, I've had dreams like that a thousand times. Who doesn't dream of immortality!"

The girl, standing nearby with a puzzled look, scrutinized Chen Xun as if sensing something unfamiliar about him. "Do you remember how you ended up unconscious?"

Chen Xun gave an awkward smile and shook his head. Slowly, he recalled the identity of the girl before him—Wang Xuan, his junior sister of many years, who was at the mid-stage Nascent Soul realm.

"Senior Brother, during the sect's centennial competition, that Chu Zhong was utterly shameless! He hid an entire realm of cultivation and fought us with his Spirit Transformation strength!" Wang Xuan snorted coldly. "With a casual strike, he left you bleeding from all seven orifices, knocking you out cold. How could a senior brother conceal his strength so deeply?!"

A spark of clarity lit up in Chen Xun's mind as he finally remembered the scene of being brutally beaten that day.

"Absolutely infuriating!" He shot to his feet with a loud roar, his face contorted in fury. "Where's my opening-splitting axe? I'm going to have a word with that bastard!"

"Ah?"

"Ah... what am I saying?"

Chen Xun froze in place, locking eyes with the stunned Wang Xuan, both equally bewildered.

Wang Xuan's heart was full of doubt. Why did Senior Brother Chen Xun seem a little deranged after waking up? Could his mind have been invaded by some demonic force?!

"I..."

"Junior Brother Chen Xun, you're finally awake!!"

Just as Wang Xuan was about to report to their master, a mournful wail echoed from outside the cave, as if someone had come to pay last respects to Chen Xun.

"Senior Brother is at fault! I have come to atone for my sins!!!"

Chu Zhong stepped in, his long black hair half-pinned with a jade clasp, his refined face shadowed with melancholy. His upright posture exuded resilience.

Yet, his revealed cultivation was only at the Foundation Establishment stage. Gou Sect’s inherited concealment technique had been mastered to perfection; even those two realms above him couldn’t see through it.

The Gou Sect’s creed was to walk the world with kindness, focus on personal cultivation, and avoid taking center stage in conflicts. Simply being a passerby was enough. They had no desire to compete in the grand era.

If someone lacked such a mindset, the Gou Sect's recruiters wouldn’t insist. Everyone followed their path naturally; hiding one's cultivation wasn’t the goal—peaceful living was.

"Greetings, Senior Brother Chu Zhong."

Chen Xun and Wang Xuan cupped their hands respectfully. Though a bit displeased, they considered all fellow disciples as family and were willing to settle matters peacefully.

Chu Zhong, carrying a hefty branch from a Crane Spirit Tree on his back, burst into tears as he apologized profusely to Chen Xun. He truly hadn’t expected that a casual strike of his would push Chen Xun to his absolute limit.

"How could a single strike leave someone unconscious for three whole years?!"

Just as Wang Xuan and Chu Zhong spoke, Chen Xun felt a moment of disorientation. He stared blankly at them, but their voices became inaudible, and even their faces started to blur.

Suddenly, he saw a massive ship suspended in the void between heaven and earth. Onboard were several pavilions—plain and unremarkable, almost mundane.

A colossal, majestic tree that seemed to pierce the heavens was rooted on the ship, its destination unknown. Its aura was mysterious and unfathomable, unlike anything he'd ever experienced.

Inside, Chen Xun's heart was a storm of shock and awe. He couldn't believe it—the grand era's legendary tale was true...

A World-Breaking Ark that traversed the myriad realms, granting insight into the Great Dao for those who saw it. Those fortunate enough to board it would gain celestial opportunities, transcending mortality with an undying legacy.

In one of the pavilions, a woman in a black dress suddenly opened her eyes. In that instant, her gaze revealed dual pupils of yin and yang, regal and dazzling. She was Nangong Heling, the revered leader of the Gou Sect!

Chen Xun's body trembled like a leaf. He could feel her gaze upon him, filling him with a fear unlike anything he'd felt since joining the sect.

Her achievements were legendary, celebrated by countless clans in the grand era. Many of the era's most powerful forces bore traces of her influence.

In the mist-filled pavilion, a plain and unassuming man sat cross-legged, his face obscured. Standing beside him was a massive black ox with vacant, almost lifeless eyes.

Nangong Heling's every move radiated charm and majesty, yet when she looked at the man, she spoke with respectful reverence:

"Big Brother, he has awakened."

"Hmm," the man replied calmly. Rising slowly, he patted the black ox. "Old Ox, let's go."

He transformed into a wisp of wind, gently settling onto the black ox's back.

"Moo~" The black ox nodded stiffly, its movements mechanical.

Nangong Heling followed silently, a stark contrast to her commanding presence outside the pavilion.

Chen Xun witnessed the entire scene, his pupils trembling in disbelief. The sect leader had called someone "Big Brother"?

Who was this man?!

"Old Ox..."

Chen Xun's head throbbed again. That black ox—it wasn't the one from his dream, yet why was he seeing all of this? He was just an ordinary disciple.

Amid the darkness, three figures approached him.

"Chen Xun, I’ve waited for you for a long time."

"Greetings, Sect Leader! Greetings, Senior!"

Cold sweat poured from Chen Xun as he bowed low, his voice respectful. The surroundings were far too eerie for him to summon any resistance.

"Listen carefully. Don't overthink. These words are not even meant for you to hear."

"Y-Yes, Senior."

"We are trapped in a cycle of endless reincarnation. Across the river of time, there are countless versions of you. Immortality is merely a path to annihilation—there is no escape. We are all imprisoned."

The man's voice resonated deeply in Chen Xun's mind. "You, however, are the only point of connection—a flaw in this cycle that links all versions of you across the river of time. This is the sole chance to exploit the loop."

"W-What do you mean?!"

A wave of terror surged through Chen Xun as he jerked his head up, staring at the man shrouded in mist. Why did he feel such an uncanny familiarity?

"Immortality is meaningless. We cannot truly die. The key to breaking this cycle lies with the black ox."

The man sighed softly, a sound heavy with sorrow and resignation. "This is the last remnant of power left by a version of you in the river of time, as he faced annihilation—a new immortal seed born of his sacrifice."

"What about the Sect Leader?!"

"She is not immortal. She will die before annihilation claims us all. The path to salvation lies within the cycles of reincarnation."