Eternal Tale

Chapter 305: Subordinate Realms of the Grand World

"On the other side lies what’s called... the Three Thousand Grand Worlds—a vast, boundless existence teeming with countless life forms and endless realms," Bai Li Zhonghu began, his gaze distant. "It is a realm where immortal civilization has truly blossomed, an interconnected system of worlds where resources for cultivation are endless. There, powerful physiques surpass the Immortal Dao, and talents exceed even Heavenly Roots. In comparison, our realm, vast though it may seem, is but a drop in the ocean, utterly insignificant."

Chen Xun’s mind whirled as Bai Li Zhonghu spoke. He had read vague hints in ancient texts of a “great world” beyond their own, but the full extent had never been described so vividly.

"So our realm is... only a small offshoot of this Grand World?" Chen Xun asked, his eyes widening.

Bai Li Zhonghu nodded solemnly. "Yes, our realm was once a subordinate realm directly connected to one of these Grand Worlds, sharing its energies and benefiting from its vast resources. But over time, the natural order of the Grand World began to reject such smaller realms as it grew stable and self-contained. To the Grand World, these attached worlds became a burden—a flaw, siphoning off its energies. The Grand World’s forces began pushing these realms away, creating a barrier that has only grown thicker with time."

He sighed heavily, the weight of ancient history etched into his face. "This barrier wasn’t always there. When our realm was first born, it was still connected to the Grand World at the periphery, sharing its cultivation resources and even allowing our strongest cultivators to cross over. In those days, the spirit energy in our realm was so vast and powerful that countless ancient, powerful cultivators reached heights that seem mythical to us now."

The wind swept around the mountain as Bai Li Zhonghu spoke, his voice somber. "Those who knew of the barrier’s formation left our realm, abandoning their roots to join the Grand World. But there were some who returned, bringing a terrible truth with them: in the Grand World’s eyes, smaller realms like ours are merely fragments, drifting pieces that serve no purpose. To preserve itself, the Grand World severed our connection and let us drift, just one of countless smaller realms it has cast aside."

"And then... what happened?" Chen Xun’s voice was barely a whisper, as if afraid to disturb the weight of the words.

"Once the Grand World had severed us, our realm became cut off, adrift at the fringes, no longer connected to the main source of cultivation energy. As time passed, negative forces arose at the edges of our realm—manifesting as corrupted entities like the ones you have fought in the War Realm. The Grand World’s rejection bred resentment, resulting in the birth of these creatures, the corrupted beings. They are a direct consequence of our realm’s isolation, like wounds formed from abandonment."

The shocking revelation settled heavily upon Chen Xun and his companions. It wasn’t just a wall of space that separated them from the Grand World but an entire way of life and a higher level of existence.

“Is there any way back?” Chen Xun asked, his fists clenched, voice trembling with a mixture of frustration and resolve.

"The ancient cultivators tried," Bai Li Zhonghu said, his voice low. "The Great War was their attempt to prevent the barrier from fully severing us. When the corrupted beings first emerged, our realm's finest—our own Nascent Soul and Deity Transformation cultivators—gathered at the realm’s farthest edges, hoping to battle back the corrupted forces and tear through the barrier. But the war brought only devastation, for the corrupted beings had absorbed the realm’s energy and returned far stronger than anticipated. They were no longer just mindless shadows. The corrupted ones now serve as this realm’s guardians, birthed by the very force that rejected us.”

"The war ended with both sides exhausted. Many of our greatest cultivators lost their lives, while the corrupted beings retreated into their dark domain. We’ve been battling for mere survival ever since, with each generation pushing forward to reclaim what we’ve lost. But the truth remains: if the corrupted beings are not kept in check, the severance will one day complete itself, and our realm will be left to drift in isolation—forgotten and eventually destroyed."

A long silence fell over them as the full gravity of the situation settled in.

"So the only reason we keep fighting..." Chen Xun began slowly, piecing together the implications, "...is to prevent the barrier from fully closing?"

"Exactly," Bai Li Zhonghu confirmed, his voice solemn. "The sacrifices, the lives lost on this battlefield, are all that holds our realm together. If word got out that no way forward existed—that the Grand World has cast us away—it would break the morale of the cultivators. They would see all cultivation as futile, and chaos would ensue."

Chen Xun straightened, his eyes ablaze with fierce determination. "Then we must find a way to reach the Grand World again. I refuse to believe that our destiny is to simply drift until we fade away!"

Bai Li Zhonghu regarded him with surprise, taken aback by his intensity. But Chen Xun’s spirit was unyielding, like iron forged in fire. He turned to his companions, a spark of excitement in his eyes.

"Brother Ox, Xiao Chi—we have a new purpose now. We’re going to uncover the truth of this realm and force a way forward, no matter how many generations it takes!"

"Mo! Mo!" Brother Ox snorted in agreement, his tail flicking in enthusiasm. Xiao Chi yipped in excited agreement, his tail wagging as if he, too, understood the magnitude of the decision.

Bai Li Zhonghu shook his head, an amused smile tugging at his lips despite himself. "You’re... a strange group of cultivators. But if anyone can find a way through, perhaps it’s those who refuse to believe the impossible."

Chen Xun nodded, feeling a fierce fire ignite in his chest. "Let the Grand World try to hold us back. One way or another, we will carve a path forward—for ourselves and for every being in this realm."

With that, the group exchanged determined looks, their resolve cemented in a shared silence. As they looked out over the expanse of the War Realm, it was no longer a hopeless wasteland to them but a challenge—a barrier they intended to overcome.