The Time Origin Divine Tree did not speak. Before her eyes, above this secret realm, fragments of time emerged piece by piece.
Within those fragments were segments of the youth's time.
In the Imperial Hall, the infant in the embrace was granted a name, and became renowned throughout the land from birth by imperial decree.
Born into a prestigious family's manor, countless people envied him, his life destined for endless glory and wealth.
The child's courtyard, however, was extremely simple and plain, fully showcasing the thrifty family style of a general's household.
Playing chess, fishing, frolicking...
Unlike other children, he did not cultivate, nor did he undergo training like horse riding and archery, nor did he study military texts or tactics.
Naturally unable to build a foundation for a combat body, yet various sword techniques and cultivation methods he would grasp at a glance.
Having a background envied by countless people, yet he only lived a simple life.
Until his relative returning victorious from a distant expedition, the youth's fate was reversed. That battle's divine might illuminated Qingzhou City, and the early winter snow also fell upon that city in advance, burying the footprints of the youth as he stepped out of the manor gate along the way…
The Time Origin Divine Tree silently gazed at these fluttering fragments of time. She could see that this life of the youth was a reincarnated body, possessing precocious wisdom unusual for his age, which could definitely not be explained by natural talent and intelligence.
However, this life was extremely illustrious, yet it was not perfect.
As the Time Divine Tree, she had seen many prodigies, and had also seen their pasts.
There were those who suffered, overwhelmed by sorrow and hardship, orphaned from a young age, like a lone star of misfortune, yet who rose up in adversity, gained opportunities, found benevolent masters, rising step by step until they illuminated the world.
There were those who were illustrious, born into the imperial family, who received countless opportunities from a young age, free from worries about food and clothing, yet had firm willpower, were not engrossed by beauty or external things, and ultimately walked their own path of cultivation.
There were also those burdened by deep-seated hatred from bloodshed, who suffered various forms of bullying from a young age, yet ultimately carved out a bloody path with their own hands, breaking free from their cage!
She had seen all sorts of strange and bizarre backgrounds.
This youth's birth, to her, was merely ordinary.
That so-called illustrious Divine General's manor, in her eyes, was merely a scrap from the edge of imperial brocade, amounting to nothing.
If that youth had progressed smoothly within the Divine General's manor, or encountered some setbacks yet ultimately stood firm and rose up in adversity by himself, she would not have cared at all.
Examples like these, she had seen far too many.
But only this youth was somewhat different.
To say he suffered, it couldn't be counted as suffering, as after all, he lived in luxury from a young age.
To say he was happy, likewise it couldn't be counted, the childhood companion who cared for him also left him, walking their own path.
In the end, he couldn't even keep his own name, not even comparable to those bearing deep-seated hatred from bloodshed.
On that small figure, she only saw sorrow and the loneliness of being left alone in the world.
And in the long river of time, no matter how brilliant you are, eventually you will be annihilated.
No matter how peerlessly talented you are, in the end, you are just withered bones.
No matter if you have the cultivation of a Great Emperor, suppressing the world, ultimately you will also fall and perish.
What can time leave behind? Nothing can be left behind. Having seen countless brilliant, happy, hopeful, and striving destinies to their end, that end is annihilation.
This is the destiny of all things, a kind of sorrow, and also a kind of loneliness.
That youth seemed like an epitome, and also like a piece of amber, dripping into the lake of her heart, making her feel a trace of emotion, a trace of trance.
"I thought Sister could truly be heartless and treat everyone the same. Turns out there are exceptions."
The Space Divine Tree avatar chuckled softly.
The Time Origin Divine Tree withdrew her gaze, her eyes falling upon the fragments of time showing the youth battling demons and monsters in bloody battles within that human imperial dynasty.
She said in a low voice, "You gave him the Divine Tree Dao Fruit so easily, not even requiring a contract. This isn't like you."
"Gentleness is the sharpest knife. This youth could receive help from those five in the Five Dao Origin City. I also secretly spied on him a bit. Sister, don't forget, after being with you for a long time, I also understand a little bit about time."
The Space Origin Divine Tree avatar said with a smile.
The Time Origin Divine Tree glanced at this sister. Only she knew that beneath that gentle and beautiful appearance, her sister was the most sharp and ruthless when taking action in this world.
"Sister, are you sympathizing with him? This youth is indeed not easy. As a prodigy, I've seen those who ended up miserably. I've seen those orphaned from the start, sold to a pauper's den, suffering all sorts of humiliation. But those were just pain, just hatred. This youth, however, is somewhat difficult to describe."
The Space Origin Divine Tree said.
The Time Origin Divine Tree remained silent. She knew that pain and sorrow are two different feelings.
Pain is holding on tight, while sorrow is letting go.
"Sympathy? Do you think I would?"
The Time Origin Divine Tree heard her sister's playful voice, but her gaze turned cold, saying, "Didn't you see? There's an extraordinary power watching over this youth."
"Sister, are you interested in the existence of that extraordinary power?"
The Space Origin Divine Tree slightly raised her brow. Based on her understanding of her sister, she knew with eighty percent certainty that this was the case.
As for sympathy, for a sister who had seen countless ages, that was an emotion that could absolutely not exist.
"Even I couldn't discern his previous life's identity, but his ability to instantly grasp numerous cultivation methods from a young age means he definitely carried memories from a previous life, and his cultivation in that life was not low."
The Time Origin Divine Tree believed Li Hao was a powerful being reincarnated. Such circumstances were not unusual, as many prodigies or powerful beings would reincarnate into major clans for certain bloodlines. This was not uncommon, but required prior negotiation with those major clans, otherwise, once a major clan investigated and found out, disaster would strike instead.
In the major clans of the True Realm, children's soul age would be measured from a young age. A normal child's soul age matched their actual age.
But a reincarnated person's soul age would not be like this.
This way, they could also prevent certain powerful beings from reincarnating and becoming spies within major clans.
As for those powerful beings who had arranged transactions in advance, upon reincarnating into major clans, they would receive careful care from a young age. In essence, it was a collaboration.
"Indeed, this point is quite incredible. To be able to block Sister's investigation, one must be at least at the eighth level of Immortal King Realm or higher, perhaps even higher!"
The Space Origin Divine Tree said with a solemn gaze.
The Time Origin Divine Tree said coldly, "Moreover, a segment of the time fragments is restricted by some force and cannot be displayed. His fall into that Demon Valley Forbidden Land and how he climbed out must have a reason. He must have inherited an incredible legacy within. Judging by his performance, it might be the legacy of a peak expert in the Immortal King Realm, or it might be the legacy left by the Great Emperor who created that false realm."
The Space Origin Divine Tree's eyes moved, but she nodded slightly, not doubting such a guess.
"If he truly obtained that Great Emperor's legacy, with this youth's talent, it is highly possible for him to walk his own path in the future and become a new Great Emperor. Granting him a portion of the sweet dew is also worth it."
The Time Origin Divine Tree said.
The Space Origin Divine Tree said softly, "I also don't know if he can encounter his own opportunities. Relying solely on the Nine Order Immortal Seal is still a bit lacking in the end. Without condensing it into a Dao Origin Immortal Seal, there is no hope in this life."
"The time left for him is relatively ample. Although the Immortal Seal in the Immortal Lord Realm is fixed and cannot be changed, the transformation from Nine Order to Dao Origin is an exception. As long as he doesn't become an Immortal King, and his Immortal Seal hasn't transformed into an Immortal Kingdom, he can still succeed!"
The Time Origin Divine Tree said.
"His soul age is only a mere hundred years, already possessing peerless talent. To cultivate to the peak of Immortal Lord Realm, even at the fastest speed, would take a thousand years. It should be enough time. I hope he won't be like those other fleeting prodigies who die prematurely along the way."
The Space Origin Divine Tree said, shaking her head and sighing softly.
They had seen too many prodigies who were incredibly swift and shocking in the early stages, yet encountered certain setbacks, became disheartened, or even got stuck at a certain bottleneck. As long stretches of time passed, they gradually became mediocre.
The Time Origin Divine Tree did not speak, her gaze merely resting on those fragments of time, her eyes flickering uncertainly.
...
Upon the Time Origin Divine Tree.
Li Hao obtained the Time Sweet Dew. Without hesitation, he immediately consumed it upon the Divine Tree.
As this portion of sweet dew flowed into his body, an aura of the Great Dao of Time filled his entire body. His pores seemed to be trembling, as if undergoing a baptism by the river of time's sand.
His body seemed to transform into countless grains of flowing sand, integrating into the surrounding wave-like torrent of time. Every grain of sand and every piece of skin was subtly feeling the changes in the Time Origin Great Dao.
Li Hao was immersed in this subtle sensation. Suddenly, he gradually discovered that the long river of time was not truly like a river, flowing endlessly downstream from its source.
Time is a constant, yet disordered force.
It's as if it's a certain cycle, recurring endlessly.
The end is the starting point, and the starting point is the end.
Or rather, time is a painting.
Wherever your gaze falls, that place is the origin!
With this feeling in his heart, Li Hao suddenly felt a sense of dread. If it was truly like this, wouldn't that mean everything was already predetermined in the unseen?
If one had extremely strong control over time, could one even wander within the long river of time?
Can the past still be called the past? Can the future still be called the future?
The past is the future, and the future is the past?
Then who is he?
His pores were all trembling, but at this moment, he felt lost, horrified, and shocked, with an indescribable feeling.
Previously, he only felt the Time Origin Great Dao was vast and boundless, but only now did he truly feel that this vastness enveloped him, and he himself was just a speck of dust in the long river of time!
Seeing the true self, knowing the immensity!
At this moment, Li Hao truly leaped beyond the third level of the Time Origin Great Dao, catching a glimpse of the true veil of time!
Soon, seemingly only a brief instant had passed, Li Hao was squeezed out from that vast torrent of time. He felt a sense of exhaustion, his entire body left with only horror, fear, and trembling.
But at the same time, his understanding of the Time Origin had undergone a qualitative improvement compared to before.
Time is not flowing endlessly, but is static!!
When he realized this point, his Time Origin advanced from the third level to the fourth level, truly entering the inner chamber, and taking control of the Time Origin!
Li Hao sat on the branch. There was no joy from the realm breakthrough, only the constantly changing expressions of horror and complexity on his face. If everything was static, then what was the point of his own struggles and the countless people striving in cultivation?
If everything already had an end, then what was the meaning of all the suffering and struggle?
Perhaps, having no meaning is the meaning given by time?!
He sat there blankly, thinking, completely forgetting that every second at this moment was extremely precious cultivation time.
For a long, long time.
Li Hao gradually calmed down from that lost complexity and trembling shock. In his eyes, however, there slowly appeared a trace of relief, relief for his initial choices.
If everything was already predetermined, if the end was the starting point, if everything had no meaning, then perhaps how to live this life well was the greatest meaning.
Therefore, along the way, watching the flowers bloom, watching the snow fall, was not a waste of time, not neglecting cultivation. Because he did it out of fondness, his life thus had a meaning belonging to this life.
Thinking of this point, he felt a sudden clarity, as if his whole body was transparent. A certain scolding voice in his heart, although often ignored, occasionally echoed, completely vanished at this moment.
Since time is static, when everything has no meaning, then everything has meaning!
Having understood these things, he smiled. However, there was a slight roaring sensation in his mind.
His Dao heart seemed to undergo a baptism of time at this moment, radiating a more brilliant light, taking another small step towards the highest realm of Heavenly Dao Emperor Heart.
This change in Dao heart would not bring an increase in strength, unless it was certain immortal techniques specifically targeting the Dao heart.
Within the Time Origin Divine Tree's secret realm.
The Space Origin Divine Tree looked at the youth on the branch whose expression was constantly changing, and couldn't help but smile. She had seen this scene too many times, and said:
"Sister, it seems your sweet dew was very effective. His Time Origin realm has broken through, reaching the fourth level. This is almost catching up to the level you grant Dao Fruits, right?"
The Time Origin Divine Tree gazed, and said calmly:
"If he reaches the fifth level, he will be qualified to consume my Dao Fruit. Moreover, the Dao Fruits I had on hand are all used up. We are not like those five siblings in Five Dao City. They can condense one every ten thousand years. It takes us thirty thousand years to condense one. The two I had accumulated on hand were previously given to that little girl."
"Is it the one who traveled through time not long ago? She is indeed worthy. I didn't expect her to not perish in that great battle. In this life, she might be able to achieve the Great Emperor realm and surpass her master!"
The Space Origin Divine Tree said.
"With the Dao she cultivates, it's difficult. But if she truly succeeds, she won't be someone easy to provoke among Great Emperors."
The Time Origin Divine Tree said.
"It's a pity for this little fellow, he arrived a step too late. He just glimpsed the tip of the iceberg of time. He's probably trembling right now, and I don't know if his Dao heart will decline."
The Space Origin Divine Tree looked at the youth whose face revealed shock and fear, and said teasingly.
The Time Origin Divine Tree didn't speak. She had seen many such cases. Apart from the difficulty in comprehending the Great Dao of Time, the deeper one's comprehension after grasping it, the closer one gets to the truth of the world, and the further one also gets from many original understandings, perhaps even completely overturning them. This makes it difficult for many people to bear for a time.
As for destiny, which stands at the peak of all Daos, it once drove countless prodigies insane. When one sees destiny clearly, it can instead cause madness, and the consequences are even more terrifying.
As the two were talking, the Time Origin Divine Tree suddenly saw that the fear on the youth's face on the branch slowly subsided. Suddenly, he started laughing to himself.
It was a smile of relief, and also a lighthearted smile, which made her somewhat stunned.
The Space Origin Divine Tree was also stunned, her eyes showing surprise and astonishment.
After a while, the corner of the Time Origin Divine Tree's mouth slowly lifted into a rare curve, and she said blandly:
"It seems he is indeed different from others. This portion of sweet dew, he is worthy of it."
The Space Origin Divine Tree fell silent, gazing at the youth. Her assessment of him in her heart rose another level.
(End of this chapter)