The Fairy of the Dao Sea's expression could only be described as shocked — such an emotion rarely surfaced on her face.
But in truth, the storm raging within her heart was far more turbulent.
She had always placed immense faith in the Prophecy Spirit Stone — especially the one she now held in her hand.
This particular Prophecy Spirit Stone was extraordinarily special. It had been recovered from an ancient ruin dating back to the primordial era, a treasure left behind by a great prophecy master of antiquity.
Such treasures were virtually unheard of in the modern martial cultivation world.
It could only deliver a single prophecy, yet almost every prediction it made came true.
Years ago, she had learned by chance that the Nine Soul Heavenly River would face a great calamity, and from that moment she had desperately sought a way to resist it, preparing everything in advance.
After tremendous effort, she had finally obtained this Prophecy Spirit Stone and used it to pose a question: could anyone withstand the great calamity?
Then, upon the stone's surface, the image of an infant appeared.
And that infant happened to be none other than the disciple the Fairy of the Dao Sea had just taken in — Wang Yuxuan.
As Wang Yuxuan grew over the years, the shadow displayed on the Prophecy Spirit Stone continued to evolve alongside her.
Although the stone never revealed Wang Yuxuan's fully formed face, the Fairy of the Dao Sea could still tell that it was her.
But there was one thing that had initially puzzled her.
Normally, a Prophecy Spirit Stone could only make one prophecy. After a successful prediction, it would lose its power and become an ordinary stone.
Logically, since the stone had long since prophesied that Wang Yuxuan was the one who would withstand the great calamity of the Nine Soul Heavenly River, it should have already lost its power.
Yet years had passed in the blink of an eye. Wang Yuxuan had grown from an infant into one of the most formidable young cultivators in the Nine Soul Heavenly River, and still the Prophecy Spirit Stone had not lost its power — its energy remained.
Previously, the Fairy of the Dao Sea had speculated that the stone's lingering power was because Wang Yuxuan had not yet reached the level of strength needed to withstand the calamity. Once she possessed that strength, the stone would reveal her complete image, and that would be when the prophecy truly came to fruition.
But now, the Prophecy Spirit Stone in the Fairy of the Dao Sea's hand had already returned to the appearance of an ordinary stone.
Not only had the stone become completely normal — devoid of any trace of extraordinary power or aura — but the figure displayed upon it had vanished as well.
It was nothing more than a stone, as plain as any other.
Yet the Fairy of the Dao Sea clearly remembered that, just before this, the Prophecy Spirit Stone had shown a complete figure.
Only that figure had not been her brilliant disciple Wang Yuxuan.
It was Chu Feng.
"How can this be?"
"Could it be that the great calamity of our Nine Soul Heavenly River must be withstood by an outsider?"
"Does that Chu Feng truly possess such ability?"
The Fairy of the Dao Sea's eyes grew increasingly complex — conflicted, even pained.
This was only natural. Something she had believed in all along, only to discover she had been mistaken — that kind of pain, perhaps only she could understand.
But then, all the emotion on her face vanished, replaced by a faint, gentle smile.
The smile was subtle, yet it carried a sense of relief.
Crack—
The Prophecy Spirit Stone in her hand was crushed to powder.
"Sister, perhaps you were right. How could something like prophecy ever be fully trustworthy?"
"The martial cultivation world — in the end, it all comes down to the individual."
"My Lele will surely be the strongest."
"Forget that the calamity might not even exist — even if it does, it will be my disciple and I who face it."
Looking at the Prophecy Spirit Stone reduced to dust drifting around her palm, the Fairy of the Dao Sea spoke in a low voice.
She who had once been so steadfast in her belief in the Prophecy Spirit Stone now rejected it entirely.
Perhaps she had never truly believed in the stone at all — she had only believed in what she wished to be true.
"Heh…"
But just then, a soft chuckle echoed through the room.
Hearing that sound, the Fairy of the Dao Sea's nerves tensed instantly. She immediately shouted: