"No need for formalities." Mu raised her hand, her gaze falling on Yang Kai's chest as she smiled gently. "Little Eight, it's been a long time."
She seemed not only able to see through Yang Kai's true appearance, but also to perceive the wisp of Wu Kuang's divine sense concealed within the jade pendant.
Wu Kuang's voice immediately rang out in Yang Kai's mind: "Tell her—I am not the Devourer."
Before Yang Kai could speak, Mu nodded. "I know. When you made that choice all those years ago, I had already foreseen the various possible outcomes. I even tried to dissuade you. But looking at it now, the result isn't too bad."
Back then, the Devourer had been willing to merge his body with the seal itself in order to break through to the Opening Heaven Realm and explore higher levels of martial Dao, leaving behind only a sliver of true spirit to escape and be reborn. He had drifted for countless years before Yang Kai brought him back to guard the Primordial Heaven Great Seal.
Fortunately, his rebirth had been considered a success—he was now Wu Kuang. Unfortunately, even after all this time, he had never managed to fulfill the wish of his previous life.
"You can hear my voice?" Wu Kuang was utterly astonished. He was nothing more than a wisp of divine sense now, tethered to the jade pendant. Apart from communicating with Yang Kai, he had no power to do anything else—yet Mu had heard him perfectly clearly.
"Of course," Mu replied with a smile. "I should also mention—I am Mu, but I am also not Mu."
Yang Kai was puzzled. "Please enlighten me, Senior."
Mu slowly sat down and gestured for Yang Kai to take a seat as well.
She considered for a moment. "I know you have many questions. Let me think—where should I begin?"
"Why not start with this world and yourself?" Yang Kai suggested.
Mu glanced at him and smiled. "It seems you've noticed something?"
"Hey, what did you notice?" Wu Kuang asked.
Yang Kai shook his head slowly. "Just some unfounded conjectures."
Wu Kuang immediately fell silent.
Mu was quiet for another moment before she spoke. "The fact that you were able to enter this place means you've also condensed your own River of Space-Time. I call it the River of Space-Time—I don't know what you call yours."
"I use the same name as you, Senior. Does that mean you were also inspired by the endless river within the Heaven and Earth Furnace?"
"Correct." Mu nodded. "That endless river within the Furnace contained far too many mysteries. I once ventured deep inside to investigate, and from that, I condensed my own myriad Dao and birthed a River of Space-Time."
"Before entering, I was blocked by an invisible barrier, but I was allowed through shortly after. Was that a trial you set, Senior?"
"It was. Only those who have condensed their own River of Space-Time are qualified to enter this place. Otherwise, even if they made it in, it would be meaningless."
Yang Kai realized with a start. He had assumed earlier that the invisible barrier had recognized him because of his human race, but it turned out the reason was the River of Space-Time all along. After all, though he had been born human, he was now essentially a true Dragon.
"When heaven and earth first came into being, chaos split into yin and yang, yin and yang gave rise to the Five Elements, and the Five Elements birthed the myriad Dao. And ultimately, all the myriad Dao return to chaos—this is the deepest mystery of the Grand Dao, the destination of all things. Chaos alone is the true eternity." Mu's voice drifted gently through the air.
Outside, a group of children could be heard running and playing noisily, followed by the wailing cry of someone sobbing—apparently bullied by the others.
"With my lifetime's worth of cultivation, I inscribed my own River of Space-Time deep within the Great Seal to protect the myriad World Realms within, allowing their inhabitants to live in peace. Countless ages have passed, all the way to this day."
Yang Kai's expression shifted. "Senior, are you saying that the Primordial World truly exists? That every living being in this world is real?"
"Of course." Mu nodded. "This world has existed since the very dawn of heaven and earth. It took countless years to develop into what it is now. But the laws of heaven and earth in this world are not particularly powerful, which is why the martial standards of its warriors remain rather low."
"Why is this world… inside the Primordial Heaven Great Seal? And its name is rather thought-provoking," Yang Kai said, puzzled.
Mu looked at him with a knowing smile. "The reason it's called the Primordial World is because it was the first World Realm born when heaven and earth first came into being. And this place… is also where Mo was born!"
Yang Kai's mind trembled.
Wu Kuang's voice chimed in: "Now that you mention it, I remember—the reason the Primordial Heaven Great Seal was established here in the first place was precisely because the Primordial World was located in this area. The core of the entire Great Seal is the Primordial World!"
"Perhaps because a being as powerful as Mo was born in this world, draining its spiritual essence, the martial standards here remained so suppressed," Mu continued. "Actually, in the very beginning when heaven and earth first opened, Mo was not the only one born here."
Yang Kai picked up the thread: "When the first light appeared between heaven and earth, shadow came with it!"
"Did Little Eight tell you that?" Mu looked at Yang Kai.
Yang Kai explained. "I once met Senior Cang. When your contingency was triggered earlier, Senior, you must have seen Senior Cang as well."