My low-key cultivation of immortality was discovered by the emperor in my diary.

Chapter 486 Mayfly, Vague and Unseen

Chu Lengyu shook her head and said, "If that's the case, I refuse."

Her words puzzled Master Tang, who seemed not to have expected her to say that.

He earnestly advised, "We, and the world we were born into, are struggling to survive in this dog-eat-dog world. No one can shake this behemoth alone. But if we join forces, there might still be a sliver of hope."

Chu Lengyu scoffed, "In this world, true companions are few and far between; most are just scheming and exploiting each other. What makes you think I would trust you?"

"Do you think you have any other choice?" Master Tang's tone turned somber. "Don't think that just because you managed to escape once, you can disregard the Parasite Clan."

As one of the eleven most powerful plague tribes, when they get serious, no one can stop them except for the Star Palace.

Having long maintained its position, how could the Star Palace possibly start a war over such a small place as the lower realm?

Chu Lengyu continued to swirl the teacup in her hand, and said calmly, "It's you who has no choice, not me."

"Bookworms, pulse-gazing, immortals in books? You expect to use this to rebel against the rules, to rebel against injustice?"

"Excuse my bluntness, but this is not only naive, it's downright foolish!"

With a bang, she finally put down the teacup. The sparse, shimmering light floating in the glaze seemed dazzling, but in reality, it concealed a deadly intent.

"The myriad realms have been subservient to the Star Palace for so long, their knees have long been rooted to the ground." Chu Lengyu pressed on, a sharp sword intent surfacing deep in her pupils. "I don't believe in fate, nor in coincidence. Do you think these pulses are... bait that the Star Palace deliberately left for those who resist?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Master Tang was shaken to his core.

He was completely drained of his strength, and he slumped over, saying bitterly, "You're right, I had no other choice long ago."

Chu Lengyu finally opened the wooden box. The bookworms inside had turned into flowing golden liquid, reflecting countless distorted faces. Blurred figures floated in the golden cage, sending chills down one's spine.

Clearly, cultivating a pulse is not as simple as it sounds, and the cost of consuming it is not merely superficial.

She suddenly pointed her fingers together like a sword.

The cold light cleaved open the wooden box, and as the sword energy swept across the pages of the book, the golden liquid inside emitted a shrill scream.

Unaffected, Chu Lengyu resolutely slashed down: "How dare a mere false god defile a true immortal—!"

A mournful cry emanated from the yellowed scrolls, each stroke of the pen seemingly dripping blood.

Then, they all vanished into thin air.

After doing all this, Chu Lengyu stood up, gently waved her sleeve, removed her disguise, and finally revealed her true appearance.

The mark left by the parasitic plague god still coiled like a curse between her brows, but now she openly revealed it, no longer hiding it.

For some, this is a kill order, a death warrant; for others, it is a mark of honor and glory.

Chu Lengyu strode forward, heading quickly toward the transparent crystal curtain wall.

A vibrant galaxy flowed before her, its light, sometimes bright, sometimes dim, shimmering above her brow.

"I would say that mayflies, born in the morning and dying at dusk, can witness the wonder of the stars shifting and the constellations turning. Meanwhile, even a ten-thousand-year-old tortoise, confined to a pond, can only observe the depth of moss." (Note)

"The world is vast and boundless, and time is endless. What in this world is absolute?"

"So, do I pass the test?" She turned to the side and asked with a slight smile.

Tang, who had been dejected, clapped his hands and praised, "Not bad, not bad."

He got up, walked to the window, and gazed into the distance.

The Nine Stars continued its journey at full speed, heading towards its pre-determined destination.

This time, Chu Lengyu took the initiative to extend her hand and said, "Let's get acquainted. I am Chu Lengyu."

Tang, the head eunuch, glanced at her, then reached out to shake her hand, saying in a slightly exaggerated manner, "I've heard so much about you. I am Tang Xin."

However, Chu Lengyu persisted, feigning annoyance as she pressed, "We're all on the same pirate ship now, why are you still hiding your identity, fellow Daoist?"

Tang replied, "I have quite a few enemies."

Chu Lengyu smiled: "What a coincidence, me too."

So he thought about it for a moment and said again, "That's right, then let's get to know each other again."

The voice gradually changed from low to light, and the man in the brocade robe in front of him swayed slightly, his robes fluttering without wind, and his outline quickly blurred.

Instead, there was a young woman dressed in a light blue dress, with a more alluring red curse mark between her eyebrows.

"Nice to meet you. My name is Tang Qingying."

Chu Lengyu paused for a moment, because she did indeed recognize the name. (First appearance in Chapter 318)

She hesitated before asking, "I've heard that you killed a Nascent Soul cultivator while in the Divine Transformation stage, a Nascent Soul cultivator while in the Integration stage, and a Great Ascension cultivator while in the Integration stage?"

Upon hearing this, Tang Qingying couldn't help but chuckle and waved her hand gently: "Ah, those are just rumors. My forte is the Dao of Space. At first, I only succeeded by sneaking up on someone. Who knew that the rumors would become more and more exaggerated, especially about that Mahayana Demon Clan? His defeat was clearly due to his own lack of strength."

Chu Lengyu then asked, "I also heard that you single-handedly changed the perception of the lower realms by both the immortal and demonic realms?"

Tang Qingying shook her head slightly, her tone tinged with helplessness: "How could that be? It's obviously an exaggeration. Whether it's the Star Palace or the Demon Clan, how could they easily change their strategy because of me alone? The reason they tacitly chose to stop and cease indiscriminately destroying the lower realm is actually for another reason."

Tang Qingying originally only intended to give a brief explanation, but after thinking about it, she decided to reveal a more important piece of information.

She held up two fingers and explained one by one: "Firstly, as we all know, the exploration and expansion phase of the Star Sea and myriad worlds has long passed. Now, under the influence of various internal and external factors, the Star Palace has decided to no longer explore unknown star regions, but instead focus on the development of the known world."

"Secondly, and more importantly, the spiritual energy tide is coming soon!" Tang Qingying's expression became solemn.

Chu Lengyu murmured repeatedly, "Spiritual power...tides?"

A hint of confusion flickered across her face.

Clearly, this was the first time she had heard of this concept.

Seeing this, Tang Qingying knew that Chu Lengyu did not understand this, so she patiently explained to her: "The concentration of spiritual energy is not constant, but rises and falls like the tide, and is constantly changing. In the last million years, the Star Sea Myriad Realms have been in a stage of slow decline of spiritual energy."

"The spiritual energy tide is divided into two types: high tide and low tide."

"When spiritual energy surges, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth is extremely abundant, the Great Dao is active, and all kinds of geniuses emerge like bamboo shoots after a spring rain. One year of cultivation is enough to be equivalent to several years or even decades of cultivation at other times."

"However, when the spiritual energy recedes, the spiritual energy gradually dwindles, and the Great Dao becomes hidden and difficult to find. Even those with exceptional talent will frequently encounter bottlenecks and find it difficult to break through. Many cultivators will die of old age on the way because they cannot break through their realms."

“Currently, the myriad realms of the starry sea are facing a new wave of spiritual energy decline.” Tang Qingying’s expression grew increasingly serious. “According to calculations by the Ziwei Star Palace, this wave of spiritual energy decline may last for tens of thousands of years, and its severity is still difficult to predict.”

"Therefore, all the major powers are making preparations. For example, the Myriad Star Alliance is preparing to engage in extensive trade and collect spiritual essences at any cost."

Tang Qingying sighed, "Ten thousand years might not be too difficult for high-level cultivators. If they prepare resources in advance and are careful and patient, it will pass."

"But for low- to mid-level cultivators, this is a natural disaster that could wipe out an entire lineage or even cause their extinction!"

After listening, Chu Lengyu frowned and fell silent.

There's no reason for the other party to lie to her about something like this. Assuming what she said is true, then...

Tang Qingying patted her shoulder and comforted her, "Don't worry, the Star Sea Myriad Realms has experienced several large-scale spiritual energy tides, so the Star Palace at least has experience."

"It's precisely because the spiritual energy is receding that everyone has restrained themselves and stopped wantonly destroying the lower realm. It really has little to do with me."

After saying that, she shrugged, indicating that she was completely innocent.

Chu Lengyu pursed her lips slightly, not exposing her explanation.

Her storage bag contained numerous wanted lists, with Tang Qingying's name appearing multiple times.

She... is going to seize the opportunity to learn from this guy who can be wanted by the Star Palace, the Holy Realm, and the Demon Realm at the same time.

_______________________

Note:

"Confined in the pond, one can only see the depth of the moss." I vaguely remember seeing this line somewhere before, so it must have been referenced, but I can't recall the original sentence. I'll just mark it here for now.

In addition, Chu Lengyu collected the wanted list to see if she was on it, so that she could react in time. At the same time, it was also a way to quickly understand the important forces in Xinghai.

Tang Qingying's arrest warrant was actually sold to her by Manager Tang (laughs).

Because a lot of plot was cut, Tang Qingying's appearance may seem a bit abrupt.

In short, one temporary teammate has been added.