The words of Captain Chu surprised the three of them, especially Lu Yang, who began to think of even more things. When he first joined the Wendaozong, they had given him a rough map of the sect, showing an area of about a hundred thousand miles. To put that in perspective, it's larger than ten Earths combined!
Considering the abilities described in the texts about powerful cultivators in the Refining Void and Combining Bodies stages, only such a vast area would allow them to fully unleash their powers. The sect had many forbidden areas, most of which were used for battles between powerful cultivators. Anyone lacking sufficient strength would die just by getting too close.
When they entered the sect, the senior sister had said, "The sect cannot be explained in just a few words; you will gradually explore it in the future." This wasn't because she was too lazy to explain; it was simply because Wendaozong was so vast that it required time to discover.
Thinking about it, Wendaozong might be the result of several planets being spread out!
The area occupied by Wendaozong was just a corner of the Central Continent, and it was hard to imagine how large the Central Continent actually was!
Captain Chu continued, "In ancient times, there were thousands, even more, living stars. The exact number is impossible to verify."
"Ancient cultivators, once they reached the Transformation Stage, no longer needed magical tools; they could fly from one star to another. During that time, the universe was filled with the remnants of damaged stars, a result of battles between cultivators!"
"The prosperity of ancient times was truly captivating. So many myths and legends were born, and countless powerful cultivators emerged."
"Back then, when powerful cultivators competed, they measured their strength by how many stars they could destroy in a single strike and how many living planets they commanded."
"When the ancient world reached its peak, a certain being took action, refining countless stars into a single continent. Whether the stars were alive or not, none could escape his grasp."
"The Central Continent is vibrant with life because it was once a living star, the most suitable place for cultivation!"
"The vast ocean to the east of the Central Continent was once a star covered by water."
"The Golden Buddhist Kingdom to the west was once a lifeless, silent star."
"The Southern Demon Region and the Northern Extremes are similar."
Captain Chu's words completely reshaped Lu Yang and the others' understanding. They had never thought that the land beneath their feet was once a refined star! This was beyond their imagination!
"Who refined the stars?" Lu Yang asked.
Captain Chu shook his head. It wasn't that Lu Yang lacked the ability to understand; he genuinely didn't know. "The true identity is untraceable, but one thing is certain: that being was definitely an immortal!"
Such extraordinary power could not be achieved during the Tribulation Stage!
"Why did that being refine the stars into a continent, and what methods were used? These remain mysteries."
Captain Chu continued, "What can be confirmed is that the method used to refine the stars was extremely brutal and lacked any mercy. How many people living on those stars could survive? Even ordinary cultivators would find it hard to stay alive."
"Those who survived did so not because of their strength, but because of luck!"
"Those outstanding talents and powerful beings who rose up to stop him were all turned to mist and sent into reincarnation."
"Fortunately, the Immortal Beings intervened at that time, saving most of the human race, preventing a complete extinction."
"The peak of prosperity collapsed, and for a long time, there was not a single genius to be seen."
"We cannot know where that being is now, but he definitely has not died. When the great era returns, perhaps he will reappear. If he decides to unleash slaughter, who could stop him?"
"Only the Immortal Beings!"
"So for both public and private reasons, we must revive the Immortal Beings!"
"Reviving the Immortal Beings only costs a small number of lives. If we don't revive them, the entire human race might face destruction!"
"It’s infuriating that the righteous path believes they hold the moral high ground, yet they don’t realize that our Immortal Sect is also sacrificing for humanity!"
Captain Chu spoke with determination, his eyes revealing a strong resolve.
From a moral standpoint, they killed to save lives; for themselves, they had a justified reason to kill, feeling at ease with their actions. The Immortal Sect only recruited those from the demonic path because this reasoning resonated with their mindset.
Lu Yang was shocked. Just listening to Captain Chu's words, it seemed they were truly going to fanatically worship the Immortal Beings and pray for their salvation.
Captain Chu's statements might not be entirely true, or perhaps they were just part of the truth. Lu Yang didn't believe that Wendaozong knew nothing about ancient matters, nor did he think the senior sister was unprepared.
Meng Jingzhou asked, "If that's the case, why not cooperate with the righteous path? Wouldn't it be easier to succeed together?"
Captain Chu sneered, "Who can guarantee that the being who refined the stars isn't hiding within the righteous path?"
"After some investigation, the Sect Master believes that the being who refined the stars is within the righteous path, either among the Five Great Sects or in the Great Xia Dynasty."
"Why does the righteous path promote order? Isn’t it to allow more people to cultivate and make the Central Continent more prosperous?"
"But what happens after prosperity? Don’t forget the painful experiences of the end of ancient times."
"Perhaps that being enjoys harvesting lives, waiting until life flourishes again before taking action!"
Captain Chu was expressing the mainstream view of the Immortal Sect.
He added, "The stars above us may seem to hang far away, but if you reach a certain level of cultivation and fly into the universe, you will discover that they are merely remnants from ancient times. There may be some real stars left, but certainly not many."
Captain Chu said all this in hopes that Lu Yang and the others would sincerely worship the Immortal Beings. Seeing their shocked expressions, it seemed he had succeeded.
"Alright, I know this information has had a huge impact on you. Go back and digest it."
"Also, you three performed well in the three trials. Right now, the sect needs people, and most are resting in their cells. Since you have all reached the Foundation Establishment stage, you meet the criteria to become attendants. I have decided to promote you to attendants."
Captain Chu handed each of them a badge, representing their identity as attendants of the Immortal Sect.
In fact, Captain Chu had intended for Lu Yang and the others to become attendants from the beginning. Only attendants were qualified to know about the series of events that had just occurred.
Captain Chu suggested, "By the way, if you have some free time, you can visit your fellow cultivators. I heard the food in the cells is terrible, so you can bring them some food to build rapport."
The demonic path is self-serving, but they also have clear grievances. Being a captain is not an easy job.
However, Captain Chu was not worried about his subordinates scheming against Lu Yang and the others; he was more concerned that his subordinates might be harmed by them.
Lu Yang smiled broadly, "We are all fellow brothers. We will definitely unite and work together to revive the Immortal Beings. Please rest assured, Captain."
For some reason, after hearing this, Captain Chu felt even less at ease.
(End of Chapter)