A strange scene emerged in the Blue Sky Sword Sea. At the very center of Sword Forest was an enormous cocoon wrapped in rolling thunder and lightning.
It was said that Chen Xia was inside.
It would be hard to believe the connection between Chen Xia and this massive cocoon wrapped in thunder and lightning without seeing it with your own eyes.
Naturally, such a peculiar event attracted observers.
First, some idle junior elders came to watch from a distance, not daring to get too close. Just seeing the purplish-red lightning swirling over the cocoon made their hearts tremble.
"Elder Chen...really turned into this cocoon?"
"More than a thousand people saw it happen, so it should be correct. As expected of Elder Chen, truly an unorthodox path, embarking on the road of pupating into a butterfly."
"Who knows how long this pupation will take, or what he'll become when he comes out."
"That we don't know. No need to consider what's not our business, just watch quietly."
After the junior elders had their fill of watching, the busier senior elders came to see the spectacle. The senior elders were more widely learned, and when they saw the top-grade Heavenly Thunder, they knitted their brows.
"Top-grade Heavenly Thunder?"
"Using top-grade Heavenly Thunder as an incubator, unknown what's pupating inside, just its aura makes hearts tremble. Seems to also contain traces of a flood dragon, don't know what kind of monster will emerge after breaking out of the cocoon."
One senior elder was puzzled. "That's not right. This Chen Xia is clearly of the human race, how could he have a flood dragon's aura? And this pupation seems less like metamorphosis into a butterfly, but more like into a dragon."
"Then we don't know. The world is vast and strange, not everything can be fully comprehended."
Indeed this was the case.
Most of the senior elders also just came to see the spectacle, then left. After them came the Taishang Elders.
The first to arrive was Third Elder, his tall and thin figure not even a hundred meters from the enormous cocoon. His face was cold and severe. After watching for a while, he uttered a single sentence:
"Sword Forest is where the Blue Sky Sword Sea nurtures its sword qi. How laughable that someone occupies it alone to do this."
Third Elder only said this one line, seemingly not speaking to Chen Xia inside the cocoon, but to all of Blue Sky Sword Sea.
Afterward, Old Fisherman came by once. He stood very close to the cocoon, silent, watching with fluctuating eyes for a while before striding away with a single step.
In the following century, few people came to Sword Forest anymore.
The novelty had worn off, and there was nothing more to see, so it was better to return home and cultivate.
Of note, the Fourteen Sons of Vast Sky also came to take a look, but most didn't linger, only glancing at it in passing.
The only one who stopped was Li Yang. He only said one line:
"What a good way to evade debts."
The only ones who still came to Sword Forest after that were the cultivators who were close with Chen Xia.
Big Yellow Dog took up permanent residence, staying by the cocoon's side, having built a modest doghouse where he sprawled half the time, keeping watch over the massive cocoon.
When it got cold he added quilted jackets onto the cocoon, and fanned it when hot, attentive in every way.
Aside from Big Yellow Dog, Zhang DaoMing also came frequently. Looking at the enormous cocoon, he often sighed,
"I told you not to refine pills this way, but you wouldn't listen. Now look, the Dao of Alchemy is upset and sealed you up. Sigh."
"You understand nothing. My brother is evolving." Big Yellow Dog retorted, somewhat indignant.
"The human race has no such evolution, I see this as offending the Dao of Alchemy." Zhang DaoMing had his own reasoning.
Big Yellow Dog crossed his arms, the corner of his mouth curling disdainfully. "Alchemy can piss off."
Of course, Zhang DaoMing wouldn't debate Big Yellow Dog. He shook his head with another sigh, still concerned after all.
Aside from Zhang DaoMing, Pan Dadao also often came to watch. But he couldn't get a single word out, just stared blankly at the massive cocoon.
Big Yellow Dog watched him from the side.
A few times Pan Dadao opened his mouth as if to speak, but choked on the words in his throat. In the end he only lowered his head and dragged his short frame away.
Of the several, the one who came the least was Chi Yu of the three sworn brothers.
He only came three times, closed-door training the rest of the time.
The spiritual energy of Blue Sky Sword Sea would diminish significantly every few decades, becoming less and less dense compared to its former abundance.
After coming out of seclusion, Chi Yu would immediately return to Sword Forest to take a look, though the habitually taciturn fellow couldn't find much to say either, just sitting with Big Yellow Dog.
And Chi Yu's third time coming would be the last.
It was Chen Xia's five hundredth year of pupating.
News of Blue Sky Sword Sea's decline had spread through the entire star region, basically all cultivators had heard.
Some probationary and formal disciples had already left Blue Sky Sword Sea, saying they were going home, unknown if they would return.
Blue Sky Sword Sea was also unable to recruit new disciples, only admitting three hundred for the newest class, all ancient clans.
It was under this atmosphere that Chi Yu's father came, a tall, reddish figure. After entering Blue Sky Sword Sea, he took Chi Yu to leave.
Chi Yu didn't want to go. He wanted to stay until Chen Xia emerged, to bid him proper farewell.
His father directly slapped him upside the head. "If you want to revive the clan, you can't remain here. The end of the Great World is coming, more than you can withstand. You shouldn't have to withstand it!"
Chi Yu knew this was true, but still hesitated. "Can it wait a while?"
"You stole precious clan treasures, I won't reprimand you, take it as a child's ignorance. But if you keep stalling me over this, then I really regret cultivating you to revive the clan!"
Chi Yu lowered his head, silent for a while before nodding. "Alright, give me a moment."
The last moments lingering in Blue Sky Sword Sea were spent on his third visit to see Chen Xia.
The enormous cocoon showed no signs of change, still at the very center of Sword Forest, Big Yellow Dog sitting beside it fanning as usual.
Chi Yu didn't draw near, watching from afar for a while, his expression very calm.
"Time to go," came the low voice behind him.
"I want to leave the clan treasures here." Chi Yu said softly.
"For who?"
"Hmm..." Chi Yu's mouth curved into a smile. "In his words, it'd be for a good brother."
"Alright."
There are no feasts that don't end in the world.
Everyone's life has its own turning points, appearing at every stage, unavoidable.
Because this is growth.
Chi Yu only felt some regret that they didn't get to truly bid each other farewell in the end.
After parting, who knew if they would ever have the chance to meet again.
Today's wind held a chill. Chi Yu drew his clothes tighter around himself.
Behind him Blue Sky Sword Sea receded farther and farther until small and vague.
He too had become a passerby amidst the nebulous stars.
Unknown when they would meet again, only that they had already parted ways.
I plan to finish writing about Blue Sky Sword Sea in the next three days.