The Grave That Rises Little

The enormous cocoon shrouded in thunder had become somewhat smaller over the subsequent few hundred years. The rolling purple and red thunder within it had also gradually faded, as if disappearing.

Nearby, the Big Yellow Dog was a little worried. It always felt that Chen Xia seemed malnourished, so it specifically studied the Thunder Dao to provide some nourishment for Chen Xia.

However, its journey in learning the Thunder Dao was not smooth. Often, the thunder was loud but the raindrops were small, unable to summon true thunder.

The Big Yellow Dog also felt somewhat guilty, thinking itself too useless.

It was also aware that Chi Yu had left the Blue Sky Sword Sea. Moreover, not only Chi Yu, many disciples had also gradually left the Blue Sky Sword Sea over time.

Not everyone was willing to accompany the Blue Sky Sword Sea through its final twilight years.

Furthermore, the disciples all had great futures and experiences in life ahead of them. It was impossible for them to remain shackled to the Blue Sky Sword Sea.

Chi Yu's departure still made the Big Yellow Dog heartbroken. In the first few days after hearing the news, the entire dog was stunned, staring blankly at the sky.

Zhang DaoMing couldn't stand to see this and consoled it, "There are no eternal feasts in life. As long as you survive, you will reunite in the future."

The Big Yellow Dog propped up its head, still feeling very downcast. "What if Chi Yu can't survive?"

"That would be fate. But no one can predict the future. Rather than worrying about what's to come, it's better to live well in the present, right?" Zhang DaoMing gently advised.

"Mm," the Big Yellow Dog nodded its head, still feeling glum with a dazed look in its eyes as it stared at the enormous cocoon, thinking about something that frightened it.

What if Chen Xia died in the future?

Just thinking about this question made the Big Yellow Dog feel heartbroken again, unable to cheer up.

Chi Yu's departure was like a knife that sliced open a long gash in its heart.

Yet the Big Yellow Dog didn't resent anyone, only blaming itself for being too useless. If only it had become an emperor, then Chi Yu wouldn't have had to leave and Chen Xia wouldn't have endured the sidelong glances of the Three Elders.

The one thousandth year of Chen Xia's cocoon transformation.

The Three Elders, who had been silent for a long time, spoke up. Standing atop the Azure Sky, facing the entire Sword Sea, they solemnly declared:

"From this day forth, any cultivator who leaves the Blue Sky Sword Sea should never return, regardless of life or death. There is no place for you here."

The disciples and elders below fell silent. Although they had already known in their hearts that the Blue Sky Sword Sea was declining more and more, hearing these words directly from Elder Taishang still felt unbelievable.

The Blue Sky Sword Sea, which had flourished for multiple great eras in this star realm, had finally reached its time of destruction.

After speaking, Elder Taishang added another remark, unrelated to the Blue Sky Sword Sea but directed at the Sword Forest Path:

"You have another thousand years. If you don't break out of your cocoon by then, get out of the Sword Forest. This wellspring nurturing sword qi isn't meant for your cocoon transformation."

The time allotted was already very generous, at least that's what the Three Elders thought.

Aside from the Three Elders, no other Elder Taishang spoke up.

The entire Blue Sky Sword Sea seemed to completely sink into silence, like a dying elder awaiting the final moment of dissolution.

This was the first thousand years of decay. After the Three Elders' pronouncement, three formal disciples left together. When departing, they knelt to the ground facing the Blue Sky Sword Sea and performed the grand ritual of respect.

"Get lost! Don't come back once you've gone out!" shouted the Second Elder of Laws and Precepts, who was in charge of records.

"Thank you, Master, for your nurturing grace!" the three disciples said in unison. They were all personal disciples recorded under the Second Elder of Laws and Precepts.

"Hmph!" The Second Elder of Laws and Precepts let out a cold snort, clasping his hands behind his back without responding.

The three formal disciples stood up together, also not saying anything more, and headed towards the distance.

"Go make something of yourselves out there, don't disgrace the Blue Sky Sword Sea's reputation!" An abrupt shout rang out.

The three formal disciples turned around excitedly and bowed deeply once more, vigorously replying:

"Yes!"

Perhaps thousands of years later when the Blue Sky Sword Sea had been destroyed, they could still carry its legacy to distant lands.

The 1,200th year.

For the first time, an elder left the Blue Sky Sword Sea. He was a newly advanced elder whose cultivation was not high, only at the First Layer of Overturning the Seas. But his family background was not bad; a Boundless Heavenly Realm elder from his clan personally came to retrieve him.

No one from the Blue Sky Sword Sea tried to stop this. If this had happened in the past, a Boundless Heavenly Realm cultivator daring to intrude into the Blue Sky Sword Sea would have been slapped to death with one palm by the saints.

But now, no one tried to stop him or even came to see him off.

If he wanted to leave, then so be it. The Blue Sky Sword Sea would not keep him.

This was the first formal elder to depart, but certainly not the last.

Gradually, more left.

The Blue Sky Sword Sea originally had 280 formal elder seats. By the 1,500th year, only 200 remained.

The other 80 elder seats had been cleared out from the Supreme Great Hall and tossed into the Sword Sea.

At present, there were exactly 200 elder seats left, but this was definitely not a coincidence. The elders' departures had only just begun.

Elders with prospects, prestigious backgrounds, and connections would never stay to face the end of the great era with the Blue Sky Sword Sea.

They returned to their clans to take shelter. Although they would still be impacted, they would certainly survive and have their own future paths ahead.

Perhaps they could even become a mighty Boundless Heavenly Realm master. They should not bind themselves to death with the Blue Sky Sword Sea.

If even the formal elders were leaving, how could the disciples still want to stay?

Most of the disciples who were still willing to remain in the Blue Sky Sword Sea now either wanted to take advantage of benefits like studying profound arts and divine abilities in the Heavenly Pavilion, or had gained the favor and inheritance of some great figure who didn't want to leave.

These were their opportunities.

These disciples lingered, hoping for opportunities.

Then in the 1,700th year, a new piece of news joined the wave of cultivators departing.

Someone from the Fourteen Sons of Vast Sky had left.

Moreover, it was one of the front-running emperor seeds. Without a word, he had severed ties with the Blue Sky Sword Sea and disappeared to parts unknown.

The Fourteen Sons of Vast Sky that the Blue Sky Sword Sea had once established now seemed like a joke. There weren't even fourteen left, only thirteen.

Yet everyone knew it wouldn't stay thirteen. No one knew how many would remain in the end, but some dared to boldly predict the answer.

Zero.

If neither the disciples nor the formal elders wanted to stay in the Blue Sky Sword Sea, then the promising emperor seeds had even less reason to remain.

It was very possible that all of the remaining emperor seeds would end up at zero.

That same year.

Pan Dadao came to see Chen Xia in his cocoon, his aged body hobbling along with white hair and clouded eyes. He stared blankly at the cocoon.

The Big Yellow Dog sat to the side, paws crossed as it carefully inspected Pan Dadao for a while. Then it couldn't help sighing:

"How is it that everyone has gotten so old?"

"The cycle of life and death is normal," Pan Dadao chuckled lightly, his gaze still fixed on the cocoon. Shaking his head, he continued in a low voice:

"It's just a pity that I probably won't get to see Chen Xia again in my lifetime. I wanted to properly bid farewell, but there's no chance left."

The Big Yellow Dog quickly consoled: "Don't worry, hang in there a little longer. Chen Xia should emerge soon. I see the purple lightning is already gone and the cocoon has shrunk a lot."

"I see," Pan Dadao nodded along, eyes clouded, the corners of his mouth wrinkled in a faint smile.

"If I don't get to see it, I hope you can deliver a message for me."

"What message?" the Big Yellow Dog asked.

"Thank you," Pan Dadao replied.

In the 1,800th year, Pan Dadao peacefully sat in meditation and passed away in his cave residence.

The funeral was not grand. There was no purple gold coffin, just an ordinary wooden one.

Those who came to see him off were only Zhang DaoMing and the Big Yellow Dog.

It rained lightly that day.

After the rain, a modest grave was erected.