How many stars are there in the Great Saint Small World?
No cultivator could count clearly, nor could the authors of each major interface calculate it out.
Because the stars within the Great Saint Small World were not fixed, but would change constantly, and the karmic images contained within were not set either.
Perhaps for the last batch of cultivators there was no karmic opportunity yet, but for the next batch arriving there would be divine communication opportunities already waiting.
This was quite dependent on one's fortune.
The cultivators of each major interface busied themselves, constantly exploring the stars within the starry sky small world, searching for opportunities whilst also hoping they could locate the final Great Sage Remnant.
Where was the Great Sage Remnant hidden?
No one knew the answer to this, but it was certainly within this starry sky small world.
Chen Xia sat atop a little star, propping up his chin as he watched the coming and going of busy cultivators, yet he himself was in no hurry.
He and Xu Zhen had no intention at all of exploring any opportunities, their plan being to observe patiently and make plans only after the Great Sage Remnant appeared.
After all, there was a Ma Xiaohong on this current little star, if they went exploring other stars, what would happen to Ma Xiaohong?
This was clearly out of the question, so they could only patiently observe for now.
Anyway, they had already rejected the Divine Realm’s proposal, so they were righteously lazy.
While cultivators of other interfaces were rushing about chaotically, Chen Xia’s group of four simply waited at ease, even finding time to play the occasional game of Chinese chess, completely free of worldly affairs.
Seeing their appearance, cultivators of other interfaces did not pay them much attention either, feeling that the more lazily Xu Zhen and Chen Xia acted the better, reducing competition for themselves.
Yet the peaceful days did not last long.
In just half a month, the little star received a guest. It was Li Xian Elder of the Immortal Realm, and he had come in extreme secrecy, concealing almost all traces of his presence as his divine sense traveled from afar to speak with Chen Xia and Xu Zhen.
Xu Zhen’s eyebrows jumped. “What has brought you here, you undying old thing? Opposing me in the Immortal Realm wasn’t enough, you still have to come here and mock me?”
She gave a cold laugh. “If that really is the case, don’t expect me to indulge you. Today I will surely break that crutch of yours!”
Chen Xia raised his hand in agreement. “I concur.”
“I did not come to oppose you.” Li Xian Elder heaved a sigh, continuing, “I was indeed too reckless with my words previously in the Immortal Realm, so I have come to apologize.”
His words were very sincere.
Yet Xu Zhen simply folded her arms, disdainfully laughing, “What crooked ideas are you plotting, you old dog?”
If Li Xian Elder had more backbone she would not insult him thus, but initially he was arrogant and now he had come begging, so how could he not be an old dog?
Li Xian Elder’s eyebrows twitched slightly, his expression unchanged, a flash in his eyes as he continued speaking,
“Xu Zhen, you can call me an old dog and I will not take offense, but in the end you are a cultivator of the Immortal Realm. The Immortal Realm is inextricably linked to you, so for the sake of the entire Immortal Realm, shouldn’t you lend a hand?”
“You fellows cannot be considered part of the Immortal Realm.” Xu Zhen tilted her head slightly, an disdainful smile on her face.
“Why can we not be considered part of the Immortal Realm?!” Li Xian Elder passionately argued: “In this current Great Death Realm, we represent the Immortal Realm. If we lose to other interfaces, the Immortal Realm will be shamed, and in the future it will even impact the destiny of the Immortal Realm.”
What he said was very reasonable.
Xu Zhen pinched her chin with one hand, head slightly tilted, eyes filled with contempt and disdain on her face as she laughed,
“If you die then you die, as long as I still live the Immortal Realm will not lose or be shamed. You feel there will be shame only because you are incompetent.”
What she said was also very logical.
“I concur,” Chen Xia deeply concurred.
Li Xian Elder glanced at him, clenching and unclenching his fists, seemingly unable to restrain himself as he pointed at Chen Xia and shouted,
“Are you going to defect from and oppose the entire Immortal Realm just for the sake of this cultivator of unknown origin?!”
“Ah, this doesn’t make sense.” Chen Xia raised his hand to interrupt and righteously explained, “I also originated from the Immortal Realm, I’ve known Xu Zhen for a long time.”
“That’s right. We are the orthodoxy of the Immortal Realm, yet you fellows are neither orthodox nor authentic,” Xu Zhen said lightly with a laugh.
Li Xian Elder frowned, sizing Chen Xia up for a moment. He truly did not know when such a figure had appeared in the Immortal Realm, but decided not to dwell on it for now. He continued speaking,
“Since you are both cultivators of the Immortal Realm, you should try even harder for its sake. If you return now, past grievances can be written off and the Immortal Realm will treat you very well.”
As he spoke these words his gaze was fixed intently on Chen Xia, feeling that Chen Xia would not reject this proposal.
After all, the scale of the Immortal Realm was truly too vast.
“Tsk, tsk, you old dog really are shameless and thick-skinned,” Xu Zhen said, shaking her head in ridicule.
Chen Xia nodded. “We really cannot associate with your ilk and sully ourselves. We two represent the orthodoxy of the Immortal Realm.”
Li Xian Elder’s expression darkened angrily. “Do not let your youthful impetuousness ruin your own future prospects!”
“The old dog still dares to bark arrogantly?!” Xu Zhen could restrain herself no longer. Immortal arts coalescing in her hand, she directly charged murderously towards Li Xian Elder’s soul.
A deafening boom erupted in the void, shaking cultivators within a thousand li so much they took notice, filled with puzzlement as they looked towards the little star.
The deafening sound quickly faded away. Xu Zhen stood loftily in the starry sky, a look of disdain on her face. She gave her left hand a shake, the faint purple aura lingering there gradually disappearing.
Chen Xia stood to the side. He smiled at the gathered cultivators,
“No need to worry yourselves, I merely just beat a stray dog passing by.”
The surrounding cultivators did not understand, unclear just what this so-called stray dog was. Perhaps some cultivators had already deduced something from the lingering aura at the scene, but no one explicitly said anything.
In the location of Immortal Realm cultivators, Li Xian Elder tightly clutched at his chest, expression gloomy, very unwilling as he bitterly spat out word for word,
“This Xu Zhen, is she truly so heartless?!”
Or could it be from the very start she had never considered the gathered Immortal Realm cultivators as representing the Immortal Realm, instead feeling that she alone was sufficient to represent the entire Immortal Realm?
If this was the case, then how arrogant must Xu Zhen be?!
Li Xian Elder suddenly recalled a rumor that Xu Zhen was not merely the heir to a great emperor, because the great emperor who had taught her unparalleled immortal techniques, in outside rumors was said to be Fuyao Immortal Sect's founder—Fuyao Empress!
Could Xu Zhen be the next Fuyao Empress?
Li Xian Elder did not know. Clutching his still faintly aching chest, he only knew one thing. If Xu Zhen was allowed to grow, in the future Immortal Realm there would be no one capable of controlling her!
As for Li Xian Elder’s visit, it could be counted as a side episode. It also made all the major factions aware of Chen Xia and Xu Zhen's determination not to join hands with others.
Yet even without joining hands, there were still other ways to cooperate.
On a sparse and mundane day, the lead figure of the Dusk Realm directly found Chen Xia and made an offer:
“Kill a peak supreme of the Divine Realm. And I will give you an immortal artefact in return!”