Countless dawns had passed, each indistinguishable from the last.
Chen Xia sat motionless, his stillness so profound that if not for the subtle fluctuations of Spiritual Energy around him, one might have thought he had passed away in meditation.
The Cloud-top Sword Sect's disciples were dwindling. Elders had departed or perished, leaving the sect nearly devoid of life.
The most active presence was now the old man sweeping at the entrance. Too weak to venture out, he remained at his post, sweeping day after day.
This old man paid no heed to sect affairs. Even when rival sects came to challenge, he simply continued his sweeping.
Thus, the Cloud-top Sword Sect existed now in name only.
Other sects no longer bothered to attack, as the Crimson Saint's selection had begun.
Now that this small celestial body had become the Crimson Saint's territory, a leading sect needed to be chosen as the Crimson Saint's representative.
Every sect was preparing, hoping to gain the Crimson Saint's favor and ascend beyond their status as mere cultivators of this small star.
This opportunity far outweighed any benefit from conquering the Cloud-top Sword Sect, so attention had shifted away from them.
Seasons passed, and an interminable winter set in.
Even the old doorkeeper of the Cloud-top Sword Sect had departed, dying of old age at his post. No one was left to bury him, for the sect was truly empty now.
The only remaining presence was Chen Xia, seated at the edge of the cliff.
Over the past century, the elders had seemingly come to terms with the situation and left one by one, granting Chen Xia the solitude he desired.
The Cloud-top Sword Sect had ceased to exist, a harsh reality of the cultivation world.
The once-bustling mountain peak had become desolate, its buildings dilapidated and overgrown.
Occasionally, mortals from the foot of the mountain would brave the treacherous climb, seeking to become disciples and learn the ways of immortal cultivation.
But no immortals remained, leaving only crumbling structures to greet them.
The fortunate few who found Chen Xia would be gently transported back down the mountain, sparing them the arduous descent.
This was one of the few kindnesses Chen Xia still performed.
Notably, the sect still had its guardian spirit dog — the Big Black Dog!
The Big Black Dog had embarked on the path of cultivation, possessing some innate talent and further enhanced by spiritual medicines from Chen Xia. It was now on the verge of forming its golden core and assuming human form.
But with the sect's cultivation resources depleted, even the dog had to leave. Before departing, it came to bid farewell to Chen Xia, its eyes brimming with tears.
"Benefactor, I must take my leave. Who knows when we shall meet again? If I achieve greatness in the future, I shall surely repay your kindness!"
Chen Xia didn't respond immediately, staring blankly at the Big Black Dog. He couldn't help but notice how the current state of the Cloud-top Sword Sect increasingly resembled his memories of the Azure Sky Sword Sea.
After a long pause, he waved his hand and said, "No need for repayment, nor to remember me. It's best if you forget me entirely."
These minor cultivators shouldn't become too entangled with him.
Three million years of experience had taught Chen Xia that avoiding karmic ties was the best path for cultivation.
The Big Black Dog said nothing more, kowtowed three times, and descended the mountain.
From then on, the Cloud-top Sword Sect truly became a desolate place, with not a sound to be heard for months on end.
While the Cloud-top Sword Sect fell silent, the small celestial body bustled with activity.
Sects competed fiercely for leadership, vying not only in combat prowess but also in the number of prodigies, quality of magical treasures, and proficiency in alchemy and formations.
The competition raged on, but the Crimson Saint's envoy was unimpressed. These sects seemed far too weak; their strongest cultivators hadn't even touched the threshold of the Sea Inversing Realm. Their so-called prodigies were laughable — an Nascent Soul realm "genius" who couldn't even defeat opponents from higher realms.
And this was just an Nascent Soul Early Stage failing to overcome a weak Nascent Soul Middle Stage opponent.
Such standards might suffice for prodigies on this backwater star, but they'd be thoroughly outclassed in any place of real significance.
Their supposed "heritage" was even more ridiculous, treating low-grade spiritual herbs as treasures.
Well, sects founded mere thousands of years ago could hardly be expected to have much of a legacy.
The Crimson Saint's envoy shook his head slightly, resigned to choosing the tallest among dwarves, settling for whoever might be marginally useful.
This was his initial plan, but circumstances were about to change.
New cultivators descended upon the small celestial body, their arrivals marked by arrogance. One addressed the Crimson Saint's envoy directly:
"This place has been claimed by the Li Family as a border star. You're from the Crimson Saint's faction, aren't you? Withdraw at once."
The Crimson Saint's envoy's gaze sharpened as he retorted, "By rights, this territory should be under the Crimson Saint's jurisdiction. Your Li Family is still millions of miles away. How dare you claim this place?"
The Li Family cultivator laughed casually, "A few million miles is merely the distance of a few stars. It's not much for the Li Family to expand a bit. After all, we have two Saintly patriarchs, while you only have the Crimson Saint."
The envoy's expression darkened, recognizing the ill intent behind these words. Yet he found himself at a loss for a rebuttal.
Had it been any other Saint's faction, he could have countered with mockery. But not the Li Family — they boasted two Saints!
Ten thousand years ago, Li Yang had ascended to Sainthood. Then, three thousand years past, Li Yue, cultivating for less than ten thousand years, also attained Sainthood. She was hailed as the most talented cultivator of the era, surpassing even Li Yang's former glory.
This created the unprecedented situation of the Li Family having two Saints, elevating them to the pinnacle of power in the star region.
After all, these two Saints shared the same surname.
While the two great Saints of the Emperor Capital and Qiu Li might go their separate ways, the Li Family's twin Saints stood united.
Under their leadership, the Li Family had expanded relentlessly over the past three millennia, claiming the largest territory in the star region. They now bordered both the Emperor Capital's domain and the Crimson Feather Territory. And today, it seemed they intended to push even further!
The Crimson Saint's envoy gritted his teeth, unsure how to respond but unwilling to back down.
At that moment...
The distant mountain range trembled.
Faint, scattered sword intent began to ripple through the air.
On the cliff's edge, a figure who had sat motionless for centuries finally stood. At last, he had come to a decision.
And so, on this day...
He would reclaim the path of the sword.