In front of the Dead Star Region.
A youthful figure stood calmly, quietly gazing at the Dead Star Region before him, watching the wailing souls within.
Chen Xia raised an eyebrow, not entirely satisfied.
These souls didn't seem to have learned his politeness.
He stepped into the dead realm, and countless souls immediately surrounded him. Their wailing continued, but it wasn't intense; it was more like a curious greeting, just in a very different language.
Inside the dead realm, a huge black coffin had already opened, and a dark figure slowly crawled out, its eyes silently observing ahead.
There, a youthful figure approached with countless souls, face to face with the dark figure.
An instant tacit connection was established between the two, a fusion of divine souls.
However, the external incarnation showed no other reaction, as it contained only Chen Xia's remnant soul, while his main soul was still trapped in the realm.
Chen Xia smiled helplessly, took a step forward, and stood on top of the huge coffin, close to his external incarnation, wanting to strengthen the connection, but there was no other response.
The external incarnation remained sitting quietly, with a beauty that lacked consciousness.
The souls in the Dead Star Region continued to wail, slowly gathering around the coffin, bowing to the external incarnation as if worshipping a deity.
For the unconscious external incarnation, this was the highest expression of reverence.
Chen Xia simply sat on the coffin, gazing at the starry sky through the Dead Star Region. The scattered stars within were somewhat familiar to him, as he had personally seen this scenery before.
He just sat there on the coffin, with no other movement.
The Blue Sky Sword Sea was just ahead, but he didn't necessarily need to go there now.
He would wait a few more days, until he regained the Time Dao, then he could go and take a look.
It was rare for him to return, so he should at least let the old fisherman see him comprehend one Dao, or better yet, two.
As for retrieving another immortal sword, that would have to wait until he regained three, or even four Daos. Only then would it be safe enough.
Two Daos would only ensure safe entry and exit from the Blue Sky Sword Sea.
Chen Xia immersed himself in meditation, with the dark figure standing calmly behind him. He was comprehending the Dao, while his external incarnation seemed to be protecting him.
The souls stopped wailing and slowly dispersed. The Dead Star Region continued to flow, peaceful amidst the galaxy.
Among several stars, there was a great hall located in the very center.
A figure wearing a golden divine robe sat at the highest position, supporting his head, seemingly lost in thought.
The hall swayed slightly.
Emperor Capital entered, first glancing around, his azure dragon scale robe swaying slightly. Then he looked at the figure in the highest position and spoke flatly.
"After all these years, your taste is still so low-class."
"Still better than your outfit with dragon scales all over. Are you trying to turn yourself into a flood dragon? It's truly laughable," the figure replied, still supporting his head with one hand. He then stood up and walked out of the shadows from the high place, revealing his face, and asked curiously.
"It's been three thousand years, Emperor Capital. Why have you come to find me? Don't tell me you still want to determine who's superior?"
"We're evenly matched, you and I. It's been that way since the Blue Sky Sword Sea, and it's still the same now. Even our breakthroughs happened around the same time. I've never gained any advantage over you, and I don't care about determining who's superior," Emperor Capital shook his head, a slight smile on his lips as if recalling past events. He clasped his hands behind his back, took two steps forward, and continued.
"You've been sitting here for three thousand years, yet I haven't seen you comprehend a second Dao, let alone become a Great Saint."
"What's it to you?" Qiu Li retorted directly, crossing his arms and rolling his eyes before continuing.
"As for you, you wouldn't come here without a reason. What scheme are you trying to drag me into this time?"
The two were now face to face.
Emperor Capital shook his head, "There's no scheme. Back then, weren't we both taught a lesson? I also got my fair share of beatings from that Saint. You're talking as if you were the only one who got hit."
"Anyway, you still tricked me," Qiu Li insisted, then walked down the steps, stretching his muscles that hadn't moved in three thousand years, and said.
"So, tell me the truth. Why did you come to find me? Who do you want to team up against? Li Yang, Chi Yu, or Yu Sage? Don't tell me it's Li Yue. She only became a Saint three thousand years ago. If you can't even beat Li Yue, don't call yourself a Saint anymore, go compare yourself with Quasi-Saints."
Qiu Li was now completely distrustful of Emperor Capital. Their unresolved conflicts had led them to go separate ways for many years.
Emperor Capital shook his head with a smile and replied, "I'm not asking you to fight. I've encountered an old acquaintance, someone who left a deep impression in your memory but whom you haven't met since."
Qiu Li frowned, thought for a moment, and said, "Is it that Quasi-Saint we teamed up to trick last time? Has he come to settle old scores with you? Can't you just give him a slap? Don't tell me you need my help to deal with a Quasi-Saint?"
"It's not a Quasi-Saint. In fact, he's even lower than the Heaven Mending Realm, not even reaching the Sea Inversing Realm," Emperor Capital's voice became somewhat heavy.
Qiu Li raised an eyebrow, trying hard to recall but failing. Finally, he could only shake his head and ask, "Who?"
"Chen Xia."
Emperor Capital's voice came gravely.
Qiu Li seemed to be stunned for a moment, his expression slightly complex. He asked, "Didn't Chen Xia die in the Blue Sky Sword Sea?"
"That's what I thought too," Emperor Capital nodded, then sighed.
"Who would have thought I'd encounter him again one day? However, his age seems to have changed. He looks like an ordinary youth, but his features are exactly the same."
"His cultivation has also changed. I couldn't sense any cultivation, but for some reason, there was a sharp sword intent, very similar to the time in the Blue Sky Sword Sea."
He paused again, then curiously asked Qiu Li, "Do you believe in reincarnation?"
"No," Qiu Li shook his head, "I'd rather believe that Chen Xia didn't die back then, but somehow survived and has only now resurfaced."
As a prodigy who had sealed himself for a great era, he naturally understood these principles.
"That's certainly possible," Emperor Capital sighed, then smiled, "I went to find him once before, but I was too late. Otherwise, I could have shown him my Saint's demeanor properly, let him understand that I was just going easy on him back in the Blue Sky Sword Sea."
"Same here," Qiu Li agreed.
The two looked at each other and shared a knowing smile.
Then Emperor Capital shook his head again and sighed, "Actually, even if we found him, it wouldn't change much. But I just wanted to go look. Perhaps it's nostalgia for the days in the Blue Sky Sword Sea. I got excited all of a sudden."
"Understandable," Qiu Li replied briefly, then frowned and said.
"If that's really the case, doesn't it prove that the Blue Sky Sword Sea can still be entered?"
Emperor Capital paused slightly, then shook his head and denied, "Probably not. The remnant soul of the Guardian Elder is still guarding there. We went there last time and almost didn't make it back alive."
"Seven thousand years ago, the White Emperor went there once again. It's said he was still repelled from the Blue Sky Sword Sea, unable to defeat the Guardian Elder," Qiu Li said disdainfully.
"Huh, just a mediocre one-Dao quasi-emperor. It's only because the prodigies of the Blue Sky Sword Sea hadn't grown up yet, and there were too few high-level cultivators. Otherwise, how could the White Emperor be so arrogant?"
Emperor Capital nodded, a faint smile on his face, and said.
"Regardless, we've at least heard news of Chen Xia, and we might encounter him in the future. I'm telling you this because I hope you'll notify me if you meet him. I want to show him what a Saint's demeanor really is!"
He wore a smug expression.
At this moment, he seemed more like his old self from the Blue Sky Sword Sea days.
Although the news of Chen Xia's return didn't spread very quickly, the circle of Saints was small, and the news gradually reached the ears of other Saints.
Let's put it this way: among the current Saints in the star realm, sixty percent came from the Blue Sky Sword Sea. Who hadn't heard of Chen Xia's name back then? The memory was quite vivid.
Chen Xia, the Great Benefactor of Blue Sky - this was a name that remained fresh in memory.
The good deeds he had done were countless.
Helping emperor candidates reincarnate, assisting elders with euthanasia, and so on - these were all well-known good deeds.
Don't ask why they were considered good deeds.
Because this was Chen Xia!