The destination was at the forefront of the Great Heaven, and the journey wasn't particularly long for Chen Xia.
However, he wasn't walking fast, occasionally pausing in the void to watch other Star Regions rotate.
If the Great Heaven was considered the universe, then Star Regions were like galaxies within it, containing all things.
At this moment, cultivators were emerging from each Star Region. Those of higher realms were Great Saints, while those of lower realms were Quasi-Saints leading a few at the peak of the Heaven Mending Realm.
Their destination was the same as Chen Xia's - to go to the highest point of the heavens and resist the so-called heavenly reckoning.
Chen Xia saw them, and naturally, they saw Chen Xia too.
All were renowned powerhouses in their respective Star Regions, and as they were all embarking on a righteous mission, they felt a sense of kinship upon seeing other cultivators. They even took the initiative to greet Chen Xia.
"Fellow Daoist, you're also heading to the frontlines of the heavens, aren't you? Ha ha, we all are. Meeting like this, we must be fated. Why don't we travel together? What do you say?"
"I walk rather slowly," Chen Xia replied.
"That's no problem, we're walking slowly too. We've all gathered from different Star Regions, so it's good to get acquainted now. When we reach the frontlines, we can look out for each other."
The leader was an elderly man wearing a purple haze crown and a black Daoist robe. His sect affiliation wasn't apparent, and he carried no airs, speaking kindly to others.
"Alright," Chen Xia nodded with a slight smile, agreeing to familiarize himself with these cultivators' backgrounds to prepare for the battles ahead.
And so, Chen Xia joined the group, which now numbered sixty-three in total. The highest cultivation was at the Zhun Di level, while the lowest was at the peak of the Heaven Mending Realm, on the verge of entering the Quasi-Saint realm.
What surprised everyone was that the cultivator at the peak of the Heaven Mending Realm, with the lowest cultivation, was also the youngest - barely six thousand years old. Among these old fogeys, he was considered a youth.
Chen Xia had lived for over thirty thousand years, making him old enough to be this Heaven Mending Realm cultivator's grandfather in terms of seniority.
As such, the group of old-timers took special care of this young man, guiding him in his cultivation.
Chen Xia once asked him, "Why did you come at the peak of Heaven Mending Realm? Why not wait until you become a Quasi-Saint?"
He gave a bitter smile, looking at Chen Xia helplessly as he replied.
"Senior Chen, it's not that I wanted to come. I'm the only prodigy in my Star Region, and the only one at the peak of Heaven Mending Realm. If I could cultivate peacefully, I'd rather cultivate all the way to Great Saint or Zhun Di."
"But the current era doesn't allow me the time for peaceful cultivation. The Great Emperors are gathering forces from each Star Region, and we all need to contribute. Only then can our Star Region receive the Great Emperors' protection."
"As the number one person in my Star Region, it's only natural that I step up first."
"To be honest, since I've come, I never expected to return alive. So I came empty-handed, only hoping that the Star Region will prosper in the future."
He spoke these words calmly, his expression a mix of helplessness and bitter smile, having already come to terms with this chapter of his life.
Chen Xia patted his shoulder, nodding in approval.
"A great cultivator," he said.
In his eyes, those with great responsibilities were great cultivators.
"Haha, Senior Chen, you jest. I'm just a small cultivator at the Heaven Mending Realm. To put it bluntly, I'm nothing compared to you all."
He truly understood his position.
Chen Xia clasped his hands behind his back, not saying much more. In fact, he was similar to these cultivators, just not harboring such an intense death wish.
But was he really afraid of death?
Thinking carefully, he indeed wasn't.
It was just that he had concerns, things that had become karmic ties, forming a cage that separated him from death.
Living for thirty thousand years was already too long, to the point where Chen Xia admired those Great Emperors who had lived for hundreds of thousands of years, wondering how much loneliness they had to endure.
Sometimes Chen Xia would ponder a question: when all acquaintances have departed and one becomes weary, what is there left to do?
This question, of course, had no answer.
He didn't seek death, he was just tired at heart.
The path to invincibility would only get harder, and partings would become increasingly difficult.
Chen Xia followed at the back of the group of cultivators. Though they were heading towards the highest point of the heavens, he couldn't help but turn his head to look down.
There was pitch-black emptiness below, a deathly silent vastness.
He saw nothing.
Chen Xia turned his head back, no longer pondering. During the journey, he sought only to focus on the path ahead.
As the group of sixty-three traveled further, time passed, and their numbers grew.
People from various Star Regions mixed together. All were once peak existences in their respective Star Regions, naturally carrying pride and placing great importance on cultivation level and combat strength.
Great Saints looked down on Saints, second-tier looked down on first-tier - these were commonplace occurrences.
The cultivators accepted this principle, so those of lower cultivation followed at the back, while those of higher cultivation led the way at the front.
Those in between were in the middle.
The leader was still the elderly man in the purple haze crown and Daoist robe, known as Great Saint Xuanguang. His cultivation and combat strength were recognized by most cultivators, qualifying him to be the leader.
Wherever there are cultivators, there will be hierarchy. This was unavoidable.
The cultivators at the front engaged in enthusiastic conversation.
"Fellow Daoist, your face glows with purple qi and red light. It seems you're about to have a breakthrough. Is it in realm or in Dao?"
Breaking through in realm referred to cultivation level, while breaking through in Dao referred to enlightenment.
"Oh, it's nothing much, just some minor insights. It should be a realm breakthrough, from Saint to Great Saint. It's not bad, haha."
The Saints and Great Saints spoke words that made the cultivators behind them envious.
Most of the cultivators at the back were Quasi-Saints, with a few at the peak of Heaven Mending Realm.
But there were exceptions.
For instance, Chen Xia was a Great Saint. Many cultivators knew this, but they didn't expect him to avoid the Great Saint circle and instead mingle with the Heaven Mending Realm and Quasi-Saint cultivators at the back.
Some Great Saints mocked:
"He lacks ambition. What's the use of being a Great Saint with such little spirit? His future achievements are easily predictable. Even at the frontlines, he'll just be a coward."
"Haha, being a Great Saint is commonplace in our circle, no special treatment. But it's different in the Quasi-Saint circle. He'd instantly become an elder there. The change in status must feel better over there!"
"..."
Great Saint Xuanguang shook his head and defended:
"We shouldn't say that. Maybe he just enjoys that atmosphere. Besides, there's no high or low, noble or base among cultivators. We're all prodigies, all at the peak of our respective Star Regions..."
"Alright, alright, Xuan Guang, stop defending that spiritless fellow. You're ruining everyone's mood," a Great Saint cut him off.
Great Saint Xuanguang sighed. With so many cultivators in the group now, it was inevitable that it had developed into its current state.
His original intention was to unite the cultivators for mutual aid in the future, but now, before any mutual aid could begin, a hierarchy had already formed.
Great Saint Xuanguang shook his head, feeling helpless.
Chen Xia meandered at the very back of the group, chatting with the Heaven Mending Realm cultivators. He discovered that these cultivators all had one thing in common.
They were filled with the resolve to die.
They all believed this journey was a one-way trip.
So they never thought about survival.
Chen Xia nodded, truly feeling that on this journey, the lower the realm, the more heroic the spirit.
He admitted his own inadequacy in this regard.
These Heaven Mending Realm and Quasi-Saint cultivators also liked him very much. They felt Chen Xia was unpretentious. Despite being a Great Saint, he never looked down on them, often giving guidance and even gifting them precious pills.
If Great Saint Xuanguang was the leader at the front,
Then Chen Xia was the final traveler at the back.
He was truly contemplating life.