Chapter 122

         The golden sparkles of light inside these two beads are Heavenly Merit, but something about them is different,” said Xia Lihua thoughtfully.

          She continued, “Compared to the strand of Heavenly Merit you extracted from the bead refined from the Graha, these are much smaller. Almost like… they aren’t whole and are merely in pieces.”

          Ji Xian nodded with a smile on his lips, “Exactly. Heavenly Merit is typically measured in strands—of which a single strand would be enough to break most of the established rules set by the Universal Will in the Lower World. However, what’s contained inside these Cosmic Life Stones are merely fragments of it.”

          “Cosmic Life Stones…?” Xia Lihua murmured; her eyes fixed on the shiny, clear beads in Ji Xian’s hand. Her gaze shifted between the pearls and his face before she briefly offered him a solemn expression. There were many questions in the back of her mind, including one that involved the severity of Ji Xian’s recent actions, but the words stopped at her throat as she restrained herself, not wishing to go off on another tangent so soon.

          Yet, one look from Xia Lihua was enough for Ji Xian to decipher her thoughts. He knew she wanted to ask him about his unthinkable acts against the Graha, Celestials, and Nether, but since she didn’t ask, he saw no reason to address it himself.

          Their unsettling silence lingered in the still air before Xia Lihua finally broke it, speaking after some seconds of contemplation. “Are you showing me these Cosmic Life Stones to suggest that the Heavenly Merit used by the Celestials and Nethers to descend wasn’t actually consumed during the process, but instead fractured and became attached to their bodies?”

          “There’s a chance.” Ji Xian replied, though his tone carried a hint of uncertainty.

          His answer once again left Xia Lihua deep in thought. If her speculation was correct, didn’t that mean everyone from the Upper World who descended to these realms carried fragments of Heavenly Merit? While they weren’t complete strands, accumulating enough of them would still possess the same value and significance as one.

          These fragments… Xia Lihua began to ponder. Ji Xian had mentioned before that the reason why factions from the Upper World invaded us was for resources, yet who would’ve thought they themselves carried something so valuable on their bodies? The Universal Will is indeed fair… if they can take from us, then we can also seize from them, just as we’ve always done in the past whenever they were defeated, by taking their spatial rings. But now, it appears there’s something much more useful… Obtaining these fragments will allow Ji Xian and me to stay in the Lower World for a prolonged period. With us here, Mortal Haven will be safe, providing time for the next generation to grow, especially for those five children of the Aether Sect. They had been partially groomed by Ji Xian all this while, so I’m sure they will be strong enough to take our place when we must leave.

           To Xia Lihua, the Mortal Haven World would always remain her top priority. The instant she saw a potential future for its people, she knew immediately what she wanted to do. If the fragments of Heavenly Merit are on all of those who descended, then she will reap it all from them.

          Her eyes eerily flickered with killing intent while a touch of pity graced her heart.

          What a shame that I didn’t know about this till now, otherwise I would’ve already amassed a countless number of these fragments. If only we had Ji Xian’s involvement earlier! Then, I would have… wait…

          Xia Lihua quickly snapped out of her thoughts after a crucial question hit her.

          Setting her gaze on Ji Xian, she asked sharply, “How many fragments make up one strand of Heavenly Merit?”

          He calmly smiled, as though expecting this question, he answered slowly, “For every twenty-five fragments, is one strand.”

          Xia Lihua frowned, “It takes that much?” she asked in subtle frustration.

          Ji Xian nodded, fully understanding the reason for her annoyance.

          It’s worth noting that throughout the history of Mortal Haven, invasions on the scale of the Nether race were exceedingly rare. Sending down a total of one hundred and one people was unprecedented; typically, the maximum was around fifty. This held true for the Celestials and all who came before them. So, if Xia Lihua wanted to instead take advantage of the Upper World’s descent, she would, at most, realistically gain only two strands of Heavenly Merit for every battle. This was simply not enough for her, especially considering the often lengthy gaps of many years between invasions.

          “It took eleven years after the defeat of the Celestials for the Nether race to arrive… this…” Xia Lihua muttered, helplessly sighing. Her plan to farm the factions of the Upper World no longer seems plausible.

          As she lifted her head, she noticed Ji Xian smiling at her, with eyes as dark as a starless night.

          “What is it?” she asked.

          Ji Xian shook his head and said, “I was just wondering, if the day comes that you will need to choose between me or Mortal Haven, which would you select?”

          “I will naturally choose Mortal Haven,” Xia Lihua replied instantly, sweetly laughing.

          “Oh?”

          “Didn’t you once boast about being supreme in the Lower World? Since when would you ever need my help with anything? I’d rather choose Mortal Haven and let you take care of yourself,” said Xia Lihua, somewhat jokingly.

          “…”

          Seeing that she wasn’t taking his question seriously, Ji Xian looked away. His lips curved into their usual casual smile, though it carried an unspoken feeling—one even he found difficult to define.

          He took a slight breath, and said, “You don’t need to worry about the situation in Mortal Haven. I already have my own plans. Once we return, I’ll spend some time in seclusion, afterward, I will take the Mortal Haven World away from the eyes of those above.”

          Xia Lihua lifted an eyebrow, confused, “That’s the first I’m hearing of this. What are you planning to do?”

          “The reason why I came to this new world was to find a way to break through my current cultivation,” Ji Xian explained. “With greater strength, I can stop the Upper World from descending onto Mortal Haven and free it from their threat. Otherwise, this will remain a never-ending cycle of back and forth—until, eventually, we lose. And one loss is all it would take for us to lose our home forever.”

          “But…” Xia Lihua’s eyes narrowed. “What are you planning to do?” she asked once more, feeling somewhat suspicious.

          “I’m… going to take Mortal Haven for a ride,” Ji Xian chuckled, his gaze drifting toward the sky. His eyes seemed to pierce through its endless layers, reaching out to the boundless expanse of the universe beyond. There, he saw a multitude of grotesquely unique creatures drifting through the vastness of space, their mere appearances enough to make one’s heart sink in dread.

          Xia Lihua continued to stare at him, with that feeling of unease continuing to grow. Just when she was about to confront him, the Great Ancestor approached them, capturing their attention.