Return the path to heaven.

"Return the path to heaven..."

The words echoed in Lin Chen’s heart.

Gradually, he understood the deeper meaning behind the words.

A cultivator’s entire cultivation is derived from the heavens and earth.

Yet, the spiritual essence between the heavens and earth is finite.

Spirit beasts, spiritual medicine, flowers, trees...

Even every cultivator, mortal, every spirit stone, every spirit vein, contains spiritual essence.

But as the number of cultivators continues to grow, the burden on the heavens increases...

Until now, the spirit essence between the heavens can no longer supply the high-realm cultivators nor the Spirit Realm.

Facing such circumstances, there are undoubtedly only two methods.

Sources expansion, or conservation.

Sources expansion refers to fundamentally changing the cultivation realm’s lack of spirit and path.

The simplest method is to find a larger world to support more cultivators...

But, is this achievable?

Lin Chen shook his head.

This method, the cultivators of the cultivation realm could not possibly have overlooked.

Surely over countless years, many cultivators must have thought of and attempted this.

But sources expansion is not so easily accomplished?

What Lin Chen can guess is that it failed.

Thus, only conservation remains.

A cultivator’s cultivation derives from heaven and earth.

Then if a cultivator dies, would it not return the path to heaven, allowing the spiritual essence between heaven and earth to flourish again.

Precisely for this reason, a great war erupted between the Orthodox and Demonic Party...

The fortune of Qing State, the trends of the world, are not because of demon paths rising.

But rather, a great war was needed, to kill enough cultivators, returning the path to heaven...

"Haha, can mere mortals, Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment... even Golden Core and Nascent Soul Cultivators, return much of the path?"

Lin Chen couldn’t help but sneer inwardly.

The life and death of a hundred thousand mortals, returning the path to heaven, can it compare to a Nascent Soul Cultivator?

Ten, a hundred Nascent Soul Cultivators returning the path, can they compare to a True Monarch of Divinity Transformation?

Lin Chen sees this clearly, cultivators in the Spirit Realm could not possibly be unaware.

But, what of it if they know?

Returning the path to heaven is already the plan set by the Great Cultivators of the Spirit Realm.

Could it be that one hopes they will undermine themselves... voluntarily disperse their cultivation and return the path?

Clearly... this is not possible.

What they can do is to let more of the lower-level cultivators, even mortals... die.

For whether it is mortals or Nascent Soul Cultivators.

To them, they are no different than ants.

No matter how many lower realm cultivators die, they will not feel a tinge of compassion.

Of course, if Spirit Realm cultivators directly massacre Qing State cultivators, it will inevitably lead to resistance from lower realm cultivators.

The Five Great States, are the foundation of the Spirit Realm, even the Great Cultivators of the Spirit Realm wouldn’t be foolish enough to do that.

Hence, the cultivators of the Spirit Realm adopted a more placating strategy.

The great war between orthodox and demonic paths, the rise of the Demon Sect!

Calling it a great war, it was merely senseless slaughter!

Whether the orthodox or Demon Sect cultivators die... it is what the people of the Spirit Realm want to see.

Reflecting on this, Lin Chen finally understood a question from many years ago.

"No wonder, throughout it all, Wenda Sect showed indifference..."

"Because this is the order of Celestial Beings... the so-called Demon Sect rising for one hundred and forty-two years, is undoubtedly just a hundred and forty-two years of slaughter in the Mortal Realm!"

Lin Chen’s heart trembled.

Slaughtering until the Mortal Realm cultivators are depleted, until there is enough energy between the heavens to once again supply the carefree lives of Spirit Realm cultivators...

"But can this truly alleviate the issue fundamentally?"

Lin Chen looked up towards the heavens above.

Perhaps it was merely quenching thirst with poison.

Surely, with the Five Great States in the Mortal Realm and the surplus of Spirit Realm cultivators, the gathering of too many Great Cultivators, their consumption of the spiritual essence and path of the heavens and earth is the fundamental issue.

As long as the number of Spirit Realm cultivators does not reduce, the Spirit Realm will eventually fall one day.

"Perhaps, some cultivators in the Spirit Realm have already realized this, but there is no immediate solution..."

"One cannot force a True Monarch of Divinity Transformation to commit suicide, can they?"

"Controlling the ascension of lower realm cultivators... allowing Spirit Realm’s Divinity Transformation and Returning Void cultivators to gradually age and die... might slowly resolve this issue."

Lin Chen sighed.

But alas, this would require thousands or even tens of thousands of years to achieve.

Yet at present, the calamity among mortals is truly happening!

At that moment, Lin Chen’s heart was flooded with thoughts.

True Man Changchun looked at Lin Chen and faintly smiled:

"Haha, it seems you have understood."

"Have you already entered the Nascent Soul Stage?" 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

True Man Changchun examined Lin Chen a few times with a look of amazement.

"Even faster than I imagined... perhaps you might seize the last opportunity to ascend to the Spirit Realm before the upper realm passage is completely sealed."

"If that time comes, I hope you won’t forget your origins, don’t forget you also come from Qing State."

True Man Changchun’s voice was soft.

After revealing this secret to Lin Chen completely, he took out a Yellow Jade Gourd.

"This is the Yellow Jade Gourd, it belonged to True Man Tiandan in the past, it possesses the ability to hasten the maturation of spirit plants."

"After Tiandan’s death, it was given to me."

"Now, I have stored most of the Changchun Sect’s legacy and resources into this gourd."

True Man Changchun pressed the Yellow Jade Gourd into Lin Chen’s hand and waved:

"Escape, as far as you can!"

"As long as the disciples of Changchun Sect remain, there will one day be a chance to revive the sect!"

At this moment, despite True Man Changchun’s weary demeanor, there was still a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

He said:

"Once the major trend of the Demon Sect recedes, it will be the day for Changchun Sect to rise again."

"By then, on this land, flowers named righteousness will bloom once more..."

Lin Chen accepted the Yellow Jade Gourd, which was precisely what he was in urgent need of.

With this gourd, seven of the Profound Celestial Treasure Gourds were gathered, only the black and white ones were missing.

But at this moment Lin Chen felt no joy, he looked at Ancestor Changchun, his lips moved.

Finally only silent words were spoken.

"Ancestor, take care!"

True Man Changchun smiled and nodded.

With a wave of his hand, a wisp of green wind lifted Lin Chen up and sent him to the foot of Changchun Mountain.

At the foot of Changchun Mountain, Lin Chen saw True Man Changchun slowly rising into the sky.

Behind him, three hundred disciples of Changchun Sect were all in formation.

Golden Core cultivators flew with the wind.

Foundation Establishment cultivators controlled their artifacts to fly.

Lin Chen stood at the foot of the mountain and saw Sect Leader Wang Changchun.

He saw the new masters of Artifact Peak and Array Peak, and the unremarkable master of Talisman Peak.

He saw the internal affairs elder who had once helped him, who once asked him for wine and tea.

And he saw a number of senior brothers who had been apprentices for many years.

Their cultivation may not be profound, nor do they have lofty pursuits of the Great Path.

But at this moment, they were all atop Changchun Mountain, without retreating.

True Man Changchun, holding a sword, stood over an intricate array. He said in a deep voice:

"Disciples of Changchun Sect, heed my command."

"Follow me... enter formation and face the enemy!"