Before the crowd could express their disappointment, Feng Mingyue continued, “As for the Sixth Domain, I think our previous assumptions were wrong. The Sixth Domain isn’t a real place. It’s more like a… special space akin to an illusion or a dream.”

Feng Mingyue’s tone was hesitant, clearly unsure about her own assessment.

Seeing Feng Mingyue dealing with the old-timers, Fifth Lingyu lifted his lips, retreated to a corner, and leaned against a tree, closing his eyes to gather his thoughts.

The meaning was clear: If there were questions, ask her, not me.

The others didn’t have time to concern themselves with this troublemaker.

Feng Qinxue looked at Feng Mingyue and asked, “An illusory space—does this explain why your physical bodies remained in place while you were in the Sixth Domain? What did you experience in this illusory realm?”

Feng Mingyue paused briefly, and then remarked pointedly, “Your swordsmanship has improved.”

Feng Mingyue didn’t elaborate on her improved swordsmanship but briefly acknowledged, “There’s nothing much to say about my swordsmanship. What matters is the Sixth Domain… I believe it’s more like a dream. Being in it felt like living through one’s thoughts and dreams.”

“Did your improvement in swordsmanship have anything to do with this?”

“Sort of,” Feng Mingyue answered vaguely.

Their discussion was somewhat uplifting based on the information from Feng Mingyue.

The fact that someone of Feng Mingyue’s top-tier swordsmanship level could make progress in the Sixth Domain suggested that the Dao Ancestor hadn’t forgotten to protect and nurture the younger generation.

So, the Sixth Domain was indeed a special place beneficial to the human race?

Fifth Lingyu, leaning against the tree, silently listened with a faint smirk.

He thought that these old folks were being overly optimistic.

Qin Ruqing woke up after five days.

The moment she opened her eyes, everyone’s burning gaze was fixed on her.

However, they stayed at a distance, not daring to approach.

Qin Ruqing was puzzled by the strange atmosphere and asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Have you completed your training?” Fifth Sheng asked in a hushed tone.

Training?

When did she train?

Taichi explained, “Elder Qin, as everyone else returned to reality, you remained immersed in the Sixth Domain and began emitting a formidable aura. We avoided getting too close to avoid disturbing your training.”

This was a rhetorical way of saying that even they, the old-timers, were overwhelmed by the pressure and had to keep their distance.

“What did Elder Qin experience in the Sixth Domain? Did you meet the Dao Ancestor?” Feng Qinxue descended from the sky and was the first to approach Qin Ruqing.

The mysterious aura had gradually faded after Qin Ruqing woke up.

Qin Ruqing, now aware, touched her chest.

The pressure… she realized what it was.

In the Sixth Domain, the Dao Ancestor guided her to fully refine and absorb the remaining two drops of the Celestial Realm powerhouse’s blood essence in her heart vein.

Now, her strength…

Qin Ruqing looked up at the crowd, who were gathering around, their eyes burning with anticipation.

They were waiting for her to deliver good news.

But the reality was likely to disappoint them.

Qin Ruqing thought calmly.

Not wanting to beat around the bush, she decided it was better to be straightforward and allow everyone to prepare for the outcome.

Qin Ruqing spoke up loudly, “Everyone—”

Her words captured everyone’s attention, and they listened intently.

“The Dao Ancestor has fallen. Matters regarding the beast tide and other issues must be handled by us.”

…

Today, the sea was calm.

After Qin Ruqing’s announcement, the gentle sound of waves lapping against the reefs was the only noise.

But she knew that in their hearts, there were already storms and lightning.

The shock and disbelief on their faces reached a level of almost losing composure.

Qin Ruqing thought: The shattering of hope is as simple as this.

After leaving the island, she proactively called for a virtual meeting.

This time, the meeting was packed, and no one was absent.

Fifth Sheng’s fists clenched and then relaxed.

Finally unable to contain himself, he looked at Qin Ruqing and asked:

“Here we are, and Elder Qin still won’t speak?”

Earlier on the island, when Qin Ruqing announced the news, the crowd was in an uproar, but Qin Ruqing refused to elaborate.

With so many people around, what if someone let slip and caused panic?

In the current illusory realm, Qin Ruqing truly had no intention of hiding anything.

“The Dao Ancestor has indeed fallen,” she repeated what she had said before. “Both her physical body and soul no longer exist in the world.”

“But before, Lingyu clearly said…” Fifth Sheng was still skeptical.

Qin Ruqing nodded, “This is what I’m about to explain. The Dao Ancestor has fallen, leaving behind only a trace of consciousness. The Sixth Domain we visited earlier is actually the Dao Ancestor’s sea of consciousness.”

“And the communication we had with Lingyu and even with me was only with the Dao Ancestor’s remaining consciousness.”

Qin Ruqing’s tone and language were not like Feng Mingyue’s before; there was no hesitation at all.

She was firmly announcing an undeniable fact.

An elder collapsed onto the ground.

Some of the figures vanished in an instant, clearly overwhelmed by emotion and losing contact with the family orders.

“How could this be? A divine being like the Dao Ancestor, how could she possibly…” Fifth Sheng murmured, his face filled with disbelief.

“The Dao Ancestor is indeed the origin of the Immortal Path, the closest existence to a divine being since the world’s creation. But being close to a divine being does not mean the Dao Ancestor was a divine being,” Qin Ruqing rebutted.

“Moreover, she dedicated herself to saving the world, plunging into the world’s barriers. After being eroded by the source rules for countless years, still preserving a trace of consciousness and becoming the Sixth Domain, this is already a supreme display of her divine power.”

Qin Ruqing spoke in a tone that was calm to the point of being almost cold.

She intended to make everyone understand that what she was saying was an unchangeable objective fact.

Even if they did not believe it, they had to accept it.

“Even if only a trace of consciousness remains, perhaps the Dao Ancestor’s divine power could still guide us through the dangers of the cultivation world…” Feng Qinxue’s seductive and cold demeanor was replaced by a serious expression.

These words seemed to reignite some hope, like a piece of driftwood that they could cling to in the vast ocean.

“Yes, yes! Even if only a trace of consciousness remains, it doesn’t mean the Dao Ancestor can’t help. Just like the souls in the Immortal Tomb and the two Dao Sovereign, aren’t they in a sense dead as well? But they still guided us a lot.”

The people in the illusory realm chattered away, nodding their heads to emphasize the credibility of such statements.

Qin Ruqing sneered, “At this point, are you still waiting for someone else to save you?”

“Is the purpose of divine beings to solve your problems for you?”

“If your cultivation path is only at this level, I’d rather our cultivation world be destroyed!”

Her words were even colder and more cutting than before.

The figures fell silent suddenly, like old ducks with their necks squeezed.

But they soon grew discontent.

“Sixth Elder, you’re still young. Even though you are the Dao Ancestor’s heir, there’s no need to be so arrogant!”

“Indeed, is it really such a mistake to hope for the Dao Ancestor to save us?”

“If the Dao Ancestor does not save us, can you bear this burden yourself?”

Qin Ruqing mockingly lifted the corners of her mouth, “If the high-level cultivators in the cultivation world are all looking to others to save them, I’d rather not take on such a heavy burden myself.”

“—Everyone be quiet!” Feng Qinxue, unable to endure any longer, snapped, her sharp gaze sweeping over the crowd. “If you don’t want to stay in the illusory realm, get out! If you want to stay, be quiet!”

She then looked at Qin Ruqing, softening her tone, and sighed, “Sixth Elder, now is not the time for internal strife. Just tell us everything you know.”