Ever since the Hua Republic brought the six stone tablets and the unrotting immortal corpse from the far side of the Moon, research on the stone tablets had never stopped.

The results, however, were meager.

No one could determine their material. It was covered in Daoist scriptures, but only those with a sufficiently high Daoist realm could even begin to understand and comprehend it.

Things like this could not be explained clearly. Few could grasp the insight and understand it. The rest would never be able to comprehend it, no matter how hard they tried.

Wang Sheng already knew what was written on the tablets: a heaven-defying cultivation technique that Nuwa's race had created.

The Heavenly Court claimed that it could reverse chaos and destroy the present world. Lishang, on the other hand, said it was meant to oppose Haotian, who had harmed the sacred spirit. Whatever the truth was, one look would settle it.

Wang Sheng was still a Golden Immortal. Now that he was also receiving the Great Dao that Nuwa had left behind, it would not be a waste for him to check the six stone tablets.

Having reached a decision, he put his plan in motion. The Special Investigation Unit quickly sent over an aircraft. The research institute had also already completed its preparations, with several key researchers rushing to the headquarters to receive Wang Sheng.

At the very least, he still had some influence.

Inside the aircraft, Xi Lian sat and snacked on sunflower seeds while flipping through a beauty magazine projected from an electronic screen. Meanwhile, Wang Sheng opened a newly released action film to pass the time.

Qinglin was even more impressive. He was watching a livestream and trying to learn game mechanics. Even though he lacked any real talent in this area as someone from another era, he pushed himself to make Xi Lian happy.

In Wang Sheng's eyes, all of this stemmed from Qinglin's guilt toward Xi Lian. He seemed more like an aging father with deep and complicated feelings facing the rebellious daughter he had once locked away for years.

The situation gave Wang Sheng a mild headache. Still, it was between those two. As an outsider, he had no right to interfere.

Xi Lian seemed content with things as they were, and Qinglin was doing his best to make amends. With no lingering regrets between them, there was no need to force anything further.

Not every relationship between a man and a woman had to turn into something physical to be considered sincere. For most people, the memory that lingered deepest was often something simple, like a fleeting glance exchanged with someone they once cared for in their youth.

Before the movie even finished, the aircraft began a smooth descent. Wang Sheng looked out through the window and saw that they were entering a highly automated city built among mountain ranges. Two massive projection banners hung in the sky.

A warm welcome to Fei Yu, the Daoist sects' number one sword cultivator, for gracing us with your presence and guidance!

Building a harmonious relationship between cultivators and mortals, creating a bright and brilliant tomorrow.

Qinglin chuckled. "They put in quite a bit of effort."

"Of course," Xi Lian said with a hint of pride. "You are from ancient times, so you have no idea how much Fei Yu has done. This level of reception is already too modest."

"It is more than enough." Wang Sheng smiled as he glanced at the banners. "They have done well to phrase it this way. Calling me the number one sword cultivator of the Daoist sects does not offend too many Daoist lineages."

Qinglin could not help but smile.

Xi Lian, however, looked slightly dissatisfied. "They should have removed the word 'sword'!"

Wang Sheng shook his head. "That would be going too far. Even this is already a bit much, considering most of the celestial sects out in the endless space are Daoist sects as well. If they had just added 'Earth,' it would have sounded much more appropriate."

Qinglin hesitated. He wanted to praise Wang Sheng's humility but also felt that what he said was simply the truth.

The aircraft landed steadily. As the hatch opened, a wave of enthusiastic applause erupted outside.

Wang Sheng stepped out with his head slightly lowered. A group of researchers in white coats clapped warmly, a few of whom looked familiar.

The man at the front removed his glasses and wiped the corners of his eyes. When he saw Wang Sheng, his emotions surged. His increasingly prominent balding hairstyle somehow made him look even more like a "strong expert in the Dao of Science."

Wang Sheng recognized him immediately. "Professor Ma!"

Ma Zibin, who had been caught up in the emotions of reunion, teared up. As soon as Wang Sheng approached, he stepped forward and pulled him into a tight embrace.

"Fei Yu! I never thought you would still be alive!"

Wang Sheng didn't know how to respond to that.

"No, I mean, it's just that your survival is really beyond expectations!" Ma Zibin explained. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

He was rendered even more speechless.

Ma Zibin scratched his head awkwardly before blurting out, "It is good that you are alive. Back when that beautiful woman carried you back, your head had a hole in it. We really thought you were done for!"

Wang Sheng didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He turned slightly and introduced Ma Zibin to the two powerhouses behind him.

Now that my level has gone up—pui, I've been playing so many games lately that my head is all messed up. Still, thinking of Daoist realm divisions as levels makes some sense. The Immortal Emperor would be like a level ninety-nine final boss, while I am only somewhere in the thirties.

Due to his cultivation progress, he carried himself with more confidence. When introducing Qinglin, he did not have to explain much. He just had to state that he was an immortal, thousand-year-old senior from the Shu Sword Sect.

Ma Zibin and a group of enthusiastic elderly researchers led the trio into a guide vehicle and headed toward a hollowed-out mountain. Along the way, several of the elders found themselves unable to hold back any longer. They asked questions about the parts of immortal cultivation that had long puzzled them.

Wang Sheng explained as best as he could in simple terms, hoping to offer them some inspiration for merging cultivation with technology.

Xi Lian soon grew a little bored. Meanwhile, Qinglin just kept studying diligently. He even sent a "666" tip to the streamer he was watching.

The six stone tablets had been placed in a more hidden laboratory within the research center. Wang Sheng found them upright and in a row. The monitoring equipment around them had already been removed in advance to allow him to study them without interference.

Xi Lian glanced curiously at one of the stone tablets. Almost immediately, she felt dizzy and lightheaded. She quickly turned away and dry-heaved.

Wang Sheng smiled. "Congratulations, you two."

"Argh, hush!" snapped Xi Lian, still dizzy. "I'm your big sister! Don't you dare make fun of me!"

Wang Sheng chuckled. "Everyone, could you give me some quiet time to observe?"

The surrounding researchers nodded and withdrew... to the second level of the facility. From behind the railing, they continued watching Wang Sheng.

Fine. If they want to watch, then so be it.

Wang Sheng warned Qinglin, who was still staring at the stone tablet, "Senior, even a Grand Dao Golden Immortal cannot fully comprehend the stone tablet. Forcing it may harm you."

Qinglin immediately shut his eyes. His face turned pale, and his breathing grew unsteady. "Little Lian and I will wait for you outside."

"Mm, just take a moment to steady yourself, Senior."

Afterward, Wang Sheng stepped forward. He glanced at the six stone tablets, then raised his hand and rearranged them. His instincts told him they were in the incorrect order.

What he did not know was that this simple action made several researchers watching nearby silently shed tears. They had spent years analyzing those symbols, only to realize they had gotten it wrong.

Wang Sheng remained in place. His legs lifted as he sat cross-legged in midair. A faint ripple of Dao Rhythm then spread around him. There was no helping it. His Primordial Spirit was not within him.

Everyone present soon sensed something unusual from the stone tablets. Ripples of light shimmered. As they spread, the characters seemingly came alive. They flew out from the tablets and drifted toward Wang Sheng.

However, the Great Dao characters passed straight through him and returned to the stone tablets.

Wang Sheng opened his eyes and laughed wryly.

Right, without my Primordial Spirit, I can't receive these scriptures. What an unexpected joke.

He lowered himself to the ground and walked to the first stone tablet. With his hands behind his back, he quietly studied the characters on it.

Since direct comprehension would not work, he decided to take it one word at a time and feel the intent behind them. Soon, a long string of characters appeared in his mind.

This was the name of the cultivation technique. Because the language of Nuwa's race differed from the ancient language of the Hua Republic, many parts of the name carried no clear meaning.

Hence, Wang Sheng simplified it and gave the cultivation technique a new name.

"Heaven-Altering Technique."

It was simple and easy to understand, though it lacked a certain imposing air. It also sounded a bit too much like a casual phrase.

"Big Brother, want to go get a foot massage together?"

"Another day, another day[1]. My back has been hurting lately."

Something like that.

After reading a few more lines, Wang Sheng began to feel dizzy. With so many people watching, he still kept up the appearance of a composed expert. He walked forward with his hands behind his back, occasionally nodding as if he understood everything.

The group in white coats followed along, nodding and shaking their heads in sync, pacing back and forth behind him.

From the opening lines of the stone tablet, Wang Sheng also grasped the purpose of the immortal technique, which Nuwa's descendants had created at the cost of their lives and the fate of their entire race. He also finally understood why Haotian had tried to comprehend the tablets, which exposed his origins and led to the Three Pure Ones destroying him.

The Heaven-Altering Technique could drain all color from heaven and earth. However, it was prepared for the sacred spirit. It had nothing to do with Haotian at all.

Among Nuwa's race, some experts had already foreseen that Nuwa would sacrifice herself to fulfill the fate of all living beings. Through cultivation and the Heaven-Altering Technique, the sacred spirit could then reverse the Sea of Dao Laws, alter the fixed fate of heaven and earth, and bring Nuwa back from nothingness.

Nuwa's descendants pressed forward even though they knew heavenly punishment would fall upon them. Unfortunately, they never managed to truly complete the cultivation technique. Much of it remained theoretical—a culmination of everything the race had accumulated.

Haotian sought the technique to rise above the Great Dao of the universe itself. Ziwei had also studied it but ultimately gave up, knowing he could not master it or truly change heaven. After all, many of its principles required the sacred spirit to be under Nuwa's protection. Without it, they could never be realized.

Wang Sheng sighed softly.

He had been traveling outside all this time, never daring to return. He was afraid that a single trip home would cost him precious time. Who would have thought that the two things that could truly make him powerful—the Great Dao of Creation and the six stone tablets—had always been on Earth?

Perhaps, in ways unseen, Nuwa had always been protecting the sacred spirit, guiding the six stone tablets across the stars until they finally returned here.

Wang Sheng raised his hand and touched the dark surface of a stone tablet.

He felt as though he could hear the cries and roars of Nuwa's descendants while suffering from heavenly punishment. Moreover, he heard the trembling of the Great Dao itself and sensed Nuwa's helplessness and sorrow.

Alter heaven.

Soon after, Wang Sheng turned and took a step forward. He lowered his head, unable to hold back a few dry heaves.

"Fei Yu, Fei Yu!"

Ma Zibin hurried over and held him. "How is it?"

"I can only tell that it is a profound cultivation technique." Wang Sheng sighed. "I cannot make out the specific contents yet, but tell everyone that they can stop researching it for now anyway. Once I recover, I will be able to fully comprehend what is on it."

The professor quickly agreed. A nearby researcher hurriedly took notes.

After leaving the laboratory, Wang Sheng found a place to rest for a while. He then strolled around the headquarters with Ma Zibin.

Although many classified projects were housed here, Wang Sheng's clearance was quite high. Even with Xi Lian and Qinglin accompanying him, they could access most areas.

As they passed through an exhibition zone, Ma Zibin suddenly smiled and asked. "Fei Yu, do you remember your first artifact?"

Wang Sheng paused, then smiled. "Of course. It just never proved very useful."

"Take a look." The professor tilted his chin toward the wall. "To commemorate the first truly meaningful artifact the institute provided you, I had a replica made and put on display here. It even won best exhibit for several years, though there was no prize money."

Wang Sheng turned his head to look. He immediately fell speechless.

Beside him, Xi Lian blinked, then burst into laughter.

1. 改天 normally means another day. But when used as the name of an art, "改" means change, and "天" means sky/heavens. ☜