Chapter 733: Mysterious Village

"But what does this have to do with the Watch? Is it merely about remembering the divine realm's past and serving as a warning to others?"

Little Flower couldn't help but ask. To her, this so-called River of Watch still seemed full of mysteries, giving off an air of deliberate obfuscation.

"Of course, it's not that simple. After my father, Fenghuo Wuji, fell, someone from the divine realm accidentally entered the River of Watch and seemed to uncover a significant secret.

This great secret, it is said, is deeply connected to my father. In fact, the very reason I was stripped of all my divine realm identities is tied to the secret those individuals discovered within the River of Watch."

Xu Yang raised an eyebrow, glancing at Empress Isis beside him.

"From what you're saying, is it possible someone discovered some powerful force within this River of Watch?"

The Empress shivered, looking deeply at Xu Yang. "You could even guess that?"

Xu Yang sighed helplessly. "Are you underestimating my intelligence? The divine realm is the most powerful existence among all the heavenly realms. Besides a mysterious power even stronger than them, what else could possibly attract their attention so profoundly?"

The Empress lowered her gaze and nodded resignedly. "It certainly seems that way."

"Furthermore, I have a premonition that this mysterious power hidden within the River of Watch is most likely connected to the primordial power inherited by the Five Great Dynasties."

When this speculation was voiced, both the Empress and Little Flower appeared somewhat unsettled. Clearly, Xu Yang's perspective on the matter differed from theirs.

Yet, upon closer consideration, Xu Yang's judgment wasn't baseless. After all, looking at the entire inner expanse of Wuyue Heaven, with so many inheritances from outside realms, why were only the Five Great Dynasties' powers positioned here, enjoying the entire Ancestral Dragon Vein and the purest, most profound cultivation environment? It was likely due to some unique arrangement by the divine realm.

In fact, Xu Yang had always harbored a unique suspicion about the Ancestral Dragon Vein being grafted into the inner expanse of Wuyue Heaven.

This included the very existence of Nightchill Mountain. While its explanation as a unique prison for the divine race was understandable, why would it contain so many inheritances from external realms, and why hadn't these individuals faced persecution or even slaughter from the divine realm?

Instead, they were seemingly 'free-ranged,' with the divine realm even sacrificing foundational resources like the Ancestral Dragon Vein to create a certain level of cultivation environment for them.

Frankly, in Xu Yang's view, this situation resembled the divine realm, in its role as a supreme ruler, cultivating test subjects from other realms.

Their true purpose for doing so remained unknown. If he were pressed to speculate on their motives, Xu Yang would lean towards believing the divine realm was yearning for some sufficiently powerful force from beyond their own domain.

And throughout their journey, the only source of power capable of captivating even Xu Yang, their experienced leader, was likely the unique primordial power belonging to the Five Great Dynasties.

Although the Crown Prince of the Ancient Xia Dynasty was formidable, Xu Yang always felt that in the realm of primordial power, the Crown Prince's abilities were merely adequate, with significant room for further development in that domain.

As for the hidden depths within this power, Xu Yang hoped to gain some answers from the River of Watch.

The three continued their journey, initially feeling quite lost. As they walked, a large mountain suddenly appeared at the end of the world. Within it were scattered mountain villages with smoke curling from chimneys, as if instantly pulling Xu Yang back to his past, transporting him from a divine-level realm to the most ordinary part of the continent.

"This familiar feeling is so comforting. Ever since I led you all away from the Three Thousand Dao Provinces, we've faced countless hardships and experienced a truly spectacular cultivation journey. However, that original, tranquil sense of ease was lost. Now, suddenly seeing such a peaceful scene, filled with birdsong and blossoming flowers, it's truly captivating."

Empress Isis didn't feel it quite as strongly.

After all, as a direct descendant of Divine King Fenghuo Wuji, from the moment of her birth, she was destined for a life far from ordinary, one perpetually governed by strife and conflict. Shortly after Fenghuo Wuji's demise, she was confined within Nightchill Mountain.

Little Flower, however, could deeply understand Xu Yang's emotional journey.

Because she, too, had experienced everything Xu Yang had gone through. She was also one of the continent's rare, exceptionally brilliant individuals who had cultivated from a mortal state to godhood.

Even to this day, she had fortuitously attained the status of Angel King, making Little Flower's life experiences arguably even more extraordinary than Xu Yang's.

The more one experiences such grand storms, the more one yearns for the tranquil, ordinary life of a common person, like a home by a small bridge and flowing stream.

"A-Yang, have you ever considered where your next step would be if you truly reached the pinnacle of cultivation in this world? Would you continue to fight? Or would you find a quiet place to live an ordinary life, just like this?"

Faced with Little Flower's question, Xu Yang found himself momentarily without an answer.

"If we truly reach that day, I believe we will still be bound by circumstance. With sufficient power, we will naturally bear the corresponding responsibilities. If I genuinely reach a level comparable to the heavens, I could never stand idly by and live a quiet, ordinary life, unless I completely broke free from the civilization system of all the realms."

Little Flower said nothing further, simply offering a faint smile and nodding gently.

Undoubtedly, Xu Yang was correct. But was such a lack of personal freedom truly their shared aspiration? Little Flower couldn't be certain; perhaps she feared confronting that very answer.

"Come on, let's go and see. This is the River of Watch, after all. I can't understand how such a peaceful scene could exist here. Perhaps these individuals are all reclusive masters with extraordinary skills; you never know."

As soon as the Empress finished speaking, she was the first to soar into the air, heading towards the wisps of cooking smoke.

Soon, the three arrived in the secluded mountain forest. Several innocent children ran about, while old men outside played chess amidst chickens and ducks scurrying through the woods, creating a lively scene.

Before long, three sturdy, rustic men emerged from the village. With unreadable expressions, they moved directly towards Xu Yang and his companions.

"Gentlemen, you don't appear to be from around here. May I ask who you are and what brings you to our village?"

Xu Yang smiled calmly. "Indeed, we are outsiders, but we harbor no ill will. We simply came to observe."