Chapter 1253: The Unexplainable Premonition of the Future

So, are all the spells I learn truly in their most original form?

Nine-layered Immortal's words made Lu Yang even more confident in his guess.

"What were the Samadhi True Fire, Shrinking the Ground to an Inch, and Ruler's Edge like in ancient times?" Lu Yang asked.

Nine-layered Immortal was baffled: "What do you mean, 'what kind'?"

"I mean, were these spells different in ancient times compared to now?"

Nine-layered Immortal found Lu Yang's question quite amusing, but seeing the others' reactions, it didn't seem like a joke, so he didn't dare to draw conclusions easily.

"It's hard to say. There are too few records from ancient times. The ancient history we know now is what I've carefully distinguished from the legends passed down by various races, discerning what's true from what's exaggerated."

Most legends, however, are difficult to verify. For example, the extinct Kuafu clan left behind legends.

It's said that all members of the Kuafu clan were giants, and ordinary clothes couldn't cover them. So, they developed spells to enlarge regular clothing, and that Pictographic Fist and Heaven-and-Earth Manifestation shared a common origin.

"I see. Thank you for the information, Senior," Lu Yang said, cupping his fists in thanks.

Nine-layered Immortal waved his hand: "Those are just groundless legends. I used to tell them to Ying Tian and the others as jokes, but they were never interested."

"Since young friend Lu has emerged from seclusion, and Immortal is also here, does that mean we can unseal it now?"

Nine-layered Immortal was eager, having made extensive preparations for this day, ensuring it would be even more spectacular than the natural phenomena accompanying the Heavenly Tribulation for ascension to immortality.

Just as Immortal Fairy was about to say yes, Lu Yang interjected: "We still have a few things to confirm."

"Once confirmed, would it be alright if you, Fairy, and the four seniors meet at the imperial palace?"

"Alright."

Nine-layered Immortal, seeing this, stopped arguing with those illiterate scholars from the Grand Academy about who was the foremost of the Four Ancient Immortals, and went to the imperial palace to await everyone.

After Nine-layered Immortal left, Immortal Fairy asked, puzzled: "Do we have anything else to do?"

"Fairy, the 'Precognition' you taught me, you learned it from Senior Time Immortal, didn't you? I want to ask Senior Time Immortal how this spell came to be."

According to Emperor Xia, Time Immortal was currently at the headquarters of the Goldfall Merchant Guild.

Everyone left the Grand Academy and arrived at the Goldfall Merchant Guild headquarters.

Except for Yun Zhi, it was everyone's first time at the guild headquarters. It truly lived up to its reputation as the world's foremost merchant guild; it was lavish. Two Pixiu statues carved from spirit stones guarded the entrance, and the ground was paved with warm red jade, staying warm in winter and cool in summer.

The entire complex was situated on a massive calming formation, which not only aided cultivation but, more importantly, helped people remain calm. Furthermore, each floor had cultivators at the Integration Stage permanently stationed there to ensure the headquarters' security.

Those entering and exiting were either extremely wealthy merchants or cultivators at the Spirit Transformation Stage or higher.

"Old Meng, have you never been here before?" Lu Yang noticed Meng Jingzhou also looking around, seeming as new to the place as he was.

"No, I haven't. My family members came to the guild headquarters for business; they couldn't exactly bring me along to watch."

"After I started cultivating, I rarely returned to Imperial City, and when I did, I just went home. There was no need to come here."

"That's true."

Yun Mengmeng looked unimpressed: "This is the world's foremost merchant guild headquarters? It doesn't feel as impressive as our Skygate Peak."

She had long heard how luxurious the Goldfall Merchant Guild headquarters was, holding the world's wealth, but seeing it now, it was nothing special.

Its possessions weren't as valuable as Skygate Peak's, nor were its people as highly cultivated.

"Where is Senior Time Immortal?"

"Probably on the top floor," Yun Zhi said, having likely guessed why Time Immortal was there.

She walked straight upstairs, and the others followed.

By rights, the upper floors of the headquarters were off-limits to outsiders, but Yun Zhi's aura of cold indifference was so potent that anyone intending to stop her was too intimidated to move.

A brave attendant wanted to intervene, but was pulled back by the supervisor.

"That's Yun Zhi. No need to stop her."

"Yun Zhi?" The attendant was unfamiliar with the name.

"Yun Zhi is the Senior Disciple Sister of the Dao Inquiry Sect and an important client of our guild. The President specifically instructed that she may enter and exit the guild headquarters freely; she must not be obstructed."

"That's allowed?"

"It's normal that you don't know; she hasn't been here for over a hundred years."

Yun Zhi led everyone to the President's room at the end of the top floor.

Before she could knock, the door opened automatically. Time Immortal was sitting in the President's chair, lecturing to two students.

Lu Yang recognized one of the students: the King of Thieves.

The other student was an old man with only one leg, presumably the Ancestor of Thieves.

Except for Yun Zhi, everyone was puzzled as to why the two patriarchs of the Thieving Sect were at the guild headquarters.

Seeing Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou, the King of Thieves shivered involuntarily, recalling the dreadful events in Zhongshan Commandery.

"Senior, are you lecturing?" Yun Zhi asked.

Time Immortal stood up and chuckled: "We have a slight affinity in cultivation, so I was just casually teaching them a few things."

"Alright, I have some matters to attend to here, so you two may leave first."

The King of Thieves and the Ancestor of Thieves bowed: "Yes."

The two of them had condensed nascent forms of the Dao Fruit of Speed, with the higher Dao Fruit being the Dao Fruit of Time. Knowing that Time Immortal was in Imperial City, they had pleaded with him to impart his teachings.

Yun Zhi nodded; she had guessed as much. Time Immortal's presence at the guild headquarters could only be related to the King of Thieves and the Ancestor of Thieves.

"Young friend Lu has emerged from seclusion? You seem to have gained a lot. Is it to unseal the world?"

Lu Yang cupped his fists: "Thank you, Senior Time, for imparting your teachings before. This time, I've come partly to unseal the world, and partly because there's something I don't understand that I hope you can clarify."

"Oh? What is it?"

"Senior, you taught the Fairy a divine ability called 'Precognition.' Is that a spell you created yourself?"

"Rather than a spell I created myself, it's more accurate to say it's a spell I knew from birth."

"'Knew from birth'?" Everyone was surprised, even Immortal Fairy, who had thought it was a product of Time Immortal's enlightenment of the Dao Fruit of Time.

"It's somewhat similar to the bloodline abilities of the demon race."

"As you know, my true form is the Jianmu Tree. After I developed sentience, I instinctively felt I knew a spell. As my sentience gradually matured, this spell became clearer, and after attempting to use it, I discovered I could see future events, so I named it 'Precognition'."

Time Immortal's answer was unexpected for Lu Yang; he had thought it was a spell he had learned from somewhere.

If it was something he knew naturally, then there was no issue of misunderstanding.

But if that were the case, why was he able to perform "Precognition" that allowed him to view timelines?

Suddenly, a thought struck Lu Yang: "By the way, Senior, you once said that the Jianmu Tree suffered a great calamity in the past, was snapped in half, and lost all its vitality. You grew out of the old Jianmu, didn't you?"

"That's right."

"Do you know what that calamity was?"

Time Immortal shook his head: "I don't know. I hadn't developed sentience back then. It's merely a conjecture I made based on my physical condition after I gained sentience."

Lu Yang frowned, contemplating the "Precognition" that was known from birth, the old Jianmu Tree being snapped in half, and his own use of "Precognition" with completely different effects.

Was there a connection between these three?

As Lu Yang pondered, a pair of eyes quietly stared at him, but no one noticed.