Chapter 838
The Stars Shift and the World Changes
The old national advisor smiled slightly and said, "Young friend, please feel free to speak your mind."
"Let me examine the star chart carefully."
Song Changsheng composed himself and slowly walked along the direction of the Milky Way, carefully observing the trajectory of the stars.
He didn't know much about the ancient and mysterious art of stargazing; most of his knowledge was limited to what he knew on paper. However, he did have some understanding of star charts.
Star charts and maps differ by only one word, but the technical content of the two is completely different. There are countless brilliant stars, each with its own unique trajectory, and their brightness and position vary greatly in different seasons.
To rely on star charts for astronomical observation, the accuracy of the star charts must be extremely high. The more stars a star chart records and the higher the degree of alignment with their orbits, the more accurate the astronomical observation will be.
To create such a star map requires extraordinary abilities; it necessitates years of observation in the heavens to discover those dim stars hidden deep within the Milky Way.
Therefore, it often takes hundreds or even thousands of years to create a usable star map.
Although the old national advisor's star chart initially shocked Song Changsheng, upon closer inspection, it was discovered that the star chart was actually quite crude.
It records 365 main stars, 14,800 auxiliary stars, and hundreds of thousands of unnamed stars of varying brightness or even invisible to the naked eye. In terms of quantity, it has done its best possible work, but the orbits of the stars are sometimes somewhat chaotic.
Even some stars in non-critical positions may suddenly malfunction.
Song Changsheng didn't know much about astrology, but anyone with a little common sense would know that using this star chart to perform astrological observations would definitely result in a deviation, and a huge one at that.
Therefore, the old national advisor's words were not just self-deprecation; this star chart does indeed have many shortcomings.
However, the shortcomings are only relative. The value of this star map is also difficult to measure. It is usually kept as a family heirloom, let alone allowed to be seen by outsiders. For Song Changsheng, it is also an extremely rare opportunity to broaden his horizons.
"There seems to be some trace of a formation in there."
"Tracing back to the source, dispelling confusion, the eye of delusion is opened!"
A strange pattern appeared in Song Changsheng's eyes, all the stars became dim and lost their light, and the star trails turned into clear veins that appeared before him.
As a master of formations, he immediately saw the secret hidden beneath the star map. His vision stretched forward, taking in everything. His pupils involuntarily dilated, then suddenly contracted.
"So that's how it is..." Song Changsheng was shocked. There was such a huge and magnificent array hidden under a star map.
At that moment, he suddenly realized that the problems with the trajectories of those stars were not due to errors in the old national advisor's observations, nor were they due to technological limitations. Rather, it was because the trajectories of these stars had been forcibly twisted and moved on this star map.
If we consider the Sun and Moon as the core of this grand formation, then the 365 main stars and 14,800 auxiliary stars are the nodes of varying sizes, and the grand formation is created based on this foundation.
Throughout the long history of the development of array formations in the human race, many arrays have been created based on this principle. For example, the Five Elements Yin Yang Grand Array that Song Changsheng set up earlier drew on the principle of the movement of stars.
The great array created in this way is almost the most powerful among those of the same grade.
But the old imperial advisor, or rather the person who drew this star map, clearly had ambitions beyond that. He attempted to integrate all the hundreds of thousands of chaotic stars around him into his grand formation. The amount of work involved was staggering, and the difficulty was extraordinary, given how chaotic the formation was.
The positions of the stars drawn on this star map represent the ideal state of this great formation, but this does not conform to objective reality.
To achieve this, one must alter the position and trajectory of the stars. Even in a world where individual power is amplified infinitely, perhaps only immortals who have ascended to heaven can accomplish this.
Song Changsheng had read countless ancient books, but he had not found a single one that contained any factual record about the stars or even the universe.
The Purple Imperial Realm has the concept of the universe and stars; the universe is infinitely large, and the stars are infinitely numerous.
But no one knows what the universe is like or what the stars are like, because the solid world barrier of the Purple Imperial Realm locks the cultivators of this world inside, and no one can break through this barrier.
Only when one ascends to immortality will the ladder from the celestial realm penetrate this barrier and guide the cultivator to the celestial realm.
In other words, to reach that boundless universe, one must break through the power limit of the Purple Imperial Realm, that is, achieve the status of a True Immortal.
However, the power of a true immortal is too great, so great that the Great Thousand Worlds cannot bear it and will be rejected by the origin of the world. Therefore, cultivators who reach this realm must ascend to the Immortal Realm. This is the will of the Great Dao, which even a true immortal cannot defy.
This creates a vicious cycle. The universe, or rather, the outer realms, is an absolutely mysterious place for humankind, full of deadly attraction, and even the occasional meteorite that falls there is considered a treasure.
Therefore, Song Changsheng felt that the person who created this great formation was too ambitious, and had even violated objective facts.
If we can't even break through the world's barriers, how can we talk about changing the trajectory of the stars?
It's important to know that these stars could be "fixed stars" like the Sun, or they could be vast worlds or small worlds like the Purple Palace.
But neither of them can be easily shaken; only immortals can accomplish this.
Although this grand formation may never truly manifest in the world, as a formation master, Song Changsheng still holds it in the highest esteem.
A crazy thought even popped into his mind: "If this formation is completed, it might have the power to slay immortals and destroy the world."
He didn't know how powerful the legendary immortals were, but as a formation master, he knew very well what kind of power such a formation possessed; at least the Purple Imperial Realm would absolutely not be able to withstand it.
If someone were to realize this grand vision and turn the impossible into the possible, he would surely become a great array master, unparalleled in history and revered by all under heaven.
Of course, it is more likely that it will be attacked by the people of the world, because no one wants to see the power to destroy the world in the hands of an individual or a certain force.
The Great Zhen Immortal Dynasty is considered top-tier in the southwest, but it is not yet enough to stand at the top of the pyramid in the entire human cultivation world, yet its ambition is extraordinary.
Song Changsheng composed himself, feeling slightly dizzy. Observing such a huge amount of information in a star map at once was a considerable challenge for him.
On the other side, the old Grand Preceptor and Lingji Zhenjun were both focused on Song Changsheng, taking in his every move. "This boy's pupil technique is somewhat strange; your secret probably can't be kept hidden any longer," Lingji Zhenjun said with a hint of mockery.
The old national advisor, however, remained indifferent and calmly replied, "If you can see through it, then so be it. It wasn't a secret to begin with."
I am but an old man from the Great Zhen Dynasty. Even if word gets out, I will only be ridiculed as a fool for being ignorant and fearless. It will have no effect whatsoever.
It is actually your Heavenly Secrets Pavilion that should be worried, after all, these methods all originated from you. Once they are exposed, even the supreme beings will be alarmed.
"No matter how powerful the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion is, can it really stand against the entire human race, or even all other races?"
"There's no need for you to trouble yourself, fellow Daoist." Lingji Zhenjun's expression was exceptionally relaxed, and it was unclear whether he had taken the old national teacher's words to heart.
At this moment, Song Changsheng returned to the two of them and described the flaws he had discovered in a rather tactful way, but he did not mention the discovery of the formation at all.
He knew that his little scheme couldn't be hidden from the two True Lords who were well-versed in the art of celestial secrets, but he still chose to keep it a secret because the matter was of great importance. Before he could figure out the other party's attitude, it was better for him to pretend to be confused.
"Young friend Song, you are so young and come from the southwestern border region. It is already quite remarkable that you can understand star charts. I did not expect you to have such a sharp eye. You have hit the nail on the head in just a few words."
Lingji Zhenjun's words had a hidden meaning, but Song Changsheng could only pretend to be stupid and act as if he hadn't understood the other party's implied meaning.
He knew his own situation best. As a cultivator from a poor, remote village, he would be thoroughly investigated from the moment he stepped onto the arena of the competition, let alone with such a brilliant performance.
His past experiences, taken individually, seem unremarkable, but when put together, they appear unusual, so it's perfectly normal for people to be suspicious of him.
Although he didn't know why these two people specifically wanted to see him, he guessed it was probably related to this.
"Young friend, your words have hit the nail on the head, but none of them address the core issue. Is that all you've really seen?" Lingji Zhenjun smiled knowingly, almost directly pointing out Song Changsheng's little scheme.
Upon hearing this, Song Changsheng had a general idea of what was going on. He pretended to hesitate, then cupped his hands and said, "This junior vaguely feels that this star map also contains the Dao of Formation, but this junior is not knowledgeable enough to see it clearly."
Lingji Zhenjun couldn't help but laugh heartily at the old national teacher, saying, "He really could see through what I just said."
The Imperial Advisor stroked his long, white beard and stepped forward, saying, "Since you can see the hidden formation in the star map, you must also be able to see its flaws. In your opinion, is there any possibility that this formation will succeed?"
These words were tantamount to revealing the truth directly. Song Changsheng pondered for a long time before finally deciding to keep in mind the instructions of the Dragon Elephant True Monarch and said truthfully, "In my opinion, unless the stars shift and the world changes, it will be difficult for this unparalleled formation to appear in the world."
Neither of the two True Lords showed any aversion to his words. On the contrary, they seemed to think, "I knew it." They were clearly asking the question with an answer in mind. As for how they came up with their answer, only they knew.
The old imperial advisor lightly waved his whisk, gazing at the dazzling star map above, and calmly said, "The stars have shifted, and the world has changed."
That's true; the only thing lacking is time.
Song Changsheng was shocked. Could it be that they really had a way to shift the stars?
“The shifting of stars is beyond human control.” Lingji Zhenjun saw through his thoughts at a glance, and then, under his puzzled gaze, pointed upwards and said, “Above human power is the Way of Heaven. What human power cannot do, the Way of Heaven can do, and Heaven never closes off human paths.”
Young friend, you are cautious; you didn't rule it out directly.
The autonomous movement of stars follows the rules established by the Heavenly Dao. Lingji Zhenjun's words undoubtedly indicate that the stars on the star map that Song Changsheng believed had problems with their trajectories only have problems now.
In other words, the idea that stars could shift and the world could change is something they truly believe is possible.
An inspiration flashed through Song Changsheng's mind like lightning, and he couldn't help but blurt out, "This star map depicts the future trajectory of the stars?"
Lingji Zhenjun smiled slightly, put his hands behind his back and said, "Let's just say it is. The accuracy is actually not very high and there are still many flaws."
However, the fact that the Imperial Advisor could deduce the star chart to such an extent single-handedly is already beyond reproach.
Seeing that neither of them denied it, Song Changsheng's heart was filled with shock, and for the first time he had a clear and intuitive understanding of the terror of the Heavenly Secrets Technique.
The trajectories of the stars have remained unchanged since time immemorial; this is common knowledge in the cultivation world. However, the National Preceptor's deductions have broken this consensus and have even received high praise from the Spiritual Master.
Does this mean that the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion also thinks so?
Time flies, and the world changes.
The words, though clearly spoken by himself, now made him feel an unprecedented and intense sense of crisis enveloping him.
The reason he said that was because he thought it was impossible, but now someone is telling him that the impossible may become possible in the future. This is a conclusion drawn from divination.
What exactly does "changing the world" mean, and why did the two of them specifically tell him these things?
For a moment, Song Changsheng's brain was racing, and his thoughts became chaotic.
The old imperial advisor swept his whisk across Song Changsheng's face, and a refreshing medicinal fragrance wafted into his nostrils. He said softly, "Don't overthink it. This is just a possibility. It might happen a thousand years from now, or ten thousand years from now."
We may never see each other again; let those who come after us take care of what happens to us.
"This junior has learned a lot." Song Changsheng's chaotic thoughts gradually calmed down, but the doubts in his heart did not diminish at all.
Lingji Zhenjun took out a jade slip from his wide sleeves and handed it to Song Changsheng: "I have not only seen the star map drawn by the Imperial Preceptor, but also met such a talented young friend. It has truly been a worthwhile trip. Consider this a gift for our first meeting."
If you're interested, young friend, you can take a closer look; perhaps we'll meet again someday.
As soon as he finished speaking, the scene before Song Changsheng's eyes changed wildly, and in an instant he was sent out of the palace, and the jade slip appeared in his hand without him even knowing when...
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P.S.: I only realized there's a double monthly ticket event at the end and beginning of the month after being reminded by a reader. The monthly ticket challenge continues, fellow readers, please support me! I'll update more during the long holiday, setting a small goal in advance: 10,000 words on National Day, though I can't quite manage that. (End of Chapter)