However, at that time, some people had already foreseen the advent of the Heavenly Dao tribulation and made preparations in advance.
Vexi's ancestors, or rather, their lineage, were among those who prepared early.
They had meticulously gathered all sorts of materials, including various cultivation manuals, elixirs, and methods for advancement.
When the Heavenly Dao tribulation arrived, they did not confront it but chose to hide.
They left behind these precious resources.
Their original intention was to preserve some hope for future generations, perhaps allowing cultivators to rise again through such means.
But what followed did not unfold as their ancestors had predicted.
Among the surviving texts, the most crucial item mentioned was the Tree of Life.
The Tree of Life originated from the very foundation of cultivators; it could be said that all subsequent development of cultivators began with the Tree of Life.
If there was a way to find the Tree of Life and obtain its power, it would mean possessing the most primal strength of a cultivator.
The might of such power far surpassed what a normal human could comprehend.
Subsequent events proceeded relatively smoothly.
Relying on the ancestral documents, Vexi, through generations of research, deduction, and calculation, finally pinpointed the location of the Tree of Life.
Then, Vexi set off.
But unexpectedly, Richard had already gone there before him.
The most critical issue was that upon entering that place, one's own time seemed to come to a complete standstill. One spent an unknown number of years inside.
The soul and spiritual energy remained, but if the physical body was not preserved properly, even if one could revive, it would be meaningless.
Richard was the prime example.
Fortunately, over the years, Vexi had developed into a colossal corporation that found a way to preserve Vexi's body.
Thus, after gathering the three necessary items, Vexi departed and successfully returned to his body, thereby being revived.
Although it was only half of the Tree of Life, this did not hinder Vexi's development.
He continuously researched and developed the Tree of Life using the various materials left by his ancestors.
This was the reason for his rapid progress.
However, as his research progressed, he also discovered that half of the Tree of Life could not unleash its full power. Therefore, he shifted his focus to me.
He intended to obtain the other half of the Tree of Life from me.
This way, he would possess the original power of a complete cultivator!
At this point, Vexi had completely deviated from his ancestors' hopes.
He began to use the power of the Tree of Life to expand his influence and satisfy his ambitions.
He had no interest whatsoever in the revival of cultivators.
Seeing all this, I finally understood why the Tree of Life was so important.
Moreover, I had a premonition that the power of the Heavenly Dao was immensely formidable, and without possessing the complete Tree of Life, it would be impossible to resist it.
This was because the Tree of Life represented not only one's own power but also the fundamental essence of a cultivator.
After reading through these documents, my heart remained profoundly unsettled.
I could imagine the immense effort the cultivators of the past had put forth to leave some hope for future generations.
Under the destruction wrought by the Heavenly Dao, they had still given their all, preserving these things that offered hope to posterity, undoubtedly at great cost.
But from some point onwards, these things slowly began to change in nature.
The world outside developed at an accelerated pace. With the advancement of technology, people's lives had begun to move in a twisted direction.
Desire expanded limitlessly.
People harbored endless desires, a bottomless pit that became the pursuit of everyone.
It was precisely because of this that Vexi forgot his ancestors' expectations and the efforts once made by cultivators to fight against the Heavenly Dao...
"Brother Lu..." Lin Chun pushed the door open and walked in. "The usable items have all been brought up. The rest are almost unusable..."
I nodded, remaining silent.
"By the way..." Lin Chun paused. "We found something while salvaging. It looks a bit strange, and we don't know how to use it..."
Hearing this, I stood up. "Take me to see it!"
I believed that anything Vexi carried would not be simple.
I walked to the beach and found that what had been salvaged was a giant compass.
It was evident that this compass had existed for a very long time, bearing the marks of countless years.
However, these traces had not caused the compass to completely disintegrate.
I walked over and touched it. The compass had a fine warmth that felt very comfortable.
"A compass is likely used for calculations..." I frowned. Honestly, I was not very clear about its application.
My understanding of compasses was limited to fragments gleaned from books.
The knowledge I had acquired previously was insufficient for me to operate this compass.
"Just put it aside for now..." After careful consideration, I said, "Move it into the city..."
Lin Chun nodded and, with the help of several others, moved the compass into the city.
I sat by the sea, my mind incredibly calm.
Now that I possessed the complete Tree of Life, it meant I could fully control its power. If I wished, I could even have the Tree of Life grant me even greater strength.
To some extent, if my intentions were even slightly amiss now, there would be nothing in this world that could stop me.
All the events of the past flashed through my mind. So much had happened during this time.
Especially the matters concerning the Heavenly Dao, which weighed heavily on my heart.
But I knew very well that if I couldn't resolve the issue of the Heavenly Dao, this peaceful life wouldn't last long.
I did not feel any particular joy from acquiring great power; instead, the burden on my shoulders felt heavier.
After organizing my thoughts, I walked towards the city.
"Lin Chun, you must all cultivate diligently during this period and improve your strength as quickly as possible!" I said earnestly.
"Brother Lu... are you... leaving again?" Lin Chun asked.
"No..." I shook my head and glanced at the Soul Suppressing Monument not far away. "I plan to spend some time within the Soul Suppressing Monument..."