Standing across from Charlotte Ling was a tall male cultivator. His skin was somewhat ashen, and his entire presence exuded an extreme sense of age and weariness. His hair appeared messy, and on the surface, he seemed to be only at the initial stage of the Prime Realm.
Upon hearing Charlotte Ling's words, the tall man frowned, as if pondering something. After a long moment, he suddenly seemed to recall something, took out a jade slip, casually inscribed a few marks on it, and tossed it to Charlotte Ling.
Charlotte Ling took it, swept it with her divine sense, and looked at the tall cultivator in astonishment.
To her surprise, it was a language jade slip. In fact, the languages of the cultivation world had long become universal. Even those newly entering the cultivation world could instantly master all forms of language expression through a jade slip.
After reaching the Immortal Realm, the cultivation language became a fundamental law of heaven and earth. As long as one's cultivation reached a certain level, the ability to express oneself in the cultivation language would naturally arise.
This person was at the initial stage of the Prime Realm, yet he couldn't understand her words and instead inscribed an even more ancient form of the cultivation language for her.
Charlotte Ling instantly mastered this language. She put away the jade slip, performed an immortal's greeting to the man, and said, "My name is Charlotte Ling. I've just arrived here. May I ask, fellow Daoist, what is this place?"
"You don't know what this place is?" The tall man repeated in astonishment, then grew excited. "You said you've just arrived here?"
Charlotte Ling nodded. "Yes."
"Where did you come from? Is it possible to leave from there?" The man did not answer Charlotte Ling's question, but instead asked her several questions in succession.
Charlotte Ling shook her head, "I was brought here by a Void Rift. By the time I regained my senses, the Void Rift had already vanished."
The man frowned at Charlotte Ling's words and muttered to himself, "That's hardly possible."
After a long while, the man finally spoke, "My name is Quentin Wood. This is the Lost Dao Domain."
"Lost Dao Domain?" Charlotte Ling repeated in confusion. What did that mean? Everyone here was a cultivator, yet this domain bore the name 'Lost Dao Domain.'
Sherry Ling did not interrupt. This was her first time hearing about the division of the cosmos. Although she had read a bit in ancient cultivation texts, Quentin Wood's account felt vivid and real, as if unfolding right before her eyes.
Charlotte Ling did not interrupt. This was her first time hearing about the division of the cosmos. Although she had read a bit in ancient cultivation texts, Quentin Wood's account felt vivid and real, as if unfolding right before her eyes.
"While others scrambled for treasures, Dominic Du seized nine strands of Genesis Essence..."
Charlotte Ling interrupted Quentin Wood in surprise, "Fellow Daoist Wood, are you saying Dominic Du alone seized all nine strands of Genesis Essence?"
She knew what Genesis Essence was. When the Chaos Realm first opened, eight strands of Genesis Essence were seized by eight top experts. These eight became the main force behind opening the Gate of Creation.
Only today did she learn that there weren't just eight strands of Genesis Essence, but nine—and that all nine were left behind by someone named Dominic Du.
Quentin Wood nodded, "That's right, nine strands of Genesis Essence. After Dominic Du seized them, his power surged and he became the first to pioneer the new cosmos. He proclaimed himself Lord of the Dao, and anyone who defied him was slain."
When the cosmos was first divided, Dominic Du was not the only powerhouse of that era. Each of these figures was proud and unyielding by nature. Naturally, they couldn't tolerate Dominic Du's tyrannical ways."
"Senior, you were one of those figures from that era." Charlotte Ling sensed Quentin Wood was far from ordinary, and her tone grew more respectful. If Quentin Wood truly hailed from the dawn of the cosmos, calling him 'senior' was only fitting.
Quentin Wood smiled self-deprecatingly. "We'll talk about that later."
Perhaps it was because he hadn't found anyone to talk to for a long time, but after confirming Charlotte Ling was not a threat, Quentin Wood became quite talkative.
"At this point, Dominic Du became even more ruthless. He selected eight disciples, each of whom had to submit to his control, and tasked them with mastering eight strands of Genesis Essence for him..."
"Senior, didn't you just say there were nine strands of Genesis Essence?" Charlotte Ling couldn't help but interject again.
Quentin Wood shook his head. "I'm not sure. Rumor has it he only chose eight disciples—perhaps he kept one strand of Genesis Essence for himself."
"Sorry, senior, please continue." Charlotte Ling felt a bit embarrassed.
Quentin Wood didn't mind in the slightest, showing no impatience at all. He patiently continued, "These disciples obeyed him completely, and together they slaughtered all the rebels in the newly divided cosmos. Among them was a disciple named Morgan Du, who was said to be extremely cunning. He secretly acquired the Five Elements Essence and the World Tree."
"World Tree?" Charlotte Ling naturally knew of this; it was the first tree of the cosmos, said to have grown alongside the universe itself. Legend had it that the Chaos Tree Ye Mo used to restore the Sacred Dao Domain was actually a branch of the World Tree.
"That's right, the World Tree," Quentin Wood said. "Because Morgan Du possessed the Five Elements Essence and the World Tree, he used these treasures to break free from Dominic Du's control. He then allied with many pioneering powerhouses of the First Split Universe and schemed against Dominic Du, while the others attacked together. In the end, Morgan Du succeeded. After ambushing Dominic Du and joining forces with the others to kill the Lord of the Dao, he also killed several of Dominic Du's other disciples and seized the eight Genesis Resonances."
"Wouldn't that make him another Dominic Du?" Charlotte Ling remarked. She thought Morgan Du, having plotted against Dominic Du and seized the eight Genesis Resonances by every means, was hardly someone acting for the good of the cosmos. Besides, she couldn't believe the Lord of the Dao, Dominic Du, was so easily killed.
Charlotte Ling was only a Prime Realm cultivator and had survived death several times. Dominic Du's methods were a hundred times stronger than hers—could he really be killed so easily?
Quentin Wood nodded, "Everyone knew they couldn't allow Morgan Du to become another Dominic Du, so they demanded that Dominic Du hand over the Five Elements Essence and the World Tree to be divided among them."
"Then wouldn't he still possess the eight Genesis Resonances?" Charlotte Ling asked in confusion.
The Genesis Resonances were the real key to power. Taking Morgan Du's Five Elements Essence and Genesis Resonances would only weaken his strength.
Quentin Wood chuckled, "Fellow Daoist Ling, from your words, I can tell you're still quite naïve—just like I was back then, haha. Those people already knew Morgan Du would never hand over the eight Genesis Resonances, so they first insisted on taking away the World Tree and Five Elements Essence."
"Morgan Du surely wouldn't agree to that?" Charlotte Ling said.
Quentin Wood nodded, "That's right, Morgan Du truly didn't agree. But at that time, he still lacked the ability to fully fuse with the eight Genesis Resonances. Though he was powerful, he couldn't withstand the siege of so many pioneering powerhouses. In the end, the World Tree was shattered to pieces, and the world holding the Five Elements Essence was also destroyed. The Five Elements Essence completely merged into the First Split Universe, becoming the Five Elements Universe."
"And what happened to Morgan Du?" Charlotte Ling asked, finding the name strangely familiar.
Quentin Wood sighed, "He escaped with the eight Genesis Resonances. When the cosmos was first divided, only a corner had been opened. Morgan Du must have taken the eight Genesis Resonances and sealed himself away in a chaotic world that had yet to be fully formed."
"So, Morgan Du is still alive?" Suddenly, Charlotte Ling grew worried for Joe Di. He surely carried top secrets—if someone like Morgan Du discovered them, would Joe Di have any chance of survival?
Quentin Wood sighed again, "How could someone like that simply perish? Not just Morgan Du—even Dominic Du, who was schemed against by Morgan Du and the other powerhouses, must still be alive. It's just that no one knows where they are. One day, they will return."
"Senior Wood, is there any connection between the Lord of the Dao, Morgan Du, and the Lost Dao Domain?" Charlotte Ling realized that Quentin Wood had yet to explain the relationship between these figures and the Lost Dao Domain.