# Chapter 1217: A Leaf Falls
An old golden thread of divine path connecting heaven and earth slowly descended from the heavens while the earth no longer rose upward.
The latter showed full signs of decline, forced to descend again and again. But at every short interval, the junction between heaven and earth would burst forth with unparalleled brilliant sparks, layers of divine ripples spreading violently like tidal waves of great paths scouring the blue sky, stirring the invisible river of time to sway. Those golden lights that had transformed into billions upon trillions—nearly infinite in number—were the rapid dispersion of utterly pure divinity, like golden snowflakes falling one after another, each snowflake embroidered with halos of five colors.
Between heaven and earth, it was like a bellows.
If earlier the Three Patriarchs' dispersion of their paths had brought a continuous torrential rain to several worlds, and in that "rain" they were, then at this moment the five worlds were as if in "snow."
But there was still a brand new divine path connecting heaven and earth, where the heavens actively welcomed the ground, moving with an unstoppable, magnificent momentum toward a new Heavenly Court where temporarily only one supreme god ruled.
Compared to the tug-of-war of the former, which had several fluctuations of rising and falling, the latter was like a straight line without any obstruction, as if a single sword had opened the heavens.
Only those peak mountain cultivators who had witnessed the old and new fourteen realms and those who had achieved ascension could vaguely discern a bit of the clue.
But no one dared claim they were certain, that they truly understood the reasons of "before" and the outcome of "after."
Yu Xuan sat in command within the celestial river of the starry sky, his Dao body much dimmed. The old true man continuously calculated, fingertips instantly sparking with fire, green smoke curling. Yu Xuan insisted on calculating a definitive result, but in the end even the sleeves of his Dao robe caught fire. The old true man had to shake his sleeves vigorously—unable to calculate, unable to calculate.
Yu Xuan glanced toward the Celestial Master Mansion on Dragon Tiger Mountain. The ten-tailed celestial fox curled up like a soft ball of snow, protecting the "young Daoist" who had simultaneously lost the Celestial Master Sword and the Dharma Seal.
The old true man, while lamenting the loss with regret, felt slightly relieved—at least there had been no tragic on-site dissolution of cultivation. Yu Xuan, disregarding his own condition, exhausted his strength to draw a talisman in the air, fingers together, gently swiping. The talisman fell toward Dragon Tiger Mountain, trying to help the Celestial Master Mansion contain the mountain's fate so it wouldn't leak out violently, ending in the bleak situation of collapse without return.
As for the Fallen Mountain side, the price was especially heavy, the losses especially numerous. For now, Yu Xuan truly had no energy left to care for them. Since the world's first Daoist had turned back to guard the mountain gate, hopefully, hopefully today would pass without incident.
Earlier, those two golden threads that caused the connection between heaven and earth—the heavens and the earth each wanted to smash through with overwhelming force, but they were generally evenly matched. Hence each displayed its own divine abilities, with foreshadowing and backup in the mortal world. The heavens wanted to quickly take root and sprout; since things had come to this point, and Chen Ping'an had schemed against them, they had to meet in a narrow alley, to stab him hard—trading death for severe injury—and thus win the Three Patriarchs a chance to completely settle the storm for the mortal world.
Then Zhou Mi would simply go all in, gamble big: beat to death the "reckless youth holding a blade in a narrow alley," using this to open a path between the new Heavenly Court and the old mortal world, rebuild the Ascension Platform. From then on, the Three Patriarchs could no longer interfere, and the joint blockade of the Altar of Zhi Ci would fall through. In fact, if he succeeded in this, "passing through the narrow alley," he could then turn around and clean up the Three Patriarchs after their path dispersion, and also confront Zhi Ci. In the future, could any newly created mortal world path resources surpass these four portions?
The earth, on the other hand, wanted to block the heavens more, as much as possible, wearing down the former's divinity. Through the mortal world's mountains, rivers, and sentient beings—regardless of ghosts, specters, yin spirits, or human nature's good and evil—all could bear more or less the "gifts" of divinity from both sides. Their bearing was a form of suppressing the new Heavenly Court master Zhou Mi, and also the divine Chen Ping'an. There's always a common underworld saying among street thugs: "I'm willing to be skinned alive, and dare to drag the emperor off his horse." Was Chen Ping'an's original intention probably like this?
Was this a loss or a victory?
Countless children in the mortal world's village schools lifted their heads, looking at the beautiful scenery in the sky. New Year's fireworks—how big must those firecrackers be?
Having lost all his martial arts and suffered great damage to his Dao body, Jiang Zhaomo returned to the Purple Qi Tower. He glanced at Yu Dou who was sitting in command in the Three Pure Ones Pavilion, as if to say: that personal grudge I told you about, in the end, I can't take revenge anymore.
Yu Dou smiled. This fellow—both past and present lives a hero—if he did something like this today, the Five Cities and Twelve Towers of the Jade Capital would all be surprised, but Yu Dou was not shocked at all.
Earlier, when Chen Ping'an came here, seemingly using malicious words to drive a wedge between Jiang Zhaomo and Yu Dou, and between the Purple Qi Tower and the Jade Capital, he had actually hit the mark.
Jiang Zhaomo landed at the Purple Qi Tower, leaning on the railing. He raised an arm, signaling all the Jiang clan Dao officials of the Purple Qi Tower not to come bother him here, not to spout pleasantries and polite concern.
Jiang Zhaomo spoke with his mind: "Yu Dou, if, if there's still a chance to receive a sword duel again, don't seek another chance for me to turn back. If you don't agree, then when the time comes, I'll join forces with the sword challenger and lead the entire Purple Qi Tower to rebel against the Jade Capital."
Yu Dou nodded. "Fine."
Jiang Zhaomo of the Purple Qi Tower was somewhat similar to the sable-hatted girl beside Mountain Lord Chen, or Xiao Xun in the Barren Wastes. It seemed no one knew what they would do next.
Earlier, Ning Yao had left the top of the divine path steps at Jiling Peak, ascended by flying sword, with a gentle movement, embracing the sable-hatted girl after "two consecutive path dispersals."
The girl, who had already fallen in realm to Jade Core, covered her face with her sable hat. It was unclear whether Bai Jing thought herself too useless, or if Xie Gou didn't dare look at Xiao Mo's situation filling the gap behind.
Floating down and landing at Fallen Mountain, Xie Gou had already composed herself. Standing beside the mountain lord's wife, she slowly pushed her sable hat up, only daring to reveal a bit of her eyes, carefully watching the sky.
Ning Yao said softly, "You're at Jade Core now. Even if you open your eyes wide, you won't see clearly."
Xie Gou instantly flared up at this. She immediately readjusted her sable hat, first pulling it firmly, shaking her head, then putting her hands on her hips. "Ning Yao, how are you so good at comforting people? Our mountain lord must be really absent-minded to have found a wife who's not gentle like you."
Ning Yao reached out and rubbed the sable hat on her head, which was being pulled more and more crooked. She smiled. "I'm indeed not very good at understanding others, but if we're talking about who in this world believes in him the most, you can't compare to me."
After that came the actions of several fourteen-realm cultivators from the Hao Ran world, "before and after the rain." Xiao Mo shattered his natal flying sword "Lotus Thread" and was taken away from the "gap" by Celestial Master Zhao Tianlai, both going together to Dragon Tiger Mountain in the Central Plains Divine Continent.
Xie Gou breathed a sigh of relief and scratched her face. Ning Yao said, "I was initially worried you deliberately ascended first, to lure Xiao Mo into filling the gap, then you'd deliver a sword strike, succeed, and run away."
Xie Gou grinned and admitted, "Before ascending, I did have that intention. But when it came down to it, I gave up. As for why, I can't figure it out."
After a moment of silence, Xie Gou punched her palm. "Last time, when I traveled with the mountain lord through the mountains and rivers of Tongye Continent, stopping and going, he told me several principles inspired by the scenery. Among them, two that I recall now were deliberately said for my benefit."
Ning Yao asked curiously, "What principles?"
"One is from Buddhism: words within the sound of speech are all like drumbeats. Emptiness is not empty, non-emptiness is also empty. Among people, some hear sounds and awaken, others pretend to be deaf and dumb."
Xie Gou continued, "The other: when observing others from below, it's better to judge deeds than intentions. When cultivating the Dao up the mountain, judge both intentions and deeds. The Heavenly Way follows itself, the human way follows oneself. To truly know who you are, it's only in that instant after a thousand hesitations."
Ning Yao nodded. "This was said for Bai Jing's sake, wanting there to be an extra Xie Gou in the mortal world. It was also Chen Ping'an saying it for himself."
Xie Gou frowned and said nothing, hesitating as if to speak. She glanced at Ning Yao but ultimately said nothing. After all, she was the hardworking second-in-command, worried about the mountain lord's wife's Dao heart.
But Ning Yao smiled knowingly. She raised her hand and drew a line in the air—roughly appearing straight but curved upon closer inspection. She explained, "This is him, and also Bai Jing, or Xie Gou."
Xie Gou understood immediately. "I get it. That makes so much sense."
Ning Yao asked with a smile, "Really understand, or just pretending?"
Xie Gou rolled her eyes. "Ning Yao, this second-in-command doesn't sit at the same table as people like Gan Yiban. We're both geniuses of equal intelligence. Who are you looking down on?"
The sable-hatted girl crooked her finger, and above and below the line resembling a worldly watercourse, there appeared some golden "flowers" and "seeds" either "leaping out of the water" or "sinking to the bottom." Between these seeds and flowers, another golden thread connected and wound around the curve.
Ning Yao nodded. "You really do understand."
Xie Gou put her hands on her hips, laughing heartily. "If it were Xiao Mo, he'd be completely lost."
Ning Yao asked, "Then why do you still like Xiao Mo so much?"
Xie Gou gave a "hey" sound and said, "This body originally knew no sorrow, but most fears meeting tenderness."
The sable-hatted girl wiped her mouth. Alas, the title of Dao partner was surely secure. Best to enter the bridal chamber tonight. Who cared about all those tedious formalities? Just grab a red headscarf, swap it for the sable hat, tie Xiao Mo up, toss him on the bed, lift the red veil herself, hehehe...
But deep down, earlier she had wanted to compete with the mountain lord and his wife, to vie for the title of "the world's premier Dao couple." Truly a difficult problem.
Ning Yao laughed. "Little Mi Li hinted at it. You're plagiarizing, aren't you?"
Xie Gou sighed. "Master Zhu said that scholars don't call it plagiarism. They call it borrowing. 'Do not discard false styles; be intimate with the refined. Draw extensively from many teachers to be my teacher.'"
Xie Gou spoke with her mind: "What do we do next?"
Ning Yao said, "Deliver a sword strike."
Xie Gou was stunned, reaching to cover her mouth, lowering her voice: "That one at the mountain gate—I can't beat him now."
Before them, the subtle watercourse that appeared straight but was actually winding was "Chen Ping'an," or "Xie Gou." The nature of humanity and divinity, the conduct of the Dao—that's what it looked like. In fact, there wasn't a distinction between two. No matter who was in charge, they would ultimately say similar things and do similar things. But occasionally, some traces of heart and action, seeds and fruits as cause and effect, "they" would manifest as words and deeds that outsiders didn't understand. As the wise who understand the human heart say: those who live apart from the crowd are either gods or beasts.
Cui Chan had reversed the primary and secondary, but not completely separated them into host and guest. Before the overturning of mountains and rivers and the appearance of the Cauldron of Creation, the "human master" traveled the mortal world. At Shu Jian Lake, Chen Ping'an was led from self-righteous "no fault" and "hope" into boundless disappointment and despair far beyond his capacity to bear. Back then, what shattered was not just a golden literary gall, but the divinity that had grown stronger the more Chen Ping'an connected with heaven and earth after leaving his hometown town of Li Zhu Cave Heaven, causing it—along with his humanity—to completely shatter, creating a huge pit, which was the "heart lake," meant to ensure Chen Ping'an could never personally fill "it" in his lifetime.
Mistakes and regrets were destined to be permanent. You just endured the matter, but the flawed human heart would follow you like a shadow for this entire life.
Cui Chan's cruelest point lay in his secret letter, similar to a suicide note, where he deliberately told Chen Ping'an that the outcomes of those who died unjustly at Shu Jian Lake were all fine.
On the surface, this was to reassure Chen Ping'an, because looking only at the results, if Shu Jian Lake hadn't encountered an accountant, the world would have continued in misery and the human heart would have remained a den of ghosts.
But in reality, it ensured Chen Ping'an would never have the opportunity to personally correct errors or make amends in "deed."
In short, he would never give Chen Ping'an the chance to think "I've done my utmost, I have a clear conscience."
No matter how much power you wield as the new Grand National Teacher of Great Li, with a tiny Shu Jian Lake like a pellet of land, what can you do? Do those who died unjustly back then become undead? Even if your arts reach the heavens, entering the fourteenth or even fifteenth realm, freely reversing time and space—as long as you never deceive yourself to deceive heaven, you'll have to bear this guilt obediently. Especially if you actually reach the fifteenth realm in the future, Chen Ping'an would never be able to deceive himself...
Leaving the Cauldron of Creation, crossing the sea, landing on the shore—it was like a "god master" drifting like a weed on a path.
After that, "Chen Ping'an"—how meticulous, how profound his schemes—unhesitatingly dispersed all the merits accumulated by his senior brother, mended the earthly flaws, succeeded as National Teacher, immediately made four preparations... prevented from killing by Song Yushao's persuasion, allowed Yangzhi to live without killing... At a summit debate, even Yu Xuan had to admire him and sincerely address him as Fellow Daoist Chen. In the Lotus Root Blessing Land, more like an old man than the old man himself, interlocking schemes, carefully arranging the world... to assist a certain emperor of Great Li in striving for the "master of humanity" for the entire mortal world, not just Hao Ran.
This was the power of divinity "in charge." The occasional exceptions were the humanity that leaped out of divine restraint. Within the mind-heart realm, layer upon layer of barriers, what was imprisoned was a "faceless" humanity. And the "face" of humanity—within the Spirit Realm Temple, the last "Chen Cong" created by Cui Chan using the remaining fragments of the fate porcelain—the two, person and god, confused into one Chen Ping'an, were truly the complete One, walking together in the complicated mortal world.
That grand formation used to imprison the human Chen Ping'an was itself a connecting path to the heart of the future Daoist Chen Ping'an of the Spirit Realm Temple. It was a slender "riverbed" that Cui Chan had secretly carved into the Green Obscurity World while the Three Patriarchs were dispersing their paths. Afterward, the human heart flowed like water, slow and continuous, never severed, a long, thin stream. During this time, when the "young Chen Cong" was half-asleep in the temple's common sleeping area, hadn't he spoken some words?
But no matter how ruthless Cui Chan was, he was still the senior disciple of the Wen Sheng lineage, Chen Ping'an's senior brother. So he used this gap to give Chen Ping'an a carefree "childhood" and "youth."
The scenery the young Chen Cong saw was like flowers blooming all over the riverbanks, perhaps with the same subtle resonance as Chen Ping'an's intention to create a hundred-flower stream in Tongye Continent.
The mortal world has millions of kinds of scenery, but summed up in two words: "beauty."
The regret the world didn't give you—the senior brother barely managed to make up for it.
Earlier on the high platform, the Daoist Shi Zhouren used sarcasm, pity, or mockery about Chen Ping'an's childhood and youth—essentially because his Dao power was too weak, his calculations too poor. The Daoist didn't know what Cui Chan had done. Perhaps that was why Zheng Juzhong went to the high platform but couldn't be bothered to say a word to the Daoist. The two simply had nothing to talk about.
The great demon Chusheng, creator of the Barren Wastes "Hall of Heroes," ultimately died in that Hall of Heroes.
Xiao Xun and Zheng Juzhong were neither sentimental. They had no qualms about joining forces. Xiao Xun wasn't afraid that Zheng Juzhong would reap the benefits of their conflict, just as the Great Li Earthly Branch didn't fear being instantly killed when they saw Wu Zhou. Xiao Xun knew well—Zheng Juzhong, this demon lord, did things in unfathomable ways, but not without scruples, not relying solely on despicable schemes. Since the two had agreed to establish a sect and claim patriarch status together in the Barren Wastes, even if it was only a verbal agreement, Xiao Xun trusted him.
Chusheng exhausted his means, but time, place, and people were not on his side. Xiao Xun, who had refined the entire Hall of Heroes, was especially ruthless. Not only was she unafraid that Zheng Juzhong would devour and refine the Dao of both sides together, she even sacrificed a natal flying sword whose origins and abilities few people knew to this day.
Combined with Zheng Juzhong's "adding fuel to the flames," the great demon Chusheng was punched by Xiao Xun into the stone wall, sinking into it. He lost his broken crutch, and with a shake of his shoulder, a cavern cave-like "place of meditation" arched out.
This ancient great demon glanced at Xiao Xun outside. One of her twin braids was broken, her whole somewhat childlike face a bloody mess. She reached up and tore off some skin.
Chusheng sat upright inside the stone cave, lightly shaking his sleeves, his expression complicated. He asked, "If Hao Ran occupies the Barren Wastes, one world gaining both name and substance, how will you handle yourself?"
Xiao Xun wiped her face, bones showing, flicked her wrist to splash blood. "Old beast, you can rest assured and die. I have an irreconcilable blood feud with Hao Ran cultivators for this life."
Chusheng nodded, shifted his gaze. "I'm very curious, Mr. Zheng, throughout your life of cultivation, what is it you ultimately seek?"
In fact, the moment Zheng Juzhong and Xiao Xun entered this Hall of Heroes, Chusheng already knew his ending.
Zheng Juzhong appeared beside Xiao Xun and said, "Great disparity in Dao, diverging paths in the mortal world. Even if I told you, you might not understand."
Xiao Xun was eager to try. If she devoured Chusheng's Dao body, then gradually gathered and refined his Dao meaning, her own path—a fourteen-realm not purely sword cultivation—would become more formidable in combat.
The fear was that the great demon Chusheng might harden his heart and self-destruct, blowing up his golden core, nascent soul, and soul together. That would make the fight thrilling indeed, but at a massive loss.
Chusheng laughed. "No need to rush. Later, you can chew me up clean."
Xiao Xun reached up and patted her twin braid, seeming a bit surprised.
Zheng Juzhong once again dispersed a sword light that abruptly appeared within the mind-heart realm.
The misty shadow spoke as gently as possible, "Zheng fellow, that's enough. Be careful not to let Liu Xianyang's bridge of eternal life be severed. Anger Chen Ping'an, and he'll send you a heavenly execution directly."
After a moment of silence, Chusheng folded his hands on his abdomen, his entire person's Dao aura gradually calming. He asked, "Mr. Zheng, do you think all my scheming and calculations in this life are laughable?"
Zheng Juzhong said, "Before the battle of ascending to heaven, the demon race's Chusheng was a hero. Before the connection between heaven and earth, the Barren Wastes' Chusheng was a hegemon. In short, the great demon Chusheng was a hero of the demon race."
Chusheng's eyes suddenly brightened. "Mr. Zheng, does Chusheng truly deserve such an evaluation?!"
Zheng Juzhong nodded. "You deserve it. You are worthy."
Chusheng gave a great laugh, saying "good" several times in a row, like a final flicker of life. "Zheng Juzhong, Xiao Xun, fellow Daoists, the demon race of the mortal world, the Barren Wastes—I'll trouble you both to take care of them in the future. Sorry for the burden."
Chusheng cupped his hands. "I thank you here in advance. Fated to meet you two fellow Daoists, the Daoist Chusheng has no regrets."
Zheng Juzhong performed a Daoist salute. "An honor to meet."
Zheng Juzhong kicked Xiao Xun. The latter reluctantly cupped her hands as a promise. "Fellow Daoist Chusheng, as for 'taking care' and 'burden,' I, Xiao Xun, make no guarantees. But as for making Hao Ran cultivators suffer—that's certainly within my duty."
Chusheng smiled knowingly. "Fellow Daoist Xiao Xun, you are a very rare kind of Dao learner. So let me speak some heartfelt words to you: Good and evil don't matter—let others judge. But the path of learning Dao is vast and endless. One must always find one or two anchors, so that our Dao hearts don't drift like duckweed in the wilderness. Let us encourage each other."
Xiao Xun was stunned for a moment, then said sincerely, "Fellow Daoist Chusheng, I won't devour your true form."
The great demon Chusheng closed his eyes, his bright laughter echoing long in the stone cave. "Devour it! Why not devour? This body is merely returning to the mortal world. I am thus, and so are my kind..."
The earliest golden threads of the connection between heaven and earth—the heavens reached the mortal world, but the earthly golden thread ultimately ended in futility, completely dissipating.
Zhou Mi was left with nearly thirty percent of his pure divinity. If he hadn't left the new Heavenly Court without devouring the Fire God Ruan Xiu, there would have been even more.
But it wasn't that Zhou Mi had no time to do so; he simply couldn't. Among the ancient Five Supremes, the Sword Holder chose to acknowledge Chen Ping'an as master. Her killing power remained beyond the heavens, but she had been "stricken from the roster." Ruan Xiu was the only one among the Five Supremes—old and new—to remain, still sitting high on the throne of the Fire God. Before ascending to heaven, Zhou Mi had to bring Ruan Xiu, who had already merged all the Water God Li Liu's divinity, with him. After ascending, he could never find a way to merge Ruan Xiu's divine path without harming the new Heavenly Court.
The Barren Wastes had accepted the defecting Dark Warden Xiao Xun, and Xiao Xun indeed made contributions during the attack on Hao Ran. The new Heavenly Court also had to accept the Fire God Ruan Xiu, and Ruan Xiu indeed did not contend with Zhou Mi for the Dao. She helped him share the impact of the Three Patriarchs' path dispersion and Zhi Ci's ascension to fill the gap.
Zhou Mi stood on the high platform, experiencing the long-missed scent of the mortal world.
For today's two connections between heaven and earth, Chen Ping'an's divinity and humanity had truly been separated at the moment of ascension.
Now, the divine Chen Ping'an was like a self-consecrated mortal god. He had certainly lost, but the mortal world had won.
Zhou Mi looked at this "young man," pure and golden, hair disheveled, standing barefoot.
The first golden pillar connecting heaven and earth had settled.
The second golden thread of the heaven-earth connection had also converged its infinite golden light.
The Three Patriarchs had made their move at the new Heavenly Court. Ten thousand years—twice ascending to heaven—finally, for a chapter called the Divine Path, they would draw a period that penetrated the "mortal world" like pressing through paper.
The Three Patriarchs each glanced at the mortal world. In an instant, the boundless void occupied by the new Heavenly Court suddenly bloomed a purple-gold lotus, its petals inscribed with the words of the mortal world.
Zhi Ci held the lotus in hand, returning to the mortal world that had sunk back into heavy night, shining brightly.
The Dao methods of the three teachings merged into one, first severing the divine root that Zhou Mi had always kept in the new Heavenly Court, then like a sword light falling straight to the mortal world, directly shattering the entire golden line, layer by layer.
Zhi Ci also took a last look at the mortal world—at some place in the Barren Wastes.
Zhou Mi's figure on the high platform swayed unsteadily.
In the Barren Wastes, his backup plan to reclaim his three corpses—Shouchen, Liubai, and Zhou Qinggao—had ultimately been sabotaged by Zheng Juzhong. With the grand momentum lost, the whole game was lost.
Moreover, even if the mortal world regained a Barren Wastes Wenhai, unless it could become the fifteenth realm instantly, it held no interest for Zhou Mi, who was set on remaking heaven and earth. White Emperor City's Zheng Juzhong, even Yu Dou and the Jade Capital, the Five Colors World's Ning Yao, the Central Plains Confucian Temple, the Western Buddhist Kingdom... none would allow that "instant" to come to the mortal world. Zhou Mi didn't want to waste another word with them, didn't want to see another face of any mortal world Dao learner. It was simply a matter of victor and loser.
High on the throne, one hand supporting her chin, Ruan Xiu raised a hand, two fingers pinching out a speck of golden light, as if chiseling this tiny bit from a towering golden mountain.
But the entire new Heavenly Court began to collapse because it had lost this insignificant point.
Earlier, during the heaven-earth connection, they were like neighbors for ten thousand years, but Zhou Mi had not spoken a single word to her from start to finish, and the same for her.
One was a reckless youth blocking the road with a blade; the other was a calculating schemer with deep hatred. Earlier, both probably wanted to kill the other, then say something?
Zhou Mi looked at the new Heavenly Court beginning to shatter, shook his head with a smile.
One day, you, Chen Ping'an, will either be the mortal world's Yu Dou or the heavens' Zhou Mi.
Zhou Mi dispelled countless thoughts and finally made a decision.
The remaining thirty percent of divinity would still allow him to accomplish one thing.
He would clash head-on with that "sword light" of the Three Patriarchs and Zhi Ci, leaving a hole in the mortal world—a bad news for all mortal world Qi refiners, and a surprise for all ordinary folk.
From now on, for a hundred years, a thousand years, ten thousand years, the world's spiritual energy would all return to "this place."
All cultivators of the mortal world, from today onward, you need to hurry up! You can crazily absorb the spiritual energy of spirit coins, artifacts, mountains and rivers, and all "others"!
Every strand of your divine abilities and techniques, every artifact you cultivate or sacrifice—thread by thread, earth-shattering amounts of spiritual energy—will all originate and return to this place.
Not everyone has divinity? From now on, let the entire mortal world become a temple gradually losing its heavenly spiritual energy but with ever-prosperous incense smoke.
Haha, the prototype of yet another new Heavenly Court!
A sword light from the heavens.
Zhou Mi became "the earth."
The third connection between heaven and earth.
The two lines crashed together with a bang. In an instant, a chaotic whirlpool like a bottomless pit appeared in the mortal world, with surrounding spiritual energy pouring in madly.
The five great worlds, and the countless stars beyond the heavens, all tilted slowly in response.
Chen Ping'an, who had ascended with his sword, landed within the collapsing new Heavenly Court, his human body like porcelain about to shatter. Ruan Xiu, sitting high on the throne with a detached expression, watched him from afar.
Chen Ping'an twisted his wrist, flicking his sword into a flower. This time, he became the "heavens."
A single sword strike aimed at the whirlpool.
At the peak of Fallen Mountain, Ning Yao acted first. She pressed two fingers together and slashed a Dao mark across her brow. "Cut open this heaven and earth for me!"
As she spoke, at the highest point of the Five Colors World's Dao barrier, a huge golden vertical pupil stood like a towering eye. Heaven and earth resonated: "As you command!"
At the foot of Fallen Mountain, the Daoist Xianwei stood up, no longer looking at the ground.
"The world's first Daoist" left only a shell for the Daoist Xianwei and a wooden hairpin that had lost all its Dao meaning, like a silent parting gift.
A sword strike originating from the Five Colors World first slashed open the whirlpool. The whirlpool began to heal, like a Dao path repairing itself.
Another sword strike slashed it open further. The sword wielder's form scattered—divinity already adrift, humanity following on the Dao path.
A cyan figure reached out with a sweep, smiling. "Hey, Mountain Lord, wake up. Wake up, then sleep well."
Then the cyan figure of this Daoist said, "Stop being foolish," and the Dao, like the cyan sky, gently dispersed the whirlpool.
Zhou Mi narrowed his eyes, looking up at that magnificent scroll, murmuring softly to himself, "An ending like this for my life is also quite splendid."
Zheng Juzhong shook his two sleeves and, following the lingering Dao resonance of the path to heaven, went directly to the place that from today onward would be called the "old Heavenly Court."
From his sleeves, he tossed out the misty shadow and Liu Xianyang, who had challenged with three sword strikes.
Zheng Juzhong's move startled everyone.
One wave not yet settled, another rising—another?! What was Zheng Juzhong doing?!
Liu Xianyang turned his head to look at the familiar woman, waved his hand, and grinned. "Miss Ruan Xiu, long time no see. You seem a bit thinner. Is there no meat to eat in this big bowl up in heaven?"
Gu Can, worried about complications, shouted angrily, "Shut up!"
Unexpectedly, Ruan Xiu nodded with a smile.
Zheng Juzhong asked, "Is it?"
Ruan Xiu nodded.
He and Lu Chen had both guessed correctly. The entire mortal world was derived from the Dao transformation of that ancient Heavenly Court existence—an extension of the Dao.
Simply put, everyone—mountains, rivers—in a certain sense, were that One. Hence it wasn't just Lu Chen who was the One; everyone was.
Buddhism says everyone has Buddha nature—of course that's right. Then everyone has divinity—that's been the case since ancient times.
Zheng Juzhong smiled. "That's fine too."
Ruan Xiu left the throne, guiding the Cypress Boat. She didn't look at the mortal world, just drifted away.
Liu Xianyang asked, "Old Zheng, is he okay?"
Zheng Juzhong said, "Barely."
Not giving Liu Xianyang a chance to ask more, Zheng Juzhong had already returned to the mortal world, heading back to the Barren Wastes.
Gu Can frowned slightly.
Liu Xianyang clicked his tongue, looking around. Marvelous. He recalled the "inscription" he had written on the wall of that pavilion as a child—now he could truly say he had been elevated above all.
Regardless, the mortal world finally had no more Zhou Mi.
No one knew whether the next ten thousand years would be good or bad.
Could it truly usher in a peaceful era with an upward-trending human heart?
Perhaps not. Maybe yes. Probably hope will meet disappointment, disappointment condenses into despair. But perhaps hope will welcome more hope. Maybe despair will also give birth to a spark of light. Who knows about tomorrow? Who dares say it must be one way or another?
Yesterday's mortal world was full of heroic graves; today's mortal world also has its tender havens. Tomorrow—let tomorrow speak. Put hope aside for now.
Between heaven and earth.
A leaf falls.
Drifting gently.
Ning Yao held him, and she whispered, "Time to go home."
The mountains of the mortal world all paid homage.
After thunderclaps comes tender affection.
Outland sword cultivator, return home soon.