Free Web NovelChapter 522: Chapter 515: The Way Home on the Three Rivers
"That realm? I once had my own conjectures about it, but now... I’ve lost the chance to ever reach it."
Beichuan Xuanxin fell silent at his words, finally speaking with a slight sigh.
Zhou Yuanjue was also silent. Though he didn’t know what had happened to this man, he knew that reaching this point was certainly not by his own choice.
For a Martial Artist, becoming a Celestial Demon meant that even if they broke through that shackle, their evolutionary path was already set. It was no longer their own Dao.
In a sense, this man was indeed completely cut off from the realm he yearned for.
"But it doesn’t matter anymore. This life of mine should have been buried in the past long ago. As far as history is concerned, my Dao has already reached its end. I’m just a failure who happened to be granted a second life, unwilling to just end this new existence myself. So, I’ve been searching for the most fitting grave to bury myself in."
"If I can truly leave something behind, as you say, then that seems like a fine thing as well," Beichuan Xuanxin said with a smile.
Then, his fingers tapped in succession against his own body.
Zhou Yuanjue could feel his body undergoing a change.
His self-awareness hadn’t fully returned, and his cells remained in a hyperactive state of myriad transformations. Yet, his will could temporarily restrain this state, preventing his cells from turning on each other and damaging his body. Instead, it briefly unified the immense power that was being unleashed.
This would grant him incredibly immense power, but Zhou Yuanjue didn’t know the consequences or the backlash of doing so. He was certain, however, that the result would not be good.
It was like a Tyrant of old, who could create fleeting miracles in human history through brutal levies and extreme oppression of his people, only to inevitably face a backlash that would lead to the dynasty’s downfall.
"What comes next will likely be my final strike in this world. Ever since my rebirth, I have been searching for someone who could withstand this blow. Finally, I have met you."
"A beautiful melody needs a complementary accompaniment; an outstanding masterpiece needs a reader who can truly understand it. You said my abilities showed you a way to break through your shackles. Though I don’t know what that path is, perhaps within this next move, you will find a different kind of enlightenment."
"The premise, of course, is that you can survive it," Beichuan Xuanxin said faintly. At this moment, his body began to flicker with a faint light. Every cell within him was responding in unison, unleashing all its power without restraint.
That immense magnetic field spread wantonly. Under its influence, everything in the surroundings seemed to begin to distort, and the scenery started to grow hazy.
"Whether from the standpoint of our nations or our personal positions, you and I are irreconcilable enemies. Aren’t you worried about what kind of harm I might bring to your country and your people if I break through my shackles because of you?"
Zhou Yuanjue’s eyes were calm. He no longer suppressed his own magnetic field, and his body gradually underwent Star Transformation, preparing to meet his opponent’s final attack.
"Country? People? I must admit, I once held those things in high regard and gave too much for them in my lifetime."
"But now, too much has changed. Living a second time has made me understand a lot. When they ignored my instructions, froze my body without my consent, and used such a disgusting method for my Awakening, I lost most of my feelings for the things you mentioned."
"They only saw me as a blade. And now, I will be myself again."
A strange smile appeared on Beichuan Xuanxin’s face, as if he had attained some kind of release and transcendence.
The next moment.
WUUUMMM!!
Beichuan Xuanxin’s body didn’t move an inch, but the entire world changed in an instant.
The world enveloped by his magnetic field began to warp. The sandy ground trembled, and faint red, water-like ripples actually appeared upon it.
TAP, TAP, TAP!
Beichuan Xuanxin approached Zhou Yuanjue step by step. Beneath their feet, damp, black planks had appeared.
Zhou Yuanjue remained silent, making no move as Beichuan Xuanxin drew near.
Soon, Beichuan Xuanxin was standing beside him. Like old friends who hadn’t seen each other in years, they stood shoulder to shoulder, gazing into the distance.
The surrounding scene had now completely transformed.
Beneath them was a small skiff, drifting with the current. Below the skiff flowed a deep, pale red river. The sky was a somber black, streaked with dark red lightning that looked like scars upon the heavens.
On both banks of the river were rolling black mountains—silent and oppressive. Tilted stone steles jutted out from the mountainsides, looking like tombstones.
From within the soil, one could occasionally glimpse desiccated, broken corpses, creating a horrifying and macabre sight.
SWIRL! SWIRL!!
The pale red river water trembled. Beneath the skiff, countless beings seemed to be endlessly circling and swimming. Through the surface, one could see twisted, ghostly figures.
Zhou Yuanjue and Beichuan Xuanxin stood at the bow of the skiff, watching the scenery on both banks as the boat drifted on.
Countless bright red flowers covered the riverbanks, swaying in the wind, their stamens drooping like thousands of willow branches.
The Spider Lilies are in bloom.
This was Beichuan Xuanxin’s final Swordsmanship.
A technique that transcended the material plane, even transcended the plane of magnetic fields. It was the ultimate move of the Destruction Stream, comprehended through decades of frozen experience with Life and Death, at the cost of his own life.
Destruction·Three Rivers Return Path.
"It’s a beautiful scene, isn’t it?" Beichuan Xuanxin said with emotion, standing at the bow.
It was only then that Zhou Yuanjue realized his body had returned to its original appearance and, without his noticing, had become translucent.
What stood here now was no longer his physical body.
"Yes, it is. The Sanzu River, the Wangchuan River."
Zhou Yuanjue also gazed at the distant scenery—a sight one could normally only see in dreams—and let out a sigh of admiration.
"A pity. This is a sight only the dead can see. It seems you failed to block that move. In the end, you are on this journey with me," Beichuan Xuanxin said with a sigh.
"The world has its own laws of operation. After death, a person’s body returns to dust, becoming organic matter once more to feed back into the world, reintegrating with it."
"So, what about the Spirit and will? Where do they return to after death?"
"To here," Beichuan Xuanxin said faintly.
"Different civilizations have different names for this place. Be it the Underworld or the Netherworld, some believe in reincarnation here, but that is merely a beautiful wish."
"Here, the Spirit and will embark on their final journey, to be broken down and reintegrated with the magnetic field of the entire world."
"Once you step foot in this place, there is no turning back."
