Free Web NovelChapter 523: Chapter 516: Worth It
"My final move opened a gate to that other world. We’ve set foot upon the Three Rivers Return Path. It seems you and I are destined to return to nature together, right here."
Beichuan Xuanxin said with a smile.
「In the real world.」
Zhou Yuanjue and Beichuan Xuanxin’s bodies stood facing each other. In that instant, all brain activity in both of them ceased. As if they had lost all support, they collapsed backward in unison.
"To put it plainly, this is nothing more than an illusion manifested by the Natural Magnetic Field."
Zhou Yuanjue said calmly.
"There is no Underworld, no Netherworld, and no Reincarnation."
"The magnetic fields converge and form these scenes and illusions simply because people believe in them. But that doesn’t mean anything."
"Your ability merely triggered the Natural Magnetic Field’s program for recycling human consciousness, extracting the remnants of our consciousness from our bodies and pulling them into the Natural Magnetic Field itself."
"This incomprehensibly complex environment is extremely destructive to the fragile magnetic field of human consciousness. Without the protection of a physical body, a consciousness field will be completely torn apart by the chaotic Natural Magnetic Field, vanishing from the world entirely."
"For an ordinary person, that would mean true death—every trace of their existence fading away into nature."
"But for me... this is far from over."
"This world can’t hold me."
Zhou Yuanjue said, his expression serene.
Hearing Zhou Yuanjue’s words, Beichuan Xuanxin looked utterly stunned.
"The scenery here is beautiful, but it’s not a place where I should linger. I must thank you. Your abilities and your Martial Dao have been a great inspiration to me. Not just your creative feat of annihilating the ’self’ to manifest thousands of incarnations, but also this incredible maneuver of manipulating the Natural Magnetic Field to simulate a death scene and pull human consciousness from the body."
Zhou Yuanjue looked at Beichuan Xuanxin, his eyes full of sincerity.
"But, it’s time for me to go."
He then turned to face the entrance of the Three Rivers Return Path. In the next moment, he did something that left Beichuan Xuanxin stunned.
His translucent body took a sudden leap, leaving the confines of the skiff and falling toward the pale red surface of the river.
"You..."
Beichuan Xuanxin reached out to stop him, but it was too late.
Legend has it that the Sanzu River is roamed by all the world’s Fierce Ghosts. If a soul traveling the river should happen to leave the boat, these Fierce Ghosts will swarm them, devouring the fallen soul in the most brutal fashion imaginable.
Their soul would be utterly destroyed in agony.
SPLASH! SPLASH! SPLASH!!!
And just as the legends foretold, the moment Zhou Yuanjue leaped, the river’s surface erupted into chaos. The dark shadows lurking within swarmed him like sharks that had scented blood.
WHOOSH!!
Countless blurry, dark figures leaped from the water. Their forms were twisted and their features indistinct, revealing only gaping, bloody maws and razor-sharp fangs.
All the dark figures lunged for Zhou Yuanjue.
Zhou Yuanjue’s expression remained unchanged. He knew there were no such things as "Fierce Ghosts" in the world. These dark figures were merely symbolic images, phantoms shaped by the collective beliefs and legends of the world’s many races and peoples.
In essence, they were nothing more than the chaotic magnetic fields of the natural world.
For an ordinary person, exposing their fragile will to these terrifyingly turbulent magnetic fields would mean being completely devoured in short order. Fear and dread would only hasten the process as their consciousness vanished. But for Zhou Yuanjue, it was a different story.
HUMMM!!
His translucent body once again took on a starry hue as he stomped down hard with both feet.
BOOM!!!
The pale red river’s surface exploded. A massive volume of water erupted into the air, and countless dark figures were sent flying by the sheer force of Zhou Yuanjue’s stomp. A huge crater formed in the water, and the shockwave caused Beichuan Xuanxin’s skiff to rock so violently that it nearly capsized.
Zhou Yuanjue stood upon the surface of the water, not sinking in the slightest. The next moment, his feet began to move.
SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!!
He shot forward like an arrow, his feet continuously striking the water’s surface as he raced into the distance.
Beichuan Xuanxin witnessed an astonishing sight.
SPLASH! CRASH! SPLASH!!
The entire pale red river erupted into a total frenzy. Innumerable, densely packed dark figures leaped from the water, lunging at the furiously sprinting Zhou Yuanjue.
Caught in the turbulent Natural Magnetic Field, even Zhou Yuanjue didn’t dare to pause for a second. His own willpower, after all, was finite, whereas the Power of the Natural Magnetic Field was virtually infinite. Therefore, trying to destroy these attacking fields was out of the question; it would be a foolish waste of precious time and energy.
SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!!
And so, Beichuan Xuanxin watched as a single figure, trailing a tangled swarm of dark shadows, charged toward the exit of the Sanzu River, brutally and unstoppably treading upon its surface.
’What a Solid and powerful will... Not even the Sanzu River can hold him... Is there anything in this world that can claim him?’
His mouth fell slightly agape as he watched the figure finally vanish completely from sight.
The water’s surface returned to its calm state. The lone skiff he rode continued to advance slowly, sailing toward an unknown horizon.
There, his own journey would end.
His consciousness would dissipate, and all would return to nothingness.
"AHAHAHAHAHA!!!"
After a brief silence, Beichuan Xuanxin, standing at the bow of the skiff, suddenly threw his head back and let out a wild, hearty laugh.
’To witness such a man, to experience such a battle, to see such a sight, all while on my own final journey... It’s truly a joyous occasion.’
He slowly lowered himself, sitting down at the bow of the skiff.
The skiff swayed as it advanced, the pale red water undisturbed by ripples. A gentle breeze blew from the banks, causing the stunningly beautiful spider lilies to sway. Faint motes of light scattered down like Star Points.
Taking in the beautiful scenery, a look of contentment appeared on Beichuan Xuanxin’s face.
’How romantic...’
’Living this second life was truly worth it.’
’The present world... this new era... I leave it all to you...’
...
...
SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!!
Zhou Yuanjue sprinted madly across the water’s surface. He didn’t know where he was going; only a faint, unknown intuition guided him onward.
The path was even longer than he had imagined. The surrounding turbulent magnetic fields constantly drained his strength and slowed his pace, trying to trap his consciousness within the Natural Magnetic Field forever and make him a part of it.
His consciousness field was being depleted, and his sense of self was gradually fading. When that self-awareness disappeared completely, he would likely die for good.
And yet, he felt no hesitation, no fear.
Finally, just as his strength was about to give out, a dazzling light appeared up ahead.
He plunged headfirst into the light.
The dazzling light blurred his consciousness. After a moment of stasis, he beheld a peculiar sight.
