Chapter 106: Origin of the Gate of Myriad Differences

Chapter 106: The Origin of the Myriad Gate

The sermon lasted forty-nine days.

The wondrous sound echoed through the Eighteen Mountains, like celestial music.

Nine Coil Mountain was a sea of people, as thunder rolled and a spring rain fell upon the earth.

The spring rain pattered down, falling on bodies, bringing a sense of ease and joy.

A human cultivator’s eyes blurred: “Since the sun, moon, and stars vanished, the mortal world has never again heard divine sound!”

A demon prostrated on the ground, wishing to honor Qi Yuan as the Supreme Sage.

Qi Yuan sat upright on a boulder, his voice clear: “The Human-Demon Path, this… is the Demon Trap!”

With his final words, the technique named “Demon Trap Art” settled into the hearts of all present.

The mountains and fields were filled with demons and human cultivators, entranced as if in a dream.

Then, an elderly human prostrated himself: “Thank you, divine one, for bestowing this art, saving our race in times of peril!”

The greatest use of the “Demon Trap Art” was to help cultivators build a cage, trapping the demonic evil within their hearts.

Thus, no one would suddenly become agitated, and the demonic evil would not abruptly break free from their body.

For humans, demons, and spirits alike, this was of paramount importance.

As the elder prostrated himself.

The other humans and demons, regardless of their cultivation or status, all knelt down, crying out in unison: “Thank you, divine one, for bestowing this art, saving our race in times of hardship.”

Across the mountains and fields, demons and humans knelt toward Qi Yuan, a truly awe-inspiring sight.

The little goldfinch’s face froze.

Everyone was kneeling—should she kneel too?

She quickly dismissed the thought.

How could her childhood sweetheart be knelt to by her alone?

If kneeling was to be done, it would be done together.

She looked at Qi Yuan, her beautiful eyes filled with pride.

Qi Yuan rose, gazing at the sea of humans and demons on the mountains, countless thoughts flashing through his mind.

In the end, they condensed into one sentence.

“The sermon is over; everyone go home.”

He had not originally intended to preach.

It was just that his understanding of the Human-Demon Path had reached its peak, and he felt something stir.

As he sorted through his own path, he could not help but chant it aloud.

Some demons and humans heard it and gathered below.

Gradually, Qi Yuan realized that spreading the path was also a way to sort out the Human-Demon Path.

The path grew clearer with each telling, the principle brighter with each debate.

Once it was sorted… everyone should just leave, or else staring at him like this would make him feel rather embarrassed.

The humans and demons across the mountains, hearing Qi Yuan’s dismissal, once again performed the disciple’s salute and slowly departed.

In the end, twenty-six people remained.

Half were human, half were demon.

They looked at Qi Yuan and stepped forward, their attitudes sincere: “We wish to take the Blood Lord as our master and serve at your side.”

Qi Yuan wore a blood-red robe and had attained the path through blood, so calling him Blood Lord was not excessive.

Qi Yuan heard this, but inwardly he refused.

Why would he take on disciples for no reason?

Yet, he glanced at the Myriad Gate in the sky, and many thoughts crossed his mind.

He did need some help, to learn more about the Myriad Gate.

Moreover, he did not know when he would return next time; having more familiar faces was always good.

“I do not take disciples, but if you wish to stay, then stay.”

The twenty-seven present heard this, disappointment flickering in their eyes, but upon hearing they could stay, they grew excited.

Thus, not one of the twenty-seven chose to leave.

“We wish to serve the Blood Lord!”

The little goldfinch stood beside Qi Yuan, her eyes falling on a woman among the twenty-seven.

That woman was none other than the white fox Shang Yanran from Seven Coil Mountain.

Seeing Shang Yanran, the goldfinch immediately took Qi Yuan’s arm and looked down her nose at her.

Her ladyship’s airs were fully displayed.

Then, Qi Yuan said, “You twenty-seven may find any place on Nine Coil Mountain to build huts and live.”

“As you command.”

The twenty-seven, regardless of their former temperaments or identities, now looked at Qi Yuan with reverence.

After all, Qi Yuan’s sermon and transmission of the path on Nine Coil Mountain, especially the final “Demon Trap Art,” could almost be said to change the fate of all humans and demons.

The twenty-seven present understood that after today, the sermon and transmission on Nine Coil Mountain would spread rapidly through the Drifting Wind Realm.

They knew how significant this seemingly ordinary sermon truly was.

Before long, Nine Coil Mountain would become a true sacred land.

The Blood Lord would become an object of reverence for countless beings.

What great fortune would it be for them to stay here?

“Nine Coil Mountain is my territory; this lady will take you to find houses!” The little goldfinch was a very enthusiastic person.

Especially since these twenty-seven were all her childhood sweetheart’s followers.

Qi Yuan saw this and said nothing.

The little goldfinch could do whatever she pleased.

He would continue to contemplate the Myriad Gate first.

Matters for later could be dealt with later.

The little goldfinch led the twenty-seven, her spirits high.

“The Blood Lord, he’s called Blood Bead, my childhood sweetheart!” Without Qi Yuan around, the goldfinch’s little mouth chattered away.

The white fox Shang Yanran, among the crowd, looked at the goldfinch with envy: “The Blood Lord truly dotes on Sparrow Fairy.”

She recalled how, not long ago, the Blood Lord had flown with the goldfinch over the Eighteen Mountains, playfully saying that the goldfinch was the foremost beauty of the Eighteen Mountains.

The enigmatic Blood Lord, acting in such absurd and frivolous ways, revealed his deep affection for the Canary.

Beside him, Bai Ze, the husband of the still-smiling Shang Yanran, remarked, "Not long ago, the Blood Lord declared that the Canary Fairy was the foremost beauty of the Eighteen Mountains."

In their words, they also divulged what had transpired in the Eighteen Mountains earlier.

The gazes of all present toward the Canary shifted, becoming markedly different.

At first, they had assumed the Canary was merely the Blood Lord's attendant, but now it seemed their relationship was far from ordinary.

Their looks toward the Canary turned fawning.

Hearing this, the Canary's snowy cheeks inexplicably flushed with crimson.

She still knew how to feel shy.

...

Twenty years had passed in the blink of an eye since Qi Yuan's sermon.

Now, the *Demon-Suppressing Art* had begun to circulate among the mortal world.

Every day, a multitude of cultivators came to Mount Nine-Pan to pay homage.

Mount Nine-Pan had become the sacred ground of the Flowing Wind Realm.

All the world said that on Mount Nine-Pan dwelled a born deity, known as the Blood Lord.

The Blood Lord had emerged from chaos, preached on Mount Nine-Pan for forty-nine days, and founded the *Demon-Suppressing Sutra*, temporarily suppressing all inner demons.

As long as one cultivated the *Demon-Suppressing Art*, they would no longer suffer from sudden, inexplicable inner demons or demonic calamities bursting forth from their bodies.

This act saved countless lives.

For in the past, among humans and demons alike, from birth to adulthood, only one in a hundred survived; from birth to a natural death, scarcely one in ten thousand.

With the advent of this art, the populations of humans and demons surged.

Some had said that the Blood Lord was akin to a sage, and among the twenty-seven original followers, some proposed that the Blood Lord should be honored as the Sage of Humans and Demons!

Qi Yuan flatly refused.

He was unworthy of being called a sage.

As for being the Sage of Humans and Demons... he had no desire for that either.

One day, Qi Yuan stood atop the peak of Mount Nine-Pan, the very place he had first arrived.

Now, his understanding of the Gate of Myriad Differences grew ever deeper.

Alas, the Gate of Myriad Differences, mere hundreds of yards away, he could approach no further.

Should he attempt to draw near, he feared he would evaporate.

If he could approach, or even enter it,

his comprehension of the primordial source would undoubtedly deepen.

At this moment, Qi Yuan, clad in a blood-red robe, stood on the summit.

Below him were five men and women radiating terrifying auras.

These five were among the twenty-seven who had originally remained on Mount Nine-Pan.

"Blood Lord, the *Demon-Suppressing Art* has already covered eleven continents of the Flowing Wind Realm, and it is expected to spread across the entire world within a hundred years," said the wooden-faced man, though his expression bore a hint of worry. "In recent years, the pace has slowed somewhat, and it seems someone is obstructing its spread."

The wooden-faced man was the leader of the twenty-seven, known as Foolish Daoist.

The other four, upon hearing this, darkened their faces.

The spread of the *Demon-Suppressing Art* was a great boon to the Flowing Wind Realm, yet someone dared to hinder it—they could not comprehend it, and how could they not be enraged?

"Which scoundrel dares to block the *Demon-Suppressing Art*? I'll split him with my axe!" growled the burly giant, his temper flaring.

Many times before, his inner demon had nearly burst forth, bringing him to the brink of death.

Only by cultivating the *Demon-Suppressing Art* had such calamities been averted.

But... his temper had grown fiercer as well.

"Let this matter rest," Qi Yuan said, unconcerned. He smiled at Bai Ze and Shang Yanran. "How goes the investigation into the Gate of Myriad Differences?"

To these twenty-seven, and to those who later followed him, Qi Yuan occasionally did not mind explaining the Way of Humans and Demons, as well as the *Demon-Suppressing Art*.

Each instruction brought these people profound insights and great gains, deepening their reverence for Qi Yuan.

Of course, Qi Yuan was not entirely selfless; he also had them gather useful information for him.

Bai Ze and Shang Yanran had been tasked with investigating the Gate of Myriad Differences.

White Fox Shang Yanran stepped forward: "Blood Lord, the origin of the Gate of Myriad Differences seems to be tied to the ancient gods."

Qi Yuan's interest was piqued: "Tell me in detail."

White Fox Shang Yanran continued: "Legend has it that in ancient times, there was a great demon in the Flowing Wind Realm known as the Buddha."

"Buddha?" Qi Yuan was surprised.

That name could not be used lightly.

"According to records, the Buddha was an immortal deity who descended to the mortal world for trials. After passing through the myriad tribulations of the mortal realm, he could return to the realm of immortals.

However, at that time, the Buddha went to Rakshasa City and met a woman who changed his destiny.

At first sight, he was stirred by mortal desires, regarding that woman as the bond of his life.

That woman was the daughter of a demonic overlord, besieged by righteous cultivators.

The Buddha intervened and saved her, and thus they became fated, sinking into love." As Shang Yanran spoke, her eyes held a note of regret. "If you ask me, the Buddha should never have saved that enchantress, and none of this would have happened!"

Bai Ze then said, "What fault did that woman have? Simply because she was born of the demonic path, she deserved to be besieged by the righteous?"

Shang Yanran shot her husband a glance. Her husband was Bai Ze, a symbol of auspiciousness, naturally inclined to compassion.

Qi Yuan was momentarily stunned.

Shang Yanran's words reminded him of some xianxia dramas.

"Did that Buddha, for the sake of that woman, destroy the entire world?"

For you, I am willing to stand against the world—that seemed to be the mainstream.

"Not at all," Shang Yanran said with a smile. "In the end, between the world and that enchantress, the Buddha chose the world, and the enchantress died."

She was clearly satisfied with this outcome.

Bai Ze murmured, "In such a world, how could a weak woman bear such a burden?"

"And then?" Qi Yuan was not very interested in the love story of the Buddha and the enchantress; he wanted to know how it connected to the Gate of Myriad Differences.

"Unfortunately, the Buddha's resolve was not firm enough. Because of the enchantress's death, a crack appeared in his heart during his mortal trials.

And because he saved the world, causing the enchantress's death, rumors spread that he was a hypocrite, ruthless and sanctimonious, using the pure enchantress to achieve his own fame, that she was merely his stepping stone.

The Buddha sat in meditation before her grave for three hundred days, eventually descending into madness and falling into the demonic path, becoming a great demon."

As Shang Yanran spoke, a cold smile crossed her face. "People fear power but not virtue. If you ask me, if the Buddha had killed all those who slandered him in secret, none of this trouble would have arisen!"

Bai Ze sighed: "Killing does not solve problems."

"What does this have to do with the Gate of Myriad Differences?" Qi Yuan asked.

In the end, it was love and passion that destroyed the world.

"The Buddha transformed into a demon, the thoughts in his heart became heart demons, and this also triggered the Heart Demon Tribulation of the Flowing Wind Realm. Henceforth, every person in the world harbored a demon within; whenever the heart harbored greed, anger, or ignorance, the heart demon would emerge from the body." Shang Yanran no longer mixed in her own opinions, but explained directly, "Heart demons are insidious, spreading among people's hearts. The great realms adjacent to the Flowing Wind Realm all closed their gates leading to it.

The Flowing Wind Realm had become an isolated realm, yet... the endless heart demons finally summoned, or rather created, a gate—a replica of the Gate of Myriad Forms from myth and legend.

Within the legendary Gate of Myriad Forms, there are endless heart demons; entering it, even immortals and gods would sink into depravity.

It is said that only by pushing open the true Gate of Myriad Forms can the heart demons completely dissipate."

Pushing open the gate and entering it were not contradictory at this moment.

"Endless heart demons created this replica of the Gate of Myriad Forms?" Qi Yuan's eyes lit up.

Doesn't that mean the Gate of Myriad Forms tastes delicious, all experience points?

He looked up at the Gate of Myriad Forms, greed rising in his heart; he truly wanted to take a bite and taste its flavor.

He was very puzzled—why was there no Gate of Myriad Forms during the North-South Conflict?

Could it be that the Gate of Myriad Forms had been eaten by someone?

If so, that was unforgivable.

...

"Back?" Qi Yuan looked at the surroundings of No Return City, a scene flashing through his mind.

This time, comprehending the origin, he had spent a full one hundred and twenty years.

The greatest gains were the Human-Demon Path and the Art of Trapping Demons.

"So, is it because of me that in this world, demonic calamities only appear when people die of old age?" Qi Yuan pondered. "I went back to the past and could still change reality... it's really... untenable. Ah, my brain is going to grow—I can't think wildly anymore."

Qi Yuan did not think further.

It was just a game.

As long as he had fun and left no regrets, that was enough.

Qi Yuan then thought of his neighbor, the Canary.

"When will we meet again?"

"At level 120?"

"Or... has she already perished in the passage of time?"

"Pity, without touching the origin, I cannot even glimpse the mysteries of reincarnation."

"After level 120, I hope to enter the Gate of Myriad Forms."

This time before leaving, Qi Yuan had hinted to the Canary in advance.

Presumably, she would be able to accept this reality better.

(End of chapter)