Chapter 374: Wall of the Lord of the East, Martial Lord of the Spiritual Realm

Chapter 374: The Wall of the Eastern Sovereign, Martial Lord of the Spirit Realm

A blood-red robe, stepping upon the bridge formed by the Two Emperors of Suddenness, traveled against the currents of time toward the Origin.

Through time and space, across the Black Sea, against the river of ages.

Qi Yuan closed his eyes, sensing the erosion of time.

This time, with no one to converse, he could earnestly comprehend the power of time and space, just as he had with the Myriad Differences Gate.

“This Black Sea… has no master, does it?”

“It looks a bit like my River of Forgetfulness.”

“Hey, Black Sea, you seem fated to me!”

Qi Yuan called out softly to the Black Sea.

His figure, moving against time, left only a faint afterimage.

Within countless scrolls of mountains and seas, one figure after another felt a stirring, lifting their heads to gaze at the heavens.

They saw nothing, yet in the sight of their eyes, it seemed a crimson shadow flashed past.

“Is it him?” A long-lost memory surged, and the one-eyed man’s body trembled, the image of that unparalleled, army-sweeping man surfacing in his mind.

On a small boat, Green Pearl’s eyes narrowed sharply: “Master?”

The sword in her hand sang with a clang, joy and desolation giving way to endless melancholy.

Wang Yuanyu’s eyes also revealed a complex expression: “Sir?”

She recalled that he had said he would put stockings on her.

In each scroll of mountains and seas, in every world Qi Yuan had traversed, some powerful beings awakened ancient memories.

They remembered that man of invincible bearing.

Now, Qi Yuan finally crossed the Black Sea in reverse and returned to the Origin.

Stepping down from the bridge, Qi Yuan looked at the Black Sea with an unreadable expression.

“You comprehended the Black Sea, and comprehended nothing.”

He pretended to be the system, but failed at the pretense.

The Black Sea was far harder to comprehend than the Myriad Differences Gate.

That gate yielded insight at a single glance.

“Two Emperors of Suddenness, return now. When I have need, you may come again.”

Qi Yuan spoke softly to the Two Emperors of Suddenness within the Black Sea.

He also pondered that these two emperors could later work in the underworld, serving as the Bridge of Helplessness.

“Your command is our honor!”

The Two Emperors of Suddenness said in unison.

At that moment, Qi Yuan’s form flickered.

When he reappeared, he stood atop the tower of the Ancestral Blood Contest.

Unlike before his departure, the tower’s summit was now crowded with a throng of Martial Lords.

Gazing out, there were nearly ten thousand.

When they saw Qi Yuan appear, these immensely powerful Martial Lords bowed their noble heads.

Those without heads bent their waists.

“We pay homage to the Martial God!”

Nearly ten thousand Martial Lords, awe in their eyes.

Crossing the Black Sea, covering the sky with one hand, swallowing the sun—such feats are beyond a Martial Lord; they belong to a Martial God!

Only a Martial God can explain this!

Fat Egg Martial Lord trembled, or rather, that trembling was one of joy.

His ancestor was actually the legendary Martial God.

Black Deer Martial Lord and the other titled Martial Lords, at that moment, also saw hope dawn in their eyes.

This Dawn Cry seemed promising now!

Qi Yuan looked at these Martial Lords, his expression calm. Something came to mind, and he spoke softly.

“At a time like this, wouldn’t it be fitting for me to twist my mouth?”

The scene reminded him of plots in TV dramas.

A worthless son-in-law, just slapped, when thousands of suited men appear and kneel.

“Welcoming the Dragon King’s return!”

How similar!

As he spoke, he twisted his mouth into a smirk.

The Martial Lords on the field exchanged glances, all baffled, or filled with doubt.

Qi Yuan was somewhat disappointed.

None of these Martial Lords understood his reference.

Shouldn’t someone say, “He’s about to twist his mouth—tear it off!”

He waved a hand: “I’m not a Martial God yet, just a Martial Lord. Don’t call me that.”

Qi Yuan never liked pretending to be stronger than he was.

He preferred to be truthful, to treat others sincerely.

Hearing this, the Martial Lords present were plunged into endless confusion.

Hey, no need to be so modest, right?

If you’re a Martial Lord, what are we?

Especially the sight of Qi Yuan swallowing a star—it was too terrifying.

Even… if Qi Yuan wished, couldn’t he devour the Origin itself?

As he spoke, Qi Yuan returned to his throne.

“Everyone, go back to your own places. The Ancestral Blood Contest continues,” Qi Yuan said. “With so many gathered here, someone might think we’re brawling or fornicating—bad for appearances.”

He was very socially anxious.

Seeing so many old men and women made him quite uncomfortable.

Only in the presence of his pure moonlight did he not feel this way, and was more enthusiastic.

“The Ancestral Blood Contest is nearing its end, and the Wall of the Eastern Sovereign will appear. We… shall accompany the Celestial Venerable to behold the Wall of the Eastern Sovereign,” said a titled Martial Lord.

The title "Celestial Lord" was a term he had secretly learned from the old man in the upper realm.

When Dongjun was mentioned, awe and fervor surged in the eyes of these martial lords.

That look was similar to the one they gave Qi Yuan, yet not entirely the same.

"Fine," Qi Yuan said casually, adding nothing more.

For now, he was eager to ask: what exactly was a Spiritual Realm Martial Lord?

Once he became a Spiritual Realm Martial Lord and a Human Path Martial Lord, he planned to break through to the realm of the Myriad Dao Martial God.

...

Time ticked by, second after second, as if the world had hit a fast-forward button; the Ancestral Blood Contest accelerated greatly.

Inside the tower.

Mu Yan was drenched in blood, facing the terrifying monster ahead. He let out a loud roar, pouring his Blood Martial power forward recklessly.

"Kill!"

He was determined to secure a spot in the top thirty.

Only by entering the top thirty would his ancestor agree to his plea and intercede for Qi Yuan.

In the Land of Origins, that would give Qi Yuan an extra chance to survive.

"Ah, die!" Mu Yan swung his blade.

Such a powerful strike could make rivers cease to flow and mountains shift.

The terrifying monster before him was naturally slain by his sword.

Having killed the monster, Mu Yan gasped for breath, a flicker of confusion deep in his eyes.

"Next time, I'll face ten monsters. If I defeat them, I'll enter the top thirty!"

One monster was already this hard to handle—ten...

He gritted his teeth, his gaze resolute.

Clutching his great blade, he looked ahead.

Yet, at that moment, his expression suddenly tightened.

"Th... three hundred?"

Before him, monsters like small hills charged toward him.

These creatures, packed together, scrambled and rushed at him.

Worst of all, there were three hundred of them!

Kill a hundred and claim first place.

Three hundred... what the hell?

Was he being targeted?

That was the only explanation.

Otherwise, why would three hundred enemies suddenly appear?

"No, I can't retreat, or else... I'll definitely end up last!"

Mu Yan thought to himself.

What he didn't know was that in a certain tower, a man in a black robe stood on a bamboo pole, his face full of helplessness. "Clearly, I'm not afraid of heights at all—woohoo—why can't I move?"

On the other side, Mu Yan, great blade in hand, charged without hesitation at the three hundred monsters.

If he had to exit, he'd do it with style.

"All of you... DIE!"

One swing of the blade, immense in power, with the force to cleave a star!

Crack!

Mu Yan blinked, momentarily dazed.

The scene he had imagined did not appear.

The three hundred monsters before him were like paper—shattered entirely, reduced to minced flesh.

He blinked again: "An illusion? All fake?"

He was confused, doubting his own eyes.

Had he really slain so many powerful monsters with one sword?

Was it real or not?

Just then, a gentle voice suddenly rang out.

"What a stunning strike—one sword to slay three hundred demons.

Child, you have reached the end of the pinnacle Martial King. In this Ancestral Blood Contest, you shall be the champion!"

"What?" Mu Yan, gripping his great blade, was stunned. Staring at the phantom of the martial lord before him, he doubted everything was real.

"Truly worthy of my bloodline—the undisputed number one Martial King!" A cheerful, hearty voice came, and a martial lord's figure materialized beside Mu Yan.

That martial lord looked at Mu Yan, his eyes full of admiration and affection.

Seeing the newcomer, Mu Yan's expression stiffened, and he immediately bowed: "Greetings, Ancestor!"

This martial lord was none other than his bloodline progenitor, a Great Martial Lord.

At this moment, he was deeply puzzled.

Why had his ancestor suddenly become so warm toward him?

"No need for formalities. Winning the Ancestral Blood Contest is a cause for celebration." The Great Martial Lord praised, his mood also quite stirred.

By now, he had concluded that the Qi Yuan mentioned by his descendant Mu Yan was none other than the Martial God Qi Yuan.

Otherwise, why would the Martial God mention Mu Yan and think highly of him?

And even if not—

if a Martial God said he favored Mu Yan, and Mu Yan failed to take first place, wouldn't that be slapping the Martial God's face, implying his judgment was poor?

So, at this very moment, the first place in the Ancestral Blood Contest could only be Mu Yan!

Hearing his ancestor's congratulations, Mu Yan still felt as if in a dream, unable to comprehend.

"Since you've won first place, go receive the Ancestral Blood baptism, quickly become a Martial Lord, and join our Eastern Alliance!" the Great Martial Lord said.

Hearing this, Mu Yan began to accept reality.

His heart surged with excitement.

Could it be that he was truly a once-in-a-millennium genius?

In that desperate moment, had he unleashed a strike beyond his realm, slaying all three hundred monsters?

Thinking this, he was elated.

Indeed, he was the protagonist of this world, the chosen one, blessed with endless fortuitous encounters.

Struck by a thought, Mu Yan quickly said, "Ancestor, now that I’ve broken into the top thirty, could you perhaps..."

He was still anxious about Qi Yuan.

"Don’t worry about such matters." The Great Martial Lord cast an appreciative glance at Mu Yan.

Mu Yan’s heart surged with excitement, feeling as though his life had been on a roll.

But he had to hurry and undergo the ancestral blood baptism to become a Martial Lord.

After all, the Ancestor’s care for Qi Yuan was a favor, and there might be oversights.

Only when he became a Martial Lord could he truly ensure Qi Yuan’s safety.

With an elated expression, Mu Yan went to undergo the ancestral blood baptism.

Meanwhile, at the peak of the tower, Qi Yuan yawned.

"The ancestral blood contest is finally over."

The Black Deer Martial Lord quickly said, "Heavenly Venerable, you have keen insight—Mu Yan took first place!"

"Oh, is that so? Not bad." Qi Yuan hadn’t watched the contest; he had been resting with his eyes closed, or occasionally chatting with that netizen about the creation of the underworld.

He had to admit, that netizen was truly kind-hearted.

They had directly sent Qi Yuan seven PowerPoint presentations as plans for the underworld.

Such a warm-hearted netizen was rare.

Back then, that netizen had even asked if, once the underworld was built, they could enter and become a minor underling.

Qi Yuan agreed without a second thought.

"Since it’s over, shouldn’t the Wall of the Eastern Lord appear now?" Qi Yuan looked at the ASEAN Martial Lord before him and said softly.

"Yes!" The Black Deer Martial Lord quickly replied. "Please wait a moment, Heavenly Venerable."

Within ASEAN, several titled Martial Lords stepped forward.

A surging aura of blood and martial power filled the air, and within the tower, an ancient presence rose at that moment.

Qi Yuan sat on the throne, a look of curiosity on his face.

He saw that on the wall ahead, a patch of blood-red appeared.

As if stained by a single drop of blood, the entire wall turned... crimson at that instant.

Then, some information flashed into Qi Yuan’s eyes.

[The Wall of the Eastern Lord bears a single drop of the Eastern Lord’s blood.]

"Heavenly Venerable, this is the Wall of the Eastern Lord!" The Black Deer Martial Lord bowed his head.

The tens of thousands of ASEAN Martial Lords present all gazed at the wall, their expressions filled with reverence.

"The Eastern Lord now stands alone against the great calamity, leaving only this drop of blood outside, preserved on the wall to communicate with us," a titled Martial Lord said, his eyes complex.

That complexity held both self-reproach and unwillingness—self-reproach for being unable to aid the Eastern Lord.

"On the Wall of the Eastern Lord, we can glimpse a corner of the calamity. I wonder how much longer the Eastern Lord can hold out," the Black Deer Martial Lord said with worry.

He waved his hand, and on the wall, it seemed a window appeared.

Through that window, a scene emerged, with terrifying roars and howls coming through, making souls tremble.

Qi Yuan looked as well, countless images entering his eyes.

They were threads of light, colorful and varied, encompassing hues beyond human sight.

Each thread seemed to carry the world’s greatest evils, transforming into monstrous creatures that gnawed at space and devoured all things.

From the monsters’ gaping maws, various rules shattered into fragments, becoming part of the threads’ colors.

The whole world showed, on one side, a massive ball of fluff with countless threads spreading and tangling; on the other side... a silhouette.

A man in a white robe, his face and form indistinct.

He stood in the void, as if holding up the world.

Countless threads and colors could not devour him.

[Root Demons, aberrant beings that feed on devouring all things; their birth conditions are exceedingly harsh.]

As Qi Yuan looked at the threads of the fluff ball, vital information streamed into his eyes.

"These monsters are growing more numerous. The Dawn Chime draws ever closer. If we cannot succeed in restarting the world and reviving the Eastern Lord’s Dao companion, I fear the Eastern Lord alone will struggle to hold on!" the Black Deer Martial Lord said, deeply worried.

Compared to the last scene they had seen, the situation was even more dire.

As he spoke, he glanced at Qi Yuan.

If the Eastern Lord’s Dao companion were revived, and with this Heavenly Venerable’s aid, perhaps the great calamity might truly be overcome.

Qi Yuan, however, looked curious: "The Root Demons seem to embody all emotions—jealousy, greed, stubbornness... They resemble my innate divine ability somewhat."

His innate divine ability was the Void Realm Sovereign’s Heart Demon Temptation.

For some reason, Qi Yuan felt a kinship with these Root Demons.

Or rather, he wasn’t afraid of the Root Demon that was overwhelming the Eastern Lord.

All things in heaven and earth mutually give rise and overcome each other—this was natural.

"The Heavenly Venerable’s innate divine ability resembles these negative emotions?" The Black Deer Martial Lord gave Qi Yuan a second look, somewhat uneasy.

After all, that didn’t seem like the mark of a good person.

"Where are these negative emotions? They’re clearly positive energy!

Jealousy? To some extent, jealousy can drive progress and inspire ambition.

Lust? For a world’s Heavenly Dao, the more living beings, the better—lust promotes reproduction, yielding more fodder!

Arrogance? Isn’t that also a form of pride, an unyielding spirit that makes warriors strive tirelessly!"

"..."

The Black Deer Martial Lord fell silent, feeling there was some truth to it, but not much.

The other Martial Lords also looked at Qi Yuan oddly, and even if they disagreed with his words, no one dared argue with him.

At that moment, Qi Yuan’s gaze fell on the figure resisting the Root Demons.

[Shadow of the Eastern Lord, of the Holy Light Clan.]

(End of chapter)