Chapter 100: Opportunity to Comprehend the Source

Chapter 100: The Opportunity to Perceive the Source

On the city wall, Zhang Sheng and Chen Jiao, their breaths faint, yet their eyes still held color.

“In the past, the one I admired most was our human leader, White Emperor. Now I must add one more… you, young hero!” Zhang Sheng looked at Qi Yuan, filled with boundless admiration.

Chen Jiao was also extremely excited.

He never imagined that the mighty demon horde, enough to annihilate the Song Character Camp, would die at the hands of Qi Yuan alone.

“Cough… such a feat calls for a drink!” Chen Jiao, imitating the boldness of a wandering swordsman, raised his wine bowl with one arm and poured it into his mouth, but the blood spilling from the corners of his lips stained the wine red.

At this moment, Qi Yuan had already returned to the city wall.

He looked at the two men in their final flicker of life and said, “You’re about to die. Are there any tasks that can be triggered?”

What he meant to ask was: any regrets.

If he had leisure or convenience, he might not refuse to take on such a task.

“To witness the young hero slaughter the demon horde before dying—I have no regrets in this life.” Zhang Sheng spoke, the color in his eyes rapidly fading. “Young hero should be a ruler of some domain; there is no need to be trapped here in… No Return City.

No Return City is only the hope of the Great Xia people, not the hope of the world.

Young hero, you can go to other cities, where there are also our human comrades.”

Qi Yuan was silent upon hearing this, saying nothing.

“My pig is still…” Chen Jiao spoke halfway, then lacked the strength to continue. He leaned against the wall, unable to move even a little. He raised the wine bowl stained with blood, as if to toast Qi Yuan, but in the end, he could not lift it.

The wind blew the military flag with a rustling sound. The half-opened wine jar wafted its fragrance. The two men seemed as if drunk, and then there was no more movement.

Qi Yuan looked at them—ordinary beings, like himself, whose lives were fading away.

“If I remember correctly, death has three levels.”

“The first level is brain death, when the body’s functions cease.”

“The second level is social death—funeral held, ID canceled, the world told of his passing.”

“The third level is dust to dust, forgotten by all.”

“You two are lucky. I am destined to become an existence like the Great Luo Golden Immortal, as long-lived as heaven. I will remember you.”

As Qi Yuan spoke, he picked up the wine bowl from Chen Jiao’s hand, still with a trace of blood inside.

He took a sip. It was sour, mixed with a faint taste of blood.

“How awful it tastes!”

He glanced at the two men, then sat back down on the city wall.

“Xiao Jia.”

He called out.

Xiao Jia appeared, docilely clutching his sleeve.

He held the sleeve, and the two sat on the city wall, watching the yellow sand fill the sky.

Qi Yuan slowly recovered his vitality.

He was indeed strong.

But slaying the demon horde had cost him much.

Now, his level was still low; killing the demon horde was somewhat strenuous.

Let alone wandering outside.

If he encountered something powerful, it would truly be a case of dying before the mission was accomplished.

Of course, staying in No Return City could also bring danger.

Five days later, another demon horde appeared.

Qi Yuan once again picked up his broken sword, merged with Xiao Jia, and charged into the demon horde.

Wine cannot ease sorrow. What can?

Naturally… kill, kill, kill, kill, kill!

…

Time flew by swiftly. The night was pitch black. On the wall of No Return City, the military flag of Great Xia fluttered in the wind.

“It’s been half a year since I last saw any intelligent beings.”

Since Zhang Sheng and Chen Jiao died, no new intelligent beings had come to No Return City.

But the demon horde attacked the city every so often.

And each time, the demon horde was stronger than before—though only by a limited margin.

“Level fifty-nine. When the next monster comes, I’ll be level sixty.”

Qi Yuan held Xiao Jia, pondering.

At level fifty, he hadn’t awakened any new minor skills.

So, at level sixty, would he also fail to awaken a major skill?

Suddenly, in the pitch-black night, a somewhat helpless voice reached Qi Yuan’s ears.

“Am I so ugly? Why haven’t you come to see me for so many years?”

The voice was familiar. Qi Yuan had heard it back in the Canglan Realm.

It was Ning Tao’s.

Last time, he hadn’t replied.

This time, his consciousness turned back, entering the flesh bound by eighteen chains.

He looked over and saw Ning Tao seemingly asleep, her small body curled up, looking as if she lacked a sense of security. There was still an undried tear stain at the corner of her eye.

“She’s already a Supreme, and she still sleeps,” Qi Yuan muttered to himself. “Sleeping is one thing, but she talks in her sleep.”

At that moment, Ning Tao suddenly opened her eyes in her sleep. A trace of wariness appeared on her cold face. “Husband, you’ve come.”

“I’ve said it many times: I am not your husband, and you are not my wife.”

“Are you denying your little wife? Or do you want to acknowledge me as your mother?” Ning Tao’s lips curled into a smile.

“There’s no talking to you like this.” Qi Yuan was helpless, then asked, “Why are there no stars in the sky of Flowing Wind Realm?”

He was very curious.

He had asked Zhang Sheng and Chen Jiao, but got no answer.

So, he wanted to ask Ning Tao.

Hearing this, Ning Tao’s face showed surprise. “Aren’t you a Supreme?”

If he were a Supreme, he would naturally know why.

Qi Yuan looked at Ning Tao. “Did I ever say I was a Supreme? I’m just a small Dao Foundation cultivator.”

“No, you are a Supreme!” Ning Tao remembered that when she was besieged, it was Qi Yuan who used his Source Divine Ability to kill several powerful experts.

Since he is the Supreme One, why does he not know that there are no stars above the firmament?

A look of terror flashed in her eyes: "You are not a cultivator of this realm!"

Upon hearing this, Qi Yuan wanted to shrug but found he had no shoulders: "This NPC of yours is quite clever, actually discovering my identity as a player."

Ning Tao gazed at Qi Yuan, her thoughts unfathomable, and she also calmed down: "So then, the reason you did not come to see me is because you cannot enter this world?"

"It's because I didn't want to see you," Qi Yuan said without courtesy.

"My husband is truly saying one thing while meaning another." Ning Tao, dressed in a black gown, approached Qi Yuan, a seductive smile on her face, as if knowing his identity made her happy.

"You still haven't told me why there are no stars in this realm's night sky," Qi Yuan pulled the straying topic back.

"Because the Flowing Wind Realm... is a land forsaken by the gods."

"A land forsaken by the gods?" Qi Yuan was somewhat bewildered.

Ning Tao looked at Qi Yuan and murmured: "Where no sun or moon shines, that is the gods' forsaken land.

In the gods' forsaken land, inner demons run rampant, giving birth to demonic fiends."

"Is that how demonic fiends are born?" Qi Yuan was utterly perplexed.

"Does my husband truly not know? Then it seems my husband is indeed not a person of the Flowing Wind Realm?

Does that mean I have wronged my husband, that I summoned him to our Flowing Wind Realm for no reason and imprisoned him here—all of it is this servant's fault?"

"Since you know your fault, why not release me? Then kowtow and apologize to me?" Qi Yuan said.

If Ning Tao released him,

this mass of flesh and blood would scurry and roll all the way to No Return City.

This flesh and blood clearly looked like something precious.

She had to keep it by her side and study it well—what exactly it was.

"Release?" Ning Tao narrowed her eyes, as if pondering something, when suddenly a wisp of gold flashed in her pupils: "I cannot let you go!"

Upon hearing this, Qi Yuan felt quite helpless.

Then he heard Ning Tao continue: "Does my husband know that the Sovereign of our Northern Lands is searching for a demon called the Blood Demon?

The Sovereign once said that this demon would bring harm to the world, wreak havoc upon all living beings, and be the great enemy of the Flowing Wind Realm.

The Sovereign issued a decree: whoever sees the Blood Demon shall be killed without mercy!"

"And then?" Qi Yuan did not understand.

Ning Tao looked at the flesh and blood bound by eighteen chains, and the wariness in her eyes deepened: "Does my husband not think that he himself is that legendary Blood Demon?"

"Really? Or not?"

...

"Blood Demon—what is that thing?" After leaving the underground palace of the Heart of Heaven Palace, Qi Yuan returned once more to No Return City.

Many thoughts raced through his mind.

"Could it be that the big boss of this world is that mass of flesh and blood I inhabit?"

"In the final battle, I fight myself?"

Qi Yuan felt somewhat bewildered by this game setting.

He carried Little Bride, leaped down from the city wall, dug a large pit, and buried himself and Little Bride underground.

At this moment, in the Great Xia Imperial Court.

The young emperor's face already bore some authority; he sat on the dragon throne, his expression shifting constantly.

Finally, he said in a deep voice: "Yuan Qi, Great Xia can no longer muster and organize an army to reinforce No Return City."

The emperor had never imagined that the Song Character Battalion sent back then would hold out until now.

The Great Xia war banner had been planted atop No Return City for half a year already.

Such a feat had never occurred for Great Xia since the beginning of the North-South Conflict.

The emperor even suspected that something had changed in No Return City.

He knew that Yuan Qiong's Song Character Battalion had faced almost certain death; merely reaching No Return City would count as a victory.

To hold it for half a year was impossible.

For nearby Great Sui had a guardian stationed in Garan City, sending reinforcements there every so often.

Yet Yuan Qiong's Song Character Battalion did not even have a single overlord.

How could they hold it for half a year?

Something must have happened in No Return City.

Unfortunately, Great Xia was too far from No Return City—beyond its reach.

Great Xia could no longer organize another army to march to No Return City.

The Great Xia emperor was curious, but he understood that as an emperor, he had to suppress his curiosity.

Otherwise, his curiosity might cost hundreds or thousands of lives.

Yuan Qi gritted his teeth: "Your Majesty, I am willing to resign my post as palace commander and go to No Return City!"

The emperor looked at Yuan Qi, his gaze filled with emotion: "In the Yuan Duke's mansion, only you, one son, remain."

The Yuan Duke had also died in No Return City.

Upon hearing this, Yuan Qi lifted his head stubbornly: "The soldiers guarding No Return City have not been home for half a year, nor have they tasted the fragrance of their hometown's daughters for half a year. I am willing to go and deliver wine!

I am willing to stand and fight alongside those comrades guarding No Return City!"

Yuan Qi knelt and struck his head heavily on the ground.

The young emperor, seeing this, was deeply moved.

A wave of sorrow spread from his heart: "It is a pity that I will not live to see the day of victory in the North-South Conflict."

The North-South Conflict might span hundreds or even thousands of years.

The soldiers who have died now—even if they had not reinforced No Return City, the conflict would not have been decided so quickly.

Yet they still went.

...

In No Return City, countless graves had appeared.

Some were buried by Zhang Sheng and Chen Jiao.

Qi Yuan sat atop the city wall, as he always had.

After who knows how long, a smile crept onto his lips.

"Another monster coming to die?"

"It's a pity these monsters are too stupid to communicate!"

"Otherwise, since they're going to die anyway, I could talk to them in advance and have them stick out their heads, line up, and let me chop them one by one.

The process would be different, but the outcome would be no different."

Qi Yuan’s gaunt frame leaped from the city wall.

When he landed, a cloud of yellow sand rose.

As he rose, his height stretched to ten meters, his body clad in blood-red armor, a massive crimson broken sword in hand.

He was like a giant blood-armored warrior, charging into the demonic fiend army with his greatsword.

“Just a thousand demonic fiends, the strongest only level fifty—is that all?”

Qi Yuan was like a tiger among chickens, his long sword swinging ceaselessly.

Wherever he passed, all demonic fiends were slain by him.

The experience bar surged wildly.

Suddenly, a prompt reached Qi Yuan’s ears.

[Level 60 reached. Gained an opportunity to comprehend the origin. Use?]

Many thoughts flashed through Qi Yuan’s mind.

He hadn’t expected that now, every thirty levels, he wouldn’t awaken a major skill, but instead gain a chance to comprehend the origin.

He already had some understanding of the word “origin.”

But at this moment, he couldn’t dwell on it.

The demonic fiend army was still before him.

“Kill!”

Qi Yuan gripped his sword and fought even more fiercely.

Because he wanted to quickly wipe out the demonic fiend army here and see what this so-called comprehension of the origin truly meant.

He plunged into the demonic fiend army, striking like a god.

……

In a distant land.

Demon Controller Misang’s face bore a puzzled expression: “Caixia, has Wugui City failed again?”

The woman named Caixia also looked surprised: “Behind Wugui City is the Great Xia Kingdom, a small nation without even a single overlord.

The demonic fiend army sent to attack it should have destroyed Wugui City long ago, by all logic.”

Currently, their group of Demon Controllers’ greatest enemy was Jialan City.

As for taking Wugui City, no Demon Controller had directed it; the demonic fiends attacked on their own.

Normally, it would be an easy capture.

But this time, half a year had passed, and it still hadn’t been taken.

Misang had only stumbled upon this matter by chance.

“Could it be that another city supported Wugui? Perhaps Jialan City?” Misang wondered.

“Jialan City can barely defend itself—sending reinforcements to Wugui would be suicide!” Caixia’s words dripped with disdain.

“In a few days, lead a squad of overlord-level demonic fiends to Wugui City and take it,” Misang ordered. “Whoever is stationed there must die.”

“We simply overlooked this small city, letting it slip away for half a year.

Now that we’ve noticed, if they still dare to occupy it, they’re asking for death!” Caixia’s battle spirit blazed.

……

Having slain all the demonic fiends, Qi Yuan’s body felt weary. He blew the lingering blood droplets from his broken sword.

Qi Yuan returned to Wugui City.

“There should be no demonic fiend army for five days.”

“Time to see what this so-called comprehension of the origin really means.”

Qi Yuan went back into Wugui City and found a secluded, safe spot.

He whispered, “Use.”

[The longer you remain during the comprehension of the origin, the better the effect.

Note: Regardless of the duration, the comprehension time is but an instant in the real world.]

Hearing these prompts, Qi Yuan understood.

He also breathed a sigh of relief.

If he comprehended too long and some minor demonic fiends sneaked into Wugui City, he’d be in trouble.

Now it seemed that worry was unnecessary.

[Comprehension begins.]

With a chime, Qi Yuan’s consciousness grew hazy.

When his awareness cleared again, he felt his state was strange.

It was like when he faced the great sun—back then, he was like the Dao, suspended in the sky.

But now, he wasn’t suspended in the sky; he was on a mountaintop.

He had turned into a drop of blood, or rather a clump of blood, the size of a marble.

This drop of blood stood atop a peak.

When Qi Yuan looked up toward the sky,

He saw a door suddenly appear in the heavens.

What kind of door was that?

Qi Yuan couldn’t describe it, couldn’t even find words.

But he knew it was a door.

With the door’s appearance, Qi Yuan sensed several powerful auras in the world surging upward, as if trying to rush into the door.

Alas, before those powerful auras even touched the door, they shattered into fragments.

That door seemed to be the most terrifying thing in the world.

Whoever touched it would surely die.

“Is this the origin?”

Qi Yuan gazed at the door, studying it intently.

The door had no fixed shape, as if forever in a state of flux.

[Gate of Myriad Forms, Unknown Gate.]

Even when Qi Yuan looked with his eyes, he could only learn the door’s name; all other information eluded him.

He knew it was because his insight was too shallow.

He kept staring at that door.

After an unknown amount of time, a voice like a lark sounded in Qi Yuan's ear.

"Oh my, how did a little neighbor appear beside my home?

Wow, you're really ugly—round and red all over.

Living here, will you drag down the average looks of our Nine-Peak Peak?"

Qi Yuan immediately looked over and saw a tiny, delicate bird beside him, decked out in gaudy finery.

"You're the ugly one!" Unable to bear an attack on his proud appearance, Qi Yuan retorted.

Thanks to my TM Eat Eat Eat's thousand-tip and Zaozao Blackfan's reward!

(Chapter end)