Chapter 626: Thousands of Miles of Land Before the Eyes

Chapter 626: A Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains Before My Eyes

You’re so pure you won’t touch an NPC—then how did your half-human daughter come into being?

Zhao Changhe grumbled inwardly, but he knew what Xia Longyuan meant—it was about emotions. Consistent as ever, his views had never changed, not even in his dying words.

He brought up nine years of compulsory education as if lowering his own dignity, perhaps an admission of fault? Granted, his lack of industrial education and broader cultural thinking was a factor, but hardly the key one. Others started with nothing but a bowl and did just fine with even less culture. Zhao Changhe had no industrial blueprint either, and in a high-martial world, it wasn’t even necessary… He simply refused to admit his own character flaws, stubborn to the death, preferring to plead ignorance instead.

But that wasn’t the point anymore. The man was gone; complaints were meaningless.

What mattered was that he had truly been good to Zhao Changhe…

In the end, he still worried that Zhao Changhe couldn’t handle the Blind One, leaving a crucial loose end: “No matter what kind of cheat you drew at the start, don’t try to seize it for yourself by any means. The Wang family seems to be attempting to absorb the sea clan’s yin energy? How laughable. Don’t repeat that mistake. You must try to expel your cheat, even if it means cutting off your own hands or feet.”

Zhao Changhe: “…”

So I should cut off my head?

“The Six Harmonies Divine Art was my attempt to fuse other schools’ techniques for my own use. Later, I found it worked fine for ordinary techniques, but fell short against higher-level ones, only allowing coexistence in a spiral form. In other words, don’t even think about using this method to seize the Blind One’s backdoor. If it’s an awkward part you can’t bear to part with, I suggest studying the Wang family’s Heaven-Excluding Sea-Suppressing Art. It strongly rejects foreign bodies and might help… The best part is, the Blind One might not expect you to delve into the Wang family’s art, giving you an element of surprise.”

“Daoning, on the other hand, used this very art to merge with others. I have no idea what he was thinking. Perhaps he thought he could imitate me, using the Six Harmonies as a tool? His mind seems addled… Maybe seeing me enter the Imperial Realm triggered an obsession in him, making him too eager for that realm—a demon in his heart.”

“Lastly, don’t rely too much on the Heavenly Book, or you’ll become its slave before you’ve even gathered all its pages.”

“I’m off. I feel that even if I die, it might not be the end. Perhaps my soul will return…”

The words ended there.

From the part starting with “I have a faint feeling,” the latter section was likely added later—the former might have been a casual note, a thought to annoy the Blind One by hanging it on the Heavenly Book. But the latter part already bore the weight of a final testament, addressed specifically to Zhao Changhe.

Anyone else who got it would be the same… At the very end, the one Xia Longyuan thought of most was the Blind One… He wanted to spite her even in death.

This was a soul exchange, seemingly long but in reality only a moment. In the eyes of Zhuque Xia Chichi, Zhao Changhe merely glanced at the page, tucked it into his bosom, and she had no idea what he saw… Then, with a flick of his wrist, the Dragon Soul Bow suddenly appeared in his hand.

Zhuque Xia Chichi was stunned for a moment before she saw Zhao Changhe draw the bow, nock an arrow, and shoot furiously into the sky: “You call yourselves gods and demons? Take this arrow!”

—Old Xia said that if his true self left, someone might take advantage of the void, meaning someone had been watching all along, giving him that feeling, so he dared not leave the capital lightly.

—Wang Daoning was dead, but the Blind One’s Chaos World Record still only flashed the Puyang Battle mentioned earlier through the back door. Nothing here yet—meaning the battle wasn’t over!

—Combine the two, and it was clear a god or demon was lurking, unsure if Xia Longyuan was feigning death as bait, waiting. Now that the Heavenly Book was in Zhao Changhe’s arms, they would be certain and make a move!

“Whoosh!” The divine arrow shot straight toward the only underground entrance. At that very moment, a figure was plunging down, as if deliberately throwing themselves onto the arrow.

The newcomer never expected Zhao Changhe to inexplicably shoot at the entrance. Caught off guard, they nearly collided with the arrow. Reacting swiftly, they barely managed to deflect it, but a muffled grunt followed—the hasty dodge cost them, and their shoulder was grazed.

That graze was deadly. This was a soul-extinguishing arrow. In an instant, their sea of souls churned violently, nearly plunging into utter stillness.

At the same time, Zhuque Xia Chichi reacted, both of them striking together. Zhao Changhe nocked another arrow.

The intruder fled without hesitation, a light cough echoing in the air: “Fine, fine… Impressive! The human emperor’s legacy is indeed hard to sever—truly a deep-rooted, unshakable vein of this land.”

Zhao Changhe frowned at the sky.

This god or demon was unknown, unlike any he had seen before.

Many gods and demons lurked in the shadows, each with different intentions—some were murderers, some sought sacrifices from heretics, some wanted to back a proxy to rule the world and establish a state religion, some merely sought chaos for amusement, and a few were relatively noble with little interest in the mortal realm. From this one’s words, they seemed to dislike the idea of a sovereign in the Divine Land, always watching the capital with some unknown motive…

In any case, not every god or demon targeted this nation. To most, the mortal realm meant little. Old Xia’s role as a barrier wasn’t as grand as claimed. The one he repelled was likely the key threat he guarded against in the capital. Wounded and retreating, they might lie low for a while, shifting focus to the mortal world.

Only Zhao Changhe couldn’t rest easy. He was certain of one thing: no matter the nature or pursuits of these gods and demons, most would covet the Heavenly Book!

Before, few knew who held a page. The Sea Emperor’s page might have been unknown, but everyone could guess Xia Longyuan had one!

Once the Chaos World Record announced Xia Longyuan’s death, who would hold his page? And by extension, Zhao Changhe had killed the Sea Emperor—did the Sea Emperor have one? Zhao Changhe had advanced so quickly—had he possessed one all along? How many pages did he have now?

From then on, chaos would reign, and he would be the target of all!

“Is this what you wanted?” Zhao Changhe asked the Blind One.

The Blind One was silent for a moment, then slowly said, “From my perspective, I would have preferred you to keep a low profile and amass power quietly. This chaos is not my wish; you should believe that.”

“Mm…”

“So, though I wanted Xia Longyuan dead, I didn’t want him to die so soon. This is something I never wanted to happen. It has nothing to do with me. I know you still share some bond with him—fellow countrymen and father-in-law. Don’t pin the blame on me.”

Zhao Changhe said nothing. Old Xia’s death couldn’t be directly blamed on the Blind One, but was she truly blameless? Dragging an underage girl into this world—not just his death, but the chaos he caused that led to many deaths in this world—she bore some responsibility.

Of course, he wouldn’t say that outright. He only said, “Since you want me to keep a low profile, can’t you avoid reporting this?”

“No. I told you, this is the Way of Heaven’s rule, beyond my control. At most, I can phrase it differently.”

As she spoke, golden light finally flashed in the sky.

“Initially, Xia Longyuan returned wounded from the sea. The Eternal Sky God revealed the flaw in his cultivation foundation, and Daoning overheard. The Sea Emperor fell; Wang Daoning drew the masterless water soul into his body to break into the Imperial Realm.”

“The world had long suffered under Xia. With the emperor wounded, hearts stirred. Wang Daoning, having broken into the Imperial Realm, widely invited noble houses and secretly contacted heroes, plotting a strike like Bo Lang’s assassination.”

“November, the Winter Solstice.”

“At that time, the whole realm rebelled; none acknowledged the sovereign. Dragon qi wavered. Yuxu severed the Northern Mang mountain range, cutting off the capital’s qi. The false emperor issued the mad decree to exterminate the Tang clan, and the last trace of imperial aura vanished. Xia Longyuan’s foundation was shattered; his cultivation backlashed.”

“Li Shentong, Ying Wu, Zhuque, Li Gongsi, Yang Jingxiu besieged Xia Longyuan at the Imperial Ancestral Temple. The four swords of Qinghe, Lianshan, Zhenhai, and Pinglong formed a mountain-and-river formation, trapping the dragon in the abyss.”

“Wang Daoning ambushed Tang Wanzhuang. Amid the scuffle, Zhao Changhe arrived on horseback. Daoning, worried about the temple battle, had no heart to linger. He used an air wall to bind Zhao and Tang, then returned to the temple.”

“In the chaos, Zhao Changhe arrived again, turned Zhuque, and fought Daoning together. Xuexiao and Bo’e ambushed Xia Longyuan. Li Gongsi’s collusion with Bo’e was exposed. Li Shentong held Bo’e at bay; Ying Wu killed Li Gongsi. In the melee, Xia Longyuan, Xuexiao, and Bo’e all wounded one another. Ye Wuzong stole the Eternal Sky God’s divine axe in the nick of time.”

The world watched, utterly bewildered.

The account was too brief, and who fought whom was a mess—defections, allies turning on each other, figures appearing and disappearing. The battle report was subpar, as if hastily written, just noting who clashed with whom.

If not for the impact on rankings, the Blind One might not have bothered to write who fought at all—just listing names would have sufficed. That was what she truly wanted.

What she really wanted to write were the final lines and her verdict: “Xia Longyuan’s foundation was destroyed, wounded and aged, unwilling to linger. He shattered the four mountain-and-river swords to perish together. In the thousand years of this era, the noble houses’ inheritance of martial arts and knowledge through ancient swords has been severed.”

“Xia Longyuan has passed. The Heavenly List’s first has fallen.”

“Gods and demons are distant; mortals have no thoughts. Those who throw the world into chaos are slain by the world—what need for gods and demons?”

“Severing the noble houses’ roots to perish together, removing both self and others, reflecting on his faults—this is Xia Longyuan’s removal of two evils, worthy of a hero.”

“If a martial artist is truly peerless, why must they become emperor?”

“Xia Longyuan fallen, the rest scattered. Xia Chichi disrupted Wang Daoning’s water soul; Zhuque struck and broke it. Daoning fled, killed by Xia Chichi.”

“The Heavenly List’s tenth has fallen.”

“He who sought to expel heaven had his roots severed by the son of heaven; he who sought to suppress the sea had his soul thrown into chaos by the Sea Emperor. A single thought of greed, a wasted divine art.”

“Chaos World List changes.”

“Though Xia Longyuan died, it was not by Bo’e’s hand. Wounded and losing his axe, a laughingstock of the Divine Land, unworthy of the title of first.”

“Heavenly List’s first: Golden Tent Khan Tiemuer! The rest follow in order.”

Zhao Changhe couldn’t help glancing at the Blind One, silently thanking her.

This was blatant provocation—whether it would work was another matter…

“The one who threw Daoning’s soul into chaos was Xia Chichi, but her strength was insufficient. Only Zhuque’s strike broke it. A triple secret vault worthy of her place.”

“Heavenly List’s tenth: Four Symbols Sect’s Zhuque! Due to Xia Longyuan’s fall, she advances to ninth.”

“Thief Saint Ye Wuzong, though not in combat, stole the divine axe amid an Imperial Realm battle. This feat is glorious, advancing him to tenth on the Heavenly List.”

“Earth List’s first: Demon Suppression Bureau Chief Tang Wanzhuang.”

“Zhao Changhe, with a double secret vault, twice fought Wang Daoning before his water soul was thrown into chaos, cleaved Bo’e, and shot an ancient Imperial Realm with an arrow—all against Imperial Realm foes. Li Gongsi is dead; his position vacant. Zhao Changhe shall take his place. Xia Chichi, with a double secret vault, has also faced Imperial Realm foes multiple times with many achievements, and may fill Zhao Changhe’s former position.”

What position does Li Gongsi hold?

On the first edition of the Earth Ranking, he was sixth; after Maitreya's death, he became fifth. Now ahead of him are Vermilion Bird Tang Wanzhuang and Black Tortoise Ye Wuzong, but this time they all moved up. So Zhao Changhe's position is...

"Earth Ranking Second, Zhao Changhe!"

"Earth Ranking Thirty-Sixth, Xia Chichi!"

"Awakening from a dream on an autumn night under a cloth quilt, before my eyes lie a thousand miles of rivers and mountains."