Read Novel Full Chapter 348 - The True End (1)
They were the ones who mended the heavens.
A thousand years ago, cultivators used their own bodies to mend the heavens, but ultimately, it was not a lasting solution.
As time gradually passed, many sects appeared and disappeared, countless geniuses were born and perished. On the Douzhou Continent, the seasons cycled endlessly, cold and heat continuing without pause.
The gaps that had been filled began to slowly empty again.
Even the divine turtles supporting the Four Extremes could not withstand the ravages of time.
Spiritual energy gradually thinned, and rain fell frequently. Yet, there were cultivators who reached the pinnacle of the Great Dao and, from this vantage point, saw the intricate and enigmatic endgame of the heavenly laws.
They were just one step away from ascending.
Success or failure hinged on this moment.
Would they disregard the countless lives on this continent and step into the Nine Heavens? Or would they become a trivial piece on this immense chessboard, like a tiny mayfly shaking a tree?
The smiling little figures in the squares left their answers.
On the stele of the Immortal Ascension Platform, it was empty, without a single name. Because no cultivator chose to ascend alone.
They stood at the Golden Gate Ruins, the closest place to the heavenly realm, and wagered the final game of chess against the immortals of the Nine Heavens.
Heavenly laws were devious, and fate was ruthless. Trading with deities was never a matter of gaining an advantage. For mortals to defy the heavens and challenge fate, they had to give their all, even their lives, to have the right to participate in that game and become a piece on the board.
The first cultivator to arrive at this place stood under the starry sky, facing the vast chessboard and gazing at the void in the mist.
It felt as if a giant eye was hiding deep within, disdainfully watching this insignificant mortal.
A small piece in the chessboard had no impact on the grand scheme. Changing the immediate situation would not alter the destined outcome.
He couldn’t save Douzhou. He could only offer temporary relief, not everlasting salvation. Sooner or later, the raging floods would return, submerging these pitiful ants once more.
“Shall we play a game?” The cultivator spoke with a smile.
His body gradually transformed into countless scattered lights, heading toward the hollow vortex in the starry sky.
“Let’s bet that Douzhou will never disappear. In the future, there will still be those like me who give up ascending and support the Four Extremes of Douzhou.”
“Mortals will not let fate dictate them.”
“I bet you will never win this game.”
Countless vast stars rose and countless brilliant stars fell.
On the Immortal Ascension Platform, the greatest figures who had reached the pinnacle of their cultivation paused here, using their lifelong cultivation to support the crumbling divine pillar and prevent the collapse of heaven and earth.
Shaoyang Zhenren’s gaze fell upon the small figure at the forefront.
The old man in this small statue had a kind face, with all white hair and beard, holding a whisk. He bore a striking resemblance to the statue enshrined in the main hall of the Taiyan Sect.
The difference was that his smile was more radiant, brighter, and more carefree.
Shaoyang Zhenren lightly waved his sleeve, and a line of golden characters gradually emerged from the statue of Sage Yushan. The characters were crooked and not very aesthetically pleasing, resembling the scribbles of a child just learning to write.
“Who in life is free from death? The worth lies in where one dies. Roaming between heaven and earth, it’s hard to find contentment. Smiling, returning to the Void, I have completed my own affairs. The Great Dao is devoid of life, viewing life as mere rags.
Who in life is free from death? The worth lies in where one dies. A father must be a loyal minister, and a son must be a filial child, smiling as they return to the Void, having completed their own duties. The Great Dao is devoid of life, viewing life as mere rags. But driven by anger and the realization of heavenly principles, one can wander through heaven and earth with a clear conscience. — From “Letter to Mother in Prison” by Xia Wanjun.
Xia Wanjun/Xia Yiyun was a Chinese poet of the Tang Dynasty. The above mentioned letter is one of his most celbrated works, penned by him during imprisonment addressing his mother. The letter is a moving piece, expressing his thoughts on life, duty and death.">1 The Dao is great, the heavens are great, the earth is great, and humans are also great. To turn the universe, to wander through heaven and earth, today I can do so without regret.”
This was the last written work of Sage Yushan.
“The Sage did not ascend in the end,” Shaoyang Zhenren gazed at the golden characters in the void, as if recalling a distant scene. His voice was faint, almost as if it were about to disappear into the air.
“He wanted me to give hope to the cultivators of the world.”
Those famous cultivators on the Douzhou Continent gradually vanished from everyone’s sight, whether they ascended or perished, no news reached anyone. Only the ascension of Sage Yushan was witnessed, with strange phenomena appearing suddenly on Gufeng Mountain, which everyone saw.
But in truth, only Shaoyang Zhenren knew that it was merely an illusion.
Sage Yushan was just one step away from ascending. Using illusionary techniques to deceive the world was quite easy.
He created the appearance of ascension, making everyone in Douzhou believe he had succeeded, leaving behind an elusive, magnificent, and beautiful hope.
Countless cultivators followed in his footsteps, devoted to their cultivation for the hope of ascending to the Nine Heavens.
Where there is hope, there is all possibility.
Heavenly Dao resides above the firmament, watching all beings struggle within their destined fate. But fate is not immutable. One day, perhaps a brave warrior will encounter great fortune, surpassing the heavens, overcoming divine obstacles, and defying destiny. He might reach this place, reverse the chess game, become the master of the board, and change the destined outcome of Douzhou.
The small figures in the squares had already vanished. The last traces of divine consciousness condensed into small statues, marking their existence.
Kongtan Laojun, Soul Dream Master Zhuang Shengdie, War Emperor Wu Lie, Fairy Yuling, Qingyuan Tianzun, Sage Yushan, and even the first cultivator, who left neither name nor statue.
Their names were not on the Immortal Ascension Platform, and the people of Douzhou knew nothing of their deeds. Only deep within this dilapidated great hall, these glowing small figures had remembered their merits.
The surroundings were silent.
The sound of water cascading came from the end of the long sky, splashing like thunder crashing in the ears.
A drop of water stained Bu Jiang’s red robe, creating a blurred mark. She looked at Shaoyang Zhenren and calmly asked, “So, what does this have to do with Zanxing?”
Shaoyang Zhenren silently gazed at her. After a while, he spoke softly, “She is the destined one. The Xiao Yuan Pearl chose her. She is the last and only piece left to mend the heavens.”
Back then, the Sage Yushan and his group did not obtain the Xiao Yuan Pearl and could only use their own bodies to delay the collapse of Douzhou. But the flaws in this game would eventually become apparent.
Just like now.
“Master,” Gu Baiying said with a pale face, glaring at Shaoyang Zhenren, “Zanxing is not a pawn.”
In the great hall, a sudden burst of laughter from Bu Jiang filled the room. Her laughter was crisp and pleasant, as if she had heard the most ridiculous thing in the world. She stared coldly at Shaoyang Zhenren, her gaze suddenly sharp: “The Xiao Yuan Pearl is a stone to mend the heavens? Do you think this deceitful nonsense will fool me? The Demon King obtained this demonic pearl but never truly refined it. Though the pearl drove him mad, it also greatly increased his cultivation. Now you say this pearl is a stone to mend the heavens, that whoever possesses it must die? Shaoyang Zhenren, do you think the demons of Heishi City are fools, easily deceived by you?”
“People from sects are always full of tricks. Do you still hope that my daughter will die for you at this point?”
“The Demon King found the Xiao Yuan Pearl at the bottom of the Golden Gate, but he never truly refined it.” Shaoyang Zhenren was not angry. His expression remained calm, his snow-white hair cascading down to his waist, making him appear even more aloof and indifferent. He said, “The Xiao Yuan Pearl cannot be refined by humans, it only assimilates them.”
“Yang Zanxing, she is both the stone to mend the heavens and the Xiao Yuan Pearl.”
“To save the billions of lives in Douzhou, one must use their own body to mend the heavens, to resolve the flood.”
He looked up at the young woman enveloped in light at the center and said faintly, “Didn’t you already know this?”
Footnotes
Who in life is free from death? The worth lies in where one dies. A father must be a loyal minister, and a son must be a filial child, smiling as they return to the Void, having completed their own duties. The Great Dao is devoid of life, viewing life as mere rags. But driven by anger and the realization of heavenly principles, one can wander through heaven and earth with a clear conscience. — From “Letter to Mother in Prison” by Xia Wanjun.
Xia Wanjun/Xia Yiyun was a Chinese poet of the Tang Dynasty. The above mentioned letter is one of his most celbrated works, penned by him during imprisonment addressing his mother. The letter is a moving piece, expressing his thoughts on life, duty and death.