Chapter 64
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The God of the Northern Wall ascended in this manner.
The worries of the Mirror Immortal seemed unfounded, because although this deity was born with a karmic obstacle related to killing, he abhorred war and bloodshed. Therefore, immediately after his ascension, he did something unprecedented, unmatched before or since—
He gathered weapons from all over the world, melted them down into molten gold, and forged a towering bronze statue that reached the heavens and the earth. It was named the “Four Directions soldier puppet” and buried deep in the northern abyss.
At the same time, he issued a divine decree: as long as anyone in this world died by the sword, or any house was destroyed by war, he would descend with divine wrath. Even if it meant pursuing to the deepest depths of h*ll, he would strip the monarchs of their divine status and execute them on the spot.
No deity had ever issued such an edict before, because the divine power required was immense, effectively placing the entire human realm under his jurisdiction. However, the God of the Northern Wall persisted in his solitary path, devoting all his energy to this cause, and soon achieved remarkable results: there were no more soldier puppets in the world, the smoke of war vanished suddenly, and the two countries that had been at odds for many years were forced to disband their armies. The people of both nations welcomed a long-lost peace.
The bones along the Indefinite River were laid to rest, and generals returned home after countless battles. Men plowed and women wove, nurturing life; the impoverished farmers gradually restored the smoke rising from their kitchens, and the land, once engulfed in flames of war, finally returned to a state of tranquility.
At first, people sang praises and lauded the deity’s benevolence, spreading his teachings far and wide.
However, after several decades passed in the blink of an eye, dissenting voices emerged amidst the unified prosperity.
“Why can people from neighboring countries occupy fertile lands with favorable weather conditions, while we suffer from sandstorms, frequent migrations, and hard labor just to feed ourselves?”
“Why can people from neighboring countries easily buy our spices, goat milk, and salt with a small amount of money, while our cattle and sheep perish in batches due to drought, and the grains we sell are so expensive?”
“Why do rulers impose heavy taxes and corvée labor, causing the people to be impoverished and the treasury exhausted, yet we must endure silently while emperors and ministers live in luxury?”
…
Whether between the two countries or within the internal affairs of each nation, anger and discontent grew increasingly rampant, conflicts and friction sharpened, but everything was forcibly suppressed under the absolute divine decree.
Finally, one year, during a severe drought upstream, a tribe that had lost all its cattle and sheep rushed into a border market, looted all the rice and grains, and killed over ten merchants who tried to stop them. The enraged merchant guild immediately organized its forces, wielding iron clubs and wooden swords, and retaliated by killing women and children in the rear of the tribe.
When the first drop of blood was shed, no one could have imagined that it would mark the beginning of the cataclysmic War of Annihilation.
Soon, the skirmish that occurred on the border was like a spark falling on the prairie during a drought, quickly igniting a raging fire. Tribes, with eyes red with hatred, quickly sharpened their knives and spears, and the iron hooves broke through the borders, slaughtering several villages along the frontier. Sons and daughters from all over the place, swearing oaths in blood, rode out and conquered the camps of the tribes for miles around. As the raging fire illuminated the night sky and the heads of tribal leaders were impaled on flagpoles, the cries of mourning echoed across the land; the vengeful iron hooves converged like a flood, completely breaking through the vulnerable border.
One mountain range after another, one city after another. Lands fell one after another, and the smoke of war rose again. When the monarchs, panicked, issued strict orders to prohibit fighting and destroy weapons, the people, already aroused and angry, rose up in rebellion from all over.
The flames of war finally aroused the God of the Northern Wall.
The God of the Northern Wall was extremely angry. He detested war to the extreme and even sent down nine thunderous judgments to show the severe consequences of defying his divine decree.
But this time, the people did not appreciate him.
Everyone felt it was unfair, and everyone wanted to rebel. The people of both countries were filled with righteous indignation, eager to avenge their bloodshed compatriots and to take up arms for survival and justice.
Regardless of which side they were on, everyone believed that the God of the Northern Wall’s divine decree was only to protect his enemies; otherwise, this unfair situation would not have occurred from the beginning.
“What’s the use of worshiping a god? The gods have blessed neighboring countries with favorable conditions, while we can only huddle on barren land!”
“If that flood had really happened years ago, we would have defeated the neighboring country long ago. Now that the world is unified, there would surely be peace and prosperity!”
“Those who have ascended to immortality, how could they care about our lives and deaths!” The voices became sharper and the complaints more extreme: “The grace of controlling water? What grace of controlling water? Do you still remember the tens of thousands of people who knelt and cried for him for seven days?”
“—Seven days! Watching how many people begged him until their heads were broken!”
“Their initial intentions were impure, only for their own ascension!”
…
The accusations and criticisms reached the heavens.
The God of the Northern Wall sat alone in the vast hall, quietly, until a smiling ghostly voice came from the underworld:
“Do you see it? This is humanity.”
“Tigers do not eat their cubs, but humans readily devour their own; crows know to feed their elders, but humans repay kindness with enmity; all creatures in the world hunt only to fill their stomachs, only humans kill and capture recklessly for pleasure.”
“Of all things in heaven and earth, the flowers, leaves, grasses, birds, and beasts are all worthy; even the smallest insects are worthy. Only humans, humans are not worthy.”
“… Who are you?” The God of the Northern Wall finally uttered a hoarse voice.
The laughter in that voice grew deeper, saying, “I am the Ghost Crown Prince.”
The peach blossoms in the heavenly realm bloomed overnight.
The God of the Northern Wall completely fell into a karmic obstacle related to killing, summoning the Four Direction soldier puppet hidden deep in the heart of the extreme north, endowing it with immense divine power, and using it as his incarnation to exterminate the greatest calamity in heaven and earth—humanity.
The War of Annihilation erupted as a result.
Everything that followed was consistent with the legend of the Ghost Crown Prince:
The Mirror Immortal fulfilled the blood oath to kill the God of the Northern Wall, and the Ghost Crown Prince intervened to intercept it;
The Gods of the East and North fought fiercely with no clear winner, and had to make a divine bet;
The Square soldier puppet nearly slaughtered all the cultivators, leaving only the Iron Sect Xuan Jinghe to stand alone.
The three major battlefields in heaven and earth ultimately converged at Tianmeng Pass.
On this vast and cold plain, the Xuanjing River and the Square soldier puppet perished together, helping the God of the East win the divine bet, ascending to divine status on the spot, and replacing the God of the Northern Wall.
The God of the Northern Wall was demoted to be reincarnated as a human, and the God of the East stored his evil thoughts with the remnants of the Square soldier puppet, personally sealing them into the heart of the earth.
The God of the Northern Wall ascended in torrential rain and floods, and was demoted in the chaos of drought and famine.
He ascended to divinity in order to quell all wars and bloodshed, but ultimately brought about the greatest catastrophe and death in history.
This twisted fate was only repeated in one thing— he became a god for saving the lives of millions of mortals, and the one who replaced him also became a god for saving the lives of millions of mortals.
Xu Shuangce’s gaze fell on the last line of ink marks on the silk book, finally understanding why the third person present when God of the Northern Wall ascended did not appear in the narrative, because he recognized the signature.
The one who recorded this passage was the God of the East himself.
The beginning and end of the matter finally came to light.
Thousands of years ago, when they were still mortals, the God of the East and God of the Northern Wall were friends. They suffered disasters and controlled water together, died together, welcomed the Mirror Immortal together, and finally ascended to divinity together— However, only God of the Northern Wall developed a karmic obstacle during the process, so their destinies after ascension were completely opposite.
The God of the Northern Wall was tempted by the Ghost Crown Prince and fell into a karmic obstacle, determined to eradicate the mortals he deemed as disasters.
While the God of the East was assisted by the Mirror Immortal, protected the mortal realm, and in the War of Annihilation, won the divine bet against God of the Northern Wall.
Perhaps it was because of years of friendship, perhaps it was out of compassion, or perhaps it was because he didn’t want to forget the true reason for his friend’s ascension and fall… After recording this passage, the God of the East descended with the God of the Northern Wall, reincarnating as the current Immortal Alliance Leader, Ying Kai, and the Cangyang Sect Master Sect, Xu Shuangce.
His original intention should have been to supervise his friend to prevent the recurrence of karmic obstacles. But no one expected Xu Shuangce’s karmic obstacle to be so severe, even until today, it had not been polished away.
This full page of ink marks seemed to have a certain magical power, releasing the pain, struggle, resentment, and tears of God of the Northern Wall thousands of years ago with each stroke, capturing Xu Shuangce’s mind.
“If calamity is imminent, how can you turn a blind eye and refuse to save lives, worse than pigs and dogs!”
—That was clearly not a calamity, it was caused by people illegally digging the river.
“What water control? It was us, the common people, who begged him to come out in the first place!”
—In the world, there is always cause and effect. The calamity of war should not be forcibly attributed to one person.
“He purely ascended for his own sake!”
—”Do you see it, God of the Northern Wall?” The smiling voice resounded from the void once again, low and eerie: “If there were no humans in this world, how prosperous and peaceful everything would be, how clear the rivers and seas would be?”
“… “
Xu Shuangce closed his eyes, and his fingertips sank deep into his hair.
At this moment, deliberate light footsteps came from outside the hall. Passing through layers of sealed formations, they resonated in Xu Shuangce’s divine consciousness. Then came the respectful and cautious voice of Wen Xiuyang: “Master, the Alliance Leader has arrived and is already in the Xuanji Hall.”
Xu Shuangce’s movements froze.
“The Alliance Leader said… he has been trying to contact you on Mount Dai for these days, but has never received any response. Helpless, he had to come in person to visit. The disciples guarding the mountain dared not stop him, and saw the Alliance Leader enter the Xuanji Hall without waiting for notification…”
Xu Shuangce exhaled the hot air in his throat, opened his eyes calmly, and said, “Understood.”
He put away the silk scroll, restored the bronze lockbox, hesitated for a moment, but still put it back in his sleeve, then got up and returned to the inner room. Gong Wei was still sleeping soundly on the high bed with soft pillows, sleeping carefreely, with a slight blush on his cheeks.
There seemed to be a fragrance of early peach blossoms in his breath, miraculously washing away the last trace of anger and pain from thousands of years ago. Xu Shuangce stared at him, as if wanting to seize every moment, imprinting that face into his soul.
After a long time, he leaned down and silently kissed Gong Wei’s forehead, then stroked his hair for a while before leaving the room without looking back.
The doors of the forbidden hall were finally opened, and Wen Xiuyang respectfully waited outside, only to see the Cangyang Sect Master, who had not appeared for several days, descending the steps. Xu Shuangce, who always dressed neatly, was now only in his inner robe, with the collar unbuttoned, and his voice was faint, “Let’s go.”
Wen Xiuyang dared not think too much, bowed his head and followed Xu Shuangce forward. Suddenly, there was a sound from the entire forbidden hall: Buzz—
He turned his head to look.
Countless prohibition spells lit up automatically on the eaves, walls, and stone pillars as Xu Shuangce left, as if covering the entire hall with a layer of golden light, then melted into the bricks and stones, leaving no trace on the magnificent and beautiful facade of the building.
… They actually went to such lengths to lock someone up so tightly!
A chill rose in Wen Xiuyang’s heart, but he didn’t dare show any sign of it. He quickened his pace and silently followed Xu Shuangce down the mountain.
In the Xuanji Hall, peach blossoms drifted down the stream, and on the stone table laid a wine jug and a jade wine cup. Ying Kai sat alone in the courtyard, drinking a cup of wine. The world-shaking “Mountain Ocean Order” divine sword laid beside him. It wasn’t until Xu Shuangce’s footsteps drew closer that he turned his head towards the courtyard gate and smiled, “Shuangce, you’re here.”
Seeing Ying Kai again now brought a complex feeling to Xu Shuangce’s usually steady heart. He was about to lift his foot when he paused in midair.
Then he crossed the threshold and furrowed his brow, asking, “What’s wrong with you?”
Ying Kai’s complexion had never looked so haggard before, the kind of weariness one might expect from a common person who hadn’t slept for days. Even now, there were faint traces of dark circles under his eyes.
“In recent days, I’ve been troubled by many dreams, dreams of absurd and inexplicable events I’ve never experienced before, so I’ve inevitably had some extra worries,” Ying Kai said. He didn’t specify what exactly he was worried about, and Xu Shuangce didn’t ask, silently standing still. “You said the other day that Liu Xuzhi had already been sent back to Yanchuntai,” Ying Kai suddenly said.
Xu Shuangce replied, “Yes.”
“But when I woke up, he was on the Golden Ship.”
“I changed my mind and thought it would be better for him to go directly to see Brother Mu,” Xu Shuangce said calmly.
Ying Kai nodded without pressing further. “Xuzhi is quite seriously injured, so it’s only natural.”
“….”
The courtyard was spacious and quiet, with only the murmuring of the stream and the verdant moss. Ying Kai gazed absentmindedly at the few spots of crimson in the stream until he finished his cup of wine and placed it back on the table, then filled it up again.
With a wave of his hand, he said with a smile, “It’s been many years since we two brothers had a drink together. Shuangce, sit.”
Xu Shuangce’s gaze flickered slightly, and after a moment, he finally sat down.
Ying Kai said, “The incident with the Iron Sect has been reported to the Changsun family in Julu City, and the Immortal Alliance has stirred up quite a stir. Everyone is secretly discussing it, fearing it won’t be resolved for a year or more.”
“This matter is strange, and discussion is unavoidable,” Xu Shuangce said.
“I’ve sent someone to Tianmeng Pass to look for more traces left by Du Kaixun, hoping to find clues about the ghost cultivator’s identity.”
“It’s a long journey and needs careful consideration.”
…
After several such exchanges, both fell into silence without intending to. Ying Kai held the cup in one hand, seemingly lost in thought for a long time, before finally sighing and saying, “Shuangce.”
Here it comes.
Xu Shuangce looked up, meeting Ying Kai’s gaze, which was still clear and bright despite the fatigue and bloodshot eyes.
“Before you set off for Tianmeng Pass, you once told me that dreams are all false, just dreams. But during this time, the things I’ve seen in my dreams have felt like real experiences, bizarre and convoluted, as if they happened in another world.”
Ying Kai paused for a moment and whispered, “After waking up, Liu Xuzhi told me that he heard Du Kaixun mention something under the glacier at Tianmeng Pass, as if he was talking about ‘illusion,’ ‘the mortal realm,’ and ‘the Ascension Immortal Platform.'”
Xu Shuangce remained silent.
“On that day, there were only you and Du Kaixun in the sound barrier array, and Du Kaixun had already died in the abyss.” Ying Kai’s voice remained gentle. “Shuangce, can you tell me what Du Kaixun told you before he died?”
The air seemed to thicken, turning into a cold, heavy pressure that hung between them.
“Cornered beasts fight back with nonsensical words. It’s probably not true,” Xu Shuangce finally averted his gaze, speaking calmly. “Don’t worry too much about it.”
Ying Kai sighed silently, then suddenly changed the subject, “In that case, can I meet your disciple, Xiang Xiaoyuan, and ask him a few questions in person?”
Xu Shuangce refused for the second time, “He’s still recovering from his injuries and is in quiet recuperation. He cannot come to see the Alliance Leader.”
“… Still recovering.”
Ying Kai repeated each word, then turned to look at the hand holding the cup, his tone gentle. “Then can you tell me what’s going on with your hand?”
Following his gaze, Xu Shuangce’s right middle finger joint was wrapped in several strands of black hair, intricately tied into a delicate knot.
“…”
As if an invisible barrier had sealed off this space, the atmosphere around them became tense, eerily quiet.
Xu Shuangce finally met Ying Kai’s gaze and calmly retorted, “There are more joys in the bedroom than just painting eyebrows. Do you really want me to continue?”
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