Chapter 256: Mortal World, Demon Realm, Fortress Wall, Grave

“This was what the seniors passed down…”

Song Gudao said, “Long, long ago, the world was split between humans and the Demon Race. Humans cultivated using Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy to become Immortals, while demons fed on the essence of the sun, moon, and Vegetal Essence to gain wisdom and grow stronger.”

“But conflict between the two races never stopped. The Demon Race lived in the Northern Wastes, perpetually covered in snow, life harsh and difficult. So they started wars. Humans resisted desperately, which led to building that wall outside. Back then… there was no grave.”

“Later, three great human Cultivators emerged. They ended that great chaos. The demons sought another way, sacrificing ten Eighth-Realm Great Demons to split the earth and create their own realm – the Divine Domain we’re in now.”

Song Gudao then added, “Of course, all this comes from the stories of the old folks. What truly happened? Nobody knows. The past is too far back, so distant even the rivers have changed their course.”

“And then?” Chen Changsheng asked.

Song Gudao continued, “What happened next is more complicated. After creating this realm, the demons thought peace would reign. But greed? That’s a story with no end.”

“Peace lasted thousands of years. Then the demons found this small world flawed. Their Cultivation couldn’t surpass the Seventh Realm. To break past this Seventh Realm limit, the demons returned to war. They tore open a rift between worlds. Our Senior slipped through that gap to enter here.”

“As for those three great Cultivators? Lost to the long river of time. Add to that, the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy gradually grew thin. Human Cultivators lost their former strength to resist. Humanity faced a time of life and death.”

“In desperation, that Senior used secret Human Dao techniques. He sacrificed the life force of tens of thousands of humans to temporarily boost his own power. Alone, he forced all the invading demons back into the Demon Realm. He also made a pact with them, buying humanity four hundred years.”

“In those four centuries, Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy kept fading. It seemed Heaven stopped favouring our human race.”

“As the four-hundred-year deadline approached, humanity had no choice. They built city platforms, and through this, Divine Children were born.”

Chen Changsheng listened, then commented, “The Spiritual Energy outside truly is thin. One could almost call it the End Times.”

“Exactly…”

Song Gudao breathed out. “That’s the state of the Mortal World. But here in the Demon Realm, Spiritual Energy remains plentiful. That… became the cause of what followed.”

As he spoke, Song Gudao’s eyes showed a flicker of resolve. “Every year, five Divine Children come here. To trade ten thousand lives… to protect millions.”

Chen Changsheng looked at him. “So, then, every Cultivator here carries the burden of tens of thousands of lives?”

Song Gudao admitted, “Yes. It violates the Great Dao, but there was no better choice.”

In the thousands of years that followed…

Humanity built thousands of city platforms. They shed oceans of Blood Qi in rituals. All Divine Children eventually came here. Only when aged and close to death did they have a chance to return to the Mortal World to become Priests and settle their final affairs.

Chen Changsheng then asked, “Was there truly no one unwilling to come?”

Song Gudao laughed softly. “There were, of course. There’s a rule here. Anyone who can defeat the Chieftain of their generation can leave the grave. But until now, no one has ever broken that rule.”

“The Chieftain?”

“Right.”

Song Gudao lowered his head. “I… am the Chieftain of this generation.”

Chen Changsheng glanced at him. This Song Gudao’s foundation was indeed far deeper than the other Cultivators in the city.

Song Gudao took a deep breath. “Anyway, from the moment a Divine Child emerges, their Destiny binds them to this grave. Born here… they either die beneath the Grave Wall, or… put on that faceless mask, become nourishment, and die atop the City Platform.”

“It’s our destiny.”

Song Gudao said, “A destiny none who enter this city can escape. Me included.”

Chen Changsheng calmly took a drink of wine. “How long have you stayed here?”

“About…”

Song Gudao thought for a moment. “Um… two hundred and ten years.”

“Two hundred years…”

Chen Changsheng asked, “I am curious, Song Gudao. How have you managed to endure?”

Song Gudao smiled wryly. “When I first came, I wanted to escape. Deeply. But later… I stopped wanting to.”

“Why?” Chen Changsheng inquired.

Song Gudao said, “I’m not that noble. The fate of the Mortal World… honestly, it wasn’t my biggest concern. Most people who come here started the same way. But they stayed. Because of… other things.”

He thought for a moment, then stood up.

“Senior, could you come with me to one place?”

Chen Changsheng picked up the wine jug and followed Song Gudao out of the tavern.

Reaching the wall meant climbing a staircase.

Carved on the stone steps were numerous writings. They were all different.

Some sentences were riddled with wrong characters. Others were scribbled out and rewritten. Some were broken off midway. Some bore only a name.

[I’d be damned to come here!] But the words were crossed out. Added beside them, fiercely carved:

[Your Laozi Yue Mountain isn’t a fucking coward!]

“Old Brother Yue once guarded the City Tower with me.”

Song Gudao said, “There were more words below. Faded by time. Layers upon layers overwritten. Who knows how many times?”

He didn’t elaborate. Clearly, this ‘Old Brother Yue’ had passed.

Further up another step, more writing:

[Missed the wine from Longyue Terrace… — A Liang]

Song Gudao explained, “Senior, you must have met A Liang. Old Man Meng. His hometown was Longyue Terrace in the Mortal World. He always talked about the wine. I went specially back to bring him a jug.”

“He didn’t disappoint. One sip for himself. One sip to quench his blade. That day, he stepped down from the wall and cut down five Sixth-Realm Great Demons.”

The two continued upwards.

[Came here. Wanted to leave. Couldn’t. — Tu Siliang.]

Another sentence followed:

[Forget it. I’ll stay.]

“Brother Tu was the oldest, a true Senior to me. He rarely spoke. His most repeated words were, ‘Want to leave.’”

Song Gudao went on, “But when two Seventh-Realm Great Demons attacked… he charged to the very front.”

One step further.

[Not coming here next lifetime. — Ninth Young Master]

“Lao Jiu.”

Song Gudao fell silent for a moment. “He was a good man. Came and never thought of leaving. He slew demons and guarded the wall all his life here. Closest to Brother Tu… loved hearing Brother Tu spout nonsense. Later… he fell to those two Seventh-Realm Great Demons. Brother Tu stepped down from the wall because of him.”

“And the outcome?” Chen Changsheng asked.

Song Gudao answered, “He won. Both Seventh-Realm demons died beneath his blade. They went with Lao Jiu on his way. But Brother Tu… he didn’t make it back either.”

One step further. Song Gudao suddenly stopped.

[Fuck you, Jiang Shouyi!]

Seeing this, Song Gudao couldn’t help but chuckle. “That’s by me. Jiang Shouyi was the last generation’s Chieftain. My Master.”