Refining the Mountains and Rivers

“The person from Dragon City has arrived. How come the city gates aren’t open yet?” The old scholarly man roared out loud.

After a brief silence, there was a loud rumbling sound as the massive city gates began to slowly open. Several burly and heavily armored gatekeepers stood on the other side of the gates. Behind their visors, their eyes were filled with extrication and guilt.

They fell to their knees. “Everyone, it is not that we are cruel and haven’t opened the city for you all until now, but it is because it is beyond our control.”

“Now that the city gates have opened, us brothers have fulfilled our mission. We do not have the face to see you all, so we will be going first.” As they spoke they bowed deeply to the ground. Then, the heavily armored gatekeepers vanished in puffs of blue smoke.

The fat wealthy man cursed out loud, “Those pickled worm scumbags. Do they think they can end things like this with just some flowery words? Keep on dreaming!”

He ran forward until he reached the city gates. His figure twisted and then just like the gatekeepers, he vanished in a plume of blue smoke.

The feather fan that fell to the ground had already been picked up. The old man laughed several times, “Everyone, the tribulation we have endured is finally over. If we don’t leave now, when will we?”

He turned around and moved toward the city gates. Following him, numerous other figures walked into the city.

Moments later, there were no more people in front of this massive city. Only Qin Yu remained in front of the vast and empty gates.

After a brief silence, Qin Yu walked forward. As he came closer and closer to the city gates, his heartbeat started to accelerate.

Finally, he stepped through the gates. A light sigh echoed in his heart.

“How many years has it been? I’ve been waiting for you, descendant of my clan.”

Rumble rumble –

The earth shook and swayed. The vast and boundless city around him disintegrated in a moment. Then, the entire world shattered and dissipated.

How was this a giant city? It was clearly a mountain peak. Countless broken traces were everywhere, as if this place had experienced a catastrophe. The entire mountain top had been smashed inward and an astonishingly large skull lay in the bottom of the pit. A milky white light was released from its seven orifices, filled with dignity and majesty.

It was this light that illuminated the darkness. It slowly fluttered in the air, like waves in water.

Shadows often appeared within the light. In these shadows he could see the farmer who was selling vegetables; he was chatting and bantering with others. He could see a fat wealthy man in the middle of a banquet, surrounded by numerous beauties and having the time of his life. He could see a carriage hurrying along, being driven home by the driver. The white gauze curtains had been lifted up a little and one could see the pretty face of a young girl. An old man with a feather fan was slowly walking into an academy. Young scholars came out and bowed to him…

These scenes kept appearing and disappearing. And, these people were clearly the same people Qin Yu had seen in front of the collapsed city.

“Thoughts turn into illusion, dreams become their own realm!” Purple Moon’s low voice rang out. She was unable to conceal the shakiness in her tone.

Qin Yu sucked in a breath of cold air, understanding the meaning behind her words. That massive city he had seen was nothing but someone’s dream. Moreover, as far as he could see now, there were many similar dreams, and each dream had thousands of lives within it.

Perhaps they knew that they were nothing but existences derived within a dream. Or, perhaps they didn’t know and only thought they were ordinary beings born within the world.

If it was the former then it was good, but if it was the latter…just thinking about it caused a cold chill to pass through Qin Yu’s heart. Who knew if he was the same as these people, and he was nothing but a life wandering through the dream of some mighty being?

Blue Sun’s cold voice sounded out, “You and I do not live in a dreamland!”

She gave no further explanation. But, her cold and emotionless voice caused Qin Yu’s tense heart to relax. The indescribably chaotic emotions that flooded his heart soon faded away.

He looked up to see the skull which had smashed into the summit. From one glance, he could see this was the skull of an Ancient. And, the familiar feeling allowed Qin Yu to determine that this skull belonged to the one that he saw when he arrived at Dragon City – the Ancient who constructed that city!

He had indeed perished. But, what kind of terrifying existence could suppress and kill that Ancient, dismembering his body and leaving it scattered in the world?

As if sensing Qin Yu’s thoughts, the sighing voice echoed in his heart once more. “The one who killed me is the unsurpassed Dao Monarch.”

Dao Monarch! The Dao Monarch that the Western Tomb Divine Church worshipped!

Qin Yu’s heart quaked. It seemed that his previous guess had been a little wrong. He took a deep breath and composed himself. Then, he stepped forward and bowed. “Ancient race descendant Qin Yu greets ancestor!”

Since the Ancient who constructed Dragon City had been slain by the Dao Monarch who was worshipped by the Western Tomb, why would his head be placed in such an important place within the Western Tomb?

Moreover, the creamy white light that came from the skull’s orifices was clearly the divine power controlled by the Western Tomb. How could this be explained?

Too many unexplained puzzles caused Qin Yu to feel a bit of dread. His body tensed up so that he could respond at any moment.

“I know that you have many questions. Do not worry, I will give you an explanation…” The voice came to a sudden stop and a terrifying aura erupted between the heavens and earth. Then, from beneath that giant Ancient skull, light flooded out, condensing into its body.

Rumble rumble –

The mountain range below shivered. A complete Ancient skeleton stood in the world, its spirit indomitable as it roared at the heavens.

“Just what has happened? In the bloodline of my Ancient clan, how come you are the only one left remaining?”

Each word was a peal of thunder. It tore through the darkness above, widening the scenery around.

Qin Yu was shaken so badly that his head ached. He saw that the road he came from was actually a path of stone steps so long that he couldn’t see its end.

Sharp wooden stakes lined both sides of these stone steps. Each wooden stake pierced through a corpse.

Their blood had already drained away, submerging into the earth along the wooden stakes and dyeing them darkish red. The air had dried them out over time, producing large cracks.

Among them was a small body that seemed to be around seven or eight years old. Although it was a far distance away, Qin Yu could actually see it clearly.

The little girl had been dead for countless years and her corpse had withered away long ago. But, a happy smile still hung on the edges of her lips. Combined with her empty eye sockets it was an eerie sight, so macabre that it caused a chill to pass up through his body!

Before Qin Yu could answer, the Ancient skeleton that stood on the summit lifted a hand and grasped at the skies. In that moment 3000 vortexes appeared, and within each vortex there were millions of streams of light.

They were far too fast, at least 10,000 times faster than lightning. Even with Qin Yu’s cultivation he couldn’t see the true appearance of these streams of light.

Suddenly, the Ancient skeleton coughed and a crack appeared in its skull that overflowed with light. Below, the Ancient’s skeleton turned illusory and unreal. The 3000 vortexes in the skies shattered and disappeared.

After a long silence, the Ancient’s skeleton slowly sunk to the ground. “As I thought, the Ancient catastrophe that was predicted in the past has already been fulfilled.” The voice was tired and weary. The eye sockets looked at Qin Yu, making him feel as if he were being stared at intensely. “But fortunately, even with the extermination of the heavens and earth, the Ancients were still left with a slim hope of survival. As all Ancients in existence perished, you became the new Ancient race!

“As long as you survive, there will come a day when the Ancients prosper again. The Ancient Clan which vanished within the myriad heavens and worlds will finally return!”

Qin Yu’s thoughts raced. He said, “Ancestor, I have several matters I am unsure of.” He needed to clearly determine whether this Ancient consciousness could be trusted. That was the premise of everything.

“Of course. I will tell you everything and give you my final strength.” The Ancient’s voice was calm. “But right now I need to handle some matters. Do not interfere; you may watch from the side.”

As the Ancient’s voice fell, faint traces of grayish white color appeared. It started at Qin Yu’s feet and rapidly spread upwards.

In the blink of an eye, it covered his body, turning him gray like a statue.

After a period of surprise Qin Yu soon discovered that this grayish white color didn’t harm him at all. In fact, with just a thought he would be able to break it.

His eyes flashed and he chose to remain silent for the time being. He wanted to see what this Ancient’s consciousness, who had already been dead for countless years, would do next.

Whoosh –

There was the sound of breaking air. A figure composed of pure light appeared on the long stone steps, landing atop the broken mountain summit.

The Saint, Do Ermo, looked around and locked onto Qin Yu’s body that had turned to stone. He chuckled, “He died. Good, it’s saved me some extra work.”

Then, he looked at the Ancient skull that was emitting a creamy white light. The eyes of the Western Tomb Divine Church’s First Saint suddenly filled with an incomparable heat.