Civilization

Nine years later. The divine shuttle sped tirelessly through the tempest in solitary flight, yet an end was still nowhere in sight. After surviving the ordeal with the ferocious beast, Qin Sang and Liu Li had grown more cautious and weary than before, and the time they spent resting at each stop had grown longer. In addition, a thought had sprouted in Qin Sang's mind. If living beings could survive within the storm belt, could there be other unknown entities? Carrying this curiosity, Qin Sang would make a circuit around each shelter whenever he had leisure. Even if he actually discovered something by doing so, it was far more likely to bring danger than fortune. By Qin Sang's nature, every risky venture was carefully considered beforehand, weighing gains against losses; he rarely engaged in something offering practically no return. And yet, he never tired of it. It was not out of a desire for fortuitous encounters, but from a yearning for knowledge—a thirst for the unknown of this mysterious world! In the boundless expanse of the storm belt, the tiny radius Qin Sang could scout was utterly negligible, no different from fishing for a needle in the ocean. In fact, he truly hadn't found anything new, and hadn't even encountered a second ferocious beast. Inside the divine shuttle. Qin Sang awoke from meditation and stowed away the demonic banner in his palm. Over twenty years of painstaking effort had not been in vain. Nearly all of his energy had been devoted to *Fire Seed Golden Lotus*. Within his purple palace, the fire lotus was noticeably larger and more profound than before. What had once been in the shape of a fire lotus seed was now gradually delineating the contours of a black lotus. "How much longer?" Qin Sang asked spontaneously, looking at Liu Li, who was piloting the divine shuttle. In truth, the sea chart lay right before them, visible at a single glance. That Liu Li hadn't woken him meant everything had proceeded smoothly. Based on the time he had spent cultivating, he could roughly gauge the shuttle's current location. Still, Qin Sang habitually asked her anyway, simply looking for something to say. If he didn't take the initiative to speak, he believed Liu Li could easily remain silent for a hundred years. One could hardly tell whether her temperament was inborn or forged after experiencing tremendous upheaval. "Two hours," Liu Li said, parting her vermilion lips, her words as sparse as gold as ever. *Progress!* Qin Sang nodded inwardly. In the past, Liu Li would only answer questions she deemed meaningful, likely doing nothing more than pointing at the sea chart for him. Now, she was willing to respond verbally. Two hours later, they would arrive not at Zhongzhou, but at the next shelter. Qin Sang did not resume cultivating. He took over the helm of the shuttle to let Liu Li rest. The scenery was monotonous and long since wearisome. Steering the shuttle out of sheer boredom, Qin Sang let his mind wander, imagining what the next shelter might look like and what surprises it might bring them. Along their journey, the diverse shelters had truly opened his eyes. In the blink of an eye, two hours slipped by, and the shelter came into view. Qin Sang reined in his scattered thoughts and gazed ahead. Sensing the arrival, Liu Li opened her eyes as well. The divine shuttle sped on, and the storm ahead gradually thinned. Then, their field of vision abruptly opened wide. Without any obstruction, the shelter revealed itself plainly before their eyes. Qin Sang and Liu Li froze in shock! Azure sea and blue sky, boundless as far as the eye could see! A wondrous barrier partitioned the inside and outside into two completely different worlds—one chaotic, the other serene. Inside the barrier, though still affected by the storm belt with continuous wind and rain, neither the scale nor the turbulence was remotely comparable to the storm belt itself. It could truly be called a pure land! They were all too familiar with such a sight. Any cultivator who had ever visited the borderlands between the cultivation world and the storm belt would recognize it immediately. Qin Sang and Liu Li exchanged a look, both eyes filled with astonishment and confusion, and simultaneously turned to the sea chart. So vast! So tranquil! Could ahead lie an entire cultivation world? Why was there no special notation on the sea chart? Throughout their journey, the sea chart had not possessed a single error or omission. *Whoosh!* The divine shuttle effortlessly glided out of the storm belt and entered this sky-blue expanse. It felt as if all chaos had been stripped away from them, and that long-lost sensation brought a strange sense of relief to both of them. "Is it really a cultivation world?" Filled with doubt, Qin Sang gazed as far as his eyes could reach and found that this realm was far broader than imagined. The largest shelter they had encountered before was merely a mountain range. When things were abnormal, there was bound to be something amiss. Qin Sang cautiously halted the divine shuttle and said thoughtfully, "Let's proceed on foot to first ascertain what kind of place this is. There might be cultivators here." Traveling on foot made it easier to conceal their traces. The two immediately exited the divine shuttle, executed their movement techniques, and skimmed across the surface of the water, moving forward at an unhurried pace. Qin Sang extended his divine consciousness beneath the waves and indeed detected traces of fish and shrimp, sufficient proof that life existed here. This place was completely different from those dead, silent shelters. After skimming forward for some time, a dark silhouette appeared on the horizon. If nothing was amiss, it should be an island. From afar, they could see the island's greenery and birds flitting through the trees. The two slowed down, concealing their figures as they drew close to the island. Qin Sang sensed no unusual aura. They stepped onto the island and toured around. They found no cultivators, but within a patch of jungle, they discovered a few unusual traces. "Humans once settled here," Liu Li said with certainty, landing between two large trees. She waved her sleeve to clear away the weeds and withered vines, revealing a section of ruined stone wall, and unearthed pottery jars and other utensils from beneath the soil—unmistakable signs of intelligent life. Judging by the desolation, however, there was no telling how many years ago this settlement had been abandoned. "There really were people! Or at least intelligent beings!" Qin Sang said in a deep voice. This single discovery was enough to set this place apart from all the other shelters. After a brief pause, the two set off again and found several more islands. Upon careful searching, they discovered more suspected human settlements. Without exception, all were buried beneath lush jungle, so eroded by time that they had nearly merged with nature. They found birds, beasts, fish, and insects here, a balanced ecosystem brimming with vitality, yet not a single human was to be seen! These islands lay some distance from the storm belt and were little affected by the tempests. For mortals, the island's resources were exceptionally rich, so why had they been completely abandoned? Their confusion grew deeper, prompting them to pick up speed. "We've reached mainland!" Qin Sang said softly. Another shadow appeared on the horizon. Unlike before, its edges extended beyond sight on either side, far surpassing any island. Yet the feeling grew stranger still. No matter how picky the people here might be, they couldn't possibly abandon an entire continent, could they? However, the islands along the continent's coast were just like the earlier ones, appearing abandoned for thousands or tens of thousands of years, entirely devoid of human trace. It defied reason. Inferring from various signs, Qin Sang and Liu Li thought of a possibility, and their expressions grew increasingly grave. *Swish! Swish!* They sped across the sea and stepped onto the continent. Looking down from high above, an endless carpet of green stretched before them. Across the land, rolling mountains rose and jagged peaks stood tall. Rivers surged toward the sea. Fragrant flowers bloomed amidst chirping birds, and wild beasts roamed free. Beneath this stunning scenery lay a different kind of deathly stillness. Along the coasts and beside the rivers—places of immense fertility—not a single city, village, or human figure could be found, no matter how hard they looked! "The spiritual energy here is very thin," Liu Li remarked, glancing around to share her observation. Qin Sang nodded and added, "No cultivators and no demon beasts—that much would be understandable. But where did the humans who originally lived here go?" As he spoke, Qin Sang's figure suddenly descended swiftly, landing upon a fertile plain where mountains and rivers converged. As expected, there were indeed ruins nearby! Qin Sang flew a circle around the ruins and discovered with surprise that this place had once been a city, one that would certainly count as a grand metropolis in the mortal realm. Even the capital of the Great Sui today was nothing more than this! The wooden buildings inside had long rotted away, but many traces remained preserved, including city walls and stone masonry built from stacked rocks. Naturally, this ruin was no exception; most of it was buried in the earth, and the exposed parts were overgrown with wild grass and vines, severely weathered. Qin Sang attempted to search for traces of war to no avail, then expanded his search radius. Soon, they found ruins of other cities. Finding them was so easy because the cities were densely clustered, hinting at how prosperous this land had once been. Yet it had all become history. No longer limiting themselves to mortal ruins, they began searching for signs of cultivators—observing the geomancy of the terrain, tracking variations in spiritual energy, and probing for spirit veins. Gradually, they ventured deeper into the continent. Without intentionally searching, they continued to discover many more city ruins. As they pressed inward, they finally sensed a place in this barren realm that could be considered decent for low-level cultivators. They were already deep in the continent's interior. All the nearby spirit veins converged in a single direction. The probability of this forming naturally was minuscule; it was very likely created by someone manually gathering and redirecting the spirit veins! Their spirits lifted, and they quickened their pace, tracing the source. Soon, a mountain range came into view, crouching like a dark dragon, gathering wind and harboring energy—a truly auspicious land. Qin Sang and Liu Li paused slightly, their eyes locked onto the highest peak of the range. This peak was towering and perilous, the tallest they had seen. Most peculiarly, a tall stone stele stood atop the summit, the most striking object in the area. *Whoosh!* Qin Sang and Liu Li landed before the stele. There were words inscribed upon it, etched with strokes like iron and silver. Qin Sang waved his hand to clear away the vines covering the stele. When the full inscription was revealed, he froze like a statue. "A civilization once existed here." Simple words, spoken in a plain tone. Yet what Qin Sang felt was an overwhelming, profound sorrow. His mind felt as if struck by a heavy hammer, images of the various ruins flashing through his thoughts, his breath practically catching in his throat. A civilization had once existed here, incomparably prosperous. Now, that civilization... was extinct! Within the jungles and beneath the yellow earth lay the only remaining traces of this civilization. The wind atop the mountain was fierce, cutting across their faces like knives. Qin Sang stood motionless, unable to speak for a long time. This stele... Was it the final inscription left behind by that civilization? Or was it a tombstone erected for this civilization by passersby like themselves? When he learned that the entire world was an endless storm belt, and that the cultivation world they lived in was shielded by an outer barrier that kept it from destruction, an involuntary thought had arisen in Qin Sang's mind: How utterly despairing would the day be when that barrier broke? The barrier here had not broken, yet for some unknown reason, its civilization had gone extinct. Cultivators like them at the Nascent Soul stage seemed to stand atop the world, but in truth, they lacked even the power to walk out of this cage. How different were they really from a civilization trapped and doomed here? No amount of imagination could match the shock of seeing the truth with one's own eyes. Traveling ten thousand li was indeed better than reading ten thousand books. Truly, an apt saying. "*Phew...*" After a long while, Qin Sang exhaled the breath pent up in his chest and looked at Liu Li. Liu Li was staring at the stele, her lips tightly pressed together. Having spent years with her, Qin Sang understood Liu Li's temperament; she only wore this expression when making an important decision or when her emotions were deeply stirred. Qin Sang bowed respectfully toward the stele and said softly, "I'll go look around elsewhere." Indeed, there were traces nearby suggesting cultivator activity. Presumably, the cultivation levels of the cultivators here hadn't been very high, so any restrictions left behind couldn't have lasted this long. Moreover, passersby had surely arrived before them, and anything of value had likely already been taken. Qin Sang made a circuit, but to his regret, he found no further records. Why this civilization had perished remained an enigma. Qin Sang returned to the stele. Liu Li's expression had regained its calm, and she also bowed deeply toward the stone. The two silently resumed their journey. They had always been quiet together, but this time, the atmosphere was heavier than before. Even with their mental fortitude, it would take time to digest this. This was the smallest and most barren cultivation world Qin Sang had ever seen. They traveled to every corner, yet in the end, they found not a single soul. Empty-handed, neither wished to remain here any longer. Upon a deserted island, the two stopped to rest. Though they hadn't engaged in any combat, they felt more exhausted than ever. After catching his breath, Qin Sang opened the corpse puppet bag and summoned Yagu. Habitually, he checked her condition, helped stimulate the Bone Curse, and smoothed out her vital energy and blood. Once finished, Qin Sang noticed that Liu Li had woken at some point and was watching him. Liu Li hesitated briefly, then asked softly, "Is she... your Dao companion?" Having spent over twenty years side by side, Liu Li had seen Yagu long ago, yet this was the first time she had asked. Qin Sang smiled, returned Yagu to the corpse puppet bag, and sealed her five senses before saying, "Her name is Jin Liuying. She once did me a great kindness. I intended to sever the karma between us, but unexpectedly, she was dragged into my troubles and met with disaster..." Sitting cross-legged on the ground, Qin Sang recalled his early days upon entering the Canglang Ocean and recounted the story between him and Yagu in detail to Liu Li. Liu Li sat up straight, listening attentively. "At first, out of righteousness and guilt, I swore to do everything in my power to save her. But later, I discovered the Heavenly Corpse Talisman was far from simple. I gathered all sorts of corpse dao techniques and tried every conceivable method, yet remained helpless, letting years slip by until now. "To be honest, I never expected her to hold out until this day; it defies reason. "I can sense her painful struggle in the dark, teetering on the brink of losing herself, desperately grasping at every fragile straw of hope. "It's hard to imagine what kind of conviction, what incredible resilience, could allow a young girl who was only in the Qi Refining stage back then to endure until now—and during that time, she even saved my life once..." Qin Sang sighed, gently stroking the corpse puppet bag, and said with determination, "If she is fighting so desperately to live, how could I ever give up? As long as she holds on, I will do everything I can to find a way to revive her! Going to Zhongzhou this time, I hope there will be a turning point. Once we enter Zhongzhou, I hope you will also keep an eye out for any trace of the Ghost Mother, Fairy." Throughout the story, Liu Li had remained very quiet, seemingly absorbed in his words. Her eyelashes trembled slightly as she looked up, her gaze lingering on Qin Sang's face. She nodded firmly. "All right!"