An Opportunity to Comprehend Origin

Atop the ramparts, Zhang Sheng and Chen Jiao were breathing by a thread, yet their eyes shone with brilliant light. "The one I admired most in the past was our human leader, the White Emperor. Now, one more must be added to that... you, young hero!" Zhang Sheng looked toward Qi Yuan with boundless reverence. Chen Jiao was equally stirred. Never had he imagined that the mighty demonic horde, a force powerful enough to wipe out the entire Song Battalion, would meet its end at the hands of Qi Yuan alone. "Cough, cough... For such a glorious feat, we must drink!" Chen Jiao spoke with the bold swagger of a wandering rogue. He raised the wine bowl with his single arm and poured it toward his lips, but the blood welling from the corner of his mouth dyed the wine crimson. By now, Qi Yuan had returned to the city wall. Looking at the two men in their final burst of fleeting vitality, he asked, "You're both about to die. Do you have any quests you can trigger?" What he meant was whether they had any lingering regrets. If he had free time or if it was convenient, he might just take the quest. "To see you slaughter that demonic army before I die—my life has no regrets left," Zhang Sheng said, the light in his pupils fading rapidly. "A young hero like you ought to be a hegemon over an entire territory. There is no need to remain trapped here, guarding... the City of No Return. "The City of No Return is only the hope of the people of Great Xia, not the hope of the entire world. "You could travel to other cities, young hero. Our human comrades are there as well." Qi Yuan grew silent upon hearing this, offering no reply. "The pigs back at my home still..." Chen Jiao managed only half the sentence before running out of strength. Slumped against the stone wall, unable even to twitch, he tried to raise the bloodstained wine bowl as though offering a final toast to Qi Yuan, but in the end, he could not lift it. The wind whipped the military banner into snapping flutters. A half-opened jar of wine drifted with fragrance. The two men grew still, as if having merely drunk themselves to sleep. Qi Yuan looked down at them. Countless mortal lives—people just like him—fading away. "If I remember correctly, death has three stages. "The first stage is brain death, when bodily functions cease to operate. "The second stage is social death, when a funeral is held, identity papers are canceled, and death is declared to the world. "The third stage: dust to dust, earth to earth, forgotten by everyone. "You two got lucky. I am destined to become an existence like a Daluo Golden Immortal, enjoying longevity as great as the heavens. I will remember you." Saying so, Qi Yuan picked up the bowl from Chen Jiao's hand. A wisp of blood still clung to the rim. He took a small sip. It tasted sour, laced with a faint metallic tang. "Tastes awful!" He cast another glance at the two men, then sat down on the rampart once more. "Xiao Jia." He called out softly. Xiao Jia appeared, obediently clutching his sleeve. Gathering her close, the two sat upon the battlements, gazing out at the vast yellow sand sweeping across the sky. Qi Yuan slowly restored his vital energy. He was indeed strong. Yet wiping out an entire demonic army had depleted him considerably. Right now, his level was still quite low, making it exhausting work to slaughter an entire host of demonic monstrosities. Roaming the outside world was out of the question for now. If he encountered something truly powerful, it would literally be dying before the expedition had even begun. Of course, standing guard over the City of No Return carried its own dangers. Five days later, another army of demonic monstrosities appeared. Qi Yuan gripped his broken sword, fused with Xiao Jia, and charged straight into the demonic ranks. Wine could not drown his sorrow, so what could? Naturally, it was... slaughter, slaughter, slaughter! *** Time flew by. Beneath a pitch-black night, the Great Xia banner fluttered in the wind atop the ramparts of the City of No Return. "It's been half a year since I've seen an intelligent creature." Ever since Zhang Sheng and Chen Jiao passed away, no new sentient beings had arrived at the City of No Return. Demonic armies, on the other hand, assaulted the fortress at regular intervals. With every attack, the incoming horde was stronger than the last—though only marginally so. "Level 59. When the next wave of monsters arrives, I'll hit Level 60." Holding Xiao Jia close, Qi Yuan pondered. At Level 50, he had not awakened any new minor abilities. Would Level 60 fail to unlock a major ultimate ability as well? Suddenly, in the pitch-black night, a faint, helpless voice sounded beside Qi Yuan's ear. "Am I really that ugly? Why haven't you come to see me all these years?" The voice was very familiar; Qi Yuan had heard it back in the Canglan Realm. It was Ning Tao. Last time, he hadn't answered. This time, his consciousness shifted, sinking back into the mass of flesh bound by eighteen chains. Looking across the chamber, he saw Ning Tao apparently asleep not far away, her small body curled up as if lacking any sense of security. An undried tear streak remained at the corner of her eye. *She's already a Sovereign, yet she still sleeps?* Qi Yuan grumbled inwardly. *And as if sleeping weren't enough, she talks in her sleep.* Just then, the slumbering Ning Tao suddenly opened her eyes. A trace of wariness flickered across her aloof face. "Husband, you've come." "I've said it many times: I'm not your husband, and you're not my wife." "If you won't acknowledge your lovely young wife, do you want to call me Mother instead?" A faint smile curved Ning Tao's lips. "This conversation is impossible." Qi Yuan sighed, then asked, "Why are there no stars in the sky of the Liufeng Realm?" He was genuinely curious. He had asked Zhang Sheng and Chen Jiao, but neither had an answer. So he decided to ask Ning Tao. Ning Tao looked surprised. "You aren't a Sovereign?" If he were a Sovereign, he would naturally know why. Qi Yuan looked at her. "Did I ever say I was a Sovereign? I'm just a humble Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment cultivator." "No, you are a Sovereign!" Ning Tao recalled that when she had been besieged, Qi Yuan had used an Origin divine ability to annihilate several powerful foes. If he was a Sovereign, how could he not know why the sky held no stars? Shock flashed through her eyes. "You aren't a cultivator of this world!" Qi Yuan wanted to shrug, only to realize he had no shoulders. "You're pretty clever for an NPC, actually uncovering my identity as a player." Ning Tao gazed at Qi Yuan, her thoughts churning before she regained her composure. "So you haven't come to see me because you cannot cross into this world?" "It's because I don't want to see you," Qi Yuan retorted bluntly. "Husband truly says one thing and means another." Dressed in her black gown, Ning Tao stepped closer to Qi Yuan with an enchanting smile, as if discovering his identity brought her immense delight. "You still haven't told me why there are no stars in this world's night sky." Qi Yuan pulled the straying conversation back on track. "Because the Liufeng Realm... is a God-Forsaken Land." "A God-Forsaken Land?" Qi Yuan was bewildered. Ning Tao murmured, "Untouched by the light of the sun and moon, it is God-forsaken. "In a God-forsaken land, inner demons run rampant, giving rise to demonic monstrosities." "That's how demonic monstrosities are born?" Qi Yuan remained baffled. "Husband truly didn't know? It seems Husband really isn't from the Liufeng Realm. "Doesn't that mean I wronged you—summoning Husband into our Liufeng Realm for no reason and keeping you imprisoned here? Is this all my fault?" "Since you know it's your fault, why haven't you released me yet? Then kowtow and apologize," Qi Yuan said. If Ning Tao released him, this lump of flesh would scramble all the way to the City of No Return. The flesh was clearly an extraordinary treasure. He needed to keep it close and thoroughly study what it actually was. "Release you?" Ning Tao narrowed her eyes as if pondering something. Suddenly, a glint of gold flashed in her pupils. "I could never let you go!" Qi Yuan sighed inwardly. Ning Tao continued, "Does Husband know that our Sovereign of the North has been searching for a fiend known as the Blood Demon? "His Honor once declared that this demon will bring disaster to the world and ruin to all living beings, serving as the greatest enemy of the Liufeng Realm. "His Honor issued a decree: anyone who sees the Blood Demon must execute it without mercy!" "And then?" Qi Yuan asked, puzzled. Ning Tao looked at the mass of flesh bound by eighteen chains, the wariness in her eyes deepening. "Doesn't Husband feel that you are that legendary Blood Demon?" "For realsies?" *** *The Blood Demon? What kind of nonsense is that?* Leaving the underground palace beneath Heavenly Heart Palace, Qi Yuan returned to the City of No Return. Countless thoughts raced through his mind. *Could the final boss of this world be the very lump of flesh I'm bound to?* *In the final battle, do I fight myself?* Qi Yuan found this game's premise utterly baffling. Holding Xiao Jia, he leapt down from the battlements, dug a deep pit, and buried both of them beneath the earth. Meanwhile, within the Great Xia Imperial Court. A touch of imperial majesty had settled upon the youthful emperor's face. Seated upon the dragon throne, his expression shifted repeatedly. At last, he said in a solemn voice, "Yuan Qi, Great Xia can no longer muster an army to reinforce the City of No Return." Even the emperor had never anticipated that the Song Battalion sent back then could hold out until now. The Great Xia banner had flown over the City of No Return for a full six months. Such a feat had never occurred for Great Xia since the signing of the North-South Accord. The emperor even suspected that some unforeseen change had taken place within the fortress. He knew that Yuan Qiong's march with the Song Battalion was practically a suicide mission; reaching the City of No Return was already a triumph. Holding it for half a year was supposed to be impossible. One had to remember that neighboring Great Sui had a Nation Protector stationed in Jialan City, continually dispatching reinforcements there at regular intervals. Yet the Song Battalion led by Yuan Qiong had not possessed even a single Hegemon. How could they hold out for six months? Something extraordinary had surely happened within the City of No Return. Regrettably, Great Xia was simply too far away, beyond the reach of their power. Great Xia could not assemble another army to march to the City of No Return. The young emperor was deeply curious, but he understood that as an emperor, he had to suppress his curiosity. Otherwise, indulgence in that curiosity might cost hundreds or thousands of lives. Yuan Qi gritted his teeth. "Your Majesty, I am willing to resign from my post as Palace Commander and ride to the City of No Return!" The emperor looked at Yuan Qi with sorrow in his gaze. "Duke Yuan's household has only you left as its sole surviving son." Duke Yuan had also fallen in battle at the City of No Return. Yuan Qi lifted his head stubbornly. "The soldiers guarding the City of No Return have not returned home for six months, nor have they tasted our homeland's Daughter's Fragrance for half a year. I am willing to deliver wine to them! "I am willing to fight and hold the City of No Return alongside our comrades!" Yuan Qi fell to his knees, kowtowing heavily against the floor. Seeing this, the young emperor was profoundly moved. A wave of grief washed over his heart. "A pity that I will not live to see the day the North-South Accord ends in victory." The North-South Accord might span centuries, perhaps even a millennium. For the soldiers dying now, holding back reinforcements from the City of No Return would not immediately decide the war's outcome. Yet they still marched forth. *** Countless new graves had risen within the City of No Return. A portion of them had been raised by Zhang Sheng and Chen Jiao before they died. Qi Yuan sat atop the ramparts just as he always had. After an unknown amount of time, a smile touched his lips. "More monsters coming to throw their lives away?" "Pity these monsters are so stupid and impossible to reason with!" "Otherwise, since they're doomed to die anyway, I could coordinate with them in advance to stretch their necks out and line up so I could chop them down one by one. "The process would be different, but the outcome would be the same." Qi Yuan's slender frame dropped from the battlements. His landing kicked up a billow of yellow sand. As he rose, his height surged to ten meters. Blood-red armor covered him from head to toe, and he gripped a massive, crimson broken sword. Like a towering warrior cloaked in blood armor, wielding a colossal blade, he charged into the demonic horde. "A mere thousand monstrosities, and the strongest is only Level 50? That's all?" Like a tiger among a flock of chickens, Qi Yuan swung his greatsword relentlessly. Every demonic monstrosity in his path was slaughtered. His experience bar soared wildly. Suddenly, a notification sounded in Qi Yuan's ear. *【You have reached Level 60. You have gained one opportunity to comprehend Origin. Would you like to use it?】* Thoughts raced through Qi Yuan's mind. He hadn't expected that reaching every thirtieth level no longer unlocked an ultimate skill, but instead granted an opportunity to comprehend Origin. Qi Yuan already understood the concept of Origin to some degree. Right now, however, was no time to ponder. The demonic army was still before him. "Kill!" Gripping his sword, Qi Yuan fought with renewed vigor. He wanted to wipe out the demonic horde quickly to see what this so-called comprehending Origin was all about. He plunged through the demonic lines, striking with supernatural ferocity. *** Far away. A look of perplexity appeared on the face of the Demon Controller Mi Sang. "Cai Xia, the assault on the City of No Return failed again?" The woman named Cai Xia also looked surprised. "Behind the City of No Return lies the nation of Great Xia. It is merely a minor country that lacks even a single Hegemon. "The demonic army dispatched earlier should have destroyed the City of No Return long ago." Currently, the greatest adversary facing their branch of Demon Controllers was Jialan City. As for capturing the City of No Return, no Demon Controller had even been assigned to oversee it; the demonic monstrosities had simply attacked on their own instinct. Normally, it should have been taken with ease. Yet half a year had passed, and it remained unconquered. Mi Sang had only noticed this by chance. "Could another city have sent reinforcements to No Return? Jialan City, perhaps?" Mi Sang asked, puzzled. "Jialan City can barely protect itself; sending troops to aid No Return would be suicidal!" Cai Xia's tone was full of disdain. "In a few days, lead a squad of Hegemon-level demonic monstrosities to the City of No Return and claim it," Mi Sang commanded. "No matter who is stationed there, they must die." "It's only because we paid no attention to that insignificant little city that they managed to stealthily hold it for six months. "Now that they have our attention, clinging to it is pure suicide!" Cai Xia's fighting spirit surged. *** After wiping out every last demonic monstrosity, Qi Yuan felt a touch of exhaustion. He blew away the droplets of blood clinging to his broken sword. He returned inside the City of No Return. "There shouldn't be another demonic army for five days. "Time to see what this 'comprehending Origin' really means." Finding a secluded, secure corner within the ruined city, Qi Yuan murmured, "Use." *【When comprehending Origin, the longer you remain, the greater the insights gained.】* *【Note: Regardless of how long the comprehension lasts, it will only amount to an instant in the mortal world.】* Hearing these prompts, Qi Yuan understood. He let out a sigh of relief. If his comprehension took too long and some stray demonic pests slipped into the City of No Return while he was away, he would suffer a massive loss. Now it seemed that worry was entirely unfounded. *【Comprehension begins.】* With that prompt, Qi Yuan's consciousness blurred in an instant. When clarity returned, he found his state extraordinarily strange. It felt similar to when he had faced the Great Sun—back then, he had hung suspended in the firmament like the Heavenly Dao itself. This time, however, he was not suspended in the heavens. He was atop a mountain peak. He had transformed into a single drop of blood—or rather, a clump of blood the size of a marble. This drop of blood rested upon the mountain summit. When Qi Yuan raised his gaze toward the heavens, a colossal gate suddenly materialized across the sky. What kind of gate was it? Qi Yuan could not describe it, unable even to find the words. Yet he knew with absolute certainty that it was a gate. As the gate emerged, Qi Yuan sensed several immense, towering auras soaring skyward from the mortal world, as if attempting to breach the portal. Tragically, before those terrifying auras could even make contact with the gate, they shattered into fragments in an instant. That gate seemed to be the most terrifying thing in existence. Whoever touched it met certain death. *Is this Origin?* Qi Yuan stared at the gate, observing it intently. The gate had no fixed form, appearing to shift and transform continuously. *【Gate of Myriad Manifestations, the Gate of the Unknown.】* Even with Qi Yuan's vision, he could only glean the gate's name; any further information remained entirely beyond his reach. He understood that this was simply due to his limited horizons. He kept his gaze fixed upon the gate. After an unknown stretch of time, a crisp, melodious voice, like the song of a lark, sounded beside Qi Yuan's ear. "My, oh my, how did I get a little neighbor next door? "Wow, it looks so ugly—all round and bright red. "Living here, won't it drag down the average looks of our Nine Coils Peak?" Qi Yuan immediately turned his gaze. Beside him perched a dainty, exquisite little bird, dressed up in dazzlingly vibrant colors. "You're the ugly one!" Having his proudest feature under attack was something Qi Yuan could never tolerate.