"Trying to run?"
Seeing Cai Xia attempt to flee, Qi Yuan's expression turned cold.
He gave chase.
"Block him!" Cai Xia screamed. Instantly, all the demonic monstrosities grew even more frenzied, throwing themselves recklessly toward Qi Yuan.
Seeing the monstrosities temporarily pin Qi Yuan down, Cai Xia finally regained some courage.
"Who would have thought a Nation Protector would actually come to the City of No Return!
"You are very strong, and I am no match for you. But so what if you're a Nation Protector?
"There are so many Nation Protectors in Jialan City, yet weren't they beaten by our Northern Lands until they retreated inside like turtles, not daring to step out?
"The Southern Lands are destined to perish, so why throw your life away for them?
"Life is short; one should enjoy pleasure while they can. Why bother about the so-called common folk of this world?
"Doing all this is nothing more than satisfying your own inner moral vanity."
Cai Xia looked at Qi Yuan, gloating in her eyes.
"I am leaving. The next time I appear, the City of No Return will surely be overthrown."
Having said that, she turned to depart without looking back.
Qi Yuan grew anxious. "You dare try to overthrow the City of No Return that I'm guarding? You're looking to die!"
Heaven-Cleaving Sword-Drawing Technique!
Qi Yuan unleashed his strongest swordsmanship.
The moment this sword struck, the army of several hundred demonic monstrosities that had surrounded him was forcibly carved open, leaving a massive breach.
Watching this from the distance, Cai Xia's face filled with shock.
Slaughtering over a dozen Hegemon-level beasts with a single slash was not something an ordinary Nation Protector could accomplish.
A fierce gust swept over, followed by Qi Yuan's loud shout in Cai Xia's ears.
"Halt, scoundrel! Stay and... be my dog!"
A formidable surge of wind slammed into her slender waist, and she plummeted from midair like a kite with a severed string.
From merely the residual shockwave, she lost all fighting capacity.
Struggling to turn around, she saw the handsome young man approaching with broken sword in hand.
Terror consumed her heart.
She did not want to die here.
"I... I am willing to be your dog!" The scalding yellow sand burned against her skin, yet strange ripples stirred in Cai Xia's heart. Looking up at the approaching Qi Yuan, her eyes filled with fawning subservience, and she even stuck out her tongue like an actual dog.
"Simps don't get houses!" Disgusted by the display, Qi Yuan slashed his sword straight into Cai Xia.
Cai Xia's body fell limp. She could not comprehend why he still refused to spare her even after she had agreed to be his dog.
Did such deep, bitter enmity truly exist between them?
Didn't cultivators from the Northern and Southern Lands regularly surrender to each other?
Alas, she had no time left to ponder, for she was dead.
Having executed Cai Xia, Qi Yuan turned his gaze back to the army of demonic monstrosities.
He raised his sword once more and charged into the slaughter.
Half an hour later.
Qi Yuan returned to the ramparts of the City of No Return.
Right now, what he wanted most to figure out was what this so-called Monstrosity Origin truly was.
He peered inward at his own body, carefully sensing it.
After an unknown length of time, Qi Yuan opened his eyes.
Deep within his divine soul, he observed a wisp of vapor no larger than a grain of rice.
This vapor was multicolored, shimmering with countless hues.
"Is this the Monstrosity Origin?"
[Monstrosity Origin: the evils of living beings—Pride, Envy, Wrath, Sloth, Greed, Gluttony, Lust.]
"The Seven Deadly Sins?"
"This doesn't seem like good stuff."
The moment his divine soul touched that rice-grain-sized Monstrosity Origin, he felt countless scenes flash across his mind.
He cleaved the Palace of Light in two with a single slash.
He gorged himself on mountain-high piles of delicious delicacies.
He roughly tore open his junior sister Jiang Lingsu's dress, then pulled silk stockings over her thighs.
"Six."
Qi Yuan simply had to drop a solo '6.'
"Suddenly, I feel like mutation abilities aren't such good things after all."
Qi Yuan realized he might have stepped into a massive pit.
Yet after pondering for a moment, he dismissed the thought.
"How does that saying go? There are no evil martial arts in the world, only evil people.
"Monstrosity Origin is merely the other side of human nature.
"If I kill all the demonic monstrosities in this realm, just how much Monstrosity Origin will accumulate in my body?
"If I refine it into my Golden Core, it might turn out to be extraordinarily powerful."
Once the Golden Core emerged, it might provoke the enemy's seven emotions and six desires, spawning inner demons.
Or so Qi Yuan reasoned.
If that were the case, wouldn't his Golden Core control something akin to the seven emotions and six desires?
Qi Yuan consoled himself.
His mood improved considerably.
***
Two years flew by in the blink of an eye.
Across the boundless desert, Yuan Qi trudged alone. His face was cracked and dry, his entire condition wretched.
On the path toward the City of No Return, he had run into numerous wandering demonic monstrosities.
He had narrowly escaped with his life, nearly dying several times, yet had somehow pulled through.
At this moment, he was thoroughly exhausted.
Yet the wooden box upon his back had never once been discarded.
"The road from Great Xia to the City of No Return is crawling with demonic monstrosities.
"How did my elder brother and his men ever reach the City of No Return? Or could it be... my brother is not in the City of No Return at all?"
Yuan Qi's heart was filled with doubts. He needed to find out what had truly become of the fortress.
Just then, a voice called out from behind him.
"Is that brother also a cultivator of the Southern Lands?"
Yuan Qi whipped around to see a man and a woman watching him with guarded expressions.
"Yes. And who might you be?" Yuan Qi asked, many thoughts flashing through his mind.
He had heard that among the Hundred and Eight Thousand Cities, many cultivators defected to the Northern Lands every year.
The two before him bore none of the distinctive marks of Demon Controllers, yet he could not afford to drop his guard.
"The two of us are cultivators from Jialan City, traveling toward the City of No Return," the tall man said. "Seeing the direction you are heading, could you be bound for the City of No Return as well? Don't tell me you are from Great Xia?"
Yuan Qi considered for a moment and saw no need to hide it. "Indeed I am."
"So that's it!" Delight surfaced on the tall man's face.
The woman beside him chimed in hastily, "Since you are from Great Xia, do you know the Guardian of the City of No Return?"
The Guardian of the City of No Return?
Yuan Qi shook his head.
He did not know.
"I only know that several years ago, my elder brother led troops to reinforce the City of No Return, and never returned."
"The City of No Return has been isolated for too long, so we don't have much news of it either," the tall man said, admiration showing in his eyes. "However, word has it that the Guardian of the City of No Return is a Nation Protector. He has held a single city all on his own for nearly three years! My sister and I are heading there this time specifically to pay respects to this Lord Guardian, and to discuss an important matter!"
Yuan Qi was baffled.
A Nation Protector?
Great Xia had no Nation Protectors.
Who was this Guardian holding the City of No Return?
One man guarding a solitary city?
Wasn't that... far too tragic?
At that thought, Yuan Qi's nose twitched with a pang of sorrow.
"Since we share the same destination, let us travel together."
Five days passed. Over this time, Yuan Qi learned the general background of the siblings and their purpose in going to the City of No Return.
The brother and sister were named Liu Wentai and Liu Wenmei.
They were traveling to the City of No Return to persuade its Guardian to relocate and guard Jialan City instead.
The reason they had specifically invited Yuan Qi along was the thought that he might know the Guardian and could help talk him into it.
Inwardly, Yuan Qi felt reluctant.
Why should a guardian fighting for Great Xia abandon the City of No Return to go to Jialan City?
Yet what Liu Wentai and Liu Wenmei said ultimately convinced him.
There truly was no practical necessity to hold the City of No Return.
That Guardian stood watch over an isolated fortress all alone, while Great Xia could offer no support whatsoever.
Continuing like this would amount to nothing more than throwing his life away for nothing.
Yuan Qi felt indignant, guilty, and deeply self-reproachful.
Half a day later, weary and covered in dust, the three of them finally caught sight of the towering walls of the City of No Return.
Looking upon the majestic fortress, Liu Wentai felt deep respect welling in his chest. "One man holding an entire city—how magnificent!"
Beside him, Liu Wenmei gathered all her strength and shouted toward the great walls, "Envoys from Jialan City request an audience with the Guardian of the City of No Return!"
Her voice boomed, carrying into the city with a lingering echo.
Yet ten full breaths passed, and no one answered.
An ominous premonition seized Liu Wentai. "Not good. Could something have happened to the City of No Return?"
The three hastened toward the fortress.
However, the moment they drew near the walls, they slammed collectively into an invisible barrier.
"What is this?"
The three fell back to the ground, staring ahead with bewildered eyes.
"Make way, make way."
Just then, a languid voice drifted over.
At the foot of the wall, a cloud of sand kicked up, and a young man holding a broken sword emerged, looking as though he had just crawled out from underground.
Drowsiness still clung to his face.
Yuan Qi stared at the man, astonishment flashing through his eyes.
*So young?*
Liu Wentai and Liu Wenmei harbored the exact same thought.
Had they not heard that this person had held the City of No Return alone for three years, they would never have believed him to be a Nation Protector.
"Might you be the Guardian of the City of No Return?" Liu Wentai stepped forward to ask.
"Yeah." The young man emerging from the dirt was naturally Qi Yuan. "What are you doing coming to my City of No Return at the crack of dawn, disturbing my sleep?"
"I am Liu Wentai, and this is my sister, Liu Wenmei. We siblings hail from Jialan City, and have come specifically to pay respects to the Lord Guardian to discuss an important matter!"
"Speak." Qi Yuan's reply was curt.
"Your holding the City of No Return alone is truly admirable. Even our Lord Guardian back in Jialan City is full of praise for you." Liu Wentai opened with flattery.
"Make it short." Qi Yuan grew impatient.
He felt it was far better dealing with demonic monstrosities than humans; dealing with humans was simply troublesome.
After all, humans had mouths that never stopped chattering.
Demonic monstrosities, on the other hand, only roared like feral beasts.
An awkward look crossed Liu Wentai's face. "Your holding an entire city alone is a heroic feat. By order of the Guardian of Jialan City, I have come specifically to invite you to join us there. In our Jialan City, there are dozens of Nation Protectors and over a hundred Hegemons—our strength is formidable. Since the signing of the North-South Accord, we have held our post for a century without ever losing the city. Now, Jialan City is preparing a counteroffensive against the demonic army to defeat Mi Sang, the commander of the Demon Controllers in this region, in one fell swoop, securing ten years of peace for our city. However, Jialan City is short on manpower, and since you are a Nation Protector, why not come to our city and join us in striking back at Mi Sang?"
Liu Wentai grew increasingly impassioned as he spoke.
After all, launching a counteroffensive against the demonic monstrosities was unprecedented in the surrounding regions.
Once this succeeded, it would certainly bolster the morale of Great Sui's populace.
And they, too, would leave their names in history.
Hearing this, Qi Yuan shook his head. "Sorry, not interested."
His refusal was outright and immediate.
This took both Liu Wenmei and Liu Wentai by surprise.
Liu Wentai quickly pressed on, "Won't you reconsider? If you join our Jialan City, we will provide ten grand medicines every year, and even make powerful cultivation techniques accessible to you to aid in advancing your strength."
Liu Wentai dangled benefits before him.
Grand medicines?
Cultivation techniques?
Qi Yuan had no need for them.
Possessing Dying Radiance, demonic monstrosities were his greatest tonics.
To increase his power in the game, he did not need to cultivate; all he had to do was kill monstrosities.
"I am the Guardian of the City of No Return. I must hold this city, and I will not go anywhere else." Qi Yuan shook his head, his tone resolute.
Seeing this, Liu Wenmei stepped forward and said, "Guarding the City of No Return is indeed admirable. But you are only one person. You managed to hold it for three years, driving back wave after wave of monstrosities, but those coming in the future will only grow stronger and stronger. How long can you hold out?"
Liu Wentai seized the opening to add, "Behind the City of No Return lies Great Xia. Today's Great Xia does not possess a single Hegemon, nor can it even assemble a thousand commanders. Guarding this city alone without any reinforcements, the day will inevitably come when the City of No Return falls and you meet your end. We urge you to consider the greater picture—do not limit yourself to a petty kingdom, but prioritize the interests of the entire human race!"
First enticing with profit, then warning of danger, and finally appealing to righteousness—most people would have yielded to such persuasion.
Beside them, Yuan Qi remained silent.
What Liu Wentai and Liu Wenmei said made immense sense.
For this unfamiliar Guardian to hold the City of No Return alone could lead to no good end.
No matter how powerful one person was, what of it?
Could he fight the demonic monstrosities of the entire Northern Lands alone?
Guarding this place by himself, only death awaited him.
Hearing them, Qi Yuan smiled. "Don't try to guess a player using the mindset of an NPC. Having chosen to guard the City of No Return, I won't leave easily. My mind is made up; please see yourselves out."
The rewards for guarding the City of No Return might be on par with Heavenly Dao fragments—how could he possibly leave?
Moreover, he and these people from Jialan City weren't necessarily in the same camp; they might even be competitors.
After all, they would compete with him for demonic monstrosities.
Liu Wentai and Liu Wenmei's expressions darkened.
There were parts of Qi Yuan's words they did not understand, but they grasped the general meaning, and had never expected his resolve to be so unyielding.
Liu Wenmei raised her head stubbornly, looking at Qi Yuan. "What would it take for you to leave the City of No Return and come to Jialan City? Name any condition, and I will agree to it!"
Her gaze was resolute; she truly meant what she said.
Qi Yuan let out a soft laugh. "I want to become the master of this realm. Can you grant that?"
Hearing this, Liu Wenmei knew it was impossible to sway this Guardian any further.
The siblings looked at Qi Yuan with complicated expressions. "In that case, please take good care of yourself. Farewell!"
Neither hesitated.
Seeing that the matter was hopeless, they turned to leave directly without dragging their feet.
"Wait a moment," Qi Yuan called out.
Liu Wenmei, who had been walking away, looked back with excitement. "Have you changed your mind?"
Qi Yuan shook his head. "No. What I wanted to say is, when you slay demonic monstrosities, if you can't wipe them all out, feel free to herd them toward my city. My hands have been itching lately."
Over this period, a wave of monstrosities had attacked almost every two or three days.
Qi Yuan had slaughtered them with great relish.
Still, who would ever complain about having too much experience?
Liu Wenmei was taken aback, unable to fathom Qi Yuan's line of thought. Nevertheless, she nodded. "I will report this matter to our Lord Guardian."
She assumed Qi Yuan merely wished to contribute what he could toward Jialan City's grand plan.
The siblings took their leave and departed.
Qi Yuan's gaze fell upon Yuan Qi. "Why didn't you go with them?"
Yuan Qi looked at Qi Yuan, his emotions surging. "Great Xia cannot send reinforcements to aid you in guarding No Return. I, Yuan Qi, am willing to lay down my humble, worthless life to die for you!"
There was another phrase he held unsaid in his heart: *The people of Great Xia stand with you.*
If only they could, tens of thousands of Great Xia's soldiers and civilians would gladly rush to No Return to die a glorious death.
It was only that... most of them would perish upon the road.
Chapter 102