The City of No Return.
"Ten years. In the Canglan Realm, barely a day must have passed."
A light drizzle fell pattering against the ramparts, leaving mottled spots that swiftly evaporated.
The ground was scalding hot like a furnace, stifling and dry.
Over these past few years, while guarding the City of No Return, so long as he made sure no demonic monstrosities entered the city, Qi Yuan occasionally slipped out on the sly to "hunt for beauty" and "cheat"—slaying monstrosities.
His level had also reached a terrifying height.
"Once some time passes and I'm sure no monstrosities will enter the City of No Return, I need to log off for a bit."
By now, Qi Yuan had almost never logged off.
After all, one day in the real world was ten years in the game world.
If he went out for a single meal, the City of No Return might turn into a nest of monstrosities.
All his previous guarding would go down the drain.
Of course, while this game's anti-addiction system couldn't compare to Wangyue Continent's, one couldn't live inside a game forever, right?
"Senior!"
Just then, a voice called out.
Qi Yuan looked down to see two familiar figures rushing toward him.
The arrivals were none other than Liu Wentai and Liu Wenmei, whom he had met once before.
The pair arrived beneath the City of No Return panting heavily, their clothes caked in thick dust. Clearly, they had rushed here with utmost urgency.
"It's you two. You're still alive," Qi Yuan remarked.
Liu Wentai was rendered speechless for a moment, but he quickly pressed on, "Senior, terrible news! A few years ago, we drove Mi Sang away, bringing brief peace to Yuzhou. Now that Mi Sang has left, Wu Tong has arrived! Wu Tong is a Demon Controller far more terrifying than Mi Sang—a peak Nation Protector whose demonic monstrosities far surpass Mi Sang's!"
Hearing this, Qi Yuan's eyes lit up. "After eating grass for so many years, I finally get to eat meat?!"
Seeing Qi Yuan completely unfazed, Liu Wentai frantically added, "Our Jialan City received word that this time, Wu Tong will target the City of No Return first! Once he takes this city, only then will he consider the others!"
"Thank you both for traveling thousands of li to bring me such wonderful news." Had this been Qi Yuan a few years ago, he wouldn't have wanted his enemies to be too strong. Now, however, his only fear was that the incoming enemies were too weak.
"Senior, we aren't joking!" Seeing Qi Yuan's unruffled demeanor, as if he were still making light of the matter, Liu Wenmei grew frantic.
Liu Wentai urged as well, "Wu Tong approaches with ferocious momentum! We implore Senior to relocate to Jialan City and join forces with us to face the enemy!"
Liu Wentai genuinely admired Qi Yuan. Even Guardian Dong Long of Jialan City had praised Qi Yuan more than once. After all, they had all believed that Qi Yuan, guarding the City of No Return all by himself, couldn't possibly hold out for long. Yet Qi Yuan had persevered, and was living perfectly fine. Granted, that might have had to do with Jialan City defeating Mi Sang and reducing the pressure across Yuzhou. But this time, with Wu Tong's arrival, the entire landscape of Yuzhou was about to undergo a drastic upheaval. The City of No Return bore the brunt, slated to become the chicken Wu Tong slaughtered to frighten the monkeys.
Qi Yuan looked at the two of them and said helplessly, "NPCs are NPCs. Even after all these years, your lines haven't changed."
The last time these two NPCs came, they had also tried to persuade him to leave. Now, reciting the exact same script all over again—truly dedicated.
Liu Wentai and Liu Wenmei were utterly bewildered. They barely understood a word of what Qi Yuan was saying.
"Senior..." Liu Wenmei tried to persuade him further.
Qi Yuan waved his hand. "Even if this world is destroyed, I won't die, because... I'm a player! You two had better head back..."
As he spoke, he paused abruptly.
"Looks like you won't be able to go back after all."
Qi Yuan gazed out across the vast desert, excitement surfacing in his eyes. A powerful army of demonic monstrosities was marching toward him.
"You've always wondered why I dare guard a city all on my own? Today, I will show you. Let me give you NPCs a little shock courtesy of a player!
"Always being looked down upon by you guys feels rather unpleasant, you know.
"Go back and tell your Guardian that if I so desire, monstrosities across ten thousand li will be wiped out completely!"
Hearing Qi Yuan's words, Liu Wentai and Liu Wenmei's minds momentarily froze. They didn't know what Qi Yuan was going to do. Nor did they understand what he meant by all this.
They watched as Qi Yuan leaped down from the ramparts. His slightly crisp voice drifted back:
"I... don't need teammates.
"Xiao Jia... is enough."
Share the Same Robe!
At this moment, Qi Yuan no longer concealed his strength.
Across the boundless desert, blood-red fireflies blanketed his body. Flowing crimson enveloped him, and his physique rapidly grew taller, expanding to ten zhang in height.
A titan ten zhang tall, entirely encased in blood-red armor, head covered as well, leaving only a pair of cold, ruthless eyes exposed.
On his shoulders, barbed crimson crystals gleamed bewitchingly and mysteriously.
The colossal blood-armored titan held a massive blood-red broken sword; each step he took shook the earth with rumbling thuds.
Liu Wentai and Liu Wenmei stared with wide eyes, gazing fixedly at Qi Yuan. Their eyes held nothing but sheer shock.
What was this?
A terrifying colossus radiating explosive power stood right before them.
They had a premonition that with a mere push, this horrifying blood-armored titan could bring the towering fortress of the City of No Return crashing down.
The siblings could not comprehend what was unfolding before them, yet they could feel that the man before them was utterly invincible.
Rumble!
Across the desert, dust billowed. The army of demonic monstrosities finally bared its fangs.
Before the army even arrived, a shrill voice pierced the air from afar:
"I am General Tie Suo under the command of General Wu Tong! Guardian of the City of No Return, surrender at once, and your life may be spared!"
Amidst the monstrosity army, Tie Suo reclined on a cloud chariot, looking indolent and speaking in a shrill voice. Using a voice transmission art, his words reached the City of No Return ahead of the army.
*By now, the Guardian of the City of No Return is probably trembling in fear atop the city walls,* he mused.
He sat up and looked toward the City of No Return.
In an instant, he met a pair of bone-chilling eyes.
Those eyes were entirely blood-red, harboring boundless slaughter—pride, greed, lust...
Tie Suo froze for a fraction of a second, and when he saw the owner of those eyes, his mind went completely blank.
A blood-armored titan ten zhang tall, wielding a massive broken sword.
Encased head to toe in crimson armor, he didn't look human at all.
He widened his eyes and moved his lips with great difficulty. "A demonic monstrosity?"
The massive army of monstrosities under his command was full of colossal beasts, but compared to the horrifying blood-red armored titan, they looked like chicks newly hatched from their eggs.
The blood-armored titan's gaze fell upon the monstrosity army, his eyes thoroughly seized by greed.
A voice chilling to the extreme rang out:
"I am invincible!
"Watch closely—this is the confidence behind my guarding the City of No Return!"
Tyrannical Strength!
Dying Radiance!
Heaven-Cleaving Sword-Drawing Technique!
The colossal blood-armored titan suddenly leaped into the air. The desert earth groaned beneath the immense force.
A massive broken blade plummeted from the heavens.
Sword energy swept across thirty li!
Boom!
Thousands of demonic monstrosities were struck by this single strike.
*Rrrriiiip!*
BOOM!
The earth shook, the mountains trembled, and yellow sand engulfed the sky.
Over a thousand monstrosities were torn to shreds in an instant.
More than ten Nation Protector-level monstrosities were annihilated by the strike before they could even let out a roar.
Thousands of monstrosities perished under a single sword.
For a good dozen breaths, the yellow sand continued to churn.
Atop the wall, Liu Wenmei and Liu Wentai had their vision obscured by sand, yet they could still sense the terror and might of that sword strike.
How could such a formidable strike exist in this world?
With a single sword, thousands of demonic monstrosities were wiped out! Among them were more than ten Nation Protector-level monstrosities.
Such terrifying strength...
Immense shock filled the hearts of Liu Wentai and Liu Wenmei, followed by a flush of shame.
Their earlier worry for Qi Yuan was like a firefly fretting that the sun might be scorched to death by a candle flame.
On the battlefield of Yuzhou, the Guardian of the City of No Return was indisputably invincible.
Slashing thousands of monstrosities in one stroke—he could probably sweep through Jialan City all by himself.
Qi Yuan also finally reached Level 90. In terms of strength, that was roughly equivalent to the mid Divine Infant stage.
A notification chimed in Qi Yuan's ears:
[You have reached Level 90. Gained one opportunity to comprehend origin. Use now?]
He had finally gained another chance to comprehend origin. Naturally, he wouldn't use it right now.
His figure flew forward and landed upon the battlefield shattered by his sword strike. Looking at the treasured cloud chariot he had cleaved apart, he showed a surprised expression. Surviving a strike of his meant it was quite a good treasure.
Nearby, Tie Suo was severely wounded and unable to move. Looking at the terrifying monster before him, his eyes were full of terror and regret. "You've killed the monstrosities... spare me! I'm a Nation Protector, I'm willing to surrender!"
What answered him was the arc of Qi Yuan's broken sword.
With that, the vanguard army of Wu Tong—thousands of monstrosities—was thoroughly annihilated by Qi Yuan.
The blood-red armor dissolved into crimson light and vanished, and Qi Yuan returned to his handsome original appearance.
Walking out from the swirling yellow sand, he landed beside Liu Wentai and Liu Wenmei, a helpless smile in his eyes. "Do you understand now why I won't go to Jialan City?"
Liu Wentai and Liu Wenmei remained silent, looking at Qi Yuan with a mix of excitement and fear. That horrifying blood-red titan was still deeply etched in their memories.
"Personally, I can't be bothered to explain myself, especially to NPCs. But your mouths just kept chattering on like canaries, only your voices aren't nearly as pleasant to listen to, which got annoying."
Of course, even if the two hadn't shown up, Qi Yuan would have wiped out the monstrosities with one strike anyway.
"So, thanks for your good intentions. You may leave." Qi Yuan issued an eviction notice.
Liu Wentai and Liu Wenmei exchanged a glance, both seeing the shock in each other's eyes. They bowed solemnly to Qi Yuan and quickly departed.
Just then, Qi Yuan's voice carried through the air once more:
"Don't let the youngsters believe me while the old folks refuse to believe it.
"You aren't monstrosities, so I don't care to fish like that."
Having said his piece, Qi Yuan didn't dawdle in the slightest. He entered the city and found a secluded spot.
"Comprehend origin..."
Once more, he began to comprehend origin.
Following Qi Yuan's voice, the scene before his eyes shifted again.
The yellow sand vanished, replaced by drifting, hazy mist.
Qi Yuan sat on the peak of Mount Jiupan. Suddenly, his eyes widened.
For he discovered that the Gate of Myriad Manifestations was right on Mount Jiupan!
The last time he came to Mount Jiupan, the Gate of Myriad Manifestations had hung high in the distant firmament. This time, it stood merely a few hundred zhang away from him.
Extremely close.
Yet it remained completely out of Qi Yuan's reach.
He glanced at the spot where the Canary's little nest had been; it was empty now, devoid of anything.
Qi Yuan looked back at the Gate of Myriad Manifestations.
[You comprehended the Gate of Myriad Manifestations. Mutation ability +10.]
[You comprehended the Gate of Myriad Manifestations. Cough ability +10.]
[You comprehended the Gate of Myriad Manifestations. Robe Rend ability +10.]
Being so close, Qi Yuan's comprehension was vastly more intense than before. Previously, shards dropped one point at a time; now, ten points dropped at once.
"Oh no, so hot, burning up!"
Qi Yuan looked at himself. He found his entire body blood-red, boiling continuously. With every breath, he felt as if his body were drying out and evaporating.
"Is it because I'm too close to the Gate of Myriad Manifestations?" Qi Yuan hurriedly rolled down the mountain.
Right then, a massive shard dropped:
[You comprehended the Gate of Myriad Manifestations. Way of the Human-Demon +99999.]
???
Qi Yuan was completely dumbfounded.
999 with one slash? What was this—the Way of the Human-Demon?
As he absorbed this information, astonishment flashed in his eyes.
"Is this a brand-new system?
"No, wait, isn't this the cultivation system of the Liufeng Realm?
"A player like me just learned an NPC cultivation method?
"A complete outline of the entire system... this really is..."
Qi Yuan was somewhat stunned.
By this time, he had run halfway down the mountain. That feeling of boiling toward evaporation and merging into the Gate of Myriad Manifestations finally dissipated slightly.
Setting aside his previous thoughts, he thought, *I'll just sit here.*
Reverting to a large drop of blood, Qi Yuan continued comprehending the Gate of Myriad Manifestations.
Right then, a cheerful voice called out:
"Little blood drop?"
Qi Yuan looked over and saw a young girl dressed in a long golden gown.
Her eyes were wide, clear autumn-water pools brimming with surprise and joy. Her soft, fair face resembled peach blossoms in spring, and her delicate cherry lips were parted slightly, innocent and romantic.
Across her golden gown, light and shadows danced in radiant splendor; she looked as though she had walked straight out of a fairy tale.
"Are you... the Canary?" Qi Yuan recalled that during his comprehension, he seemed to have known a canary. Who else could this little beauty be?
"Hmph! I knew it—the moment that damned gate appears, you show up!" Standing not far away, the Canary looked at Qi Yuan without stepping any closer.
"How long have I been gone?" Qi Yuan asked, looking at her.
He figured it had probably been quite a while. Back then, did the Canary even weigh a single jin? Now, she probably weighed ninety jin, right?
"Forty-seven years and three months!" The Canary placed her hands on her hips, looking utterly furious.
"I was gone for that long?" Qi Yuan understood at once. The duration of his absence had nothing to do with time in the game, but was tied to when the Gate of Myriad Manifestations appeared.
"Hmph! You left without saying goodbye, so I already crossed your name off my friends list. But today I put on such pretty makeup and I'm in a good mood, so I suppose I'll reluctantly acknowledge you as a friend again."
As she spoke, the Canary twirled her dress before Qi Yuan and said smugly, "I've taken human form! Pretty, isn't it?"
Even after all these years, she was still as fond of beauty as ever.
"Yeah, peerless... under heaven," Qi Yuan remarked casually. He wasn't very good at praising people, nor was he good at scolding them.
"Perfunctory!" The Canary pouted her little lips. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she remarked, "No way, no way, could there actually still be someone on Mount Jiupan who can't take human form?"
Chapter 104