Echoes of the Past

Looking at the fish inside the storage bag, Qi Yuan fell silent. He picked up a piece, an intricate look in his eyes. "After all these years, hasn't it expired?" "That girl even left some fish for me." Picking up a piece with his chopsticks, he put it into his mouth and chewed slowly, savoring the taste. Just then, a tender young voice sounded beside Qi Yuan's ear. "Heehee. Actually, my name isn't Wu Shi, nor do I have a name at all. "The very first time I met you, I already knew we would meet three times in total. "Why? Because I didn't just hear your voice—I heard your heart-voice as well." The young girl's voice transported Qi Yuan back to the scene when he had met the young Wu Shi not long ago. That had also been the last time he saw the Holy Mother of Inedia. Her voice was youthful and delicate, just like the words she must have wanted to say when she first met him. Qi Yuan also experienced a sudden moment of clarity. No wonder... No wonder she had seemed so strange back then. It was because she could hear his heart-voice. Which meant she must have known they would meet again in the future, and she must have known that her future self would die at the hands of the Yang God. As Qi Yuan ate the fish, the girl's chattering voice continued to chime in his ear. "The first time I saw you, I was on high alert. I thought you were going to eat me. I wronged you. "Heehee, but actually, I wanted to eat you too. I was just too timid and didn't dare." The girl recounted her past as if writing in a diary, venting about her lonely life. Qi Yuan chewed the fish, savoring every bite. The voice by his ear gradually lost its childishness and matured. "The second time I met you, I was pleasantly surprised, because I could finally eat delicious fish again. "I was so, so hungry. "Compared to eating fish, nothing else mattered. "The scent on you was even more enticing... At that moment, I wanted to eat you so badly." Qi Yuan could not help recalling the second time he had seen the Holy Mother of Inedia. She had been curled up on the ground in a crimson dress, her face deathly pale, looking at him with a glimmer of ravenous hunger. Yet afterward, once she finished the fish, her expression turned icy cold, keeping Qi Yuan at a great distance. *So her sudden change in attitude back then was because she wanted to devour me?* Qi Yuan's gaze remained calm. From the Holy Mother of Inedia's words, he already knew she possessed both the Innate Primordial Physique and the Devouring Primordial Physique. These two terrifying physiques clashed fiercely with each other. No wonder she had always seemed odd whenever he saw her, as if suppressing something. What she had been suppressing was the urge to devour him whole. "We met by chance. You fed me fish, and I helped you guard the Heavenly Pillar—we're even. "If you harbored wicked intentions, my devouring you... wouldn't be out of line, right?" The Holy Mother of Inedia's tone was somewhat brisk and cheerful. Yet Qi Yuan knew the agonizing restraint in her heart. The Devouring Primordial Physique's craving to consume was intensely overwhelming. Back then, the Holy Mother of Inedia, an entity at the Mythological realm, had eaten ordinary fish and collapsed to the ground, trembling in sheer agony. That was a Mythological existence. Even when facing the Yang God, her body riddled with gaping wounds, the Holy Mother of Inedia had never bowed her head or cried out in pain. Yet merely eating a piece of fish had reduced her to unbearable suffering. "Fortunately, I realized later on that what I had been eating all along was... your blood." The Holy Mother of Inedia's voice carried a carefree, unbound ease. It seemed she had finally convinced herself not to give in to her primal instinct to devour Qi Yuan. Qi Yuan's gaze grew complicated. *So back then, she... really could have eaten me?* When he was near the Holy Mother of Inedia back then, even separated by time and space, he had occasionally sensed a faint trace of danger. He recalled the first time he met her. She had sat quietly before him, eating fish. Back then, the fish had not been purified by his blood, yet the Holy Mother of Inedia had still eaten it with relish. In the past, he had never understood why. He had even wondered whether the Holy Mothers of Inedia he met were different people. Now he understood: she had eaten unpurified fish, using that extreme, searing agony to suppress her craving to devour him. Mixed emotions surged within Qi Yuan. He had never imagined that three simple meetings—without world-shaking upheavals, just eating, drinking, and exchanging casual words—could conceal so much beneath the surface. "I wandered back and forth across the Mortal Heart Realm for ten thousand years. This world is far more fun than my old home, and it smells much better, too..." The Holy Mother of Inedia's voice held a touch of cheer. Qi Yuan fell silent. The Holy Mother of Inedia's childhood had indeed been miserable, raised at home like a caged canary or a piece of merchandise. When she came to the Mortal Heart Realm, the people here were as narrow in their horizons as Qi Yuan had been, knowing nothing of the two terrifying physiques she bore. The way everyone looked at her was relatively normal. It was only natural that living in the Mortal Heart Realm was happier for her than staying in her homeland. Those ten thousand years in the Mortal Heart Realm were the happiest time of her life. As Qi Yuan ate the last piece of fish, a voice echoed beside his ear once more. "Since fate brought us together, how about we make a trade? "I'll help you guard the Heavenly Pillar, and you help me... guard the Mortal Heart Realm." Qi Yuan swallowed the last bite of fish. He remembered how he had exchanged a single fish for her guarding the Heavenly Pillar. Now, the Holy Mother of Inedia had returned all the fish to him. After their second meeting, once she learned that the fish she ate contained Qi Yuan's blood, she stopped eating them and kept them for him. Within these fish lay his Flawless Blood. Having eaten all of them, the blood Qi Yuan had lost was fully restored. The aura radiating from him grew even more profound. "Holy Mother of Inedia, you got the short end of the stick," Qi Yuan sighed. Even without any trade, he would have protected the Mortal Heart Realm—or rather, Qingshui Village—for the sake of the game. In this bargain, she had truly taken a loss. Qi Yuan felt calm, his mind drifting across countless thoughts. Right then, his gaze abruptly shifted. For some reason, he felt the True Solar Fire atop the Stellar Golden Core high in the sky surge with sudden violence. *What is happening?* Surprised, he examined his own condition. The Stellar Golden Core in the heavens had always remained serene, systematically devouring other stars according to his will. Ning Tao sat cross-legged within it, time and space seemingly frozen around her. Due to the Great Oblivion Heart Scripture, the Divine Domain seed she awakened was tied to the flow of time. Now, after eating the fish, Qi Yuan's Stellar Golden Core underwent a sudden metamorphosis, as though it had abruptly gained the innate ability to devour. "The Devouring Primordial Physique!" Qi Yuan was thoroughly stunned. He stared at the empty storage bag, countless thoughts flashing through his mind. Back then, he had used his Glazed Flawless Blood to purify the fish for the Holy Mother of Inedia to eat. Now... unwilling to remain in his debt, had the Holy Mother of Inedia also added her own blood to the fish? At this moment, a trace of the essence of devouring had integrated into his body. This essence was something she had severed from herself and infused into the fish to bestow upon him. It was distinct from a divine office, and distinct from a Divine Domain. A helpless smile touched Qi Yuan's lips. "Such an immense favor... are you asking me to protect this world for a lifetime?" ... "Zhu Zhuangshi, no more bullying Da Hei from now on!" Shi Chongshan barked, glaring at the burly Zhu Zhuangshi as a vertical eye faintly surfaced on his forehead. The big black dog crouched at Shi Chongshan's feet, barking furiously at Zhu Zhuangshi as if having found its ultimate backer. "Damn it, that's clearly my dog! Why did you get to visualize True Monarch Erlang?" Zhu Zhuangshi snapped, brimming with envy. The ancient god Shi Chongshan had visualized during this second round of visualization was none other than True Monarch Erlang! This deity's might far surpassed that of Marshal Tianpeng. One had to respect the master before striking the dog. He could no longer bully the big black dog as casually as before. "True Monarch Erlang possesses majestic, extraordinary might! How could a fatty like you be allowed to visualize him?" Shi Chongshan said smugly. He had already visualized a mighty deity, later visualized several more, and finally visualized True Monarch Erlang. By now, he had also stepped firmly into the Mythological realm. Zhu Zhuangshi's strength had grown substantially as well, but compared to Shi Chongshan, he still lagged far behind. "You lucky dog!" Zhu Zhuangshi cursed under his breath. Right then, two figures walked over: Village Chief Yulei and Shrine Official Shentu. Village Chief Yulei wore coarse hemp clothes covered in patches. Shrine Official Shentu wore a brown robe and a hat, looking considerably more refined. Seeing the two approach, Zhu Zhuangshi dropped his playful grin and turned solemn. "Come, let us feast together. Tomorrow... the great battle begins," Village Chief Yulei said, his weathered voice laden with profound emotion. Hearing this, a faint spark of excitement flared in Shi Chongshan's eyes. "Three months ago, who could have imagined that in our two villages... every single person would become a god!" Qingshui Village, Shijia Village, and Chenxi Village were the very first settlements Qi Yuan had brought under his rule. "I still remember back when we couldn't even fill our bellies. We were bullied by your Shijia Village and nearly wiped out. Who would have thought we'd reach this day!" Shrine Official Shentu recalled the past, shaking his head with deep feeling, as if trapped in a dream. Back then, Qingshui Village had been thoroughly destitute, to the point that even Zhu Zhuangshi was emaciated from starvation. Shi Chongshan's expression turned reminiscent as well. "The Celestial Venerable's grace is one we will repay with our lives!" In those days, his child was about to be offered as a sacrifice to an evil god. He had been pinned to the earth, powerless to move. It was Origin Celestial Venerable who arrived, slaying the evil god with a single sword strike, bringing new life to Shi Chongshan and hope to Shijia Village. Chenxi Village had experienced the same. All these villagers kept Origin Celestial Venerable's kindness etched into their souls. Though they had not spent much time with him, fighting to the death for Origin Celestial Venerable was something every one of them was ready to do. "Let's go—feast today, kill the enemy tomorrow!" The four men and one dog strode toward the banquet with stirred, valiant hearts, talking as they went. "Old Zhu, that matter I entrusted to you last time..." "You can count on Old Zhu's character! Heheh, I've already uncovered the answer." "Good..." Night fell, and all the Ancient Gods ceased their meditation, gathering in Feiwu City to partake in the feast. Several thousand True Gods gathered under one roof, dining together. Such a sight was awe-inspiring beyond words. Where else in the world could a city boast thousands of Ancient Gods sharing a single banquet? Cups clinked and toasts were exchanged in a lively roar. Excitement flushed every face; none harbored the slightest dread or confusion toward the future. At worst, it was merely death! For them, who among them truly feared dying? ... Deep within the Heavenly Pillar. A ceaseless sound of chewing echoed. Great Sage Blood Sun's devouring body relentlessly consumed the Heavenly Dao. Suddenly, Great Sage Blood Sun's movements froze. "Devouring..." Within the Heavenly Pillar, she gazed toward the north. Her chaotic eyes cleared in an instant. Countless memories flooded back into her mind. A look of mad frenzy flashed through Great Sage Blood Sun's gaze. "An innate world... the Devouring Primordial Physique... Is this the blessing of the heavens?" Obtaining an innate world and devouring it entirely would elevate her realm to an even higher plane. And now, she had even caught the scent of the legendary Devouring Primordial Physique. All devouring bodies revered the Devouring Primordial Physique as supreme! This physical form of hers was precisely a devouring body. And now, she had actually caught the scent of the Devouring Primordial Physique? How could she not be ecstatic? To her, the Devouring Primordial Physique was even more precious than the Heavenly Dao of this realm. Because it was the constitution best suited for her! Without the slightest hesitation, she awakened from her slumber, halted her consumption of the Heavenly Dao, and burst forth from the Heavenly Pillar. *Boom.* Abruptly, a thunderous heartbeat pounded across the world. The sound was like a heavy war drum, hammering directly against the heart of every living being. Every Ancient God and ordinary cultivator in the Mortal Heart Realm was startled awake at that moment. A thick, overpowering wave of hunger coiled around their bodies. They clutched their stomachs as two starkly conflicting sensations—wrenching cramps and hollow emptiness—swept through them. In that instant, everyone felt as if a sliver of their mind had been carved away by a blade, their consciousness flickering into a brief haze. Every living creature in the Mortal Heart Realm could not help looking up toward the heavens. High above the vault of the sky, at an immeasurable altitude, a towering, terrifying figure entered everyone's sight. No matter the angle, no matter the distance, that figure occupied their entire field of vision. "Above... True God!" "The Heavenly Dao... She has devoured most of the Heavenly Dao!" "She is the undisputed sky of the Mortal Heart Realm!" "Aaargh! How can such a being ever be defeated?!" The moment anyone beheld that figure, an overwhelming urge to prostrate and worship welled up in their hearts. It was as if they longed to tear their own bodies apart and offer them to her as food. With just a single glance, they knew she was invincible! The Mythological Plan seemed utterly laughable by comparison! Some had bloodshot eyes streaming with bloody tears. Others fell to their knees, babbling maniacally, stripped of their sanity. Only those who had witnessed a Yang God could comprehend just how terrifyingly powerful a Yang God was. "Evil god... die! Aaaagh!" "Despoiling our Mortal Heart Realm—the evil god must be eradicated!" Just then, in the Southern Lands, seven or eight figures soared straight into the sky. Each figure blazed like the brightest of stars! Eight pillars of light charged toward the towering figure in the heavens with dauntless courage. Eight Great Venerables striking simultaneously was an earth-shattering event in the Mortal Heart Realm. Every subject watched this spectacle, their hearts brimming with desperate hope. They prayed that these eight Great Venerables could wound—even merely scratch—this evil god. High in the sky, the evil god watched the eight pillars of light, her expression unchanging. She spoke, her voice cold and ruthless, like an immortal seated high in the palaces of the Ninefold Heavens. "Mere specks of light dare contend with the brilliance of the sun and moon!" Great Sage Blood Sun did not even lift a finger, uttering only a light shout. That sound resonated like a decree handed down by a heavenly deity, like the very manifestation of cosmic law. *Boom!* To everyone's utter disbelief, the moment Great Sage Blood Sun's voice fell, the eight pillars of light in the heavens froze in midair like arrows spent of all momentum. In the next breath, the eight pillars of light detonated violently. Their dazzling radiance vanished completely, dissolving into countless scattered motes of starlight. Eight Great Venerables had struck together, yet they did not even possess the right to make the Yang God lift a hand. With merely a single cold shout, all eight Great Venerables were slain! The Mortal Heart Realm fell into stunned horror. Was this... what lay above True God?