The Heart Believes, the Nose Does Not

The information his eyes took in was very succinct. That silhouette was indeed the phantom of Dongjun. He was currently fighting the Root Demons. Qi Yuan's eyes also told him that if the Root Demons breached Dongjun's defense, the Origin Land, the Mountains and Seas Picture Scrolls, and the Land of the End would all turn into a paradise for Root Demons in an instant. In other words, Dongjun truly was resisting the great calamity to save the world. The Martial Lords present looked upon Dongjun's phantom, sighing with emotion. "In the Origin Land, perhaps only a hundred-odd thousand years have passed, but in... the Land of Tribulation, Dongjun has stood alone against the Great Tribulation for a full million years." Martial Lord Heilu's voice was desolate, heavy with helplessness. "The world has reset so many times and failed every single time. This is our final chance. We must revive Dongjun's Dao companion and bring support to Dongjun!" "Dongjun has been stranded without aid for a million years!" Deeply moved, the Martial Lords wore expressions brimming with turbulent feelings. Qi Yuan remained calm. "Dongjun has had it rough. He probably hasn't showered in several million years. When I meet him, I'll have to gift him a tub of bathwater." "..." The Martial Lords fell speechless. However, after spending these past few days around him, they had gradually come to understand a bit of Qi Yuan's temperament and train of thought. A martial idiot—such quirks were only natural. If one were not utterly obsessed, how could one ever become a Martial God! "Heavenly Venerable, the Wall of Dongjun will close very soon. If you have any questions, please make haste and ask it!" Heilu reminded him. "Alright." Qi Yuan nodded, looked at the Wall of Dongjun, and politely asked, "Excuse me, do you know about the Spirit Realm Martial Lord?" A bloody hue rippled across the Wall of Dongjun. Everyone fixed their eyes on the wall. A refined voice rang out, sounding like heavenly music. "The Spirit Realm Martial Lord is the supreme head of all Martial Lords. Challenge every Martial Lord under heaven; defeat them, and one may become the Spirit Realm Martial Lord." "That simple?" Qi Yuan was astonished. He touched his nose. It hadn't grown longer. This meant Dongjun had spoken the truth. Qi Yuan swept his gaze over the assembled Martial Lords. Didn't that mean so long as he defeated these Martial Lords, he could complete his quest and become the Spirit Realm Martial Lord? "How does one become a Myriad Dao Martial God?" Qi Yuan asked again. The Martial God realm lay above that of a Martial Lord. A Myriad Dao Martial God was slightly different from an ordinary Martial God. "Transform one's body into the myriad dao, become the Dao of heaven and earth of this realm, and one may become a Myriad Dao Martial God. "However, once one becomes the Dao of heaven and earth of this realm, should heaven and earth be destroyed, the Myriad Dao Martial God will likewise plummet from the Myriad Dao Martial God realm. "A single realm may possess only one Myriad Dao Martial God." The Wall of Dongjun spoke once more. Qi Yuan checked his senses. His nose indeed hadn't lengthened. This meant the Wall of Dongjun hadn't lied to him. "Does this world currently have a Myriad Dao Martial God?" Qi Yuan inquired further. He wanted to become a Myriad Dao Martial God. If one already existed in this world, wouldn't he have to fight them for it? "None," Dongjun's refined voice responded from within the wall. This was not Dongjun's true body answering, nor was it even an avatar. It was purely mechanical, like someone querying an artificial intelligence and receiving an automated reply. Having obtained all his answers, Qi Yuan felt quite pleased. Suddenly, a thought struck him, and he murmured softly, "What is the greatest obstacle to me becoming a Myriad Dao Martial God?" Since the Wall of Dongjun was so capable, shouldn't he fleece it a bit more and ask another question? "Yourself. In the realm of a Myriad Dao Martial God, the most difficult aspect is transforming the body into the myriad dao. This requires a profound comprehension of every single one of the myriad dao of this realm. An ordinary Martial Lord could spend their entire lifetime and still scarcely achieve it." The voice remained as refined as ever. Qi Yuan narrowed his eyes, his expression still calm. "Really?" Things were getting quite intriguing. Because upon hearing Dongjun's words, he had instinctively believed them, finding them completely reasonable. And yet... his nose had grown longer. It was an extraordinarily bizarre sensation. It was as if someone had gained a superpower that could accurately determine whether single-digit addition and subtraction were right or wrong, only for the superpower to declare that "1 + 1 = 2" was false. That was precisely what Qi Yuan was experiencing. Dongjun's words had been deeply planted in his heart, convincing him they were true, yet his nose insisted they were a lie. "The Wall of Dongjun does not deceive. It only imparts the knowledge known to it to others," the wall's voice sounded as cultured as before. Qi Yuan smiled faintly. "My brain is telling me to believe you, but my nose is screaming that you're full of lies." Right then, Martial Lord Heilu spoke up. "Dongjun would never lie! What he said must be true!" "Indeed, it is certainly true!" a Titled Martial Lord agreed. "It is the truth!" The other Martial Lords chimed in one after another. Evidently, these nearly ten thousand Martial Lords all believed Dongjun's words. At that moment, Qi Yuan recalled something and said softly, "Old Geezer Shenlei, do you think what he said is true or false?" As the words fell, Old Geezer Shenlei's figure materialized atop the high tower out of nowhere. Clad in a purple robe embroidered with lightning, he exuded a profound, boundless aura. The instant they saw Shenlei, the Martial Lords fell dead silent, every one of them feeling suffocating pressure. Could this be... yet another Heavenly Venerable? The way they looked at Qi Yuan changed once more. What was more, Shenlei gazed upon Qi Yuan with deep reverence, behaving just like a subordinate. "What he said... is true," Old Geezer Shenlei replied, his voice like rolling thunder. Qi Yuan's expression remained tranquil. Old Geezer Shenlei was not like these Martial Lords, nor was he a fanatic devotee of Dongjun. Yet he, too, had believed Dongjun's words without hesitation. Naturally, Qi Yuan had believed them as well—only his nose disagreed. "Dongjun, where do you come from, and what kind of race is the Holy Light Clan?" Qi Yuan asked again. This time, the Wall of Dongjun lapsed into silence. Martial Lord Heilu hastily interjected, "Its energy is depleted. The Wall of Dongjun has fallen dormant and cannot answer further." Hearing this, Qi Yuan felt a touch disappointed. "Sigh, I was just about to ask whether he's hopelessly love-struck." Heilu spoke up again. "Heavenly Venerable, if you wish to become a Myriad Dao Martial God, you must aid Dongjun. Otherwise, should the calamity destroy the world, you will be unable to transform your body into the myriad dao and become the Myriad Dao Martial God of this realm!" Heilu understood that Qi Yuan wished to become a Spirit Dao Martial Master and a Myriad Dao Martial God. The former was simple, but the latter was extraordinarily difficult. To become a Myriad Dao Martial God, one had to protect the world. That was why he used this matter to pull Qi Yuan into their camp. After all, Qi Yuan was a Heavenly Venerable, and under his command were other mysterious Heavenly Venerables. "Rest assured, I'm a good person. I will save the world!" Qi Yuan readily agreed. Seeing this, Heilu breathed an inward sigh of relief. *** As the ancestral blood scoured his body, Mu Yan snapped his eyes open, a sharp edge gleaming in his gaze. "I'm finally a Martial Lord!" High-spirited and brimming with vigor, his eyes looked as though they could split an entire mountain in two. Only upon stepping into the realm of a Martial Lord did the clouds part to reveal the blue sky, letting him truly understand just how feeble the Martial King realm was. "Mu Yan, you're finally a Martial Lord! Come out quickly, you're the only one left!" Mu Yan's progenitor, a Great Martial Lord, stepped inside, admiration shining in his eyes. "Greetings, Ancestor!" Having reached the Martial Lord realm, Mu Yan knew he had grown immensely strong, yet he also understood far more clearly just how vast the gap between Martial Lords truly was. A single martial acupoint meant nearly a twofold difference. "May I ask what brings Ancestor here?" Curiosity showed in Mu Yan's eyes. "It is like this: a Heavenly Venerable wishes to become a Spirit Dao Martial Master and needs to challenge Martial Lords." "Ah?" Mu Yan was a bit baffled. What was a Heavenly Venerable? Still, going by his ancestor's words, was he being asked to spar with a Martial Lord? "This junior will naturally do his utmost!" Mu Yan hastily declared. "Heh, just do as you please," the Great Martial Lord replied with a chuckle. Following behind the Great Martial Lord, Mu Yan harbored endless curiosity. "Ancestor, is my opponent very strong? Should I... hold back?" "Just go all out," the Great Martial Lord said offhandedly. "Oh, and don't taunt him, and don't curse at him." "Understood." Even though he was perplexed, Mu Yan still complied. Following the Great Martial Lord, the two walked out of the high tower. Mu Yan kept his head lowered. Soon, he caught sight of some familiar faces. They were all participants from the ancestral blood contest who had now broken through to become Martial Lords. Those people looked at Mu Yan with envy in their eyes. The confusion in Mu Yan's heart grew heavier, for more and more Martial Lords were gathering here. In fact, they stood packed together in dense multitudes, too many to count. "Ancestor... why are there so many Martial Lords?" Mu Yan asked cautiously, feeling a surge of excitement. He seemed to sense several particularly terrifying auras among them. Those seemed to be... Titled Martial Lords. Legendary Titled Martial Lords, figures standing at the very pinnacle of this world! "They're all here to take part in the match," the Great Martial Lord said. Mu Yan grew even more dumbfounded. Could it be... Was this something like a mortal world's martial arts tournament? And every participant was a Martial Lord? Right then, a voice suddenly rang out beside Mu Yan's ear: "As expected of the man I had high hopes for, saving the best for last." A man clad in a blood-red robe appeared, standing beside Mu Yan with a composed expression. Seeing who it was, Mu Yan's face lit up with pleasant surprise. "Qi... Qi Yuan, what are you doing here?" He was overjoyed to see Qi Yuan here. The fact that Qi Yuan could appear in this place meant Ancestor had already settled everything on his behalf. "I came here to challenge... you, and..." "Challenge me? Don't tell me you've stepped into the Martial Lord realm too!" Mu Yan felt even happier for Qi Yuan. To think Qi Yuan had encountered fortunate opportunities of his own. "Hehe, don't worry, I won't hit you too hard. I won't make your defeat look too ugly," Mu Yan said cheerfully. Qi Yuan smiled. "Lose? I won't lose." "Hmph, on the Black Sea, I was no match for you, but three days apart makes one see a person in a whole new light. I'm not who I used to be!" Mu Yan declared proudly. "Alright, enough chatter. I need to finish my quest and claim this title of Spirit Realm Martial Lord!" Qi Yuan said calmly. "Where is the arena?" Mu Yan asked, eager to try his hand. "Why would we need an arena?" Qi Yuan spoke up, raising his voice as he soared straight out of the high tower at that very moment. Seeing this, Mu Yan's heart violently seized, leaping into his throat. At present, all the Martial Lords were gathered atop the high platform. Not a single one flew into the air; even the Titled Martial Lords remained standing on the ground. Though he didn't understand why, no other Martial Lord dared to take to the skies. For Qi Yuan to fly up like this—wasn't that a blatant sign of disrespect toward the other Martial Lords? Qi Yuan ascended into the firmament, his blood-red robe fluttering in the wind as he stood suspended in the void like a banished immortal. "Are all the Martial Lords of the Origin Land... present?" Qi Yuan called out, his clear, resonant voice carrying across the entire tower. Atop the tower, the new Martial Lords who had previously interacted with Qi Yuan at the outpost or within the Mountains and Seas Picture Scrolls stared up in shock, their faces filled with utter disbelief. At that moment, several dozen Titled Martial Lords stepped forward, their expressions reverent. "Reporting to Heavenly Venerable, all Martial Lords have arrived!" The remaining thousands of Martial Lords bowed in unison, like mortals paying homage to a sovereign. "Reporting to Heavenly Venerable, we have all arrived!" Witnessing this, Mu Yan was entirely flabbergasted. Even his own ancestor was bowing to Qi Yuan, looking for all the world like a palace attendant paying respects to an emperor. *What in the world is going on?* Mu Yan thought, completely at a loss. "To become the Spirit Realm Martial Lord is simple: one need only defeat all the Martial Lords under heaven. "So, attack me all at once! Don't worry, I'll be gentle. I won't hurt you!" Qi Yuan had always been a man who championed civility and promoted good conduct. He wasn't like that old fellow from the Upper Realm who lacked all restraint. When descending to a lower realm, merely to show off his might, he had shocked countless minor demons under his own command to death. If someone treated their own demons that way, not to mention ordinary people, they would surely slaughter the innocent without care. "Heavenly Venerable, forgive our offense!" "Forgive our offense!" All the Martial Lords roared together at that instant, their voices surging like a tidal wave. Mu Yan stood dazed, torn between bafflement and sheer panic. With so many people attacking Qi Yuan at once... "Ancestor, we're all going to hit Qi Yuan together?" "Address him as Heavenly Venerable!" the Great Martial Lord snapped in a hurry. "He... what if he dies from this?" Although Mu Yan knew Qi Yuan was probably not as simple as he looked and must possess real strength, no matter how strong someone was, facing nearly ten thousand Martial Lords was practically suicide. "Hmph, strike the Heavenly Venerable to death? You sure dare to dream! "A short while ago, the Heavenly Venerable swallowed a sun whole." "What? Swallowed a sun?" Mu Yan's eyes went wide. "Fight!" Qi Yuan's voice rang out once more. Boundless attacks swept forth, surging toward the vault of heaven. Yet to Qi Yuan, these strikes felt like nothing more than a gentle drizzle. Closing his eyes, he offered no resistance, allowing every strike to land upon his body. After all, this was also a prime opportunity to comprehend the myriad dao. *** Spring passed and autumn arrived. Emperors Shu and Hu appeared often, traversing the Black Sea. The Martial Lords of the Eastern Alliance had grown accustomed to their presence, no longer finding it strange. At this moment, on Arch Star, upon the platform of the Martial Arts Tournament. Qi Yuan looked at the old man before him, his expression calm. "Old man, this is the last time I'll be participating in the Martial Arts Tournament. In the next tournament, you'll finally be able to realize your dream and take the championship." The Martial Arts Tournament was still ongoing. Even though everyone on Arch Star knew that the man who had swallowed a star whole was the champion, and though they desperately wanted to participate to catch a glimpse of Qi Yuan, none dared to. No one dared disrupt the rhythm of Qi Yuan's life. What if entering the tournament to thrash an old man happened to be this Heavenly Venerable's personal hobby? Thus, just as before, there was no audience present at the venue. If there were viewers, they existed only in the live-stream room. And the viewers watching this stream were of exceptionally high caliber. The stream itself was quite peculiar: derogatory remarks simply could not be typed, and only positive bullet comments were permitted. Hearing Qi Yuan's words, the white-haired old man looked momentarily dazed. "Immortal, you won't be participating anymore?" For so many years, he had consistently lost to Qi Yuan. In the beginning, he had indeed been utterly unwilling to accept it. Later... after witnessing Qi Yuan swallow a star whole... Well, he was thoroughly convinced. He was already nearing a hundred years of age. Losing to someone who could swallow a star whole was only natural, wasn't it? "Yes, it's over." Qi Yuan looked out over the vast, empty spectator stands, feeling a faint sense of emptiness in his heart. The game... was almost over.