The Night Maiden said, “How could I know, my lord?”
Xuran’s coldness had completely vanished, returning to his usual gentleness and patience. He said, “You have been here for fifty years. Think, what is the most precious thing in this world?”
The Night Maiden was suddenly startled. “The River of Blood!”
Xuran nodded. “Precisely! Such a divine object with power spanning several worlds is even rare in the Heavenly Realm. To find one in such a remote place—it is my fortune.”
“Your meaning is…”
“Such a divine object must be taken. It would not be in vain for us to come here.”
The Sword Man asked, “If it is to collect the River of Blood, why bring the orbit closer?”
Xuran replied, “I have calculated that only at this orbit can we shake the foundation of the River of Blood in this world. Moreover, this orbit will leave several inhabitable continents, which can be presented as a deed to the Heavenly Realm, sufficient to absolve the sins of the various races.”
The Night Maiden inquired, “Why do we need to report this? Isn’t the River of Blood enough to absolve the sins?”
“Of course, it is more than enough. But how can such a divine object be handed over? Once I decipher the secret of the River of Blood, I will share its benefits with you. The least you can expect is an extension of three thousand years in your lifespan, ha ha!”
Both the Sword Man and the Night Maiden were moved, expressing their gratitude.
“Do your best, and if I advance further, I will not let you down.”
They thanked him again and then withdrew.
Emperor Hao was still waiting by the entrance of the palace. Seeing them, he bowed and said, “If you two have time, I have prepared a small feast. It is to fulfill the duties of a host and also to learn more about the Heavenly Realm and the wonders of the Ancestral Land.”
While the Sword Man hesitated, the Night Maiden already nodded. Shrugging, he followed along.
The night banquet in the Qin Palace was of high quality, making the Sword Man’s brows relax as he drank several jugs of wine, his eyes growing somewhat hazy.
Seeing the right moment, Emperor Hao asked, “Earlier, you mentioned that returning to the Heavenly Realm requires meritorious deeds to offset the sins?”
“Of course! Regaining sentience is just the first step. The second step is to achieve significant merit to truly stand in the Heavenly Realm.”
The Night Maiden interjected, “It is not necessary to have merit first. One can return to the Heavenly Realm and then serve the Dao Court to offset the sins.”
“That is reassuring.” Emperor Hao seemed much more relaxed. “Then, how do we return to the Heavenly Realm?”
The Sword Man answered, “Naturally, you will return with us. You can select a batch of qualified individuals from your clan to return together. The rest will have to wait here.”
“How many of my people can I take?”
The Sword Man pondered briefly. “Ten thousand, no more.”
The Night Maiden glared at him. “Ten thousand is the limit. Immortal Xuan might not take so many. Plan ahead and select carefully. For safety, choose one thousand.”
“One thousand… alright, I understand.”
In the Floating Land, the City of No Fall:
Qian Ye twirled the wine cup in his hand, silent for a long time.
The Spider Queen, uncharacteristically serious, stared at Qian Ye. Song Zining, on the other hand, sat casually, seemingly indifferent to everything.
Little Zhujue clung to Qian Ye, nearly asleep.
After a long while, Qian Ye sighed. “One wants to open a passage to the inner world and introduce the Dark Origin; the other wants to draw the Shining Sun. What is happening to this world?”
The Spider Queen also sighed. “Introducing the Dark Origin is merely our countermeasure. Though we did not know what was happening, we could sense the approaching disaster. In such a situation, the only way for the Demon Emperor and the Queen to avoid the end was to eradicate humanity.”
Song Zining nodded. “Since the beginning of the Eternal Night, humanity and the dark forces have been entangled for ten thousand years. Now, it is the final moment. From the start of the Thousand-Year Shining, it was destined to lead to this day, just a matter of when.”
“So, the root of all this is humanity!” the Spider Queen declared.
“If there was no Thousand-Year Shining, would humanity not continue to be your food for thousands or tens of thousands of years?” Song Zining did not back down, even in front of the Holy Mountain.
“The weak are the prey of the strong. That is the natural order.”
“Indeed, the weak are the prey. Now that humanity’s rise is inevitable, you should accept your fate without complaint.”
The Spider Queen grew furious. “To dare to speak so brazenly in my presence, you really do not value your life!”
“Even if I die now, the Shining Sun will arrive tomorrow. How long do you think you can live?” Song Zining sneered.
As the situation grew tense, Qian Ye, feeling helpless, said, “Let’s stop arguing. We only have one day left. But, in such a critical moment, why have you both come to me instead of preparing for battle?”
The Spider Queen replied, “Precisely because it is a life-and-death situation, every Holy Mountain must be won over. If the Sacred Clan is exterminated, do you think humanity will spare you? You are the first drop of blood in the River of Blood.”
Qian Ye looked at Song Zining. “What if we stop the Thousand-Year Shining?”
“Without the support of the Heavenly Realm, the burst of energy will enter a backlash phase, and the Dawn Force here is not dominant. What do you think?” Song Zining countered.
The answer was clear. Without the Thousand-Year Shining, humanity would be extinct within fifty years, without even needing the Dark Origin.
Qian Ye sighed. This was indeed a dilemma. If the Thousand-Year Shining was not stopped, the Eternal Night would perish, but if it was stopped, humanity would also be doomed. More importantly, the hope of humanity to return to the Ancestral Land would be utterly shattered.
There was another problem. Even if they wanted to stop the Thousand-Year Shining, was it possible?
The Spider Queen spoke coldly, “This world is ours. You came from the outside, and now you want to completely exterminate our Sacred Clan, yet you still speak so arrogantly?”
“What does this have to do with me? At most, I can take her and search for a new world,” Qian Ye felt suddenly troubled.
“You cannot escape. Commander Lin’s last words were: ‘You are the key to the Thousand-Year Shining,'” Song Zining said.
“Key to what?” Qian Ye sighed.
Song Zining looked at him silently.
Qian Ye glanced at the Spider Queen and then at Song Zining, patting Zhujue’s head. “Zining, tell me directly. What should I do now?”
“There is only one way.”
“What is it?” Qian Ye asked.
The space around the Spider Queen rippled, ready to attack. If Song Zining said something wrong, she would strike without hesitation.
Song Zining, seemingly oblivious to the danger, asked, “Have you ever wondered why, over the years, you always felt like things were turning around and out of your control?”
“I don’t know.”
“Alright. Since you ask, I’ll tell you. If I were you, why strive to ascend the Holy Mountain? Why not become a king yourself?!”
“What?” the Spider Queen exclaimed.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage