Chapter 1329: Back Then

A streak of azure light streaked across the sea, stirring waves as it headed straight for Jiangdong.

Lin Suhe, a disciple of a minor Daoist sect from the Seven Seas and Twenty-Eight Realms, had heard rumors of the “Stellar River Meteorite” appearing in the Luo Sect’s domain. Without delay, he had traveled through a teleportation array and was now flying tirelessly toward the rumored location.

As he hurried along, he couldn’t help but grumble. If not for the fact that both the Vacuum Hometown and the Earthly Buddha Kingdom had banned long-distance teleportation to the outside world, he wouldn’t have had to endure such a grueling journey. A hundred years ago, it hadn’t been like this—back then, teleportation arrays connected the farthest corners of the world, and everyone carried a magical artifact called the “Omniverse Communication Talisman,” allowing them to converse across millions of miles as if face-to-face. It was as if everyone had the abilities of an immortal sage.

Yet, he had once examined one of these so-called “Omniverse Communication Talismans” in the hands of those old-timers who were practically in their coffins. No matter how he scrutinized it, he couldn’t find anything special about it. It almost felt like they had fabricated tales of a glorious future and a utopian paradise just to trick younger generations into cultivating harder.

If not for the fact that every single one of those old men told the same story, he would have doubted it all!

Was this still the Real World?

“According to those old men, our generation has it rough—too rough. Gathering materials requires endless running around, and we’ll never get to see anything truly strange or wondrous in our lifetimes. Back in their day, they could experience countless battles without ever leaving home, watch others explore ruins and gain knowledge firsthand, compare goods from hundreds of merchants without worry of being swindled, and even chat idly with beings from across the cosmos… Such things are hard to even dream of now. Those old men couldn’t have made all that up without some basis—could it have been the mundane reality of the Mythical Era?” Lin Suhe’s thoughts wandered. “But none of the surviving texts from the Mythical Era mention such things…”

As his azure light flickered, the coastline came into clear view. Lin Suhe shook off his musings and focused ahead. Tiny specks of strange light, like fireflies, floated in the air, clearly divided into several factions locked in a standoff.

Each one radiated power no weaker than his own!

But instead of fear, Lin Suhe felt excitement—this meant the “Stellar River Meteorite” hadn’t yet appeared. He had made it in time!

Just as he slowed his flight to approach stealthily, a deafening roar erupted, as if the earth had collapsed or a mountain had crumbled. A deep fissure split the coastline, spewing thick black mist that rapidly tainted the surroundings. A sinister, terrifying aura surged like a tide.

“Another Netherworld Rift…” Lin Suhe sucked in a cold breath. The world was truly growing more fragile by the day!

According to the old men, they were now in the midst of the Final Calamity, inching toward the end of the epoch. When it came, the heavens would collapse, the earth would shatter, immortals and buddhas would perish, and all things would return to chaos—no one would be spared.

Though he couldn’t confirm the truth of their words, the frequency of Netherworld Rifts had undeniably increased over the years. Each time, sealing them required tremendous effort. If this trend continued, in another hundred years, the Netherworld would fully descend upon the Real World, corrupting and destroying the heavens and earth, driving all living beings to madness and despair as they faced the epoch’s end.

As these thoughts raced through his mind, another earth-shaking explosion erupted beside him!

It was so close that Lin Suhe was stunned senseless, his vision darkening. Unable to maintain his flight, he plummeted like a stone toward the sea.

Before he completely lost consciousness, he saw the sea collapse into a massive whirlpool, black tendrils rising from its core, staining the surroundings.

Another Netherworld Rift…

……

Light and shadows flickered before his eyes, his mind a muddled mess. Lin Suhe shook his head, finally regaining his senses.

He was still alive?

After falling into a Netherworld Rift, he was still alive?

Bewildered, he checked himself over but found no serious injuries. Looking around, he found himself on a strangely unfamiliar street. The buildings on either side towered high, their designs bizarre yet oddly beautiful—like the forty-nine-story skyscraper covered in glazed windows that reflected the light, dazzling and magnificent.

“Completely different from the Seven Seas and Twenty-Eight Realms… Where am I?” Lin Suhe rubbed his temples. “But this doesn’t seem like the Netherworld either. Did I… cross worlds?”

From the old men, he had read some fictional tales—supposedly written by bored individuals during that golden age—filled with travelogues of journeys across the cosmos.

Just then, a sharp honk pierced the air. Lin Suhe turned in confusion to see a dark, boxy metal contraption stopping behind him.

Was this their version of a carriage?

It looked like a mechanical construct from the Mo Palace…

“Are you insane?! Standing in the middle of the road like an idiot! Trying to get yourself killed?!” A middle-aged man leaned out from the vehicle, shouting furiously.

“My apologies.” Lin Suhe instinctively stepped aside, watching as the man drove off, still dazed.

Extending his spiritual senses—unimpeded—he quietly observed his surroundings. A long line of people stood ahead, waiting for something.

Then, a young woman in a white dress hurried over, clutching a few books, her black hair fluttering gracefully as she took her place at the end of the line.

At the sight of her, Lin Suhe’s eyes brightened. Her beauty was unparalleled—her eyes clear and bright, still holding traces of innocence, yet her overall demeanor was coldly elegant and noble.

“What are you lining up for?” Lin Suhe found himself asking.

The girl turned to him, her expression serious. “Erlang’s pancakes.”

“Are they that good?” he asked reflexively.

She gave a slight nod. “Very good.”

Before she answered, Lin Suhe faintly heard a soft growl—the kind that made one’s stomach rumble in sympathy.

“Looks like the wait will be long,” he remarked, grasping for conversation.

Pursing her lips, she replied earnestly, “Good food requires patience. After this, I have guqin lessons.”

“Guqin lessons?” Lin Suhe felt it was only natural for someone like her to learn the instrument.

“My mother keeps pushing me to learn talents, hoping I’ll become a star,” she said flatly.

“Do you like the guqin?” he asked.

As the line moved forward, she took a step, her gaze dropping to the books in her arms. “I do.”

Lin Suhe chatted with her a while longer until she bought her pancakes and left. Then, he strolled down the street, his Daoist robes drawing many curious glances.

“I forgot to ask her name…” he suddenly realized. Just as he turned to look back, he found himself standing before a small, unremarkable garden.

Under the shade of green trees, several elderly men sat around a table, playing what looked like mahjong. One had a golden complexion and a long beard, exuding an immortal aura; another was thin yet rosy-cheeked; a third wore a stern, unsmiling expression; and the last was always grinning, radiating warmth.

They had a magnetic presence, and Lin Suhe couldn’t help but watch.

The bearded elder sensed his gaze and looked up, chuckling. “Young friend, seeking the Dao? We dabbled in cultivation in our youth too.”

“You… cultivated?” Lin Suhe blurted in surprise.

This world had cultivators too?

“Just a passing interest. Now that we’re old and retired, gathering to play mahjong is enough,” the cheerful elder said, gesturing to the side. “Not like the youngsters these days, full of drive.”

Following his gesture, Lin Suhe saw a young woman in a pale yellow martial outfit, her back turned as she practiced swordplay with intense focus.

“Is she cultivating too?” he asked, puzzled.

“No, no. She’s honing her swordsmanship, aiming to win this year’s World’s Greatest Swordmaster Tournament,” the first elder explained with a smile.

What kind of nonsense is this… Lin Suhe’s lips twitched, feeling like he was being toyed with.

After a few more fruitless questions, he wandered out of the garden and back onto the street. Just then, a convoy of those mechanical carriages rolled in, sealing off both sides of the road, preventing anyone from crossing.

“It’s the CEO of Great Zhou Group, here for an inspection…” whispered a passerby.

The CEO of Great Zhou Group? Lin Suhe strained his ears, piecing together that this “CEO” monopolized over half the nation’s commerce, controlling the people’s basic necessities.

A black carriage passed by, surrounded by escorts. But with his sharp eyes, Lin Suhe saw through the tinted windows to the man seated inside.

Tall and imposing, he sat like an ancient bell, his face chiseled as if by knife and axe, his thin lips lending him an air of ruthlessness.

Huh? Why does he look familiar? Lin Suhe froze, his mind racing.

Wait—wasn’t this the Human Emperor Gao Lan, as described by those old men?

They still had records of him!

The moment this thought surfaced, Lin Suhe’s vision blurred as if shrouded in mist. His consciousness seemed to rise, looking down upon all things. Then, he saw a pitch-black mountain, a pearl radiating five-colored light, a purple bell pulsing like a heart, and a pair of eyes buried deep in endless darkness.