Eternal Tale

Chen Xun, having delivered the message, shifted the topic: “Commander, do you know where the path lies?”

“Why do you ask, Daoist friend?”

“We ventured deep inside, but saw no way forward.”

“The path is ahead. The beings of our domain push forward every day. Sooner or later, the corrupted beasts will be eradicated.”

Baili Zhonghu’s aura shifted once more, becoming the revered and commanding commander of the human race. His gaze burned with intensity. “With such formidable strength, why not join the Battle Realm Camp?”

He had come here for this very reason—to personally extend an invitation. The Nascent Soul cultivators of the Great Li Realm feared death too much after surviving their Heart Demon Tribulations, merely waiting for the path to be opened instead of forging ahead.

The karmic burden of slaying corrupted beasts was deeply imprinted upon their divine sense, warping their tribulations in unimaginable ways.

“Commander, there is no path ahead. We are used to our freedom and have no interest in joining the army.”

Chen Xun shook his head slightly. He did not believe that the commander was unaware of the truth. The Battle Realm Camp’s command token had already been aboard the ancient warships. “The Baili Clan has passed down its legacy since ancient times. The road ahead leads to the birthplace of the corrupted beasts. Do you truly not know?”

The moment those words fell, the air turned frigid with killing intent, thick enough to solidify the atmosphere.

Baili Zhonghu instantly sealed the mountain of corpses. His black hair billowed as an earth-shaking murderous aura erupted from his body, his gaze burning into Chen Xun. “What do you mean by that, Daoist friend?”

Little Red’s fur bristled as if plunged into an icy abyss.

“Moo!”

The big black ox bellowed furiously, rising to its feet, locking its gaze on Baili Zhonghu. If a fight broke out, it was ready to activate the formation and flee immediately!

In the distant sky, ten warships of the Battle Realm Camp ignited with blood-colored light, a faint killing intent seeping into the air.

The soldiers aboard sensed that something was amiss atop the mountain of corpses. At the commander’s command, a vast army could descend upon this place within days!

Yet Chen Xun merely smiled faintly, sipping his tea as if indifferent to it all. Baili Zhonghu, too, had yet to release any true killing intent.

“The sacrifices of these beings are meaningless. Your so-called advance is meaningless.” Chen Xun’s eyes deepened, his voice calm yet forceful. “Who knows how many Nascent Soul corrupted beasts lurk in the depths? Are you going to keep leading your people to their deaths?”

“Heh.” Baili Zhonghu let out a cold chuckle, neither refuting nor growing angry. “It seems, Daoist friend, you are a descendant of the Ancient Clans and have uncovered some truths.”

“That is irrelevant. The current situation is clear—the path is broken. Holding the line at Tianhe and fostering more powerful cultivators should be the priority.”

“You keep pushing forward, but it only leads to unnecessary deaths. The corrupted beasts have not even unleashed their full might. And besides—”

“You think we don’t know?!”

Baili Zhonghu suddenly interrupted, rising abruptly. For the first time, a ripple of emotion surfaced in his otherwise unshakable demeanor. “Daoist friend, do you know the truth of the ancient war?!”

“What does the truth of the past have to do with the present?!”

Chen Xun shot to his feet as well, his aura surging as he locked gazes with Baili Zhonghu. “The corrupted beasts have been consuming the lives of this realm. Their strongest warriors remain hidden, constantly cultivating. How do you plan to push forward?!”

At that moment, fierce winds swept across the mountain of corpses, plunging the atmosphere into an icy abyss.

The big black ox and Little Red instinctively stepped back, their eyes wide with shock. Their big brother had never been one to concern himself with such matters—why was he speaking so forcefully today?

Baili Zhonghu’s expression was cold and unyielding, like a bloodthirsty beast staring down at Chen Xun. The two locked eyes, their auras intertwining in the heavens.

Crack! Rumble!

The black soil of the mountain began to fracture inch by inch, emitting deep, guttural groans.

Baili Zhonghu’s aura was overwhelming. His face was dark as water, black hair whipping wildly behind him. His battle armor gleamed with flowing light as he suddenly spoke to Chen Xun:

“You, a mere Nascent Soul cultivator, dare to speak such madness?! Who dares claim that the Battle Realm Camp’s advance is meaningless?! Who dares claim that the sacrifices of our domain’s beings are meaningless?!”

“Do you understand? If we were to stop advancing and merely hold our ground, then our domain would have no hope left! Everyone would realize that there is no path forward, that cultivation is meaningless, and that the path to immortality has been severed!”

“At that point, chaos would consume our domain, and the billions of corrupted beasts would launch a counteroffensive. When that time comes, we will have no forces left to resist them!”

“The Baili Clan, the human race’s Battle Realm Camp, and the countless beings of the Great Li Realm have fought battle after battle, century after century, using our blood to declare to the world—there is still hope ahead! Beyond the banks of the Tianhe River, there is still a road!”

“Chen Xun, do you know? Behind the battlefield, millions of miles away, countless graves encircle the Tianhe. Do you know that the only reason you were born into this domain, the only reason you are still alive, is because of the so-called ‘meaningless sacrifices’ you speak of?!”

“If it weren’t for my ninth brother, I would have personally cut you down for saying such things!”

Baili Zhonghu’s thunderous voice rolled through the heavens and earth, shaking their very souls. “From the moment I stepped onto the battlefield, I never expected to return alive. I swore to fight until my last drop of blood was shed!”

This was the Commander of the Battle Realm Camp—though he had long since learned the despairing truth, though he was tormented by his Heart Demon Tribulation, his Dao heart remained steadfast. Not for the sake of ascension nor for survival.

Without this conviction, he was unworthy of his position!

Chen Xun’s brow furrowed deeply, his heart surging with an indescribable shock, leaving him momentarily speechless.

The big black ox and Little Red instinctively took a few steps back, utterly dumbfounded. This level of conviction was beyond their understanding—these cultivators had truly cast aside thoughts of life and death. They no longer fought for their own cultivation but for something greater.

Little Red, in particular, couldn’t comprehend it at all. A Nascent Soul cultivator has a lifespan of four thousand years! Isn’t living a good thing?! It might not fully grasp what was said, but even it was deeply shaken.

“Heh, just a humble opinion. No need to take it to heart, Commander.”

Chen Xun’s expression shifted in an instant, a hint of an enigmatic smile appearing on his lips. “But let me say this—Commander, you cannot kill me. If you don’t believe me, feel free to try.”

“Moo!” The big black ox snorted heavily. Big bro is right—if we can’t win, we’ll just run!

Baili Zhonghu’s brows knit tightly, his expression shifting subtly. Some words seemed stuck in his throat. One does not strike a smiling face. This man was slippery.

Moreover, he was clearly not an ordinary cultivator. A true rogue cultivator could never reach the Nascent Soul stage. The surname Chen… there were too many powerful figures and factions with that name to pinpoint his origins.

Even the ancient clans of the Four Immortal Mountains overseas had no record of such a person. It seemed his ninth brother must have noticed something, which was why he sent this man to find him.

Realizing this, Baili Zhonghu retracted his overwhelming aura.

Slowly, he sat back down, his posture still upright, but his once bright eyes dimmed with an unmistakable sense of desolation.

The once-unshakable commander now wore an expression of profound disappointment and melancholy. His firm features were lined with the weight of countless years of sorrow. Between his furrowed brows lay the traces of endless contemplation and hardship, his entire being steeped in silent grief. It was as if, at that moment, he had become a different person.

Chen Xun withdrew his own aura, sitting down as well, waiting for what was to come next.

“In the beginning, when the heavens and earth were formed, our domain was not sealed. There were no corrupted beasts. The road was always open.”

Baili Zhonghu’s brows furrowed even deeper. I cannot allow Chen Xun to spread the truth that there is no road ahead. So, he began to reason with him. “Daoist friend, listen to me.”

Chen Xun’s gaze grew solemn as he gave a slight nod.

The big black ox and Little Red both let out quiet sighs of relief. It looks like there won’t be a fight. They, too, began to listen attentively.

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