The Ancient Road to the Underworld: The Mystery of Rebirth
Before the commotion in the Valley of Oaths had completely subsided, Yun Zhiyu and Su Xiaolou quietly departed. The Blood Moon Alliance had already revealed its strength, and too much attention would only become a burden. Su Xiaolou used her Dream Weaving Technique to create illusions that temporarily concealed their whereabouts, and the two hurried towards the deepest part of the Burial Sands, which was also the entrance to the Ancient Path of the Underworld.
The deeper one ventures, the more deathly silent the environment becomes. The pale, bone-sand seems to swallow all sound; even the wind becomes silent here. A strange sense of stagnation permeates the air, as if time and space themselves have blurred. Occasionally, distorted, translucent phantoms can be seen drifting among the dunes—the remnants of souls who failed to enter the afterlife, forever trapped here. Their silent wails add to the eeriness.
Guided by the star map and Su Xiaolou's identification, they finally stopped before a massive, beast-like fissure in the weathered rock mountain. The depths of the fissure were pitch black, emanating a chilling aura and a pulling force that seemed to suck in one's very soul. This was the entrance to the Ancient Path to the Underworld.
“Remember,” Su Xiaolou said, his usual playful demeanor vanishing, replaced by an unprecedented solemnity, “the Yellow Springs Ancient Path is not a physical road, but a manifestation of the rules of life and death. What you see and hear here may be an illusion, or it may be the real past. Guard your mind, don’t be misled, and don’t touch anything lightly, especially… that river.”
Yun Zhiyu nodded, carefully concealing the jade pendant close to his body. He could sense that both his own consciousness and Xie Yunzhi's remnant soul became unusually subdued as they approached this place, as if resisting some kind of invisible erosion. The power of annihilation in his left arm, however, became unusually active, seemingly drawn to the aura of "end" in this place.
The two exchanged a glance, took a deep breath, and stepped into the crevice.
Stepping in felt like crossing a boundary. The dim light of the outside world vanished instantly, replaced by an eternal, endless darkness. Beneath their feet lay not sand, but a pale, winding path stretching into the distance, with swirling gray mist on either side. Within the mist, countless distorted human figures could be vaguely seen struggling and wailing.
This is the Ancient Road to the Underworld. With each step, one can feel their own "vital energy" slowly draining away, while all sorts of chaotic thoughts and fragmented memories crash against their consciousness like a tide.
Yun Zhiyu saw fragments of his childhood training in the Snow Owl tribe's territory, the tragic scene of the day the Suspended Mirror Palace collapsed, and even the subtle action of Mo Xiaoyu secretly stuffing a piece of candy into his bag before the final battle... These past events were incredibly real, filled with strong emotions, and tried to pull him into despair.
He focused intently on his mind, silently reciting the incantation for tranquility. At the same time, the active power of annihilation in his left arm seemed to have become a cold lighthouse. The concept of all things returning to nothingness helped him to cleanse himself of many distracting illusions.
Su Xiaolou, on the other hand, seemed more relaxed. His dream weaver instincts gave him a stronger resistance to these kinds of mental attacks. Faint dream ripples emanated from his body, quietly dissolving the illusions that tried to invade.
After walking for an unknown amount of time, the faint sound of flowing water came from ahead.
A wide river, its waters an eerie dark silver, stretched across the ancient path. The river flowed silently, its surface dotted with phosphorescent glows. Occasionally, a blurry face would appear in the water, only to quickly sink. A dilapidated stone bridge spanned the river.
“The River of Rebirth…” Su Xiaolou whispered, her eyes wary. “Don’t go near the water. That thing can wash away memories and annihilate the soul.”
Just then, a boatman, draped in a tattered cloak, hunched over, and with an obscured face, appeared like a ghost on a small boat on the riverbank. He held a long bamboo pole in his hand, his voice dry and hoarse, like the grinding of bones:
"Crossing the river... a soul crystal... to guide you to rebirth..."
This is clearly the ferryman that High Priest Xi once mentioned.
Yun Zhiyu stepped forward and, following Xi's instructions, took out a crystal prepared by the Ze tribe that contained pure soul power and handed it over.
The ferryman took the soul crystal without even looking at it, but his empty gaze seemed to pierce through the cloak and land on Yun Zhiyu, especially on his left arm.
“The living who bear the weight of annihilation…and…the remnants of souls intertwined with ice and fire…interesting…” He let out a low, enigmatic laugh and stepped aside.
The two boarded the small boat, which moved automatically without wind, heading towards the opposite bank. The river surface appeared calm, but Yun Zhiyu could feel countless cold arms waving underwater, trying to drag the people on the boat overboard. The dark silver river water exuded a powerful soul-absorbing force, and even the jade pendant in his arms began to tremble slightly, emitting unpleasant fluctuations.
"Where is Xingyue 'reborn'?" Yun Zhiyu couldn't help but ask the ferryman.
The ferryman silently punted the boat until it reached the middle of the river, then pointed with his bamboo pole into the depths: "The key to rebirth lies at the bottom of the river, and must be awakened by the purest tears..."
Tears of Pure Innocence? Yun Zhiyu and Su Xiaolou were both taken aback. What was that?
Just then, something unexpected happened!
The mist in the upper reaches of the river suddenly churned violently, and a powerful pressure filled with a violent and deathly aura rapidly approached!
"It's the remains of an ancient scorpion! And people from the Silent Shadow Sect! They actually tracked us all the way here!" Su Xiaolou's expression changed drastically.
The enormous remains of the ancient scorpion stepped directly into the River of Rebirth! The river water could not corrode its body, which was composed of deathly power. It swung its giant pincers, stirring up the river, and charged towards the small boat! Several Shadow Cultists stood on the back of the ancient scorpion, chanting evil incantations, and beams of eerie purple death light shot towards the small boat!
"Row faster!" Su Xiaolou urged the ferryman.
However, the ferryman remained motionless like a stone statue, only letting out a low laugh: "Calamity... is also an opportunity..."
As the remains of the ancient scorpion and the death ray were about to engulf the small boat, a resolute glint flashed in Yun Zhiyu's eyes. He tried to mobilize the power of annihilation in his left arm, preparing for a desperate last stand.
At this critical moment—
The jade pendant in his arms, with its previously dormant and extremely weak glass flame, seemed to sense the extreme crisis in the outside world and Yun Zhiyu's resolute will to die, and suddenly burst into flames!
A more solid and clearer glass figure than the one outside Liusha City once again forcefully broke free from the jade pendant's restraints and manifested!
Mo Xiaoyu's spirit floated on the boat. She looked back at Yun Zhiyu with an extremely complex expression—an unyielding attachment, a tenderness that transcended life and death, and a resolute understanding of everything.
Instead of defending herself against the attack, she turned to face the dark silver river where the Key to Rebirth lay dormant.
She reached out her illusory hand and gently touched the corner of her eye.
A crystal-clear tear, pure and free of impurities, containing the purest essence of life and endless longing, slid down from the corner of her eye and dripped into the River of Rebirth.
Those were not ordinary tears, but tears of pure essence condensed from the burning of her remnant soul!
"Little Fish! No!" Yun Zhiyu and Xie Yunzhi in the sea of consciousness both cried out in anguish!
The instant a tear falls into the river—
Buzz!
The entire River of Rebirth was boiling!
The dark silver river water burst forth with an unprecedented light—not silver, but a warm, vibrant, and purifying glass-like color! The river water seemed to come alive, transforming into a gigantic glass-colored waterspout that shot skyward!
The ancient scorpion remains and the death ray rushing towards the small boat were instantly dispersed and purified by the azure-colored waterspout! The ancient scorpion remains let out painful howls, and their massive bodies began to disintegrate in the river water containing the power of rebirth! The Shadow Cultists, as if encountering their nemesis, screamed and turned into green smoke in the light!
At the same time, deep in the riverbed, a point of pure white light slowly emerged as the azure-colored water dragon rose, radiating boundless vitality and the power to nourish the soul!
The Star Key "passed away," but was awakened by the Pure Tears...!
Mo Xiaoyu, who unleashed this world-reversing attack, became almost transparent in spirit form. She gave Yun Zhiyu a gentle and poignant smile, her lips moving slightly as if she wanted to say something, but ultimately she remained silent.
The spirit, like a candle flickering in the wind, vanished completely.
Only the awakened Rebirth Key, radiating a warm white light, remained, slowly floating before Yun Zhiyu, who stood frozen in immense grief.
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