Chapter 1623: Illuminate Path Homeward |
When the sky was bright, Lin Xun walked out of the room, looking invigorated. He looked around and felt the air was so fresh and the sky clear. He felt relaxed and happy.
The scenery was still the same as before, but when the state of mind changed, everything around seemed different.
With less than a month left before the end of the Conflict of the Nine Domains, Lin Xun planned to take this opportunity to spend some time with Zhao Jingxuan.
Last night, Zhao Jingxuan said to him, “I know that your heart can’t forget Xia Zhi, and I also am not asking you to marry me nor to be your officially wedded wife. As long as you don’t abandon me, that’s already enough.”
It was precisely those words that touched Lin Xun and also filled him with guilt.
Zhao Jingxuan, the daughter of the emperor of the Ziyao Empire, was an unrivaled beauty in the world and the blood of the true dragon flowed in her veins. She was extremely talented and breathtakingly beautiful, just like a celestial fairy.
Any other cultivator would be blessed to have a beauty like her by their side.
But now, Zhao Jingxuan was willing to make a compromise for Lin Xun, how would he not be ashamed?
In fact, Lin Xun even asked himself about what good he had done to deserve the affection of a beautiful woman.
……
In the next period of time, Lin Xun did not care about anything else. He left the City of Protection with Zhao Jingxuan and went sightseeing among the mountains and rivers, wandering around the entire Nine Domains Battlefield.
They went on a boat ride across the lake, watched the flowing clouds from a mountain peak, rode the waves of the sapphire sea, lay drunk among fireflies, and gazed down over crashing waterfalls...
They felt so carefree and relaxed. Was this not happiness?
Occasionally, Lin Xun picked some divine dew herb and brewed it in the pristine water from the clouds and enjoyed it with Zhao Jingxuan among a field of flowers.
Snatching a moment of peace and escaping from the daily chaos, partly because I have embraced cultivation and partly because of you.
The Conflict of the Nine Domains, the slaying of the enemies, the pursuit of the great dao…all were banished from their thoughts.
The joy here could not be compared to anything else.
……
The passage of time was just like the flow of water, it never stopped.
One day, in a land of snow-white glaciers.
Lin Xun hacked off a piece of ice as a water source and made tea in a small red clay stove. Zhao Jingxuan sat, hugging her knees to her chest, watching Lin Xun with a smile on her face.
A strange roar boomed out in the sky, like the sound of the great dao, spreading across the world.
Almost at the same time, the Ancient Wasteland Token on Lin Xun and Zhao Jingxuan buzzed and quivered in response.
Simultaneously, the two stopped what they were doing and looked at each other. They both knew that the Nine Domains Battlefield had come to an end!
Looking at the tea that was about to boil on the small red clay stove, Lin Xun let out a soft sigh. Time flies. All happy moments are short-lived.
“Having tasted the marrow, the longing for its flavor grows. Do you not want to leave?” Zhao Jingxuan smiled, tender affection beaming from her bright eyes.
Lin Xun nodded.
During this period, he had been traveling around the mountains with Zhao Jingxuan, living a carefree and relaxed life. Naturally, he did not want to leave.
“Let’s go, there will be more opportunities in the future.” Zhao Jingxuan took Lin Xun’s hand and walked into the distance. She was very content with the fun and time she had these days.
Furthermore, if the love between the two could last and stand the test of time, there was no need to stay together all the time.
……
Lin Xun was taken aback when he got back to the City of Protection.
This was because a stone stele of several feet tall was erected before the grand, magnificent city wall.
It was inscribed with columns of writing in vigorous strokes like the writing of the great dao.
“In the third Conflict of the Nine Domains, the leader of the Ancient Wasteland Domain, Saint Lin Xun, dominated the Nine Domains Battlefield with unparalleled strength...”
“At first, Saint Lin Xun caused bloodshed across thirty thousand miles and single-handedly besieged a city. His strength was unrivaled and he was unbeatable…later, he rebuilt the City of Protection, defeated the seven domains alliance and conquered the Black Cliff Sea...”
“He wandered the eight domains alone and thousands fell before his sword…”
Listed on the stele was Lin Xun’s feats over the past three years. He spaced out as the battle scenes in the past years flashed across his mind.
“Magnificent, only such a person can be called a leader, only such a talent can be called a Saint...”
“His ambition is as high as the sky, his brilliance goes beyond the Ancient Wasteland, his achievements are notable, he surpassed the past and the present, his strength is unparalleled, who could compete with him…”
“We shall put up the stele here, hoping that Saint Lin Xun can leave his name throughout the ages and earn eternal glory. I also hope that future generations will learn from him!”
After reading the stele, Lin Xun could feel his heart beat rapidly, unable to calm down.
He never imagined that the Ancient Wasteland Camp would set up an achievement stele for him!
“Look.” Zhao Jingxuan was gazing into the distance.
Lin Xun looked up and saw countless figures gathering on the city wall, all greeting him with a cheerful smile.
“Brother Lin, this ‘Monument of Merits and Virtues’ represents everyone’s thoughts. Each word is engraved by a different fellow daoist. Only in this way can we express our respect for you.” Shaohao spoke loudly.
The rest nodded enthusiastically.
Lin Xun rubbed his nose awkwardly. “Can I decline?”
“No!”
Everyone answered in unison, and immediately they broke into laughter. The vibration shook the clouds.
Today, the Nine Domains Battlefield had reached its close, and the cultivators in the city, who came from different areas of the Ancient Wasteland Domain, would also leave.
However, after this, they did not know when they would see each other again, so they all gathered at the city wall.
This was all to bid farewell to Lin Xun!
“Thank you, everyone.”
Lin Xun took a deep breath and saluted them with a cupped fist salute. His voice resounded throughout the world.
……
Blood Demon Territory.
In a barren and remote place, the sound of the dao rang from the sky, alarming and awakening Xue Qingyi from his hibernating state. He had been hiding in the depths of a stinky quagmire all this time.
“It’s finally over…”
He ignored the filthy smell and wade through the mud in excitement. The echoing dao sound was like the most pleasant and beautiful music in the world.
He stretched both hands toward the sky, closed his eyes, and looked enchanted.
After almost one year of hate-filled days and lying low, he finally could see daylight once again. To him, it was like he was restarting a new journey.
After a long while, his scarlet eyes were pierced with deep-seated hatred. He gnashed his teeth.
“Shame and failure are not terrible. What is terrible is not being aware of your shame. Lin Xun, I will let you enjoy the glory this time. But one day, you will pay for everything!”
Shua!
The next moment, he vanished into thin air.
……
North Sea Territory.
In the depths of a vast boundless sea, a deranged figure was crouching on a reef, howling and wailing.
His hair was as disheveled as the sea grass, his clothes were ragged, his eyes were sunken in, his body was shriveled, and he looked to be in a more miserable state than a beggar.
But if Lin Xun were present, he would definitely be able to identify the figure. He was the leader of the North Sea Ancient Camp, the young master of the Imperial Kun Clan—
Kun Shaoyu!
Back then, how impressive and respected was he when dominated one domain? He was akin to the great sun shining in the sky!
Now, he had fallen to such a state, becoming unstable and deranged.
When the sound of the great dao resounded in the sky, Kun Shaoyu, who was squatting on the ground and wailing like crazy, froze as if he had been struck by lightning.
His expression began to alter, his eyes flickered, and his lifeless gaze began to regain clarity little by little...
It wasn’t until a long moment later that he suddenly rose to his feet and roared skywards. “I have lived muddle headed for so long, only now do I know that I am who I am!”
Every word stirred the clouds like the roar of a dragon, and his voice sounded liberated.
“Lin Xun, just you wait, when I rise to the sky, I will definitely wipe away this humiliation!”
Kun Shaoyu suddenly leaped into the air, transforming into a mythical Kun. His body extended thousands of feet, crushing the surrounding space, and roared away into the clouds.
……
The Ancient Wasteland Camp.
At the entrance to the City of Protection, countless cultivators from the Ancient Wasteland Domain were also getting ready, taking out their Ancient Wasteland Badge and teleporting away from the Nine Domains Battlefield.
“Senior Lin, I will go ahead first.”
“The mountains stand forever, the water always flows. Senior Lin, we look forward to seeing you again in the Ancient Wasteland Domain.”
“Senior Lin…”
Many people came forward to say goodbye to Lin Xun. Some he was acquainted with and some he did not know.
However, everyone showed deep respect and wished him a safe journey from the bottom of their hearts, which touched him greatly. Lin Xun responded to them one by one.
Those who were alive could return to their homeland.
And those who laid down their life on the battlefield would be buried here in eternal silence, with no interest to anyone.
Life was this cruel.
Gradually, there were fewer and fewer cultivators in the city.
“Brother Lin, farewell!”
Mi Hengzhen, Ye Mohe, and the others came to say goodbye.
“Take care.” Lin Xun gave a cupped fist salute with a smile.
“Lin Xun, after you return to the Ancient Wasteland Domain, you must come visit the North Dipper World. I will treat you to a glass of the ten thousand-year-old brew of Crape Myrtle Sacred Mountain!” Ye Chen said aloud.
Xiao Cangtian interjected, “No, come to my Clear Wind Valley. I will specially bring out our patriarch’s treasured Seven Drunken Immortal Wine to enjoy with you.”
Ye Chen glared at him. “Can you not go against me once?”
Xiao Cangtian did not back down and sneered, “I just don’t like you, so what?”
The two who did not see eye to eye were about to lash out at each other again.
Lin Xun looked at them awkwardly, but his heart felt warm. These were his friends, his brothers who he could count on in weal and woe!
“Brother Lin, we will also leave now.”
Shaohao and Ruowu also came over to bid farewell.
Lin Xun chatted with them for a while, and then he watched them leave one by one.
In the end, only Lin Xun, Zhao Jingxuan, Toady, A’lu, the big black bird, Little Silver and Little Sky were left.
This was expected. When they first came to the Nine Domains Battlefield, cultivators of the Ancient Wasteland Domain were teleported here from different places.
Now that it was time to head back, they would naturally return on the original path and go different ways.
For example Lin Xun and the others came through the teleportation portal of the Immortal Sacred Mountain, so when they return, they would inevitably be teleported back to the Immortal Sacred Mountain.
“Big Brother, we will also leave now.”
Toady, A’lu and the others looked at Lin Xun.
Lin Xun stood at the top of the city wall and looked around, as if he wanted to remember all this. After a while, he retracted his gaze, drew a deep breath, and said firmly. “Let’s go!”
With a burst of light, Lin Xun and the others vanished one by one, leaving only the majestic City of Protection standing silently in the vast world, emitting a sacred aura of immortality.
On this day, after three years of intense battle and slaughter, the Conflict of the Nine Domains came to an end. Regardless of which camp one belonged to, all cultivators who survived returned to their home.
The boundless Nine Domains Battlefield sank back into silence again. It was unknown how many years it would be before it reopened.
The bright moon still remained, illuminating the path homeward for the rosy cloud!
