Zhu Jinfeng, with reddened eyes, poured a jug of strong wine before the spirit, choked out: "Ye Qingzhou, I was still thinking about discussing Sword Dao with you after ascending to Martial Saint..."
Leon remained silent, only placing a War rit dal before the coffin—that was the highest honor he received secretly joining the military and during a certain operation.
Lii Yan’Er gently set down a jade flute, whispered: "Back then you said you wanted to hear play ’Sword Spirit,’ today... I play it for the last ti for you."
The sound of the flute sobbed, like crying and telling a tale, echoing in the hall of spirits, everyone listening couldn’t help but shed tears.
Senior Lu Yifan and Miao Yi stood side by side, both had beco outstanding Martial Artists, even joined the military, entered the Divine Strategy Army, but now they took off their uniforms, with the courtesy of a Martial Artist, knelt on one knee, said solemnly: "Junior Ye, have a good journey."
Martial Dao leaders, together mourn heroic souls
The funeral proceeded until noon, several heavyweight figures arrived.
Celestial Secret Divine Calculator Gu Minghui, representing the Celestial Secret Research Institute, holding the Profound Secret Celestial Destiny Book, calculated for a mont before the spirit, sighed: "The death of the Sword Saint creates chaos of Celestial Secret, a harbinger of great calamity."
Divine General Cyan Dragon, representing the Divine Strategy Army, clad in Profound Armor, sword hanging at waist, bowed deeply before the spirit, said solemnly: "Ye Qingzhou, with the strength of one, shook Western power, this is the glory of our Eastern Martial Dao, the entire Divine Strategy Army, eternally rembers this battle!"
Nine Dragons Boxing Saint Qi Shengtian, a towering figure in the Martial Arts World, hair and beard all white, yet spirited and hearty, he gazed at Ye Qingzhou’s remains, slowly said: "Infinite Sword Saint, his reputation is not in vain. I originally thought nobody could reach the Ultimate Realm of Martial Dao, today I find, there are heavens beyond."
Forr Celestial Sword Sikong Jingming of the Dongji Kingdom, once the pinnacle of the Sword Realm, though retired now, still holds a noble status.
He stood before the spirit, silent for a long ti, finally left only one sentence: "What a pity, the future of the Dongji Kingdom’s Martial Arts World should have belonged to you."
The final farewell
As evening fell, the funeral concluded.
Xu Yuebing stayed alone in the hall of spirits, gently caressing the jade coffin, whispered: "Qingzhou, don’t worry, I will live well..."
She leaned down, lightly kissed Ye Qingzhou’s cold lips, then turned away, her silhouette determined yet lonely.
That night, behind the Xu Clan Ancestral Land, a sword light soared to the sky, frost forming into lotuses, lingering long, among the ice and snow, seed a celestial phoenix spread wings and sang high.
......
Ye Qingzhou’s soul floated in the void, senses completely lost, only consciousness drifting in eternal darkness.
No light, no sound, no passage of ti, only endless falling.
"Am I...dead?"
His thoughts still functioned, yet couldn’t feel his existence, as though thrown into the deepest crevice of the universe, even death itself beca a blurred concept.
Unknown how long passed—or perhaps an instant, maybe a millennium—his "vision" suddenly cleared.
Darkness receded, replaced by a world of only black and white.
Desolate land, gray-white sky, devoid of sun and moon, stars, only a giant tree reaching through sky and earth, stood between heaven and earth, trunk like ink, branches and leaves like snow, towering enough to suffocate.
Ye Qingzhou lowered his head, found he now had "form," still dressed in that white attire, yet his body nearly transparent, condensed like mist.
He stepped forward, no sound beneath his feet, no dust, as if walking within a dream.
"Where is this?" He murmured, voice echoed in the vast world, yet no one answered.
He walked towards that giant tree.
Each step seed to span miles, yet the tree remained unreachable, as if forever just out of reach.
Finally, he halted, gazing at that entity piercing heaven and earth, an inexplicable thought surfaced in his heart—
That tree, is the "root" of the world.
At that mont, a venerable voice sounded from behind him:
"When the Linn Race ruled the Three Realms, this place was called ’Returning Ruins.’"
Ye Qingzhou turned sharply, saw the Crown Prince Golden Crow standing in void, cloaked in dark feathers, face withered, yet eyes deep as the starry sky, seemingly seeing through endless ages: "Here is the destination of all souls, simultaneously also a spatial layer between the present world and the Spiritual Realm. Different races and civilizations have various nas for Returning Ruins: Netherworld, Underworld, Hell..."
"Crown Prince Golden Crow?"
Ye Qingzhou interrupted the elder’s rambling, clearly his death brought Crown Prince Golden Crow into Returning Ruins as well.
Crown Prince Golden Crow nodded with a smile, then his withered fingers lightly pointed, the black-and-white world’s sky suddenly contorted, revealing countless scenes.
Ye Qingzhou saw Xu Yuebing kneeling silently before his spirit, tears falling silently.
Then saw ruins of the Celestial Sword Bureau, Western Pole Kingdom fiercely fighting to carve up the strength left by the Celestial Sword Bureau.
Next saw Cyan Emperor and Emperor Slayer drinking together, corners of their mouths hold smiles, seeming to plot sothing.
Finally, even saw... his corpse buried atop Wudang Peak, beneath Sword Tomb, faint gold light flowing...
"Your death was predestined."
Crown Prince Golden Crow slowly revealed a shocking secret: "Laws Destruction Golden Arrow is not a killing weapon but a ’key.’"
Ye Qingzhou’s pupils shrank: "Key?"
Crown Prince Golden Crow didn’t directly answer, just looked up at that giant tree, said softly: "This tree, nad ’Heavenly Dao.’"
"And you, the fated one."
As words fell, giant tree’s branches and leaves suddenly moved without wind, a snow-white leaf drifted down, slowly flying towards Ye Qingzhou.
Ye Qingzhou reached to catch it, instantly—
Boom~~
His soul struck like by lightning, countless pieces of mory flooded into consciousness!
He saw himself wielding a sword to cut the heavens!
He saw Xu Yuebing wander alone in a sea of blood!
He saw Cyan Emperor and Emperor Slayer standing at the world’s end, together wielding swords to slash into the void, cutting through the entire world!
Finally... he saw the true purpose of the Laws Destruction Golden Arrow—
It was not ant for killing.
It was ant to...
Let one comprehend the true aning of ’death.’
"What really is this?"
Ye Qingzhou’s heart was a mix of emotions, although long suspected Cyan Emperor held reservations, he never guessed, with those broad brows and large eyes, they’d truly trap him, this Savior, to death.
Crown Prince Golden Crow chuckled softly: "Have you not seen it already? When seeking to uncover the truth, questions often fail to yield answers."
Ye Qingzhou pondered deeply, then slowly spoke his thoughts: "Cyan Emperor and Emperor Slayer joined hands? Then Emperor Slayer’s death was deliberate?"
"Correct."
Crown Prince Golden Crow nodded with comfort.
Ye Qingzhou then gazed at the distant giant tree, staring at that tree spanning heaven and earth.
Amidst the distinct black and white leaves, a crystalline fruit was gradually taking shape, emitting a faint glow. The seven-colored light was neither intense nor dazzling, yet his soul couldn’t help but wish to approach.
"Dao Fruit..."
Crown Prince Golden Crow’s voice once more resounded in Ye Qingzhou’s ears: "Only one bears each epoch, the consur may obtain Heavenly Dao Authority, reshaping Three Realms’ laws."
Ye Qingzhou suddenly felt a tingling pain—he saw familiar patterns erging on the fruit’s surface, exactly the countless Golden Talisman Secret Text, a powerful information flood crashed against his mind and will!
"One not an Emperor should not view the Dao Fruit directly."
Crown Prince Golden Crow casually cautioned.
Ye Qingzhou quickly closed his eyes, looked away: "Cyan Emperor and Emperor Slayer’s sche, was it for the Dao Fruit?"
"Yes and no."
Crown Prince Golden Crow shook his head: "Cyan Emperor, for salvation, could sacrifice anything, even himself. Dao Fruit is his gamble with Emperor Slayer."
"A gamble?"
"Hmm, with the universe as the chessboard, all beings as chess pieces, a wager on victory or defeat, yet regardless of outco, once their gamble completes, Void Divine Dynasty is dood inevitably."
Speaking of this, Crown Prince Golden Crow looked at Ye Qingzhou: "And you are the bait Cyan Emperor and Emperor Slayer intentionally cast."
"Using as bait, what was the plan to catch?"
"Nether Emperor."
Upon hearing, Ye Qingzhou imdiately understood Cyan Emperor and Emperor Slayer’s sche, his Savior identity was real, but nobody said a Savior couldn’t be sacrificed.
Even salvation itself ans sacrifice.
"It’s really a headache..."
Ye Qingzhou was speechless in heart.
"This is too disrespectful, if truly intended to sacrifice , should’ve inford beforehand."
"Would I refuse?"
"Well, indeed I wouldn’t agree."
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