Volume Five: The Flow of the River, Ancient Life Restored - Chapter 138

"Some say that once you step into the Dark Abyss of Yemi, you can never hope to see the light of day again. What are your thoughts on this?"

The Heavenly Lord stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his face stripped of all benevolence, brimming instead with a thirst for authority and a greed for power.

You Suwen gave a faint smile. "Whether it is the Abyss of Yemi or all the Nine Heavens of the Sacred Domain, everything belongs to the Heavenly Lord."

This remark seemed to please him immensely. Behind them stood countless immortal disciples, their eyes dull and their complexions sallow, resembling the walking dead. The Heavenly Lord slowly seated himself upon his throne, greedily devouring the spiritual essence of these immortal disciples.

Like a vampire, he shed all outward gentleness and mercy, revealing a terrifying visage.

Once a body was drained of its essence, it was ruthlessly cast down into the Abyss of Yemi. Amidst heart-wrenching screams, the victim was inevitably transformed into yet another resentful ghost swirling within the sea of dark clouds.

Yet he was still not satisfied. Only after consuming every last one of those disciples did he slump back into his throne like a sated demon. A young man stared at him coldly. Countless mottled scars covered the youth's body; not an inch of his skin was intact. The tendons in all four limbs had been completely severed, and a deep, long gash marred his chest. The phoenix feathers once embedded in his heart had been mercilessly gouged out, and his merman tail was bitten through, blood pooling around him. Rust-covered shackles bound his neck. With disheveled hair, filthy grime, and only a tattered rag to cover his battered body, he cut a figure of utter wretchedness.

Yet a roar echoing from within the dark clouds made his frame shudder, and he began to tremble with fear.

The Heavenly Lord clapped his hands. "Post-meal entertainment."

When he died, the Heavenly Lord would revive him, only to subject him to endless torture once more.

The roaring drew closer. Within the black vortex, a massive maw shrieked, followed by another head—a gigantic three-headed crow, a hundred feet in length, wreathed in fire.

A young man was shoved into that nightmarish arena. Though his meridians had been shattered countless times, the moment the ordeal began, they were mended anew.

This place was akin to an ancient colosseum, surrounded by countless figures of authority. The wager this time was simply how long he could survive. The Heavenly Lord radiated greed and intense excitement.

The deafening roar shook the earth. The young man lay motionless on the ground until the giant crow approached him, at which point he slowly rose to his feet. He had to walk out alive; he had to see the person he longed to see.

Falling over and over again, enduring agonizing pain repeatedly, drowning in blood like an endless nightmare. He could no longer hold on.

"No!"

Jin Li bolted upright from her dream with a cry, the memory of pain still fresh as if she herself were wounded. Her heart felt as though it were about to burst, and tears broke through her defenses.

Qisui knocked on the door and asked, "Lady Sovereign, is something wrong?"

Jin Li was stunned for a moment. "...N... Nothing."

She had dreamed of a giant bird tearing her flesh apart, treating her as mere plaything.

That heart-rending agony left her unsettled for a long time.

Early in the morning, she opened the door, and the crisp fragrance following the rain rushed into her lungs, making her cough repeatedly. Qisui hurried over to drape a cloak across her shoulders.

"Did you have a nightmare last night?"

Jin Li nodded.

Qisui said softly, "Don't be afraid. It was only a dream."

Was it? Just a dream? Then why had it felt so real, so vivid that even now, thinking of it made every detail seem present before her eyes, filling her with dread?

She had never been one to dwell on dreams, but this one troubled her deeply.

Seeing her melancholy, Qisui spoke up, "Tonight is New Year's Eve in the mortal realm. Would the Lady Sovereign like to go down and have a look?"

Ah, yes. New Year's Eve once more.

She had not seen Geng Yuan for over a month. Ever since returning from the Nine Heavens, she had remained in seclusion until yesterday. Yet practicing without half of her divine marrow made cultivation increasingly difficult. As for the warning she had given the Heavenly Lord last time, no further ill news had reached her ears.

Perhaps that was for the best.

Quiet and uneventful.

Mortals envied immortals for their eternal life, unaware of the price such longevity demanded.

"Very well."

As Qisui turned away to prepare for the journey, a visitor arrived in Lianchuan.

Draped in an outer robe, she stepped across the fallen petals and walked down the lotus path. In the distance, a figure was approaching.

The visitor wore brocaded robes and a crown, followed by a woman in a long crimson dress.

"Ruan Tu? Hong Lanzui?"

Seeing her, Hong Lanzui ran over joyfully while Ruan Tu smiled behind her.

"I've missed you so much."

Hong Lanzui's enthusiasm caught her off guard.

"Long time no see." Ruan Tu's smile was radiant.

"Why are you both here?"

Hong Lanzui linked her arm through Jin Li's and said, "Qisui sent us a butterfly message saying tonight is New Year's Eve in the mortal realm, inviting us to come down and celebrate."

Jin Li was startled at first, then slowly broke into a smile.

The four of them descended to the mortal realm together, gazing at the bustling streets and firework displays, losing themselves in the warmth of the festival.

Following the Goddess's ascension in Pear Blossom Valley, Jin Li had indeed become a carefree deity of Lianchuan.

"Qisui."

Qisui hurried over, asking, "What is it?"

"I'm so bored."

He smiled. "How could the Goddess be bored? Didn't you just return from traveling?"

Jin Li sat up. "That's why it's boring. How about we go visit the immortal mountains?"

"No." Qisui refused flatly. Jin Li paused in surprise. "No is no, why such a strong reaction?"

Jin Li lived in seclusion in Lianchuan; if certain matters were to reach her ears, it would spell trouble. Therefore, before things took a serious turn, he had to prevent her from venturing into the immortal realm.

In the Dark Abyss of Yemi.

You Suwen stood in a pristine immortal dress that radiated ethereal grace. She stood before a pool of filthy blood that soiled her brocaded shoes. A man sat with his back against the wall, muttering softly to himself, though the words were indiscernible.

"As long as you are willing to offer your divine soul to the Heavenly Lord, you can regain your freedom."

Yet no one answered her. For eighty thousand years, he had remained completely silent, speaking only to empty air or murmuring to himself when all else failed. He had been driven to utter madness.

Looking at his decadent state, You Suwen's eyes betrayed a tangled mix of hatred and lingering affection. She angrily gripped the man's throat, unmindful of the filth.

Her eyes flushed red, tears welling within them as she laughed hideously. "Jing Ye! You have lost! You have lost completely and utterly! Defeated by a woman whom you wouldn't even deign to look at!"

Jing Ye narrowed his eyes, speaking coldly to her, "You... are unworthy... to utter my name." For the first time in eighty thousand years, she heard his voice again.

"Unworthy? It is you, Jing Ye, who are unworthy of me now! Not the other way around!"

With tendons severed, Jing Ye tried his utmost to push the approaching woman away, but no matter how hard he tried, aside from a surge of agony, he could not lift his arms an inch.

He was a cripple now.

"Tianyu is waiting for me... Tianyu is waiting for me... You are not Tianyu... Get away!"

Subjected to endless torture in the sunless abyss of Yemi, not only had his five senses quietly faded, but his consciousness was also growing increasingly blurred.

This could not be Jing Ye; it simply could not be. Jing Ye had never been so wretched; even in the direst straits, he had never yielded. This was not Jing Ye. Using all her immortal power, You Suwen violently flung the emaciated figure aside.

All of this was Jin Li's fault.

Clenching her fists, she hissed, "Jin Li!"

As she turned to leave, a tall figure emerged from the shadows, his voice hoarse and low. "Where are you going?"

You Suwen shuddered. "The... Heavenly Lord..."

At this moment, the Heavenly Lord resembled a fiend crawled straight out of hell. Veins bulged on his neck and crawled up the sides of his face, his gaze venomous and entirely devoid of human or immortal semblance.

"Were you going to look for Goddess Jin Li?"

You Suwen could not suppress her terror. "N... No, I wasn't."

With a sweep of dark energy, the Heavenly Lord seized her by the throat. "She... is not someone you can afford to provoke."

His gaze slowly drifted downward, undisguised greed burning in his naked stare. His hand roamed over You Suwen's body before he spoke, "I am in a good mood today."

A chill pierced You Suwen's heart; she knew what he intended to do. The man stroked her face. "This face is no worse than Jin Li's. Are you satisfied?"

"...Satisfied..."

The Heavenly Lord ripped open her outer garment with a single gesture. In an instant, a wave of grievance and hatred washed over her soul. She stood before him stripped of all dignity, unable to move a muscle, like an artifact on display.

From the depths of the Abyss of Yemi came the excited roar of beasts. She slowly stepped toward the man, walking toward the greatest nightmare of her life.

This was Jing Ye's nightmare, and hers as well.

Amidst the crimson silk bed-curtains, only the endless, low growls of the man resonated.

It took a long time before Jing Ye slowly pulled himself upright. Amidst the vile sounds, he closed his eyes and sealed off his hearing.

He felt only disgust.

Every immortal knew that the Abyss of Yemi was a place of no return, yet who could have guessed that beyond it lay a forgotten boundary? Jing Ye recalled that he had once saved someone here, though he knew not what had become of her.

Simply because she hailed from Lianchuan, and until her dying breath, she had kept murmuring the words "Lady Sovereign."

Lianchuan—the dwelling place of that Lady Sovereign. His memory drifted back eighty thousand years. Jin Li and Tianyu were two separate people; they had always been two. Previously, he had never understood whom he truly loved, but now he realized his feeling toward the Lady Sovereign of Lianchuan was merely a debt, whereas his devotion to Tianyu was an endless yearning and profound guilt.

For the past eighty thousand years, the Heavenly Lord had imprisoned him here, and this was his own self-inflicted punishment—a prison of his own making, nothing more.

In all these eighty thousand years, Tianyu had never appeared in his dreams again. She must resent him—resent him for failing to protect her and leaving her to die in solitude.

And all of this was because of him.

To sacrifice one life to protect the mortal realm.

This principle remained unchanging through the ages. Yet Jing Ye, usually so observant of propriety and rules, felt the first stirrings of rebellion against this truth.

How utterly laughable it all was.

At that moment, the barrier runes were unsealed once more, and You Suwen lashed out fiercely with a lightning-crackling whip, striking his body mercilessly. Blood splattered instantly. Accustomed to the pain, he merely let out a muffled groan at the peak of agony, uttering not another sound thereafter.

You Suwen whipped him like a madwoman, venting her frustration. As she struck him, tears finally spilled, and she collapsed onto the ground. "Why? It's all because of you! It's all because of you all! You ruined me! You ruined me!"

Jing Ye wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, ignoring her ravings.

Only the sobbing of the woman echoed through the dark abyss, lingering long and desolate...