Under One Person: I Opened the Age of Mythology

Chapter 595

Deep within the Three Heavens, the newly built Temple of Law stands solemnly and majestically.

Yang Jian sat upright in the main seat, his white hair as white as snow, his divine robes as white as frost, and the "Heart Scale" divine emblem formed by silver patterns on his forehead was now radiating a cold yet insightful light.

The atmosphere in the hall was heavy. A woman dressed in the robes of a low-ranking immortal servant knelt in the center, her face ashen and her body trembling like a leaf.

The flask of the thousand-year-old Jade Pool Peach Wine hidden in her sleeve was emitting an alluring yet deadly aroma—if this celestial wine were brought to the mortal world, a single drop would be enough to cause a hundred-mile-long drinking disaster, causing mortals to become intoxicated and lose their minds upon touching it, with unimaginable consequences.

"He secretly carried heavenly treasures with the intention of disrupting the order of the mortal world. His heart is worthy of condemnation!" Yang Jian's voice was not loud, but every word was like an ice bead falling to the ground, striking the hearts of all the celestial officials in the hall.

The divine emblem between his brows suddenly lit up, and a seemingly gentle yet irresistible silver light pierced the immortal servant's sea of ​​consciousness like a probe, exposing his wishful thinking and evil intentions.

"According to Article Seven of the newly promulgated Laws of the Three Realms: Anyone who arbitrarily disrupts the balance of the mortal realm's fortune will be severely punished! Their hundred years of cultivation will be stripped, and they will be eternally imprisoned in the Jade Pool to cleanse their hearts of impurities!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Yang Jian raised his hand and gestured.

The celestial servant's celestial light dimmed instantly, like a punctured balloon, and he collapsed to the ground, his appearance visibly aging and becoming haggard.

Her celestial robes transformed into the roughest linen garments, and she was lifted up by two expressionless golden-armored warriors and dragged straight into the depths of the Peach Garden, where she would be condemned to eternal labor of sweeping fallen leaves and tending to flowers and trees.

All the immortals in the hall bowed their heads in awe. Under the new Heavenly Laws, the "Scales of the Heart" hung high, and a single selfish thought would lead to eternal damnation.

In the mortal realm, at the mouth of the Guanjiang River.

The small shrine that once stood for Yang Jian is long gone, replaced by a magnificent and spacious "Mingfa Academy" full of ancient charm.

Ancient trees tower within the courtyard, and the faint sounds of chanting and recitation intertwine. In the main hall of the academy, instead of a golden statue of Yang Jian, there is a phantom of a giant silver scale, formed from pure willpower, suspended in the air, constantly maintaining a delicate balance—this is the mortal projection of the "Scales of the Heart" deity, the foundation upon which the academy stands.

Below the hall, on hundreds of prayer mats, the listeners were of diverse backgrounds: there were mortal scholars with white hair who had devoted themselves to studying classics, there were sharp-eyed cultivators from various sects, and there were also leaders of spirits with different appearances and restrained demonic aura.

At this moment, an elderly man in a grey robe, with a gaunt face, sat upright and began to expound on the essentials of the law: "...The weight of the law lies first and foremost in its impartiality. Heaven's way is impartial, its net wide yet nothing escapes it. Whether gods, immortals, humans, demons, or ghosts, all who roam within the Three Realms are bound by this law. Those who do good and accumulate virtue will naturally be blessed by Heaven; those who commit crimes and break the law will find it difficult to escape its inescapable reach. The law is not a shackle, but rather a protective armor, a vessel of order..."

His voice was calm yet powerful, each word flowing like a clear spring into the hearts of his listeners. The silver scales rippled slightly, spreading an invisible force of justice.

"gentlemen!"

A deep, thunderous roar shattered the silence in the hall.

A demon king, over ten feet tall, with horns on his forehead and muscles as hard as iron, suddenly stood up, pushed aside the futon in front of him, and knelt heavily on the ground with a thud.

His eyes were bloodshot, veins bulged on his forehead, and his demonic aura fluctuated violently, clearly indicating that he was struggling to the extreme.

It was none other than the infamous Bear King, who had entrenched himself in Black Wind Ridge for many years.

"The bear is here!" His voice trembled as he lowered his massive head, the impact on the floor tiles making a dull thud. "Three days of lectures have resonated deeply within me! In the past, beneath Black Wind Ridge, to seize blood-soaked elixirs, I slaughtered seven human villages, my blood debts are countless, my sins are heinous! Today, I realize that my past actions were no different from those of beasts! I beg you, sir, to judge me by the law and lead me to the underworld. I will endure any hardship, even the most arduous journey! I only wish to use this mutilated body and wicked soul to atone for my past debts! I only ask for... peace of mind!"

He suddenly raised his head, his face already streaked with tears, the fierce light in his eyes gone, leaving only deep pain and a pleading yearning for release.

The former demon king's ferocity has vanished. Now, kneeling under the bright mirror of the academy, he is merely a pitiful sinful soul whose soul is illuminated by the light of law, struggling in endless remorse.

Yang Jian's mortal clone gazed at Xiong Pi with gentle eyes and slowly nodded: "To realize one's mistakes and turn back is the greatest virtue. Under the scales of the heart, sins are clearly revealed, which also provides a stepping stone to reform. Since you have this intention, you should be granted your wish."

With a slight twitch of his fingertips, a talisman wreathed in silver light flew out from the illusory image of the scales enshrined in the academy and disappeared into the burly body of the bear.

The demon king's massive body was instantly enveloped in a soft yet irresistible silver light, vanishing from the spot and being directly teleported to the entrance of the Netherworld.

After a brief silence, a low murmur of amazement and a sigh of relief rose from inside Mingfa Academy.

Deep within the core of the chaotic star curtain, what was once a cold, stone heart was now a slowly rotating vortex of chaotic nebula, teeming with the mysteries of birth and death.

Sun Wukong's figure slowly emerged from the vortex that resembled a cosmic singularity.

The golden armor had transformed into a dark gold Taoist robe, with a faint light flowing across it, as if a condensed galaxy of the universe had been draped over his body.

The mark of the karmic fire lotus on his forehead has transformed into a profound divine pattern with a dark gold base and crimson Dao traces within. His deep gaze pierces through endless space, calmly reflecting every inch of new life and rhythm in the Three Realms.

He saw the Milky Way like a jade ribbon, the Jade Toad emitting its clear light, and naval vessels gliding through the starlight; he saw Nezha stepping on a red lotus, greenery stubbornly spreading across the scorched earth of Beiju Luzhou, miners reverently dripping their warm blood into the earth's fissures, exchanging it for lustrous red jade; he saw the Xuanlu Boy atop Kunlun Jade Void Peak, his childlike yet earnest explanation, the essence of Laozi's Tushita Purple Fire casting a benevolent phantom behind his disciple, and the giant hand formed from mountain rocks gently lifting the herb-gathering boy who cried out in surprise after missing his footing; he saw Yang Jian standing in the Temple of Law, his heart's scales gleaming with silver light, piercing through evil, and he also saw the once bloodthirsty Bear Demon King kneeling and weeping in the mortal realm's Mingfa Academy, his sinful body enveloped in silver light disappearing into the underworld…

The starry sky shifts and turns, like an eternal breath, silently listening to and protecting all of this.

This place was once scorched earth covered in ashes, a battlefield interwoven with blood and tears, a desperate place where heroes wept blood, Dao Ancestors fell, and souls were scattered.

At this moment, under the vast starlight, the Weak Water gently nourishes the newly formed aquatic algae, the distant primordial sounds of alchemy from Kunlun linger in the mountain streams, the scorched rifts of Beiju Luzhou are covered with tender green, and the solemn teachings of the mortal academy and the wailing of the repentant souls at the entrance to the underworld intertwine to form a strange requiem.

Sun Wukong slowly raised his hand, not to unleash any earth-shattering magic, but simply to gently touch the flowing, cool, chaotic starry sky before him.

In an instant, the billions of stars deep within the starry sky seemed to be awakened, suddenly accelerating their rotation. Countless tiny stardust points, filled with gratitude and blessings, fluttered down like the gentlest snow in the world.

A single, exceptionally bright and solid starlight, carrying the warmth of Kunlun Dan Qi and the prayers of all living beings, gently and gracefully fell, hovering precisely between his slightly disheveled temples.

The starlight quickly condensed, transforming into a chaotic crystal the size of a grain of rice, neither gold nor jade, with a miniature nebula seemingly swirling slowly inside.

The crystal feels cool to the touch, yet it contains the weight and temperature of the entire newly created Three Realms.

The tiny starlight at the temples is an inscription of the sacrificed will, an echo of heaven and earth to the guardians, and the most tranquil and resilient end to that epic forged in blood and fire and ultimately returning to its eternal source.

The starry sky rippled gently like the tide, tenderly enveloping his figure, as if the eternal universe had finally revealed a weary yet gratified smile to its child. Countless stars flowed by, and the vast celestial music lingered softly, telling of a reunion born from the brink of death.

Beneath the ashes of calamity, the sparks of return shine eternally.

……

……

Stardust, like gentle snowflakes, silently fell upon the newly renovated jade steps of the Qitian Palace.

As soon as Sun Wukong stepped across the threshold, the scene inside the hall was completely transformed.

The once-coiled golden pillar has been replaced by a flowing pillar of light formed from chaotic nebulae, profound and mysterious, supporting a dazzling dome.

The dome was not a physical object, but a projection of the core of the chaotic star curtain, in which billions of stars were born and died endlessly, seemingly slowly but actually rapidly. Each time they shone and turned, they drew upon the pulse of the laws of the entire newly formed Three Realms, emitting a deep and vast hum.

Beneath their feet, pure starlight condensed into a smooth ground, clearly reflecting the miniature light and shadow of the Four Continents, the Netherworld, and the Milky Way, revealing every detail, and undulating slightly with the movement of the starry sky.

The celestial beings stood solemnly inside the hall, their auras deep and composed, a stark contrast to their former selves.

It has lost some of its ethereal and otherworldly air, and gained more of its weight and pragmatism.

Nezha, clad in crimson armor, had his Wind-Fire Wheels transformed into two blazing light imprints hovering beneath his feet. The crimson Daoist runes entwined on his left arm flickered subtly, resonating with the projected light and shadow of the Northern Continent's ley lines within the hall. Yang Jian, dressed in a simple silver-white divine robe, had a heart-scale divine mark on his forehead that shimmered with a penetrating silver light; his expression was serene as still water. Xuanlu Tongzi, in a jade Daoist robe, stood slightly behind, his youthful appearance masking a calm and focused gaze. Behind him, the faint phantom of Laozi's Doushuai Purple Fire flashed by. Dragon King Ao Guang, various righteous gods, great demon saints, and messengers from the underworld…

Representatives from all races in the Three Realms gathered together, their eyes all focused on the center of the hall.

A star official, dressed in a star map robe and holding a jade tablet, stood in the center.

The jade tablet in his hand was no ordinary object; the star stones inlaid on it flew out automatically with a light tap of his fingertip, arranging themselves under the dome of nebulae to form a clear luminous agenda.

"Reporting to the Great Sage, reporting to all..." The Star Official's voice was clear and melodious, carrying the rhythm of the stars' movement, "The Star Curtain operates with immense power, requiring an overwhelming amount of primordial energy. Although the innate chaotic energy is its foundation, the flow of life in the Three Realms and the beliefs and faith of all beings are also the living source that sustains its perpetual operation, smooths the ripples of the laws, and isolates it from external demonic interference. This living source is crucial to the survival of the Star Curtain and the stability of the Three Realms, and is therefore of utmost urgency."

As soon as the star official finished speaking, Ao Guang, the Dragon King of the East Sea, stepped forward from the crowd, his dragon eyes filled with undisguised worry.

The jeweled crown atop his head seemed to dim somewhat as he bowed deeply to Sun Wukong and the assembled immortals, his voice heavy as the deep sea: "Great Sage, may you all bear witness! The Starry Sky has bestowed its grace upon the Three Realms, your merits are immeasurable. However... however, in the heart of this old dragon, there is a deep worry!"

His gaze swept across the mortal light and shadow reflected in the hall, where houses stood neatly arranged, smoke rose from the chimneys, and enormous mechanical constructs roared and moved across the plain.

"Civilization on earth is flourishing, a natural order and a sign of progress. However, as their wisdom grows, their reverence for wind, rain, thunder, lightning, and the spirits of mountains and marshes is... I fear it will gradually diminish! In ancient times, people looked up at the heavens and down at the earth, holding reverence in their hearts and praying with utmost sincerity. Now, the belief that humans can conquer nature is growing. If reverence is lost, the power of faith will be like water without a source, eventually drying up! At that time, the foundation of the celestial sphere will crumble, the barriers between the three realms will widen, external demons will lurk, and internal troubles may arise. It will be too late for regrets then! This is my heartfelt concern, and I earnestly hope that you will all think deeply about it!"

His beard trembled slightly, his deep worry evident in his words, and the atmosphere in the hall became heavy for a moment.

In the silence, Nezha's clear voice rang out, carrying a calm, molten power:
"The Dragon King's concerns are not without reason."

He took a step forward, and the light from his flaming wheels left a clear crimson mark on the ground.

He did not look at Ao Guang, but raised his right hand, palm up.

Suddenly, the crimson lotus mark in his palm lit up, shimmering with iridescent light.

At the same time, the grand projection of the Three Realms on the ground of the palace instantly shrank and focused, locking onto a newly formed red jade vein in Beiju Luzhou with perfect clarity.

The images are incredibly lifelike:

Deep inside the mine, there was not the desolation of brute force excavation.

Several strong men from Luzhou, shirtless with muscles bulging like iron, stood solemnly as if attending a grand ceremony.

The leader took out a small mithril knife and, without hesitation, slashed it across his palm.

Crimson blood gushed out instantly, dripping into a deep, winding crevice in front of him, like the blood vessels of the earth. The blood did not splatter, as if it had been instantly absorbed by a thirsty mother.

Immediately afterwards, a sacred and gentle crimson light burst forth from the depths of the dripping crevice, like the heartbeat of the earth awakening, the light spreading out like ripples, permeating the entire rock wall.

The mine walls then emitted a deep, satisfied hum.

A moment later, several fist-sized, warm and translucent jadeite pieces with a reddish hue inside, like ripe fruits, slowly "separated" from the red-glowing rock wall and rolled down onto the soft mats laid out by the miners.

The scene shifts to a newly formed geothermal spring, where clear, warm water flows gently.

An elderly woman with white hair, dressed simply, held a handful of freshly harvested millet ears, still fragrant with the scent of earth, and offered them with utmost reverence on a natural stone platform beside the spring.

She was muttering incantations, not for wealth or riches, but to express gratitude to the earth for providing sustenance and to pray that the springs would flow forever to nourish the land.

As she prayed, the clear spring water seemed to flow more joyfully, rising up warm, misty vapors.

“Ao Guang”.

Nezha's gaze finally landed on the Dragon King's face. The crimson Dao pattern on his left arm shone brightly, as if echoing the power of the earth's veins in the projection: "The way of reverence is not about blindly following and worshipping, nor about fearing the unknown. It is about understanding cause and effect, having gratitude in one's heart, and knowing that what is taken must be returned!"

His voice was not loud, yet it clearly reached the ears of every immortal and deity: "The earth's veins in Beiju Luzhou are beginning to heal from their wounds; the earth's fire is gentle, and life is sprouting. Miners use their blood and essence as a catalyst to exchange for the earth's bounty—this is their sincere respect! An old woman offers the first ears of grain to the warm spring, grateful for its nourishing grace—this is their sincere gratitude! This kind of reverence, rooted in the heart and manifested in action, is more resilient and enduring than the ethereal power of incense and vows! The 'living water' needed by the star curtain is not the power of ignorant fear, but rather the sincere respect that all beings in the Three Realms, whether immortals, mortals, gods, or demons, have for this world they depend on for survival—a respect that originates from understanding and leads to symbiosis!"

(End of this chapter)