Under One Person: I Opened the Age of Mythology

Chapter 606

The stele is nine zhang and nine chi tall, and its entire body is neither gold nor jade, presenting a grayish-white background reminiscent of the beginning of chaos.

On the top of the stele, the left half is engraved with the mysterious and ancient yin-yang fish and the flowing patterns of the Bagua, which are naturally Taoist; the right half is imprinted with clear golden Bodhi leaves and swastika wheels, which are imbued with Buddhist light.

At the very center of the stele are those sixteen large characters, formed by the combined essence of Taoism and the light of Buddha, radiating an aura of eternity and immortality:
The Tao follows nature, the Buddha guides those with affinity; with a balanced mind, all paths lead to the same destination!

—The Monument of Ten Thousand Laws!

Below the Ascension Platform, a sea of ​​heads thronged. Countless cultivators and mortals, gazing up at the Heavenly Gate, stared in awe at the stone tablet that had suddenly risen from the ground, exuding an ancient and grand aura.

The inscription was impartial yet contained supreme power, as if pointing the way for all seekers of the Way—no matter which path one takes, one must ultimately use one's heart as the scale and return to the sincere path of protecting the Three Realms!

"The Monument of Ten Thousand Laws stands, the Great Way returns to its source!"

The Jade Emperor let out a long sigh of relief, a relieved smile breaking the silence in the hall.

The conflict between Buddhism and Taoism in the Heavenly Court was temporarily guided towards a new equilibrium through the debate between the two supreme beings.

However, the turmoil in the Three Realms did not stop there.

Before the Ascension Platform, a newly ascended Buddhist monk, known for his "compassionate and empathetic" image during the Zen Heart Trial, was basking in the envious gazes of mortals below.

Unbeknownst to anyone, beneath his lowered eyelids lay not compassion, but a calculating glint.
"Demons and spirits are also sources of merit..."

Almost simultaneously, at the construction site of the mortal dynasty outside the Valley of Pure Karma, colossal mechanical puppets, as large as mountains, were roaring and tearing apart the mountainside. The young master craftsman of the Construction Bureau, full of vigor and ambition, declared: "With mechanisms, we can move mountains and fill seas; with gunpowder, we can carve through roads! What can immortals and gods do to us? Human determination will surely triumph over heaven!"

Deep within the netherworld, the Ten Kings of Hell, who had just caught their breath from the storm of reckoning, looked at the newly erected Ten Thousand Laws Stele with varying expressions.

Meanwhile, the remaining forces of the immortal sects and aristocratic families, who had been exposed and severely punished by Yang Jian with his Heart Scale, gathered in the shadows, their eyes flashing with resentment and bitterness.

Sun Wukong stood alone on the Star Source Seat, his golden eyes sweeping over the Myriad Laws Stele, past the Ascension Platform, and looking towards the bustling "Construction Mansion" construction site in the mortal realm. Finally, his gaze fell upon the Reincarnation Well in the depths of the Netherworld, which was still slowly regaining its balance, and the "Mortal Elixir Core" within the well that needed the warmth of human life.

The chaotic star crystals at his temples, illuminated by the eternal Daoist aura emanating from the Myriad Laws Stele, flowed with a profound and all-encompassing radiance, like a discerning eye of the heavens, quietly watching over this complex and ever-changing path of return to the origin, a path teeming with both opportunities and undercurrents.

……

……

The Myriad Laws Stele stands beside the Ascension Platform, its chaotic radiance flowing, its Taoist and Buddhist essence blending together, injecting a powerful and profound harmonizing force into the new order of the Three Realms.

The undercurrents between Buddhism and Taoism in Heaven seem to have been temporarily calmed down, but the path of sincerity that maintains the Three Realms is far more thorny and deadly than what has been revealed.

Deep within the netherworld, the Reincarnation Well, supported by the "Earthly Pill," resumed its steady pulse, with chaotic energy flowing in and out steadily.

The boy with the mysterious furnace sat by the well, his small face growing increasingly solemn.

In his palm lies a "worldly elixir core" formed from the essence of Kunlun Mountain and the incense offerings of humankind. Countless almost invisible threads extend from it, probing into the void and continuously drawing upon the energy needed to maintain the balance of reincarnation—the "sincere incense offerings" of humankind.

This "sincere incense offering" is not ordinary incense, but rather the invisible power of aspiration emanating from the sincere emotions of all beings when practicing the principles of "reverence, cooperation, and sincerity."

It should have been a source of nourishment for the coexistence of the three realms, but now it has become an indispensable "fuel" for the cycle of reincarnation.

At first, there was nothing unusual.

However, with the keen insight of a sage in alchemy, Xuanlu Tongzi gradually discerned something unusual from the "smoke" feedback from the elixir core.

That originally rich, vibrant, and passionate energy, brimming with the full spectrum of human emotions, is becoming... bland.

This strange change first appeared in the places where people lived most busily.

Nanzhanbuzhou was once a small town known for its simple folk customs and its tradition of filial piety and righteousness.

The elderly father of the Zhang family had been bedridden for several months, and his only son, Zhang Sheng, who was known for his filial piety, served him medicine and took care of him without ever taking off his clothes.

The neighbors all praised him.

On this day, Zhang Sheng carried the medicine bowl to his father's bedside. His movements were still gentle, but his eyes were calm to the point of indifference.

His father looked at him with cloudy eyes, a hint of longing barely perceptible in them, and weakly called out his childhood name.

Zhang Sheng simply grunted in response, fed the medicine, and then turned to clear the dishes, his heart devoid of sorrow or joy, as if he were merely completing a routine task.

Neighbors came to visit and praised his filial piety, but Zhang Sheng only gave a slight smile, his heart unmoved. That once heavy affection for his children had been diluted by invisible water, so faint that it was almost undetectable.

Beiju Luzhou is a bustling town that has been reborn thanks to the blessings of Jingye Valley.

The newlyweds, who were inseparable just three months ago, were filled with affection when their eyes met.

Lately, however, her husband has been coming home later and later, and she has stopped bothering to ask him about it.

At the dinner table, the two remained silent, as if all the intimate conversations they used to have had been drained away.

The wife stroked the jade pendant her husband had given her as a token of their love; her fingertips were icy cold, but her heart remained unmoved.

Looking at her calm profile, her husband felt inexplicably irritated, but he was too lazy to delve into it.

That once fiery love has silently cooled and faded in the mundane days, leaving only an empty shell called "habit".

What's even more frightening is that this "dilution" of emotions is not an isolated case.

Parents' worries about their children getting into trouble have lessened, the loyalty and camaraderie among friends has thinned, and even the reverence for nature has lost its vibrancy.

The mortal world is slowly losing its most precious "human touch" in a gradual, insidious way. People still follow Yang Jian's laws and practice the teachings of the Heaven and Earth Academy, seemingly in perfect order and working together efficiently, but the core driving force behind their behavior—that fervent and sincere "emotion" that originates from the depths of their souls—is quietly slipping away.

This strange phenomenon that permeated the entire mortal realm eventually converged into a massive, invisible tide of "imperfection," impacting the very foundation of the order of the Three Realms.

In the Heavenly Court's Law Hall, Yang Jian sat beneath the "Heart Scales" divine emblem.

Suddenly, the divine core between his brows erupted with an unprecedented, intense silver light, carrying a warning meaning!
This light was not directed at any specific evil, but rather, like a resounding bell, it reverberated within Yang Jian's heart, reflecting a chilling scene:

Beneath the seemingly “sincere” actions of countless ordinary people, their emotional core is becoming pale and thin.

The "worldly emotions" that sustain the vitality of the soul and give life resilience and depth are being dragged down by the greedy and steady "sincere fireworks" of the Reincarnation Well. Like water that has been over-purified, although it is crystal clear, it has lost the minerals that nourish life!

"Excessive purification... backfires on the very essence of humanity!"

Yang Jian suddenly opened his eyes, his silver pupils flashing with a cold light, instantly grasping the core of the problem.

Reincarnation requires the "turbid currents of the mortal world" as a binder and a source of resilience. Although the "pure and sincere fireworks" simulated by the Xuanlu Boy with the "mortal pill" are pure and controllable, they have invisibly over-purified human emotions, removing that indispensable "impurity" that carries the flavor of life—which is precisely the source of love, hate, passion, and entanglement!
"It's better to guide than to block, and even when correcting a wrong, one shouldn't go too far." Yang Jian's voice was cold and decisive, piercing through the netherworld. "Issue an order to the Ten Courts of the Underworld: erect the 'Mirror of Mortal Dust' beside the Well of Reincarnation! From this day forward, any soul verified by the Scales of the Heart to have been wronged and whose great obsession with unfulfilled good intentions has been vindicated, rather than a benevolent soul filled with malice and resentment, may, before reincarnation, pour out their deepest obsession to the Mirror of Mortal Dust!"

With a flick of his fingertip, a silver beam containing complex laws shot into the netherworld:
"This persistent obsession is not to perpetuate hatred, but to fulfill an unfulfilled wish that is the focus of one's sincere devotion—perhaps the regret of not being able to fulfill filial duties, the shame of not being able to keep a promise, or the desire to protect one's home and country! This thought, imprinted by the Mirror of Mortal Life, is integrated into the newborn soul, not to make it dwell on the past life, but to infuse it with a strand of mortal resilience that originates from utmost sincerity and is unyielding in the face of adversity! In this way, it can make up for the loss of human affection and forge the foundation for the soul to inherit the world!"

The moment this decree was issued, the netherworld trembled.

A huge, ancient bronze mirror, its edges shrouded in a hazy mist, slowly rose beside the Well of Reincarnation. The mirror's surface was deep, as if it could reflect the deepest desires of the soul.

The virtuous spirit of a scholar, whose name has been cleared of wrongdoing, stands before a mirror, tears welling in his eyes: "I wish that in my next life I could be able to serve my parents and make up for the lack of filial piety I was able to fulfill in this life..." A ray of white light, carrying longing and remorse, shines into the mirror.

A young general who died in battle stroked his illusory sword: "I wish that in my next life I could still wield weapons to defend my homeland and protect the peace of this region..." A wisp of iron blood and the golden light of protection disappeared into the mirror.

Strands of regretful yet pure obsession are absorbed and transformed by the Mirror of Mortal World, becoming the purest "Resilience of Mortal World," which, with reincarnation, quietly merges into the blood and soul of the new generation.

The unsettling trend of emotional dilution in the mortal realm was finally slowly halted by this resilient current carrying the "beauty of imperfection."

Just as the crisis of human relationships was beginning to show signs of a turning point, another, more glaring rift was brutally torn open at the border between Beiju Luzhou and Nanzhanbuzhou.

Those newborn demon cubs whose demonic power was innately out of control due to the imbalance of reincarnation were not completely soothed by the "Hua Li Academy" plan after their initial rage and pain.

Their bloodline churns with an uncontrollable power, and their minds are fragile and twisted by pain.

This force and resentment, like dry tinder, were quietly ignited by a cold wind.

What ignited them were the remnants of the immortal sects and aristocratic families who had been purged, banished to hell, or marginalized by Yang Jian with his iron-fisted methods!

Unable to confront the Heavenly Court directly, they poured their overwhelming resentment onto those demons who cooperated with the Heavenly Court's new order, especially those who participated in atonement.

They dispatched their skilled separatists, disguised as "sympathizers" or "guides," to stir up trouble in the shadows of the demon tribes:
"Look! What has the new order of Heaven given you? It has turned your newborn children into monsters!"

"Those demons who are atoning for their sins are nothing but lackeys of the Heavenly Court! They are the ones who stole the spiritual veins and status that should have belonged to us!"

"The Heavenly Court favors mortals! Look at those mortals who use gunpowder to blow up mountains, how many demon habitats have they destroyed? Your suffering is all caused by them and the Heavenly Court!"

"Your blood is boiling? That's the roar of our ancestors' wrath! Rather than be tormented to death by this power, let it burn! Take revenge on those mortals who stole your peace, on those henchmen of the Heavenly Court! Join us—the 'Blood Boiling Alliance'! An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a boil to stop boiling!"

Desperate cubs, agonizing parents, and radical demons blinded by hatred... were all incited by these vicious words.

A "Blood Boiling Alliance," mainly composed of out-of-control cubs and including some adult demons, quickly gathered in the border mountains.

Their eyes were bloodshot, and their bodies were filled with a violent, raging demonic aura that formed a blood-red mist, like a moving storm of disaster.

Disaster struck soon after.

A small human town on the border, which had just been revitalized by a network of water and fire, was submerged by a raging torrent of demonic energy on a night of blood moon.

The cubs of the "Blood Boiling Alliance" had no concept of controlling their power. Driven purely by destructive urges, their demonic flames ignited houses, their claws tore apart hastily organized militia, and their violent shockwaves turned hard-earned farmland into scorched earth. Cries, explosions, and the roars of demons mingled, and paradise on earth was instantly transformed into hell.

When the news reached the Heavenly Court, the crowd was outraged. Nezha, riding on his Wind-Fire Wheels and with his silver spear in hand, roared in fury, "You wretched creatures! I'll burn these ignorant brats to ashes!"

Yang Jian frowned, his mind racing as he rapidly calculated the best solution.

"True Lord! Great Sage!"

A deep, muffled voice rang out, carrying a sense of resolve and gravity.

The black bear spirit, dragging his still-healing wounds, stepped forward from the crowd. His massive body knelt on the ground, yet his voice was exceptionally clear and firm: "The calamity originated from the demon race's loss of control. This is a tragedy for our race, and also a consequence of our failure as atoners to fulfill our duty of educating and guiding! I implore the True Lord and the Great Sage to allow me, the old bear, to lead a demon race army of atonement! I... I have committed countless atrocities and know the agony of burning hatred in one's heart. Perhaps... perhaps I can persuade some of the lost souls! If we can stop the war with war and quell this chaos, it will be my way of atoneing for the sins of Black Wind Ridge once more!"

In his enormous, bell-like eyes, there was remorse, but also a sense of responsibility to face death.

Yang Jian's gaze was like lightning, and the silver light of his heart scale swept over the bear: "Approved! But you must remember that this trip is not for killing, but for stopping the fighting, dividing and rescuing! If you encounter resistance, you can subdue it but not kill it indiscriminately, especially the out-of-control cubs! With the heart scale above, I see through your words and actions!"

"The bear obeys! Thank you for your grace, True Lord!"

The black bear spirit kowtowed heavily, then suddenly stood up, unleashing an aura that was a mixture of a desire for redemption and the fierce power of a former demon king.

The battlefield was filled with smoke and the air thick with the stench of blood.

The Redeemers, led by Xiong Pi, formed an impenetrable wall, resisting the ferocious onslaught of the Blood Boiling Alliance.

Each swing of his massive bear paw carried the force of ten thousand tons, yet he skillfully avoided vital points, stunning and knocking back the out-of-control cubs charging at the front. He continuously unleashed deafening roars, attempting to suppress the opponent's rage:

"Wake up! Don't be bewitched by evil spirits! Think of your parents!"

(End of this chapter)