The more you believe me, the more real it becomes.

Chapter 230: Humanity Lost, Divinity Revealed (5k)

Looking at the dark mass of cultivators in front of him.

The owner of the white robe merely raised her eyebrows without saying a word.

But it is precisely this kind of unspoken silence that is most agonizing.

The group of cultivators who had been so aggressive and eager to flatten the place had long lost their initial arrogance. After realizing that there was no hope of escape, their backs hunched over involuntarily. Even the few who arrived later to "protect" them were already feeling bitter and their fingertips were trembling.

They dared not look up at the expression of the person in the plain white robe, but exchanged quick glances in secret, their eyes filled with bewilderment and helplessness.

They couldn't understand why they had encountered this person here, and they didn't know how to continue the conversation.

They could only secretly rejoice that they weren't there to pick up scraps.

But just as this feeling of relief was beginning to linger in their minds, a sudden chill ran down their spines, and cold sweat instantly broke out on their backs.

No! The Taoist lineage has always been at odds with this person, so why would a highly respected ancestor travel all the way from the ancestral temple to this place to save people?
You have to understand that in the current situation, it's not as simple as just crossing another world!
The obstacles and corresponding expenses involved, and even the amount of cultivation that this ancestor would have to expend, made their scalps tingle just thinking about it.

Furthermore, it is worth noting that a great Bodhisattva had previously broken through the most difficult "one" in the treacherous land of burial.
What exactly is going on?

It is because Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism had already secretly discussed and agreed to join forces to set up this kind of formation.
Or were the Buddhist and Taoist sects acting independently, deliberately concealing their actions from the Confucian Temple?

If it's the former, that's fine, but if it's the latter, why has the Confucian Temple been sitting idly by until now?
The more they pondered, the more chilled they felt. The murky waters before them were far deeper than they had initially imagined, and the intricacies hidden within were something they couldn't comprehend at all.

In the end, all they could do was sigh:
'If we had known earlier that this was the one guarding this place, we would never have dared to come!'

Don't wade into muddy waters you can't understand—this principle is understood by everyone from the peddlers struggling to make a living in the mortal world to the immortals, Buddhas, gods, and demons who hold power in the heavens.
After hesitating for a long time, the person from Yihua Blessed Land considered the matter for a moment before bowing low and mustering his courage to speak:

"This humble demon, on behalf of the Blessed Land of Yihua, humbly congratulates the High God on his early passage through this calamity! The High God may still remember—before the great calamity began, my grandmother personally presented you with a seven-colored Ruyi, which embodied the spiritual essence of my Blessed Land of Yihua for a hundred years!"

The owner of the plain white robe also looked over with those cold eyes, and with just one glance, the others lowered their heads even further.

"Hmm." A cool, flat voice rang out. "I remember now, that little snake, right?"

No one dared to respond to this—after all, Yihua Blessed Land has always been ranked among the top among all the blessed lands and grotto-heavens, and is a recognized sacred place of immortals, not an ordinary minor sect.

Even the Flower-Shifting Granny, known as "Little Snake," was a powerful being with unfathomable cultivation. When she attained enlightenment and ascended to immortality, she merely followed her heart and casually strolled through the mountains and rivers, which unexpectedly created a great waterway connecting the north and south, known as "Nine Turns and Eighteen Bends," for future generations.

For the next thousand years, all living things along the river benefited from its irrigation. Even many great ancestors would respectfully address her as "senior" when they met her.

But in the mouth of this god, all they got was a "little snake," and they didn't even dare to have the slightest thought of rebutting it.

The little demon who spoke was especially overjoyed and wept tears of joy; the High God actually remembered!

She quickly lowered herself even further, her forehead almost touching the ground, her voice trembling with tears but unable to conceal her excitement:
"It is indeed my grandmother! This humble demon dares not presume that the High God would even remember this matter. I will now, on behalf of my grandmother, kowtow to the High God to express my gratitude for this grace!"

Years ago, when Grandma insisted on using the century-old fortune and spiritual energy of the Yihua Blessed Land to forge that seven-colored Ruyi, not a single elder in the clan agreed, and even she herself secretly felt it was inappropriate.

Looking at the forces that presented gifts to the gods back then, which one didn't offer ancient treasures and a thousand years of accumulated wisdom?
Even if Grandma's Ruyi is considered to have pure spiritual energy, it can only be considered "superior" at best, far from being "top-tier". How could it possibly catch the eye of the gods?

She secretly thought that her grandmother's actions were probably a waste of the blessed land's hundred-year fortune.

But now—after so many years, through great calamities and upheavals, the world's order has probably changed several times over, yet the Supreme God still remembers this matter!
"Grandma, I misunderstood you. You were right!"

The little demon was practically in tears at that moment.

Unexpectedly, before they could even rejoice for long, they heard the deity say:
"I have no recollection of that Ruyi. I only remember that when that little snake was not yet sentient, it curled up in a corner of one of my temples and silently prayed for some time. Seeing that it was confused but still had some desire for enlightenment, I picked a vermilion fruit for it."

'Huh?! There's this other cause and effect too?'

Upon hearing this, not only the little demon but also the other families were taken aback.

Such a secret past is something that outsiders like them have never heard of, and even Granny Yihua herself probably doesn't know about it.

Otherwise, given the ambition of Yihua Fudi, they should have already used this connection to try and get on board with this great god.

Before he could think about it, he saw that the god, who was known for his aloofness and unapproachability, suddenly changed his expression.

The corners of her lips curved slightly, a smile as faint as a glimmer of light that might vanish in an instant, yet it undeniably broke through the usual aloofness:

“I didn’t take this matter to heart, but today, the little snake sent you to protect him. This small cause and effect has finally come to a proper end.”

This unexpected scene left everyone present stunned, utterly bewildered and caught off guard. The shock was even greater than encountering the god himself in this place.

After all, this god's temples are scattered throughout the four seas and eight wastelands. Even though it is more likely to happen within the thirty-six days now, it is not too unbelievable that we encountered him in the territory of the Confucian Temple.

But her initiative in speaking up, even with a hint of warmth, truly shattered everyone's expectations.

The group was extremely curious about what had happened, and they even had a feeling that whether they could return home safely today, or even make some connections, might all depend on this!

But how can I get to the heart of the matter when I start the conversation?
-
The people in the southwest were in a state of turmoil, and the surrounding areas were also in a state of turmoil.

However, the root causes of their respective problems are slightly different.

There is a great marshland here called the River of Oblivion. Once upon a time, a mortal emperor, unwilling to stop his achievements at the level of territorial expansion, devoted ten years of his life to assembling thousands of craftsmen to build an unprecedented fleet of treasure ships.

He intended to cross the River of Oblivion to preserve his fame and achievements.

After three years of voyages, they still hadn't seen the other shore and were about to give up when they caught a glimpse of a magnificent palace through the light mist!
The size of this hall is unprecedented. Its walls are as high as mountains.

The fleet commander looked at the palace and immediately concluded that this was the legendary Heavenly Palace.

He was eager to see the immortals and gods and to ask for a "celestial merit" for the king, so he immediately split the fleet into two wings: the left fleet went east along the palace wall and the right fleet went west along the palace wall, all in the hope of finding the immortal gate to the palace.

For half a month, however, there was still no end in sight, no matter where they were.

Left with no other choice, they had to give up and return to port.

As time went by, dynasties came and went, and almost every emperor followed the example of his predecessors, seeking guidance from the immortals.

But no one can see this place anymore!
From then on, no ordinary person ever thought of crossing the river again, considering it a foolish delusion.

Now, deep within the River of Oblivion, in this watery marshland perpetually shrouded in blue mist, half of the temple is rising and falling with the waves.

Several large arrays were stacked one after another outside the temple, and as far as the eye could see, countless mechanical puppets were busy maintaining the arrays.

What's even more chilling are the hundreds of figures standing around the array's core. These are all powerful cultivators who, in the past, could establish their own sects and dominate an entire region!

At this moment, they were either sitting cross-legged on the reefs or standing on the crests of the waves. The spiritual light around their bodies trembled slightly due to the excessive exertion of their magical power. Their palms were pressed on the key points of the formation, using their own essence and blood as a guide to forcefully suppress the chaotic spiritual energy surging within the formation.

Everyone present knew the heavy price of this action—such a forceful interference with the secrets of heaven would inevitably provoke a backlash from the heavenly laws, resulting in the complete loss of one's cultivation or, in severe cases, the immediate disintegration of one's physical body and soul.

Despite the perilous situation, not a single one of the hundreds of powerful cultivators outside the hall showed any intention of retreating.

Suddenly, a warm halo swept across the sky, and the people who had been holding their breath suddenly relaxed, and a bright light flashed in their eyes—someone had once again shaken the foundation of the world!

So, does this mean they're really going to get together?
The thought had barely formed when more than a dozen dazzling streaks of light suddenly streaked across the sky, heading straight for the temple. Immediately following behind, countless mysterious magical lights poured down, making the several great formations surrounding the temple even more unbreakable.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, quickly stopped their practice, and sat cross-legged to regulate their breathing.

These three years of painstaking effort have cost countless lives, yet people continue to follow one after another, taking turns to stand guard—betting on this final step to soar to new heights and achieve immortal success.

Everyone thought that countless more lives would have to be lost before they could see a glimmer of hope, but they never expected to receive such a tremendous benefit today.

With the foundation of this great undertaking already laid, those elders with deeper cultivation levels will be freed from the suppression of the Heavenly Law. In this way, what difficulty is there in achieving our grand plan! As the dozen or so streaks of light settled, an aged and profound voice resounded in mid-air:

"You have all worked hard for the past three years. Now please return to your respective caves to rest. Leave everything here to us. Rest assured, we would never dare to embezzle a single penny of your hard-earned achievements over these three years!"

More than a hundred senior repairmen bowed in unison, their voices carrying an undisguised mix of exhaustion and relief:

"Thank you, senior!"

As soon as the words were spoken, everyone used their escape techniques to leave and return to their caves to recuperate and recover their energy.

Among these hundred or so people were sect leaders, regional overlords, and disciples of top sects.

Therefore, those of high status, such as the "chicken head," could go back and rest directly; while those of slightly lower status, such as the "phoenix tail," had to first visit the elders of each family and report back.

Among the top sects, the most powerful one experienced a small incident after returning.

After the disciples who had participated in the guard duty returned, the ancestor, hidden in the scroll hanging high in the ancestral hall, offered a few words of gentle comfort, bestowed upon them healing artifacts and mind-calming pills, and then his gaze fell on the only woman, saying slowly:
“My fellow disciples, please go back and rest. You must be exhausted after many days of hard work. Lin’er, you stay here—it has been a while since I had a proper conversation with you.”

Several cultivators of varying ages bowed and took their leave. Only the young woman pouted, saying with a hint of coquettishness:

"Master, I'm tired too, I want to go back and rest!"

In the past, her coquettishness had always worked, and even in the most serious matters, her master would always go along with her wishes.

But today, she only heard a soft sigh, carrying an undeniable solemnity:
"Alas, this time it won't work. Lin'er, you must listen carefully to what your teacher has to say."

The woman's expression suddenly changed—something had happened, and it was a big deal!
"Master, Lin'er is listening."

She immediately abandoned all her coquettishness, sat up straight, and her mind raced: What could be so important that it could make Master act so strangely?
The old man hidden within the painting spoke with increasing solemnity, tinged with an unconcealable sorrow:
"Don't go to the temple anymore. After you go back, tell everyone that you have gained some enlightenment and need to go into seclusion to cultivate, and avoid this matter for the time being."

Upon hearing this, the woman was immediately startled and asked in a trembling voice:

"Master! The foundation of the Great World has already been shaken ahead of schedule, and things should be steadily improving on the side of the Divine Temple. Why are you telling me to avoid it instead?"

Going to the temple to provide support earlier was clearly a self-destructive act when there was no hope.

As her master's personal disciple, and one of the organizers of this important event, she took the initiative to go to the temple to stand guard.

It was precisely because people like her took the lead that the other families had no complaints and sent people to take turns to carry on the work.

But everyone has endured so much, and now going to the temple to stand guard is clearly a great opportunity to "earn real merit"! Why is it that at this crucial moment, Master is preventing her from going?

After hesitating for a moment, she asked cautiously:
"Master, could it be that he is not in the temple?"

His voice trembled as he spoke. In the past three years, the people of this land had devoted countless efforts and sacrificed countless lives for the existence of the temple.

If in the end it turns out that it was all a false alarm, wouldn't all the sacrifices made before become a joke? She dared not think any further, and just clutched the hem of her clothes, waiting for her master's reply.

Upon hearing this, the old man in the painting tightened his bitter smile even more.
"Yes, of course it is. I alone might be mistaken, but with so many eyes watching the temple, they can't all be wrong."

These words did not reassure the woman; instead, they deepened her confusion, prompting her to ask further, utterly perplexed:

"Then why do you insist that I stay away, Master? Now is the time to reap the rewards."

The old man then let out a heavy sigh, his tone tinged with helplessness and self-deprecation:
"Previously, we were trapped in the Heavenly Law and could hardly move. Although we still can't get out, at least we can move our arms and legs outside."

"But it is precisely because of this that I realized what a foolish thing we had done!"

Before the woman could ask what exactly she meant by "foolish thing," the old man's voice rang out first, filled with regret and remorse:
"The one in the temple is indeed there. But now, she has lost all humanity and revealed all divinity!"

"Master, I... I still don't quite understand." The woman listened blankly, her eyes full of confusion. "Although this is different from what we initially estimated, as long as that person is really trapped inside, rescuing her is still the same as we originally planned, isn't it?"

"Don't you understand yet? The key lies in the word 'human nature'!" The old man's voice suddenly turned deep, carrying a hint of exasperation.

"The reason why gods are gods, and not the cold and impersonal laws of heaven and earth, is precisely because they have gained humanity and developed human hearts. They have likes and dislikes, feelings and righteousness, and even a trace of tenderness 'remembering old feelings,' so that they are not like the Way of Heaven, which only recognizes cause and effect and only considers profit and loss, without any regard for human feelings!"

He paused, then laid out his previous plans, his tone still carrying a hint of past expectations:

"What we were thinking about before was that as long as we could break the heavenly laws and break the seal, we could rescue her from inside. No matter what, she would have to repay us for our life-risking help. At that time, she would naturally take us with her to ascend to the heavens and share in the great opportunities of the world!"

But now

If a god has lost all humanity and only possesses divinity, what difference is there between him and the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth?
No, it's even worse than that.

After all, even the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth is still a system of fifty Great Daos, with forty-nine Heavenly Daos and one Humanity!

In other words, even the seemingly unreasonable God actually harbors some compassion for all things in the world.

But this one...
She couldn't find even a trace of humanity left!
If we rescue them, it would be the least we can do; we might not even remember their kindness. If we sense something's wrong, we could easily kill them all!

After all, no one can say for sure what rules a great god, who is only divine, will follow.
The woman felt a chill run down her spine and froze on the spot: "Ah?! Then, Master, why aren't we stopping?"

The words had barely left her mouth when she suddenly snapped back to reality, and then her eyes started twitching uncontrollably—it wasn't that she didn't want to stop, it was that she simply couldn't stop!
If I had known this would be the outcome three years ago, I could have stopped decisively; even if I had realized it a year ago, it would still have been possible to cut my losses. But now, there's no going back!
In these three years, how many comrades have lost their lives outside the temple, and how many sects' most treasured items have become sacrifices to the core of the formation?

It had long since become a life-or-death situation where there was no room for error!
It's a joke to talk about it now. If we stop now, those who organized the gathering will probably be attacked by everyone.

Therefore, we have no choice but to continue.

But what should we do then? If we keep dragging this out, it will be discovered sooner or later.

"Master, what should we do next?"

The old man sighed deeply, then his voice grew colder:
"Whether they possess only humanity or only divinity, they are anomalies that heaven and earth cannot tolerate. This is because such beings are too powerful and their actions are unpredictable."

"Therefore, I am certain that when the sealing process truly begins, it will inevitably attract an unprecedented and ferocious heavenly tribulation. At that time..."

The woman trembled all over upon hearing this, and then said:
"Master, those are all our fellow cultivators who have been with us for three years!"

The old man remained unmoved, only a chilling coldness remained:
"If we succeed, I will naturally not forget them. But since we cannot succeed, as long as we can preserve our sect, I will bear this eternal infamy!"

The woman's throat bobbed laboredly, and finally, powerless, she knelt before the scroll, pleading for answers:
"Master, is there really no other way?"

Having barely survived the great calamity, they then shared a three-year bond of camaraderie while waiting outside the temple.

She really didn't want things to come to this.

Looking at his disciple, who was no different from his daughter.

The old man also sighed deeply:

"The only way to break this deadlock is to rediscover humanity, but where is this humanity hidden, and how can we find it? How can we possibly figure it out?"

"It's even possible that, back in that earth-shattering battle, it vanished along with its old acquaintances and past, leaving not a trace!"

At this point, a wistful hope flickered in the old man's eyes, and he couldn't help but murmur to himself in reverie:

"If only humanity existed here, how wonderful that would be! Divinity is ruthless, humanity is compassionate. Both are extremes, but the latter is perhaps truly like this person's divine position, as gentle and boundless as a river in spring!"

But after saying that, he shook his head and said:

"Give up that idea. Even if we find it, let alone whether we can find it, it will definitely be under Tianxian's watchful eye! Such a matter is absolutely not something we can get involved in."

(End of this chapter)