Chapter 5: Life Like a Painting

The Human Race Will Never Surrender!

These words weighed on Lin Jiufeng's heart like a mountain.

He didn't know whether Gu Baili had seen him or if those words were meant for him. But at that moment, his heart felt unbearably heavy.

Before entering the Dimensional Battlefield, both the Sage and the Old Dragon from the South had warned him about the dire situation of the human race there. Still, Lin Jiufeng never expected it to be this desperate.

Only one lone city remained, barely holding on, teetering on the edge of destruction.

If Gu Baili hadn't stepped forward, the last human city would have been erased.

In this vast battlefield, was there truly no other strong warrior among the humans?

At the most critical moment, why did it have to be Gu Baili—who had only just entered the battlefield from the mortal world—to stand up and fight?

Lin Jiufeng had never imagined that the human race had fallen to such a state.

Time flows like the tide—rising and falling.

As Gu Baili drew his last breath and fell into eternal slumber beneath the earth, Lin Jiufeng's consciousness returned to the present.

The tide receded, leaving him wide awake. The intertwining timelines made him feel as though he had just awoken from a long, sorrowful dream.

In that dream, he had witnessed a tragedy.

Now, as Lin Jiufeng gazed at Gu Baili's tombstone, he saw that while it had grown older and more weathered than in his vision, it remained largely unchanged.

The shattered fragments of his dream pulled him abruptly back to reality. Taking a deep breath, he realized that everything he had seen was real.

Many years ago, the human race had faced an existential crisis. In that desperate moment, Gu Baili had stepped forward, risking everything to resolve it.

To minimize the burden on his people, he had even chosen not to die near them. Instead, he found a secluded valley and comforted himself, saying that the Nether Flowers would keep him company and that he wouldn't be lonely.

But how could this dark and silent valley, unchanged for millennia, not be lonely?

Lin Jiufeng's nose stung with emotion. His respect for Gu Baili swelled beyond measure. The only thing he could do was rise and clean the area around the tomb.

[Your diligent cleaning activates your Heaven-defying Comprehension. You have comprehended the Fan Tian Seal!]

Lin Jiufeng froze. Then, looking at Gu Baili's tomb, he spoke with unwavering determination:

"Senior, I will ensure that the Fan Tian Seal is carried forward."

The Fan Tian Seal was an immensely powerful divine seal. The deeper one's comprehension of the Dao, the stronger its force. At its peak, it could overturn heaven and earth.

Back then, Gu Baili had used it to slay the Giant King of the Giants—proof of its overwhelming power.

Lin Jiufeng did not rush to practice the technique. Instead, he bowed deeply to Gu Baili's tombstone in respect.

The Sacred Beast Qilin, though unsure of what had transpired, followed Lin Jiufeng's example, bowing solemnly as well.

To Qilin, Lin Jiufeng was his elder brother. Whatever his elder brother did, he would do the same.

That was the Qilin's way.

After the offering, Lin Jiufeng sat before the tombstone, quietly contemplating the profound mysteries of the Fan Tian Seal.

Like a rushing tide, knowledge of the technique surged into his mind, absorbed by his golden Primordial Spirit, deepening his comprehension.

The Fan Tian Seal could overturn the heavens—a force capable of toppling the firmament itself.

At that moment, Lin Jiufeng began forming seals with his hands, gathering energy within himself and aligning with the Dao's resonance. Soon, he could sense the energy of the world shifting in response.

BOOM!

A deafening roar echoed through the sky. The very heavens trembled as Lin Jiufeng's will stirred them, causing the firmament to ripple and descend upon the land.

Immediately, he withdrew his technique, satisfied.

"I have grasped the basics of the Fan Tian Seal. Now, I only need to refine it further, enhance its power, and elevate my realm."

His rapid comprehension was largely thanks to personally witnessing Gu Baili wield the technique. The memory of its immense force had been imprinted deep in his mind.

While Lin Jiufeng was immersed in understanding the Fan Tian Seal, the Sacred Beast Qilin was busy inspecting Gu Baili's tomb, searching for the rumored inheritance.

Yet, despite circling the grave several times, Qilin found nothing. Frustrated, he returned to Lin Jiufeng's side and grumbled, "That old man said there was a great inheritance here, but I found nothing! He's a liar!"

Lin Jiufeng smiled and patted Qilin's head. "Sometimes, patience is needed. This great human senior indeed left behind an inheritance."

"He did?" Qilin's eyes lit up with curiosity. "Where is it?"

Lin Jiufeng raised his hand and pointed—to the tombstone itself.

Qilin scrutinized the stone carefully, examining it from top to bottom, then shook his head. "There's nothing there."

Lin Jiufeng remained silent. Placing his palm against the tombstone, he uttered the words:

"The Human Race Will Never Surrender!"

Those were Gu Baili's words.

Lin Jiufeng wasn't sure whether they were meant for him.

But he knew that they represented Gu Baili's lifelong conviction.

The human race—unyielding, unwavering, never surrendering.

Hummm…

As Lin Jiufeng spoke, the once-inactive tombstone began to glow faintly, illuminating his hand.

The light condensed, forming the shape of a figure.

Gu Baili!

When he dug his own grave and erected his tombstone, he had also left behind a spiritual imprint. Now, after all these years, Lin Jiufeng had activated it.

Gu Baili's imprint emerged in silence—unable to speak, as it was merely a fragment of his past self.

Yet within this imprint lay the entirety of Gu Baili's cultivation insights, Dao comprehension, and secret arts.

He demonstrated them one by one, displaying them in meticulous detail.

Lin Jiufeng and Qilin focused intently, afraid to miss even a single moment.

The imprint showcased everything.

From Gu Baili's early cultivation in the mortal world to his journey through the Dimensional Battlefield—every step he took, every path he walked, every Dao he comprehended, and every secret art he studied unfolded before them.

Lin Jiufeng watched in silent wonder. It was as if he had witnessed Gu Baili's entire life.

From youth to middle age.

From weakness to strength.

From the mortal world to the Dimensional Battlefield.

Gu Baili's entire journey played out before his eyes.

This was the inheritance.

Gu Baili had been thorough, leaving nothing behind in uncertainty.

He had feared that future generations would struggle to understand. He had feared that his knowledge and skills would be lost.

Not for his own legacy—but because the human race could not afford to lose another great warrior.

Lin Jiufeng's eyes stung. Even in his final moments, Gu Baili had thought only of the human race, ensuring that his last shred of value was not wasted.

He could have stood at the pinnacle of the world.

He could have remained an unrivaled force.

He was born a mountain.

Yet, for the sake of humanity, he had forsaken it all, choosing instead to burn like a candle—consumed until nothing remained.

As the imprint faded, Lin Jiufeng sat in silence for a long time.

[You have witnessed Gu Baili's life. Your emotions surge, activating your Heaven-defying Comprehension. You have comprehended 'Life Like a Painting'!]