Chapter 118
On the cliff of the Indestructible Summit, hundreds of thousands of soul lamps still flicker.
Since the beginning of the war, neither thunderbolts nor flames of battle have disturbed the tranquility and the barrier of this place.
Yue Wu Huan slowly approached and lifted the first soul lamp. Inside it, the soul known as Xie Que had already become numb from the torturous pain endured over three thousand years.
Gazing upon this abhorrent soul, memories of struggle in hell resurfaced in his mind, and the stench in his breath intensified.
But those past torments could no longer afflict his heart.
Yue Wuhuan gently extinguished the soul lantern, reducing the wicked spirit to ashes, vanishing forever between heaven and earth.
Deep within, it was as if a dark chain had been unlocked; as the hatred was set aside, his spirit became increasingly free.
Yue Wuhuan extinguished the second soul lantern, then the third, the fourth…
His quest for vengeance was long complete; there was no need to look back.
As each memory's soul lantern was snuffed out, and each chain of hatred undone, his spirit grew lighter, and his steps more brisk…
Finally, Yue Wuhuan stood atop the cliff and raised his hand, unleashing a powerful wave of divine intent, extinguishing hundreds of thousands of soul lanterns simultaneously.
In the instant the soul lanterns were extinguished, the phoenix imprisoned in the abyss finally found freedom. The cursed tear mark at the corner of its eye vanished along with the fading of hatred.
Yue Wuhuan at last saw the world for what it truly was—polluted air filled with malicious energies that corroded all things. High above, a dark gate to hell hung ajar, emitting filthy demonic mists that manipulated and transformed the entire world into a nightmarish hellscape.
Sensing that the seal had been broken and their time was up, the demons howled in desperation amid thunderclaps.
Yue Wuhuan raised his head: "Usurper."
...
In the divine realm, the Heavenly Emperor and various gods gathered before the withering World Tree.
The fruits of the world nurtured on the tree had already been largely infected by dark demonic energies.
The sacred tree had emerged from untainted flames, coexisting with the phoenix, and depending on the phoenix's power of rebirth and reincarnation.
The phoenix carefully nurtured each immature world, awaiting the perfection of their governing laws. Once mature, the worlds would fall from the tree and be placed in the cosmos to become true worlds.
Because the rules of these small worlds were not yet mature, flaws would often appear, leading to the withering or death of the World Fruits. Thus, the Phoenix Sovereign designed an artifact to control destiny for adjustments and trials. He chose suitable human souls to test the world's laws through tasks, or to correct worlds that had gone astray.
Since each world had different developmental stages and cultures, including technology, magic, and cultivation, tasks were presented through scripts, dramas, legends, and novels to avoid any misinterpretations that could lead them astray.
The artifact operated smoothly, and one after another, small worlds ripened on the World Tree, each containing countless souls and resources.
The demons had long coveted these immature worlds, but the World Tree could only grow through the power of the Phoenix Sovereign, the most perfect of divine spirits, flawless in strength, wisdom, and will.
After planning for countless eons, the demonic clan finally discovered a way. During the battle between gods and demons, they set a trap, injuring the Phoenix Sovereign and stealing a fragment of his divine soul. They then embedded this fragment into the World Tree and infused it with a wisp of worldly delusions and desires towards the Phoenix Sovereign, which they shaped into a tear-shaped seal, blocking his memory. They went on to create a beautiful but restrictive body to house the soul.
The seal would also induce profane thoughts about the Phoenix's beauty. Once his body was mature enough to contain power, the demons manipulated the course of destiny to attract evil individuals to inflict harm and suffering, fostering pain and hatred in his psyche.
Breaking the seal would require formidable worldly power.
The more the Phoenix Sovereign despised the world, the more the world rejected him.
Consequently, he couldn't awaken, couldn't control the world, and couldn't utilize its power.
It was a simple yet utterly shameless tactic.
Initially, the gods believed the issue was minor. Despite the abhorrent nature of this event, divine spirits possess strong wills and are unlikely to be affected. Furthermore, the miniature worlds were the Phoenix's home turf, making things easier. Hence, they believed that the mighty Phoenix would soon wake up, see through the illusory body, expel the demons, and return.
However, the gods were wrong.
The World Tree began to wither. Only after several World Fruits became polluted did they realize that even the immaculate Phoenix Sovereign had vulnerabilities.
Born from pure flames, the Phoenix Sovereign had an intense fondness for cleanliness. He avoided any filth or dust, held himself in high esteem, and refused any affections with impure thoughts or bodily contact born of desire. He was solely interested in seeking the most flawless love, thereby rejecting the pursuits of all beings.
His nobility, his perfection, his seriousness, his intelligence, and his power—all were his strengths.
However, the demonic clan turned these strengths into swords to pierce him.
The Phoenix Sovereign could endure any physical or mental torment but couldn't bear the shame of defilement. A small stain on his proud perfection was like an ink blot on white paper. Despite his desperate struggles to shake it off, the blot only expanded, becoming increasingly glaring.
He loathed the world, was subsequently rejected by it, and as the demons took control of more worlds, he suffered more terrible torments. Receiving no help from any world and continuously deceived by fate, his hatred for the world deepened, and he ultimately lost himself, refusing to see the truth.
It was a vicious cycle.
Caught in an endless loop of reincarnation, the Phoenix was completely mired in the muck, unable to extricate himself. His power became nutrients for the demons to cultivate hellish worlds. What were once normal worlds transformed into havens for demons, to then be corrupted and taken away.
The gods grew increasingly frantic.
They tried to infiltrate these mini-worlds to awaken the Phoenix Sovereign.
However, the Wheel of Fate was already under demonic control. To rescue the Phoenix, they had to disguise themselves as human quest-takers, using the questing process to locate him.
The demonic clan, sensing their movements, laid traps to seal the quest-takers' powers and memories. They were given various peculiar rescue missions, with severe punishments awaiting any failures.
All gods possess innate abilities; even within the cycle of reincarnation, they stand far above mere mortals.
The Heavenly Emperor branded their souls with a mark meant to rescue the Phoenix Sovereign, a reminder not to lose their way once they entered these miniature worlds.
One by one, loyal, brave, and intelligent divine spirits ventured into these worlds, striving to awaken the Phoenix Sovereign.
The demons targeted their vulnerabilities, dooming them to tragic fates right from the start, tormenting them repeatedly while offering numerous false clues to mislead them further.
For instance, a resolute general was given a detested identity and an unsightly appearance, forcing him to live under scornful and painful gazes, clouding his judgment with hate and rage; a loyal and kind-hearted maiden was stripped of all happiness, misguided by unending sorrow, making her forget the Phoenix Sovereign in her endless acts of compassion; as for those divine spirits who had once admired the Phoenix Sovereign, perfect replicas were crafted, offering them irresistibly romantic scenarios to make them enamored with the counterfeit, blinding them to the true Phoenix who had become a mere shell of his former self…
Each failure by these quest-takers led to increasingly dire consequences.
The Phoenix Sovereign's heart became sensitive and distrustful; his personality grew more and more extreme and pathological. Anyone approaching him with ulterior motives, no matter how slight, would face his violent retaliation, sometimes even at the cost of his own life.
Without undertaking tasks, the quest-takers couldn't leave the miniature worlds.
Attempting to complete tasks meant failing to gain the Phoenix Sovereign's trust.
Most divine spirits eventually gave up on rescue after a few attempts, opting to complete the artifact's tasks and return. A select few, like General Anlong who guarded the divine-demonic border, lost themselves in an endless cycle of failures, forfeiting their quest-taker qualifications. Their divine spirits descended into reincarnation alongside the Phoenix, their dragon bones seized to become pawns the demons used to torment the Phoenix further.
The Heavenly Emperor finally realized that this was an impossible mission...
One by one, the miniature worlds were taken away.
The entire divine realm sank into a state of helplessness.
The task petition submitted by Lord Qing Shi took all divine spirits by surprise.
The Heavenly Emperor could never have guessed what prior connection existed between the Phoenix Sovereign and Lord Qing Shi that would motivate the latter to try rescuing the Phoenix even after everyone else had failed.
Lord Qing Shi's ascension was both an anomaly and a coincidence within the divine realm.
His original form was a white stone crafted from Red Lotus Mysterious Fire by the Heavenly Emperor millions of years ago, placed on Song Mountain to suppress the netherworld's dark flames. Over time, this stone, having saved countless lives and accumulated immense virtue, surprisingly ascended to divinity.
When the Heavenly Emperor first saw the stone-turned-deity, he was flabbergasted…
Attempting to break the ice, he found that though the stone had adopted a human form, its heart remained stone-like—incapable of emotion, indifferent to mockery, scorn, hatred, affection, or praise…
The Heavenly Emperor spoke cordially and earnestly, only to find the stone staring blankly back at him, understanding nothing and unable to speak.
It was an awkward moment, to say the least...
The Heavenly Emperor casually named him Song Qing Shi, intending it to mean "Green Stone of Song." However, the Deity of Destiny misinterpreted his handwriting, and it became Song Qing Shi, resembling "Clear Era of Song." Finding the name satisfactory, the Emperor let it be. He then earnestly educated the newly-minted Qing Shi, advising him to read more books if he didn't understand worldly matters, assuring him that knowledge would come with reading.
After considerable effort, Qing Shi finally grasped the importance of learning.
Faced with Qing Shi's inability to adapt to life among the gods, the Heavenly Emperor felt responsible for the stone he had himself crafted. He thus assigned Qing Shi to a secluded courtyard in the clouds, furnished him with texts, and sent tutors, encouraging him to learn until he was fit for divine society.
The outcome was that Qing Shi stayed in the courtyard, engrossed in his books, never to leave again.
Messengers reported that he spent every day reading and studying, occasionally watching the clouds from his window. He avoided all divine gatherings and refused to converse with anyone.
Tens of thousands of years passed in such monotony.
At first, the gods gossiped about this odd stone, but eventually, they forgot about him.
The Heavenly Emperor, seeing no change in Qing Shi's behavior but also no sign of loneliness or discomfort in his solitude, ceased to worry. He simply remembered to gift him additional books each year.
When the news about the Phoenix Sovereign's mishap spread,
Qing Shi left his courtyard for the first time and appeared at the divine temple, requesting permission to enter the questing world.
The accomplished gods had all failed; what could a mute stone accomplish?
Yet, Qing Shi was obstinate, uncomprehending of rejection and mockery.
Who could wear down such a relentless stone?
Fatigued from persuasion, the Heavenly Emperor had an epiphany. Qing Shi, having ascended through sheer virtue despite his stony form, must possess remarkable fortune. Furthermore, he had no emotional entanglements, desires, or understanding of human passions and frivolous love; he might avoid the demonic snares. Since the Phoenix Sovereign had a fondness for beautiful stones, perhaps this foolish stone would stumble upon a foolish fortune and succeed?
In any case, with everyone else failing, one more failure wouldn't matter. If things went south, he'd simply return.
With a resigned mindset of making the best out of a dire situation, the Heavenly Emperor sent Qing Shi into the miniature world to attempt the rescue of the Phoenix Sovereign.
...
Souls revived, divine powers restored.
All memories flooded back into Yue Wu Huan's mind. He recalled seeing that awkward, stumbling figure repeatedly trying to approach him throughout his many lifetimes of despair. This figure, incapable of human emotion and speech, faced countless obstacles. In the earliest cycles, he died before even reaching Yue Wu Huan, let alone accomplishing any tasks.
But he never gave up. No matter how hard he fell, he would always return.
Through failures, he tirelessly identified one issue after another, clumsily mirroring and expressing emotions as described in books. In the end, with simple persistence and a desireless mind, he approached the paranoid and sensitive Feng, giving his all to gradually earn Feng's trust and, ultimately, his heart.
The kaleidoscope of human emotions and desires continuously sculpted this stone.
In various worlds, he read more books, tried different forms of warmth, witnessed the full spectrum of human life, experienced all sorts of pain, and gradually came to understand crying, smiling, sorrow, anger, vexation, and joy. He became more spirited and lively.
Finally, the stone understood emotions, enabling Feng to rediscover his true self.
...
All constraints were lifted, power was restored, and the World Tree burst forth with vitality.
The most dazzling Phoenix was reborn. Dragging its nine golden-red tail feathers ablaze with flames, it flew towards the darkened sky and charged at the gates of hell.
The holy light broke through the darkness, thoroughly cleansing a world tainted by demons.
The filth was expelled, the tainted air purified, and the gates of Hell were forever sealed amidst the reluctant roars of demonic beings.
Lightning ceased, thunder silenced; a gentle rain began to fall. The cracked earth knitted itself back together, dry riverbeds were graced with trickling streams, and trees struck by lightning sprouted fresh green buds. Flowers bloomed on cliffsides, wafting their fragrance through the air. Birds no longer fled but sought materials to build their nests, and animals that had been hiding cautiously reemerged, making their way back to their former homes.
The world itself seemed imbued with a newfound vitality.
Victims of the Demonic Plague woke up in the rain, astonished to find the dark marks on their skin fading away. Celestial music resonated from the sky. Looking up, they beheld a phoenix flying through the clouds, its flawless beauty making them forget war, sorrow, hatred, and slaughter.
The terror that had clouded their hearts dissipated, and their dark, emerging desires began to wane.
Reflecting on their deeds of recent days, they felt overwhelmingly foolish.
...
Upon sensing the disappearance of the Demonic Plague, the Lord of Lingxin City immediately ceased fighting. He had no time to reflect on or address matters with the Heavenly Martial Gate; apologies and reparations would have to wait.
He rushed back to Lingxin City with his disciples at the utmost speed. In the courtyard, he saw his beautiful, gentle daughter as she had always been, holding spiritual tea and fragrant fruits, smiling at him: "Father, you've worked hard."
It is said that men seldom shed tears.
The Lord of Lingxin City, embracing his regained precious daughter, cried as if his life depended on it.
...
On the Fairy Spirit Island, Madame Nian held Dodo's hand, lying on the grass, silently awaiting the arrival of death.
Suddenly, Dodo pointed at the sky and exclaimed, "Look, such a beautiful bird!"
Madame Nian opened her eyes and saw the phoenix dancing in the clouds. Then the dark clouds began to disperse, and soft rays of sunlight touched the Earth, growing increasingly radiant. As the phoenix flew away, she regained her senses and found that her body felt lighter, and the dark marks on Dodo's face had vanished as well.
From behind came the jubilant cries of the female cultivators:
"We have survived."
"Fairy Spirit Island has survived."
...
The phoenix soared over every corner of the world, and cheers arose from every corner of the world.
All demonic energies were completely expelled.
Finally, the phoenix returned to the Immortal Peak.
Song Qing sat slanted on a massive rock, leaning against a towering pine. His life-bound magical instrument was shattered, his Dantian ruined, his power of merit completely exhausted, and his life reaching its limit. Despite his pallor and lacking the energy even to stand, he felt a deep sense of joy.
The phoenix descended, transforming back into human form. Its eyes radiated majesty, noble yet intolerant of blasphemy. This was a divine spirit of the world; all things must bow before it.
He walked step by step towards Song Qing, gazing devoutly into the clearest eyes the world had ever seen.
Song Qing lifted his head, his eyes brimming with a warm smile: "Welcome back."
Yue Wuhuan gently said, "Thank you for never giving up."
...
With the world restored, the World Tree radiated renewed vitality.
Yue Wuhuan raised his hand, channeling the billions of merits generated by the World Tree into the palm of his hand, infusing them into Song Qing's frail spirit. Then, he realigned the world's destiny, enabling the rebirth of the small orb that called itself 'the System,' now devoid of any filth or corruption.
It jubilantly bounced around, emitting a series of beeping noises, proclaiming:
"Task Operator Song Qing, successfully saved protagonist Bai Zihao. One thousand three hundred and fiftieth task completed."
"Task Operator Song Qing, successfully eliminated the villain atop the Immortal Peak. One thousand three hundred and fifty-first task completed."
"The world has detached from…"
Amidst a golden glow, Song Qing's body transformed into countless specks of light, then vanished into the horizon.
The phoenix spread its wings once more, chasing after them.