Chapter 1367: Earth in Reincarnation

Are the Soul River, the Underworld, and the Four Extremities Floating Earth, connected as they are, merely the tip of the iceberg?

Chu Feng's expression inevitably changed. For an instant, he felt a chill run from head to toe, deeply sensing a terrifying and eerie aura rushing towards him, one that threatened to engulf the sun, moon, and even the star rivers.

Beyond all else, even the farthest reaches of the Soul River are utterly terrifying, harboring dreadful secrets that have remained undisturbed since ancient times. Even Celestial Emperors, upon reaching that point, chose to bypass it.

Upon deeper reflection, if these places are truly intertwined with a special connection, then a shared resonance could shatter all heavens, break the long river of time, and erase this ancient history, causing it to cease existing.

Chu Feng was stunned. What immense power was this? Was it a product of the natural world, or was it artificially created?

He immediately thought of the individual Number Nine had spoken of: a supreme being who once cleaved through eternity with a single sword stroke, and who had attempted to reconstruct reincarnation to revive his lost loved ones.

In that era, almost everyone he knew—his family, friends, and acquaintances—had perished in battle, leaving only him, solitary, standing at the very peak, overwhelmed by a profound sense of desolation and cold.

Yet, he ultimately didn't establish reincarnation himself. Instead, he unexpectedly discovered and excavated fragmented traces from beneath the ground, remnants that were untold eons older than his own time.

Now, considering it, everything concerning reincarnation and the Underworld is terrifyingly ancient. They have vanished before, but after a few epochs, they may well resurface.

The young man spoke again, sighing, "There was an individual, incredibly powerful and fearless, who had the opportunity to shatter everything. But he departed too swiftly. Although he did return once, he was even more desperate to leave again. I believe he must have discovered something significant, which compelled him to embark on a journey to resolve it, never looking back. He sat alone in a bronze coffin, observing the myriad worlds bleed, traversing the heavens, and vanished into the distance, disappearing in solitude!"

Chu Feng was startled. The person the young man described sounded remarkably like the one he had just been contemplating. Could they be the same individual?

"Who is that person you mentioned?" he couldn't help but ask.

"Naturally, it's someone from my own era; how else would I know so much?" The young man's eyes sparkled brilliantly, radiating an astonishing glow at that moment.

It was a clear recognition of a peer, a mutual admiration. Alas, he could never see that person again; he was now merely a solitary ghost, allowed out for only a brief moment.

His own brilliance had long since dimmed, forgotten by the world.

And that other person? Even more magnificent, yet he too had been gone for several epochs by now. Who could still recount his past? Perhaps only his strongest, undying adversaries still remembered.

Was this a regret, or an inexpressible glory?

"The entire world fell into silence. Ever since that individual's final sword stroke traversed the heavens, an entire era dimmed and concluded, leaving the whole world trembling. Regrettably... a great calamity eventually befell us later."

The young man showed no discomfort or resentment that his own brilliance was overshadowed by that person's; on the contrary, he admired that individual's past glory.

Chu Feng was certain it was the same person, whose single sword stroke had astonished time and eclipsed all of history, perfectly matching Number Nine's description.

"I was crowned champion for ten lifetimes, but in my eleventh, I encountered him and was utterly defeated, convinced. I truly wished to walk alongside him for a while, but alas, there's no opportunity left."

In the end, only a hint of sadness remained.

Chu Feng, too, fell silent at this moment. For someone who had been crowned champion for ten lifetimes, a figure who could stand alongside the 'one-sword-cleaves-eternity' individual mentioned by Number Nine, and who once dominated the world, to now be imprisoned and only allowed out for brief respites—this was truly desolate, truly tragic.

It was undeniable that this was once an immensely proud individual, a true overlord among people. His ultimate fate and end were far from good.

The mists of history swirled, concealing countless past events that stirred emotions: some poignant, some regretful, some still burning with an unextinguished fervor, yet all were merely old tales from a bygone era.

Chu Feng, naturally, was unwilling to accept this. He yearned to uncover the truth behind everything—the Soul River, the Underworld, the Four Extremities Floating Earth—wishing he could dig them all up to see them clearly.

However, he was deeply disappointed; some of the young man's words came like a splash of cold water.

"Do you truly believe I can grasp the essence behind all this?" he said self-deprecatingly. "I'm merely out for a brief respite."

Though spoken lightly, these words carried immense weight for a person like him.

"Who imprisoned you?" Chu Feng asked.

"Currently, it seems there are humanoid rules, walking corpses, a great mist, and many other complex elements," the young man calmly informed him.

He then revealed another truth, murmuring to himself, "I once questioned if, after reincarnation, I would still be myself. I didn't know then. But now I can confirm that in this current state, I am only a fragment of my true self."

What did he mean by that?

"We are all merely walking corpses, incomplete souls, incapable of changing anything. When we are allowed out for a breath of air, it's primarily to search for our scattered matter, our lost soul fragments, and other components, hoping to reconstitute our true selves more fully. But can we ever truly find them? The cosmos is vast; it has been shattered and then patched together during the Heaven-Mending Era. Regardless, it remains this same world. Yet, what of our physical bodies? They have long since decayed. What of our principal soul-light? It has dissipated. A purely material reincarnation might have already carried it to the far reaches of the universe, transforming it into dust, into a true dragon, or perhaps even into you, standing right here."

Hearing this, Chu Feng felt a chill. He understood the person's meaning: a mockery of fated reincarnation and a lament for material reincarnation.

Perhaps, it was truly possible that after the most powerful beings of ancient times disintegrated, some of their material essence might reincarnate into later powerhouses.

Even Chu Feng himself considered that his physical body and soul-light might be composed of factors recycled from individuals of the past, but this was distinct from the reincarnation of destiny.

Chu Feng interjected, "Please stop, the more I listen, the more unsettling it becomes. Reincarnation is ubiquitous in this world. I am one with cosmic dust; billions of years ago, I shared soul-light matter with the Heavenly Fairy; I once withered alongside the vast ocean..."

"The most terrifying realization is that I fear I am not even that former remnant soul, nor a normal wandering spirit. Instead, I might be a standardized, pre-programmed fragment of soul-light, released by someone to work like a diligent bee, constantly 'collecting honey'—gathering the scattered soul-light of someone known as the Ten-Crowned King, dispersed throughout the human realm."

Chu Feng remained silent, but a chill ran through his body. He felt that if he were to die one day, he absolutely could not go to the Underworld!

"Hmm, I'm very concerned about that person from years ago. Why did he depart so abruptly, so hastily, setting off alone without a single glance back? My greatest fear is that he used himself as bait, willingly casting himself into reincarnation."

The young man sighed deeply.

Chu Feng was astonished, somewhat taken aback. Could the trajectory of the person Number Nine so often spoke of really be like this? Impossible! Number Nine was certain he was still alive, that his most powerful imprint still resonated, and even hinted that the individual had sent back messages, confirming he was still trailblazing, merely having ventured too far ahead alone!

The young man shook his head again, stating, "It shouldn't be that way. If he had died, his sword intent would have immediately vanished from existence. Yet, it remains at its absolute peak, causing certain rules to resonate and making some enemies wary, constantly guarding against his sudden reappearance!"

Imperceptibly, darkness gave way to dawn, as the eastern sky turned a pale white. Then, a single ray of morning light illuminated the landscape, bathing the mountains and rivers in a delicate golden sheen.

Yet, blood still flowed among the mountains, and Chu Feng still perceived another aspect of the world: boundless scorched lands, marked by charring and flashes of fire.

"That sun..." At this moment, Chu Feng's pupils constricted. He saw that the sun was not a rotating celestial body, but a burning corpse, oozing fiery essence.

"This realm is immense, a floating continent. Ordinarily, the sun you perceive is a manifestation of rules, but what you see now are scattered remains suspended across various locations: powerful individuals, golden celestial beasts—far too many to count. Some, even, are old acquaintances, heh!"

The young man stared at the sky.

Chu Feng felt a profound chill. The rising sun presented such a sight—so unlike the sun he was accustomed to—it was a corpse.

In the distance, a terrifying golden beast ascended from the mountain forest, immense and mighty, its golden radiance illuminating everything. Yet, it also exuded wisps of death qi that drifted down to the earth.

It was evident, without a doubt, that its evolutionary stage had once been terrifyingly high and exceptionally powerful.

Looking once more at the land, the smoke of war had not yet cleared, nor had the blood dried. Alongside the contemporary new cities, it was as if yin and yang, reality and illusion, were interwoven.

"The Yang Realm is merely a continent..." Chu Feng sighed.

It was vast and boundless, having experienced numerous rises and falls. Some epochs were brilliant, marked by great conflicts for supremacy, while others shattered, becoming dim and silent, transforming repeatedly.

The young man looked at the sky and sighed, "I must depart now. As a solitary spirit, my time outside is limited; it's time to return. Before I leave, could you tell me a little about yourself? Where are you from, and what unique experiences have you had? I have a strong feeling we share some kind of connection."

Chu Feng's heart stirred. Number Nine had been utterly astonished upon learning about Earth. Now, Chu Feng directly stated that he came from Earth, in the Lesser Yin Realm.

"What did you say? What name was that?!"

Indeed, the young monarch was utterly stunned, his expression changing dramatically for the first time, as he stared intently at Chu Feng.

"The Lesser Yin Realm, Earth!" Chu Feng replied. As anticipated, this designation greatly surprised the young man.

"How is that possible? Are Mount Tai and Kunlun still there?" the young man asked urgently.

"Yes, have you been there?!" Chu Feng asked.

"Two different individuals, and two peaks, were once connected to that place. Before the original Mount Tai was severed, it served as a sacrificial ground. How could I not know this?" the person murmured.

Chu Feng exclaimed in surprise, "Hold on, what are you talking about? What era do you come from, that Mount Tai already existed there in the past?!"

"I should be the one surprised. What epoch is this? At least several ancient histories have passed. Why do you still know that place as Mount Tai, and that Kunlun exists there?" The young man's expression turned serious.

Having been allowed out to observe for so many epochs, he had learned much about subsequent events, hence his profound shock.

Chu Feng's scalp tingled. He had vaguely gleaned from Number Nine and others that something anomalous was happening, suspecting that similar events were unfolding, perhaps even a planet and an entire universe were undergoing re-enactment and reincarnation.

Or perhaps, someone was actively re-enacting that ancient land!

"Who are you?" the young man asked.

"Who am I?" Chu Feng mused to himself, then declared loudly, "I am Chu Ultimate!"

"What is that region like now? What's its current state?" the young man inquired.

Sensing the gravity of the situation, Chu Feng recounted details about Earth, even elaborating on its cultural heritage and local customs.

"Exactly like the past? How is that possible! Who exactly are you?! No, rather, who is re-enacting all of this? How incredibly audacious! What do they intend to achieve?!" The young man erupted, his expression more serious than ever before.

"You're saying everything there is identical to a certain past era?!" Chu Feng exclaimed in alarm, a chilling sensation running from head to toe, as if he had plummeted into the very depths of the Underworld!