#1024 - The truth about the world
“Cough!”
“Fuck!”
As Wei Changtian cursed and struggled to his feet, Longquan Sword in hand, Xu Suisui felt as though she had stopped breathing.
The feeling of relief instantly drained all her strength, and the intense pain surging through her body like a tide almost made her faint.
On the other side, Wei Changtian merely glanced at her before fixing his gaze on the androgynous figure before him.
Indeed, although the previous exchange had left him seriously injured, it hadn't reached the point where he couldn't stand up.
After all, the golden relic contained first-grade inner strength, no different from Qin Zhengqiu's.
Moreover, Chu Xianping had previously exhausted much of the latter's strength, so Wei Changtian's "Myriad Swords Fall from the Sky" actually overwhelmed the "Moon-Picking Sword."
The reason he feigned unconsciousness was undoubtedly to lure out the mastermind behind this grand conspiracy.
If the Immortal Ascension Opportunity was real, why wouldn't the leaker enjoy the opportunity alone, instead of telling Qin Zhengqiu and Chu Xianping?
Why did this Immortal Pavilion appear precisely when Qin Zhengqiu reached the summit?
Why did the Heavenly Dao speak? And why did it specifically remind Qin Zhengqiu that he was also hidden on the summit?
All of the above revealed too much strangeness, causing Wei Changtian to suspect that this was all a conspiracy.
He originally planned to stabilize Qin Zhengqiu first, and then ferret out the mastermind.
He just didn't know if Qin Zhengqiu was dead or alive...
“Who are you?”
Longquan Sword was still pressed firmly against the white-clothed youth's throat, Wei Changtian's gaze sweeping past his shoulder to look at the figure lying in the rubble in the distance.
“Don't bother looking, he's not dead yet.”
The white-clothed youth seemed to guess what he was thinking, chuckling: “But you and he will both die soon.”
“Is that so?”
Wei Changtian retracted his gaze, staring at the white-clothed youth for a few breaths before slowly lowering Longquan Sword.
“Since I'm about to die anyway, can you at least let me die knowing why?”
Casually wiping away the blood from the corner of his mouth, Wei Changtian suddenly smiled: “I think you should have that confidence, right?”
“Hahaha, interesting!”
The white-clothed youth seemed very interested in Wei Changtian's reaction, smiling back: “Alright, what do you want to ask? I'll answer everything.”
“However, for every question you ask me, I'll ask you one in return, how about it?”
“Good.”
Wei Changtian didn't hesitate, directly asking:
“Who are you?”
“I am the only true immortal in this world.”
The white-clothed youth's eyes were calm: “I did have a name before, but it's been too long, I've forgotten it.”
“...”
True immortal?
The moment he heard these two words, Wei Changtian couldn't help but be stunned, suddenly recalling the legend of a true immortal being born in the Kui Dragon...
“Are you the Kui Dragon person who ascended to immortality two thousand years ago?”
“Kui Dragon... It's been a long time since I've heard that name.”
As if reminiscing, the white-clothed youth glanced at the setting sun in the sky.
“Yes, I am that person.”
“...”
Hearing the white-clothed youth's admission, Wei Changtian didn't seem too surprised this time, only lowering his head as if thinking about something.
The former retracted his gaze and looked at him, smiling as he said:
“Alright, it's my turn to ask you.”
“Since I have truthfully revealed my identity, can you also tell me, who is the person who has occupied this body for the past three years?”
“That's another question.”
Wei Changtian curled his lips, directly asking again: “So the so-called Immortal Ascension Opportunity is fake? You just wanted to lure me and Qin Zhengqiu, the two most likely to ascend to immortality in this world, here to kill us, so as to avoid us taking your immortal seat?”
“...Yes.”
Wei Changtian's "shameless" behavior didn't cause any emotional fluctuations in the white-clothed youth, he only paused for a moment before smiling and answering:
“You and that Chu Xianping are both very clever, it's just a pity that your grandfather didn't see this point, otherwise you might have really survived.”
“Alright, now you can answer my previous question, right?”
“I can.”
Perhaps feeling that there was no point in hiding it any longer at this point, Wei Changtian casually replied:
“I'm just an ordinary person from another world.”
“Another world? I see.”
To Wei Changtian's surprise, the white-clothed youth didn't seem surprised by this answer.
“Aren't you surprised?”
Wei Changtian frowned: “Or have you seen other people like me before?”
“I haven't seen them, but I've heard of them.”
The white-clothed youth smiled: “Alright, continue asking.”
“Oh.”
Wei Changtian took a light breath, thinking for a long time this time before slowly asking:
“Was the first-grade bottleneck originally non-existent, and was it just a trick set up by you immortals to reduce the chances of mortals becoming immortals?”
“...”
Eyes widening slightly, the white-clothed youth looked at Wei Changtian, revealing a surprised expression for the first time.
After a long while, he finally nodded lightly.
“Yes, but it didn't originate with me.”
“Ever since the first immortal appeared in this world, he has done this.”
“It was also from then on that the concept of the first-grade bottleneck came into being.”
“All subsequent immortals, including me, have done the same.”
“After all, having gone through thousands of hardships to become an immortal, who would be willing to be easily replaced by others?”
“So how did you do it?”
Wei Changtian didn't question the white-clothed youth on behalf of the martial artists of the world as to why he did this, only narrowing his eyes and asking: “Since you set up the first-grade bottleneck, why are there still people who can become immortals? Do immortals also die of old age?”
“Immortals live as long as the heavens.”
The white-clothed youth shook his head, answering all of Wei Changtian's questions with just one sentence.
“As for why there are still people who become immortals... Alas, we use the Heavenly Dao's fortune to set up the bottleneck, but these fortunes must always have a place to land.”
“...”
Heavenly Dao's fortune?
As if a muffled thunderclap exploded in his mind, Wei Changtian instantly understood many things he hadn't understood before, and finally understood the truth of this world.
It turned out that the "Child of the Heavenly Dao" was simply a "byproduct" of the so-called "first-grade bottleneck."
Because the immortals didn't want to be replaced by newcomers, they extracted most of the Heavenly Dao's fortune in this world and transferred it all to one person.
In this way, it would be difficult for others to break through to the first grade, let alone become immortals.
And that person who possessed most of the world's fortune was the "Child of the Heavenly Dao."
For example, Xiao Feng.
Due to the blessing of great fortune, the Child of the Heavenly Dao would of course not have the so-called first-grade bottleneck, and their path of cultivation would most likely be smooth all the way, until they were killed by the immortals.
That's right, according to the white-clothed youth's statement, whenever a Child of the Heavenly Dao was about to "attain enlightenment and become an immortal," the immortals would find a way to kill him.
And it seemed that the immortals couldn't directly take action, they had to do it through some "indirect" means.
Wei Changtian didn't know why, but he thought the truth was like this.
Concentrating most of the fortune on one person, cutting off the possibility of others becoming immortals, the immortals only needed to keep an eye on this Child of the Heavenly Dao, and then, after he grew to a certain stage, kill him, and then add the Heavenly Dao's fortune to another person, repeating the cycle.
Compared to a situation where everyone could become an immortal, this was indeed the best way for the immortals to protect their "immortal seat."
But for those Children of the Heavenly Dao, and countless martial artists restricted by the first-grade bottleneck, this was cruel.
Of course, in the long river of history, there would always be accidents.
And when a certain Child of the Heavenly Dao managed to escape the immortals' calculations and successfully replaced the latter to become the "new" immortal, and then learned the truth of the world... he would also make the same choice.
Wei Changtian didn't know how to evaluate this cycle of "the dragon slayer becoming the dragon," he only felt a little emotional.
He also didn't know if he could become an immortal, and if he really could, would he do the same.
Perhaps it was a little too early to think about these things now.
After all, judging from the current situation, ever since Xiao Feng died, he had already become the "Child of the Heavenly Dao" targeted by the immortals...
“Then... what's the deal with the Moon-Picking Sword?”
Raising his head, Wei Changtian shook his head with a wry smile: “Is it also a means you used to plot against me?”
“That's right.”
Having said this much, the white-clothed youth didn't dwell on the "one question each" matter any longer, but calmly admitted:
“Although the Moon-Picking Sword can help people break through the first-grade bottleneck, it will also block the path to immortality for the sword practitioner at the same time.”
“It's just that I never thought you could resist such temptation, but it was your grandfather who...”
“So, my grandfather was actually destined to be unable to become an immortal?”
Wei Changtian interrupted with a complex tone: “You lured him here, and created such strange phenomena, just to tempt him to kill me?”
“Yes, the only person I wanted to kill, from beginning to end, was you.”
The white-clothed youth looked meaningfully towards the foot of the mountain: “The reason you're still alive now is actually because I misjudged one person.”
“...”
Chu Xianping.
This was the only name that appeared in Wei Changtian's mind.
The white-clothed youth didn't say things very clearly, but it wasn't difficult to understand the meaning in the context.
So, Chu Xianping came to Fangcun Mountain not to become an immortal at all, but to save him?
Wei Changtian didn't know if Chu Xianping had deceived the "immortal."
But he had indeed "deceived" him once again.
“Is he still alive?”
Wei Changtian blurted out the question.
The white-robed youth didn't answer, perhaps because he didn't know, or perhaps because he felt he had already answered enough.
“Wei Changtian, you can ask me one last question.”
Turning his head to look at the setting sun almost sinking below the horizon, the white-robed youth smiled and took a step closer: “I also have one last question I want to ask you.”
“...”
The last question...
In truth, Wei Changtian still had many unanswered questions in his heart at this moment.
For example, why can't immortals directly kill people? Why must they borrow the hands of others?
For example, why can immortals clearly mobilize the Heavenly Dao's fortune, yet not simply add it to themselves?
For example, since they want to protect their immortal positions, then why not take out the Moon-Picking Sword earlier? Wouldn't that prevent all martial artists in the world from becoming immortals?
And for example, what were the fates of those previous transmigrators?
Wei Changtian could vaguely guess some of the reasons for all of the above, but he wasn't particularly clear.
But right now, none of that was important anymore.
As far as he was concerned, perhaps there was only one thing that mattered now.
“Can a human kill an immortal?”
Staring into the white-robed youth's eyes, Wei Changtian's tone was exceptionally calm.
The latter didn't seem surprised that he would ask such a question, answering indifferently:
“No.”
“I know you have many methods that don't belong to this world, but no means no.”
“Immortals can only be replaced, never killed.”
“At least in this small world, no one can do it.”
“...Alright, then I'll try it later.”
Like an ignorant and overconfident fool, Wei Changtian smiled.
“What about you? Don't you also have one last question?”
“Mm.”
The white-robed youth nodded, his gaze somewhat complicated.
“Wei Changtian, in these two thousand years, I have seen and killed too many people who had the potential to ascend to immortality.”
“They were either greatly good or greatly evil.”
“Only you are sometimes good and sometimes evil, different from everyone else.”
“Logically speaking, someone like you shouldn't have been able to reach this point.”
“Therefore, I want to ask you... why?”
Why?
Wei Changtian looked at the white-robed youth, seeming to understand what the latter was asking, yet also not quite understanding.
After thinking for a while, he only gave an answer that seemed completely unrelated.
“I kill those I think should die.”
“I don't kill those I think shouldn't die.”
“This isn't good or evil, it's just should and shouldn't.”
“That's all.”
“...”
“Okay, I understand.”
The white-robed youth was stunned for a moment, then smiled: “Aren't you going to kill an immortal? Do it then.”
“...Mm.”
Gently nodding, Wei Changtian slowly raised the Longquan Sword, the unspent Golden Relic also held in his right palm.
Countless broken swords floated up, the silver sword dragon pierced through the white-robed youth's body, the air was torn apart, and rolling sound waves echoed in the sky above Fangcun Mountain.
His expression unchanged, Wei Changtian continuously swung his sword, one strike after another, and the illusory shadows of divine beasts appeared and disappeared behind him.
The First-Rank internal energy contained in the Golden Relic, although it failed to help him break through, had given him temporary First-Rank strength.
Unprecedented majestic power filled every meridian, surging in his dantian.
Wei Changtian believed that no one in the world could survive a single move from him now.
At this moment, he had replaced Qin Zhengqiu, becoming the true “Number One in the World.”
It was just a pity that humans were ultimately humans, and immortals were ultimately immortals.
“Boom!”
A dull thunderclap fell from the Immortal Pavilion, and the glow of the setting sun seemed to suddenly envelop the entire world, an indescribable terrifying pressure causing the entire Fangcun Mountain to tremble.
People hundreds of miles around could see this apocalyptic phenomenon, and countless people raised their heads blankly, with an unprecedented fear welling up in their hearts.
This was true Heavenly Lightning.
“Wei Changtian, do you know why it's on Fangcun Mountain?”
The white robe still spotless, the youth pointed upwards, with a faint smile still on his lips.
“Because this is the closest place to Heaven.”
“Heavenly Lightning, which falls once every sixty years, if you can withstand it this time, then before the end of the next sixty years, you should be able to replace me.”
“It's just that you can't block it.”
“What a pity, you really are interesting...”
Sighing softly, the white-robed youth's expression was very sincere.
And Wei Changtian also lowered the tip of his sword at this time, and the huge silver sword dragon also dissipated with a bang.
Although the Heavenly Lightning had not yet fallen, he could feel that no matter what he did, it would be in vain.
Even the life-saving tools on his body couldn't save him.
This feeling was different from the previous few “life-or-death crises,” even the “True Buddha” in the illusion formation of Yun'an Temple had not given him such a sense of powerlessness.
If he had to describe it... perhaps it was the helplessness of facing a “God.”
So, is this it?
Slowly closing his eyes, countless images flashed through Wei Changtian's mind.
Xu Qingwan, Yang Liushi, Wei Xianzhi and Qin Caizhen, Wei Qiaoling and that big black dog...
One person after another, one scene after another, appeared before his eyes, and then shattered like bubbles, leaving only a little colorful foam in his heart.
If following the routine of a typical hot-blooded online novel, after recalling everything, he should unleash some earth-shattering move and turn defeat into victory at the last moment.
But the truth was that Wei Changtian had already tried all means, including “God Strike.”
Thinking about it now, if he had listened to Chu Xianping's warning and not come to Fangcun Mountain, he might have been able to live a few more years, perhaps have a few more children, perhaps even witness the birth of the era-defining “steam engine.”
But now, regretting these things was meaningless.
Wei Changtian didn't even regret it.
He was just a little regretful.
Regretful that he couldn't leave a perfect ending to this short journey through time.
“Boom!!!”
The thunder was even louder, as if it was exploding right next to his ears.
Wei Changtian opened his eyes, wanting to take one last look at this world before he died, but all he could see was the sky-covering and earth-shattering purple lightning.
He shook his head, still raising the Longquan Sword, taking a step forward, determined to swing the last sword in the face of the rolling Heavenly Lightning.
But at this moment, in the gaps between the continuous thunder, he suddenly heard a faint cry.
“Wei Changtian...”
“I... I can finally help... help you this once...”
Turning his head to look in the direction of the voice, Wei Changtian saw Xu Suisui, covered in blood.
A broken sword was stuck in her chest, one hand clutching the hilt, the other raised high, her eyes narrowed into crescents, as if she was smiling.
And in mid-air, a scale was shining with brilliant golden light...
“Boom!!!!”
When Wei Changtian was blankly enveloped in thousands of golden lights, he finally understood what had just happened.
If Xu Suisui had enough points to exchange for the True Dragon Forehead Scale, she wouldn't have waited until now to take it out.
So before this, her points must have been insufficient.
Then, how did Xu Suisui gather enough system points on this summit of Fangcun Mountain?
Or rather, what did she have to do to change the “plot”?
Looking at the white-robed youth in the air, his face full of astonishment and fear, his body gradually dissipating, Wei Changtian knew that he was about to become an immortal.
Although the Golden Relic did not help him truly break through to First-Rank, it had “faked” the strength of the First-Rank realm.
And the True Dragon Forehead Scale had further increased his realm by a large level, which was True Immortal.
Wei Changtian didn't know if his realm would fall after the internal energy in the Golden Relic was exhausted.
But at least at this moment, he had indeed become an immortal, and replaced the white-robed youth!
The thunder suddenly stopped, the dark clouds instantly dispersed, and the last ray of setting sun leisurely hung in the corner of the western sky.
Without any earth-shattering battle, the life-or-death crisis was resolved in such a “baffling” way.
From then on, even if Wei Changtian would fall from the “Immortal Position” in the future, there would never be any opponents in this world for the next few decades.
And the price for all of this was...
“...”
Slowly turning his head to look at Xu Suisui, who had lost her breath, those familiar words jumped into his mind from the depths of his memory.
“Wei Changtian! From now on, we are comrades! Revolutionary friendship is unbreakable!”
“Comrade Wei, I'll give you a blowjob!”
“Look! I have hair!”
“You believe me! I won't hurt you!”
“Wuwuwu! Why did you only come now! You promised me you'd be here soon!”
“I was wrong, don't be angry, I'm scared...”
“Do you know, wuwuwu, no one has ever been so good to me, if you can't find a wife after we go back, wuwuwu, I will definitely marry you!”
“Don't worry! I can handle it!”
“Wei Changtian, I can finally help you this once...”
“...”
The golden light dissipated, and the True Dragon phantom also disappeared on the orange mountaintop.
In the moment before dusk, a ray of sunset slanted on Xu Suisui's corpse, and several geese were flying towards the afterglow of the setting sun.
A wisp of small remnant soul hovered beside Wei Changtian, as if gently saying a final farewell to him.
Carefully protecting the remnant soul in his palm, and then waving his hand casually beside him...
“Chila!”
A pitch-black crack appeared out of thin air beside him, like a cut in a landscape painting.
“Let's go, I'll take you home.”
Wei Changtian didn't hesitate, just said softly, and then turned and stepped into the void.
ps: Two more days until the grand finale
