Immortal of the Ages

Chapter 494: I Want to be the Creator!

With a single sword stroke, Yun Xiao felled another True Immortal!

After the flash of starfire passed, the heavens shimmered with azure light, leaving behind a fractured rainbow in the sky.

Accompanied by the sight of a young man in white wielding his sword, the scene was so strikingly handsome that the onlookers were rendered speechless.

The spectators gaped upward, breathless for a long while, their hearts trembling with awe.

“All the Three Immortals were slain by him alone!” a deep exclamation from the crowd caused shivers down the spines of many.

They had thought Lian Xi was a savior, but out of nowhere, Yun Xiao emerged as a Sword Immortal, sword in hand, sweeping through the three tyrants of the Primordial Ruins!

“With someone like him, what True Immortal could cause fear?”

“He truly is resolute in his actions!”

“Yet, those who fell to his sword rarely were the innocent…”

The death of the Human Zenith Immortal was as swift as a blink, and the impact of this event on the world would be everlasting.

After a long while, people began to come to their senses.

More and more joined Yun Xiao, standing by his side.

“Yun Xiao,” Lian Xi floated in the air, her voice soft, “in a war between two armies, envoys should not be killed. Why did you kill him?”

Yun Xiao replied, “Being kind to him would only delay his inevitable death. I spared him a prolonged fate.”

“Such utterly heartless beings are tough to eliminate even in the underworld; they deserve to suffer in hell for a while,” Dean Yu remarked, still not fully satisfied.

“His soul is here,” Yun Xiao said as he flicked the Heaven Burial Sword Soul, presenting a bewildered remnant soul before Dean Yu.

Dean Yu took the remnant soul, gave it a cold glance, and then thanked Yun Xiao, “Much obliged.”

She secured the soul and then, together with the others, watched Yun Xiao in silence.

“Do you plan to go meet that Heavenly Immortal?” Dean Yu asked.

“Yes,” Yun Xiao nodded seriously, his resolve clear in his eyes.

“Given her strength, and the fact that she could scare off such formidable beings, I fear…” Dean Yu expressed her concern.

“Dean, I choose to confront her, to let her know I'm not holed up in the Nine Hells. No matter the outcome, at least it won’t reach this far,” Yun Xiao said with a calm determination.

Worst case scenario, the Nine Hells might just burn. The blaze could easily spread through the world’s folds into the Divine Continent, obliterating all obsessions and hopes.

Hearing this, the crowd bowed their heads in resignation, their faces painted with helpless acceptance.

Dean Yu paused for a moment, her gaze softening considerably as she looked at Yun Xiao, a tinge of guilt in her voice, "I owe you an apology."

"Why?" Yun Xiao asked, puzzled.

"I once thought you were brutal and reckless, unaware of the consequences of your actions. Now I see that you care for all life far more than we imagined. No matter how untamed you appear on the outside, your heart remains gentle and clear..."

Her eyes briefly met Lian Xi’s, and she chuckled, shaking her head, "Lian Xi was right to trust you so steadfastly."

The words made even Yun Xiao a bit bashful.

He chuckled, shaking his head, not dwelling on it further. Instead, he addressed everyone, "Lian Xi and I will handle the matter in the Primordial Ruins. Please, stay in the Nine Hells and keep the people safe."

"You two..." Dean Yu looked at the young pair, her worry evident.

"My mind is made up," Yun Xiao stated firmly.

"Very well!" Dean Yu nodded. "Enough talk, I wish both of you children of destiny and true saviors success on your quest!"

And try to hold out until the day after tomorrow, she added in her mind, keeping the hope in her heart.

The day after tomorrow was when Arbiter Lu might return. Of course, he had said within three days, so it could be sooner.

"Yun Xiao." Lian Xi was relieved to hear she could accompany him. She feared Yun Xiao would leave her behind to venture alone. If so, not only would she be left anxious and scared, but there might not be a third chance…

The little white tiger, however, found it odd, muttering, "What dangerous deed is this punk planning now, taking Lian Xi along as if he’s some playboy?"

Could he still be wanting something?

"I still don't trust him one bit!" the little white tiger scoffed coldly.

Before departing, Yun Xiao's thoughts suddenly shifted towards the Immortal Asylum below.

The octagonal tree stump shaped Immortal Asylum, now devoid of the divine steles and the illusionary sea, reverted to its ancient blackish gray form. Compared to the grand structures of the Primordial Ruins, it was unremarkable.

Yet, recalling the dark-robed youth and a monster with three heads and six arms within, Yun Xiao knew the secrets of the Immortal Asylum might surpass many imaginations.

"That Heavenly Immortal was the one backing the Three Immortals. So, she must be aware of the Immortal Asylum. Maybe it's the exact reason she descended to the mortal realm. First, for the lives of all beings across the myriad worlds, and second, for the Immortal Asylum," Yun Xiao mused, frowning, "The question is, how many in the Celestial Court are aware of the Immortal Asylum? And after her, could there be others coming?"

With more people, the troubles in the Nine Hells would inevitably become endless.

"We must take control of the Immortal Asylum, only then can my homeland live in peace!" Yun Xiao thought. At that moment, he remembered the Nian residing within him and asked, "Nian, do you know how to control the Immortal Asylum?"

The Nian, hidden within him, laughed coldly, "I do know!"

"Teach me," Yun Xiao demanded.

"Why should I teach you?" the Nian scoffed disdainfully.

"Because I saved you from the Immortal Asylum and granted you freedom," Yun Xiao replied.

"You spout the most colossal nonsense!" the Nian roared. "I could have escaped on my own. You stopped me and even stole my physical form. Now you've imprisoned me within you, yet claim to have given me freedom? You twist the truth outrageously. Are you even human?"

"Uh..." Yun Xiao paused, realizing there was some truth in its words.

It turned out he was the villain in his own story!

"Let's make a deal," Yun Xiao suggested persuasively. "You teach me to control the Immortal Asylum, and when I grow stronger, I'll grant you true freedom with a better body. By then, you might have recovered enough to surpass your former self."

"Spit on that! Believing you would be idiotic! Unless you meet my demand now, I will never teach you," the Nian sneered.

"What is your condition?" Yun Xiao asked.

"Right now, this instant, get out of my body and give me my freedom!" the Nian snarled viciously.

"You've got to be kidding. You were the one who swallowed me first," Yun Xiao laughed.

"I don't care! You want the Immortal Asylum, give me my freedom!" the Nian growled.

"Hold on," Yun Xiao said with a sly smile. "I understand now. You probably don't know how to control the Immortal Asylum at all. You're just trying to trick me."

"Funny, but I do know." The Nian chuckled.

"I really don't believe you," Yun Xiao shook his head.

"You don't believe? I'll tell you, you just need to..." Just then, the Nian stopped mid-sentence and spat, "Trying to trick me into spilling the beans? Kid, I've crapped bigger things than the worlds you've lived in!"

Yun Xiao knew, given the current circumstances, even if it knew, it wouldn't tell. So he stopped wasting his effort. He looked up, his eyes sweeping across the vast expanse of the Nine Hells.

The Three Immortals were dead.

Yet the common folk of the mortal realm were still sinking under the weight of the All Life Devouring Gu and Heavenly Decay, their lives draining away to feed a True Immortal of the Celestial Court!

This revealed that she was the true instigator!

"Still, even if I go through all the hardships of defeating her, with the Immortal Asylum still present, I'm worried greedy eyes will emerge endlessly and bring continuous catastrophe to the mortal realm."

When Yuan Xianjun first came to the Nine Hells, he dared to set the whole world ablaze!

What about the countless True Immortal beings drawn here by the Immortal Asylum, like voracious locusts?

"Yun Xiao, I advise you to stop struggling for the souls of this realm," the Nian suddenly said coldly.

"What do you mean?" Yun Xiao asked.

"Not just the Nine Hells, all life in this entire realm is doomed! There’s no surviving this," the Nian sneered coldly.

"Just because of the Immortal Asylum?" Yun Xiao frowned.

"Of course!" The Nian’s eyes opened wide on his face as he looked towards the Immortal Asylum, chuckling, "This place was once disguised as a minor prison, holding only a crippled Nian for millennia without incident. But now, I've escaped, and the ruckus has been huge!"

"And then?" Yun Xiao inquired.

The Nian gazed deeply at the Immortal Asylum. "Its essence is the most mysterious prison in all the realms, holding the most dangerous freaks and monsters of generations. It's been sealed so long it was forgotten, but its terror always reveals just the tip of the iceberg in the annals of history. Even just that tip is enough to attract countless greed-driven beings."

"You mean?"

"Yes! Now that the master of the Immortal Asylum is missing, these greed-driven beings will swarm like sharks to blood. Each one of them will be far more terrifying and powerful than you can imagine," the Nian said gravely.

"The master of the Immortal Asylum is missing? I haven't heard about this," Yun Xiao said.

"Nonsense, if they weren't missing, could I have escaped?" The Nian glared.

The Nian's words undoubtedly confirmed Yun Xiao's worst fears.

"Because it will attract these greedy beings, all life across the myriad worlds is doomed?" Yun Xiao muttered to himself, head bowed.

"Of course!" the Nian scoffed coldly, "The Immortal Asylum is a crown reaching to the heavens, and the worldly masses you care about are just ants on that crown. If no one fought over it, it might be fine. But once the battle starts, your mortal realm won't stand a chance. No matter where you hide, you'll be obliterated in an instant like dust!"

"So many souls across all the myriad worlds, if they were to perish, would the contenders not fear divine retribution?" Yun Xiao shook his head.

"Divine retribution?" The Nian looked upward in astonishment. "With such high talents, how can you harbor such naive thoughts? You don't even understand the essence of the Immortal Path. How have you survived until now?"

"Then tell me, what is the essence of the Immortal Path?" Yun Xiao asked earnestly.

"It's simple," the Nian explained deeply. "What you call divine retribution means punishment from above, implying a supreme creator, the setter of the rules of the game. However, within this Dao Realm, there is no such creator to ensure fairness. If there were, the world wouldn't have disparities of strength and status."

"No creator?" Yun Xiao's expression turned curious.

"Of course not," the Nian rolled its eyes. "Only the most ignorant beings believe in the myth of a creator. It's clear, if such a supreme being existed, the Dao Realm wouldn't be as brutal."

"Brutal..." Yun Xiao's eyes deepened. "Is that what you call the essence of the Immortal path?"

"Exactly!" The Nian scoffed. "In essence, this entire boundless expanse is under the dominion of the celestial ladder. It's a survival of the fittest scenario, with no supreme being in control. Concepts like morality and virtue are just flowers atop the Immortal civilization's head. They're pretty, but fragile. When life-and-death struggles arise, these flowers lose their meaning."

With that, it glanced towards the Immortal Asylum, coldly stating, "All it brings is a struggle for life and death."

Yun Xiao fell silent.

The Nian continued unabated, laughing, "Put simply, the world's barriers are the protection mechanism for the weak in the Dao Realm, its greatest kindness. The essence of the Immortal path is a food chain. A True Immortal descending from the heavens to harvest lives is no different from you hunting in the mountains. You may resist, but please spare me the moral indignation; it's quite comical."

"I understand," Yun Xiao nodded deeply.

"Share your insight," the Nian demanded proudly.

Yun Xiao, with a profound look and a calm voice, said, "All disorder and injustice, all cruelty and reality, arise because this world lacks a creator."

"Ah?" The Nian was stunned. What kind of insight was that?

It had intended to provoke Yun Xiao into maintaining his inner beliefs and continue fighting for the beings of the myriad worlds, perhaps even securing its release in the process.

"And? Is that it?" the Nian asked impatiently.

"There's more," Yun Xiao lifted his head, the confusion in his eyes clearing, a burst of resolve in his heart. He declared grandly, "I want to be the creator, to set the rules of the game myself."

The Nian felt as if it had swallowed filth. Unable to bear it, it retracted its eyes back into Yun Xiao's body, cursing as it went, "Damn fool."