The Decaying World

This speech was the same as what the Mist Emperor had said before.

But for some reason, Lin Hui inexplicably felt that this being was far more credible than the Mist Emperor.

Countless speculations flashed through his mind.

After a few seconds, he finally spoke slowly.

"Then, how do I get to the source of the Corruption?"

"The Nether-aperture on your body is where the source lies. You need only follow the body that has separated from this world and establish a foundation to travel there with ease," the Mother of Dusk said.

"You’re saying... the source of the Corruption is actually the Netherworld?" Lin Hui asked, surprised.

"Correct. Its root is the Netherworld. But the Netherworld was not originally the Netherworld. It was we, and many similar Realms, who used it as a source of Corruption, drawing power from it to create a self-sustaining cycle. That is how it came to be called the Netherworld," the Mother of Dusk explained.

"So, in all these years, have you ever gone to the Netherworld to investigate the cause?" Lin Hui asked.

"My true self went there, but there has been no news since. Later, the Corruption eroded the neighboring Realm, and foreign entities appeared, occupying the bodies of the Mist Emperor and the Emperor’s Lock. From then on, a vicious cycle began. The mist grew thicker, the Corruption grew stronger, yet new life became scarcer... more and more anomalies appeared."

As the Mother of Dusk spoke, her body was gradually becoming more and more transparent.

"Also, Daoist Master Lin, you are not native to this Realm, are you?"

She had clearly noticed something unusual about Lin Hui.

"And? What are you trying to say?" Lin Hui’s expression didn’t change. After Qimei had noticed it before, being discovered again didn’t shock him as much.

"Has the Daoist Master considered that since you could travel from your original world to this one, your own world might also be affected by the anomalous Corruption? And if this Realm is destroyed by the Source Calamity, your original world might also..." the Mother of Dusk trailed off.

Lin Hui fell silent.

Her words seemed to instantly transport his memories back to the ordinary life of his previous incarnation.

’So many years have passed. Perhaps in my original world, everything has changed, and the people I knew are long gone.’

"I have said all I can. If the Daoist Master wishes to go, the decision is yours alone. If you wish to verify the truth of my words, you can use an incarnation technique to investigate."

The Mother of Dusk gave a bitter smile.

"My time is running out... Finally... I wish you the best of luck..."

Her enormous form began to rapidly dissipate, turning transparent before vanishing completely.

Lin Hui’s vision quickly pulled away from the green mist and returned to reality.

The White Deer before him looked as if it had just recovered from a major illness. Guiding Lin Hui into that mysterious place had clearly taken a huge toll on it.

But it had no choice.

Now, with the Wind Calamity eroding the world, if they didn’t find a way to save it, everything would be utterly destroyed and disintegrated before long.

"So, you believe that if we can rebuild the normal cycle of decay and rebirth from long ago, we can avoid being eroded by the Source Calamity and become a so-called paradise?" Lin Hui, having sorted out the Mother of Dusk’s meaning, asked the White Deer.

"Precisely..." Although the White Deer didn’t understand what Lin Hui meant by "paradise," it understood the general idea and nodded quickly.

Lin Hui didn’t know if this idea would work. But right now, with the Wind Calamity’s erosion, even he could only barely delay the inevitable. To avoid the world’s destruction, perhaps this was truly the only thing to try...

After all, even the world where the Jiuxiao Sect had resided couldn’t stop its own destruction by the Wind Calamity. In the end, the powerful masters of the Jiuxiao Sect failed in their resistance and chose to merge with the Wind Calamity, becoming a part of it.

"Also, if the Daoist Master intends to go, please be aware that the source of the Corruption is extremely dangerous. If your Master could accompany you... it should guarantee a degree of safety. That place is nothing like the former Corrupted Realm. In essence, the Corrupted Realm was actually just a small Realm closer to the source of Corruption than we are. The two great anomalies that eroded the Mist Emperor and the Emperor’s Lock are merely trying to plunder everything from our world in an attempt to break free and escape from everything," the White Deer said solemnly.

"I see," Lin Hui nodded.

If he could truly confirm that what they said was true, he did intend to try and make the journey.

’After all... the longer I live, the more I feel this bone-deep loneliness...’

’Everything is fading away, everyone is drifting apart. If all things must eventually perish, then what is the meaning of my own existence, left all alone in the world?’

Suddenly, he seemed to understand why Qimei had been so obsessed with rebuilding his sect.

’Because without it, he probably would have lost all reason to keep living long ago.’

’When you’ve lost interest in everything, when all that was familiar has vanished like smoke. Fighting against loneliness becomes your greatest purpose in life.’

"If I confirm that it isn’t a lie, I will make the trip." Having thought it through, Lin Hui answered honestly.

"Daoist Master... a truly noble act!" Upon hearing this, the White Deer’s eyes grew moist. It clasped its fists and bowed deeply to him.

"There’s no need for that. I’m just doing this for my own peace of mind," Lin Hui said calmly.

The White Deer gave a bitter smile.

"Since you are acting so, Daoist Master, we should also give you an accounting."

It straightened up and looked toward the sky.

"We were split from the Mother of Dusk, and have now existed for five hundred thousand years... Now... it is time for it all to..."

It let go of its cane, and its right hand suddenly pulled a silver dagger from its waist. It plunged the blade viciously into its own chest and slashed downward.

RIP.

A bloody gash was torn open over its heart.

The White Deer reached into the bloody wound and pulled hard.

It actually ripped its own heart, which looked as if it were forged from gold, right out of its chest!

"Daoist Master... all my previous actions... this old one takes full... responsibility...!"

The heart in its hand silently dissolved into golden motes of light and vanished.

As for the White Deer itself, its body rapidly turned transparent, and its aura weakened swiftly.

"You!?" Lin Hui’s eyes met its, and through a connection of their Heart and Spirit, he instantly understood its reason.

It turned out the White Deer was the one who had mysteriously expelled him from the world before.

And now... it was using its own life as an atonement for its past actions.

Watching as the White Deer gave a bitter smile, its body fading, turning transparent, and vanishing completely.

For some reason, Lin Hui felt a strange sense of sorrow in his heart.

’If it didn’t also have something it cherished most in its heart, it would never have given up its life so decisively.’

He floated for a long time where the White Deer had vanished, not leaving.

Down below in the Imperial City, as time passed, the massive earthquakes had ceased. As if nothing had happened, everyone cautiously returned to their original areas and resumed their normal lives.

Only then did everyone discover that the imperial family and The Three Greats who had governed the Imperial City had all vanished at once.

In their place, Su Yaping and others from the Qingfeng Dao stepped forward to fill the power vacuum. With the many disciples of the Qingfeng Dao, they began to establish a new order.

And at this very moment, Yuanhe was sitting alone on a merchant ship, heading far away from the Imperial City.

He gazed at the receding Royal City, his expression devoid of sorrow or joy.

This time, he had used everyone to achieve his goal. He had restored his own completeness, but in doing so, he had offended nearly every powerful faction in the world.

Although the Daoist Master had told him it wasn’t too late to regret his actions... he didn’t dare...

He still had things he had to do, debts of gratitude he had yet to repay...

Near the Royal City, within another expanse of space filled with emerald-green mist.

The Green Leaf Girl gazed at the spot where the White Deer had killed itself, her expression mournful. She lowered her head, looking at the wooden cane she had just picked up.

’My brother is gone, and most of my old friends have long since vanished. The future... where do I go from here...?’ Her heart was suddenly filled with confusion...

It had always been her brother who led her, who decided their actions, and now...

The green mist swirled, gradually enveloping her figure until she disappeared.

*

*

*

「Five years later...」

Qingfei Mountain.

Lin Hui reached out and gently stroked the thick trunk of the pear tree in the courtyard.

Under the erosion of the Wind Disaster Power, its rough bark was beginning to turn dry, hard, and brittle.

The entire federation was now under the effective control of the people from Qingfeng Dao, but the erosion of the Wind Calamity made it all meaningless.

More and more people were beginning to show the preliminary signs of weathering away. The howling wail of fierce winds could be heard in the sky with increasing frequency.

Everything beyond the city walls, be it the oceans or the land, was gradually becoming more desolate.

Life force was rapidly draining away.

"Ah Hui... are you going out again?" Liu Wu Jun pushed the door open from behind, looking a little weary.

"Yeah, I’m going out for a look. Consider it a kind of transitional secluded cultivation." Lin Hui composed himself and turned around. "Tell Xiaoliu and the others to cultivate well. I don’t want to come back and find all of you in worse and worse health. You’re getting older, so you need to take better care of yourselves. Don’t wait until your grandchildren are grown up to find you can’t keep up anymore."

"You... don’t worry. You think we need you to worry about us?" Liu Wu Jun said with a laugh.

"Also, try not to leave Qingfei Mountain unless you have to. It’s good for your health," Lin Hui continued to instruct. "If you run into any trouble, the keys to activate the grand formation are with you and Su Yaping. As long as nothing happens to both of you at the same time, there will be a safety net. You two, one in the open and one in the shadows, must not let anyone know you also have a key."

"Alright, alright, I get it. Why are you acting like a nagging mother hen? Don’t tell me you’ll be gone for a long time on this trip?" Liu Wu Jun asked, puzzled.

"I don’t know... but it’ll probably be for quite some time," Lin Hui said with a smile. "Fortunately, now that the limit is gone, life-extending items are effective again. You all should use them."

"Understood! This is all thanks to you, after all," Liu Wu Jun said with a laugh.

He then went on to talk about various troubles his family had been facing recently. In particular, Xiaoliu’s descendants, whose character was truly getting worse and worse. This time, he really couldn’t hold back and had grabbed one of them for a harsh beating.

And Xiaoliu had even complained to him about it.

Lin Hui nodded in support of his actions, saying that discipline was necessary when it was called for. The two of them chatted casually, just like they always did. Occasionally, Liu Wu Jun would also ask about some of his questions regarding Martial Arts, requesting Lin Hui’s guidance.

At Lin Hui’s current level, looking back at Martial Arts like the Divine Decision was naturally as easy as looking at the lines on his palm.

Over the past few years, he had been trying every method he could think of to investigate and confirm whether what the White Deer and the Mother of Dusk had said was true.

And after exploring through several Dharma Gates, he had indeed confirmed it: the Corruption had not vanished. What Qimei had destroyed before was indeed just a Realm adjacent to the Corruption.

The true Corruption was currently being suppressed by the Wind Calamity, its traces temporarily hidden.

If he wanted to restore the previous cycle, he would have to take the initiative to venture deep into that place and establish a brand-new channel connecting the two worlds.

And this, perhaps, was this world’s only hope for survival...

Therefore, after confirming the method of travel, he prepared to bring his affairs in this world to a close.

’The next time I return... who knows how many years from now that will be...?’

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!