The Decaying World

As his zest for life dwindled, Lin Hui had the vague feeling that if he kept on this path, he might lose the will to exist entirely before achieving his goal, and subsequently spiral into self-destruction.

So, he returned to see his parents in this life and found them living well. After leaving some money and possessions behind, he once again set out to travel across the lands of the New Republic.

The cities across the country were much more sparsely populated, but everyone’s eyes held the same fire they once had—a light of hope, a proactive drive, incomparably pure and fervent.

He also saw Xie Tie Niu, who had come from his old sword hall.

Tie Niu no longer went by Tie Niu, having changed his name to Xie Chengxin. He was serving as the deputy commander of the military district covering three cities, including Xidong.

He had lost an arm, but his face was much more mature and weathered than it had been years ago.

He had also started a family and had a pretty, gentle wife by his side. Their home was a happy one.

Lin Hui didn’t approach to greet him, merely watching from a distance. The one-time guaranteed revival from the Indestructible Sacred Eye he carried hadn’t been used. And so, Lin Hui departed quietly.

Everything had stabilized, yet just as he’d expected, the Heavenly Immortal-level factions had managed to restrain themselves. They didn’t make a move. Instead, they were surprisingly cooperative with the new government, breaking up and secularizing their own industries and spheres of influence. They even donated vast assets, completely merging into the fast lane of the new era’s development.

The Time String of the era began to slowly fade, and the cultivation speed of his sword technique began to plummet once more.

Lin Hui felt the pace of his physical enhancement slowing. He also knew that for powerhouses like Heavenly Immortals, the complete destruction of their inherited factions likely meant little. As long as they wished, they could simply find a new place, casually gather a few disciples, and rebuild an entirely new lineage.

Therefore, trying to force them out of hiding by annihilating their sects was extremely unrealistic.

’These thousand-year-old tortoises are so patient. They must have a reason they’re forced to be.’

So Lin Hui decided to wait no longer. After breaking through the Second Layer of the sword technique, his Cultivation had reached an indescribable height.

The burdens of flesh and bone had been severed, eliminating most of his physical limitations in one fell swoop. His speed had ascended to a terrifying Realm.

This was on top of the Star Breath Sword Manual’s unique ability to control surrounding air currents.

He no longer knew just how strong he had become.

There was nothing left in his surroundings that could serve as a benchmark.

And so, he stopped hesitating. He decided to directly seek out the nearest Heavenly Immortal-level faction: Iron Buddha Temple.

He had accumulated enough power to conduct a preliminary test.

After all, if he kept waiting, the Time String fluctuations would be gone. The cultivation speed of his sword technique would plummet, and even another hundred years might not bring much change.

*

*

*

「Year 7 of the New Republic.」

The Iron Buddha Temple in Hengshan, near the Liu River, had been transformed from a grand, thriving monastery into a tourist destination. The original sprawling temple complex, which once occupied an area nearly the size of a small town, had seen ninety-nine percent of its land confiscated by the government. Some areas were converted into residences, others into tourist attractions.

It was the height of summer.

The nation had just emerged from its most destitute period. United as one, the people had eradicated many ills, such as widespread exploitation and the concentration of land and assets. Everyone’s heart was filled with bright hopes for the future.

Although there was still considerable friction along the nation’s borders, the New Republic government was a regime forged in the fires of war. It feared no provocation. Over two years, it had fought eight more small-scale border campaigns, forcefully beating the surrounding regions into submission and peace.

These were now the most peaceful and stable of days.

In front of what was once the Iron Buddha Temple’s main hall, a few toddlers in split-crotch pants played with pebbles near the threshold.

Chickens and ducks raised by the townsfolk squawked as they leisurely ambled past nearby.

The most jarring sound was the incessant shrill of cicadas in the trees.

A ticket booth had been set up at the entrance to the temple hall. An old ticket taker was dozing off, leaning back in a high-backed chair and slowly waving a cattail-leaf fan.

Taped to the small table in front of him was a sheet of red paper with thick, yellow brushstrokes that read: "Adults: one yuan. Children: half price."

"Excuse me, is this the entrance to Iron Buddha Temple for burning incense?"

The old man, half-asleep, suddenly heard a clear, young male voice speak right next to his ear.

He opened his eyes, blinked, and glanced toward the entrance.

"Just inside... Go straight, turn left. It’s the first door on your left." It was hard to tell if he’d even gotten a clear look at the visitor. He just tapped the ticket box on the table, motioned for the man to read the sign, then turned to his side and went back to sleep.

Lin Hui slipped his ticket, a small, red-printed slip of paper, into the box. He glanced at the faded ordination scars on the old man’s scalp but said nothing more as he slowly walked inside.

He followed the wide, clean avenue leading into the temple grounds.

He crossed a stone carriage path ten meters wide, turned left, and after fifty meters, saw the first door on his left.

It was a crooked, somewhat old, and simple little prayer hall. A plaque hanging above displayed three large, copper-plated words: Iron Buddha Temple.

The wooden doors of the hall were open, and the faint scent of incense drifted out.

Lin Hui walked up the steps like any ordinary person and went inside.

The first thing he saw was a three-meter-tall statue of the Future Buddha, smiling with a raised palm, its eyes half-closed.

In front of the statue, a gaunt old monk in a gray robe sat cross-legged on the floor. His eyes were closed, and it was impossible to tell if he was dozing off or silently chanting sutras.

The raucous chirping of the midsummer cicadas drifted in from outside, and the muggy air carried an unpleasant mix of medicinal herbs and stinky feet.

"I never thought the once-illustrious Iron Buddha Temple would fall to such a state." Lin Hui walked up beside the old monk, glanced at the statue, and spoke casually.

"If you’re not here to burn incense, patron, then feel free to look around." The old monk didn’t raise his head, remaining motionless on his prayer mat.

"I’m not here to burn incense. I’m looking for someone," Lin Hui said. ’From what I’ve seen these past few years, I understand the disposition of these Heavenly Immortals. Even wiping out their entire lineage won’t force them out of hiding. So, the only way to find them is to follow the trail of their surviving legacy and trace it back to the source.’

"Looking for someone? The person you seek is not here. Please leave, patron," the old monk replied, still without raising his head.

"I haven’t said who I’m looking for. How could you know if they’re here or not, old monk?" Lin Hui said with a smile.

"I’ve seen plenty of people like you, patron," the old monk said, completely unfazed, as if he had nothing left to lose. "Iron Buddha Temple has nothing left. Everything that could be taken has been taken. What little we have left is right here. Help yourself."

Lin Hui wasted no more words. With his hands behind his back, he walked around the prayer hall to the rear. Then, he spread out his Heart and Spirit, searching for anything suspicious.

But strangely, the place had no trace of a Heavenly Immortal’s aura, nor even an Earth Immortal’s. All that remained was the old monk, a Human Immortal—and an incredibly weak one at that.

Walking behind the statue, Lin Hui extended his right hand, pointed his index finger downward, and gently tapped the air.

HISS.

An invisible surge of energy shot downward, gathering the air into a transparent, sharp arrow that pierced into the ground at high speed.

Ten meters.

A hundred meters.

A thousand meters!

Two thousand meters!

All the way to five thousand meters!

Deep in the pitch-black, lightless earth, a dark, withered humanoid figure abruptly awoke from its slumber. It raised a hand and precisely intercepted the descending, formless arrow.

PUFF!

The arrow of air shattered and vanished.

The dark figure lifted its head, and from where its eyes should have been, two blinding golden rays shot out, aimed directly at Lin Hui’s location.

"Patron, why must you be so aggressive? The times have changed. The Heavenly Net hangs overhead. If you and I fight, regardless of the outcome, we will both face complete annihilation. What is the point?" An ancient, weary voice penetrated the thick crust of the earth, reaching directly into Lin Hui’s Heart and Spirit.

"I want to know what’s going on with the Celestial Court. Also, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen a Heavenly Immortal, and I’d like to have a little spar," Lin Hui stated honestly.

"Patron..." the ancient voice began to say.

"Don’t refuse," Lin Hui cut him off. "I didn’t go to all this trouble to find you just to listen to your excuses."

The ancient voice perceived his unyielding intent and sounded even more resigned.

"Surely you know, patron, that our Cultivation is difficult. It is not easy to accumulate power. Every bit we use is a bit less we have. Why must you do this...? As far as I know, my Iron Buddha Temple has never had any great enmity with you."

"Enough nonsense. Tell me the truth, and I might consider going easy on you," Lin Hui said, his tone softening slightly.

"...Very well. Since you’ve made it clear you wish to know about the Celestial Court, I shall tell you the truth," the ancient voice sighed. "The Celestial Court... it was completely emptied many, many years ago."

"Emptied? What do you mean?"

"It means that not only are the gods and immortals gone, but even the immortal and spiritual energies that once permeated the place have vanished. That is the fundamental reason why we can no longer replenish our power after becoming Heavenly Immortals. It’s also why no new Heavenly Immortals have appeared in many, many years. The immortal energy is gone..." the voice explained.

"Then why did all of you who went up there cough up blood and die?" Lin Hui pressed.

"Because the thing that devoured the immortal energy is still there... It has even corrupted the Heavenly Net. So, if the Heavenly Net discovers us, we are immediately targeted and consumed. There are no exceptions," the ancient voice replied, a note of despair in it.

"What is this ’thing’? If it’s so close, why hasn’t it invaded this place, the mortal realm?" Lin Hui asked, adopting the same term.

"I do not know what it is. As for your second question... how do you know it hasn’t already made a move on this place?" the ancient voice asked with a bitter laugh. "The changes have become increasingly obvious since I first discovered the anomaly in the Heavenly Net a century ago."

After a moment of silence, Lin Hui asked, "How can I verify what you’re saying? And, do you have a solution?"

"Verification is simple. Your Cultivation is high enough that you can probe the Celestial Court yourself," the voice replied. "You can use an external object as a proxy to travel there, record a brief image and its aura, and then observe it upon its return. I can provide the means to link to the Celestial Court."

"You’re certainly cooperative." ’I thought I’d have to fight him first, but I didn’t expect him to be this compliant.’

"And what would non-cooperation achieve?" The ancient voice gave a bitter laugh. "According to the prophecies of the Great Divination, this world will be utterly destroyed in sixty years, at most."

"Less than sixty years!?" Lin Hui was stunned. "You’re joking."

"How would I dare joke about such a thing?" the voice replied. "A short while ago, you must have heard about our nation being at war with three overseas countries simultaneously. Did you notice anything... unusual? Where were their Holy Spirits? Their Angels?"

"..." A terrible premonition suddenly gripped Lin Hui.

"It is exactly as you suspect. What lies above the western continent... is also gone," the ancient voice said with a bitter laugh.

"In any case, I’ll go see for myself," Lin Hui said calmly.

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