Chapter 252: Chapter 249: Heart Path_1
Who on earth invaded the Kunlun Secret Realm?
This question surfaced in Qin Wudao’s mind, distressing him. Who could have destroyed a force that should have dominated the continent, towering over countless beings?
The world follows a natural cycle: what has long been divided will unite, and what has long been united will divide. There are no eternal forces!
Is there really no eternal existence in this world?
With this question in mind, Qin Wudao began to search the surrounding buildings for valuable treasures.
Perhaps due to the great passage of time, everything except the palaces crumbled at a touch. After searching for a while, he found nothing useful.
Just then, a group of people possessed by soul shadows confidently walked into an ordinary palace and skillfully located the formation’s nucleus.
"Ancestors above, please forgive your unfilial disciple. Without your permission, I have opened the Formation. Yet, everything I have done is to restore the glory of Kunlun and find the murderer behind the scenes!"
Everyone knelt, bowing their heads in utmost respect.
It turned out they were disciples of the Kunlun lineage. Before their demise, they had employed secret methods to merge their souls with spirit trees outside the mountain, seeking a slim chance of survival. Fortunately, they had succeeded.
After performing a reverent salutation, a disciple stepped forward, took a Spirit Stone from his spatial belongings, and placed it on the formation’s nucleus.
BOOM!
A brilliant light surged into the sky, scattering the residual energy in the heavens.
The next moment, the mountain began to tremble slightly. Countless intricate formation patterns appeared on the palace, forming a vast Formation that continuously absorbed the Spiritual Energy floating in the air. It was because of this Formation’s protection that the palace had remained intact.
"What is this?" Qin Wudao looked up to see a transparent Immortal Path appearing in the Void above, leading to the mountain peak.
"The Great Way of Kunlun is open! Through this path, one can enter Mount Kunlun and learn the way of immortality!"
"The Path of Immortals, the Way of the Dao, the Endless Path!"
"Once you step onto this path, there is no turning back. Be cautious! Be very cautious! Be exceedingly cautious!"
An ancient voice echoed throughout the Kunlun Secret Realm, stirring everyone’s excitement.
The way of immortality... could it be the inheritance of the Supreme of Kunlun?
At this thought, everyone flew towards the entrance of the Great Way of Kunlun, Qin Wudao naturally among them.
Of course, the fastest were the Kunlun disciples whose bodies had been seized. They stepped onto the Great Way of Kunlun before anyone else.
Next to arrive were Qin Wudao, Shen Youlin, Bear Longing, Song Yufeng, and other martial artists who had reached the Saint Realm. They exchanged glances, tacitly setting aside their personal vendettas, and silently stepped onto the Great Way of Kunlun, seeking their immortal opportunities.
Ultimately, destruction is inescapable!
In a place hidden from the crowd stood a spectral old man. Dressed in a Taoist robe and a purple jade crown, his deep eyes and body composed of numerous Dao patterns made him appear incredibly mysterious. He was the spirit of the Kunlun Secret Realm. After the Secret Realm was damaged, he fell into a deep slumber, only gradually awakening when the Formation activated and absorbed Spiritual Energy. All mustard seed worlds that reach the seventh level develop spiritual wisdom, becoming special life forms. The mustard seed world housing the Kunlun Secret Realm was undoubtedly beyond the seventh level and thus capable of nurturing such beings! However, he was different from the creatures of other mustard seed worlds...
Master, please rest assured, I will find you a successor. But I will not let him act foolishly, nor will I allow him to seek revenge. I hope you can understand! the old man muttered to himself. His gaze rested on the proud geniuses entering the Great Way of Kunlun. It lingered for a moment on the Kunlun disciples who had entered first, before shifting to Qin Wudao, Shen Youlin, and the others.
"The Great Way of Kunlun, First Trial: Path of the Heart Demon!"
The moment Qin Wudao set foot on the Great Way of Kunlun, he felt the world spin. When he steadied himself, he found he was back in the imperial palace of the Imperial Capital.
He was still seated on the imperial throne, but the court below was not filled with ministers of the Qin Dynasty, but experts from the Kylin Sacred Land. With defiant eyes and weapons in hand, they surrounded the throne.
"Qin Wudao, how does it feel, now that your country is destroyed and your family dead?" Shen Youlin’s voice rang from outside the hall. It was followed by the sound of heavy footsteps as numerous disciples of the Kylin Sacred Land escorted the ministers and royal family members of the Qin Dynasty into the hall.
Among them were ministers like Zhuge Liang, Xiang Yu, and Zhao Yun, as well as members of the Qin royal family such as Qin Ying, Qin Xiaolong, and Qin Huairen.
"What do you think you’re doing?" Qin Wudao stood up and demanded angrily.
"What am I doing? You defeated me, the Saint Heir, in front of everyone in the East Border, stealing the first place that was rightfully mine. Today, I, the Saint Heir, will shatter your Dao Heart!" Shen Youlin roared with laughter, drew the Kylin Sword, and pointed it at Zhuge Liang, saying, "Kneel and submit to me, the Saint Heir! Acknowledge me as your master, and I shall spare their lives!"
"You wish!" Qin Wudao refused without a second thought. If he knelt, his Dao Heart would shatter, giving birth to a Heart Demon, and he would never be able to reach the pinnacle of the Great Dao.
But he was puzzled. Wasn’t he in the Kunlun Secret Realm? How, in the blink of an eye, had his nation fallen and his family perished? He initially dismissed it as an illusion, but it felt extraordinarily real. An unknown voice affirmed that all of it was true; he had become a vanquished monarch.
"Then watch them die!" Shen Youlin sneered, plunging the Kylin Sword into Zhuge Liang’s body. Blood splattered, staining the golden hall crimson.
"Prime Minister!" Qin Wudao cried out, horrified, his heart aching.
"Will you kneel or not?" Shen Youlin strode to Zhao Yun, roaring menacingly.
"Never!" Qin Wudao bellowed, his eyes bloodshot. He snatched the Xuanyuan Sword from beside the throne and lunged at Shen Youlin below the imperial steps. But before he could move, he was seized by the surrounding experts from the Kylin Sacred Land.
He could only watch as Shen Youlin killed Zhao Yun.
Next were Jia Xu, Yuan Tiangang, Yue Fei, and others, followed by his family members, his elder brother, his Father Emperor... The entire hall was painted red with blood.
Before killing each person, Shen Youlin would repeat his demand, driving Qin Wudao to the brink of collapse. How cruel it was to watch those he lived with, those connected by blood, being slaughtered before his eyes.
Qin Wudao gritted his teeth, never submitting. He was an emperor; his very identity forbade him from surrendering to an enemy. His Martial Dao Heart would not permit it either.
Clutching the Xuanyuan Sword, he attacked again and again, but each attempt was blocked by the experts of the Kylin Sacred Land. His body was soon covered in wounds, blood drenching his robes.
When Shen Youlin killed the last person, Qin Wudao wept tears of blood.
He did not continue his assault. Instead, he turned, sat down on the imperial throne, straightened his clothes, placed the Xuanyuan Sword to his neck, and ended his own life.
Darkness engulfed him.
Then, light shone through.
When he opened his eyes, he found himself standing on the edge of a cliff. Before him lay a sea of scarlet demonic lava, a single drop of which could kill a Saint. Only a single-log bridge spanned the lava, leading to the other side.
Qin Wudao was momentarily stunned, then burst into wild laughter, overwhelmed with relief. It was fake! It was all fake! Thank heavens! It was just a trial. My family, my friends, my country—they are all safe and sound!
"Congratulations, you have passed the trial of the Path of the Heart Demon. Next is the trial of the Courage Path..."
The ancient voice echoed in Qin Wudao’s mind, making him understand the trial he had just undergone.
The Heart Demon Path, as its name suggested, was a trial where one battled their inner demons using their Martial Dao Heart. The stronger one’s Martial Dao Heart, the easier it was to overcome the Heart Demon. In reality, if Qin Wudao had faced such a scenario, he might have made different choices for his family and friends. But in the trial, as long as one’s Martial Dao Heart was sufficiently resolute, success was guaranteed.