C1556 The Origin of the Gate

At the mouth of the deep valley, the mightiest from the Everlands gathered, some seated on the ground, others propped against rare stones. Such a gathering of peak existences had not been seen in the Everlands for many years. Among them, Yu Yuan was the least formidable, merely a Lunar Spirit.

His presence seemed to lack the due reverence for the formidable figures around him, as if he didn't quite acknowledge their stature.

By a stroke of fate, the Banner of Duality, representing Han Miaoyuan, was planted right at the valley's entrance. It was impossible for onlookers not to notice the flag first. And there, beside the flag, sat the master of the Sword Sect, his eyes closed, seemingly disinterested in the significant council that concerned the fate of the Everlands. Had it not been for Han Miaoyuan's entreaties, he would have sent a Grand Sword Immortal in his stead to merely go through the motions.

Yet, the circle of supreme beings surrounding the valley's mouth frequently cast their gazes upon him, as if silently gauging his current martial prowess. Untamed, Qin Luo, the Moonfang Tiger, Mo Baichuan, and even Youyu watched him most intently. His recent sword strike had been exceptionally keen, after all.

Yu Yuan, now facing the valley's entrance with Youyu, had the Banner of Duality directly before him. He suspected that Youyu had arranged this deliberately, forcing him to confront the nemesis of his past life, making the past unmistakably clear.

Yu Yuan had come to believe that he was indeed the first Taiyin God-King of the Boulderdawn, the famed Dragon Slayer. Reflecting on it, he found it amusing; he had slain Youyu, clearing the way for Han Miaoyuan, a rising star among humanity. It was also Han Miaoyuan who, in collusion with the Dark Phoenix, had plotted the downfall of the Boulderdawn Sect thousands of years prior, leading to his own untimely demise.

He was aware that among his surviving foes were the Ebon Star Sect Master and the reigning Dark Phoenix of the Shadow's Keep. The other titans had either perished during the Boulderdawn's overthrow or fallen in clashes with the Otherkin beyond the stars. Han Miaoyuan, a human, and the evilkind's purple phoenix were instrumental in the Boulderdawn's ruin and his own fall.

At that moment, as Yu Yuan gazed upon the increasingly distinct figure of Han Miaoyuan within the Banner of Duality, he consciously reined in his thoughts, avoiding dwelling on the past.

Despite Zu Ann's presence, he couldn't help but worry that the shrewd Han Miaoyuan might peer into his innermost thoughts.

His attention deliberately skirted Han Miaoyuan, instead flitting between the Demon Lord Tan Xiaotian, the Moonfang Tiger, the Untamed, and Qin Luo.

Gazing into the orb of darkness that signified Tan Xiaotian, he could perceive nothing but the enveloping blackness, the soul within eluding his senses.

In fact, when he used his Lunar Spirit to scrutinize the darkness for too long, he began to feel as though it might consume him entirely.

And this was merely one of Tan Xiaotian's shadowy avatars.

The Ape, perched ungracefully on a rock, grinned toothily at Yu Yuan's glance, revealing a set of yellowed teeth.

Yet, from this venerable ancient ape, Yu Yuan could detect no trace of the robust vitality one would expect; this Dark Deity, older even than the Moonfang Tiger, seemed capable of concealing its potent vital energy completely from his senses.

Qin Luo of the Ruby Hand greeted him with a radiant smile and a playful wink.

Mo Baichuan, when noticed by Yu Yuan, offered a subtle nod in acknowledgment.

Lin Daoke, as was his way, kept his eyes closed throughout.

"This is how it is," began Han Miaoyuan of the Banner of Duality, with a calm and measured tone. He dispensed with formalities and introductions, cutting straight to the heart of the matter.

And right out of the gate, he dropped a bombshell.

"I put considerable effort into the assassination of God-King Jihui. As you all know, God-King Jihui mastered the forces of space and time. We managed to draw him back to the Everlands and sealed the entire realm with multiple layers of walls."

"Yet within the Everlands, he was still able to tear through space at will, eluding our tracking and making it nearly impossible to corner him."

"…"

The assembled group, seated apart from one another, maintained their silence, though many displayed a mix of surprise and intrigue.

It appeared that Han Miaoyuan, who had convened this gathering, had surprised them all by choosing to recount the tale of how, tens of thousands of years prior, he had slain God-King Jihui of the Boulderdawn.

Yu Yuan maintained a composed expression as he gazed at the flag.

Han Miaoyuan possessed a magnetic allure; whenever he spoke, people were instinctively drawn to his voice, eager to uncover the secrets he might reveal.

The audience exhibited remarkable patience, not interrupting with questions, trusting that Han Miaoyuan wouldn't speak without purpose or waste their time with idle chatter.

"After the Boundary Wall sealed off the Everlands, God-King Jihui was confined to this realm, with the Domain Channel in the Moonfall Sanctuary blocked as well. We pursued him relentlessly within the Everlands, yet each time we neared him, he vanished without a trace."

"Dealing with someone who mastered space magic and had achieved godhood was certainly challenging."

"Thankfully, someone from Shadow's Keep had assured me beforehand that they would handle him."

"We chased him across the skies, and after numerous escapes, he must have grown weary of our pursuit. It was then that he detected an odd spatial fluctuation emanating from a deep valley behind me."

"This disturbance was the handiwork of the individual from Shadow's Keep, a trap meticulously prepared just for him, and it had been a long time in the making."

"Exhausted from the prolonged chase and unable to leave the Everlands, Jihui rushed towards the enticing gift without a second thought."

"In an instant, he entered the valley, and at that very moment, his soul was obliterated."

Han Miaoyuan paused briefly.

He didn't turn to Yu Yuan but instead addressed Untamed and the Astral Tiger beside him. "What exactly was placed inside, what the nature of the trap was—I still have no idea."

"Don't look at me. I know nothing," the Ape declared, shaking his head.

The Astral Tiger remained silent.

"Upon my arrival, I conducted a thorough investigation of the valley and confirmed Jihui's demise. His divine seat had dissolved back into the essence and returned to the Everlands. All three of his souls were extinguished, eliminating any possibility of reincarnation. As for his body, it nearly shattered the valley's space in its destruction."

"The agent from Shadow's Keep contained the force of his explosion within the valley to prevent any damage to the Everlands."

"Moreover, it took nearly a century to completely erase the aftermath."

"Then..." Han Miaoyuan circled back to the main point after a lengthy narrative. "After his power was completely eroded, an extensive period elapsed—so long that I nearly forgot about the valley behind me. Then, one day, a door materialized out of thin air within the depths of the valley..."

"It was the Origin Gate."

He paused once more, and although everyone remained silent, their faces betrayed a range of emotions.

Clearly, this was a significant secret, known to only a few.

It appeared to be the first time Han Miaoyuan had disclosed it.

Yu Yuan was deeply moved. His gaze instinctively swept past the Banner of Duality and settled on the valley that housed the "Origin Gate."

He had never imagined that God-King Jihui would meet his end within that very valley!

When the Everlands were sealed, God-King Jihui was besieged in this world by Han Miaoyuan and other formidable figures. Frustrated by their pursuit, he suddenly detected an anomaly in the valley's space.

Believing he had found a chance to break free from the Everlands, he teleported there without a second thought.

Unbeknownst to him, the Dark Phoenix had been lying in wait, ready to ensnare him.

Before he could react, the trap specifically designed for him by the Dark Phoenix was sprung the moment he teleported in.

God-King Jihui perished instantly, his explosive power tightly contained by the Dark Phoenix within the valley.

It took another century for his power to dissipate gradually, ensuring it wouldn't disrupt the spatial integrity of the Everlands.

And so, after many years, an "Origin Gate" abruptly formed.

"The creation of the Origin Gate might be tied to his demise. Yet, we are certain that the subtle will emanating from the Origin Gate was not his," Han Miaoyuan said, breaking the silence once again.

"We were overly proud back then, ignorant of the Origin Gate's malevolence. At its emergence, we felt no fear, only exhilaration."

"We even thought we could use the increasingly stable Origin Gate to launch an invasion into the Origin Realm."

"That's why we initially allowed it to go unchecked."

Upon hearing this revelation, the crowd's expressions turned curious.

After reflecting on it, they realized that this was indeed the case.

Following the downfall of the Boulderdawn Sect, numerous divine positions were left vacant, leading to a surge of new powerhouses among the human and evilkind races. These emerging forces ascended to the pinnacle of power by merging with the divine seats.

Subsequently, they boldly ventured into the extraterrestrial Star River, laying siege to cities and capturing strongholds with great vigor.

The Origin Gate, a silently manifested portal to the mysterious lands beyond, was seen by Han Miaoyuan and the Dark Phoenix as a succulent fruit in the midst of growth. They patiently awaited its stabilization, ready to harvest the ripe fruit at the opportune moment.

Perhaps, in the aftermath of conquering the Origin Realm, the Everlands might gain one or two additional divine seats.

With even the Sky Fiend subdued, what in the extraterrestrial realms could possibly cause them concern or fear?

"From the outset, the Origin Gate continuously drew in various energies from its surroundings, long before Zu Ann was born. After conferring with the representative from Shadow's Keep, we allowed it to expand and stabilize," Han Miaoyuan explained, with no hint of concealment or regret.

"Eventually, after it had absorbed a sufficient amount of power, it stabilized."

"Only then did we realize that it had become like a malignant tumor entrenched in the cosmic order of the Everlands. It was akin to a tumor within the heart or soul of a being—forcibly removing it would damage the very foundation of the Everlands."

"Both I and the individual from Shadow's Keep attempted to investigate it, but we discovered that our corporeal bodies could not traverse it."

"And when it came to the remnant soul, entering was akin to casting a stone into the sea—no trace to be found."

"If neither I nor the person from Shadow's Keep could address the issue, it was even less likely that others could. Fortunately, at that time, it posed no immediate threat, merely continuing to consume energy from the Everlands."

"The issue wasn't insurmountable."

"In the beginning, we alternated in sealing off the deep valley, strictly prohibiting any living beings from entering and preventing the influx of spiritual energy."

"When Zu Ann came into existence, choosing to align with the Skyreach Peak, this grave responsibility was passed onto him."

"The reason I've summoned everyone here today is that the Origin Gate has become a significant hazard to the Everlands."

"Since neither I nor the representative from Shadow's Keep can eliminate it, we've called upon you all to collectively deliberate on a solution."

Han Miaoyuan laid bare the entire situation.

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