277: Chapter 277 The Temple of Cause and Effect

When Shen Nian opened his eyes, he found himself standing on an unfamiliar piece of land.

The sky was gray and hazy, without a sun or moon. Only endless grayish-white light filtered down from the clouds, illuminating this barren earth.

The ground was cracked and dry, resembling a dried-up riverbed. Every single fissure was bottomless, and faint dark red light could be seen pulsing within the cracks, just like magma deep underground.

The air was permeated with a decaying aura, which was the scent of depleted spiritual power and the aura of death left behind after a Spiritual Vein died.

In the distance, there was a city.

More than half of the city walls had collapsed, and only broken walls and ruins remained of the buildings within the city. Wisps of black smoke rose from the ruins, slowly drifting away in the grayish-white sky.

Shen Nian recognized that city.

That was Yongning City.

But it was not the Yongning City he was familiar with.

The city walls were shorter than they were now, the halls were older than they were now, and the Monument of Heroes was smaller than it was now.

That was Yongning City from many years ago, Yongning City at the end of the fifth cycle.

It was Yongning City where Ling Shuang, Zhou Zhiting, Song Xinghe, Guardian Lin Jingyun, Path Guardian Ancestor Qin Hao, and Shen Yuan—names he had only read about in books—were still alive.

Shen Nian wanted to walk over, but found that he could not move.

His body was not his own body.

He lowered his head and saw his hands—those were a pair of young hands, slender and powerful, with calluses on the fingertips left from holding a sword for a long time.

He was wearing the azure robe of a Guardian Academy Disciple, with a long sword hanging from his waist. A serial number was engraved on the scabbard— "487".

Disciple of the 487th generation of the Guardian Academy.

Guardian Academy Disciple at the end of the fifth cycle.

He became a person within the Karma projection.

An ordinary Guardian.

A person about to experience the end of the fifth cycle.

Shen Nian took a deep breath—no, that Guardian took a deep breath, and then strode toward Yongning City.

His pace was very firm, and every step he took was very steady. The soles of his boots stepped on the cracked earth, making a faint sound.

The closer he got to Yongning City, the stronger that decaying aura became.

The collapsed city walls were piled with rubble, and the rubble was stained with dark red blood, some of which had dried while some was still flowing.

That was the blood of the Realm Guardian Army soldiers.

It was the blood of those people who used their lives to guard this city.

Shen Nian—no, that Guardian—passed through the gap in the city wall and walked into the city.

The scene inside the city made him stop in his tracks.

Corpses were everywhere on the streets.

Some wore the battle armor of the Realm Guardian Army, some wore the azure robes of the Guardian Academy, and some wore the coarse cloth clothes of ordinary people.

They fell together, making no distinction between one another.

Some were still grasping weapons, some were still holding children, and some still maintained a posture of charging forward.

There was no fear on their faces, only firmness.

As if saying— " We held it. "

Tears burst from the Guardian's eyes.

He did not wipe them, simply letting them flow.

Because he knew these people were worth his tears.

He continued to walk forward, passing through street after street, stepping over corpse after corpse.

Every time he passed a corpse, he would stop and bow deeply.

Did he know them?

He did not.

But he knew they were all Guardians.

They were all people who died to protect the sea of stars.

They were worth this bow of his.

After walking for about a quarter of an hour, the Monument of Heroes appeared ahead.

The Monument of Heroes was still there, uncollapsed, and the names on the monument emitted a faint glow in the grayish-white light.

In front of the monument, a person was kneeling.

That was a woman with a slender figure, wearing a plain white robe with her long hair scattered over her shoulders.

Holding an ice soul sword in her hand.

The ice-blue light on the sword body had dimmed by more than half, the blade was covered with fine cracks, and the sword tassel at the hilt had been soaked in blood, turning dark red.

Ling Shuang.

Shen Nian's hand paused slightly.

He recognized her.

Not because he had seen her portrait, but because of the aura on her—the aura of the Guardian Patriarch, the aura of the Guardian, the aura of conviction forged by countless fallen heroes with their lives.

She was crying.

Crying silently.

Tears dripped onto the stone slabs in front of the Monument of Heroes, making a faint sound.

She was not crying for herself, but for those people who were no longer here.

Crying for Zhou Zhiting, crying for Song Xinghe, crying for the countless sacrificed soldiers.

And also crying for herself.

Because she knew she was about to leave too.

The fifth cycle was about to end, the Seal was about to shatter, and everything was coming to an end.

But she did not retreat.

Because she was the Guardian Patriarch, and this was her mission.

Shen Nian walked to her side and knelt down.

He laid the long sword across his knees and kowtowed deeply.

" Senior Ling Shuang, this Disciple has come to see you. "

Ling Shuang did not raise her head, still looking at the names on the monument.

Her voice was hoarse, yet it clearly entered Shen Nian's ears.

" Who are you? You are not my Disciple. Your aura… is very unfamiliar. "

Shen Nian was silent for a moment.

" This Disciple comes from the sixth cycle. This Disciple is a student of Shen Zhao. "

Ling Shuang's hand paused slightly.

" Shen Zhao? That child… is he doing well? "

Shen Nian's tears welled up once more.

" Patriarch… he is no longer here. He traded his Life for the peace of the New Universe. Before he left, he said, 'Uncle, this Disciple has come.' "

Ling Shuang was silent for a long time.

Then, she smiled.

The laughter was very light, as light as a candle flame about to be extinguished in the wind, but it carried an indescribable sense of relief.

" Good, very good. He did not live up to my expectations. He accomplished what I failed to do. "

She turned her head and looked at Shen Nian.

Her face was peerlessly beautiful, but her eyes were filled with exhaustion, and the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes were as deep as knife-carvings—traces left by countless years of toil.

Her eyes were gray, as if covered by a thin layer of mist, but beneath this gray, Shen Nian saw light.

That was the light of protection, the original aspiration of the Guardian.

" Child, what is your name? "

" This Disciple is Shen Nian. "

Ling Shuang nodded.

" Shen Nian, what have you come here to do? "

Shen Nian took a deep breath.

" This Disciple has come to retrieve the fifth demon god origin. This Disciple's Master promised Senior Yue Li during his lifetime to help her gather all seven demon god origins, open the Gate of Reincarnation, and resurrect those harvested Souls. Master is no longer here, so this Disciple will fulfill this promise for him. "

Ling Shuang was silent for a long time.

Then, she raised her hand, and a dark red crystal core emerged from her palm.

That was the fifth demon god origin.

" I have guarded it for countless years, and today, I can finally hand it over. "

She did not hand the crystal core to Shen Nian, but instead withdrew her hand.

" But before that, you need to pass my test. "

Shen Nian nodded.

" This Disciple is willing. "

Ling Shuang stood up and thrust the ice soul sword into the ground. The ice-blue light on the sword body flashed slightly, then completely dimmed.

" My test is very simple. You kneel here until dawn. When dawn comes, if you can still stand up, the demon god origin will be yours. "

Shen Nian's hand paused slightly.

Kneel until dawn?

Just like that?

Ling Shuang seemed to see through his thoughts.

" You think it is simple? Try it and you will know. The night of the fifth cycle is longer than you think. "

She turned around and walked toward the city.

" I am going to patrol the city. When dawn comes, I will return. "

Shen Nian knelt before the Monument of Heroes, watching her back disappear into the ruins.

The night wind blew by, the chill piercing his bones, and he shivered.

Not because he was cold, but because the wind was mixed with weeping and shouting.

That was the weeping and shouting of the common people, the crying of children, and the voices of mothers calling out their children's names.

Yongning City of the fifth cycle still housed common people.

Not everyone had the qualifications to evacuate through the teleportation array.

Those ordinary people without cultivation, those old, weak, sick, and disabled, those forgotten people, all remained here.

They awaited death.

Or, waited for a miracle.

Shen Nian knelt before the monument, listening to those cries, tears sliding down silently.

He remembered what his uncle Shen Yuan had said — " Guardians do not only protect the strong, but protect everyone who needs protection. "

But these people who needed protection, he could not save them.

Because this was a Karma projection, he could only watch and could not change it.

He could do nothing.

He could only kneel here, listening to their cries and watching them die.

This was the price of protection.

It was not dying on the battlefield, but watching helplessly as those who needed protection died while being powerless to help.

The night grew deeper.

The cries grew weaker and weaker.

Not because they stopped crying, but because they could no longer cry.

Their voices were hoarse, their throats were swollen, and their tears had run dry.

But they were still waiting.

Waiting for dawn, waiting for hope, waiting for someone who might never come.

Shen Nian's knees were already numb, and his legs had lost sensation.

But his body was not his own body; that Guardian's body could still hold on.

His consciousness was merely trapped within this body, experiencing everything of this body—pain, coldness, exhaustion, and despair.

The night of the fifth cycle was longer than he thought.

So long that he thought the sky would never brighten again.

So long that he thought there would never be a tomorrow in this world.

But he did not stand up.

Because he had promised Ling Shuang to kneel until dawn.

Because he had promised the Patriarch to fulfill the promise for his Master.

Because he had promised those names on the Monument of Heroes to guard the sea of stars.

He could not break his word.

Not knowing how much time had passed, a faint light appeared in the east.

Not sunlight, but spiritual light.

That was the light left behind when the last batch of star skiffs of the Realm Guardian Army took off.

They were going to evacuate.

Not everyone could evacuate, but saving one person at a time was better than nothing.

Shen Nian raised his head, looking at that light, an indescribable emotion welling up in his heart.

Those Realm Guardian Army soldiers clearly could have left earlier, clearly could have taken their families with them, but they did not.

They stayed behind, guarding until the last moment.

Until the Spiritual Vein was depleted, until the star skiff could not take off, until it would be too late if they did not leave.

Only then did they leave.

But it was already too late for their families to leave.

This was the price of protection.

It was not sacrificing oneself, but sacrificing the ones you loved most.

Day finally broke.

The grayish-white light filtered down from the clouds, illuminating this ruined city.

Ling Shuang walked over from the city, her pace very slow, every step heavy.

Her white hair fluttered in the morning breeze, and her robe was stained with dust and blood.

In her hand, she still held the ice soul sword.

The light on the sword body had completely dimmed, resembling a dead Life.

She walked to the Monument of Heroes and looked at Shen Nian.

" You are still here. "

Shen Nian nodded.

" This Disciple promised Senior to kneel until dawn. This Disciple did not break his word. "

Ling Shuang looked at him, a trace of gratification flashing in her eyes.

" Good, very good. You are the first one to kneel until dawn. In the previous six cycles, many people have come here. They knelt for half the night and left. Some said 'enough', some said 'I cannot do it', some said 'this is unfair'. None of them understood the meaning of protection. Protection is not a choice; it is a burden. Bearing things that you do not want to bear, yet must bear. "

She raised her hand, handing that dark red crystal core in front of Shen Nian.

" Take it. My power will also be given to you. "

She raised her hand, and a wisp of ice-blue light surged from her palm, pouring into the qinglian sword.

That was Ling Shuang's power, the power of the Guardian Patriarch, the power of protection.

Shen Nian's cultivation climbed once more, breaking through from the Peak of the Mid Stage of Integration to the Perfection of the Mid Stage of Integration.

He took the demon god origin and stored it in his storage ring.

" Many thanks, Senior. "

Ling Shuang shook her head.

" No need to thank me. It was your own Dao Heart that allowed you to pass the test. "

She turned around and looked at the names on the Monument of Heroes.

" I have guarded it for countless years, and today, I can finally rest. "

Her body began to disintegrate, starting from her feet, turning into ice-blue light specks inch by inch.

Those light specks drifted in the Void Realm, merging into one with the names on the Monument of Heroes.

" Senior! "

Ling Shuang smiled, smiling with matchless relief.

" No need to be sad. I have waited for countless years, waiting for someone who can inherit the demon god origin. Once waited for, it is enough. I do not regret it. "

Her figure grew increasingly faint and more transparent.

" Child, guard the sea of stars on my behalf. Guard it for those who are no longer here. "

As her voice fell, her figure completely dissipated, turning into sky-full ice-blue light specks drifting in the Void Realm.

Shen Nian knelt on the ground, kowtowing deeply toward that dissipating light.

" Rest assured, Senior, this Disciple will certainly not fail the commission. "

The surrounding scenery began to distort and shatter, transforming into countless streams of light that flew past him.

He only felt his vision go dark and lost consciousness.

Not knowing how much time had passed, he opened his eyes.

He returned to the palace, kneeling before the woman.

The woman still kept her eyes closed, her complexion as pale as paper, motionless.

But the dark red crystal core in her hand was no longer there—it was in his hand.

Yue Li stood beside him, looking at him with eyes full of worry.

" Shen Nian, are you alright? "

Shen Nian nodded, struggling to stand up.

His legs were still weak, and his complexion was as pale as paper, but his gaze remained firm.

" This Disciple is fine. This Disciple simply… saw someone who should not be seen. "

Yue Li's brows furrowed.

" Who? "

Shen Nian was silent for a moment.

" Ling Shuang. The Guardian Patriarch of the fifth cycle. She made this Disciple kneel for a night. "

Yue Li's hand paused slightly.

" Ling Shuang? Is she still alive? "

Shen Nian shook his head.

" No longer. She dissipated. She gave her power to this Disciple. "

Yue Li looked at him, a trace of complexity flashing in her eyes.

" Your cultivation… broke through? "

Shen Nian nodded.

" Perfection of the Mid Stage of Integration. Only one step away from breaking through to the Late Stage. "

Yue Li was silent for a moment, then nodded.

" Good, very good. The fifth demon god origin is obtained. There are still two more. "

Shen Nian stored the demon god origin into his storage ring and took a final look at that sleeping woman.

He did not know who she was or what her name was.

But he knew that she had waited for countless years, waiting for someone who could pass the test.

Now, that person had come.

She could also rest now.

He knelt on the ground, kowtowing deeply toward her.

Then he got up, turned around, and walked toward the exit of the palace.

Yue Li followed behind.

The two walked side by side in the passageway, their footsteps echoing in the empty passageway.

Shen Nian did not speak, nor did Yue Li.

They both knew this was only the beginning.

There were still the Sixth District and the Seventh District.

There were more tests and more sacrifices.

But Shen Nian was not afraid.

Because he knew he was not alone.

He had the Origin mark of the Patriarch, the five legacies within the qinglian sword, and Yue Li by his side.

He had the convictions of countless fallen heroes supporting him from behind.

That was enough.

When walking out of the palace, the fog outside had mostly dissipated.

Sunlight spilled down through the thin fog, falling on Shen Nian, warm and soft.

He took a deep breath and turned to look at the grayish-white palace.

The palace still stood towering in the Void Realm, the grayish-white crystals emitting a faint glow under the sunlight.

But the Guardian was no longer there.

Her power was in the qinglian sword.

Her will was in his heart.

" Let us go. "

Yue Li said softly.

Shen Nian nodded, turning to walk in the direction of the flying boat.

The qinglian sword swayed gently at his waist, the qinglian patterns on the sword body shining brilliantly under the sunlight.

The fifth demon god origin had been obtained.

There were still two more.