This place was the Plains of the Unsetting Sun. The sun had always been somewhat different, but now it had become much darker. It was not that there was a problem with the sun itself, but that the space it was in had a problem that was very difficult to describe with words.
It was very difficult to describe, so it was naturally even more difficult to understand. However, for some reason, just by looking around, Chen Changsheng understood why the Garden of Zhou had become like this.
The Garden of Zhou had gradually become desolate. Of course, it had something to do with the natural disaster caused by the breaking of the laws. The reason that the Garden of Zhou had not been able to repair itself after the reestablishment of the laws was because the Garden of Zhou had been isolated from the Source World for these past few days. Yes, the Garden of Zhou was a miniature world, a fragment that floated in the river of time and space. However, it was assuredly connected to the Source World, or else it would not have appeared after Zhou Dufu's death, following a certain pattern.
Chen Changsheng knew why the Garden of Zhou appeared once every ten years — it was because it needed to communicate with the Source World.
Only running water could not rot.
Although the Garden of Zhou was large, if it was truly isolated, it would become a pool of stagnant water. Even if this pool was as large as the ocean, it would still become lifeless.
Standing at the very peak of the Mausoleum of Zhou, Chen Changsheng looked around. He could faintly sense some sort of connection, and judged that with his arrival, the Garden of Zhou had reestablished its connection with the Source World. This situation would probably change, but it was assuredly a very slow and long process. He also did not know if the creatures that lived in this world could still endure until that day.
The monster tide in the sea of grass was no longer as majestic as it was in the past. Several tens of thousands of monsters seemed like a lot, but on the surface of the vast and boundless sea of grass, it seemed very few.
The several tens of thousands of monsters set off once more, heading towards the Mausoleum of Zhou. They were prepared to welcome the end of their lives there. However, in the next moment, they once again felt that Qi, that feeling of being looked down upon. This time, that feeling did not come from the distant sky, but from the Mausoleum of Zhou in front of them. Moreover, this time, that Qi was much stronger. Some of the monsters that were slightly more intelligent could even tell that they had smelled that Qi before.
The Mountain-toppling Fiend stopped and straightened its body, which was several dozen zhang high. It gazed at the mausoleum in the distance, and its bean-like eyes were gradually filled with a ruthless aura.
With a whoosh, the heavily injured Earth Monkey appeared out of nowhere. Grabbing onto the Mountain-toppling Fiend's fur, it used only its two hands to climb onto its shoulders like a bolt of lightning. It gave a mournful howl towards the distant Mausoleum of Zhou, brimming with anger, resentment, and despair.
At the very back of the monster tide, the Monster Bull had its eyes closed, its damaged ears faintly trembling in the cold wind. From the Earth Monkey's howl, it was able to confirm the origin of that Qi. Its body began to tremble uncontrollably. Ripples began to appear on the surface of its body, which had become mottled and ugly due to the loss of too many arrow hairs. It was like a moist swamp that had completely evaporated but was still wet.
These three great demonic beasts had suffered heavy injuries in the reappearance of the Sword Pool last time, but they were still incomparably powerful and savage. They had actually luckily survived such a natural disaster. Of course, they could tell that the Qi belonged to that human youth — the main culprit that had turned the Garden of Zhou into its current state.
To these monsters, the Garden of Zhou was their home. They had lived here peacefully for countless years, but they had been disturbed by the hateful humans and demons, even falling into their current hopeless situation — the sky had fallen, the humans and demons had all left, but they still had to live on these plains. What could they do?
The hatred that the monsters had for Chen Changsheng was naturally something very easy to understand.
However, for some reason, in the next moment, the Earth Monkey's howl came to a sudden stop. It stared in the direction of the Mausoleum of Zhou, its eyes filled with disbelief. Soon after, a timid expression appeared. Noiselessly, it moved closer to the Mountain-toppling Fiend's ear and muttered a few words. Afterwards, it hid its damaged half of its body in the horn on the Mountain-toppling Fiend's head, no longer daring to show its head. The Monster Bull at the back of the monster tide also calmed down. It slightly tilted its head, then let out a deep and resounding howl.
The Mountain-toppling Fiend looked in the direction of the Mausoleum of Zhou. After a moment of silence, it knelt down.
Thus, the tens of thousands of monsters all bent their forelimbs or lowered their heads, closed their eyes brimming with ruthlessness and exhaustion, and knelt down.
This was submission, and also a welcome. Submission to the person who could bring new life to the Garden of Zhou, a welcome to the new master of the Garden of Zhou.
… …
… …
In a certain part of the sea of grass, Chen Changsheng gazed at the two great monsters kneeling in front of him, not knowing how to react.
Even though it was kneeling, the Mountain-toppling Fiend was still like a mountain, and the Monster Bull was the same. Compared to them, he seemed so insignificant. If he had not met the Black Dragon under New North Bridge so many times and been in the same situation so many times, even if he now understood the situation of the Garden of Zhou like the back of his hand, he probably would have had the urge to immediately flee. Back then, he and she had encountered many dangers in this sea of grass. In the end, the Mausoleum of Zhou had been surrounded by the monster tide. These two … no, three incomparably powerful and abnormally sinister and terrifying monsters had once brought them countless troubles. If the Sword Pool had not reappeared, there would have been no need for Nanke and the young Golden-winged Great Peng to fuse their souls. He would have been easily killed by these three monsters and then eaten.
"I know the current situation of the Garden of Zhou."
Chen Changsheng looked at the two eyes hidden in the shadows of the Mountain-toppling Fiend's horns and knew that they were assuredly that most sinister of Earth Monkeys. "I can help resolve a few problems."
Hearing these words, the Mountain-toppling Fiend knelt even more thoroughly, and the Monster Bull also appeared even more humble. The dense mass of monsters behind the two great monsters were even more unbearable. The flood serpents rolled their bodies and the gray vultures let out unpleasant screeches. They used every method they could think of to display their obedience and meekness.
In reality, none of the monsters that were still alive were of the benevolent sort. They were all the most powerful and most dangerous monsters. Seeing this sight, Chen Changsheng felt rather strange.
He took out all the medicines that he usually carried with him and threw them in front of the Mountain-toppling Fiend and the Monster Bull. He then glanced at the two eyes hidden in the shadows of the Mountain-toppling Fiend's horns and said, "Those with heavy injuries can eat first."
The two eyes in the Mountain-toppling Fiend's horns rolled around, seemingly thinking of something.
"I didn't bring enough medicine, so you must distribute it according to the method I mentioned just now." He no longer looked at the two eyes, but raised his head to look at the Mountain-toppling Fiend. "I have urgent matters to attend to right now, so I must leave first. Tomorrow, I will return at this time, but if I discover that someone is not listening to me, I will not return."
Hearing these words, the Mountain-toppling Fiend lightly placed its thick and solid arms on the ground, expressing its obedience. Its black-furred palms were spread out towards the sky, seeming like two black forests.
With this action, its horns also touched the ground.
Because the Earth Monkey's body was incomplete, it could not stand steadily. Just like that, it rolled out, rolling right in front of Chen Changsheng.
It was very obvious that the Mountain-toppling Fiend had done this on purpose.
The Earth Monkey did not even dare to raise its head. It incessantly kissed the muddy water in front of Chen Changsheng's boots, at the same time letting out whimpering sounds. It seemed especially pitiful.
Chen Changsheng knew that it was pretending, but he did not care. Shaking his head, he began to walk towards the edge of the plain.
He was keenly aware that these monsters were not of the good sort. Although they appeared especially obedient and submissive, they were actually all extremely savage. But he still wanted to help them.
The heavens were virtuous, and he cherished life more than anyone else.
He was also not worried about whether or not these monsters would turn on him once they were rescued and grew stronger again. This was because he was currently the master of the Garden of Zhou. If he did not open the Garden of Zhou, this miniature world would eventually descend into silence. No matter how powerful the beings that lived within it were, only death awaited them. To put it another way, the Garden of Zhou was his pasture, and these monsters were his livestock. If the livestock were sick or hungry, as their master, he naturally had to take care of them. Moreover, a powerful monster like the Monster Bull had long since developed a rudimentary intelligence. He could not view it as livestock, nor did he want to see it die.
Moreover, the Garden of Zhou had a very important meaning to him.
He did not wish for the Garden of Zhou to become deathly still.
He wished for the Garden of Zhou to continue living, just like he wished for her to continue living.
… …
… …
The old rules of the Garden of Zhou had already been broken, and the spatial barrier of the Plains of the Unsetting Sun had also vanished without a trace.
After becoming the new master of the Garden of Zhou, a portion of the new rules of the Garden of Zhou had entered his mind through an incomprehensible method. Afterwards, he grasped a portion of the rules that he could understand with his current level of strength. As his cultivation and strength continued to rise, this miniature world would reveal even more of its rules to him. On the contrary, understanding these rules would also be extremely helpful to his cultivation and strength. Because of this grasp of the rules, he only needed a very short amount of time to walk out of the Plains of the Unsetting Sun, traverse over several mountains, and arrive at the courtyard at the edge of the Garden of Zhou.
This was the Mountainside Whispering Wood, the place where the human cultivators had gathered the most, and it was also the place where he had seen the Great Peng fly her.
The once winding corridors and small pavilions were now dilapidated walls and dilapidated walls. Everywhere was lifeless, and there were no croaks, only the cries of birds from very far away. This proved that this was not a true kingdom of the dead.
But many people had already died here.
The collapsed cliffs had completely buried the most beautiful buildings of the Mountainside Whispering Wood. Incomparably heavy boulders were piled up from the col all the way to the waist of the mountain.
Seeing this terrifying sight, Chen Changsheng said nothing.
He could not move these boulders, but he could clearly sense that beneath the collapsed cliffs, there were many dead people.
He stood in front of the collapsed cliffs for a very long time, and then he left.
Afterwards, he went to the other two gardens, but he did not find anything.
He went to the mountain stream and went upstream to look at the cold pool.
There was no longer any sword intent in the pool, nor was there anyone.
There was also no one in the lake on the other side of the pool. In the depths of the lake, he could faintly make out the light of the Night Illumination Lamp.
Chen Changsheng did not take those treasures or Silverywhite, nor did he take those books that had been immersed in the lake water for so many days but had miraculously not decayed. He only took an object wrapped in cloth.
There was also no one on the lakeshore. There were still some blackened bloodstains in the sand, but he didn't know which had been left behind by Qi Jian or which had been left behind by Zhexiu.
Then, he swam from the bottom of the lake into the distance, arriving at the small lake in front of Sunset Valley.
The water of this small lake had already flowed through the cracks in the ground to some unknown place, leaving only the dried-up bottom.
Back then, he had broken out of the lake here and been saved by her.
There was also no one here.
… …
… …
(Today is the first day of the second year of Choosing Heaven's Path. Thank you, everyone, for your company this year. Today is also the first day of my journey south with my leader. Unlike Chen Changsheng and Su Li, we are not riding furry deer. We are driving our own cars, but the journey is also very long, over two thousand kilometers. I hope that everything will go smoothly. For this vacation, I made many preparations this month. While maintaining two chapters, I also worked hard to accumulate manuscripts. I truly did quite well. I once said to everyone that I would strive for two chapters until the twenty-fifth, and I did. However, I feel that this sort of day … is very refreshing! So I decided to hold on to two chapters for a few more days. The manuscripts will inevitably run out, and as for what to do when that time comes … whatever, let's first enjoy ourselves before thinking about it. Let's happily read books and drive cars to enjoy the beautiful scenery of our motherland!)
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
