Chapter 788: The Name of the Ninth Rank, the Truth of the World

Chen Yan looked ahead, where the figure of the Chen Master began to twist, change, disperse, and coalesce.

Chen Yan followed with difficulty behind the Chen Master, every step like treading on the edge of an abyss.

Before a grand terror that was absolute, filled with malice, and subversive to all reason.

Even though he possessed an immortal will, that sense of insignificance originating from the depths of his soul and the pure fear of an unknown god still assailed him.

Chen Yan opened his mouth; what an unfamiliar emotion.

He was actually feeling, in the depths of his heart, a fear he had only known as a child.

He even felt that he was walking toward the anchor point of the universe.

Before this endless chaos, all of Chen Yan's past ideals and all his grand, world-shaking aspirations became a joke.

Chen Yan looked behind him; all darkness had obscured the exit.

Furthermore, Chen Yan did not know how long he had been walking.

It was clear that the Chen Master was leading him toward the location of the one-fifth of the Ancient God Fanni that was suppressed beneath Chen Prefecture.

Yet, up until now, Chen Yan had seen nothing.

No concrete life form that humans could comprehend had appeared before him.

However, Chen Yan did not speak, continuing to follow behind the Chen Master.

This was, in the true sense, the first time he had faced an Ancient God.

Chen Yan was not arrogant, but he knew that even if this physical body possessed no strength at all.

Relying solely on this power of will, he already stood at the pinnacle of humanity.

If he, at this moment, lacked even the ability to walk before the Ancient God Fanni, then that would be too ridiculous and shameful.

Ahead of Chen Yan, the Chen Master said nothing, simply walking calmly.

He did not ask about Chen Yan's feelings, nor did he turn his head back even once.

Keep walking.

Keep walking.

It was just that this endless, dark tunnel seemed to have no end.

Until a certain moment.

The Chen Master stopped his steps and looked at Chen Yan.

In Chen Yan's eyes, the Chen Master's figure and appearance changed entirely.

It was already impossible to use human language to describe what Chen Yan was seeing now.

Even the Chen Master had turned into something chaotic, inorganic, like sound, or perhaps something within another dimensional rule.

At this moment, Chen Yan's sense of touch, sight, hearing, smell, taste, and orientation collapsed completely.

Even that sliver of reason seemed to be constantly prodded by sticky hands, on the verge of snapping.

Only the Chen Master's voice rang out.

"Is it uncomfortable?" the Chen Master asked.

"How much further?" Chen Yan asked, bowing his head.

The Chen Master was somewhat surprised:

"I only asked you, is it uncomfortable?"

"Naturally." Chen Yan admitted.

The Chen Master laughed:

"You are already very strong; I didn't even expect you to be this strong, your will is so powerful.

Such a scene, if an Eighth Rank were to face it, they would be unable to endure it at all, but you can.

Your physical body is so weak right now, but your will has never been weak."

The twisting and suffocating sensation remained bound to Chen Yan; at this moment, Chen Yan's face turned pale as he said:

"How much further?"

The Chen Master frowned:

"How much further what?"

"How much further to the Ancient God Fanni?" Chen Yan gritted his teeth and spoke; in this bizarre, flesh-churning hellish passage, he felt he could dissipate at any moment.

Perhaps he was going to die, but he had to see what the Ancient God Fanni actually was.

Only.

"Hahaha!!!"

Laughter like that of demons and monsters rang out; at this moment, the Chen Master did not know if he was crying or laughing.

Chen Yan could not see clearly, but he could imagine that the Chen Master was likely crying tears at this moment.

"Go see what Ancient God Fanni, go look at what Ancient God?"

The Chen Master's voice had turned somewhat hoarse:

"Chen Yan, you are right; I did indeed intend for you to replace Chen Changyuan's position, not to devour, but at least to suppress Fanni.

But are you capable?"

The Chen Master opened his mouth:

"Do you know that the Eighth Rank is the Tribulation Light Realm, and do you know what the Ninth Rank is called?"

Chen Yan did not speak, but the Chen Master used a sorrowful voice to laugh at himself:

"The Ninth Rank is named the Death Realm."

In an instant, an inexplicable feeling instantly invaded Chen Yan.

This was a pressure and murderous intent brought about by knowing the secrets of the infinite; in an instant, Chen Yan's body could not move, especially at this moment, as if he were about to drift away at any time.

No matter what, he was only at the Creation Realm; hearing the name of the Ninth Rank, he could hardly bear it.

But.

A greater shock surged in the depths of Chen Yan's heart.

Death Realm?

Why is the name of the Ninth Rank "Death Realm"?

The Seventh Rank is the Creation Realm, implying the creation of one's own universe, already akin to a god.

The Eighth Rank, Tribulation Light, implies the unification of one's own universe, its collapse, reincarnation, and seeing the light of the afterlife after crossing the Great Tribulation.

The Ninth Rank, why is it called the Death Realm?

Why is it death?

"I am too lonely." Chen Zhu opened his mouth, speaking with difficulty:

"In ten thousand years of Martial Dao, how many people can enter the Ninth Rank, how many can be like me, facing endless pain?"

He laughed and cried:

"Chen Yan, you want to see the Ancient God Fanni, why go looking for it? Every wisp of dust before your eyes, every grain of sand beneath your feet, everything you see, it is the Ancient God."

Boom!

It was as if thunder were roaring in Chen Yan's mind.

"Can Lu Xunyang tell you? Can Xia Hanzhou and the others tell you?" Chen Zhu said, angry at their lack of resolve:

"This is the deepest secret of the human Martial Dao; even those at the Eighth Rank do not know it, for they simply cannot bear this karma."

Chen Zhu looked at Chen Yan:

"And what you see now is what I see every day and every night, things I do not want to see, but can only see!"

Chen Yan's eyes widened, and his heart felt as if an endless torrent were surging and rolling.

His physical body and consciousness began to disintegrate, about to vanish.

In an instant, the great secret struck, unbearable, and he was about to collapse.

"Death Realm..." Chen Yan murmured:

"The past me is dead, the future me has no life, so the name of the Ninth Rank is Death!"

The Great Xia was founded, and the Great Xia migrated its clan to be established upon the Ancient God Bai'e.

The Five Clans migrated their clans to be established upon the Ancient God Fanni.

It was not just Chen Yan; everyone thought that the so-called Ancient God Fanni and Ancient God Bai'e were behemoths suppressed deep underground.

But they never imagined that they are the earth, they are the world.

And the human world visible to the naked eye of the human race is merely a false world.

Their weakness caused their perception to be covered by a layer of gauze called the human world.

Only upon reaching the Ninth Rank can one see the truth of the world clearly.

Everything in the human world is false.

This endless chaos and evil is the reality.

Only the Ninth Rank can see the real world.

But one must permanently lose the false scenery of the human world that once was.

Opening one's eyes is chaos, and closing them reveals no human world.

This is the world Chen Zhu has always seen!

Rumble!!!

In his mind, endless thunder roared.

The deepest truth of the human world struck, and Chen Yan was powerfully interfered with by this distorted space-time and divine might, becoming blurry and indistinct, as if he would disconnect at any moment.

Drip!

A drop of clear water fell onto the lakeside, rippling outward.

All the distortion and madness suddenly vanished.

The sunset descended in the far sky, the water shimmering quietly, green mist brushing the banks.

Chen Yan stood upon the lake water, while Chen Zhu stood calmly five meters in front of Chen Yan.

Ripples rose beneath their feet, and schools of silver fish swam in the lake.

A physiological sense of nausea struck, but Chen Yan held it back.

He saw Chen Zhu slowly turn around, looking at him with a gaze of pity and disappointment.

"The endless darkness and blur you just walked through was merely stepping over ten meters or so on this lake surface."

Chen Yan looked behind him; the wooden stool placed on the lakeside was right before his eyes.

"You..." Chen Zhu began:

"Do you understand now what you have actually done?"

He took a deep breath, speaking in a tone of extreme despair:

"The situation of the Great World I built with such care, the scene of the future I exhausted my heart to create.

In your eyes, it is sin, it is evil.

That is because you have never seen the truth of the human world.

I, Chen Yuan, am not a sinner.

I am a pitiful person who has recognized reality."

Chen Yuan suddenly looked many years older; he looked at Chen Yan, who was hanging his head, the disappointment in his eyes growing ever deeper.

After witnessing the truth, has this youth who would never bow his head finally accepted reality?

You don't even have the courage to recognize the truth, so how can you go and exterminate the Ancient Gods?

You all always think I am timid as a mouse, not daring to gamble with the fate of the human race.

But in my eyes, you are the ones who are the most foolish and the most ignorant.

Am I wrong?

From the moment I was born, I have been absolutely correct.

"Is it laughable?"

He laughed softly:

"Your will, everything about you is for the sake of opposing me, all for the sake of resisting the Five Races.

But you only understand now that the Five Races have always been right, and you are merely indulging in wishful thinking.

I believe the Lord of Will also knows the truth of the human world, but I do not understand why he wanted you to grow like this.

I would rather believe that the so-called power of will is just a joke, a handiwork of the Ancient Gods.

And the Lord of Will has long since conspired with the Ancient Gods to lead the human race toward extinction."

He narrowed his eyes and shouted lowly toward the firmament:

"I, Chen Yuan, am the current Gatekeeper of the human race!

Whether it is Lu Xunyang or the Lord of Will, no matter who it is, if they want to exterminate the human race, they must first step over my corpse."

His lips moved as he looked toward the firmament, speaking in a trembling voice:

"Why... why must we live in such a world?"

He looked at Chen Yan indifferently.

He could guess that Chen Yan's surprise attack on Ji Province might have been a deliberate attempt to die, and that he, Chen Yuan, might have already walked into Chen Yan's trap.

He could also guess that perhaps Chen Yan had already begun his layout, and perhaps there was a greater trap waiting for him to step into.

But.

Why bother?

The truth is the sword that kills.

During their first conversation, Chen Yan's Dao heart did not shatter.

Then what about this time?

If he completely defeats Chen Yan today, Chen Yan can be used by him from now on, and even take over his position.

His goal would then be achieved.

In this game, Chen Yan has lost.

Very, very few people can play a game of chess against the Chen Lord to this extent; Chen Yan is already monstrous enough.

"If you cannot bear it, then change your name and surname, and become another heaven-gifted talent belonging solely to my Chen Province.

If I do not die, I can protect your Dao for ten thousand years.

If I die, you will be the next Chen Lord."

The Chen Lord spoke, the trace of disappointment in the depths of his eyes gradually dissipating.

Perhaps he still held some expectations, but he also understood that no one could resist the cruelty of the truth.

He stood by the lake and opened his arms:

"I am merely a Gatekeeper, and you, Chen Yan, you can be the one to break the gate.

Ten thousand years from now, the human world will be yours, the human race will be yours, and you will be the human race!"

He waited, looking at the young man before him with a smile.

Yet he saw that young man slowly raise his head and speak in a calm voice.

"I want to try."

Four simple words.

The Chen Lord's body stiffened in place, and the smile on his face gradually disappeared.

He met the young man's gaze and saw the last trace of fear and hesitation in the depths of the other's eyes slowly dissipate.

He opened his mouth, feeling it inconceivable and unbelievable, even thinking he had fallen under an illusion.

Until the very end, he was finally convinced.

Someone had raised their head once again after recognizing the truth of the world.

He opened his mouth, his heart filled with endless questions.

Why would such a person exist in the human world?

There has never been such a person in the human world.

He wanted to speak but stopped, something stuck in his throat.

"W-why?" he finally asked.

"If the heart has no dead end, the world has no dead end."

Chen Yan spoke.

Just a moment ago, he had felt panic, despair, sorrow, disgust, and even distortion.

In his mind, one after another, the extraordinary figures of history emerged.

He wanted to ask them what exactly he should do.

But in the end.

The one who answered him was still his former self.

"If the heart has no dead end, the world has no dead end."

The young Divine General said these words when he was appointed, while facing the entire Great Xia.

As time passed and circumstances changed, he had never changed.

The expression of the Master of Chen changed completely.

He turned around and left on his own, looking quite disheveled and quite desolate.

Suddenly.

He spoke in a loud voice.

"A person's life... a person's life... is capable of pursuing everything!"