Chapter 2006: Fading Lights, Stopping Short

Wang Lin's gaze slowly retracted from the sky-treading bridge, his final look falling upon the Primordial God Realm gate formed by nine pillars within the vast, swirling sea between the Ancient and Immortal races.

However, even with his current cultivation, standing on the second Sky-Treading Bridge, he still couldn't see the Primordial God Realm clearly. It was as if the existence of the Primordial God Realm far exceeded Wang Lin's current capabilities.

Staring at the vast sea, swirling like a storm, Wang Lin closed his eyes after a long time. The moment his eyes closed, his gaze vanished from the Immortal Astral Continent.

When he opened his eyes again, he was still standing in this unknown, strange space, on the massive second Sky-Treading Bridge. But looking down, Wang Lin saw that although he was still on the bridge, he was no longer at its head, but at its end.

It was as if everything that had happened before, those few steps he took, had occurred in an instant during his crossing of the bridge, like an indistinct dream, hard to differentiate.

Looking at this Sky-Treading Bridge, and at the distant third, fourth… up to the ninth bridge, and the blurred, illusory scenery beyond the ninth bridge—unclear and very distant—his heart also began to feel distant. It was as if these bridges represented insurmountable peaks, causing one to involuntarily consider stopping at their base.

As soon as this thought arose, it magnified infinitely, until it permeated Wang Lin's entire being, as if a voice in his heart was softly murmuring, telling him to turn back, to leave this place, not to go any further, not to walk towards the remaining seven bridges.

Wang Lin stood at the end of the second bridge; with just one more step, he could descend, having completely crossed the second bridge. But this final step, he seemed unable to take.

Time slowly flowed, seemingly for a very, very long time. Wang Lin still stood there, gazing forward, his expression calm, but he let out a soft sigh, lifted his right foot, and stepped down, exiting the second bridge, having crossed the second Sky-Treading Bridge!

"Is it a self-inquiry… if one's Dao Heart isn't firm, if one lacks a Heaven-Defying will, if one doesn't have the persistence to protect something with their life, perhaps, at this step, one should retreat," Wang Lin murmured, walking step by step towards the distant third Sky-Treading Bridge.

The third bridge was very distant, yet also very near. But Wang Lin walked for three days and still hadn't reached its base. He walked for another three days, with the same result. After another three days, looking into the distance, the third bridge was still very distant, yet also very near.

It wasn't until the ninth day that Wang Lin stopped. He stood still, silent for a moment, then suddenly looked up, a strange light in his eyes, and slowly closed them.

He didn't use his physical eyes to see, nor his Divine Sense to perceive. Instead, with his eyes closed, he sealed his Divine Sense, not looking at the location or direction of the third bridge, but simply lifting his feet and walking forward at random.

Step by step, at the instant he took his ninth step, he suddenly heard the chirping of birds around him, and a soft light pierced through his eyelids, seemingly reflected in his pupils.

Through his nose, he smelled the fragrance of earth after rain, and a familiar sensation and scent: the smell of sawdust and the pungency of tobacco.

His steps paused.

"Tie Zhu, how is your reading coming along?"

"Ah, Tie Zhu, you must study hard. Next year is the county examination. Your future success depends entirely on this. Don't end up like me, stuck in the village my whole life, alas."

"Enough, you nag every day. I say, our Tie Zhu will definitely pass the exam."

Those were the voices of his parents, voices he hadn't heard for thousands of years, now echoing, so real, as if they transported Wang Lin back thousands of years to that peaceful mountain village.

Wang Lin stood there quietly, listening to his parents' voices, tears unconsciously streaming down his face. There was a voice in his heart, constantly murmuring, urging him to open his eyes and look at his parents.

But at the same time, Wang Lin understood in his heart that if he were to open his eyes now, he would stop short on this third Sky-Treading Bridge.

The first bridge integrated the rules of heaven and earth into one's Divine Sense. The second bridge was about experiencing the Sky-Treading Gaze, but it required one to question if their Dao Heart was firm… Wang Lin hadn't understood the purpose of this self-inquiry before, nor why such hesitation would appear at the end of the second bridge, but now, he understood.

This third bridge was perhaps a Heart Demon. If one's Dao Heart was firm, and they walked through it, letting their life flash by like images without their emotions stirring in the slightest, then they would be able to cross this third bridge.

But once he opened his eyes, he would have to directly confront the Heart Demon, confront his entire life. In doing so, the certainty of crossing this third bridge would be infinitely reduced.

His parents' voices still echoed in his ears, and Wang Lin's tears increased, but he had no hesitation at this moment. He opened his eyes, and the instant they opened, he saw familiar houses, a familiar courtyard, and familiar dishes on a familiar table.

He saw his father nearby, tapping his pipe a few times on the ground, his face full of the wrinkles of age, and beneath his stern gaze, the softness of familial love.

He saw his mother, carrying freshly warmed dishes, walking out of the house. There were a few white hairs on her head, not many, hidden by black hair, but Wang Lin still saw them.

Perhaps his mother wasn't beautiful in the eyes of outsiders, but in Wang Lin's heart, his mother was the most beautiful, his eternal haven.

Looking at his parents, at the familiar scenes, Wang Lin smiled despite his tears. He watched everything before him slowly dissipate into nothingness after he opened his eyes. He knew it was fake, but he still wanted to see it.

When this scene shattered, Wang Lin was still standing below the second bridge, far from the third bridge… His parents were not Cultivators, but Mortals, unable to be resurrected. Reincarnation was the best destination for a Mortal. But even if they had reincarnated, the memories belonging to Wang Lin were eternal; he would not erase them, because they were more important than his life.

"Perhaps, if Mu Wan'er appeared, and I knew it was fake, I don't know if I would still open my eyes… But with the appearance of my parents, even knowing it's fake, I would still open my eyes," Wang Lin murmured.

"Who dictates that when facing past memories, facing such illusory, Heart Demon-like existences, one must keep their eyes closed, ignore them, and maintain a firm Dao Heart, unaffected by the Heart Demon?

Who stipulates that one must have a firm Dao Heart to cross this third bridge… And who confirms that this is the only way to cross this bridge…?" Wang Lin's eyes flashed.

"Family, love, friendship are the most precious things in my life, Wang Lin. Why should I keep my eyes closed? I want to open my eyes and see everything, to open my Dao Heart and embrace everything!" Wang Lin took a deep breath and walked forward again.

After nine steps, he saw his parents' figures again. After another nine steps, he saw Mu Bingmei, Li Qianmei, and Li Muwan. After yet another nine steps, he saw Wang Ping, that pitiful child, holding his hand, persistent but earnestly telling him that he cultivated to accompany his father for a lifetime, that he didn't want this world to be left with only his father's lonely back, and if he truly had to be lonely, then he hoped his presence would be beside his father's back.

Wang Lin saw Situ Nan, Qing Shui, Dun Tian, the old Vermilion Bird, and many others who had shown him kindness. He looked at them, at each face, without closing his eyes, and walked on.

Big Head, Hong Die, Qing Shuang, Zhou Yi, Qing Lin… and many other people. Wang Lin seemed to recall his entire life through their appearances.

As he walked, Wang Lin didn't control his emotions. He cried, he laughed, he felt pain, he felt sorrow… Step by step, he didn't know how long he walked, nor when he stepped onto the third bridge. Finally, after everything before his eyes vanished, he stood at the end of the third bridge. Standing there, he sighed softly, looked back behind him, and after a long time, turned and took a step, descending from the third bridge.

Far away was the location of the fourth bridge. Looking further, beyond it, the illusion after the ninth bridge became slightly clearer, but Wang Lin still couldn't see through it. He could only vaguely discern that the figures within the illusion seemed to be two people.

Carrying the reverberation of his life's memories, and the recollections of having just cried, laughed, and grieved, Wang Lin walked forward. Several days later, before his eyes was the fourth Sky-Treading Bridge.

This bridge was even larger than before, appearing like a colossal entity in this strange space. A faint pressure emanated from it, enveloping the surroundings.

Wang Lin gazed at the bridge. After a moment of silence, he lifted his foot, but the instant his foot fell, his right foot passed directly through the bridge, stepping into empty space.

At the same time, this fourth Sky-Treading Bridge suddenly trembled before Wang Lin, transforming into specks of crystal light. As it vanished, it collectively swirled towards Wang Lin, forming a Vortex around his body, creating an immense suction force that swallowed Wang Lin's figure, making him disappear from this place.

The moment Wang Lin was swallowed, on the Ancient Race's land of the Immortal Astral Continent, in the Rahu Prefecture within the Twelve Prefectures of the Primordial Ancient Lineage, inside the Jidu Palace's secret chamber, Wang Lin, who was meditating cross-legged, suddenly opened his eyes.

His eyes held a lingering confusion. On his body, the Slaughter True Body had completely merged, inseparable from his physical form, with no trace of overlapping phantom images remaining.

Behind him, a cluster of illusory Origin light floated. Before him, the Immortal Emperor's Soul was enveloped and refined by his Soul fire. The secret chamber was silent.

Only Wang Lin's slightly hurried breathing echoed slowly.

"Treading the Sky Road, Empty Extinction Dao, Undying Soul, All Beings Worship… Of the nine Sky-Treading Bridges, I only crossed three. At the fourth bridge, I stopped…" Wang Lin took a deep breath, looked up, and the confusion in his eyes gradually dissipated, replaced by determination.

monthly votes are tied, earnestly requesting monthly votes!!