The Great Road of Shading the Sky

Chapter 245 Kunlun Heavenly Palace, the Familiar Golden Road
Deep in the Kunlun Mountains, a mysterious mist hangs in the air.

That area is still temporarily sealed off. Let alone going deep into it, even getting close is extremely difficult. It is definitely not something that the group of evolved beings on Earth who are still trying to break free of their shackles can even begin to explore.

Some hot-tempered and skeptical beast kings charged forward, only to die peacefully within minutes.

A tall, strong horse, stiff and with hooves as heavy as lead, was being dragged and pulled by people into the depths of the fog.

"Hiss~ He's really not dead?!" After an unknown amount of time, Horse King suddenly woke up and realized that he was actually alive, so he couldn't help but shout.

Shaohua raised her beautiful eyes, which shone with an eerie light, piercing through the fog and penetrating the unknown. An inexplicable power spread out, opening up a path.

"Where is the 'Land of Ten Thousand Gods' deepest part of Kunlun Mountain in mythology?" Ma Wang's back pain and leg pain subsided, and he couldn't wait to rush into the Land of Creation.

"What land of all gods? It's just an empty name!"

Tongtian snorted coldly. He knew from his memories of his previous life that the origin of Kunlun was far longer and more ancient than people imagined.

Lin Nuoyi sat upright on her horse, as calm as a virgin. She was very surprised, but she did not show it. She felt more and more that her choice was right.

Beside a low hill, Shaohua dismounted, her eyes flickered, and she casually plucked a willow branch from her hair, letting her long black hair cascade down, naturally draped over her chest and back.

The willow tree fell into my hand and returned to its original form, no more than a foot long, still a sapling, small and green all over, flowing with a soft halo.

"Willow tree, willow tree, change to my will!"

With a thought, the willow tree transformed once more, its roots intertwining and its 108 branches extending and intertwining, resembling a beautifully crafted openwork sword.

Shao Hua smiled, picked up the willow sword, and with a gentle sweep, the entire low mountain vanished instantly, along with the protective field runes that had been destroyed, revealing a vast and pure land.

Among them, exotic flowers bloom in abundance, rare herbs cover the ground, waterfalls and springs flow, auspicious vapors rise, and the rosy clouds are dazzling.

“This must be the so-called ‘Land of All Gods.’ I can feel a power calling to me. Let’s go take a look.” Shao Hua was the first to walk in.

The land of all gods is very peaceful, like a tranquil and pure land.

Inside, white energy surges and billows, with ginseng, lingzhi and other plants growing in the crevices of the cliffs and beside waterfalls and streams. In some places, red energy rises, in others, blue mist lingers, and in still others, purple clouds pervade the air, creating an atmosphere of immortals.

The horse king kept missing out on great opportunities, such as the stone tablet that emitted chanting sounds and the medicinal garden that exuded a fragrant aroma. Its eyes were glued to the place, and drool was dripping from its mouth. Unfortunately, it could only look and could not stop.

"The land of all gods, the land of creation, truly offers countless opportunities." Lin Nuoyi's eyes flickered, and she sighed.

“The Yin-Yang energy tower inside you is quite impressive,” Shao Hua said.

The Energy Tower is a testament to the glory of an evolving dynasty and the culmination of its efforts. It is only formed when a dynasty collapses, after which it disappears from the world, waiting to shine in the future in hopes of rising again.

The energy tower within Lin Nuoyi's body is of an extremely high level, radiating vitality and helping her refine the various mottled energies that have entered her body.

"You really knew everything!" Lin Nuoyi had expected it long ago. During this period of close contact between the two, she couldn't keep her secrets. However, there were some secrets that even she herself didn't know, but Shaohua knew them all.

Who would have thought that their 'past life' would be in someone else's body?
Calling it a past life isn't accurate. The pollen emperor who calls himself Luo is more like her true form, or rather, an alternative 'mother and daughter,' who has long been with Shaohua behind her back in this life.

Well, although it sounds a bit strange and the relationship is complicated, their friendship is actually very pure!

Deep within the Pure Land lies a mysterious place, another dimensional space, exceptionally sacred, with sacred trees laden with fruit and peach trees swaying in the breeze.

"Perhaps, this is the real divine land?" Lin Nuoyi guessed.

“The terrain here is very dangerous!” Tongtian said, frowning.

Ahead, the earth glowed, carrying the aura of the universe's origin. Crimson energy permeated the mountains and forests, while silver light shone through. Traps were everywhere, posing too many dangers for ordinary evolvers to set foot in.

Shaohua's gaze, however, had already fallen upon the magnificent mountain range deep within.

That mountain range was incredibly majestic and magnificent, with layer upon layer, each mountain higher than the last, like a ladder to the heavens!
She walked at the front, intending to take the initiative to unleash the hidden power within her body, but unexpectedly, the willow tree in her hand made a move first.

Tender green willow branches transformed into chains of divine order and disappeared into the void, their branches radiating an immortal glow, with faint, scattered runes flowing within them.

The dangerous area became quiet and peaceful under the suppression of the willow tree.

"Let's go." Shao Hua waved her hand, holding the willow tree and walking ahead. The road was indeed smooth and unobstructed, just like taking a leisurely stroll. She did not encounter any danger at all, which was no less than going out for a spring outing.

"I feel like I'm dreaming, it's unbelievable! I've actually reached the deepest part of the Land of the Gods?!" Horse King exclaimed, his four legs trembling with excitement.

"Wait, what exactly are you looking for? You've taken a peek at all these treasures along the way, what a waste!" It finally realized what was going on, and was filled with suspicion and a sense of foreboding.

But now that we're here, there's nothing we can do about it.

Tongtian remained silent, simply crossing his arms and exuding an aloof air.

Lin Nuoyi remained silent as well, because she didn't know what she was there to do. She only knew that Shaohua was coming, so she followed along, staying by her side.

The mountain range deepest in the divine realm trembled with the arrival of Shaohua. Rocks rolled down, and auspicious radiance rose from within. Golden lotuses sprouted from the ground, and thunder roared in the void, creating astonishing phenomena.

Only then did the others realize that what should have been the most important sacred mountain had no palaces or pavilions, nor a single sacred tree.

The place was desolate, with piles of rubble. It was hard to believe that this was once the final zone of a glorious civilization and the most important sacred land.

As Shao Hua took a step forward, the earth shook and the mountains trembled instantly. The entire mountain range exploded continuously, with fourteen colors of light emanating from it, and a special aura permeated the air.

At this moment, her senses intensified, and her heart pounded!
"Boom!!!!"

The enormous mountain range, which had existed since time immemorial, had now collapsed. Apart from Shao Hua herself, everyone else felt their scalp tingle. What had they just witnessed?
Some broken stones broke through the soil, looking very ancient and as clear as jade. They were radiating fourteen colors of light, which was very sacred.

"I never imagined that so many great treasures were buried in the mountains!" The horse king was extremely excited and neighed to the sky.

It still doesn't understand why, only feeling that this is the ultimate treasure left behind by the glorious ancient civilization on Earth, otherwise why would it be buried here.

"What is that? Is it the legendary ultimate artifact?" Lin Nuoyi exclaimed in amazement.

“No, it’s actually one thing. Over time, the sea has turned into mulberry fields, and stone steps have become mountains.” Tongtian seemed to have thought of something.

"Wait, you're saying those great treasures are a stone staircase?!" King Horse's mouth dropped open, so astonished he couldn't close it.

It saw a rock roll down to its feet, and for some reason, kicked it. Then, tragically, its hoof almost broke.

Lin Nuoyi took the opportunity to dismount, unable to bear the horse king's sudden and dramatic movements.

“These rocks and soil are not something you can move. Unless that mountain collapses on its own, no one in this universe can break it.”

Tongtian rarely spoke more than a few words, sighing, "Those are the steps once trodden by the 'Emperor,' leaving indelible footprints. The mountain range was affected, becoming indestructible, and any random rock is a rare treasure for refining weapons."

Upon hearing this, the horse king immediately scurried off to retrieve the stone it had just kicked away. Then, belatedly realizing what was happening, it looked at the still magnificent mountain range after its collapse, its eyes widening in disbelief.

How many stones would that take to forge so many weapons?!

The pebbles seemed to possess a spirit, spontaneously gathering together to form a section of stone steps.

Shao Hua watched quietly. The stone steps had only seven levels, and the light emanating from them had decreased from fourteen colors to seven, which corresponded exactly to the number of levels.

Above the stone steps, a hazy mist rose, and above it seemed to be a figure with her back to them. It was a woman in green, standing in mid-air, with unparalleled beauty!
Shao Hua's heart raced, her blood surged, and she instinctively walked forward.

Tongtian wasn't much better; others might not know, but how could he not understand?
Although his past life left him with nothing, those scattered memories are priceless treasures.

If I remember correctly, before that most terrifying and bizarre upheaval spread throughout the heavens, the Eastern Emperor had moved his Daoist temple from the Big Dipper to Mount Kunlun.

Could it be that the temple has survived to this day?!
Tongtian's cold expression changed. If that was the case, then it made sense. That broken section of stone steps was the only way to ascend to the Quasi-Immortal Emperor's Daoist Temple.

On the seven-colored stone steps, the woman was stunningly beautiful, dressed in ethereal blue robes, otherworldly and sacred. As her hair fluttered, she seemed to be ascending to heaven, escaping the mortal world and transcending all realms!
Boom!

The scene shifts, as if the world is being created, with streaks of blood-red lightning intertwining in the void.

Then, blood rained down, threatening to destroy heaven and earth. The entire world turned blood-red, about to be overturned, utterly ruined.

“That is…” Tongtian’s pupils trembled. He had seen this scene in his memories from his previous life, and it left a very deep impression on him.

In that ancient battle, in the end, all the heavens collapsed.

The progenitors pressed forward relentlessly, destroying one great realm after another; no one could stop their advance.

At that time, the three Heavenly Emperors ascended to the sacrificial realm in despair and dire straits before this homeland of the heavens, before an almost invincible enemy.
What lies before us is a partial reappearance of the past, but of course, it does not involve the ultimate battle beyond the heavens; it only shows the collapse of the heavens.

The blood-stained sky, the dome riddled with blood-red holes, was merely the aftermath of the great battle. The world was shrouded in blood-red light, and crimson lightning raged and roared. Even with the protection of a quasi-Immortal Emperor-level power, this dojo was inevitably affected. The stone steps leading to the dojo were shattered, and the dojo was sealed off.
The scene was so shocking and mesmerizing that Lin Nuoyi was stunned and speechless, while Ma Wang stared wide-eyed, kneeling on the ground to watch.

At the seven-colored stone steps, the mist dissipated, and the once stunningly beautiful woman in green was nowhere to be seen. She vanished like a flower in a mirror or the moon in water, as if it were all a dream.

Shaohua strode forward, heading straight for the seven-colored stone steps that stood as tall as mountains.

Strangely, as she approached, the stone steps seemed to shrink dramatically beneath her feet, becoming indistinguishable from ordinary steps.

To Lin Nuoyi and the others, the seven-colored stone steps remained unchanged; instead, she suddenly vanished.

"Boom!"

With each step Shaohua took, the heavens and earth trembled. This tremor affected far more than just the Land of Gods; the entire Kunlun Mountains and even the whole earth shook.

Outside, all the famous mountains and rivers were covered in a blanket of snow, with goose feathers falling from the sky. Before long, the earth was covered in silver.

Throughout the world, not only humans, but also those of other species were astonished.

You should know that since the change in the world, no matter what season it is, all places are warm as spring, full of vitality, and there is no longer any severe cold.

But on this evening, something so strange happened!

Famous mountains across the country suddenly transitioned from spring and summer to the dead of winter. Heavy snow fell from the sky, and the ice and snow sealed off the mountains at an incredible speed. Such a change had never occurred before and was too bizarre.

After the last cataclysmic event, all things evolved, birds and beasts developed intelligence, and many species were able to stand on equal footing with humans. This time, it will inevitably have a huge impact as well.

A famous mountain, a road—long ago, behind famous mountains in various places, there were special roads connecting to the outside world. Now, with the Earth suddenly recovering further, many visitors from beyond the borders can no longer suppress their restless hearts.

"Has this planet recovered so quickly?" someone exclaimed on the road connecting the famous mountains.

"How could it be so fast? Several months earlier than expected. Did something happen? Or is it just that, as expected of a planet that was once ranked eleventh, it truly stands out from the crowd!"

"Never mind, now that evolved beings at the Free and Unfettered Realm can enter Earth, let's send a group of people to investigate first."

Voices rang out simultaneously in the folded space deep within the famous mountains, each with a different timbre, but all sharing the same indifference and disregard for the native creatures of Earth.

To them, the creatures on Earth are merely descendants of those who failed in ancient times, nothing more than natives whose lineage has long been severed, no different from ants!

The Earth was destroyed in ancient times and remained silent for a long time. Now it is rapidly recovering and there are many opportunities. The divine roots and sacred roots buried underground are all growing back. When that time comes, they can bloom and bear sacred fruit.

The major powers outside the universe must also have sacred trees, but over the years, a set of rules have been established for how to divide the harvest. The rules are fixed, and even the divine sons and holy daughters only have so many quotas.

More importantly, everything has its own way and rules. The planet's will suppresses imbalances and does not allow them to occur. Therefore, evolution cannot be achieved overnight and must proceed gradually.

However, if a once-powerful planet falls into decline and then suddenly revives, it will certainly be different. In the initial stage, everything will grow wildly, and evolution will be the same. It will be difficult to reach the ceiling in the short term, and the planet's will will not suppress it.

In fact, this does not conform to the rules of the Great Way.

Such opportunities can only be found on a very few planets that are recovering and were once glorious and powerful.

The Earth is resurrected and is evolving on its own. It will not suppress the Great Dao. Therefore, one year of cultivation here is equivalent to ten or a hundred years of cultivation elsewhere!
The immense advantages of cultivating and evolving here are enough to drive people crazy. No wonder divine sons and holy daughters from all sides are trying to get here, even risking their lives to try to enter in advance, unwilling to miss this golden period of cultivation.

However, all those who wanted to 'smuggle' themselves to Earth beforehand failed.

The Earth shook seven times in one day!

Each tremor kills a group of people who want to evolve beyond their current realm.

Regardless of what preparations were made, whether it was severing one's own cultivation or being protected by a sacred object, the tremor destroyed everything, demonstrating the equality of all beings.

Some people were lucky enough not to be killed on the spot, but in any case, they were unable to cross over to Earth.

A mysterious seven-colored radiance descended like a curtain from the sky, causing everyone to return empty-handed and have to make further plans.

These divine sons and saints have all perished, and those who were observing and monitoring Earth from beyond the realms were still unaware of what had happened.

In their view, the Earth is undergoing another transformation, and they may soon see their descendants find the opportunity to become saints and ancestors. They are already looking forward to the scene of geniuses vying for supremacy.

As for what will happen to the native inhabitants of the earth, they, who consider themselves a highly evolved civilization, have never thought about it, and who would care?

"Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap!"

With crisp footsteps, Shao Hua ascended the steps and stood on the seventh broken step. The surroundings had changed drastically; the 'Land of Ten Thousand Gods' was no longer visible, as if she had entered another independent space-time.

She raised her head, her jade-like neck long and white, and looked up at the sky, where she once again saw the Kunlun Heavenly Palace that she had glimpsed before.

The Heavenly Palace remained an illusion, with only a section of broken stone steps clearly and realistically appearing, exactly seven steps, shining with a unique seven-colored radiance.

"The road is blocked. Will my past remain in that heavenly palace?"

Shao Hua sighed softly, standing where the woman in green had stood before. Power surged into her body from the stone steps, changing her entire demeanor.

Her eyes grew increasingly deep, filled with wisps of chaotic energy, a scene from the beginning of time, radiating brilliant light as they opened and closed, gazing at the heavens and piercing through the nine heavens!
A golden road stretches across the broken stone steps, like a divine bridge spanning the heavens, its end pointing directly to the immortal celestial palace.

"The Golden Road? It seems strangely familiar." Shaohua blinked, feeling as if some dead memory was attacking her.

After thinking for a moment, she decided to give up and turn around to call her friends behind her.

The horse king was trembling with fear, whether from excessive excitement or nervousness, or perhaps from being forcibly pulled up by Tongtian.

Lin Nuoyi behaved much better and seemed quite calm.

"How was it? Were you nervous or excited?" Shaohua asked.

Just as Lin Nuoyi was about to shake her head, someone suddenly grabbed her hand tightly.

She paused for a moment, then chuckled to herself, realizing that someone else was actually nervous.

“If you really are the Queen Mother of the West, then this Kunlun Heavenly Palace should belong to you. What are you so nervous about?” she asked with a smile.

"I'm not nervous, okay? I am a little, but it's not nervousness. It's more that I'm worried about not being able to find my past, worried that the past I find will be too heavy, and worried that if I really find my past, I will no longer be the person I am now." Shaohua sighed softly.

“I’ll have to face it eventually. I have a feeling that sooner or later, I will face a similar choice,” Lin Nuoyi said after a moment of silence.

"I'll be with you then." Shao Hua thought of 'Luo' sleeping inside her. Between Lin and Luo, perhaps there really will be such a day. Which side will she stand on then?

The two walked hand in hand onto the golden path, with mysterious golden patterns spreading beneath their feet. In an instant, it was as if they had traversed endless time and space, leading directly to the seven-colored stone steps on the other side. All energy and chaotic energy automatically dispersed upon encountering the golden path.

Except for the broken section, the seven-colored stone steps on this side are completely intact.

Upon closer inspection, one will find that although both sides have seven-colored stone steps, no two colors are the same, indicating that there was originally a fourteen-colored stone step.

"Let's go, we're already here." Shaohua walked in front again.

As they stepped over the last stone step, a brand new world came into view.

"This is... the aura of the ancient times!" Tongtian suddenly felt the dead memories attacking him, and he collapsed in a daze. Just then, an immortal sword aura burst forth from the depths of his soul.

The sword energy transformed into another 'Tongtian' and appeared, looking at Shaohua with barely concealed excitement, but its words were heavy.

"I still couldn't wait for this day, couldn't see you return in person. Fortunately, you've come back, and I can still call you Master. How wonderful."

The next moment, the last remaining spirit of 'Tongtian' disappeared, transforming back into a sword aura that roamed through this desolate world, as if reliving the past, before finally returning to the body of Tongtian in the present world.

On the other side, Horse King, who had just taken a step, seemed somewhat exhausted. Unable to withstand the pressure of this desolate ancient world, he collapsed to the ground and fell asleep immediately.

After all, this is the dojo of a quasi-immortal emperor. Even the slightest trace of its aura possesses incredible power, which is far beyond the reach of beings who have just embarked on the path of evolution.

In reality, what brought down the man and the horse was not some quasi-Immortal Emperor aura at all, because they were simply not worthy of it; their cultivation levels were too low, and they were neither worthy nor capable of touching it.

They collapsed as soon as they entered, purely because the essence of heaven and earth here was too rich; they were 'drunk' after taking a couple of breaths, and there was no other reason.

I'm a little dizzy too.

"It's okay, just take a nap and you'll be fine."

Lin Nuoyi swayed and was about to fall when Shao Hua reached out and caught her in time.

(End of this chapter)