‘Ascend the world to enter paradise. The golden light spills through the colorful mist, and gaze upon the jade and resplendent Southern Heavenly Gate.
‘Each side guarded by a heavenly soldier, standing like statues along the path, decorated and ready. With golden armored men leading them, holding halberds, blades, and whips at the ready.’
There was not one man in China who didn’t know the meaning behind the Southern Heavenly Gate.
In ancient legends, the Southern Heavenly Gate was the pathway to Heavenly Court, also known as Heavenly Temple.
Jade Emperor, Queen Mother of the West, Supreme Laojun, Taibai Jinxing, and many other gods or immortals of Chinese mythology resided in the Heavenly Court.
Just that in the eyes of the crowd, Heavenly Court’s gods were but a legend, a figment of imagination. No one ever thought of it as real.
Until now, Du Fei thought so too, as did Ye Xiaolu, and Su Qingyi.
“Southern Heavenly Gate. T-this is that legendary gate?” Du Fei stammered from shock.
Li Mo said, “Perhaps, or perhaps not.”
Li Mo couldn’t say it was indeed real, as he was just like the rest, having seen the Southern Heavenly Gate for the first time.
“I may not know if this is the legendary Southern Heavenly Gate, but the Heavenly Court is very much true. The same goes for the gods and their deeds.”
“What do you mean by Heavenly Court exactly?” Ye Xiaolu started eating grapes.
“Let’s assume for a moment that the universe is Earth. Well, Heavenly Court is a mighty nation on Earth. Now, do you understand?”
They all bobbed their heads.
Li Mo turned back to the gate, “In the ancient times of the universe, the most outstanding beings were the ten ancient sacred beasts. In that period where the sacred beasts moved unhinged, the other races were nothing to speak of. The ten sacred beasts ruled for billions of years before – for reasons unknown – they all up and vanished at the same time. From that moment, the Human race rose from obscurity, forming the Heavenly Court and building the Heavenly Palace while accepting disciples from everywhere.
“Among the universe’s most famous societies, Heavenly Court’s greatest asset wasn’t just strength, but leniency. Regardless of race or background, anyone was accepted into the fold. Heavenly Court treated everyone the same.
“At its peak, it even ruled over half the universe.”
Then Li Mo sighed.
“It doesn’t look like it. Just looking around and you’d know.” Ye Xiaolu spoke with her mouth full of grapes.
Su Qingyi floated aggrieved next to her, “Sister Lu, c-can you please don’t eat so much? You’re making me fat…”
Su Qingyi may have died, but her body was no different from a live human thanks to Li Mo supplying it with spiritual qi.
“This is the last one.”
Li Mo continued, “Fifty thousand years ago, Heavenly Court collapsed from civil war. A promising society that could unify the entire universe crumbled and never got to regain its past glory.”
Su Qingyi was curious, “Brother Mo, where did you read all this from? How come I never heard of this?”
“At the time when humanity’s primogenitor fled Earth, he didn’t know either of the chaos that was underway. The records relating such events are exceedingly rare.”
“Wait, wait, he fled Earth? What does that mean?” Ye Xiaolu never missed a grape.
Li Mo smiled, “In China’s legends, Heavenly Court is in Heaven. But what is the scope of this Heaven?”
Ye Xiaolu was giddy, “H-hey, don’t change the subject. Say already what does fleeing Earth means?”
Li Mo remained silent as he walked towards Southern Heavenly Gate.
Ye Xiaolu snapped, “His type are the most boring and annoying. When you choose your man, remember to always avoid such people.”
They followed after Li Mo, through the Southern Heavenly Gate, to see ruins everywhere.
They walked through the ruins for a time before they encountered a shocking sight.
A five-mile wide pit with blade marks on the edges that one couldn’t see the bottom of. A black-red hue could be seen looking into it. It wasn’t its color, but one given off by the dried blood soaking it.
Just how much blood had to be spilled to give this bottomless pit such an eerie reddish color?
Du Fei wiped his sweat, “Y-you don’t mean to say this pit is filled with people, right?”
Li Mo said, “This pit isn’t used to bury people.”
Su Qingyi asked, “Not people? Then why is there so much blood?”
“One man made this pit with a single punch. The blood is from just a few creatures.”
“What?!” They all cried out.
“Brilliant Fist!”
Du Fei struck the ground but nothing happened.
He tried over four times but there was still no damage.
“Bro Mo, this soil is odd. My 3rd layer of Life Spring Stage cultivation isn’t enough to even leave a mark. What the devil is that guy to make such a crater?
“And you can’t even see the bottom!”
Was such a feat even possible, when Du Fei’s power couldn’t do anything to the earth?
“As you all are now, none of you can grasp the power of the universe’s strongest.”
Li Mo paid his respects at the pit.
Whitey stood before the pit for a long time.
No one noticed how she also tried her demon qi on the earth. She was close to being a fifth level power but even she couldn’t do anything to the earth there.
They resumed walking a few more miles and found humanoid skeletons.
These four skeletons had no upper body, while their legs were still standing upright, planted firmly on the ground.
They looked around but there was no sign of their other half.
Clang~
While they were speculating what happened to the skeletons, a broken sword suddenly flew from beneath a skeleton.
The weathered broken sword looked no different than an old man on his death bed. But it was this wretched sword that had everyone on edge from the sheer power it released.
The sword let out a soft ringing, striking the very core of each of them. Su Qingyi was on the verge of having her soul collapse, but Li Mo was there to help her recover.
Ye Xiaolu was bleeding from her mouth and nose and even spat grapes. The panda and Whitey faired somewhat better, but even they were shaking like leaves.
Li Mo shouted, “Get behind me!”
Hum~
A rainbow light flashed out from behind Li Mo. Du Fei was holding the Seven Star Immortal Sword and wearing the immortal robe, while the 20 gems making the Immortal Killing Array floated around.
The rainbow light wasn’t weaker than the damaged sword’s white light, clashing with it.
Hum~
Clang~
They struggled for twenty seconds before the damaged sword lost all its radiance and cluttered to the ground.
