The sky gradually darkened.
Bai Jie left twenty thousand spirit stones as a gift, respectfully bid farewell, and then turned and left.
Chen Xia sat alone in the yard, looking up at the darkening sky. He slowly stood up, went into the house, and carried out the sleeping Big Yellow Dog, placing it in the chair facing the moonlight.
He and Zhang DaoMing had discussed it and felt that it couldn't just bask in the sun. The nutrition had to be balanced, so it also needed to absorb some moonlight.
Zhang DaoMing slowly walked out from inside the house, hands clasped behind his back, hunched over slightly. He shook his head and frowned, asking, "How much longer does this dog need to sleep?"
"Don't know," Chen Xia shook his head. He patted the dog's head and called out, "Are you asleep? If you're asleep, answer me."
Big Yellow Dog kept its eyes closed, obviously not falling for it.
Chen Xia shook his head. "Looks like he's really asleep."
"Of course he is. He's been sleeping for decades. Even if he really is the Vast Boundless Quasi-Emperor, I'd still have to kick his butt and make him wait all these years for me."
Zhang DaoMing said coldly, and really swung his leg forward to kick, barely missing undoing the laces of his cloth shoes.
"When the time comes, I'll cheer you on. If it comes down to it, I can even see you off on your journey," Chen Xia thoughtfully said from the side.
"I really must thank you for that," Zhang DaoMing replied courteously as well.
"It's nothing. I'll be getting your pension anyway," Chen Xia said matter-of-factly, going for utter honesty.
Zhang DaoMing chuckled and didn't respond. He turned his head to look at Big Yellow Dog, gazing pensively for a while before sighing.
"It's really not so familiar, him being quiet all of a sudden after yelling for so long."
"A little," Chen Xia agreed with a murmur. He stood next to the sleeping Big Yellow Dog, also raising his head to look at the moon.
The moon in this realm wasn't very bright, somewhat dim. The moonlight was as if filtered through several layers before shining down, blurred and hazy.
"Chen... Chen... Chen Xia?" came a weak voice.
Chen Xia's brows suddenly lifted. He turned to look.
In the hazy moonlight, Big Yellow Dog opened its eyes just a sliver, smiling faintly at him.
"You... feed your horse well."
Still thinking about that chess game?
Zhang DaoMing's brows furrowed. He was a bit speechless.
Chen Xia nodded. "Truly a priceless talent."
The two really chatted it up, and Zhang DaoMing stood helplessly on the side. But there was a smile on his face.
"I... had a dream," Big Yellow Dog said weakly and slowly. "I dreamed that I became the Quasi-Emperor, standing amidst the starry sky, facing the siege of millions of cultivators."
"But... I don't want to be any Quasi-Emperor. I just want to play chess."
Zhang DaoMing rolled his eyes. Still going on about chess?
"These millions of cultivators all wanted me dead. I couldn't see their faces or know who they were." Big Yellow Dog went on.
"My body wouldn't listen to me. I killed my way forward, heading toward the far end of the river of stars. I thought that as long as I reached the far end of the river of stars, I could come back and play chess again."
"But I never made it."
Big Yellow Dog's tone held a bit of loss. He lowered his head and said softly,
"It was like I entered a hazy river. My body and mind felt empty. I grit my teeth, trying to swim out of the river."
"Because it was your turn after you finished your move. I was just waiting for you."
"I'll go set up the pieces now. Just wait a moment," Chen Xia said gently. His tone was blurred in the night.
"No need. After waking up, I realized that I don't want to play chess." Big Yellow Dog's tone softened.
"I just want to see you."
He pursed his lips, continuing, "I also don't know if I'm Big Yellow Dog or the Vast Boundless Quasi-Emperor. Memories keep flooding into my mind..."
His eyes began to glow, a faint blue at first that gradually deepened to a dark blue, like the most profound depths of the starry sky.
At the edge of the realm, deep within the Fifth Forbidden Zone.
The twisted figure woven from millions of strands of law and spirit patterns became increasingly clear. Its gaze remained fixed toward the center as it spoke in a low voice.
"The original and the inner demon. Two great eras of time. That old Daoist must have calculated it as such, which is why he had me enter this realm and become nourishment for the Vast Boundless Taoist Emperor!"
Its tone grew increasingly resentful. "Although I am a demon, I am not greedy or combative. I willingly cut myself off from the original. Yet you old Daoist insist on plotting against me like this, wanting the Vast Boundless Taoist Emperor. I absolutely won't let you get your way!"
It gnashed its teeth and shouted angrily again, "As soon as he awakens, I'll send him out to personally make trouble for you old Daoist. Back then, you dared plot against me, so the Vast Boundless will surely not let you off!"
It was saying the cockiest words in the most awesome tone.
To cultivators, inner demons are bad. But inner demons are absolutely not bad.
They care more about the original than anyone, because inner demons are part of themselves.
The reason cultivators must slay their inner demons is because the emergence of inner demons disturbs the mind and heart. Much of their understanding and cognition becomes disordered under the influence of inner demons.
To the point where even a usually very polite cultivator will become arrogant after being affected by their inner demon, as different as night and day from usual.
This is detrimental to a cultivator's enlightenment and cultivation. Over time, they may even become more and more like their inner demon.
These are all negative effects, which is why cultivators must slay their inner demons.
No wonder the Lord of the Fifth Forbidden Zone was so angry. He had severed himself, yet that old Daoist still wouldn't let him off, insisting on scheming against him.
The Lord of the Fifth Forbidden Zone didn't know much about that old Daoist's origins, only that he was connected to the Great Profound Capital and seemed to be a reincarnated being from several great eras.
Such transcendent figures were rare, able to be counted on one hand in the Great Heaven. They were a cut above even great emperors.
Right now, that old Daoist should still be meditating in the Great Profound Capital, guarding the transcendent arts within. Speaking of which, he really was selfish. Unable to learn them himself, yet not letting anyone else learn either.
Damn annoying thing.
The Lord of the Fifth Forbidden Zone cursed inwardly, his gaze looking toward the horizon as his indignation grew stronger.
If not for this dog's restrictions on the realm, he would've become a Taoist Emperor long ago and gone to find that old Daoist to settle old scores.
It was all that old Daoist's long-planned scheming that had harmed him.
This realm that connected all the heavens and myriad worlds was actually just a massive formation to suppress the Heavenly Dao, using it to delay the apocalyptic reckoning and lengthen the great eras.
And lengthening the great eras resulted in fewer and fewer cultivators reaching higher realms. Without the reckoning of the Heavenly Dao, the total amount of opportunities, fortunes, and luck in the world was limited. With the eras never ending, as the population of cultivators grew, each person's share became smaller. Thus, fewer and fewer cultivators reached higher realms.
This was the outcome the old Daoist wanted to see, though the Lord of the Fifth Forbidden Zone didn't know his specific reasons. He had conjectured one possibility:
That the old Daoist wanted to supplant the Heavenly Dao.
But he soon rejected this speculation, because the old Daoist's abilities were still insufficient to supplant the Heavenly Dao. Even if he weakened the Heavenly Dao until only a sliver remained, the old Daoist still wouldn't dare contend against it head-on.
As for cultivators qualified to supplant the Heavenly Dao, the Lord of the Fifth Forbidden Zone had encountered one by chance.
After severing himself, when he drifted into this realm, he began searching for traces of his original form. To the point where he studied many secret arts of time, wandering through the river of time many times. In the process, he met many legendary figures.
But due to the time constraints, they only exchanged a glance before the ancient emperors and sovereigns of the river of time posed no threat to him.
Until one day, as he drifted downstream through time, the river of time suddenly split open, revealing a pitch-black portal framed by four skulls that emanated the lingering aura of great emperors.
The four great emperors' skulls!
He was filled with tremendous chill.
A hand stretched out from the portal, holding countless galaxies and universes. It pointed at him casually and said flatly,
"Wrong way."
The river of time instantly fell silent, plunged into darkness. It seemed to span eons, yet also just a fleeting moment. His consciousness returned to his body.
The Lord of the Fifth Forbidden Zone didn't know who that being was, only that it was the most terrifying existence he had ever seen, able to influence the entire river of time, even eject him from it.
Fortunately, that fearsome figure didn't have killing intent, otherwise he certainly would have died in the river of time.
Since then, the Lord of the Fifth Forbidden Zone never set foot in the river of time again, without even the thought of peeking into it.
He understood...
A monster lurked within the river of time.