"I'll take you to see those people outside, then you'll understand," Xu Zimo said with a faint smile.
The three of them stepped onto the teleportation formation inside the tomb, and in just a blink, they returned to the entrance of the burial ground.
Disciples from the Nine Dragons Villa were still guarding the area around the tomb, preventing anyone from entering.
Some of the onlookers had already left, thinking there was no point in waiting any longer. Others stayed, still curious to see who would emerge victorious.
When Xu Zimo and the other two walked out of the tomb, the surrounding crowd immediately began to stir.
"Look, someone’s coming out!"
"Who is it? Looks like unfamiliar faces."
"Only three of them? Where did the others go?"
"You're not going to kill them too, are you?" Jiu You looked at Xu Zimo and asked.
"Bone, take off your hood," Xu Zimo ordered.
Bone Demon lifted his head and removed the hood covering his head, revealing his demonic energy–surging red skull.
When everyone saw this, the crowd instantly erupted like a boiling pot.
"D-Demon!"
"A demon has resurrected!"
"This is a demon tomb, so having a demon appear is normal. But there are so many of us, we shouldn’t be afraid of him."
"Exactly. These demons are pure evil. He’s alone, there’s no way we can let the demons rise again. Let’s kill him!"
"Everyone attack together! I heard demon corpses are worth a lot right now. Hand it over to the sects and maybe get a huge reward!"
In just a few short minutes, all the surrounding people had come to a unified decision.
Xu Zimo smiled and said to Jiu You, "See? We haven't done anything, and in their eyes, we’re already evil. As long as you’re a demon, good or bad, you’ll always be labeled evil. Do you think they’re the good guys?"
Hearing his words, Jiu You fell silent.
Around them, people raised their swords and blades, all rushing toward the trio.
Bone Demon narrowed his gaze. He raised his right hand and gripped the index finger of his left.
Then snapped it clean off.
"Withering Bone Tree," Bone Demon said as he tossed the severed finger to the ground like a seed.
Within a few breaths, the earth sprouted a towering white bone tree that reached to the sky.
The people charging forward were instantly separated by the tree, which then extended its bone branches.
The branches grabbed and bound the surrounding people. With jagged teeth and wide-open jaws, the tree devoured them one by one as nourishment.
Within seconds, the crowd had no time to react or flee.
There were at least a hundred bone branches, and even more terrifying roots extended dozens of kilometers underground.
The people became nothing but fertilizer. After the Bone Tree had its fill, it let out a satisfied burp and transformed back into a severed finger, returning to Bone Demon’s hand.
"Peace and quiet, how refreshing," Xu Zimo chuckled.
"Let’s go. Time to head to God Valley."
The three of them headed east. By then, dusk had fallen again.
Their shadows stretched long under the setting sun. Overhead, a lone bird soared past.
"I think I get it now," Jiu You suddenly spoke.
"Get what?" Xu Zimo asked.
"A person's nature, good or evil, depends on themselves. It doesn’t matter whether they’re demon, beast, god or human," Jiu You said.
"Not bad. Humans have the seven emotions and six desires. A true ‘great sage’ doesn’t really exist. Every being has both light and dark in them. Some may seem refined on the surface, but behind the scenes, they’re no better than scum. Those who can control their darkness are good. Those who can't are evil. Or rather, everyone has their own ruler in their heart, the standard for good and evil isn’t the same for everyone."
Xu Zimo looked up at the dying sunlight above and smiled.
"This mortal world’s greatest skill is erasing the wild spirit of the bold, grinding down the pride of the lofty, and destroying the defiance of the unyielding."
…
God Valley lay within a canyon in the northern region of the God Race.
It was once one of the God Race’s most important places. After the disappearance of both gods and demons, it was said that a mighty god cast a powerful spell, banishing the canyon into the void.
But only the true descendants of the God Race knew that places like this, much like the divine temples, had only been sealed away.
Without the bloodline of the gods, there was no way to access them.
To be precise, it’s not just God Race bloodline now, they are better known as the Samsara Bloodline.
"If you find where they live, are you going to wipe out all remaining members of the God Race?" Jiu You asked.
"What do you mean by that?" Xu Zimo smiled.
"I know how you operate. I won’t deny that some from the God Race deserve to die, but most of them are innocent," Jiu You said. "They didn’t choose to be born into it. They’re just remnants. I believe there are good people among them."
"I’m not some mad slaughterer. I only kill those who block my path," Xu Zimo replied. "If they don’t block me, killing them is meaningless to me. But if they do, even if it’s you, I won’t hold back."
Jiu You lowered her head and nodded, then looked ahead, taking a deep breath.
"We’re here," she said softly.
Xu Zimo looked forward and saw nothing. Just an endless plain with a few large trees scattered around.
Jiu You walked to one of the trees and let the blood from her index finger drip into its trunk.
As the blood seeped in, the tree began to tremble.
A moment later, an illusory gate formed in front of them.
"I heard from my people that the God Valley isn’t in the same dimension as the Eternal Lands," Jiu You explained. "That’s why normal people can’t find it."
Xu Zimo and Bone Demon stepped through the gate into the void.
There was no sense of teleportation. It simply felt like stepping through a door, into a whole new world.
Darkness was immediately replaced by light.
The group appeared in front of a massive canyon.
Looking around, the canyon resembled a prehistoric beast lying dormant across the land.
On either side of the canyon’s entrance were two massive statues, likely of significant figures from the God Race.
Directly ahead stood a tall, white gate.
“Celestial God Valley” was inscribed on the plaque above it.
The gate was carved with countless figures, presumably ancestors of the God Race.
Looking beyond the gate, the canyon had buildings on either side, resembling a small town.
Children chased each other through the streets.
Above them came a sharp bird cry. A giant bird soared overhead, blocking out the sun with its massive wings.
"Things have changed a lot," Jiu You murmured.
"Looks like you're doing pretty well," Xu Zimo said with a smile.
The three of them entered through the gate. Inside, it wasn’t exactly bustling.
Aside from the children playing, a few people stood scattered in front of houses on both sides.