Chapter Forty: Ancient Legends

In the blink of an eye, Song Yue had already been back home for two days after following his mentor. Claiming he hadn't suffered any losses, Song Yue didn't even bother to bathe upon his return; he simply collapsed onto his bed and fell into a deep sleep, covering his head with the blanket. The intense tension he had endured within the secret realm finally melted away at the sight of his warm bed, and he slept for a full day and night without waking.

Little Meng was astounded. He had expected that the next time he would see Song Yue would be sixty years later, by then returning with a whole family and many descendants in tow. Yet, after only a few days apart, here they were reunited once more.

"Fate, Little Meng!" Song Yue said, wearing baggy shorts and a loose tank top, still bleary-eyed, to Meng Xudong who had come to visit upon hearing the news.

"You really came back!" Meng Xudong could hardly believe it at first, but seeing Song Yue alive and well before him, the shock hit him with full force.

The first person he saw was Miao Qiang. After Song Yue had gotten out, he sent him a message and asked Qian Qianxue to bring Miao Qiang to Little Meng. When Meng Xudong received Song Yue's message, he thought he was seeing things. Was there cell service in the secret realm now? Could people communicate with the outside world?

It was only after he saw Miao Qiang and Qian Qianxue that he knew Song Yue had already exited the secret realm. With a head full of questions, he sent Miao Qiang to reunite with his family, and then immediately rushed to find Song Yue, but was turned away at the door. Sister Wang told him Song Yue had been asleep since coming home and hadn't gotten up.

In less than two days, Meng Xudong came by three times. This time, he finally got to see the man himself.

"Of course, it isn't so far—if I want to come back, I come back," Song Yue declared shamelessly.

"So tell me, what exactly happened?" Meng Xudong followed Song Yue into the courtyard, unable to contain his curiosity. He was dying to know! It was common knowledge that the Kunlun Secret Realm only opened twice every sixty years, with an interval of about fifteen days between openings. Apart from that, the gates would never open again!

When Meng Xudong saw Miao Qiang and Qian Qianxue earlier, he had already been shocked, but neither of them would explain how they'd gotten out, only telling him to find Song Yue for answers.

"In fact, every secret realm doesn't have just one entrance. Occasionally, there are small fissures..." Song Yue began to fabricate a story—he couldn't very well say his mentor had brought him back. Though Little Meng had passed the test and had good character, the fewer people who knew the truth, the better.

Meng Xudong eyed him skeptically. "Why do I get the feeling you're pulling my leg?"

"I'm not! I'm telling the truth! Otherwise, how else could I have gotten out?" Song Yue replied with utmost sincerity.

"Even if there were fissures, how could you possibly find one?" Meng Xudong still didn't buy it.

"It must have been luck," Song Yue sighed.

The real luck was being the mentor's disciple! Without him, even if Song Yue could evade the Kunlun Gate's pursuit, he wouldn't have been able to leave until sixty years had passed! Though, perhaps not entirely impossible—the mentor could enter, so maybe he could leave that way too. But as of now, he didn't know for sure.

"Is that fissure still there?" Meng Xudong's eyes lit up, sensing a golden opportunity.

"What are you thinking, brother?" Song Yue looked at him. "Those fissures appear at random and vanish in a flash. If they were always there, do you think I’d tell you?"

Meng Xudong gave him an aggrieved look. This guy was honest to a fault! But did he have to be so blunt? Weren’t they comrades who had survived life-and-death trials together, united by revolutionary friendship? Still, with Song Yue spinning such a tale, Meng Xudong lost interest in pressing further. Though they were friends, it wasn’t as if they could share everything.

Song Yue’s unwillingness to divulge the truth meant he had his reasons.

After a pause, Meng Xudong said, "Your return won't stay secret for long. If the Zhang family learns you've come out of the secret realm, they won’t let it go."

Song Yue snorted, "What do I have to do with them?"

Meng Xudong spoke softly, "Can you really say Zhang Zixing and that alien’s disappearance has nothing to do with you?"

Song Yue shot him a look. "Of course not!" His tone was forthright and decisive.

Unfortunately, Meng Xudong didn’t believe him at all. "Honestly, some things don’t need proof. I’m not saying this for any other reason but to warn you—watch out for the Zhang family, and for those aliens."

Song Yue nodded. "Thanks."

Meng Xudong lingered, making no move to leave, and Song Yue, eager to see his mentor, grew impatient. "Little Meng, do you have any other business? If not, you should go ahead—I need to see the mentor."

Meng Xudong, a bit helpless, said, "Actually, I wanted your opinion about Grandmaster Miao and the others..."

Song Yue thought for a moment. "You should ask Grandmaster Miao directly. His dream has always been to establish his own sect. But in this day and age, founding a sect with just one martial arts grandmaster is difficult, especially since they've been out of touch with society for sixty years. It'll take time for them to fully reintegrate."

"Exactly! That’s my thought too!" Meng Xudong agreed.

"So go talk to him directly. Given your eloquence, convincing him to stay with the Elite Martial Arts School shouldn't be a problem. Once you persuade Teacher Miao, what you gain will be far more than just a grandmaster," Song Yue said.

"I’m worried he’ll refuse and there’ll be no room for negotiation," Meng Xudong said, looking at Song Yue with some difficulty. "Could you... go with me?"

Song Yue considered it and nodded. "All right."

"And," Meng Xudong added, "what about you...?"

"Me?" Song Yue was taken aback, then understood. "I think it should be fine for me too, but let me be honest. First, I have to consult my mentor since he’s my teacher; second, even if I join the Elite Martial Arts School, I don’t want to be constrained in any way..."

"Don’t worry! As long as you join, everything is negotiable. If you’re worried, I can draw up a contract!" Meng Xudong finally brightened, thumping his chest in assurance.

This was his real reason for coming to see Song Yue! Even a grandmaster like Miao Qiang didn’t hold as high a place in Meng Xudong’s heart as Song Yue did.

He had taken a special interest in Song Yue even before entering the secret realm, and after witnessing Song Yue’s various feats within, Meng Xudong became ever more convinced: if he could recruit Song Yue to the Elite Martial Arts School, Song Yue would become its most brilliant star—bar none!

After sending Meng Xudong off, Song Yue immediately headed to his mentor’s house. On the way, he checked his phone and found many unread messages—from Qian Qianxue, and also from Wen Rou. There was even a friend request from a stranger; the message read: Alien Lin Huan.

Song Yue hesitated but accepted. Little Meng had previously told him the names of the aliens, so he knew Lin Huan was the one who had been with Zhang Zixing and the others.

No sooner had he accepted than Lin Huan sent a barrage of messages—she must have been an octopus in a past life, her typing speed was ridiculous. Before Song Yue could respond, she’d already sent over a dozen messages.

At first, it was a string of exclamation marks, then a flood of questions.

"You’re out?"

"Weren’t you trapped in the secret realm?"

"My god, are you really Song Yue? Answer me quickly!"

"If you’re really Song Yue, I have something urgent to discuss!"

"Are you or aren’t you?"

"Can you say something?"

Song Yue was speechless and replied with a string of ellipses.

Before he could type more, she sent another burst.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Who are you really?"

"You’re not Song Yue, are you?"

"Do you know he’s trapped in the Kunlun Secret Realm? Who are you to him?"

Exasperated, Song Yue sent a voice message: "Miss, what exactly do you want? I am Song Yue! I’m back. If you have something to say, just say it."

After that, his phone finally fell silent. A minute later, Lin Huan replied with a voice message: "My god, it really is you? It’s unbelievable! How did you get out? Is there another hidden portal besides the main one in the secret realm? My elders once said people with special status can ignore the secret realm’s rules—are you one of those special people?"

Listening to her message, Song Yue thought, Are we really that close? Can I tell you such a secret?

But then, she sent another voice message: "Let’s not talk about that for now. Song Yue, I only wanted to test if you could get out—I didn’t expect you really would. I’m reaching out to tell you, about the Zhang family..."

Lin Huan told him that Qiaoxisi, who had been with her, speculated in front of Zhang Zixing’s father, Zhang Jian, that the deaths of Zhang Zixing and Ou Ping were related to Song Yue.

"I’m in the West now, about to enter a secret realm here. I’m telling you this not to betray a companion or stir up trouble between you and Qiaoxisi, but to let you know this has nothing to do with me or Xiao Mo. Be careful—the Zhang family won’t let you go once they know you’re out."

"And if anything happens in the future, it has nothing to do with us!"

By this point, Song Yue understood her intent—she wanted to distance herself and make it clear she had nothing to do with the matter.

He found it amusing. By all rights, aliens returning to their homeworld were usually arrogant, looking down on Earthlings. Especially a girl like Lin Huan, obviously from a powerful alien clan, yet with such a personality.

He thanked her, then opened Wen Rou’s messages. At first, she expressed sorrow at not being able to accompany him into the secret realm, followed by regret, and then, after hearing he hadn’t returned, growing worry and crying emojis, interspersed with:

"Brother, if you really can't come back, I’ll never marry. I’ll train hard so that sixty years from now I’ll look the same, so you’ll recognize me at a glance!"

"But by then, you’ll be with Sister Xue, won’t you? I really don’t want to bless you two..."

Apparently, Wen Rou had been feeling emotional, convinced Song Yue would never return, and said many things from her heart. Then she backtracked:

"Ah, how embarrassing! Brother, all those things I said before were nonsense!"

"Don’t take any of it seriously, brother!"

"I was just joking, really!!!"

"You’re back, right? That’s wonderful. I saw Sister Xue, she said you’re safe, so I’m relieved. I’m going into closed-door training for alchemy now, so don’t contact me for a while..."

Song Yue couldn’t help but laugh, deeply touched.

Finally, he opened Qian Qianxue’s message: "I’ve already reported my safety to my family. I told them what you taught me—that I found a spatial rift... But they didn’t really believe it. Still, they didn’t ask much, just told me to be very careful in the future... That’s it, I’m off to train, I need to start working on my Foundation Establishment."

"If nothing comes up, don’t contact me for now. Oh, by the way, you should go comfort your sister when you have time. I heard she cried alone in her dorm for days after hearing you hadn’t come back..."

Actually, there was something Qian Qianxue hadn’t told Song Yue. Her family, overjoyed at her safe return, had warned her to keep her distance from Song Yue, saying someone like him was too dangerous and might drag her into trouble. Her elder brother even threatened to go and talk to Song Yue in person, which scared her into calming him down with both threats and pleading. Otherwise, she really feared her brother would get into a fight, and with Song Yue’s temperament, he might not show any mercy.

Reaching his mentor’s house, Song Yue put away his phone.

His mentor’s wife greeted him with a beaming smile. "Feeling better? The master’s waiting for you in the study!"

Song Yue nodded, saying, "Thank you for worrying about me."

She waved him off. "As long as you’re back safe, that’s all that matters. Don’t overthink it—I know what happened, and I don’t blame you."

Song Yue then entered the study and saw his mentor. He had so many questions—about the Tongtian Stele, about how his mentor could come and go from the Kunlun Secret Realm at will.

The mentor understood at once and wasted no time. "Throughout the worlds, many chosen geniuses receive the Tongtian Stele," he began.

"It is both a blessing and a responsibility."

"With the Tongtian Stele, one can enter the Battlefield of the Myriad Worlds—the place known as the Ninth Gate."

Looking intently at Song Yue, the mentor said solemnly, "Years ago, I too obtained a Tongtian Stele in the Kunlun Secret Realm. With it, you can enter and leave the secret realm freely. I’ll teach you the method in due course."

"But the true purpose of the stele isn’t to open the secret realm, but to allow you to enter the battlefield beyond the Ninth Gate."

At this, Song Yue couldn’t help but ask, "Mentor, how many portals are in your stele?"

The mentor was taken aback but quickly caught on. "Yours has more than one portal?"

Song Yue nodded. "Mine has nine portals."

The mentor was dumbfounded, staring at him for a long moment before saying, "Take me inside and let me see."

Song Yue nodded. Apart from his closest family, the only people he could trust without reservation were his mentor and the mentor’s wife. He had grown up around them, and in some ways, was even closer to them than to his own parents. There was no need for secrets between them.

He brought his mentor into the Jade Void Tongtian Stele. Upon seeing the nine portals, the mentor was stunned. Frowning as if recalling something, he walked over to the portal labeled "One" and tried to enter—nothing happened.

"I can’t enter any of these except the ninth. The doors will open, but I can’t go in," Song Yue explained at his side.

"It must be that your cultivation isn’t high enough yet," his mentor said.

They both exited and returned to the study, the mentor’s expression grave.

He looked at Song Yue. "Many years ago, I read an ancient text that mentioned a legend... At the time, I took it as a fanciful tale."

"But now, I think that legend may be more than just a legend."

Song Yue asked, "What kind of legend?"

The mentor replied, "Our world is just one among countless others, but according to the legend, this is where the Great Dao began—the source of all cultivation!"

Song Yue remarked, "Isn’t that just the old ‘Earth is the center’ theory?"

The mentor nodded. "I never believed it before. After all, this is the interstellar age. Though Earth is the mother planet for many alien races, the universe is vast, filled with countless human and non-human civilizations."

"Only a frog at the bottom of a well would think its own world is the center of the universe."

Song Yue agreed. People can be confident, even a bit self-obsessed, but not ignorant. Just as ancient people once believed the Earth was the center of the universe, only to learn later how boundless the cosmos truly is.

The mentor continued, "The legend says that in a distant and ancient time—specifically, in the era of the Milky Way—gods and buddhas really existed in the worlds."

"Then, demons from beyond attacked. The gods and buddhas together constructed nine barriers to fend them off."

"Each barrier was guarded by a supreme being, but at some unknown point, the demons launched a massive assault, overwhelming eight of the gates in succession. Countless legendary powers perished..."

As the mentor spoke, Song Yue suddenly recalled the scene he had witnessed in the underground palace—on that vast, boundless battlefield, even the White-Clad Celestial Venerable seemed to have fallen. In the end, the battlefield was silent, not a living soul left.

The mentor shook his head. "I never believed such things, even after I set foot upon the Ninth Gate battlefield."

"You’ve been there?" Song Yue asked.

"I have," the mentor nodded, not wanting to elaborate. Instead, he said, "It seems your Tongtian Stele is unique. Those eight extra portals remind me of the ancient legend—they may lead to the other eight gates!"

He grew very serious. "First, the existence of the Tongtian Stele must never be revealed to anyone who doesn’t possess one. When I returned, I erased the relevant memories from Qian Qianxue and Miao Qiang. As long as no one mentions it, they won’t remember a thing."

Song Yue was astonished. "You can do that?"

"It’s just a matter of spiritual power. You’ll be able to do it too, in time."

"Secondly, about those eight portals—you must be extremely cautious! Even if you can enter them someday, be very careful!"

"If the legend is true, there may be mighty demonic beings behind those doors!"

The mentor’s warning was stern.

Song Yue nodded. "What do the demons look like? Do they resemble the ones that appear in the human world?"

"They have no fixed form—indescribable. But they can take on any guise you imagine, or that they want you to see."

"Are there demons in the Ninth Gate battlefield?" Song Yue suddenly asked.

"There are, but not as powerful," the mentor replied. "That place is shielded by a cosmic wall, which, according to ancient legend, is itself a barrier."

Song Yue said, "If the legend is true, then if the last barrier falls, won’t the demons invade?"

"That is precisely the responsibility and duty of the Tongtian Stele bearers. Every one of them is a chosen one. Some receive unimaginable opportunities, some are taught by powerful beings in dreams, and their strength grows rapidly."

"But once they reach a certain level, they must enter the battlefield of the worlds."

"Thus, all who bear the Tongtian Stele share another title—‘Warrior’!"

Song Yue understood. Whether or not the legend was true, the demons and the battlefield were real. And so, the duty of every warrior boiled down to a single word—defend.

"Mentor, please teach me how to use the Tongtian Stele to contact others and enter or exit the secret realm."

Song Yue asked no more about the battlefield—he only wanted to grow stronger.

Without strength, how could one defend anything?

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There should be another chapter tonight. It's the end of the month—don't forget your monthly and recommendation tickets!