Volume One: Youths Meet in Humble Times Chapter Seventy-Three: When Will the Gates of Heaven Open

Their words crashed down like thunder, leaving everyone momentarily unable to make a choice.

Elder Chen recalled what the Sect Leader of the Celestial Mechanism Sect had privately told him before they came: “If possible, do not speak of the vast spiritual energy needed to open the Gate of Heaven. I cast a divination, not for the town, but for you—for our sect. If we intervene, we may become entangled in needless bloodshed.”

Before arriving, Elder Chen had wondered what sort of slaughter could even make the Sect Leader so uneasy. In his mind, the opening of the Gate of Heaven would inevitably bring casualties. Why fret over it?

He never expected the hexagram to fall upon the residents of Heaven's Gate Town. No wonder the Sect Leader's worries could not be dispelled!

Now, he found himself caught between advance and retreat. He knew that, once he spoke of this matter, their sect would inevitably bear the karmic burden of bloodshed.

Hearing this, Lu Ming grew restless. He could not have imagined such a sinister method to open the Gate of Heaven. If they truly did this, how were they any different from evil cultivators?

He glanced at Elder Xie Tong beside him, wanting to ask his opinion: Would the Sword of Green Mountain get involved in such sordid affairs?

Elder Xie Tong understood his meaning, but holding his position, he could only be resigned. Some matters were simply unavoidable. As elders, if they opposed, they would stand against all cultivators.

The Gate of Heaven was the ambition of all cultivators. If they declared that innocent lives could not be sacrificed for its opening, they would invite the wrath of the masses. Even with the strength of the Sword of Green Mountain, they could not stand against all cultivators.

Sometimes, succumbing to circumstances and acting in accordance with the greater trend was an inescapable necessity.

Xie Tong gently shook his head at Lu Ming, offering no further response.

At this point, Lu Ming had entered the Dao and become a sword immortal of Green Mountain. His words and actions no longer represented himself alone. Realizing this, he suddenly felt repelled by his identity as a sword immortal. If he could not unsheath his sword to pursue justice and freedom, what joy was there in being a sword immortal? He suddenly understood why, once Green Mountain sword immortals entered the Dao, their progress slowed, and their state of mind became an obstacle. No matter how gifted, they could not advance further.

Elder Chen’s words drew everyone into a silent gloom; such a decision, one that determined life and death, could not be made lightly.

After a while, Zhou Yu of the Imperial Dynasty finally voiced his opinion: “Is there anything that could substitute? For instance, a great quantity of spiritual stones or a high-tier spiritual vein?”

Elder Chen shook his head. “No. The unique geography of Heaven’s Gate Town means that external stones or veins cannot reveal the Gate of Heaven in the lawless land. Only the spiritual energy suppressed here fits perfectly.”

Elder Xie Tong of the Sword of Green Mountain pondered, then asked, “Could the sacrificial array be broken by brute force?”

Elder Chen considered carefully before answering, “In theory, yes, but the conditions are harsh, and the outcome is uncontrollable.”

“How so?” Xie Tong inquired.

“To forcibly break the array, one must fill the lawless land with Dao power—turning it into a land of the Dao—and then use the sword of a sword cultivator or the art of a spell cultivator, with cultivation no less than the fourteenth realm, to force open the array.” Elder Chen glanced around at everyone, scoffing inwardly. Each had come with the hope of ascending to immortality through the Gate of Heaven, likely unwilling to take even the smallest risk.

“But this method does not guarantee the appearance of the Gate of Heaven. It is quite possible that it will never be found again, or it may take countless years before another opportunity arises.”

Sure enough, the crowd’s expressions shifted between reluctance and unwillingness.

Unexpectedly, the first to voice opposition to risk was not an outsider, but a member of one of the five great families who had lived in Heaven’s Gate Town for countless years.

Zhang Xi, one of the five patriarchs, declared, “Impossible. We have waited so many years for this chance to open the Gate of Heaven. How can we abandon it for the sake of mere ants?”

With this, others followed suit. The remaining four patriarchs were naturally in agreement. The six elders leading the six sects nodded as well, representing their sects and the patriarchs; how could they voice dissent? Moreover, a direct path to the immortal realm would be advantageous for their future ascension.

No one wished to wait an incalculable span for a faint hope. Hearing this, the people of the Imperial Dynasty fell silent. Zhou Yu, though a member of the imperial house and a cultivator, knew that on this continent, all cultivators were determined to open the Gate of Heaven and seize the chance to ascend. He could not—and dared not—prevent it.

Thus, his stance was silent acquiescence.

The people of the Imperial Palace Hall had not shown any interest throughout; they seemed unconcerned, sipping spirit tea or feigning sleep. No one dared ask their opinion, nor did anyone know what they—or the Hall itself—thought.

The three elders of the Li family were even less sympathetic; if Heaven’s Gate Town could be destroyed, they would be the first to act.

Everyone tacitly accepted the final outcome: paving the road to heaven with human lives.

Guo Nan, one of the five patriarchs of Heaven’s Gate Town, asked, “Heaven’s Gate Town is home not only to humans but also to the demon race. Should we inquire about their position or intentions regarding the opening of the Gate?”

Indeed, they had not forgotten the demon race in the north.

The demons had always lived in the northern part of Heaven’s Gate Town, reclusive and rarely interacting with humans, often overlooked.

Do demons seek immortality? Naturally, they do.

In fact, the demon race had their own schemes. They too conducted secret investigations in Heaven’s Gate Town, seeking their path to immortality.

However, as Liuguang and her companions discussed, the demon race’s attitude toward the Gate of Heaven was ambiguous—neither indifferent nor eager to involve their own.

After sensing the disturbance, Liuguang was unsurprised. She had long known the opponent’s power had reached its peak; such feats were trivial.

But for the other two, it was different.

Baitong managed, but Mulai was shaken. He had always believed his strength was not far from the Daoist’s, but now, it was clear that the gap was vast. At least, he had to admit he lacked the power to help someone break through in the lawless land.

“Do you still doubt his strength? Do you think he lied?” Liuguang asked provocatively.

Mulai had no answer. Baitong thought for a moment and countered, “We don’t doubt his strength, but how can you be sure his warning to keep away from the Gate is not a ruse—to exclude the demon race and keep us from any benefit?”

“Regardless of his strength, and whether his vision perceives things unknown to us—for the sake of argument, if he wished to act, could the demon race stop him? Moreover, with so many outsiders here, I doubt the three of us would gain any advantage if they turned against us,” Liuguang said, seeing clearly. She knew that unless humans invited them to participate, regardless of their own plans, the demon race would gain nothing from the opening of the Gate.

Baitong continued, “But what if the humans do invite us?”

Liuguang replied, “I trust him. I trust no others among the humans.”

Guo Nan’s question reminded everyone of the demon race in the north. Though their numbers were few, all knew three Daoist demons resided there.

Daoist demons possessed immense power, and each beast had its innate talent. The phoenix was among them; those who knew her had already estimated her strength, silently concluding she could defeat three at once.

Li Zhong of the Li family whispered, “They are not of our kind; their hearts must differ. Our affairs must not include them.”

Zhang Xi of the five families countered, “That’s not entirely true. If they reside in Heaven’s Gate Town, they are part of it. If we open the Gate, won’t the demon race try to claim a share? I fear a war between demons and humans will break out.”

Elder Yuan of Fallen Peak in the Six Sects said, “Zhang is right. If we open the Gate, the demon race will surely profit. Since that cannot be avoided, why not let them contribute now? If benefits are shared, so too should effort! Besides, we cannot rule out the possibility of them stabbing us in the back, so it is better to keep them close.”

While the City Lord’s Mansion debated whether to invite the demon race, the three demons themselves were divided. Liuguang favored caution, Mulai believed fortune favored the bold, and Baitong wavered between the two.

Baitong hoped to strengthen the demon race, which had grown weak under pressure from the other four continents. If they could not find a way to bolster their power, they would soon face encirclement.

But Liuguang’s concerns were valid. He too worried; the patriarch had lived so long that none remembered he still existed. Longevity brought many benefits, chief among them a wealth of ancient secrets.

Baitong did not doubt the patriarch’s words. If he said so, he must know something. Though he had not spoken plainly, Baitong understood: the Gate of Heaven was anything but simple.

Mulai was not wrong. Fortune favored the bold; danger was opportunity.

Finally, he made his decision. When the City Lord’s Mansion sent an invitation, the two demon kings, Baitong and Mulai, accepted.

Liuguang watched them leave, lost in thought, as if she foresaw their fate.