Refining the Mountains and Rivers

Chapter 516A – To Wear the Crown, One Must Bear Its Weight

Chapter 516A – To Wear the Crown, One Must Bear Its Weight

In the extreme north it snowed all year long, with nothing but the bitter cold in the air.

In that same roughly hewn cave from before, there were even more people there today. Whether it was men or women, they were wrapped up like thick steaming rice dumplings in hopes of resisting the increasingly cold air. They knelt down on the piercing cold ground, a look of deep respect and reverence in their eyes.

“Lord Sage, please reconsider.” The man who spoke had a large physique. His palms that were placed flat on the ground had thick and sturdy joints popping out of them. His aura was ferocious and resolute.

The frail white-robed Sage didn’t seem as if he sensed the cold chill all around him. He slowly shook his head, a faintly happy expression on his lips. “After laboriously setting up this plan for so many years, we have smoothly started, so how can we give up halfway? To trade this withered body for a new life for the tribe, I feel nothing but joy.”

The large man looked as if he wanted to say something else, but he was stopped by a wave from the Sage. The Sage swept his eyes around, saying, “Look. You are all the most outstanding people of my race, and yet you have no choice but to put on thick furs to defend against the cold. Are you lowly beasts? We are a people that have been abandoned by the world. If we don’t wish to be exterminated, we can only seek out our own path of survival.”

“Go. Return to your tribesmen that need you to help them live and wait for the day when the turning point of my race’s destiny arrives. That day is not too far away.”

Everyone touched the ground with their foreheads. “We will follow your will and wish you peace and good health.”

They turned and left. Many people had tears in their eyes. This was because they knew that when they next heard of the Lord Sage, he might have disappeared from this world.

This was a kindness to their race. The entire monster race tribe would forever engrave this on their minds.

The Sage said in a soft voice, “Beg Not, stay behind.”

The large man bowed. He lowered his head and stood to the side.

Once everyone left, there was nothing in the cave but the two people.

The Sage had a vacant expression in his eyes. It was unknown just what he was thinking of. He didn’t speak for some time.

Beg Not hesitated for a moment. Then he reverentially said, “Lord Sage, are you worried about the tribe’s future?”

The Sage came back to awareness. He apologetically smiled and shook his head, “No, I have already completed preparations and you are sufficiently outstanding. I believe that you will become an astounding king who will lead the monster race to new heights.

“Today, I want to inform you of a different matter. Within the Demonic Path, there is an extremely talented youth. His existence is likely to become a significant hidden danger to the monster race. So, before I return to our ancestral homeland, you must find him and kill him.”

Beg Not furrowed his eyebrows. “Are you speaking of Zhao Qianyuan? He is indeed a grave threat. I vow to you that I will not hesitate to pay any price to thoroughly eliminate him.”

The Sage shook his head. “It is not him. Zhao Qianyuan must die, but the one I am speaking of is even more important.” He lifted a hand and a mote of light appeared. Like a snowflake, it fell between Beg Not’s eyebrows and melted in. “Remember this person. You must find him!”

Beg Not’s heart chilled and he cupped his hands together and bowed deeply. “Lord Sage, do not worry, I will definitely kill him!” This was unexpectedly an unfamiliar face. Since when did this sort of proud son of heaven appear within the Demonic Path? But since this was the Sage’s orders, he could only agree.

The Sage nodded. “Return. Organize the army and train the fiercest vicious beasts. When my monster race revisits the world, you will be the sharpest sword of our people.”

Beg Not fell down to his knees and bowed, “Please take care of yourself!”

He stood up and left.

The Sage watched him leave, hesitation flashing in his eyes. He was well aware that he should try to find Qin Yu now and kill him. But, the disturbances stemming from the Demon Ascension Gate’s small world incident had yet to abate. If he were to make another move at this moment, it was likely to arouse the suspicions of the Demonic Path. At that time the entire great plan would be influenced.

So the Sage mulled over the issue and finally gave up on making a move. “No matter how outstanding you are and no matter how much good fortune you encounter, you are still too young. Even if I die, I will not give you time to grow and harm my tribe. So, you will die. The only difference is whether your death comes sooner or later.

“You must die.”

The calm and serene voice constantly reverberated through the cave, producing eerie echoes that were like some formidable prophecy.

…

Heavenly Demon City.

Qin Yu woke up from his cultivation. In that moment, he had felt a great terror in his heart, as if he were wandering through a jungle and a vicious beast had locked its eyes onto him.

When he tried to sense it again, the feeling had already disappeared, as if everything that occurred was only an illusion.

Qin Yu’s face darkened. He furrowed his eyebrows and fell into contemplation for a long time. He took a deep breath and suppressed his tumbling thoughts, trying to return to cultivating once more, but he just couldn’t find the heart to.

Unknown dangers always left one feeling anxious.

After failing to enter meditation several times, Qin Yu stood up and pushed open the stone door to the training room. He stepped outside into the courtyard.

This was Dawnperch Hotel’s best courtyard, and there was naturally a reason for its reputation. The courtyard was large and the scenery was gorgeous.

Qin Yu quietly glanced around. When he felt the strange hollowness in his chest dissolve a little, he looked up at the skies. Then, he opened the courtyard doors and walked towards the front inn.

It had been three days since he visited the City Lord Mansion. Things had been uneventful so far, but Qin Yu knew that the Demonic Path was in full pursuit investigating and tracing back the events that occurred within the small world.

As he went out this time, he also had the intention of listening to some news. After all, what happened in the small world was simply too strange. It was like a great invisible hand had manipulated everyone from beginning to end.

Qin Yu thought back to that massive palm that descended from the heavens. Its prestige and terror had been limitless. If it weren’t for the demon face appearing in the skies at a critical moment and forcing it back, he likely wouldn’t be safely standing here.

Duan San’er raced over like a breeze. His waist was bent forward at an alarming angle, so deep that one worried he would snap in half in the next moment.

“Lord Yao Bin, may I ask if there is anything you need?”

Qin Yu lightly said, “Find me a quiet place and bring some light dishes. The wine must be good.”

Duan San’er’s smile lit up his face. “Lord Yao Bin, please rest assured. Our snowflower wine is renowned far and wide. The manager just happens to have a hundred year old jar hidden away. I will immediately bring it to you. My lord, please come this way to the third floor.”

Because Little Duan’s actions were far too enthusiastic, he attracted many eyes along the way. Luckily for him, when the True Demon Guards came to invite him that day, they had frightened most people into leaving, so there weren’t many people who saw Qin Yu. So, most of them simply glanced at him once with some curiosity. They assumed he was some wealthy young master with a great background and turned away, not willing to provoke him.

The third floor was close to Cleardawn Lake. At this time, a cool wind slowly wafted in, bringing in moisture from the surface of the lake. Looking down, one could see young men and women scattered around the shores of the lake.

There were young women in swimming suits lying back on lounging chairs. From this height, one could take in all their beauty with a single glance; it was a wonderful sight.

Even if Qin Yu didn’t have any dark intentions in mind, taking a look still inspired the spirits. Qin Yu nodded and took a seat. Duan San’er saw Qin Yu’s slightly happier expression and he felt a hundred times better.

“My lord, please wait a moment. I will immediately go prepare the dishes.”

Qin Yu experienced what was perhaps the fastest service in the history of Dawnperch Hotel. Not long after he sat down, 12 trays of cold fruits and hot snacks were carried out. The manager personally brought out a jar of wine. Looking at the mild color of the wine jar, one could tell that it had seen many years. After opening it, the fragrance of wine flowed out.

Qin Yu drank wine and ate the carefully crafted delicacies from the kitchen. Maintaining his composure as he looked around, he already heard the conversation of several people sitting not too far away.

Yesterday the Demonic Path had informed the world of everything that occurred in the small world, not concealing anything at all. The casualties had been dire, so dire that the news shook the entirety of the Land of Divinity and Demons. Nearly all large-scale influences immediately issued statements about this. They expressed their condolences for the disciples that died and their sympathies for how the Demonic Path had suffered. At the same time, they condemned this act of terrorism that dared to provoke chaos in the world.

The Demonic Path soon issued a second statement. They would not hesitate to pay any price to find the people who killed their disciples. No matter who it was, as long as they knew information but didn’t reveal it, they would be placed on the same side as the killers and their entire families for ten generations removed would be annihilated!

As the several people at the table spoke of this statement that was filled with killing intent, their faces were filled with pride. To dare to threaten the entire world and publicly declare that they would exterminate ten generations of all those involved, only the Demonic Path would do that!

Qin Yu couldn’t help but reveal a look of praise. He wondered just who came up with the idea to reveal what happened to the entire world and simultaneously display the tyrannical strength of the Demonic Path as well as their potent will. Thinking about it, it should be those types of great figures that hovered above the highest heavens…to execute them through ten generations, that was truly overbearing!

He tossed back a cup of wine.