Refuse to trample on the pride of heaven

The rain of light in the sky gradually subsided, and the power of the will to cleanse the universe returned to heaven and earth, nourishing all things to revive.

Lu Wensheng stood atop the mountain for a long time, until he watched the last glimmer of light merge into the dust and mud. Only then did he realize that the immortal robe he wore, which radiated endless splendor because it carried the wishes of all living beings, was still shining brightly and had not lost its brilliance.

This robe is a symbol of a fulfilled state of mind and recognition from the immortals, indicating that he has long since broken free from the shackles of the heavenly Dao that he swore an oath to when he was a disciple of the Discipline Hall, his inner knots have been completely removed, and his path to immortality is now open and unobstructed.

With just a thought, one can summon the guiding light of immortals, break through the void, and ascend to immortality.

However, Lu Wensheng subtly suppressed the inexplicable feeling of ascension that had been stirring within him.

With this matter settled, everything needs to be rebuilt. He still carries the hopes of countless people for the future on his shoulders; how could he just drift away like this?

The system's voice drifted into his mind, tinged with a hint of laziness and indulgence: "You can ascend whenever you want, but in principle, it's not allowed. However, the principle applies to you right now."

Heaven, too, tacitly approves of this, turning a blind eye to Lu Wensheng's actions.

With many things to do, Lu Wensheng finally had a moment to catch his breath. He remembered the prophecy about the demon race and sought Xie Qingwu's help to resolve his doubts.

Xie Qingwu was supervising the restoration of order among his demons at the newly opened border of the Demon Realm when he saw Lu Wensheng's visit. His eyes lit up with a gleam, like a spark igniting in a deep pool.

Upon hearing the question, he hesitated for a moment, a hint of reminiscence and solemnity flashing across his expression, before slowly saying:

"At that time, the demon race paid a heavy price to glimpse a sliver of heavenly secrets. Many had their bloodlines withered and their souls damaged. The prophecy was obscure, only revealing that the opportunity for our birth depended on the 'demon seed' body, which was immediately clear. As for Liu Jiqian... he was born with the flourishing fortune of the human race, his radiance dazzling, just like a towering mountain blocking the demon race's path. The prophecy warned that he was our greatest obstacle, and we must destroy him with all our might, no matter what means we use or what the cost."

These words were like a bolt of lightning piercing through the fog, connecting the seemingly absurd and insane actions in the original work.

It turns out that the Demon Clan's later indulgence of Shi Yubai and their relentless humiliation and suppression of Liu Jiqian stemmed from this desperate prophecy.

However, times have changed. Now that the Demon Lord has been defeated, Liu Jiqian's Dao heart is clearer than ever before, and the human race's fortune is at its zenith. This prophecy... Lu Wensheng's lips curled up slightly, forming a smile that was not quite a smile.

"It's all a waste of your 'efforts'." He spoke with a double meaning, his eyes gleaming. "To place the rise and fall of an entire race on a vague prophecy, and to see the situation turn against you without knowing how to turn back, going down a path straight to the underworld... Although the actions of the demon race often violate human ethics, such pure stubbornness makes it hard to judge whether it is foolish or courageous."

This prophecy was rendered useless the moment he appeared! It's long expired!

Upon hearing this, Xie Qingwu's crimson eyes flashed with a complex emotion, yet he had no way to refute it.

A gambler's mentality is certainly not worthy of sympathy.

With his doubts resolved, Lu Wensheng left to deal with a mountain of other tasks.

Seeing this, Xie Qingwu opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something else, but suddenly his vision blurred and a graceful figure had imperceptibly separated him from Lu Wensheng.

Liu Jiqian held a thick stack of books in his hands, his face bearing a warm smile, like pear blossoms reflected in spring water, but his actions left no room for doubt as he handed the books to Xie Qingwu.

"Thank you, fellow Daoist. This is a preliminary detailed plan for the future development of the Demon Clan, drafted after consultations among all parties. It involves territory planning, resource allocation, and detailed rules for dealing with various regions. It is a complex and crucial plan."

"Fellow Daoist seems to have some free time now, which is a good opportunity to study this carefully. If you have any objections, please raise them as soon as possible so we can discuss and improve it together."

Xie Qingwu looked at the booklet, which was as thick as a brick, and her eyes twitched almost imperceptibly. She looked up at Liu Jiqian's impeccable smile and finally couldn't help but say, "...Liu Jiqian, how many times has this happened? Are you doing this on purpose?" Her tone was tinged with suppressed annoyance.

Liu Jiqian raised an eyebrow slightly, his smile undiminished, and replied in a low voice, "What makes you say that, Fellow Daoist? I, Liu, always speak only of the matter at hand. The Demon Clan is newly established and has many things to do. As the appointed leader, Fellow Daoist bears a heavy responsibility. How could I dare to be negligent?"

He spoke slowly and clearly, “Ah Sheng works hard day and night and is overwhelmed with work. Even the few moments of rest she has are precious. It is really not appropriate for her to worry too much about trivial matters.”

His implication was quite clear.

Lu Wensheng and he are a legitimate Daoist couple. They already have enough time to spend together, so how could they possibly have time for someone as "insignificant" as you?

Liu Jiqian considered himself to be an extremely magnanimous person, not the kind of person who was jealous. This action was purely for Asheng's health and he had no selfish motives whatsoever.

Yes, he wasn't jealous, absolutely not.

Xie Qingwu was speechless for a moment after being choked by his "righteous and stern" words. She could only reluctantly accept the heavy "development plan". Her red eyes glared at Liu Jiqian, and she finally gave in.

Being a Daoist couple is truly remarkable; they won't even let you speak.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Properly securing the divine sword "Huangji" was also a major task after the war.

This divine weapon, which gathers the power of all living beings and cleanses away the filth of eternity, now shines with inner radiance. Although its majesty remains undiminished, it has lost some of the fierce sharpness it displayed in battle and gained a touch more serenity.

"Young man, your actions this time are very much to my liking." The divine sword's will came, still carrying the ancient majesty, but the appreciation in its tone was undisguised.

His origin lies in the wishes of all living beings. His enemies have always been those who poison living beings and disrupt the balance of Yin and Yang. As for the demon race itself, as long as they do not commit annihilation, there is no necessary enmity between them.

Furthermore, the greater the positive aspirations of all living beings, regardless of race, the more nourished He is.

For Him, eternal sleep was not annihilation, but rather proof of peace in the world.

"You flatter me, senior. Now that this matter is settled, what are your plans for the future?" Lu Wensheng asked respectfully.

"Just send me back to the mountain's belly," the divine sword thought serenely. "Ten thousand years of silence is the norm."

Lu Wensheng said sincerely, "That mountain has long since collapsed, leaving only ruins. How could it be the rightful final resting place for a meritorious person like you? It would be too unfair. I dare to make a suggestion, but I don't know if I should say it."

"Oh? Speak freely." The divine sword stirred slightly, feeling that this boy was pure-hearted and considerate of Him in every way, which was quite rare.

The system silently sensed the conversation and, knowing its host's nature perfectly, felt a pang of sympathy for the divine sword. However, it wisely remained silent and observed the situation.

Lu Wensheng then said, "Senior appeared in the world in response to the call of the people, and his merits are unparalleled in the world."

How can we, the beneficiaries, remain unremarkable? It is suggested that all people work together to build a suitable place for our elders to live, one that is neither too noisy and disturbs their peace, nor does it fail to demonstrate our gratitude.

This act serves two purposes: firstly, to express our sincere wishes and find a suitable burial place for our senior; secondly, if the world were to face another cataclysmic upheaval in the future, later cultivators could follow the trail and respectfully invite our senior to reappear. Wouldn't that be far more convenient than burying him in a desolate mountain?

He paused slightly, then added, his thoughts appearing extremely thorough: "Naturally, the senior's residence is designated as a forbidden area, and no one may enter without permission, lest some villains take advantage of this to plot something untoward."

The outer perimeter is fortified with multiple layers of arrays, making it extremely difficult for anyone other than those of pure heart, solid foundation, and who have passed rigorous tests to even step into the core area. Only in this way can the safety and peace of our predecessors be ensured.

The divine sword remained silent for a moment, feeling that these words made a lot of sense. Although it vaguely sensed something was amiss, Lu Wensheng's words were sincere and his arrangements were thorough, showing that he was indeed thinking of Him.

"Alright. I will do as you say." He finally agreed, feeling that this child was indeed pure and kind-hearted.

The system shook its head inwardly: Well, another one is about to be tricked into "working".

After that, Lu Wensheng personally selected the site and supervised the construction, building a solemn and majestic palace in a place where spiritual energy converged, yet which was quiet and secluded.

The palace is built on a base of spiritual jade and adorned with stardust. Although it is not luxurious, it has its own magnificent atmosphere that gathers the spiritual essence of heaven and earth.

The divine sword "Huang Ji" was respectfully invited into the core sword platform inside the hall, where it felt the pure spiritual energy suitable for nurturing its origin and was quite satisfied with the place.

"This place is very good, you have been kind." The divine sword transmitted its last thought, and then its radiance completely subsided, the hum of the sword gradually ceased, and it returned to a state of slumber, waiting for the next time when all living beings needed it.

However, Lu Wensheng's plans did not stop there.

Separated from the Divine Sword Palace by only a wall, he ordered his men to open up a much larger area.

Among them stands a huge magical stone tablet, on which the names of all the living beings who sacrificed themselves to resist the demonic calamity over the past hundred years are engraved with supernatural powers. Regardless of whether they came from the immortal sect, the demonic cultivator, the demon race, or were just ordinary people who rose up to fight, as long as their deeds are as clear as the sun and moon, their names are densely engraved on it, for future generations to admire and remember.

At the same time, this place was also designated as a training and enlightenment site for the future pillars of the cultivation world.

Only those who pass the tests of the outer layers of formations and whose character, aptitude, and comprehension are all recognized can step into this place, sit quietly in front of the monument, feel the tragedy of that catastrophe and the heroic spirits of their ancestors, and temper their Dao heart.

Although the initial intention was not to disturb the divine sword's peaceful slumber, as it was only separated by a wall, the divine sword was inherently connected with the will and power of all living beings. The vigorous spirit and unwavering Dao heart carried by those elite disciples who passed the test, as well as the faint ripples of will and power they stirred up when they were comprehending in front of the monument, were like spring breezes brushing across the lake, quietly nourishing the divine sword in the hall.

At first, the divine sword was able to sleep peacefully, but the "movements" brought by those young disciples, though not noisy, were full of vitality. Over time, even its thoughts, which had been dormant for thousands of years, were stirred up.

Sleeping all the time seems a bit boring, doesn't it?

Thus, occasionally, when a disciple with exceptional talent and a particularly refined mind is engrossed in deep enlightenment before the stele, an ancient and majestic thought will inexplicably resonate in their mind, or a maxim pointing directly to the Great Dao, or the afterimage of a mysterious and ineffable sword technique, or guidance on their cultivation difficulties...

At first, the disciples were all amazed, thinking it was the spirit of the martyrs manifesting. Later, they learned that it was the senior swordsman next door who was teaching from afar when he had nothing else to do.

Shenjian also found joy in it, watching these future pillars of the cultivation world suddenly understand and improve their cultivation after his guidance. He even found a kind of fun in it and did not feel that anything was wrong.