Twilight Boundary-Chapter 777 - 768: The Undying White Jade City

At that moment, Hu Ma even felt like a person trapped in a cage, outside of which a gigantic, primordial beast desperately tried to get in.

But it was blocked by the cage itself, forcing it to extend its tentacles inside. However, those tentacles were also obstructed by the things within the cage. They could affect what was inside but ultimately couldn’t truly harm and devour the self caged within.

Finally, it became enraged. During the grand sacrificial ceremony 170 years ago, it descended in countless showers of light.

At that instant, the cage seemed half-destroyed, riddled with holes. The things inside were being rapidly devoured by this massive entity, gradually withering away...

...

...

Hu Ma had heard about almost everything, learned about it all.

But previously in the human world, he could never truly see this mysterious and vast entity or genuinely understand its subtle changes. Now, however, borrowing the incense burner from the Daluo Dharma Sect, he finally saw the world’s tattered state and its endless difficulties.

He saw that with just one more push, this world would fall into complete collapse, never to be mended.

After a long pause, he finally asked in a low voice, "What is that?"

"Of course, it is Tai Sui."

The State Preceptor sighed softly and said, "Ever since Douyi sacrificed to Tai Sui, this grand sacrificial ceremony has been unstoppable."

"The entire world is the offering, and Tai Sui has continually been consuming it."

"Heaven and Earth are a cage, and the Evil Gods have descended only to covet the human world. Yet whether it’s the former Hall God, the Thirty-Six Ghost Caves, or the Eight Sceneries of the Netherworld, they have all been exhausting every possibility to delay this process..."

"But you should also see that we are at our limit, barely able to delay any longer. This human world’s collapse is imminent, mere moments away..."

"..."

"Is it already that severe?"

Hu Ma slowly processed everything, the formless terror, and then said slowly, "If that thing is truly so formidable, then why has the human world managed to last for 170 years?"

"Because the human world still possesses the Mandate of Heaven from its dynasties and a grand order." 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

The State Preceptor looked at Hu Ma solemnly and said slowly, "This is the only thing that can protect the common people, like a Magic Altar protecting the lamp burning upon it."

"All sources of disaster lie in Douyi. But with the Duoyi Dynasty present, it can barely uphold the Mandate of Heaven to govern the people, thereby slowing the loss of the substance of Heaven and Earth—at least, not letting it drain away so quickly."

"What truly ruined this world, however, are the Reincarnators."

"..."

He gazed into the distance, sighing softly. "You see, they originate from Tai Sui, born in response to Tai Sui’s fierce entities."

"They share the same origin as Tai Sui, which is why they harvest the substance of Heaven and Earth, driven by Tai Sui."

"They possess a formidable logic, but when this logic manifests in the world, it only throws the world’s Mandate of Heaven into chaos and weakness, leaving the common people of this world without any final protection against Tai Sui’s monstrous entities."

"What protects us now can be understood as the Mandate of Heaven. Heaven and Earth are like a prison, trapping human forms but also sheltering the common people."

"For the past twenty years, the Ten Surnames have suppressed chaos throughout the land to maintain the Mandate of Heaven and prevent its collapse."

"But they can’t hold on much longer. Those evil spirits, driven by Tai Sui, believe themselves unaffected, retaining their full consciousness, yet they have been continually manipulated by Tai Sui without realizing it."

"Tai Sui cannot enter the human world, but they can. It is they who steal the substance of Heaven and Earth and disrupt the human world’s order, causing us to gradually lose our last refuge."

"..."

The State Preceptor sighed lightly and turned to look at Hu Ma. "Now, they have grown stronger, while our world’s Mandate of Heaven has become frail."

"The sky could fall and the earth shatter at any moment."

"So..."

Hu Ma focused his gaze on him, his eyes flickering, and said in a low voice, "The only way is to eliminate all the Reincarnators and establish a new dynasty?"

"Establish rules, define the Mandate of Heaven, and use that to resist Tai Sui, to extend this world’s life?"

"..."

"Not just that."

The State Preceptor gently shook his head. "Those Reincarnators, though born of Tai Sui’s fierce entities, also possess something we lack—something capable of resisting Tai Sui. That is why they can bring their complete Soul Consciousness into our world."

"They are born with Immortal Fate. That Immortal Fate is a source of disaster, but also an opportunity. Before they fully awaken their Divine Sense and return to Tai Sui, there is still a chance."

"The chance is..." The State Preceptor paused for a moment, then said slowly, "to let them become the sacrifices first."

Hearing this, Hu Ma squinted slightly. "What do you mean?"

"Use their own weapons against them."

The State Preceptor appeared expressionless, merely narrating, but his voice carried the rumble of thunder. "These Reincarnators are both Tai Sui’s vanguard and Tai Sui’s inner demons."

"They have their own destinies, but they also have their own struggles. I realized this from a conversation with an old friend back then. I also realized that only through them do we have hope of cutting off this grand sacrifice."

"And their Life Gate is the Twelve Ghost Altars..." Reaching this point, he looked at Hu Ma intently. "The Twelve Ghost Altars are the objects used to summon Tai Sui in sacrifice, and they are also the Reincarnators’ lifeline."

"If someone could shoulder the Twelve Ghost Altars, they could expel or imprison all these evil spirits—even refine them into potent weapons in our hands to strike a heavy blow against Tai Sui..."

"Unfortunately, I cannot bear the weight of the Twelve Ghost Altars."

"To achieve this, one must be born in response to the Twelve Ghost Altars, possess Immortal Fate, and be able to draw upon the power of Heaven and Earth."

"Of these three conditions, you were born fulfilling two. All you lack is a connection with this world..."

"Therefore, I had people teach you the methods of cultivation!"

"Just like the Meng family shoulders the burden of their ancestor, as long as you, with your foundation of nine columns of Tao, bear the Twelve Ghost Altars, the life and death of these Reincarnator evil spirits will be at your command."

"..."

"..."

"As expected!"

A look of realization seemed to cross Hu Ma’s face, yet his eyes held only the coolness of finally understanding the last piece of the puzzle. "I knew it. All the methods used to turn me into this ghostly form—they had to have a purpose."

The State Preceptor looked at him quietly. "I know about your altering the Book of Life and Death, and I am pleased you did so."

"Those who undergo Shangqiao may seem to possess great abilities, but in reality, they are further detached from this world. You, however, never underwent Shangqiao, yet you managed to cultivate nine columns of Tao. Your destiny is so weighty, it is almost one with this world."

"That is why you are the Main Sacrificial."

"As you are now, you are more like the Main Sacrificial of the Daluo Dharma Sect than I, the State Preceptor. You are also the one to end this sacrifice."

"..."

Hu Ma nodded and suddenly asked, "Then, how many people do you plan to save?"

The State Preceptor hesitated slightly, then said slowly, "Heaven and Earth have become a scourge, the world is in chaos. Naturally, we save whom we can, one by one."

Hu Ma nodded and said softly, "In the other world, there’s a story of Noah’s Ark. When the great flood came, someone built a large ship, and those who boarded it were saved. Listen, doesn’t that sound somewhat similar to what you just said, State Preceptor?"

The State Preceptor remained silent, his gaze questioning, but he offered no response.

"The only difference is, over there, a figure called God decided who would be saved."

Hu Ma continued, "What about here? Is it you? Or the Ten Surnames?"

The State Preceptor had already understood Hu Ma’s implication. He sighed lightly, knowing an answer was meaningless.

As Hu Ma spoke, his understanding deepened, and he chuckled. "Coming back this time, I’ve also found Shangjing City to be quite interesting. Such a vast city, and suddenly no one dies anymore. Even those who were dead have come back to life."

"The world’s substance grows lighter and lighter, yet Shangjing City grows heavier and heavier. What do you think will happen to Shangjing City when Tai Sui descends and the world collapses?"

"It will endure."

Only when Hu Ma posed this question did the State Preceptor slowly say, "Shangjing City will escape this sacrifice, unaffected by the chaos of Heaven and Earth’s evil spirits."

"In fact, by then, Shangjing City will be renamed..."

"White Jade City!"

"..."

When he uttered this name, Hu Ma felt no surprise at all, only a sense that everything had suddenly fallen into place.

The legendary Immortal City, White Jade City.

As an Immortal City, it would naturally be free from death, sickness, aging, and destruction. As an Immortal City, countless people would naturally yearn to squeeze into it, including his own relatives, all wanting to secure a foothold before White Jade City truly became the stuff of legends.

He laughed silently, looking earnestly at the State Preceptor, and said softly, "The gift Lao Junmei gave me was very precious, which is how I know the legend of Noah."

"Unfortunately, my understanding goes a bit deeper than yours. For instance, Lao Junmei doesn’t actually approve of Noah. Deep down, he scorns that mentality of quietly running away..."

"He only believes in human determination overcoming destiny, in moving mountains and filling seas, in slaying Tai Sui, and in contending for the Mandate of Heaven."

"..."

"That doesn’t surprise me."

The State Preceptor looked back calmly. "It is precisely because of this difference that your Hu Family ancestor deceived me. He openly negotiated with me, setting the Stone Pavilion plan, yet secretly collaborated with those Reincarnators, leaving you a life of freedom."

"The world only knows the Hu Family for their ruthlessness, but in my view, that isn’t ruthlessness—it’s foolishness."

"Foolish enough to abandon wealth and glory, to give up the chance to enter White Jade City, all to believe the absurd, fanciful words of those evil spirits."

"You are the same."

"..."

As he spoke slowly, the incense smoke around him had, at some unknown point, completely dissipated. Only his faint silhouette remained, seeming to grow taller in the night.

His wide sleeves billowed as if the vast Shangjing City itself had merged with him, an invisible pressure rolling towards Hu Ma.

"Mr. Hu, you shouldn’t have returned to Shangjing City to see me after discovering your true destiny."

"You ultimately trusted me and cultivated the nine columns of Tao. With that foundation, shouldering the Twelve Ghost Altars is achievable. Whether you do so willingly or not doesn’t actually matter."

"I failed to change your fate within the Pan Mountain Army, but there are many other methods."

"..."

"Amusing!"

Facing the State Preceptor’s immense and indifferent expression, Hu Ma suddenly ground his teeth and smiled, his face filled with ferocity. "Finally, I can truly represent the Hu Family and give you a proper greeting."

"Old thing, let’s go!"