Where Immortals Once Walked

The sensation was extremely strange. There were clearly still four or five visitors standing between He Lingchuan and the statue, yet he was absolutely certain that this so-called “Eye of Truth” was staring at him.

His scalp prickled at once, but his body refused to obey him. He could not turn around, nor could he take a step.

Afterward, the statue opened its eyes as well.

Miaozhantian’s head had originally been lowered at a forty-five-degree angle, her eyes half-closed. Because the statue stood on a raised platform, that posture was just right for looking down upon the crowd.

But when she opened her eyes, her purple pupils met He Lingchuan’s gaze directly.

He immediately discovered that he could not even look away.

The scenery around him changed abruptly. In his field of vision, Miaozhantian’s statue expanded at terrifying speed until her body became incomparably vast, towering beyond the limits of sight.

The tourists beside him vanished one after another. Human voices faded away one by one. In the end, even Lu Shishi was gone.

In the enormous, unknown space, only He Lingchuan seemed to remain.

Only the dome of the golden hall still glittered like a galaxy overhead. However, from He Lingchuan’s perspective, it was infinitely distant and immense, as if truly suspended in the heavens, vast and boundless.

Where am I?

Suddenly, he could move again.

He Lingchuan backed away in confusion, only to discover that he was standing on a scale pan!

When did I end up on the scale?

With a clang, the touchstone dropped onto the empty pan opposite him.

Whether he had grown smaller or the touchstone had grown larger, he could not tell. In any case, its base was now at least two meters across, its entire body gleaming gold, dazzling to the eye.

As before, the touchstone’s appearance did not alter the balance of the scale.

From the void, there seemed to come a sigh. He Lingchuan faintly heard disappointment in it.

Has the probing already begun?

Why does the other party sound disappointed?

The Eye of Truth atop the scale swiveled twice, then locked its gaze onto him.

Compared with the eyeball he had seen in Panlong City’s Hall of War, this eye was at least a hundred times larger, and a hundred times more unsettling. He Lingchuan could even see its eyelid twitching.

The way that huge eyeball stared at him made him feel as though every little secret in his heart had nowhere to hide.

“Where is this?” He looked around in panic and shouted, “Who’s there?!”

This was the normal reaction of an ordinary person.

A gentle, magnetic female voice sounded through the space, grand as the long note of an organ. “Your name?”

He Lingchuan asked back, “Who are you?”

“I am Miaozhantian,” said the female voice. “And you?”

This very first question already put He Lingchuan in difficulty.

His alias in Beijia was He Xiao. But if he gave that name, would he pass the touchstone’s test?

Miaozhantian was famous for distinguishing truth from falsehood, right from wrong. As a mere mortal, could he escape the god’s Discerning Eye?

“Hm?” Miaozhantian urged him. “I will ask you only three questions. You must answer truthfully. Do not imagine you can deceive the Discerning Eye.”

She did not continue with “otherwise,” because there was no need.

Every mortal should understand the consequences of angering a god.

Then He Lingchuan felt a slight warmth in his chest.

It was not the divine bone amulet inside his clothes, but something else heating up.

Just that bit of warmth allowed him to feel comfort again in this vast, boundless space.

It was like spring sunlight falling through dappled leaves onto his body.

It was also like crossing a world of ice and snow and, before the next storm arrived, glimpsing a little wooden cabin with a lit fireplace inside.

Under ordinary circumstances, that warmth would probably not have been worth mentioning, but now it possessed the power to steady the heart. He Lingchuan’s tense, anxious thoughts suddenly relaxed.

The sense of helplessness that came from facing a seemingly omnipotent god alone gradually faded as well.

What am I doing?

At this moment, the last thing I should do is let the other side seize control of me!

Since he was already standing here beneath the very eye of a god, he could only summon up 120% of his caution and attention and maneuver properly.

Under the eyeball’s stare, he lowered his head and said humbly, “I... I am called He Xiao.”

Creak, creak.

The two arms of the scale began to sway.

Because it had been enlarged a hundredfold, even the smallest movement became astonishingly huge. The scale pan rose and fell unpredictably. He Lingchuan felt as if he were standing in a small sampan that was being tossed around by several great waves.

Is this the touchstone weighing the weight of my words?

Fortunately, that terrifying swaying soon slowed. The movement of the pan up and down lessened, then quickly stilled.

Both arms were balanced, the two pans almost forming a straight line.

Was my answer accepted?

He Lingchuan did remember that He Xiao was a name he had once used before the age of three or five.

No, that was not quite right. He was not referring to himself exactly, but rather the former He Lingchuan or the original owner of this body.

The golden scale pan was polished enough to reflect a person, brighter than any mirror.

He Lingchuan’s gaze fell on the surface of the pan. By accident, he noticed that the intricate stars above were reflected so clearly that each one could be counted. Even their flickering and the colors of their light were distinctly visible. Yet his own reflection, though closest, was also the blurriest. He could not even make out his face.

Could that be considered normal?

He quietly lifted his head and glanced at the great eye above the scale.

It was staring at him too, without blinking.

“Good. Second question.” Miaozhantian continued, “What exactly is your connection to the Generous Pot?”

Those few words struck He Lingchuan’s fatal weakness with perfect precision.

Miaozhantian did not ask whether He Lingchuan knew of the Generous Pot, nor did she ask where the Generous Pot was.

Her question was vague and broad. So long as He Lingchuan had even the slightest connection to the Generous Pot, there was no way to dodge it.

But ever since being summoned, He Lingchuan had repeatedly reinforced his own expectations. The gods and the Lord Emperor could not have called him here merely to chat about family matters, could they?

Their only purpose in seeing him was the Generous Pot, was it not?

Thus, the words “Generous Pot” could no longer stir the slightest ripple in his heart.

“Generous... what?” His face was blank. He even lifted his head to look at the great eye. “Heavenly Venerable, please see clearly! I don’t know what that is, much less have any connection to it!”

The moment he finished speaking, the Eye of Mulian suddenly opened to its widest, blood even bursting at the corners!

He Lingchuan was startled and backed away two steps.

“Let us see the result.”

The scale began to sway up and down again.

But this time, the movement was not large. He Lingchuan discovered that his position was sinking lower and lower, until he had to lift his head to see the touchstone.

His side had sunk.

In other words, not only had he spoken the “truth,” his words carried great weight!

This was what people meant by speaking with absolute certainty.

Miaozhantian fell silent, as though surprised by the result.

The stars in the sky suddenly flickered.

Whether He Lingchuan lowered his head to look at their reflection in the scale pan or raised his eyes to the sky, he discovered that they were not stars at all. Instead, they were eyes!

They were actually countless blinking eyes!

They came in all shapes and forms. Some resembled human eyes, while others belonged to no creature he recognized.

When they blinked together, that strangeness and terror could not be described in words.

All the eyes opened to their widest at the same time, every gaze focusing on He Lingchuan.

They were examining him, assessing him, and every single gaze carried deep malice!

A crushing pressure like mountains collapsing and seas overturning almost killed him where he stood.

He Lingchuan promptly followed his body’s lead. His knees went weak, and he collapsed onto the scale pan.

No disguise was needed. His face was pale, and cold sweat poured from him.

So he was not facing Miaozhantian alone. Countless gods were hidden behind the heavenly curtain, waiting for his answer.

He was nothing but a mere mortal. Could he really stir up such a grand lineup?

Vast, boundless divine might descended in an instant. It could not be resisted. It could not be blocked. It could drive an ordinary person mad in a breath.

He Lingchuan even heard countless voices by his ear. They sounded like whispers, but even more like endless arguments. They came from an extremely distant place, leaving only faint echoes by the time they reached him.

Are the gods arguing amongst themselves?

He instinctively curled up, his lips trembling nonstop, as if he might go into shock at any moment.

These reactions were not faked either. They were the result of him opening his heart and not deliberately pretending to be strong.

“Enough.” This time, Miaozhantian’s voice was full of authority. “Since the Eye of Truth has been invoked, its result must be trusted!”

The moment she spoke, the divine might filling the sky stopped abruptly. The space immediately returned to vast silence and calm.

That crushing pressure, heavy enough to rob him of breath, vanished at the same time. It disappeared so quickly that it felt almost as if it had never appeared at all.

The space became deathly quiet.

Only after an unknown amount of time did He Lingchuan test the air with a trembling call. “H-Heavenly Venerable?”

Only then did Miaozhantian speak again. “Very good. We have one final question for you.”

He Lingchuan held his breath and waited.

He had already broken through two-thirds of this death trap.

So long as he answered the final question correctly, he would have passed through this great calamity.

“What is your relationship with the State of Mou?” It was the same broad, all-encompassing style of question.

Huh? The State of Mou?

This question was truly something he had never expected. He Lingchuan shook his head instinctively, and this time he was especially honest.

“Answer.”

“I have no relationship with it.” He steadied himself. “I’ve only heard of the State of Mou. I’ve never been there, much less had any dealings with it!”

The scale activated again.

Without question, the touchstone still rose, while the scale pan on his side sank.

Truth, truth that could not be any more true.

The heavenly curtain suddenly darkened, and the surrounding scenery retreated like a tide. The feeling was extremely strange, like a canvas being dipped into water and its pigments fading away.

But just then, He Lingchuan suddenly heard a rough, booming voice say, “This body is not bad. Why not subdue and claim it?”

The surrounding changes suddenly froze. The part of the canvas that had faded away was a stretch of emptiness, and within it, something seemed to bare its claws and fangs as it lunged toward He Lingchuan.

The thing was pitch-black, its shape impossible to see. He Lingchuan only knew that it carried infinite pressure, while he had no power to resist at all.

At this moment, he was akin to a mouse before a lion.

If the process of the heavenly curtain darkening had not been interrupted, he probably would never have seen these things.

Miaozhantian’s voice sounded once more, no longer warm and peaceful as before, “No!” She was clearly furious at her companion’s unauthorized action.

Another voice said, “We paid such a great price. We should at least recover some of the cost!”

Yet before Miaozhantian could act, a ray of azure light suddenly lit up in the void left by the canvas’ peeling away.

It seemed to be a mark.

Illuminated by it, the dark figure withdrew with a whoosh. The rough, booming voice gave a sound of surprise, clearly astonished. “Why does he have Naluotian’s mark?”