Chapter 333: The Road Back is Not Easy (Part 1)
Chapter 333: The Road Back is Not Easy (Part 1)
Name: Path of No Return (Dead, Soul)
Appearance: A road constructed from pale white bones, starting from the entrance of the Dead Realm, passing through various famous sites such as the "Gate of the Dead," "Crows' Nest of Announcements," "Bridge of Yin and Yang," "River of the Underworld," "Corridor of the Bereaved," "Lake of Burial Robes," "Forest of Corpse Soil," "Palace of Bones," "Sage's Cemetery," "City of Regret," and "Swamp of Wandering Souls," eventually leading to the deepest point, the "Cliff of Eternity."
Ability: Corpse Dissolution, Soul Purification
Cost: Cannot be used by the living. If completely killed or with an Immersion Value below 60 points at the moment of death, the user will automatically become the user of the Path of No Return.
Archive: This ancient road, almost as old as the Dead Realm itself, was created by the Dead Realm's ruler, the 'First Mortal,' after his death. He ground his own skeletal remains into dust, using his soul's fire to forge them into bricks, which he laid down one by one with his own hands.
When newly deceased mortals walk on it, they gradually shed all remnants of their previous lives as they venture deeper into the Dead Realm.
Stripping off clothing and skin, dispersing flesh and blood, eroding bones and organs, and purifying will and memory, they eventually return to their purest soul form. Finally, they leap from the Cliff of Eternity, completely returning to the world.
Among the users of the Path of No Return, those who refuse to accept their death will wander within the Corridor of the Bereaved, repeatedly reviewing their own demise in this maze without an exit, even witnessing their post-death world, until they are ready to embrace death.
Those stubbornly attached to their physical appearances and unable to shed their soul-formed clothing, forgetting their previous identities and appearances, will be left by the Lake of Burial Robes, gazing at their pre-death reflections on the lake's surface until they abandon all false pretenses.
Meanwhile, those obsessed with the worship of the flesh or still clinging to their physical bodies will be taken to the Forest of Corpse Soil, where they will be clothed in their soul-formed attire...
Evaluation: Don't touch it; this is not something you should be dealing with right now.
Immersion Value: Remains the same as the user, granting every mortal an equal ending.
...
Sage's Cemetery... Lake of Burial Robes...
Isn't this the cemetery where the Third Generation Bureau Chief is buried, and the lake where Emma's predecessor had been staying?
Lyon's eyebrows furrowed slightly as he recalled the scene from before. According to the system's introduction, the surface of the Lake of Burial Robes could reflect the faces of the dead as they were in their previous lives. Emma's predecessor's clan had perished, and she had inherited their legacy.
So, when she looked at the lake, what did she see—her own face or the faces of the original owners of the Crows' Nest?
"Sorry."
Lyon slowly retracted his hand from the bone brick, realizing the implications for Emma's predecessor. He shook his head at her, who stood by with a tense expression, and offered a slightly apologetic smile.
"Senior Emma, the information my ability provides leans more towards the 'user' aspect, and only the dead can use this path. I couldn't find a way to prevent the living from being affected, so I'm sorry."
"I see..."
Hearing Lyon's words, a hint of disappointment flashed in Emma's eyes, but she shook her head. Her voice was gentle as she replied,
"You don't need to apologize to me. It's normal not to have a solution when facing something like the Path of No Return. Instead, I should be the one apologizing to you. I shouldn't have let you come into contact with something so dangerous because of... certain reasons."
"It's fine."
After recalling the lonely figure by the lake, Lyon shook his head and spoke sincerely, "You saved my sister's life. When I first joined the Bureau, you gave me weapons, taught me the precautions for missions, and showed me how to protect myself. You even risked your life with the Goddess of Wealth to ensure my safety."
"I won't repeat my thanks, but if there's anything I can do to help you, please ask. I'll do my best to make it happen."
"I...I do have a request for you."
Emma, her face still slightly pale, looked at Lyon with gratitude and held his hand tightly, biting her lip. "Lyon, I have too many regrets. This path is too difficult for me. If you can, I want you to help me complete it."
"After we reach the Bridge of Yin and Yang, we'll be on the Path of No Return. If I suddenly stop or want to turn back, you must wake me up!"
"I will."
After hearing Emma's plea, Lyon nodded slightly and held her cold hand firmly. "I promise I will!"
"Thank you..."
Having made the promise, the two stopped for a moment before continuing their journey, hand in hand, towards the grand bridge spanning the murky yellow river, constructed from black and white bricks.
On the wide and winding Path of No Return, newly deceased souls walked alongside the Death Crows, some wailing in sorrow, others confused and lost, their eyes filled with bewilderment as they stumbled towards the depths of the Dead Realm.
Among these uncertain souls, some with incomplete bodies and wills, Lyon and Emma, the only two with living flesh, were the 'heavier' ones as they 'reversed' their journey on this path.
However, when Lyon accidentally bumped into an elderly man with a hunched back, he was surprised to find himself feeling like a puddle of water or even a wisp of air. Something solid seemed to have passed through his body uncontrollably.
"Don't worry, these are the rules of the Dead Realm. Here, souls are supreme, and physical bodies do not exist."
After carefully avoiding a furious young deceased man running towards them with wounds from sharp weapons, Emma noticed Lyon's confused expression and explained, "The rules of the world are supreme. When we travel between different worlds, our souls and bodies, or rather, our very 'existence,' must adapt to the rules of the current world.
Just as descending Holy Spirits and True Deities condense flesh and require breath and sustenance, living beings entering the Dead Realm with their bodies will also follow its rules, and their existence will change accordingly."
As she spoke, she squatted slightly and blocked the path of a crying little girl, giving her a gentle hug.
However, the young deceased girl seemed to pass through Emma as if she were a gust of wind, continuing her journey into the depths of the Dead Realm.
(End of Chapter)
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