Qin Shi drifted through He Lanchán's memories—or, more precisely, through the Deputy Marshal's past. Everything unfolded from his point of view.
The Eastern Xia established by the Nine Marshals was imprinted upon Qin Shi's mind, from its infancy to its first unsteady steps.
It was a vision of immense grandeur, carrying the ideals for which countless beings had striven and sacrificed themselves, one after another.
"On the cosmic scale, a thousand years, ten thousand years, even a hundred million years are fleeting moments.
"An individual's existence is insignificant in the face of time."
From the Deputy Marshal's perspective, Marshal Qin's figure was always out in front, like an uncrossable Monument and guiding beacon that gave him peace of mind.
The setting sun was blood-red, and the clouds on the horizon were stained crimson by the sunset.
Wearing his military overcoat, Marshal Qin stood atop the peak. Below him, mountain ranges rose in clusters, waves surged like fury, and a glorious vista stretched out before him.
"For an individual life to reach the undying level, it must embrace civilization and resonate with the universe. In ancient times, this was called 'joining the Dao.'"
"In the age of Yan Haishan and Ning Yuanhai, Eastern Xia had yet to flourish as it does today.
"As the most outstanding beings nurtured by civilization, they could only submit to the will of the Pillar Deities.
"They became Martial Gods, but lost the possibility of advancing any further."
Qin Shi heard the Deputy Marshal ask:
"Big Brother, why does following the Pillars mean losing the chance to ascend to the undying level?"
Marshal Qin raised a hand and pointed into the distance. Wild geese migrated across the sky, while below them stretched an endless, vast forest, its countless beasts surging forth in a display of nature's