The old man stood in front of the thatched hut, looked at Snow Empress, and smiled slightly, "You've finally arrived."
"Senior, we are preparing to set up the Five Elements Sealing Grand Array to completely seal the Gate of the Demon Realm," the Snow Empress said respectfully.
The old man nodded. "Very good. I have waited for this day for tens of thousands of years. Follow me, I will take you to the Gate of the Demon Realm."
The old man turned and entered the thatched hut, with Snow Empress and the others following closely behind. Inside the thatched hut was a Grotto-Heaven, a long passage leading to a huge stone door. The stone door was covered with ancient runes, which emitted a faint light and sealed what lay behind the door.
The old man placed his hand on the stone door, which slowly opened, releasing a dense surge of Demonic Qi. Behind the door lay a vast space, with a crack in its center from which black Demonic Qi continuously poured forth. This was the Gate of the Demon Realm, the passage connecting the human world and the Demon Realm.
Around the Gate of the Demon Realm, there is a massive sealing formation, jointly set up by the Human Emperor and the Five Emperors. However, after tens of thousands of years, the seal has loosened, and Demonic Qi seeps in through the gaps, forming the Spring of the Spirit Source.
"Let's begin," the abbot said.
The Snow Empress nodded and placed the five divine artifacts around the Gate of the Demon Realm according to the five elements. The Xuanyuan Sword was placed in the center, corresponding to Earth; the Shennong Cauldron was placed in the south, corresponding to Fire; the Tiger Soul Saber was placed in the west, corresponding to Metal; the Fuxi Zither was placed in the east, corresponding to Water; Nuwa Stone was placed in the north, corresponding to Wood.
After the five divine artifacts were arranged, the Snow Empress sat cross-legged, activated the Power of the Heavenly Dao, and drew upon the power of the five divine artifacts. Sensing the Power of the Heavenly Dao, the five divine artifacts emitted light, and the five colors of light intertwined to form a five-colored light shield, enveloping the Gate of the Demon Realm.
" Five Elements Seal, activate!" Snow Empress roared, unleashing the power of all five divine artifacts. The five elements interacted and countered each other, forming a Perfect World cycle. Under the power of the Five Elements Seal, the Gate of the Demon Realm began to shrink slowly, and the Demonic Qi surging out gradually decreased.
But at that moment, a powerful force emanated from behind the Gate of the Demon Realm —it was the Demon Venerable. Although he was sealed, he was still desperately resisting, trying to prevent the seal from being completed.
" Demon Venerable, do you still want to struggle?" The Snow Empress coldly shouted, activating the Power of the Heavenly Dao to its fullest extent, and the power of the five divine artifacts increased once again. The Five Elements Sealing Grand Array emitted a deafening roar, the Gate of the Demon Realm closed completely, and the surging Demonic Qi disappeared entirely.
"We did it!" the crowd cheered.
The Snow Empress stood up, looked at the tightly closed Gate of the Demon Realm, and breathed a sigh of relief. The five divine artifacts had already merged into the sealing array, becoming part of the seal, forever protecting the mortal realm.
The old man walked to Snow Empress's side, his eyes filled with satisfaction. "Girl, you've done very well. You've finally completed the mission of the Human Emperor."
"Senior, and what about you?" Snow Empress asked.
The old man smiled. "My mission is complete. For tens of thousands of years, I have guarded this place, waiting for this day. Now that the seal is complete, it is time for me to depart."
After the old man finished speaking, his body began to become transparent, eventually turning into specks of light and dissipating into the air. He was merely a remnant soul; once his mission was accomplished, he would naturally dissipate.
As Snow Empress watched the old man's figure disappear, a wave of sadness washed over her. But she knew that this was the old man's choice, and his final destination.
"Let's go back to the Ziwei Sect." Snow Empress turned around and led everyone away from the Spirit Source Secret Realm.
The sky over the Spirit Source Secret Realm has never been so clear.
The moment the Gate of the Demon Realm closed completely, the gloom that had shrouded this secret realm for tens of thousands of years finally dissipated. Sunlight streamed through the dome of the secret realm, illuminating every corner with golden light. The spring water of the Spring of the Spirit Source stopped leaking, the water level slowly rose, and the golden lotus flower bloomed again with dazzling brilliance, its petals unfolding one by one, emitting a refreshing fragrance.
The Snow Empress stood Gate of the Demon Realm, silently gazing at the five divine artifacts integrated into the sealing array. The Xuanyuan Sword was embedded in the rock at the center of the array, its golden runes shimmering faintly, reflecting the light of the four surrounding artifacts. The Shennong Cauldron floated in the south, its herbal patterns emitting a soft green glow. The Tiger Soul Saber was planted in the western ground, its crimson patterns flowing slowly as if alive. The Fuxi Zither floated in the east, its strings resonating without human intervention, emitting a deep and resonant melody. The Nuwa Stone was inlaid in the northern array's core; though it had lost its original multicolored radiance, it still exuded a warm and gentle aura.
The powers of the five divine artifacts intertwined, forming a Perfect World cycle of the five elements. Earth generates metal, metal generates water, water generates wood, wood generates fire, and fire generates earth; these five forces are inexhaustible, firmly sealing the Gate of the Demon Realm. The power of the seal is even stronger than that laid down by the Human Emperor and the Five Emperors, because this time, the five divine artifacts themselves have become part of the seal. Their energy will continuously replenish the seal, and unless heaven and earth return to chaos, this seal will never fail.
"Holy Maiden, we should go." Qingyunzi walked to Snow Empress's side and said softly.
Snow Empress nodded, but hesitated to move. Her gaze swept over the five divine artifacts one by one, and complex emotions welled up in her heart. From obtaining the Xuanyuan Sword to now having all five imperial relics gathered and the Gate of the Demon Realm completely sealed, she had experienced far too much along the way. Those battles, those sacrifices, those laughter and tears, all had become memories, deeply engraved in her heart.
" Xuanyuan Sword, Shennong Cauldron, Tiger Soul Saber, Fuxi Zither, Nuwa Stone," the Snow Empress softly murmured the names of the five divine artifacts. "Your mission is complete. Rest well."
The five divine artifacts seemed to understand her words, simultaneously emitting a deep resonance, as if in response, or perhaps as farewell. The sound contained the will of the five emperors, their unwavering dedication to protecting humanity for tens of thousands of years, and their hopes for the future.
Snow Empress bowed deeply, then turned and left.
The group followed her out of the thatched hut via the same passage they had come from. The moment they stepped out, the hut behind them suddenly made a soft sound and then collapsed completely, turning into a pile of ordinary thatch and wood. The place that the old man had guarded for tens of thousands of years finally returned to normalcy with his passing and the completion of his mission.
On the surface of the Spring of the Spirit Source, the petals of the golden lotus swayed gently, as if waving goodbye to them.
Stepping out of the Spirit Source Secret Realm, the outside world was bathed in bright sunshine. The sky was cloudless, and a gentle spring breeze caressed the earth, bringing the fragrance of flowers and the scent of soil. In the distance, the mountains stretched endlessly, while the nearby fields were lush and green. A clear stream flowed from the foot of the mountains, its babbling water like the music of nature.
"How beautiful!" Yun Shang took a deep breath, a long-lost smile appearing on her face. "How come I never noticed before that the scenery in the human world is so beautiful?"