After the Soul of Rage and Evil completely transformed into countless specks of light, the entire world finally regained its long-lost tranquility.
The raging fire that had covered millions of miles slowly subsided, and a soft glow returned to the sky. The ancient tree that had protected the Shade-Guarding Clan for countless years stretched its branches and leaves anew, and the emerald green leaves swayed gently, scattering a warm and peaceful rain of light.
The members of the Shade-Guarding Clan who had been hiding behind the ancient tree slowly peeked out. Each of them still had a look of shock on their faces. They looked at the world in the distance that had completely returned to peace, and then at Qin Yu and Qian Wenwan who were standing quietly in front of the ancient tree. Their eyes gradually reddened, and many of them couldn't help but kneel down and kowtow silently.
The two chieftains of the Shade-Guarding Clan exchanged a glance, slowly straightened their robes, and solemnly stepped out of the crowd. They approached Qin Yu and Qian Wenwan, bowing deeply in respect. Their gestures were not perfunctory at all, but rather carried a heartfelt gratitude.
"The entire Shade-Guarding Clan thanks you two for saving our lives. If it weren't for your selfless assistance today, our Shade-Guarding Clan would likely have been wiped out by the Blazing Erosion Clan."
Tens of thousands of clansmen behind them bowed in unison, their movements perfectly synchronized, yet without a sound; the only sound in the entire space was the gentle rustling of leaves. Seeing this, Qin Yu immediately stepped forward and gently helped the two elders to their feet. "There's no need for this, clan leaders."
Qian Wenwan nodded gently, her gaze warm as she looked at the clansmen who still wore expressions of awe. "It was nothing, you all don't need to be so polite."
After the two elders stood up, they remained silent for a long time. One of the Joy Clan chiefs sighed softly, his gaze turning to Qin Yu with complex emotions, especially lingering on the void in front of Qin Yu's chest. His expression gradually became solemn.
"Fellow Daoist..." Actually, just now, when you were fighting the Soul of Rage and Evil, I inadvertently saw you summon an ancient book. "The instant that ancient book appeared, the Fate Soul essence of the two of us, along with that of all the clansmen behind us, trembled simultaneously."
Another Love Clan chief nodded slowly, his eyes filled with undisguised shock. "Indeed." "That feeling... I've never experienced anything like it before." "It wasn't suppression, nor fear, but more like a call from the deepest part of life, as if... our Fate Soul belonged to that ancient book."
He gave a wry smile. "In millions of years, my Shade-Guarding Clan has never witnessed such a phenomenon." Qin Yu remained silent for a moment, then chose not to conceal it. He slowly raised his right hand, and a soft golden light slowly emerged, with the Wordless Heavenly Book quietly floating in his palm.
The ancient book was simple and unadorned, without any earth-shattering aura, yet the moment it appeared, it caused the entire ancient tree to sway gently. Almost all the members of the Shade-Guarding Clan clutched their chests at the same time, and the Fate Soul essence of each person began to vibrate slightly. The pupils of the two clan leaders suddenly contracted.
They stared intently at the Wordless Heavenly Book, unable to look away for a long time. Qin Yu gently held the book and said calmly, "Gentlemen, this Wordless Heavenly Book Non-Self, but was personally given to me by Fu Wansheng, the patriarch of the Duckweed Clan Clan." "The Duckweed Clan Clan..."
As the four words fell, both clan leaders trembled simultaneously, a long-lost longing resurfacing deep in their eyes. They slowly closed their eyes. After a long while, the Joy Clan leader finally sighed. "The Duckweed Clan..." "It's been many years since we've seen them." "So... they found the answer before us...?"
The Love Clan Chief gazed at the Wordless Heavenly Book, a relieved smile spreading across his face. "It seems..." some secrets sealed for millions of years have finally come to be revealed. His gaze towards Qin Yu was no longer filled with awe, but rather with anticipation.
"Fellow Daoist," "We two actually sensed a difference between ourselves and other living beings millions of years ago. We possess joy and love, yet we can never understand the true origin of these two emotions. Deep within our Fate Soul, there always seems to be a door, a door that can never be opened. No matter how the clan leaders of each generation have tried, they have been unable to glimpse their true origin."
He slowly lowered his head, his voice becoming deep. "Now that you two have come from the outside world, bringing with you this Wordless Heavenly Book." "Perhaps, this is destiny." "I implore you, fellow Daoist, to unravel this final mystery for my Shade-Guarding Clan." Qin Yu nodded gently, saying nothing more.
He slowly turned to the first page of the Wordless Heavenly Book. The first page was no longer blank; in the center of the page, a magnificent and ancient scroll slowly emerged.
Within the painting, a majestic figure, whose true form is obscured, sits quietly between heaven and earth. His chest transforms into a vast grotto-heaven, within which a Dao Source Ancient Tree, supporting heaven and earth, takes root, its branches supporting all realms, its roots piercing through the void.
Beneath the ancient tree, seven beams of light of different colors flowed continuously, representing the seven emotions of joy, anger, sorrow, fear, evil, and desire. These emotions evolved and eventually transformed into seven vast worlds, which in turn gave birth to seven major clans. Qin Yu gazed at the scroll and slowly spoke, his voice not loud, yet it silenced everyone in the entire Shade-Guarding Clan.
"This is no ordinary world. This is an inner grotto-heaven formed from the body of the Fallen Layered Realm Void Great Emperor." The true Dao Source Ancient Tree at the center of this grotto-heaven is formed from the Emperor's entire Dao, origin, and Fate Soul. "And you..."
Qin Yu slowly raised his head, his gaze sweeping over each person before him. "Not truly human in the traditional sense. Every one of you, every wisp of Fate Soul, every emotion, originates from the Layered Realm Void Great Emperor. The Joy Clan carries the Great Emperor's joy; the Love Clan carries the Great Emperor's love; the Hatred Clan Wrath Clan the Great Emperor's evil; the Sorrow Clan carries the Great Emperor's sorrow; the Fear Clan carries the Great Emperor's fear; and the Desire Clan carries the Great Emperor's final desires."
"The seven major clans share the same origin, all evolving from the seven emotions and six desires of the Great Emperor. You are not independent beings, but different forms differentiated from the emotions and Dao of the same supreme being." At this point, Qin Yu gently unfolded the first page completely.
The seven radiant emotions flowed slowly, eventually converging again at the center of the Wordless Heavenly Book, returning to a state of chaos. This Wordless Heavenly Book, after the fall of the Layered Realm Void Great Emperor, was the ultimate source formed by re-cultivating the perfect Dao of the Seven Emotions and Six Desires. The differentiation of the seven emotions is merely the myriad manifestations of the book's outward expansion.
"One day, no matter how joy, anger, sorrow, love, hate, and desire evolve, all races will return to the Wordless Heavenly Book, for it is the only Ultimate source of all emotions and desires." The entire world fell into complete silence at this moment, and no one spoke.
Tens of thousands of the Shade-Guarding Clan members stared blankly at the slowly opening Wordless Heavenly Book, a kind of unprecedented enlightenment gradually emerging in their eyes, as if the door that had been closed for millions of years had finally been slowly pushed open.
The world returned to tranquility. The Shade-Guarding Ancient Tree's branches swayed gently, and soft, bluish-gold light slowly filtered down from its tips, illuminating the entire territory. The cracks left by the earth-shattering battle were slowly healing under the nourishment of the ancient tree's essence.
A warm and peaceful atmosphere returned to the air. However, within this peace, there was an indescribable sense of parting. Time passed slowly, and no one spoke; the entire world waited in silence. After a long while, the two chieftains of the Shade-Guarding Clan slowly exchanged a glance.
There was no fear or sorrow in their eyes, only a sense of relief after finally shedding the burden of so many years. They nodded gently, then turned around at the same time to look at the tens of thousands of clansmen behind them. There were no impassioned words, no long farewell. The Joy Clan chief simply showed a gentle smile, his voice still as soft as a spring breeze.
"Everyone." "We... should go home." The Love Clan Chief gently closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, his eyes were already glistening with tears. "We are finally... free." These two short sentences brought the entire Shade-Guarding Clan to complete silence. There were no cries, no panic; everyone simply gazed at each other in quiet contemplation.
The next moment, a young man slowly walked towards his wife, gently embraced her, and pressed his forehead lightly against her shoulder.
An elderly man slowly knelt down and gently hugged several children beside him, stroking their hair. His eyes were already moist, but he still wore a kind smile.
An elderly couple, who have been together for countless years, stood there with their fingers intertwined, leaning against each other. Neither of them spoke, but they gazed at each other quietly, their eyes, though etched with the marks of time, still filled with tenderness.
More and more people drew closer to each other. Some gently held their friends' hands, some slowly embraced their loved ones, some rested their foreheads on each other's shoulders, and some gently patted the back of the person next to them. There was no heart-wrenching cry, only more and more tears silently sliding down their cheeks.
In those tears, there was no despair, but rather a deep sense of reluctance. They were the embodiment of joy and love, and even at their last moment, they chose to bid each other farewell with embraces. They gently sent each other off, and throughout the entire tribe, tens of thousands of people slowly embraced each other, with soft, golden-blue light rising gently from their bodies.
It was joy, it was love. The whole world was touched by this scene. Even the Shade-Guarding Ancient Tree swayed gently, and leaves slowly fell like a rain of green flowers, paving the way for this homecoming that had been awaited for millions of years.