Chapter 1, Ancient Divine Tomb

If the father has stepped into the realm of immortal martial arts, it is likely that he cannot escape...

Suddenly, he noticed the simple furnishings in the room. He sat up abruptly and, after a long while, murmured, "So this is all real; countless years have swiftly passed by!"

Chen Nan tidied up his feelings of loss, knowing that some matters were simply beyond choice, and he could only move forward step by step

Traversing the vastness of the universe, condensing the essence of heaven and earth... Even if one escapes the cycle of the six realms, it is still difficult to evade the turmoil of heaven and earth...

After having breakfast, Chen Nan stood up, pointed to the small path leading into the distance, waved goodbye to the old man, and before leaving, he bowed deeply to the old man.

What should I do? If I do not understand the language of the mainland today, I cannot communicate with others. How can I survive in this world?

At this moment, Nan felt both joy and sorrow; the joy was that his brand new life was about to begin, while the sorrow stemmed from his inability to understand the language currently spoken on the continent

Chen Nan felt a wave of melancholy; never had he been in such a predicament a thousand years ago. He silently picked up the wooden bucket and walked towards the well

At this thought, Chen Nan felt a stir in his heart, "I wonder if my father ultimately stepped into the realm of Immortal Martial Arts. If so... perhaps there will still be a day for us to meet again as father and son."

Boom

After a thunderclap, the shops on both sides of the street hurriedly closed their doors, and the pedestrians rushed by. In a short while, the street became desolate, leaving him standing alone in the middle of the road.

Chen Nan suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, and a wave of coldness washed over him. Relying on his intuition, he knew that a master was watching him.

He forced himself to calm down and practiced the ancestral martial arts. He wanted to see if his skills still remained after ten thousand years had passed

A large dark cloud drifted across the sky, and the daylight immediately dimmed

At the moment he finished reading the inscription, the young man's expression changed dramatically, and he exclaimed: "The tomb of the Eastern Martial God, Zhan Wujie, is this... is this true? Is this really the legendary figure, Zhan Wujie, who once traversed the three realms and six paths, commanding the winds and clouds? Could it be that even a god cannot escape death?"

An elderly man, leaning on a cane, approached him unsteadily, evoking a sense of alarm, as if a gust of wind could easily topple him

Looking at the forest of tombstones, he was filled with doubt

What exactly happened ten thousand years ago? Why did the so-called immortal deities perish? Why are the gods of the Immortal Fantasy Continent and the Demon Fantasy Continent buried together? Why am I interred here?

As he stepped out of the Snow Maple Forest, it was also the moment when the sun set in the west. The once peaceful Divine and Demon Cemetery was no longer calm; dark demonic energy rose from the graves, and endless darkness began to envelop the entire cemetery

Time passes swiftly, and beauty fades easily

No one answered him

Once again, it is sunset, the time when the divine and the demonic intersect. The afterglow of the setting sun casts a solemn yet somewhat eerie atmosphere over the Divine and Demonic Cemetery

It seems that too much has happened in these ten thousand years, and I must quickly integrate into this society

Ten thousand years ago, although he came from a distinguished family, he himself was rather mediocre. Living in such a circle, he bore too much pressure and constantly suffered from torment. He had long grown weary of that kind of life; had it not been for the lingering attachment in his heart, death might not have been an escape for him.

But the moment he thought of the forest-like tombstones of gods and demons in that cemetery, a wave of panic surged within him

Only after the old Taoist had walked far away did Chen Nan dare to turn back and look. He only caught a glimpse of a figure, ethereal and detached, as if it were a celestial being.

The sacred yet terrifying Divine Tomb is a sanctuary jointly worshipped by practitioners from the eastern and western regions of the Tianyuan Continent. During the day, one can often see people coming to pay their respects. Even at night, certain special practitioners can be seen coming to mourn, such as the corpse handlers from the east and the necromancers from the west

A gentle breeze brushed by, tousling his unkempt long hair and disturbing his lonely heart

He recalled the "her" in his heart

A half-century-old Taoist priest shook his head and sighed not far behind him: "Strange, just now I clearly sensed a peculiar aura emanating from this young man, yet upon closer inspection, how could it have vanished?"

He seemed to have thought of something, turning his head to look around, where towering divine and demonic tombs stood out prominently against the setting sun

Having said that, the old man slowly crouched down, extended his hands, and carefully scattered the raised soil to another place, causing the small grave to completely disappear. A dozen petals floated down from the sky, leaving behind a lingering fragrance

Fate plays tricks on people; after ten thousand years, he unexpectedly came back to life. Although he has shed the heavy burden on him, everything has changed

"Where is this place? How did I end up here?" The young man murmured to himself, gazing at the expanse of graves before him, his expression growing more bewildered.

Chen Nan recalled the words his father had said to him: "Chen Nan, you must remember, those who can see through the flow of our family's internal energy are not simple individuals. They are either true martial arts masters or transcendent cultivators. You must be especially cautious!"

Not far in front of the snow-covered maple forest, three thatched cottages appeared. An emaciated old man stood at the door, his hair and beard white, and his face etched with deep wrinkles from years of hardship.

The cold well water washed away the dirt from his body, yet it could not wash away the troubles in his heart

The world remains vast, the flowers and grass still fragrant, yet his heart feels empty, devoid of any sense of belonging

Chen Nan, disoriented, stumbled into a narrow alley. He felt an unbearable discomfort in his chest, and a wave of metallic taste surged up from his abdomen.

The cemetery is most tranquil at sunset, the entire graveyard is silent, without a trace of sound

He clearly remembers that he had been defeated and died in a duel, yet at this moment...

He opened his mouth and spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, collapsing into the muddy water

This is the divine silkworm treasure garment from those years! Time is the most ruthless; even the treasure garment that was once impervious to water and fire, and invulnerable to blades and guns, cannot withstand the erosion of countless years

Pedestrians come and go on the street, the sounds of vendors calling out rise and fall, creating an extraordinary bustle. However, Chen Nan feels an overwhelming sense of loneliness; he perceives himself as an abandoned child of this world, mercilessly forsaken by history

"Are you awake?" The old man's voice came from behind him

Yuxin is the eternal pain in Chen Nan's heart, a regret that will accompany him throughout his life

Chen Nan Mu Ran followed closely behind the old man, his intuition telling him that the old man meant him no harm. However, due to the language barrier, he could only pretend to be deaf and mute

The tomb of the Eastern immortal cultivator, Fairy Peony; the tomb of the Western goddess of wisdom, Nais; the tomb of the Eastern martial immortal, Li Changfeng; the tomb of the Eastern demonic cultivator, Ao Cangtian; the tomb of the Western demon king, Lucifer

An hour later, he arrived at a small town. Due to his ordinary appearance and the clothing he wore, which was typical of the current mainland fashion, no one paid him any attention

How could I possibly connect my parents with this old man along with the * picture * book? '' He chuckled self-deprecatingly

The candle tears have dried, the spark flickers for the last time, and the room is plunged into darkness

Yuxin ... ... '' He felt a darkness before his eyes and lost consciousness

As the pure white petals fell before Chen Nan, his vision blurred, and the long-sealed memories began to unfold; it was also a season of falling flowers

After the thunder and lightning, heavy rain poured down, drenching Chen Nan's clothes with icy rainwater. He felt a chill run through his body, yet what was colder was his heart, which felt utterly desolate.

Seeing his vacant gaze, the old man could not help but soften his expression, and his tone became more gentle. However, upon noticing the look of confusion still on his face, the old man furrowed his brow and then took his hand, leading him towards the thatched cottage

Chen Nan hurriedly stepped forward to support the elderly man. The old man waved his hand, signaling him to let go, and spoke to him in a tone of reproach, but Chen Nan did not understand a single word.

Looking at the faint smile on the old man's face, he couldn't help but blush. At that moment, he was dressed in tattered clothes, with disheveled hair and a dirty appearance all over.

Beside the towering graves of gods and demons lies a lowly small tomb, which is utterly unremarkable. There is no tombstone, no flowers, just a simple little mound of earth that is almost level with the ground. As the years pass and the elements erode it, this nameless grave has been forgotten in the corner.

The cemetery is lush with green grass and fragrant flowers; without the extensive forest of tombstones, it could easily be called a garden. Surrounding the cemetery are tall snow maple trees, unique to the Divine and Demonic Cemetery, said to be transformed from the spiritual essence of the departed deities and demons.

He is a practitioner! Aren't such individuals rarely seen in the mortal world? Chen Nan deeply understands the terror of such people; martial artists who do not possess profound cultivation dare not confront them

He originally hoped to understand the current world through the elderly, but the language barrier shattered his hopes

Each divine and demonic tomb has been meticulously maintained, with fresh flowers adorning the front of each tomb

God is dead, the demons are vanquished, yet I still live... Why, O Heaven, have you allowed me to crawl out from the grave? Where shall I go from here?

The furnishings in the room are very simple: a wooden bed, an armchair, and a desk

The sun sets behind the western mountains, and the evening glow has dyed half the sky red, adorning the red clouds at the horizon with golden edges

Suddenly, the young man noticed the small grave beneath his feet, and he was momentarily stunned, cold sweat soaking through his tattered clothing, feeling as if he had fallen into an ice cellar, his entire body chilled.

Chen Nan looked up to the sky and shouted, "Who can tell me what exactly has happened?"

In those bleak days, there were cold mockery and scorn... The pressure from all directions left him at a loss.

Every time the sun sets and night falls, dark magical energy begins to surge forth from the graveyard, causing the stars and moon to pale and the world to dim. At this moment, one can see the legendary apparitions of malevolent deities and the phantoms of demons rampaging within the cemetery, and hear the chilling and mournful howls of ancient evil spirits that send shivers down one's spine

Suddenly, he was deeply captivated by the inscription on a nearby tombstone. If anyone had seen the young man intently studying the ancient characters on that gravestone at that moment, they would have been greatly astonished, for such archaic script could only leave even the most seasoned scholars of the Ancient Culture Research Alliance shaking their heads in dismay.

He self-mockingly asked: "Have I truly escaped history, or have I been abandoned by it?"

Chen Nan faintly heard a series of low growls coming from behind, but he did not pay much attention to it, thinking that the beasts would start to appear after sunset. He stretched his muscles and muttered to himself, "It has been ten thousand years; my body shouldn't have rusted yet." He knew that his skills were not particularly impressive, but he believed he could handle ordinary ferocious beasts without any problem.

At that time, his father had already stood at the pinnacle of martial arts. Such a family would undoubtedly attract attention from all directions, and the pressure faced by Chen Nan was imaginable

Are there so many ferocious beasts? It is truly dangerous for this elderly man, at such an advanced age, to guard the tomb here all alone

Due to the deliberate operation of his mystical skills, his senses immediately became sharp, and he faintly heard a series of muffled wails coming from the direction of the cemetery, sending chills down his spine

In the early morning, a ray of sunlight streamed in through the window, and Chen Nan opened his drowsy eyes, muttering to himself: "Strange, why hasn't my father sent someone to urge me to practice today? Ah, that's right, he is on the fast track to the realm of immortality and martial arts, so he has no time to concern himself with me"

After the elderly man walked into another room, Chen Nan lay on the armchair, his mind filled with countless thoughts, yet not a trace of joy could be found.

In the evening glow, the group of divine and demonic tombs appeared even more imposing, while the nameless grave seemed increasingly inconspicuous. However, at that moment, this lowly small tomb underwent a transformation; it began to slowly crack, and the clods of earth on its top started to roll down.

His stomach was completely empty, and it was not advisable to eat greasy food; a bowl of thin rice porridge was just right. After dinner, the sky had already darkened. Chen Nan followed the old man into the house, where the old man lit a candle, and the flickering candlelight filled the small room with a gentle warmth

After a long time, the hollow eyes of Chen Nan gradually showed a hint of vitality, ultimately revealing a look of shock: "Heavens! What on earth is happening! Since I have already died, why am I being allowed to crawl out of the grave?!"

The emerald green branches and leaves of the snow maple tree are lush and vibrant, gently swaying in the breeze as if reminiscing about past glories. The snow-white petals are pure and flawless, drifting through the air like snowflakes, resembling the tears of the divine, seemingly narrating the sorrows of yesteryears

The hardest diamond rock tombstones have clearly been etched with the vicissitudes of time, which probably requires ten thousand years. The sea has turned into mulberry fields, and ten thousand years have passed by leisurely. Hehe... a dream of eternity!" Chen Nan sighed.

He gently pushed open the small door of the thatched cottage and stepped into the courtyard, where the fresh air, imbued with the fragrance of flowers and grass, greeted him, invigorating his spirit. A light mist swirled among the trees, flowing slowly, while the birds, unafraid of humans, hopped about in the branches, singing melodiously. Chen Nan closed his eyes, immersing himself in the harmonious poetic atmosphere.

The desk was free of dust, neatly arranged with more than ten books, yet Chen Nan did not recognize a single word on the covers. After countless years, the characters on the continent had long since changed beyond recognition, leaving him with a sense of loss.

The tomb of the Heavenly Howling Divine Tiger, Xiao Zhen; the tomb of the Three-Headed Demon Dragon, Gai Rui; the tomb of the Martial Saint, Liang Feng; the tomb of the Divine Knight, Otto Li... It seems that in addition to the divine and demonic beings, there are also some powerful humans and a few rare practitioners of other kinds buried here

The Divine and Demonic Cemetery is located in the central region of the Tianyuan Continent. In addition to housing the strongest humans throughout history and the top cultivators among the异类, every other grave is the resting place of an ancient god or demon. This is a sanctuary belonging to the divine and demonic.

The starlight outside twinkled, and the night was particularly tranquil, yet Chen Nan tossed and turned in bed, unable to fall asleep.

In the town, apart from the locals with black hair and black eyes like him, there are also residents with blonde hair and blue eyes, as well as those with red hair and blue eyes, and blue hair with black eyes

I am Chen Nan, I have already... ... died, but... ... I have come back to life... ...

Ten thousand years ago, Chen Nan was born into a family renowned for martial arts, possessing an exceptionally high talent in martial cultivation, and was highly regarded by all. However, a nightmare soon began; the ancestral profound skill he practiced not only failed to progress but instead regressed, causing him to fall from the second level of the Great Ascension realm to the mid-stage of the first level.

He circulated the vital energy within his body, and with a slight exertion, the tattered garments on him completely disintegrated and fell to the ground

The vast sea has turned into mulberry fields, and the world is full of ups and downs... Alas! Chen Nan shook his head and strode out into the forest.

However, there is one person who firmly believes that one day he will shine brilliantly. Thinking of that "she," Chen Nan felt a wave of melancholy, and an indescribable pain surged within his heart

Does heaven allow me, this useless person, to continue living a mundane life? After the shock, apart from confusion, there was more pain on Chen Nan's face. He closed his eyes and tightly held his head with both hands

The true energy flowed within him like a gentle stream, and after ten thousand years, his internal power showed no signs of change

During the day, an ethereal aura envelops this place, and the sacred light spreads across every inch of the cemetery. One can see various deities manifested from the indomitable and powerful divine thoughts of ancient gods and demons, and even witness Western angels dancing, while Eastern fairies sing. The entire cemetery exists within a sacred atmosphere

I... I crawled out of the grave..." His eyes were vacant, staring blankly, as if his soul had been extracted from his body, and he weakly collapsed to the ground

After a long time, Chen Nan slowly got up from the ground. His gaze began to wander within the cemetery, and finally, he confirmed that this was a burial ground belonging to gods and demons. After the initial shock, he gradually calmed down

The old man walked over unsteadily and sighed, "Alas! Who told you not to have a tombstone? I fear you will fade from the memories of the world in the future. Perhaps this is for the best; less glory, more simplicity, pure and clean, free from disturbance. Wherever you came from, return there."

He carefully filled in the small grave beneath his feet with soil, and then walked towards the cemetery exit. As he passed through the snow maple forest, rich with spiritual energy, he couldn't help but pause in surprise; he had never seen trees imbued with such profound spiritual essence. He secretly speculated, could this be a new species of tree that emerged during his long years of "slumber"?

His father did not continue speaking, but Chen Nan already understood that martial artists were not incapable of contending with cultivators, as his father himself was the best example of this. Even those who had achieved success in cultivation treated him as an equal upon meeting him

But how did the deities of the Eastern Fairyland and the Western Magical Continent end up buried together

Chen Nan picked up the bowl of porridge handed to him by the old man, feeling a deep sense of emotion: After ten thousand years, I never expected to still be able to sit at the dining table; the unpredictability of life is truly remarkable

Wow

He was born before his parents ten thousand years ago, and when he is reborn ten thousand years later, he faces such an old man

The "former residence" of Chen Nan, that lowly small mound has almost disappeared due to the sinking of the hollow soil beneath it, only slightly protruding above the ground.

Scenes from the past rise to the forefront of his mind, those that were once, those that have faded, those that are eternal...! ... They have left him with too many regrets regarding the illustrations and books!

A waft of rice aroma came, and the old man slowly walked towards the nearby stove, simultaneously gesturing for him to come over

A pale hand emerged from the grave, followed closely by another. The two hands gripped the edge of the grave with force, and a bewildered young man slowly crawled up from the grave. His disheveled long hair was caked with dirt, and his tattered clothing clung tightly to his body. Aside from his exceptionally pale complexion, the young man appeared very ordinary, the kind of person who would go completely unnoticed in a crowd.

The obscure and difficult-to-understand voice sent a chill through his heart; he suddenly realized that ten thousand years had already passed, and the continental language of his era had been discarded by history.

Although the world is vast, where is my home

The towering divine tomb beside him once again filled him with awe, "The Tomb of the Western War God Caesar, Caesar? Could it be that Western deity clad in golden armor and wielding a golden holy sword?"

I was once ordinary. Since I have already perished, why, after enduring the passage of many years, am I allowed to crawl out from the tomb of the gods?

When the old man appeared before him again, he realized he had wronged him. The old man's thin, withered hands extended a set of slightly worn clothes, clearly indicating that he wanted him to change and freshen up.

He felt a wave of melancholy

A curtain of rain envelops the world, and a solitary figure wanders aimlessly down the street, allowing the raindrops to beat wildly upon them

At this moment, Chen Nan was unaware that an elderly man had already entered the Divine and Demonic Cemetery. He held a flower basket in his hand, filled with fragrant snow maple flowers. The old man seemed oblivious to the fierce apparitions and demonic illusions around him, placing a few petals as white as jade before each altar, his demeanor profoundly reverent

If during the day this place is a paradise of the divine, then at night it becomes a sanctuary of the demonic

Yuxin, do you know? The thing I regret the most is that I didn't say those three words to you at that time: 'I love you'

Chen Nan could not understand the elder's words, so he could only respond with a smile

In the distance, the tall snow maple trees shed a flurry of petals, fluttering gracefully in the air, as the fallen flowers resemble tears of rain, mourning the departed spirits

A surge of inexplicable emotions welled up in Chen Nan's heart; this was the first person he had encountered since his rebirth. There was a hint of familiarity, a touch of loss, and a sense of confusion

Chen Nan felt an overwhelming bitterness; his relatives and friends had long since passed away, and his beloved confidante had also returned to the earth. Now, he was left all alone in this world, feeling utterly devoid of interest in life.

The old man brought him to the front of the thatched cottage, pointed to the wooden barrel on the ground, then gestured towards the well not far away, and subsequently walked into the house

The daytime and nighttime of the cemetery present starkly contrasting scenes

Chen Nan put on the clothes that the old man had prepared for him and walked to the front of the thatched cottage, smiling to express his gratitude to the old man

Oh my God! What has happened to this world? Could it be that... the deities of yore have all perished, all... all buried here?" The young man's expression changed dramatically, revealing an incredulous look on his face

The words of my father still linger in my ears: "...to reshape the physical body, to solidify the primordial spirit, to achieve longevity equal to that of heaven and earth, and to shine together with the sun and moon—this is the ultimate goal of cultivation, the realm of immortality. The path we martial artists must take is to cultivate ourselves against the heavens, thereby reaching the legendary realm of immortal martial arts. In the eyes of most people, the path of martial artists is not as esteemed as that of cultivators, but..."

"Let me go fetch some water? Does he want me to be a laborer here?" Chen Nan speculated silently