Having traversed the primordial universe and condensed the essence of heaven and earth... even having escaped the cycle of reincarnation, it could not escape the turmoil of heaven and earth...
The Cemetery of Gods and Demons is located in the central part of the Tianyuan Continent. Apart from the strongest human beings and top cultivators among the alien races who are buried in the entire cemetery, every other grave in the cemetery is the final resting place of an ancient god or demon.
The cemetery is lush with green grass and fragrant flowers; if it weren't for the rows of tombstones, it could easily be called a garden. The cemetery is surrounded by tall snow-white maple trees, unique to the Divine Demon Cemetery, said to be the transformed spirits of deceased gods and demons.
The lush green leaves of the snow maple tree sway gently in the breeze, as if recalling its former glory. The pure white petals drift slowly through the air like snowflakes, like the tears of the gods, seemingly telling of past sorrows.
The cemetery presents completely different scenes during the day and at night.
During the day, the area is shrouded in a mystical atmosphere, with holy light shining on every inch of the cemetery. You can see various deities transformed from the undying and powerful divine thoughts of ancient gods and demons, and even see Western angels dancing and hear Eastern fairies singing. The entire cemetery is enveloped in a sacred atmosphere.
If this place is a paradise for gods during the day, then it is a haven for demons at night.
As the sun sets and night falls, dark demonic energy surges forth from the cemetery, eclipsing the stars and moon and casting a bleak light upon the world. At this time, one can see the phantoms of legendary malevolent gods and demonic phantoms ravaging the cemetery, and hear the chilling, mournful howls of ancient evil spirits.
The sacred yet terrifying Cemetery of Gods and Demons is a holy garden jointly worshipped by cultivators from both the East and West of the Tianyuan Continent. During the day, people can often be seen coming to pay their respects, and even at night, some special cultivators can be seen coming to mourn, such as: Eastern corpse drivers and Western necromancers.....
The cemetery is most peaceful at sunset, when the entire cemetery is quiet and without a sound.
It was sunset again, the time when the divine and demonic phenomena alternated. The afterglow of the setting sun rendered the Cemetery of Gods and Demons solemn yet somewhat eerie.
Each of the tombs of gods and demons has been carefully maintained, and each tomb is adorned with fresh flowers.
Beside the towering tombs of gods and demons stands a low, inconspicuous grave. There is no tombstone, no flowers, just a simple mound of earth almost level with the ground. With the passage of time and the erosion of wind and rain, this nameless grave has been forgotten in a corner.
In the glow of the setting sun, the tomb complex of gods and demons appeared even more imposing, while the nameless grave seemed even more inconspicuous. However, at that very moment, a strange change occurred to this low-lying grave; it slowly cracked, and clods of earth on top began to roll down.
A pale hand emerged from the grave, followed by another. Both hands gripped the edge of the grave tightly, and a young man with a bewildered expression slowly climbed out. His disheveled hair was covered in mud, and his tattered clothes clung tightly to his body. Apart from his unusually pale face, the young man looked completely ordinary, the kind of person who would be completely unnoticed in a crowd.
Suddenly, he was deeply attracted by the inscription on a tombstone next to him. If anyone had seen the young man intently studying the ancient characters on the tombstone, they would have been astonished, because even the old scholars of the Ancient Culture Research Alliance could only shake their heads and sigh at such ancient characters.
The moment he finished reading the inscription, the young man's expression changed drastically. He exclaimed in shock, "The tomb of Zhan Wuji, the Martial God of the East! Is this...is this real? Is this really Zhan Wuji, the legendary figure who once roamed the Three Realms and Six Paths, dominating the world? Could it be...that even gods cannot escape death?"
The towering tomb next to it once again shocked him. "The tomb of Caesar, the Western god of war. Caesar? Could it be the Western chief god who wears golden armor and wields a golden holy sword?"
He seemed to have thought of something, and turned to look around. The towering tombs of gods and demons stood out prominently in the setting sun.
"The Tomb of the Peony Fairy, an Eastern Immortal Cultivator; the Tomb of Nas, the Western Goddess of Wisdom; the Tomb of Li Changfeng, an Eastern Martial Immortal; the Tomb of Ao Cangtian, an Eastern Demon Cultivator; the Tomb of Lucifer, the Western Great Demon King..."
"My God! What's wrong with this world? Could it be... that all the gods of the past have died, and... that they are all buried here?" The young man's expression turned pale, and an incredulous look appeared on his face.
"But... how come the gods of the Eastern fantasy continent and the Western magical continent are buried together?"
Suddenly, the young man noticed the small grave at his feet. He froze, cold sweat soaking his tattered clothes, and he felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.
I...I crawled out of the grave..." His eyes were vacant, he stared blankly, as if his soul had been ripped from his body, and he collapsed weakly to the ground.
"I am Chen Nan. I was... dead, but... I have been resurrected..."
After a long while, a glimmer of life gradually returned to Chen Nan's empty eyes, finally revealing a shocked expression: "Heavens! What's going on! Since I'm already dead, why have I been forced to crawl out of my grave?!"
"Does fate intend for a useless person like me to continue living such a mediocre life?!" After the initial shock, Chen Nan's face was filled with not only confusion but also immense pain. He closed his eyes and clutched his head tightly with both hands.
He clearly remembered that he had been defeated and killed in a duel, but now...
Memories flooded his mind—those that were once, those that have vanished, those that are eternal… leaving behind too many regrets in his heart!
The world was still vast, and the flowers and grass were still fragrant, but his heart was empty, without any sense of belonging.
It took Chen Nan a long time to slowly get up from the ground. His gaze began to wander around the cemetery. Finally, he realized that this was a group of tombs belonging to gods and demons. After the shock, he gradually calmed down.
"Even the hardest diamond tombstones are clearly etched with the vicissitudes of time. It must have taken tens of thousands of years. The world changes, and tens of thousands of years have passed by. Hehe... It's all just a dream!" Chen Nan sighed.
Looking at the forest of tombstones, he was filled with doubt.
"The tomb of Xiao Zhen, the Howling Tiger; the tomb of Gai Rui, the Three-Headed Demon Dragon; the tomb of Liang Feng, the Martial Saint; the curtain of Ottoli, the Divine Knight... It seems that in addition to gods and demons, some strong humans and a few alien cultivators are also buried here."
"What exactly happened ten thousand years ago? Why did the gods and demons, who were said to be immortal, die? Why are the gods of the Immortal Realm and the Demon Realm buried together? Why am I buried here?"
A gentle breeze swept by, ruffling his dirty, long hair and stirring up his lonely heart.
Chen Nan looked up to the sky and shouted, "Can anyone tell me what happened?"
No one answered him.
In the distance, tall snow maple trees shed countless petals, fluttering and scattering in the air like tears, as if the departed gods were weeping!
"God is dead, demons are destroyed, and I am still alive... God, why did you make me crawl out of my grave? Where am I supposed to go?"
As the sun set, the evening glow painted half the sky red, framing the crimson clouds with golden edges.
Chen Nan composed himself, knowing that some things were beyond his control and he could only move forward step by step.
He carefully filled the small grave with soil, then walked out of the cemetery. As he passed through the spiritually rich snow maple forest, he was taken aback; he had never seen trees imbued with such profound spiritual energy. He secretly wondered if this was a new tree species that had appeared during his long "slumber"?
When the pure white petals drifted down in front of Chen Nan, his vision blurred for a moment, and long-sealed memories slowly began to unfold—it was also a season of falling flowers…
He thought of "her" in his heart...
"The world changes, life is full of ups and downs... Sigh!" Chen Nan shook his head and strode out of the forest.
As he walked out of the Snow Maple Forest, the sun was setting. The once peaceful Cemetery of Gods and Demons was no longer tranquil. Dark demonic energy rose from the cemetery, and endless darkness began to envelop the entire cemetery.
Chen Nan faintly heard low growls coming from behind, but he didn't pay attention, assuming that wild beasts were starting to emerge after sunset. He stretched his limbs and muttered to himself, "Ten thousand years, my body hasn't rusted yet, has it?" He knew his martial arts skills weren't that great, but he should be able to handle ordinary beasts without any problem.
Not far ahead of the snow maple forest, three thatched huts appeared, and a gaunt old man stood in front of the door. The old man had white hair and beard, and his face was etched with wrinkles from years of hardship.
A strange emotion welled up in Chen Nan's heart. This was the first person he had seen since being reborn. There was a hint of familiarity, a hint of loss, and a hint of confusion...
He was born in front of his parents ten thousand years ago, and when he was reborn ten thousand years later, he faced such an old man.
"How could I possibly connect my parents with this old man?" He chuckled self-deprecatingly.
The old man, leaning on a cane, walked shakily toward him, a sight that chilled the heart, as if a gust of wind could blow him over.
Chen Nan hurriedly stepped forward to help the old man up. The old man waved his hand, signaling him to let go, and said a few words to him in a reproachful tone, but Chen Nan didn't understand a word.
The obscure and incomprehensible language sent a chill down his spine. He suddenly realized that ten thousand years had passed, and the language of his time had been abandoned by history.
He had hoped to learn about the world today through the old man, but the language barrier dashed his hopes.
Seeing his blank stare, the old man's expression softened, and his tone became more gentle. But seeing that he still looked bewildered, the old man frowned, then took his hand and led him toward the thatched hut.
Chen Nan followed the old man blankly. His intuition told him that the old man meant him no harm, but because they couldn't understand each other, he could only pretend to be deaf and dumb.
The old man led him to the front of the thatched hut, pointed to the wooden bucket on the ground, then to the well not far away, and then went into the hut.
"He wants me to fetch water? Does he want me to do hard labor here?" Chen Nan wondered to himself.
When the old man reappeared before him, he realized he had misunderstood him. The old man handed him a set of slightly worn clothes, clearly wanting him to change.
Seeing the faint smile on the old man's face, he couldn't help but blush. At this moment, he was dressed in rags, with disheveled hair and a dirty body.
Chen Nan felt a pang of sadness. He had never been in such dire straits ten thousand years ago. He silently picked up the wooden bucket and walked toward the well.
He circulated his internal energy, and with a slight exertion, his tattered clothes were completely torn apart and fell to the ground.
This is the divine silkworm robe from back then! Time is the most merciless thing; even the robe that was once impervious to water and fire and invulnerable to swords and spears could not withstand the erosion of ten thousand years!
The cool well water washed away the grime from his body, but it couldn't wash away the troubles in his heart.
"What should I do? I don't understand the language of mainland China, so I can't communicate with people. How am I supposed to survive in this world?!"
Chen Nan put on the clothes the old man had prepared for him, walked to the front of the thatched hut, and smiled to express his gratitude to the old man.
A fragrant aroma of food wafted over, and the old man slowly walked towards the stove next to him, gesturing for him to come over as well.
Chen Nan picked up the bowl of porridge the old man handed him and thought to himself: Ten thousand years have passed, and I never thought I would be able to sit at the dinner table again. Life is unpredictable!
His stomach was empty, so he shouldn't eat anything greasy; a bowl of porridge was just right. After dinner, it was already dark. Chen Nan followed the old man into the house, where the old man lit candles, and the flickering candlelight filled the small room with a warm glow.
The room was simply furnished with a wooden bed, an armchair, and a desk.
The desk was spotless, with a dozen books neatly arranged on it, but Chen Nan didn't recognize a single word on the cover. After tens of thousands of years, the writing on the continent had long since changed beyond recognition, and he felt a sense of loss.
After the old man went to another room, Chen Nan lay on the armchair, his mind filled with many thoughts, but he felt no joy.
Ten thousand years ago, although he came from a distinguished family, he was mediocre. Living in that circle, he carried too much pressure and suffered constant torment. He had long been tired of that life, and if it weren't for the attachment in his heart, death might have been a relief for him.
Fate played a cruel trick; ten thousand years later, he was brought back to life. Although he was freed from the heavy burden he carried, everything had changed…
Chen Nan felt incredibly bitter. His family and friends had long since passed away, and his confidante had also returned to the earth. Now, he was left alone in this world, and he felt utterly devoid of joy.
He quipped, "Have I escaped history, or have I been abandoned by it?"
The candle wax dried up, the last spark ignited, and the room was plunged into darkness.
The stars twinkled outside the window, and the night was exceptionally quiet, but Chen Nan tossed and turned in bed, unable to fall asleep.
He forced himself to calm down and circulated his family's secret technique, wanting to see if his power would still be there after ten thousand years.
True energy flowed through his body like a gentle stream, and even after ten thousand years, his internal strength remained unchanged.
Because he deliberately activated his profound energy, his senses immediately became sharp. He faintly heard muffled, mournful roars coming from the direction of the cemetery, which sent chills down his spine.
"So many wild beasts? This old man is so old, guarding the tomb alone here, it must be very dangerous!"
Unbeknownst to Chen Nan, the old man had already entered the Cemetery of Gods and Demons at that very moment. He carried a flower basket filled with fragrant snow maple blossoms. The old man seemed oblivious to the malevolent phantoms and demonic illusions. He placed a few pure white petals before each of the statues, his expression one of utmost piety.
Chen Nan's "former residence"—that low, small grave—has almost disappeared due to the sinking of the topsoil after it was hollowed out; it now only protrudes slightly above the ground.
The old man walked over shakily and sighed, "Alas! Who told you not to have a tombstone? I'm afraid you'll disappear from people's memories from now on. That's for the best. Less glory, more tranquility, peace and quiet, undisturbed by others. Go back to where you came from."
After saying this, the old man slowly squatted down, stretched out his hands, and carefully scattered the raised soil elsewhere, and the small grave completely disappeared. A dozen or so petals drifted down from the air, leaving behind a lingering fragrance.
A ray of morning sunlight streamed into the room through the window. Chen Nan opened his sleepy eyes and muttered to himself, "Strange, why didn't Father send anyone to urge me to practice today? Oh well, he's almost at the Immortal Martial Realm, he doesn't have time to care about me."
Suddenly, he noticed the simple furnishings in the room. He sat up abruptly and murmured after a long while, "So all of this is real. Ten thousand years have passed in the blink of an eye!"
He gently pushed open the small door of the thatched hut and stepped into the courtyard. The fresh air, carrying the fragrance of flowers and grass, rushed towards him, invigorating his spirit. A light mist swirled among the trees, flowing gently. Birds, undisturbed by people, hopped from tree to tree, singing melodiously. Chen Nan closed his eyes, trying to feel this harmonious, poetic scene.
"You're awake?" The old man's voice came from behind him.
Chen Nan couldn't understand the old man's words, so he could only respond with a smile.
After breakfast, Chen Nan stood up, pointed to the path leading into the distance, waved goodbye to the old man, and bowed deeply to him before leaving.
An hour later, he arrived at a small town. Because of his ordinary appearance and the fact that he was dressed in the modern style of clothing, no one paid any attention to him.
At this moment, Chen Nan was both happy and worried. He was happy that his new life was about to begin, but worried that he did not understand the language of the mainland.
To Chen Nan's surprise, in addition to people with black hair and black eyes like himself, there were also blond-haired and blue-eyed residents in the town, as well as red-haired and blue-eyed people, and blue-haired and black-eyed people...
"It seems that too much has happened in these ten thousand years. I must integrate into this society as soon as possible."
Chen Nan suddenly felt a chill run down his spine and a cold shiver ran through him. Instinctively, he knew that a master was watching him.
An elderly Taoist priest, not far behind him, shook his head and sighed, "Strange, I clearly sensed a peculiar aura emanating from this young man just now, but upon closer inspection, it's gone."
Only after the old Taoist priest had gone far away did Chen Nan dare to turn around and look. He only saw a back view, calm and otherworldly, ethereal like a fairy.
Chen Nan recalled his father's words: "Chen Nan, you must remember, anyone who can see through the flow of energy in our family's profound martial arts is no ordinary person. They are either true martial arts masters or reclusive cultivators. You must be extremely careful!"
"He is a cultivator! Aren't these kinds of people rarely seen in the mortal world?" Chen Nan knew all too well how terrifying these people were; only martial arts masters with profound cultivation dared to oppose them.
His father's words still echoed in his ears: "...To reshape the physical body, solidify the primordial spirit, and reach the point of living as long as heaven and earth, shining as brightly as the sun and moon—this is the ultimate goal of cultivation, the realm of immortality. The path we martial artists must take is to defy the heavens and cultivate ourselves, thereby reaching the legendary realm of immortal martial arts. In most people's eyes, the path of martial artists is inferior to that of cultivators, but..."
His father did not continue speaking, but Chen Nan already understood that martial artists were not incapable of fighting against cultivators, because his father himself was the best example. Even those who had achieved success in cultivation treated him as an equal.
Thinking of this, Chen Nan's heart stirred. "I wonder if my father has finally reached the Immortal Martial Realm. If he has... perhaps there will be a day when father and son can meet again."
But the thought of the forest of tombstones of gods and demons in that cemetery filled him with panic.
"If Father were to reach the Immortal Martial Realm, he would likely face the same fate..."
He felt a pang of sadness.
Pedestrians came and went on the street, and the sounds of buying and selling rose and fell, creating a lively atmosphere. But Chen Nan felt extremely lonely. He felt that he was an outcast of this world, ruthlessly abandoned by history.
"I was originally mediocre. Since I was already dead, why, after so many years, have I been allowed to crawl out of the tomb of the gods?"
A large patch of dark clouds drifted across the sky, and the sky immediately darkened.
After a clap of thunder, the shops on both sides of the street closed one after another, and pedestrians hurried by. In no time, the street became deserted, leaving him standing alone in the middle of the road.
After the thunder and lightning, a torrential downpour began. The icy rain soaked through Chen Nan's clothes, and he felt a chill run through his body. However, his heart was even colder; he felt utterly desolate.
"Though the world is vast, where is my home?"
A curtain of rain fell between heaven and earth, and a lone figure walked aimlessly down the street, letting the raindrops lash against his body.
Ten thousand years ago, Chen Nan was born into a family of martial arts masters and possessed exceptional talent in martial arts cultivation, making him a promising talent in the eyes of everyone. However, a nightmare began when his family's profound martial arts technique regressed instead of progressing, causing him to fall from the Great Ascension Realm of the Second Heaven to the Middle Stage of the First Heaven.
At that time, his father had already reached the pinnacle of martial arts. Such a family was bound to attract attention from all sides, and the pressure Chen Nan faced was unimaginable.
During those dark days, he was overwhelmed by ridicule, sarcasm, and pressure from all sides.
However, one person firmly believed that one day he would shine brightly. Thinking of "her," Chen Nan felt a pang of sadness, an unspeakable pain welling up in his heart.
"Yuxin, do you know what? My biggest regret is that I didn't say those three words to you back then: 'I love you'."
Youth fades quickly, and beauty withers easily.
Yu Xin is a permanent pain in Chen Nan's heart, and a lifelong regret.
Chen Nan, disoriented, stumbled into a narrow alley. He felt an unbearable pain in his chest, and a metallic taste of blood welled up in his stomach.
He spat out a mouthful of blood and collapsed into the muddy water.
"Yu Xin..." His vision went black, and he lost consciousness.
It's worth mentioning that in the first chapter, there's a passage that reads: Beside the towering tombs of gods and demons, there was a low, inconspicuous grave. There was no tombstone, no flowers; it was just a simple little mound of earth, almost level with the ground. With the passage of time and the erosion of wind and rain, this nameless grave had been forgotten in a corner.
This reveals that this small grave is different from the others. Besides burying the strongest humans and top cultivators among the superhumans, every other grave in the Divine Demon Cemetery contains the remains of an ancient god or demon. However, the protagonist's cultivation was mediocre before his death; there must be a hidden reason why he was buried there.
The reason I'm mentioning this is because several readers have asked me why the protagonist's cultivation level is so mediocre after being resurrected from the Cemetery of Gods and Demons. Hehe, the answer is in the text, and I've already hinted at it; I won't answer this question again later.
In addition, "the hardest diamond tombstones are clearly etched with the vicissitudes of time, which probably takes tens of thousands of years." Chen Nan judged how much time had passed from this point. Two readers have also asked me this question, so I'm mentioning it here.