In this world, there are many mausoleums for Monarch Chixiao.
For instance, the famous ruins of the Chixiao Sect, the Burial of the Monarch Ruins, the Judgment Peak, the Immortal Dao Ridge, and the Dragon-Elephant Peak, among others—all these places have mausoleums for Monarch Chixiao, established by the Chixiao people after the Monarch was judged.
These locations held great significance for Monarch Chixiao. The Chixiao Sect goes without saying; the Burial of the Monarch Ruins was where the Monarch was utterly annihilated; the Judgment Peak was where Monarch Chixiao faced the judgment of the Immortal Dao; the Immortal Dao Ridge was where Monarch Chixiao obliterated the Immortal Dynasty back then; and the Dragon-Elephant Peak was where Monarch Chixiao transformed into a dragon at that very spot, pointing his sword at the Nine Heavens.
Of course, there is also the hometown mausoleum in the Qingyang territory—this was Monarch Chixiao's hometown, so naturally, there is a mausoleum there as well.
And these are just the mausoleums of Monarch Chixiao alone.
As for his temples, they are too numerous to count. It is no exaggeration to say that almost every place Monarch Chixiao once stayed in has a temple dedicated to him.
The reason is simple.
Monarch Chixiao was not only a legendary hegemon of this world but also a revered deity in the hearts of many people of his era.
Trampling all the world's prodigies upon the Heavenly Ladder, charging alone into the Myriad Demons Mountain, pointing his sword at the Black Mountain Old Monster, single-handedly battling experts from various sects, playing a tune amidst the clouds that laughed at the heavens, shaking the Immortal Dynasty with his might, staining the desolate lands red with blood for his brothers, his beloved's single sword stroke splitting the sky... In his short two hundred plus years, Monarch Chixiao left behind far, far too many glorious deeds. He did almost everything the people of his era dreamed of but dared not do. To this day, the title 'Monarch Chixiao' has long become a symbol of that era. Nowadays, the major societies within this world worship none other than Monarch Chixiao.
Yes.
All major societies, without exception.
Societies are the weakest forces in this world, their members the lowest-tier cultivators, fighting and killing for the sake of cultivation, living each day with their heads barely attached. In their hearts, the existence of Monarch Chixiao is like a god—not only their idol but also a spiritual anchor. If not for this, people across the world would not have designated the day Monarch Chixiao's soul scattered as 'Chixiao Day,' precisely to worship the deity in their hearts.
On this day.
In the Yanyang Great Region, Qingyang territory.
At the Chixiao Mausoleum.
Compared to other mausoleums of Monarch Chixiao, this one was pitifully small, and the number of people coming to pay respects was not large. The reason, everyone knew in their hearts, was that although this place was the Monarch's hometown, back then, because the Monarch cultivated eighty-one Golden Cores, he was branded an evil cultivator and was besieged by almost all the sects of the Yanyang Great Region, nearly losing his life here.
Because of this, the Yanyang Great Region had always been despised and scorned by the world. After the Calamity, as all things recovered, sects and societies flourished like flowers blooming everywhere in other great regions, with various geniuses emerging like bamboo shoots after rain. Only the Yanyang Great Region failed to develop, remaining as desolate as before. Even if a few geniuses did appear, they would run off to join sects in other great regions; no one would stay in a place scorned by the entire world.
That wasn't the most important thing. What mattered was that many believed the Yanyang Great Region was cursed.
When the Calamity occurred, the surrounding other great regions were not greatly affected, but the Yanyang Great Region suffered immensely. It was said that during the Calamity, a purple-gloomy flame meteor fell, plummeting into the Yanyang Great Region. To this day, that place remains a barren desert where not a blade of grass grows, located right on the Yanyang Ridge behind the mausoleum.
Early morning.
The sky had not yet brightened.
Two women appeared at the mausoleum.
One was a peerlessly beautiful woman, picturesque and celestial; the other was a middle-aged woman standing three meters tall.
The peerlessly beautiful woman gazed at the stone stele at the center of the mausoleum, reading the poem carved upon it: "A generation's prodigy Gu Tianlang, beneath Chiyan Ridge startling all directions, burying immortals on the path of madness, laughing proudly as Chixiao shakes the eight wilds, a single tune of judgment bringing sorrow to the world, from then on no monarch in this world..." She lifted her head, looking at the wild mountains and ridges behind the mausoleum, murmuring, "I heard Monarch Chixiao was an orphan. He had no home, living alone on these desolate ridges since childhood, keeping company with tigers and wolves, surviving on wild fruits...
Back then, after finally managing to join the Yunxia Sect, he was expelled and returned to Chiyan Ridge. He cultivated eighty-one Golden Cores, was branded an evil cultivator, and was besieged on Chiyan Ridge by all the experts from the sects of the Yanyang Great Region..." "It must be said, Monarch Chixiao truly was a prodigy."
Qian Shan also nodded, sighing in admiration, "With his background and experiences, to finally ascend to the peerless throne of immortals and demons, then laugh proudly across the world—it was truly not easy, and one cannot help but admire him."
"Otherwise, why do you think so many women in this world are infatuated with him?"
The peerlessly beautiful woman gave a faint smile as she glanced at Qian Shan, then turned back, gazing at the stele. After a long silence, she asked in a dazed voice, "Monarch Chixiao, are you truly dead, or are you alive?
Do you know I've been searching for you for many, many years..." This peerlessly beautiful woman was not visiting Monarch Chixiao's mausoleum for the first time. As for how many times it was, she herself could not remember. And each time she came to the mausoleum, she would speak her mind. This time was no exception.
"Since reincarnating into this world, I have been searching for all news of you. Although we have never met, I know everything about you like the back of my hand. So, to me, you are the most familiar stranger."
"If you are still alive, you should know there is a woman named Su Hua in this world, searching for you everywhere...
Treading every trace you left behind, searching for the true artifacts of your immortal arts you left behind. Mm, that's right, I am Su Hua."
At this moment, Su Hua resembled a young girl with a heart full of thoughts. Gazing at the stele, her expression was somewhat bewildered, somewhat helpless. She sighed, saying, "I've searched for you for too long, grown almost weary of waiting for you. Every year, rumors of your reincarnation spread; every year, disappointment is what arrives. Perhaps you truly have scattered to soul and spirit..." "But, you are my Karma. If you are truly dead...
Then what meaning does my reincarnation this time hold?"
"Only you can unravel my past life dreams..." Silence.
Gazing.
Afterward, Su Hua closed her eyes, shaking her head slightly. Her peerlessly beautiful face seemed to wear a very helpless expression. After another long silence, she opened her eyes again, looking at the stele, and said, "I know you are not dead. Definitely not. I have studied everything about you carefully. With your abilities back then, even if you could not win, it was absolutely impossible for you to be judged by the Immortal Dao to the point of soul scattering."
"Although your nature is aloof and proud, your temperament cold and ruthless, you are by no means a heartless person. On the contrary, being an orphan, you cared about bonds more than anyone else. Even if you died, you would never let those who care about you know. Yet you deliberately did just that."
"Not only did you let those who care about you see, you also let the entire world witness with their own eyes your soul scattering under the judgment of the Immortal Dao."
"Before the judgment, you personally buried the Chixiao Sect, settled all grudges one by one, then scattered soul and spirit before the eyes of the multitude."
"You truly scattered soul and spirit. At the very least, the Immortal Dao and the Demonic Path believe you scattered soul and spirit..." "To be honest, I truly wish you had long since perished utterly. Otherwise...
To simultaneously deceive the judgment laws of both the Immortal Dao and the Demonic Path—just how terrifying must a person like you be..."