Chapter 1354: Soul Riverbank

The banks of the Soul River—what a terrifying name. Chu Feng knew it was a place of ultimate evil, utterly unfathomable.

Years ago, the Black Dog's master—that mighty being who eventually lay dead upon the broken bell—along with an Empress and another supreme Heavenly Emperor, embarked on the ultimate path of reincarnation, specifically to fight their way to the Soul River. It went without saying: if Heavenly Emperors had to join forces and fight their way there, it was undoubtedly the most terrifying and bizarre place the world had ever seen. Why else would such extreme measures be necessary?

Back then, the Emperors traveled together, paying an immense price to finally reach the Soul River. They faced countless terrifying dangers and obstacles along the way. After all, the Soul River lies at the very end of the path of reincarnation, in its deepest reaches. How could ordinary people possibly reach it, or even hear of it? In the world, only a handful of people truly knew about that place. Their knowledge came either from fragmented tablets left from the most ancient times or from insights granted by the heavens.

Chu Feng's feelings at that moment were understandable: was he now about to see a place that even Heavenly Emperors had to pay such a heavy price to reach? Given his current cultivation level, encountering the Soul River so soon meant certain death!

He learned a terrifying truth from the Dark Heavenly Emperor: long, long ago, in an unknown primeval era—or rather, an unspeakable time before myths—had someone predicted the future and sensed that he would come here? Perhaps it could be said that someone had predicted the stone jar, a supreme weapon, would emerge once more and unleash some of its power here. Was that being using the Dark Heavenly Emperor to test the stone jar's spiritual might? It was clearly wary, extremely cautious.

Chu Feng stared at the shimmering net, which spread out like tangible ripples or ultrasonic patterns, forming a path of reincarnation.

"The end of the Soul River," the Dark Heavenly Emperor exclaimed, startled, "where are its beings? It's not here?!" He seemed to have some knowledge of the place and sensed something amiss.

"No one can predict the truth of the future, not even it," the Dark Heavenly Emperor sighed. "It missed today's opportunity!"

Then, his blurry face stared in that direction, and he said, his voice trembling, "What truly lies deep within the end of the Soul River? It came from there, but I know it holds immense awe and reverence for that place."

Such words were truly earth-shattering, leaving Chu Feng momentarily lost in thought. He calmed himself slightly, listening to the sound of the Soul River flowing. He wanted to peer through that eerie place and uncover the secrets it held. Even Heavenly Emperors ultimately missed it, unable to enter the very end of the Soul River. There was a final barrier, and no one had ever breached it!

Suddenly, goosebumps rose all over Chu Feng's body as he felt a tidal force expanding from the special energy-formed path of reincarnation. It made him sway along with it, while the stone jar erupted with an unprecedented, sky-piercing brilliance, as if it had ignited the Thirty-Three Heavens, threatening to incinerate all creation! Then, his heart pounded, and a chill ran down his spine. He felt as though he was about to touch a legendary realm no one had ever seen—that mysterious final barrier.

"Huh?!" He was horrified, realizing that without his knowing, many oppressive figures had appeared, standing shoulder to shoulder beside him.

"Who are they?!" He had been too engrossed moments ago to notice.

Beside him and behind him, bizarre beings appeared one after another, all like walking corpses. It was as if, during the twilight of the gods, they had heard a soul-beckoning tune, leading all beings onto a path of no return, causing them to lose their souls and tread the Yellow Springs Road. They resembled a group of dead, unconscious gods, all emanating dangerous auras. Their eyes were closed, yet two lines of crimson blood flowed from their corners. At the same time, they all smiled eerily, revealing stark white teeth, a chilling sight.

These beings emerged from all directions, not far from the Sea of Reincarnation. Upon closer inspection, they were the very cultivators who had fainted on the ground moments before. At this moment, their aura was utterly sinister; they had all become living dead. Most terrifyingly, every wisp of aura they emitted was above the divine level. However, this energy didn't spill out; it was sealed within their forms. Chu Feng, being exceptionally sensitive, was merely able to perceive their true state.

What was happening? Most of the people who entered this mystic realm were originally Saints, but now, how had they become a group of dead deities?

"The Soul River endures, its tides surge, souls fall across the heavens—it has been this way since before the fall of Emperors, with massive roars echoing through all the realms..."

The Dark Heavenly Emperor was still alive; his residual spirit trembled, shivering and wailing within the net-like passage, as if recalling some terrifying ancient records. While horrified, Chu Feng didn't interrupt, wanting to hear his true thoughts and discover what they would reveal. He unexpectedly heard that all beings possessed the potential to become gods, capable of leaping into the Nine Heavens. The surging Soul River would guide them away, allowing them to release their potential prematurely.

The Dark Heavenly Emperor died. Even with the net-like passage of reincarnation empowering him, he was ultimately annihilated and suppressed by the pervasive light of the stone jar.

The Soul River endures, its tides surging. What was it guiding them to do? Chu Feng saw these walking corpses, their closed eyes bleeding, as special mythological scenes, like prehistoric images, appeared behind them. Were these their respective past lives? After all, this was the Sea of Reincarnation; even if it was dry, it still possessed sinister power, perhaps capable of reflecting something. However, Chu Feng didn't fully trust this place; after all, it had been tampered with.

Plop! Plop...

These walking corpses, one after another, fell into the dry Sea of Reincarnation, brushing past Chu Feng. As they plunged into the small, several-foot-square pools, their bodies rapidly shrank. Moreover, they all instantly turned to dust, their physical bodies decaying as if an entire epoch had passed in that single moment. However, their soul light was not extinguished; it rose from the dust, flickering intensely like sparks from decaying wood, then vanished into that special energy path. They set off, following that path towards the Soul River!

All the beings did the same; like moths to a flame, their physical bodies turned to dust in the dry Sea of Reincarnation, and their soul light leaped out, rushing towards the Soul River. This was simply a colossal trap! Chu Feng was astonished, his scalp tingling. Had this so-called Sea of Reincarnation always been a deception throughout history? It was sending people to their deaths! Or was this outcome due to the place being tampered with?

Upon closer inspection, the net-like energy path of reincarnation closely resembled a web spun by some kind of mountain spider, with an opening leading into the depths of the mist, eventually revealing the Soul River. Everyone leaped in, setting off on their journey. As they advanced, the area gently vibrated. During this process, the stone jar only emitted light; it didn't unleash its power again and didn't harm the soul lights.

The mist dispersed, and Chu Feng saw a corner of the place, glimpsing part of the truth! In the thick mist, there truly was a river, appearing faintly and indistinctly, its banks lined with endless grains of sand. The vast expanse of soul light, the large number of deities, were guided by an unimaginable force to the Soul River bank, as if traversing millions of miles through space and time in a single breath. Then, they... disintegrated.

"This is..." Chu Feng found it hard to comprehend, golden symbols flashing in his eyes. The soul lights were disintegrating, eventually turning into a single grain of dust on the Soul River bank. A wisp of soul light, a grain of dust! After that, he looked at the boundless Soul River bank, and a wave of horror washed over him. The origin of that place was truly unfathomable; one dared not delve into it or even contemplate it, as it was utterly horrifying. Was this the meaning of their summoning—merely to turn into dust?! Chu Feng was at a loss, completely unable to understand why this was happening.

All the soul lights vanished, and the place became utterly silent. However, moments later, a chilling wind arose, swirling with bloody light and accompanied by weeping. Many grains of dust were blown away, revealing some eerie sights beneath the sand. In an instant, Chu Feng's gaze was drawn. What did he see?! It was undoubtedly something left by a Heavenly Emperor!