Chapter 681: Finally Meeting the River

"How much do you know about the Firmament?" The Messenger took a deep breath and looked at Yan Jing.

"He isn't some unknowable entity. He has things he fears, as well as desires and obsessions."

When Yan Jing finished stating his conclusion, the Messenger's eyes widened.

Disbelief filled his gaze.

He never expected Yan Jing to expose the core of the matter in a single sentence.

"How did you know?"

He stared at Yan Jing.

"I guessed," Yan Jing replied with a smile.

The Messenger shook his head.

He didn't believe it.

This secret ranked among the top ten of all the secrets he knew, yet Yan Jing claimed to have just guessed it.

But since Yan Jing refused to admit otherwise, he couldn't press the issue.

Finally, he spoke slowly.

"But things aren't as simple as you imagine."

"From what I know, the Firmament is no longer on our level. His strength is a full tier higher."

"He only holds back because Fertile Earth and the River exist as hidden threats. He isn't actually afraid of the Deities who come knocking at his door."

"Like I said before—would you be afraid of a Demigod? Obviously not."

Yan Jing narrowed his eyes.

"So, the three of them are on the same level. Fertile Earth and the River are entities similar to the Firmament."

"The Firmament is stronger than Fertile Earth and the River. He might even be able to fight them two-on-one, but only in peak condition, and it would cost him dearly."

"He worries that if anything goes wrong, the River and Fertile Earth will counter him. Because of this, he maintains a certain restraint toward approaching Deities, unwilling to waste his strength."

"Right?"

Yan Jing looked at the Messenger.

The Messenger opened his mouth, eventually letting out a long breath.

"Alright. I believe you guessed it."

"Of course, what you just said is also just my guess."

"I haven't interacted much with the Firmament, and that was hundreds of years ago. Whether he has improved further over the past centuries or undergone new changes, I have no idea."

"Perhaps your imprisonment was also his doing," Yan Jing said.

The Messenger nodded.

"I know. I've suspected as much."

"But I have no proof."

He changed the subject, not wanting to dwell on the matter.

"You sought me out because you want to find the River and Fertile Earth, didn't you?"

"Yes." Yan Jing nodded, not trying to hide it.

"Huu..."

The Messenger let out another long breath.

Originally, he hadn't believed Yan Jing could defeat the Firmament either.

But after Yan Jing killed him once, he changed his mind. The man in front of him was different; perhaps he really could change things.

"I do know how to find the River and Fertile Earth, but it is absolutely not as easy as you imagine."

"Even for you, it would take a lot of time, but... we can't wait that long."

"Why can't we wait?" Yan Jing frowned slightly.

The Messenger sneered.

"What do you think this Day of Godhood is for? It's nothing more than another reshuffling of the board."

"Ten thousand years ago, he washed in a third of the Source of Mutation. After so many years of preparation, no matter what happens in the end, it won't be a surprise."

"Do you think the heavenly prodigies appearing now are the limit? That's only because we haven't reached the stage where Demigods ascend to godhood."

"Once this Day of Godhood ends, the old will step down and the new will take their place. How many Deities in this world do you think will still oppose him?"

"They've waited painstakingly for so long. Why should they gamble that your rise to power will keep them safe?"

"When that time comes, making an enemy of the Firmament will mean making an enemy of the entire world. If you deal with the Firmament, they will deal with the people around you."

"If that happens, what's the point of fighting the Firmament?"

"..."

"..."

As the Messenger's voice faded, Yan Jing fell into several minutes of silence.

Three or four minutes later, he raised his eyes and looked at the Messenger.

"Tell me. Where are the River and Fertile Earth?"

The Messenger gazed at Yan Jing. His deep eyes shimmered with an indescribable light, glowing faintly like glazed glass beneath the starlight.

He knew Yan Jing had made up his mind.

"The River hides within any river in this world worthy of the name. It is as clear as glass. Rumor has it that during sunrise and sunset, moonrise and moonset, the sun and moon are perfectly reflected on its surface. And whenever a new month begins, it moves to a new river."

"Fertile Earth hides in any place in this world that can be called soil. It is as heavy as a planet. No matter how the earth's crust shifts or time passes, it never changes its location."

"These are the only clues. Go find them."

The Messenger leaned back against Yan Jing's palm in a posture of total resignation.

He had said everything he needed to say and cooperated as much as he could. He figured Yan Jing couldn't do anything more to him now.

But Yan Jing chuckled, looking down at the Messenger.

"Who gave you these two clues?"

The Messenger jolted.

He sat bolt upright in Yan Jing's palm.

"It's enough that I know! Are you looking for the secret recipe too?"

"I really can't tell you. I promised someone."

The Messenger assumed a defensive posture, seemingly determined to guard this secret to the death.

But contrary to his expectations, Yan Jing just smiled.

"Alright."

"I didn't really want to know anyway."

With that, he grabbed the Messenger and walked into the distance. With a single step, he crossed tens of thousands of li.

"Where are you taking me?"

The Messenger watched the frantically shifting light and shadows around them.

"To find the River."

Yan Jing smiled.

"I suggest you look for Fertile Earth first," the Messenger said.

"I just told you, Fertile Earth doesn't move. The River is the exact opposite."

Yan Jing laughed.

"No, we'll find the River first. The River and I are well-acquainted."

"You're well-acquainted with the River?"

The Messenger was startled. When he looked around again, he realized the two of them had somehow arrived on a massive ship.

Surrounded by a vast sea of clouds and fog, Yan Jing walked over to a figure on the deck.

"Sister Wen He."

Yan Jing smiled.

"Little Jing!"

Seeing Yan Jing, Wen He reached out happily, throwing her arms around his chest and pulling herself into his embrace.

"You said we were looking for the River... but you came to see a woman?"

The Messenger was somewhat speechless.

Hearing the Messenger's voice, Wen He looked up at him.

"Who is this?"

Then, suddenly realizing something, she covered her mouth with her hand.

"Could... could it be your child, Little Jing?"

"Bah!"

Furious, the Messenger stood up in Yan Jing's palm.

"Who is this woman? How can she be so blind?!"

The corners of Yan Jing's mouth curled up slightly.

"Wen He. My sister, my woman, and... a River Envoy."

"..."

Standing in Yan Jing's palm, the Messenger bowed a full ninety degrees toward Wen He.

"Hello! Please treat my earlier words as a fart in the wind. Seeing you today is truly like gazing at the stars in the heavens and the bright moon in the sky. To be honest, this is my first time seeing such a beautiful lady... I am the Messenger. I am a Deity, and also Mr. Yan's newly acquired lackey."

Yan Jing glanced at the Messenger.

This was the first time he had seen this side of the Messenger. No wonder he had managed to thrive under the Firmament.

"Hello, hello."

Wen He was somewhat surprised. She hadn't expected her Little Jing to have reached the point of making a Deity his lackey.

"Sister Wen He, here's the situation..."

Looking at Wen He, Yan Jing spoke softly, explaining the entire sequence of events.

After listening, Wen He nodded.

"I can do that. I have the authority to contact the River once a month. I'll give it a try."

As she said this, Yan Jing noticed that her palms were sweating slightly.

He reached out, clasping her hand in return, and smiled.

"Sister Wen He, don't be afraid. Things are different now. You just focus on finding its location, and I'll handle the communication."

"Okay."

Feeling the warmth of Yan Jing's hand, Wen He's heart settled significantly.

She was indeed a little afraid.

Although she was a River Envoy, her connection with the River wasn't particularly close. Otherwise, when she had asked the River to help find Yan Jing back then, she wouldn't have had to spend so much time.

Having drifted in the River for thousands of years, her feeling toward it wasn't intimacy, but fear.

But now that Yan Jing had asked, she definitely had to try.

The next second, a surge of weird energy completely different from her own bloomed from her chest. Several gentle streams of aura rose up, enveloping her body.

The aura of passing years rippled outward, carrying a unique charm as it slowly swirled in the air.

In an instant, the Messenger felt as though he were crossing tens of thousands of years, arriving in a distant era of the past.

"You're truly incredible, having a River Envoy as a partner."

He sneakily gave Yan Jing a thumbs-up and whispered.

"Have your wife introduce one to me someday."

Yan Jing glanced down at this frivolous Deity, the corners of his mouth twitching upward.

He could only conclude that every Deity who had reached such a position today had their own methods. While the Messenger might not excel at combat, he was clearly a master in certain other areas.

Not long after the Messenger finished speaking, Wen He slowly opened her mouth.

"I found it."

"Good."

Yan Jing nodded, but before he could say anything else, Wen He's brow suddenly twitched, followed by a look of surprise.

"What's wrong?"

Yan Jing looked at her.

Wen He swallowed hard and said softly, "It said it has been waiting for you, Little Jing. And... it has been waiting for a long time."

"It said there's no need for you to go to it. It has..."

"...already come here."

As her voice faded, a terrifying aura of time instantly rippled out above the Cat Ship.

A familiar shade of gray unfolded from the sky, encompassing everything in the vicinity. In an instant, everything ground to a halt.

Between heaven and earth, the only ones still able to move were Wen He, Yan Jing... and the Messenger.

"Why can I move?"

The Messenger was pleasantly surprised at first, but then abruptly froze.

"Doesn't that mean I'm involved in this too?"

"No way!"

As if waking from a dream, he shrank back into Yan Jing's palm.

He had no desire to get tangled up in some messy business. He just wanted to quietly fade into the background.

But it was already too late.

A strange, eerie language descended from above, directed straight at the Messenger.

"%...& # "

{Long time no see. Why have you gotten so small?}

The language the voice used was entirely different from those in the Surface and Inner Worlds. It wasn't even like the whispers of the Deities. It seemed to belong to a completely different linguistic system, yet its meaning was conveyed perfectly clearly.

The Messenger shuddered, squeezing out a smile.

"It has been a long time indeed, but you haven't changed at all."

"&*¥%"

{I haven't changed?}

"You have! You've changed! You've become even younger!"

"*%?"

{Have I?}

"Yes, yes, yes! One look and it's clear your elegance is completely undiminished, even surpassing how you were back then!"

"%...¥?"

{What does that mean?}

"That's enough."

Yan Jing saw through the situation and interrupted this lengthy, meaningless conversation.

The River before them was not quite like them. Its words carried no hidden meanings.

For example, when it asked, "I haven't changed?", it was purely inquiring whether it had changed or not.

When it asked, "Have I?", it was simply asking if that was the case.

This was completely different from his deduction that the Firmament possessed a human-like nature.

Perhaps there were underlying secrets, and things were not entirely as they had initially thought.

"Hello. My name is Yan Jing. I am the one who came looking for you this time."

Yan Jing looked at the River and spoke softly.

" ¥@@... "

{Yan Jing. That is your name. Yes, I know you. We met a long time ago.}

"^$#%^*"

{I did not like you back then. You were a little bad. I wanted you to stay with me, but you were very...}

"&...%"

{Stubborn.}

"%¥##&"

{Is that how it should be said? I am not very familiar with some of your linguistic habits, but that is the meaning.}

Hearing the River's words, the Messenger unconsciously swallowed.

He hadn't expected Yan Jing to be telling the truth.

He really did have a past connection with the River, and a deep one at that.

But...

Judging from the River's tone, their relationship hadn't been very good back then?

There was actually such a history between them?

The Messenger's gossiping spirit flared up again, and he perked up his ears to listen closely.

"Yes, I have forgotten most of my memories from that time, but I do remember having experienced something with you," Yan Jing replied.

Faced with the River's seemingly accusatory words, Yan Jing remained very calm, speaking indifferently.

"%¥...*()"

{You should be able to remember now. You are very strong now.}

"%&¥#&"

{In terms of your level, you are about to reach the peak. You only need time to consolidate.}

Yan Jing nodded.

"Yes, I can remember it now. But there are still some things I don't understand, which is why I wanted to come and ask you."

"...¥"

{Ask.}

"Are you, Fertile Earth, and the Firmament all the same kind of existence?"

"¥...&¥(&)"

{We used to be. We are not anymore.}

Yan Jing nodded. This was pretty much what he had guessed.

"You don't like the Firmament?"

{Of course. He is not good. He is very bad.}

"Then does Fertile Earth like him?"

{Stone doesn't like him either. He always wants to devour the two of us, and he has already done so.}

He had already done so.

Yan Jing's heart leaped in shock.

Clearly, over these past ten thousand years, things had developed much faster than they had initially thought.

"Are you injured?"

"..."

"..."

This time, faced with Yan Jing's question, the River did not answer immediately.

It wasn't a matter of a second, nor a minute.

Instead, it was nearly half an hour of silence.

Yan Jing felt calm about it. He figured the River was definitely injured, and without knowing their exact intentions, it was perfectly normal for it not to want to expose its wounds in front of them.

His question had been a bit too aggressive.

But...

When the River slowly spoke again, he realized he had guessed wrong.

Horribly wrong.

"%&(¥)"

{I am dying.}

The River spoke slowly, sounding like a low whimper.