Chapter 118: Sister?!
Beyond the stone gate was a pitch-black space. Mingyan hesitated for a moment, put away the “*” and “#” symbols, and stepped inside.
The moment his foot touched the ground, the space lit up. Torches along the walls ignited automatically, illuminating the surroundings.
The path ahead was unclear. He still couldn’t see the end of the river. Stone slabs lined its banks. The area in front of the gate was higher than the area behind it, yet the river flowed upstream?
He observed closely and confirmed this strange phenomenon.
He frowned, thought for a moment, and continued forward.
As he walked, the torches lit up automatically, then extinguished after he passed. He walked briskly along the river, and after a while, he stopped.
He felt something calling to him, and the feeling grew stronger the deeper he went. What was in here? Were his relatives here?
Could it be… other Human King Physiques? He thought for a moment and continued forward.
He reached another stone wall.
This time, the wall was smooth, without any openings.
It hung above the water. He jumped in but encountered the same problem as before. An invisible wall blocked his path. He couldn’t swim through it. Frustrated, he returned to the surface.
He tried dripping his blood on the stone gate, but it had no effect. The two symbols also didn’t cause any reaction.
He tried to push the gate, but it didn’t budge.
He could clearly feel something calling to him from behind the gate, but he was powerless to do anything.
Was his cultivation too low? He sighed. Had he returned too soon? Should he wait until he was stronger before coming back?
He felt that behind this gate, he might find more secrets about the Human King Physique, perhaps even his family. But he was blocked here and could only leave.
Disappointed, he turned to leave, but then he saw someone standing behind him. The hair on his neck stood on end, and he was startled.
The journey had been completely silent, except for his own footsteps. He had heard nothing else. Yet now, there was someone behind him?
Had he seen a ghost?! He looked closely, and a cold sweat broke out on his forehead. This… this… this face, had he seen it somewhere before?
Yes! This was the Peak Human King Physique from Yaochi! The vibrant lotus mark on her forehead was too distinct, too recognizable. How could she be here? Had he really seen a ghost?! She should have been dead long ago. How could she appear behind him?
“You are also a Human King Physique?”
The ghost spoke? Mingyan blinked. She didn’t seem to have any hostile intentions. Could this be the heroic soul of that Peak Human King Physique?
“Senior.” Seeing that she didn’t intend to attack him, Mingyan bowed. “Yes, I am also a Human King Physique…”
“What is your name?”
“My surname is Ming, and my given name is Yan. Senior, are you the Peak Human King Physique from Yaochi…?”
“My name is Wang Qingchu.” The Peak Human King Physique smiled faintly. “I used to have another name, also with the surname Ming. But due to some circumstances, I changed my name to Wang Qingchu. All Human King Physiques should be surnamed Ming.”
Mingyan blinked. So, she was indeed the Peak Human King Physique from Yaochi… Had her heroic soul been here all this time?
“Did you come here to seek your origins?” Wang Qingchu’s beautiful eyes sparkled, her voice gentle. The women of Yaochi all seemed to be like this, incredibly approachable, easily winning people’s affection.
“Yes. I grew up in Sun Moon Village, a village downstream from this river. The village chief who raised me said I had floated down from upstream, so I came here to search, thinking I might find some information about my origins.” Mingyan nodded.
“There’s no need to search. As a Human King Physique, strictly speaking, you don’t have parents like other people.” Wang Qingchu shook her head gently. She wore a simple palace dress, but she was too beautiful, almost unreal, far more beautiful than the body he had seen in the coffin.
“…Senior seems to know something?” Mingyan bowed. “Could you enlighten me?”
Wang Qingchu walked towards him, the lotus mark on her forehead glowing faintly.
Mingyan felt no pressure, but he didn’t know what she was about to do. He was about to ask when he felt her gently embrace him.
?!
Mingyan’s mouth fell open. He was caught off guard. Why was she hugging him? Weren’t men and women supposed to keep their distance? His senior sister and master hugging him was one thing, but why was this Peak Human King Physique also hugging him?
“If there are no accidents, we should be the only two Human King Physiques in the world. I am your family…”
Mingyan blinked. “Senior… what do you mean?”
“The Human King blood within us comes from the same source. We are connected by blood. Are we not family?” Wang Qingchu released him and smiled at him. “You should call me ‘Sister’.”
Huh?
Mingyan was confused.
“Hehe, let me explain.” Wang Qingchu chuckled. “The cultivation system that all cultivators use now was created by a Human King Physique. You have already obtained the Sun and Moon Scripture, so you should know something about it. That Human King Physique is our shared mother… We are all formed from her blood. Although we were not born from her womb, she is still our mother.”
Mingyan was shocked. He looked at the stone gate that he couldn’t move. “Then the person calling to me from behind the stone gate… is our mother?”
“Yes, but… let alone you, even I, at my peak, cannot move this stone gate.” Wang Qingchu shook her head. “I don’t know what realm one must reach to see our mother…”
Mother… so he really had a mother… Mingyan stared at the stone gate, lost in thought.
Wang Qingchu came up behind him, rested her chin on his shoulder, and said softly, “You are the ninth Human King Physique, and likely the last. Our other brothers and sisters have all passed away. Mother must be trapped inside. Perhaps only we can save her.”
Mingyan came back to his senses. “Senior…”
“Don’t call me Senior. You should call me Sister.” Wang Qingchu pinched his cheek, correcting him.
“…Sister… didn’t you also… pass away?” Mingyan asked delicately. He had seen her body.
“Who said I died?” Wang Qingchu pouted. “When you came to Yaochi last time and touched my body, I woke up. You didn’t think I was a ghost, did you?”
“…?” Mingyan blinked. So, she was real?
Before he could ask, he felt a terrifying aura spreading from behind him, comparable to a Great Emperor’s might. He was certain in an instant. This sister behind him was a Peak Human King Physique, a being comparable to a Great Emperor…
