Chapter 46: New Owner of 'Gate' Symbol

“You be your savior; I’m not interested.” Duan Wenxuan quickened his pace, his tone distinctly unfriendly.

Despite appearances, Li Dong’s keen intuition immediately picked up on something subtle: beneath Duan Yuanhui’s seemingly unguarded demeanor towards the white-robed figure lay a hint of familiarity. Based on experts’ analysis of Duan Yuanhui’s micro-expressions and body language, he had never truly let down his guard or trusted anyone before this encounter.

“Mr. Hu Fu, thank you for joining us at the Gate of Sin and Virtue,” Li Dong courteously acknowledged him, swiftly introducing their group.

With neither Yang Kai nor Zhao Mingcai around to smooth things over this time, Li Dong had been repeatedly warned beforehand to remain composed and avoid impulsive actions.

“It’s no problem. Protecting the weak is my duty,” Hu Fu nodded amicably at Li Dong.

Li Dong was somewhat surprised. Since these ancient sect members emerged, whether they hailed from aristocratic lineages like Duan Yuanhui or roamed the jianghu as part of the Eight Great Sects, all seemed overly confident and fearless, showing little respect or awe towards others.

While admirable, the issue was that most individuals with such abilities didn’t feel a sense of responsibility to use them for the greater good. Instead, they primarily focused on advancing their own interests. Hu Fu stood out as the only one who genuinely expressed a desire to protect the weak with sincerity and warmth.

Unfortunately, Hu Fu donned the attire of a clergyman from the Far West Alliance’s Universal Church, suggesting he hailed from one of those nations—a regrettable circumstance indeed.

“Hypocrite,” Duan Wenxuan spat disdainfully, dismissing Hu Fu’s words outright.

Hu Fu smiled patiently. “I have consecrated my soul before the saints; my vows are inscribed upon the divine altar, making deceit impossible…”

“Shut up! I detest people like you, always babbling about faith as if it grants power. Little do you realize that relying on oneself is the true foundation.”

“The world encompasses myriad perspectives; you hold onto your beliefs, and I pursue my convictions. Neither of us is wrong.” Hu Fu remained composed, but after a brief pause, his tone shifted slightly as he continued with a smile, “I heard you find the rapidly changing society quite intriguing and wished to significantly transform your family’s small blessed land. However, you lost an argument at home and left in anger, correct? That’s not commendable. At your age, you should know better by now.”

Duan Wenxuan’s eyebrows furrowed deeply, casting an unhappy glance at Hu Fu due to his condescending tone.

Li Dong’s group remained silent, but their portable communication devices were already recording all the information on-site, allowing the Registry of Files to view the live footage instantly. At the same time, they promptly assigned a dedicated officer to manage and input exclusive data related to Hu Fu’s personal file.

“All right, it’s about time. Let’s go inside for a look.”

As soon as Duan Wenxuan finished speaking, Hu Fu’s expression shifted, adopting a slightly more serious demeanor. “Yes, we should enter now. I’ve studied the Universal Church’s documents; when the profound spiritual energy dispersed, the divine realms constructed by the gods in Rugia completely collapsed, and the deities themselves perished. How could any be resurrected now?”

“Divine realms?” Li Dong quickly interjected.

“We refer to them here as blessed lands, with a similar concept. Both blessed lands and divine realms can vary greatly in size and strength,” Duan Wenxuan explained casually.

After this brief exchange, feeling somewhat prepared, the group cautiously approached together. With one step over the caution tape, they partially crossed through the Gate of Sin and Virtue.

Unbeknownst to them, in the most severe area of the highway collision where several vehicles were piled up, a young man lay trapped, his lower body immobilized beneath the wreckage. Despite his weakened state, he managed to open his eyes weakly, ”…Help me…” Next to him, a thin book was pressed under his right hand, which had lost all sensation.

Duan Wenxuan felt a sudden disorientation, as if the world had spun around and his entire being tipped over, leaving him slightly dizzy. In the next moment, he sensed a loss of gravity, as though floating somewhere. A thick liquid rushed into his ears, nose, and mouth, making it almost unbearable to breathe.

—Whew

After approximately five or six seconds, Duan Wenxuan opened his eyes.

He found himself in an expansive wilderness that seemed closest to the sky, with starlight gently casting its glow upon the ground. The serene blue heavens were adorned by an endless sea of stars, while at the horizon, rare and vibrant auroras shimmered brilliantly.

It felt like the very edge of heaven and earth.

Even Duan Wenxuan, typically unflappable, was awestruck by this breathtaking panorama. How many people in their lifetime could effortlessly witness such a soul-stirring sight?

“Duan Yuanhui.” Suddenly, a middle-aged man dressed in a suit approached, holding a book with an expression devoid of emotion. As he reached Duan Wenxuan, it became apparent that the man was tall and robust, his bronzed skin adding to his sturdy appearance. “Come with me.”

Without hesitation, Duan Wenxuan complied and followed obediently behind the middle-aged man.

However, internally, he had other thoughts. Using the alias ‘Duan Yuanhui’, if this entity claiming to be God couldn’t even discern his true name, isn’t it rather incompetent?

“How do you know my name is Duan Yuanhui?” Naturally, Duan Wenxuan decided to probe further by asking questions. Unfortunately, no matter how persistently he queried, the middle-aged man remained silent, simply continuing at a steady pace.

Eventually, Duan Wenxuan tried refusing to follow, which made the man stop and repeatedly say, “Come with me, come with me…” The more he insisted, the more Duan Wenxuan sensed a growing danger emanating from the middle-aged man. Deciding there was no immediate need for confrontation, he obediently continued following. He also wondered whether they would meet Hu Fu and others upon reaching their destination.

As they traveled, Duan Wenxuan couldn’t determine how much time had passed. From the moment he entered this place, all electronic devices on his person ceased to function. This was not surprising, as his physical body should have been unconscious on the highway outside, while currently, he existed in some form of spiritual state.

Despite still wearing clothes and seeing familiar items like his watch, everything felt illusory. The true tangible objects were left behind in the physical world.

Finally, amidst the unchanging wilderness, Duan Wenxuan spotted a table—a simple one—with a golden scale resting atop it.

Approaching the table, Duan Wenxuan noticed that the middle-aged man, who initially appeared emotionless, almost robotic in demeanor, gradually seemed more alive. A spark returned to his eyes.

“Sir, your soul has entered the Gate of Sin and Virtue. During this period, your soul belongs to me,” the middle-aged man spoke with a smile. As he sat down, a chair materialized automatically behind him.

He also gestured for Duan Wenxuan to sit down, and instantly, a new chair appeared on the other side of the table. Curiously, Duan Wenxuan sat in the chair and felt its texture, finding it indistinguishable from a real one.

“Human beings are the spirits amidst all living things, the most extraordinary life forms in this world.” The middle-aged man’s voice resonated with a sense of antiquity, carrying hints of the vastness found in nature itself. He then directed Duan Wenxuan’s attention towards the scales where a thumb-sized infant suddenly appeared, wailing loudly.

“What a beautiful life, what a pure soul.”

As he spoke, the infant rapidly grew older. On the scales, the maturing child occasionally swore or got into fights until reaching adulthood, becoming mature, marrying, having children, and eventually closing their eyes as their hair turned white.

“That is a human’s lifetime. Many souls retain their purity, and I allow them to return to the world. However, most souls become tainted and require cleansing anew.”

“So… you wish to measure my soul?”

The middle-aged man nodded, “Sir, please remove your heart.”

On one end of the scales, a pristine white feather had already appeared.

“No,” Duan Wenxuan firmly refused.

“Why?” The middle-aged man couldn’t quite understand why Duan Wenxuan would refuse.

“Hasn’t anyone ever refused you before?”

The middle-aged man shook his head, “Birth and death are natural processes governing all things, allowing the cosmos to exist eternally. Birth cannot be halted, nor can death be avoided.”

“I still find it hard to believe that no one has ever rejected you.”

Seemingly taken aback, the middle-aged man replied, ”…You’re very unique. Come, let’s take a look together.”

He stood up, leading Duan Wenxuan a few steps forward, and suddenly, they encountered Hu Fu. However, beside Hu Fu stood another identical middle-aged man. As soon as they saw each other, the two middle-aged men merged into one.

“Hu Fu.”

Hu Fu hastily approached Duan Wenxuan, asking, “What did the Reaper look like to you?”

After Duan Wenxuan described what he saw, Hu Fu shared his own experience. He had seen the Reaper as a figure draped in a black cloak, wielding a scythe, vastly different from Duan Wenxuan’s encounter.

“In that case, the Reaper’s appearance reflects our inner perceptions. Whatever form we believe him to have, that’s what he appears as.”

To Duan Wenxuan, the Reaper still wore a suit and held a book, but Hu Fu saw something entirely different. After discussing, they realized there was a common reason for their presence: both had refused the heart measurement.

“Gentlemen, look over there.” The middle-aged man in Duan Wenxuan’s vision pointed nearby.

A table stood there, with Li Dong seated in front of it. Unlike his previous agitated state, Li Dong now appeared remarkably calm. His eyes slightly reddened as he said, “I’ve seen my entire life.” Then, Li Dong reached towards his chest, and after a few seconds, he slowly extracted a deep red heart.

“Humans are the most unique beings on this earth, yet compared to the magnificent cosmos or even the vast ages experienced by this planet beneath us, humans seem incredibly insignificant. To measure one human life, a single feather suffices.” As he spoke, Li Dong unhesitatingly placed his heart onto the scale.

Gradually, the feather sank while his heart began to float upwards.

The middle-aged man opposite Li Dong displayed a faint smile, but it lasted only for two or three seconds. Then suddenly, the heart that was meant to float sank, causing the feather’s side of the balance scale to lift high.

“Your life held no value whatsoever and was filled with sin. I declare you guilty,” the middle-aged man stated sternly, leaving no chance for Li Dong to speak. In the next instant, Li Dong vanished from his spot.

Having witnessed Li Dong’s heart measurement process, Duan Wenxuan felt a persistent force urging him to sit down on one of those chairs as well.

”…No…”

Both Duan Wenxuan and Hu Fu resisted this compelling sensation.

The middle-aged man did not pressure Duan Wenxuan further. After a few seconds, within Duan Wenxuan’s view, another middle-aged man arrived with two individuals. This newcomer swiftly merged with the middle-aged man beside Duan Wenxuan and Hu Fu.

The newly appeared pair looked wary, asking, “Who are you?”

This duo consisted of one male and one female, both appearing to be in their early twenties. The male had an ordinary appearance, seeming quite unassuming. However, the woman was strikingly attention-grabbing.

She was breathtakingly beautiful, with a tall and slender figure. Her curves were perfectly proportioned, full where they should be and lean elsewhere, her delicate features akin to those of a porcelain doll. Even her voice, when she spoke, resonated like clear, enchanting music, truly captivating.

Despite the vast world’s diversity, encountering someone this stunning seemed almost unbelievable.

Duan Wenxuan didn’t respond, but Hu Fu kindly answered them, “Since our paths have crossed, it must be fate. This place is quite unusual; you should remain cautious.”

The beautiful woman smiled gently at Hu Fu, her beauty striking and mesmerizing.

At that moment, the middle-aged man who had faced Li Dong earlier approached as well, merging with the one beside them. Now, the sole ‘Reaper’ was composed of four merged individuals.

“Please proceed,” the middle-aged man suddenly said.

Duan Wenxuan felt an immediate impulse, but just as he was about to step forward, the woman took precedence. “I’ll go first.” She confidently walked ahead, while the young man accompanying her maintained his usual reserved silence without speaking.

Seating herself on the chair, she declared, “Although I haven’t done any significant acts of kindness, from a young age, I’ve never committed any wrongdoing either.”

Without hesitation, the woman extracted her heart and placed it on the scale. Initially, one side dipped downward before rising back up, oscillating twice, and finally plummeting swiftly.

A hint of astonishment crossed the middle-aged man’s face. “Miss Wan, your life has been truly exceptional. Among the countless souls I’ve seen over endless ages, you should be proud to have left a lasting impression on me.”

”…No.” The woman appeared panicked, instinctively glancing at the man who accompanied her. In the next moment, her soul vanished completely.

The middle-aged man smiled towards Duan Wenxuan and his companions.

Duan Wenxuan frowned, feeling vaguely that there must be a way to circumvent this predicament, but what could it be? Earlier, he had attempted to use the ‘gate’ ability to interact with the middle-aged man, hoping to absorb something from him, thereby establishing a connection and gaining favor. However, it proved ineffective. He couldn’t determine if this was due to the man’s unique nature or because they were in a ‘soul’ state.

Meanwhile, the reserved young man who arrived with the woman slowly took a few steps forward.

“Wait,” Hu Fu intercepted him, “I’ll go instead. You’ll die.” He couldn’t bear it; earlier, he hadn’t stopped the girl, and before that, he hadn’t prevented Li Dong either. He couldn’t let this young man head to certain death again.

The young man glanced at him, “No need.”

With determination, the young man sidestepped Hu Fu, lowered his head, and sat down on a chair. “Let’s begin.”

Just like the woman, he unhesitatingly placed his hand over the position of his heart. However, at the same moment, Duan Wenxuan felt a sudden burning sensation on the back of his hand.

This burning sensation was different from what he experienced when absorbing energy from the paper figurine or the white deer. Instead, it resembled… the feeling he had when obtaining fragments of the door symbol from Jing Rui.

Therefore…

Duan Wenxuan abruptly locked his gaze onto the young man seated in the chair—he still possessed remnants of the door symbol!

As Duan Wenxuan sensed this, the young man’s hand trembled slightly while placing his heart on the scale. Yet, he didn’t focus on the heart but swiftly turned his head, meeting Duan Wenxuan’s intense stare.

He too detected the aura of the door symbol emanating from Duan Wenxuan!