Chapter 47: Who Doesn't Desire Immortality?

The world is vast; encountering Jing Rui and effortlessly recovering one of the door symbols was already incredibly fortunate.

Duan Wenxuan had no clue who possessed the remaining gate symbols, which led him to extensively plan his moves across the present world. This was not only to gather information on the resurgence of mysteries but also to identify the other holders of the door symbols.

Yet, he genuinely didn’t expect to encounter another so soon.

A hint of complexity flashed in Duan Wenxuan’s eyes, mirrored by the young man opposite him. Both shared fragments of the same ‘golden finger,’ making it inevitable that they could never be friends. At that moment, the scales on the table began to slowly sway, with the side representing hearts gradually rising upward.

No way.

A thought emerged in Duan Wenxuan’s mind - each door symbol has unique abilities. The opposing young man wasn’t foolish; if he willingly attempted to measure life, he must have ensured his success somehow.

The door symbol could absorb various forms of mystical energy from reality to empower its host. Previously, when Reaper Duan Wenxuan interacted with the door symbol, there was no reaction, indicating that he hadn’t met certain requirements. Regardless of what those were, he couldn’t allow the young man sitting across from him to succeed.

Duan Wenxuan, surprisingly decisive when needed, swiftly gestured before Hu Fu’s eyes, “Help me suppress him!”

For a moment, Hu Fu looked bewildered. In the next instant, utilizing one of his mutants, he rendered himself invisible under the light, quickly disappearing from Duan Wenxuan’s sight.

This was a backdoor left by Duan Wenxuan when crafting Hu Fu’s second personality. By implanting subtle suggestions within this persona, whenever Duan Wenxuan made the specific gesture, it temporarily hypnotized Hu Fu for his use. However, to maintain the stability of the second personality, such hypnosis had a limited duration.

On the scales, the young man’s heart was nearing the top and becoming completely stable.

Simultaneously, Duan Wenxuan employed his agile speed, rapidly approaching the young man. But as he moved, immense pressure materialized around him, impeding his progress.

The middle-aged Reaper, with a smile, simply stared at the scales before him.

Apparently, until the Trial concluded for one participant, others were not to be disturbed.

Hu Fu’s figure gradually reappeared as well. Feeling immense pressure even while moving, he was forcibly made visible again.

“Purify.” As his figure manifested, Hu Fu suddenly lifted his hand, and the bracelet on it flashed with a glow.

If unable to pass through, then eliminate the physical form directly!

A sense of urgency appeared on the face of the young man opposite Hu Fu. Finally, the scales ceased their movement. On the scales, the heart side rose high, while the feather side pressed down against the table surface.

He was about to win!

The young man swiftly reached out, aiming to grab the Reaper across from him.

Just as the young man caught hold of the Reaper’s clothing, the heart that had been resting on the scales abruptly disappeared. With the loss of the heart, the feather also vanished simultaneously, restoring balance to the scales.

As the heart vanished, the young man clutched his chest in pain, looking stunned towards Duan Wenxuan.

Duan Wenxuan tightened his grip with his left hand; moments ago, he had directly commanded the Greed Pot to reap away the young man’s heart. Given that the young man had previously made numerous wishes, the Greed Pot owed several kidneys, hearts, and brains.

Unexpectedly, Duan Wenxuan succeeded in directly seizing control from the scales.

The prolonged lack of rewards had left the Greed Pot ‘depressed’, making it now indiscriminate in its demands. After taking one heart, Duan Wenxuan noticed his left hand still yearning for more, eager to claim further recompense.

Frowning, the Reaper glanced at the young man across from him. Struggling with wide-open mouth and labored breathing, the youth’s movements gradually weakened as his soul rapidly disappeared.

Did he just die like that?

Based on the information provided by Yang Kai, failing the Trial should have resulted in death for the unconscious body outside this realm. But what was happening here? Additionally, each door symbol possessed unique abilities; perhaps there was a chance to save the young man’s life, though it remained uncertain.

Duan Wenxuan pondered deeply while the Reaper returned to normalcy. However, Duan Wenxuan’s actions clearly angered the unseen presence controlling this place. He could sense the atmosphere becoming thicker, filled with a palpable sense of oppression.

“Sir, it’s your turn.”

Duan Wenxuan felt a force compelling him to move forward, but this time he didn’t resist. Based on the actions of the previous door symbol owner, Duan Wenxuan had a fairly accurate guess about how to confront this Reaper.

Once seated, Duan Wenxuan appeared resolute, almost reckless at times. Without any hesitation, he reached into his chest and gently placed his red heart onto the scales.

The sensation of losing his heart was peculiar; his chest felt somewhat heavy, yet simultaneously, it seemed as if he could effortlessly recall his entire life. If he wished, he might even remember the first moment he opened his eyes.

Simultaneously, the scales began to slowly tip.

After just a brief moment of surprise, Duan Wenxuan suppressed the sudden flood of memories, leaned forward abruptly, and tightly grasped the Reaper’s arms with both hands.

This will work, it has to.

With unwavering determination, Duan Wenxuan felt a slight burning sensation on the back of his hands. Instantly, a weight lifted from his mind - it worked!

After a pause, Duan Wenxuan sat back down, noticing that his heart now balanced perfectly with the feather on the scales.

Duan Wenxuan retrieved his heart and placed it back within his body, then looked at the reaper opposite him. After absorbing the other’s energy through the door symbol, the connection he felt was even weaker than with the white deer.

The reaper also remained silent for a moment before slightly nodding towards Duan Wenxuan, “Osiris.”

As Osiris spoke, Duan Wenxuan noticed that the table, chairs, scales, and even Hu Fu disappeared from view, leaving them standing beneath an expansive sky filled with starlight and auroras.

“Sir, would you like to have a conversation with me?”

Walking alongside Osiris, Duan Wenxuan replied, “I’ve always wanted to have a calm discussion with you.”

Osiris moved slowly, exuding an incredibly serene aura mixed with a divine sense of vastness and compassion. “I do not know where I originated from. This world gradually gave rise to a surging and powerful energy. A complex collective intent created me, and thus, I came into being.”

“What kind of conversation?”

Osiris shook his head, “I don’t know, but it’s not important to me. What matters is finding my path into the future. Today, I truly appreciate your presence. The unique energy within you provided insight into ‘myself’, allowing me to give myself a ‘name’.”

Initially, Osiris lacked clear thoughts. Only through the judgments of fate did he gradually become less rigid, yet everything still felt unreal.

In truth, even he was uncertain of what he truly represented. He could be nothingness, a cloud, rain, or even an enigmatic principle. To humans, his appearance manifested based on their own perceptions. Just moments ago, the door symbol took something from him, but in exchange, Osiris gained a clearer sense of self-awareness, prompting him to choose a name for himself.

“Alright, I must admit there are aspects of myself that remain unclear to me as well.”

Osiris gently nodded, showing no inclination or curiosity to inquire about Duan Wenxuan’s secrets.

“I entered here merely to understand what truly happens within the Gate of Sin and Virtue. Now that I know, must you persist in keeping this gate across An City?”

“It was born here; I cannot control it.”

“Too many have died already. Your Trial is too swift in claiming lives, as humans naturally seek benefit and avoid harm. As a result, people will steer clear of this area, ensuring no one will ever pass by again. If your future path relies on conducting Trials, you are destined for failure,” Duan Wenxuan spoke truthfully.

Given such danger, the An City government would rather spend heavily to seal off the entire region, preferring inconvenience over risking further casualties on the eastern loop line.

“What do you suggest I do?”

“Can you return the souls of those who perished earlier? Continue with your Judgments, but only claim the souls of the guilty after their natural deaths, not immediately as before.”

Osiris slowly paced, then paused, ”…I have an incredibly long time ahead, yet…”

Countless helicopters and drones circled in the sky, with even dedicated satellites redirected to monitor the entire eastern loop line continuously.

In the secret Registry of Files,

Yang Kai suddenly slapped his thigh, causing his face to tremble visibly.

What he saw was astonishing.

Around the vast Gate of Sin and Virtue, a somber atmosphere prevailed. Astonishingly, figures emerged one by one, appearing dazed as if returning from hell. These apparitions seemed almost ethereal, yet their faces were still discernible.

The figures moved numbly, searching within the vicinity of the gate. As soon as they found what they sought, they swiftly vanished, while the previously deceased individuals on the highway stood up shakily. Those who did not find what they were looking for retraced their steps back towards where they had come from.

Oh no, this is it. It’s truly happening!

Spirits?! Are these really spirits? Although the Gate of Sin and Virtue mentioned trials involving ‘souls’ before, Yang Kai never genuinely believed in the existence of souls or deities. Even amidst the resurgence of mysteries, he preferred understanding them through scientific knowledge.

During prehistoric times, our modern computers and televisions would have been perceived as mystical by early humans. Thus, any unexplained phenomena likely just reflect our current lack of comprehension.

But now, what exactly are those emerging figures? He could still doubt, but others might believe. If these truly are souls, does it imply that gods may exist, and could eternal life be attainable amidst such mysteries?

Eternal life, souls—what do these signify?

If all previous events were malevolent occurrences,

But now, what were these entities emerging from the gates? Yang Kai could still refuse to believe, but others undoubtedly would. If they truly represented souls, did that imply the existence of gods? Could immortality be attainable through this mysterious phenomenon?

Immortality, souls—what implications did these hold?

Previously, all enigmatic events had been inherently malevolent, but with the prospect of immortality on the table, even the most dangerous occurrences might entice anyone. Few individuals could resist the allure of eternal life.

Yang Kai felt despair because those most desperate for immortality were typically the wealthy and powerful elite—the ones who already held everything. And if they could also grasp control over ‘time’…

He foresaw impending chaos on Xuanlan Star.