Chapter Sixty-Five: Born as a Human, How Could One Sink into Slavery!

One-Eye was on the verge of collapse—stuck here with people from different eras, he found it impossible to have any common ground.

Noticing his discomfort, the man from the Ling Dynasty stepped forward to comfort him. “Don’t worry, just relax. We’re already in here, and there’s no way out, right?”

A way out?

Suddenly, One-Eye remembered something and slapped his thigh. “That’s right! If we can take away the source power here, we’ll all be able to leave!”

“Source power? What’s that?”

Recalling the information he’d read, One-Eye spoke slowly, “It’s a red crystal. Have you seen it?”

“A red crystal? You mean that thing floating in the air, glowing?”

“Yes, yes, have you seen it?”

“I have… but…” The Ling Dynasty man hesitated.

“Aren’t you people from Great Xia supposed to be bold and straightforward? Why are you holding back now?”

“Huh? Great Xia?”

“Enough talk. Where’s that crystal?”

After a brief hesitation, the Ling Dynasty man beckoned, “Follow me.”

They made their way into a dark corner, where a group of people in black cloaks stood. Their hoods covered their faces completely, and they gazed in reverence at a certain spot.

“They’re worshippers from the Nuha Kingdom, and that’s the object I was talking about,” the Ling Dynasty man whispered.

Following the worshippers’ gaze, One-Eye saw a tall pillar atop which a red crystal spun ceaselessly, shrouded in swirling black energy—exactly matching the description of the source power of the Netherworld.

“Yes, yes, that’s the one!” One-Eye exclaimed, moving forward to take it, but one of the worshippers blocked his path.

“What do you intend to do?” the worshipper demanded.

One-Eye pointed at the source power. “If we take that, we can get out of here!”

But the worshipper only shook his head and pointed ahead. “That field of flowers possesses a strange magic. The moment we step into it, our flesh is stripped away.”

In the direction he indicated lay several piles of stark white bones.

One-Eye, unwilling to give up, approached, but as he drew near, he felt a powerful force trying to drain his energy.

Terrifying—truly terrifying!

“That red crystal must be the property of the gods. We must show it enough reverence; only then may we have a chance to leave,” the worshipper declared, then turned his gaze back to the source power.

After observing for a while, One-Eye realized something: these people did nothing but watch the source power of the Netherworld.

Nuha Kingdom?

Wait, wasn’t that the name of the White Banner Kingdom several centuries ago?

Could these people be the ancestors of the White Banner Kingdom?

It seemed the White Banner people were always devoutly religious, no matter where or when.

Outside, they believed in intangible gods; here, in the even more dubious source power of the Netherworld. All they needed was something to believe in—what it was didn’t even matter to them.

Perhaps this was what people meant by the need for spiritual sustenance.

As he pondered, a group of brawny men in animal skins strode over.

“We heard everything just now. If you want that thing, you’ll have to cross the flower field. But it’s so vast that unless a part of it inexplicably disappears, it’s impossible to cross!” said one of the men.

The Ling Dynasty man leaned close to One-Eye and whispered, “They’re pirates. Not people to mess with.”

Pirates?

One-Eye was taken aback. Judging by their distinct air, he immediately recognized them as the ancestors of the Rus.

But just as the burly man finished speaking, someone pointed into the distance. “Over there! A patch of the flower field is gone!”

The words immediately drew everyone’s attention. Looking where he pointed, they saw a large open space without any flowers.

“Even so, it will cost many lives,” said a group of bespectacled men who stepped forward, analyzing the situation.

Noticing their glasses and the unique symbols on their clothes, One-Eye didn’t need to ask—these were surely the ancestors of the Tower Country.

“Sacrifices? For victory, necessary sacrifices must be made.”

As they spoke, several more men arrived, their hair styled in strange ways, dressed in formal attire—clearly nobles from the Sunset Kingdom.

Good heavens, all five great nations’ ancestors were gathered here.

Before One-Eye could speak, the five factions broke into argument, then all turned their attention to him.

“Why should we believe you? What guarantee do we have that taking that red crystal will truly set us free?”

The question left One-Eye dumbstruck.

Indeed—how could he convince these people, so different from himself, to trust him?

Faced with these diverse peoples from different times and races, One-Eye swallowed hard. Then, with a sweeping gesture, he summoned a massive lizard from his body. The creature thrashed violently as soon as it appeared.

One-Eye’s face turned pale; after only a few seconds, he withdrew the giant lizard back into himself.

“I come from hundreds, even thousands of years in your future. Humanity now faces an unprecedented crisis, the source of which is that very object you see before you. To fight back, we need the energy contained in that red crystal.”

He turned to the worshippers. “Do you know that, centuries from now, your descendants will build the grandest cathedral upon this land, drawing crowds from all over the world to worship, making it the very center of global faith?”

He then addressed the pirates. “Someday, your descendants will build the mightiest nation the world has ever seen, inheriting your indomitable spirit.”

To the nobles: “Before long, the Sunset Kingdom will become the world’s most artistic and refined nation.”

To the Tower Country’s people: “Within decades, countless brilliant scientists will arise in your country, making it the pinnacle of human technology.”

Finally, to the Ling Dynasty man: “Your descendants will unite the rivers and mountains, forging the most glorious civilization in human history—bringing peace and order to the world with a single command!”

Having said all this, he exhaled deeply. “Thousands of years ago, King Qin unified the language of the world by his own hand. I have no need for such greatness today. I only seek to unite the minds of those gathered here.

We are born human—how can we stoop to be slaves? Even when hope is slim, we keep raising our iron fists. That is the true spirit of the brave!”

His words sent a surge of passion through them all. Pride in their descendants welled up inside them, and from their hearts, they began to believe in the man before them.

The worshippers from the Nuha Kingdom all fell to their knees.

“He is our savior, sent by the gods themselves!”

Clearly, their faith had shifted yet again in the span of a moment.