Worldwide Awakening: My Soul Kinds Are Lost

Chapter 728 728: Fake Gate of All Heavens and Realms_1

This thing fell from the sky, born from the Void. What exactly is it?Tao Ran gazed at the bronze gate, his expression solemn. A disciple from a branch lineage of Mei Yan City's Tao Clan, he had stumbled upon this treasure purely by chance.

His Cultivation level wasn't high, placing him in the Ascending Stage of the Quasi-God Realm. Within the Tao Clan, there were even individuals at the God Lord Realm. In Mei Yan City, the Tao Clan was a Big Aristocratic Family, and their young Clan chief had even become an inner sect disciple of the Guiyi Sect.

The Quasi-God Realm was divided into two major stages: Mortal and Ascending, encompassing ranks that bridged the gap between mortals and Immortals.

He had already reached the mid-stage of Fulfillment and was just one step away from advancing to the late stage.

But today, he had unexpectedly come across this bronze gate. He didn't know its use yet; it just looked very strange.

More importantly, the item was indestructible; he found he couldn't even scratch it.

It was precisely this quality that convinced him it was a treasure.

He knew he had encountered a treasure, but was this treasure really without problems?

In the Chaotic God World, the Human Clan was not the sole dominant power. There were also the Demon Clan, Ghost Clan, Magic Clan, and many other races that frequently encroached upon Human Clan territory.

The various clans were constantly fighting to the death; there was no sign of easing tensions.

Consequently, these factions would occasionally disseminate so-called "treasures" or "inheritances" to manipulate members of rival clans. Moreover, the Human Clan itself was far from harmonious, with numerous Sects and Great Families constantly vying for power. Beset by internal strife and external threats, they existed in a precarious state, much like a ship adrift in a storm-tossed sea. This turmoil was mirrored among the other clans.

Tao Ran was well aware that in a minor place like Mei Yan City, anyone who broke through to the God-Human Realm could essentially do as they pleased. How could such a treasure possibly appear here?

Besides, its origins were so peculiar. If he were to rashly refine it, it could very well backfire.

As for the possibility of it being a Magical Artifact inadvertently dropped by some great power, while not impossible, the likelihood was negligible.

Who could have such good luck?

Yet, the thought of simply discarding it was unbearable; it was clearly a treasure.

If he could successfully refine it, perhaps he could escape this small Mei Yan City. After all, the strongest cultivators in Mei Yan City were only at the God Lord Realm.

He, on the other hand, might be confined to the Quasi-God Realm for his entire life, forever unable to break through to the God-Human Realm.

It wasn't a matter of desire or aptitude, but a stark lack of resources. Reaching the mid-stage of the Ascending Stage within the Quasi-God Realm was likely the pinnacle of his future achievements.

The vast majority of the Tao Clan's resources were funneled to the direct lineage disciples, particularly to the one who had successfully entered the Guiyi Sect. This was all for the Tao Clan's pursuit of greater glory in the future.

Thus, his life was likely set on this course. Greater achievements were an impossible dream.

Even if one wished to venture out and strive independently, it was impossible. One's entire life was bound by the Clan. From birth through Cultivation, the Clan provided all resources and arranged everything, allowing one to attain their current status and achievements. Naturally, the Clan expected repayment.

Otherwise, if individuals simply consumed resources and then departed, wouldn't the entire system descend into chaos?

However, because Clans could not compare to the might of Sects, it wasn't unheard of for their members to be used as stepping stones after joining a large Sect. Most Clans were held together primarily by emotional bonds.

Tao Ran was the same. Even if allowed to leave, he wouldn't. He had parents and siblings at home.

Since these emotional ties formed the core of their structure, Clans were not as ruthless as Sects. Instead, they exhibited strong unity, fostering a sense of solidarity, bound together as one.

Of course, disparities in treatment were inevitable. If resources were distributed with perfect equality, the entire Clan would be dragged down and weakened.

Tao Ran, as a member of a branch lineage, found himself on the disadvantaged side of this inequality.

Initially, he hadn't harbored many grand ambitions. After all, his own aptitude was merely average, and his background less than stellar. If he had managed to enter the Guiyi Sect, he too would have received corresponding resource support from the Clan. Unfortunately, he simply couldn't make the cut, resigning him to the role of a mere contributor.

He had thought, perhaps, that this would be his life, unchanging.

Until today, when he encountered something different. An opportunity. A chance for success. But also, potentially, a path to his utter annihilation.

It all came down to a gamble.

"Why can't it be me?!" Chaotic thoughts began to surface in his mind, and a trace of madness flickered in Tao Ran's eyes.

However, he quickly suppressed this frenzy, a lingering fear gripping his heart.

This treasure is problematic. It's likely an artifact of the Demon Path. It can even bewitch one's mind. After wrestling with his thoughts, he regained some composure and subconsciously tossed the small bronze gate to the ground.

The sound of it hitting the ground seemed to echo in the depths of his heart.

Two paths materialized in his mind. One was shrouded in uncertainty but held the potential to lead him to far greater heights.

The other was a life of toil, forever bound to the confines of Mei Yan City, dedicating his remaining years to serve the direct lineage of the Tao Clan, ultimately dying on some mission or from a failed Cultivation breakthrough.

A natural death? That was an extravagant hope. Once set upon the path of Cultivation, not one in a million cultivators managed to live out their natural lifespan.

The vast majority met their end in various forms of combat, treasure hunts, and other perilous endeavors.

No, this thing... Tao Ran felt a sense of suffocation; the treasure's ability to bewitch the mind was far more potent than he had imagined.

'Bewitchment? Are you sure it isn't your own unwillingness to accept your fate?'

Suddenly, a voice emerged in his mind.

"You... you possess intelligence?" This time, Tao Ran was truly frightened.

"Naturally. I am inherently a Chaos Supreme Treasure, a divine object from the time the heavens and earth first opened, named the Gate of All Heavens and Realms. I can lead my host to traverse the myriad heavens, thereby achieving the supreme position.

"This is... the Chaotic God World. An interesting world. Apart from being a little weak, there are no other problems.

"Do you want to become my new host?" the Gate of All Heavens and Realms asked.

This startled Tao Ran. "What happened to your previous host?" he asked, becoming wary.

"Dead. He fought against the Heavenly Dao, but lost by a narrow margin and was killed by it.

"Stop dawdling. Do you want it or not? If not, I'm leaving. I can always find someone else," the Gate of All Heavens and Realms said impatiently.

"Wait! Since you are so powerful, why did you try to bewitch me?" Tao Ran hurriedly asked. Although the words "Heavenly Dao" made his heart pound with fear, he asked with forced composure.

"I didn't bewitch you at all. It was merely your body, upon encountering a Chaos Supreme Treasure like me, that instinctively generated a sense of covetousness. Essentially, this conflicted with your subjective consciousness.

"Your subjective consciousness doesn't know how precious I am, but the instinct inherited from your ancestors from the dawn of time—that part of your body—has a need for me.

"This is like hunger or fatigue; it's a part of your body. You would experience the same thing if you encountered other Chaos Supreme Treasures. It's just that not everyone can encounter a Chaos Supreme Treasure, so this instinct remains buried.

"It's like the children of wealthy families, who might go their whole lives without knowing what hunger is."

The Gate of All Heavens and Realms' answer was beyond Tao Ran's expectations, but upon reflection, it seemed to make sense.

"Alright then. Since you're unwilling, I'll leave. I hope you can find a suitable Chaos Supreme Treasure next time. Hopefully, it won't take too long—preferably before your world is destroyed." After saying this, the Gate of All Heavens and Realms swayed and floated up, seemingly preparing to depart.

"Wait, I am willing!" In his urgency, Tao Ran blurted it out instinctively.

This wasn't what he consciously wanted to shout, but rather an instinctive cry from his body. This made Tao Ran even more certain that this was indeed his body's own thought.

"Ah? You're really so indecisive.

"Forget it. The fact that we met means we have an affinity; it fulfills the conditions of causality, fate, and so on. I'll just choose you. Otherwise, I'd have to change worlds and continue searching for a lucky person," the Gate of All Heavens and Realms remarked, seeming somewhat dissatisfied.

However, it didn't leave immediately but still chose Tao Ran.

This inexplicably made Tao Ran heave a sigh of relief. He wasn't surprised anymore, because he knew this was his body's instinct at work.

"Then what should I do next?" Tao Ran asked, somewhat nervously. This was a Chaos Supreme Treasure; just these four words together sounded extraordinary.

He was just a minor Quasi-God Realm Cultivator; it would be a lie to say he wasn't nervous.

"First, you refine me. I was going to transmit to you... forget it, I won't transmit it, lest you overthink. Just use your own refining method. The efficiency might be a bit slower, but it'll have to do," the Gate of All Heavens and Realms added, deliberately taunting him.

This left Tao Ran rather speechless. This supreme treasure really knew how to hold a grudge.