Chapter 191 The Records Are Mistaken, The Timeline Is Confused

Xu Mo confirmed with the drifting bottle, and it turned out to be Xu Fu.

Thinking of Xu Fu, the ancient Chinese predecessor, being besieged and killed by over a dozen Extreme Dao Saints, Xu Mo felt a pang of melancholy.

This exchange provided a massive amount of information, so much so that he couldn't digest it all at once.

In general, the history of China before the Burning of Books and Burying of Scholars was inaccurately recorded, with most timelines being muddled, extending far beyond a few thousand years.

The history after the Burning of Books and Burying of Scholars was much more normal.

Xu Mo pondered deeply, realizing that after each "contention for passage," a "cultural chasm" would appear on Earth.

The last contention for passage occurred during the Qin and pre-Qin periods. Later generations, unaware of the history before that era, fabricated the Burning of Books and Burying of Scholars, and then extensively "supplemented" history.

This "supplementation" was half right and half wrong. The biggest mistake was the confusion of timelines.

"You still haven't explained why the ancient Emperor Zhuanxu set up the ancient barrier to isolate the two realms," Xu Mo said.

The drifting bottle thought for a moment and replied, "Before the ancient Emperor Zhuanxu, after the contention for passage began, all extraordinary beings from remote worlds could enter Earth without restriction. There were thirty-six such worlds, with countless extraordinary creatures, including innumerable demons, monsters, and malevolent spirits. Upon entering Earth, they would engage in unrestrained slaughter until Earth's life was extinguished."

"When the ancient Emperor Zhuanxu learned of this, he decided to sever the communication between heaven and earth, establish a barrier, and isolate the two realms, allowing only Saints to enter Earth. From then on, Earth's ordinary beings became much safer. Even though there were still heavy casualties during the contention for passage, it wouldn't lead to complete extinction."

As for the shared "contention for passage marks," that was the work of the "contention for passage" rules, which came into effect long after the ancient Emperor Zhuanxu ascended to the upper realm.

"So that's how it is," Xu Mo realized with a sudden understanding.

In the existing historical records of China, the ancient Emperor Zhuanxu was indeed credited with severing communication between heaven and earth.

However, that was interpreted as abolishing the shamans' sacrifices to heaven, a sort of ancient religious reform that prohibited chaotic folk sorcery and centralized shamanistic rituals under official control.

Severing communication between heaven and earth meant that heaven and earth, gods and humans, each had their own duties and did not interfere with each other.

This was the explanation of "severing communication between heaven and earth" in Chinese textbooks.

But the truth told by the drifting bottle was that the ancient Emperor Zhuanxu severed communication between heaven and earth, isolating the two realms, preventing extraordinary beings below the Saint level from entering Earth, thereby protecting Earth's life.

Understanding the deeds of the ancient Emperor Zhuanxu, Xu Mo was filled with admiration.

Truly a wise man of ancient times, possessing such grand vision and immense power!

It was just a pity that the "contention for passage" rules later disrupted this. Now, "contention for passage marks" could be shared infinitely, allowing low-level extraordinary beings to enter Earth.

However, this was still better than having no restrictions at all, as Saints couldn't possibly bring a large number of low-level cultivators into Earth.

Xu Mo's heart stirred suddenly, and he asked, "In this contention for passage, will there be a 'heaven's chosen' of the same caliber as the ancient wise men appearing on Earth?"

"No, destiny has already deviated. Earth can no longer produce ancient emperors," the drifting bottle replied with a sigh.

As part of the rules of "contention for passage," it could vaguely sense that Earth's causal lines had shifted. More than ten thousand years ago, no extraordinary being had ascended to the upper realm.

Xu Fu, who had the greatest potential and unparalleled talent, was also nipped in the bud, besieged and beaten to death by dozens of Extreme Dao Saints.

"What do you mean?" Xu Mo frowned and pressed the drifting bottle.

But this time, the drifting bottle remained silent. No matter how he threatened it, it refused to speak.

"There are great karmic connections and great terrors involved. You cannot know this yet," the drifting bottle could only say.

It was not a living being, so it could know some information, but it was very vague, only grasping the general idea.

"Is there a conspiracy? Targeting Earth?" Xu Mo looked at the drifting bottle and asked tentatively.

The drifting bottle's glass surface glowed red, and it replied, "There is no conspiracy, don't overthink it. If you are worried that someone like the ancient wise men will appear on Earth and threaten you, then I tell you, you are worrying unnecessarily. Earth can no longer produce beings capable of ascending to the upper realm. This is a predetermined track, unchangeable!"

"Is that so? I don't believe it!" Xu Mo said lightly.

He was from Earth. As for predetermined tracks, he never believed in such things.

My fate is mine to control, not heaven's. He wasn't afraid of the universe's will, so why would he fear these ethereal predetermined tracks and karma?

The drifting bottle inwardly scoffed, thinking that Xu Mo might have been frightened by its previous words and was worried that ancient emperors would appear on Earth again.

But this was eternally impossible!

The thread of destiny had been shifted by an invisible hand more than ten thousand years ago. Since then, Earth had no more immortals.

Even a monstrous talent like Xu Fu could only die with regret in the Extreme Dao Saint realm.

The drifting bottle sighed inwardly, for it too belonged to Earth.

Next, Xu Mo inquired about information outside of China, such as Greek mythology and Egyptian mythology.

The drifting bottle replied that these originated from remote worlds, specifically a few of those thirty-six worlds.

On Earth, there was only Chinese mythology, though the drifting bottle generally referred to it as Earth mythology.

As for Greek mythology and the like, they were all from outsiders.

Xu Mo was surprised at first, then gradually accepted it.

Western mythology was inherited from remote worlds and did not belong to Earth's mythological system.

"Doesn't that mean that Western mythological extraordinary beings won't be restricted by the predetermined track you mentioned?" Xu Mo suddenly said.

"Indeed, but that's only if the beings are not from Earth," the drifting bottle replied.

Earthlings who inherited and cultivated Western mythological systems would also be subject to the predetermined track.

Earth would have no more immortals. This encompassed all beings from Earth, without exception!

Xu Mo fell silent, slowly digesting this information.

Although the drifting bottle did not reveal why Earth would have no more immortals, Xu Mo felt in his heart that there must be some secret involved.

It was impossible for Earth to have frequently produced geniuses and ancient emperors more than ten thousand years ago, and then suddenly, as if its throat was choked, not a single immortal capable of ascending to the upper realm appeared.

This was clearly abnormal!

Especially since Earth was a place of contention for passage.

"Forget it, I'm too lazy to think about these mysterious things. Whether Earth will have no more immortals or not, I'll know for sure once I succeed in the contention for passage," Xu Mo thought to himself.

He looked up, still walking on the seabed of the Pacific Ocean, not yet surfacing.

This was because he sensed the aura of a "fortune-enhancing medicinal herb" in the depths of the sea.

Suppressing the chaotic thoughts in his mind, Xu Mo headed straight in the direction from which the aura of the fortune-enhancing medicinal herb emanated.

.........

On the African continent, in a tropical rainforest.

Blood-red shadows danced in the air, staining a small patch of the forest. Looking down, one could see piles of wild beast carcasses.

All the blood had been drained, leaving only skin and bones.