Because of humanity's ugliness, we cannot fail to recognize it. Because of humanity's goodness, you cannot forgive it. Saints, sages, heroes, commoners - what's the difference? Stripped of their beautiful exteriors, everyone is flesh and blood, only more battle-scarred and full of wounds as they weather through the vicissitudes of life.
Human nature is greedy and selfish, shortsighted, fickle, suspicious, and doubtful. And as one ages and grows in strength, layers of change and staining occur, to the point where one may not even recognize oneself.
In a place surrounded by rippling blue waters and greenery, devoid of the distractions of music and the labor of paperwork, a breeze creates ripples on the lake, as if stirring a myriad of sorrows.
Ye Han had been awake for half a month, with most of his injuries healed, but the significant blood loss left him weak and pale.
Out of necessity, Ye Han released Kristin's essence blood stored within his body to maintain his bodily functions, allowing him to move about.
No one would help him, no one sympathized with him. Ye Han's hatred, born from the ugliness of human nature, was immense.
Yet in the Prison of the Apocalypse, where even god-tier beings were trapped, Ye Han's fierce battle spirit and hatred gradually calmed.
Standing by the lake, Ye Han looked at his reflection in the water - his white hair, his pale face - and was silent.
The Prison of the Apocalypse didn't resemble a prison but more of a paradise. The fragrant flower sea, the pleasant scenery, the simple houses, the clear rivers, the dotted rosy clouds all seemed like a fairyland.
Everyone lived peacefully, without strife, immersed in their cultivation.
After waking, Ye Han learned that the old man was named Pei Feit Curtis, whom he respectfully called Old Curtis, and the girl who saved him was named Zinnia.
According to Old Curtis, Ye Han had gained some understanding of this place.
The Prison of the Apocalypse had no known entrance or exit. The entire space was enveloped in a barrier, completely isolated from the outside world. It was named so because the people trapped believed that only when the continent perished, they might leave. That would be the coming of the apocalypse.
There was no killing or fighting here, only harmony and peace. In a prison where escape was impossible, people no longer fought for fame or fortune but simply to stay alive, waiting for the day they might leave.
In the half month since waking, Ye Han spent his nights cultivating and his days wandering the vast Prison. It was vast, and the people were few. Though occasionally someone would unintentionally arrive every decade or century, the passage of time claimed many lives.
Holy-tiers had a lifespan of ten thousand years, and upon entering the god-tier, or lower god-tier, the lifespan reached a million years, with each advancement greatly extending it. But achieving the god-tier was difficult, very difficult. Many holy-tiers died trying to break through, and few succeeded.
"What's the point of immortality?" Ye Han mused to himself, his face a picture of bewilderment and confusion.
A person without the will to live, without a goal in heart, would suffer greatly. Although Ye Han had set his ultimate goal to be the highest rank of zombies, the Corpse God, it was a very long journey of millions, tens of millions, or even hundreds of millions of years...
Ye Han stood quietly by the lake, lost in thought.
Old Curtis wandered outside leisurely, coming to the lake's edge. His entire demeanor was cheerful, his demeanor gentle without the arrogance of a god-tier being. According to Old Curtis, "Arrogance is just a lack of human nature."
"Are you pondering your heart's troubles?"
"Not troubles, just reflecting."
Old Curtis chuckled. "Reflection, huh? Young people are often proud and rarely reflect on themselves, especially those with exceptional talent."
"A person's life is full of ups and downs, traversed through storms and fires. Whether one lives or dies depends on how one views their circumstances. Failure is okay, but one cannot fail forever."
Ye Han merely smiled, offering no reply. As someone from Earth, weren't these principles understood?
"I'm curious about your body," Old Curtis said, startling Ye Han. Zombies were not known on this continent. How had someone discovered his secret?
Ye Han looked intently at Old Curtis. "How did you find out?"
"Don't be nervous. Although I don't know exactly what you practice, I can affirm that you are certainly not an ordinary person or a result of any known cultivation method," Old Curtis replied, still smiling, not taking Ye Han's agitation seriously.
Relieved by Old Curtis' words, Ye Han exhaled. It seemed his secret hadn't been discovered; it was just that his body was found to be different from ordinary people.
Ye Han adjusted his emotions, looking at the lake, his eyes once again filled with uncertainty.
Was he right in his current path? Was his initial choice correct? If he hadn't forcibly transformed into a zombie, perhaps his zombie bloodline would never have awakened, and he could have lived like a normal person, experiencing life, old age, sickness, and death, without facing everything he was now.
Ye Han's beliefs wavered, and doubts about his cultivation surfaced. Trapped in a dead land, the energy that had just calmed within his body surged violently again, crashing through him. Lost in bewilderment, Ye Han was oblivious to the changes in his body.
Waves of blood energy burst forth from his body, striking the surrounding space and sending ripples spreading into the distance.
"The path you choose and walk is your own. Regardless of the original intention behind your choice, once you have chosen, do not regret it. No matter how difficult, persevere. Sometimes, even if you must defy the entire continent, you must believe in your choice," Old Curtis' calm words echoed in Ye Han's soul.
Ye Han's body shuddered, Old Curtis' words resonating with his soul, snapping him out of his daze and helping him to rediscover his true nature.
Old Curtis' words were simple and common, yet they ignited Ye Han's fighting spirit. This was his path, and no matter where it led, he would stand proudly between heaven and earth.
"People's words are insufficient for care, changes in the world are not to be feared, and ancestors are not to be emulated," Ye Han's eyes flashed with a gray light as he shouted to the sky.
"Thank you for the reminder, Old Curtis," Ye Han said, turning to face the still-smiling old man.
The abnormality in his body a moment ago had filled Ye Han with terror. If Old Curtis had reminded him a moment later, if he had sunk a little deeper, the next step would have been the shattering of his corpse pill.
In that moment, Ye Han's determination to cultivate solidified like never before. Since fate allowed him to be reborn and walk the path of a zombie, no matter how defiant, his direction would not change, ever the same.
Now, Ye Han felt his soul clearer than ever before. His cultivation of the Vanshi decree progressed more smoothly than ever, without any hindrance.
Looking up, he let out a long howl, full of intense emotion.
"Old Curtis, please take me to the barrier," Ye Han said firmly.
"Heh, it's been half a month. You've asked me several times. Alright, I'll take you today. Everyone new always tries." Old Curtis slowly rose about a yard into the air. "Do you need me to carry you?"
"No need, Old Curtis. Just lead the way, but not too fast," Ye Han replied, shaking his body and instantly appearing twenty yards away.
"Heh, I'm old and forgetful. I forgot your speed isn't slow," Old Curtis said, taking a light step in Ye Han's direction, then appearing above him in the air.
Looking up at Old Curtis in surprise, Ye Han saw the still-fading afterimage twenty yards away, completely devoid of energy fluctuations. This was the strength of a god-tier being. Without opening his domain, he was completely integrated with the space around him, instantly reaching wherever he thought.
"Heh, let's go. With your speed, even a typical mid-holy-tier would struggle to keep up. When you reach my level, heh..." Old Curtis did not finish, flying forward. Ye Han hurried to keep up.
And so, a white-haired young man and a genial old man moved swiftly across the Prison of the Apocalypse. The elder moved steadily through the air, while the young man on the ground continuously appeared and disappeared, leaving a trail of afterimages that only faded after appearing thrice, indicating his incredible speed.