The Immortal World's Dark Secret

Zhang Wei sat quietly in the dimly lit tavern, lost in thought as he sipped his mug of beer. Amidst the cacophony of conversation around him, one particular topic caught his attention. The emperor Azure had decided to send a large number of mortals to a newly-conquered wasteland for the purpose of reproduction. Many were excited at the prospect of this opportunity, ignorant of the truth behind it all. However, Zhang Wei knew better. He knew that human life held little value in this world of immortals.

Despite his sympathy for the mortals' helplessness, Zhang Wei recognized that he was powerless to change their fate. The world was a game of chess for the immortals, and he was but a mere mortal. To try and disrupt the game would only shorten his own life. He was no hero and had no intention of sacrificing his life for the sake of others. Instead, he saw himself as a villain, willing to help others only when it suited his mood or situation.

Just then, an old man entered the tavern, surrounded by a group of young people. Even the middle-aged men turned their attention to the old man, who seemed to be very popular and well-known among the locals. One of the men stood up and ordered a beer for the old man, addressing him as "old man Cao". He asked the old man what rare story he was going to tell them today.

Zhang Wei couldn't help but be intrigued. Mr. Cao surveyed the enthusiastic crowd with a wry smile on his lips. He could see the anticipation in their eyes, the thirst for heroic tales and legendary feats. But today, he had a different kind of story to tell.

"I'm not going to spin you a fairy tale," he began, his voice ringing out with the force of his words. "This is a true story, a real event that took place in the immortal world. But it's not about heroes, charisma, or talent. It's not about how immortals care for mortals or shower them with gifts. No, this story is nothing like that."

He paused, taking a deep breath, and let his gaze sweep over the hushed audience.

"This story is about the despair of mortals," he continued, his voice heavy with emotion. "It's about a group of selfish immortals who chose to sacrifice mortals in order to avoid war. It's about a father who had to watch his own son and daughter be eaten alive by demons, while he could do nothing but scream in agony. It's about how those demons feasted on human flesh, how they ripped off limbs and chewed on organs, all while the victims were still alive and conscious."

Mr. Cao's words hung heavily in the air, causing the once-enthused crowd to grow still and silent.

"It's a story where everyone cries and despairs, where they beg the immortals to either help them or kill them to relieve their pain. But the immortals just stood there, watching with cold, indifferent eyes."

Despite the foreboding introduction by Old Man Cao, many people in the audience were intrigued by his story, as it was purported to be a true event. The old man could sense the curiosity in the room and began his tale.

"This story took place many years ago, so long ago that it is almost impossible to trace the exact date. However, the events that transpired left an indelible mark on the immortal world. It was a time when mortals were sacrificed to maintain the peace in the immortal world."

The audience gasped in disbelief and confusion, but Old Man Cao continued, "Yes, it may be hard to believe, but this event did happen, and it was not a one-time occurrence. Every few years, the barrier that separates the immortal world from the demon world weakens, and powerful demons and devils can enter the immortal world."

The old man paused for a moment before continuing, "The demon world is an independent part of the immortal world, separate from the rest of it. Some believe that it was once a part of hell or was affected by it. Those who live and are born there are affected by a strange energy that can transform them into creatures similar to those found in the legends of hell. These creatures are ferocious, intelligent, and view humans as nothing more than food. They are known as devils and demons, and they are feared by all who encounter them."

He then added, "The demon world is kept separate from the immortal world by a powerful barrier, and the cost of breaking it is high. However, every few thousand years, the barrier weakens, and the demons and devils can cross over. When this happens, they capture humans and use their souls as sacrifices and flesh and blood as food. The immortal world may seem powerful, but even they cannot stop the demons and devils. They have tried in the past, but the cost was too high. Once, a ruler of the immortal world tried to stop the sacrifice, but it resulted in a war that cost the lives of many immortals and immortal emperors. After that, they agreed that sacrificing a few mortals was the cost of maintaining peace."

A young boy raised his hand and asked, "But can't the immortals do something to protect the mortals?"

Old Man Cao replied with a sad tone, "The immortals are powerful, but they are not invincible. Protecting mortals from the demons and devils would cost many immortal lives, and they cannot afford that. Therefore, sacrificing a few mortals is the only way to maintain peace in the immortal world."

The audience listened in silence, shocked and saddened by the story.

In the midst of the heavy silence that fell over the room, one of the middle-aged men stood up and questioned Old Man Cao's account. "Old man Cao, are you making up things? If such a big thing happened, wouldn't we all know about it? How come this is unheard of until now?"

Old Man Cao looked at the skeptic and let out a sad laugh. "This is the fate of the weak," he said. "Do you know how short a mortal's life is compared to an immortal's? Suppose a painful, life-changing incident happened when you were alive. How long do you think your future generations can remember it? Let's say you passed on the information from generation to generation, but do you think after a thousand years, your future generations will remember it importantly? What about five thousand years? Do you think your future generations can remember it, and even if there were books you wrote about it, will they survive after that long period of time?"

The man lowered his head in shame, realizing the truth of Old Man Cao's words. "Oh, my dear boy," Old Man Cao continued, his voice trembling with emotion. "How little you understand the ways of the world. Painful memories are like delicate flowers that wither away with time, leaving nothing but a faint trace of their existence. And for us mortals, time is a merciless thief that steals away everything we hold dear."

He paused, taking a deep breath, and continued, his voice cracking with emotion. "Think of all the tragedies that have befallen us throughout history. How many of them have been forgotten or erased from memory? How many of them have been reduced to mere whispers that are barely audible?"

Old Man Cao's eyes glistened with a deep sadness as he looked at the skeptic. "This is the fate of the weak," he said. "We forget our past, and in doing so, we lose our future. We forget our pain, and in doing so, we lose our empathy. We forget our mistakes, and in doing so, we lose our wisdom."

He closed his eyes, a single tear rolling down his cheek. "This is the problem of us mortals," he said softly. "We forget, and we forget, and we forget, until there is nothing left but the emptiness of our own ignorance."

The room was silent as Old Man Cao's words hung in the air like a heavy fog, suffocating and yet somehow comforting in their truth.

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Dear Readers,

I am writing this notice to inform you that I am committed to improving the quality of my writing. As promised, I will be releasing one new chapter per day for four days a week. I believe that this approach will help me refine my writing skills and produce better content for you.

Each chapter will be carefully crafted to ensure that it meets a high standard of quality. To achieve this, I have set a minimum word count of 1000 words and a maximum of 1500 words per chapter. This will allow me to explore the plot, characters, and settings in more depth, making the story more engaging for you.

Furthermore, I appreciate the feedback that some of you have given me regarding chapters that were not released. I am working on these chapters to finish them as soon as possible. However, please note that these chapters are still in the rough draft stage, and it may take some time to refine them. Rest assured that I am doing my best to produce high-quality content for you.

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Thank you for your continued support, and I hope you enjoy reading the upcoming chapters.

Best regards,

[ i_am_a_Cheater]

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