Longevity Heaven, Zijin Grand Hall.
Zhou Xuan’s will picked up a black chess piece and placed it down, thoroughly surrounding and isolating the white pieces. He lifted his gaze, eyes sharp as a hawk. “Celestial Wolf, you’re not playing by the rules.”
Celestial Wolf’s will smiled faintly. “A wanderer far from home, seeing someone who might be a fellow countryman, lending a little help—Celestial Xuantian, don’t take offense.”
“Home.”
Turning those two words over in his mind, a spark flashed in Zhou Xuan’s eyes, as if he had thought of something. He toyed with a black piece in his hand.
“If that’s the case, some of the rumors may have some merit. Nascent Soul Heavenly Lord, Unity Celestial Lord, Longevity Heavenly Dao, Nine Nether, heh.”
“Ahahaha~”
“Let’s play chess, let’s play chess. Celestial Xuantian, why think so much?” Celestial Wolf’s will let out a couple of soft laughs, raising a hand to gently tap the table. A white piece fell crisply in response, the clear sound echoing.
“My true form fell long ago. What’s left now is merely a residual thought, clinging to the remains of my body, barely lingering on.”
“A residual thought that still holds considerable power?” Zhou Xuan hinted at something, picking up the black treasure mirror and tapping it lightly with his fingertip.
A black piece leapt from the board, and in the instant it emerged, it arrived high above the Northern Plains, outside the [Heavenly Emperor Soul-Sealing Array]. It detonated on its own, resonating with the world, drawing forth endless energy.
Seeing Zhou Xuan’s action, Celestial Wolf’s will did not interfere, only smiling faintly. “Not much, just enough for a single strike.” Boom!!
Billowing white mist surged and rolled from Bai Changsheng’s body, and in an instant, it covered most of the sky, sweeping across the world!
“Heh, though I don’t know who you are, lending me a hand today will be repaid handsomely in the future.”
Bai Changsheng clenched his fist, feeling this tangible power, and let out a sinister grin.
Immediately, the sound of the xiao flute rose once more!
At the same moment, a city a thousand miles away.
A pair of beautiful eyes stared with complex emotion at the brimming cup of “wine” before her. Her delicate nose twitched, instantly catching the rich, mellow aroma wafting from the liquid.
Su Bai’s face was both red and black, a mixture of embarrassment and shame.
“Here, you little fiend!” she huffed coldly, handing the wine cup to the man behind her. Then she raised her head, once again focusing on the projection—
With the aid of an unknown white piece, Bai Changsheng’s strength soared. Within three moves, he repelled Yu Shu, then charged at the remaining warriors. Narrowly, he rescued Wu Ji, whose vital essence was nearly burned out and whose aura was on the verge of collapse. As for another Nascent Soul sword cultivator, his Nascent Soul was shattered and he perished.
Afterward, with the cover of several Qushi, he began to gather the Xiaoyao Qushi.
“Master, let’s go.” Zhou Xuan suddenly stood up, taking Su Bai’s small hand.
“Aren’t you going to watch a bit longer?”
“The end is set.”
As soon as the words fell, in the scene, that Xiaoyao Qushi suddenly unleashed its power, charging straight through the [Heavenly Emperor Soul-Sealing Array]. Bai Changsheng and Wu Ji fled in haste, but in that instant, a spatial rift appeared out of nowhere and swallowed them up. In a flash, the two were swept into the spatial turbulence, disappearing without a trace, their destination unknown.
Su Bai: ?
Using the simulator, she quickly sensed their status, then secretly let out a sigh of relief—luckily their lives were safe, just temporarily unconscious.
Spatial turbulence couldn’t kill a Nascent Soul True Lord. At worst, it would randomly send them to any place in the Five Domains and Two Heavens. The question was whether this was that little fiend’s doing.
“Master, what do you think of those scoundrels?” Zhou Xuan gazed into the distance, toward the Northern Plains. After the battle, all was desolation and ruin.
“They’re righteous men fighting for the freedom of all beings in the Five Domains and Two Heavens.”
Su Bai snorted coldly, “You little fiend, what are you trying to say now? Like those cultivators of the previous life who raised mortals as livestock? Shamelessly proclaiming themselves saints?”
“Even if that kind of freedom comes at the cost of billions of mortals?” Zhou Xuan looked toward the sun, momentarily lost in thought. “This winter, so many will die.”
Su Bai was taken aback. “What do you mean?”
“This [Heavenly Emperor Soul-Sealing Array] was supposed to be completed this year. It would have greatly reduced the harm of snow disasters in the Northern Plains. But after this battle, everything has been for nothing.”
“How many will die this year? A million? Ten million? A hundred million? Or perhaps…”
Zhou Xuan took a small sip of “wine,” then softly uttered two words, “…hundreds of millions.”
Those few words spelled how many broken families, how many lives shattered, how many miles of bones strewn across the land. In that moment, Zhou Xuan seemed to stand atop the moral high ground, gazing down in compassion at all living things.
But Su Bai quickly sensed the trap—this was the classic prelude to a three-step PUA trick. Whether she admitted or denied it, she would end up ensnared by this little fiend’s sophistry, unconsciously agreeing in the end.
Such tactics often appeared in political debates.
Like that year’s civil service exam: which was greater, the Hua Yuan Federation or the people of the Federation? It tripped up countless people.
But who was Su Bai?
Fourth-generation official!
She’d been steeped in politics since childhood, a master of verbal sparring. She wouldn’t indulge him; instead, she shot back on the spot.
“So according to you, the Five Domains and Two Heavens should be your livestock? You want to plan their whole lives? What are you trying to prove? That you’re right? That I should support you?”
“Treating people as animals to raise—are you as twisted as the Xinghan Empire?!”
“Fiendish brat! Trying to PUA me again!”
“I don’t need to prove I’m right. I just need to prove that Master, you are wrong.”
“Enough, enough, Master always loves to argue with me. I suppose it’s all because of those bugs.”
Zhou Xuan cast one last thoughtful glance toward the Northern Plains, then tossed something into the air. The black treasure mirror instantly expanded. Taking Su Bai by the hand, he stepped into the mirror’s surface together.
In the Green Emperor’s bedchamber, with Su Bai and Zhou Xuan gone for so long, Blood Concubine simply sat cross-legged on the bed, bored, chanting the “Longevity Clear Heart Mantra.”
Suddenly, two people entered from outside the chamber. Blood Concubine’s eyes lit up, and she leapt from the bed at once.
“Back from your party, you two?” “Wow, your main body—so big! Are you pregnant??”
“Is there a little Ah Xuan in that belly? Let me see~~”
She had just managed to calm her anger, but Blood Concubine’s teasing made Su Bai want to slap her flying across the room.
“Party my foot! Is your head stuffed with nothing but filth? Why not just brainwash yourself into a mindless ‘fluffy ball’ of filth already?”
“I wish I could, but Ah Xuan won’t let me. Otherwise, I’d have mesmerized myself, sealed my memories, and let Ah Xuan play with me however he liked. Forced play, what an exciting thought!”
Blood Concubine looked full of anticipation.
Su Bai’s eyes went black.
Damn it, she almost felt like breaking up with her on the spot!!
“All right,” Zhou Xuan interjected at just the right moment, cutting off their pointless squabble. He tossed the remaining half-cup of milk to Blood Concubine, who caught it steadily.
Then, Zhou Xuan turned to Su Bai and tapped her chest—“little watermelon” size—twice, instantly restoring it to its normal size.
The moment she returned to normal, Su Bai immediately used the simulator’s power to contact Bai Changsheng.
“Changsheng, Bai Changsheng.”
“How is it? You’re still alive, right? How’s your situation?”
Her consciousness sent the message, but it was like a stone sinking into the sea—no reply for ages. Su Bai couldn’t help feeling anxious and worried.
After a long while, a voice weak to the extreme, blurred and indistinct, finally drifted from the void:
“Main body~I’m here~”
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.