Why had Wei Tianchen abducted Zhao Xing? Of all those present, probably only Emperor Hongshan and Gu Luohe had guessed the reason.
Emperor Hongshan had experienced the Yuanhai Assembly. Back then, when Wei Tianchen first appeared, he had asked about Zhao Xing's Taiyi Extinction Heavenly Poison Source Body.
Although Gu Luohe hadn't been present at the time, he had the clearance to know such matters. So, it wasn't difficult for him to deduce that Wei Tianchen's motive was indeed related to the poison source body Zhao Xing had mentioned.
What they hadn't expected, however, was that the poison source body was hidden in the Barren Domain and might even be a remnant left behind by a Godhood Realm expert.
But this couldn't be explained to the Five Venom Emperor or Lord Lushan. To explain it would require bringing up the Yuanhai Assembly, which involved a Divine Realm prohibition—it simply couldn't be disclosed.
Ultimately, it was Gu Luohe who stepped forward and responded, "Zhao Xing might not even understand the full extent of Wei Tianchen's plot. He's now afflicted with the True Spirit Heavenly Poison. You should stop asking questions—doing so will only drain his soul."
Truthfully, Zhao Xing couldn't have said anything anyway. Fan Qianrou's method carried great power, and Zhao Xing was under its influence—he literally couldn't speak.
The half-step Emperors of the Primordial Hill looked at Zhao Xing's sleeping body, their fury rising.
"No matter the reason, the fact that Wei Tianchen harmed Zhao Xing is indisputable."
"Gu Luohe, the Primordial Hill will issue a warrant for Wei Tianchen and his disciples. Will the Primordial Realm join us?"
Wei Tianchen himself might be hard to kill, but he had disciples and private territory.
Now that Zhao Xing had been poisoned with the True Spirit Heavenly Poison, they had to force Wei Tianchen to hand over the antidote.
Gu Luohe nodded in agreement. "Yes. The Primordial Realm will take part in the operation."
The two sides quickly reached a consensus. After returning to Blue Butterfly Ancient Path, they immediately issued commands to capture Wei Tianchen's disciples and sweep through his territories.
The public justification was that Wei Tianchen was harboring forbidden poisonous substances that endangered the security of the entire star domain.
The operation moved swiftly. Within just two days, all of Wei Tianchen's disciples had been captured, and his territory thoroughly purged.
Even so, the Five Venom Emperor remained deeply remorseful.
"If Wei Tianchen dared to go this far, he definitely won't hand over the antidote just because we've captured a few of his disciples."
"He has too many treasures. It'll be impossible to track him down in the short term."
"Zhao Xing… I've failed you. Over the past two days, I've searched through every ancient record. There's never been a documented case of anyone surviving the True Spirit Heavenly Poison. Even if you were resurrected through the Reincarnation Divine Palace, the poison would come back with your soul—it would still reside in your true spirit."
The Five Venom Emperor looked devastated. "Do you have any last words?"
Emperor Hongshan stood to the side, equally regretful.
The True Spirit Heavenly Poison was said to be able to kill even half-step Emperors. For someone like Wei Tianchen, an ancient monster, to target Emperor Tianning—there was nothing they could have done to stop him.
Even if Zhao Xing had connections with Qing Yuzi, Qing Yuzi wasn't a Divine Physician. He probably couldn't cure such a vicious poison either.
Zuo Qiyu's expression was complicated too, as if he didn't want to witness this scene. He left the room directly.
Zhao Xing's wisp of soul, stored within the Void Straw Puppet, remained calm. "Teacher, don't grieve. Everyone dies eventually."
"Besides, I might not be without hope."
The Five Venom Emperor stayed silent—he clearly didn't believe that Zhao Xing could still be saved.
But Zhao Xing wasn't just trying to comfort him. He remembered that there was one known case of surviving the True Spirit Heavenly Poison—though very few knew about it.
That method was recorded in the Eighth Law Domain of the City of Scholars.
However, the cost was high. It would be difficult to convince the Grand Elder Zhixin to allow it. Moreover, Zhixin was only a scholar of the Seventh Domain—whether Zhao Xing could even access the Eighth Law Domain remained uncertain.
Zhao Xing was still pondering how to bring it up when, on the third day, someone came knocking.
"Scholar Feng Chen of the Sixth Domain from the City of Scholars greets Envoy Zuo and the Five Elements Emperor," announced a figure clad in a crimson lotus robe as he arrived on Crystal Island at Jiachen Pass.
"Wei Tianchen ignored the Tianyou Assembly pact and poisoned one of the empire's rising stars. Absolutely insane!"
"When Grand Elder Bowe heard the news, he immediately sent me to visit and offer any help we can."
"Grand Elder Bowe?" Zuo Qiyu raised an eyebrow. "Isn't Grand Elder Zhixin? When did he become his disciple?"
"Elder Zhixin is currently in seclusion, so Scholar Bowe is serving as Acting Grand Elder for now," Feng Chen explained.
Zhao Xing, eavesdropping in the back, was surprised.
So Bowe had already begun managing affairs in the City of Scholars?
"Scholar Bowe is thoughtful," the Five Venom Emperor responded, cupping his hands. "But this poison has no cure."
Still unwilling to give up, Feng Chen pressed, "May I ask, what kind of poison is Zhao Xing afflicted with?"
"The True Spirit Heavenly Poison."
"Truly insane… even Heaven and Man would shun him—" Feng Chen erupted in righteous fury again.
Halfway through his rant, he suddenly stopped. A spark lit up in his eyes, and he quickly bowed to Zuo Qiyu and the Five Venom Emperor. "Envoy! Emperor! I just reported the situation to Grand Elder Bowe, and he said that one of the City's ancient texts might contain a case of the True Spirit Heavenly Poison being cured!"
"What? What did you say?" The Five Venom Emperor's eyes gleamed, and in the blink of an eye, he appeared beside Feng Chen. "Is that true?"
Feng Chen began to breathe heavily under the weight of the Five Venom Emperor's pressure. Zuo Qiyu quickly stepped in to relieve it.
"It's absolutely true. Grand Elder's exact words were, 'The ancient record's method is incomplete. It might not cure it instantly, but at the very least, it can prevent Zhao Xing from perishing within a month. It can extend his life.'"
"Good, good, good! Get me in touch with the Grand Elder now! I'll send him over immediately!" The Five Venom Emperor was ecstatic.
Feng Chen looked troubled, and Zuo Qiyu pulled the Five Venom Emperor aside.
"Calm down."
"How can I calm down? Zhao Xing only has twenty-seven days left to live!"
"To treat the True Spirit Heavenly Poison—even just to delay it—they'll probably need a ton of precious items. Are you really going to let the City of Scholars handle it without first asking about the cost?"
"If the City of Scholars demands ten Reincarnation Dao Soldiers, can you afford that?"
The Five Venom Emperor waved his hand. "Between you and me, surely we can pull it off? Worst case, we rope in that old guy Hongshan or Elder Gu."
Zuo Qiyu said blandly, "Did I say I was paying? At the end of the day, Zhao Xing and I merely share a connection through Liu's Compiled Techniques. I doubt even Elder Gu Luohe—"
The Five Venom Emperor cut him off. "Enough with the chatter."
He stepped in front of Feng Chen and said, "No matter how much the treatment costs, I, Emperor Hongshan, and Envoy Zuo Qiyu will each pay one-third."
Zuo Qiyu: "…"
Feng Chen quickly cupped his hands. "Grand Elder Bowe said you can bring him immediately. As for the costs, he fully trusts the credibility of the Primordial Realm and the Primordial Hill. We can discuss payment later, if needed."
"Good. There's no time to waste. I'll make arrangements right now!" The Five Venom Emperor didn't waste another word and immediately prepared to escort Zhao Xing.
At that moment, Zhao Xing's residual soul, waiting in the back, felt a bit uneasy.
"That was fast. Bowe is really efficient. He's a Grand Elder, yet he reacted so quickly to a little Origin Stage guy like me?"
A Grand Elder of the City of Scholars had to be a half-step Emperor. Even if Bowe was only acting in the role, he couldn't be weak. That kind of powerhouse dispatching someone by the third day to assist him? Zhao Xing found it hard to process—had he really earned such treatment?
"Zhao Xing, hurry up and depart along with your main body." The Five Venom Emperor was ecstatic as he called out to Zhao Xing's soul avatar. "You're saved!"
"Master, my residual soul should stay behind," Zhao Xing said thoughtfully.
In Wei Tianchen's eyes, Zhao Xing's soul avatar had already been destroyed. Besides the few involved in the rescue, the outside world had no idea of Zhao Xing's actual condition.
Zhao Xing instinctively didn't trust Bowe. He didn't want to place all his hopes in one basket.
He had cultivated the secret soul art Reincarnation that Old Qing gave him. Now, his karmic soul and fate soul were fused. If Old Qing did have a way to save him, this soul fragment would be the key. If both his main body and soul avatar went to the City of Scholars, how would he contact Qing Yuzi?
"Don't be ridiculous. What if they can't treat you without this residual soul?" the Five Venom Emperor scolded.
Zhao Xing replied, "Even though my residual soul and the soul core in my main body are tightly linked, it's the main body that's poisoned. If they can extend my life, I can go later."
The Five Venom Emperor looked toward Zuo Qiyu, who nodded. "That makes sense. The Great Tear in the Void Straw Puppet has already begun after he broke through the Life-and-Death Dao Domain Realm. If the City of Scholars fails, this residual soul might still preserve a sliver of hope."
"If the Great Tear completes, the True Spirit Heavenly Poison would be powerless against me. That poison would no longer be effective."
"Any torn fragment of a soul can become the soul core for me, and it would grow into a complete form. It wouldn't be affected by the other soul bodies. It's just that Zhao Xing hasn't reached that stage yet."
"If the soul core collapses, this residual soul would vanish too."
Zuo Qiyu had already cultivated the Straw Puppet Method to the 'Primordial' level, meaning as long as one clone existed, he couldn't die. At most, he'd be weakened and need time to recover.
In theory, under the Godhood Realm, there was only one way to kill Zuo Qiyu—render his Straw Puppet Clone Technique ineffective. To do that, only someone else who had cultivated the Primordial Clone method could do it.
One path can't have two kings. This secret art was a classic "rivals can't coexist" technique—once they collided, all Straw Puppets would fail.
The Five Venom Emperor said, "Fine. Then let's act quickly."
Regardless, Zhao Xing was nominally Gu Luohe's disciple and highly valued by the Primordial Hill. Once news of Zhao Xing being poisoned by the True Spirit Heavenly Poison spread—his clones all collapsing and him falling into a coma—many people came to express their concern.
Emperor Tianwu of Origin Heaven Palace, Emperor Yuanding of the Reincarnation Divine Palace, and Emperor Yushu and Emperor Mangya of the Ancient Kingdom Alliance either personally came or sent people, leaving behind various healing treasures.
But Zhao Xing was quickly and secretly transported to the City of Scholars. None of them saw his true body.
As for Zhao Xing's family and friends—they had no chance to visit at all.
Meanwhile, in the Empire's Celestial Master Hall, Fate Officer Jingyue returned to report.
"Master, Zhao Xing was struck by the True Spirit Heavenly Poison and remains unconscious. Only his residual soul is left. But just now, the City of Scholars sent a secret message—there might be a way to save him. The Five Venom Emperor and Emperor Hongshan have already made a deal with them. Zhao Xing is now en route for treatment."
The ceiling of the Celestial Master Hall was adorned with a black-and-white Yin-Yang diagram. Beneath it, endless stars twinkled, surrounded by many lit Seven-Star Lamps. At the center sat two faint human shadows—one large, one small—cross-legged on a circular platform.
One wore a purple robe—the Celestial Master of the Red Star Empire. The other wore gray—it was Ji Si.
As soon as Ji Si heard the report, she opened her eyes. A flicker of tension flashed within them.
"Understood. Jingyue, you may leave," said the Celestial Master in the purple robe, dismissing her.
Only Ji Si and the Celestial Master remained in the hall.
"Ji Si."
"Disciple is here," she responded quickly, raising her head.
"The prophecy tied to the karmic war has already begun to unfold. Tell me—who do you think is winning?" asked the Celestial Master.
Ji Si's cultivation had accelerated ever since Zhao Xing made that request back then!
After all, the Empire's Celestial Master had already foreseen Zhao Xing seriously wounding the Lord of Tiangui and completing the Rain Immortal Rite. Zhao Xing's achievements alone already merited thirty billion merit points!
So, after taking Ji Si in, the Celestial Master of the Empire immediately began instructing him in cultivation—it wasn't really as the earlier messages claimed, that training would only begin after Zhao Xing had earned thirty billion merit points.
The first lesson the Celestial Master taught Ji Si used Zhao Xing as a case study.
Ji Si had never imagined he would become involved in such a high-level karmic battle, so upon hearing that Zhao Xing had been poisoned, he felt tense—but not panicked.
"Disciple believes that although Wei Tianchen successfully captured Zhao Xing and got what he wanted, he didn't achieve complete victory," Ji Si said, eyes closed, but the 'Eye of Fate' on his forehead kept twitching.
That wounded eye had long since recovered—and was now stronger than ever.
"How can you tell?" the Celestial Master asked.
"He accelerated Zhao Xing's demise twice. That was his 'fate proof.' At that moment, he was already out of the game," Ji Si said. "But due to my shallow cultivation, I don't know what exactly it was that he failed to get."
The Celestial Master in the purple robe offered no commentary, simply asking, "Then who do you think the second opponent was? Did he win?"
Ji Si replied, "The second opponent in this karmic war was Bowe, the Grand Elder of the City of Scholars. He didn't win either."
"Even though the Grand Shennong went to the City of Scholars and was placed in an ice coffin, I haven't seen Du Yun. Judging from the fulfilled prophecies, Du Yun is still fine in the Cloud Immortal Realm."
"Though I also don't know what his intentions are."
"But I did sense something else."
"Speak."
"The Grand Elder Zhixin of the City of Scholars doesn't seem to be in seclusion—he's likely been refined into an artifact spirit by Bowe." Ji Si voiced his speculation.
It was the first time he received praise since joining the Celestial Master Hall.
"For the Eye of Fate to perceive that—quite rare."
Ji Si replied respectfully, "It's all thanks to Teacher's guidance."
The Celestial Master continued, "One last question. Close your Eye of Fate before answering."
"This question exceeds what your fate can currently bear, so answer only with 'idle talk,' not a formal 'theory.'"
"Yes." Ji Si instantly deactivated the Eye of Fate and refrained from using any divine powers or techniques.
Since entering the Celestial Master Hall, Ji Si had learned much.
Even conversations between Fate Officers had strict protocols. In the Celestial Master Hall, fate-related speech was categorized into: idle talk, observable theory, confirmed theory, and speech.
This hierarchy defined how involved a person was in a karmic event.
Idle talk was like background noise in the universe—saying it wouldn't affect the flow of fate.
Back on Crystal Island, what Zhao Xing had heard from the Fate Officer Yuan Xin was just idle talk.
Of course, idle talk could still be dangerous. A listener might take it seriously, drawing someone into a prophecy and forcing them into the game.
Idle talk could even escalate into speech, leading to karmic backlash.
But here, Ji Si didn't have to worry—he could speak freely.
Still, Ji Si was cautious. He waited a bit before saying, "Teacher, may I speak 'idle talk' now?"
The Celestial Master was pleased with Ji Si's caution, since he had waited for a favorable fortune timing. It might not matter here, but it was a good habit.
In the future, good habits could save him from major trouble out in the world.
"How many opponents were there in this battle? How many observers? And who was the final winner?"
Ji Si thought for a moment. "There were four opponents and, including me, three observers. As for the final winner—of course, it was you, Teacher."
Since it was idle talk, there was no way he'd get a real answer. The Celestial Master didn't confirm or deny his statement,
avoiding an escalation of idle talk into something more serious.
"From today on, you may begin cultivating in the Realm of Causality," the Celestial Master said.
"Thank you, Teacher." Ji Si bowed deeply.
The Realm of Causality was one of the four sacred cultivation lands of the Celestial Master Hall. The others were the Realm of Outcome, the Realm of Destiny, and the Realm of Change.
Cause and effect, fate and transformation—the Four Sacred Lands were the ultimate training grounds for any Fate Officer.
Very few Fate Officials were ever permitted entry. Ji Si had only recently been accepted as a disciple, yet he already gained this opportunity—it broke all precedent.
"Teacher, Zhao Xing—" Ji Si hesitated after rising, still clearly worried.
But the Celestial Master gave no answer. "A Fate Officer must not be ruled by emotion. Do not ask."
Ji Si bowed again. "Disciple acknowledges the mistake."
"The City of Scholars occupies only a small portion of the Xuanling Star Domain—less than one percent the size of the Northern River Star System."
"But its geographic position is unique. It sits at the exact center of the human territory within the Xuanling Star Domain."
"The entire territory of the City of Scholars consists solely of that floating star city at the center."
Zhao Xing's main body was transported to the City of Scholars, while his residual soul remained at the Jiachen Fourteenth Pass.
Until new orders were given, or unless his true body improved, Zhao Xing's residual soul couldn't withstand any fluctuation and couldn't be moved at will.
He could only use a star mirror to observe his main body's transport.
The ones responsible for the transport were multiple avatars of Scholar Feng and Zuo Qiyu.
The Five Venom Emperor and Emperor Hongshan had their regular duties to manage. The one staying to keep Zhao Xing company was Lord Lushan of the Primordial Hill.
"The City of Scholars exceeds even the size of top-tier realm stars. From an individual city standpoint, it's still huge."
"But in terms of territory, it's very limited."
"Its central location makes it almost impossible for any demon race assassins to reach."
"Historically, the City of Scholars has rarely experienced upheaval. Since the end of the Five Emperors Era, it has remained neutral."
"Any internal conflict among the human race—whether wars between ancient kingdoms or power struggles among major factions—has never touched the City of Scholars."
"Since the rise of the new generation, the City of Scholars has basically remained untouched by war. Every major faction donates funds each era, and the city has maintained its peace."
Zhao Xing asked curiously, "Shishu, has the Primordial Hill ever renovated or expanded the City of Scholars? Its scale must have grown quite a bit since the new generation, right?"
"No." Lord Lushan shook his head. "Scholars just can't fight, but that doesn't mean they can't use techniques."
"So, the City of Scholars expands by itself."
Zhao Xing nodded slightly.
If it weren't for some unseen constraints in the universe, Scholars—those naturally born gifted freaks—would be all-powerful.
They weren't like priests who relied on mimicking other occupations or borrowing divine power to achieve versatility.
Scholars weren't cultivated through effort—they were chosen by the heavens.
If someone was born with the Scholar's gift, they could become one. But no amount of training could turn someone into a Scholar after birth.
A Scholar only had one opportunity to engage in battle in their entire life. Once they made a move, their lifespan would rapidly decline, leading to quick death—and it would be true spirit decay, meaning even reincarnation would no longer be possible.
Even if a Scholar advanced to the Demigod Realm, they didn't need reincarnation to strengthen their true spirit. In fact, reincarnation was merely a common method—not a required path—for strengthening the true spirit.
"There are Scholars among both humans and demons, but their numbers are small. It's only through the slow accumulation of time that their count has grown."
"Each Scholar can basically reach the Dao Domain Realm. Those who reach the Reincarnation Realm are rarer, but still far more common than in other occupations," Lord Lushan explained. "If you want to find the place with the highest density of Reincarnation Realm experts, it would definitely be the City of Scholars."
"Have there ever been divine-grade Scholars in history?" Zhao Xing asked.
"Never heard of any." Lord Lushan shook his head. "It's said that Scholars can't become gods—unless one of them can open the ninth Law Realm and fully comprehend its knowledge."
"But that's just a rumor. Even the Elders of the City of Scholars aren't sure if the ninth Law Realm actually exists. After all, even the eighth Law Realm has only been entered by a handful of Scholars."
"The current Grand Elder Zhixin is only a Scholar of the Seventh Realm."
"Bowe was the previous Grand Elder. He's very likely to enter the Eighth Realm. With Zhixin in seclusion now, Bowe has taken over the daily operations of the City of Scholars. There's word that Bowe may already be capable of entering the eighth Law Realm, but that hasn't been officially confirmed yet."
"I hope he opens the eighth Law Realm," Lord Lushan said with anticipation. "If he does, then there's real hope for saving you."
"I hope so too," Zhao Xing nodded.
Aside from Wei Tianchen, Bowe was the second man who could cure this kind of poison.
In his past life, Zhao Xing had heard of someone being saved—not from the ancient records of the City of Scholars—but from a case where a martial artist had resisted the poison with their body for a long time and was eventually healed by Bowe. That's how he knew the City of Scholars might have a cure.
"Shishu, I'm feeling a little tired," Zhao Xing suddenly expressed his desire to rest.
"Alright, then rest well. I'll visit again tomorrow," Lord Lushan said and quickly left to let Zhao Xing's residual soul rest.
After Lord Lushan left, Zhao Xing's residual soul entered a dream.
Mist swirled in the dream, and a stone platform appeared with two stools.
Qing Yuzi arrived.
"Master, you're finally here."
"Sit," Qing Yuzi said. "I warned you long ago—Gu Yi Tianchen is a madman. Getting involved with him would bring trouble. Seems that's come true now."
"Good thing you completed the first phase of Reincarnation and preserved a sliver of residual soul. Otherwise, you wouldn't even have the chance to speak to me now."
"Yes, this disciple is reflecting."
"Every fall is a lesson. It's not too late if you can understand that now," Qing Yuzi said. "Even after reaching the Divine Realm, I still maintain reverence in my heart."
Zhao Xing bowed. "This disciple will remember. I wouldn't dare to make the same mistake again."
Qing Yuzi looked a bit stunned. "That's your reflection?"
Zhao Xing smiled. "Everything in this world is judged by outcomes. If you succeed, you're seen as bold and careful. If you fail, you're labeled reckless and foolish."
"This disciple has walked a cautious path in cultivation. What's happened now isn't really my fault—it's just fate."
"People shouldn't stop eating just because they choked once. Master, didn't you also gamble everything for your chance at becoming Divine?"
"Did you know you'd reach the Divine Realm?"
Qing Yuzi thought for a moment, then laughed. "True. When I made that plan, I only had about twenty percent certainty I'd reach the Divine Realm. But as I kept walking the path, I saw the hope growing."
"To me, a twenty percent chance at Divinity was already worth the risk."
"There's no such thing as high return without risk."
The two quickly moved past that topic.
"Zhao Xing, your current situation is both dangerous and safe," Qing Yuzi finally got to the point. "I predicted that with Gu Yi Tianchen, you wouldn't lose your life."
"That's because I've been in the Divine Realm for over four thousand years. Within the Reincarnation Divine Palace, the 'Intervention Faction' has already secured a foothold and obtained certain discretionary powers. Like being able to mobilize a Fate Officer on the brink of Divinity."
Zhao Xing quietly listened.
"Wei Tianchen probably dragged you into a Cause-and-Effect Battle. The Fate Officer I mobilized was also involved in that fight and seized the initiative, so for now, you're not in mortal danger."
"But just because you're safe now doesn't mean you'll stay safe later."
"Master, do you mean my visit to the City of Scholars is dangerous?" Zhao Xing asked. "Did Scholar Bowe participate in the Cause-and-Effect Battle?"
"No danger," Qing Yuzi said. "The City of Scholars did get involved, but they probably joined voluntarily. Bowe genuinely wants to save you."
Zhao Xing's heart skipped a beat.
Bowe was impressive—his real intentions weren't even clear to Qing Yuzi.
Seems like even Qing Yuzi's ally didn't see it clearly.
"That's not the danger I meant."
"Master, I don't understand. How could they just get involved in this for no reason?" Zhao Xing asked. "So where's the real danger?"
Qing Yuzi explained, "The disturbance caused by the Cause-and-Effect Battle was massive—at least from the perspective of Fate Officers."
"That kind of event draws attention, even from those who don't know what's going on. Someone's always going to want to stick their nose in."
Zhao Xing suddenly understood.
It's like in a secret realm expedition—when a light suddenly appears up ahead and everyone's scrambling for it.
You might not know what it is or why it's valuable, but if enough people are fighting over it and you've got some strength, you'll probably join in too.
Zhao Xing could now picture the scene.
Gu Yi Tianchen, due to the Poison Source Body, launched the initial cause-and-effect attack. He pierced the Empire's cause-and-effect defense around Coral-tier members—set up by Jing Yue.
Since Gu Yi Tianchen was powerful and influential in the Xuanling Star Domain, and with Qing Yuzi keeping an eye on him, Qing Yuzi got involved too.
Zhao Xing had once entered the sight of the Empire's Heavenly Master and had hinted at taking Ji Si as a disciple.
Maybe the Empire's Heavenly Master also joined the fray.
And so, the Cause-and-Effect Battle escalated further.
In the eyes of powerful Fate Officers, it was like setting off a huge firework in the sky. Even if all sides tried to conceal themselves, outsiders couldn't see clearly—so if they wanted to find out, they had to jump in.
"And just like that, I became some sort of treasure everyone wants to fight over?"
"Exactly. That's the real danger," Qing Yuzi said. "And it's not just the human race—even the demon race joined in. They're just hanging around the battlefield edges causing a fuss. I didn't detect anything unusual."
Zhao Xing was left speechless.
Gold has no value by itself. It only becomes valuable when people hype it up.
He never thought people could be hyped too—and that it would happen to him.
All the major powers were probably thinking the same thing: "We don't know why, but everyone else is calculating Zhao Xing, so let's try too."
In other words, aside from the major Cause-and-Effect Battle that just happened, there were probably even more smaller ones brewing.
Maybe not targeting Zhao Xing directly, but like with Gu Yi Tianchen, they could work around and scheme indirectly—starting with Da Zhou, for instance.
"No wonder my cause-and-effect lines are a complete mess. Even Reincarnation and the Imperial-tier protection can't hold it together. So this is why—damn!" Zhao Xing cursed aloud.
"Master, you have to protect me. If this keeps going, who could take it?"
He really couldn't take it anymore—who could?
From now on, every decision he made would have to be questioned. Was someone influencing him to act that way? Every opportunity he encountered would make him wonder—was this a setup?
How was he supposed to cultivate like this? He'd be dead from overthinking!
"Of course I'll protect you," Qing Yuzi said. "Like I said, for now, you're safe."
"But once you reach the Reincarnation Realm, I won't be able to shelter you all the time. Unless—"
"Unless what?"
"When you wake up, I suggest you return home as soon as possible."
"Go home?" Zhao Xing's eyes flickered. "You mean—"
Qing Yuzi nodded, confirming Zhao Xing's guess.
How strange.
Previously, Qing Yuzi had warned him not to return. Now he wanted him to go back to the Xuanhuang Realm as soon as he woke up.
What secrets did that little Xuanhuang Realm hold?
Why did Qing Yuzi believe that one trip home could fix all of this?
"Zhao Xing, there's only so much I can do to help you," Qing Yuzi said. "After this Cause-and-Effect Battle, I've already made my move. The Boundary Stone I promised to find—I've got it. Once you reach the Reincarnation Realm, go find Gu Luohe and ask for it."
"I've got something far more important to deal with, and I have to focus all my energy on it."
"If you survive the third era of the Barren Domain, we'll definitely meet again."
"Wait—" Zhao Xing wanted to say more, but the surrounding blue mist quickly faded.
The next moment, he woke up.
Zhao Xing turned his head toward the starlit interior of the room. On the other side, Zuo Qiyu had already disembarked from the realm vessel.
Ahead was an ancient domed tower, entirely white, with a group of Scholars gathered in front of it.
His original body had also been taken out and thrown forward by Zuo Qiyu.
"The patient's been delivered," Zuo Qiyu clapped her hands. "Get me a place to rest."
"If you cure him, we'll pay. If not, we won't blame the City of Scholars. But at the very least, I expect to bring his corpse back as proof."
Hearing that, Zhao Xing nearly laughed from sheer anger.
"Damn you people from the Self School. Not a single one of you is normal."