Chapter 259: Every Connection Bears Karmic Consequence

Xi Li lost her sight during the Great Purge of the New Calendar year 986.

At the time, to cover the evacuation of a group of humans, she stood alone against several Beast God Clan Reversal Void cultivators.

Though she carried the Yin and Sword Dao left by Xu Xing, her combat power exceeded that of ordinary Reversal Void cultivators.

But she was ultimately outnumbered, and moreover, one of the Beast God Clan Reversal Void cultivators had a higher realm than she did.

Thus, after only a few exchanges, she was completely on the defensive.

Had it not been for the legendary Supreme Elder of the Beast God Clan, 'Fu', suddenly making a high-profile appearance and momentarily diverting the attention of those Beast God Clan Reversal Void cultivators, she would have died in that Great Purge.

Though she barely escaped, she was left blind in both eyes, her soul damaged, and two fingers on her right hand severed.

She has spent these years recuperating, but still has a long way to go before full recovery.

Because her injuries are so difficult to heal, her cultivation has remained stuck at Reversal Void Mid-stage with no progress whatsoever.

So she simply leaves her seclusion every so often to guide the cultivators still within the Legacy Sacred Ground.

But today…

As the scene before her grew clearer, the force clinging to her soul like a bone-deep plague began to slowly dissipate.

The smooth, clean cut surfaces of her right index and pinky fingers tingled with numbness and itch.

Soon after, her vision was fully restored, her ice-blue eyes regained their luster, and the severed index and pinky fingers on her right hand regrew, identical to how they were before the amputation.

The sword on her back trembled slightly, as if sensing her state, emitting soft, joyful chimes.

But Xi Li paid no attention to her own condition; instead, she stared at the two figures who had arrived at the edge of the square.

Sword Sovereign. Master Mei Zu.

Suddenly, their honorific titles surfaced in Xi Li's mind.

With a glance, she realized that the young cultivators seated in orderly rows, preparing to listen to her lecture, were now frozen in place, as if petrified.

She rose from the Dao platform, her form instantly transforming into a stream of ice-blue coldness, drifting down with the falling snowflakes, arriving before Bie Xuening and Master Mei Zu in an instant.

The cold stream reshaped into human form, and Xi Li bowed.

"Thank you, both venerables."

Xi Li knew well that her injuries had been healed solely due to the intervention of these two venerables.

"May I ask… who are you two in relation to the previous venerable?"

Though she addressed both, her gaze remained fixed on Bie Xuening.

The moment she saw this venerable, the Yin and Sword Dao she carried trembled violently, as if sensing a being of identical origin yet vastly superior rank.

"He is my junior brother," Bie Xuening said coolly.

"That's right, that's right!" Master Mei Zu chimed in.

This venerable is the junior brother of the Sword Sovereign?

Xi Li was startled, then grew even more reverent; after a few more words, the three left the square and entered a jade pavilion suspended by a beam of ice-blue mystic light.

Only then did the young cultivators on the square regain movement.

Before they could react,

A voice echoed from afar: "Today I gained insight—lecture postponed."

Since the two venerables had given no instruction, Xi Li naturally would not reveal their whereabouts.

The young cultivators in the square froze for a moment, then rose one by one to bow toward the jade pavilion hovering above the mystic light.

Soon after, they paired off, discussing cultivation problems they had encountered, and gradually departed.

Not long after the young cultivators left, several more entered the area.

But they did not pause; instead, they transformed into streaks of crimson-gold light and flew toward the direction where only one Reversal Void aura existed.

That is, the jade pavilion where Xi Li normally resided.

…………

Fu Yun Kingdom.

This is a kingdom within the Beast God Clan, second only to the seven major kingdoms and the Beast God Elder Council. Moreover, its capital's prosperity even surpasses several of the lower-ranked major kingdoms.

Nightfall.

The capital of Fu Yun Kingdom remained bustling.

Towering skyscrapers shimmered brilliantly under the sunlight; colorful neon lights illuminated the night, and shop windows displayed an array of goods.

In the park, young Beast God Clan members laughed and played, while older ones chatted beneath the trees.

Laughter and conversation intertwined, painting a scene of peace.

Yet within the royal palace, numerous Beast God Clan members with deep, stable auras—each at least Nascent Soul realm—moved about in frantic haste.

The towering, Reversal Void Perfect King of Fu Yun sat upon his throne, one hand propping his forehead, his face heavy with worry.

Seven major kingdoms—struck by disaster all within a single day!

And even more terrifying—those of the Beast God Elder Council…

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The message sent hours ago had still received no reply whatsoever.

The implications were too horrifying; he dared not dwell on them.

'It won't happen—the Great Beast God Sovereign will protect His subjects…'

The king repeatedly comforted himself in his mind.

Yet he did not know that the same disaster was about to descend upon his own kingdom.

Above.

A clear, beautiful figure, blindfolded, stood upon empty air, gazing down upon the bustling, radiant city below.

"My fellow Daoists have resolved their tasks—it is time to conclude."

Only Xiang Yuanjun's fingers and palm were entwined with a thread of cause and effect, neither real nor illusory, stretching into the distance until its end vanished into the void.

"Go."

The thread of cause and effect drifted downward, frail and powerless, as if any sudden breeze might sweep it away.

Yet amid the turbulent air currents high above, the seemingly fragile thread remained untouched, soon descending steadily.

Finally, it pierced through the palace dome and landed before the king's eyes.

The King of Fu Yun was brooding when he saw the thin, neither-real-nor-illusory thread and froze.

What is this?

An thought arose unbidden in his mind.

But… it became his final thought in life.

Without warning, his body, his consciousness, even his very existence, collapsed and scattered like a rusted, rotting statue blown apart into grains of sand.

And not just him—all the Beastsoul Clan within the palace, all the subjects of the Fu Yun Kingdom.

Subjects are the king's subjects; people are the king's people.

Yet whether king, minister, or commoner, each had friends, enemies, and admirers alive in the world.

A single word, a single action, a cheer, even without knowing their name—merely a casual glance.

Any connection forms a thread of cause and effect.

From the Fu Yun Kingdom, it reached throughout the entire Beastsoul Realm's Beastsoul Clan.

Under the tracing of cause and effect, none could escape.

The fates of billions of Beastsoul Clan members had tautened the slender thread of cause and effect, as if about to snap.

Xiang Yuanjun's expression remained calm as he flicked his finger lightly against the thread of cause and effect.

Zing!

The taut thread trembled.

In an instant, across the Beastsoul Realm!

One-fifth of the Beastsoul Clan, from those who had returned to emptiness down to ordinary Beastsoul Clan members who had never stepped onto the path of cultivation, were erased without resistance.

And at the very moment Xiang Yuanjun erased one-fifth of the Beastsoul Clan, a furious, savage roar of boundless rage came crashing forth. (End of Chapter)