Chapter 463: Does Xuan Hui Regret It?

What level of cultivator is a Complete Void-Return?

Form and appearance are unstable; intent merges with the Dao.

Hidden like a speck of dust, nonexistent in the ordinary world.

Manifested like a thousand suns blazing across the sky, glorious in all ten directions.

Even if standing directly before you, you would sense absolutely nothing.

In my original world, any Complete Void-Return could easily do this.

But this fellow before me—I can detect a faint, almost imperceptible aura…

Yet he's only at the Early Soul Transformation stage!

Internally cursing this utterly insubstantial "Complete Void-Return," Lin Changsheng straightened his expression.

"What do you want to ask?"

Though this utterly insubstantial Complete Void-Return is weak, a Complete Void-Return is still a Complete Void-Return—he absolutely cannot defeat him.

The omnipresent aura has completely sealed off Lin Changsheng.

Under these circumstances, without using the system, his chance of escape is nearly zero…

Even if he used the system, his chance of escape probably wouldn't be much higher.

Better to first hear what he wants to ask, then make up some nonsense to see if he can be fooled.

If the fooling doesn't work, then fight him!

'At least he's somewhat sensible.'

Xuan Xing thought to himself, nodding slightly.

He most feared that these outsiders from beyond would all be fearless and reckless—then he'd get no information at all.

After all, he'd once tried injuring someone severely and then searching their soul—only to be assaulted with their ancestral lineage and gain not a single useful piece of information…

"If I were to ask about your group's purpose in coming to our world… would you be willing to answer?" Xuan Xing probed.

Just now, when he revealed his Complete Void-Return cultivation, this outsider from beyond showed no reaction—as if it were commonplace.

Clearly, his world behind must contain many Complete Void-Returns, even beings beyond Void-Return!

His attitude had to be as cautious as possible.

After all, perhaps he could establish contact with this outsider and his behind-the-scenes power?

Lin Changsheng paused upon hearing this.

Such a simple question…

Have these Void-Returns still not figured it out yet?

What absolute trash!

"Such an obvious thing… you still haven't figured it out?"

"Ashamed, ashamed…" Xuan Xing sighed helplessly, "Add this one, and if you answer just three more questions, I'll let you go and reward you with spiritual items, how?"

This outsider from beyond was currently the strongest he'd encountered.

Considering future prospects, he didn't want to alienate him.

"Fine."

He truly couldn't beat him.

Now it's just a matter of whether he can fool him.

"Ahem!" Lin Changsheng cleared his throat and said seriously, "We are a resource survey team, sent specifically to survey resources for future mining."

Resource survey team?!

Though uncertain whether Lin Changsheng's claim was true or false, his heart still tightened.

If such an unmatched Soul Transformation cultivator is merely used for resource surveying, then the world behind him…

"It seems your group has it hard too, but your internal affairs seem…"

If it were only resource surveying, why would there be so much fighting and killing…

"Is this the second question?" Lin Changsheng asked.

Xuan Xing froze—he hadn't been so nitpicked in many years, and a flicker of displeasure rose in him.

"Not at all," he suppressed his emotion and continued gently, "The second question is, compared to the Void-Returns you know…"

He then released his own aura.

Hum…

A vast, terrifying will spread outward, turning the surroundings into a gray-white void.

The surging aura, like a fusion of countless forces, formed twisting vortices that made the air feel a million times heavier, suffocating.

Yet the pressure vanished instantly—Xuan Xing smiled at Lin Changsheng: "How about me?"

You're garbage!

Cold sweat still dampening his back, Lin Changsheng cursed inwardly.

Thought he was going to attack!

This guy's behavior just now… he didn't even have the vocabulary to describe it.

Basically, it was just stupid.

Of course, to avoid making him furious and attacking, he couldn't say it outright.

"There's a bit of a gap."

Hearing Lin Changsheng's words, Xuan Xing wasn't surprised, only murmured: "Still a bit of a gap, then…"

Yes yes!

Exactly—a tiny bit of a gap.

The two were completely out of sync.

"Ah~" Xuan Xing sighed lightly, his seven-colored eyes, like polished glass, fixed intently on Lin Changsheng. "One final question—after this, what will become of our world?"

Before Lin Changsheng could answer, he spoke again, his tone tinged with melancholy:

"Shepherding all living beings, all things are but cattle and horses. Our world is indeed cruel, but it is not ours to decide. Still, it remains the world we have lived in all this time."

"If I could, I would still wish to know what fate awaits us afterward."

He was born before the establishment of the Xiang Tian Gui Soul-Drain System.

Later, after becoming my master's disciple, I walked this path to where I am now.

So he naturally knows clearly what the world was like before the Xiang Tian Gui Soul-Drain System existed.

Lin Changsheng: "..."

If I hadn't destroyed those Soul Transformation cultivators of Ultimate Bliss Xiancheng and seized their scriptures, I'd actually believe your bullshit!

Are you seriously faking it right now?!

Yet on the surface, Lin Changsheng pretended to be convinced.

"Although... I'd like to answer you, I truly don't know how your world will be arranged afterward."

As he spoke, a hint of pity surfaced on his face.

Come on!

Let's act!

Who's afraid of whom?!

Protected by the Grand Xuan Immortal Net, if you can read my thoughts, I'll write my name backward.

"I see..." Xuan Xing looked disappointed, yet bowed solemnly to Lin Changsheng. "Thank you, young friend, for your clarification."

Saying this, he flipped his palm and produced a purple-gold storage ring, of exceptional quality.

"A few spiritual items—all naturally grown spiritual plants. Please don't refuse them."

With a flick of magic power, he gently lifted the storage ring and sent it toward Lin Changsheng.

"..." After a two-second pause, Lin Changsheng grabbed the storage ring and asked, "Can I go now?"

"Naturally. Young friend, be my guest."

The moment he finished speaking—

Hum!

A blade-light streaked like a rainbow, soaring upward, vanishing from sight in an instant.

As he truly departed, all emotions on Xuan Xing's face dissolved, leaving only that ancient, unchanging calm.

He stood motionless for a long while, then frowned.

"This is troublesome..."

The truth or falsehood of what that outsider Soul Transformation cultivator said was impossible to discern.

But... most of it was likely lies.

Even if those outsider Soul Transformation cultivators truly had good character...

It doesn't mean they're fools!

If mere words could sway them so easily, that would truly be unreasonable.

"Still, the information I gained made this trip worthwhile."

Whether his words were true or false wasn't that important.

What mattered was that, from his behavior just now, the world behind these outsider Soul Transformation cultivators was undoubtedly far beyond imagination in strength.

Moreover, even he, a mere Soul Transformation cultivator, showed not the slightest fear when facing me...

Either he's been brainwashed so thoroughly he's fearless, or...

Is he immortal?

Thinking of this, Xuan Xing frowned again.

He had a persistent feeling that he'd overlooked many important things, yet couldn't recall them.

With a shift of thought, he ceased pondering further.

He turned and walked into empty space, vanishing without a trace, leaving only faint ripples behind.

"Xuan Xing... naming him that—Xuan really knows how to think."

Near the Nine Six-Tier Bronze Celestial Instruments of the Grand Xuan Xiang Tian Gui.

The speaker was Ba Zun.

"Taking him as a disciple and giving him such a name—Xuan is taking advantage of you, Brother Dao."

"I think it's deliberate mockery of you, Brother Dao," said Dan Zu. "After all, his original name was Zhang ErGou."

The True Immortal sees through the entire universe; all things in this realm are as clear as patterns on the palm—Xuan Xing naturally couldn't escape notice.

Before he became a disciple of Xuan's avatar in this realm—'Xuan Qi'—

Xuan Xing had used the alias Zhang Cheng, and his real name was indeed 'Zhang ErGou'.

"Xuan isn't that petty," Xu Xing chuckled helplessly. "By that logic, Xuan Xing carries the character 'Xuan'—does that mean He's insulting Himself too?"

"By the way, Xu Dage, didn't you meet Xuan long before we did?" Ning Ruo suddenly asked.

This title—"Xu Dage"—

Though he'd learned of it not long ago, hearing Ling Zu say it still felt strangely odd.

After all, except for Jian Zun, who was Brother Dao's senior sister and always called him "Younger Brother," everyone else had always addressed him as "Brother Dao" since his ascension to immortality.

"It can only be counted as a chance encounter," Xu Xing explained. "At that time I was worlds apart from Him; I doubt He even paid much attention to me."

Rather, it was Xuan of that time who left a deep impression on him.

The Mysterious Progenitor of All Realms—elegant and transcendent, untouched by the mundane, every gesture exuding a bearing beyond worldly things.

After that, in his cultivation, it would be hard to say he wasn't spurred on by that transcendent, carefree figure from their chance encounter.

"Even if He didn't care back then, He certainly does now," Yuanjun said.

"It's more than caring—He probably regrets day and night not having made a move against Dao Brother back then," Master Mei Zu muttered.

"Perhaps."

Xu Xing smiled and said nothing more.

Would Xuan feel regret?

By common sense, probably yes.

After all, everything that followed—including the Cang Clan ending up in such a state—couldn't be separated from Him.

But deep down, he didn't feel Xuan would regret something like this...

Enough, enough.

Xu Xing's thoughts settled to calm; he stopped dwelling on it.

This question was meaningless to begin with.

After all, from then until now, Xuan had always been the most mysterious among the Cang Clan's Four Progenitors—even among those who had stepped beyond.

Who could truly understand Him?

Yet right at Xu Xing's side, Bie Xuening, who had not spoken, glanced at him, then lowered her head thoughtfully.

Just thinking about it.

"You haven't already written a little essay in your head, have you?"

It was none other than Master Mei Zu, who had somehow drifted over.

Bie Xuening: "..."

This time she really wanted to hack at her.

……

……

Elsewhere.

Having just escaped from Xuan Xing and left 【Extreme Bliss Immortal City】, Lin Changsheng headed straight for Tianling Sect.

He was in such a rush that along the way he barely paid attention to whether there were other contestants.

As for why he still had to run to Tianling Sect... as the saying goes, 'the more dangerous the place, the safer it is'—that's called reverse thinking!

Along the way, he took the chance to check the spiritual items inside the ring.

On this point Xuan Xing hadn't lied: the storage ring contained all heaven-born spiritual items, not resources obtained from people through the 'Spirit Herding' method.

But then again...

Lin Changsheng still didn't dare use them.

Who knew whether that guy had tampered with them.

Moreover, with seven points in hand, he already had a pile of spoils; those spiritual items were more than enough.

Why take the risk?

Although he had always looked down on those scheming old fogeys of Taishang Dao Sect, there was nothing wrong with being a bit steady when appropriate...

So, after confirming he hadn't been marked, he casually tossed the storage ring Xuan Xing had given him.

In the end, the storage ring, by rotten luck, was picked up by Mu Yong, who was heading back to his sect.

Of course, there aren't that many coincidences in the world.

This was naturally the result of the World Will's influence—Mu Yong, chosen as a 'Savior,' was destined to encounter continuous opportunities once he set foot on the Dao.

It's just that recent upheavals have been too many, and the numerous Heavenly Soul Transformation cultivators are all beings beyond the world.

That's why the World Will's favor still hadn't taken effect.

emm...

To be fair, in this chaotic period of constant upheaval, whether the fortuitous encounters he's gotten now are truly good or bad is really hard to say.

But in the end, it is a stroke of fate.

However, just as Mu Yong was receiving his second stroke of fate—

Canglan Sword Palace, by the seashore.

Several light-bodied seabirds could be seen circling above the sea, the tips of their wing feathers tinged with a touch of crimson.

Their gem-like eyes occasionally shot out a streak of crimson light, piercing into the sea to cook the fish within.

Then, in a dive, their talons snatched the cooked fish from beneath the surface, dropped them on the coastal rocks, and only then landed to begin pecking at the plump fish.

Boom!

A sudden thunderous crash.

Yellow sand surged skyward; a sand wave over ten meters high blotted out the sky, casting a vast shadow.

Those crimson-eyed seabirds were startled into 'caw-caw' shrieks; in their panic they shot out beams of crimson light, some even accidentally wounding other seabirds.

"I've got to bring this back and raise it!"

Thud~!

The entire beach and sea seemed to tremble.

The towering sand wave was directly crushed flat and pressed down by an invisible, tremendous force.

When the sand wave subsided, a figure could clearly be seen hovering in midair, holding a seabird by the neck in one hand.

This person was naturally Chi Jiuyu!

"But can I take this out?" Chi Jiuyu muttered, staring at the seabird in her hand.

After a period of sinking into silence, ignoring all outside affairs, Hehuan Laozu was finally fully revived again!

And she had even made a tiny bit of progress.

Though small, it would all add up over time!

Magic power flowed out, enveloping the unconscious seabird in her hand, then she tossed it into her storage ring.

"Done!" Chi Jiuyu clapped her hands.

Though she had only rested for a short while, she discovered her ranking had dropped again—to seventh place!

How could she tolerate this!

"Let's go, let's go!"

She summoned her life blade, and its light transformed into a rainbow that swept her up.

She was in peak condition, even feeling she could take on one and a quarter of Brother Dog—she had to chase points fast! (End of chapter)