Chapter 502

Go see her again…?

Lin Changsheng opened his mouth to speak but hesitated; after pondering for a while, he finally shook his head, yet what he said was not a refusal:

"If the opportunity arises, I will certainly go see her."

Since he began his cultivation, avoidance has never been among his choices.

No matter whether that "Sheng Qingqing" inside him is merely the result of his own endless idealization.

But there was one experience that could not be faked…

Let it be called "Little Shi's Notes" — to resolve this matter, he must ultimately face it.

Of course, his cultivation level is still low; he cannot possibly return to the Xuanxiang Realm.

Upon hearing this, Meng Ling gave a slight nod.

Although Lin Changsheng had been stubborn before he understood, once he did, he grasped things quickly.

"Since this matter involves the Xian Sect Grand Competition, I won't ask further — decide for yourself what to do."

Lin Changsheng rose and bowed deeply: "Thank you, Elder."

"No need to thank me — after all, I was paid."

It was simply a straightforward monetary transaction.

"What about those rumors on the Spirit Net? Do you need us to help resolve them? We can give you a ten percent discount."

Meng Ling casually promoted the Hehuan Sect's PR services.

"… " Lin Changsheng paused. "How much would that roughly cost?"

"I don't know the exact amount," Meng Ling shook her head slightly. "But the Xian Sect Grand Competition is trending heavily right now, and your case happened to coincide with it — so it won't be low."

Lin Changsheng: "…"

"I'll think about it."

He wasn't doubting whether it could be resolved.

After all, the Hehuan Sect, as the largest livestreaming sect, was highly professional in this area.

It was just the price…

Given his current situation, even with a ten percent discount, it wouldn't be cheap.

Sigh~

I should've researched more before coming, or just bought a premium membership package.

"Of course. If you decide to resolve it, no need to tell me — just go out my office door, turn right, and the second-to-last room is where you can consult about the service."

"Mm."

She then said no more, turned, and walked out of the office.

Although there were still a few "consolidation lessons," Meng Ling, considering his mood after seeing that material, gave him a day off to recover his composure.

…

…

Inside the Ancestral Cave Realm.

In the windowless room, Xu Xing still sat motionless with closed eyes upon the soft couch.

Master Mei Zu reclined half-lazy against the redwood chair beneath the red maple leaf painting.

On the table sat a jade flask and two wine cups; the liquor within glowed with crimson auroras, its fragrance sweet and sharp.

Inside the Gangbazi Group.

Elder Lingzu: "The Spirit Net improvements are nearly complete; all debugging is finished."

Elder Lingzu: "The first and second batches of Ascension Envoys have been connected to the Spirit Net. Once we find a suitable world, we can launch the first batch of deployment tests."

As is well known, Ning Ruo never chatted idly — she only ever spoke of matters of importance.

Xiang Yuanjun: "This matter is being handled by Brother Dao — what's the current progress? @Sword Ancestor"

Seeing this message, Master Mei Zu glanced at Xu Xing beside him.

But found him utterly motionless, and he had no idea where he'd hidden his phone…

After a while, still no reply in the group.

Xiang Yuanjun: "?"

Xiang Yuanjun: "@Sword Lord"

Sword Lord: "Brother went to the Hehuan Sect — don't ask me."

Xiang Yuanjun: "?"

Hong Lord: "He really went to the Hehuan Sect? I thought that was just a joke before! /shocked"

Ba Lord: "+1"

Dan Ancestor: "I don't think it was a joke — I just didn't expect Brother to rush to the Hehuan Sect so soon after the Xian Sect Grand Competition ended."

Qi Ancestor: "It's been over half a month already — that's not short."

As usual, the group fell silent instantly; no one replied to him.

Qi Ancestor: "…"

Whatever. He was used to it.

The silence lasted a long while; perhaps feeling the time was right,

Sword Lord: "Brother might be at a critical moment, but one person is definitely idle."

Sword Lord: "@Master Mei Zu"

Sword Lord: "Get out here! /duck-kick"

Huh?

Is the Sword Sovereign getting a new emoji pack again?

Master Mei Zu blinked, as usual, first saving the emoji pack Bie Xuening had just sent.

Then she slowly typed a reply.

Master Mei Zu: "Oh dear, isn't this a crucial moment?"

Sword Sovereign: "Your 'crucial moment' is nonsense!"

Master Mei Zu: "/shy"

Sword Sovereign: "You're shy ** where?!"

Master Mei Zu: "You're swearing again /pointing finger"

Sword Sovereign: "It's you who has a dirty mind."

Bie Xuening resorted to her old trick again.

Seeing the two about to argue again,

Xiang Yuanjun: "Enough, let's get back to the main matter."

Xiang Yuanjun: "How is Brother Dao's Dao Confusion progressing? And how far along are you in finding a suitable world?"

Master Mei Zu: "emm..."

Master Mei Zu: "Guess."

Xiang Yuanjun: "..."

Xiang Yuanjun: "/you will suffer blood disaster today"

Master Mei Zu: "/nyah nyah nyah"

Elder Lingzu: "Stop fooling around. Talk seriously."

Master Mei Zu: "Oh dear, all this fuss of yours is just to find out about 'Xu Dage,' isn't it?"

Master Mei Zu: "I understand completely /side-eye smile"

They hadn't even chatted for long before Brother Dao just sat there like a lump of wood, utterly still.

She was so bored!

Of course she had to find some amusement in this group!

Elder Lingzu: "Mm, that's right."

Master Mei Zu: "?"

Elder Lingzu: "I truly want to know the state of Xu Dage."

Indirectness was never her style—she said exactly what she meant.

"..."

Ningruo's directness left Master Mei Zu momentarily speechless.

Something's off, something's off—this one doesn't play by the rules!

She quickly took a sip of wine to calm her nerves.

Master Mei Zu: "Alright, alright, I'll get serious now—listen carefully, all of you!"

Since she hadn't yet thought of a response, she abandoned her playful antics and began explaining seriously.

Master Mei Zu: "Brother Dao's Dao Confusion has not been resolved, but its impact on him has greatly lessened. That time before..."

Seeing Ningruo suddenly interrupt the rhythm, Hong Zun and the others felt a pang of regret.

But the next message Master Mei Zu sent revived their attention.

Brother Dao now walks at the forefront; everything he experiences may be what we ourselves will face in the future—naturally, we must pay close attention.

But then...

Listening, they began to sense something was off.

Besides describing Xu Xing's understanding of his own 'Dao Confusion,' Master Mei Zu also shared many of her own speculations about the next steps.

Huh??

Wait, how do you know all this?

A suspicion arose in everyone's mind.

After spending considerable time, Master Mei Zu finally finished relaying Xu Xing's understanding of his own state, interweaving her own conjectures about what comes next.

Of course, it was only a rough overview.

After all, at their cultivation level, many things are profoundly mysterious and hard to explain clearly in simple words.

But this still didn't make sense!

Dan Zu: "..."

Dan Zu: "Upon hearing your words, Master Mei Zu, have you made further progress?"

Master Mei Zu: "I already said so."

Master Mei Zu: "Earlier, I left the Xuan Realm and went to the Beast God Realm, where I observed Tian Yi's state—and I gained real insight."

The Tian Yi of the Beast God Realm is a special state formed when Tian Yi invades and assimilates the essence of a world's living beings without fully erasing their selfhood, resulting in an entangled, symbiotic coexistence.

For Master Mei Zu's cultivated path of 'True Self,' such insight is natural.

Everyone in the group knew this.

After returning, she entered seclusion for a period.

After emerging from that seclusion, she took over the 'Tian Yi' suppressed by the Tai Shang Dao Sect when Xu Xing and the others were tricked by Xuan and fell from the Xuan Realm.

She now held two sects' Tian Yi.

Previously, only Brother Dao could accomplish such a feat.

Clearly, her cultivation has advanced considerably.

Master Mei Zu: "Moreover, not long ago, Brother Dao came to me regarding Dao Wang. After observing how that karmic trace from past lives manifested, born from the self, and became Dao Wang, your own Dao has also advanced."

Master Mei Zu: "Yet even so, compared to Brother Dao now, or even Xuan who once breached the Central Continent, I still fall far short."

Master Mei Zu: "/sighs, little yellow duck"

Everyone: "……"

You've got no business sighing!

Inside the Ancestral Cave Heaven.

Master Mei Zu, half-reclining on the redwood chair, seeing no one reply, sat up slightly straighter.

She poured more wine into the already empty cup, then continued typing slowly.

Master Mei Zu: "As for the progress in finding a suitable world, I never asked Brother Dao."

Master Mei Zu: "I'll ask him once he wakes up."

Xiang Yuanjun: "Wakes up?"

Master Mei Zu: "Oh come on, didn't I already say so?"

Master Mei Zu: "/shy"

She waited eagerly for Xiang Yuanjun's reply…

But the next instant, her expression changed slightly, her hand trembled, and she swiftly put away her phone.

She turned her head to the side and saw that Xu Xing had already opened his eyes—now gazing straight ahead, as if still lost in thought.

"Brother Dao has awakened—did you gain anything this time?" she asked with a smile.

Her expression was as usual.

Xu Xing came back to himself and nodded slightly:

"A little, perhaps."

He rose from the soft couch and walked to another redwood chair beneath the painting of red maple leaves falling.

Seeing this, Master Mei Zu pushed one of the wine cups toward him.

Xu Xing did not refuse; he took it and drained it in one gulp.

"But to fully clarify it and take this step will still require considerable time."

Just how much time exactly, even he did not know.

Master Mei Zu picked up the wine flask and poured more for Xu Xing:

"Then when the day comes that Brother Dao takes this step…?"

"Naturally, to settle accounts with the Cang Clan!" Xu Xing said decisively.

The grudges between him and the Cang Clan have endured since ancient times, continuing to this day.

Had it not been for Xuan's superior methods, Gu's merging with the past, and the half-dead Hun Tian Yi's favor, which prevented the Cang Clan from being utterly exterminated, he would have acted long ago!

Master Mei Zu paused, seeing crimson light swirling again at the rim of the cup, and set down her wine flask.

Xu Xing lifted the cup again and drained it: "But perhaps the 'Ascension Plan' will complete first."

But whichever it is—

Whether he succeeds in taking the next step and ascends to Dao Source True Immortal—

Or the 'Ascension Plan' succeeds, and the human prodigies from myriad worlds unite with the Dao, causing humanity's world-weight to completely overwhelm the Cang Clan's 'favor of Hun Tian Yi'—

Whichever one is achieved, that will be the moment we begin the final battle with the Cang Clan! (End of Chapter)