Chapter 143: Su Ge, Can I Spend the New Year at Your Place?

"This direction?"

"Probably."

The hour of Zi gradually approached, the time between eleven at night and one in the morning.

Song Shuhang opened his eyes, ending the cultivation of the True Self Meditation Scripture; he had already adjusted his state to peak condition, his blood and qi full, his spirit abundant.

He began chanting incantations, placing his spirit ghost at the center of the array, then danced in a strange posture, resembling a shaman performing a ritual.

Su Lin glanced at the clock; there was still time to get home for lunch.

He arranged five high-level healing spells near the villa's windows, so that when Li Tiansu flew in from that direction, he would pass through all five radiant spells.

Not long after.

"He's coming," Bai Zunzhe warned.

Su Lin looked out the window and saw a blue figure speeding toward the villa from afar.

Faintly discernible was a man clad in a blue Daoist robe, surrounded by a massive sword-shaped aura of blue light that tightly enveloped him.

Su Lin felt a pang of emotion; Bai Zunzhe's constitution was truly peculiar—dying cultivators often came to him to leave behind their possessions.

Li Tiansu had fled from that terrifying Mystical Realm, his meridians and dantian nearly shattered; he now survived only because the final moment's Sword Escape had carried his body away.

"Yinzhu..." He reached out to grasp the white-haired girl, but it was merely an illusion.

With a hiss, the sword-light deposited him in a secluded courtyard; Li Tiansu felt warmth spreading through his entire body.

"Is this where it ends?"

He felt as if he had returned to his mother's arms.

"How long do you plan to lie in my arms?"

A male voice came from above.

Li Tiansu opened his eyes and saw a pair of white-gold irises—sacred and inviolable, with sharply defined features like a work of art, faint radiance glowing softly upon the man's divine form, as pure as milk.

"Get up already?!"

Being leaned on by a grown man was uncomfortable.

"Oh, oh!" Li Tiansu scrambled to his feet; suddenly, the searing pain of his shattered meridians was gone—no tearing agony, only a warm force repairing his body, flowing continuously like the most skilled tailor, weaving flesh, mending the soul, and even converting his own essence into blood and spirit when materials ran low.

Li Tiansu had never imagined such fortune in this direst of circumstances—surviving against all odds!

"Elder!" Li Tiansu bowed deeply to Su Lin, kowtowing: "The wandering cultivator Li Tiansu thanks the Elder for saving my life!"

He held back his tears so he could continue seeking a future for his daughter.

"Keep your voice down."

Su Lin pointed to the side; Li Tiansu turned and saw a young cultivator binding a spirit ghost.

It seemed he had intruded upon this Elder's training ground for disciples; beside him stood a man like a celestial exiled from mortal dust, long black hair cascading down his back, eyes bright as stars—Li Tiansu's heart quickened, and he hastily looked away, not only out of rudeness, but because he realized this man was a Seventh Rank White Zunzhe!

"I need a bit of your soul energy," Bai Zunzhe approached Li Tiansu and forcibly stripped away a portion of his soul.

The pain of soul damage was unbearable; Li Tiansu groaned, clutching his head in agony—but then the holy force resumed healing his soul, bringing him relief.

Bai Zunzhe channeled this energy into the spirit ghost within the array; the spirit ghost's aura trembled.

"Elder..."

Li Tiansu didn't understand why this Elder would help the spirit ghost nearly subdued.

"It's fine."

Moments later, the spirit ghost shrank to the size of a fist; Su Lin gave it a buff, then Song Shuhang performed the binding again.

"Settle the bill," Su Lin said to Li Tiansu; before Li Tiansu could react, he added: "That ring on your hand is decent—consider it payment for the healing."

"Oh, oh!" Li Tiansu quickly removed the Third Rank magical ring from his finger; it held little value, its Spirit Gathering array being the most basic.

He unconsciously assumed this Elder was noble and upright, unwilling to burden him psychologically.

"How fortunate I am—to meet such an Elder at my most desperate hour!"

Su Lin took the ring and handed it to Song Shuhang; according to the original storyline, this ring might be connected to the Flame Blade technique Song Shuhang had learned.

"I want your cultivation scripture's lineage—will you give it to me?"

Although Li Tiansu was merely a fleeting figure in his original fate, his origins were far from ordinary.

He once had a master-disciple bond with the Immortal Chi Xiaozi; Song Shuhang's first dream visit was made possible through this karmic thread, granting him Chi Xiaozi's timeless gaze and a sword technique.

Li Tiansu's fate was turbulent; had his daughter Li Yinzhu not suffered from a cold affliction, forcing all resources into her care, he would now be either a Seventh Rank White Zunzhe or at the peak of Sixth Rank Huangshan Zhenjun.

Cultivators, like ordinary people, cannot afford to fall ill.

"Of course I will," Li Tiansu said respectfully; now that he had recovered, he sensed the Elder before him as an endless sea of light, while he himself was but a tiny boat adrift upon its waves.

Though he did not know why this Elder sought his scripture, Li Tiansu was more than willing—saving a life outweighs all debts.

Two hours later

Su Lin held a jade slip and said to Li Tiansu: "I won't take your scripture for free—later, you may join that Song Shuhang and choose one scripture from my Wangshu Pavilion; consider it an exchange of equals."

"Today's events are your karmic connection with him."

Su Lin spoke, then turned and stepped into a teleportation gate, leaving Li Tiansu and the others with words still unspoken.

After subduing the spirit ghost, Song Shuhang stepped forward and said to Li Tiansu: "For some reason, I feel an instant kinship with Elder Li—how about this? If you don't mind, let's exchange contact details and keep in touch."

"Later, we can swear brotherhood—then your daughter becomes my daughter too."

Li Tiansu was bewildered; everything that had happened today was too sudden.

————————————

Above the Gray Mist

An old wooden house rested quietly in a corner of the palace.

The weathered door stood slightly ajar, not fully closed; Audrey stepped inside.

This time, there was no stone wall—only wooden partitions, finely carved with tiny perforations; through the barely visible light, Audrey could barely make out the Facing World.

"Good evening, Mr. World." Audrey's tone carried a hint of cheerfulness, as per their arrangement, tonight she would conduct the regular psychotherapy session for World above the gray fog.

World. Miss Kelaien. Previously in the Honesty Hall, Audrey had learned Mr. World's true name from Mr. Star.

Audrey no longer held the fear of the mad adventurer Gehrman she once had, because she knew that Mr. World was actually a gentle and kind person.

"Good evening, Miss Justice." Miss Kelaien greeted her in a flat voice.

As a Beyonder of the Spectator pathway, Audrey could perceive the emotional shifts in every conversation with Mr. World.

"Your condition seems much better than before." Audrey said happily, her crisp voice as lovely as a warbler's song.

"Indeed." Miss Kelaien did not deny it, answering honestly.

The two chatted like friends, and before they knew it, Audrey had already shaped the atmosphere of the conversation.

"Is there anything worth being happy about recently?" Audrey asked with curiosity in her tone: "I can feel that your mental state during this period has improved greatly compared to before."

This was not Audrey deliberately playing a role; in fact, she was genuinely curious about what had happened to World. Compared to the first consultation, World's mental state had not only stabilized, but he seemed to have found a 'goal'? Audrey wasn't sure what it was, but she could be certain that Mr. World was no longer as downcast as before, though she could still sense that Mr. World carried a great deal of pressure.

"Could you share it with me?" Audrey inquired.

After deliberating for a few seconds, Miss Kelaien said: "I made some friends."

'Friends?!' Even Audrey was somewhat surprised, though it also made sense—friendship was indeed something that could make a person feel happy.

"Mm, what kind of friends are they?" Audrey pressed on, continuing to ask, while using 'Pacify' on him to temporarily ease the negative emotions brought by his pressure, guiding the topic to continue.

Miss Kelaien was silent for a few seconds, then said: "After meeting and spending time together a few times, they're all decent people, except for one individual… mm…"

Miss Kelaien wanted to say something, but felt it didn't match the image of World Gehrman. He felt that even after Leonard's backstab in the Honesty Hall, he could slowly salvage the image of his "World" identity.

'That idiot Leonard, I probably shouldn't have brought him along in the first place.'

He had clearly given prior warning, yet that fool had still inadvertently exposed his identity.

It seemed they were on quite good terms, Audrey analyzed to herself.

"Are those few also Beyonders?"

"Yes."

Mm, as fellow Beyonders, Mr. World could share many things with them, which would have a positive effect on Mr. World's mental state.

"What made you happy shouldn't be only these, right?"

The emotional gains from interpersonal relationships required time to materialize. Audrey recalled the process of these past few consultations—Mr. World's mental stability had shown complete alleviation, and then entered a fluctuating range.

There were other factors that truly stabilized his spirit.

"I went to a place, a place that felt familiar."

Audrey could clearly sense the hidden joy in the other's words.

"That place must make you feel very familiar, very nostalgic. There, you can find inner peace."

"Yes, that place was my former hometown, but it isn't my hometown." Miss Kelaien paused, and said in a flat tone: "It's only a shadow, and there are no people I know there."

Has Mr. World found his hometown? Audrey remembered that Mr. World had awakened from the distant past, and had mentioned this point during their first consultation—a person who, like Mr. Fool, had revived from ancient times. This was probably also why he could become Mr. Fool's Blessed.

Audrey felt happy for World in her heart.

"Are those people you met there?"

"That's right."

"This should be a happy matter, Mr. World." Audrey said:

"At least that place can bring you a shred of comfort, and with friends by your side, these are all wonderful things."

"But I sense you carry great pressure within. These things have affected your emotions, affected your experience of beauty."

"If you don't mind, could you tell me?"

Audrey guided Miss Kelaien to a certain extent, wanting to learn the reason for his worry and unease.

This time, Mr. World on the opposite side was silent for a long while.

"Do you accept innocent lives being abandoned?"

"I would not accept it." Audrey said without hesitation. She immediately thought that Mr. World might have encountered some difficult problem—the gentle Mr. World wanted to save innocent lives, but seemed powerless to do so?

"What if their sacrifice is necessary?" Miss Kelaien's tone was icy, his voice low, as he said:

"Even deities have acknowledged their sacrifice, their lives and endings cannot be changed. What should be done?"

"They are people destined to be swept into the depths of the sea by the tide of the times."

"Their lives will propel the transformation of the era and bring change to the future."

Audrey was stunned. The severity behind what Mr. World had encountered exceeded her imagination; these words revealed a great deal of information.

The tide of the times was about to arrive.

Many lives would be swept into it.

Quite a few people's lives would be abandoned, because this matter could not be avoided.

Deities were involved behind the scenes, and it seemed there was more than one.

These people's sacrifices would alter the future landscape.

The thin words in books and the things she had seen in the Sea of the Subconscious until now could not allow Audrey to give an answer that satisfied even herself.

Various thoughts churned in her mind, as if digesting this matter, and also searching for an answer.

In the darkness, stillness descended.

Neither of them spoke, only facing each other in silence across the wooden board.

Only now did Audrey realize that the matter was far more complicated than it appeared on the surface. Although Mr. World's spirit had stabilized considerably, the cause of this consultation was the matter World had always kept hidden in his heart—like a spiritual bomb of moderate power, unable to make World lose control, but capable of hurting this gentle-hearted person.

After a long while, she lightly bit her lip and calmly made her judgment.

"I think, I cannot accept it." Audrey was solemn and serious. She no longer used the experience she had gained from the outside world or the knowledge learned from books, nor did she use Beyonder abilities. She simply followed her heart and said:

"That is too cruel, I cannot accept it."

She repeated her attitude toward this matter twice.

"I cannot accept it either." Miss Kelaien's voice echoed inside the wooden cabin, calm in a way that was somewhat frightening.

Audrey hesitated for a moment, then said softly, "Mr. Fool, He—"

"Mr. Fool does not like this matter either."

Audrey lowered her head in shame. Right, Mr. Fool is such a benevolent and great deity—how could He allow such a thing to happen.

*Audrey, you must reflect on the wavering of your own faith. *

Audrey told herself this inwardly, but she immediately reacted as well—Mr. Fool does not like it, but Mr. World also cannot change it, or rather, finds it very hard to change. That means—

"Is it certain beings within the Church of the Seven Gods? Or deities beyond the Seven Gods?" Audrey asked.

"It may be that all Seven Gods have tacitly consented," Miss Kelaien answered, his voice utterly even. "There may even be other deities involved."

Audrey pressed her lips together. She felt utterly powerless at such a development; even Mr. Fool, for all His might, would likely be unable to do anything.

A sense of sorrow and emptiness welled up inside her, grieving for the things that were about to come.

*Calm down, Audrey. You are a doctor. You must be rational. You still have to comfort Mr. World. *

"I am very sorry for telling you these cruel things." Miss Kelaien, through that faint light, gazed at the 'Justice' Audrey ahead.

"No. We would have learned sooner or later, wouldn't we?" Audrey's voice trembled almost imperceptibly, then steadied itself:

"At the moment when strife and turmoil arrive."

"Thank you, Mr. World. At the very least, I can prepare a little earlier, and protect my father, my mother, and my brother well."

Miss Kelaien lowered his head, his hands crossed over his raised leg, lost in thought.

"You could try spending more time with your friends," Audrey ventured to suggest, saying:

"At a time like this, exchanging with friends can adjust your state of mind."

"Go back to a familiar place, be with your friends, everyone chatting happily together."

Miss Kelaien nodded and said, "Let us end this consultation here. Thank you, Miss Justice."

Miss Kelaien pushed himself up and walked outside.

"We have no other choice, do we?" Audrey said softly. She was telling Mr. World, and she was telling herself—there is no use pouring emotion into things beyond one's power to change. It was a form of consolation in disguise.

Miss Kelaien paused his steps and said, "But perhaps we can still do our very best."

Let the sinners meet the ending they deserve, just like the closing of a story in a fairy tale book.

——————————

Su Lin was sitting on the sofa at home, watching TV dramas and scrolling through group chats out of sheer boredom. Even a cultivator should give himself a seven-day New Year holiday—finish the New Year first, then cultivate properly.

Zhang Chulan was preparing to stir up trouble in Biyou Village. After learning about the Qi Infant inside his body, the fellow had become even more reckless, dead set on smashing Old Ma's furnace.

Weigong Shilang said Constantine's alchemy was very impressive—ever since switching teachers, his progress in learning alchemy had begun to speed up.

Uh.

Ye Zhetian was preparing to cultivate the Foundation Establishment–Jin Dan system in parallel. In the final analysis, because of the great change in heaven and earth, the cultivation methods of the Veil of Heaven World focused more on developing the self, abandoning the acquisition of too much spiritual energy from the outside world. His behavior was akin to everyone else planting trees and afforesting, while he ran up the mountain to chop trees—fortunately, he was the only woodcutter.

Han Li had already passed through Nascent Soul and arrived inside the Wangshu Pavilion.

Su Lin planned to close the group chat. On the plasma TV at home, he projected the inspirational story of the fish-selling young man—he had taken a liking to watching that lately.

Miss Kelaien: "Bro Su, are you there?"

Su Lin was so startled he nearly failed to hold the remote steady. It was Miss Kelaien.

Su Lin: "?"

Su Lin: "It's New Year, don't scare me like that."

Miss Kelaien: "Tomorrow is the second day of the New Year, right?"

Su Lin: "Yeah."

Miss Kelaien: "What are your plans for tomorrow?"

Su Lin: "Sleep in, then head back to the rural hometown, visit relatives, eat the village banquet."

Miss Kelaien: "Bro Su, can I come to your place for New Year?"

Su Lin: "what?"

No way around it—lately I can only guarantee a minimum of 4,000 characters up to 000. Next week I'm on a business trip for a whole week, I may barely use my phone. Sorry, in March I'll try to update more.

End of chapter