Chapter 202: Suddenly Looking Back, That Person Is There, Amid the Fading Lanterns

The White City has two ways to welcome the light: one is to go to the Giant King's Court and purify the "Dark Angel" spirit, then open a passage so the White City's residents can reach the outside world.

The other method is to hang Su Lin in the sky as the sun; I believe, within a few years, the Land of Divine Abandonment will once again become vibrant and flourishing.

Kleine tried his best to abandon the second lazy option—after all, though it seemed he had gained a moment's respite, the barrier's disappearance had not been extended.

The other Outer Gods might awaken at any moment; even if incomplete, they are beyond the capability of Earth's deities to resolve.

Change is objectively real: some Outer Gods have suffered catastrophic losses and will exert limited influence going forward. When the apocalypse arrives, some may fail to fully recover, leaving them underpowered—giving Earth's side a higher chance of victory.

"There's one other difference… this time I can sneak in some leisure time; I won't be stuck in a 007 work schedule." Kleine mocked himself inwardly, "But it's still not time to fully relax."

One cannot forever rely on outside help; one must first rely on oneself, and it's still not the time to place all hope in others.

"Besides, I must grow stronger, so that one day in the future I can repay those who helped me." Kleine examined himself, thinking seriously.

The matter of the "Dark Angel" Sathiel must be settled; before that, I must hunt the "Udark Wolf" Kotal.

The "Udark Wolf" Kotal no longer poses a threat; with advantages in both intelligence and personal resources, Kleine could even consider capturing its true form to turn it into a Divine Trait.

Having made his decision, Kleine scanned Zhongli and Su Lin on either side of him.

The only issue is the location of the "Dark Angel" Sathiel—the Giant King's residence—where traces of contamination may still linger, contamination not from beneath the earth nor from the Fallen Mother Goddess, but from the Original Creator who forged the universe.

It's not really a major problem, since the intelligence advantage still holds.

But the problem is

"Why am I so uneasy? I have a faint feeling that disaster is coming."

It's like in a game where you've collected every item and maxed out all stats, yet still feel you might fail.

Thinking of this, Kleine asked Su Lin: "I'll ask one last time—do you really have no cheats left?"

Su Lin's lip twitched, momentarily speechless, then replied: "Do you really think I'm a wholesale supplier of cheats?"

"Aren't you?" Kleine retorted.

"At least I don't have a three-minute free-reign trial card anymore," Su Lin said. "That thing was actually quite precious; if the Fallen Mother Goddess and the Tree of Desire hadn't directly targeted me, I wouldn't have let her snatch the Divine Core—I'd never have used it under normal circumstances."

Kleine nodded, then began questioning whether he'd become too cautious—already in this situation, still exhausting himself with overthinking, wasting energy internally; he might as well just charge ahead.

"How could I even have such a thought?!"

Kleine was startled—could it really be, as he'd seen while surfing, that Rogosa's Divine Trait was flawed? Better stay cautious.

"The divine war is nearly at its end," Kleine looked up at the hazy crimson starry sky, where stars continuously expanded and contracted: "What are your plans next? Actually, if you wish to return to your own world now, you may—I can handle what remains."

Zhongli fell silent, as if pondering, while Su Lin rummaged through his own belongings.

After a long pause, Zhongli spoke:

"Let's wait until the war ends. If I hadn't seen it, I'd have left, but since these events unfolded right before my eyes, I might as well lend a hand—it can still reduce unnecessary losses from the war."

"Besides, I still have one thing left to accomplish in this world—I wish to find an effective way to combat contamination for a friend."

"So, I'll have to trouble you a little longer."

"Don't mention it—I owe you my thanks," Kleine said sincerely. "Su Lin, what about you?"

"When I chatted with Amon, I thought he was right about one thing," Su Lin mused. "Life always needs some stimulation, fun, and anticipation."

"So I've decided to explore a ruin before returning."

"After all, I've already stayed in this world so long—there's no rush."

Upon hearing this, Kleine's brow twitched involuntarily—Amon? When did you start chatting with Amon?

It must have been one of Amon's other incarnations—these two actually got together.

Fortunately, Su Lin has slightly more boundaries than Amon; otherwise, this world would be in ruins.

But more likely, these two are just trying to turn each other into entertainment. Too bad I didn't see it—that must have been especially amusing.

"By the way, how is Mr. Door?" Kleine suddenly remembered the Angel King.

"The Fallen Mother Goddess immediately chose to kill Him, so I couldn't find Him," Su Lin said. He had considered wiping out all the hidden traps controlled by the Fallen Mother Goddess and the Tree of Desire, but before their demise, they had orchestrated a sacrifice using the Bound God and Mr. Door.

Clearly, they still had other plans—so much so that even their resurrection attempts dragged these two in.

Su Lin had originally intended to help the poor Abraham, but now it seemed impossible.

After a while longer, once the plan was finalized, Kleine took out his coin and began divination.

"I keep feeling uneasy."

He frowned, watching the coin stand upright on the bronze table.

Not heads, not tails—it meant the path ahead was unknown.

"You must be even more cautious with Amon," Zhongli warned. "Not everything will unfold as you know it in the story—many things have already changed."

"Your high-tier intuition doesn't arise from nothing."

Kleine fully agreed—reality isn't a plotline; when he became the butterfly, everything shifted, let alone that this butterfly brought two blenders along.

In the coming battle, I want to do my best to save the half-gods of the Giant City—it can prevent tragedy and allow them to become elite forces of the Yuzhe Sect once they reach the outside world.

"Heh, what era are we in, still using traditional divination?" Su Lin pulled out irregular jade tablets from his robe. "Professional divination requires professional tools."

"What are these?" Kleine asked curiously.

Zhongli examined them and said: "Back in the starry sky, didn't you use these jade objects to locate the Outer Gods?"

Su Lin nodded, pinching a jade tablet between his fingers, his eyes bright with interest, urging Kleine: "Though I no longer have the celestial method for divination, I still have other divination arts—I can use these jade tablets' unique properties to calculate anything in this world without fear."

He laid the irregular jade tablets out on the bronze table; Kleine vaguely felt these tablets might fit together into some complete object.

No—it looked like a flute shattered into divination tally sticks?

Kleine didn't press for their origin—so long as they worked, that was enough.

"Then," Kleine stroked his chin, "help me divine the major events about to occur."

Su Lin nodded slightly, lifting his hands, and the jade tablets floated into the air, spinning rapidly—he employed the divination art he'd studied all night the day before.

Though he could use the artifact's unique properties to avoid reverse-engineering, he still needed to carefully conceal the celestial omens he himself revealed, lest he invite backlash from exposing the Heavenly Secrets.

"Qian Kun Wu Liang, the hexagram serves as metaphor!"

Su Lin's fingers rapidly formed hand seals, and one by one, characters gradually assembled into a poem in midair.

Although this was his first real combat, it shouldn't pose any major problems.

【In the north dwells a beauty, peerless and alone.】

「. 」

Seeing Kleen's subtle facial expression, Su Lin hurriedly said: "Don't rush—it's not over yet!"

The secret technique activated again, and more characters rapidly formed and arranged into another line of poetry.

【Meeting feels like first acquaintance; till old age, no resentment lingers.】

Kleen paused, his face twisted with oddness, voice tinged with uncertainty: "I have no intention of seeking romance. Did you misread it?"

Zhongli walked over slowly, staring curiously at the characters above.

"Don't rush!" Su Lin glared, his expression darkening—this was the first step in his career as Su Guaxian; he absolutely could not get it wrong!

The celestial hexagram shifted again.

【When sorrowful eyes turn back, flowers are gone—yet a faint fragrance brings a red beauty.】

That's impossible!?

I was calculating a major event in your future! A MAJOR event!

What do you mean by "major"? Wait—I get it! It must be metaphorical. I must interpret the full poem.

"Wait! Wait! Be patient!"

Su Lin closed his eyes; waves of spiritual light surged from his true spirit, covering the jade tablets.

"He Tu Nine Questions! Activate!"

The shattered jade pieces rapidly reassembled into a long jade flute, its surface shimmering with radiant light, white glows flickering within its cracks.

【Suddenly looking back, that person stands there, where lanterns dim.】

Holy shit!! Don't joke with me! Did I really calculate a romance?! That can't be right!

【I intended to light the bright moon; the moon hangs alone on the southeast branch.】

You're the one hanging on the southeast branch! I didn't calculate romance! Su Lin rapidly formed hand seals, his fingers blurring into afterimages, pouring all his Golden Core Stage power into the technique.

Wuuu—

The flute's cry rose, like wind howling and cranes crying.

【A beauty so fair she topples nations—yet who knows she is ruin's source? Old skin cast aside, now I know: I am I.】

Pata. Pata.

The reassembled jade flute dissolved again into scattered jade fragments, falling onto the bronze table. Zhongli's curiosity deepened; Kleen and Su Lin fell silent.

"Are you certain this is my future's major event?" Kleen stared blankly at the fragments on the table: "Let me be clear—I have zero interest in such things now. You know me. Even in fictional stories, I've never considered romance!"

"Perhaps you suddenly feel the burden lift, and your mindset shifted unconsciously," Su Lin wiped imaginary sweat, his face grim, forcing a stiff smile:

"Look, you're getting on in years—why not take Young Lady Sharon or Young Lady Audrey out for a stroll sometime?"

"Go ahead. If you do, my divination will be proven right."

"Do you think I'd do that?" Kleen shot Su Lin a withering look: "You'd better go back and practice your divination."

Who are you looking down on?!

Su Lin felt despondent. He'd followed every step of the teaching scripture precisely—was it possible he had no talent for cultivation… or for divination?!

【Will my whole life rely solely on the system to overtake others? Do I have no other talent worth cultivating, nothing to be proud of?!!】

【No!】

Su Lin's eyes sharpened; he formed a hand seal and drew forth a sliver of his true spirit.

【I'm not trying to prove I'm extraordinary—I'm telling others: I, Su Lin, have my own strengths!】

Su Lin dripped a drop of his essence onto the jade fragments—he would now divinate for himself.

"Tell me! Where does my future path lie?!"

【If life were always as it first began, why should autumn winds grieve the painted fan?】

Fuck you! Su Lin's face paled—Kleen's result was bad enough, but why did this appear for him?!

"You're the Faceless One—what are you grinning at? Shut up!" Su Lin roared: "It's not over!"

【Suddenly looking back, that person stands there, where lanterns dim.】

Inhale! Exhale!

Inhale! Exhale!

Su Lin forcibly calmed his emotions; Tianwang activated instantly, his expression turning utterly neutral. His five fingers became threads, pulling each jade fragment.

"What dangers lie in my future?"

He began directing the divination toward specific targets—this would yield more precise results, even if overly specific, but at least it wouldn't produce such abstract poetry.

【Beware fire, beware theft, beware the mysterious.】

Before these characters fully formed in midair, Su Lin reached his limit; his aura plummeted like a deflated balloon.

This state didn't last long—through Divine Light, Su Lin quickly restored to perfect normalcy.

Su Lin fell silent, quietly gathering the jade fragments.

The system's strength is my strength—I've fused with the system, inseparable. What other talent do I need?! I live by the system! I'm proud to rely on the system!

Nothing happened.

"Don't lose heart—failure is the mother of success," Kleen smiled, tossing a gold coin in his hand: "Looks like the times haven't changed."

At that moment, Zhongli, who had watched silently for a long while, smiled faintly and spoke: "It may not be a wrong reading. Your result resembles the hexagram Huangshan Zhenjun cast when Song Shuhang joined the Cultivation Chat Group."

Hearing this, Su Lin and Kleen both grew grim—especially Su Lin, who pondered for several seconds before saying: "Then it's better if it's wrong."

Kleen nodded vigorously, affirming: "It must be wrong."

City of Calamity

In the center of a dense array of buildings in various styles, Lu Mingfei stood before a full-length mirror, hooking her fingertip under her own lips.

"Look closely—I'm still quite beautiful."

"This is what they call 'fish sink, geese fall, moon hide, flowers blush.'"

As she spoke, she made all sorts of grotesque faces at the mirror with her own reflection.

"Didn't appreciate it earlier—now you've learned to appreciate it?" Lao Lu's voice echoed through the area.

"I can transform back anytime now, so I might as well take my time to admire it," Lu Mingfei replied with a pout. "How much longer until you finish digesting this Source-Matter?"

"Almost done, almost done! Don't rush me!"

As his words faded, a series of resonant vibrations returned; from above, the Source-Matter looked like a cookie that had suddenly been bitten into.

End of Chapter