Chapter 211

No, it's not over, right?!

Looking at the characters 'Jin Bing' on the letter, Xue Xuan admitted he almost couldn't keep a straight face:

Just a few hundred years ago we took down a 'Xuandu', and now a 'Jin Bing' pops up…… If you're capable, keep climbing—bring Di Jun, the Six Sages, even the Dao Ancestor!

'Looks like, since the myths faded, everywhere in the wilderness has become chaotic……'

Xue Xuan let out a long sigh; leaving other things aside, just from the fact that people nowadays go crazy stealing ancient names, one can see that the wilderness without the Heavenly Court is practically a free-for-all of demons and monsters……

【Obviously, you don't think this letter is really written by that ancient great emperor; it's highly likely some charlatan stealing fame for personal gain cooked this up!】

【What? You say I'm also stealing fame?】

【The protagonist's actions in a game can't be considered theft, only 'pilfering'…… Can the protagonist's actions be considered stealing!】

【After quietly calming your emotions, you, with the attitude of watching the 'Humanoid Stars Awards', opened this private letter with great interest……】

【Just as you thought, this person's writing and speech all take the title 'Golden Heavenly Emperor'; looking at his page after page of solemn nonsense, you couldn't help but laugh.】

【But unexpectedly, this pirated Jin Bing didn't shout anything outrageous demanding you kneel and surrender, nor did he take any verbal advantage over you.】

【This rather surprised you, so you unconsciously became a bit more serious, carefully reading the meaning this pirated heavenly emperor wanted to convey……】

【In the letter, he right at the start exposed your 'Xuandu reincarnation' identity, saying he knows you're just borrowing Xuandu's name to get things done; however, seeing that you're not seeking personal gain and you govern your subjects well, he grudgingly forgave your name‑stealing act.】

【Then he warned you not to rush for quick success; although killing people can add a cultivation buff, there are big problems involved, likely touching on the secret of the sages' Dao struggle……】

【Seeing this, you were quite surprised: who else knows the secret that killing can speed up cultivation?!】

【You thought only you knew this, but didn't expect others to know as well…… However, upon reflection, this secret might be a secret to newcomers, but to old-timers who have long wandered the immortal path, it's something you can figure out with a little experimentation—it's not mysterious!】

【Therefore, although you still don't believe he is Jin Bing, you can't help but suspect his identity……】

【Further down, he urges you strongly not to break through to the Golden Immortal realm, because the wilderness heaven and earth have undergone changes unimaginable to ordinary people, even the most basic laws of heaven and earth have long been different; once you break through to Golden Immortal, you will face heavenly tribulation, and even be struck down by heaven!】

【You:???】

【Heavenly tribulation? Struck down by heaven?】

【You blankly looked at your own Golden Immortal cultivation, then dazedly lifted your head to look up, trying to find the so‑called heavenly tribulation…… but the sky was cloudless, nothing at all.】

【With a muddled mind, you turned to the next paragraph, which is also the last paragraph of the letter: 'If you still have doubts, come to the Netherworld Sea of Blood for a meeting; I, together with the former emperor, Xuandu, and the disciples of the Holy Teachings Huanglong and Guangcheng, await you……'

【You: ……】

【No, how is this made to look so real? Having Jin Bing and Xuandu is bad enough, but even the former emperor Di Jun? And even disciples like Guangchengzi and Huanglong Zhenren, second‑generation disciples of the Holy Teachings?!】

【The more you look, the more it seems real!】

【In the situation where it seems the whole family of the genuine article is present, you, as a pirated version…… admit you're feeling a bit inadequate……】

【Ding! Faced with the absurd information revealed in this letter, you feel an indescribable panic, afraid of having your mask torn off, so you choose: (?) 】

【A: Go, this letter looks more and more real; just in case, it's better to go ask—maybe you'll gain something! B: Don't go, I damn well don't believe that evil! This is definitely a wicked cult's harmful trick; if you go, you might end up dead!】

"You little brat also know fear, huh!"

Seeing Xue Xuan rarely show guilt and panic, Zhao Si curled his lip:

Toward the pirated Xuandu, you strike hard; toward the genuine Jin Bing, you are obsequious—truly bullying the weak and fearing the strong……

"So, is this Jin Bing real?"

Zhao Si also found it difficult; this question is really hard to answer, given the lack of information, we can only guess bluntly:

In theory, Jin Bing, as the chief disciple of Taiqing and the third‑generation leader of the Xuanmen, relying on his ties to the sages, Taiqing will definitely protect him, unless he directly provokes Hongjun, only then might Taiqing cut ties with him……

So, Jin Bing surviving until the degenerate age is quite reasonable.

But if this person really is Jin Bing, given his consistent nature, he would have long ago rebuilt the Heavenly Court and saved the wilderness beings from fire and water!

But the reality is, the wilderness is everywhere cannibalism, the era is extremely dark, yet Jin Bing, who ought to step up and do something, shows no movement at all.

So Zhao Si personally thinks the 'gold content' of this Jin Bing is probably low……

However, one can't say for sure; true or false are both possible, but currently Zhao Si leans toward him being a counterfeit Jin Bing.

"But having said that, regardless of whether he's real or fake, at least from this letter we can see this person possesses more information than that brat Xue Xuan, thus having extremely high value."

Zhao Si thought carefully:

Xue Xuan, relying on two lifetimes of restart, did gain quite a bit of information in the short term, but because he hasn't lived long, many details about ancient mythology and related issues are completely unknown to him.

Usually not encountering old-timers is fine, but once you do, you'll immediately fall into a passive position due to the information gap……

"For example, Golden Immortals will face heavenly tribulation……"

This information made Zhao Si somewhat doubtful, scratching his head:

In theory, if 'Jin Bing' tries to gain Xue Xuan's trust, as the first one‑way communication between the two parties, 'Jin Bing' cannot lie; only a piece of information completely immune to doubt could possibly earn Xue Xuan's initial trust.

So, this heavyweight piece of information that 'Golden Immortals will suffer heavenly tribulation' should be true!

But…… Xue Xuan is already a Golden Immortal, yet we haven't seen any heavenly tribulation come?

"If that 'Jin Bing' hasn't pulled off the heaven‑defying move of lying right at the start, then the answer can only be one thing."

"That is, the information that Golden Immortals will face tribulation only works on people other than Xue Xuan; it's useless for Xue Xuan himself!"

And if this deduction is true, then Xue Xuan must have something special about him that lets him avoid the heavenly tribulation he should face; as for what that special thing is……

"Perhaps it's due to spiritual qi, or perhaps the power of the wilderness, or maybe the Heavenly Dao or the Nether River……"

Zhao Si confirmed some suspicious guesses, then after thinking, he made up his mind:

"In short, to solve these mysteries, we must go up and ask in person……"

"If you don't enter the tiger's den, how can you get a tiger's cub?"

As for Xue Xuan possibly encountering danger because of this…… no worries, anyway if he dies he just restarts; Xue Xuan is already used to dying!

"Choose A!"

【You chose option A, go, this letter looks more and more real; just in case, it's better to go ask—maybe you'll gain something!】

【You gritted your teeth, decided to risk your life once, both to probe the details of that 'Jin Bing' and to try to uncover as much missing key information as possible.】

【Having made up your mind, you immediately announced to the ministers: 'I have decided to go see that 'Jin Bing' with my own eyes; in my absence, all state affairs shall be entrusted as usual to the Heavenly Master.'】

If you encounter any problem that even the Heavenly Master can't decide on, just ask Jingxin; Jingxin's opinion can represent mine!

As soon as your edict was spoken, all the officials stared at each other, looking toward the two Daoists standing at the front of the officials, one wearing yellow robes—he is the Heavenly Master, namely the old master of the Heavenly Cave who was among the first to support your ascension to the throne and who read your face back then.

The other is a young, handsome Daoist in plain robes—it's Jingxin!

In this life, he did not initially follow you south and north to start a slaughter, but instead remained hidden in some mortal city……

Not long ago, you finally remembered that old comrade who once shared your aspirations; you then went out of your way to look for him, and after finding him, you promoted him straight from the populace to the head of the officials, fully displaying the extraordinary favor of your previous life!

Faced with the Heavenly Emperor's favor and promotion, Jingxin, accustomed to an ordinary life, obviously felt at a loss; he muddled into becoming the highest-ranking official, on par with the Heavenly Master, and thus felt rather frightened, but under your care he gradually calmed his mind and formally entered the role.

However, he is after all a typical example of rising to prominence in a single step, which leads the officials to often regard him as a flattering minister, and everyone has almost come to equate him with the ancient Sun Star Lord……

And now, your single sentence "Jingxin's will is my will" further has everyone cement his position as the Sun Star Lord…… but while they harbor myriad complaints inwardly, they dare not speak them aloud; everyone dutifully obeys, only the yellow-robed old Heavenly Master casts a disdainful glance at Jingxin, leaving him feeling stifled……

You have no interest in managing the struggles of the Heavenly Officials below; after arranging the procedures for governance, you alone leave the capital city, bearing that letter, heading toward the meeting place mentioned in it.

This place is: the Netherworld Sea of Blood!

……

The Netherworld Sea of Blood is a famous region in ancient mythology, but unlike other famous mountains and rivers that gain renown by producing a renowned great divine abilities expert or by experiencing some major event, this place differs.

However, the Netherworld Sea of Blood is different; although it has produced an innate great deity who is a near-saint pinnacle, this deity has always been low-key, with no notable deeds either good or bad outwardly.

Moreover, he and the Sea of Blood have never been involved in the surge of the Primordial upheaval; not even in the epic war where the Golden Heaven Emperor attacked the Wu Clan and the Supreme Heavenly Court was there any partial battle fought near the Sea of Blood.

After all, this place is notorious as a bad land—lacking everything, dirty and chaotic, like a cesspit; aside from the local indigenous folk, who would come here……

Over time, although the Sea of Blood occupies a considerable portion of the Western Wasteland and its indigenous great divine abilities experts are quite strong, it is no longer remembered by most people.

But precisely because it is forgotten, many instead remember it; when mentioning an obscure region of the Primordial era, everyone's first thought is it…… because it is unremarkable, it becomes remarkable—the Sea of Blood is just such a miraculous place!

Of course, for you, the Netherworld Sea of Blood means far more than that, simply because the indigenous old recluse born here has actually become a sage!

As the homeland of a sage, the Netherworld Sea of Blood undoubtedly hides all kinds of clues you need, and perhaps all the secrets of the Declining Dharma can be found here……

……

(End of chapter)