Chapter 1355: What a Rare Thing—to Meet You at a Time Like This

What a rare thing—to meet you at a time like this.

The silent atmosphere at the scene was dispelled considerably by the faint smile on Cheng Shi's face.

Speaking further on this would only be baseless speculation built upon conjecture, meaningless from here on—if you truly want to prove these things, go ask the God of Fun.

Before today, Cheng Shi couldn't wait to meet Him, but after today... he wished the day of that audience could be postponed indefinitely, so he'd have enough time to complete the plan in his heart.

Wei Mu was also very curious—facing such a "dead end," what plan would this Fool's Play my lord, chosen as the "Origin," come up with?

Cheng Shi didn't elaborate; he bade farewell to the Fire-Passer and instructed Wei Mu not to leave this world, saying he'd be back to find him soon.

The moment he heard the word "back," Wei Mu had already guessed where Fool's Play was headed.

The True Universe!

Exactly—to complete the plan in his heart, Cheng Shi still lacked some preparations, so he had to make another trip to the True Universe!

Besides, Squinty Old Zhang was still out there and hadn't been brought back, and that plan couldn't do without the Grave-Keeper's participation.

But things had reached this point now—given how important the Established was, the God of Fun probably wouldn't agree to let him out again.

The True Universe is fraught with risks; there, even the Fear Faction couldn't shelter him, and the friends who could lend a hand would also be hard to bring along this time.

A group action would certainly be discovered by the God of Fun, yet this risk absolutely had to be taken—the reason was none other than that, without personally walking every road of despair, Cheng Shi refused to believe that the answers given by 【Deceit】 and 【Time】 were the world's only ones.

Unless he saw with his own eyes that every path beneath his feet was a dead end, he could accept such a compromise.

Thus, after leaving the Fire-Passing Hall, Cheng Shi hurried back to the temple of 【Chaos】, where he met up with Seeing Zhen Xin once more.

He didn't rush to tell Seeing Zhen Xin about Wei Mu's conjecture, but only said one sentence:

"I need to go out for a bit."

Seeing Zhen Xin was taken aback—she of course knew what "going out" meant, but did it have to be right now?

When scheming against the 【Iron Law of Order】, one had to consider whether the Established identity would cause problems; once one left the world for the True Universe, who could guarantee that the person who left would return completely unscathed?

She furrowed her brow, intending to dissuade him, but seeing Cheng Shi's face written full of seriousness, she sighed softly and said: "Fine, tell me every fallback you have—every single one that can bring you back to this starry sky—and I'll cooperate with you."

After a moment of silence, Cheng Shi said: "I'll send my shadow; my true body won't take the risk."

Seeing Zhen Xin shook her head: "We can't determine whether the Established is you alone, or you and your shadow as a whole—this isn't a fallback, it's a gamble."

"......"

Cheng Shi was at a loss—facing the True Universe, he couldn't possibly have any fallback; that place was 【Origin】's territory, and no being beneath this cosmos could guarantee they could run rampant in the True Universe.

But precisely because that place was 【Origin】's territory, every being entering it would only be cautious and careful—and the caution of others was his opportunity.

He wouldn't abandon his shadow or his true body; when no one could help him, he had to guarantee his own strength.

Cheng Shi laid out this theory to Seeing Zhen Xin, and all he got in return was a roll of her eyes.

She knew con artists all too well—she was one herself. This kind of beguiling rhetoric might have worked in the past, but once she became a deity, one of the sixteen true gods who held dominion over the cosmos beneath this starry sky, she would no longer believe such "childish" and absurd words of persuasion.

The con artist before her was a born gambler—he simply had no fallback!

If she didn't know he was the linchpin of the world, letting him go off on his own would be no big deal; but once she knew the future of the entire cosmos rested on this Fate-Weaver before her, how could Seeing Zhen Xin possibly agree to let him take such a risk?

So she stared into Cheng Shi's eyes and said with a half-smile:

"When will you be back?"

"Life is just a gamble... hmm?" Cheng Shi had already prepared his lines, just waiting to work up the emotion to persuade her once more—but he hadn't expected Seeing Zhen Xin to agree just like that?

He raised his head and blinked, only to see Seeing Zhen Xin give him a disdainful sidelong glance and say in a sarcastic tone:

"You're the one who's the Established, the key to this world; I'm just a magician placed on the divine throne by the Established. How would I know what the future is?

If my foolish actions were to slow down your steps in seeking a future for the world, then I truly could not atone even with a hundred deaths."

"......"

"Besides, who could possibly talk Lord Fool's Play out of anything?

If I still didn't agree, were you going to slyly bring up the matter of Ming Yu to tell me: when the road ahead is uncertain, everyone's choice is a gamble?"

"......"

At this moment, Cheng Shi felt Seeing Zhen Xin wasn't so much 【Chaos】 as she was 【Deceit】, who could see through people's hearts.

Don't laugh—he really had been thinking exactly that.

Although this method was rather "despicable," to get out for one trip, Cheng Shi was out of options.

Seeing the Fate-Weaver avert his gaze, Seeing Zhen Xin knew she'd guessed right—he really had been thinking that.

"Despicable!" Seeing Zhen Xin cursed bitterly, then closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and said solemnly, "What should I do? 【Chaos】 doesn't possess the authority to let you leave this starry sky."

A smile crept onto the corner of Cheng Shi's mouth, and he said to Seeing Zhen Xin once more: "Thank you."

He'd said "thank you" far too many times lately—"I thought you wouldn't agree."

Seeing Zhen Xin lifted an eyelid to give him a sidelong glance, then sighed and said softly:

"I've said it before, Cheng Shi—be yourself.

Being shackled in an endless mire of pressure, one cannot take that step to break fate.

You've started believing in yourself again—that's good—but don't forget, this world also has many people who believe in you.

No need for more words—while your time here is still short, and while the Fear Faction hasn't reacted yet, tell me, what should I do."

Cheng Shi smiled:

"We can't hide it from Them—at least not from 【Time】.

I'm not even sure if the other you has the ability to get me out, but—shouldn't we at least try?

I believe 【Time】 will understand me; if there were any other way, who would willingly leave this world."

Saying so, Cheng Shi extended his hand toward Seeing Zhen Xin and activated the Time Deduction Art.

He was going to see the other Seeing Zhen Xin, to see if within the cracks of 【Existence】 there was a shortcut leading to the True Universe.

His vision went black in an instant; the moment his consciousness was pulled away, Cheng Shi knew the Time Deduction Art had succeeded—【Time】 had indeed not refused him.

But when he opened his eyes again, everything before him made him freeze on the spot.

Because what stood before him was not another Seeing Zhen Xin, but clumps of disordered chaotic yellow mist, as though being pulled apart by some tremendous force, torn open and ground flat like cotton.

The process was very slow, and the sight of the yellow mist being torn apart made anyone who glimpsed it feel as though they were experiencing it themselves — utterly agonizing.

Cheng Shi's pupils contracted sharply. He took half a step back and probed, uncertain:

"【Chaos】?"

The surging yellow mist suddenly stalled, then boiled over, hiding the wound that kept being torn deeper within the yellow mist, while wisps of vapor descended before Cheng Shi and coalesced into a solid figure.

The figure was achingly familiar — it was the very magician who had just been standing before him, Seeing Zhen Xin!

"What a rare thing — at a moment like this, I still get to run into you.

Are you all right, Weaver of Fate?"