Chapter 1319: Sever-Thought Bridge

Yan Buji's chaotic thought was like a greedy embryo, slowly recovering, repairing, and strengthening under the nourishment of netherworld death qi; the experience of the Return to the Abyss sea eye was like the most brutal forging, hammering his essence into greater resilience and profundity; the azure radiance and ancient god insight drawn from the Silence Extinction Azure Lotus had already blended with his chaos core, imparting an ancient, vast aura.

He had not slept too long. When his thought had recovered to seventy percent, enough to handle most sudden situations, he awoke from his stillness.

At the instant his consciousness returned, he first sensed a transformation in his own power. Though the total amount had not yet fully recovered, its quality was utterly different. With a slight stir of his mind, a wisp of grayish chaotic death qi, its edges flowing with a pale azure luster, coiled around his fingertips; this aura was no longer mere chaos and violence, but also carried the majesty of commanding life and death, defining existence and non-existence. He felt that, should he now face the Great Priest Changwu's 'Nether River Death Judgment' again, he would no longer be so embarrassed.

When he broke through the Return to the Abyss rift and returned, the resulting ripples in the law could not ultimately escape the notice of those true masters who command the netherworld's laws!

Yan Buji's thoughts turned like lightning, instantly weighing pros and cons. Dodging was meaningless; the opponent could locate him so precisely, they must have a tracking method. Better to confront than to remain passive.

He dispelled his concealment, his figure appearing at the head of the Sever-Thought Bridge, facing the white-robed steward Bai You from afar. Chaotic death qi flowed slowly within his body, ready to erupt at any moment.

"Palace of Reincarnation?" Yan Buji said in a flat tone, revealing no joy or anger, "I have no prior dealings with your esteemed palace; I do not know why you seek me."

Bai You smiled faintly, as if unaware of Yan Buji's wariness, clasped his hands in a standard salute, his movement as precise as a ruler's measure: "You undertake extraordinary deeds, walk an extraordinary path. Having escaped the Devil's Abyss, you seized a sliver of life beneath the Order Light, and even ventured into the Silence Extinction Return to the Abyss and returned whole… Such feats are unheard of in the netherworld for myriad ages. My Palace of Reincarnation naturally takes great interest in one such as you, this 'variable.'"

His words were gentle, yet every sentence laid bare Yan Buji's background, revealing the terrifying intelligence-gathering capability of the Palace of Reincarnation.

"Interest?" Yan Buji snorted coldly, "Is it mere interest, or do you intend to capture and interrogate me? Or perhaps… to eliminate this 'variable' of mine?"

Bai You shook his head, his smile unchanged: "You have misunderstood. The Palace of Reincarnation governs reincarnation, maintaining the stability of the netherworld's grand order. Your appearance, while it brings a variable, may also be… an opportunity."

He paused, his gaze seemingly unintentionally sweeping the distant horizon, where the faint shadow of a war banner of the Asura Palace flickered, and continued: "Nowadays in the netherworld, dark currents surge. The Asura Palace has appeared, ripples stir in the Nether River, ancient nether beasts stir frequently, and even external forces stir restlessly… The Great Priest Changwu's pursuit of you is but a small wave in this great vortex."

"The palace master has said, rather than let someone like you drift abroad, to be used or besieged by various forces, it would be better to invite you to the palace for a talk. Perhaps there is indeed a possibility of cooperation between us."

"Cooperation?" Yan Buji narrowed his eyes, "Is it like making a deal with a tiger for its skin? How can I know this isn't a lure to draw me into a jar?"

Bai You seemed to have anticipated this, calmly producing an object from his sleeve. It was a half-black, half-white jade talisman that turned slowly and continuously; upon it emanated an exceedingly pure aura of reincarnation law, its grade far surpassing any token Yan Buji had seen before.

"This is the 'Yin-Yang Reincarnation Token.'" Bai You gently pushed the jade talisman, which ignored spatial distance and floated lightly to Yan Buji's face: "Holding this token allows free entry and exit of the Palace of Reincarnation's outer precincts, granting temporary protection from the palace. At the same time, it is also an invitation, a… draft of a contract."

"You may first accompany me to a outpost of the Palace of Reincarnation's outer precincts to rest briefly and assess the current situation. Whether to deepen cooperation can be decided by you later. My Palace of Reincarnation never forces anyone." His tone remained gentle, yet the confidence and conviction underlying his words left no room for doubt.

Yan Buji gazed at the Yin-Yang Reincarnation Token before him, exuding an alluring aura and unknown risk, his mind racing with calculations.

The Palace of Reincarnation's invitation was undoubtedly a great risk; such a colossal entity surely harbors tangled interests, and dealing with it is like making a deal with a tiger for its skin—one misstep could mean eternal ruin.

But it is equally a tremendous opportunity! The Palace of Reincarnation controls the netherworld's most core secrets and resources; if he could use this chance to touch the source of reincarnation, or learn the truth behind the Asura Palace and the Nether River's anomalies, it would be an immeasurable boon to his Chaos Path. Moreover, with the palace's temporary protection, he could indeed escape the relentless pursuit of Great Priest Changwu and other forces, gaining precious respite and room to develop.

Shall he refuse, continue to hide and flee in the netherworld, facing encirclement alone? Or shall he accept, stepping into the netherworld's highest-stakes game, to dance with wolves and tigers?

After a moment of silence, a flash of resolve crossed Yan Buji's eyes. He reached out and grasped the half-black, half-white jade talisman.

It felt warm and moist to the touch, as if he held the authority over life and death's reincarnation.

"Lead the way." He spoke concisely.

To be timid and hesitant—how could that be the Chaos Path? Since the netherworld's waters are already turbid, let us stir them even more, profit from chaos, and seek survival amidst peril!

The smile on Bai You's face seemed to grow a fraction more genuine; he turned slightly and made a 'please' gesture.

"Sir, please follow me."

A hazy light gate, constructed from reincarnation law, silently opened beside him.

Yan Buji drew a deep breath, gripped the Yin-Yang Reincarnation Token tightly, and stepped into the light gate.