Wu Tian and Five Finger Mountain, Is Something Wrong with Ji Si?

After Zhao Xing was seized by Meng Wu and thrown into the prison, Two Liang Slope, it felt as though he had been tossed into a washing machine. His body spun wildly as he plunged downward at high speed.

His body seemed to have undergone some sort of distortion, leaving Zhao Xing unable to gather spiritual power to maintain his balance.

A casual move from an Emperor Lord Realm Reincarnation Realm cultivator was an irresistible giant strength to Zhao Xing.

His body, spiritual power, and every inch of flesh trembled violently. All eight hundred and forty million acupoints resonated together.

Even his consciousness grew hazy, like an egg yolk smashed apart and frantically stirred!

The sky spun and the earth whirled. He had no idea how much time had passed.

Zhao Xing finally landed.

From extreme speed to complete stillness, it was as if a hand had instantly gripped him and forced him upright.

Yet the world before Zhao Xing's eyes was still spinning.

He could not stand steadily at all.

"Bleurgh~~~"

His face flushed crimson as Zhao Xing finally could not hold it in any longer. Bracing his hands against his knees, he began vomiting.

"Bleurgh~"

"Crack!"

What he vomited was a large amount of black residue mixed with faint gray mist.

He vomited until tears and snot streamed down his face, until black blood seeped from his pores.

After quite a while, Zhao Xing's consciousness gradually cleared. Lying prone on the ground, he placed both hands above his head and bowed upward.

"Th-thank you, General Meng."

Although Meng Wu was retaliating against him, he had also shaken away the toxins and hidden injuries Zhao Xing had accumulated from using the medicinal bath for "metamorphosis."

There was no response from above, but Meng Wu outside heard him.

Meng Wu snorted. "At least the brat knows what's good for him."

"But thank me? Heh heh. Let's see whether you'll still want to thank me after experiencing all of it—"

Two Liang Slope, Prison World.

After vomiting violently, Zhao Xing finally had enough strength to stand firmly.

He subconsciously wanted to use Summoning Wind and Rain to clean himself, only to discover that he could not use any spells at all. He could only remain in this bedraggled state for now.

"Ah, what goes around comes around." Zhao Xing could not help sighing helplessly.

He had called Meng Wu over.

Meng Wu had responded by calling in a wave of people himself.

Zhao Xing had never spun around so many times in his life as he had today!

He wiped the grime from his face with his sleeve, and his vision finally became clear.

Just as he saw the world before him clearly, a person holding a steel fork and wearing a blue-faced, fanged ape mask appeared before him.

"Greetings, fellow Daoist. I am—"

"Bang."

The steel fork smashed fiercely into the back of Zhao Xing's head. His vision went black, and he immediately collapsed limply to the ground.

As he fell, he vaguely heard this "Yaksha" speak:

"Bind him and take him to the execution ground. Remember, do not speak to him. The warden said this fellow is silver-tongued and specializes in deceiving angry prisoners—"

I've been wronged... Zhao Xing lost consciousness.

Time passed.

When Zhao Xing opened his eyes again, he found himself seemingly soaking in a huge vat.

"Bubble bubble~ gurgle~"

Boiling oil and water bubbled around him, while someone stood above him holding a steel fork.

An oil cauldron.

Zhao Xing froze. "What are you doing?"

The Yaksha did not answer. It merely jabbed Zhao Xing with the fork.

"Hiss~"

With that stab, all five of his senses instantly returned.

""

Zhao Xing instinctively tried to spring upward, but the moment he surfaced, a fork crashed down onto him.

"Hey, wait—"

Zhao Xing reached out to grab the fork, only to find it unbelievably hot. He immediately let go and fell back into the oil cauldron.

"Mmph——"

His words were abruptly cut off.

A suffocating sensation and searing pain washed over him.

Zhao Xing was numb with disbelief.

He struggled up with all his might and shouted:

"I've never heard of the Empire treating prisoners like this—gurgle gurgle~"

The third time he surfaced:

"Prisoners should have human rights too—hiss~"

The fourth time he surfaced:

"General, I was wrong—"

Clang!

After enduring who knew how many beatings, Zhao Xing finally lacked the strength to resist. He was completely engulfed by scorching pain and suffocation.

Yet the injuries on his body quickly healed, and wisps of black blood seeped out, just as when he had vomited earlier.

Only this time, it was more meticulous. Zhao Xing did not even notice that he had been fried until countless "impurities" had been extracted from him.

"Splash~"

Finally, Zhao Xing was scooped out of the oil cauldron.

At that moment, he actually felt as if he had been reborn.

"Sir, should I be going to my cell now?" Zhao Xing asked in a muffled voice.

"A cell? Far too early for that." The blue-faced, fanged Yaksha expressionlessly put a head restraint on Zhao Xing.

"Then where are we going?"

"Beheading."

Before he could ask anything else, Zhao Xing was kicked.

Giant strength struck him, and his vision blurred.

Zhao Xing found himself sliding on his knees into what seemed like an execution ground.

The head restraint artifact locked into a groove below, leaving only his head exposed like that of a dead man.

The rest of his body lay prone behind it.

Zhao Xing struggled to turn his head and happened to see an enormous dark-gold guillotine blade falling above him.

"Fuck!"

Zhao Xing's head rolled to the Yaksha's feet.

The Yaksha kicked it, sending the head flying, then instructed someone nearby, "Go. Put it back together. After he drinks the Soul-Confusing Soup, chop him another hundred and fifty million times."

"Yes."

"Then where are we going?"

"Beheading."

Zhao Xing was stunned. Beheading?

He had just come out of the oil cauldron, and now they were beheading him?

Dazed and muddled.

Zhao Xing felt as though he had dreamed a very long dream.

He seemed to have entered the oil cauldron countless times and been fried in a huge vat.

Then he was dragged out to be beheaded. A massive blade fell, separating his head from his body.

Afterward, he was hung up, his arms and legs stretched straight by Thunderbolt Chains.

Lightning struck him without end.

Then there was being nailed to Iron Pillar Mountain and bleeding to death; being tied to a copper pillar and burned to death.

His tongue was torn out. His entire body was cut into pieces and reassembled. Yakshas forced him to climb a mountain of blades, enter an iceberg to endure the cold, and be trampled to death by countless monsters resembling wild oxen...

"!"

Zhao Xing lay on the ground with his limbs stretched straight. Then a mountain descended from the sky and crushed him flat alive.

"Thunk thunk thunk thunk thunk~~"

The chains pulled the huge mountain back up. The Yaksha looked at Zhao Xing, who had been crushed into a sheet of skin, rolled him up, and casually tossed him to a subordinate.

"How many times?"

"Sir, one hundred million times."

"That's about enough. Soak him for a while, then send him to Lord Wu Tian."

"Yes."

Zhao Xing:

This nightmare seemed to have lasted centuries, as though he had experienced the eighteen levels of hell.

"Ah—"

Zhao Xing shrieked strangely and abruptly sat up.

He then touched himself with both hands, discovering that his body was completely unharmed. He immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

"You're awake." A gentle voice sounded beside his ear.

Hearing the voice, Zhao Xing suddenly jumped. Only then did he examine his surroundings.

There was only an oil lamp in the dim room.

Beneath the lamp sat a bald man wearing a striped Dharma robe that resembled a cassock.

He sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion, smiling as he watched Zhao Xing.

"You are...?"

"Wu Tian."

The bald man introduced himself. He was handsome and refined, giving off a gentle, refreshing air.

"Wu Tian?!"

Zhao Xing's eyes lit up. His muddled state seemed to clear because of the name Wu Tian.

Wu Tian was the founder of the Treasure Mountain Art!

Zhao Xing had heard Jing Yan mention that Wu Tian had been captured by Experts of the Red Star Empire and imprisoned in Two Liang Slope for swindling people and deceiving hearts.

He had not expected to actually meet him.

Rumor has it that Wu Tian possesses a Major Divine Ability called Five Finger Mountain. I wonder whether I'll get a chance to learn it. Zhao Xing thought secretly.

He had not done this quest in his previous life. He had merely heard player friends talk about it and share how to complete it.

However, the current situation was completely different from what he knew. Strictly speaking, this was also his first time meeting Wu Tian.

At this moment, Wu Tian's expression seemed to change. His gaze flickered as he examined Zhao Xing.

Zhao Xing was likewise examining Wu Tian.

Name: Wu Tian

"Hm?" Zhao Xing was somewhat stunned.

Even when probing an Emperor Lord Realm Reincarnation Realm cultivator with his panel, he could see their name and realm.

Yet when he used it on Wu Tian, he could only see his name, not even his realm?

Could he be in the Divine Realm? Impossible. If he were in the Divine Realm, I wouldn't be able to see any information at all, not even his name.

From Qing Yuzi's palm, Zhao Xing had once watched the five Divine Realm silhouettes from afar, yet he had been unable to obtain any information whatsoever.

When the difference in levels was too great, the panel's probing function failed.

No, Wu Tian isn't in the Divine Realm, but he's also beyond the Reincarnation Realm—what is going on?

Zhao Xing was surprised to find his panel shaking. The probe window actually closed by itself.

After that, he could no longer see anything at all!

"Hiss—" Zhao Xing sucked in a cold breath inwardly.

"Why haven't you said anything, young friend?" Wu Tian asked with a faint smile.

"Please forgive me, Senior." Zhao Xing slowly shifted his posture, knelt on the bed, and clasped his hands. "I seemed to have had a nightmare just now and did not regain my senses immediately."

"All dharmas arise from consciousness." Wu Tian said, "Everything in this world is transformed by consciousness. Dreams likewise arise from consciousness; they are the delusions of consciousness in an illusory state."

Zhao Xing frowned slightly. Why did this Wu Tian speak so mystically?

"All phenomena are like dreams, like illusions, like shadows, like echoes, like dreams, like transformations," Wu Tian said. "Young friend, you must have recently experienced a great calamity. With lingering fear in your heart, you have had these illusory dreams."

Zhao Xing immediately became Deeply Admired.

Because Wu Tian had been completely correct. He truly had just experienced a great calamity.

"Senior's words are enlightening, making one reflect deeply."

Wu Tian smiled faintly, then suddenly changed the subject and said something Zhao Xing could not make sense of. "Your eyes are filled with Evil Dharma Desire."

"Senior, what is Evil Dharma Desire?"

"Greed arising from uncontaminated dharmas is called Good Dharma Desire." Wu Tian's voice was mellow, as if it possessed a kind of magic.

"Within the mind of desire, there is Good Dharma Desire, and there is also Evil Dharma Desire."

"The desire to grow stronger born from selfish greed is Evil Dharma Desire. Cultivating evil arts often makes one prone to Going Berserk."

"Cultivating oneself toward goodness, desiring strength because of benevolent thoughts, cultivating righteous methods, and accumulating merit—this is Good Dharma Desire."

"Both are desires born during cultivation, hidden within consciousness."

Zhao Xing thought for a moment. "Why do you say that I have Evil Dharma Desire, Senior?"

"Your killing intent is too heavy." Wisdom filled Wu Tian's eyes, as if he could see through the human heart. "You possess a quick-forming divine ability that takes slaughter as its intent. Am I right?"

Zhao Xing was instantly startled. Wu Tian was far too formidable. With only a few words, he had seen that Zhao Xing had cultivated the will-based divine ability, Killing Thought Blade?

"Yes, I have indeed practiced it." Zhao Xing nodded. "And I have committed some killings. I feel my sins run deep."

"Could Senior guide me in cultivating Good Dharma Desire?"

He simply followed Wu Tian's lead. It was a quest, after all; there was no need to stand on ceremony.

Wu Tian smiled without speaking and merely looked quietly at Zhao Xing.

Zhao Xing began to feel uneasy beneath his gaze.

He had no idea how to complete Wu Tian's quest. After all, foreknowledge was completely useless at this point.

Neither the time nor the place was right.

But the silence did not last long before Wu Tian made a move.

He lightly shook his hand, and the oil lamp beside him suddenly swayed.

Zhao Xing detected no change, but Wu Tian spoke with certainty. "Young friend, you have come for my Major Divine Ability, Five Finger Mountain."

Zhao Xing's heart trembled. Wu Tian was simply too mysterious.

Just what level of expert was he?

Before him, Zhao Xing felt as though even his underwear had been seen through.

For a moment, he did not know how to respond, but Wu Tian spoke again. "I will not ask how you learned that I possess the Major Divine Ability Five Finger Mountain. Meeting is fate."

"My Dao and yours are alike, yet different."

"You truly cannot learn my other methods. Only this Five Finger Mountain—heh, I am willing to form a good karmic bond with you and give this method to you."

What? He was giving it to him directly? What about the test? The quest? Zhao Xing was stunned again.

Still, he quickly composed himself and bowed respectfully. "Thank you, Senior."

Wu Tian smiled. "Do not rush to thank me. This is merely the first good karmic bond."

There was more?

Zhao Xing could not help but freeze.

Wu Tian beckoned, and the oil lamp flickered. A spark suddenly split from its flame. "I give you a Heart Lamp. As for its use, you will naturally learn in the future."

Zhao Xing immediately nodded. What else could he do besides nod?

"Whoosh~" The flame suddenly entered his body, sinking into the area around his heart.

Looking inward, Zhao Xing saw a lotus flower appear and vanish within his heart.

Afterward, his sea of consciousness seemed to grow somewhat brighter.

Zhao Xing felt calm and peaceful, a sense of serenity washing over him.

"Though I do not know what Senior intends, I owe you for imparting this method." Zhao Xing clasped his hands. "If Senior has any command in the future, I, Xing, will answer the call without fearing peril or obstruction."

As the Heart Fire entered his body, a Major Divine Ability spell appeared in his mind. This was also the first complete Major Divine Ability method Zhao Xing had obtained.

It contained Wu Tian's explanations and Dao essence.

The method and Dao had both been passed down, and they were substantial enough that they would not vanish after only one or two uses.

In other words, as long as Zhao Xing was not an idiot, he would eventually learn it.

It was equivalent to Wu Tian giving him a Major Divine Ability method that he was guaranteed to master!

Wu Tian revealed a satisfied smile. "Excellent."

Seeing Wu Tian's delight, Zhao Xing could not help asking, "Senior, the general intended to temper me. How will Senior explain this to him?"

He put it tactfully, calling hardship tempering.

Zhao Xing was very curious whether Meng Wu had a hand in this.

"What you want to know is how Meng Wu originally instructed me?"

"Yes." Zhao Xing nodded.

"He told me to properly temper your character." Wu Tian's words were also tactful, but Zhao Xing understood.

Although Meng Wu had been venting his anger on him and punishing him, there really were benefits involved.

After returning to the Minor Mystic Power Realm, Zhao Xing felt completely different from before.

Since there were benefits, Zhao Xing did not want to miss even the slightest bit.

Even if the process was somewhat painful.

Wu Tian seemed to see through Zhao Xing's intentions and smiled. "You still need to remain here for some time. Since that is the case, let us have you go through the original process."

"Yes." Zhao Xing nodded.

Then he discovered that the roof suddenly split apart.

Looking up, he saw a Five Finger Mountain pressing down.

"Rumble~"

Zhao Xing was immediately crushed deep into the ground by the mountain.

Watching Zhao Xing get pressed down, Wu Tian stood up. His dignified, sacred appearance instantly fell apart.

He pulled open his robe, baring his chest, and sprawled on the ground without a shred of decorum.

The oil lamp flickered. A purple-black figure appeared in the heart of the flame and roared, "Wu Tian!

"Are you insane?! You can barely take care of yourself, yet you divided the Divine Lamp's power to a stranger?"

"What do you know?" Wu Tian smiled. "That brat will face a great tribulation in the future. Without Heart Fire, it will be difficult for him to pass through it."

"You can barely save yourself, yet you still think of saving others?"

"Shut up. I am the master of the Divine Lamp!"

Time flowed onward, and in the blink of an eye, five hundred years passed.

Outside, Meng Wu sat atop the Sun Star, cultivating.

Suddenly, a majestic voice entered Meng Wu's mind.

"Meng Wu."

Hearing the voice, Meng Wu immediately opened his eyes, rose to his feet, and bowed toward its source. "Teacher."

"Where is Zhao Xing?"

"He is still tempering himself within Two Liang Slope," Meng Wu answered respectfully.

"Can his aftereffects be repaired?" the majestic voice asked. "Qing Yuzi has initially digested the divine power. We should give him an explanation."

"Yes." Meng Wu responded, though he still felt somewhat unsatisfied.

"What? Your anger has not faded?"

"Teacher, how could that be?" Meng Wu shook his head.

His anger had long since faded, because the empire had obtained enough benefits from Qing Yuzi.

It was simply that he had grown accustomed to hearing Zhao Xing howl every day, and for a moment, he was reluctant to let it go.

"Let him reunite with his family," the majestic voice said.

"Yes."

Red Star Empire, Beihe Star System, Fengdu World Star.

"Whoosh~"

Meng Wu waved his hand, and Zhao Xing's figure appeared in the void.

"Greetings, General Meng." Zhao Xing clasped his hands.

"Zhao Xing, the karmic debt between us is settled." Meng Wu stared at Zhao Xing. "This is where the dynasty of your homeland is located."

"Thank you, General Meng."

"Remember, aside from you, no one knows about that disaster. Do not reveal it either, or you will only be courting trouble." Meng Wu cautioned him.

"I understand." Zhao Xing nodded.

Meng Wu vanished with a whoosh.

"Five hundred years. I finally got out of Two Liang Slope."

Zhao Xing let out a long breath.

Two Liang Slope truly was a peculiar place. Being locked inside meant suffering constant oppression. Though it was a form of training, it was genuinely unpleasant.

"I'm finally out." Zhao Xing greedily breathed in the surrounding air. "Hopefully, I'll never have to go back in. Old Master Zhao had absolutely no desire to tour prisons. Only someone like Le Yao could treat a prison as a talent market.

"Wu Tian... mysterious Wu Tian. I wonder where he truly came from. Though my cultivation did not advance over these five hundred years, I have been utterly transformed," Zhao Xing thought.

Recalling his experiences over the past five hundred years, Zhao Xing felt as though a lifetime had passed.

He could now be called a true piece of precious jade. With only slight carving, he would shine brilliantly.

"This was also when I entered the universe version in my previous life. My starting point is much higher than it was then."

Gathering his thoughts, Zhao Xing turned to look at the Realm Star ahead.

"Great Zhou actually has a high-grade Realm Star now?"

"I wonder how everyone is doing."

Great Zhou had migrated here long ago. Counting it up, it had probably been almost a thousand years.

"Whoosh~"

With a thought, Zhao Xing immediately flew toward Great Zhou's Realm Star port.

"You say your name is Zhao Xing, that you are Great Zhou's Grand Agriculture Official, and you want our Emperor to come see you?" In the port's reception hall, a Nascent Realm official sized Zhao Xing up and said sternly, "Please do not make such jokes, sir!"

Suppressing his anger, the official said, "If you wish to conduct business, go to the side hall on the left. If you are here to travel, take the passage on the right."

Zhao Xing spoke sincerely. "I truly am Zhao Xing. If you do not believe me, you can find someone who knows Zhao Xing."

He did not say more, because history had already been altered by this point. Aside from a handful of people, no one remembered the Origin Sea Ancient Kingdom.

Even the Origin Sea Ancient Kingdom itself no longer existed.

Then where would Great Zhou's memories of him have stopped, and what sort of "corrections" had been made?

Zhao Xing did not dare say too much to this official.

"Very well. Please wait, sir." With a grim expression, the official left the reception hall.

He went to the rear side hall and immediately reported to a Mechanism Puppet. "Please inform General Long of the Star Patrol Guard that a Third Realm cultivator has come here to cause trouble."

"Received." Red light flickered in the Mechanism Puppet's eyes. "The Star Patrol Guard will arrive immediately."

Meanwhile, Zhao Xing slowly examined his surroundings in the front hall.

"A Jiachen-grade formation, a Starry Sky Ring Continent... Great Zhou possesses such things now."

"Judging from the checkpoint facilities alone, its financial strength should rival that of the Great Ye Dynasty back then."

"I just wonder how many experts it has now. Hmm? The Star Patrol Guard?"

As Zhao Xing admired the surroundings, he saw a squad of Star Patrol Guards stride into the hall aggressively.

The leading general carried a greatsword on his back, and the fluctuations of his aura clearly indicated that he had reached the Third Realm.

"A Minor Mystic Power Realm Sword Sect cultivator—Long Xiao?"

The newcomer was none other than Long Xiao. The burly deputy general beside him was also in the Third Realm.

It was Yin Xiu!

"Who? Who is causing trouble?" After speaking with the official who had raised the alarm, Long Xiao asked in an unfriendly tone.

Then, following the official's gesture, he saw Zhao Xing.

Long Xiao's gaze instantly went blank.

"Holy shit!"

The next moment, Long Xiao charged straight over. "You, you, you—"

"Long Xiao, why are you stuttering? Don't you recognize me?" Zhao Xing asked.

"Zhao Xing, you finally came back!" Long Xiao threw his arms around Zhao Xing.

"That's enough. We're in public. Have some dignity." Zhao Xing shoved him away in disgust.

"Hahaha, you're not dead!" Long Xiao patted Zhao Xing's shoulder.

"That makes it sound like I was supposed to die."

"There has been no news of you for many years." Long Xiao recalled, "For about a thousand years, we heard nothing about you."

"Let's find somewhere to catch up. This is not the place to talk," Zhao Xing said.

"Fine." Long Xiao immediately turned to Yin Xiu beside him. "General Yin, I'll leave official duties to you for now."

"No problem." Yin Xiu nodded excitedly. Then he placed a hand over his chest and bowed to Zhao Xing, speaking in Eastern Dragon Language. "Welcome back, Dragon Emperor."

"Yin Xiu, no need for such formality." Zhao Xing smiled. Even after all these years, Yin Xiu still used Dragon Clan etiquette toward him.

"Come on, come on." Long Xiao pulled Zhao Xing along. "Let's go inside the Realm Star. Old Chen and Xia Jing will be thrilled to learn you're alive. As it happens, they're still in Fengdu."

After passing through the starry fortress and following the passage into the Realm Star, Zhao Xing soon met with Long Xiao, Chen Shijie, and Xia Jing aboard a Realm Boat.

When old friends met, there was naturally no shortage of drinking.

"Brother Zhao, you finally came back. Why did you not send word for over a thousand years?" Xia Jing reproached him. "Old Chen and I nearly thought you had been trapped in the Yue Luo Mausoleum."

Zhao Xing raised his cup. "I was indeed trapped somewhere for a very long time—but let's not talk about me first."

"Which of you has Great Zhou's history books? Let me take a look."

"Don't look at me." Long Xiao shook his head. "Why would I carry something like that?"

"Neither do I." Xia Jing shook his head.

"I do." Chen Shijie took a copy of the Great Zhou New Chronicle from his spatial ring.

Without another word, Zhao Xing picked it up and began reading.

"...In the eightieth year of the Yuan Ding Era, Great Zhou shattered the void and ascended."

"In the eight hundred and ninety-fifth year of the Yuan Ding Era, Great Zhou arrived in the Illusory God Star System, just as the Yue Luo Mausoleum opened."

"In the first year of Shi Xin, Grand Agriculture Official Zhao Xing broke through to the Source Origin Realm and became acquainted with Jing Yan of the Red Star Empire—"

The Great Zhou New Chronicle mainly recorded some major events after Great Zhou's ascension, and more than half concerned Zhao Xing and Cloud Heaven Dao.

Zhao Xing quickly found the answer he wanted.

"History took a turn around the time we left the Desolate Territory. Originally, we traveled through the Desolate Territory for nearly five hundred years."

"Now it has become almost nine hundred years."

"In other words, everyone has forgotten that part of history concerning the Origin Sea Ancient Kingdom. It was roughly four hundred years exactly."

"After Great Zhou emerged from the Chen Luo Barren Domain, it happened to encounter the appearance of the Illusory God Star System."

"Great Zhou's rise was because I dug up many treasures here." Zhao Xing thought to himself.

"It seemed their memories had also undergone large-scale correction."

Zhao Xing borrowed Old Chen's Star Mirror again and browsed through Great Zhou's library archives.

"The secret manual I bought for Priest Wei Hong back then, the Twelve Divine Sacrifices Method, became the Seven Divine Sacrifices?"

"The Wheel of Heavenly Mandate I bought for Ji Si was still preserved, and its name remained the same as before."

Zhao Xing pondered this, then began connecting to the Red Star Empire's database to search.

"The Twelve Divine Sacrifices Method not only became the Seven Divine Sacrifices, but only retained methods up to the Five Elements Dao Domain Realm."

"The Wheel of Heavenly Mandate only had six levels. There were no longer any techniques above the Reincarnation Realm."

"History, Fate, Sacrifice—the three Daos."

"Compared to the techniques the priests had collected from the Origin Sea Imperial Family in my previous life, the purchasable ones had decreased by ninety percent."

"Historians had decreased by seventy percent, and Fate Officials by fifty percent."

Zhao Xing could not help shaking his head.

It was too outrageous. So many techniques and secret arts had vanished at once. It was practically like hacking the paths of those three Great Daos down into narrow goat trails.

One had to know, this was the Red Star Empire!

The Empire's technique vault held far more than the forces of ancient kingdoms.

If even the Empire lacked them so severely, one could imagine the ancient kingdom forces, much less dynasties and independent cultivators.

"The requirements had also become stricter. Even for Dao Domain Realm-level secret arts from these three paths, one had to join a faction."

"Private cultivation was forbidden. Cultivating them meant breaking the law!"

"The current situation is almost the same as in my previous life." Zhao Xing thought to himself.

Now, trying to follow those three paths again had become fraught with difficulties.

Unless one served under some superpower, there might still be a chance to obtain a path of advancement toward the Reincarnation Realm.

"What's wrong with you? First shaking your head, then sighing?" Xia Jing asked curiously.

"Nothing." Zhao Xing's brow relaxed. "It's a good thing."

"A genuinely good thing?"

"Mm." Zhao Xing nodded. From this moment on, he had finally returned to the version he knew!

The paths of History, Fate, and Sacrifice had been cut down. What did that have to do with me, a Minister of Agriculture?

As long as my path had not been cut down, that was enough.

Everyone needed to eat. Aside from the True Self Faction, the Agriculture Dao could not possibly violate any taboos.

"Cloud Heaven Dao, is Ji Si on Fengdu World Star?" Zhao Xing asked.

During their earlier conversation, he had discovered that many people were not on Fengdu World Star, or even in the Beihe Star System.

Even Emperor Ji Che had gone far away, leaving only an avatar at home. Yet he rarely showed himself, as though his attention was tied up elsewhere.

When Ji Che left, he had also taken Ye Yukong, Luo King, Wei Hong, Mechanism Master Lu Ying, and the others with him.

"His Majesty took people out on an expedition. He left the country directly to conduct inspections," Chen Shijie said.

"Inspections?" Zhao Xing was somewhat puzzled. "Inspecting what?"

"Seeing where would be easiest to strike, then conquering some of the other small dynasties," Chen Shijie said.

"Did they head toward the Empire's west?" Zhao Xing asked.

"How did you know?" Long Xiao nodded. "Their first stop was indeed Jia Chen Fourteenth Pass in the Empire's west."

Of course Zhao Xing knew!

The Red Star Empire was opening up unknown territories. Long ago, the Empire had established many bases in the west.

The Moon Warden Desolate Territory Belt, northwest of the Profound Spirit Star Region, was about to be breached by the Empire. The Ministers of Agriculture from the Primordial Beginning Realm had cultivated a stable life passage!

The Empire would discover a new cosmic territory. Its spiritual energy index was extremely high, and it was exceptionally rich. Many nonrenewable resources could be found there!

There was a version title in the players' panels: "Star River Myriad Realms." It referred to that new territory.

Zhao Xing remembered it clearly. It was nearly one-tenth the size of the Profound Spirit Star Region!

Chasing the trends of new versions was a player's instinct. Players who caught wind of it swiftly rushed toward the Red Star Empire. Even if they had to die, they would die their way there, revive in the Red Star Empire, and fight for a bite of the version's biggest gains.

"There he goes again." Xia Jing pointed at Zhao Xing and winked at Chen Shijie. "Old Chen, I'll make you a bet. He's definitely discovered some opportunity—one where he can make a huge profit!"

Zhao Xing abruptly raised his head.

"Zhao Xing, don't speak yet." Xia Jing raised a hand.

"Xia Jing, what do you want to bet?" Chen Shijie said nothing, but Long Xiao joined in.

"If I lose, I'll eat fish for thirty years!" Xia Jing said. "If you lose, you'll guard my gate for thirty years."

"Do you dare?"

"Isn't that a bit harsh?" Zhao Xing deliberately advised. "We're all brothers. I think twenty years would do..."

"I'll take the bet." Provoked by this, Long Xiao immediately slapped the table. "Zhao Xing, say it. Did Xia Jing guess right or not?"

Zhao Xing covered his face. "Brother Long, go guard the Heir Apparent's gate."

"What?!" Long Xiao's eyes widened. "He really guessed right?"

"Mm." Zhao Xing nodded.

"Hehehehehehe~" Xia Jing laughed wildly. "Long Xiao, you're my guard now. Get up. Pour this lord some wine! Fill it up!"

"Damn it!"

Zhao Xing, Long Xiao, Chen Shijie, and Xia Jing descended into Abundance City.

A large group soon came out to welcome them.

Ji Che was absent, so Zhao Xing did not see many familiar faces.

However, Liu Tianning and Ji Si were both there.

His family had also come in force.

Seeing this, Zhao Xing directly sent out avatars. One boarded his family's ship, while another boarded the court's ship, ensuring neither side was neglected.

Zhao Xing had left behind plenty of money, so naturally his family had not suffered.

At present, the Zhao Family members and their cultivation levels were as follows:

Zhao Ruide and Madam Cai: Source Origin First Realm.

Second younger brother Zhao Zheng: Source Origin Second Realm, martial cultivator.

Second younger sister Zhao Yuhuan: Source Origin First Realm, spellcaster.

Third younger sister Zhao Yuling: Source Origin First Realm, Weaving Girl.

Third younger brother Zhao Chuanzong: Source Origin First Realm, martial cultivator.

His nephews and nieces had already grown to 14,560 in number.

When Zhao Xing looked at the family register, his eyes nearly popped out of his head.

"Little brother, are you sure? Out of these 14,560 nephews and nieces, twelve thousand were born by you?"

Zhao Chuanzong said somewhat awkwardly, "Big Brother, I follow the Dual Cultivation Dao—"

Zhao Xing was left speechless.

So he had spent all his Source Origin on this.

Impressive!

"Third Brother really wasn't given the wrong name." Zhao Xing could not help teasing him.

"Many children bring many blessings," Madam Cai said with a smile.

"That's right. Xing'er, since you weren't around, we had to rely on them to expand the family line," Zhao Ruide said.

"You're right," Zhao Xing said.

Zhao Chuanzong had once worked hard for a period of time, but after the cosmic version began, he became infatuated with the Dual Cultivation Dao and wanted to slack off again.

Still, there was nothing wrong with that. It was his personal choice, after all.

Zhao Zheng, on the other hand, was quite impressive. Zhao Xing discovered that although Zhao Zheng was only at the Second Realm, he had actually mastered three Minor Divine Abilities of the martial path.

"Zheng'er, you have advanced bravely and diligently." Zhao Xing praised him.

"You flatter me, Big Brother," Zhao Zheng said. "It is all thanks to the wealth you left behind."

"Alright, stop standing around. Let's eat first."

On the other side, Zhao Xing was also seated at a table with Liu Tianning and Ji Si.

"His Majesty is currently absent, so the six ministries discuss and handle all matters together," Liu Tianning said. "After arriving in the Red Star Empire, we developed quickly. His Majesty can now issue edicts upon the Source Origin First Realm."

"However, this still consumes some fate, so we must expand our territory, increase the population, and strengthen our military power."

Ji Che and Great Zhou still followed the Dynasty of Fate path. The stronger Great Zhou's national power was, the stronger he was.

"The Fate Flow..." Zhao Xing's heart stirred. "I wonder whether Ji Che can make it work."

In his previous life, he had seen few Fate Flow dynasties because the general belief at the time was that such a path could not continue developing.

However, Zhao Xing now had more insight. Especially after seeing Qing Yuzi steal the divine power of the East Yan Ancient Clan to become a god, he no longer dared underestimate the "minor paths" he had once dismissed.

"Perhaps Ji Che can really make it work. Becoming a god through fate? In my previous life, when attempting to reach the Divine Realm, I truly never considered such a path." Zhao Xing pondered.

"—That is roughly the situation within the country," Liu Tianning said. "Jing Yan helped us greatly. After Aries sent us home, he arranged for us to settle in the Beihe Star System, right beside the Beiye Star System."

"Many opportunities for trade and commerce were practically handed to us by Jing Yan."

"As for Cloud Heaven Dao, he has already reached the Dao Domain Realm. He stopped living with us five hundred years ago and joined the military... He seems to be stationed at South Yuan Demon Suppression Pass."

"Now that you have returned, Zhao Xing, you must go thank them properly." Liu Tianning instructed, "Cloud Heaven Dao and Jing Yan have both taken great care of us."

"Teacher is right." Zhao Xing nodded. "I definitely will."

Liu Tianning said, "Good. I will not say more. I'll leave for a while first."

"Zhao Xing, something is wrong with Ji Si." Liu Tianning transmitted this sentence to him privately.

"I can see that Ji Si seems to have something to discuss with you alone. He has become increasingly withdrawn over the years."

What did that mean? Zhao Xing was stunned.

Once Liu Tianning left, only Ji Si remained in the small reception room.

Ji Si suddenly said nervously, "Grand Agriculture Official, I... I think something is wrong with me."

Zhao Xing frowned. "What do you mean? What feels wrong?"

Ji Si clutched his head, his expression pained. "Everything feels wrong."

"I don't know whether something is wrong with me, or whether the entire world is wrong—"

Ji Si hesitated before pulling out a history book. It was precisely the Great Zhou New Chronicle. "Grand Agriculture Official, much of the history written here is wrong."

"Don't you remember? We only spent five hundred years leaving the Desolate Territory, and we even crossed the stars—"

Zhao Xing's pupils dilated, and he immediately interrupted, "Ji Si, stop!"

Ji Si shuddered in fright and nearly collapsed onto the floor.

He stared at Zhao Xing, and Zhao Xing stared back at him.

They seemed to read many things in each other's eyes.

Zhao Xing's expression turned solemn as he slowly said, "Ji Si, speak slowly. If you encounter anything that causes you pain, you may skip it for now. You can also use a certain word to refer to it."

"Yes." Upon hearing this, light returned to Ji Si's eyes.

"Grand Agriculture Official, once upon a time, there was a dynasty called Xia. After five hundred years, it ascended into the universe."

"But the universe was dark and cold. The newly born Xia Dynasty had to face its first obstacle: the Grain Gate established by a certain kingdom—"

Zhao Xing's pupils shook violently. What did Star Scatter Pass mean, if not spiritual energy so thin it was like grains of rice?

Ji Si actually still remembered?

"Grand Agriculture Official, can you understand what I'm saying?"

Zhao Xing nodded silently. "You do not need to say what happened next."

"I knew it. I'm not insane. I knew you would remember, Grand Agriculture Official—" Ji Si fiercely gulped down a mouthful of wine.

He, Ji Si, had been insane for five hundred years. He had buried the secret in his heart for five hundred years—even once believing himself mad. Today, someone finally understood him.

Ji Si was not insane, but Zhao Xing felt as though he was about to go insane.

From that conversation, Ji Si clearly remembered the Origin Sea Ancient Kingdom, and even remembered everything!

But why did he remember?

Why had the Divine Realm of the Reincarnation Divine Palace used the Profound Spirit History Book to erase memories and alter history, yet Ji Si had retained them?

"Ji Si, you should not know this story of the Xia Dynasty." Zhao Xing took a deep breath. "Now, use the method I just mentioned and tell me about some things you consider abnormal."