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"Sure. Fellow Daoist Wan, why did you avoid the Ascension Altar gathering and intercept me here?" I got straight to the point. I was already irritated and had no patience for idle chatter.
"Of course, I have something important to discuss with you. This way, please." Wan Songxiao invited me to a more distant stretch of sea. As we flew, he said, "Fellow Daoist Xia, I actually knew long ago that this Ascension Altar gathering was bound to end in failure. But I knew you would take part no matter what, so I chose not to dissuade you."
"Oh? How did you know the Ascension Altar gathering would definitely fail?" I frowned. Was this fellow just being wise after the event? Now that he had seen us fail, had he come here to feed me a line?
"Heh, haven't you noticed it yourself, Fellow Daoist Xia? Surely you had already concluded that the Ascension Altar was bound to fail. Why bother asking? I haven't come to review the reasons for its inevitable failure. I'm here to help resolve your troubles and point out a way forward now that it has failed." Wan Songxiao smiled.
My expression darkened. "Fellow Daoist Wan, the World-Purification Key is now in Xia Ruize's hands, and he has obtained a true divine rank. He could activate it at any moment. Do you know that? I'm afraid all your strategies for breaking away from the Divine Court are useless. This world is still shrouded in the shadow of the world-purification heavenly tribulation! You want us to leave this unresolved and follow your so-called way forward? Isn't that like telling a blind man where to walk?"
Wan Songxiao smiled faintly. "Naturally, I understand your frustration over losing the World-Purification Key, Fellow Daoist Xia. But if I told