Facing the Emperor
"The Karma Threads Divine Ability" is indeed a very magical power, which allows the user to enter the past of the person affected by "Karma Threads".
At the same time...
When entering, you can even select which segment of the "past" you want to enter.
Of course, this selection is usually rather vague—because "Karma" is inherently a somewhat mysterious thing, so it is difficult to select a "specific Karma".
The selection can only be a general, vague range, such as "the moment when the other party is most vulnerable" or "the moment when the other party has recently experienced a major turning point."
At the same time, it takes time for the Karma Threads to erode and read a person's Destiny.
The longer and deeper the erosion, the more profound and important the Karma can be deciphered, leading to the re-creation of the "illusion."
At the same time, the weight of a person's Destiny Karma and whether they are entangled with the Destiny of many others will also affect this process.
Therefore... the "Karma Threads Illusion" created solely by the Karma Threads Divine Ability activated on the "residual soul aura" just now, and even by the power mixed with some "Desire" and "information," is naturally impossible to construct Karma Illusion too distant or important.
The Karma that Lin Yu chose was probably "the opportunity that led Cold Cicada to target the 'Director'" -- and its success was even partly due to the connection with Lin Yu's own Karma.
It is impossible for him to directly recreate the illusion of "the moment when Cold Cicada and some unknown person conspired" through "Karma Threads".
Even though the Karma Threads had been eroding the other party for a long enough time... because Lin Yu didn't know who Cold Cicada was plotting with or what they were plotting, with so little known information, it was even more impossible for them to construct the Karma Threads Illusion he wanted.
Similarly...
Once inside the Karma Threads Illusion, attempting to reverse the "scene" or utilize any "Memory Fluctuation" is utterly a pipe dream.
But...
What cannot be done, or what does not exist, naturally means it can be a "lie".
And "lies"... under the influence of the "Fraudster's" abilities, can become "truth."
Although "Cold Cicada" was always wary of his own acting skills and remained skeptical of his own words... no matter how clever he was, he couldn't have foreseen that Lin Yu's words just now were still a lie!
Because...
He had already sensed that the "Karma Threads Illusion" was changing.
Because Cold Cicada knew Lin Yu to some extent, and had even analyzed Lin Yu's traits and talents, she concluded that "the Director's" expressions, words, and body language could not be trusted...
However, it is impossible for people to remain completely unaware of any external events that occur.
Since all the "Director" are untrustworthy... he will definitely strengthen his analysis of other aspects.
It's like...
The surrounding illusion.
Therefore, this was a "performance" specifically designed by Lin Yu for "Cold Cicada," who understood and was wary of him, and performed specifically for him.
"Acting" is never just about the Actor's own efforts and presentation—scene staging, costumes, props, etc.
Even in live performances outside of "theatre," there are "camera movement" and "camera language."
In that instant, even if Cold Cicada didn't believe Lin Yu's performance, even if she could ignore Lin Yu's performance...
He couldn't possibly ignore his own feelings, nor could he ignore the "objective information" he had gathered from his repeated encounters with Lin Yu.
The "Director" has an assistant skilled in spiritual and mental manipulation; the "Director" possesses excellent counter-surveillance and improvisation abilities; the "Director" seems to have the Authority to analyze the abilities of others; the "Director" actively constructed this Karma Threads Illusion and appears to be spying on him...
All sorts of "known information," "reliable facts," and "conclusive evidence" unrelated to Lin Yu's current performance were linked together under the triggering of the changes in the Karma Threads Illusion, giving Cold Cicada the most unquestionable judgment.
He realized he had been tricked by the "Director".
The premise of this judgment is that one naturally believes Lin Yu's claim that he can manipulate the "illusion" and find the part he wants to explore.
This is why Lin Yu had the opportunity to bring Sun-Disc Moon-Melting Saint Lord and Cold Cicada into the picture.
Because Sun-Disc Moon-Melting Saint Lord and Cold Cicada are connected by soul and mind.
When Cold Cicada develops "belief," she also develops "belief."
And this Demon Lord of the Prison Mountain Realm, whose situation was already special, naturally had a very high level of "belief".
The amount was high enough that Lin Yu could make his previous lie Make It Real, while also adding to the [Tower Scam].
At this very moment, the false Make It Real.
Lin Yu got his wish...
He stirred this Karma Threads Illusion to the moment he desired to witness.
That is, the moment when "Cold Cicada" secretly meets someone.
Now...
He was inside a "Coffee shop," standing right at Coffee entrance.
Cold Cicada's position had changed—he was now sitting at a table by the window, with a cup of Coffee in front of him.
Sun-Disc Moon-Melting Saint Lord stood behind him.
And sitting opposite Cold Cicada...
There were two people.
A young man with silver-white hair and a face like a peach blossom, wearing a dark blue long robe, holding a string of jade beads in his hand.
Without a doubt, this is a "Diviner"!
And another one...
When Lin Yu caught a glimpse of the other person out of the corner of his eye, he could clearly tell that the man was rather tall and burly. But now, as he looked closer and tried to remember the man's appearance and features...
All he could see in his field of vision was a vast expanse of dazzling, brilliant golden light!
A humanoid figure, seemingly captured only when engulfed in flames by a thermal imaging camera, sat opposite Cold Cicada.
Judging from this scene alone, Lin Yu would probably think that the person talking to Cold Cicada was... some kind of Ultraman human form, an incarnation of light.
"Sure enough, besides the 'Diviner'... he colluded with others!"
Lin Yu understood.
Although we don't know who this luminous humanoid is, it's an existence that even the Karma Threads Illusion cannot detect... its Divine Rank is probably not low.
This Coffee shop is clearly located in the Real World, so the other person must be a "Player".
Is he a member of the "Copper Furnace" gang, or a master I've never met before?
Just as Lin Yu was struggling with his decision, Cold Cicada turned around and looked at Lin Yu.
"This is the worst possible situation... that you actually witnessed it."
Sun-Disc Moon-Melting Saint Lord spoke up, "So... is it time to make a move now?"
Cold Cicada shook her head. "No need, Big Sister."
"Because... although 'Director' you have successfully 'sneaked' into this level of secret... you may not be able to escape unscathed."
Cold Cicada spoke in a low voice, and the "Diviner" and the being radiating golden light also...
She looked at Lin Yu.
As those directly affected by the Karma Threads, it's only natural that Cold Cicada and Sun-Disc Moon-Melting Saint Lord would realize this is Karma Threads Illusion...
But these two people, connected by their past Karma, could simultaneously sense Lin Yu's gaze...
That's somewhat surprising.
"Can everyone sense... that this is a 'Karma Illusion'?"
Lin Yu spoke, and the "Diviner" replied with a smile.
"How could your methods, driven by 'Destiny,' possibly fool me, my friend? I too possess [Fragment of Fate], have you forgotten?"
"Moreover, he is the being in this world who understands 'Destiny' best."
Another voice, radiating golden light, snorted coldly. He spoke slowly, his tone indistinct, sounding like a distorted echo from a distant valley.
"It's not so easy to spy on me... even just the part of me that has karmic Karma with me."
"'Destiny' is shattered—if it were whole, it might still be possible, but how could a broken Authority, the methods of a Deity killed and fallen by mortals, possibly glimpse my true form?!"
"You are presumptuous... and audacious."
Lin Yu stared intently at the golden light emanating from the other party. When the other party spoke, he could sense...
A faint, lingering aura emanated from the other person.
He couldn't tell what it was; more accurately... although he could sense that the aura was indeed there, he couldn't perceive it.
Just as the other party said... it seems impossible to spy on this person using the power of "Destiny" or the "Karma Threads Divine Ability".
It's like...
He cannot look the other person in the eye!
Just as Lin Yu was trying to decipher it, the "Diviner's" voice rang out lightly.
"However, I suppose you went to such lengths to investigate this part of 'Karma Destiny,' not to confirm my existence—after all, with your intelligence, it's impossible that you still don't know that 'Cold Cicada' and I are partners."
"So, you're probably curious about my relationship with the other person in my life, right...?"
As the "Diviner" spoke, he lightly patted the shoulder of the golden figure beside him.
"Let me introduce you, dear Lin Yu... This is the 'Player' from the Previous Version, and also the member of the 'Copper Furnace' you've been searching for—no, it should be said that he's the leader of the 'Copper Furnace'."
"He is... the Emperor."
As the Diviner finished speaking, the emperor's cold voice rang out.
"Diviner... what do you mean by that?"
The Diviner smiled and said, "You don't think that someone with the skill of a 'Director' wouldn't be able to figure out who you are or guess your approximate identity after seeing you, do you?"
"Someone whose identity he couldn't even discern through 'Destiny,' and who can cooperate with 'Cold Cicada'... even by process of elimination, it all comes down to you."
So... it's better to just tell him directly.
Diviner spoke, he looked at Lin Yu again, a hint of amusement in his eyes.
"After all, he knows your 'name'... Your Majesty, even within this 'Karma,' you can still 'influence' him, can't you?"
"Although I can see through his methods, I am ultimately relying on [Fragment of Fate]. We share the same origin, so I can't do anything to him."
"Therefore, I humbly request Your Majesty... to lend a hand."