"Since you discovered this, how did you handle it?"
Yun Yifan stared at Wu Xu Hong, his expression shifting between dark and light.
A chill spread through Wu Xu Hong's body. He immediately replied respectfully, "This subordinate sensed something was wrong and felt a powerful sense of danger, so I immediately activated the 'Spirit-Sealing Demon-Concealing Array Disk' and completely sealed off that area.
"Then I returned to Yinshang Cave Heaven at once. On the way, after receiving Your Imperial Lordship's orders, I changed course and came here."
Yun Yifan pondered briefly, then looked at Zheng Tianyin and Wang Wenyuan.
The two formed hand seals and simultaneously used a special Observer of Trends Profound Method on Wu Xu Hong.
A moment later, they lowered their hands, opened their eyes, and nodded to Yun Yifan.
Only then did Yun Yifan say, "You did well. If things are as you say, you'll be greatly rewarded this time."
Wu Xu Hong immediately pressed his forehead to the ground and said fearfully, "It is my honor to serve Your Imperial Lordship. I wouldn't dare claim credit..."
A trace of satisfaction showed in Yun Yifan's eyes. "Not bad. Get up."
"Yes, Imperial Lord."
Only now did Wu Xu Hong finally let out a small breath of relief.
Yun Yifan was moody and unpredictable, with a violent temper. Wu Xu Hong hardly dared let his guard down for even a moment.
"Master Zheng Xuan, Master Wang, tell me: if that woman really revived the Soul of Demise, does that mean the little thing's bloodline has awakened?"
Yun Yifan's voice was low.
"If so, the possibility is very high! And judging by Hua Yunxiao and Yun Wanchu's actions, they clearly want to bring in some prodigies to 'make deductions' for him. That would amount to a form of training. It also shows that the boy can make deductions now, but still needs more experience."
Zheng Tianyin fell into thought.
Wang Wenyuan said, "Su Xinghe is only a beginner-level Observer of Trends. Under normal circumstances, how could his blockhead son possibly be qualified to make deductions for those 'prodigies'? Yet it happened.
"On top of that, Mu Qingya was invaded by a malicious spirit, but underwent such a transformation. It's quite possible that she—or one of her ancestors—has an extraordinary background!
"So, if we consider the most extreme possibility, there's a sliver of a chance that the boy is exceptionally gifted at making deductions. He might have seen through our ambush against Hua Ziyan, saved her, and drawn Yun Wanchu there, allowing him to turn the tables and kill the Puppet Death Warriors we had trained over in Yinshang Cave Heaven.
"He might even have deduced that Hua Yunxiao would face a calamity. Combined with the deductions of Zhuge Qingchen from the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion... perhaps that was the real reason Hua Yunxiao and the others escaped their fatal tribulation!
"If so, the boy has probably awakened some even more ancient methods of deduction—profound methods, spiritual methods, or even sacred methods!
"Although the odds of this are tiny, in the eyes of us Heavenly Secrets Masters, one chance in ten million is much the same as a certainty!
"Often, the least likely thing to happen is the most likely to happen!
"Because everything is ruled by fate!
"So this is an enormous opportunity!"
Wang Wenyuan's words immediately made Zheng Tianyin and Yun Yifan's eyes light up.
"Before he rises, we should capture him and find out for ourselves!"
Zheng Tianyin suppressed his excitement and spoke evenly.
"Mm. He's currently at Wanli Holy Land... I'll have the pieces I placed there monitor his every move.
"For now, let's deal with Mu Qingya properly.
"Besides, if this boy really has come into an opportunity, he must be at a crucial stage of advancement—Peeking into Profundity or even Peeking into Spirit! Once he gathers too much Heavenly Secrets Value and fortune through his deductions, he'll become difficult to deal with!
"So, as soon as we capture Mu Qingya, slaughter everyone in Lihe Village and everyone who knows about this!
"Meanwhile, Master Zheng Xuan, Master Wang, alert our allies and have them stand ready to storm Wanli Holy Land at any moment! This time, we'll wipe them out completely, root and branch, and leave no future trouble!"
Yun Yifan gave his orders.
"Very well. We'll do as Your Imperial Lordship wishes."
Zheng Tianyin and Wang Wenyuan were both in full agreement.
Wanli Holy Land.
Hua Yunxiao watched the tribulation clouds gathering overhead, a deep look of worry still on his face.
The Golden Core Tribulation was about to descend, but the Golden Core's transformation had not yet finished.
If the Pill Tribulation came down now, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Amid his anxiety, Hua Yunxiao kept glancing at Su Li. Several times, he nearly spoke, but stopped himself.
Su Li said nothing, nor did he spend Heavenly Secrets Value to check Hua Ziyan's Life Archive again.
He had already realized that the future information in the Life Archive System described what would happen if he did not get involved.
Once he intervened, the future changed, but the Life Archive System did not refresh immediately.
In such circumstances, fortune-telling became especially important—because it could reveal the latest changes in the future at any moment.
BOOM—
Suddenly, endless tribulation clouds gathered and turned into a dark streak of light, crashing down toward Hua Ziyan.
The strike changed the color of the sky and earth, as if it would split the world apart. It was terrifying!
Hua Yunxiao's expression turned solemn, but he did not dare interfere recklessly. He could only hold his breath and watch Hua Ziyan intently.
Just then, golden light blazed across Hua Ziyan's body. Nine full, lustrous Golden Cores appeared, each of a different size and shimmering with a hazy glow.
Their arrangement bore an astonishing resemblance to the nine planets. They revolved in space, while also orbiting Hua Ziyan!
Su Li watched, stunned.
In that instant, the nine Golden Cores jolted. They all turned into phantoms, then merged into one, forming a radiant sphere in the region of her lower abdomen. It shimmered with seven-colored spiritual light, like a blazing rainbow sun!
Clearly, at this critical moment, Hua Ziyan had united her Golden Cores and completed the final step.
As the sphere sank into her body, she seemed like a celestial maiden descended from the ninth heaven. Seven-colored light flowed across her, and auspicious radiance blazed around her like a thousand shafts of immortal light.
Ten thousand streams of purple qi swept in with surging waves. In the sky, the patterns of the Dao flowed in radiant hues, and faintly, strains of celestial music seemed to ring out...
The Pill Tribulation, which had been poised to destroy everything, was blanketed by the vision and vanished on the spot.
Only then did Hua Yunxiao finally breathe a sigh of relief. He looked at Su Li with deep gratitude.
Su Li, meanwhile, silently watched a rainbow-bright block of virtual text suddenly appear on the system panel. His heart was filled with shock.
[Hua Ziyan's Life Archive has undergone drastic changes. Gained 50,000 Heavenly Secrets Value (causal link—defying fate and changing destiny, interrupted the life tribulation).]
This message opened up an entirely new way for Su Li to gain Heavenly Secrets Value!
Before, he had forcibly intervened by telling others what to do or helping them avoid danger by fleeing. In this way, they had escaped their tribulations.
This time, however, he had let Hua Ziyan stake her life on a gamble—and she had won!
Hua Ziyan's own act of 'defying fate and changing destiny' had been the decisive factor. It had been her choice.
So, as expected, the reward this time was immense!
Su Li glanced at his Heavenly Secrets Value: 74,361 points!
Then he immediately locked onto Hua Ziyan's Life Archive and checked it.
[Hua Ziyan: Female, 17 years old.
Nascent Soul: Yin Yang and Five Elements Spiritual Infant (1-star Spiritual Infant / undergoing transformation / stable).
Realm: Early stage of the first level of the Nascent Soul Realm (transformation in progress / unstable).
Talent: Purple Qi Ten Thousand Ways (undergoing transformation).
Constitution: Chaos Sacred Body (initial awakening).
Fate: Imperial World, Three Years of Freedom (life tribulation interrupted for three years).
...]
After reading it, Su Li quietly returned to his courtyard, careful not to disturb Hua Ziyan's transformation.
Two hours later.
Hua Yunxiao and Yun Wanchu came to the door of Su Li's room.
"Master Su, there's some very bad news..."
Yun Wanchu bowed slightly, his face full of shame.
Hua Yunxiao appeared calm, but in truth, his mind was heavy with worry.
Just now, he had received two pieces of news—two pieces that had deeply shaken him!
The first was an accidental discovery by the 'array' Yun Wanchu had secretly set up earlier.
It concerned the horrifying news that someone had dug up the graves of Master Su's parents, stolen their bodies and refined them on the spot, then slaughtered everyone in Lihe Village!
The other piece of news was that an ancestor of the Hua Clan who had guarded an ancient tomb—and had been dead for many years—had come back to life in the forbidden tomb, in the form of an Infant Body!
That ancestor had ordered him to quickly prepare a young body unable to commune with the laws of heaven and earth, preferably one with an unusual soul, so that his infant soul could possess it and be reborn!
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