Death Sentence Commuted to Fixed Term

Inside the Jade Smoke Pavilion, Chen Qing stretched lazily with a hint of smugness. So what if someone was waiting for him? Green Lotus couldn't just appear out of thin air, after all—the Virtual Universe was syncing in real time, and he didn't have the skill to slip in under the Original Ancestor's nose. But he couldn't keep hiding now.

Chen Qing arranged for the two women to continue their cultivation, then split off a thread of his consciousness, preparing to log into the Virtual Universe.

"Eh, the senior isn't here?"

Seeing the graceful figure of Palace Master Biluo, Chen Qing asked curiously. When she ignored him, he didn't press, instead glancing around on his own. With his willpower realm and unique state of mind, the Original Ancestor couldn't hide from him.

"Really not here?"

"Your AI received an address. I'll take you in!"

Palace Master Biluo shot Chen Qing a look full of disdain, and without waiting for a reply, turned and vanished. Chen Qing gave an awkward chuckle, then raised his head toward the void and bellowed, "Senior, meeting time! Good news!"

When he reappeared, it was in a different place. Palace Master Biluo stood outside an ancient stone hall. "Behave yourself!"

Seeing Chen Qing approach, Biluo warned coldly. The hall's style was distinctly different from Chaos City Lord's place—weapons of all kinds lined the surroundings, along with murals depicting battles against alien races. Chen Qing rubbed his cheeks, pretending to admire the murals while musing inwardly, "I'm used to being casual with the Original Ancestor—he never spelled things out, and I played dumb willingly. But in front of this crowd, I can't be too cocky. Having a trump card doesn't mean I should poke at the nerves of the strong."

As soon as he entered the hall, he saw a long stone table. At the head, opposite the entrance, were two stone chairs. On the left sat a towering giant, while both sides were filled with all sorts of bizarre figures.

Before Chen Qing could react, nineteen pairs of eyes pressed down on him with an intangible pressure, making him instinctively narrow his eyes halfway before widening them again. "First performance was a bit of a flop."

Chen Qing cursed inwardly. Looking up, he saw a phantom appear in the right chair opposite him. Even without hearing the sound, the open mouth told him it was laughing heartily. And Biluo—his peripheral vision caught the corners of her mouth sharpening slightly.

"Alright, little one, don't take it too hard. Just take a seat at the lower end. I trust you've got good news!"

Giant Axe grinned, having not met such an amusing junior in a long time. Chen Qing sat down obediently, interlacing his fingers beneath the table. They say in Devouring Starry Skies, fists are the law—but the problem was, these powerhouses' minds spun faster than any AI. If not fists, then what?

Chen Qing knew that any move he made would be a flaw in their eyes, so he hid his hands. "Some things can't be said. I can't decide them, and neither can the Primal Universe's will."

With that, Chen Qing looked at the Original Ancestor. Sure enough, the Original Ancestor's gaze grew distant. Chen Qing silently thanked the big shot for his reckless behavior—he probably could piece some things together now. Everyone's expressions turned strange at Chen Qing's words, especially Chaos City Lord and his brothers, who stood up excitedly. "Teacher?"

The three of them stared quietly at the empty seat, while the others looked on with anticipation, even Giant Axe leaning sideways.

"Go on."

A cool voice broke the strange atmosphere. Watching the few who had sat back down, Chen Qing sighed inwardly. Without the Original Ancestor, it just wasn't the same. "A World Lord from the training camp broke through to Immortal. With a completely different life form, naturally he needs a broader world. As for his old spot, just arrange it again."

Chen Qing shut his mouth again, quietly staring at the stone table, sneering inwardly. From the very beginning, everyone had been playing matryoshka—he didn't believe they couldn't read between the lines. Let them fill in the blanks themselves, so they'd stop staring at him all day.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the silent figures on both sides. Though no one whispered aloud, the fluctuations of telepathic communication were still caught by Chen Qing's will. "So that explains the matter of reincarnation. Looks like we're just seeds waiting to be chosen."

"Then what about the Holy Land?"

"Probably a reward, like how we treat our own juniors?"

"Come to think of it, the Holy Ancestor never showed up. If he could, there'd be no point to reincarnation."

"I didn't expect there to be worlds beyond. No wonder the Universe Boat was so grand. But by Chen Qing's reckoning, are we at the Planetary level?"

"Giant Axe might be, since he has his own mini-universe. The rest of us are probably at Apprentice Level Nine."

"Then what does the Primal Universe's will count as? An AI? And now it's an intelligent life form?"

"Unbelievable!"

The mental exchange was swift. Soon, the leaders calmed down and turned their gazes in unison to Chen Qing. Chen Qing quickly sat up straight—this was the real point. What he'd obtained could reveal a lot.

"A peak palace-type treasure! Palace Master Biluo knows about this one—it's the most direct thanks."

"Not enough!"

Chen Qing cautiously glanced at Palace Master Biluo, only to meet a pair of calm silver eyes staring at him like a prisoner. He muttered inwardly, "She's still an ally, right? Probably."

"That senior in the empty seat can come out in one trillion epochs!"

The Original Ancestor's eyes snapped open, and everyone held their breath. "R-really?"

Chaos City Lord's voice trembled slightly. He looked between Chen Qing and the throne twice before confirming again. "This is the supreme punishment, and only the Supreme Being has that authority. Even the Primal Universe can't do anything about it. The Ancestral Gods should know—you can check with them."

"Wait a moment!"

It seemed Chaos City Lord had set off, or had another way. Chen Qing muttered to himself, then started calculating. Based on the universe's evolution cycle of ten trillion epochs, one-tenth wasn't too long or too short—the important thing was having hope.

How should he value this merit in terms of supreme treasures? Even though he'd only mentioned it to Yuan, it was still his channel. The Original Ancestor was number one in the Universe Ocean, and with him, the Human race could claim the top spot—and he was the most likely to establish a Holy Land universe. Ten pieces shouldn't be too much, right? That should be enough. He'd specifically "discussed" with Xiao Yu to change it from three trillion to one trillion, so when those Realm Beasts came, they'd still catch the last wave—no waste of such good combat power.

They didn't wait long. Chaos City Lord suddenly opened his eyes, swept his gaze around, and let out a long breath. "Confirmed. The Three Ancestral Gods received affirmation from the Primal Universe's will!"

"Good, good, good! Just endure another trillion epochs!"

Giant Axe's voice shook the hall with a rumble, but the relief was palpable. "Yeah, one trillion epochs—just bear it, and it'll pass."

"That still leaves half a cycle—plenty of time for us to develop."

"And maybe even go further—a Holy Land of Humanity—"

Giant Axe smiled as he watched the discussion, then finally looked at Chen Qing, who was glancing around. "Alright, everyone, quiet down. We'll celebrate later!"

Giant Axe pressed his hands down, and once the room settled, he turned to Chen Qing. "The clan will remember your contribution. You've accomplished what we couldn't in countless years. Whatever comes next, as long as it doesn't involve the clan, you don't need to say it. The strong all have their secrets. I hope you'll truly sit here soon. For now, the important thing is to separate you from this matter."