Outside Jade Capital, two figures flew at full speed.
High overhead, the Mid-Autumn moon shone like a little sun. It plated the rolling Sea of Clouds below in silver, leaving the shadows between its billows sharply defined. Above that boundless expanse, the two figures weaving through the air seemed quiet and unhurried.
In an instant, Sword Light flashed.
Chen Shu glanced aside. Zhang Suannai was greeting him. He nodded, and the Sword Light veered away. As they flew, the two figures gradually drew apart, one bound for Spirit Prefecture, the other for Sword Province.
Just over half an hour later.
The Spirit Sect, atop Jade Summit Mountain, inside a palace.
The Sect Master sat upright in an armchair, her expression grave. "Cao Ci has appeared in Central Continent and Western Continent," she told Chen Shu. "He's about to become a god."
"Central Continent and Western Continent?"
"Yes. Two appeared in Western Continent and three in Central Continent. We don't know which one carries the Origin, but people have already gone to intercept them all. My master has gone to the Jiangzhou Plateau." The Sect Master paused before turning to the matter concerning them. "But a Detector we recently launched toward Southern Continent also picked up Cao Ci's figure and Spirit Power fluctuations there."
"Southern Continent..."
Chen Shu frowned. "Could he be planning to use the Southern Continent Forbidden Land to fuse with the Origin?"
"We can't rule it out."
"Isn't there residual Otherworld Power in Southern Continent?"
"That power has weakened. It can no longer corrupt a Deity," the Sect Master said. "He may choose that perilous route as a last resort, gambling that he can fuse with the Origin before the corruption takes hold. If he becomes a god, he can naturally drive it out."
"And if he doesn't?"