Heavenly Lord Cangzhu nodded and said:
"That's right."
With a grave expression, he added:
"To be precise, preparations were already underway when Ni Zhao, the Thirteenth Seat, left behind the Scroll of Time."
Under Xu Taiping's astonished gaze, Heavenly Lord Cangzhu continued:
"When Ni Zhao, the Thirteenth Seat, entered the game himself and joined that venture of Foolishly Wielding a Sword, he had already used the power of time to divine several calamities and fortuitous opportunities awaiting the Abyssal Pavilion."
"The greatest fortuitous opportunity among them was the appearance of the next Thirteenth Seat."
"That was also the true reason he willingly went to his death."
Xu Taiping stood rooted to the spot, drew a deep breath, and said:
"So Senior Ni Zhao actually saw everything, yet still insisted on going to his death?"
Heavenly Lord Cangzhu sighed and said:
"Yes."
Puzzled, Xu Taiping asked:
"What exactly did he see that made him so willing to go to his death?"
Heavenly Lord Cangzhu frowned and said:
"I actually asked him that question myself."
Xu Taiping asked curiously:
"What did he say?"
Heavenly Lord Cangzhu drew a deep breath and said:
"Ni Zhao said he traveled through every tributary of Shangqing's River of Time. In every tributary, the Human Race's ending was filled with endless despair."
"Only one tributary let him glimpse a sliver of hope for survival."
At this point, he glanced at Xu Taiping and said gravely:
"Because his strength was already exhausted by then, he could barely make out a few fragments."
"In one of those fragments, he saw a young battle general commanding the Five Emperors Demon-Slaying Army, which had vanished long ago, routing one battle formation after another of the Nine Abysses Demonic Army under the Nine Abysses Demon Mother."
"That sight was like the First-generation