My Lord, I Am Innocent...

The Acting Method-

At least, provided the premise held true, that was the answer Punk Lü Yuan had ultimately reached.

"Of course, this is only a conclusion we've drawn based on what we currently know and can understand. It isn't necessarily correct."

"Perhaps it's because of the Immortal Book, or perhaps it's because of the prophecy."

Punk Lü Yuan's answer was rigorous, free of subjective assumptions.

Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan gave him the highest praise:

"If Tie Ruo Nan had been blessed with your devious brain back on Qing Mao Mountain, she might actually have guessed that Fang Yuan had returned five hundred years against the current of time thanks to the Spring Autumn Cicada-"

"It's not impossible that the Heaven Refining Demon Venerable's journey might have been cut short just as he was starting out."

Punk Lü Yuan's expression didn't change. He hated flattery like this more than anything.

Of course, he did like to listen to it with a critical ear, so he hoped there would be more.

Heh heh...

I laugh at Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan for his lack of strategy, and the Immortal Book in his hand for its want of wit... They couldn't even come up with the most basic answer to such a simple...

Wait?

The Immortal Book?

Now that he had finished reasoning and thinking and had finally given the Immortal Book deeper consideration, he realized something at last.

He raised his head.

He looked at Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan, who was applauding him with a look of surprise, as though he hadn't expected him to get so close to the answer on his own.

That was right. He wouldn't hide a Secret Method, and he couldn't keep one from him anyway-

But he could joke around with him while already knowing the answer.

Punk Lü Yuan's face flushed red, and he blew his top on the spot. "How old are you? Aren't you being childish? You already got the answer from the Immortal Book, and you still came to ask me?"

Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan spread his hands and protested helplessly.

"Wasn't I trying to give you a surprise? That's why I created that air of mystery."

"Who knew you'd actually take my question seriously, analyze it at such length, and never think of the Immortal Book-"

"And you actually got most of it right and guessed the crux of it."

"The answer the Immortal Book gave me was-"

"While cultivating a Cultivation Method of a particular Dao lineage, one can increase one's cultivation by emulating the intent of the Fruit Position and the achievements of its former owner."

"It really does achieve the same effect as the 'Acting Method' by a different route."

Punk Lü Yuan's face darkened, and he lunged at Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan in annoyance.

Unfortunately, if he had been the one at the Embryonic Breathing Fifth Layer, he might actually have been able to pin Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan down.

But reality was cruel, so he was the one who ended up pinned instead.

Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan sighed. "I say, is this really the time to be angry and wrestle around?"

"Surely you understand why I went out of my way to tell you this?"

Punk Lü Yuan gave him a dead-eyed look. "Of course I know. Our two systems are so similar that Technique Methods, Cultivation Methods, and cultivation can all work across both."

"You want me to find a chance to see whether the 'Acting Method' works on my side, and what I should do to match the intent of the Fire Virtue Dao lineage, right?"

Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan let him go. "You are teachable."

Punk Lü Yuan showed no martial virtue and promptly elbowed him. "Why, thank you-"

Of course he knew Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan meant well. After all, he was the one who needed this most, not Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan.

But the guy's occasional frivolity still gave him a headache.

Then again, perhaps he was joking around like this because things had been rather oppressive lately.

After all, the situation on his side...

Punk Lü Yuan stopped dwelling on it. Because of the environment he lived in, he had hardly seen any dead people in this life.

"So... there's nothing else to talk about, right? If not, I'll go back and search online, or sound Lin Qi out about it."

"Anyway, she's been fond of coming over to my place these past few days. I don't know why."

Punk Lü Yuan said this as he lay on the bed.

As for why he didn't ask the Immortal Book about this...

That was because he knew perfectly well that the Immortal Book wouldn't answer him for the time being.

After all this time, Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan had thoroughly figured out what the Immortal Book could do.

First, when Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan cultivated to a certain point, it would automatically grant him Technique Methods or Law Techniques.

Of course, if he actively sought a Technique Method or Law Technique with a particular effect, the Immortal Book would give him one too.

Second, in the ancient cultivation world, as long as a question didn't concern something above the Golden Core level, a level too high for the current Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan,

it could answer any question he actively asked.

Third, whether questions about the capitalist cultivation world would be answered was completely Schrödinger's cat.

At least, that was how things stood for now.

In the capitalist cultivation world, the Immortal Book could open an account for Lin Qi, yet might not be able to provide a Technique Method to conceal the commotion caused by a Spirit Root.

The extent of its Schrödinger-like uncertainty had practically brought Punk Lü Yuan's world crashing down, shattering his dream of omniscience and omnipotence on the spot.

Fourth, the Immortal Book would protect its master, but just how strong Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan could be wielding it in its master-protecting form remained unknown.

That was because he had yet to encounter an opponent capable of hurting him.

Fifth, the Immortal Book would sometimes offer hints of its own accord, and these hints weren't subject to the same restrictions as the first point.

Moreover, they were never wrong.

Although Punk Lü Yuan felt that the Immortal Book was targeting him, he still had to exclaim from the bottom of his heart...

Oh my god, Lord Immortal Book, this cheat of yours really scared me to tears.

Punk Lü Yuan had thought Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan had nothing more to say and was about to close his eyes and leave when he heard him speak again.

"Actually, I have a second question I'd like you to help me think through."

Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan grew serious again. "I promise, I'm really not joking this time."

Punk Lü Yuan was half skeptical. "What question?"

Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan rested his chin on one hand. "Yesterday, during a rare moment of leisure, I was sitting under a tree, wondering how I could get everyone out once they'd all gathered together..."

"The Immortal Book gave me a hint-"

Punk Lü Yuan's expression turned serious.

Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan had previously asked the Immortal Book what exactly had caused the situation here.

The Immortal Book hadn't answered, which proved it was a question above the Golden Core level.

As a result, both of them had been somewhat uneasy these past few days.

And now that the Immortal Book had finally given a hint, he couldn't help taking it seriously. After all, Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan's safety was at stake.

Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan said softly, "The hint was just one character. Want to guess what it was?"

Just one character. Was it fortune or misfortune? If it was the latter, they were in trouble.

Punk Lü Yuan frowned. "Misfortune?"

Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan shook his head. "'Mere.'"

Mere?

Punk Lü Yuan nearly lost his composure. What was the Immortal Book trying to tell Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan with that character?

Could it be that it thought Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan's worries were completely unnecessary?

What are you afraid of them for? Even if they do come, wouldn't you dare take me and fight them?

Was that what it meant?

Seeing that he couldn't figure it out either, Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan continued, "And after that, the Immortal Book gave me another character."

"What?"

"'Wait.'"

Punk Lü Yuan was even more baffled. Wait? Wait for whom? Was he supposed to wait for someone or wait for the right moment?

Riddlers, get out of Gotham!

Oh, come on, why was this Immortal Book so mean?

Why had the Immortal Book given such an answer?

Because a hundred li away, within Wei State, a convoy of carriages was slowly traveling in this direction.

The driver called back over his shoulder, "Brother Ji, why did you suddenly decide to change direction on the way home?"

"Because I felt like it."

On the open platform behind him, drawn by two horses, a young wandering swordsman spoke with a blade of grass between his lips.

Then he looked ahead, toward the direction that had stirred something in his heart, and smiled faintly.

This feeling was interesting...

Perhaps I'll meet another friend from seven hundred years ago who has 'awakened.'

Who might it be?

And the change in one of the destined protagonists of this thousand-year grand scheme had naturally drawn the notice of the great figures in the heavens.

The Golden Core True Lords couldn't divine anything at all, so they naturally assumed it was the work of the one who stood foremost under heaven.

But when his gaze passed beyond the false firmament and settled upon the Scar of Heaven, which stretched from north to south,

torn open by the "Second Sun" fifteen hundred years ago and still unable to heal to this day,

Southern Dipper, who came here every few years to stabilize it in person, could only smile bitterly.

"Lord of the State..." This great figure, seated high in the heavens with boundless immortal might, murmured in a voice as puzzled as a child's.

As though he were not a Dao Embryo Peak who had already taken half a step forward, but still the young child who followed at that person's side.

"My lord, is that you?"

Even a Dao Embryo Peak could be bewildered.

"My revered elder has reappeared, left behind an immortal artifact, and found me a junior brother... But if it was you, why haven't you come to see me?"

"Or was it not you, but the Lord of the State before you?"

"Roar-"

A roar like that of a fiend or Devil Ancestor came from deep within the "Second Sun," interrupting his thoughts.

So even he had to set them aside for the moment.

"Please endure it..."

He spoke softly to the figure at the very center. "Within this century, this monstrous evil wrought in the past will meet its end."

His voice lingered, and he said nothing more.

Elsewhere, in a hidden and unfathomable place, within the Great Purple Radiance Palace that had already stood for ten thousand years,

the Fourth Devil Ancestor bowed before a painting that person had left behind long ago.

Almost the entire painting was filled with a tide of devils that blotted out the sky and sun, yet a lone figure stood at the center of heaven and earth, shining brilliantly.

He wore heavenly rosy clouds and bore fierce dragon horns. Gripping a blazing greatsword in one hand, he cut down countless demons and devils as though passing through an empty field.

His sudden entry into the battlefield had turned the tide of the first war between immortals and devils out of thin air.

At the moment when the Five Emperors' Seat had nearly been overthrown, he had, by his strength alone, utterly defeated the First Devil Ancestor at the battle's end!!

On either side of the painting were inscriptions left by later hands.

On one side: [Once served the Plain King's Supreme Splendor Palace]

On the other: [Later descended upon the Devil Master's Five Emperors' Seat]

In the center: [First Dragon to Split Heaven and Earth]

"Lord of the State..."

"Though there have been four and a half from ancient times to the present, who knows whether it might be him?"

The Fourth Devil Ancestor murmured, feeling deeply innocent and helpless over what he had just divined-

He feared it might be that very one, so he sighed softly.

"My lord, I am innocent..."