Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 149: Direct Confrontation

While the conversation on one side remained unfinished, the preliminary sealing on the other side had already concluded.

With hundreds of thousands of Immortal E’s contributed by the Underworld, a basic cage was forged to contain the raging Corner of Heaven’s Will—The God of Xushan. The immortals finally exhaled in relief.

Thinking they might need Zhuang Guiqu for future tower construction, they didn’t retrieve the Heaven-Breaking Divine Art they had bestowed upon him, as it also helped protect him from corruption.

Zhuang Guiqu accepted it calmly, smiling without arrogance or servility.

“Our Guishan Sect will treat this place as a sacred mountain and worship it devoutly,” he said with a sincerity so intense it was unsettling.

Behind him, Zhuang Feng had spotted the book not far away. He reverently tucked it into his robes, eyes gleaming with hunger as he gazed at the karmic net woven by the chains.

After a moment, he could no longer hold back and pulled out a vermilion brush, quickly filling pages of talismans with large characters. While scribbling and revising, he often reached beneath the fabric to touch the treasured book in his chest with longing.

A Corner of Heaven’s Will, immortals, ghost immortals, and a genius mortal full of conspiracy. All of it now recorded line by line.

Immortal Encounter E. Immortal Encounter E. Which “immortal” did he truly encounter?

As an overseer of the Disaster Relief Tower, A’Shou had a clear grasp of worldly affairs.

Currently, the metaphysics power of the mortal world was in decline, but it was a time of great peace. Stirring up a little chaos wouldn’t benefit the Guishan Sect much.

But if they could control the Corner of Heaven’s Will, they would be able to trigger an apocalyptic disaster at will.

The God of Xushan enshrined in the Temple of All E’s had already had its karma disrupted. As Zhuang Guiqu’s followers, the Guishan Sect would be able to absorb the majority of Immortal E’s.

Then they could act as saviors, overturn the current order, and claim glory.

What made the plan truly terrifying was that even if Zhuang Guiqu failed to return, the sect could simply drain the Temple of All E’s and loosen the seal.

When the starving and furious Bai Shuangying broke free, the world would still end.

Even if the disaster looked too horrific and the immortals had to intervene again, the sect, holding enough Immortal E’s as bargaining chips, would still be seen as legitimate “saviors”.

Whether Zhuang Guiqu lived or died, succeeded or failed, the only difference for the sect was how much they won.

This wasn’t some delicate, intricate operation where everything hinged on one move. It was a high-tolerance, ruthlessly effective scheme.

A’Shou gritted her teeth, just like Fang Xiu had done during the Grave-Sealing Ritual. She stretched out her arm and carved the just-learned truth into her flesh, word by word—

[The Guishan Sect created the Immortal Encounter E, corrupting the Corner of Heaven’s Will.]

[The Immortal Encounter E becomes a weapon, bringing about a great catastrophe in the human world.]

She didn’t know how much influence the Immortal Encounter E would have on her. She also didn’t yet know how to break the cycle. The only thing A’Shou could think of was that she had to survive the ritual.

And to survive this ritual, she would have to work with Fang Xiu.

Even if Fang Xiu’s origin was unknown and his power a mystery; even if he somehow understood Zhuang Guiqu’s insane logic; even if he’d inexplicably summoned the “Corner of Heaven’s Will” Bai Shuangying; even if he and Bai Shuangying were attached at the hip and being uncomfortably affectionate every day…

A’Shou: “…”

No, really, was this going to be okay?

For one second, A’Shou seriously considered the possibility of self-destruction.

It felt like choosing between being steamed or deep-fried. They were just different ways to die. But even if she was doomed either way, she’d rather choose how it happened herself. Just like she had years ago.

After resolving her internal struggle, A’Shou let out a long sigh.

“It’s a good thing you’re the one supervising me, A’Shou Jie, and not Dian’er,”

Fang Xiu cheerfully chimed in after her sigh. “I guess we can officially cooperate now?”

Caught again by this brat, A’Shou groaned in pain.

“What’s your plan now?” she asked plainly. “Since the Immortal Encounter E is built from stories, its true body is likely that precious book of Zhuang Guiqu’s.”

“But we haven’t found a single taboo yet, and we don’t know where that book is. All we’ve done is trap that fake god… that figure in black impostor.”

The more A’Shou thought about it, the more her head hurt.

“Now that we know the cause and effect, we should leave Xushan and return to the ‘Weishan Village’ storyline.”

“That one’s stable. We can confirm your allies there…”

Fang Xiu shook his head. “A’Shou Jie, I want to confirm something.”

“The Immortal Encounter E merely replays these stories. Whether it’s the Heaven-Breaking Divine Art granted by immortals or the karmic corruption of the God of Xushan…”

“It shouldn’t be able to recreate anything beyond its own capabilities… right?”

A’Shou’s brow twitched. “That’s true. But the fake god has already taken form. It can channel part of the Corner of Heaven’s Will’s power. For people like us, there’s barely any difference between fake and real—hey!”

Fang Xiu released the concealment on himself.

He stood in the mountain wind, eyes locked on the suspended Immortal Encounter E above. His crimson robes flapped in the breeze, his long hair trailing behind him.

The robe wasn’t real. The hair wasn’t real. The story wasn’t real.

Only the ground beneath his feet—this land—was truly Xushan.

…And Bai Shuangying’s body was here. It was time to greet his beloved ghost properly.

“Good evening.”

Fang Xiu strolled toward the group of immortals as if out for a walk. 

Across from him, divine light shone. Grey mist swirled. Zhuang Guiqu, in child form, turned with mild surprise. Zhuang Feng put down his pen and looked at Fang Xiu with confusion.

A man with mismatched eyes, blood-colored clothes, and messily tied long hair—was none other than the black Taoist ghost handler who had recently joined them.

After the recent chaos, most cultivators had perished. Those who survived had been polluted by the God of Xushan’s madness.

Yet this person walked through it all like nothing had happened.

This brat has a death wish!

A’Shou could understand saving the unnamed ghost handler—maybe that was Fang Xiu’s conscience. But deliberately provoking the enemy at their strongest? She honestly didn’t know what to call it.

Silently cursing, she drew her longsword and trailed Fang Xiu while staying hidden.

“You all just sealed my favorite ghost,”

Fang Xiu said with a sigh. “First you beat him up, then sealed him, then waved the ‘preventative measure’ flag… Seems the awe of the gods for the Corner of Heaven’s Will is a bit of a farce.”

Zhuang Guiqu narrowed his eyes, a trace of displeasure crossing his childlike face. As Fang Xiu approached with a smile, he seemed to smell a familiar scent, someone of the same kind.

“This was all for world peace,” he said softly.

“But it’s all fake. Just a story.” Fang Xiu pointed directly at Zhuang Guiqu, his tone unnervingly calm. “How pitiful. All this bluster and power are just illusions made of ink and words.”

“Then again, maybe I’m just a line in the record too. This place really is fascinating.”

A mortal suddenly appearing and picking a fight was absurd enough. But now this one was talking nonsense?

The gods and ghosts all stared with cold expressions.

A divine thunderbolt struck down from the sky.

Fang Xiu, as if he had eyes atop his head, stepped lightly to the side, just missing it.

Zhuang Guiqu wasn’t idle either. He twisted his fingers, and the ground beneath Fang Xiu became mud. At the same time, another bolt of divine lightning fell.

This time, Fang Xiu didn’t dodge.

He raised his hand. A flicker of electricity danced across his fingertips. The massive bolt of divine thunder touched that sliver of light and flowed apart like water, vanishing into the darkness.

The immortals: “?”

A’Shou: “…???”

That was just the Underworld’s “charging ability” gifted to Fang Xiu. Sure, both were electricity, but wasn’t this a bit much?

“You’ve got the Immortal Encounter E, plus power stolen from the Corner of Heaven’s Will.”

“I’ve got ‘me’, and the remaining power of the Corner of Heaven’s Will.”

Fang Xiu ignored the divine immortals and stared only at Zhuang Guiqu.

“I should thank you for such a perfect testing ground.”

“Come on, then.”

……

Inside Fang Xiu’s body.

Bai Shuangying had never felt so at ease.

He rolled around in Fang Xiu’s flesh and pressed himself against that thumping heart. At this moment, he found it more beautiful than anything else he had ever seen.

His human was the most perfect one in existence.

Fang Xiu had seen everything, seen through everything, and revealed everything.

Karmic corruption. The false God of Xushan. The porcelain statues in the Shrine of All E’s. The old altars in the sacrifice rooms.

Thanks to Zhuang Guiqu’s “generous proposal”, the design was laid bare. With all the details pieced together, Bai Shuangying fully understood the Tower’s spellwork.

When it came to manipulating karma, Zhuang Guiqu wasn’t even worthy of being called his grandson.

As long as he returned to the Tower, Bai Shuangying could immediately reclaim all the stolen yin energy and feast to his heart’s content.

By then, that half-formed “fake god” would be no threat at all.

Freedom was just within reach. When had he last felt so happy?

Bai Shuangying couldn’t help tumbling in delight around Fang Xiu’s heart, rubbing against the flesh and releasing his joy.

…Then he saw Fang Xiu charging forward, going head-to-head with the most powerful lineup the Immortal Encounter E had ever assembled.

Bai Shuangying froze inside. Any other story would be fine. But the power levels of characters in this one were off the charts.

With the logic of “faithful reproduction”, the Immortal Encounter E could unleash their full potential.

Truthfully, Bai Shuangying wanted to leap out and stop his human—right now, he had only a portion of his power, and he was still suppressing that black figure fake god.

Even with A’Shou helping, this situation was…

No. Fang Xiu wouldn’t act so recklessly.

He had come this far with such care. He wouldn’t throw it all away for a brief rush of emotion.

Bai Shuangying believed in him. He thought about it very seriously.

“Come on, then.”

He heard Fang Xiu’s voice through the blood and flesh.

“Come play, Bai Shuangying.”

How amusing. The one whom the world called a “paragon of righteousness” had slandered and imprisoned him. And now, the one opening the cage was a complete little liar.

Not long ago, Fang Xiu had given him hope of safe release. Bai Shuangying hadn’t wanted to leave him.= Now the cage was nearly open and he didn’t want to leave even more.

How strange. He’d rather stay cramped in the cage and walk to the end with his human.

The multitude of human affections and entangled interests—he still didn’t understand. But this time, he couldn’t stop thinking about it, and even thinking itself brought joy.

Yes, he trusted Fang Xiu.

…He trusted Fang Xiu’s trust in him. He trusted Fang Xiu’s persistence with the plan. He trusted Fang Xiu to bring him even more surprises. He trusted that Fang Xiu truly liked him.

…He trusted that Fang Xiu had known all along before he did, Bai Shuangying liked him too.

A loud cracking sound echoed through Xushan.

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The author has something to say:

I’ve experienced a real life fire for the first time…

Bad news: There was a fire downstairs.

Good news: I was back home for New Year’s.

Bad news: My cat was still at the my place.

Good news: The fire got put out in time.

Wasted some time tonight discussing in the tenant group… Honestly, in places where fireworks are banned, please don’t set them off. It seems this one was caused by someone lighting illegal fireworks. _(:з」∠)

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