Hearing this, Jiang Zhaoxue immediately stepped forward and snatched the blood mirror, saying coldly, “What do you mean possessed? Why are Lingjian Immortal Pavilion disciples here?”

“Let’s talk outside.”

Pei Zichen seemed to have anticipated this, remaining exceptionally calm. He turned to look at Ye Tianjiao, “Are the people from Penglai all here?”

“They arrived long ago.”

Ye Tianjiao nodded. Pei Zichen glanced at Jiang Zhaoxue, only saying, “In a moment.”

With that, Pei Zichen walked into the shadows to arrange his garments. His unhurried manner actually put Jiang Zhaoxue somewhat at ease.

She calmed down, her gaze falling on Ye Tianjiao as she began inquiring, “My father and brother both came? Who else?”

“Uncle is so righteous,” Ye Tianjiao said, his eyes showing delight, “Aside from Auntie staying at Penglai to hold the fort, all of Penglai’s elite came. They said they’d help me build the Resentment Transformation Pool together. Your brother has some talent in talisman arts. Give him a bit more time and he’ll catch up to me.”

Hearing this, Jiang Zhaoxue rolled her eyes and continued pressing, “What about the Resentment Transformation Pool? How’s the construction going?”

“At least seven more days before it’s finished.” Ye Tianjiao frowned, “But right now…”

Before finishing his words, Pei Zichen emerged from inside. He had changed into ornate robes that seemed prepared long ago. They weren’t much different from usual, but somehow looked much more distinguished.

His garments were proper and neat, without a single wrinkle. Ye Tianjiao looked and blurted out, “Someone meeting his father-in-law is just different.”

Getting this comment, Pei Zichen gave him a cold look but didn’t respond. He turned and said, “Let’s go.”

With that, he raised his hand and turned it. A light portal appeared before them. After bringing Jiang Zhaoxue and Ye Tianjiao through the portal, they emerged to find themselves entering a room.

In the room, Jiang Pingsheng, Jiang Zhaoyue, Qingye and others were all present. The spiritual energy fluctuation had just begun when everyone looked over. Seeing Jiang Zhaoxue appear abruptly, everyone froze for a moment before Qingye became excited and hurried forward, “Female Lord!”

Jiang Zhaoxue nodded to Qingye, then first bowed to Jiang Pingsheng, “Father.”

Then she turned to Jiang Zhaoyue, “Brother.”

As she spoke, Pei Zichen followed up, somewhat nervous and formal as he bowed to Jiang Pingsheng, “Island Master Jiang.”

After finishing, he bowed to Jiang Zhaoyue again, “Young Master Jiang.”

His movements were respectful, as if he were still that young disciple from the Lingjian Immortal Pavilion.

Jiang Pingsheng and Jiang Zhaoyue exchanged glances. Jiang Pingsheng coughed, somewhat awkwardly saying, “That, there’s no need to be so polite. If you don’t mind, how about you call me…”

Before Jiang Pingsheng could mouth the word “Father,” Jiang Zhaoyue cut in first, “Uncle.”

Jiang Pingsheng’s movement froze in place. Jiang Zhaoyue looked coldly at Pei Zichen, “When Yaoyao brought your corpse back to Penglai and Penglai kept it, we already recognized you as our son-in-law.”

“Brother…”

Jiang Zhaoxue smiled somewhat awkwardly, “Why don’t we discuss serious matters first…”

“But to change how you address us and enter Penglai’s gates, there must be some protocols. The three letters and six rites, formal betrothal, wedding ceremony, announcement to the world—none can be omitted. Right now everyone is just ordinary allies interacting. You can call me elder brother, and you can call my father uncle, but don’t randomly call us anything else.”

As soon as Jiang Zhaoyue spoke, the entire room’s atmosphere became solemn.

Only Pei Zichen stood in place neither servile nor overbearing, respectfully and earnestly saying, “Elder brother is correct.”

With Pei Zichen’s good attitude, Jiang Zhaoyue’s expression softened a bit. He nodded, “Let’s not talk about this first. Let’s discuss serious matters.”

“What’s going on with Shen Yuqing?”

Hearing this, Jiang Zhaoxue immediately said, “What does it mean he was possessed?”

“Let the Lingjian Immortal Pavilion disciple explain this matter.”

Hearing this, Jiang Pingsheng glanced outside the door. Qingye immediately went out and brought in someone dressed in Lingjian Immortal Pavilion disciple attire.

That disciple had clearly rushed over, still carrying bloodstains. Jiang Zhaoxue looked on, somewhat surprised, “Zilu?”

This was the attendant disciple by Shen Yuqing’s side. Hearing Jiang Zhaoxue’s voice, Zilu raised his head, his eyes immediately filling with tears as he said emotionally, “Master’s Wife!”

“Cough,” Jiang Zhaoxue felt somewhat awkward hearing this, but she didn’t want to create additional complications at this time, directly saying, “What happened to your master?”

“Master’s Wife,” hearing Jiang Zhaoxue ask about Shen Yuqing, Zilu’s emotions stabilized somewhat. Forcing himself to stay calm, he said, “This matter must be told from two months ago. Two months ago, Master returned to the Lingjian Immortal Pavilion and secretly began transferring disciples to Penglai in batches under the guise of external assignments. I was responsible for helping Master arrange this matter. At the same time, Master gave me an instant transmission talisman, saying if anything happened to him, I should immediately flee to Penglai. Then three days ago, I was in my room packing things when suddenly a blood-covered mirror appeared in my room. I immediately felt something was wrong and used the instant transmission talisman to leave. The moment I activated the talisman, Master Uncle Liu’s flying sword shot directly into my room. If I had hesitated for even a moment, I’m afraid I’d already be dead at the Lingjian Immortal Pavilion now!”

Zilu spoke emotionally.

Listening, Jiang Zhaoxue nodded, “I generally understand this matter. But why do you say he was possessed?”

“It’s the scene in that mirror.”

Ye Tianjiao spoke up as a reminder. Pei Zichen raised his hand and sent the blood mirror forward. The mirror immediately displayed a scene—Shen Yuqing covered in blood lying on the ground, with a woman walking barefoot through the blood, slowly approaching him.

“Shen Yuqing, oh Shen Yuqing, who do you think you are?”

The woman half-squatted down and lifted his chin, “Since you killed me, you owe me a life. Your life is mine. How can you think of other people?”

With that, black mist pervaded the mirror surface. The woman’s tone carried laughter, “If you’re unwilling to be my dog, then why not give me this body? This counts as you borrowing and returning. You’ll be with me forever, and I won’t hold your killing me against you back then.”

The moment the words fell, the entire mirror surface surged with black energy, accompanied by Shen Yuqing’s roaring voice, “Xinluoyi!!”

Then the image on the mirror surface disappeared, and the blood-stained mirror fell to the ground.

Everyone looked at each other. Jiang Zhaoxue’s eyes showed shock as she realized, “Xinluoyi possessed him? Why?”

After speaking, Jiang Zhaoxue suddenly realized something. She saw Ye Tianjiao’s expression turn grave as he said, “Shen Yuqing is a person of great fortune. If nothing went wrong, he could also have achieved enlightenment and ascension.”

“Although he once used his fortune to request a heaven-ordained marriage, that karma thread was severed, so he wasn’t deprived of his fortune by the Book of Fate. His body still possesses the qualifications to become a god.” Pei Zichen continued explaining, “The Book of Fate is a divine artifact. If it wants to break through Haocang Shenjun’s restrictions, aside from becoming a god itself, another method is to form a contract with another god and have that other god use it.”

“And creating a god requires a divine core, divine shell, and physical body. Xinluoyi herself was born from Li Xiuji’s flesh and blood. She inherently carries semi-divine bloodline. If she has a physical body…”

“That still couldn’t make her a god.” Jiang Zhaoxue stated with certainty, unable to understand, “Even if she possessed Shen Yuqing…”

“But it might create a false god.”

Jiang Pingsheng spoke. Jiang Zhaoxue froze.

Pei Zichen reminded, “Just like how the Heaven-Devouring Vine mistook Xinluoyi for Li Xiuji, when she possesses Li Xiuji’s bloodline, she gains the ability to pass off fish eyes as pearls. She’s not a god, she doesn’t have a god’s abilities, but as long as she can disguise herself and deceive the divine artifacts’ layers of restrictions, and the Book of Fate’s artifact spirit willingly acknowledges her, she can use the Book of Fate.”

“Then why doesn’t Song Wulan turn himself into a god?” Jiang Zhaoxue couldn’t understand, “After Song Wulan possessed a physical body, he became an independent person. He repeatedly intervened to intercept us using precisely this physical body’s power. So why can’t he turn himself into a false god and use the Book of Fate?”

“Creating a false god is the path of evil cultivation.” Jiang Pingsheng shook his head, “Any path that violates karmic justice cannot become a righteous god. Even if it cultivates to godhood one day, it would be an evil god.”

And the Book of Fate didn’t want to become an evil god.

It wanted to become a long-lasting righteous god who ruled the world.

It wanted to become a deity beloved and worshipped by all like Haocang Shenjun.

Jiang Zhaoxue suddenly somewhat understood Song Wulan’s mentality.

He wanted his own hands clean and spotless, having others do all the dirty work for him.

He used Zhuang Yan’s soul to entice Ye Wenzhi, used Consort Zhao to drive Song Wuya mad, used Xinluoyi and the Eternal Life Sect followers that Song Wulan and Xinluoyi organized to commit all evil deeds.

Those who built the blood pool were mortals, the one who absorbed power was Xinluoyi. The only person Song Wulan had ever acted against personally was her.

Every person made their own choice, every person was driven by fate, while Song Wulan’s hands remained spotlessly clean, untainted by karma.

So even today, he wanted to push all karma onto Xinluoyi.

Xinluoyi possessed Shen Yuqing, Xinluoyi became a false god, Xinluoyi used the Book of Fate to do everything, while he only waited for everyone to die before reaping merits, fortune, and power.

“Why would Xinluoyi be willing?” Jiang Zhaoxue frowned, “Didn’t she think about her own future…”

“She believes power is greater than justice,” Ye Tianjiao sighed helplessly, “Island Master Jiang believes that paths violating karmic justice cannot become gods, but Xinluoyi believes that evil gods are still gods. As long as one is evil enough, the Heavenly Dao doesn’t matter.”

Ye Tianjiao helplessly tapped his head, saying earnestly, “Don’t think she seems normal, but her mind works like this, which is why she could work seriously and tirelessly for a thousand years without stopping.”

“No wonder she could be a perpetual motion machine…”

A’Nan murmured, using a term he’d seen from Jiang Zhaoxue’s mind.

Jiang Zhaoxue painfully closed her eyes and began thinking desperately, “Then Pei Zichen’s fusion of divine shell and physical body requires tremendous power. Doesn’t Xinluoyi’s possession require it too?”

“It does.”

Jiang Pingsheng opened his mouth without hesitation.

Jiang Zhaoxue frowned, “Then how does she fuse? At the fastest, how long would it take for her to completely occupy Shen Yuqing’s body and use the Book of Fate?”

“One day.”

Ye Tianjiao spoke gravely. Jiang Zhaoxue couldn’t believe it, “One day?”

“Pei Zichen has difficulty fusing because his physical body cannot bear his power as a god. During the fusion process, his physical body must be forged into a divine body.” Ye Tianjiao patiently explained, “But Xinluoyi is just a fake painted over. She only needs to deceive the Book of Fate’s restrictions. And as a soul body entering Shen Yuqing’s body, Shen Yuqing’s body can completely bear her power. Their fusion has no obstacles.”

“So,” Jiang Zhaoxue thought, “Shen Yuqing had trouble three days ago. Then the day before yesterday, he should have already completed fusion with Xinluoyi. Xinluoyi can already use the Book of Fate. And the Book of Fate’s spiritual energy connects to the entire world. It can absorb the power of the entire True Immortal Realm…”

Jiang Zhaoxue murmured, then suddenly stopped.

Seeing her abruptly quiet down, everyone turned to look. Qingye saw Jiang Zhaoxue’s expression and instinctively felt afraid, stammering, “Fe… Female Lord?”

“Then what have they been doing these two days?”

Jiang Zhaoxue looked over in confusion. Everyone froze.

Jiang Zhaoxue suddenly remembered and looked at Zilu, “When did you arrive at the Jiuyou Realm?”

“Last night?” Zilu murmured, “After I left the Lingjian Immortal Pavilion using the instant transmission talisman, I blocked all spiritual energy and fled all the way. I only contacted Young Master Jiang yesterday. Young Master Jiang found me and immediately brought me to the Jiuyou Realm.”

Penglai and the Jiuyou Realm had now established a transmission array and could reach each other’s territories within a short time.

Listening, Jiang Zhaoxue continued, “So you departed from Penglai last night?”

With that, Jiang Zhaoxue turned to Jiang Zhaoyue, “Brother, after you entered the Jiuyou Realm, did you contact Mother?”

“It was the middle of the night—why would we contact her?”

Ye Tianjiao couldn’t understand. But Jiang Zhaoyue’s face changed drastically. He immediately began trying to contact Dong Huaiyu. However, after sending several messages, not only was there no response, there wasn’t even any spiritual energy fluctuation.

Logically, transmission was essentially the transmission of spiritual energy. After it reached an area, even if the other party didn’t respond, it would disturb that area’s spiritual energy fluctuations. Unless that area completely disappeared with no spiritual energy present, otherwise cultivators could sense the feeling of their sent spiritual energy interfering with other spiritual energy.

However, Jiang Zhaoyue’s spiritual energy, after entering Penglai’s domain, suddenly disappeared, sinking like a stone into the sea.

Jiang Zhaoyue’s face instantly turned pale. He instinctively looked at Jiang Pingsheng, “Father…”

Jiang Pingsheng’s expression grew grave. They heard Jiang Zhaoyue force himself to stay calm, though his voice still trembled slightly, “My transmission… I can’t sense Penglai.”

Hearing this, everyone present’s faces changed drastically.

Jiang Zhaoxue immediately raised her hand to form seals, saying calmly, “By the Heavenly Dao’s summons, transmit to the three hundred forty-seven sects of Central Continent.”

Central Continent had many sects, large and small. Those with names recorded in the Immortal Alliance registry numbered three hundred forty-seven in total.

As soon as Jiang Zhaoxue spoke these words, over three hundred spiritual energy transmissions flew out like flowing light. She closed her eyes, sensing the spiritual energy flying all the way to Central Continent, falling like rain onto the Central Continent landmass of the True Immortal Realm.

However, looking from afar, the Central Continent landmass that should have been surrounded by spiritual energy scurrying everywhere, bright with lights like lanterns—was completely dark.

Jiang Zhaoxue’s spiritual energy flew down, but the moment it fell into Central Continent, it was like falling into mud, sinking down and disappearing without a trace.

No response.

No response.

No response.

The entire world had completely quieted down. The Jiuyou Realm was like a lone boat sailing through the dark night of the apocalypse. It seemed that aside from them—

No one survived.