At the border between the Western Regions and Lei Province.

Xu Qi An and Shen Shu appeared abruptly, standing outside the boundary line, watching the dark red flesh substance retract into the Western Regions and merge with the earth.

With this, the Buddha’s presence vanished without a trace.

By now, both had completely expelled the power of the Great Sun Tathagata and returned to their original form, though both were completely unclothed.

“The Mahayana Buddhist Church has already been established, yet the Buddha still has the fate to consume the Western Regions?”

Xu Qi An spoke while taking out two robes, tossing one to Shen Shu.

He wanted to avoid accidentally becoming sworn brothers with Shen Shu, which would make the Nine-Tailed Fox have to call him Uncle Xu.

“It’s related to the Witch God Church.” Shen Shu explained briefly, putting on the robe before contemplating:

“I have practiced Buddhist methods, I could try entering.”

How crude… Xu Qi An complained internally but shook his head and said:

“If we can use puppets to scout, we shouldn’t risk ourselves.”

After some thought, he still couldn’t bring himself to use the flood dragon “Black Jade” hidden in the Earth Book fragment. Instead, he used space magic to catch a wild rabbit, killed it, and implanted a corpse Gu larva.

He chose corpse Gu rather than heart Gu control because heart Gu could only share some vague sensations, like vision.

The larva represented a deeper level of control, making the puppet-like an extension of oneself.

This would allow Xu Qi An to better sense the Buddha’s current state.

The rabbit hopped into the Western Regions. After just a few steps, the ground suddenly split open into a mouth. Just as the rabbit was about to be swallowed, it made an agile leap, jumping high to avoid the giant mouth below.

But in the next moment, the airborne rabbit actively dove head-first into the mouth that had split open in the ground.

This… Xu Qi An’s expression became grave.

Shen Shu glanced at him, waiting for his analysis.

“I didn’t detect any restrictions or control, just a simple leap,” Xu Qi An said.

But the reality was that the rabbit that had just leaped up suddenly threw itself into that mouth.

After a moment, both Half-Step Warrior Gods had a revelation. Xu Qi An said softly:

“The Buddha modified the rules.”

“He changed the rule of leaping into falling, yes, it must be something like that.”

The only explanation for making a Half-Step Warrior God unable to detect any restrictions or control, yet voluntarily walking into danger, was a change in the fundamental rules.

Such were the rules of heaven and earth.

That’s why Xu Qi An couldn’t detect anything unusual.

“This isn’t something the Buddha should be able to do,” Shen Shu commented.

The Confucian Saint could also forcibly modify rules, but that was unique to his system, and he would suffer backlash afterward.

“Because in the Western Regions, the Buddha is no longer just a Beyond-Rank expert, but has become the heaven and earth itself!” Xu Qi An sighed.

The Director was right – the true aim of Beyond-Rank experts was to replace the Way of Heaven and become the embodied will of the Nine Provinces world.

If he had any doubts before, now he completely believed the Director’s words.

Shen Shu thought for a moment, then stepped forward. Tremendous and terrifying power surged forth, drawing celestial anomalies and chaotic elements.

But when these chaotic elements approached the Western Regions, they were all calmed by an even greater power. The martial artist’s domain that Shen Shu had established was blocked outside the Western Regions.

This further proved that the Western Regions and the Nine Provinces world had become “separated” – existing in the same space but no longer belonging to the same world.

“Is this the secret of the great catastrophe? Does Shen Shu want to consume the Nine Provinces and evolve a new heaven and earth?” Shen Shu looked toward Xu Qi An.

“Not evolve – replace!” Xu Qi An said gravely.

Shen Shu gazed at the vast territory of the Western Regions ahead, remained silent for a long time, then slowly said:

“So that’s how it is.”

He seemed to have resolved a long-standing confusion.

“What are Master’s thoughts?” Xu Qi An took the opportunity to probe.

“A catastrophe for all living beings,” Shen Shu evaluated.

He waited a while, and seeing that Shen Shu wouldn’t continue, asked:

“Master, now that I’m a Half-Step Warrior God, I’ve discovered many strange patterns in my body, like divine demon spiritual essences.”

Shen Shu said:

“They possess the characteristic of immortality, the capital that allows Half-Step Warrior Gods to challenge Beyond-Rank experts.”

“I’ve studied them. The only conclusion is that they are incomplete.”

Xu Qi An frowned:

“Incomplete?”

He hadn’t sensed any incompleteness.

Shen Shu thought for a moment, then analyzed:

“More accurately, it’s like a formation that’s only had its basic outline drawn – the details still need refinement.”

“Each ‘formation pattern’ is independent, but they lack connections between them. They possess the characteristic of immortality, but they’re not a unified whole.”

“Perhaps only advancing to Warrior God would allow this formation to truly take shape.”

Each cell possesses the characteristic of immortality, but they’re independent… Xu Qi An had a revelation:

“Is this why you were originally dismembered and sealed by the Buddha?”

Countless cells represent countless formation patterns, but because they’re independent, they can be separated.

Shen Shu nodded.

Xu Qi An eagerly discussed:

“Then do you know how to advance to Warrior God?”

“Yes!”

Shen Shu’s answer surprised Xu Qi An. He said:

“Perfect the ‘formation’ on your body, and you’ll likely become a Warrior God.”

Isn’t that stating the obvious? I knew that already. I’m asking about the specific method… Xu Qi An said irritably:

“How do you perfect the formation?”

Shen Shu looked at him and said expressionlessly:

“Earlier the Buddha called you Gatekeeper.”

Xu Qi An explained:

“When I went to sea this time, I met the Director. He told me the Gatekeeper can only emerge from the martial artist system.”

Shen Shu examined him:

“The Director’s purpose in supporting you was to cultivate you into the Gatekeeper.”

Xu Qi An nodded.

Shen Shu said:

“I’m also a Half-Step Warrior God, but the Director didn’t support me – he chose you instead.”

“We can deduce the truth from the Director’s past schemes. You need to think clearly about two questions. First, why did he choose to support you? Second, what did he leave within you?”

Left something behind? Xu Qi An instinctively began examining Shen Shu.

The latter frowned slightly.

“I understand,” Xu Qi An said.

The answer was self-evident – it was fate!

He became the Director’s piece because he was Xu Pingfeng’s son, and Xu Pingfeng had stolen Great Feng’s national fate.

So far, although the Director had given him much help, it was all to help him level up and increase his strength, and all of this still revolved around fate.

Shen Shu concluded:

“You just need to guard the fate well. Guard the fate, then explore how to advance to Warrior God.”

At this moment, a clear light flashed as Sun Xuanji arrived with a group of transcendents.

Seeing that Xu Qi An and Shen Shu hadn’t rashly started a battle, Yang Gong, Jin Lian, and others breathed sighs of relief.

Shen Shu said flatly:

“The Buddha won’t consume Lei Province for now. I’ll stay to guard the border. Do as you please.”

Xu Qi An had Sun Xuanji leave several teleportation jade tokens and some Confucian “words become law” pages for Shen Shu – these were spells for dealing with the Buddha’s various manifestations. Then he said:

“Contact me immediately if the Buddha returns.”

The Buddha needed time to consume Lei Province, while he only needed a very short time to rush from the capital to Lei Province.

So he wasn’t worried about the Buddha taking advantage of his return to the capital to consume Lei Province.

He then said to everyone:

“Let’s return to the capital first. We can discuss other matters later.”

The Nine-Tailed Fox and Asura glanced at the Western Regions, unwilling to give up, but since neither Shen Shu nor Xu Qi An intended to venture deeper into the Western Regions, they had no choice but to abandon the idea.

Xu Qi An raised the large eye on his wrist and departed with the group of transcendents.

…

At this time, Diaochan was still on her way…

No, at this time, the Flying Swallow Heroine was still waiting for Xu Silver Bell between heaven and sea.

…

Fish-belly white appeared on the horizon.

In the Imperial Study of the Capital.

Wang Zhenwen, who hadn’t slept all night, showed fatigue, with swollen eye bags and bloodshot eyes.

Huai Qing felt anxiety exploding in her heart, but said gently:

“Minister Wang, please go rest first.”

Wang Zhenwen shook his head, saying:

“I’m too restless to sleep. Better not to try.”

“No news at this moment is the best news.”

If Lei Province couldn’t be held, then the situation would enter its worst phase. That would be when true disaster struck.

Huai Qing didn’t try to persuade him further, holding the Earth Book fragment in silence.

Wei Yuan and Zhao Shou were relatively calmer. The former had experienced too many storms – even with a knife at his throat, he wouldn’t show much emotion.

The latter had excellent composure – even if anxiety was exploding in his heart, his face wouldn’t show a trace.

Zhao Shou thought for a moment, then said:

“If Lei Province falls, Your Majesty must first stabilize the court and people’s hearts, then quickly summon Xu Silver Bell back to discuss how to hunt Jia Luo Shu and help him advance to Half-Step Warrior God.”

“Once Xu Ningyan advances to Half-Step Warrior God, all difficulties can be resolved.”

Huai Qing looked at Wei Yuan.

Wei Yuan shook his head and sighed:

“Easier said than done. The Buddhist church won’t give us this opportunity. If they do, we should be the ones being careful.”

Wang Zhenwen agreed with his old political enemy’s view. “At this stage, rather than considering helping Xu Ningyan advance to Half-Step Warrior God, we should try to probe the Witch God Church’s attitude and form an alliance with them. The Witch God still needs two to three months to break the seal.”

Although the Witch God Church had helped the Buddha, as long as the two competed, an alliance could be attempted.

Zhao Shou smiled coldly:

“The Witch God Church wants to watch the tigers fight and let the fisherman profit.”

Wang Zhenwen countered:

“As long as we make the Witch God Church believe we don’t have the strength to fight the Buddhist church to mutual destruction, they will naturally change their attitude.”

“How pathetic!” Zhao Shou shook his head. “Besides, this would be like handing our weakness to the Witch God Church, letting them butcher us at will – another peace talk.”

The “peace talk” he referred to was the territory-conceding negotiation initiated by the Yun Province rebels after the Director was sealed.

It wasn’t hard to imagine that the Witch God Church would make corresponding demands, swallowing Great Feng’s territory without bloodshed, and would be even more excessive than the Yun Province rebels.

Wei Yuan evaluated:

“Like drinking poison to quench thirst!”

Huai Qing, after the yellow silk incident, waved her hand:

“The situation isn’t settled. It’s too early to discuss these things.”

She could only use such words to quell the argument, but she also knew that if Lei Province was consumed by the Buddha, similar arguments would erupt again. By then, it would be the entire court arguing endlessly in the Golden Palace Hall.

Advocating surrender or seeking refuge with the Witch God Church would probably be the mainstream opinion.

Dying for one’s country required sentiment – you couldn’t expect every official to have such awareness.

Moreover, by then rumors of “a female emperor brings disaster to the country and people” would probably spread through the streets… Thinking of this, Huai Qing tiredly pinched her brow.

Although she had stabilized her position through her abilities and the help of Wei Yuan, Xu Qi An, and others, there was still criticism among lower-ranking officials, common people, and Confucian scholars.

In times of peace, such criticism was just harmless complaints.

Once the country became unstable, the words “female emperor” would be magnified and become a target for blame.

She had finally gotten the country running smoothly, allowing people who had suffered from natural disasters and war to recover, only to face wave after wave of problems.

At this critical point, she remembered she was a woman, and remembered she needed support.

And as the ruler of a country, the man she could view as support wanted to rely on, was only Xu Qi An.

Currently, this support is still out at sea, and out of contact.

However, it was precisely because they couldn’t contact him that Huai Qing still held expectations for him.

Perhaps he would return having advanced to Half-Step Warrior God. That man had never disappointed her.

Suddenly, Huai Qing sensed something and looked up.

Wei Yuan and Zhao Shou reacted before her.

In the empty Imperial Study, a large group of people appeared without warning.

At the front was a handsome man wearing an indigo robe, just as before – it was Xu Qi An, who had been away for months.

Behind him were transcendent experts like Luo Yuheng, Asura, the Nine-Tailed Fox, and Daoist Jin Lian.

Wei Yuan, Wang Zhenwen, Zhao Shou, and Huai Qing all stood up simultaneously.

He’s back? And brought back the transcendent experts from Lei Province?

Huai Qing seemed to think of something, then heard her own wildly beating heart. She tried to maintain a calm expression, but her slightly trembling voice betrayed her:

“Did the Buddha retreat?”

Hearing this, Wang Zhenwen, Wei Yuan, and Zhao Shou all stared at Xu Qi An.

Xu Qi An gave an “mm” in response.

Huai Qing pressed her lips together, with a hint of expectation and carefulness, probing:

“Did you advance to Half-Step Warrior God?”

Her manner of barely daring to breathe, coupled with her expectant and careful demeanor, made her look somewhat pitiful like a girl asking her father if he had brought back her beloved doll.

Wang Zhenwen unconsciously clenched his fist, his sleeve trembling slightly.

Wei Yuan appeared calmer, but he had never looked at someone with such focus.

Zhao Shou couldn’t help but hold his breath.