Chapter 1467: Destined Never to Escape the Chessboard

This world was vast.

Chen Changsheng sat upon the coastal cliffs, gazing out over the boundless expanse of the Desolate Sea.

He often found himself wondering just how insignificant he truly was.

He felt like a grain of sand—or perhaps he had always been nothing more than that.

He searched endlessly, desperate to escape the grip of this curse, yet each repeated failure left him reeling, struggling to accept it all.

Not even death could offer him an escape from this destiny.

When a person's life reached such a state, it truly lost all meaning.

He tipped his head back for a swallow of wine and let out a long sigh. The distant scenery was intoxicating, much like the liquor in his hand.

It seemed as though so many events in this world were somehow tied to him.

Yet, at the same time, he was utterly powerless to intervene in any of them.

He was like an abandoned old ship on the Desolate Sea, drifting aimlessly at the mercy of the wind and waves. Such a vessel would eventually reach its end and wash up on some shore, but as Chen Changsheng looked ahead now, he could not see so much as a Lone Island.

The only future he could foresee was his own demise. How deeply tragic it was—since when had death become a salvation?

"Thieving old heavens..."

Chen Changsheng muttered, "If I had known it would come to this, I never would have begun..."

Heaven and earth had granted him eternal life, yet they had not severed his mortal emotions.

Who could possibly avoid going mad in such a situation?

Chen Changsheng collapsed against the cliff and fell into a deep slumber.

Throughout these countless years, even sleep had been a rare luxury for him.

...

When Chen Changsheng finally awoke, someone was sitting beside him.

Zhao Yuqing always had a habit of turning up at the most inopportune moments, just as he did now.

Chen Changsheng paused before asking, "When did you get here?"

"Just arrived."

Zhao Yuqing gave the Wine Gourd a shake. "This wine of yours isn't bad."

Chen Changsheng nodded. "It is."

"So you're still searching for Sea Spirit Gold?"

Zhao Yuqing nodded. "Every piece counts."

Chen Changsheng exhaled slowly. "I've learned quite a few things over these past years."

"I'm listening."

"A few years ago, I sought out Xiao Dongxu..."

"That number one genius?"

"Yes."

Chen Changsheng recounted everything he knew. Speaking of those past events made them feel entirely surreal. How could things have turned out this way? How could it even be possible?

Zhao Yuqing's expression shifted multiple times before he eventually lapsed into silence.

"So, do you have any ideas now?" Chen Changsheng asked. "That child is destined to die."

Zhao Yuqing took a gulp of wine. "We'll take things one step at a time. He will live out this life in peace. Even if he dies, it will be from old age, not some sudden accident."

"You really are quite a dedicated Master."

"Perhaps."

Zhao Yuqing tossed the Wine Gourd back to Chen Changsheng.

"What about you? Do you have any plans?" Zhao Yuqing asked. "Are you really going to leave that girl He Qing alone?"

"She has her own life to live," Chen Changsheng said. "She's finally on the right path and can focus on her Cultivation in peace. Why should I interfere?"

"True enough."

Zhao Yuqing nodded. "Someone like you really doesn't deserve a Dao companion."

"You aren't wrong."

Chen Changsheng offered no objections, readily agreeing with him.

"Let me tell you what I've learned," Zhao Yuqing said.

"The Mysterious Gate is being devoured piece by piece by demonic cultivators. This so-called conflict between the righteous and demonic paths might draw to a close soon."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Chen Changsheng countered.

"Although the Literary Dao has a history of grievances with the Mysterious Gate, they will still intervene when faced with the broader situation. It's only a matter of time."

"But the Mysterious Gate has already been routed."

"Helping early on would have simply been an alliance. Intervening now makes it a debt of gratitude."

Chen Changsheng replied, "I imagine the Literary Dao has its own calculations."

"Is that so..."

Zhao Yuqing muttered before adding, "I don't really understand this Literary Dao. It's only been a few years..."

"The rise of a Dao never depends on the passage of time," Chen Changsheng said. "For many cultivators, there are legends of sudden enlightenment leading to immediate ascension. The Literary Dao is no different."

"Then we shall wait and see."

"Yes."

Zhao Yuqing patted the dust from his robes. "I plan to go check on the child next year. I don't know how he's doing now, or if he's still as cowardly and timid as before."

"I hope you can find him."

"Mhm."

Few words passed between them after that. Once they were finished speaking, Zhao Yuqing took his leave, while Chen Changsheng remained behind, waiting for dusk to fall.

Life and death were merely a matter of an instant.

...

A year later, Zhao Yuqing gathered enough Sea Spirit Gold and departed from the Desolate Sea.

It was only starting from that year that aquatic demons slowly began to reappear along the various coasts of the Desolate Sea. To them, Zhao Yuqing had been like a god of plagues, someone to be avoided at all costs.

Zhao Yuqing gathered information piece by piece, tracking the path of dried-up Spiritual Veins to conduct his search.

Jiu Fengchun was bound to leave behind clues; he wouldn't be difficult to locate.

Meanwhile, inside a certain cave.

Jiu Fengchun's hands and feet were shackled, the Binding Chains on his body trembling violently.

"Gah!!"

Feral roars tore from his throat as a demonic transformation slowly began to overtake him.

Standing before him, Xiao Dongxu utilized his Divine Abilities and Arts and Techniques to stabilize Jiu Fengchun's divine sense, fighting to prevent him from completely losing his mind.

A hint of clarity gradually returned to the Taotie's eyes.

"Haa... Haa..."

However, as the bestial transformation progressed, he continued to slip further from rationality. He was locked in a bitter struggle against the flesh, trying desperately to assert his own consciousness to control the body.

The results, unfortunately, were far from ideal.

After fully transforming into a Taotie, Jiu Fengchun lost his mind once more. His only remaining instinct was an overwhelming urge to fill his stomach.

"Wrong again..."

Xiao Dongxu murmured, a profound sense of exhaustion washing over him.

He realized that if he wanted the boy to stay completely lucid, ordinary divine sense was nowhere near enough. Even at the Fourth Heaven of Divine Sense, Xiao Dongxu felt rather powerless. The Taotie's physical body affected the divine sense at its very core.

Left with no other choice, Xiao Dongxu lured the Taotie toward the nearest Spiritual Vein.

Only after the Taotie devoured massive quantities of spiritual liquid did it slowly regain clarity, eventually shifting back into the form of Jiu Fengchun.

When Jiu Fengchun regained his senses, he found himself amidst the Spiritual Vein. He immediately understood that they had failed once again.

He was entirely incapable of controlling his own mind.

He let out a long breath and pulled at his hair, teetering on the verge of a breakdown.

Jiu Fengchun shook his head. "It's useless. Just leave. Don't associate yourself with me anymore."

"Are you just going to give up?" Xiao Dongxu asked.

Jiu Fengchun smiled bitterly. "You said it yourself. This is the will of heaven. Under the Heavenly Dao, who could possibly defy heaven's will? I am nothing more than a game piece. I am destined never to escape the chessboard."