Chapter 377.2: I Will Save My World

Snow fell and a layer of frost crossed the peaceful land.

Zero-One held Xie Xinsu and sat at the river's edge. A thick layer of ice sealed the wide river. Qi Yuan wore white robes that matched the snow's color, the two blending seamlessly until there was no telling where one ended and the other began.

Snow settled on their shoulders. Soon, everything turned white.

Qi Yuan couldn't help but sigh. "The myriad dao of this world is simply too many."

Even the snow had its own dao. Lord Great Wisdom had once said that snowflakes never spoke because they had no mouths. If Qi Yuan wished to comprehend the dao of snow, the most effective approach was to communicate directly with snowflakes that did have mouths.

Qi Yuan couldn’t help but voice his frustration. "You, snowflake. Why don't you have a mouth?! How are you supposed to tell me what your dao is? You're always leaving people to guess, and guess, and guess!"

There was no way to guess the snowflake's feelings. Unfortunately for Qi Yuan, he had to rely entirely on guessing.

Zero-One couldn't help but encourage him, "Master, anything is possible in this world. Perhaps you’ll have a sudden breakthrough and comprehend all the myriad dao?"

Anyone else would never have believed it, but Qi Yuan was different. He gave a genuine nod. "You're right. Anything is possible. The myriad dao might suddenly take a liking to me, grow a mouth, and frantically start introducing themselves."

Qi Yuan let his imagination wander. With his level of charm, would it be so strange if the myriad dao were to fall in love with him? After all, this was a game. Anything could happen in a game. What if this one turned out to be a dating simulator?

Just then, Zhong Niao’s voice reached him, carrying a slight tremor. "Mr. Qi!"

Qi Yuan turned and saw his former doctor in youthful clothes, her slender legs covered in bunched-up socks.

He looked at her calmly. "Dr. Zhong Niao, it's been a while."

She had later embarked on the cultivation path herself. After all these years, she had reached the peak of the Foundation Establishment realm, just one step away from the Core Formation realm.

Zhong Niao hesitated. "Mr. Qi, I... There is something I would like to ask of you."

She had clearly worked up a great deal of courage to come find him.

Qi Yuan looked at her, his gaze clear and unhurried. "Go ahead."

"These past days, my nightmares have been getting worse and worse..."

Back then, Zhong Niao had once told Qi Yuan about her recurring nightmare. In it, many women who looked exactly like her would stab her to death with knives. At the time, Qi Yuan had told her it was because of kidney deficiency. Now, the nightmare was coming back, growing clearer each time.

Qi Yuan smiled. "Your kidneys are getting weaker."

Zhong Niao felt a wave of helplessness. She very much wanted to say, “Look, you've swallowed a star, and you're still telling me my kidneys are weak?”

Though she also found herself wondering, somewhat seriously, whether her kidneys actually were weak.

Tormented by nightmares night after night, she had nowhere left to turn but Qi Yuan. "Mr. Qi, can kidney deficiency be treated?"

"Simple. Just kill all the assailants in your dream."

Zhong Niao was confused. "What?"

Qi Yuan gazed up at the sky. "Look up. The parallel worlds within the Mountain-Sea Scroll will probably appear here soon. Think of them as parallel versions of you. They will slaughter each other until only one survives."

Zhong Niao was stunned, her mind reeling. "What?"

Parallel versions of herself would come to kill her?

He smiled with his eyes. "No need to worry. Until I become the Martial God of Ten Thousand Paths, the worlds will not merge. Who knows what might happen once they do?"

Qi Yuan maintained a certain wariness toward Dong Jun. He had played a lot of games, and every one of them had a final boss. In this one, the final boss was obviously Dong Jun.

Most importantly, Dong Jun’s words seemed to carry some innate enchantment. Everyone who heard him fell for it hook, line, and sinker. If not for his lie-detecting ability, Qi Yuan would have believed that Dong Jun was genuinely trying to save the world by fighting the Root Demon.

However, Qi Yuan's instincts told him plainly that Dong Jun was a liar. As for the rest, did he even have to think about it? Anyone who dared to deceive him was a villain. Who else could they be? A beautiful woman in disguise or something?

As for saving the world? Was that even a question? Once he became the Martial God of Ten Thousand Paths, this world would essentially be his. If it were destroyed, he would fall from that realm.

Not only did the Root Demon seem powerful, but it also seemed to be somewhat related to his Origin Divine Technique, Inner Demon Lure. When the time came, Qi Yuan would activate the Great Forgetfulness Sutra and look directly into the Root Demon’s eyes before saying, “I am your father.”

Would the Root Demon still invade this world then? Of course not. They wouldn’t even have to go as far as destroying the world. All the talk about killing, slaughtering, and lending aid to Dong Jun? Absolutely pointless.

Having thought it through, he gazed into the distance. "Pause."

***

At that same moment, within the Eastern Alliance, countless Martial Lords' expressions shifted dramatically all at once.

"What's happening?! Why has the world's convergence stopped progressing?!"

"What on earth is going on?"

"Some unknown force in the Land of Death is blocking the world’s convergence!"

"Who is it?!"

"Could it be the Heavenly Sovereign?!"

The Martial Lords immediately thought of Qi Yuan. Only he could wield power of that magnitude.

"What is the Heavenly Sovereign doing?! Why is he disrupting Dong Jun's plan?!"

"Heh, isn't it obvious? Even inside the Mountain-Sea Scroll, he was already intervening in the Heavenly Mending Pavilion's mission. Clearly, he is working against Dong Jun. He wants to destroy this world!"

"Impossible. The Heavenly Sovereign is not that kind of person!"

The Martial Lords debated fiercely with all kinds of arguments. Some believed it was a misunderstanding, while others were convinced Qi Yuan was scheming behind the scenes.

Just then, Qi Yuan appeared, his robes flowing. "You're not wrong. I am the one blocking the Mountain-Sea Scroll's convergence."

Cradling a cat, Zero-One stood behind him, curiously looking around.

Black Deer's face darkened, devoid of any trace of warmth. "Heavenly Sovereign, what is the meaning of this?!"

Qi Yuan yawned. "Once I become the Martial God of Ten Thousand Paths, I will allow the worlds to merge. If they merge now, there will be too many paths. That would be too time consuming."

"Heavenly Sovereign, this absolutely cannot be! If the worlds do not merge, Dong Jun's dao companion cannot be revived. How are we supposed to aid him?! How do we withstand the Great Catastrophe?! Once the Dawn Chime begins, we will all die!"

A smile played in Qi Yuan's eyes. "There is no need to revive Dong Jun's Dao Companion. I will personally go and meet this Great Catastrophe myself."

Black Deer’s face twisted with anguish, as though genuinely distressed that Qi Yuan was heading down the wrong path. He said urgently, "Heavenly Sovereign, Dong Jun has stated that only the revival of his dao companion can resolve the Great Catastrophe! No matter how powerful you are, you won’t be a match for it."

"I have never crossed hands with the Great Catastrophe. How do you know I am not a match for it?"

Another Titled Martial Lord exclaimed urgently, "Dong Jun has declared that the one and only way to save the world is the revival of his dao companion! You won’t achieve anything by going, Heavenly Sovereign!"

"Then what about an omniscient and omnipotent god? Could such a being save the world?"

One Titled Martial Lord said flatly, "Certainly not!"

More than ten other Titled Martial Lords echoed. "Certainly not!"

Now that his suspicions were confirmed, Qi Yuan appeared thoughtful. "Interesting. Very interesting. My brain is working."

A Titled Martial Lord said gravely, his tone earnest and heartfelt, "Heavenly Sovereign, we beg you to stop before it is too late! Please don’t let your selfishness ruin Dong Jun’s plan!"

Qi Yuan replied nonchalantly, "Have none of you noticed that your trust in Dong Jun has reached an unhealthy level? When something seems too good to be true, it usually is. Dong Jun has brainwashed all of you. That much is plain to see. What? He can solve something that not even an omniscient and omnipotent god can? Don’t make me laugh."

Qi Yuan decided to use facts to reveal the truth. "Let me show you what a normal, functioning brain—one with independent thought and free will—would make of this question. Old Thunder, come here. I have something to ask you."

Thunder appeared. The other Martial Lords swallowed what they had been about to say and waited to see what Qi Yuan would do.

Qi Yuan asked Thunder with absolute confidence, "Tell me, If I said I could do something that not even an omniscient and omnipotent god could, would you believe me?"

Thunder appeared to consider the question. "I would."

Qi Yuan was speechless.