Chapter 1019: Who Bears Whose Burden?

Jade Jingxuan actually found her way to Jade Emperor Mountain?

After the War of Divine Ascension, the Seven Seas and Twenty-Eight Realms became isolated from the True World. Except for those from Golden Tortoise Island, probably no one had heard of Xuantian Sect discovering the remains of the Celestial Court on Jade Emperor Mountain, obtaining the Time Blade and the “Celestial Emperor Jade Records.” Without this knowledge, since Jade Emperor Mountain isn’t occupied by any sect or noble family and remains open to tourists, it appears unremarkable. Why would Bi Jingxuan come here?

Could it be that she emerged nearby after her transmigration?

Or perhaps, possessing an ancient treasure, she knows certain secrets?

Meng Qi’s thoughts raced with questions and guesses, while the Numerology Sage opposite him remained visibly uneasy, his feelings a tangled mix of hope and dread—an experience entirely new to him.

This nearly caused him to lose his mental composure, filled with apprehension and concern.

If it were merely a matter of recognizing Su Meng’s transcendence to become a Taoist Elder Heavenly Venerable, he wouldn’t have reacted so poorly. There are always various future possibilities; even those with great potential and relentless effort might have a slim chance of escaping the sea of suffering. Becoming a Heavenly Venerable is rare but not unheard of—he had lived so long that he’d certainly seen it before. After all, though rare and with slim chances, these are incomparable to other future possibilities, and in the end, those who succeed might as well not exist at all.

However, Su Meng’s result directly pointed to “Yuanshi Tianzun,” the first Celestial Emperor of creation, the source of all causes and effects!

Does this mean he is the opener of the next cosmic cycle, or truly the reincarnation of Yuanshi Tianzun?

Considering the latter possibility, the Numerology Sage’s very dharma body trembled as if struck by lightning, and he had the urge to slap himself. Had he known this beforehand, why bother with divination? Why delve so deeply and meticulously? Why voice it? Wouldn’t pretending ignorance have been better?

Ah, all this trouble comes from habit!

Meng Qi sensed the Numerology Sage’s emotional shift and couldn’t help but feel amused. Regarding these future possibilities, he had already formed his own guesses. How could the Yuxu lineage assist him so much without expecting something in return? But exactly what would happen remained uncertain.

Seeing the Numerology Sage’s silver hair in disarray and his furrowed brow, Meng Qi suddenly felt a mischievous impulse and, with a half-smile, said, “Senior Sage Numerology, may this junior ask a question?”

“…Go ahead,” the Numerology Sage replied tightly, nearly blurting out the title “Heavenly Venerable.”

Smiling, Meng Qi rose, hands clasped behind his back, walking toward Bi Jingxuan, leaving his words echoing in the pavilion halfway up the mountain:

“A divination should not be complete, matters should not be pushed to extremes, and words should not be spoken plainly.”

“A divination should not be complete… matters should not be pushed to extremes… words should not be spoken plainly…” The Numerology Sage inhaled deeply, savoring these twelve words. The more he pondered, the more profound they seemed, as if they were a gentle reminder and advice to himself and the Wang family.

Recently, he had begun to have similar thoughts, but they had never fully formed until today.

If the Wang family wished to survive and prosper, they could no longer act recklessly and flaunt their power as they once did. Mastery of the Dao of numerology had always invited the envy of heaven, the resentment of fate, and the hostility of formidable forces. Without prudence and humility, not only would surviving the great calamity he had foreseen be improbable, but their entire lineage might soon face utter destruction.

Good! These twelve words are truly excellent! Once the anticipated matter concludes, I shall return to the ancestral home and establish them as the family precept.

Hmm, should I record this as Wang Daolin entering the immortal mountains and receiving methods to evade disasters from Yuanshi Tianzun, or should I omit Yuanshi Tianzun and simply attribute it to Su Meng? No, Su Meng’s fate is shrouded in chaos; he doesn’t seem destined for posthumous fame. Carelessly recording his name might incur offense…

Meng Qi sensed the faint erosion of time—a correction of the timeline, though very subtle. It seemed that revealing the Wang family’s precept early had little impact on the historical trajectory. More accurately, the Numerology Sage likely already had a rudimentary form of this family precept at this point.

With his green robe fluttering in the breeze, Meng Qi strolled down the mountain path like a tourist, hands clasped behind his back, descending toward Bi Jingxuan from above.

Bi Jingxuan did not fly. Her fresh and vibrant aura harmonized beautifully with the scenery of Jade Emperor Mountain. The dark vortex deep within her eyes slowly rotated, silently meeting Meng Qi’s gaze.

“Immortal Bi, it’s been a while. I am Su Meng.” Meng Qi smiled as he descended the steps.

Except for He Qi and the unknown whereabouts of Yun He, this was his first encounter with a “fellow townsman.”

Fellow townspeople meeting fellow townspeople—without tears, at least some sense of familiarity. Of course, considering Bi Jingxuan had come all the way to Jade Emperor Mountain, there remained the possibility of betrayal.

Bi Jingxuan halted, clearly adopting a defensive stance. Her voice was gentle but not weak as it reached Meng Qi’s ears: “Are you the real Su Meng, or a transformation of the White-Haired One?”

“The transformation of the White-Haired One?” Meng Qi was initially puzzled but soon understood. He wasn’t the only one who had arrived in the Middle Ages—Yuan Hong, the imposter of the White-Haired One, was also present!

The fake Hunyuan Immortal had perished within the Slaughter Sword Formation. The woman before him ought to be the genuine one… Meng Qi pondered, yet he remained vigilant. Quietly, he activated the Dao Seal, transforming into the Origin of All Causes, and lit the ancient glazed lamp to illuminate a portion of Hunyuan Immortal’s karma. Even amidst the chaos of destiny, the Origin of All Causes could never be entirely concealed!

Indeed, she was real… Meng Qi nodded inwardly, his smile unchanged as he plucked a single hair and spread his palm, letting the mountain breeze lift the strand.

The wind blew, and an old eagle soared from Meng Qi’s palm.

“Can the White-Haired One still perform such transformations?” Meng Qi asked with a smile.

The Eighty-Nine Mystical Art cannot, and neither can Yuan Hong, as his cultivation method has an unusual origin, possibly connected to the Eighty-Nine Art once more.

Bi Jingxuan pressed her lips together and nodded slightly: “No.”

Clearly, she was no stranger to the Eight-Nine Mystical Art, suggesting that the Three Abysses Island’s legacy is indeed ancient.

Could it truly be connected to the Three Abysses Goddesses? Meng Qi mused silently.

Inside the pavilion halfway up the mountain, the Numerology Sage had regained his calm, continuing to contemplate those twelve words, facing the deep valley shrouded in mist and clouds.

With his mastery of numerology and sharp intellect, he wisely chose not to approach.

Bi Jingxuan slightly relaxed her guard, but Meng Qi immediately sensed something amiss: “Immortal Bi, are you injured?”

And her injuries weren’t light, though visibly improving, she wouldn’t recover fully anytime soon!

Bi Jingxuan nodded slightly, her expression calm and composed as she said, “I encountered the False Ageless Sage, who ambushed me. Later, I faced Su Daji.”

Su Daji has also arrived in the Middle Ages? Meng Qi felt a twinge of unease at the thought of this ancient fox spirit. For Bi Jingxuan to escape unharmed from Su Daji, a celestial-level demon god, despite being injured in the ambush, her strength must indeed be extraordinary—truly worthy of her reputation as the mightiest among the Seven Seas and Twenty-Eight Realms. She might even rival Master Lu Da, though she likely leans heavily on that legendary ancient treasure.

“Immortal Bi, who else familiar have you encountered?” While pondering Su Daji’s appearance in the Middle Ages, Meng Qi asked with concern.

Bi Jingxuan replied, “Only ‘Night Emperor’ Huo Lishang. He has joined the Luo Sect and seems to have found his homeland, appearing rejuvenated and reluctant to leave.”

The Night Emperor, always lamenting his “estrangement from home and Dao,” indeed seems perfectly suited to the “Vacuous Homeland”… Meng Qi was momentarily speechless, somewhat exasperated.

However, given the Night Emperor’s nature, this might merely be a temporary experience.

After discussing the Night Emperor, Bi Jingxuan added a warning: “Your impostor might still be alive and has also arrived in the Middle Ages. Be cautious—he might impersonate you, causing trouble and drawing powerful enemies to you.”

Meng Qi instinctively touched his temple, offering a self-deprecating smile: “I’m not worried about the impostor. In terms of causing trouble, he can’t match me. It’s hard to say who will end up entangled in the consequences. However, we should be more vigilant regarding the impostors of Senior Lu and Senior Su.”

Bi Jingxuan’s gaze shifted slightly, scrutinizing Meng Qi from head to toe. This was the first time she had heard someone describe themselves this way—boasting about their talent for troublemaking.

“Immortal Bi, why have you come to Jade Emperor Mountain?” Meng Qi thought for a moment and asked directly. With the Numerology Sage behind him, whatever Bi Jingxuan’s answer, he could consult him for another divination.

Bi Jingxuan replied calmly, “Aren’t you also here at Jade Emperor Mountain?”

“That’s precisely why I’d like to hear your purpose, to see if it aligns with mine,” Meng Qi replied with a smile.

Bi Jingxuan glanced at Meng Qi and softly suggested, “Why don’t we each write a word on our hand, revealing our intentions to avoid disputes over who speaks first.”

“Good.” Meng Qi agreed without hesitation. His right index finger suddenly wriggled, transforming into a vermilion brush.

Bi Jingxuan hesitated slightly, placing her right hand over her left, exhaling energy to produce colors.

After a breath, Meng Qi and Bi Jingxuan simultaneously revealed the words on their backs, both bright red two-character inscriptions:

“Heavenly Emperor!”

…

In a certain place in Luo City.

The Snow-Skinned Demon Sword King was polishing his demonic sword, allowing it to absorb his blood.

Creak—the door slowly opened, and a disciple of the Demon Sect hurried in, respectfully reporting, “Your Majesty, news has arrived from afar—Su Meng has appeared.”

“From afar?” The Demon Sword King did not turn around.

The disciple replied, “Yes. He seems to have left Luo City through a teleportation formation and appeared in Xuanyang. He appears to underestimate our forces, as he hasn’t concealed his presence effectively.”

“Good, very good. Even if it’s a trap, we have the strength to break through it.” The Demon Sword King turned, sheathed his sword, and strode forward, ominously declaring, “Let’s go to Xuanyang!”