“Fate of survival!”
The meaning behind those two words was enough to utterly shock Xiao Lingyu. He stared blankly at Qingming, his expression filled with disbelief.
“Survival? The Heavenly Mechanism Disc?” Xiao Lingyu repeated it again, afraid that his understanding differed from Qingming’s.
Qingming’s eyes flickered with a moment of shadowed complexity before he nodded.
The answer came too easily, and Xiao Lingyu instead found himself unable to believe it. He looked hesitantly at the fragment floating in midair, momentarily at a loss for words.
Qingming did not pay him any attention. Instead, he cast a meaningful glance at Zhu Yurun, then reached out and picked him up.
“Swallow it,” he said flatly.
Perhaps the psychological pressure Qingming imposed on Zhu Yurun was too overwhelming. This time, Zhu Yurun obediently swallowed the fragment of the Heavenly Mechanism Disc without resistance. Qingming, unusually satisfied, patted Zhu Yurun’s head and then turned to Xiao Lingyu.
“You return to Yuntian Sect with me. I am going to see Lingxiaozi.”
Xiao Lingyu knew the matter was of great importance and nodded in compliance.
“I’m going too!” the old ghost, who had been silent until now, suddenly jumped out.
Qingming looked at him gently and said in a soft tone, “Your body is not well. You are not suited for traveling through the Void. Stay here. I will return soon.”
The old ghost looked at Qingming with deep resentment and kept signaling Xiao Lingyu with his eyes, urging him to speak up for him.
Xiao Lingyu pretended not to understand his signals and silently stepped back toward the edge of the restriction.
Shortly after, Qingming, who could move freely within the Void without needing to distinguish direction, departed with Xiao Lingyu.
Half an hour later, Qingming abruptly stopped.
“You take the Spirit Rhinoceros Pig back to Cailan Peak. I will go see Lingxiaozi.”
After speaking, Qingming directly tore open the spatial barrier beside him and stepped through.
Xiao Lingyu stared at the slowly closing rift, a trace of doubt flashing through his eyes. Was there something he was not allowed to know?
Although curious, he understood that since Qingming had spoken this way, he could only return to Cailan Peak for now. It seemed he would have to wait until Chu Mingwei and the others returned to learn the full details.
But… Xiao Lingyu looked around helplessly. Which direction led back to Cailan Peak?
While Xiao Lingyu was still trying to orient himself within the Void, Qingming had already appeared outside the Hall of Vast Heaven and extended his divine sense into it.
“Senior Qingming?” Chu Mingwei was the first to react and stepped forward to greet him.
Qingming nodded faintly. “I am looking for Lingxiaozi.”
“My master is currently hosting a guest from the Illusory Demon Realm in the hall,” Chu Mingwei said in a low voice.
Qingming gave a casual “mn” and said indifferently, “Just a white fox. Nothing important.”
At that moment, Bai Mi felt a sudden jolt in his heart as Qingming’s divine sense swept into the hall. Hearing Chu Mingwei’s words, he became visibly tense. The demon race knew very well who that “great one” from the demon side referred to. He had not expected to encounter him here.
Before Bai Mi could compose himself, Qingming had already stepped into the hall.
He glanced at Bai Mi coldly and asked without preamble, “You are searching for the anomaly from sixteen years ago?”
Lingxiaozi paused. “Fellow Daoist has already heard of the anomaly?”
Qingming gave a faint hum, then changed the topic entirely.
“The Illusory Demon Realm should have fragments of the Heavenly Mechanism Disc in its possession, correct?”
Bai Mi suddenly looked up, his expression filled with shock.
Qingming sneered faintly and glanced at him meaningfully.
Ancient times had fallen, both humans and demons had been wiped out, yet the demon race had managed to seize a thread of survival. He did not believe they would not have attempted to collect fragments of the Heavenly Mechanism Disc.
Seeing Qingming’s expression of complete understanding, Bai Mi gave a bitter smile.
“The Illusory Demon Realm does indeed possess several fragments of the Heavenly Mechanism Disc. However, the previous Demon Emperor left a decree: these fragments are sealed within the Demon Emperor Hall and must not be used by any clan member. The lesson of the human race is something we have never forgotten.”
Qingming did not respond, only looking at him indifferently.
At this moment, Chu Mingwei finally spoke, suppressing the turmoil in his heart.
“Senior, what exactly do you mean?”
Qingming glanced at everyone and said calmly, “The human inheritance has been severed. It is normal that you do not know. According to ancient records, the Spirit Rhinoceros Pig possesses an inner space that can evolve into a complete world. However, in ancient times, they were enslaved by the three races due to their ability to find treasures, and none ever reached that level.”
Chu Mingwei frowned. “Senior, since this is only a legend…”
Qingming interrupted him coldly.
“If it were only the Spirit Rhinoceros Pig itself, it would indeed be impossible. But with the Heavenly Mechanism Disc, this legend may become reality.”
At this point, Lingxiaozi and Chu Mingwei had already understood Qingming’s intent.
The lower realm was a dying world. If another world could be formed to circulate yin and yang like in ancient times, then the deadlock of the lower realm could be broken. It would be akin to recreating an ancient world—an entirely new existence.
The hall fell into silence.
Qingming swept a glance over them.
“Life or death of countless beings depends on this thread of survival. Do not be overly sentimental. I will also find a way to preserve the Spirit Rhinoceros Pig. He may not necessarily die—he will merely lose his spatial divine ability.”
He said no more, directly tearing open a spatial rift and leaving.
Before departing, he looked at Chu Mingwei.
“Do not tell Xiao Lingyu about this matter.”
Chu Mingwei understood instantly and gave a bitter smile.
After Qingming left, Bai Mi also quickly took his leave.
Lingxiaozi sighed deeply and looked at his disciple.
“Chu Mingwei, what do you think?”
Chu Mingwei remained silent for a long time before finally speaking.
“…We have no other choice.”
He thought of Zhu Yurun’s innocent, foolish appearance, and his heart tightened.
Yet beneath that image were all living beings of the lower realm.
He closed his eyes briefly.
“I will bear the responsibility. Just… do not let Lingyu know.”
Lingxiaozi let out another long sigh and waved him away.
Outside the hall, Chu Mingwei stood for a long time, staring toward Cailan Peak.
He had once promised Xiao Lingyu that he would let him live a life free of worries. Yet from that moment of descent into the world onward, there had never been peace.
Meanwhile, Xiao Lingyu, who had just returned to Cailan Peak, was met with an unexpected visitor.
“Senior Sister Su?”
Su Wan smiled gently at him.
“Lingyu, it’s been a few days. You’ve grown quite a bit.”
Xiao Lingyu felt speechless at her tone, as though she were an elder.
“Senior Sister, when did you arrive? I didn’t hear any news.”
“I just arrived and haven’t yet gone to see Lingxiaozi. Meng Fan said the Hall of Vast Heaven is entertaining important guests, so I came to see you first.”
Xiao Lingyu was slightly surprised.
“None of the elders from Xuankun Sect came?”
Su Wan gave a bitter smile.
“The sect elders are probably still on their way. I came ahead to gather information. You know, the news of the lower realm collapsing is too shocking. The elders have been arguing nonstop. If not for the appearance of a reclusive Grand Elder, they still wouldn’t believe it. And it’s not just our sect—others are likely the same.”
Xiao Lingyu frowned slightly.
He had not sensed any of the turmoil Su Wan described within the sect. In his view, Yuntian Sect remained peaceful as before. Even his master showed no abnormality on the surface.
It seemed Lingxiaozi’s authority within the sect was far greater than he had imagined.
But Xiao Lingyu’s expression remained heavy.
“If this matter has already caused such chaos among the upper sects… once the entire lower realm learns of it, what will happen then?”
Su Wan was surprised.
“Lingyu, you don’t know?”
“Know what?”
Su Wan hesitated for a moment before speaking carefully.
“The official explanation to the outside world is that Chu Mingwei obtained a great opportunity in a secret realm and broke through to the Nascent Soul Great Perfection stage. The sect intends to hold a celebration banquet… and also use the occasion to hold a Dao companion ceremony for you two.”
Xiao Lingyu froze completely.