“Mr. Tianshui wants to kill the Sky God Seat…”

“Sounds absurd?”

“Yes, very absurd.”

“But the Sky God Seat was cultivated by Mr. Tianshui himself – thinking about it that way, is it still absurd?”

After the Red Dragon finished speaking, without waiting for Gu Shen to respond, he couldn't help but laugh mockingly at himself, "Okay, I admit, it is indeed still absurd."

The gap between mortals and gods cannot be compensated by numbers.

Killing a god is very difficult.

There is a common understanding among the transcendents of the Five Continents: only a god can kill a god!

Therefore, external forces generally do not interfere in the disputes between [Apostles], because once they fight to the end and both sides take out their tokens to unfold "Divine Advent," that is a battle between gods!

Gu Shen took a deep breath, "Assuming what you said is true… how does Tianshui plan to kill?"

"I don't know."

The Red Dragon shook his head, he said frankly, "I cannot see through my teacher's layout. I am just a chess piece, success does not have to be with me. Twenty years ago, I was ready to 'dedicate everything'… but I know that in this layout, there are two crucial key figures!"

"Gu Xiaoman?"

Gu Shen narrowed his eyes, he immediately thought of the [Cloud Mirror Target] wanted by the Tower of Origin.

“… Not bad.”

The Red Dragon smiled, "That little girl you kidnapped is indeed of paramount importance, but originally, according to the plan, she should have been in my hands, not as she is now."

The Tower of Origin's trip south is to find the "Lord of Wine"!

No matter how much of a prophet Tianshui is, he could not have imagined that Gu Shen would interfere in this incident!

"As expected… you have locked onto her long ago."

Gu Shen no longer needed the Red Dragon's words to prove the Lord of Wine's plan.

He had already figured out the Tower of Origin's relevant plans.

"So, the reason I risked meeting you alone this time, revealing my identity… is also for this matter." The Red Dragon said seriously, "Gu Xiaoman cannot be taken away by East Continent. Once you take her away from the Mulberry Continent Cave, a divine war will break out. The Sky will not allow East Continent to interfere in the 'Fire Seed' matter again and again. Believe me, this little girl is the fuse of a war between the two continents."

“…”

Gu Shen was sincerely silent.

The words the Red Dragon said at this moment were indeed difficult for him to refute.

"Now East Continent needs to 'rest and recuperate', and the new Fighting God Seat Bai Shu also needs time to cultivate and advance."

The Red Dragon slowly and methodically explained the reasons, "The current situation is that even if Bai Shu and the Empress of North Continent join forces, they are still not enough to fight against the current Central Continent… If a divine war breaks out, Guang Ming Bi Lei and the Holy City will both participate. You cannot bear this kind of result now… To take a step back, even if you really succeed in taking 'Gu Xiaoman' away, what will you gain?"

"The Wine Fire Seed has always been at the top of the Tower of Origin."

The Red Dragon asked, "Yes, she is the 'Lord of Wine' ordained by the Fire Seed, but if she cannot obtain the Fire Seed, how can she achieve the position of 'God Seat'? No matter how powerful she becomes in the future, she will only be a Title… She alone cannot influence the pattern of the two continents, she cannot change anything. Only by letting her come to the Tower of Origin, letting her grow up in Central Continent, will she have the possibility of becoming a true 'Lord of Wine'!"

The Red Dragon was right.

Gu Shen knew this feeling best –

Because he himself was the Chosen One of the "Nether Fire."

If Gu Xiaoman is brought to East Continent, she will receive the care of the five great families, the dedication of Hua Zhi, and all the resources of East Continent will be open to her. But so what?

East Continent does not have the "Wine Fire Seed"… her limit is only a Title.

"People will change."

Gu Shen said softly, "If I take her to the Tower of Origin, she may no longer be the 'Gu Xiaoman' I know."

When he said these words, Gu Shen was a little dazed.

He thought of the little girl who stubbornly straightened her back in the garbage dump of e0 District.

He had a premonition…

If he agreed to the Red Dragon now, Gu Xiaoman would be very different from her original diligent and innocent appearance when they met again.

"It's hard to believe that these words would come from [Key]."

The Red Dragon looked at Gu Shen with disappointment.

"Don't you understand yet?"

"If she wants to become the 'Lord of Wine', she cannot be the Gu Xiaoman you know now –"

The Red Dragon raised his voice, coldly saying, "How can you rely on a naive little girl to kill 'Sky'?!"

"One 'Lord of Wine' is far from enough! Even with the Empress and the Fighting God… they may not be able to successfully slay the god!"

"This road is destined to have many sacrifices… it's just that people like me have made preparations to dedicate our lives. Gu Xiaoman is a lucky person in the sea of corpses and blood, because what she has to pay is not that much."

Gu Shen knew that he should not hesitate in the face of such a grand plan.

But the first moment he saw that little girl… he felt that she was a special person who had a different "connection" and close "karma" with him. He had no father or mother, but he felt the warmth of fate's arrangement in Gu Xiaoman.

"So, your plan is…"

"Bring Gu Xiaoman back to Central Continent and let her become a Divine Official."

The Red Dragon said sincerely, "She is a genius in transcendent cultivation. When she advances to a sufficient rank, she will become the next 'Red Dragon'. Mr. Tianshui will arrange everything for Gu Xiaoman, and the Tower of Origin will open up all resources to help her cultivate. If you are worried that she will be corrupted by Sky's consciousness, I can guarantee… she will be the most important part of the 'God-Slaying' plan in the future!"

Gu Shen understood the Red Dragon's implied meaning.

Since Gu Xiaoman is such an important part of the God-Slaying plan, how could Tianshui allow her to be corrupted?

"That will take many years…"

Gu Shen said slowly, "Five years, ten years…"

"Perhaps longer."

The Red Dragon took the initiative to say, "Killing 'Sky' is not a plan that can be achieved overnight. This is the most ancient existence sitting on the Seven God Seats… The plan cannot tolerate the slightest mistake, so the time span to plan these things must be very long. But now is the time to make a decision."

"I hope she can become the 'Lord of Wine' –"

Gu Shen slowly said, "But all of this is not a transaction between you and me."

The Red Dragon's real intention should be for Gu Xiaoman.

The reason he revealed the Ancient Text Society's number earlier was to allow the conversation to continue –

If possible, he would probably hide the "064" trump card until the end!

At this moment, Gu Shen also guessed that Bai Xiu was likely fine.

"Before you take her away, I need to see her one more time."

Gu Shen said calmly, "Some things are useless if you say them. She will only listen to me."

"… No problem."

The Red Dragon agreed very readily, "Don't worry, this child is still in East Continent's hands, and Bai Xiu is protecting her very well. What I want is to find her and take her away before leaving the island."

Gu Shen's thoughts returned to the previous conversation, "So the second key figure is Bai Xiu?"

“…”

The Red Dragon looked at Gu Shen meaningfully.

He neither nodded nor shook his head, but asked a question that was completely beyond Gu Shen's expectations, "Do you know that it rarely rains in Upper City?"

Gu Shen was stunned.

He thought about it carefully, and it seemed that this was indeed the case… Perhaps in ports cities like Rhein, which are close to the sea, rainy weather is common, but Upper City seems to be sunny all year round. Most of the people in the Five Continents know that Upper City has a suitable climate and is extremely livable.

In the final analysis, it is because of the Sky God Seat.

The Sky God Seat's [Authority] power can control the local weather.

But no one has ever thought about the deeper reasons behind this.

"Twenty years ago, my family was destroyed, and I was taken to the Tower of Origin. Mr. Tianshui taught me swordsmanship and told me many interesting 'past events'…"

The Red Dragon smiled, with a hint of sarcasm in his tone, "The reason why the Tower of Origin is sunny all year round is because the Sky God Seat, Qinglong, hates rain."

Gu Shen asked, "… So?"

"The reason why Qinglong hates rain is because he lost a duel when he was young and had not yet become a God Seat."

The Red Dragon narrowed his eyes and said indifferently, "It was a rainy day, and Qinglong's heart was almost pierced… Fortunately, Mr. Tianshui saved his life."

Gu Shen was shocked.

"Qinglong… lost before becoming a God Seat?"

Every God Seat can be said to be an invincible person of an era.

They climbed all the way to the top, and they were all rare existences –

Like Mr. Gu Changzhi!

He was invincible in Nagano, and even Bai Shu could only rank second!

And the Sky, this absolute powerhouse among the God Seats, actually lost in his youth… While Gu Shen was shocked, he was also curious about the existence who had once defeated and almost killed Qinglong.

What kind of fierce person was that?

The Red Dragon sarcastically said, "That person was very good at long-range attacks, shooting an arrow from dozens of miles away, almost taking Qinglong's life –"

"Someone who uses arrows?"

Gu Shen was stunned, and then he thought of the [Extinguished Candle] he had previously condensed with the Arc of Truth.

The Devil once said that [Extinguished Candle] was a divine artifact left behind by a remarkable figure!

Pushing the time forward a hundred years…

When Qinglong was young, he was shot and injured by a mysterious person, so it seemed that the era when [Extinguished Candle] shined brightly coincided faintly.

Could these two be the same person?

Gu Shen's lips were a little dry, and he asked, "Who was that person? Did he later rank among the 'Seven Gods'? Now…"

He stopped here.

Now… now he must be dead.

"The teacher did not say the person's specific name."

The Red Dragon shook his head and said with some regret, "With that person's 'amazing talent', if he had continued to cultivate, he would definitely have been able to achieve the God Seat, but I heard the teacher say that that person was plagued by illnesses and died young, otherwise Qinglong would not have ascended to the 'Sky God Seat'."

Gu Shen felt regret.

"These are all events from a hundred years ago, and they are no longer important now."

The Red Dragon continued, "What is important is that Qinglong almost died after that time, leaving a shadow in his heart. For a long time after he became a God Seat, he hated rainy days…"

Gu Shen listened with bated breath.

"It's not just because that battle happened on a rainy night."

"It's also because the ability of someone who has been drawing a bow and shooting arrows for many years will be greatly amplified on a stormy night."

Hearing this, Gu Shen's pupils suddenly shrank.

He had already guessed what the Red Dragon was going to say.

"Thunder Realm Walker?!"

The Red Dragon showed a satisfied smile, "Yes… the one who almost shot Qinglong to death back then was the owner of the special ability [Thunder Realm Walker]."

After going around in a big circle, he responded to Gu Shen's question from the side.

The second key figure –

Is Bai Xiu!

[Thunder Realm Walker], the super genius that the Five Continents had waited a hundred years for to be reborn.

"In fact, Bai Xiu has always been on the Tower of Origin's kill list."

The Red Dragon said, "It's just that the Bai family has protected him very well. The best opportunity was a few years ago, when Bai Xiu traveled to the tundra. Unfortunately, those assassinations all ended in failure."

"Qinglong wants to kill Bai Xiu?" Gu Shen frowned.

"Actually, Qinglong doesn't care anymore."

The Red Dragon sighed, "As the strongest among the Seven God Seats, how could he really be afraid of an ant? Too much time has passed, and the shadow of Qinglong almost being shot to death back then must have been smoothed out long ago. After all, the one who ultimately survived and inherited the God Seat was not [Thunder Realm Walker], but him… so Qinglong doesn't care whether Bai Xiu lives or dies."

"Without the Fire Seed, no matter how high Bai Xiu's talent is or how fast he cultivates, it is meaningless."

As soon as these words came out, silence returned to the barrier.

Yes, this is cruel, but it is also true.

"Qinglong has long known that a [Thunder Realm Walker] ability user has appeared in East Continent…"

The Red Dragon said coldly, "If he wanted to kill him, he would have killed him long ago. The reason he hasn't taken action now is just because he doesn't care, but once Bai Xiu has any signs of inheriting any Fire Seed, he will take action."

"But if Bai Xiu doesn't inherit the Fire Seed… then how can he become a link in the plan?"

"Sorry, this is not a question I can answer."

The Red Dragon hugged the knife sheath and replied calmly, "Mr. [Key], I can only tell you so much… Also, I didn't say that the number two key figure in the plan is Bai Xiu."

"Yes, just like you didn't tell me that the Mulberry Continent Cave would usher in the eruption of [Tan Yao]."

Gu Shen also learned this kind of subtle sarcasm, "Some things, you and I both know very well."

"Then it's best to keep it to ourselves."

"But there is one thing I still have to ask –"

Gu Shen would not follow the Red Dragon's rhythm in this conversation. He knew that he and this Tower of Origin's First Divine Envoy would not have such a good opportunity to meet again.

He looked directly into the Red Dragon's amber eyes, "Please tell me, what exactly is the Key?"

“…”

The Red Dragon looked at him, seemingly not intending to answer.

"Are you a diviner? Is this kind of thing unspeakable?"

Gu Shen laughed angrily.

"The Key… is the Key."

"It's just that the Key's mission is not just to open the [Red Gate]."

There was compassion, respect, and many complex emotions flashing through the Red Dragon's eyes.

Gu Shen knew that the Red Dragon must have seen important information that he did not know.

Was it about the future of the Ancient Text Society?

Or… a corner opened by fate's permission?

Gu Shen continued to ask, "If it's not to open the [Red Gate], then what is it to open? What did you see? Can't any of this be said?"

"… Mr. [Key], I didn't see anything. You should also be clear that everything related to the 'Fire Seed' cannot be glimpsed by divination."

The Red Dragon sorted out his emotions, and said solemnly, "However, as the 'hope' that the Ancient Text Society has waited for so many years, you are destined to bear a weight that mortals in the world cannot bear. We have long been prepared to 'sacrifice everything'. The [Red Gate] can be broken, and the conference room can sink, as long as the final result is bright, then it doesn't matter how the process is… so, what you have to do is definitely not just connecting the Ancient Text Society."

"Because we can all be chess pieces."

Gu Shen was stunned.

"Mr. Tianshui asked me to convey two sentences to you when I saw you."

The Red Dragon slowly said, "The first sentence is: Death is not the end, perhaps death… is the beginning of everything."

Gu Shen was no stranger to this sentence. This was the will of life and death that the Nether Fire left in the Pure Land.

He didn't understand the meaning of Tianshui conveying this sentence to him… Did he see through his identity as the King of the Underworld?

Or is there a deeper meaning to this sentence?

"The second sentence –"

The Red Dragon hugged his knife, lowered his eyes and smiled, word by word, sonorous and powerful.

"If you choose to burn, we are willing to be your embers."

……

……

(ps: I feel that this chapter is well written~ Please vote for monthly tickets~)