"Are you so confident that you won't take another look and fear the other party might escape using some secret technique? After all, if you don't cut the grass by the roots, it will grow back and cause endless trouble," Zhan Xiongtian said to Liu Nanfeng upon returning home.
It seemed Zhan Xiongtian was also a ruthless person in his youth.
"Don't worry, it shouldn't happen. However, that Bai Xinghe..."
Among the three, Bai Xinghe was the only one who gave him some doubts.
His confidence stemmed from not needing to rely on his eyes to determine if the opponent was completely dead. Instead, he used information. As long as something existed, it had information about its existence in this world. If it stayed, it would leave information.
When death occurred, this information wouldn't disappear, but it would terminate and cease to generate new information.
Liu Nanfeng used this method to determine if someone was dead.
It was quite simple: a living being was like a running computer program, generating information. If no information was generated, it meant death.
However, this method made Liu Nanfeng consider another possibility: could external forces reactivate this information? Wouldn't that be resurrection?
Of course, this was just a thought of Liu Nanfeng, and he didn't have many clues yet.
But as he explored his parsing ability, he increasingly felt its power. It was like a game cheat code. He believed that with time and control over his ability, he could achieve immortality by modifying information.
It was akin to using cheats in a game.
His parsing ability was essentially a decompiler. The information present everywhere in the world was code. He parsed this code information through the decompiler and then modified it, thus reaching a state of invincible, immortal existence with an unending health and mana bar.
This was why, throughout history, even Feng Zhirun, despite his unparalleled genius, could not match Ren Yang's talent. Ren Yang was simply too powerful.
"I also didn't expect that Bai Xinghe would inherit the Star Sect's legacy. The Star Sect lineage was very powerful in its time, producing many formidable figures. Its inheritance is profound and potent, so his escape is understandable," Zhan Xiongtian said with a sigh.
At this moment, he had reverted to his frail, elderly appearance, looking as though he could pass away at any moment.
Liu Nanfeng shook his head, "That's not what I meant. What I meant is that the person who appeared before us today might not have been Bai Xinghe's true body."
"A clone?" Zhan Guoliang, who was nearby, was taken aback.
Cloning wasn't considered an extremely profound术法 (shùfǎ - technique/art) in the cultivation world. There were many cloning techniques, with varying abilities and strengths.
However, the strength Bai Xinghe displayed today was extremely rare.
"Not a clone, but replication," Zhan Dundun interjected from the side.
Having seen piles of Bai Xinghe's corpses in the research institute last time, he immediately thought of this.
"Replication? Is technology that advanced now?" Zhan Guoliang and Zhan Xiongtian asked in unison.
"Huh? Great-Grandpa, you know about replication too?" Zhan Dundun asked, surprised.
"Your Great-Grandpa is just old, not senile."
Zhan Dundun: ...
"In fact, much of today's technology has already been realized, just not publicly disclosed. On one hand, perhaps the technology is not mature enough for widespread adoption. On the other hand, some people in power might not want society to advance too quickly, as it would cause them to lose significant profits."
"Those words are absolutely true. Those capitalists are despicable. They are more greedy and hateful than demons."
Zhan Xiongtian said with righteous indignation, clearly having suffered greatly from them.
"Let's go, young man Liu. You don't need to go back for lunch. Accompany this old man for a drink."
Before Liu Nanfeng could agree, Zhan Dundun said with a helpless expression, "I don't have any food or wine here."
"Then don't you know to go buy some?"
He then turned to Zhan Guoliang and said, "You're his father, don't you usually give him money to spend? Look how stingy he is."
"How..."
"How could I? Dad doesn't have any money. All the money is with Mom."
Before Zhan Guoliang could speak, Zhan Dundun answered quickly.
"You henpecked man," Zhan Xiongtian said, looking at him with disappointment.
However, he also understood. After all, being henpecked was a specialty of Sichuan Province, and as a panda of Sichuan, being henpecked was quite reasonable.
"Dundun, you must not learn from your..."
Before Zhan Xiongtian could finish speaking, Zhan Dundun's phone rang.
Upon seeing the caller ID, Zhan Dundun quickly said, "Great-Grandpa, I need to take a call."
"Go ahead, go ahead. I wonder whose call it is that's so important?" Zhan Xiongtian waved his hand.
Then, Zhan Dundun eagerly answered the phone, not caring that the others were listening. He was afraid the person would hang up if he waited any longer.
"Hello..."
After answering, Zhan Dundun's voice immediately became soft, dropping eight octaves. His cautious demeanor was truly comical.
Zhan Xiongtian: ...
"Alas, it's over."
Zhan Guoliang, however, looked excited.
After Zhan Dundun finished his call, he immediately asked with anticipation, "Were you calling a girl? How long have you known her? Does she know who you are?"
"Uh..." Zhan Dundun glanced at Liu Nanfeng beside him.
"Why are you looking at me? Wait? Was that Wen Hui's call?"
Liu Nanfeng hadn't eavesdropped on his call, but seeing his reaction, he guessed.
"Wen Hui?" Zhan Guoliang frowned upon hearing the name. The name sounded vaguely familiar.
"It's Chen Wenhui, the daughter of Uncle Chen from downstairs," Liu Nanfeng said.
Zhan Guoliang's eyes lit up, and he appeared enlightened.
"So that's why you insisted on coming to Jiangcheng. It's for this girl."
"I remember this girl always wore two pigtails back then. She was also beautiful. It was you two boys who used to bully her, and she often complained to me..."
The more Zhan Guoliang spoke, the more excited he became. It was not easy for his son to find a girl he liked in such a short time.
"More accomplished than your father, but just like your father," Zhan Xiongtian said, feigning disappointment.
However, Zhan Guoliang and his son exchanged looks with a "→_→" expression.
Because when Zhan Dundun's great-grandmother was still alive, Zhan Xiongtian was even more excessive than them. Being henpecked was a family tradition.
While they were chatting and laughing, they went downstairs and found a nicely decorated restaurant nearby.
The meal was just a meal, with no extended conversation. However, after eating, Zhan Xiongtian lingered with Liu Nanfeng, and they returned to Zhan Dundun's residence where he discussed many things with him.
The focus was on inquiring about the situations concerning the barren beasts and the Heavenly Palace.
Liu Nanfeng did not conceal anything and told him everything he knew before leaving Zhan Dundun's place.
However, he didn't rush home.
Instead, he went to Heyuan residential compound.
It was the place where he first met Yang Ruoyun.