Chapter 0: The Riddle (20)
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“Although the flow of time in the Animal World and the Small Thousand World seems consistent on the surface, there are indeed time differences.
The Animal World is at least ten days slower than the Small Thousand World. This means that the moment I stepped into the Animal World, I effectively time-traveled back ten days in the timeline of the Small Thousand World.
So if I spend a day here and then return, it would be the second day since I left the Small Thousand World.”
The Male Character couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow, “If that’s the case, that doesn’t exactly prove a ten-day difference between the two worlds.”
“True,” I replied, “I initially thought there was no time difference at all.
But the Monster King informed me of this little nugget. He said to watch out for Si Ling; he possesses extraordinary power, and some of his abilities may even come from the Divine Clan.
For example, he could break the barriers between worlds, and using the timeline of the Animal World as a foundation, he could k*ll you as you were ten days ago.
I was completely stunned.
If I were dead ten days ago, wouldn’t I just poof out of existence right now?
The Monster King reassured me, saying there was no need to worry too much; you’re aware of the strength of those little animals. By day, they pose no threat, and come nightfall, their big bodies can’t easily cross the barriers.
So the only ones who could k*ll you are those humans who arrived in the Animal World not long ago and possess considerable power.
If they’re manipulated by Si Ling and in the process of transforming into little animals, their yet-to-be-lost abilities could serve them well as assassins.
Therefore, all you need to do is continue patrolling the Animal World and eliminate every new human visitor. That way, you can cut off their ambitions completely.”
For the next while, I spent my free time roaming the Animal World.
Until one day, as soon as I returned to the Small Thousand World, news arrived from the Monster King urging me to meet him without delay.
He mentioned that the Divine Clan seemed to have caught on to his meddling with the operations of other worlds and that he must leave immediately to evade their pursuit. He left this place in my care from then on.
I suggested, “Why not stage a fake prison break with the Heavenly Sword Sect?”
He replied, “No need, soon there will be an organization called ‘Ji Shen’ attempting to take me away; you just need to cooperate with their plan to leave the Heavenly Sword Sect.”
At this point, Ling Xiaozu recounted the story, leaving Luo Ying and the Male Character once again in shock.
No wonder Ling Xiaozu had led all the elders, except Wang Qianshan, to Half Moon City! It was a deliberate move to create a vacuum in the Small Thousand World, facilitating Ji Shen’s plan.
Furthermore, upon subsequent investigations into the Cold Moon Witch and Ji Shen, they had both sensed that Ling Xiaozu was noticeably less eager than Wang Qianshan.
The reason behind all of this was rather staggering.
Ling Xiaozu sighed, “I apologize; there were certain matters that I really couldn’t disclose to everyone back then, so I kept it hidden until now.”
Luo Ying shook her head, “Master, you had your reasons. After all, you bear the burden of the fate of nearly the entire continent. If it weren’t for you enduring humiliation and dragging out the experiment in the Animal World, all the beings on this continent would probably have turned to dust by now.”
Ling Xiaozu replied, “I just couldn’t bear to see the cycle of four hundred years repeat itself.
Ultimately, the Divine Clan is targeting the entire continent. If I do nothing, how could I face the ancestors of the Heavenly Sword Sect?”
The Male Character threw another log onto the dying campfire, and the dim cave brightened up again.
“I just never expected that both of you would end up in the Animal World. You must have discovered the star chart on the cave wall of the Monster King. I wasn’t there at that time.
So, Si Ling smoothly initiated his assassination plan; he didn’t want me to interfere any longer.
That day, you four had just returned from the East Sea to the Heavenly Sword Sect. When I saw the letter from the Great Palace Master, I felt a rush of bl**d; I realized I was not alone—there were people who had fought alongside me to save all living beings, willing to risk everything.
Only, her methods were more radical and could lead to misinterpretation of her intentions.
That night, I was deep in thought in the Grand Hall, planning to gradually confess this matter to the world and gather all available forces. But just then, two little animals leaped out of the sky, charging at me with intense killing intent.
At first, I didn’t recognize you two and almost ended up killing you on the spot.
But then I was shocked to see that one of the foxes was wielding the Dark Light Sword.
That sword was always by Luo Ying’s side; the only logical conclusion was that this little fox was my disciple. She had traveled back in time, just as the Monster King predicted: you two had been misled by Si Ling and took on the mission to assassinate me.
So here comes the million-dollar question: under what circumstances will you two investigate the Monster King’s cave in the future timeline?
If your assassination attempt fails and the Small Thousand World keeps running smoothly, Phoenix Mountain is constantly guarded, making it impossible for anyone to get close. You wouldn’t have been able to wander in and out of the Monster King’s cave willy-nilly. To discover that well-concealed star chart, you’d have to investigate at least six times or more!
Thus, the only possibility is that you were successful in your assassination; chaos erupted in the Heavenly Sword Sect, and it got so messy that even Wang Qianshan couldn’t keep a handle on it.
Logically, that scenario shouldn’t occur unless the Small Thousand World faced an irresistible external force invasion.
But since the Divine Clan’s massacre of the continent had already been postponed, how could powers greater than the Heavenly Sword Sect arise in this world?
So the only remaining possibility is that the Small Thousand World, as the hub connecting several worlds, encountered an issue, with powerful beings from other worlds breaking through the constraints of the Small Thousand World, posing a great threat to the Heavenly Sword Sect.
That’s why chaos unfolded in the entire Small Thousand World, and the guardians of Phoenix Mountain couldn’t maintain their loyalty under such circumstances, giving you the repeated opportunity to probe the Monster King’s cave.
So at that point, I had to d*e. Only with my d*ath could the historical timeline avoid divergence.
And I would be able to wholly break free from the shackles of physical form, return here, and rescue you from Si Ling’s manipulation.”
Having said all this, Ling Xiaozu had essentially unraveled all the questions plaguing the Male Character and Luo Ying.
One could say, to a large extent, Ling Xiaozu voluntarily sacrificed his life for their sake, and just thinking about that made Luo Ying’s eyes turn red.
Even the Male Character found his eyes pooling with unshed tears.
It was undeniable that before Ling Xiaozu died, he had assumed the meditative posture facing the star chart, allowing Luo Ying to deliver a decisive strike.
He was definitely taking a gamble, wagering whether his consciousness would continue to exist the moment his physical body entered the Animal World.
Fortunately, Ling Xiaozu succeeded.
Yet, he could never return to the Small Thousand World, for his body had long since decayed.
