Chapter 579

Chapter 579: All Creatures Are Like Chess Pieces

Cangming Immortal Domain.

A divine ship threaded through the clouds, flying towards Reincarnation Hall.

Luo Qianchen and the Eldest Young Master stood side by side.

The expression on the Eldest Young Master’s face held a touch of melancholy.

His attempt to request the Leader of the Dao Clan to suppress the celestial book had been refused by Luo Qinchuan; he hadn’t even managed to meet the Leader of the Dao Clan.

Ultimately, his words carried little weight.

"Big brother, your judgment is only based on guesses, but if we obtain what our master left for me on this trip, I believe our understanding of the celestial book will become clearer," Luo Qianchen consoled.

The Eldest Young Master shook his head.

"We can only rely on ourselves," the Eldest Young Master said solemnly.

After the time it takes a stick of incense to burn, a celestial palace came into view, shrouded among misty clouds, stretching for thousands of miles, aloof from the mundane world.

Reincarnation Hall was a top force in Cangming Immortal Domain; although the Great Celestial Lord of Reincarnation Feng Suiyuan was dead, there was still one Celestial Lord expert present.

Plus, with seven Great Celestial Lords and a Dao Ancestor providing protection, no one dared to invade and annex Reincarnation Hall’s territory in a short time.

The divine ship landed.

"Young honor?"

The two had not concealed their auras; as soon as they arrived at Reincarnation Hall, they drew the attention of many Dao Sovereigns. Over ten Dao Sovereigns stared at Luo Qianchen, their gazes filled with fury, hatred, and fear.

"You traitor who betrayed your master and ancestors, how dare you return to Reincarnation Hall?"

An old man with snow-white hair shouted loudly, "The hall master treated you as his own child, granting you the title of Young Honor. Without him, how could you have regained your peak so quickly?"

A flash of guilt crossed Luo Qianchen’s eyes.

No matter what, Feng Suiyuan had shown her kindness.

But as a member of the Dao Clan, her fate couldn’t be controlled by others.

"All of you, step back."

At that moment, a voice rang out, and a young man arrived gracefully, majestic and elegant in appearance, his white robe untouched by dust.

"Senior Brother Lu."

Luo Qianchen spoke with respect.

This was Feng Suiyuan’s eldest disciple, Celestial Lord Lu Mian.

"Celestial Lord!"

The crowd greeted him with deference, shouting in unison, "This person betrayed her master and ancestors. She deserves death, to appease the hall master’s spirit in heaven!"

"Step back!" Lu Mian declared imperiously.

"Yes."

Though filled with resentment inside, at Lu Mian’s command, they dared not disobey and left grudgingly.

"Before our master departed, he instructed me that if you returned, I should escort you to the Reincarnation Hall. He specially left an item for you," Lu Mian said.

"Follow me."

"Senior Brother Lu, do you not resent me?" Luo Qianchen asked.

Lu Mian smiled lightly, his expression one of measured detachment. "Our venerable master himself could let go freely. How could I fail to do the same? Alive in this world, many things lie beyond our control."

"I am profoundly gratified that Master was able to achieve his final wish before death."

He walked ahead. Luo Qianchen and the Eldest Young Master followed behind.

A moment later, the trio arrived before an ancient, unadorned hall. Hanging directly opposite the main entrance was a painting. Within it, dust swirled like smoke, common folk resembled ants, and Feng Suiyuan stood amidst the drifting haze, ethereal and transcendent.

"Our master once said that he too was among all living beings and had tasted all their sufferings," Lu Mian stated lightly. "Thus, he foresaw that day long ago."

"What you seek is within this painting."

Swish!

Luo Qianchen activated the Reincarnation Dao Scripture. The power of the Reincarnation Dao surged into the painting.

Simultaneously, she readied a contingency move.

The Reincarnation Heavenly Book undulated within her Purple Palace. Wisps of innate divine patterns evolved into defensive arts. Should the slightest anomaly occur, she would deploy the Heavenly Book to protect herself.

But no anomaly arose.

With a soft hmm…, the multitude of figures within the painting dispersed. Feng Suiyuan’s likeness also seemed to vanish. A streak of cyan light flew forth from the canvas, leaving the entire painting blank.

Luo Qianchen extended her fair hand; the cyan light landed upon it.

It was a piece of azure jade, delicate and thin as a cicada’s wing.

"Little Nine, be careful."

The Eldest Young Master’s warning resonated in her mind.

Luo Qianchen gave a slight nod – she was prepared.

Lu Mian watched intently, his eyes fixed on Luo Qianchen as she pressed the jade gently to her forehead. The hope in his gaze dimmed into disappointment, ultimately deepening into profound sorrow.

Their master truly had left no final safeguard behind.

He truly was dead.

"Am I measuring a gentleman’s heart with a villain’s measure…" The bitter pang of shame struck deep within Luo Qianchen. Even at this moment, she had still held reservations against Feng Suiyuan.

She composed her emotions, gathering the information stored within the jade.

The azure jade contained a record of Feng Suiyuan’s life.

"It was sheer coincidence that led me through the epochs of cultivation, ascending from a mere mortal to the rank of Great Celestial Lord."

"All of it… originates from the Reincarnation Heavenly Book."

"The world whispers that we nurture successors only to devour them, seeking to harness the book to break through the ultimate barrier and ascend to the stage of Dao Ancestor. Yet who could know? The moment we glimpsed the Heavenly Book, we too became its mere pawns."

His deep, resonant voice echoed ceaselessly within Luo Qianchen’s consciousness.

These words corroborated what the Eldest Young Master had relayed.

"The yin realm holds six treasures. The yang realm possesses nine books."

"What is the true purpose of the six treasures and nine books?"

"To comprehend the Dao Ancestor Realm?"

"Or for other reasons?"

The further she pondered, the more questions flooded her mind.

Of course, they remained merely questions.

Feng Suiyuan’s cultivation level was insufficient; unraveling those mysteries was beyond him.

And Luo Qianchen’s heart clenched tight.

From start to finish, Feng Suiyuan had never attempted to devour her to ascend to the Dao Ancestor Realm.

Their sole shared connection lay with the Heavenly Book.

"We could have aided each other…"

Reading this, Luo Qianchen’s heart ached intensely.

Yet, sorrow was futile. She was far too weak; what the Dao Clan decreed could never be resisted by her alone.

"Little Nine."

The final passage seemed like Feng Suiyuan’s earnest admonition, striking her like a thunderclap, "The Reincarnation Heavenly Book chose the Dao Clan, thus you are the most singular among the nine."

"Whatever the Heavenly Book’s aim may be, you must exercise even greater caution."

"The Heavenly Book is not merely a magical treasure."

Snap!

Once Luo Qianchen absorbed all the information, the azure jade abruptly shattered into dust and ceased to exist.

A chill ran down Luo Qianchen’s spine.

That last point was indeed profoundly strange.

The other eight were emanations of the Spirit of the Heavenly Book.

Therefore, as long as the Book remained unbroken and their True Spirits lingered, they could not perish.

But she possessed the flesh-and-blood body of the Dao Clan; her nature as the Spirit of the Heavenly Book was entirely different from the other eight.

All of this seemed deliberately orchestrated by the Heavenly Book itself.

"From now on, you have no ties to the Reincarnation Hall," Lu Mian stated indifferently to Luo Qianchen.

"Senior Brother."

"Daoist friend Luo, there are still some people you care for at the Palace of Eternal Life. Take them away quickly," Lu Mian advised. "I can shield them temporarily, not for a lifetime."

Luo Qianchen’s expression grew solemn.

The Dao Clan had subdued Feng Suiyuan because of her. Reincarnation Hall members surely harbored intense hatred towards her. Unable to retaliate against her directly, they would undoubtedly target Lin Qianmo and her companions.

"I understand."

Luo Qianchen took a deep breath. Lu Mian was determined to sever their bond as disciples of the same master; she wouldn’t plead.

"Elder Brother, your speculation aligns exactly with master’s," she turned to the Great Celestial Lord. "Perhaps it’s not just us. Maybe even the… Hall Master of the Reincarnation Hall, alongside our Master Uncles and Uncle Masters… are all mere pawns."

The speaker may not have intended it, but the listener took careful note.

Lu Mian’s mind reeled, shaken to its core.

Luo Qianchen’s words were truly eye-opening.

Dao Ancestors were scarce in the yang realm. Great Celestial Lords represented the peak of known power, especially those linked to the Nine Great Heavenly Books – among their peers, they were indisputably among the foremost.

Who could dare consider them pawns?

"No wonder master told me before he left not to contact anyone…" Lu Mian gave a bitter smile. "The depths involved here… My strength likely wouldn’t even make a ripple."

"Therefore, we can only rely on ourselves," the Great Celestial Lord solemnly declared.

"Not necessarily."

Luo Qianchen started walking out as she spoke, "At the very least, in this vast world, there likely exists one person who might truly know the final secret of the Heavenly Book."

"Who?"

At that moment, Lu Mian and the Great Celestial Lord asked in unison.

They exchanged a look, their expressions complex and inscrutable.

"The Master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion," Luo Qianchen stated.

She had met Ye Xu several times and held the highest esteem for his abilities. That power of omniscience surely surpassed that of a Dao Ancestor; he was unquestionably a true transcendent being.

"The Master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion…"

The Great Celestial Lord murmured.

Before entering this world, the Hall Master of Hongmeng had also cautioned him about Heaven’s Secret Pavilion’s unique nature.

"Perhaps… it is time we visited Heaven’s Secret Pavilion."