Chapter 447: Day of Godhood (Two-in-One)

"Bai Qiu was killed?"

Guo Xie was initially startled, but quickly regained his composure.

"So what? Even if a hundred Bai Qius were standing in front of me right now, I could crush them with one hand."

"Then you should go ahead and do it."

Yan Jing smiled, his eyes curving into crescents.

He sounded like a popular internet meme. "You say you'd crush him if he were in front of you, but you still have to get in front of him first."

With his hands behind his back, Yan Jing sighed. "My friend actually did make a move. They fought until the sky went black. Do you know who's backing Bai Qiu?"

"The orphan of the former emperor! Li Qinghe!"

"Never mind, I'm wasting my breath. You can rot in this prison for another dozen years. If you're lucky, you might grind your way to the Eighth Tier. But you can't kill Bai Qiu, understand?"

"There are millions of experts out there; just keep rotting in here. Wait until your hair turns white, your back hunches, and you hit the grave. Who in this world will even remember you?"

Bobo, who was holding Yan Jing, unconsciously swallowed hard.

Because, under Yan Jing's relentless barrage of words, a trace of confusion actually crept into Guo Xie's eyes, and dark light began to flicker continuously around him.

It was a sign that his half-formed heart of reaching the summit was on the verge of collapsing.

Gradually, the confusion in his eyes deepened, shifting into a profound sense of sorrow.

The flickering dark light around him showed signs of fracturing into fragments, as if cracks were growing inside Guo Xie's body.

Using mere words to affect a heart of reaching the summit?

Bobo held her breath.

She had long heard that Minhu cultivators cared most about fame, conquering territory, and upholding righteousness. These three things defined a Minhu person's entire life.

But she truly hadn't expected that someone could affect a Seventh Rank's heart of reaching the summit using only words.

Just as the dark light grew increasingly fragmented and looked on the verge of shattering completely, Yan Jing suddenly stopped.

As the seconds ticked by, the dark light around Guo Xie began to regather, and the light returned to his dull eyes.

Realizing what had happened, he glared at Yan Jing furiously. "You tricked me! You tried to shatter my Dao heart?"

"Heh. Tricked you."

Yan Jing leaped down from Bobo's shoulder.

He reached into the pocket of his prison uniform and opened a Space Rift.

With a clatter, he slapped something onto the adjacent table. "See this?"

Guo Xie froze when he saw what Yan Jing had placed on the table.

Then, he slowly closed his eyes.

The dark light around him actually showed signs of flickering once again.

Bobo also stared blankly at the Type 84 Pistol Yan Jing had slapped onto the table.

She had a vague impression of this kind of gun.

She had read about it in a book once. It was a specific product of Minhu capable of unleashing a user's full-power strike, making it incredibly rare.

So this gun—

Belonged to that Bai Qiu?

Glancing at Yan Jing by the table, she secretly swallowed and suppressed her thirst for knowledge.

After Guo Xie closed his eyes, the room fell into an eerie silence.

A few minutes later, following a long, faint sigh, he finally opened his eyes again. Bobo wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but despite only a few minutes having passed, the wrinkles around the man's eyes seemed to have deepened.

"May I be so bold as to ask about the situation in Minhu? I wonder if you would be willing to enlighten me, sir."

Guo Xie looked at Yan Jing across from him, his eyes clearly carrying a sense of exhaustion.

"Ask."

Yan Jing returned the gun to his pocket and jumped back into Bobo's hands.

"Is that lord still in charge of East Lake Prefecture in Minhu?"

"More or less."

Yan Jing said, "But the Prefecture Lord hasn't shown himself in a long time."

"The Vice Prefecture Lord currently holds the real power."

"Is the Vice Prefecture Lord good to the people?"

Yan Jing thought for a moment. "He seems to value authority and doesn't care much about the people."

Guo Xie sighed. "You said that Li Qinghe is the orphan of the former emperor. Does he harbor intentions of rebellion?"

"He has already been suppressed."

Yan Jing replied.

"In your opinion, sir, who was better: East Lake Prefecture or the Imperial Era?"

"I don't have much of a feel for it."

Yan Jing smiled. "I'm not from there."

"But Minhu is at least better than the place I came from."

"Do you come from the rumored Shanhai, where strange beasts and deities coexist? Or the Kingdom of Ten Thousand Beasts?"

"Neither. I'm from the Heavenly Kingdom."

Yan Jing wore a smile.

Understanding dawned on Guo Xie. "Sir, you truly are an... anomaly of the Heavenly Kingdom."

Beside him, Bobo also looked at Yan Jing with a peculiar expression.

The reputation of the Heavenly Kingdom was known to all. Even the best of their culture was nothing special, let alone someone from the Heavenly Kingdom who had ended up in the Great Prison. Yan Jing's behavior and mannerisms were completely different from any Heavenly Kingdom person Bobo had ever seen.

"Heh. If you knew what I did to get in here, you wouldn't say that."

The corners of Yan Jing's mouth curled up.

"Regardless."

Guo Xie sighed. "Thank you for what your friend did, eliminating a menace for the people."

"You are right, sir. No matter how strong I am, I'm just a pawn struggling to survive in the cracks of this Great Prison. I don't even have the right to go outside."

"Did you spare my life because you have questions for me?"

Yan Jing laughed. "Smart. Do you know about the vanguard team?"

"Of course," Guo Xie said. "The vanguard suicide squad is the most dangerous, yet most envied job in the Great Prison."

"It's dangerous because the places they go to are mostly dead Domains. If a Domain can turn into a dead zone, you can imagine that its environment is either incredibly harsh or possesses an extremely high degree of mutation."

"But many people still want to take this mission."

"Because it lets them go outside for some fresh air."

"But if you are trying to join the vanguard team, sir, I'm afraid it won't work."

"Why?" Yan Jing blinked.

"Because you're too strong," Guo Xie explained. "I don't know your specific Tier, but even the lady next to you wouldn't be able to join the vanguard team."

"The vanguard team only accepts the weakest criminals."

"That's only because some criminals in the past managed to pull off prison breaks using their own methods after entering dead Domains. The rules were changed after that."

"What about this?" Yan Jing asked softly.

In an instant, Guo Xie's expression changed slightly, because the weird energy fluctuations surrounding Yan Jing suddenly vanished.

One had to understand that this was basically impossible.

Even for the weakest existences, as long as they had a Tier, they would definitely have weird energy fluctuations.

But the Yan Jing in front of him actually showed absolutely no signs of weird energy around him, looking just like a genuinely ordinary black cat.

After a long pause, he let out a long breath. "You must be new here. Otherwise, an existence like you would at least be ranked among the top evildoers. It's impossible that I haven't heard your name."

"Unfortunately, even this won't work. The final screening comprehensively considers your registered Tier and the crimes you committed."

"If your crimes are as grave as you say, then there's basically no chance of you getting in."

"Is there a way around it?" Yan Jing frowned. "Whether it takes money or something else, we can work it out."

Guo Xie shook his head. "This matter is related to prison breaks. Even the Great Prison staff wouldn't bend the rules."

"Tsk—"

Yan Jing stroked his chin. "This makes things very difficult."

"What is your goal in joining the vanguard team, sir? Escaping?" After saying this, Guo Xie felt it was inappropriate and hurriedly added, "Of course, if I've overstepped with this question, just treat it as if I'm spouting nonsense."

Yan Jing shook his head. "Have you heard of the God Storage Land?"

"I have," Guo Xie said, looking a little surprised. "You want to go there?"

"Is there some kind of story behind that place?" Yan Jing noticed Guo Xie's expression.

Guo Xie hesitated for a moment. After looking left and right, he lowered his voice. "Recently, the Warden has also been organizing people to search there."

"There seems to be something there that makes even the Warden anxious."

"Unfortunately, he can't get in."

"That place has Tier restrictions. Even summiteers can't get inside."

Yan Jing scratched his head. "If only those below the Third Tier are sent to such a dead zone, how does the Warden ensure they can bring the item back?"

"Injections."

Guo Xie explained. "The Great Prison has a partnership with the Biological Heavenly Kingdom. There's a special drug that can mass-produce existences just below the level of artificial beings."

"It just damages their lifespan."

"I see." Yan Jing grew thoughtful, finally saying, "Understood."

He had already thought of a countermeasure.

"Thank you for clearing up my doubts."

Yan Jing grabbed Guo Xie's limply hanging hand and shook it. "If you're willing, you can temporarily stay on the Ship."

"Of course, if you want to leave, you can go at any time."

Guo Xie looked at his paralyzed limbs and smiled bitterly. "It seems I have no other choice."

"We've always been very democratic." Yan Jing smiled and clapped his hands. Soon, someone brought over an already prepared wheelchair.

Guo Xie sat in it, and Bobo specifically assigned someone to push him.

Having accepted the fact that he was a captive, Guo Xie asked, "Where are we going?"

"To Lookout Cape. I plan to get a Ship there and ask around about the vanguard team while we're at it."

Hearing the words Lookout Cape, Guo Xie's expression changed slightly. "Sir, that place hasn't been peaceful lately."

"What happened?" Yan Jing asked curiously.

"I just came from there. A strange treasure appeared that can stimulate a person's heart of reaching the summit. Unfortunately, I only managed to snatch a small fragment, and it was still intercepted by that bald donkey."

Guo Xie explained.

Yan Jing narrowed his eyes.

Was Guo Xie really intercepted?

He wasn't sure.

However, he wasn't planning to force Guo Xie to hand it over either.

As long as the man was in his hands, they could talk anytime.

"Captain Bobo!"

He roared.

"Here!"

Bobo immediately saluted with her free hand.

"Full speed ahead!"

"Yes, sir!"

Guo Xie's gaze was complicated. "Sir, the situation there is very messy. There are quite a few evildoers with resounding reputations in the outside world. They aren't comparable to small fry like me. If we absolutely must go, it's best to just observe from the periphery."

"Do you know about the day the heavens change? Everyone is preparing for that day."

"Heroes are always born in response to the era, so geniuses in this lifetime are truly emerging endlessly. So many unparalleled monsters have already appeared, and who knows how many heavenly prodigies—who could have reached the summit in any other era—will be reduced to background characters in this one."

"Among the evildoers in Haidu, there are many monsters from the outside world, and even summiteers."

"It would be best for you to be careful."

Yan Jing nodded. "Thank you for the warning."

"Captain Bobo!"

"Here!"

"Quietly accelerate forward~"

Yan Jing shifted his consciousness and returned to the Surface World.

It was already late at night, but their group had not yet reached the First Ring Domain.

Although the First Ring Domain had the smallest area of all the ring Domains, it was separated from the Second Ring Domain by an extremely vast wilderness. According to Sheng Xia, the plane wouldn't arrive until tomorrow afternoon.

He stepped out of his room, intending to drink some milk.

"Yes~"

"Mr. Yan, you're still not resting this late?"

Unexpectedly, Sheng Xia was actually sitting on the sofa, holding a newspaper.

"What a coincidence."

Yan Jing smiled. "Aren't you also still awake, Miss Sheng?"

Sheng Xia spoke softly. "I've always slept late."

"Fighting against the night is part of my cultivation."

"Your abilities seem to be related to the sun, Miss Sheng."

Sheng Xia nodded. "Yes, all my Rituals come from an ancient Pathway, Sun."

She had never thought of hiding it. For one, it wasn't a big deal; even if someone knew she walked this Pathway, the ability variations of Rituals were far more numerous than the abilities of Inner World Pathways.

Secondly, even if she didn't say it, Yan Jing could definitely guess it with near certainty.

"You are very knowledgeable, Miss Sheng. Do you know exactly how many Pathways there are in the Inner World?"

Yan Jing walked over to the refrigerator and took a bottle of milk from the chilled compartment.

Sheng Xia shook her head. "Every Domain in the Inner World might have its own unique Pathways, and throughout the long history of each Inner World Domain, numerous Pathways might have existed."

"So investigating the number of Pathways is meaningless. Some Pathways vanished after existing for just a few decades. Some Pathways once had people who reached their summit, but it was nothing more than a fleeting moment."

"If you truly want to get to the bottom of this, Mr. Yan, what you should care about is which of the current Inner World Pathways have existences that have reached the end."

"And which Inner World Pathways have existences that are only one step away from the summit."

Yan Jing's interest was piqued.

He indeed didn't know much about cultivation matters, so he seized the opportunity to ask, "Do you know anything about the Fear Pathway, Miss Sheng? Has any existence reached its summit?"

Sheng Xia nodded. "That lord once said that among the Pathways within our Yueyin, excluding the First Ring Domain, there is a high probability that existences at the summit belong to the Fear, Order, Fate, and Mechanization Pathways in the remaining ring Domains."

"As for Sin, Cultivator, and Imperial Dao, there is a high probability that their existences are in the second tier."

"What about Virtue and Absurdity?"

Yan Jing asked with keen interest.

Sheng Xia shook her head. "There seem to only be existences at the Demigod Realm."

Yan Jing sighed in admiration. "The resources of the First Ring Domain really can't be compared to places like ours. To think you would even know such information."

"I also have to thank you for answering my questions, Miss Sheng."

Sheng Xia set down the coffee and newspaper in her hands. "It's nothing. If you have anything else you want to ask, go ahead. If it's something I know and am permitted to share, I should be able to tell you."

Seeing Sheng Xia looking at him with a serious expression, Yan Jing pondered for a moment before speaking. "Have you heard of Advent Day? Or rather... the day the heavens change?"

When Sheng Xia heard these two terms from Yan Jing's mouth, her pupils noticeably contracted before she regained her calm. "Did you hear those two terms from the Inner World?"

Yan Jing nodded. "Yes."

"Can you talk about it?"

Sheng Xia hesitated for a few seconds. Finally, she spoke softly. "In our Surface World."

"These words all represent one common term."

"It is called the Day of Godhood."