Wanxi Rebirth - Chapter 87

A golden weight fell into the spirit stone slot, rippling like a stone tossed into an ancient well.

Yue Tingxi quickly sensed the dampness in the air. The moisture carried a faint salty scent, reminiscent of the shallow water layer she had encountered in the Xuan Shui Secret Realm two years ago.

Sitting beside her, Qiongqi became alert, her moon-white eyes coldly fixed on a certain spot ahead.

“Finally revealing your true form?” she said in a low voice.

Qin Suoliu’s breath caught—not out of fear of the World Consciousness, but because she instinctively recalled what Yue Tingxi had said before:

“Sister Tingxi will make the choice that is best for me and for this world, even if it means becoming the new World Consciousness herself.”

As she pondered this, the scene before her darkened. Looking up, she saw that the illusion had turned into a deep, endless blue, like the ocean’s depths.

Within it, bound by countless chains, was a massive, grotesque creature.

The upper half was a woman with long white hair, while the lower half was covered in countless crimson tentacles—some smooth, some sprouting suction-like growths, all grotesquely swollen.

Heavy silver-gray chains formed almost a garment around the creature. It seemed to sense their presence and slowly opened its eyes, first lingering on Xie Zhi, then sweeping over Qin Suoliu, Yue Tingxi, Lin Fengqing, Qin Yin Guang, and finally resting on Qiongqi.

“Sorry, for safety and time efficiency, I cannot let you meet her in person,” Xie Zhi said apologetically.

“Hah, indeed. In this form, the god looks more like the feared evil deities from legend—man-eating, terrifying… makes one want to strike,” Qiongqi sneered. “How much resentment must have accumulated for her body to become so twisted?”

No one answered. Amid the silence, Qin Suoliu stepped forward.

“You have long stopped wanting to live, haven’t you?” she asked, looking up at the World Consciousness. “The responsibility of guarding the world is like a shackle. Even if you intend to die, you must first choose a successor—the next World Consciousness.”

“So you set up a game, hoping to pick the right candidate through it. Yet you didn’t expect external enemies to target the world. Countless time resets drained you. Realizing your time was short, you personally guided the one most bound to you by fate, manipulating her emotions, letting her eliminate the original chess pieces, until she came before you to fulfill your wish.”

“Qin Suoliu…!” Yue Tingxi tried to pull her back, worried the World Consciousness might hear and act against her, but Lin Fengqing stopped her.

“Let Qin Sister speak. If we don’t clarify, we might falter when facing the enemy ahead,” Lin Fengqing said.

Qin Suoliu did not continue, only staring at the deity.

“If you wish to hear it, I can tell you as much as you want.”

After a long pause, the World Consciousness spoke, its voice reminiscent of an older Qin Yin Guang:

“Every move I made was the result of careful deliberation. What has happened, has happened. Focus only on solving the problems at hand.”

“An apology is useless, so you don’t even bother pretending?” Qiongqi jabbed at it.

“Solving problems by seizing a successor?” Qin Suoliu countered. “If bearing everything causes you such suffering, why not return the world to its inhabitants? Is it only because they fail to meet your ‘qualifications’?”

“If I could not repeatedly rewind time and restart the world, how would the inhabitants survive the invaders’ methods?” the World Consciousness replied. “In the past eighty cycles, I trusted you all, yet ultimately your inability forced me to abandon futile struggle.”

“The World Consciousness must exist. Only then, when facing enemies beyond your comprehension, can you, as mortals, repeatedly find ways to prevail,” it looked at Yue Tingxi. “And even turn back time to before anything occurred.”

“But the World Consciousness is ultimately uncontrollable,” Yue Tingxi said. “Who would have imagined that a calamity from thousands of years ago was triggered by a single thought of the World Consciousness? The more it interferes with cause and effect, the heavier the contamination it bears.”

She paused. “In your current form, to any human or demon, you are no different from a monster. Further on, you might not even imagine what form you yourself will take.”

“So you created Xie Zhi, hoping she could end things at the right moment,” she continued. “To ensure fair judgment, she must have some humanity and reason, to weigh all considerations.”

“But human nature breeds emotions. When it comes time to end you, Xie Zhi hesitates and instead seeks help from us mere mortals.” Yue Tingxi looked at Xie Zhi. “I don’t see how this differs from the choices the world’s beings would make. If so, better to make a high, looming threat like you controllable. At least demons are easier to kill than gods.”

“You may have your own understanding,” the World Consciousness said softly. “Thus, I have entrusted the world to you. How it turns out in the future is up to your choice.”

It had already grown weak. Even if Yue Tingxi were to overcome this crisis successfully, soon, the World Consciousness would fall into slumber from exhausted power.

Whatever Yue Tingxi decides, the deity can no longer perceive.

“Sounds like we’ve already triumphed, and all that remains is your deathbed entrustment,” Qiongqi said impatiently. “Since everyone has their reasons and there’s no clear verdict, let’s pause on succession. Tell us—what exactly is the enemy ahead? What’s their strength? Or is this too one of your trials?”

“The invaders are called the ‘Book-Jumping Bureau,’ situated in a small world of unknown location.”

A young girl’s voice came from behind her. Qiongqi turned and saw a girl resembling Qin Suoliu. She spoke solemnly, “I’ve set the anchor point and prepared a detailed map.”

She waved her hand, and a map projection appeared, as complex as an entire city.

“Destroy the mainframe, and all operators and systems will be freed. Then we can remove any lingering control from the mainframe,” Qin Yin Guang said, pointing at a room in the map’s deepest part. “Do not exhaust too much physical or spiritual energy.”

[Synchronizing item-related info with teammates… synchronization complete.]

The 7364 system’s voice echoed in Lin Fengqing’s mind, but this time, everyone present could hear it.

Xie Zhi did not need to remember this. She was about to cast a spell to hide the World Consciousness again when it raised its hand.

Through the separating water curtain, Xie Zhi saw a silver-gray orb held in spiritual power, floating toward Yue Tingxi.

Yue Tingxi noticed it too and instinctively stepped back, gathering her energy to protect her dantian, fearing it might “choose” her like the Shuohan Flower had.

“I’ve stored authority and some power within this,” the World Consciousness said. “You may consume it anytime. If you don’t wish to carry it, leave it in the Mustard Seed Ice Wheel.”

“What does consuming it mean?” Yue Tingxi asked. “To take your place?”

The World Consciousness gave no answer, merely forming the orb as if its last strength had been spent, then slowly closing its eyes, sinking into slumber again.

Xie Zhi sighed and used her spell to return the consciousness portion to the deep layer of the Xuan Shui Secret Realm.

Staring at the orb, Yue Tingxi hesitated. She wasn’t ready to use it, only knowing it wasn’t the right time.

Should she place it in her inner chamber, or leave it with Xie Zhi?

Before she could decide, a hand suddenly reached for the orb.

Yue Tingxi was startled and tried to block it.

In the next moment, a fox tail coiled around her arm, and the hand’s owner seized the silver-gray orb.

“I’ll take it,” came a familiar, expected voice.

She turned sharply—Qin Suoliu had swallowed the orb!

A silver light enveloped her. She seemed to endure immense pain, arching her body, letting out pitiful groans, blood appearing at the corners of her lips.

“Looks like she’s not truly favored by Heaven!” Qiongqi remarked, channeling dark resentment to counter the light and warning Yue Tingxi: “Quick, get it out! This power likely recognizes only you as its master—others using it may die!”

Yue Tingxi hurried over, patting her back and pouring in her spiritual power. After a struggle, the divine orb returned to the outside world.

This time, she did not hesitate. She stored it in her inner chamber and carried the coughing Qin Suoliu away.

Her mind buzzed, thoughts chaotic. She knew she needed to speak with her sister again.

Within the Mustard Seed Ice Wheel, illusions abounded. Yue Tingxi focused, creating a copy of her cave in Xishan, carrying Qin Suoliu inside, closing the doors, and plunging the surroundings into darkness.

She placed Qin Suoliu on the stone bed, lit a lamp, and poured spiritual power into her to heal injuries from the divine force.

Then, her wrist was grasped.

“I don’t want to lose you again!” Qin Suoliu said, gripping harder, her voice hoarse and tearful. “Eight decades of reincarnation were enough suffering for you! Inheriting the World Consciousness means taking on all its accumulated corruption! If you don’t want to end up like it, you’ll have to become the ‘Emotionless Path,’ ignorant and unaware!”

Yue Tingxi stared at her, then said, “So does that mean I’m willing to lose you? You knew I disliked the ‘Emotionless Path,’ yet you swallowed the divine orb?”

“I have my own way to atone…” Qin Suoliu replied.

“Really? Tracing back, the calamity was caused by the Bashe. Since she and I share the same origin, shouldn’t I be the one to atone?” Yue Tingxi sighed, placing her empty hand on her face. “Don’t be angry. Actually, I’ve thought of a way to solve both issues, though… I need some time to work out the specifics.”

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