Wanxi Rebirth - Chapter 94

“I will take over this small world.”

Yue Tingxi was maintaining Xie Zhi’s life when she instinctively turned to Xi Sheng upon hearing this.

A huge, twisted aberration enveloped the overburdened, unconscious Core, yet the upper half still retained a humanoid shape, maintaining the original embrace.

Whether it was the effect of the “Divine Descent” that had not yet ended, or some force in this area that allowed rationality to persist, or… perhaps the near-mad, obsessive appearance of Xi Sheng had always been a facade, the current Xi Sheng looked calm, compassionate, and resolute. They truly resembled a “guardian” saving the world, rather than a distant, indifferent “Chessmaster” who looked coldly upon suffering and disregarded life.

“Taskers in the Book Transposition Bureau whose souls are still relatively clean need to be returned to their original small worlds after purification. Large amounts of data must be altered or even destroyed. Eradicating this faction is only the beginning; it’s necessary to guide the creatures of this world to obtain scarce resources correctly… none of this can be done without the World Consciousness,” Xi Sheng explained. “I have to stay here.”

For a moment, Yue Tingxi didn’t know how to respond.

Perhaps because the World Consciousness had accompanied them, they hadn’t had the expected conflict or decisive battle with the Core, minimizing casualties and losses.

Now, everything seemed settled. Returning to her original world, she could push forward with her plan—rewind time, alter key nodes, and prevent the emergence of demons from the source.

Yet looking at Xi Sheng in this deformed form, she still felt uneasy.

Could she truly trust Xi Sheng?

A Chessmaster who had once deliberately triggered disasters to observe the creatures of both races, and who still obsessively believed the World Consciousness indispensable… could she really allow Xi Sheng to remain alone in a world that had once suffered catastrophic destruction at their hands, and transform it?

Yet some of Xi Sheng’s actions genuinely protected the world they lived in.

Not hesitating to trigger eighty-one cycles of reincarnation to activate the protections left by the God of Order, only to erase the methods the Book Transposition Bureau’s Core took pride in, enduring the corrosion of excessive resentment, becoming a feared monster, gathering power, and contacting allied small worlds—eliminating the Bureau and its Core, a malignant tumor that had disguised invasion as aid, from the source.

In this battle, as Qin Su Liu and Qiong Qi had said, Xi Sheng “didn’t intend to return alive.”

The amount of death, karma, and resentment they had absorbed along the way was enough to erode their existence over time.

Moreover, their current actions did not suggest they would let the Core die easily. Whether they intended to torture the Core before letting it die in pain, or slowly absorb it entirely, was unknown.

At least for now, Yue Tingxi found it difficult to judge the pros and cons of Xi Sheng remaining here.

“If you’re uneasy, you can always split off part of your soul to observe,” Xi Sheng offered, noticing her concern. “The powers you inherit come from me. Even if one day you abandon the seat of the World Consciousness, your soul can still switch to my perspective.”

“And if you feel I’ve lost control, you can still intervene, using the Seed Ice Wheel and Xie Zhi’s power to stop or kill me.”

As they finished speaking, a silver-gray long sword immediately manifested in Yue Tingxi’s consciousness.

After a brief hesitation, Yue Tingxi allowed her soul to connect with it and received a special “command” to annihilate Xi Sheng.

She paused, instinctively glancing at the battered Xie Zhi.

“From now on, both you and Xie Zhi have the power to kill me,” Xi Sheng continued. “She still represents the Dao of Heaven, while you represent the creatures of the world.”

Yue Tingxi touched the long sword again, about to speak, when suddenly there was movement beneath the crimson tendrils.

“Don’t worry, I can contain it,” Xi Sheng said. “The over two thousand task tools the Core accumulated over the years are gone. It has lost all means to threaten me. It is now like a fish on a chopping board.”

The crimson tendrils moved gently, as if stroking something, but quickly reinforced the restraints.

Hearing this, Yue Tingxi turned her gaze toward Xi Sheng once more.

“…Before knowing the truth, were we also like fish on your chopping board?” she asked. “Why did you send Basha to the past? If Basha is me, and I take Basha back to the past, will ‘Yue Tingxi’ still exist?”

Cause and effect are always connected.

For example, if she bought clothes the day before, washed and hung them, the next day they would appear in the wardrobe.

But if she went back to the day before and didn’t buy anything, the clothes would not exist in the wardrobe.

Basha’s situation was more complicated. She still couldn’t understand why the World Consciousness could contact her future self, and why that self became a demon.

“That child’s arrival was an accident,” Xi Sheng said. “Before the Book Transposition Bureau invaded, this world had already been attacked by other forces, long ago in ancient times. This small world had just recently become independent, leaving the protection of the Creator Gods.”

“Besides task tools, invaders can perform a ritual through sacrifices to summon assistants from other worlds. Basha was summoned to this world during one such brutal ritual. I immediately controlled her. She called herself Lingjian, from the distant future of this world. She said the peace I worked so hard to maintain was a joke. The two races would inevitably clash; a single trigger could ignite endless war.”

“Rather than let it happen naturally, it’s better to deliberately trigger a world-class disaster from the start. Firstly, the situation is controllable. Secondly, both villains and evil demons have a gathering place instead of lurking among the innocent. If it breaks out someday, the casualties will be unavoidable.”

“…So you agreed with Basha?” Yue Tingxi’s gaze darkened.

This conversation occurred within her consciousness, so she could feel her own emotions.

“How can you dismiss the present world just because of some hearsay about the future?!” she demanded sharply. “What did you see when maintaining peace? Was the world already beyond saving? When you made this decision, did you consider whether the creatures of this world were willing to resign themselves?!”

“You are the World Consciousness! The strongest being in this world, the guide of all creatures! If a rift appeared in peace, shouldn’t you find the cause as quickly as possible, take measures, and work with the powerful among the creatures to extinguish the disaster before it spreads?”

“Yet you acted alone, allowing demons to spread their evil ways… all for this so-called ‘controllability’? Did you really control the demons’ havoc and the creeping corruption among humans? If so, why was Qingning City of Chui Yin completely devastated by the Tongyou Master, leaving only one surviving demon?!”

A deathly silence rippled through her consciousness. The World Consciousness who had personally shaped this world had no words.

“You might as well have truly lived up to your name, ‘Pure and Uninvolved.’ At least if war broke out, it would be the races’ own conflict. You would just watch coldly, preventing complete destruction,” Yue Tingxi mocked coldly. “I will return to the past and eliminate everything from the source.”

“But things may not go as you wish,” Xi Sheng murmured.

“Then I’ll try anyway,” Yue Tingxi said. “I already know it is my karma—or rather, my ‘bad karma.’ At least I tried to change it. No matter the outcome, I can be at peace with myself.”

After this explanation, she fully understood the World Consciousness’s concern.

Perhaps at that time, when Xi Sheng received Basha’s suggestion, they had also considered “change,” attempting to prevent the future they didn’t want to see.

—Xi Sheng feared she would make futile efforts and follow in their obsessive, corrupted footsteps.

But she had made her decision before knowing the truth, promised Qiong Qi to save Qingning City, and worked with others to eliminate the Book Transposition Bureau. The cause and effect were already determined—only awaiting implementation upon returning home.

The conversation between the two World Consciousnesses ended there.

After Qin Su Liu, Lin Fengqing, and Qiong Qi had vented their anger, Yue Tingxi stepped forward, lifting the battered Xie Zhi, who had to revert to the Balance form, and said gently, “Everything here is done. It’s time to return to our world.”

The golden Balance in her hand swayed twice toward Xi Sheng, as if Xie Zhi were bidding farewell with her remaining strength.

Before returning home, Yue Tingxi exchanged contact methods with representatives of all supporting small worlds.

“We won’t interfere with your ‘domestic matters,’” a woman radiating soft orange light sighed helplessly. “But if you ever encounter a difficult invader or related forces, be sure to ask us for help immediately!”

The other supporters promised similarly.

Using the contact information they left behind, Yue Tingxi politely gave her real name in farewell. After the last supporter returned to their world, she activated the Seed Ice Wheel.

Qin Su Liu, restored to human form, sat beside her, watching her burn the spiritual energy Xi Sheng had previously stored in the Seed Ice Wheel, opening a time-space transmission portal.

Yue Tingxi also hugged her quietly, silently keeping her company.

No matter whether the plan succeeded, they would likely be separated for a long time.

During the journey home, Yue Tingxi shared the final information she had obtained with all allies present.

“…So, when do you plan to return?” Qiong Qi asked first. “Right after Basha was summoned? Or before that?”

“Not certain. It depends on how far back the powers I inherit can take me,” Yue Tingxi answered honestly. “But I can promise you, if I return to a time when demons have already appeared and the world is in chaos, I will immediately go to Qingning City in the North to prevent the Tongyou Master from activating the necromancy array.”

“Hmm, can’t guarantee that…” Qiong Qi frowned.

Before Yue Tingxi could continue, Qiong Qi suddenly extended her hand. “What if I add everything I have?”

“The soul of a Great Ascension Realm, the body and spiritual power of a Tribulation Realm. With this, it should be enough to send you back to the earliest moment?”

“Aren’t you the one who wants most to see everyone in Qingning City safe?!” Lin Fengqing, who had been silent, looked at her in surprise.

“As long as everyone can survive, does it matter if I’m in the city?” Qiong Qi said casually. “Anyway, the original me would either ascend or disperse my soul eventually. Either way, I would have to leave.”

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