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God Emperor Zhou Wu and the Divine Arbiter discussed various matters in front of the thatched hut.

When the God Emperor returned to his hut, the Divine Arbiter bowed and said, "Leave it all to me."

With that, she split, forming an avatar. One of the two Divine Arbiters sat cross-legged before the hut, while the other melted into the sky. It was unclear by now which was the avatar and which was her true body.

Ye Zichen and his party, meanwhile, were currently in a patch of forest.

"Barrier." Xuan Ji's red lips parted, and her voice shook the surrounding air. As the skies shook, a barrier formed, encapsulating everything within one hundred square meters.

The barrier looked insubstantial, but if you reached out to touch it, you could clearly sense the space rippling around your hand.

"Do you have any idea what you said just now?" Xuan Ji spoke for the first time since leaving the thatched hut. Her gaze was grave and full of blame and deep confusion. Back in the hut, just listening to his explanation had set her heart racing, and despite her self-control, she only barely resisted the urge to interrupt him.

Ye Zichen had just reached out to poke the barrier, but when he saw Xuan Ji's grave expression, he lowered his hand and smiled. "The God Emperor wanted to know, so I told him. It's that simple."

"Is there something wrong with your brain?" Xuan Ji glared and whapped him on the head, then shouted, "Did you have to say just because he asked you? On our way here, didn't I tell you to present yourself accordingly when you faced Zhou Wu, neither too arrogant nor too humble? What was that, just now? You acted as pathetic as…. You've really embarrassed me."

She turned her head away and refused to look at him.

She was truly furious. She naturally knew just how intimidating Zhou Wu's presence was. When the God Emperor's expression shifted, it set even her heart on edge. But how had Ye Zichen comported himself? He was a quivering, pathetic disgrace, and he answered all of Zhou Wu's questions without reservation. This went against Xuan Ji's impression of Ye Zichen. He shouldn't be this type of person, right?

Ye Zichen hadn't anticipated her to be so furious, but he didn't dare interrupt.

Finally, she turned back to look at him. "Was what you told Zhou Wu the truth?"

"Of course it was. Not a word of it was fake. If you don't believe me, you can ask Jingwan. When Han Nan told me about transcendence, she was there too," said Ye Zichen flatly.

"You mean you told him the real method of transcendence?" Xuan Ji pressed him again.

"Of course." Ye Zichen nodded.

"You…."

His flat response set Xuan Ji's hands trembling. A long time passed before she could speak. She stared intently at Ye Zichen, walked up to him, and grabbed him by the head. "Were you scared out of your wits? Is there nothing but mush between your ears? You even dared tell him that?"

"Zhou Wu is our God Emperor, and the hope of our god race. If he wants to know something, why shouldn't I tell him? Auntie, aren't you his subordinate? Why are you reacting so strongly. Could it be that you… and the Xiao Family…."

"Scram!" Xuan Ji shoved Ye Zichen back, then shouted, "I'm nothing like that spineless coward Xiao Ting. They want to usurp the throne. I would never sink so low."

Xuan Ji's tone was grave and serious. Ye Zichen had never really suspected her of consorting with demons. He'd only said that as a joke, and hadn't expected her to react so intensely.

Xuan Ji paused to consider whether to explain more, then continued, "My relationship with Zhou Wu isn't as close or heartfelt as people on the outside think. My true form is a fox, an ordinary fox. This, at least, the people of the Upper Three Realms all know. I work in the God Realm, serving Zhou Wu, but that's only because many years ago, he helped me. In order to repay him, I agreed to stay in god race territory for a thousand years and serve him. That thousand years has long since passed, and we no longer owe each other anything. I stay here now for no other reason than I'd hate to part with my subordinates."

A gentle breeze blew through the forest, rattling the vegetation. Xuan Ji sighed, then turned to Ye Zichen, her gaze melancholy. "You really shouldn't have said all that. What if Zhou Wu really transcends? If that happens, do you think you'll survive?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Ye Zichen didn't understand. He arched his brows at Xuan Ji inquisitively. "The Yao-Sealing Pagoda? Right, why didn't he ask about it? He didn't ask even a single question while I was there."

"He didn't need to. The Divine Arbiter already asked for him," chuckled Xuan Ji. "Why do you think Zhou Wu didn't appear right away, and instead sent the Divine Arbiter to greet us? The Divine Arbiter is truly Zhou Wu's trusted confidante, and in truth, she's also his woman. She is absolutely loyal to him, which is why he sent her to welcome us. Her asking questions and him asking questions are essentially the same thing, and there are some questions it's more convenient to have her ask."

"So that's how it is." Ye Zichen nodded.

"In her probing, she already learned everything she wanted to know. That is to say, they already know you inherited the Five Elements Great Emperor's legacy. Given all that, when Zhou Wu transcends, do you really think you'll survive? When that time comes, don't come looking for me! Not even your mom and the entire Saint's Palace can save you!"

"But…. he can't possibly transcend!" In response to Xuan Ji's muttering as sighs, Ye Zichen shrugged and laughed bitterly.

Xuan Ji froze, and her eyes brightened somewhat, but she seemed somewhat suspicious. "You know he has the Emperor Star's celestial fate, right? So he should be able to transcend. Why can't he? Or did you… leave something out? Is that it?"

Ye Zichen grinned, but didn't deny it. Then he hurriedly explained the details of what Han Nan had told him. Xuan Ji nodded throughout his explanation, and by the end of it, her eyes were as wide as dinner plates.

"In short, he wants to transcend…. But he's not destined to succeed!" snorted Ye Zichen. His expression was deeply reminiscent of Han Nan.

Ye Zichen wasn't stupid. He knew that Zhou Wu was destined to be his enemy. Given that, he'd have to be really dumb to tell Zhou Wu how to transcend.

Yes, everything he'd told Zhou Wu was true, at least, when it came to transcendence and the Outside's situation.

The Master of the Stars really had fallen. The Outside really was on the brink of destruction. The method of transcendence he'd taught Zhou Wu wasn't fake, either. He'd just left out the very last little tidbit of information: yes, you needed the Emperor Star's celestial fate, but you also needed to have been chosen directly by the star itself.

Both were necessary preconditions, but Zhou Wu could only satisfy the first.

He could try and breakthrough according to Ye Zichen's instructions, but as someone who'd usurped another's celestial fate, he lacked the body of the Emperor Star. He could never take that final step towards transcendence.

The path to transcendence was right in front of him, yet he couldn't take it. To Zhou Wu, this was…

True despair!