“Are you thinking that I, Lin Xuanshuang, have sent a sheep to the tiger’s mouth, or that my efforts are like feeding dumplings to a dog?”

Jingyin’s eyes were innocent, almost pitiful, as she looked at the person beside her. She wondered why she would think such things.

She was merely curious about the cause of the earth-shattering commotion occurring before her, and what state Zong Shou was currently in.

Could even this not be allowed?

Yet, for some inexplicable reason, she felt an overwhelming headache and a surge of panic.

Lin Xuanshuang paid her no mind, letting out a cold snort. “You are truly a Spirit-Root Wisdom, nearly fully awakened. Do you think I don't know? You must be agonizing over how slim the Buddhist sect’s chances become if this piece of tempting meat falls into the hands of the Lu Family of Fen Kong. You must also be wondering why, possessing such a treasure, one wouldn’t conceal it, but instead actively throw it into the Lu clan’s maw. Have you, Jingyin Tathagata, miscalculated?”

Jingyin shook her head violently. Truly, she hadn't considered so many things.

She was just an ordinary Buddhist disciple. How to ferry the Limitless Beginning Buddha was a matter for the venerable Buddhas; it had nothing to do with her.

Lin Xuanshuang spoke no more, gazing fixedly at the distant void.

Did she not know the value of Zong Shou?

How could she fail to guess the reactions of the various Saint Venerables of the Ultimate Realm from the Fen Kong Lu Clan?

However, how could she stop it? If Zong Shou were to ascend to the pinnacle of the Ultimate Realm in the future, he would eventually see through everything.

This private intention of hers would never be hidden from her disciple.

The only way was to be open and honest, offering her fullest assistance, and leaving the final choice to him afterward.

Even if Zong Shou did not choose the Path of All Living Beings.

She would never regret the Wish of Xizi. The wish was for all people to be equal, regardless of noble or base birth; for all under heaven to own land to till, have a place to dwell, and attain the joy of peace.

This Path of All Living Beings was merely a tool built by Xizi gathering those of like minds, to realize his Path of Equality.

In other words, as long as this world of equality could be realized, the strength, or even the continuation and inheritance of the Path of All Living Beings, was not that important.

That child was worthy of her hopes.

A Living Saint King! One who possessed the Saint White King Qi.

His methods of governance secretly aligned with the will of Heaven, and he had never wronged the common people—

“The Lu family’s prince, the Blood of the World Burner? If he truly wishes to inherit the Saint Court of Fen Kong, so be it. It is a blessing for the eight hundred million citizens of the worlds!”

Glancing lightly toward the Nine Desolation Death Prison, Lin Xuanshuang made a mental command. This Aurora Boat of Salvation instantly vanished into the void, silently slipping into the distance.

The Underworld Prison was on the verge of collapse now; once it exploded, the temporal storm would inevitably affect the surrounding dozens of worlds.

However, her intent in guiding the Aurora Boat of Salvation away was not to evade the danger, but to depart.

Zong Shou’s quest to find his mother in the Death Prison was complete; there was no immediate threat to his life. Thus, her promise as his master was fulfilled.

At this point, it was time to deal with her own personal matters. And the most urgent task was to restore her cultivation and strength in the shortest time possible.

If her guess was correct, within the Cloud Realm, specifically the Sky Domain of All Living Beings, there would surely be an imminent, fierce battle.

As for Jingyin, leaving this girl near Zong Shou was too dangerous; it was best to take her along.

Just as she was thinking this, a golden light suddenly pierced through the void and arrived.

It seemed exhausted, shuddering continuously amidst the violent temporal storm raging here.

Lin Xuanshuang’s eyes narrowed slightly, and she instantly reached out to seize it.

It was the Golden Puppet Feather Sparrow, a wondrous artifact of the Mohist School from years past, but its origin was precisely within the Sky Domain of All Living Beings.

Even though she had 'fallen' for several thousand years, she still had countless old acquaintances and former subordinates within the Path of All Living Beings.

After luckily enduring the tribulation and reshaping her physical body, she was completely aware of all circumstances within the Path of All Living Beings.

Inside the Feather Sparrow was only a single jade slip.

Lin Xuanshuang took it in her hand, and in just a moment, a cold smile appeared on her face.

“Ah, Xu’er, ah Xu’er, I truly don’t know what to say about you! Your calculations were accurate, ensuring Long Ying achieved sainthood and incurred a debt to you. And Elder Yuan Jing proactively took that shortcut, becoming a Saint Venerable of the Ultimate Realm in name only. Then, using various schemes, you split the Daoist Sect. With one Book of the Universe, you distracted the myriad teachings of the Cloud Realm, forcing them to compete fiercely for it. You believed everything was prepared, that you were safe from peril, but that Qing Xuan has waited for you for several thousand years. If this person could cause Xizi to perish, how could his methods only amount to this? Everything before was merely feigning weakness, making you cling to (sheer luck)——”

With a faint sigh, Lin Xuanshuang’s expression was complex.

Wei Xu was the most talented among Xizi’s many disciples, and his disposition was the closest to his master’s.

However, although her disciple was often flawless in his planning, his flaw was the same as his master’s: excessive pride and arrogance.

If he could have been patient and delayed for a few decades, stepping into the Ultimate Realm while the various teachings were locked in struggle, success would have been certain.

But given Wei Xu’s temperament, seeing the opportunity for the Path of All Living Beings to revive, he surely would not let it pass.

He would certainly take the risk, striving so that when the spiritual tide of the Cloud Realm rose, the Path of All Living Beings could fiercely contend with the other teachings, instead of standing idly by.

But by doing so, he might just be playing into the hands of those Dao Ancestors—

It was precisely for this reason that she was unwilling to inform the Path of All Living Beings sect that she had already reshaped her body and escaped.

Even the wisest can make a mistake. Wei Xu’s layout did not account for her, so naturally, he would be even more cautious, striving for absolute certainty.

Her existence, too, would be a blind spot for her opponents.

By remaining outside the fray, she could observe this contest of power. At a critical juncture, she might be able to patch up Wei Xu’s omissions.

But she was merely a body whose injuries had not yet recovered; how much could she actually do?

That child Zong Shou was good, but unfortunately, her resurrection came too late.

If she wasn't careful, the Path of All Living Beings might truly face annihilation this time.

If Zong Shou remained with the Fen Kong Lu Family, perhaps he could evade this calamity.

Her eyes shifting between gloom and uncertainty, Lin Xuanshuang suddenly started again.

Information from the jade slip suddenly flooded her mind.

“The Soul Refining Sword Array has been set up to guard the Sky Domain of All Living Beings, but the central Soul Refining Sword remains without a master. Esteemed Master devised an ingenious plan, spending a thousand years collecting seven types of Heavenly-rank Essence Gold to forge a replica Soul Refining Main Sword. Though inferior to the original, it can merge with the six existing swords. Defending the Sky Domain should be secure. Furthermore, rumors within the sect suggest the Sword Spirit of the Soul Refining Sword has long since vanished; hence, for several thousand years, no one has been able to control this sword—”

Can it merge with the six swords?

Lin Xuanshuang was momentarily blank, then broke into a self-deprecating laugh. That was right! Several thousand years had passed since her physical body 'died' during the tribulation and she was trapped in that broken world.

Xizi’s six disciples were all outstanding figures, one in ten thousand.

By now, they should have already refined the swords left behind by Xizi one by one.

As for the artifact spirit of the Soul Refining Sword—

Lin Xuanshuang suddenly turned around, her gaze instantly penetrating dozens of layers of temporal barriers.

It landed upon Zong Shou’s body in the Underworld Prison, the one currently incinerating the myriad worlds with the Blood Pupil of the World Burner.

Then her gaze fixed upon the blood-red sword hovering beside him.

Is the true artifact spirit of the Soul Refining Sword not right here?

That aura of Xizi—she would never forget it in her life. When she reshaped her body and her consciousness was muddled, she had almost believed Zong Shou was the reincarnation of Xizi’s remnant will.

Thinking of this, Lin Xuanshuang couldn't help but laugh in self-mockery. What was this?

The sword array was complete, yet they still bothered to expend effort forging a replica.

The treasure was right beside them, yet they remained utterly oblivious. Wei Xu truly was rather slow to realize things.

Others might not know the might of this sword array, but she had witnessed it firsthand.

Slaying a Saint Venerable of the Ultimate Realm was by no means an empty boast!

Though not truly ‘killed,’ if one’s cultivation was not as high as Xiu Guan’s, it was better to flee far away.

With a slight pinch, she crushed the jade slip into powder.

Lin Xuanshuang lingered no longer, continuing to command the flying boat as it sped away.

There was still plenty of information within the jade slip that she hadn't examined.

However, Lin Xuanshuang no longer cared.

No matter what Wei Xu didn't know, no matter what maneuvers the Daoist or Demonic sects made, it was no longer important.

As long as that sword existed...

As the entire world of the Underworld Prison grew increasingly turbulent, and the World Burning Fire spread to every corner of the realm, the seals distributed throughout the Underworld Prison also began to shake.

This included the dozens of cross-shaped iron racks Zong Shou had first seen upon entering the Underworld Prison.

The forbidden techniques collapsed, and the Death Prison array could no longer draw upon vital energy and blood essence.

The faces of the people there were filled with irrepressible joy. They struggled with all their might; the seals that had previously rendered them immobile and helpless now shattered like paper.

Wuyazi even roared with laughter that shook the heavens.

“It’s broken! It really is broken! Burned well, truly burned well! I wonder which mighty one possesses such divine power? I, Wuyazi, actually have a day to escape!”

Amidst bursting qi energy, seals were broken and scattered. The entire cross-shaped iron rack twisted continuously.

Finally, with a loud crash, it exploded into dust.

Having broken free from the final restraints, Wuyazi stood suspended in the air, first letting out a long cry.

It was an inexpressible satisfaction, an unparalleled exhilaration.

Then, he suddenly reached out and snatched a Divine Realm cultivator standing nearby, who had not yet fully broken free from his seal, drawing him close amidst the explosive crackle of qi energy.

The cultivator’s head exploded instantly. Wuyazi brought his mouth close to the neck and drank deeply, gulping down the blood.

Then he burst into laughter again. “It has been ages since I tasted such delicious fresh blood essence—exhilarating! Truly exhilarating!”

His withered physique rapidly swelled, regaining vibrant vitality. Wuyazi’s aura also grew madly.

Finally, he snorted coldly and turned to look at the middle-aged man not far away, who had escaped at almost the same time as him.

“Ye Xuan!”

A trace of fierce light flashed in his eyes, and Wuyazi’s figure flickered, instantly appearing around the middle-aged man.

The bizarre and chaotic magnetoelectric force tore the surrounding space into thousands of fragments,

and Wuyazi’s hand reached directly for the middle-aged man’s neck.

He had disliked this man for a very long time. At the peak of the Divine Realm, his essence and blood must be even more delicious.

His injuries fully recovered, his blow was about to land upon the man.

But Ye Xuan’s expression remained unchanged, completely unmoved. He only let out a soft sigh. “You deem yourself formidable, looking down upon those of your same rank, yet you don't know that others know how to hide their strength. A demon like you should not be let out to harm the mortal world!”

A streak of sword energy materialized in his right hand, then flashed through the void.

Blood instantly splattered everywhere. Wuyazi on the opposite side stared at his outstretched hand with an expression of utter disbelief—it had been severed clean at the arm!