Shennong Dao Master

Does Qing Yu Zi want you, Zhao Xing, to do something for him, will you do it or not?

Zhao Xing deeply understood that if he didn’t resolve this issue, he would never truly be accepted by the Empire!

"Between the interests of the Empire and Qing Yu Zi’s side, I chose the Empire without hesitation. I believe that after understanding the events in the Transmission Realm, the Great Emperor will certainly see this. It’s a form of severance, a form of allegiance."

Zhao Xing believes more in the Red Star Empire, more in Emperor Red Star and the Guluo River because, in his past life knowledge, they exist, and he has some understanding of them, whereas Qing Yu Zi is someone he has never interacted with, so emotionally, making this choice isn’t difficult.

No matter whether Qing Yu Zi can see it or feel it, Emperor Red Star granting him the Hun Yuan Dao Tower truly accepted him as part of the Empire. In terms of strength, the Great Emperor must be stronger than Qing Yu Zi.

Moreover, compared to Qing Yu Zi, whose intentions are unknown.

The philosophies of Emperor Red Star and Guluo River align more with Zhao Xing’s preferences.

The Great Emperor’s Star Magic Robe is a map of the Xuanling Star Domain. He aims to unify the entire spiritual energy territory and end the warfare, while Guluo River’s philosophy is to create the Eternal Realm and avoid calamities.

The two align better with Zhao Xing’s preferences.

"Old Qing, after this, you and I are truly clear of our causes and effects." Zhao Xing thought silently. "You no longer owe me, and I owe you nothing."

"The Divine Statue has been handed over; my cause and effect defense will be fully developed by the Imperial Heavenly Master Mansion. Don’t come looking for me unless there comes a day when I reach the God Realm; perhaps then we can sit and discuss, laughing about past events."

......

After Zhao Xing left the Transmission Building, he was taken back to the Primordial Realm by the Guluo River, returning to reside in Coral City.

The first person to visit him was Ji Si.

"Grand Minister of Agriculture, has your illness been cured?" Ji Si asked.

"Yes, the True Spirit Heavenly Poison has been removed." Zhao Xing looked at Ji Si: "Does the Heavenly Master Mansion already know?"

"Guessed." Ji Si nodded.

"Guessed?"

"Of course guessed. Does the Grand Minister of Agriculture believe that the Fate Master’s prophecy is one hundred percent certain?" Ji Si said: "Fate Masters don’t have such abilities."

"No Fate Master, even those at the God Realm, can completely determine future directions; they can only see the most likely direction."

"In the theories of Fate Masters, the cosmic space, the Path of Cause and Effect is everywhere, and it intersects with other paths, influencing each other. Adding factors like personal free will and changes in fortune, or even environmental impacts, can cause a ’change in prediction.’"

"Thus, even theoretically, a Fate Master’s divination and prediction methods are just approximating certainty, not absolute certainty."

"The Heavenly Master Mansion sent me to verify; we are not certain whether the Grand Minister of Agriculture’s illness is completely healed either."

Listening to Ji Si’s words, Zhao Xing nodded slightly.

He indeed felt a bit apprehensive about Fate Masters; he believed that humans could influence fate, that his fate was driven by himself, not the heavens. He was instinctively resistant to such professions.

The Empire’s Heavenly Master Mansion also participated in his cause-and-effect struggle; though it was a friendly force, there was still a sense of being scrutinized.

Ji Si’s words relaxed him quite a bit.

"Grand Minister of Agriculture, rest assured," Ji Si whispered: "I watched your cause-and-effect battle from start to finish, you shouldn’t overthink it."

"Oh?" Zhao Xing was a bit surprised. Is this something Ji Si can observe?

"I came this time, first to visit the Grand Minister of Agriculture, second because my master ordered me to verify whether the True Spirit Heavenly Poison has disappeared, and then convey a few words."

Zhao Xing sat upright: "Mr. Ji, please convey."

Ji Si spoke:

"My master said: Zhao Xing, the battle of cause and effect is over. The Heavenly Master Mansion conducted directional cause and effect protection for you. After the protection, even I, as a spellcaster, cannot spy on your privacy. This was personally permitted by the Great Emperor."

"Thank you, Heavenly Master." Zhao Xing bowed in gratitude.

Indeed, handing it over was the correct choice; indeed, the Great Emperor truly accepted him, the anomaly who survived the Yuanhai Conference.

He then asked quietly: "Ji Si, what does this directional cause and effect protection mean?"

Ji Si adjusted his posture and whispered: "Grand Minister of Agriculture, cause and effect protection is like flood control."

"Letting it flow freely doesn’t work; it’s easily exploited or attacked, like Wei Tianchen scheming against you."

"Blocking everything is also not viable. Cultivation relies on diligent practice as well as feng shui and fortune. If everything is blocked, although it won’t be attacked, it becomes a black hole of fortune, disconnected from any fortuitous events."

"Situations where everything is locked are termed ’Living Dead of Fortune’ in our Fate Masters’ theory. Theoretically, achieving this completely is impossible, just as predicting human and event trajectories accurately is impossible."

Living Dead of Fortune?

Zhao Xing suddenly thought of a group of people.

They are entirely detached from the outside world, living mundane lives day after day, acting routinely as if they have lost their emotions, because life is the same every day, there’s nothing impactful.

"Do you think the Reincarnation Temple is like this?"

Ji Si pondered: "Yes, and no, this relates to the directional cause and effect protection I just mentioned."

"Blockade vs Sarkalage, cause and effect defense comes in many types; typically, a Fate Master disturbs another’s Cause and Effect Line, modifying it with spells, related to several specific Cause and Effect Lines in one’s Life Palace."

"Essentially, it is operated based on the Life Palace Fourteen Lines."