Chapter 1284: Borrowing the Path of Cause and Effect

A new era had dawned the moment Lord Jiuan Immortal abdicated. Lord Maiming Immortal's powerful rise, fueled by the feedback of destiny, had already spread throughout the entire Fifth Star Ring. Succeeding his father, Aurora, he took control of the Fifth Star Ring, becoming its current Lord. His supreme status allowed him to govern all living beings.

Now, his performance on the Fourth Star Ring battlefield was astonishing. He had slain two true gods and taken full command of the war. The sensation caused by these events stirred destiny, immensely exhilarating millions of cultivators within the Fifth Star Ring. Their cheers echoed across the supply stars.

Simultaneously, Xu Qing's status had subtly risen once more. As the Lord of Aurora Beyond Heaven, Xu Qing shared a profound connection with Maiming. Not only had he helped Maiming transform from a god into an immortal, but he had also received abundant blessings of destiny through Maiming's first decree as Immortal Lord. All of these events made it known throughout the Fifth Star Ring that Lord Maiming Immortal reportedly regarded Xu Qing as a younger brother. Consequently, True Lord Xu's status within the Fifth Star Ring would be exceptionally elevated in the coming era.

Such an identity, status, and destiny sent shivers down the spines of many factions within the Fifth Star Ring who had previously been in direct or indirect conflict with Xu Qing. Among them, the most profoundly disturbed and with thoughts churning intensely, was the Poison Lord, Li Mengtu's master.

At this moment, he was also in the Fourth Star Ring, having just endured a life-or-death battle in space where he slew a true god. He sat silently, cross-legged on a gray meteor. His subordinates, who had journeyed with him, surrounded him. If Xu Qing were present, he would instantly recognize these cultivators as the very team who had troubled him previously. However, compared to that time, few remained, and each was severely wounded and visibly exhausted. They, too, remained silent. Only occasionally would they glance at the Poison Lord, seated at the forefront, seemingly wanting to speak but hesitating.

The Poison Lord did not turn, but given his cultivation level, he was acutely aware of everything happening behind him. Bitterness churned within him, accompanied by a growing unease. He originally didn't have to be on the battlefield. However, a decree issued from the Fourth Star Ring a few days prior compelled him to come. While not a direct order from Lord Maiming Immortal, it originated from the War Command Tower. Someone had specifically ordered him and his cultivators to join the war in the Fourth Star Ring, assigning them a particular mission.

The Poison Lord had his suspicions about who this person was, though he knew the identity ultimately didn't matter. There would always be someone willing to leverage the power of war to curry favor with a powerful entity and strike at him.

“To curry favor with Xu Qing…” the Poison Lord murmured, his bitterness intensifying. Had it merely been a matter of participating in the war, his cultivation would have sufficed. However, the assigned task was exceptionally cruel. He was required to slay nine true gods of his own cultivation realm! Yet in these past few days, he had managed to slay only one!

“Many are aware of the entanglement between me and Xu Qing… Is this the consequence of karma?” he mused. “I once attempted to exploit his path for my own advancement; though I failed, the seeds of karma were sown. Now… it has begun to backfire.”

Recalling the past, the Poison Lord felt a surge of indignation, accompanied by a strong sense of destiny's hand at play. He had watched Xu Qing ascend, step by step, to such heights that now Xu Qing didn't even need to act himself; others would readily do so to curry favor by targeting the Poison Lord. With this thought, the Poison Lord sighed softly.

“My clone should have arrived by now, I hope it can resolve this karmic entanglement.” The Poison Lord turned his head, gazing into the distance towards the Fifth Star Ring.

Meanwhile, in the Fifth Star Ring, a disheveled figure materialized from the void before the earthy-yellow supply star where Xu Qing resided. The figure was an old man, enveloped in dark green poisonous clouds. His appearance within the mist was identical to the Poison Lord's, as was his aura. It was indeed the clone the Poison Lord had dispatched there. However, it was clear he had encountered a formidable enemy en route. Despite successfully reaching his destination, his injuries were severe. Within the dark green toxic clouds, his body appeared withered and covered in multiple wounds. Even his very essence seemed to decay, and his left arm was severed at the root, the wound teeming with wriggling granulation tissue.

Gazing at the supply star, the Poison Lord's clone hesitated momentarily before gritting his teeth and heading straight for it. After enduring multiple layers of screening, and guided by an acquaintance he had contacted beforehand, he finally arrived hours later before a stargazing tower located in the southeastern quadrant of the star. The tower, crafted from meteorites, stood majestically atop a high mountain, emanating a dense celestial aura in all directions. This was Xu Qing's temporary residence.

Having delivered him this far, the accompanying cultivator, finding it inconvenient to proceed, stepped back slightly and spoke in a low voice. “Poison Lord, you are on your own from here.” As he spoke, the cultivator sighed inwardly. He was one of the garrison commanders stationed there and was aware of the history between the Poison Lord and Xu Qing. Had he not owed the Poison Lord a significant favor, he would not have wished to bring him at such a sensitive time.

The Poison Lord's clone nodded slightly at these words, then, gazing at the stargazing tower on the distant mountain, he flickered and headed straight for it. He swiftly neared, pausing a hundred zhang from the tower. Without hesitation, he bowed deeply towards it, his voice echoing with a profound weariness. “An old acquaintance is here, requesting an audience with True Lord.”

His voice reverberated, stirring the surroundings, yet from the stargazing tower, a hundred zhang away, came no response.

After a prolonged silence, the Poison Lord's clone sighed softly. He raised his right hand and, with a flick, produced a palm-sized bronze puppet. It materialized in the space before him and settled on the ground. The bronze puppet bore an identical likeness to the Poison Lord, even containing a pulsating, dark green heart within its chest.

Gazing at the puppet, the Poison Lord's eyes filled with resolve. He raised a fingertip and, with a swift motion, cut across his own neck. Blood droplets splattered, corroding streaks of void fissures, before ultimately gathering on the puppet, infusing the puppet with life. Meanwhile, the Poison Lord's own form began to dissipate, as he bowed once more towards the tower.

“My true body is currently in the Fourth Star Ring, having accepted the task of slaying nine true gods of my realm. Therefore, I am unable to visit in person and have sent this substitute copper puppet. Once activated, this puppet can instantly summon my true body to appear and fight for you. Regardless of the outcome, it will resolve the karmic debt incurred by my previous forceful attempt to exploit your path.” His voice echoed as his form gradually faded.

The tower remained unresponsive. In the distance, the commander who had brought the Poison Lord here sighed inwardly, clasped his fists, and departed.

A long moment later… the bronze puppet lying on the ground suddenly blurred and vanished. It reappeared inside the tower, now in Xu Qing's hand.

Xu Qing gazed at the copper puppet, his expression unreadable. After a long moment, he spoke softly. “If I use it, the karma will be settled. If I do not, it will remain. Everything rests on your fate.”

As these words were uttered, the Poison Lord's true body, far away on the Fourth Star Ring battlefield, let out a muffled groan. The karmic thread connecting him to Xu Qing snapped by half. Sensing this, the Poison Lord sighed once more. Already resembling an old farmer, he now appeared even more aged.

“I shouldn't have meddled then, coveting his path…”