Chapter 1025: The Only "Variable"

A single remark struck like thunder. Almost all council members around the round table widened their eyes, as if they had heard something unbelievable.

However, after a moment, they realized it made perfect sense. The worst-case scenario was indeed precisely this situation. It was just that, over the years, they had been forced into a state where they disliked thinking, and thus, they didn't immediately grasp this point.

“Dao Qiongcang,” Yan Wuse was the first to voice his opinion, “the situations you’ve described are all worst-case scenarios, but the seal on the inner island of Void Island has remained for millennia. I doubt a single Bazun'an would be enough to break it.”

Numerous Saint Emperor-level beings on the inner island of Void Island had been unable to break through the seal for all these years. Even with the addition of Bazun'an and their combined strength, they wouldn't be able to ignore the anti-magic barrier.

Dao Qiongcang looked at him with a smile and said, “When the Judgment Department sentenced Bazun'an to the inner island of Void Island, they never imagined he would become the revered leader of both the Black and White Factions, or that he could secretly return to the Five Domains, despite the suppression of the anti-magic barrier and the Martial Suppression Order.”

As soon as these words were spoken, silence fell over everyone. Indeed, Bazun'an was astonishingly formidable. No one could fathom how that person, who at the time barely had Grand Void cultivation and hadn't even earned the title of one of the Seven Sword Immortals, could enter the inner island of Void Island and subdue those fossil-like Saint Emperors. How did he do it?

Dao Qiongcang smiled and said, “If we start by addressing the worst-case scenario, then every subsequent change, no matter how dire, will essentially be a turn for the better, won’t it?”

The council members remained silent, implicitly agreeing with his logic.

“So, what do you intend to do?” Yan Wuse asked.

“In recent years, the frequency of interdimensional space openings in the Five Domains has increased. The probability of native ghost beasts being born remains consistent with the past, but the number escaping from Void Island has significantly risen. It’s clear that ever since Bazun'an broke free from the inner island of Void Island, their scheme has been set in motion. And it’s a significant one!”

Dao Qiongcang looked around at everyone. Seeing that no one refuted his words or offered any suggestions, he continued:

“My idea is that breaking the seal is difficult, but reinforcing it is simple… We don't even need to reinforce it. Given the true nature of the Seven Severing Seals of Void Island’s inner island, we simply need to intervene slightly before Bazun'an's plan succeeds, restoring the Seven Severing Seals to their original essence as a place of exile. In doing so, all of the Saint Servants' numerous schemes will come to naught.”

With a soft thud, Dao Qiongcang tapped his finger on the round table, and the sound echoed throughout the hall.

In the silence, everyone felt as if the clouds had parted, and the situation instantly shifted from perilous to clear.

Indeed! Bazun'an had an unyielding constitution; even the inner island of Void Island couldn't suppress him. Now that he had returned, he would undoubtedly carry multiple Saint Emperor wills, making it incredibly difficult to capture him. But if you couldn't resolve the source of the trouble directly, addressing the opportune timing and geographical advantage was also an excellent method.

No matter how strong one person is, how long can they really last? If Bazun'an could overturn the Five Domains alone, he wouldn't have remained dormant for so many years after escaping Void Island, choosing instead to accumulate strength.

With Dao Qiongcang's explanation, everyone understood that Bazun'an had established the Saint Servants precisely to harness the power of the Black and White Factions within the inner island of Void Island. However, as one of the Seven Severing Seals, how could the inner island of Void Island be so easily broken?

Conversely, the Holy Divine Palace didn't need to target Bazun'an directly; they merely needed to address the overall situation and apply the appropriate remedies.

Bazun'an wanted to break the seal. Then they could use the sealing power of Void Island's inner island to counteract the ghost beasts of the Black and White Factions, and even Bazun'an himself. This approach would not only significantly reduce the human resources and materials required, but also lower the difficulty of the operation itself from unpredictable, or even hellish, to a manageable level.

“Reinforce the seal…” Yan Wuse murmured, and a flicker of admiration soon appeared in his eyes.

“No, restore the seal! What a brilliant move! After all these years, the seal on the inner island of Void Island truly needs maintenance. Dao Qiongcang, you truly live up to your name. This plan, which is practically equivalent to a standard maintenance procedure for the Seven Severing Seals, can thwart the Saint Servants' scheme and avoid a bloody confrontation. Tsk tsk tsk…”

Yan Wuse spoke, looking at the young man in the main seat, filled with emotion. This was precisely why the council members had gradually grown to dislike thinking.

In the past, major affairs of the Five Domains rarely came down to one person’s judgment. Even when the previous Temple Master presided, it would take at least a week or two to arrive at the best solution for a complex issue.

But now, one simply needed to attend the meeting; their brains could be left at home. Dao Qiongcang could analyze the major affairs of the Five Domains thoroughly, from superficial to profound, from external to internal, and then provide a perfect solution to the problem.

Who wouldn't admire such a leader? Previously, council meetings would even devolve into brawls at the round table due to conflicting opinions. But ever since Dao Qiongcang took office, such incidents had never occurred again.

Problems you can’t solve, I, Dao Qiongcang, can solve alone. Proposals you can’t agree on, I, Dao Qiongcang, can make the final decision on my own. Even those you can’t defeat, I, Dao Qiongcang, can subdue for you, even if I leave this seat at the Holy Divine Palace’s round table!

From intellect to combat prowess, he was flawless! The ten-member council used to be ten tigers on one mountain, each expressing their own views; now, they were one brain and ten sharp swords. Their efficiency had increased by an immeasurable number of times!

“Agreed,” Nine Sacrifices Gui Lingti nodded silently.

“I second that,” Killing God Wei Feng sighed, raising his hand.

“This plan is truly ingenious,” even Yuanzi, the Elemental Divine Envoy who had remained silent throughout the meeting, couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

“Count me in,” Old Yu smiled. He could now go back to fishing in the Four Seas with his rod, figuring that reinforcing the seal wouldn't require many people to be deployed.

There was no dissent whatsoever. As soon as Dao Qiongcang’s idea was proposed, no one felt they could surpass it, and they all nodded in agreement.

“Everyone, let’s not be too complacent…” Seeing that the minds of those present were still not fully engaged, Dao Qiongcang gave a wry smile and said, “What Bazun'an thinks, I can surmise, and what I consider, he can also anticipate. Therefore, the upcoming operation will certainly face resistance.”

“Hah!” Yan Wuse chuckled. He had long wanted to meet this young man, Bazun'an. He immediately said, “Didn’t Temple Master Dao just say that some of us might need to shift our positions? If so, then let me handle this operation. Does anyone object?”

Everyone shook their heads.

Dao Qiongcang looked at Yan Wuse, knowing that this esteemed senior still held a grudge over losing a light-attribute disciple. He immediately admonished:

“Act without personal emotion, and think twice before making a move. This mission to Void Island can be entrusted to Old Yan, but Bazun'an is no ordinary person. Old Yan, you must be extremely careful not to stumble in an unexpected place.”

Yan Wuse waved his hand and burst into laughter. “Rest assured!”

“I hope so…” Though he said this, Dao Qiongcang felt a sense of helplessness towards those present, yet he truly trusted them completely.

Just because they attended without fully engaging their minds didn’t mean they lacked intelligence. On the contrary, every single member of the ten-person council present was among the strongest in combat and the wisest in strategy at their respective realms. As long as he wasn’t around, these old foxes wouldn’t need to be told what to do; they might even perform better than he could.

However, their opponent this time was Bazun'an after all, so to be safe… Dao Qiongcang looked towards the massive war machine at the far end of the table, which had been silent from the start, and gestured, “Number Two, you will accompany Old Yan this time.”

“Understood,” Number Two nodded its massive head.

Yan Wuse raised an eyebrow. Was he not trusted? Before he could ask, Dao Qiongcang looked at him again with a smile. “Old Yan, is that alright? Number Two won’t directly intervene, and you can’t command it. It will merely act normally, but it will observe the entire process, just in case something you consider impossible actually happens.”

Though he felt a slight disdain, Yan Wuse knew this was Dao Qiongcang’s bottom line. The saying went: 'Even the wisest of men can make a mistake.' This final safeguard was something Dao Qiongcang would secretly implement regardless of his resistance, so there was no point in objecting.

“No problem.” As soon as the words left his mouth, Dao Qiongcang tapped his finger on the round table. “Meeting adjourned.”

“Time to go fish!” Old Yu happily skipped out of the hall, fishing rod in hand. Wei Feng, Yuanzi, Nine Sacrifices Gui Lingti, and others also shook their heads, marveling at how pleasant the meeting had been, before turning to leave.

In less than the time it takes an incense stick to burn, the worries brought by the Holy Emperor’s Golden Edict vanished into thin air. Within the council hall, only Ai Cangsheng remained, still not having left his seat.

“Any other questions?” Seeing Dao Qiongcang look his way, Ai Cangsheng spoke.

“Yes.” From the main seat, Dao Qiongcang nodded slightly. The Heavenly Divination Compass in his hand began to spin, its mechanical clicks echoing in the quiet hall before finally coming to a stop.

Ai Cangsheng looked. He found that nothing else on the Heavenly Divination Compass had moved. However, the 'Eight Gates' indicator was swaying back and forth between 'Injury Gate' and 'Death Gate,' showing a slight but not significant deviation from Dao Qiongcang’s previous divination results.

“What does this mean?” Ai Cangsheng looked up.

Dao Qiongcang withdrew his gaze from the Heavenly Divination Compass and said gravely, “There’s still one variable.”

“A variable?” Ai Cangsheng’s lips curled. “Besides Bazun'an, who else could represent a variable on your Heavenly Divination Compass?”

Dao Qiongcang shook his head. “Not entirely.” He sighed deeply, gazing eastward, and murmured:

“Bazun'an has already entered the game; he is now sitting opposite me, playing against me. How can a fated person be considered a variable? What I cannot calculate can only be something I haven’t encountered, or something beyond destiny… Heavenly Divination, after all, has its limits.”

Ai Cangsheng pondered, “Even you can’t directly calculate who he is?”

“A variable is a number of change… This number has just begun, and its fate has not yet been set. If I could calculate it, I would probably be a Saint Emperor in no time,” Dao Qiongcang said.

Ai Cangsheng tilted his head, also looking eastward, thoughtfully. “Since it’s a game of chess, and not Bazun'an himself… then besides those beings on the inner island of Void Island, this variable can only be his pawn, right?”

Dao Qiongcang fell silent. He had long since calculated the fates of those beings on the inner island of Void Island. Their destinies were fixed; if there could be a change, it would have happened already. But this current ‘variable’ had only just begun…

“It can only be a pawn then,” Dao Qiongcang sighed.

“Who could it be?” Ai Cangsheng asked. He knew Dao Qiongcang didn’t actually need anyone to answer his questions; he simply needed someone to help him organize his thoughts.

“A pawn…” Dao Qiongcang murmured, “It’s hard to say.”

Ai Cangsheng, however, smiled. “You’ve kept me here this long, discussing variables. You must already have an answer. Show it.”

“Heh heh, even you can predict me now…” Dao Qiongcang looked over, shaking his head with a wry smile.

Not long after, he flipped his right hand, pulling out a black and gold paper from his spatial ring. He placed it on the table and slid it towards Ai Cangsheng.

“Him.” Ai Cangsheng’s gaze fell upon the bright, sunny smile on the black and gold wanted poster. He didn’t even need to read the name to utter it aloud. “Xu Xiaoshou? I know this person, and I’ve paid attention to him.”

“Indeed, even you know him…” “So, he’s not the variable?” “I only calculated this one.” “Then it can only be him!” Ai Cangsheng affirmed with a smile.

This young man was indeed so outstanding that he could be considered a ‘variable’. Considering his experiences and growth rate, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call him “Bazun'an the Second.”

Ai Cangsheng had already noticed him during the Battle of the Eight Palaces. True enough, at East Heavenly King City, the fellow could even stir up trouble in front of Rao Yaoyao.

Among the younger generation, those who could stand shoulder to shoulder with him were extremely rare.

Dao Qiongcang watched Ai Cangsheng stare at the black and gold wanted poster on the round table, discerning deep insights into Xu Xiaoshou in his eyes. He took a long breath, but couldn’t exhale it. Ultimately, he still couldn't say anything.

“Let’s go.” Pushing his wheelchair to the hall entrance, Dao Qiongcang involuntarily looked up and stopped, seeing a flickering light in the east.

“Seemingly an enemy, yet seemingly a friend; a friend, yet also an enemy… Is it from ‘Injury’ to ‘Death’, or from ‘Death’ to ‘Injury’…? Does this ‘variable’ imply that Xu Xiaoshou can be used by me? But if a ‘variable’ can be calculated, is he still a ‘variable’?”

“Rumble!” Above the Yunlun Mountain Range, a colossal roar grew closer, and the sky increasingly darkened.

From afar, it appeared as a mere speck, but only upon closer inspection did they realize. The Sky City’s landing point seemed to be only Solitary Sound Cliff. However, given its sheer size, if it truly landed, the entire Yunlun Mountain Range and its surrounding areas would likely suffer collateral damage.

At this moment, all the Spirit Refiners still within the Yunlun Mountain Range territory looked up, their eyes filled with despair.

With such a massive Sky City plummeting down… When the nest falls, no egg remains unbroken.

“Help!” “Where is Sword Immortal Rao? Please, Sword Immortal Rao, lead the fight!” “Heavens, why must you immortals fight here in the Yunlun Mountain Range? I just wanted to peacefully finish a trial. If I’m guilty, let the trial officer punish me, not the Sky City!” “Save me, save me, save me…”

The Yunlun Mountain Range was filled with lamentations at once.

The Sky City… Though this ancient majestic city was called the Sky City, it clearly had no intention of stopping in mid-air at this moment.

If it truly landed, with its formidable defenses, could even a Grand Void Realm expert stop it? Even a Half-Saint would likely find themselves powerless!

At the ruins of Solitary Sound Cliff. Amidst the thunderous explosions, Bazun'an remained unmoved, Water Ghost was unperturbed, and Cen Qiaofu was as calm as an ancient well.

Only one person stood, a single arm pointing towards the sky, his knees trembling.

“M-m-master, it-it-it’s coming down…” Xiu Yuanke’s lips turned purple. If he hadn’t known the three people in front of him were real, he would have thought they were blind. How else could they ignore such a terrifying sight?

If this city crashed down, how many lives would be buried in the Yunlun Mountain Range?

“Are you afraid?” Bazun'an asked with a smile, turning to look at him.

“No!” Xiu Yuanke was serious for only a moment before he reverted to his trembling state. “To be honest, Master, I’m a-a-a little…”

“Mainly, there are many young people here. They are innocent. They can’t just be crushed to death for nothing, can they?” Xiu Yuanke added, trying to justify himself.

As soon as he finished speaking, Water Ghost and Cen Qiaofu also turned their heads, their gazes fixed on him.

“W-what?” Xiu Yuanke flinched, then suddenly realized something and muttered awkwardly:

“I-I didn’t mean that you aren’t human. I just… Ugh, no, you are human, human… No, that’s not right either… What I mean is, shouldn’t we…” He gestured slightly upward. “Cold… no, not that cold… How should I put it… a little more passionate?”