Chapter 2611: Sitting in the Well and Viewing the Sky

Shang Hongyu felt a sudden surge of alarm. Moments ago, she might have attributed her slightly relaxed guard to being near Zu An, but now, with the opponent standing directly before her, she still couldn't sense any aura. As a descendant of the Sea Race, the Mermaid Queen, and a renowned powerhouse among her people, she was utterly horrified by this bizarre situation.

Zu An frowned slightly. "Hmm, you're not from this world. How did you enter?" The cultivation world was one of the rarest singularity worlds in the universe. He had specifically activated the world barrier using the world law beacon to prevent demonic incursions, which theoretically made it impossible for beings from other worlds to enter. Could there be an issue with the world barrier? The thought sent a jolt of alarm through Zu An.

Hearing Zu An's words and sensing his unique aura, the masked figure seemed to grasp the situation. "So you are the master of this world. Please forgive my presumptuous intrusion and any disturbance." The figure continued, "I am a special life form, capable of entering any world. You need not worry about your world barrier; only a handful of beings across all the myriad worlds possess this ability."

Zu An scrutinized the masked figure. As the master of this world, the resources and laws he could wield here were unimaginable to others. Under his scrutiny, he discerned that the figure appeared to lack a physical body; the strange robe beneath was merely filled with air. Yet, this being was undeniably alive, existing in a form Zu An could not comprehend.

"What brings you to our world?" Zu An asked warily.

"Actually, I came to investigate the death of one of our companions, and my search led me directly here," the figure replied. Upon realizing Zu An was the master of this world, the figure's demeanor became notably respectful.

"A companion died? Who is your companion? What's their name? Let me see if I recognize it." Zu An wondered if the figure was searching for a powerful being he had previously defeated.

"This matter does not concern you, so there's no need to be alarmed," the masked figure replied with a faint smile.

Zu An frowned, thinking, *If it doesn't concern me, why are you here?* Suddenly, an idea struck him, and he looked towards Shang Hongyu.

Shang Hongyu also caught on. "Me?" she asked.

The masked figure nodded. "Precisely. My companion died at this young lady's hands."

"Are you mistaken?" Shang Hongyu was completely baffled, unable to recall anyone remotely connected to such an event. The mermaid race was not inclined to kill, especially such mysterious beings; she couldn't possibly have no memory of it.

Zu An subtly positioned himself in front of her. "She couldn't have killed your companion."

The masked figure's voice was resolute. "Our kind is few in number, so every individual is precious. Thus, each of us possesses a unique method to mark our killer; even if they flee to the ends of the earth, they cannot escape this imprint. I was merely passing through this world when I detected such a mark, so I came to investigate. I never anticipated the culprit would be such a beautiful woman."

Zu An frowned slightly, contemplating the endless array of wondrous abilities in the myriad worlds, and resolved to be more cautious in the future. "You've said a great deal, but she couldn't possibly have killed your companion."

The masked figure scrutinized Shang Hongyu for a moment, then involuntarily nodded. "Indeed, she is far too weak. It's truly improbable she could have killed my companion."

Shang Hongyu felt a pang of frustration. Over the years, she had heard countless appraisals of herself—beautiful, scandalous, fierce—but this was the first time anyone had called her weak. What vexed her even more was her inability to refute it; the opponent was unfathomable, and she was indeed no match.

"Since it's a misunderstanding, let's clear it up," Zu An suggested. He couldn't gauge the opponent's true strength, and given their race's special marking method, any confrontation would become a fight to the death. He had no desire to needlessly provoke such a formidable enemy. "Since you've traveled so far, allow me to extend my hospitality." He intended to seize this chance to glean information about other worlds from the figure. While he had visited numerous worlds, most were through secret realms; the only truly alien world he had physically entered was the previous demon world, which had been on the verge of destruction. The thought of the terrifying Apocalypse Beast sobered Zu An; there seemed to be too many powerful beings across the myriad worlds, and his knowledge remained woefully insufficient.

"You misunderstand," the masked figure said, wagging a finger. "I meant she is weak *now*, but she was not weak in the past."

Zu An's expression darkened. "Are you joking with me?"

"Our race tends towards seriousness; we do not joke," the masked figure corrected gravely. "Let me think... according to the terminology of your world, it would be her past life. Her past life killed my companion."

Zu An's heart skipped a beat. Shang Hongyu's past life was Xihe, the Sun Goddess. Could it be... Shang Hongyu clearly had the same thought, casting a worried glance at Zu An.

Zu An patted her hand, then chuckled. "What you say about past lives is quite far-fetched. To attempt to fabricate charges with such ethereal concepts, you've certainly come to the wrong place."

The masked figure remained silent for a long moment, seemingly assessing the risk of conflict with Zu An. After a while, he patiently explained, "Our race's marking method is quite unique. Even upon reincarnation, as long as vengeance hasn't been exacted, the imprint will remain."

"Impossible!" Zu An directly interrupted. "Our world adheres to the laws of the Six Paths of Reincarnation. Every person who undergoes reincarnation has all memories of their past life erased with each cycle. This means a reincarnated person is entirely distinct. How could you possibly still sense any mark?"

"This matter is indeed somewhat perplexing. I, too, sensed that your world is rather unique. Logically, after passing through your Six Paths of Reincarnation, I truly shouldn't be able to detect anything." Despite the mask, Zu An and Shang Hongyu could sense the figure's current frustration and doubt. "After much consideration, it must be due to her unique identity. Either she employed a secret technique, or the Six Paths of Reincarnation had a loophole that allowed her to retain something from her past life. It is precisely because of this existing connection that I can sense that imprint. Yes, that must be it!" His tone, initially uncertain, grew increasingly resolute by the end.

"The Six Paths of Reincarnation are utterly impartial and represent the most fundamental law of this world. How could anything from a past life be retained after passing through them? Your assertions are pure conjecture; to condemn my friend based on such baseless claims is truly presumptuous." Zu An was secretly alarmed, realizing the opponent's speculation wasn't entirely unfounded. Given Xihe's dual identity as the Sun Goddess and Heavenly Empress, it was plausible she possessed a unique artifact capable of such a feat. Coupled with her connection to him, it wasn't impossible for the Six Paths of Reincarnation to have exhibited some leniency.

The black-robed figure scratched its head. "This complicates matters somewhat."

"She is my woman, and by extension, the mistress of this world. If you wish to be a guest, you are welcome. But if you intend to fight, we will accommodate you." Zu An watched the figure coldly, pondering whether to subdue them to glean information. However, the unique marking method of their race made such a move quite problematic.

The black-robed figure straightened, and its entire demeanor shifted. "As the master of this world, I imagine your life has been one of smooth sailing. However, among the myriad worlds, your realm is merely a remote, minor one. To consider yourself invincible is quite shortsighted."