Chapter 379
The murmurs seemed to transcend any human language, perhaps mere mortals were not even qualified to grasp their meaning.
"Does He want to take away my consciousness?"
"Even if it means destruction."
Ying Bing maintained her awareness, refusing to let it dissipate. Before an existence as vast as the heavens, she felt as insignificant as an ant.
But she would not allow herself to do nothing.
Time seemed to lose its meaning.
Suddenly, her vision cleared, and in the void, she saw the familiar Gui Palace, but the woman seated within was not her.
The Nine-Colored Phoenix.
Her features were indistinct, yet the deep tranquility and compassionate aura she exuded were irreplaceable.
"Do you wish to replace me?"
Ying Bing instinctively reached out, but could not grasp her own sword.
"I cannot now, but perhaps in the future," the gentle voice of the woman flowed like a babbling brook.
Ying Bing replied coldly, "Who are you?"
"I am called Ying Huang."
The gentle woman paused, seemingly lost in thought.
The empty space around them began to ripple violently, as if responding to her swirling memories.
After a moment, her voice returned:
"I am Ying Huang."
"This is a fragment of my consciousness left behind while I was predicting the future of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths in the Tianhuang Domain."
Ying Huang's gaze softened.
Using the Tianhuang Domain to predict the future of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths?
In her past life, Ying Bing had controlled the other half of the Tianhuang Domain within the realm of the Celestial City, and only now did she realize the true origins of this divine artifact.
The Nine-Colored Phoenix was none other than Ying Huang.
After leading the Nine Immortals to salvation, she worried that the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths might once again be overturned for other reasons, thus she continuously predicted the future of this world.
What kind of unfathomable power did she possess upon returning from the Celestial Realm?
Ying Bing fell silent.
Unless she successfully ascended the path to immortality, this was an impossible feat.
Ying Huang brewed a cup of tea and gently pushed it toward her:
"Do you know about the chess game of Lankao Mountain?"
"Yes."
Ying Bing nodded.
"The situation of that chess game reflects my predictions for the future of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, but it is not complete."
"The fact that you can see me means you possess the qualifications to break the game."
"Then please, go retrieve the other half of the Tianhuang Domain."
The woman, who called herself Ying Huang, said earnestly.
Ying Bing quietly contemplated, like a jade sculpture in the frost and snow.
In her previous life, she had only half of the Tianhuang Domain, and its inner realm was already invincible in this world, let alone the complete version.
But she did not know what this ancestor of the Ying family, the savior of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, truly intended.
Was she an enemy or a friend?
Or did she have other motives?
Ying Huang sighed softly:
"I cannot answer your doubts, for I am not complete either."
"Then why me? Just because I am of the Ying bloodline?"
Ying Bing was certain this was the first time the other had appeared.
"You and I are the same," Ying Huang replied.
"In what way are we the same?"
Ying Huang lowered her gaze, as if she were the center of this universe:
"My heart tells me so, but I do not know why."
"I will retrieve the other half of the Tianhuang Domain."
Ying Bing paused for a moment, then said earnestly, "But I do not wish to become you, nor do I want to become anyone else. I only want to be myself."
"Otherwise, I would rather perish."
Her tone was as sharp as ice shattering on the ground.
Ying Bing was dead serious.
"Then you must surpass the future version of me, surpass yourself, to succeed."
The gentle woman, Ying Huang, seemed to smile softly:
"Those who learn from me will live."
"Those who imitate me will die."
At that moment, as her words hung in the air, all colors around them began to fade, and everything rapidly retreated, as the real world descended upon them.
Ying Bing slowly opened her eyes.
She found everything as it had been before; the steam from the hot pot downstairs still rose, shrouding the outline of Qingyuan Sect.
If it weren't for the incomplete Tianhuang Domain, it would have completely belonged to her at this moment.
It had felt like a dream.
Ying Bing approached the copper mirror at the head of her bed, and her reflection appeared—stunningly beautiful, like a fallen celestial, yet faintly marked by a sickly pallor.
Perhaps that earlier exchange had drained much of her spirit.
"Surpass Him, surpass myself."
"I will!"
Ying Bing gently rubbed the head of the large doll at her waist, whispering to herself.
It seemed as if her thoughts had been sensed.
The system's text reappeared:
[Host, do you wish to start a new round of rankings?]
Before its words could finish, Ying Bing's decision was already resolute.
Yes.
[If only the host could be this proactive every time.]
[Starting this round of the unparalleled genius ranking.]
[Ranking scope: Imperial Capital.]
[The penalty for this round's loser: Planting forty-nine strawberries for the winner.]
"Imperial Capital."
Ying Bing had anticipated this, but still fell into contemplation.
By the calendar, the next ranking announcement would coincide with the gathering of the Qianlong geniuses in the Imperial Capital.
If she wanted to be at the top, she would have to stand out among all the talents of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.
Moreover,
During this process, she could not afford to have any distractions.
"Perhaps there are other ways to prevent other consciousnesses within me from awakening."
"I'll ask Qin Yuzhi about it later."
After dinner, Li Mo returned to his room.
Now was not the time for dual cultivation, but rather—
The moment of revelation!
Little Li rubbed his hands together, feeling a bit excited.
As he exited Lankao Mountain, a wave of investment feedback notifications rang out, coming from various escaping factions and martial artists.
Of course!
There was also the feedback from Bing Tuozi!
"Same old rules, let's start with the ordinary ones."
Li Mo ceremoniously began to review the investment feedback.
---
Chapter 418: How Many Divine Treasures Have Been Refined
[Congratulations, host, for successfully investing in Xue Houzai, preventing his demise in the Yunmeng Underground Palace.]
[Investment feedback: Three hundred pounds of cold iron ore.]
[Congratulations, host, for successfully investing in Zhao Qin, preventing her demise in the Yunmeng Underground Palace.]
[Investment feedback: A set of red jade mahjong.]
[Congratulations, host, for successfully investing in Zhao Fuming.......]
In the room, Li Mo crossed his arms, finishing the review of the investment feedback for items of blue grade and below, then organized them in batches within the system space.
He was not really a meticulous "pig boy," and he even had a peculiar skill.
For instance, he might clearly remember placing something there, yet inexplicably could not find it, and would have to call for his mother, who would then say, "You’re dead when I find it," while somehow retrieving the item from who knows where...
It was quite magical.
Unfortunately, his mother couldn't help him organize the system space.
As the investment feedback piled up, it seemed that in the end, Little Li would become rich without even realizing it.
Gold and silver... well, another mountain of gold had appeared, and his cash flow was probably ten times that of the Yunzhou Hengtong branch.
As for various elixirs... the quantity was manageable (compared to money), but the quality was high.
He could now fill the storage room of Dan Ding Peak with six-pattern and seven-pattern elixirs.
And there were heavenly materials and earthly treasures, all kinds of ores, and strange curiosities...
Little Li, the tycoon, might have exaggerated a bit when he said he was as rich as a nation.
But if a sect leader from any domain stood up at a meeting and said, "Everyone here combined is no match for me," there would be no problem at all.
"My money just keeps increasing."
Li Mo sighed lightly, bearing a weight of boredom that was not typical for his age.
He took out a map and carefully marked it.
There were some villages and towns that worshipped the Celestial Master but were still backward and impoverished, lacking various supplies; he marked everything he remembered.
Marking it was just the first step; he would also need to find time to distribute the supplies.
"Doing all this alone is really not an easy task."
Half an hour later, Li Mo stretched and continued checking the rewards.
[Congratulations, host, for successfully investing in Bai Jinghong, preventing her demise in the Yunmeng Underground Palace.]
[Investment feedback: Slaying the Flood Dragon Sword Technique.]
[Slaying the Flood Dragon Sword Technique]: "The swordsman Lu Wuchong observed the surging tides, like a flood dragon lurking (there really was a roaring flood dragon at the time), and thus comprehended this sword technique in the realm of divine observation. With this technique, he gained the allegiance of a great flood dragon, and this sword method is considered superior among the top tier."
"I don't think I'm cut out for this Slaying the Flood Dragon stuff."
"The Slaying the Dragon Sword Technique would suit me better."
Little Li shook his head, indicating he was unwilling to learn this sword technique.
It was entirely because he had once been a roaring flood dragon for a time, and it had nothing to do with his talent for swordsmanship.
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