Chapter 81: Schemes Are Futile; Only Hearts Can Be Weighed. Just As Expected.

Chapter 81: Schemes Are Futile; Only Hearts Can Be Weighed. Just As Expected.

"Master, master..."

The Foxtail Grass Spirit hesitated, "You must rarely read storybooks, right?"

Fu Yu was puzzled: "Why do you say that?"

It blinked its grass eyelashes hard: "The words you just said to Double Heaven are classic lines from those storybooks—'When I return from the war, we'll get married' or 'After this last job, Father will retire for good.' They're really a bad omen!"

Fu Yu chuckled: "I didn't say anything like that."

"Phew—" The Foxtail Grass Spirit patted its chest in relief, "That's good, that's good."

Fu Yu: "Didn't I say it plainly? He can't win. He'll die."

The Foxtail Grass Spirit: "..."

Master's habit of pausing dramatically before delivering the punchline is truly impossible to guard against!

It stared, its mouth hanging open: "Double Heaven is really going to die... Master, isn't he our ally? If he's in trouble... shouldn't we help?"

"Fool!" The monkey slapped its tail, "Three Demi-gods are fighting! What can you do to help!"

"Right." The Foxtail Grass Spirit drooped its head dejectedly.

"Heh, you sentimental creature!" The monkey laughed loudly at it, "You're not even close to the old man! He's taking down an enemy, it's not a loss for him! Why so gloomy!"

The Foxtail Grass Spirit nodded gloomily: "...Yeah."

Fu Yu waved her hand: "Everyone has to settle their own karma—those three have been entangled for thousands of years. The karma is too heavy; someone always has to die for it to be resolved."

Everyone nodded pensively.

The Paper Effigy Boy hopped back and forth on the table, throwing punches and kicks, mimicking the three fighting with "Hoo-ha! Hoo-ha!" sounds.

Li Xueke mused: "If it's two against one, Little Taiqing and Lesser Shangqing should have no trouble defeating Little Yuqing—if Double Heaven is going to lose, unless... Little Taiqing betrays him?!"

"Whoa!" Everyone's eyes widened.

Fu Yu tapped the table with a knuckle and smiled lightly: "Correct."

Since they were all insiders, she saw no need to keep them in suspense. "Those three, the closest yet most distant, with grievances and entanglements spanning millennia—any misunderstanding, once brought into the light, is bound to vanish."

Everyone was stunned: "So the one who ends up being two against one... is Double Heaven."

Fu Yu nodded: "All the previous schemes were just little tricks, little deceptions, easily exposed. Double Heaven will definitely be exposed."

"What do we do then..." Everyone couldn't help but worry for Lesser Shangqing, who was far away.

Wu He, however, remained expressionless and detached as ever. He said listlessly: "You knew all this, yet didn't warn him. You must have a backup plan."

Fu Yu smiled without answering.

When it comes to scheming, even ten Little Taiqings plus ten Lesser Shangqings probably couldn't outsmart one Little Yuqing.

Some things just have to happen first.

"When it comes to the final step, schemes are useless. The only thing that can be calculated is—"

She smiled. "The heart."

Who lives, who dies—do your best, and leave the rest to fate.

East Sea.

Watching Yu Xiao being driven into a corner, determined to take Little Yuqing down with him, as the eldest senior brother, Little Taiqing couldn't bear it.

He threw out an arm to stop Little Yuqing, who was ready to press the advantage, and shouted sternly: "Yu Xiao, think twice!"

Venerable Wuyang had been greatly kind to him.

He had watched Yu Xiao grow up; they were fellow disciples, more like sworn brothers.

"Yu Xiao, turn back! Don't compound your mistakes!" Little Taiqing pleaded earnestly, "Bai Lianbi and I will definitely protect you. Just hand over the list of your Evil Path accomplices, and you can make up for your crimes."

Yu Xiao laughed.

"Ah, haven't heard that name in thousands of years. For a moment, I actually didn't recognize it." His gaze slowly swept over those two familiar faces as he called out their unfamiliar names, "Xue Xue Ren, Bai Lianbi, today we sever all ties. No need for more words."

Little Taiqing, that is, Xue Xue Ren, felt as if a knife were twisting in his heart: "Don't be like this, Yu Xiao."

Despair clouded his frost-and-snow-colored brows and eyes.

Of course he knew Yu Xiao would never betray his comrades—those remnants of the Daoist Sect were always like this, refusing to turn back even unto death.

Bai Lianbi gave a low, cold laugh and summoned back the Supreme God's Token from his hand.

To see the Supreme God's Token was to see the Supreme God Himself.

It was an object connected to the Supreme God's own aura, meaning the Supreme God he served was also watching all this. There was no going back.

Bai Lianbi coldly ordered: "Eldest Senior Brother, I will attack. You, cover me."

Xue Xue Ren closed his eyes and nodded: "Forgive me, Junior Brother."

The space between heaven and sea was completely sealed off. Yu Xiao lowered his gaze, gave a light laugh, raised his hand, and placed the spiritual energy-formed tanghulu into his mouth. *Crunch, crunch.*

A monstrous wave of spiritual energy came crashing down.

"...Sour. Not as tasty as I imagined at all. Tsk!"

Two Taiji Diagrams, one black and one white, swept forth with the force of ten thousand jun.

Yu Xiao looked up, feeling like a tiny ant facing the entire world alone.

He shrugged his shoulders, about to step forward and blow himself up, when suddenly, a hand landed on his shoulder.

He looked back, stunned speechless.

"...Mother!!!"

Flying Boat.

Wu He: "The tanghulu you gave him had something wrong with it."

Fu Yu: "Tsk."

Among a bunch of brainless freaks, this Wu He really sticks out like a sore thumb—utterly out of place.

"What's this 'problematic' nonsense!" the Foxtail Grass Spirit loudly protested. "Only bad things are 'problematic'! Good things are... uh, are..."

The Paper Effigy Boy happily did somersaults: "Full of mystery! Full of mystery!"

The Foxtail Grass Spirit excitedly agreed: "Yes, full of mystery!"

Fu Yu remained calm and composed, smiling without a word.

Inside the tomb, she had pinned down that giant skull, completely purifying its resentment.

This was also killing.

Kill someone, and you can obtain their power.

She had taken Venerable Wuyang's last remaining power, shaped it into a candied hawthorn, and returned it to her son—this could also be considered helping Venerable Wuyang fulfill her final wish.

East Sea.

The moment Venerable Wuyang appeared, the Tai Chi scroll connecting heaven and sea that was attacking Yu Xiao instantly dissipated.

"Mas... Master!"

Little Taiqing was the first to forget his Demi-god status. Hovering mid-air, he dropped heavily to one knee, his voice trembling slightly at the end. "Disciple Xue Xue Ren pays respects to Master!"

Venerable Wuyang lifted her chin.

The instant her gaze fell upon Bai Lianbi, his heart plummeted violently.

This was no trick.

The one appearing beside Yu Xiao was Venerable Wuyang—whether a remnant soul or something else, it was unmistakably her own aura.

Her gaze was penetrating and sorrowful, as if she had already understood everything.

Bai Lianbi's eyes flickered, and he involuntarily took half a step back: "...Venerable Wuyang."

Xue Xue Ren instantly sensed something was wrong. Still half-kneeling, he turned his head and lifted his face: "Second Junior Brother, in Master's presence, why do you not bow! And why do you address Master by her name so disrespectfully!"

Bai Lianbi pressed his lips together and remained silent.

"He has no shame." Yu Xiao clenched his fist, his heart trembling, his face expressionless. "Eldest Senior Brother doesn't know, but your Master was killed by him."

Xue Xue Ren gasped sharply, as if struck by lightning.

He stared fixedly at the familiar face of his Master, his snow-white pupils tinged with crimson, his voice unconsciously choked: "Master... You... truly..."

"Yes." Venerable Wuyang sighed softly. "I misjudged someone. My death is because of myself, and because of Bai Lianbi."

Having reached this level of cultivation, it was impossible to be deceived by illusions anymore.

Facing this elder who was like both a teacher and a mother, Xue Xue Ren felt not a shred of doubt, only a burning heat behind his eyes, sorrow rising from the depths.

Overwhelmed with grief, torn between thought and pain, a soft *pfft* sounded as he spat out a mouthful of glistening heart's blood.

"Master..."

Bai Lianbi's facial muscles twitched faintly, incredulous: "To have such a trump card, you could actually endure until now. I truly underestimated you, Little Junior Brother."

Yu Xiao continued expressionlessly: "..."

The tsunami of shock in his heart was just as towering.

How was he supposed to know that biting the candied hawthorn would pull a 'person appears out of nowhere' trick, ah!

If I had known earlier...

Fu Yu: "If he had known earlier, Yu Xiao and Little Taiqing couldn't have kept a secret from Little Yuqing and would definitely have been exposed."

"Oh—" Li Xueke had a sudden realization, raising his hand to fiddle with the few teacups the Paper Effigy Boy had arranged on the table. "If they were exposed early, Little Yuqing would absolutely not leave the vicinity of the Tianshi Dam. If the situation turned bad, he would breach the dam immediately. Those two would have to split their forces to rescue it, allowing him to pick them off one by one!"

The Paper Effigy Boy nodded sagely.

Under its frantic hints, its master had finally gained a tiny bit of insight. A relief, a relief.

Fu Yu: "Correct."

Only when Little Yuqing held the absolute advantage, two against one, pushing Yu Xiao to a desperate situation, would he possibly let his guard down and release this killer move.

Once they grasped this layer of the plan, everyone in the cabin was stunned and bewildered, looking at Fu Yu prostrate with admiration.

Wu He: "...You can calculate this much. Are you really a human brain?"

Seeing the monkey ready to bare its teeth and hiss, Wu He backpedaled instantly. "You're a deity, right!"

The monkey, disgruntled, withdrew its hand that was about to grab the hair bun, muttering: "Heh, you finally show some sense!"

The Paper Effigy Boy excitedly flipped somersaults: "Two against one! Two against one!"

The situation in the East Sea changed again.

Little Taiqing Xue Xue Ren was an extremely rigid person who stubbornly recognized authority.

Master Venerable Wuyang was the ultimate authority among authorities. Seeing her, the scales in his heart immediately tipped in her and Yu Xiao's favor.

Venerable Wuyang slightly lifted her chin, her voice faint: "Do not let this traitorous disciple destroy the Tianshi Dam."

Xue Xue Ren and Yu Xiao exchanged a glance: "We obey your command!"

Bai Lianbi laughed angrily: "Xue Xue Ren, do you also intend to become a rebel!"

He once again raised the Supreme God token in his hand.

A terrifying pressure emanated from the ethereal and profound token—it was the gaze of a Supreme God.

With his Master standing beside him, Xue Xue Ren did not hesitate for an instant: "When Master commanded the heroes of the world, what was the Divine Court?"

He had nearly harmed Yu Xiao!

He had nearly become an accomplice in harming his Master and junior brother!

Just thinking about it filled him with dread!

At this moment, Xue Xue Ren's mind was solely focused on avenging his Master and cleansing their sect's ranks. What did he care about the Divine Court or the Heavenly Court?

Bai Lianbi's eyelids twitched wildly: "...Fine, fine, fine! You two traitors!"

Yu Xiao tilted his head, spitting blood, his spirit soaring: "Eldest Senior Brother, let's attack together!"

Xue Xueren nodded. "I'll take him on. Junior Brother, watch my flank."

The two of them sealed off Bai Lianbi's retreat to the Tianshi Dam from both sides.

Bai Lianbi's pupils trembled. He had to fight these two while also nervously dividing his attention, keeping a constant watch on the unfathomable Venerable Wuyang.

Facing his former master, he was already completely defeated in momentum.

With a muffled crunch, the Cosmic Taiji Diagram he summoned was quickly suppressed, struggling to rise.

Venerable Wuyang trailed behind unhurriedly, occasionally offering a word or two of guidance, just like in the past.

Their morale soared, and they fought with ever-greater intensity.

Finally, they forced Bai Lianbi to the absolute brink!

With a deafening "Boom!", Bai Lianbi was pounded into the seabed. Instantly, the seafloor was cleared, revealing rugged chasms.

Against the backdrop of the mountainous waves, he seemed as insignificant as an ant. Clutching his chest and bending over, he vomited a large mouthful of dark blood.

As the towering, mountain-like walls of water crashed down with a thunderous roar, he scrambled to his feet, and with a backhanded wave—

Thousands of acres of seawater coalesced into two towering whirlpools, summoning peals of thunder. Between the shaking sky and sea, a deafening hum echoed as a crimson Water Taiji trembled and slowly rose, its terrifying power almost capable of swallowing the heavens!

Xue Xueren slowly blinked his frost-white eyelashes.

"I'm going in."

Yu Xiao reached out to grab him, but the cold, pristine sleeve slipped through his palm.

Xue Xueren didn't look back, his voice calm. "I've been corrupted by the Longevity Elixir. There's no turning back for me. Apologize to Master for me. I'm going to clean up the family."

He waved his hand back.

Yu Xiao, severely injured earlier, couldn't withstand this shockwave. His body was sent hurtling back a hundred miles.

He anxiously tried to dash forward. "Senior Brother!"

"Boom—!"

A vast and terrifying spiritual explosion suddenly erupted. Yu Xiao crossed his sleeves before him, bracing against the shockwave, anxiously waiting for the impact to subside.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Between the sky and sea, a bloody mist filled the air.

"Senior Brother..."

"Xiao'er," Venerable Wuyang's figure gradually faded. "Keep moving forward. You have already become the true pride of the Yu clan."

"Mother..."

Suspended alone between heaven and earth, the Demi-god Lesser Shangqing could still maintain an immortal demeanor, but in his heart, he heard the cry of a child.

Whether enemy or companion, bonds forged over thousands of years came to a complete end today.

From now on, he was alone.

The sea breeze gradually turned a blood-red color.

Yu Xiao blinked slowly and heavily, his gaze growing firmer. He performed a deep bow toward where Venerable Wuyang had vanished. "Mother, I will."

The battle beneath the seabed was over.

Senior Brother had staked his life to clean up the family, absolutely not leaving Bai Lianbi, this traitor, even a sliver of life.

Yu Xiao waved his sleeves, parting the walls of seawater, and quietly walked to the crater.

Apart from his eyebrows and pupils, even Xue Xueren's hair had turned completely ash-white.

His cultivation dissipated, and he sat there like a transparent sheet of paper.

He held his Life-bound Sword, *Taiji*, reversed in his hand, having pierced it through Bai Lianbi's forehead, pinning him to the seafloor.

"Junior Brother," Xue Xueren whispered, breathing heavily. "I have a question."

Yu Xiao's face was expressionless. "Ask."

Xue Xueren: "Is tanghulu tasty?"

Yu Xiao: "...Sweet."

Xue Xueren also smiled. "Mm."

Their gazes slowly shifted to Bai Lianbi's dissipating body.

Their pupils constricted.

Yu Xiao, covered in wounds, boarded the flying ship.

Seeing him return, the most expressive Foxtail Grass Spirit immediately jumped six feet high. "Master! Double Heaven isn't dead!"

"Ahem!" The monkey quietly extended a paw, pulling back this tactless creature.

Yu Xiao waved his hand and smiled at the Foxtail Grass Spirit. "Ah, he's not dead."

The Foxtail Grass Spirit was stunned. "...Why does your smile look worse than crying?"

Yu Xiao lowered his gaze and walked into the cabin.

"Is it over?"

"It's over."

A moment of silence.

Yu Xiao asked with downcast eyes, "My senior brother's death... did the Divine Shaman foresee it?"

Fu Yu: "One of you had to die. Selfishly speaking, this is the outcome I wanted to see."

Yu Xiao nodded.

He asked again, "Then did you foresee that Bai Lianbi, oh, Little Yuqing—did you foresee he was an incarnation?"

Everyone and everything on the flying ship erupted in an uproar!

"What?! A Demi-god! Was actually an incarnation?!"

"Even his avatar managed to reach the Demi-god level—what does that make his real body!"

Fu Yu raised her hand, signaling for everyone to quiet down.

"I knew," she said plainly. "At the secret realm's longevity banquet, I already knew he was an avatar."

Jun Bu Du entered holding a bloodstained Star-Shifting Plate.

Since he had already uncovered the truth and slain Venerable Wuyang, how could he let that second disciple live?

Before coming, Jun Bu Du must have already killed Bai Lianbi.

The dead don't come back to life.

Unless it was a recultivated avatar.

Fu Yu said, "The Supreme God behind him is his true form. When Celestial Master Bai sacrificed himself for the people, that person used an avatar to replace Celestial Master Bai's only son."

After Jun Bu Du executed Venerable Wuyang, he went to restore the Heavenly Dao.

That person then created a new Bai Lianbi, spending thousands of years cultivating him to the level of a Demi-god.

Fu Yu comforted Yu Xiao, "Despite being an avatar, he was a genuine Demi-god. In the final battle to come, he will have lost a key ally. When we kill him, I can let you deliver the final blow."

After a long silence, Yu Xiao heaved a heavy sigh. "Honestly! Is there anything you *can't* figure out? You really are... not even human!"

The old folks were right.

This Divine Shaman is so righteous it borders on sinister—simply inhuman!

Fu Yu modestly replied, "Not at all, not at all."

Yu Xiao took a gulp of tea, turned his head, and gazed toward the horizon.

"By killing that Supreme God's avatar, I've shown my hand. A great storm is about to arrive."

Fu Yu smiled. "This world always needs a storm."

"Yes, there always has to be a storm. Sigh!"