Chapter 316 – Truths and Lies (II)

Chapter 316

Truths and Lies (II)

[–Anomaly detected]
[…]
[You have detected a trace of Dao Law of the Soul, one of the Ancient Laws. Through endless eons of time, Dao Laws have scattered and assimilated into the machinations of the world itself, unwieldable by any one person. They obey nothing and no one, remaining eternally elusive. Here and there, however, people come in contact with them, ever so briefly, remaking their mortal coil unto the image of Dao–and thus, an Emperor is born. The trace you discovered is precisely from when a mortal commenced the ritual to ascend to Divine Imperium. The mortal was one of the Abyssal Sages, the titular Soul Sage. It is uncertain whether he succeeded or failed]
[… new quest generated: Trace of Dao]
[Trace of Dao (???) — head toward the Cave of Immanence, located in the deep Void Gorge within the Heavenly Void Range. Perhaps there is more to be discovered there]
[There is no time limit, though Dao Laws become increasingly unstable the longer they reside within the mortal membrane]
[Reward: hint on the truth behind the Heavens]

… huh.

It was unexpected, in many ways. But I couldn’t even quite focus on that because I had to pull back the ‘dogs’ that started to stab that old man repeatedly. Well, the man had already died–he died the moment my Qi touched that trace, his soul annihilated. What they were stabbing was a rapidly decaying corpse that turned to ashes within ten seconds.

“Master, are you alright?!”

“Quick, summon the alchemist! Feed him a divine pellet!”

“I’m fine, I’m fine.” I stood up, dusting myself off. It didn’t hurt, but the sensation was… unique. I can’t even really begin to put it into words, as it’s sort of like love–I imagine everyone who felt it would have experienced it differently. Or, at least, interpreted it.

The best way I can put it… it felt like an itch on my soul. And the quest, I imagine, is how I can scratch it.

But the most curious part of it all was that it was one of the ‘Abyssal Sages’. I’ve noticed it before, but this confirmed it: the system seems to know things not merely of the past, but also of the present. As though it’s an all-seeing eye observing the world, and I’m its conduit for arbitration.

“What happened?” Wan Lan asked.

“Oh, not much. We were eating some nice food, and he suddenly bloated up so much that his fart sent me straight into the wall, like a cannonball.”

“…”

“…”

“…”

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“I was just about to make a breakthrough in the healing art…” said Xi Zhao.

“Ugh, and my fist arts were just about to reach the next mastery,” said Dai Xiu.

“Master… aah,” that was Wan Lan.

“He farted? How come it doesn’t smell?” Xing Feng said. “Any time I fart, it smells! Or any time Senior Sisters fart–“