Chapter 542 - 305: The Main Culprit

Chapter 542: Chapter 305: The Main Culprit

A thought to sow discord in Lu Cang’s mind flashed through An Su’s. And this time, he acted on it.

’My Spirituality... comes from the Highest Leaf.’

’And the people around me...’

An Su’s words caused a flicker of fear to rekindle in Lu Cang’s heart.

On second thought...

Everything really was far too coincidental.

’Why did I run into Iz, Kumironi, and all those people the moment I arrived?’

At first, he hadn’t known how powerful Iz and the others were. But as his own strength increased and his understanding of the world expanded, he truly began to grasp what a formidable Mage Iz was.

Even among everyone Lu Cang had met, he couldn’t think of a single person whose mastery of Magic surpassed Iz’s.

The same went for Kumironi, and for Chi Cheng...

They were all, without a doubt, among the strongest of the strong.

Lorren was a tiny place—just a forgotten corner of the Secret Sea. A backwater nook. If you mentioned it anywhere else, people would likely ask, "What’s Lorren? Where’s Ruelun?" Questions like that.

And yet, in such a tiny place...

Izparut, Kumironi, Chi Cheng, Obades, Aertemi, An Zheng... all these powerhouses, one after another, had gathered on this one small island.

There were even some strange and inexplicable people, like that mysterious Divination Master...

To this day, Lu Cang still had no idea where Pari had come from.

Even after mastering the Talents "Future Preview" and "Hidden Origin," he still couldn’t probe into Pari’s background, because she had disappeared.

"So, you’re saying my very existence is just to be a pawn in the grand design of some higher power."

An Su said, "Heh, perhaps."

"Even Level 9 Reincarnators must expend great effort to step into that final realm."

The final realm An Su spoke of was Level 10.

The reason An Su had been stuck in a cycle of repeated Death and Rebirth after becoming a Level 9 Reincarnator was precisely to prepare for his ascension to Level 10.

And this process was excruciatingly long.

A million years rushed by. At times he lay dormant, at others he walked the world, experiencing the full spectrum of life and witnessing its endless vicissitudes.

Yet even now, in this current era, he had still failed to reach the true realm of Level 10.

After receiving the final answer, Lu Cang was silent for a moment.

"Okay, got it."

His tone was light, as if he had just learned a piece of trivial information.

This answer, surprisingly, wasn’t as painful as learning his parents had been turned into Demons.

After all, one’s birth was never something one could control.

’It’s a shame, though. I thought I was living out the plot of some power-fantasy protagonist, or that I’d been transported to a novel’s world.’

’But it turns out this wasn’t a transmigration at all.’

’I have no idea which being orchestrated this whole thing, but I guess it did allow me, a simple native of Earth, to see just how big the world really is.’

’But if that person was also responsible for what happened to the entire Earth...’

Lu Cang still wouldn’t let them off the hook.

"This Ritual... can it be completely broken?"

An Su replied, "If I were at my Peak..."

"Forget it."

It wasn’t worth wagering his soul at a time like this. Besides, he had sensed a flash of intent from the other’s mind: a notion to use this incident to trick Lu Cang and swindle him out of his soul.

An Su had too many stray thoughts.

Fleeting thoughts would occasionally flash through his mind—thoughts of killing the boy and seizing the Highest Leaf, thoughts of what the boy would look like if he were his dog.

It was a little... disgusting.

However, these stray thoughts were as fleeting as a person’s daydreams, gone in an instant.

After forging the contract and adapting to it for some time, Lu Cang had gradually learned not to dwell on these strange notions.

As long as An Su remained under his control, he was a tool to be used.

It was dangerous, yes, but An Su’s vast knowledge had undeniably brought him great convenience on his journey.

Without An Su, he would have stumbled into countless pitfalls by now.

’There might be someone by my side, constantly coveting my Highest Leaf.’

’Countless coincidences have gathered around me...’

Stray thoughts swirled endlessly in Lu Cang’s mind as well.

’Kumironi...’

Standing in Shanghai, Lu Cang extended his Perception to the coast of Qingdao. Kumironi was still there, touching the two Slimes. He could see the glistening beads of sweat on her forehead.

’Dad, Mom...’

’I shouldn’t doubt Kumironi, should I? She’s so kind.’

"In this world, the ones most skilled at deception are those filled with Spirituality."

An Su’s words echoed in his mind.

A chill filled Lu Cang’s heart. "An Su."

"You’re doing this on purpose. You’re trying to sow discord in my Mind."

An Su said, "Sowing discord?"

"Heh, perhaps I had such an idea... But is it really sowing discord? It’s an established fact. Does it cease to exist just because I don’t point it out?"

"If you’re betrayed by someone close to you in the future, are you going to blame me for not saying anything then?"

"Who you trust is your own business."

"But don’t blame me for not reminding you: betrayal from someone by your side is always more painful than facing an enemy head-on."

"Betrayal is what cuts deepest."

Lu Cang frowned.

Lu Cang understood the logic, but it still felt deeply unsettling.

’Who to trust, and who to doubt?’

’If I let his words plunge me into a state of total suspicion, all of my future actions will be warped.’

’An Su... it seems I can’t let my guard down around you, either.’

A Level 9 Reincarnator truly was a double-edged sword.

Even with mere words—spoken openly and with flawless logic—he could still affect one’s Mind.

’I will believe those I should believe, and remain suspicious of those who warrant it.’

’Beyond that...’

’Strength is the foundation upon which everything else stands.’

Lu Cang continuously corrected his line of thinking, and the storm of suspicion stirred by An Su gradually subsided.

An Su watched as Lu Cang’s Sea of Consciousness gradually calmed.

He smiled silently to himself.

’Such a state of mind... truly remarkable.’

’Next... it seems Kumironi isn’t finished yet, and I don’t know how much time she’ll need... I should gather some more information about Earth in the meantime.’

’And I should also stack up some more "Heaven-Ascending Realm of Perfection".’

’And then...’

BOOM!

Before Lu Cang could even finish his thought, he felt a powerful presence slowly descending upon the planet.

WHOOSH!

The seawater was thrust aside as massive, sky-high whirlpools erupted in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

A figure was suspended high in the sky!

It was pitch-black and humanoid in form.

A fleshy, tumor-like orb floated by its left hand. It gazed down upon the world below, and even from thousands of kilometers up, Lu Cang could feel its gaze fixed on Kumironi.

Earth was too small.

It simply couldn’t contain a battle between High Level Reincarnators.

For a Reincarnator of Lu Cang’s combat strength, Earth was a fragile thing that could be shattered in a few blows.

The figure in the sky emanated the aura of a Demon!

At the same time, Lu Cang felt a stir in his Perception. A name from his Hidden Origin pointed to this very being.

This figure was no one else.

It was... Luo Mo.