Chapter 564 - 360: Mission

Zhao Xuanqi and the other two stopped in their tracks, their gazes fixed on the twelve Yin Sha Pillars that shot up into the sky.

Sounds of panic and chaos echoed from every corner of the city. Evil Spirits emerged along the river channels, and the golden light barrier in the sky shook with increasing violence.

The collective will of the people gathers to form the Power of Incense. When the populace lives in peace and contentment, the Incense flourishes. Conversely, it wavers.

With chaos now spreading through the city, Evil Qi leaking from the Twelve Pillars, and Evil Spirits wreaking havoc everywhere, the populace was gripped by terror. As mass casualties began to mount, the Power of Incense waned.

If the Power of Incense weakened to a certain point, the seal of the South Mansion’s Grand Array would fail. Then, as the Power of Incense waned, the Evil Qi would surge, creating a truly dire situation.

At that point, it would no longer be a question of containing the Yin Tower Organization; the very safety of South Mansion would be under threat.

"We can’t let the Evil Qi continue to rise. We must suppress the unrest at the Twelve Pillars as quickly as possible. With this much Evil Qi surging upward, there’s no telling how many of the Ghost Gate Twelve Riders, who are suppressed beneath the pillars, will break free and manifest."

The Ten Thousand Laws Incarnation’s expression was incredibly grave. The Innate Level experts stationed throughout the city were likely all occupied by the enemy. While the experts guarding the Twelve Pillars could be killed by external attacks—even Innate Experts—dealing with an internal uprising was far more difficult.

The surging Yin Sha inherently weakened a region’s Power of Incense, which in turn diminished the strength of the experts in the imperial army. If the Ghost Gate Twelve Riders were to appear, the situation would become even more desperate.

Even after being suppressed for so many years, their strength severely depleted, those things were at least at the Above Innate level. Worst of all, they controlled a "Realm," allowing them to further diminish the effects of the Power of Incense.

’This can’t go on. I have to do something.’

His gaze swept over Zhao Xuanqi and Spirit as he inwardly considered how to approach them.

’These two came to hunt for Blood Food Power; their targets are the Yin Tower Believers. The Evil Spirits produced by the unrest at the Twelve Pillars don’t seem to be their objective. They probably won’t risk their necks so easily.’

But just as the Ten Thousand Laws Incarnation was pondering how to speak, Zhao Xuanqi’s expression suddenly tightened.

He felt a slight tremor from the Rebirth Jade within his consciousness. Through it, the world’s Celestial Dao was sending him information, which the Rebirth Jade then translated and transmitted into his mind.

"Suppress... South Mansion Twelve Pillars... surge of Evil Qi... one pillar... five good Merit..."

Although the relayed information was fragmented, it didn’t prevent Zhao Xuanqi from understanding its meaning.

The world’s Celestial Dao had issued him a "request for hire." For the incident regarding the surge of Evil Qi at South Mansion’s Twelve Pillars, he would be rewarded with five units of good Merit for every pillar he helped suppress.

Even in a world where Merit was relatively easy to obtain, five units of good Merit was still an enormous sum for Zhao Xuanqi. From hunting Gan Ming, he had taken seventy percent of the Blood Food Power, yet the Merit Power he had acquired amounted to less than two units.

What surprised him even more was that the Rebirth Jade’s "Task System," dormant for so long, had suddenly shown a reaction. ’It’s active again?’

He had previously looked into the Celestial Dao tasks received through the Rebirth Jade. Some were extremely vague, as if the Celestial Secret was being deliberately obscured. Others, he discovered, were located far outside Heqing Dao. Moreover, it seemed not a single one was below the Innate level in difficulty.

Even entering the Ghost City in the Dream hadn’t triggered a Celestial Dao task, yet this event had.

’What’s the principle behind this?’

A thoughtful glint appeared in Zhao Xuanqi’s eyes. As he listened to the sounds of unrest from the city, watched the violent fluctuations of the Power of Incense in the sky, and felt the gathering wave of panic, a realization seemed to dawn on him.

’The conditions for triggering a Celestial Dao task are likely related to two things. One is the intensity of the event. The other is its inextricable connection to the grand trend of the world.’

’The Celestial Dao Consciousness is the convergence of the consciousness of all things in this world—a sublimation of the grand trend. When a particular event has too great an impact on that trend, the Celestial Dao may issue a request for hire through the Rebirth Jade to beings like us, asking for help to correct the disturbance.’

’However, the fact that the Celestial Dao is offering such a generous reward also proves just how dangerous this task is.’

’What we’ll be facing is likely no ordinary Innate Level expert.’

He glanced over at Spirit, only to see her looking back at him, as if she had sensed it too. Their eyes met, and in that instant, a mutual understanding passed between them.

’Did she receive the Celestial Dao’s request as well?’

Zhao Xuanqi grew thoughtful. He was beginning to understand that Spirit was different from him. She likely wasn’t a Reincarnator and might not even have a Transformed Creature; rather, she came directly from the Upper Realm. Even so, she seemed capable of perceiving many of the same things he could.

’Then again,’ he thought, ’that makes sense. The Rebirth Jade’s function is powerful, but when you break it down, its most important ability is communicating with this world’s Celestial Dao. It’s perfectly normal that a true expert could communicate with the Celestial Dao directly.’

"You two..."

Having chosen his words carefully, the Ten Thousand Laws Incarnation, still held in Zhao Xuanqi’s grasp, prepared to speak, ready to use a combination of persuasion and coercion.

After all, both of them had accepted his Vitality Loan. If his other incarnations didn’t "recharge" them, their cultivation realms would plummet once the borrowed Vitality was depleted. They would then suffer a significant backlash, rendering them unable to act.