Chapter 463: Road to the Future

Yu Sheng knew that Eileen wasn't the only one who couldn't understand this—the others probably couldn't fully grasp it either. Only he had established a "connection" with the Derivation Star seed, and much of the information transmitted through that connection was difficult to describe in words.

He had many conjectures and plans concerning the Dark Angel—not just how to deal with their threat, but also tracing these "otherworldly visitors" back to their origins.

He was very interested in what was happening beyond the world and at the borders of the universe.

And this seed from "outside the world" would be a breakthrough point.

Yu Sheng still remembered what he had seen in hyperspace—the "information megastructures" built by the "Creator" within the underlying architecture of all things in the universe, the data and logic used to describe all things and define the order of laws. Although with limited intelligence he could not yet understand how that information sustained the operation of all things, at least one thing had become a vague conjecture in his mind:

Since this world was supported by those information megastructures, the essence of the Dark Angel's invasion could perhaps be explained in one sentence—it was an information contamination phenomenon caused by objects outside the system entering the system.

Also, Yu Sheng remembered that Hu Li had said something similar before about "the foundation of the world being information." It seemed that in her home world, the study of cosmic laws had already reached such a foundational depth—which also corroborated his current conjecture.

The breaking of the Derivation Star's "ascension cycle" and the successful retention of a seed proved that the "information contamination" phenomenon in the above conjecture was not uncontrollable. If this seed were allowed to grow, what use could the "transformation data characteristics" it carried be put to...

* * *

Behind the main building of the Fire-Protecting Cathedral, there was an open space.

Luna called this space the "Soul Courtyard." She and her knights had built a large cloister surrounding the entire area, but the courtyard itself remained empty—her original plan was to erect a forty-meter-tall statue of Yu Sheng here, but that plan had been shelved ever since Yu Sheng himself found out and vehemently opposed it.

Now, Yu Sheng was digging a hole in the center of the "Soul Courtyard."

"Are you sure this thing can actually be... 'planted' like this, and then something will grow?" Eileen hugged her arms inside the oil painting, looking at Yu Sheng fussing around with suspicion. "I'm not doubting your farming skills, but this place—you tried bringing in seeds from outside before because you thought the plants here were too gray and ugly. Turns out nothing grows here."

Hearing the little doll ramble, Yu Sheng smiled confidently. "Don't worry, it will grow... In fact, not just here—anywhere in this world, this seed can take root, because its essence is an 'information cluster.' What it needs isn't soil and sunlight, but a 'permit to operate.'"

"...I don't understand what you're saying. It's all a mess," Eileen scratched her hair, then saw Yu Sheng bury the seed in the hole and grew a little worried. "This thing isn't going to go out of control, is it? I've seen it in movies—spores from alien planets, strains dug up from mysterious ruins, embryos falling from outer space—scientists always have to activate them and then a bunch of people die, with black borders around their names in the credits..."

Yu Sheng was concentrating on covering the seed with soil when he finally couldn't take her babbling anymore. "Can't you wish for something good? Are you that eager to see me in trouble?"

"I'm just being precau... precautious or whatever. Anyway, I'm worried," Eileen climbed onto her big chair in the painting, propped her chin on a plush bear, her face scrunched up. "After all, you keep courting death every day, and recently it's been getting more and more spectacular."

"Don't worry, it won't go out of control," Yu Sheng glanced helplessly at the little doll. "Essentially, this seed is already a part of me, just like Shu Ji. How to put it... Oh, right, it's a connection at the information level."

Listening to Yu Sheng's explanation, Eileen's eyes gradually became vacant.

But after Yu Sheng finished speaking, he suddenly seemed to think of something. He hesitated, then looked up and stared into the little doll's eyes.

"When you said you were worried about this going out of control, did you actually sense something—like when you usually say I have 'bloody calamity'—or were you just saying it casually?"

Startled by his suddenly serious expression, Eileen shrank her neck in the chair, then looked at Yu Sheng carefully for a while, then down at the spot where the Derivation Star seed was buried. She tilted her head and thought for a long time, then finally blurted out: "I... I was just saying it casually. I didn't see anything."

Yu Sheng immediately relaxed. "Oh, okay then."

Eileen blinked in the painting, then thought about something or other and suddenly became happy. She twisted her frame to look at the blonde girl beside her. "Hey, hey! C-type buckle! Look! Yu Sheng even consults me on things like this—I tell you, I'm a professional in esoteric matters. Unlike someone who only knows how to chop things up, I'm a brain. A brain, you understand?"

Luna sighed, walking away while muttering under her breath in annoyance: "Braindead, more like..."

Eileen didn't hear it clearly and kept showing off in midair.

Yu Sheng earnestly sprinkled the last shovel of soil onto the Derivation Star seed, then let out a gentle sigh.

The seed slumbered faintly in the soil, not yet awake from that lush dream of branches and leaves, but it had gradually sensed the existence of "soil"—a gentle, safe, good place willing to let it take root and grow.

Yu Sheng could feel the subtle ripples spreading across the crystal's surface. It trembled lightly and extended tiny crystalline branches in the darkness too fine for the naked eye to see.

After this, it would slowly get used to this place, take root in the soul wilderness, sprout and grow. It would absorb the nutrients Yu Sheng provided for it and grow into... the form it dreamed of.

"That's it." Yu Sheng clapped his hands, turned around, and his gaze fell upon Yun Qingzi again.

The old man had been silent all along, watching Yu Sheng's every move with curiosity and seriousness, until now, when he stroked his beard and exhaled softly: "The Dao has no end..."

"I don't understand this 'Dao' stuff," Yu Sheng waved his hand. "Let's talk about you instead. Do you have any plans for the future?"

Yun Qingzi was visibly taken aback.

Then he stared at Yu Sheng for a long time before suddenly blurting out: "Shouldn't you refine my soul and send me into reincarnation?"

This time it was Yu Sheng's turn to be visibly taken aback.

"...I don't know how!"

Yun Qingzi: "...Ah?!"

The old man's "Ah?!" told Yu Sheng that there had been a huge misunderstanding. He quickly waved his hands while brainstorming, trying to figure out how to explain the current situation to Yun Qingzi. After a moment's thought, he finally spoke:

"Here's the deal. You did die, but halfway through I stopped you, so now you're a 'living' spirit body. And from what you said, it seems you've fully recovered all of 'Yun Qingzi's' self-awareness. You're free now, and with your level of cultivation, even as a spirit body, you should be able to live very well outside.

"So now you can choose. You can stay here, but honestly, you might not get used to this place. Or you can go out—I can open a door and send you to the real world, either to Shu Ji or the Void Spirit Pivot.

"Of course, if you've really had enough of living and insist on dying, that's fine too. I'll spray you with blood again, then directly dismantle your spirit body and you'll die. This time I guarantee I'll dismantle you thoroughly—no risk of resurrection..."

Yu Sheng's words were quite straightforward, and Yun Qingzi was a bit stunned as he listened.

Seeing the old man not reacting for a long time, Yu Sheng spoke again: "What's the matter? Are you sure you want to die?"

As soon as he said that, Yun Qingzi snapped out of it and waved his hand. "Forget it. This old man thinks living is better than dying."

Yu Sheng grinned. "Should I send you back to the Void Spirit Pivot?"

Yun Qingzi thought about it seriously this time, but a helpless look appeared on his face. "Sigh... It would be good, but also not good. This old man now has few old acquaintances left in the Void Spirit Pivot. And regarding the 'Derivation Star calamity,' I owe a great debt to the Void Spirit Pivot. Going back... I really don't have the face to return."

Hearing the old man's words, Yu Sheng became curious. "Back in the Derivation Star's memory space, weren't you quite carefree about it? Saying things like 'already steeped in evil,' 'this bit of suffering and calamity doesn't matter'... Why are you agonizing now?"

Yun Qingzi spread his hands and spoke candidly: "At that time, this old man never imagined he would actually come back to life. Since I was dead anyway, I had to talk tough."

Yu Sheng: "..."

So the complete version of Yun Qingzi was like this?

He was a little surprised when Yun Qingzi spoke again: "To be honest with you, Fellow Daoist, this old man is indeed a bit... lost. They say life and death are the hardest things to see through and let go of. And to have both died and lived... My cultivation is still too shallow. Now I don't know how to 'return to the mortal world,' nor what to do from now on. If I have to say..."

Yun Qingzi paused and sighed softly.

"Sigh, I'm tired, very tired. This old man has no great ambitions now. I just want a quiet place to rest my feet. If there were a forest valley where I could build a hut and live, that would be fine. Or if you, Fellow Daoist, have some idle task to spare, I would be willing."

Yu Sheng blinked, mulling over the words for a few seconds, then suddenly clapped his hands. "Hey, now that you mention it..."

Yun Qingzi immediately looked up.

Yu Sheng: "I have an orphanage here. I need a security guard..."