I’m not in the future!?
Hearing the Gu God’s thought transmission, Xu Qi’an couldn’t hide his astonishment. He thought to himself, You’ve never even heard of Silver Gong Xu of the Great Feng? For a Beyond-rank, you’re shockingly ignorant!
“The Heaven Gu can only see a corner of the future. Perhaps you simply didn’t see me.”
Xu Qi’an replied with consciousness.
That was what he said, but from that single line revealed by the Gu God, he analysed three possibilities:
One: Silver Gong Xu had already perished before the great calamity arrived, so there was no him in the future the Gu God saw.
Two: someone had concealed his existence.
Just as Xu Pingfeng had used the first Jianzheng’s magical artefact to conceal his schemes, causing the current Jianzheng to see in the future that he won the battle of Qingzhou, rather than being sealed.
Speaking of this, there was one point of doubt Xu Qi’an had never verified:
The Jianzheng couldn’t predict the outcome of the Qingzhou war, but could he predict a more distant future? If he could, then from the fact that he himself did not appear in the future, the Jianzheng ought to have been able to infer that Qingzhou would be the moment of his death.
As for this, Xu Qi’an’s guess was that what the Jianzheng saw was another future, one in which Xu Pingfeng’s rebellion had been quelled in Qingzhou. But the magical artefact left by the first Jianzheng had changed the future.
Of course, this topic was far too philosophical. A coarse man like Silver Gong Xu found it hard to comprehend thoroughly.
Three: when the Gu God peered into the future, he still hadn’t transmigrated here.
The Gu God didn’t answer Xu Qi’an’s question. After a while, the majestic and grand voice continued:
“The future has changed once again.”
Again? Xu Qi’an pondered for a moment and asked:
“The future you glimpsed has already changed many times?”
So the future is not fixed, or rather, what’s called peering into the future was merely seeing one possible course among many… Xu Qi’an suddenly understood. He had once heard a saying that the future was like a towering tree, with countless branches. (Note 1)
There were innumerable possibilities.
The future the Jianzheng saw back in Qingzhou was one branch, and after the first Jianzheng’s magical artefact appeared, the future turned onto another branch?
“From the founding of the Great Feng until now, the future changed twice. If your existence is counted, then three times.”
The Gu God’s voice was majestic and grand. It answered frankly, as if disdaining to conceal anything.
“What did you see in the first two changes?” Xu Qi’an seized the chance to fleece what information he could.
“Wuzong’s rebellion, the appearance of the current Jianzheng…” The Gu God paused for a few seconds, as if recalling, then said:
“In the original future, the first Jianzheng would have remained alive until now, then taken Xu Pingfeng as his disciple. In order to advance to Master of Heaven’s Mandate, the latter would join forces with the Buddhist sect, kill the first Jianzheng, and replace him.”
…
Xu Qi’an’s mind was filled with only two words: fucking hell!
It took him quite a while to gather his chaotic thoughts and begin digesting the information the Gu God had revealed.
“In other words, in the original future, Wuzong’s rebellion never existed, and the first Jianzheng did not die. Xu Pingfeng was supposed to be the first Jianzheng’s disciple, and only not long ago would he have joined forces with the Buddhist sect to stab his master in the back.
The fate of the first Jianzheng dying to his disciple’s betrayal did not change, but the timeline changed. It was brought forward by five hundred years. Besides, in that future, Xu Qi’an really did die in the tax silver case… Why did such a change happen?
Two words surfaced in Xu Qi’an’s mind:
The Jianzheng!
“Gu God, in the future you foresaw, the Jianzheng also shouldn’t have existed, right?” Xu Qi’an sent with consciousness.
“He is the same as you.”
The Gu God’s answer was concise.
The same as me probably means, like me, he’s someone who changed the future. It couldn’t mean that, like me, he’s also a transmigrator… Xu Qi’an muttered uncertainly in his heart.
The reason I wasn’t supposed to exist in the future is because I’m not from this world. My transmigration altered the future. So where did the Jianzheng, someone else who also shouldn’t have appeared, come from? Xu Qi’an wondered inwardly.
If there’s ever a chance in future, maybe I’ll try a coded phrase with him? Hmm, the periodic table’s not bad, but after sodium, magnesium, aluminium, silicon, phosphorus… I can’t remember what’s next. Better switch to another one. I do remember the next line after ‘odds change, evens don’t change’… While Xu Qi’an’s mind wandered, the Gu God’s majestic and grand yet emotionless voice came again:
“How did the dense fortune on your body come about?”
“This is half the national fortune of the Central Plains dynasty. Strictly speaking, it doesn’t count as ordinary fortune.”
Xu Qi’an told the Gu God the origin of his national fortune, the whole sequence of causes and effects.
This was to preserve the current peaceful exchange.
“So it was you!”
A trace of fluctuation appeared in the Gu God’s voice.
? Xu Qi’an hurriedly pressed, “What do you mean?”
The Gu God did not answer.
Seeing this, Xu Qi’an could only continue asking:
“Then what caused the second change in the future?”
This time the Gu God did not remain silent, and answered directly, “The Central Plains first rank martial artist, named Wei Yuan, would be an important figure in the great calamity.”
Yet another piece of information heavy enough to be called a bombshell… Xu Qi’an rubbed his brow and calmly analysed the tangled secrets behind this revelation.
In the future seen by the Gu God, the Central Plains first rank martial artist is Wei Yuan, not me. In other words, I replaced Duke Wei? The first change in the future was because of the Jianzheng’s appearance. Then what caused this second change? After dying in Mount Jing City, Duke Wei became flesh and blood again. Who knows how many years it would take him to recover his cultivation…
No, the turning point wasn’t the battle of Mount Jing City, because by then I already carried national fortune and all sorts of karma. Even if Duke Wei hadn’t died, I still would’ve grown to my current realm. His death merely accelerated my growth.
Then keep pushing further back…
Xu Qi’an’s pupils shrank slightly. He had found the answer, after the battle of Shanhai Pass, Wei Yuan crippled his own cultivation and remained in court!
And that was the year I was born…
From that point on, I replaced Wei Yuan. My growth, my rise, all of it was driven behind the scenes by the Jianzheng. In other words, it was the Jianzheng who made me replace Wei Yuan. No, more accurately, the Jianzheng once chose Wei Yuan, but later, because Wei Yuan crippled his cultivation, he had no choice but to abandon that piece and choose me instead.
The two changes in the future were both because of the Jianzheng.
Based on this deduction, Xu Qi’an finally understood the true terror of a Master of Heaven’s Mandate. Through their own arrangements, they could influence the direction of the future, choosing a branch that suited their will.
“While we were sealed by the Confucian Sage, a first rank martial artist could grow smoothly.”
The Gu God’s voice sounded again.
“What do you mean?”
Xu Qi’an frowned.
The Gu God’s grand voice entered his mind:
“Since the end of the age of gods and demons, throughout endless years, there have been a fair few first rank martial artists born in Jiuzhou. So why is it that in Jiuzhou today, no first rank martial artists exist? Have you thought about the reason?”
“I know the martial artist system hides many secrets.”
Xu Qi’an did not answer directly.
First rank martial artists like Wuzong and Emperor Gaozu had limited lifespans, but there must always have been some who, by talent and hard work, reached first rank. Logically, they should have lived from ancient times until now.
Yet apart from Shenshu, there were no first rank martial artists on the continent of Jiuzhou.
Even Shenshu’s case was very special. He was suspected to be another body of the Buddha, and couldn’t be judged by ordinary standards. He was an exception.
The Gu God said:
“Because the Beyond-ranks do not wish to see a Martial God appear. Among the major systems of the present age, the strongest system publicly acknowledged is Confucianism, because Confucianism’s Beyond-rank can suppress beings of the same level. The statue beside you is the best proof.
“But even the Confucian Sage could not kill us.
“In truth, the martial artist path is the strongest system. You have only just entered first rank, so you do not understand the true power of a first rank martial artist. When you reach the great perfection of first rank, you will naturally know.”
Actually, I do know… Xu Qi’an replied with consciousness:
“At the great perfection of first rank, even a Beyond-rank can’t kill them? That’s an ability first rank cultivators of other systems don’t possess.”
The Gu God fell silent for a moment, then as if changing the subject, replied:
“According to my speculation, the Martial God is the only existence capable of killing Beyond-ranks of other systems. The Buddha, the Confucian Sage, the Warlock God, and the Daoist Venerable all believed this.”
Xu Qi’an suddenly understood:
“So the reason first rank martial artists vanished is that you stamped out the threat while it was still in the cradle?”
The Gu God’s grand voice echoed:
“Not me, them. After the end of the ancient age, I slept here, repairing my spiritual essence.”
“Why did you raise my younger sister as a vessel?” Xu Qi’an asked in a low voice.
To this, the Gu God replied:
“Not a vessel!”
Not a vessel? Xu Qi’an pressed on:
“What do you mean?”
But the Gu God no longer paid him any heed. If it wished to speak, it spoke. If it did not, then it did not.
That was the bearing of a Beyond-rank.
So there’s some other mystery behind the Gu God raising the Sevenfold Gu inside Lingyin, and it had nothing to do with me. Tsk, that’s a bit awkward… Seeing this, Xu Qi’an stopped pursuing it. He seized the time to gather more information and asked his next question:
“In the ancient age, why did the gods and demons slaughter one another?”
The Gu God was silent for a long time. Then its voice became solemn and majestic, like a heavenly decree being proclaimed:
“It was driven by instinct. It was out of necessity. It was to seize the first hope born after heaven and earth were split apart.”
“Care to explain?” Xu Qi’an said.
The Gu God disdained to respond.
“The Baidi who came to the Southern Marches to seek you some time ago, its true body is actually Desolation, and one of the ancient gods and demons too, an existence of the same rank as you.”
Xu Qi’an took the chance to sell out Desolation, though he believed the Gu God probably already knew.
“Its spiritual essence was torn apart by the undying bird.”
The Gu God gave a simple reply.
Xu Qi’an nodded. As expected, to a Beyond-rank, this world held no secrets.
“By the logic of ancient gods and demons slaughtering one another, are you and the Buddha and the others in a competitive relationship?” he asked.
This point was extremely important.
“After we break free of our seals, we will first divide up the Central Plains and gather fortune. Only then will we be in competition. In the face of absolute power, schemes have no meaning.”
The Gu God’s voice was grand and cold, exposing Xu Qi’an’s little scheme.
So this is telling me not to try to manipulate Beyond-ranks with strategy or guide the situation. If I really planned to do that, what I’d get would be a Beyond-rank’s club to the head… Xu Qi’an silently let out a breath.
At this level, only force truly spoke. Sharp tongues and intelligence were useless.
“Aren’t you afraid I’ll threaten you with repairing the Confucian Sage’s seal?” Xu Qi’an tested.
“You may.”
The Gu God replied.
In truth, I don’t really have the right to threaten it. If I sealed one Beyond-rank, I’d most likely be finished myself, unless I could seal all the Beyond-ranks at once… Xu Qi’an probed:
“Why tell me all this?”
The Gu God said:
“None of this matters.”
Xu Qi’an tried to interpret that. The Gu God probably meant that among Beyond-ranks, this sort of information was public, worthless intelligence. It didn’t care if others knew.
To Xu Qi’an, this information might be important, but to the Gu God, it had no value at all.
The gap between circles… Xu Qi’an finally said:
“Are you leaving on your own, or shall I suppress you and then find an Earthly Immortal to purge you?”
The Gu God fell silent. The next moment, that overbearing will retreated like the tide, leaving the Sevenfold Gu.
It had left.
Dealing with a Beyond-rank really is refreshingly straightforward. It has style. This trip to the Southern Marches has been hugely profitable… Xu Qi’an muttered bitterly to amuse himself. He examined himself and at last had the chance to digest the changes brought by the Sevenfold Gu’s advancement to beyond-mortal.
[Author Note] Note 1: as for the speculation of the future, don’t take it too much to heart, take it as the setting of this book (said from the the desire to live of an author that has been beaten too much in the past)
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