Chapter 1818: Chapter 434: A Bright Future
The Qingzhong Cemetery was shrouded in a faint golden mist.
"This matter... is roughly like this."
"Cui Zhongcheng" had his hands in his pockets, his voice calm. Just now, he had explained to Bai Shu everything that had happened in the outside world.
"If there’s anything you don’t understand, feel free to ask."
Upon hearing that Gu Shen was still alive, Bai Shu’s expression softened slightly.
But his brow remained furrowed: "How can you be sure that Meng Xizhou... would leave such a backup? She was born in Light City, baptized by the teachings of the Light since childhood. Such an important part, you entrusted it to her?"
Based on his understanding of Turing.
Over the years, hiding his identity and wandering in the East Continent, Turing never revealed his true identity, he always played the role of Huazhi Group’s steward "Cui Zhongcheng", a character that shone brightly on the stage of Da Du, with millions of eyes watching him day and night, yet no one saw through his disguise.
Cui Zhongcheng’s over twenty years were transparent, easily searchable.
Turing had no time to communicate with Meng Xizhou; at most, he only exchanged brief information through the deep water area with this West Continent Goddess.
It’s such a significant plan.
The most crucial part handed to a stranger never met?
What if Meng Xizhou was always an insider for the Light, or she had her own plot?
"Among the living now... you should be the one who understands me the most." Turing lowered his eyelids, gently saying: "The things I want to do will absolutely not have any surprises. If I entrust this matter to Meng Xizhou, it means she will definitely act according to the planned trajectory."
"Why?"
"Perhaps because she is a sufficiently pure person." Turing replied with a calm smile: "The purer one is, the easier it is to reach consensus. Of course, this is not the reason I trust her. Let me tell you... before this matter, she has already done more than one thing for me. She has contributed quite a bit of strength, hence the crucial part was entrusted to her."
"More than one thing?"
Bai Shu was taken aback.
"Gu Shen is an excellent child, only he bears too heavy a burden... Even if he could one day become the ’Netherworld King’, it’s still not enough strength."
Turing’s gaze softened: "If it was just to cultivate a Netherworld King, why would I have waited for more than twenty years? A Divine Throne wielding Netherworld King authority cannot lead this world to win the final war... The remaining time for this world is not much, Qinglong will not allow Gu Shen to grow smoothly, the [Old World] will not either, so in these years, I must ensure he can accelerate, and accelerate further."
Bai Shu squinted his eyes.
Indeed, Gu Shen’s growth speed over these years was incredibly rapid.
He was pushed to the current position by the tides of the era.
During his fast growth, Gu Shen experienced several "key events"...
"Do you remember the ’Spiritual Golden Hoop’ you granted to Gu Shen?"
Turing suddenly asked this question.
Bai Shu certainly remembered.
The greatest "transformation" of Gu Shen’s Extraordinary Cultivation journey was completing three Super Realms... The golden hoop he provided played an essential role in this.
But at this moment, Bai Shu abruptly recalled the task executed when Gu Shen broke through the realm.
He murmured, "You mean... the Nether River task of the Duolu River Disaster Realm."
In that task, Gu Shen accomplished the miracle of three Super Realms.
"Exactly."
Turing narrowed his eyes, smiling happily: "I assume at that time you must have also investigated the case files in the North Continent. Duke Zhen Yue Meng Xiao went missing during that task, while Gu Shen was listed as the primary suspect by Light City..."
Bai Shu definitely remembered this case file.
At the time, he had prepared for the worst scenario, if the Holy Judge persisted relentlessly and involved the Light God’s Seat, he would also show up.
There was no evidence for Meng Xiao’s death.
But the truth...
The highest seat knew in their heart.
"Everything in this world happens for a reason, think carefully, why would Meng Xiao go insane and hunt down Gu Shen?"
Turing spoke leisurely: "If you could find Meng Xiao’s remnant soul, he might tell you... it was the Light’s guidance, the Light told him that Gu Shen was very likely connected to the Netherworld King, as a Son of the Light’s Blessing, having received such guidance, how could he not act? But is this explanation the truth?"
"..."
Bai Shu looked at Turing, once again realized the terrifying nature of the man in front of him.
Meng Xiao was Meng Xizhou’s elder brother.
He suddenly realized that the Duolu River Disaster Realm task back then, was far from as simple as the world perceived.
Meng Xizhou regrettably "missed" the opportunity to meet with her brother, but she had met the Empress... After that task, the marriage contract between Light City and the Lin Family broke off, and the situation of division between the two continents subtly formed.
This was the first cooperation between Meng Xizhou and Turing.
This young woman was using the hand of destiny to propel the underground currents.
Meng Xiao’s death allowed Gu Shen to accomplish three Super Realms.
And the Meng family’s breach of contract helped her change the deep-rooted situation between the two continents.
Bai Shu’s voice was hoarse: "This was your first cooperation?"
"Yes."
Turing smiled: "This cooperation was very pleasant... But only this one cooperation was not enough for me to trust her."
"So there was a second cooperation... when did the second cooperation happen?"
Bai Shu remembered clearly, after breaking the marriage contract, Meng Xizhou was imprisoned in the Light City’s Secret Dungeon, thereafter no news was heard.
A prisoner under house arrest, a cast-off stripped of the Goddess identity.
How to achieve the second collaboration?
"Actually, it’s simple—the same familiar term, guidance from the Light."
Turing said indifferently, "The foundation of my collaboration with Meng Xizhou lies in the power I possess and the power she possesses... I can connect with her through the deep water area without limitation, and she can use my power to send guidance from the Light Spirit to the believers of the Light Church. No matter how strong the will of the Transcendent, they cannot resist this guidance. Under the guidance of the ’Light Spirit,’ they will accomplish a specific goal. The most straightforward manifestation is arriving at a particular place at a specific time."
Bai Shu’s expression became unsettled.
Because these words directly unraveled a long-buried confusion in his mind.
Six years ago, during the Sangzhou Cave incident, everyone was saddened by "Gu Shen’s death," but only he remained calm, because Turing had already appeared at the Qingzhong Cemetery and told him that Gu Shen wouldn’t really die.
So he knew the answer in advance.
He had been pondering over the years...
How did Turing manage to control Gu Shen’s life and death?
Especially after the Red Lake incident, Bai Shu saw the entire truth—during the Sangzhou Cave Tanyao outbreak, Jia Wei gave Gu Shen a crucial strike... but Gu Shen was only critically injured, not dispersed as a soul. To outsiders, this seemed like luck for Gu Shen, but Bai Shu saw it as something beyond mere luck.
If Turing wanted Gu Shen to "fake death" in this Sangzhou Cave incident, then he needed to eliminate all uncontrollable factors to ensure the plan proceeded as intended.
In other words.
In a parallel universe, Jia Wei could shoot a thousand times, and Gu Shen must survive every single time.
If Gu Shen truly died from Jia Wei’s gunshot.
Then the plan would fail... Turing, Ancient Literature Society, anyone waiting for Gu Shen for over twenty years couldn’t bear the consequences of failure.
Bai Shu understood the most crucial part at this moment.
Besides Turing, there was also Meng Xizhou in the Sangzhou Cave event.
Jia Wei followed the "Light Guidance" will, arriving at Sangzhou Cave at the critical time and delivering that shot... unfortunately, all this was already under control. The message he received was not a gift from heaven, but the calculated "signal" from Meng Xizhou and Turing.
In the Sangzhou Cave incident, Jia Wei’s existence was meant to offer Gu Shen the opportunity for "rebirth."
Of course.
Not everyone could seize such an opportunity for "rebirth."
To come back from the brink of death.
Even if Bai Shu himself were to try, he might not perform as beautifully as Gu Shen.
"Second collaboration... Gu Shen successfully mastered ’birth and extinction.’
Bai Shu said meaningfully, "To achieve this step, you really... exhausted all efforts, sacrificing yourself."
Upon self-reflection, his dedication to Gu Shen was nothing compared to Turing’s.
Since he left Qing River, Turing had been looking after Gu Shen... besides the two collaborations with Meng Xizhou, he also arranged opponents like "Xiao" for Gu Shen.
Turing’s exhaustive efforts were all for Gu Shen to grow faster, even faster.
"Praise is misplaced."
Turing sighed lightly, the smile on his face dissipating, replaced by a hint of melancholy in his eyes. His tone was a helpless jest, "If given a choice, who would want to do this? I just hope that before the ’storm’ of the Old World sweeps through, someone can stand up in this ghost place to save some more people."
Bai Shu fell silent.
About that huge Source Material Storm in the Old World, he had heard vague rumors.
Yet he always felt that things weren’t that simple.
Bai Shu stared at Turing, his gaze piercing, "Why must it be Gu Shen?"
"If not Gu Shen, would it be me?"
Turing laughed, shrugged, "You should know me... if I truly had this ability, would I have been expelled from the Five Continents? Perhaps I can be useful for inventions and schemes. But in a fight, ten of me wouldn’t stand a chance against you."
All these years, he had been hiding quietly in the shadows.
Though he walked in sunlight tomorrow.
In essence, he couldn’t see the light.
"What I mean is... apart from Gu Shen, is there truly no one else?"
Bai Shu shook his head, "If you want to resolve Qinglong and the Old World’s storm, maybe Gu Changzhi could?"
Turing remained silent for a long time.
"Gu Changzhi tried, but he couldn’t do it."
He raised his head, speaking softly, "If that guy were alive now, many things would become simple, solving Qinglong wouldn’t be a troublesome issue... but he believed the greater danger came from the Old World rather than Qinglong. So he chose to sacrifice himself to set this world in motion."
Bai Shu was puzzled, "Set this world... in motion?"
"If he hadn’t died, there wouldn’t be you. The Five Continents wouldn’t have experienced so many events, cause and effect, these two words intertwining. Gu Changzhi buried himself in the cemetery because he saw the possibility of this world returning to the Light..."
"Unfortunately."
"In that bright future, he’s absent."
"Therefore, he chose to die."
...
...
(Another update tonight!)
