Chapter 108: A Single Word Reveals the Truth, Crisis Reborn

"Very well, I understand. Rest assured, I will definitely see this matter through!" Meng Youyuan spoke with ironclad resolve, her gaze devoid of the slightest hesitation, replaced by a tenacity that would not cease until her goal was achieved. Everyone present felt as though Meng Youyuan had transformed in an instant, shifting into a powerful woman capable of shouldering heavy burdens and standing tall, no longer the little girl who would only remain silent and hide behind others when faced with adversity.

In truth, even Meng Youyuan herself felt this change. She sensed an aura of strength radiating from her entire being, shedding the fragility of her past. Yet, when she looked at the others, she still saw herself as their little girl, their precious younger sister. Only in their presence could she shed all her disguises and revert to being an ordinary little girl, basking in their care and protection.

This feeling was quite contradictory, was it not? But upon reflection, life itself is a contradiction. Some yearn for independence, wanting to rely on no one, yet when that day truly arrives, they feel an boundless sense of loneliness. Others deliberately isolate themselves, refusing to let anyone enter their hearts, yet at times they crave for someone to see through their emptiness. But when that person finally appears, they are seized by fear, terrified that this person might see through them entirely.

At this moment, Meng Youyuan’s heart was filled with similar contradictions. On one hand, she wanted to shoulder everything she had to face, not wanting to trouble the others or become a burden. On the other hand, she wished to remain their little girl, cherished and protected, enjoying the infinite warmth. This identity left her truly adrift—should she leave alone so as not to implicate them, or should she honor the vow of life and death they made when they swore brotherhood?

How wonderful it would be if she were just an ordinary woman. Then she could live a carefree life with Brother Xian and spend her days laughing and playing with everyone else. But even this thought, which seemed so common to others, had become an unattainable luxury in her current world. Once the truth was exposed, it meant she would have no peace; she would be accompanied only by a life of wandering and displacement.

Upon receiving Meng Youyuan's reply, the woman nodded with great satisfaction. She then turned away to look at the others outside the room, lost in thought. Her gaze was chilling, devoid of the slightest emotion. After a long while, she spoke slowly: "Are you Yushang?" With that, she pushed aside the bead curtain, walked over to Yushang, and circled him, examining him intently.

"That is indeed me." Yushang did not know the purpose of this woman's scrutiny, nor did he understand the source of the terrifying hostility radiating from her, so he responded respectfully. In his memory, he had no impression of this woman; why did she look at him as if he were a sworn enemy? How could two strangers harbor such intense hatred for one another?

"Your appearance, cultivation, and character are all quite good. Your future achievements will be limitless. It seems that girl did not give her heart to the wrong person. However, I must offer you a piece of advice: do not overreach in all things. I do not wish to see you become the second 'Fuyou Ming'." The woman spoke softly, yet her words reached everyone’s ears. They were deeply confused as to who this "girl" was and what connection Brother Yu had to Fuyou Ming.

"What is wrong with becoming the King? His cultivation is unfathomable, and he is quite famous in this world. Though his nature is somewhat cold, he is not heartless. If one must find fault with the King, I suppose it is only that he loved too deeply and was blinded by a deceitful woman, leading to the tragedy that made him what he is today!" Upon hearing the woman's words, Lan Wu could not help but retort. She was truly something—having clearly wronged him, she showed no remorse and instead made snide remarks about him.

"Hahaha, a little girl is just a little girl. You will never see the truth clearly, only prone to making a fuss based on the superficial things before your eyes. Sooner or later, you will see his true colors. Don't blame me for not warning you: do not trust him! Otherwise, the tragic consequences you will reap in the future are more than you can bear!" As the woman said this, hatred surged in her eyes, and the surrounding atmosphere became dangerously volatile.

"How I treat my woman is not for you to criticize. Furthermore, if you were truly as clever as ice and snow, how did you end up in such a miserable state?" As soon as Xiao Yin heard the woman speaking ill of Lan Wu, his temper flared, and he retorted without mercy. In Xiao Yin's world, his woman was someone only he could tease or bully; if anyone else harmed Lan Wu, the consequences would be unbearable.

"For me, death may not be a form of release. If I could, I would rather sink into death forever, never to wake up again, never to face this hypocritical world!" As she spoke, the woman looked into the distance. Her gaze became deeply melancholy, a sadness that would ache in the hearts of those who saw it. It turned out that people's pursuits were truly different; some spent their lives striving for immortality, while others plotted and schemed only for death.

"But have you ever thought that this is just an escape? To be alive is to at least have hope; once dead, there is nothing left. You keep saying this world is hypocritical, but you have never actually tried to change it. Sometimes, looking at problems from a different perspective makes things much easier." Yushang looked at the woman and spoke softly. He suddenly felt that she was pitiful, and he could better sense the tragic life she must have led before her death.

"You tell me to change? Hahaha. Those born in the Immortal Realm possess everything, yet they are the only ones who have lost themselves. I cannot even control my own life, so how can I speak of change? My fate is determined by the heavens, not by men. This is my tragedy. If you were in my position, you too would choose death." The woman laughed bitterly in resignation. To her, death was the best outcome; living was an endless torment.

"Wasn't Sister Lan Wu also a person of the Immortal Realm? She was able to cast aside her past and start anew. Since you are so capable, why can you not do the same?" Yan Xuesu, seeing the woman in such pain, felt a pang of sympathy and could not help but speak. What kind of place was the legendary Immortal Realm, really? Why were those in the outside world desperate to get in, while those inside were desperate to escape?

"That is precisely what is suspicious. As someone from the Immortal Realm, Lan Wu abandoned that place, yet she was not hunted down and has lived to this day. Do you not find that suspicious? Fuyou Ming hates the people of the Immortal Realm so much that he wishes to slaughter them all; why did he make an exception for you? Is there no hidden agenda here? I, for one, do not believe he possesses such kindness!" The woman suddenly laughed coldly.

"Listening to you, could it be that the King intentionally took us in, only to use us for some grand conspiracy behind our backs?" Yu Xiaoran was clearly frightened by this speculation. If this were true, given the King's nature, whatever he intended to do must be related to the Immortal Realm. Could he be plotting to completely destroy it? Just thinking about it sent a chill down his spine. If he truly succeeded, would the world not be drowned in blood?

"Although the Great War between the Immortals and the Underworld will inevitably reoccur in the near future, if the King truly harbors this ambition, it will not merely be a war between the two realms. I fear the entire world will be implicated. Could his true intention be to unify the entire world?" Leng Huaiyi also frowned, saying that if this were the case, the world would be in chaos, and the result would be total destruction and carnage.

"But what I don't understand is that Fuyou Ming is already the most powerful figure in this world. As long as the gods from other realms do not return, he faces no threats. Why would he risk being cursed and hunted by the world to unify it? How is he any different from the master of this world now?" Xun Mishuang asked, deeply confused. Why would someone who already possessed what he desired do such unnecessary things?

"You said it yourself—as long as the people from the other realms do not return, that means his throne is not secure! Could it be that he can foresee the future and knows that those who went to the other realms are about to return, which is why he is acting rashly, wanting to strike first?" Yin Boxuan also chimed in with his own guess. It must be said that this realization shocked them to the core. Behind every peace lies hidden danger; beneath the calm surface of the water lie surging, restless waves.

"There is a rumor that the King was once taken away by a great god from another realm, and no one has seen him since. Perhaps he discovered something when he went to that other realm, and that is why he has been meticulously plotting all of this, all to prevent that event from happening." Lan Bingxian now realized that the true threat to be guarded against was Fuyou Ming. Perhaps he might even pose a danger to Meng Youyuan, given the unresolved entanglements of their past lives.

"Even if he, Fuyou Ming, is powerful, what does it matter? An ancient god once prophesied that, in the near future, a powerful individual would emerge. Once that person appears, Fuyou Ming will face a great deal of trouble. When the snipe and the clam grapple, it is the fisherman who profits." The old dean, who had been watching everything coldly from the corner, could not help but speak up this time. Even with Fuyou Ming’s immense power, he could not possibly prevail against the emergence of that person.

"Old man, who exactly is this person you speak of? I am quite curious as to what kind of person could defeat that old monster!" Xiao Yin laughed mischievously. Although the old monster had treated him decently, the more he thought about it, the more suspicious it seemed. Could his meeting with the brat be a move in a game played by the old monster to achieve his goals? In any case, it is best to stay far away from someone with such ulterior motives.

"Ever since the ancient god left this prophecy, many have searched for this so-called powerful individual. Unfortunately, they found no trace of him. In this world, no one knows who this person is, what he looks like, or what his cultivation is. We only know that he will be the key to the Immortal-Underworld War and the master of the entire world." The old dean sighed as he spoke. Where in the world could that person be now?

"Even after learning of this prophecy, I have tried every means to find him, but I have found nothing—no clues whatsoever. Although I am merely a remnant of divine consciousness left behind by my original self, my cultivation is not below that of any expert in this world. If even I cannot find him, others have even less of a chance." The woman said helplessly. It seemed she truly wished to finish off Fuyou Ming; otherwise, she would not be so concerned about what would become of that person.

"Actually, the appearance of that person may not necessarily be a good thing. Who knows if he will be even more terrifying than Fuyou Ming? Who knows if he will be another bloodthirsty demon? In any case, no matter what kind of person he is, his emergence will only be the beginning of a tragedy. Changing the order of the world will inevitably lead to rivers of blood, and unifying the heavens will surely pile up mountains of corpses." Meng Youyuan said with a sudden sense of dejection. The mere thought of war made her heart cold. War meant bloodshed; war meant sacrifice. The world was already in such a wretched state; why add further tragedy?

"In any case, I must warn you all: be careful of Fuyou Ming. He is not as simple as you imagine!" Every time the woman mentioned him, her face was filled with hatred. What exactly had happened between them? It seemed there were many secrets hidden within, far more than what could be explained by mere words.