The newcor was, of course, Zhang Jizu.
Even before the Assembly of Gods Convention had begun, Zhang Jizu had already sought out Hong Lin.
The world-saving plan might not have needed a Long Jing — but it absolutely required a "god's" help. And Hong Lin, in a sense, was a god. More importantly, she was one who could be trusted and easily persuaded.
Zhang Jizu naturally knew that a true god's assistance would be more effective, but where in the world could he find a god willing to shelter the Clown now?
So what seed like the best option was in fact the only option left.
As it happened, the smaller eting in that other stretch of starry sky had just adjourned, and Hong Lin was still frantically searching for Cheng Shi's whereabouts when the Death Chosen cornered her in the Void.
Zhang Jizu told her he had a way to save Cheng Shi's life — though it might require a certain price.
Hong Lin did not even ask what the price was. She only confird, again and again: "You're not lying to ? You can really save Cheng Shi? Rescue him from an Outer God as cunning as Deceit?!"
Zhang Jizu nodded solemnly. Hong Lin did not hesitate for a single heartbeat, her voice equally resolute:
"Tell
what to do. I'll do it."
Zhang Jizu narrowed his eyes, a barely perceptible glimr flickering within them. Then he suddenly smiled: "For friendship?"
Hong Lin's face was dead serious: "For friendship."
"Even if the price is death?"
Hong Lin blinked — then her smile only grew brighter: "I told you — for friendship!"
Zhang Jizu said nothing more. He seed to have expected exactly this answer. He produced a palm-sized green crown and handed it to her, explaining:
"The Crown of Prosperity. I happened upon it within lost mories — sothing perfectly suited to you.
Activate it with your Authority, and it will help you draw upon the power of Prosperity from across the universe. It's a feedback loop born of faith — as long as the faith in Prosperity endures, you can borrow its followers' strength without limit.
Of course, even with the faith's power augnting you, you still cannot match a true god. Our goal is not to fight — it's to rescue!
Use the crown's roots to pierce through space. I'll follow those roots to your location. Then I'll use the sa thod to send Cheng Shi away — to buy him even a single second of breathing room.
But the Void is the domain of the Void path... whether he'll actually have a chance to escape..."
Zhang Jizu sighed. Clearly, he had little confidence in his own plan.
Hong Lin raised an eyebrow and looked at the miniature green crown in her hand, puzzled: "This thing... I've never seen it even in Prosperity's treasury. Where did you get it?"
"A secret." Zhang Jizu squinted. "When to activate it is up to you.
I'll be standing by to receive him at any ti. But rember — it's best not to do it when he's in full resistance mode, or I'm afraid he'll reject the plan outright and break free on the way out."
Hong Lin took Zhang Jizu's instructions to heart, which was why she activated the crown at Cheng Shi's most shattered and spiritless mont, guiding the Death Chosen here.
And as a re mortal, that was all Zhang Jizu could do.
He watched the coffin vanish before his eyes. One second he was smiling in relief at the plan's success — the next, he stood frozen in place, watching with his own eyes as the coffin was squeezed back out of the Void and dropped right before those cold Stellar Eyes!
Howling Void winds lifted the coffin, forming invisible hands that tore it apart inch by inch. Only when the figure inside tumbled out did everyone realize the person pulled into the coffin had not been the Fixed Destiny Clown at all — but the second Death Chosen!
Zhang Jizu!
The one who fell out of the coffin was another Zhang Jizu!
Even Hong Lin was stunned by this. She whipped around to stare at the Zhang Jizu behind her, still trying to figure out who he actually was, when the Outer God Fate rcilessly exposed the ruse:
"A very creative substitution trick. The most impressive act in this farewell performance, I'll grant you that — but you can't fool .
As Fate, I see through all truths. Did you think a blind-spot trick would save you?
My follower, you seem to have forgotten — every ability you possess was bestowed by ."
The Zhang Jizu behind Hong Lin grimaced, let out a self-deprecating laugh, and shed his disguise, reverting to Cheng Shi's true appearance.
Indeed — it was Cheng Shi!
Only now did Hong Lin realize that the earlier flip of the coffin lid had been nothing more than sleight of hand. The two figures had never actually switched positions. Instead, the coffin prop had rely facilitated a rapid exchange and identity swap!
Cheng Shi had taken on Zhang Jizu's appearance and stayed behind, while Zhang Jizu — disguised as Cheng Shi — was sent into the Void along the crown's roots.
Had the plan worked, Zhang Jizu would have done exactly as he promised — trading one "price" in exchange for a mont's reprieve for Cheng Shi.
What Hong Lin had not expected was that the so-called price was never her — it was Zhang Jizu himself.
But alas, their opponent was the Outer God Fate — a being who could not only see through the essence of the universe but also wielded the current Authority of Deceit. A true master of the Void.
The plan had failed... without lasting even a single second.
Fate let out a cold snort. Countless howling Void winds surged toward the Zhang Jizu who had fallen from the coffin. He was making good on His word — every struggle by Fixed Destiny would splash blood onto the curtain.
But just as those winds were about to grind Zhang Jizu to dust, a torrent of white bone erupted skyward, scattering the gale and sweeping the unconscious Death Chosen back to the foot of the Bone Throne.
The colossal skull shielded its follower and spoke to the Outer God in a low rumble:
"Enough — is — enough.
Take — your Fixed Destiny — and then — tell — us — the true — answer."
At these words, Fate's cold gaze drifted to the Zhang Jizu sheltered beneath the colossal skull. His spiraling eyes whirled for a mont before settling on Cheng Shi, who stood in the distance with a grim expression. The Outer God's voice was frigid and pitiless:
"Do you want to keep going?"
"Of course we do!"
The answer ca not from Cheng Shi, but from Qin Xin — who had been charging his power for so ti — and Hong Lin, who roared as she launched herself forward. In this arena where true gods rely watched from the sidelines, the two beings least like gods among them all charged the Outer God one final ti.
The power of Prosperity wove itself into a crown; War's fire spread in its wake. The terrifying display ca close to rivaling a true God War in the eyes of the assembled deities — but the problem was, it only looked that way to the gods.
In the eyes of the Outer God Fate, all He saw were two streaks of blood about to stain the era's curtain — a turning point that would inevitably drive Fixed Destiny back to Him.
Humans are not made of stone; none can be truly without feeling.
Even Hong Lin had said it — Cheng Shi was soone who rembered every kindness. So when he watched his friends throw themselves into danger again and again for his sake, each ti coming closer to death — how could he possibly remain unmoved?
But what could he do?
Right now, the two humans most akin to gods were fighting the Outer God together, and they did not appear to have even a sliver of hope for victory.
The winds tore through their flesh. The Void devoured their spirit. Battered and broken, they charged the Outer God again and again.
Was he truly going to wait until Qin Xin and Hong Lin died before his eyes?
And it was not just them — there were others...
Where was Zhen Xin, the magician of this farewell performance?
And who had summoned Death — who had known the truth all along — to make one final, utterly hollow "show of support"?
Qin Xin's very arrival proved the Torchbearers had known for so ti. Yet even now, Change had not appeared. Did that an even the Fla of Hope could not see where hope lay?
Then what was he still holding on for?
What aning did his resistance even have?
Cheng Shi lifted his head abruptly, stared into those rciless eyes of Fate, and let out a wretched smile. He finally surrendered.
"I'll... go with you..." he said, his voice drained of all strength.
Big Cat's entire body shuddered, her scream hysterical: "Absolutely not!"
Qin Xin's flas flickered on the verge of dying out. He whipped around in fury:
"Cheng Shi, you don't need to carry the whole world on your shoulders, and you don't have to sacrifice yourself for a world without hope—"
Before Qin Xin or Hong Lin could finish, Cheng Shi shook his head and smiled gently at the two blood-soaked figures:
"The world has nothing to do with , and I don't owe it anything.
I'm not doing this for the world. I'm doing it for my friends.
Old Jia taught
sothing very simple: my friends help , and I help my friends.
So now — my friends are saving , and I'm saving my friends.
Stop it, Hong Lin. Qin Xin.
Fate...
I'll go with you."
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