The King of Black Fog

On the Dao Platform, other than the cushions, there was nothing else. It was unclear if the Queen Mother and others had taken things away or if this was how it was meant to be.

"What happens if I sit on it?" Turquoise Pool murmured softly to herself, "Travel through time, see the Tao Ancestor? Or perhaps, relive the scene of the Tao Ancestor's teachings back then?"

There was naturally no wind in the Daoist Palace, yet Yang Qinglan's hair gently fluttered as she perceived the surrounding environment.

Nothing was gained.

It seemed like just seven ordinary cushions.

"I'll give it a try." She took the lead, stepping forward with her long dress flowing like a beautiful lakeside.

"Hmm?" As she approached the first cushion, she suddenly discovered there were words on the ground.

"What's wrong?" Turquoise Pool quickly caught up, then she and Yang Qinglan were both taken aback.

Turquoise Pool was only a thin barrier away from becoming an Earth Immortal, while Yang Qinglan had completely crossed the threshold between Immortal and Earth Immortal, entered the inner sanctum; for both of them, moving at supersonic speeds, they could clearly see whether a rice grain a thousand meters away was cooked or raw.

But the two were curious, but not surprised.

This Daoist Palace belonged to the Tao Ancestor; not to mention them, even Heavenly Immortals, who could see atoms clearly (where one nanometer is a billionth of a meter and atoms are about 0.1 nanometers), would see nothing if the Tao Ancestor did not wish them to see.

"What does it say?" Turquoise Pool stepped forward again.

The script seemed to be gouged with a finger.

This Dao Platform floated—possibly even suppressed—in the Chaos Qi, incredibly hard; who left these marks?

The Tao Ancestor himself had no need to do such a thing, was it someone who listened to his teachings before?

[Die]

"Die?" The two exchanged a glance.

Turquoise Pool took quick steps to the second cushion, which was placed a bit askew, partially covering the inscription, as if the writer hurriedly got up to escape after carving the words.

No need to move the cushion to tell what was written.

It was also a single word.

[Escape]

Countless guesses exploded in their minds, especially after experiencing the events of the Lord of Radiance and the Queen Mother.

If even Heavenly Immortals could set up schemes, why couldn't Saints?

If it was a Saint...

The two remained silent, proceeding to the third cushion.

[I have become a Saint]

Each word was carved deeply, sharp and striking, not like words, but like activated Talisman Swords, terrifying.

Especially the final word 'have', which stung their eyes, causing bouts of dizziness.

Just a few words made Immortals and Earth Immortals avert their gaze!

"It's fake." Yang Qinglan averted her eyes, pinched her nose bridge with her free hand to alleviate the discomfort, "If it were truly a Saint, the words couldn't possibly have only this degree of power."

Turquoise Pool touched the center of her brow with her right middle finger, gently massaging: "Should we continue? I'm afraid of unforeseeable events."

Although cursed by an 'Ancient God', their future seemed bright, with Flat Peaches, Jade Dew, and Eternal Spring thermal baths awaiting them at home, and five stars as territories supporting them.

Even if they didn't covet indulgence, there was no need to take a risk bigger than the heavens—Heavenly Position almost equating to what commoners understood as heaven, Saints naturally surpassing it.

Yang Qinglan hesitated as well.

This wasn't a game of value, there was nothing they absolutely had to do, and no guarantee that risks would bring rewards.

"I'll take one more look, if there's an issue, we'll leave." She took out the "Candle" just in case.

"Give it to me," Turquoise Pool said, "you might get bewitched and be unable to light it in time, I'll watch over you."

Yang Qinglan handed her the "Candle" and moved forward herself.

Pale light swirled around her, and the Ruyi in her arms emitted a gentle white glow.

[Become God, or perish, there is no third possibility.]

Strange.

Not ancient Xia Yu, but a new script resembling patterns;

Also, why use the term 'God'? It's the highest deity in the West, in the Xia Country's cultivation system, 'God' refers to the Jade Emperor; in this context, it couldn't refer to the Heavenly Position's Jade Emperor.

"What's wrong?" Turquoise Pool's slightly worried voice came from behind.

"Nothing." Yang Qinglan still in thought.

Turquoise Pool looked at the pondering Yang Qinglan, then at the third cushion, and blew to ignite the "Candle."

Yang Qinglan turned around somewhat surprised, amused, but said nothing, knowing that she might have been just as cautious.

Turquoise Pool holding the "Candle", came forward, equally puzzled by the message behind the third cushion.

If Li Changzhou were there, he wouldn't be puzzled, he had long learned from Guanyin that on Earth, there had only ever been one Saint, the Eastern and Western systems were two completely separate experiments by the same Saint.

A certain Western deity had also been here.

Almighty God referred to the 'Saint'.

"Let's go!" Turquoise Pool expended ability to light the "Candle", naturally not wanting it to waste.

The two proceeded to the fourth cushion, the burning speed of the "Candle" accelerated, like the progress bar of a three minute and twenty-one-second song.

There were no specific characters behind the cushion, just some erratic scribbles akin to aimless doodles while thinking, looking at it made one feel stifled and nauseated.

Glancing at the "Candle", an undisturbed Turquoise Pool said, "Let's see the fifth one."

[I am sure to become a Saint]

Whoosh!

The "Candle" was instantly reduced by more than half, it was not just burning, but more like someone had chopped a piece off with a sword.

Their hearts nearly jumped out of their throats.

Turquoise Pool had difficulty catching her breath, this was more oppressive than stealing the Queen Mother's Flat Peach Tree in the Heavenly Palace.