Hou continued to think about what Zhou Tian explained. He had thought of it all, of course he has. If laws was why things *were* why could he think without visibly using any laws.
'Some laws can be falsified...but that is only possible due to the specific nature of this world. Then logically, if those un-falsifable laws were put into a new world, they would act differently; perhaps becoming falsifiable. And the Solar Lands were once apart of this world now apart of mine and Hamar's–'
Jin and Yan vanished.
Hamar fell back into his chair, "Do we just wait now?" He could see his master too on the board, but he had multiple people around him and didn't seem to be in any danger.
Zhou Tian, similarly, relaxed into his chair, "That's exactly what we do...haven't you gotten tired from the tension? Just relax a little, if you trust your comrades there should be no question."
"I trust that they will defeat your Yi Sect, but that doesn't guarantee they survive...take Jin and Yan there, who knows whether they've lived?"
"I might...do you want to know who it was that saved them?"
Hamar looked him in his eyes, waiting a moment before answering, "Who?"
"It was their master, she's strong...I don't think they'll die too soon."
"But you do think they'll die?" Hamar extrapolated.
"Of course. As you trust your comrades, so do I with mine. Remember what I said, I wanted a fun fight but I wouldn't, and couldn't, just do something against my chances."
"Because of your deal..." Hamar looked behind Zhou Tian, at the Veiled figures. He shifted his vision to forward, "Do you like them?"
"Hmmm" Zhou Tian shifted in his chair, "I don't suppose I *like* them exactly...not do I hate them though. I understand and respect them, we are bound to eachother; them to me, I to them."
"Then how about we invite them in?"
"No." Without even thinking, Zhou Tian rejected his request, "I didn't want them here for a reason. I respect them like I said...but they are not– they are chilling, I would rather we enjoy this time before the final battle."
While Hamar and Zhou Tian talked, Hou was absorbed with his thinking. He had come up with a hypothesis, and he looked up, eyes still closed.
Hamar caught a glimpse of his change but in their connection he knew he did not wish to talk just yet. He continued to chat with Zhou Tian.
Hou thought about the structure of the world, he was in a vacuum of space. He was not in the world created by Araxis but he should, his body, have a connection to it.
He was connected to Mo Huai despite the vacuum, could he contact the higher creator, Araxis? Lightly opening his eyes, he flickered to Zhou Tian. Finding out he did not notice, Hou concluded It was worth a shot.
But why was he wanting to contact him?
'Beyond Zhou Tian, he should be the one that knows about causality more than any other.'
'Please...god, master, friend...answer me'
***
In the outside world, Araxis jolted. He placed down his fountain pen mid-way writing a proposal to the surrounding kingdoms. For someone revered like a god, he still has to deal with bureaucracy.
He rubbed his eyes, "Richard! Bring me a cup of coffee!" Outside his doors, he heard a shuffle.
He lowered his spectacles around his neck and took a deep breath, "Hello my...friend. I have seen how my memory has interacted with you, though it was not myself, think of us as the same person...just a lot older."
Hou inwardly chuckled, "Thank you...I didn't think this would work actually. Why can I contact you now?"
"For a multitude of reasons Hou, for one you are partially the owner of a True World. You have a certain status in the Sea of Worlds, we can talk without much consequence."
"But that's just one reason?"
"It is, another reason is whatever they did. You aren't subject to any other rule, you must be in some sort of vacuum, am I right?"
Hou paused for a moment, before stammering a response, "Y-You're right, Zhou Tian said that I'm in the Sea of Worlds, space outside of any singular world."
"Hmm," Araxis spun in his chair, "I doubt that. More likely, it's some sort of 'base' world that removes all other world rules rather than THE Sea of Worlds."
"Really?" Hou was getting caught up before he realised himself and quickly added, "No, I didn't reach out to you to just talk. Causality."
"Hmm"
'Hmm?' Hou thought, he continued, "I need to know. Right now the coalition against Yi Sect is fighting, inevitably they have some sort of Causality, right? They just can't *use* it."
"You're right so far," Araxis nodded.
"Is there some way I can use *their* Causality? The longer I'm in here with Zhou Tian, the longer I feel we might not win. Supposedly he will weaken after Yi Sect dies, but I'm not sure that'll be enough."
Araxis shook his head, "I'm sor–" he stopped. "Wait a second Hou, I'm sure there's time." He stopped talking to Hou and instead spoke physically, "Come in!"
A suited young man walked in with a saucer, on top of which a hot cup of coffee lay. His nose flared, "Frankly, I'm not sure how you drink the stuff."
Araxis laughed, "It's an acquired taste, my boy." He took the cup and Richard placed the saucer on the desk, turning to leave.
Just before he crossed the boundary of the door, Araxis stopped him magically, "Wait–"
"Don't disturb me for a while, I'm going to be doing delicate work." Then he released his mana grasp, Richard stumbling out the door; Araxis closed it with a clink if his staff he kept beside himself at all times.
Araxis had took a sip of coffee when he came it a realisation. His mouth turned upward sinti a smirk and he spoken back to Hou, "Disregard what I was going to say. There may yet be a way."