Star Constellation Immortal Venerable, the second Rank Nine Venerable in the world, and the founder of the Wisdom Path.
For the future of the Human Race and Heavenly Court, Star Constellation Immortal Venerable assimilated with the Dao, sacrificing herself and merging with the will of heaven. She also left behind the first Wisdom Path Immortal Gu House, the star constellation chessboard, for Heavenly Court, using the will of heaven to guide Heavenly Court's direction.
The will of heaven does not seize by force; it only subtly influences, guides the situation, and overwhelms with the general trend.
But the will of heaven won't, yet human hearts can.
What if the one who took the World Tree leaf wasn't the ethereal will of heaven, but the star constellation's will, merged within the will of heaven? What if the increase of his Aptitude to ninety-nine percent was actually the work of the star constellation's will?
The most terrifying thing is that Star Constellation Immortal Venerable assimilated with the will of heaven—how crucial this plot point was in the original work! Yet Zhou Ming had somehow managed to ignore it for so long, only remembering it now.
Such methods truly deserve to be called traceless and invisible, sending shivers down one's spine.
If the star constellation's will paid so much attention to him, then was he not actually under Heavenly Court's surveillance all along? Were his every move and all his secrets not secrets to Heavenly Court at all? Was his long-held belief of being well-hidden actually just a joke?
Perhaps, right now, several Heavenly Court Gu Immortals were hovering above Zhou Ming's head, watching him, like an ant on a hot pan, frantically pacing around, laughing hysterically and uncontrollably!
For a moment, Zhou Ming's mind was in utter chaos, his thoughts scattered and unable to settle. He felt anxious and terrified, as if he had been hung on a gallows, the noose already around his neck, his life and death at the whim of others.
"This is bad, this is bad, extremely bad."
"On one side is Heavenly Court, on the other is Shadow Sect, and above my head is the will of heaven. How can I survive like this?"
Zhou Ming paced back and forth anxiously, his face filled with worry, desperately trying to find a solution, but his mind, chaotic as thin porridge, couldn't organize a single coherent thought.
"Damn it, this damn world! Am I to be bullied and treated as a chess piece just because I lack strength?!" He finally couldn't hold back, stomping his feet and cursing at the sky.
"Strength! Strength! It's all because I lack strength! If I want to break this situation, I must have strength!"
He then lowered his head and paced back and forth, muttering somewhat nervously.
"Yes, strength. If I want strength, I must first Breakthrough. Yes, I'll first Breakthrough to Rank Five, then ascend to Gu Immortal. I'll first Breakthrough to Rank Five, I'll Breakthrough to Rank Five right now…"
Zhou Ming's unusual state was immediately noticed by the Land Spirit, who instantly appeared by his side.
"Master, calm down, please calm down!"
The Land Spirit didn't know what had happened, but seeing Zhou Ming's neurotic state, she was helpless and could only follow closely, trying to dissuade him.
"Calm down, calm down, how the hell can I calm down! I don't have a Heart-Nature tempered over five hundred years; I've only lived about forty years across two lives combined!"
"In my previous life, I was just an ordinary person, at most a bit clever, content with minor wealth, with no grand ambitions. Which bastard brought me to this world? What the hell is wrong with this!"
"The Gu Masters in this world are all perverts! Not a single normal person! They all play schemes, and their hearts are all so dirty! They brought me to this world, and for no reason, I became a chess piece for this and that. Why me?!"
The Land Spirit's dissuasion gave Zhou Ming an outlet for his frustration. He cursed loudly, stomping his feet and railing at the heavens and earth, spitting everywhere, as if to vent all the suppression and dissatisfaction in his heart. He was like a broken, defeated dog, utterly humiliated.
The Land Spirit stood carefully to the side. She didn't know what had happened, nor did she dare to persuade him further. She watched Zhou Ming with a worried expression, meekly listening to his curses, staying by his side faithfully.
Finally, Zhou Ming tired of cursing and simply lay on the ground, looking up at the ceiling of the main hall. The jellyfish-like Water Ripple Immortal Gu slowly swam in the glazed lamp, and blue halos spread out in ripples like seawater.
After venting, Zhou Ming's thoughts gradually calmed down.
He began to try and organize his chaotic thoughts, analyze his current situation, and plan his next moves.
'Actually, things aren't as bad as I imagined,' Zhou Ming thought to himself.
"To grasp my current situation, first and foremost, I need to know what the other party wants."
"So, what does Star Constellation Immortal Venerable want? What does Heavenly Court want?"
"What does True Monarch Purple Mountain want? What does Shadow Sect want? Or rather, what does Spectral Soul Demon Venerable want?"
"Resurrection, climbing to a higher Realm, eternal life. The existence of the Main God Space has shown them a higher mountain, higher than the Gu World, and also a more distant goal, the Rank Ten Realm that no one has ever reached, and even higher, further."
"In the Main God Space, all of this is possible."
"And I am the channel connecting the Gu World and the Main God Space."
"They want to get an opportunity from me, an opportunity to jump out of the Gu World, to surpass Rank Nine Venerables, to surpass the entire Gu World."
"And currently, they still can't get this opportunity, so they are very patient. Ninety-nine percent Aptitude, the Family great war, my journey from Northern Plains to Eastern Sea, including the current blessed land… They are investing in me, urging me, pushing me to constantly move forward, towards the goal of fulfilling their requirements."
"Before that, they will only continue to invest in me and urge me. I will have fortuitous encounters and crises, but crises will not kill me, they will only temper me. Fortuitous encounters will not let me lie flat, they will only give me more motivation to strive. They will arrange everything."
"So, when will I be able to meet their demands? And how can they be sure that I will obediently listen to them then?"
Zhou Ming's thoughts became clearer and clearer, and his spirit grew calmer. Ideas flashed rapidly in his mind.
"Time! I still have time! The gap between a Gu Master and a Gu Immortal is like a chasm. They will only use me at least after I become a Gu Immortal!"
"Moreover, I am not without advantages against them. I have the Main God behind me!"
A cold smile gradually appeared at the corner of Zhou Ming's mouth.
"At worst, I'll give up the Gu World, return to the Main God Space, and never come to the Gu World again! Let's see if they have the ability to chase me from the Gu World to the Main God Space!"
"I can retreat and defend; I am almost in an invincible position. I can respond to their moves and even counterattack proactively!"
"The plan remains the same! Next, I'm going to Southern Border. The Second Aperture Gu is mine for the taking!"
"Being a chess piece also has its advantages. At least until their goal is achieved, they will definitely not deliberately target and kill me!"
"They have the confidence to get what they want from me, and I have the courage to fight a battle, to jump off their chessboard, and change from a chess piece to a chess player!"
"Come on, let's see who can laugh last in this game where everything is at stake!"
"Even if I die on the way, it won't be in vain for this splendid life of mine!"