GA: Chapter 171 – The Extinction of the Soul? The World Has Long Suffered Under Dongfang Bubai
Without the Imperial Arm Murasame, even if she were meant to shine, it wouldn't have been now.
But as Ling had said—there were no ifs in this world. Being chosen by the cursed blade was simply because she had the right to be.
The Lighthouse Nation, as the world's former strongest, naturally overflowed with fortune—and naturally produced no shortage of exceptional talent. It was just a pity that their methods of handling ability users with extraordinary gifts caused many who should have become pillars of the nation to choose different paths instead.
Of course, there were also those among them who developed other ambitions precisely because of their power.
In any case, every nation had its own outstanding talents who descended alongside its national fortune. What path they would choose, however, was a question no one could predict.
"Fortune and fate… they do appear often in discussions of the mystical."
It was just a shame that Angel Yan's power had no connection to the mystical—she couldn't see it.
"Every living being in the world carries fortune. Simply in greater or lesser amounts."
"Angel civilization also possesses it. As the known universe's most powerful civilization in the world of Overman, its fortune is incomparably vast. If it could be utilized, it should provide a considerable boost to your kind."
"But that requires method."
"In the future, the plat—the group should see someone join who understands this. Perhaps in the next cycle, perhaps years from now—a small matter of time."
For beings like them, time could not erase them. Aging to death wasn't a concept that existed among angels.
Death came from carrying out justice and falling. From living so long one no longer wished to continue. From the loss of a partner making continued existence meaningless. Angels had few ways to die—but none of them had ever died of old age.
Especially Holy Kesha, with her Sacred Body. For her, even death was simply a different mode of existence.
In past exchanges with Angel Yan, Bai Xuan had received an unverified impression—that Holy Kesha might genuinely harbor the desire for death.
Perhaps tens of thousands of years had left her heart exhausted. Perhaps her mentality had simply broken down. Holy Kesha may have lost all interest in the world.
But a simple death had no real meaning for Kesha—she'd simply exist in another form. Even if Death God Karl scattered her sacred particles across the cosmos, requiring an immense span of time before she could reconstitute herself, that was still merely the passage of time. She would revive.
What was truly frightening was the death of the heart. The fading of the soul.
Proactively abandoning past memories. Discarding one's former self. Losing all data and beginning again—would that Kesha still be Holy Kesha?
Whether the speculation was accurate or not, one thing was certain: the current Holy Kesha had adjusted her mentality. She had even taken a Pokémon with her.
From Angel Yan's mention of it, the Pokémon Kesha had taken was Snorlax.
Snorlax.
The image surfaced in Bai Xuan's mind—that soft, round creature who loved eating and sleeping, who was so padded you could lie on its stomach comfortably.
Was this the type of Pokémon Holy Kesha preferred?
Somehow, that created a rather striking contrast.
"This platform that connects all worlds across every realm—could you tell me more about it?"
Yan looked at Bai Xuan with genuine curiosity. She was fascinated by the chat group. Even though Angel Yan had already shared some information, it wasn't nearly enough—it covered many aspects, but each with very little depth.
She wanted to know more about this extraordinary existence.
"Rather than me explaining—better to see for yourself."
"Beyond the name, its controls aren't particularly strict."
Bai Xuan smiled, extended his index finger, and lightly touched the space between Yan's brows. A soft white light flowed gently into Angel Yan's mind, carrying with it a flood of information.
Yan rapidly processed the knowledge pouring into her, while Bai Xuan sensed someone @-ing him in the chat group and sank his attention into it.
Dongfang Bubai: "Those martial arts sects are quite bold—they've joined forces intending to kill me."
Dongfang Bubai: "In the past I might have been cautious. But now? Heh."
Dongfang Bubai: "Since you've all come—you may as well stay."
In the Smiling Proud Wanderer world, Dongfang Bai's expression was cold.
The Five Sacred Mountains sects, Shaolin, Qingcheng—she hadn't provoked any of them. And yet they wanted to come and kill her.
And then there was Linghu Chong. Dongfang Bai's brow furrowed slightly.
After joining the chat group, she had read through the Smiling Proud Wanderer memory copy—and had chosen not to become involved with Linghu Chong. Naturally the world's trajectory had shifted somewhat. She had known this all along.
But the extent of Linghu Chong's change was beyond what she'd expected.
His martial arts, for one—Dugu Nine Swords, she had anticipated. But beyond Dugu Nine Swords, he had learned another extraordinary martial art, one not only capable of mimicking others' techniques but of executing them with even greater force.
He had earned the title in the jianghu of Returning Blows with Their Own Methods.
After that, Linghu Chong had continued rising—challenging sect after sect. Qingcheng, Hengshan, Taishan, then Shaolin and Wudang in turn. Not one had proven his match.
His strength, compared to the memory copy's version of him even at his later peak, was considerably greater.
Three days ago, at the summit of Huashan, he had clashed with Feng Qingyang in front of countless onlookers. In less than a hundred exchanges—Feng Qingyang had lost.
Completely. Convincingly. His heart fully accepting the defeat.
Now, although Dongfang Bubai nominally remained number one under heaven, everyone was saying Linghu Chong had long since surpassed her—reaching some unknown tier, said to be no lesser than Bodhidharma of Shaolin or Zhang Sanfeng of Wudang.
Even she almost found it amusing.
In this era where the most profound martial arts had all been lost to time, what could they possibly know of how brilliantly those ancient arts had shone? What could they know of the heights Zhang Sanfeng or Bodhidharma had reached in their cultivation?
None of this was of any particular significance to her. She was simply puzzled by Linghu Chong's trajectory.
She possessed extraordinary talent—and with her teacher's guidance and the Sunflower Manual's unique gifts, her strength at her age was expected. Linghu Chong had talent, certainly—but he hadn't trained with particular intensity. How had he reached this level so quickly?
Puzzling as it was, Dongfang Bai didn't pursue the thought further. The Group Owner had mentioned the butterfly effect, and she had kept it in mind ever since. She simply felt the world's direction had grown somewhat strange because of her presence.
Without her involvement, could Linghu Chong really have grown this powerful?
What she found most interesting now was that Linghu Chong had apparently united the other sects with the aim of overthrowing the Sun Moon Holy Cult.
The world has long suffered under Dongfang Bubai?
She, Dongfang Bubai—what had she done to bring suffering upon the entire world?