leonardwarren Chapter 703: True Freedom
Chapter 703: True Freedom
“Why are you so certain I have the ability to take you away?”Looking at Zhu Qiansi, Lin Yu asked.
Zhu Qiansi glanced at Lin Yu. “Haven’t you already done it many times—there are many life-spirits from other worlds on you.”
“I have seen many Otherworldly Ones, some of whom can do that as well, but… you seem better at it than all of them.”
“The life-spirits you’ve taken from other worlds are all very strong.”
As Zhu Qiansi spoke, Lin Yu said softly, “But none as strong as you.”
“To be honest, I think I shouldn’t be able to take you out.”
Using the Collar to take Zhu Qiansi away would require an unfathomable amount of belief.
“Because I’m too strong?”
Zhu Qiansi had sensed the issue as well.
Lin Yu nodded.
“Yes, because you are powerful—Zhu Qiansi, as a demon, do you think life and life are equal?”
Zhu Qiansi didn’t answer; she knew Lin Yu didn’t need a response.
Lin Yu had long known that “equality” was a pretty lie—life has never been equal; there are differences in rank.
Although that distinction shouldn’t strictly be called “nobility versus baseness,” some lives undeniably carry greater weight than others.
Strength, presence of intelligence, how much influence one has on the world… these are important criteria.
Even among people there is no true equality.
After becoming a Fraudster, Lin Yu had become increasingly aware of this.
The same amount of belief coming from different people carries different weight.
The higher the rank of an existence, the heavier their belief’s weight.
Likewise, to use belief to affect others, to alter reality, the higher the rank of the target, the more belief is required.
This was the most direct form of “inequality.”
For beings like Zhu Qiansi, or rather the Thousand-Eyed Thousand-Silk Demon Lord, influencing it would inevitably demand an immense volume of belief.
Moreover, because this creature’s influence in the Prison Mountain Realm is so deep, taking her away is of a completely different nature than taking away Stiller, Old Zheng, or Hannah.
The summoned beings Lin Yu already had, taking them would only affect them personally.
But Zhu Qiansi not only holds a high rank and is crucial in the Prison Mountain Realm, a whole town of hundreds of thousands vanished because of her disappearance, and the sect founder—leader of Daoist factions—personally sealed her…
To take her away, the “influence” needed would not be limited to “Zhu Qiansi” herself, but would target an entire Prison Mountain Realm!
Even a god, by rank… cannot be above an entire “world”!
To shake a world, even to pry at a tiny corner of it, the belief required is unimaginable.
Although Lin Yu is a Fraudster, facing Zhu Qiansi in this moment he chose to be honest.
“It’s not that I don’t want to help you, it’s just… I can’t, I lack the ability.”
He looked at Zhu Qiansi and answered regretfully.
Yet after saying this, Lin Yu did not get up to leave.
His earlier honesty, his decision not to deceive Zhu Qiansi, was not a sudden pang of conscience.
Rather…
Lin Yu wanted to hear Zhu Qiansi’s reply.
She must still have more to say—Lin Yu was certain that since she had just realized her rank was too high and her influence too deep, she would also have a corresponding solution.
“I understand that, but I still have a method to solve it.”
Zhu Qiansi looked at Lin Yu, a confident smile curving her lips as she spoke earnestly.
“I chose this timing, and I chose to make you my younger brother, precisely to serve that method.”
Lin Yu watched Zhu Qiansi; naturally he had no reason not to listen.
“Please, tell me the details.”
“First, this timing is indeed before I was sealed,” Zhu Qiansi said, “even if there’s no chance to escape the Prison Mountain Realm, this is at least an opportunity for me to briefly obtain freedom within this realm… If there’s a chance to leave the Prison Mountain Realm, being able to move freely here is better than remaining trapped under the talisman formation at the foot of this mountain.”
“Second… this moment is the only time I can ‘lower my rank,’ permanently create an entirely new branching line, a new persona.”
Zhu Qiansi looked at Lin Yu; her face and tone were still filled with that borrowed joy and hope she had taken from others, but now Lin Yu did not feel her hope was false.
“Indeed, perhaps you can’t take the Thousand-Eyed Thousand-Silk Demon Lord out… but maybe you can take Zhu Qiansi.”
“Especially now, besides being yourself, you are also Zhu Wanluan, you are my younger brother. I linked us together with my Causality Silk divine art; although it’s false… this ‘falsehood’ can also work to your advantage.”
She leaned forward slightly, folding her fan over her knee.
“I want to go outside… to truly vast, magnificent places. Even if I must abandon my millennia of cultivation, abandon this near-immortal body, give up the Causality Silk talent, give up my original self—I can accept that.”
Zhu Qiansi gripped Lin Yu’s hand; the deep, cold-pool eyes rippled for the first time.
Lin Yu looked at her and let out a long breath.
…
Upstairs in the teahouse, Yunzhen scrutinized the old man in front of him and couldn’t help but sigh.
“So you’re both my sixth-generation disciple’s dedication to Mystic Cloud Master, and now you’ve become my master?”
Mystic Cloud Master, who had rushed over after receiving the distress signal from afar, answered honestly.
“Yes. I originally thought by using qi to manifest as an external object and tricking the demon’s Causality Silk, I could directly enter Willow Town’s past in my true identity, but unexpectedly… grafting was still required.”
“Moreover, perhaps out of excessive fear of the founder’s deterrent power, she chose to fuse my identity with the founder’s,” Mystic Cloud Master said anxiously, “that’s probably the demon’s scheme—I was trapped!”
“I turned into the founder; how could I possibly complete the sealing task? That allows her to naturally fabricate a false causal past in which she wasn’t sealed—although it may not be enough to overwrite reality directly, it could still shake the seal!”
Mystic Cloud Master spoke very pessimistically.
Snowy Owl and High Mountain frowned as well.
Seagull worried aloud: “Then we’re doomed?”
Yunzhen frowned. “Don’t be so defeatist—young man, I’m gratified you came here, but… besides our resolve and determination to exorcise demons and protect the Dao, what’s even more important at Taicing Sect is optimism!”
“If you don’t even believe you’ll win, how can you possibly solve the demon problem?”
“What’s wrong with my master—though you call him founder and I call him master, Mystic Cloud Master, I don’t think you’re any worse than him!”