True Monarch Zi Shan looked away and changed the subject.
Bai Ningbing remained silent, while Ying Wu Xie asked, "Isn't it because of the interference from the Heavenly Will?"
True Monarch Zi Shan nodded. "It is indeed the Heavenly Will, but this was something I did voluntarily."
"What do you mean by that?" Bai Ningbing couldn't help but show a look of surprise upon hearing these words.
Judging from True Monarch Zi Shan's tone, it seemed that his madness and foolishness were actually a deliberate act.
True Monarch Zi Shan let out a long, wistful sigh, and a haze of old memories seemed to drift through his eyes. "Back then, when we were still the first generation of split souls, we discovered the Heavenly Will as a great enemy and naturally had to think of ways to deal with it."
"I cultivated the Wisdom Path and was the leader among the split souls, so finding a way to counter the Heavenly Will naturally fell upon me."
"By obtaining a portion of Immortal Venerable Star Soul's true teachings and combining them with my own Wisdom Path attainments, I developed a method—merging with the Heavenly Will."
"Merging with the Heavenly Will?" Bai Ningbing and Ying Wu Xie exchanged a glance and both furrowed their brows.
"That's right. The Heavenly Will is vast and boundless, omnipresent. At that time, we had only just discovered and encountered it, unlike now where we know many of its secrets and weaknesses. Back then, we were constrained at every turn, our situation deteriorating with each passing day, growing ever more critical. More and more members were targeted and destroyed by the Heavenly Will, and hope seemed impossibly remote."
True Monarch Zi Shan continued, "Out of desperation, I came up with this method that was hardly a method at all. Since the enemy was so powerful, I would feign surrender and infiltrate the enemy's ranks to gather intelligence. As the saying goes, 'Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated.'"
Bai Ningbing and Ying Wu Xie both perked up at hearing this.
Even in the present day, one could appreciate the novelty and audacity of this approach.
The Heavenly Will was formless, yet True Monarch Zi Shan had actually wanted to infiltrate it from within—truly a stroke of wild imagination.
And True Monarch Zi Shan hadn't merely thought about it—he had actually done it.
True Monarch Zi Shan went on to explain, "The Heavenly Will—you should all understand it well by now. If a blessed land or grotto-heaven were to absorb fragments of the Nine Heavens, the Heavenly Will would seep in, and if there was a Heaven Spirit, it would become foolish and witless. The same holds true for Gu Immortals. Every time I merged with the Heavenly Will, I would become mad and demented, losing all reason."
"But precisely because of this, I was able to greatly reduce the Heavenly Will's intent to eliminate me, and survive to this day."
"There was another major benefit as well. By temporarily fusing with the Heavenly Will, I could perceive it more clearly—discerning its strengths and weaknesses."
"When I learned of the Heavenly Will's thoughts, I could stand upon its vantage point and lay plans—for myself, and for my Shadow Sect."
"The Heavenly Dao is impartial, treating all things as straw dogs. In the eyes of the Heavenly Will, all things in the world are merely chess pieces. And on the chessboard of fate, there are always certain key pieces that draw my attention."
True Monarch Zi Shan spoke slowly and deliberately, and whether it was Bai Ningbing or Ying Wu Xie, both were listening with increasing fascination.
Because they could already sense that what True Monarch Zi Shan would say next would be extremely important.
Sure enough, True Monarch Zi Shan continued, "Since merging with the Heavenly Will, I've found that within its current arrangements, many chess pieces are particularly crucial. So whenever I fall into a state of madness and foolishness, I use the Heavenly Will to deliberately approach these pieces. Then, once I regain my clarity, I work to turn them, using my own influence to try to win these pieces to my side."
"In the recent battle at the Reverse Flow River, I believe you already witnessed the usefulness of one such piece."
Bai Ningbing's body trembled.
Ying Wu Xie suddenly understood and blurted out, "True Monarch Zi Shan, you mean Tai Bai Yun Sheng?"
True Monarch Zi Shan nodded. "That's right. Tai Bai Yun Sheng is indeed a chess piece in a relatively key position on the board of fate. Although arranged by the Heavenly Will, he was also influenced by me. In the end, I was able to utilize his power to help you escape danger."
When Tai Bai Yun Sheng had been a Gu Master, he had encountered True Monarch Zi Shan and received his true teachings.
Upon him existed not only the Heavenly Will's arrangements, but also True Monarch Zi Shan's influence.
Therefore, when Fang Yuan carried the Heavenly Will's deathblow back in time to overthrow the Ghostly Shadow's grand plan, during that process, he received help from Tai Bai Yun Sheng.
Tai Bai Yun Sheng was able to defect to Fang Yuan.
Part of the reason was Fang Yuan's own cunning. Another part was the Heavenly Will's machinations.
But later, Tai Bai Yun Sheng parted ways with Fang Yuan and instead helped the Shadow Sect.
This was because Fang Yuan had betrayed the Heavenly Will—at the final moment, instead of destroying the Supreme Gu, he used it for himself. Under the lingering influence of True Monarch Zi Shan, Tai Bai Yun Sheng lent his strength to the Shadow Sect.
Tai Bai Yun Sheng died on the battlefield, ostensibly because of Fang Yuan. But from another perspective, he was a casualty in the struggle between the Heavenly Will and the Shadow Sect.
Ying Wu Xie finally understood True Monarch Zi Shan's meaning.
He murmured, "I understand now. All these years, True Monarch Zi Shan has left his footprints across the world, influencing many key pieces on the board. They will be our new force to break through the Supreme Gu Formation and rescue our true body!"
True Monarch Zi Shan smiled faintly. "Exactly so."
Southern Border. The Supreme Gu Formation.
The Supreme Blessed Land, Xing Zhou.
A brilliant emerald radiance, carrying a fragrant aroma, surged straight toward the ninth heaven.
Countless Gu insects danced and spiraled within the green light, and even a brief glance was enough to dazzle the eyes.
Fang Yuan maintained his heightened attention at all times. As time passed, some of the Gu insects ceased their flight and plunged deep into the earth below.
More and more Gu insects descended underground, their forms resonating with those that had come before, gradually coalescing into a mysterious power.