Chapter 2803: Tingxue Needs to Have a Child

Cult Leader Shi thought Zu An had come here for the Sacred Fire Tokens, but somehow, the latter was now strategizing for the Ming Cult against the Mongols. He couldn’t fathom what Zu An’s true goal was.

“It doesn’t matter who I am. The important thing is for you to choose what’s beneficial to the Ming Cult.” Zu An briefly hesitated but chose against revealing his identity. Guo Polu was an unknown figure in this world. Leaving his name here could affect the trajectory of events.

“You snatch our Ming Cult’s Sacred Fire Tokens and Great Cosmic Shift manual, yet you claim to be working in our interest?” Cult Leader Shi was bubbling with anger.

“You would have been killed by the Persians if not for me. I saved your life. Once you were dead, the Persians would have taken over the Ming Cult and brought it under the Mongols’ rule. The Ming Cult would have become nothing but a shell of its former self.

“I'm not only pointing out a road for the Ming Cult’s survival, but also offering to return the lost Great Cosmic Shift to you. Shouldn’t you be thankful to me?”

Cult Leader Shi fell silent. He couldn’t refute what Zu An had said, and he slowly calmed down from his initial anger.

“Don’t worry, the Sacred Fire Tokens will be returned to the Ming Cult in the future,” Zu An spoke so confidently that his words felt prophetic.

Cult Leader Shi wondered if Zu An was an immortal who'd descended to the mortal world. On top of wielding martial arts surpassing that of the legendary Five Greats, Zu An had also filled up the incomplete portions of the Great Cosmic Shift manual, and he spoke compellingly as if he could see the future.

“How can you ensure that our Ming Cult won’t be annexed by the Mongols?”

Seeing that Cult Leader Shi had finally loosened his stance, Zu An called Isabella over to discuss the finer details.

Following that, he bade Isabella farewell. “I have to bring the Sacred Fire Tokens to Xiangyang, so I can’t accompany you to Persia. Can you handle those matters by yourself?”

Isabella replied with a sweet smile, “Rest assured, big brother Zu. You've settled the matters of the Great Cosmic Shift manual and the Central Plains Ming Cult’s surrender to the Mongols for me, and I have the Radiant Moon Envoy to aid me now. If I still can’t become the cult leader, I might as well buy a slab of tofu and smash my head into it.”

Zu An nodded in agreement. Isabella was the Acadias’ big miss, and he had witnessed her socializing prowess from how she'd easily dealt with the experts coming from all over the Myriad Worlds. There was indeed no need to worry about her.

“Remember, you have to withhold the Great Cosmic Shift manual from the Persians. They can’t know about it.” Zu An knew how the plotline progressed. Decades later, the Persian Ming Cult would dispatch the Purple Robe Dragon King over to the Central Plains Ming Cult to steal the Great Cosmic Shift again.

“You can put your mind at ease. I know how to deal with it.” Isabella bit her lips and embraced Zu An tightly. “Big brother Zu, I don’t know if this will be our final meeting.”

Zu An fell silent. It was one thing for them to be separated, but if they couldn’t clear this trial, all of them would die.

“Don’t worry. I’m confident things will work out.”

“Mm! I trust you, big brother Zu.”

...

Zu An rushed back to Xiangyang. Firework and Tingxue were already waiting for him. Both E’mei and the Peach Blossom Island were closer than Kunlun Mountain, not to mention he had spent an entire month there.

Guo Jing and Huang Rong looked visibly relieved when they saw him. Even Firework and Tingxue felt as if a boulder weighing on their hearts had been released. Despite knowing that few in this world could pose a threat to him, they'd still been worried by his late return.

Zu An entrusted the Sacred Fire Tokens to Guo Jing and Huang Rong for the forging of the Heavenly Sword and the Dragon Slaying Saber. “I promised Cult Leader Shi I would return the Sacred Fire Tokens to them after we’re done.”

Guo Jing was overjoyed. “That goes without saying! Cult Leader Shi is magnanimous to lend us the Ming Cult’s sacred treasure!”

Huang Rong was perplexed. She hadn't thought Cult Leader Shi would lend out the Sacred Fire Tokens, but the proof was right before their eyes. She didn’t dwell on it too much since they were in a rush to forge the sword and saber, though.

Firework pulled Zu An and Tingxue to her room and asked him for updates.

“Tell me what happened on your side first.”

“Tingxue went to the Peach Blossom Island and familiarized herself with the route and formation. Nothing noteworthy happened, other than her pummeling perverts along the way. E’mei Mountain’s Thunderbolt Bomb was tricky, but something of that caliber can’t stump me.” Firework had a wistful look on her face. “But E’mei Mountain’s cloud sea left me with a deep impression. It was as mesmerizing as the fireworks I saw when I was sixteen.”

Firework snapped out of her daze and groaned, “Ugh, that’s a memory from this body’s original owner. How annoying!”

Zu An was surprised to hear that.

“Quick, tell us what happened on your side,” Firework urged. Tingxue also looked at him with curious eyes.

Zu An briefly shared what he'd been through with them. Firework exclaimed in surprise, “To think you actually met Isabella! I have to say you have quite the luck!”

“Why didn’t Isabella return with you?” Tingxue was confused.

Zu An told them about her mission.

Firework frowned. “Her mission is at odds with ours?”

“Not necessarily.” Zu An smiled. “Her mission was to obtain the Great Cosmic Shift and convince the Central Plains Ming Cult to surrender to the Mongols, so she could become the leader of the Persian headquarters. That’s not at odds with our mission, and I resolved it for her...”

He shared the details with them.

Firework frowned. “Won’t we be goners if she clears her mission first?”

“It isn’t that easy to clear the trial,” Zu An said. “I had an epiphany while I was at Kunlun Mountain. Perhaps those who challenged this trial before us failed because they refused to work together, thus resulting in their failure. Think about it. Each of us was assigned a different mission, with varying levels of difficulty. How is this a fair assessment?”

Firework frowned. “I see where you’re coming from, but how can the trial decide who is worthy to succeed the Deity of Death? No one wants to become a foil to another person.”

Zu An shook his head. “I’m unsure of the details right now. We can only take it a step at a time.”

There was no lack of smart people who'd challenged this trial before them, and some of them must have thought about cooperating with one another. Yet no one had succeeded to date. That suggested there was another crucial factor leading to their failure.

“What’s your plan?” Firework asked.

“Your mission is easy. On top of ensuring the successful forging of the Heavenly Sword and Dragon Slaying Saber, your other mission should be the establishment of the E’mei Sect. But things are a bit trickier for her.” Zu An looked at Tingxue with worried eyes.

“Isn’t her mission just to supervise the Heavenly Sword and Dragon Slaying Saber Plan? That’s the easiest mission of all. I don’t see how that can be tricky.”

“There’s a huge gap in the timeline. The Yuan Mongols will only be overthrown eighty years later, but given her mortal body, she won’t survive that long in this trial world.” Zu An paused before hesitantly adding. “She needs to have a child.”

Tingxue was stunned.