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Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Song Shuhang smoothly entered the space where the Still Pond of Wisdom was located.

Soon after, he spotted Senior Eternal Fire, who had arrived before him.

At that moment, Senior Eternal Fire was seated in the spot where the Extraordinary Sage had previously been while wearing a stern expression.

Song Shuhang was confused.

Why was Senior Eternal Fire occupying this seat?

He glanced around once more.

However, the golden-haired girl was nowhere to be found.

The Still Pond of Wisdom, which had transformed into the appearance of the Scholarly Sage after biting off a portion of the Heavenly Dao Ball’s existence, was also absent.

The last time Song Shuhang and the others had entered, the true form of the Still Pond of Wisdom had taken on the appearance of the Scholarly Sage while sitting cross-legged there. It had been narrating the extraordinary life of the Scholarly Sage and shouldering the heavy responsibility of the Sage’s inheritance.

Now, this position had been taken by Senior Eternal Fire.

Song Shuhang’s liver couldn’t help but throb in pain—this was a hereditary ailment in his family. His father, Papa Song, had suffered from it as well. It was a genetic condition with no cure.

Whenever one felt that reality had become slim enough, with no further room for thinning… reality would inexplicably shrink further and become even more skeletal.

Song Shuhang continued to touch his liver as Senior Eternal Fire observed him with a serious demeanor.

“Senior Eternal Fire, so, um, where is the Still Pond of Wisdom?” Although he had some suspicions in his mind, Song Shuhang needed to confirm them with Senior Eternal Fire.

At the same time, he mentally instructed the virtuous lamia to exit the space of the Still Pond of Wisdom and return to the Mountain of Myriad Books to search for the golden-haired girl.

If he spotted the golden-haired girl, he would immediately lock onto her and prevent her from leaving the world of the golden lotus within the Scholarly Faction. This world belonged to the Scholarly Faction, and it wouldn’t be so easy for the golden-haired girl to escape!

The virtuous lamia nodded slightly and withdrew from the space of the Still

Pond of Wisdom to search for any traces of the golden-haired girl.

This was a matter of great importance, and she could sense Song Shuhang’s anxious emotions. Therefore, she conducted her mission seriously without any frivolity.

“So, it’s you.” At that moment, Senior Eternal Fire spoke, using a weathered tone. “Unfortunately, you have no connection to inheriting the Sage’s legacy, and your connection with the Scholarly Faction is also fleeting.”

Song Shuhang was speechless.

Could we please have a regular conversation?

Can we refrain from mentioning my lack of connection with the Scholarly Faction?

Furthermore, Senior Eternal Fire’s tone… Could it be that the Still Pond of Wisdom had possessed him?

Why did the Still Pond of Wisdom merge with Senior Eternal Fire?

What had transpired here before his arrival at the Mountain of Myriad Books?

Song Shuhang was puzzled.

“Yes, due to rather complex reasons, I am currently temporarily using the body of this Scholarly Faction successor to manifest myself,” Senior Eternal Fire explained in his weathered voice.

Song Shuhang was speechless.

He reached up to touch his own face. The mask was still in place. Therefore, this was not a form of physiognomy reading, but rather a mind-reading technique that violated privacy laws!

“While I may not understand what’s happening, it’s good that you’re still here, Senior Still Pond of Wisdom,” Song Shuhang remarked while finding some relief from the throbbing in his liver.

The golden-haired girl had ended up in the world of the golden lotus due to his actions. If anything were to happen to the most important entity of the Scholarly Faction, the Still Pond of Wisdom, because of her, Song Shuhang couldn’t fathom how guilty he would feel. Additionally, the Still Pond of Wisdom was an incredibly valuable item, likely beyond his means to compensate for.

“Senior, have you seen a golden-haired girl?” Song Shuhang inquired further.

“She has departed. She reclaimed what was rightfully hers from me and left,” Senior Eternal Fire, currently possessed by the Still Pond of Wisdom, solemnly replied.

“Something that belonged to her?” Song Shuhang’s brain began to work hard. Unfortunately, the aftereffects of the Karma Saber Technique hadn’t completely subsided, and the symptoms of his brain malfunctioning were still in the process of recovery. His brain’s efficiency wasn’t at its peak.

Why was the golden-haired girl connected to the Still Pond of Wisdom? What concealed identity did she possess? And what was the item that rightfully belonged to her?

Song Shuhang pondered and speculated.

Pavilion Master Chu, with her keen senses, detected that Song Shuhang’s cranial temperature had risen.

She gently tapped Song Shuhang’s head and said to the Still Pond of Wisdom, “Fellow Daoist, can you share with us what happened after the golden-haired girl entered here?”

“In simple terms… Not long ago, I suddenly sensed her presence. She, too, sensed my presence. Although we’ve never met before, there’s a kind of affinity between us that began to brew. She attracted me, and I attracted her. In the end, fate brought her to me,” the Still Pond of Wisdom explained.

“I see. In conclusion, it’s your fault,” Fellow Daoist Stone Tablet commented.

“Don’t even think about shifting the blame onto fate!”

“You’re mistaken. Her arrival in front of me is truly fate! Because my mission has already been fulfilled,” the Still Pond of Wisdom responded solemnly.

The moment the Heavenly Dao collapsed, its mission had come to an end.

If the Heavenly Dao ceased to exist, the portion of existence ‘devoured’ by the Sage from the Heavenly Dao Ball lost its significance.

It no longer needed to remain hidden within the Mountain of Myriad Books. It was free.

Just as it was no longer restricted, fate brought this golden-haired girl to it. This was the guidance of fate.

While the Still Pond of Wisdom spoke of fate, affinity, and mission, a scene suddenly appeared in the hall, projecting itself onto a screen.

In the image:

The golden-haired girl stood in the hall while wearing a confused expression.

Meanwhile, the mighty Sage, transformed from the Still Pond of Wisdom, sat cross-legged in front of her.

“What place is this?” the blonde girl asked. “Am I dead? The shop… Where’s the manager?”

“This is the space within the Mountain of Myriad Books, the Still Pond of Wisdom’s domain,” the Sage, transformed from the Still Pond of Wisdom, replied with a deep voice. “And who are you?”

“I am…”

“I’m here to retrieve my things.” Suddenly, a mechanical voice emanated from her.

Although the blonde girl’s left eye appeared lifelike, it was a mechanical structure.

In fact, most of her body had been subjected to mechanical modifications.

“I want to reclaim the ‘existence’ that the Scholarly Sage took from me.” The golden-haired girl couldn’t help but move closer to the Still Pond of Wisdom’s body.

The Still Pond of Wisdom attempted to resist her, but its resistance was ineffective.

Eventually, the golden-haired girl’s hand successfully touched the Still Pond of Wisdom’s body.

From within the Still Pond of Wisdom, a liquid metal substance was extracted

and merged into the golden-haired girl’s body. Even the physical body of the

Still Pond of Wisdom was plundered.

Not only did she want to take back the existence that had been devoured by the Heavenly Dao Ball, but she also aimed to take the legacy of the Scholarly Sage.

“No, no, I don’t want to be further modified. Shop Manager, save me!” The golden-haired girl cried out.

But she couldn’t stop it.

The Still Pond of Wisdom was powerless.

A few breaths later, just as the Still Pond of Wisdom was about to be completely absorbed…

“Where’s the core? Where’s my core?” The metallic voice suddenly expressed confusion. “I clearly sensed its presence when I woke up.”

After pausing for a few breaths, suddenly, the golden-haired girl turned around and abandoned the Still Pond of Wisdom, which had been sucked dry.

She seemed to have sensed the aura of the core..