Chapter 209 Xiao

Over on the Seventh Island,

Cheng Minglang whispered, "Wait... what are they muttering about over there?"

Someone lowered their voice:

"It looks like that Taoist wants to give something to Chen Yu."

"Ridiculous. They were just fighting to the death, and now he's giving him something? Did he get beaten stupid?"

"He's a cultivator... we don't understand them. Maybe it's something about karma?"

Zhang Shouyi placed the talisman paper on the bridge railing, weighting it down with the broken half of his whisk.

"This talisman is called the Wangchuan Talisman. Before the apocalypse, it was nothing more than a piece of talisman paper on an altar in a corner of the temple, gathering dust for who knows how many years. After I gained the Talent Profound Mastery, I knew it was waiting for someone."

?

Chen Yu narrowed his eyes. "For me? Why?"

Zhang Shouyi smiled slightly. "I am not giving it to you, but to the person who needs it."

He paused. "If you need it, you may come to the bridge and take it. I will not charge any price, save for one condition—if the Organization faces trouble in the future, you must not stand idly by."

Chen Yu grew more confused. "Hey, Taoist, in this vast Road to Survival, the probability of us meeting again isn't high. As for this disaster you're talking about, I'm even more..."

"We will definitely meet."

Zhang Shouyi interrupted him. "As long as you accept the Wangchuan Talisman, it will no longer be the Organization looking for you. Instead, karma will bring you before the Organization. You won't be able to dodge it or bypass it."

Chen Yu frowned. "All this you're saying, did you calculate it?"

Zhang Shouyi shook his head. "I cannot calculate your fate, but I can calculate that of the Organization. Where the Organization's calamity lies, when it will come, and through whom it will manifest—all of it is calculated with crystal clarity."

Chen Yu suddenly asked, "What if I choose to stand idly by anyway?"

Zhang Shouyi said with a smile, "The Organization will be utterly destroyed, and not a single passenger will survive."

The faces of the two Taoists turned pale simultaneously.

"Abbot..."

Skinny Tall Guy's voice carried a hint of a sob.

Zhang Shouyi didn't look at them. "But I know you won't stand idly by. Once you take the Wangchuan Talisman, you will be touched by Taoist karma, and karma is not so easily repaid."

Chen Yu raised an eyebrow. "To be honest, I don't lack anything. You can take that Wangchuan Talisman with you. I don't want to owe you some mysterious karma. It's all too mystical for me."

Zhang Shouyi shook his head. "I am merely placing the Wangchuan Talisman here. Whether you take it or not is entirely up to you. I promise not to interfere in the slightest, but in the end, you will definitely take it."

"After all, the Organization cannot be saved by me."

Chen Yu keenly picked up on a piece of information. "What do you mean? You make it sound like you won't be with the Organization?"

Zhang Shouyi nodded slightly, his gaze falling on the horizon that had already darkened.

The last ray of twilight reflected in his pupils like a lamp about to go out.

He sighed softly. "You are right. At that time, I will indeed not be with the Organization. Paths differ, and people part and reunite."

The two Taoists froze at the same time, staring blankly at the Abbot's back.

"Abbot... where... where are you going?"

Zhang Shouyi's voice drifted through the twilight. "I'm sorry, Junior Brothers, but even I don't know."

"Ah..."

The two Taoists seemed to be hearing this news for the first time. Greatly shocked, they exchanged glances.

Zhang Shouyi continued, "I only know that in that place, there is a temple, a statue, and an ever-burning lamp. In front of the lamp lies a scroll. I turned to the first page, and on it was written a single word."

"Xiao."

"Xiao?"

The two Taoists gasped. "Abbot... could it be... could you be talking about *that* temple?!!"

Zhang Shouyi shook his head. "Everything is predestined. Heaven's secrets cannot be..."

"Zixiao Taoist Temple?!!"

Chen Yu's voice came from the middle of the bridge, carrying a hint of shock.

Zhang Shouyi's body suddenly stiffened.

"How do you know about the Zixiao Taoist Temple?"

Chen Yu coughed and made up a story on the spot. "It's the most mysterious temple in all of China. I saw it on short videos once. I passed by it and visited once, so I could guess a bit."

Zhang Shouyi nodded. "I didn't expect you to even know about that..."

What Chen Yu really wanted to say was: Zixiao Taoist Temple? No, it's called the Zixiao Dharma Carriage now!

It's the fourth-ranked entity on the China Highway Rankings!

In other words, it's a top-tier, heaven-defying fleet that strikes fear into everyone's hearts!

Rumor has it that the car owner of the Zixiao Dharma Carriage is an old Taoist whom everyone calls Perfected Zixiao...

His Talent is not combat-oriented, nor is it resource or support-oriented; it's Formations!

During a transnational station event, he alone, with a single formation, slaughtered three thousand Sakurans in thirteen minutes. It was incredibly exaggerated!

Come to think of it,

In his previous life, the Xuantan Bus was a flash in the pan on the Highway Rankings, quickly fading into obscurity!

Chen Yu had just been wondering why, given Zhang Shouyi's ability and his many Profound Mastery Taoist tools, he would theoretically fall off the rankings so quickly. But seeing it now, if he went to the Zixiao Dharma Carriage, then the decline of the Organization was inevitable!

"That is all I have to say."

"The choice is yours."

Zhang Shouyi said no more. He simply turned around and walked toward the First Island.

But after taking only two steps, he stopped. "For tomorrow's pet duel, our two islands have been matched. At that time, I will forfeit directly to ensure the safety of your pet."

The two Taoists' eyes widened.

"Abbot?! Forfeit? Our pet is SSS-rank! Why forfeit?"

"Yeah, Abbot, we worked so hard to raise it! We could take first place in points!"

Zhang Shouyi raised his hand, and both Taoists immediately shut their mouths.

Chen Yu looked at Zhang Shouyi's back. "Even if you don't forfeit, your pet will lose. Don't believe me? You can try tomorrow. I guarantee your SSS-rank pet will be sat to death by Water Bubble's butt."

Zhang Shouyi didn't reply, gradually disappearing into the First Island.

At this moment, Officer Pei Yuanheng, Cheng Minglang, Captain Zhou Ting, and the others hurried over, all speaking at once:

"Chen Yu! What exactly happened?"

"That yellow paper he left behind—do you plan to take it?"

"What does that Taoist mean? Could it be a plot?"

Chen Yu waved his hand and looked at Captain Zhou. "Captain Zhou, what does your tablet say?"

After spending so much time together, Chen Yu naturally knew that Captain Zhou Ting's ability was that tablet. Not only could it analyze a target's energy, but it could also view certain information.

In other words, it was an enhanced version of Zuo Shi's Talent.

Captain Zhou Ting spoke seriously, "I just observed Taoist Zhang Shouyi's emotional fluctuations. Based on his micro-expressions, tone, and hand movements, he shouldn't be lying."

But he added, "Of course, I can't rule out the possibility that this person has extremely strong camouflage skills."

Chen Yu rubbed his chin, his gaze falling on the bridge railing, on the Wangchuan Talisman held down there.

"Forget it."

"He left both a Treasure Chest and the Wangchuan Talisman, and even said he'd forfeit tomorrow's pet duel."

"If this is a plot, the cost would be a bit too high."

Cheng Minglang blinked and suddenly lowered his voice. "Do you think their pet is really SSS-rank?"

Chen Yu hesitated. "He wouldn't go as far as to lie about that, would he?"

Cheng Minglang whispered, "Then it's better to let them forfeit. We don't have to fight, right? After all, it's an SSS-rank pet. Who knows what kind of heaven-defying attributes..."