191: The players are in place and the layout begins

Xiao Yaozi (Carefree Child) stared incredulously at the item in the wooden box.

He asked again, "Is this truly the legendary Origin Divine Crystal?"

Zhang Daoling looked at Xiao Yaozi (Carefree Child)'s shocked expression and laughed triumphantly, "I didn't expect there to be something that could make you lose your composure like this."

"How could I not lose my composure? This is an supreme divine treasure that can allow one to directly Breakthrough to the God Emperor Realm, a treasure rarely seen in millions of years."

"To think that something only found in legends actually exists."

Xiao Yaozi (Carefree Child) reluctantly glanced at the Origin Divine Crystal again, then forcefully closed the wooden box and pushed it back.

"This item is too precious. You should take it back. There's no need for such formality between us."

Although Xiao Yaozi (Carefree Child) said this, his eyes never left the wooden box.

It wasn't that he was a greedy person; it was simply that the allure of this Origin Divine Crystal was irresistible to anyone.

The fact that he could return it showed the depth of Xiao Yaozi (Carefree Child)'s resolve.

Seeing this, Zhang Daoling understood Xiao Yaozi (Carefree Child)'s thoughts and spoke with a solemn tone.

"If you want to help me, you must accept this. To speak frankly, your current Realm is not enough to help me."

Xiao Yaozi (Carefree Child) looked at Zhang Daoling in shock and said, "Could it be that you...?"

He dared not voice his guess; the guess was too wild.

Suddenly, a terrifying Aura erupted from Zhang Daoling, pressing straight towards Xiao Yaozi (Carefree Child). Caught off guard, Xiao Yaozi (Carefree Child) was almost forced to his knees by this Aura.

However, in just an instant, this Aura vanished.

Xiao Yaozi (Carefree Child) looked at Zhang Daoling in disbelief, then said somewhat dejectedly, "I didn't expect I was still a step behind you. In just three thousand years, you've crossed from the God King Realm to the God Emperor Realm."

Seeing Xiao Yaozi (Carefree Child)'s expression, Zhang Daoling comforted him, "Actually, my current strength is entirely due to that adult's efforts."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yaozi (Carefree Child) raised his head and blurted out, "You mean that adult, the Spirit of the God Realm?"

"There's something I'm not sure if I should say?" Xiao Yaozi (Carefree Child) looked at Zhang Daoling with a complex expression and uttered this sentence.

Zhang Daoling said nonchalantly, "Just say whatever you want. Being wishy-washy isn't your style."

"Don't you think all of this is problematic? The sudden appearance of the Spirit of the God Realm, the sudden emergence of over a hundred God Emperors. Ever since you and that Young Master named Lin appeared, everything in the Divine Realm has been too strange. My intuition tells me that there must be a huge conspiracy hidden behind this." Xiao Yaozi (Carefree Child) laid out all his worries.

"Hahaha, your intuition is correct. This is indeed a massive conspiracy," Zhang Daoling said without reservation.

"What? You know?" This shocked Xiao Yaozi (Carefree Child) even more.

At this moment, Zhang Daoling suddenly turned to look at Xiao Yaozi (Carefree Child), his eyes revealing endless madness.

Xiao Yaozi (Carefree Child) had never seen Zhang Daoling with such an expression before.

Amidst his shock, Zhang Daoling spoke Lin Mu's terrifying words.

"With heaven and earth as the furnace, the Divine Realm as the cauldron, and all living beings as the catalyst, refine the Gods."

Even if Xiao Yaozi (Carefree Child) didn't understand Lin Mu's plan, just that short sentence sent shivers down his spine.

What kind of person would utter such mad words, to sacrifice all living beings in the Divine Realm?

He looked at Zhang Daoling in disbelief, struggling to say, "Were you controlled by him, unable to help yourself? We..."

Xiao Yaozi (Carefree Child) didn't finish his sentence as Zhang Daoling slowly shook his head.

"Then why?" Xiao Yaozi (Carefree Child) roared.

Zhang Daoling looked at his friend's hysterical state, knowing he couldn't accept it for a while. This was human nature; even he couldn't fully come to terms with it even now.

"I had no choice. If I don't become the player, I can only become a chess piece on the board."

Zhang Daoling looked at Xiao Yaozi (Carefree Child) with a hint of reluctance, then added, "You are the person I trust most. I hope you can become a player, not a chess piece."

With that, he turned and walked towards the door.

"I'll give you three days to consider. If you understand, open the Restriction on the Jade Slip and follow what's written. If you don't want to do it, crush the Jade Slip, and I will know then."

As Zhang Daoling spoke, a Jade Slip landed on the table inside the room.

Xiao Yaozi (Carefree Child) looked at the Jade Slip on the table and fell into deep thought.

In Wu'an City, in that inconspicuous little tavern, Lao Mo was still leisurely sipping his wine.

Suddenly, he squinted towards the tavern's entrance.

"Sneaking around in broad daylight," Lao Mo said with a mocking tone.

As Lao Mo finished speaking, a white figure slowly appeared, but the people entering and exiting around him seemed not to notice him at all.

The newcomer chuckled and said, "As expected of the Young Master's most trusted person. I am Zhang Daoling. Greetings, Senior."

Upon hearing this, Lao Mo put down the wine glass he had raised.

In fact, the moment Zhang Daoling appeared, he knew that Lin Mu had sent someone.

He had been waiting here for so long, waiting for Lin Mu to contact him proactively.

"What are the Young Master's orders?" Lao Mo said in a flat tone.

Seeing Lao Mo speak concisely and without hesitation, Zhang Daoling said no more. With a wave of his hand, an ancient wooden box flew towards Lao Mo.

Lao Mo took the wooden box, merely glanced at it, then said, "This item is of no use to this old man."

As he spoke, he was about to throw the wooden box back.

Zhang Daoling quickly interjected, "This is for someone else. The Young Master said before he left that Senior would certainly not need this item, but the one accompanying you might."

Lao Mo thought about it and realized he was right. Although he had no use for this item, Long Yuan could use it.

Since Lin Mu had sent this item, it must mean that the upcoming task required the Realm of a God Emperor to participate.

After putting away the wooden box, Lao Mo asked again, "What else did the Young Master say?"

Zhang Daoling did not answer Lao Mo's question; instead, he waved his hand again, and a Jade Slip flew towards Lao Mo.

Lao Mo picked up the Jade Slip, merely examined it, and then unhesitatingly broke the Restriction on the Jade Slip.

His Divine Sense entered the Jade Slip. After only a moment, Lao Mo suddenly burst into laughter, "The Young Master has such a grand plan! Go back and tell the Young Master that this old man will set off today."

Having received Lao Mo's reply, Zhang Daoling cupped his hands, and his body turned into a wisp of smoke, disappearing.

Throughout their conversation, none of the people nearby noticed anything; in their eyes, Lao Mo had simply been drinking wine with his head down.

Months later, at the northernmost tip of the Divine Realm, Zhang Daoling's figure suddenly appeared. He glanced at the compass in his hand and muttered to himself.

"It seems this is the place."

With that, he took out a Formation Plate set and began to arrange a Formation here.

Although this place was deserted, Zhang Daoling still continuously set up defensive Formations, concealment Formations, and spatial Formations.

Once all the Formations were set, Zhang Daoling took out a wooden box from his spatial storage, then one by one took out twenty-seven wooden puppets from the box.

The wooden puppets varied in appearance and form, but if anyone saw them, they would surely be astonished.

These twenty-seven puppets were arranged in a fan shape, each corresponding to a God Emperor of the Divine Realm, and the puppet at the very front of the fan shape had the likeness of Jia Lan, the God Emperor of the Northern Domain.

Meanwhile, at the southernmost, westernmost, and easternmost ends of the Divine Realm, one person each was doing the same thing.