After fierce competition, the list of the top 64 has been finalized in just two days.

Tomorrow, the second round of elimination matches will begin, narrowing the field from 64 to 32.

Su Yunying stood atop the imperial city, her hand resting on the palace wall, gazing absently in the direction of tomorrow's meeting place. A gentle breeze caressed her delicate, fair face, softly lifting her long, black hair that cascaded over her shoulders. Bathed in the glow of the sunset, she possessed a refined and elegant air.

"what's on your mind?"

Shen Zhao's voice interrupted her thoughts.

Su Yunying turned around and smiled faintly: "It's nothing, it just feels a little unreal."

Shen Zhao casually sat on the palace wall and stretched.

"Don't worry, all of this is real. Everything you've achieved today is the result of your own hard work. I've checked for you; none of those sixty-four people are more powerful than you."

You are destined to win the Southern Region Grand Competition.

Su Yunying shook her head: "Boss, that's not what I'm thinking about. The combat skills and cultivation techniques you gave me are top-notch. I'm just worried that all of this is just a dream."

"Dream?"

Shen Zhao turned to face Su Yunying: "Life is like a dream, even if it is a dream..."

I should finish it before waking up. I just hope it will be a good dream, so that we can both get the outcome we deserve.

Su Yunying pursed her lips and suddenly asked, "Boss, can I ask you something?"

"explain."

"Why did you say those things to me that day in Dragon Abyss Valley?"

Shen Zhao was slightly taken aback, then smiled and said, "No reason is needed. You'll find out when you have the chance."

Su Yunying was about to speak again when Wu Yousheng's guard came to report: "Fellow Daoist Shen, Miss Su, there is a woman outside the palace who claims to be Miss Su's mother and wants to see Miss Su."

Shen Zhao immediately wanted to refuse on Su Yunying's behalf, but Su Yunying said, "Tell her I'll be there later."

"good."

The guards immediately ran down the city wall.

Shen Zhao: "What, you still can't let go of your mother?"

Su Yunying smiled faintly and said calmly, "Aside from giving birth to me, she has never fulfilled her responsibilities as a mother for a single day. After spending time with her these past few days, I have already let go of her."

But the one who tied the knot must untie it. Today, I'll make things clear to her: I, Su Yunying, will have no further connection with the Su family.

Shen Zhao nodded: "It's good that you have this awareness. Okay, I believe you can handle it."

"Then I'll head over first, boss."

Su Yunying walked gracefully toward the palace gate with light steps.

Shen Zhao smiled and shook his head, just as he was about to continue admiring the sunset when a sudden thought struck him.

The next moment, a scene flashed before my eyes like a fleeting dream.

In the scene, billions of lives lie in pools of blood in a scene of carnage, with bones scattered everywhere, endless and boundless, surrounded by an eternal darkness that inspires despair.

In the midst of despair, a familiar voice rang out...

"Shen Lang, run..."

In just a moment, everything returned to normal, as if what I had just seen was an illusion.

But Shen Zhao didn't think so.

"This scene seems familiar... but I can't remember where I've experienced it before. Why does that voice sound so much like Yun Ying's? Could it be..."

The scene that flashed through Shen Zhao's mind was strangely familiar. He was certain that he had experienced it sometime in the past, but he couldn't remember when it happened.

"Fine, I will investigate this matter thoroughly. If this is something that will happen in the future, I will do everything in my power to stop it."

With his Dao heart steadied, Shen Zhao's mind returned to calm.

Regardless of the reason for what just happened, if it disturbs his future carefree days, then he wouldn't mind tearing a hole in the sky.

...

At the highest point of the heavens, thunder rumbled.

The system surveyed the void with amusement, a slight smile playing on its lips.

The system sneered: "Why are you still unwilling to give up even now? Nine times it's the same result. Do you think you can succeed on the tenth?"

"But it doesn't matter, I don't care."

The lightning and thunder intensified, seemingly venting their strong dissatisfaction towards the system.

Finally, a deep voice came from the void: "As the ancestor of all origins, you should not interfere with the changes in a predetermined destiny. This is a great taboo of the Daoist lineage."

"The lineage of Taoism?"

The system turned around and buried a potted plant in the soil.

"The system is the lineage, and you are at most my disciples and descendants. What right do you have to question my decisions?"

Another rumble of thunder echoed in the sky: "Stop. Let the creatures of this realm return to their original destiny. This is not a difficult task for you."

"Do you mean to return Shen Zhao, Yu Xiyan, and Su Yunying to their original destinies?"

"You should know that the compatibility between Yu Xiyan and Shen Zhao is basically zero. Originally, their destinies were not aligned in that way."

"Shen Zhao should have broken off all ties with Yu Xiyan when he was seventeen, but you insisted on bringing them together. What was your intention?"

"What's the intention? It's just to provide some amusement in a life that's been utterly boring for billions of years."

"Just because of that?"

Can you come up with other reasons?

The system turned to look at the starry sky: "This time you've learned your lesson. You know that with less than 1% of your will that I've suppressed, you can't change the fact that Su Yunying will still die a tragic death in this life."

So they gave the choice to Shen Zhao, hoping he could change Su Yunying's fate.

The diary from Dragon Abyss Valley, which shouldn't have existed in the first place, is now injecting a world-ending illusion into Shen Zhao's mind.

You think your little tricks can fool me? Actually, I'm just deliberately not getting involved.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!