Chapter 1363 The Returnee's Notes 437
There was no distinction between day and night here, but Xie Ning felt tired and sleepy after wandering around for a while. Just as Xie Ning was thinking about whether to go back to rest, Tao Zhi appeared.
When the other members of the Xuan clan saw Tao Zhi, they all gave him a slight bow, which clearly indicated that Tao Zhi's status was not low.
"You should rest."
Tao Zhi frowned slightly. "Have you forgotten the way? That's right, this place is very large, it's easy to get lost."
Xie Ning actually remembered, but he didn't dwell on the question. Instead, he asked, "There don't seem to be many spirits living here."
The place she had just moved into was only the size of a small neighborhood, and there weren't many residents there.
"Because this place is just a small corner of the underworld, and the souls we receive are only a part of the souls of the human world."
The underworld also has different areas for receiving souls. For example, most of the ghosts Xie Ning sees here are like her, while the foreign devils who don't look like her are in another area.
However, all these zones can be directly accessed through "doors" to the connecting points, such as the River of Oblivion that Xie Ning and Yu Shengli just visited.
"Where is the new soul?"
Um?
Where will the new souls be born?
Tao Zhi did not answer Xie Ning's question, but led Xie Ning back to the room and then personally lit an oil lamp.
Xie Ning had just seen those oil lamps at Ah Chun's place; they were said to replenish the soul. However, the lamp Tao Zhi lit was a deep blue, and its base was more intricate.
Through a window, Xie Ning could see the peach tree in the yard. She raised her eyebrows slightly. While she was wandering around, quite a few things had been added to the yard.
Tao Zhi followed Xie Ning's gaze to the peach tree in the courtyard. "I know you like white camellias, but peach blossoms are also very beautiful, and they can bear fruit. The peaches are very sweet."
Xie Ning finally stopped pretending not to understand and asked, "Lord Tao Zhi, do we know each other?"
Tao Zhi looked into Xie Ning's eyes, her gaze somewhat unfocused, as if she were looking at someone else through Xie Ning.
"I don't know him."
Tao Zhi's voice was very soft. What she really wanted to say was that Xie Ning didn't recognize her now, because they had only met once in the myriad threads of cause and effect.
That was Xie Ning's future, but it was her past.
"You can just call me Tao Zhi."
Tao Zhi slightly averted her eyes, no longer discussing the topic, and instead asked, "Do you know that going back in time to eliminate cause and effect comes at a price?"
Xie Ning was of course unaware of this, but everything comes at a price, and she was prepared.
"What price?"
"The time tunnel will tear your soul to pieces. You are too weak to withstand it now."
Even though Xie Ning's soul would be considered powerful by ordinary people, it was as weak as a piece of paper in her eyes.
Before Xie Ning could answer, Tao Zhi continued, "Of course, there is a way to resist it. You have accumulated merit and have a small but continuous source of faith power. If you were to go back in time, you could maintain the safety of your soul, but you would inevitably become weak. At that time, you might not even be half as strong as you are now."
"It's alright."
Tao Zhi seemed to have anticipated Xie Ning's answer, and showed no surprise.
Just as she was about to say something more, Tao Zhi sensed a presence, nodded slightly to Xie Ning, and left.
Soon her figure appeared in her own territory, and she immediately spotted the person waiting under the tree.
It has peach branches as its frame, flower stamens covering its face, tree bark wrapped around its waist, and vines forming its skirt. Its feet do not touch the ground, and it hangs three inches in the air. It is more like a demon than a human.
However, in reality, it was neither human nor demon, but a witch.
"Auntie, what brings you here?"
The witch looked around the rather simple place for a while, and said unhappily, "You are a witch, what are you doing staying here all day? You are going to take over my position and guard the trial grounds in the future."
Staying here now won't make you any better!
Tao Zhi lowered her eyes and said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "It was Yuanjun who ordered me to guard this place. If Aunt has any questions, you can ask Yuanjun."
When Yuanjun was mentioned, Wugu's imposing manner softened somewhat. "How is Yuanjun?"
"The Earth Goddess has no form, yet she nurtures all shapes and sizes; the Netherworld is not empty, yet it contains all vital energy. Aunt, you reside in the Netherworld, why should you ask yourself such questions?"
The witch remained silent for a while. "Yuanjun has not appeared in public for tens of thousands of years. You say this as if I can really see Yuanjun. Now the Netherworld is under the rule of the Great Emperor, which is different from the past. If you are willing, you should go back to the Trial Grounds and wait for my promotion. I will promote you in the future."
Why waste your days in this place?
They're just ghosts. Every day, old ghosts enter the underworld and new ghosts are born. Why be so careful? Even if one or two disappear, it doesn't matter..."
Especially for some spirits that possess great merit, this is a great tonic.
As she was speaking, Wu Gu finally shut her mouth when she met Tao Zhi's cold gaze.
"I'm doing this for your own good; we are of the same race."
Tao Zhi closed her eyes, adopting a gesture of seeing the guest off. She wanted to say, "But Aunt, Yuanjun said that Heaven covers without bias, Earth carries without bias, and gods and spirits judge without bias. Yet the Netherworld today is like a tree that rots from its roots."
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