Face

Liuping pondered for a moment, then fell silent, assuming a cross-legged position as he patiently awaited the passage of time.

At that moment, the two Qi-refining cultivators facing him ceased their exchange, their attention drawn elsewhere.

Across the venue, other practitioners also ceased their whispers, their focus shifting toward the center of the gathering.

A cultivator, drenched in blood, stood at the center, surrounded by seven or eight companions whose expressions ranged from sorrowful to tearful, resigned, or contemplative.

—It was the same group of cultivators Liuping had encountered earlier.

"Li Lang... Have you already died once?" a female cultivator inquired, stepping forward to guide the injured male cultivator.

raising his hand, slowly curling his fist, and spoke with nonchalance: "Yes, I died just now. This is me after resurrection."

A heavy silence settled over the surroundings as people instinctively shifted away from him.

Undeterred, the female cultivator's resolve shone through as she proclaimed loudly: "It's alright. Many among us have experienced death once, yet they've continued to live without succumbing to the influence of demons."

Liuping's brow furrowed.

'died once?'

'so death is overrun by monsters.'

Wasn't this the same situation Wang Cheng was in?!

The male cultivator with a bitter smile shook his head. "Just look at how everyone is taking it, and you'll understand that I need to make a choice."

The female cultivator hesitated before asking, "Are you trying to..."

he nodded, retrieving a talisman from his robes and casting it into the air.

"Holy beast spirit, manifest!" he murmured softly.

The talisman ignited with a brilliant flash, transforming into a darkened portal that seemed to consume the surrounding light.

With bated breath, everyone watched as the portal contracted, revealing a pale face peering through its depths, fixating on the injured man.

In a resounding hoarse voice, the holy spirit spoke, "Resurrected Mortal... Are you seeking refuge within the saint's sanctuary to evade possession by demons?"

The male cultivator clasped his fist and spoke, "Indeed, please also accept one or two more."

The face ceased its communication, gently advancing as the entire dark doorway transformed into a cloak enveloping it.

Upon reaching the ground, it surveyed the surroundings.

"It is not easy to emerge thus. I bestow blessings upon all the cultivators who are witnessing this moment," the face declared.

"Yes," the Male cultivator affirmed, standing respectfully behind the face.

The female companion displayed a conflicted expression before finally expressing, "I wish to accompany him."

Gazing at her with approval, he commended, "This is the wisest decision you've made in your life. I will implore the sage to secure a good position for you."

The female cultivator visibly relaxed, expressing her gratitude, "Thank you, sir."

"Very well, the two of you remain here," he instructed.

With that, he turned away and made his way back towards the crowd.

A heavy silence enveloped the gathering.

Approaching a person, he spoke softly, "The resurgence of martial arts power rests upon you, practitioner of martial arts. I bestow my blessings upon you."

The man bowed respectfully in gratitude.

Continuing onward, the face addressed another individual, "The enlightening power of the five elements aids in your cultivation. blessings to you."

In turn, the individual extended their hand in appreciation

The face pivoted abruptly, coming to a halt in front of a monk.

"You... possess a remarkable array of extraordinary abilities, and you have experienced death once," the face scrutinized the monk.

"What!"

"How can this be!"

"He has already died once?" came the astonished murmurs from the surrounding crowd.

A chorus of exclamations echoed through the crowd.

The cultivator's complexion paled, yet he composed himself and clasped his fist, admitting, "It is true that I have faced death once in the past. The Holy Spirit has been privy to the details."

The face inquired solemnly, "Would you be willing to seek refuge from demons under the protection of the saints?"

The cultivator responded anxiously, "I have pledged myself to another saint and have been receiving teachings under his guidance, but I have not made the journey yet ."

The face paused for a moment, then smiled gently, "Ah, I see. In that case, I won't press you further."

With that, the face resumed its forward motion.

As it passed by the fire where Liu Ping sat, the face lingered momentarily on the qi-refining female cultivator. "A promising seedling indeed. You are the cornerstone of our spiritual civilization. I bestow my blessings upon you," it remarked.

The female cultivator bowed respectfully in acknowledgment.

Then, shifting its gaze towards the Male cultivator, the face continued, "Ah, yet another seedling sprout. I bestow my blessings upon you as well."

The male cultivator solemnly accepted the blessing.

With that, the ceremony proceeded.

The face regarded Liu Ping in silence, its expression inscrutable.

Suddenly, an unusual shift occurred—

In the emptiness, fiery lines of small print materialized

[It has activated a specific power to thoroughly probe you.]

[Due to your implementation of 'A Man Without a Role,' all information about you has been meticulously and strictly concealed.]

[It detected nothing out of the ordinary in you] the voice continued.

[It deems you insignificant.]

The fiery lines of small print vanished as swiftly as they had appeared.

Simultaneously, all eyes turned towards Liu Ping.

The face within the dark cloak addressed him, "Young man, your future holds great promise."

After delivering its message, the face departed from the bonfire where Liu Ping sat and proceeded towards another bonfire.

Liu Ping remained standing before the fire in the corner, his expression unreadable.

"Damn," he muttered inwardly, "You're implying I'm insignificant, aren't you? And you blessed everyone else but left me out in the end. That's just too blatant. Don't you care about my feelings?"

A sudden gust of wind swept through, leaving Liu Ping shivering as a chill enveloped him from behind.

In that moment, a sense of unease gripped him. He became aware of a thin layer of cold sweat forming on his back.

Suddenly, a wave of relief washed over him as he realized the advantage of being 'A Person Without a Role.'

—Even if the process is somewhat uncomfortable.

But this ability is truly invaluable!

"Hey, why did you dare to probe me all of a sudden?" Liu Ping pondered for a moment before silently asking in his mind.

A line of small characters materialized in the void:

[Of course, this sequence cannot be revealed, but investigating your current situation is not an issue.]

It turned out to be merely an observation.

Liu Ping retreated further into the corner, silently observing the unfolding events.

Eventually, the face concluded its scrutiny and returned to the two cultivators.

"We should depart now; we mustn't keep the saint waiting," it declared.

"Yes," the two cultivators affirmed in unison.

The face expanded and transformed once more into the black gate.

The two cultivators exchanged a glance, clasped hands, and then stepped through the black door together, departing from this sanctuary.

For a while, the tension among the crowd gradually dissipated.

"It's regrettable that Fellow Daoist Li possesses exceptional aptitude, yet having experienced death once, he has no choice but to forsake the path of cultivation and follow the saint to forge a new journey."

"Hmm, the path of cultivation is indeed fraught with hardships."

"Perhaps he would have surpassed both you and me in the future."

"Perhaps."

"Compared to the complexities of cultivation, that seems like an enticing prospect..."

The murmurs of conversation and discussion resumed.

Liu Ping listened in silence, allowing time to flow steadily onward.

Finally.

A line of small characters materialized in the sky:

[Your ability, 'A Man Without a Role', has concluded.]

Liu Ping let out a sigh of relief and turned to the monk opposite him, smiling. "Friend Hong Tao, may I ask a question?."

The Qi-refining monk named Hong Tao clasped his hands and replied, "Please feel free to ask."

Liu Ping inquired, "--I wonder if you're aware that there's been a change in the main general on the battlefield?"

Hong Tao responded, "After the Gua Saint perished, the main general was indeed replaced."

"When did Gu Saint pass away?" Liu Ping inquired, his breath catching as his heart began to tighten.

Hong Tao answered, "It was a year ago. However, it's rumored that he left behind certain confessions. His entire existence remains shrouded in secrecy, guarded by the seven major factions."

Turning to the female cultivator beside him, Liu Ping asked, "Fairy Zhao, what are your thoughts on this?"

"Gua Saint truly mysterious. This entire realm is constructed based on his designs. Hence, his affairs are veiled in secrecy and shielded by the seven major factions. We ordinary cultivator do not dare to delve into his matters," Chan Yi affirmed with a nod.

"indeed," Liu Ping sighed heavily.

One year.

Just a single year had passed.

In that short span, the realm of spiritual cultivation had transformed into a realm of death.

"There exists a profound terror lurking within the void, casting its gaze upon our world. I've pondered long and hard, yet I've found no means to confront it—If I cannot even discern the truth, then death awaits,"

"Liuping, You Must... survive..."

"This is my final wish," he recollected his master's words, his expression tinged with a somber hue.

I've already surpassed my master In the Six Arts and myriad cultivation methods. Yet, I've only considered my master's fate, never thought of the destiny of the world.

Now, that i think about it, the secrets are in utter chaos, and I can't make any sense of it at all.

I'm unable to comprehend what happened.

—Moreover, it seems everyone is dead.

Master...

"What did you find out to cause all this?"

Liuping pondered for several moments, and a sudden thought surged in his heart.

'Seven major factions, They know the secret of my master's disappearance!"