The Perplexity of the Key to Creation, Have You Not Heard That Heaven Never Seals Off All the Exits

Deep within the abyss of the Nethersea Void.

Within an unremarkable droplet of water lies a realm of its own.

In a space saturated with dense natural spiritual essence, the personification of the Jade Pivot—Key of Creation—stood tall, her graceful figure poised as her shimmering, profound eyes fixed upon Chen Yi in the center.

"Hu Fangyuan, are you certain we should trust this man?"

Beside her, a hazy figure sighed faintly. "This is nothing short of making a pact with a tiger. You may not know, but his emergence alone has disrupted the course of history, allowing my own revival. And the figure that stirred anomalies in the River of Time? Merely one of his avatars!"

"Not only that—when I invoked the Dao of Spring and Autumn to reclaim my Great Luo attainment, I also discovered that a high-ranking Spacetime Inspector of the Immortal Realm is inextricably linked to him!"

"Just now, you heard it yourself—he intends to steal from right under the Immortal Emperor’s nose. You may doubt this, but I can assure you, it’s true. He doesn’t just plan to steal… no, he might even seize it outright!"

"All he lacks is a treasure capable of obscuring the Immortal Emperor’s perception. But the moment he acts, the Immortal Emperor will not remain idle. He will inevitably face the Emperor’s wrath!"

"Yet look at him—does he show even a hint of fear? If anything, he seems exhilarated, as if he can’t wait!"

"This man is truly unfathomable. I cannot see through him at all. Allying with him is our only chance to resist the Immortal Realm."

At this, the Jade Pivot—Key of Creation—arched a brow, her expression grave. "I disagree. His methods are erratic and unpredictable. Aren’t you afraid he’ll betray us first?"

Hu Fangyuan’s figure chuckled lightly. "He won’t. He needs an ally who can openly draw the Immortal Realm’s attention."

"Do you remember the Seeking Truth Scholar and the Destruction True Monarch, who departed years ago?"

The Jade Pivot’s gaze darkened as she stared at him. "Do I look like the ‘Radiant Pivot—Will’ to you?"

"My apologies."

Hu Fangyuan shook his head with a faint smile. "Since you lack those memories, I’ll speak plainly. The Seeking Truth Scholar and the Destruction True Monarch were once sent by the Supreme Being to infiltrate the Immortal Realm and gather intelligence. Unfortunately, before they could fulfill their mission, our Divine Realm collapsed without warning. They became lost souls, severed threads drifting in the wind..."

"However, they proved resilient. For countless eons, they endured under the oppressive rule of the former Luminous Heaven Court, biding their time until they backed a rising conqueror. Now, they stand among the highest echelons of the Boundless Heaven Court!"

"You must have noticed—over the past ten thousand years, the Immortal Court’s surveillance of the Divine Realm has weakened significantly. Aside from the Immortal Emperor’s core decrees, those two have played no small part in this shift."

The Jade Pivot fell into deep contemplation.

Indeed, ever since the great battle among the Immortal Emperors ten thousand years ago, the Immortal Court had slackened its oversight of the Divine Realm’s ruins. The number of patrols had dwindled drastically. In the past, the Nethersea Void was inspected annually, each sweep lasting half a year, forcing the hidden worlds within to plunge into eternal night, suppressing all life to evade detection.

But in recent millennia, inspections occurred only once every three years, lasting a mere two and a half days. The number of patrol envoys was reduced to a tenth of what it once was—now little more than a formality. They came, half-hearted, treating it as a vacation, barely bothering to investigate.

Could such laxity truly be attributed to those two high-ranking insiders?

Did they wield that much influence?

"Reducing investment in the Divine Realm’s ruins was the Immortal Emperor’s directive, but the specifics were left to the Seal-Bearing Immortal Official’s discretion. Precisely because the Emperor no longer prioritized it, the official found room to maneuver. And the current Seal-Bearing Immortal Official of the Boundless Heaven Court? None other than the former Seeking Truth Scholar."

Hu Fangyuan added another layer to his explanation.

Alas, if the Heavenly Dao were still intact, such elaboration wouldn’t be necessary. But now, fractured as it was, without detailed reasoning, comprehension would remain elusive.

The Jade Pivot nodded in understanding, though a trace of doubt lingered. "I must admit, those two have done remarkably well. But I fail to see how this connects to our current discussion about ‘Chen Yi.’"

Hu Fangyuan sighed in resignation. "Have you forgotten again? I just mentioned—this ‘Chen Yi’ is closely tied to a high-ranking Spacetime Inspector of the Immortal Realm, who, in turn, is entangled with those two!"

"So, unwittingly, we’ve already become allies!"

The Jade Pivot frowned. "I trust your judgment, but this man… hardly seems like ally material. If anything, he resembles a bandit king who plunders without restraint!"

Hu Fangyuan clasped his hands behind his back, his gaze distant as he observed the scene. "He won’t drain the pond to catch the fish. Even when my foolish nephew offered him the treasury, he refused. Though it was a gesture of goodwill, I believe it’s more because his foundation is too shallow to digest the vast mineral wealth within."

"Precisely for this reason, he opts for mutual cooperation, adhering to the principle of sustainable development through joint exploitation."

"As long as the Immortal Realm stands, he will remain our most reliable ally."

The Jade Pivot fell silent.

She couldn’t deny the flawless logic in Hu Fangyuan’s words. Yet, no matter how one spun it, those not of their kind would always harbor ulterior motives!

Even blood brothers could turn against each other—what were allies if not tools to be discarded when convenient?

Was it easier to share hardship or prosperity?

Given the domineering aura Chen Yi had displayed thus far, how could he tolerate others resting comfortably by his side?

To gamble on his goodwill—he’d first need to possess any to begin with!

Without keeping a hand hidden, they’d be devoured whole!

"So, by having Xie Buruo lend him the Primordial Origin Mirror, you’re testing his sincerity?" the Jade Pivot asked solemnly.

Hu Fangyuan gave a slight nod. "If he returns it intact and on time, it signals his acceptance of our goodwill—proof of his genuine intent to collaborate against the Immortal Realm."

"Should he harbor ill intentions, it matters not. The Primordial Origin Mirror will return on its own, exposing his coordinates and allowing the Immortal Emperor to pinpoint his location."

"He’s a clever man. He’ll know which choice to make."

After a moment’s hesitation, the Jade Pivot ventured, "What if—just what if—he actually deciphers the Chaos Dao Rune Lock sealing the mirror’s core?"

Hu Fangyuan spread his hands. "If he can unravel the Chaos Dao Rune Lock in such a short time, it would mean he surpasses even the Supreme Being and the Immortal Emperor. In that case, what else could we do?"

"One stronger than both the Supreme and the Emperor could only be the Chaos Sovereign. Our only option would be to bow in submission."

"But that’s impossible!"

"Though the Immortal Realm once theorized the existence of the Chaos Sovereign realm, it remains unproven to this day. Whether such a being even exists is still unknown."

"And if he truly were the Chaos Sovereign, why resort to schemes? A mere Immortal Emperor could be obliterated with a wave of his hand!"

"So, he must just be an anomalous variant, much like the Voidborn aberration 'Emptiness' that emerged from an accidental experiment—untouched by the laws of the myriad Daos, erasing all conceptual existence in its wake, capable of absorbing any attack energy and replicating it for infinite counterstrikes. A true anti-rules freak of nature!"

The Jade Pivot·Key of Creation's eyes were filled with confusion. "I have some vague recollection of this 'Emptiness,' but not much. If it’s truly as monstrous as you say, how should we deal with this 'Chen Yi'?"

Hu Fangyuan waved his hand dismissively. "No need to worry. Such variants always have fatal flaws. The fact that he dares not confront the Immortal Emperor head-on proves it. He needs us as allies, just as we need his aid!"

"We’ll wait thirty hours. If he returns by then, we’ll meet him. If not... well, the Great Love Divine Sovereign can still lead the Divine Realm to greatness once more. As the saying goes, Heaven never seals off all exits—wherever I choose to tread, the path shall form beneath my feet!"

"Uh... let’s hope he comes back."

The Jade Pivot·Key of Creation sighed heavily.

Though the Great Love Divine Sovereign’s legacy had long been buried by history, Xie Buruo’s reminiscences had revealed the truth to its discerning gaze.

Others might not know, but how could it not?

Xie Buruo’s uncle-by-marriage was a master of schemes and stratagems, yet the slightest hint of adversity would send him fleeing a thousand miles to preserve himself.

The fact that he alone had returned unscathed after the great powers of the Divine Realm were swept away by the tides of fate spoke volumes!

Could he be relied upon?

Was he trustworthy?

Frankly, he seemed about as dependable as Chen Yi...