Chapter 397: Tianshu Mechanism Disk, Lost

Xu Xiaoshou had been worried about Fu Zhi's condition just a moment before.

But to his surprise, after showing a flash of fear, this guy seemed to transform into an entirely different person, becoming completely calm.

The kind of calm that was eerily unsettling!

"Is there something wrong?"

Xu Xiaoshou was baffled. Looking at the guy's face, it was clear he had connected Xu Xiaoshou's last words to some kind of major terror.

But what could it be?

Could it be that the massive hand manipulating the Great Dao rules in the illusion really existed?

"How about it?"

Xu Xiaoshou didn't dare ask more. He was still maintaining his role, and revealing too much ignorance would only invite more suspicion.

Yet Fu Zhi's gaze toward him had completely changed.

From initial disdain, to shock after being stunned, then to wild joy upon enlightenment, and now it had evolved into...

"Receiving fear, passive value, 1."

Xu Xiaoshou was stunned.

What on earth was this? What had this guy imagined?

"You are..."

Fu Zhi hesitated a bit but couldn't hold back and asked, "After Sheng Di?"

Xu Xiaoshou furrowed his brow slightly.

Sheng Di... he knew about that!

In this world, or rather on this continent, the strongest existence was the Sheng Di realm.

But information about "Sheng Di" was merely legendary, passed down through tales.

According to the legends.

Even the foremost figure on Sheng Shen Dalu, the current hall master of Sheng Shen Dian Tang, Dao Qiong Cang, seemed to be just one step away from that realm.

It was as if, on this continent, the "Sheng Di" realm was like a deity.

Something worshiped in faith but never actually appeared.

Now, Fu Zhi had directly mentioned...

After Sheng Di?

Xu Xiaoshou's heart raced. This city lord, Fu Zhi, must know something!

Could it be that the hand manipulating the world's rules was the "hand of Sheng Di"?

Yet, no matter how curious he felt, Xu Xiaoshou didn't ask more.

Even if Fu Zhi seemed quite friendly, he was still an outsider. These matters—perhaps Lao Sang would know about them?

Lao Sang...

This old man didn't seem simple at all.

Just thinking about that massive hand, and recalling his terrifying "prison theory," as well as the "heaven and earth chessboard"...

Xu Xiaoshou suddenly felt a wave of unease, and he didn't dare think further.

What a ridiculous theory—it was just something he had made up to bluff Fu Zhi.

How had it ended up scaring even himself?

After silently calling it absurd, Xu Xiaoshou gave a slight, imperceptible shake of his head.

He didn't directly respond to Fu Zhi's question but said, "Now that you've figured out this predicament, what are your plans?"

Fu Zhi gave him a deep look, not dwelling on it further, and focused his mind according to Xu Xiaoshou's words.

"Naturally, I need to get myself together, then go see my precious daughter whom I haven't seen in a long time."

Speaking of his daughter, Fu Zhi's face lit up with a smile. "This must be fate. Today, thanks to Brother Xu's help, not only did I break through the 'Tianji Zhen,' but I also made another breakthrough."

"I think I'm not far from reaching Da Zongshi."

As he spoke, he excitedly patted Xu Xiaoshou on the shoulder, only for his hand to be bounced away.

Fu Zhi was startled for a moment, a flicker of surprise in his eyes, but he didn't mind and continued happily, "Brother Xu, you must stay. The city lord's residence will host a banquet tonight—I want to treat you properly!"

"By the way, you can meet my nephew and niece. They're top talents among the younger generation!"

Xu Xiaoshou's legs nearly gave way.

Nephew and niece?

You're not talking about Fu Xing and Fu Yin Hong, are you?

Xu Xiaoshou quickly waved his hand. "As for the banquet, I think it's unnecessary."

"You're trapped here and don't know, but tonight, the city lord's residence is quite lively."

"Oh?" Fu Zhi was surprised. "Is there some event?"

"Bai Ku."

Just those two words, and Fu Zhi immediately understood.

He calculated the time—it seemed about right, from when he obtained the "Tianji Ji Pan" until now, it should coincide with the next opening of the dimensional space.

But...

"What a coincidence?" He found it hard to believe.

Xu Xiaoshou laughed. "If it weren't for the Bai Ku opening and the city lord's residence allocating spots, how would I have come here, and how would you have gotten out?"

"This isn't a coincidence—it's destiny!"

Fu Zhi was overjoyed. "Excellent! In that case, let's go join the banquet right now, and I'll introduce you to my daughter..."

"No!" Xu Xiaoshou interrupted him. "Have you forgotten something?"

"What?"

"My shimei!"

Only then did Fu Zhi realize, exclaiming, "Oh, right, I almost forgot—I still have something to fetch. Wait a moment!"

"Your shimei is in there too. I'll release her right away," Fu Zhi said with an apologetic smile.

With that, he turned and was about to fly back to his original location.

At that moment, both of them sensed something at the same time.

"Who is it?"

Xu Xiaoshou immediately released his spiritual sense, and from the spot where Fu Zhi had emerged earlier, he detected a trace of life.

It felt... somewhat familiar?

"The Tianji Ji Pan!"

Fu Zhi's pupils contracted. Without thinking, he vanished in an instant.

After four whole years of neglect, Fu Zhi had completely forgotten that there were still many people in the world obsessed with the "Tianji Ji Pan."

And now, with the Bai Ku opening, how could those people give up?

How could he have been so careless and made such a mistake!

How could the Tianji Ji Pan be left behind?

Even if retrieving it was complicated, he should have prioritized the time for it!

But thinking back to Xu Xiaoshou's earlier move of detonating the flower sea, Fu Zhi knew he hadn't had any extra time to react.

Still, it was too late to blame Xu Xiaoshou now.

It wasn't intentional on his part!

The real threat was the thief.

Based on the time he and Xu Xiaoshou had been talking, if that person knew how to retrieve it, they would have had more than enough time.

But what kind of expert could stay so close for so long without being detected?

Only at the very last moment of retrieval, when the Tianji power burst out, did a faint trace of life energy leak?

Fu Zhi was both alarmed and full of regret.

As he pondered, he appeared instantly in the original sky.

However, aside from a dismantled spiritual array and a pit in the ground about the size of a tree stump, there was nothing else.

"Smack!"

Fu Zhi clenched his fists, his knuckles cracking loudly.

It was really stolen?

In that instant, his anger erupted.

After four years of seclusion, had the outside world truly forgotten about him, Fu Zhi?

Just then, more than a dozen figures shot toward them from the horizon.

Leading them were Fu Yin Hong and Liu Jing.

The two saw the disheveled and worn-out man on the ground, first stunned, then their eyes filled with disbelief.

"Father?!"

"City lord?!"

The people behind them were equally thrilled.

So, the explosion in the back garden earlier was because the old city lord had broken out of seclusion?

Just how powerful must he be?