Absolute Destiny Game.

Chapter 606 Shifting the Blame, Three Days

Xiao Jie calmly looked down at the three silent men before him, a strange feeling rising in his heart.

Is this the power that comes with strength? Deciding life and death with a flick of the wrist, reducing others to ashes in the blink of an eye. Those who obey me may depart safely; those who defy me face immediate annihilation. Even the ancient emperors who wielded the power of life and death were probably no more powerful than this. The shift in perspective and mindset after becoming an immortal is indeed beyond imagination.

He felt a sense of liberation, even a touch of mischievous pleasure, but the three people opposite him felt as if they were in an ice cave, each second like being tortured on a knife's edge. The feeling of having one's life or death entirely in the hands of another was enough to make even the most self-proclaimed strong person feel their own insignificance and powerlessness.

Especially for the Pantheon, which has always been superior to ordinary players, the three of them felt more uncomfortable than ever before.

The old cat with no sense of propriety was the quickest to think of a solution. He first knelt down on Xiao Jie, his tiger head looking somewhat comical: "Immortal Master Sui Feng is as handsome as a jade tree in the wind, with unparalleled immortal grace. Your noble character is beyond the comprehension of us mortals! You are now a carefree immortal, your mind far surpassing the mundane world. Those insignificant conflicts and frictions of the past are like dust compared to the bright moon; you certainly wouldn't care. In your eyes, what are we any different from ants crawling on the ground? Your heart is as vast as the sea, your capacity for tolerance is boundless, so why bother with us insignificant ants?"

These words were an act of utter humility, a willingness to kneel and a blatant display of flattery. One-Punch Man, standing nearby, felt his face burning with shame, almost ashamed for him. However, the tasteless old cat remained composed, his tone utterly sincere, as if every word came from the depths of his heart, without any psychological barrier.

Xiao Jie couldn't help but chuckle softly, thinking to himself, "Indeed, when people face a survival crisis, their potential is limitless. To survive, they'll say anything and do anything."

“What you say makes sense.” Xiao Jie’s tone was calm, revealing no emotion. “Since ascending to the immortal position, many of my past obsessions and grudges have indeed become like fleeting clouds to me, and are no longer so important.”

"Immortal, you are wise! So..." The tasteless old cat was secretly delighted, thinking he had persuaded the other party.

However, Xiao Jie's next words struck him like a thunderbolt, and the flattery he was about to say stuck in his throat.

“But,” Xiao Jie’s tone shifted, a hint of nonchalant indifference in his voice, “a grudge is a grudge after all. If I hadn’t run into you, I wouldn’t have bothered to settle the score. But since I’ve come across you today, it’s easier to just crush you. After all, as you said, you’re nothing but ants. What’s the big deal about accidentally stepping on a few ants on the road?”

These casual words were more chilling than a direct threat. The tasteless old cat's face paled, and the string of flattery he had prepared vanished.

Seeing this, One-Punch Man knew that flattery was useless and he had to find another way.

Since this person is willing to reason, then let them reason. "Ahem!" He coughed lightly first, then spoke in a deep voice, "Actually, well... Boss Suifeng, you really can't blame everything on us. Many times, we're just following the rules, acting according to... uh, the orders from above. And, to be honest, even if we take a step back, the Pantheon's meddling in the game, pushing various major events to happen, is, in a way, a help to you!"

Seeing that Xiao Jie did not interrupt immediately, he mustered his courage and continued, "Think about it, if we hadn't worked hard to 'stir things up' and constantly pushed forward the game's plot and version development, how could world bosses have descended? How could those rare ascension items have dropped, providing players with the opportunity to become immortals?"
"Of course, we dare not take credit. You were able to obtain the ascension item through your own strength and good fortune; we would never dare to claim credit for it. But in truth, we were at least 'pushers' who gave you a hand behind the scenes, weren't we? Even if you don't want to thank us, it seems unnecessary for you to make things so difficult for us, isn't it?"

This statement cleverly attempts to shift the two sides' positions from opposition to a subtle "cooperative" relationship.

"Hehehe..." Xiao Jie let out a laugh that was hard to decipher. "So that's what you all think. That makes a bit of a fallacy, doesn't it?"

Upon hearing this, the three of them relaxed slightly, and a glimmer of hope appeared on their faces.

Unexpectedly, Xiao Jie immediately said calmly, "If my ascension to immortality was indeed due to the ascension artifacts you 'promoted,' then your words would hold water. Unfortunately—" He deliberately dragged out his words, watching the three men's expressions freeze instantly, "I achieved immortality not through any ascension artifacts. So, where does your 'promotion' come from?"

"What? Impossible!" One-Punch Man blurted out, his voice filled with disbelief. "Besides the ascension item, how could you possibly..." As soon as the words left his mouth, he immediately realized his mistake. How could he easily reveal the secret of the other party's ascension to immortality?

"What?" Xiao Jie sneered, "Didn't your Pantheon's Celestial Venerable also become an immortal without relying on ascension items? Is relying on ascension items the only path in this world?"

These words struck the three like a thunderbolt. The path to immortality for the Celestial Venerable was also a mystery, and Xiao Jie's words undoubtedly confirmed the diversity of paths to immortality, completely extinguishing their reason for "claiming credit."

“So,” Xiao Jie’s gaze swept over the three of them again, finally settling on the Divine Calculator Demon who had remained silent throughout, “is there any other reason that would make me think you are ‘useful’?”

He specifically called out names, his tone tinged with mockery: "Brother Tianmo, you haven't uttered a word since just now. Do you know you're in the wrong, or are you brewing some earth-shattering explanation? Tell me, what reason do you have that would make me spare you and let you go? If you can't give me a straight answer, then I'll have to... clear the area."

Upon hearing this, both Old Cat and One-Punch Man were on edge, ready for battle. After all, they were top-tier players in the game, and if forced to fight, they would fight even if they were immortals.

But the two of them also looked anxiously at the Divine Calculator Demon. If they could reason with him, it would be better not to fight.

Now, all hope for survival seems to rest on this companion known for his wisdom and resourcefulness.

Facing their gazes, the Divine Calculator Heavenly Demon couldn't help but let out a helpless, bitter smile. He shook his head and sighed, "You two idiots, haven't you realized yet? That Immortal Sui Feng is just toying with us. If he really wanted to kill us, why would he waste so much breath on us? He could have just attacked us, and the three of us would have been reporting to the underworld by now."

Both of them were stunned, and didn't quite react.

The Divine Calculator Heavenly Demon stopped looking at them and turned to Xiao Jie, his tone regaining its usual calm and confidence. He cupped his hands and said, "Brother Suifeng, let's not beat around the bush. Since you've shown yourself to us and are not attacking us directly, you must have something you want to ask, right? Please don't play games with these two not-so-bright fellows anymore. Ask us whatever you want, and we will answer all your questions to the best of our ability."

"Hahahaha!" Xiao Jie couldn't help but laugh heartily, and the immortal clouds trembled gently in response. "Well done! What a divine calculation demon! Indeed, his mind is sharp and he is good at understanding people's hearts."

It must be said that the Divine Calculator's ability to read people and understand their psychology is truly first-rate. Xiao Jie was not a bloodthirsty person to begin with, and his conflict with the Pantheon was, in the end, not an irreconcilable feud. Killing someone simply because of some past friction is not his style.

However, it would be quite interesting to take this opportunity to tease these core members of the Pantheon who are usually arrogant and like to stir up trouble behind the scenes, and to watch them tremble with fear and rack their brains to survive.

Upon hearing Xiao Jie's laughter and hearing the words of the Divine Calculator Demon, the tasteless old cat and One-Punch Man suddenly awoke as if from a dream, letting out a long sigh of relief. Their backs were already soaked with cold sweat. A feeling of exhaustion, as if they had survived a calamity, washed over them.

“Brother Tianmo is quite quick-witted and courageous.” Xiao Jie’s smile faded, but his tone softened considerably. “That’s right, I don’t really care about those little conflicts from before. So, if your answers satisfy me, letting you go is not out of the question.”

He shifted his tone slightly, adding a hint of warning: "However, what I said earlier wasn't entirely a joke. If your answers are unsatisfactory, or if you conceal anything, and I'm not satisfied... then getting rid of a few people I don't like or deem worthless is indeed no big deal for me. Do you understand that?"

"Understood! Understood!" This time, the three answered in unison, completely convinced. "Brother/Immortal/Brother Suifeng, please ask any questions you may have, and we will answer them truthfully!"

“Very good.” Xiao Jie nodded and asked the first question, which was also the one he cared about most: “Who exactly is that mysterious ‘Celestial Venerable’ behind your Pantheon? What is he planning to do, stirring up trouble and pushing major events around in this game?”

The three exchanged glances, and finally, it was the Divine Calculator Demon, who knew the most about the Celestial Venerable, who spoke. He carefully organized his thoughts and said:

"Tian Zun was among the earliest players in the open beta of 'Old Land.' Even in that chaotic early stage of the open beta, he was already a top-tier player. At that time, there was no precedent to follow; everything depended on self-exploration. It was a pure pioneering period, so the player mortality rate was the highest, and the probability of ruining a character's build or going astray was also the greatest." "Even someone like Long Xing Tian Xia, the guild leader of the prestigious Long Xiang Guild, was just an ordinary physical damage dealer during the open beta, only gradually developing his skills later. However, the open beta also meant more opportunities. Because the game was in its initial state, many rare and unique quests had not yet been triggered."

The Divine Calculator Heavenly Demon paused, then continued, "According to our research, 'celestial destiny' is often extremely unique. Therefore, my personal guess is that... the Celestial Venerable likely obtained some kind of 'celestial destiny' by completing a very special and unique prerequisite quest chain during the public beta, and thus became an immortal."

As for the truth, the Celestial Venerable never revealed it to us, and we dare not inquire too much about his affairs. Therefore, regarding his path to immortality, I can only offer this conjecture based on observation and logic.

"As for his purpose..." The Divine Calculator Demon pondered for a moment, "Based on what we currently understand and have implemented, the core objective seems to be to accelerate the rapid iteration and evolution of the game version. He is accelerating the triggering and resolution of major events in the game through various means, seemingly trying to 'speed up' the development process of the game world. And the ultimate goal of doing so, according to the few words he occasionally reveals, is to increase the probability of 'ascending' players as much as possible."

"Oh?" A glint of light flashed in Xiao Jie's eyes. "Pushing forward version iterations and increasing the number of ascended players? What is his ultimate purpose in doing this? It can't be for the sake of saving all living beings, can it?"

The Divine Calculator Heavenly Demon shook his head and said with a wry smile, "This... we really don't know. The Heavenly Venerable's plans are far-reaching, and his ultimate goal has never been revealed to us core members. Perhaps only he himself knows."

"Where is that Heavenly Venerable now?" Xiao Jie pressed.

"We don't know his exact whereabouts either," the Divine Calculator Heavenly Demon said frankly. "However, I have some guesses in private. My personal opinion is that he is very likely no longer on the 'Nine Provinces World' map that we currently know. The world view of 'Old Land' is extremely vast. The Nine Provinces we are in may not be the only main map, or it may even be just a beginner area or one of the planes. The Heavenly Venerable may have already gone to a higher-level, more core area."

He usually only communicates with us and gives orders via projector.

This coincides with some of Xiao Jie's previous speculations. There must be a much wider world beyond the game map.

"One last question," Xiao Jie looked at the three of them, "Your Pantheon has recruited so many experts, doesn't anyone have thought about becoming an immortal themselves? Are you just willing to be at the beck and call of the Heavenly Venerable forever?"

"Of course we want to!" This time, it was the tasteless old cat who answered first, his tone filled with helplessness and longing. "Who doesn't want to become an immortal! To fly through the sky and escape into the earth, to live forever... But our levels are all too high, and the class system is already fixed, with locked-in job change paths. According to our analysis, to reach the path of immortality, we must start planning when our level is relatively low and we have a lot of room for job advancement. People like us, who are over level 40, have basically lost all hope of becoming immortals and can only go down this one path to the bitter end."

"The only chance left is the ascension item."

Xiao Jie nodded slightly, somewhat satisfied with their cooperation. "Your answers were quite honest. Considering your openness, we can let bygones be bygones."

The three of them immediately showed joy.

“But—” Xiao Jie’s voice turned cold again, “Back then, someone in your Pantheon impersonated me and committed murder, arson, and many other heinous acts of framing others in reality. I cannot let this go so easily.”

"That's really not our fault!" the tasteless old cat quickly protested, almost swearing an oath to the heavens. "It was 'Weiyang'! She did it all on her own! That woman is eccentric and often disobeys even the Heavenly Venerable's orders. We can't control her at all!"

“Wei Yang…” Xiao Jie remembered the name. “I don’t care whether she acted on her own initiative or not. Since she is a member of your Pantheon, then this debt should naturally be settled with the Pantheon.”

He looked calmly at the three of them and issued his final ultimatum: "Since you say she acted on her own initiative, then hand over Weiyang's head to me."

Upon hearing this, the three fell silent, their faces showing reluctance. Although the Pantheon was not a monolithic entity and factional competition was fierce, killing a core member of one's own guild... this somewhat crossed their acceptable line.

“Immortal Master,” One-Punch Man tried to reason with him, “that woman Wei Yang is elusive and unpredictable, and she’s incredibly strong. We…we can’t do anything about her. Why don’t you…take action yourself? With your supernatural powers, finding her and…wouldn’t that be a piece of cake?”

Xiao Jie showed no sign of backing down, his tone leaving no room for argument: "Give me Wei Yang's head. Otherwise, I will consider this a collective act by your Pantheon. In that case, I will have no choice but to reluctantly uproot your Pantheon... and kill every single one of you I see. I'll give you three days."

"But..." the tasteless old cat wanted to say something more.

“No buts.” Xiao Jie interrupted him, his tone calm but containing an undeniable resolve. “If you refuse now, I can take it as you saying that Wei Yang did it, which is not the truth. The truth is that this was the collective action of your Pantheon. In that case, I can take action now. I’ll start with the three of you—clean house.”

The chilling killing intent spread out as if it were a tangible force, instantly making the hairs on the three of them stand on end.

Although it was just a casual remark, the three of them dared not bet that the immortal was joking.

"We agree! We'll get on it right away!" the Divine Calculator Demon hurriedly agreed loudly.

Xiao Jie nodded in satisfaction. "Remember, you only have three days. You can leave now."

The Divine Calculator Demon hurriedly set up a cloud platform beneath his feet, carrying the three of them away.

After flying for more than ten miles in one breath, the three of them finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Old Cat, still a little frightened, lowered his voice and said, "What should we do, Brother Tianmo? Are you really going to attack Weiyang? That woman's actions are unpopular, but... but she's still affiliated with our Pantheon, she's a member of our own guild. To attack one of our own, if word gets out, how will we ever be able to face anyone again?"

One-Punch Man sighed, "Yeah, we can't set this precedent. If we really do it, people's hearts will fall apart."

"Fool!" the Divine Calculator Heavenly Demon sneered. "How can the three of us make such a decision on our own? We must immediately consult the Heavenly Venerable!"

He glanced around to make sure no one was watching before continuing in a deep voice, "Report the immortal's demands in detail and ask the Heavenly Venerable to decide. At that time, we will have an explanation both internally and externally. If the Heavenly Venerable orders us to take action, then that is his will, and we are merely carrying out orders. In that case, the other members of the guild might have to lend a hand, since that Hidden Moon Wind is threatening all of us."

If the Celestial Venerable wants to protect Weiyang... then that's a matter between him and Yinyue Suifeng, and it has nothing to do with us..."

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Looking in the direction where the three disappeared, Xiao Jie's lips curled into a meaningful smile.

He could naturally guess that once the Divine Calculator and the others returned, they would definitely report this matter to the Celestial Venerable. And this was exactly the result he wanted. He was very curious about what kind of person this Celestial Venerable, who was hiding behind the scenes and manipulating events, was. What astonishing purpose was hidden behind his painstaking efforts to accelerate the game's progress and cultivate ascended players?
"This show has only just begun," Xiao Jie muttered to himself, his gaze once again turning to the Howling Wind Forest below. Fierce Fang Slayer, it's your turn now.

(End of this chapter)