Cultivation Chat Group Chapter 3158: 3156: This is the reason why I owe Senior White money and haven't paid it back!

Upon hearing those words, Song Shuhang felt a wave of emotion wash over him.

Indeed, who could possibly be the Ninth Heavenly Dao in the timeline where Future Child exists?

Under normal circumstances, the Heavenly Dao acts as a permanent anchor within the vast currents of time. Looking back from our current "past," the identities of the Heavenly Daos across all eras remain constant, regardless of which temporal branch one observes.

One can view the Heavenly Dao as the overarching momentum of time itself. While small details across various planes may shift—and the sum of those changes can lead to vast differences—the Heavenly Dao remains the immovable pillar in the river, eternally unchanged!

However, the reality surrounding Future Child is distinctly abnormal.

In the present 2020 time node, the position of Heavenly Dao is shared between Senior White and Shuhang himself.

Since Shuhang has achieved detachment, the Ninth Heavenly Dao should logically be Senior White.

Yet, in the future world where Child resides, Senior White has already departed. Therefore, the Heavenly Dao of that era certainly isn't him!

[It has to be that dependable version of Great Tyrannical Song—the one who didn't owe enough money!] Song Shuhang concluded silently.

During his previous encounter with the Great Tyrannical Song of that future timeline within the ‘sea urchin time river,’ Shuhang discovered something shocking: that reliable version of himself had actually managed to pay back the majority of the spirit stones he owed to Senior White through his own efforts!

At the time, Song Shuhang found the notion almost impossible to grasp.

Was such a feat even humanly achievable?

Shuhang couldn't fathom a scenario where he, prior to his Cultivation reaching the level of Heavenly Dao, would diligently save money all by himself to clear his debt with Senior White.

Did that version of himself think he was merely owing spirit stones?

No, those weren't just stones; those were karmic ties!

It represented the deep, profound karmic bond shared with Senior White!

The heavier that karmic weight, the less likely it was that Senior White would ever leave.

Furthermore, even though they were both Tyrannical Song, why was that version so dependable and capable of saving wealth?

How did he master the ancient language so effortlessly?

That Great Tyrannical Song was essentially the "perfected state" Song Shuhang often dreamed of—competent, trustworthy, rich, and respected by all his peers.

However, Shuhang felt no jealousy toward his future self. By leaning on all his seniors and utilizing his many "pendants," his own life was just as wonderful!

For example, despite his current detached status, he could easily construct his own ‘resurrection formation’ with just a minute of study.

Even so, he chose to rely on Senior White, the current Wielder of the Will.

This was the very reason he remained heavily in debt to Senior White without making any attempt to pay it back.

[Understood, Senior White. When the moment is right, we shall travel to Future Child's world together... I want to personally witness who is interfering with the succession of the Ninth Heavenly Dao,] Song Shuhang sent back.

With the plans settled with Senior White, Shuhang brought his hands together in a soft clap.

Snap~

The radiance of the massive resurrection formation began to fade.

One after another, the familiar figures of the Crystal-Clear Water Pavilion materialized from within the array.

Atop Song Shuhang’s head, the ahoge of the original Slow-Witted Song twitched and coiled like a spring, betraying her intense emotional state.

Pavilion Master Chu, clad in a black gown, was already weeping. Precious tears of ‘Eternal Life’ streamed down her beautiful face, falling continuously.

As these joyful tears hit the ground of the Overlord World, they transformed instantly into a pond brimming with spiritual Qi. As Pavilion Master Chu continued to cry, the pond expanded rapidly, showing every sign of becoming a vast lake.

By pure instinct, Song Shuhang almost reached out to collect these ‘Immortal Tears.’ Fortunately, he caught himself, remembering he was now a ‘graduate who had transcended the Heaven’s Will.’ If he truly required Immortal Tears, he could simply go provoke Senior Devil Emperor for some.

There was no need to harvest Pavilion Master Chu’s tears and ruin the gravity of the moment.

This shift in perspective was a result of his higher realm of existence!

In a sense, it was a mark of his growing maturity.

Inside the formation, the resurrected disciples and elders of the Crystal-Clear Water Pavilion—of all ages and genders—slowly regained consciousness.

They had been summoned back from the depths of history, their souls meticulously restored.

Their final memories were still haunted by the moment of absolute despair when the Crystal-Clear Water Pavilion fell.

“Wait... wasn't I dead?” A fairy wearing a floral gown held up her hands, staring at her pale skin in confusion. “And why am I wearing this? I never wear dresses like this.”

Nearby, a Medicine Master in a modern suit looked at his attire with equal bewilderment. “What kind of strange clothing is this?”

It was obvious that these were not the clothes they had died in.

—Technically, the resurrected members should have returned completely bare. A resurrection formation, after all, does not typically recreate garments.

These clothes were the thoughtful work of Senior White, who used his "Heavenly Dao Authority" to provide them with temporary coverage.

After all, having a crowd of naked cultivators appear during such a poignant reunion would have utterly destroyed the mood.

Senior White was truly a reliable, considerate, and thorough senior.

“Am I not dead?”

“Where is our Sect? Where did the Master go?”

“Where are those filthy monster hunters?”

“I’ll take them to the grave with me! Master, escape quickly!”

“The secret passage! Get the young disciples to the secret passage!”

The moment they fully awoke, the members of the Crystal-Clear Water Pavilion broke into a frantic, chaotic uproar.

“It’s the Master! Look, it’s the Master!” A pair of young attendants, dressed like porcelain dolls, spotted Chu Two weeping in the distance.

These two were always by Slow-Witted Song’s side, tending to her needs; they were the ones closest to her.

“Master, why are you crying?” The pair sprinted across the surface of the Spirit Lake toward Chu Two, reaching out their small hands to wipe her eyes.

To their shock, they found the Master’s tears were incredibly heavy. The weight of the droplets pressed their wrists down, causing the tears to fall back into the water.

The lake beneath them was visibly surging in size at a staggering pace!

It was incredible!

The attendants’ eyes widened with awe.

Their Master had become so powerful that even her tears could generate an entire lake!

This was far beyond anything they had ever imagined possible.

Chu Two reached down and gently gathered the two attendants into her arms.

“Thank you,” she said, her voice clear and loud as she looked toward Song Shuhang.

With her people finally returned to her, the final lingering obsession in her heart vanished completely.

“Do you still have designs on the head sitting on my neck?” Song Shuhang teased.

He vividly recalled the times Chu Two had snuck to his bedside while he slept, tapping his head as if testing a fruit to see if it was ready for harvest.

“You... can't you just let the moment be?” Chu Two laughed, even as her eyes remained red.

A radiant smile broke across her face, appearing like blossoms freshened by a spring rain.

“Who are you?” The two attendants eyed the man next to their Master with suspicion—he was a complete stranger!

He definitely didn't belong to the Crystal-Clear Water Pavilion!

“He is the person most precious to me,” Chu Two said, patting the children to calm them.

However, this only heightened their wariness toward Song Shuhang. They feared he might be a smooth-talker deceiving their Master and resolved to keep a close watch on him!

“Greetings... well, technically we've met before, though you wouldn't have any memory of it.” Song Shuhang laughed out loud. “Little ones, would you like to see a magic trick?”

“What kind of trick?” they asked, blinking in confusion.

Song Shuhang reached up, gripped the ahoge on his head, and gave it a firm tug.

Then, the mature version of Slow-Witted Song—who had been huddled by the "living spring" crying in secret—was pulled out by Shuhang and placed directly onto his own head.

The transformation was, for a moment, quite startling.

The attendants: (ﾟДﾟ≡ﾟДﾟ)

The two children looked as though they had just seen a ghost.