Nuwa, the goddess of immortality, said that cultivating immortality does not require spiritual energ

Three days passed in the blink of an eye. After a brief reunion with their families in the mortal realm, Qin Le, Chen Yun, and Chu Xiaonan bid farewell to their families and returned to the celestial realm through the mortal passage.

After returning to the Heavenly Court, Chen Yun and Chu Xiaonan did not linger and went back to their posts. Chen Yun plunged into his weapon-refining workshop, while Chu Xiaonan once again rushed to the front line to continue fulfilling his duties.

Qin Le then used the teleportation array to go directly to the core of the battlefield outside Star Moon City and found the Jade Emperor himself who was in charge there.

Seeing Qin Le return, the Jade Emperor smiled and asked, "Is there something you need?"

Qin Le bowed and nodded, saying, "There are some things I would like to ask Your Majesty for advice on."

"Speak freely," the Jade Emperor said gently, gesturing for him to speak frankly.

Although Qin Le has repeatedly performed extraordinary feats, his understanding of many of the Heavenly Realm's deep-seated rules, power balances, and historical secrets is indeed inferior to that of these higher-ups.

It's perfectly normal to ask questions if you have any.

Qin Le pondered for a moment before asking his first question: "Your Majesty, if... the enemy wants to completely tie you down, preventing you from escaping to reinforce other areas, and this needs to last for more than half a day, then approximately how many Quasi-Saint level Chaos Beasts would be needed to accomplish this?"

Upon hearing this, the Jade Emperor's eyes flashed with surprise, but he did not delve into Qin Le's intentions.

He raised his hand and pointed to the thousands of quasi-saint level chaotic beasts below, which were suppressed by the formation and crawled and writhed like a black mountain range.

"If they are all such mindless, reckless creatures," the Jade Emperor calmly assessed, "I would need at least four or five hundred of them to keep me occupied for half a day. If they are the newly emerged intelligent Chaos Beasts that know how to coordinate tactics... the number can be halved, more than two hundred, and I would be extremely confident."

"Then... what if Chaos were to separate a wisp of its own consciousness and attach it to the bodies of these quasi-saint level Chaos beasts?" Qin Le pressed, his gaze fixed on the Jade Emperor.

The Jade Emperor's expression became slightly more serious as he replied, "If they are possessed and empowered by the consciousness of chaos... five heads would be sufficient."

A quasi-saint chaotic beast possessed by chaotic consciousness is worlds apart from an ordinary quasi-saint chaotic beast.

His strength, combat ability, and application of chaotic power will all undergo a qualitative leap.

Even for someone as powerful as the Jade Emperor, it would take considerable time and effort to completely slay a possessed Chaos Beast and erase its consciousness in a one-on-one fight.

Of course, if it were just a one-on-one situation, the Jade Emperor could leave even if he wanted to, and the other party couldn't stop him.

However, if five possessed quasi-saint chaotic beasts joined forces to form an array, it would be enough to create a deadly situation that would be difficult to break through in a short time, truly holding back a powerful figure like the Jade Emperor.

However, splitting consciousness comes at a high price for Chaos. It will not act so easily unless absolutely necessary.

Upon hearing the Jade Emperor's reply, Qin Le fell into a brief silence as an ominous suspicion gradually became clear in his mind.

Seeing his unusual expression, the Jade Emperor asked, "Why did you suddenly ask about this?"

Qin Le raised his head, his eyes no longer hesitant, and directly stated his speculation: "I'm thinking... those intelligent chaotic beasts, sparing no expense, launching attacks everywhere, frantically rescuing their suppressed, unintelligent kin, especially those at the quasi-saint level. Could their true goal not simply be to expand their military strength, but... to concentrate their power at a crucial moment to deal with a specific person who poses the greatest threat to them?"

"You mean..." The Jade Emperor's expression changed slightly, and he instantly understood Qin Le's implied meaning.

"Senior Jiu Yuan." Qin Le slowly uttered the name, his tone resolute.

From the perspective of chaos, what is the most threatening and most imminent variable in the Three Realms right now?

Without a doubt, it is Li Jiuyuan, who is about to challenge for the Sainthood with the foundation of the Great Dao!

The birth of a new sage will completely disrupt the balance and may even end this war prematurely. Chaos will not stand idly by.

Therefore, the most direct and effective method is to completely eliminate Li Jiuyuan before she successfully takes that final step!

"This... is indeed not impossible." The Jade Emperor's expression turned completely serious, and he slowly nodded.

Qin Le's conjecture is logically sound and even highly probable.

"Your Majesty, as of now, what is the exact number of Quasi-Saint level Chaos Beasts that have been successfully rescued by the Intelligent Chaos Beasts on various battlefields in the Heavenly Realm?" Qin Le asked, posing a crucial question.

After a moment's thought, the Jade Emperor reported a precise number: "According to the latest battle reports from various departments, a total of one hundred and fifty-three heads have been confirmed to have been abducted."

One hundred and fifty-three quasi-saint level Chaos Beasts!

This is already a terrifying force capable of shaking the very foundations of the celestial realm.

Qin Le pressed on, "Then, if we consider Chaos's scheme, how many of its members would it need to mobilize to tie down all the currently capable Quasi-Saints of the Celestial Realm during the attack, preventing them from providing effective support to Tianyun City?"

This problem is more complicated.

The Jade Emperor did not answer immediately. Instead, he closed his eyes and his mind raced through the known quasi-saint powerhouses from the Heavenly Court, the Demon Clan, the Underworld, and the rogue cultivators, assessing their strength, responsibilities, reaction speed, and the forces that might be mobilized...

A moment later, the Jade Emperor reopened his eyes and said in a deep voice, "If the Chaos Consciousness does not personally possess and strengthen itself, given the tactical capabilities of the intelligent Chaos Beasts, it would require approximately seven hundred Quasi-Saint Chaos Beasts to divide and restrain them, ensuring that we cannot rush to Tianyun City's aid in a short period of time. If Chaos is willing to pay the price and dedicate some of its consciousness to possess and strengthen itself... about three hundred beasts would be sufficient to achieve the goal."

Even among quasi-saints, there are differences in strength.

Figures such as the Jade Emperor, the Four Great Emperors, the Demon Lord Ye Li, the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox, and the Ancestral Dragon are all top-tier Quasi-Saints with profound accumulation of knowledge and great supernatural powers.

Newly promoted Quasi-Saints like Yan Shiyun are relatively weaker.

However, each of the Quasi-Saints is a strategic-level existence, and the power required to completely restrain them should not be underestimated.

Qin Le nodded, then raised one last, and perhaps most crucial, question: "Your Majesty, may I ask the Sages... recently, has the Chaos Body ever attempted to split itself or send out its own consciousness?"

"Can."

Without hesitation, the Jade Emperor raised his hand and unleashed a dazzling golden talisman that disappeared into the void, leading directly to the sealed land of chaos.

This time, the reply came even faster.

After a moment, the Jade Emperor looked at Qin Le and slowly said, "The sages have replied. About half a year ago, Chaos did indeed... separate a wisp of consciousness. Its whereabouts are unknown."

"Only one strand..." Qin Le repeated in a low voice, his face not showing any relief, but rather his eyes becoming even more vigilant.

A wisp of chaotic consciousness—it doesn't sound like much.

But given the unfathomable and unpredictable nature of Chaos, no one can predict how much destructive power this wisp of consciousness can unleash.

More importantly, no one knows where this deadly consciousness is hiding, which chaotic beast it is possessing, or what it is plotting.

This kind of threat, hidden in the darkness, known to exist but whose form is unknown, is often the most deadly.

Without further hesitation, Qin Le looked at the Jade Emperor and made his decision: "Your Majesty, I trouble you to send me to Tianyun City. For the next few days... I plan to stay there."

Upon hearing this, the Jade Emperor was initially taken aback, but then he understood Qin Le's intention, and a complex smile, tinged with a hint of admiration, appeared on his face:

"That's excellent."

He understood perfectly.

Qin Le was going to personally protect Li Jiuyuan during this most sensitive and dangerous period of her attempt to become a saint, and stay by her side.

A little guy whose combat strength is still limited to the Golden Immortal level goes to be a bodyguard for a Quasi-Saint who is about to become a Saint?

That does sound a bit absurd.

But... what if a genuine sage's fragmented soul resides in this little guy's sea of ​​consciousness?

Then the situation would be completely different.

With the ultimate trump card of Goddess Nuwa, Qin Le's presence in Tianyun City carries greater symbolic significance and actual deterrent power than sending several more Quasi-Saints.

Moreover, Qin Le really has nothing to do lately.

Those intelligent chaotic beasts changed their strongholds and acquired secret techniques to detect spatial and temporal concealments, temporarily rendering many of his previous methods ineffective.

Instead of running into walls everywhere, it's better to focus your energy on protecting the biggest variable.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. I will take my leave now." Qin Le said no more and bowed to the Jade Emperor.

The Jade Emperor nodded slightly and gently gestured with his hand towards the space in front of him. A stable spatial portal, leading directly to the core area of ​​the Tianyun City battlefield, quietly opened.

Qin Le took a deep breath, stepped inside, and disappeared.

The door slowly closed.

Alone, the Jade Emperor turned his gaze back to the suppressed quasi-saint chaotic beast horde below, which resembled a dormant volcano. The smile on his face had vanished, replaced by a solemn expression.

Qin Le's speculation may only be the worst-case scenario.

But in war, you always have to plan for the worst.

If Chaos really sets its sights on Li Jiuyuan... then the Heavenly Realm will likely face a storm far beyond what is expected.