Tonight, Alice joins the hunt.

“You should already know the answer in your heart.” Luo Ye snapped her fingers, shifting their time and space coordinates again to an elegant modern restaurant. She casually poured herself a glass of cola, which at this point in time was probably still quite immature, and then placed a warm cup of coffee in Alice’s hand.

"I'm just using this to tell you, to let you know the extent that sages are capable of."

To what extent can a sage achieve this? Good question, but it can be easily solved using reverse reasoning. Alice's memories exist within her brain, or rather, within her cognition. Since Anubis can alter her memories, this means that any memory or record related to Anubis, even if indirectly related, falls under its jurisdiction. In other words, any information, record, or trace related to Anubis can be considered part of it, or an inactive part of it!

The most basic and fundamental ability of the genetic lock is to perpetuate life.

And this, combined with the unique physical structure of sages—their existence without a fixed form, but rather as myths and legends pervading the multiverse—leads to a definitive conclusion: as long as there is still a record, a story that can be directly or indirectly linked to the sage being referred to, then it is not considered dead. And as long as it is not dead, then it can be considered to be at its peak.

So……

"The life level of a Quasi-Saint is above that of a Sage, only their survival ability might be slightly lacking. There will be a gap, but it shouldn't be too far. As long as people still remember Cangjie and Igorodik, they can never be considered completely dead. And since even they haven't died, then Gu, Jun, the previous lives of other reincarnators... even including the two Eastern Emperors you mentioned before... they have all been alive all along, right?"

“You can think of it that way.” Luo Ye nodded slightly. “So, do you still have any questions?”

Questions? Ha... of course there are no questions.

If one never died in their previous life, then what exactly is a reincarnated being in this life? Is it an incarnation? An artifact? Or perhaps...?

"They chose to die in the distant past; they killed themselves." — Luo Ye's words echoed in her mind.

The reincarnator is a vessel, a tool for resurrection... or rather, for self-improvement.

Those ancient sages and quasi-sages chose death, deactivating their myths and legends that spanned the multiverse—they deceived themselves and the multiverse, making both the universe and themselves believe they were dead. Only in this way could they retrace their misguided paths and forcibly erase the destination they had rashly reached!

The quasi-saints died because they couldn't resolve the conflict between their Dao and their attachments, just as they themselves struggled with the conflict between their ever-changing Dao and their unwavering love for Patchouli. They knew they would eventually find themselves in this awkward situation of becoming saints only to die upon achieving sainthood. However, by dying completely once and then being reborn in a new individual, they could break free from this predicament!

Since you can't let go of your attachment, then just die with that attachment in your heart. Die completely, carry that attachment through to the very end. Then your next self will naturally possess a similar path, but with a different attachment due to different upbringing and beliefs, and that next attachment might be easier to understand!

Of course, there's a possibility of failure, and the next attempt might be even more troublesome than the current one. But since we can start over once, we can certainly try again a second time. With enough attempts, there's always hope of achieving a breakthrough!

The same applies to quasi-saints and saints. If they want to go further after reaching a relative end, then dying completely once can knock down all the life levels they have worked so hard to reach and start all over again!

That's a really clever tactic.

So, now only one last question remains. How can one successfully manipulate the situation and reclaim their identity from the "next self," while deceiving themselves and the multiverse into believing that 'themselves' are 'dead'?

The answer is very simple.

“Sages…legacy from a past life.” Alice held the coffee cup in her hands, her expression solemn. “So that’s what they’re for.”

To accept the legacy of one's past life and then become that past life—isn't that just common sense? Someone like her, who could sit across from you and drink cola in her past life, is a one-of-a-kind case across the entire multiverse. And this kind of supreme VIP treatment is clearly something no one else can enjoy!

My previous judgment was completely wrong. I originally thought that since my teammates weren't following the path of their past lives, they would be rejected by the luck or lingering influence of their previous existence. This would make it difficult for them to obtain the sage relics that, according to the predictions, shouldn't have required much effort. The result of this thinking was that while they would exhaust themselves on this treasure hunt, they would ultimately overcome numerous difficulties and acquire these treasures!

When that time comes, even if a new path is taken, the path of the past life will distort the path of this life, and the ideas of the past life will distort the ideas of this life. And the self of the past life will naturally gradually replace the self of this life.

—Just like Ainz Ooal Gown replacing Suzuki Satoru. And that means the complete demise of an individual.

Given this premise, Anubis's act of removing all the relics of the sages in advance, and even 'inadvertently revealing his power' when Alice arrived at this particular moment, becomes somewhat intriguing.

Because of Shen Qi? No, Alice is already a VIP. Even if all the members of the Central Continent Team were replaced by their predecessors, it wouldn't matter if she loved someone. This means that Shen Qi won't... or rather, is unlikely to express her opinion on this matter. That cheapskate mother isn't some benevolent or compassionate person; she won't pay much attention to anything other than her daughter!

So……

Could this be the will of the supreme god? Or the will of the supreme god's behind-the-scenes manipulator? Does this benefit it in some way, or is it that even a powerful being like it would be troubled by a similar situation?

“This needs to be told to Chu Xuan.” Alice shifted her feet, about to stand up. “He must know. No, perhaps he already knows… but I still have to—”

However, Luo Ye simply shook his head.

"He doesn't know. Or rather, he'll do everything he can to prevent you from finding out."

"Because he is of no use in this trial of resolving past and present lives. Because he suspects that he may have already been influenced by his past life."

Luo Ye stretched out her finger and wrote the word 'Alien' on the table.

"You should know better than I how big the difference is between Chu Xuan before he died and Chu Xuan after he was resurrected. Before I came here, I went to the Abyss of Death and visited the alien world where Chu Xuan first descended. I found that Chu Xuan's emotional expression was quite rich back then. He would even bite his fingers in frustration when he was tricked by the Alien Queen."

"Do you think it was all an act? Or... is that really how he is?"

Alice suddenly thought of the hesitation Chu Xuan showed at the end of the Moon World, which allowed Adam to successfully lay the foundation for a victory that came at a great cost.

She saw Luo Ye brush away the remaining traces of writing on the table.

"In short, Chu Xuan is useless in this battle. He's too busy to take care of himself, so he can only act as a henchman or handle some logistical work. His greatest contribution to the team is keeping his own hidden dangers at bay. The only ones who can use their brains in this trial are two... or two and a half."

"Us and Patsy?" Alice asked, a hint of anticipation in her voice.

“That half is me, because I’m not very bright.” However, Luo Ye denied her once again.

"And the remaining two are you and Sirin. Because Miss Aichidra, who has already gone to be with her mother, has already smoothed over all the troubles for her, and..."

"You don't actually believe that Patchouli Knowledge didn't have a powerful past life, do you?"

Section 5: Eternal Glory

So, should we run away?

He simply abandoned the exploration of his past life's legacy, resurrected Saito Hajime, and then returned directly to the Main God Space.

Alice's vision of Loki vanished. Clearly, she had said what she wanted to say and done what she wanted to do. And so she returned to Patchouli's surroundings, continuing her aimless stroll through her streets—how ridiculous! She could materialize enough luxury goods to fill a planet with her own will, yet Patchouli still dragged her shopping… So, the point isn't what she's doing, but the person doing it?

Chu Xuan remained silent from the beginning, pretending that none of this had happened. So… was he unable to make a decision himself? And was he waiting for me to decide the future?

[Tsk... This feeling of having no backup plan, with all the responsibility and the fate of the entire team entrusted to me alone... it's been a long time since I've felt this way.]

She rubbed her forehead vigorously, stood up, paid at the counter, and then pushed open the door and walked out of the ordinary coffee shop.

Outside the window, early 20th-century London was as overcast as ever. Alice couldn't help but frown and shake her head slightly at the thought that in a few decades the city would be able to experience the beauty of the deep sea. She simply reached out and gently manipulated the timeline within the world, whispering in Patchouli's ear decades later, when the apocalypse was about to unfold.

"Patch, there's no need for so many mortals to meet their end prematurely."

She spoke softly, and Patchouli from the 'future' gave her a gentle response. She felt as if she had been kissed across decades of time. And then her future, her past, was silently erased. The fate of the British Isles becoming the British Isles was silently erased.

Alice felt as if the world had brightened slightly in that instant. The centuries-old, persistent dark clouds over London also showed signs of dissipating. And as a ray of sunlight pierced through the clouds and shone onto the city, she heard all sorts of exclamations and cries from the city.

"Mom! Look, it's the sun!"

—'The sky is clear! The sky is clear!'

—'God bless Britain, God bless the King!'

A series of camera clicks from the early 20th century rang out, a scene that theoretically shouldn't have happened at all, which would surely make tomorrow's headlines—Alice raised an eyebrow, reached out and pinched out a few pennies, then received a still-ink-smelling daily newspaper from a newsboy the next day.

On the front page of the newspaper, sunlight shone directly onto the white royal palace of Britain. Below the picture was a string of official, laudatory text praising the eternal glory of the king and the nation.

What lasting glory is there in this world?

Alice gave a soft hum and casually tossed the newspaper into a trash can a day later.

She didn't believe in glory, nor in eternity. But she knew that everything in this world had to be earned to have any chance of falling into her own hands. Blindly running away might sometimes seem like a correct comparison of strength and weakness, but that would only be a rare exception. In most cases, running away often means greater disaster.

—After all the painstaking efforts of our past lives, now that a satisfactory vessel has appeared, how could we possibly give up so easily? And even if we were to run away, how would we deal with the hidden dangers already lurking within the team?

Chu Xuan's unusual behavior in the final step of his journey in the Moon World.

The nameless assassin from the Zhao siblings, whom they repeatedly weakened and eliminated, but who always seemed to pose a threat.

Logan's easy victory over 'Kwa' and the smooth ascension he gained through possessing that divine remains. And...

Why did Patchouli, who once centered her beliefs on the Seven Luminaries, eventually switch to the Path of the Stars, and why did she ultimately choose the Fairy Path as her true form?

There's no escaping it. Even if you and your teammates manage to escape once, you'll inevitably encounter it again sooner or later. Because in this multiverse, the higher you go, the narrower the path becomes. Even if you don't intentionally target anyone, when you grow to a sufficient level, the exclusiveness and corrosiveness of the Dao will naturally sever the path and hope of resurrection for all those on the same path.

The arrangements made by the past lives will be triggered, and the past lives will exert all their strength to be resurrected.

They will do everything in their power, and they will strike hard when the time is right. But if they don't seize the opportunity at hand, and are caught off guard by a surprise attack later, the entire team may pay a heavy price.

“…We have to fight,” Alice said softly to herself, “because this time there really is no other way.”

"Yes, there's no other way to go." A voice rang in her ear.

“Cirin.” Alice noticed the visitor was alone. “Where’s your Theresa?”

“Theresa won’t be involved in this; I’ve already made sure she’s in a safe place.” Sirin nodded slightly and replied, “Consider it repaying the favor you did me for. This time, I will fight alongside you with all my might.”

"Is that so... Then what's your take on it? I'm completely baffled."

“It’s understandable to be confused, since we don’t know anything right now,” Celine said calmly. “Alice, I know you must have some information that I don’t have. But I can also confirm that this information is definitely troubling you right now. You don’t know whether you should believe it, or whether it is still reliable. But you don’t think you should discard it all, because its impact is quite significant… Is that right, Alice?”

“Partially correct.” Alice nodded, then asked, “So, how much do you know?”

“I know this is an action to seek the legacy of a past life and sever ties with it. And I feel that is enough.”

Alice raised an eyebrow. She immediately understood.

“Indeed, that’s enough.” She nodded. “All we need to know is that we are enemies, and that we will fight to the death, and that’s enough.”

"However, if we are a little more shameless, then there might be some things to consider."

"...It seems we have backup, no, sympathizers?" Sirin shifted her gaze slightly, extending a finger to manipulate the timeline before her. "Anubis?"

“Yes,” Alice replied. “It’s also possible that his status is even higher than Anubis’s.”

The next moment, the scene before their eyes changed drastically. Thousands of years of time reversed, and when everything stabilized, the London beneath their feet had transformed into a barbarian island from before Christ.

They took their first step, and the next step took them to ancient Egypt, more than two thousand years BC. They arrived at the origin of the second part of the legend, the place where the warrior later revered as the Scorpion King rose to power—a place where he would lose all his army in a desert, then encounter the divine incarnation of Anubis and receive his blessing. From there, he would establish a great kingdom that unified the banks of the Nile.

In this online world, the former Scorpion King was also removed by Anubis. Theoretically, Alice and Sirin should encounter nothing on this land.

However, theory is just theory, and reality may be different.

If Anubis is willing to meet the two reincarnators, then they will encounter the divine incarnation that would not normally appear in this timeline of existence—a palm-sized black scorpion that does not fit the desert ecosystem.

then……

Without any test or probing, the scorpion simply appeared before the two girls. It flicked its tail, gesturing for Alice and Sirin to head towards a certain spot in the sea of ​​sand.

Anubis did not appear in person. But sending an avatar was not much different from a direct descent. Alice and Sirin exchanged a glance. As they took a step forward, they clearly sensed a shift in spacetime and the universe!

They... at this moment were detached from the world of gods and demons. And immediately afterward, a universe that, if defined in the Abyss of Death, would appear as several enormous portals piecing together to form a whole, unfolded before their eyes!

....................................

In definition...

In the 247th century BC, King Zheng of Qin ascended the throne, unified the six states, and became known as the First Emperor...

Sirin saw the entire Milky Way writhe as if alive, its long, tendril-like arms capturing the surrounding galaxies. The Milky Way grew and expanded from this point onward, and after the six surrounding giant galaxies had been completely devoured, an unprecedentedly vast cluster of giant stars took shape. At its core, billions of stars from the old galactic center, a star cluster core forcibly twisted into the shape of the Chinese character '秦' (Qin) appeared.

Standardizing writing, unifying cart axles, standardizing weights and measures, conquering the south and the north, building the Great Wall...

Thousands of chains extend from the core of the 'Qin' star, anchoring every burning star, and from each star anchoring every active planet and moon. As the order of every celestial body in this nascent giant cluster is redefined, the knowledge of cultivation and magic is infused into every node of civilization.

Soon, extraordinary life forms emerged from each star. They were governors of a star system, rulers, and suppressors. Within Qin's administrative units, they belonged to the lowest rank. Their official title was… Pavilion Chief!

The Qin Dynasty had a vast territory, with a pavilion spanning ten light-years.