Chapter 639: Divine Path Leader

“The Chief?” Plum Blossom 8 fell into thought.

"What? Is this also one of those unspeakable secrets?" Chen Ling said with a hint of resignation. "If so, your Fleeting Life Painting has an excessive number of them."

"There aren't really any secrets about the Chief himself... or rather, his very existence is a secret. Even we, the Hall Masters, know very little about him..."

"Isn't he your leader?"

"He is the leader, but no one has ever seen him. Not even the Second Hall Master, who has lived in the abstract painting for over a hundred years, has ever personally seen him... He seems to always remain behind that embossed door, doing who knows what."

"You mean the Chief has lived for over a hundred years?" Chen Ling asked in surprise. "He hasn't just died of old age, has he?"

"Impossible." Plum Blossom 8 shook his head firmly. "The Chief is the Qingshen Dao's Arbiter. If he were to die, the Arbiter's inherent destiny would change hands, and all owners of Qingshen Dao would feel it... But ever since I can remember, the position of Qingshen Dao Arbiter has never changed hands."

"A Dao Arbiter..."

When Chen Ling was in Aurora City, he had encountered the term "Arbiter," but at that time, he understood it as the Judgment Arbiter, who was Gu Yuan, the seventh-tier top enforcer. Although Gu Yuan also bore the title of "Arbiter," he was merely the "Arbiter" of the Judgment path, whereas the "Dao Arbiter" that Plum Blossom 8 spoke of was different.

If "Dao" is compared to mountain climbing, then "paths" are the routes taken during the climb. There are many such routes: some are broad highways, others are deserted trails... A path's Arbiter is simply the person who has traveled the farthest along their respective path. Gu Yuan, as the Judgment Arbiter, is undoubtedly powerful, because there are quite a few people on the Judgment path, and he has walked at the forefront of this path, making him the strongest among them.

On some minor trails, very few people embark; perhaps only two or three individuals in the world have set foot on such a path. The Arbiter of such a path might simply be someone who has gone relatively a bit further. As for paths like Tan Xin's, where only one person has ever trod, from the moment he stepped onto it, no matter how low his tier, he automatically becomes the Arbiter.

The Dao Arbiter, however, is the person among all who have embarked on this Divine Dao, regardless of their specific path, who stands at the very forefront... in other words, the "Arbiter" of all "Arbiters."

A single Divine Dao can have only one "Dao Arbiter"; this individual represents the pinnacle of that Divine Dao in its respective era.

"So, how strong is this Chief, exactly?"

"I don't know... but in the early years, a saying circulated among the Nine Great Domains. It's said that an Arbiter of the Divination Dao once prophesied that after the 'Silver King,' the usurper of the Theft Dao, the next ninth-tier demigod would emerge from the Qingshen Dao." Plum Blossom 8 paused for a moment. "So, we've always speculated... that the Chief has already stepped half a foot into the demigod realm."

A flicker of surprise passed through Chen Ling's eyes.

Leaving aside his master, who was suspected to be ninth-tier but had never made a move, the only ninth-tier demigod Chen Ling had ever encountered was Aurora Lord, one of the Nine Sovereigns. According to Plum Blossom 8, there were indeed other ninth-tier demigods from the Divine Dao, such as the "Silver King" worshipped by the Usurpers. The whereabouts of these demigods were extremely secretive, and news about them was rarely heard.

As for the Qingshen Dao, it currently remained without a ninth-tier demigod.

After Plum Blossom 8's explanation, Chen Ling grew even more interested in this Chief Hall Master. But before he could ask anything further, Plum Blossom 8's expression suddenly changed!

Plum Blossom 8's features twisted, and a profound sorrow and despair welled up on his face. His eyes, which had been subtly bright moments ago while speaking with Chen Ling, instantly became dull and lifeless. He curled up on the bed, his trembling causing the entire bed to creak.

"What's wrong with you??" Chen Ling frowned, immediately standing up.

"They... are here..." Plum Blossom 8 rasped.

They?

Chen Ling seemed to realize something, turned, walked to the window, and pulled open the curtain decorated with cartoon butterflies.

Outside the window, in the void, a colossal figure engulfed in black flames was madly galloping westward. Even though her form and features were incredibly abstract, Chen Ling could still sense her terror!

At the back of her neck, there was also an "arrow" and the Plum Blossom 8's mark, except this "arrow" was now spinning wildly, as if out of control.

"Is that a character from the painting?" A trace of doubt flickered in Chen Ling's eyes.

Chen Ling had experienced firsthand how the emotions of characters in the painting could affect them... but he didn't understand why Plum Blossom 8 reacted so strongly when the flaming woman was still some distance away.

Previously, Chen Ling only felt emotions when a character was directly in front of him, but now he felt absolutely nothing.

"You... you can't feel it?" Plum Blossom 8 asked, gritting his teeth against the pain.

"She's that far away, and it still has an effect? I don't feel anything," Chen Ling retorted. "You can feel it?"

Plum Blossom 8 froze.

As they spoke, the woman engulfed in flames was already wailing and rapidly charging towards the house. Under her immense size, Plum Blossom 8's dwelling seemed like mere building blocks that could be kicked apart, fragile and minuscule.

Plum Blossom 8 had no time to discuss the emotional impact with Chen Ling. As the woman drew closer, his expression grew more tormented and distorted, and his body became searing hot, as if he were actually on fire.

"Something's wrong! The painting has suddenly gone haywire... According to their previous movement patterns, they wouldn't pass through here!" Plum Blossom 8 gasped, barely maintaining his composure, and shouted to Chen Ling:

"We need to get out of here, fast!"

In fact, Chen Ling had already taken action before Plum Blossom 8 even finished speaking.

He scooped up the curled-up Plum Blossom 8 onto his shoulder and burst out of the house. Just as his crimson opera robe, propelled by his Cloud Stepping technique, whisked him away, the gigantic shadow howled and crashed into the building!

The instant he brushed past the woman, a powerful sensation of fear and despair surged into Chen Ling's heart, and his expression involuntarily contorted into a grimace.

Plum Blossom 8, still on his shoulder, immediately rolled his eyes back and fainted on the spot.

Boom—!!

The seemingly solid house, like a paper structure before the woman, was instantly shattered into splatters of oil paint and dispersed into the void. The burning woman did not stop but continued to surge forward like an arrow.

Seeing this, Chen Ling's contorted features gradually returned to normal, and he let out a long breath...

But the next moment, the burning woman abruptly braked, her abstract eyes swiveling 180 degrees to lock onto Chen Ling again. After making a wide arc in the void, she resumed her charge towards him!

Chen Ling: ???

"What's happening?!" The sudden turn of events left Chen Ling bewildered. He could only use his Cloud Stepping technique to quickly flee into the distance.

At the same time, he glanced at the unconscious Plum Blossom 8 on his shoulder, gritted his teeth, and slapped him twice!

"Wake up! Something seems to be really wrong!"