Chapter 1436: Second Layer of Cause and Effect, Nine Truths and One Lie

Recalling that scene in the orchard now, it feels like a dream. She became deeply unsettled, as if frozen by fear, like a tiny insect preserved in amber. On that day, she was defeated. Yet she had traversed countless spacetimes and crossed vast, endless galaxies, only to eventually land on an ordinary planet where a mere mortal picked her up...

But had an ancient, primeval cosmic entity already secretly descended, waiting silently in that rural orchard for her arrival, only to perish just before her demise, essentially walking into a trap?

“A calculation... it was a calculation from the very beginning!!!” She was almost too terrified to speak, stating in utter horror: “He had anticipated my battle with the Immortal Realm and knew I would inevitably fall. Therefore, he was already waiting for me in the orchard on that planet! He had calculated my every move, understanding my behavioral logic perfectly!”

“Monster!” Her throat felt tightly constricted, and she was gripped by profound fear, as if an ancient mastermind was secretly watching her at all times. She stared blankly upwards. High above, the figure of a primeval cosmic being stood, his expression devoid of joy or sorrow. His entire body glowed with a faint platinum light, his pupils seemed to contain lightning, and the source of the Great Dao shimmered within him. Various Dao sounds resonated and clashed upon his form, and the crisp beat of his heart sounded like celestial music.

Xu Zhi, too, was completely stunned. This was a reversal of cause and effect, completely flipped. In that orchard, how could he have been a primeval cosmic entity? He was truly weak at that time... In a sense, she truly was his master...

“It was indeed me at that time,” Di Zun said. He stepped through the air, approaching slowly, his expression unwavering. He seemed to hang eternally high above the azure sky, like the supreme God of Gods. His radiant glow dissipated, slowly revealing his true form. He transformed into the face of Xu Zhi, the mortal who was once merely handsome, a pale-faced office worker. He walked before her, gazing at her with interest.

“It truly is you!!” She gasped in shock; no one else should have seen this face except her and the person involved. She instantly froze, too terrified to move, like a frightened little girl, constantly retreating.

“Who exactly are you?” she asked again. Observing her terror, Di Zun, finding life rather wondrous, steadily approached. He lifted her chin slowly with one hand, a half-smile playing on his lips as he said: “Little girl, from the primeval universe to the present, I have soared as an epochal eagle across countless ages, but it has been a long time since I encountered a girl as naive as you. Your potential is astonishing, but your wisdom is somewhat lacking. You have truly provided no small assistance...”

She was too scared to move, yet her face trembled with anger! As a majestic Insectoid Matriarch, she had indeed been continuously manipulated! But her wisdom was lacking? She prided herself on her unique insights, believing they surpassed those of countless previous Insectoid Matriarchs. When it came to causality, the universe's most mysterious bloodline, how could other Matriarchs possibly compare? Her combat power might not have been extraordinary, but her understanding could be said to be unparalleled throughout history. How could her wisdom possibly be lacking??

Yet, as she looked at this cold, ancient figure, she hesitated. Perhaps it wasn't a lack of wisdom on her part, but rather that her opponent was acting with intention against her lack of awareness, hidden in the shadows with ancient methods. Being manipulated was perfectly normal under such circumstances. Still, she stubbornly raised her head, gathering her courage to meet the gaze of this ancient primeval cosmic entity. “I believed I had used causal calculations, and that the lineage's inherited sequence had been meticulously followed...”

She pondered deeply but couldn't fathom it, stating in a low voice: “Your power at that time had absolutely not recovered to its current level. That causality could not have been interfered with... How did you do it?!”

“Heh?” Di Zun laughed mockingly, his original appearance returning. He patted her shoulder, saying, “As old beings, the wisdom of the Insectoids is limited... You perceive the new, just as I do, but you cannot guess it, nor will I tell you.”

“However...” Di Zun pinched her cheek; she trembled with fear but dared not move. He chuckled, “You are different from others. I can offer you a chance, a chance to live...”

“A chance to live?” Her pupils suddenly dilated.

“Yes, submit to me,” Di Zun continued, “I can guarantee your survival, and even grant you the right to fairly contend for the universe's highest position... Interesting little one, this is my momentary benevolence towards you. Do not disappoint me.”

Her heart immediately surged with excitement; this was the ultimate dream of all seekers of the Dao! Yet, she hesitated. As a primeval entity of the ancient universe, he had no reason to deceive her, but... ultimately, she was still somewhat hesitant.

Suddenly, something occurred to her, and her heart trembled. She couldn't help but exclaim, “Back then, when I calculated this causal variable, I vaguely sensed a glimmer of hope. Could it be that it truly was a chance for survival? Although I was outsmarted, was it actually some benefit I provided to you, which now grants me a chance to live?” She wore an expression of sudden realization. “So, the hidden causality I calculated back then wasn't wrong after all??”

As soon as she finished speaking, many people were shocked, yet they all felt it might indeed be true. If that were the case, it wasn't merely a first-layer causal calculation, but a second-layer one. This generation's Insectoid Matriarch had indeed found a lifeline, but this lifeline wasn't for the Insectoids; it was for herself... One could even say she had betrayed her own Insectoid race to secure her chance at survival! The more they thought about it, the clearer the logic became. This current Insectoid Matriarch didn't know how the opponent manipulated causality, but it turned out this was the grand design... It all made perfect sense.

Di Zun also smiled faintly, saying, “Although the glimmer of hope you calculated was secretly interfered with by me, it was indeed a chance for survival. Otherwise, you wouldn't have been able to find me and land in that place...” Di Zun clasped his hands behind his back. “I thought you wouldn't guess, but I didn't expect you to figure out my methods. You are truly extraordinary and very intelligent. I cannot conceal too much from you. For beings of your caliber, a lie that is ninety percent truth and ten percent falsehood is a masterful one. Your choice at that time was indeed a lifeline... Little girl, what will you choose?”

“But I would be a traitor to my own race,” she said, her face deathly pale and desolate.

“This monster!” At this moment, Di Zun held the face of that generation's Insectoid Matriarch, as if clutching a pitiful, timid chick. Others watched the scene, wide-eyed in astonishment.

“How terrifying, this power is beyond excessive...” a peerless hero from 3.7 billion years ago, a primeval existence, said, trembling. The surrounding ancient cosmic entities from various eras had once again turned into stiff, statue-like figures, frozen in place. This seemingly calculated plot against the race actually contained far more horrifying implications. This person, like the Immortal Realm hidden behind the scenes, had long been active throughout history, secretly observing and manipulating the entire era.