"You jest, Young Master Jun," Elder Shi sighed, his voice carrying a hint of weariness. "Though I am an old man, I am not a fool. I have gathered you all here to discuss countermeasures, not to hold me accountable."
"Elder Shi, it is a fact that Xiao Man led the Pseudo-Gods to the Wasteland."
"Do you think that without Xiao Man, the Pseudo-Gods would have spared us?" Elder Shi replied calmly. "Have none of you ever considered why the Wasteland has no spiritual energy?"
"Because the Wasteland is a separate small world, with different rules from the outside. That's why there's no spiritual energy."
"That is not so," Elder Shi shook his head.
"It is to protect us from the harm of the Pseudo-Gods," Elder Bai chimed in. "If this place were rich in spiritual energy, the Pseudo-Gods would have found a way to conquer it. But without spiritual energy, only battle qi exists here. They cannot use battle qi, so entering here puts them at a disadvantage. Furthermore, there is nothing here for them to covet. Thus, we have lived in peace for tens of thousands of years."
"But now the Pseudo-Gods have caught up."
"Indeed, the Pseudo-Gods have caught up." Elder Bai’s expression grew somber. "What could be the reason that they are willing to step into this restricted small world to pursue us?"
All eyes turned to Xiao Man, the answer resting with her!
"As I said, it is because I released the Demon Lord."
"Even if you released the Demon Lord, there would be no need for them to chase you in here. They could just wait for you to leave. Why did they rush in so eagerly?" Elder Bai stood up and walked before Xiao Man. "The Demon Lord has been sealed for tens of thousands of years; he should be at death's door, no?"
"Not quite. Someone has been protecting his soul all along." Xiao Man did not mention Xuan Xin's name, as she was unsure of their stance towards him.
"Did you break the seal on the Demon Lord alone?"
"No, three others aided me."
"I am asking if you, yourself, broke the Demon Subduing Formation that sealed the Demon Lord?" Elder Bai pressed urgently. "The nine Meteorite Iron chains that bound the Demon Lord, inscribed with complex runes."
Xiao Man hesitated, then slowly nodded.
Elder Bai and Elder Shi’s faces instantly paled. Their legs buckled, and they fell to their knees with a thud, startling everyone else to their feet.
Xiao Man quickly stepped back. "Elder Shi, Elder Bai, what are you doing?"
Elder Shi and Elder Bai performed a deep bow to Xiao Man. Elder Shi, prostrate on the ground, wept uncontrollably. Xiao Man, bewildered by the scene, glanced towards Jun Ruo for help.
Jun Ruo appeared to have anticipated this, remaining silent and idly playing with his teacup, as if he saw nothing.
Xiao Man hurried forward to help the two elders up. "Elder Shi, Elder Bai, please speak your minds. I cannot accept such a grand gesture."
"Huo Lei, why are you standing there? Quickly help Elder Bai up."
Huo Lei remained rooted to the spot, staring at Xiao Man blankly. After a long pause, he said with disbelief, "You... you are Xuan Xin!"
"Xuan Xin?" Everyone stared at Xiao Man in shock, scrutinizing her from head to toe. She bore no resemblance to the Xuan Xin described in ancient texts, the Heavenly God born without a heart, incapable of joy or sorrow, devoid of desires. Yet, the Xiao Man before them was undeniably a living, breathing person!
"I am not Xuan Xin," Xiao Man quickly explained. "You have mistaken me for someone else."
"We would not mistake the person," Elder Bai stated with certainty. "The Demon Subduing Formation that sealed the Demon Lord was inscribed using the shattered divine essence of the Goddess. Only she herself could break it."
Xiao Man felt her mind struggling to keep up. "I am just an ordinary person."
"Are you truly an ordinary person?" Taotie retorted. "Think about what has happened to you. Could these things happen to an ordinary person?"
"Stop causing trouble!" Xiao Man snapped.
"An ordinary person wouldn't dare scold me," Taotie added, leaving Xiao Man speechless.
"You have returned, and we no longer need to flee our homeland," Elder Shi said excitedly. "Please, Goddess, instruct us on what we should do."
Xiao Man felt a sense of surrealism, but seeing their earnestness, she knew explanations would be futile.
"If the Pseudo-Gods attack, our forces are too scattered and will be easily annihilated. Everyone will temporarily reside in Sun Village. I will establish a protective formation centered around Sun Village. Once the Pseudo-Gods retreat, you may all return to your respective villages."
"Yes."
Xiao Man watched the people depart swiftly and couldn't help but sigh. "If I had known Xuan Xin's identity was so useful, I would have impersonated her sooner. It would have saved a lot of trouble."
"Impersonated..." Jun Ruo sighed, realizing Xiao Man didn't truly believe she was Xuan Xin. "What will you do next?"
"Set up a protective formation to prevent innocent civilians from suffering at the hands of the Pseudo-Gods," Xiao Man frowned. "I fought them briefly. While they cannot use battle qi here, their combat power is still considerable."
"They carry many secret treasures that provide them with spiritual energy, allowing them to fight for a time," Su Dan Xiao Shuo Wang contributed.
"So, as long as I extend the battle line and deplete their spiritual energy, it will be enough?"
"Do you think they will give you the opportunity to extend the battle line? If they are provoked, they might destroy this small world, and not a single person inside will survive."
"Regardless of the outcome, we must try," Xiao Man declared. She took out all her savings and used them to envelop Sun Village with a protective formation. Her only hope was that this formation would keep the villagers safe.
"Once that is done, come with me," Jun Ruo reminded Xiao Man. "It's time to go to the underground palace."
"Alright."
Jun Ruo sat to the side. "You broke the Demon Lord's seal. The divine essence at the sealing location must have been absorbed by you, correct?"
"Divine essence?"
"Those runes."
"Yes."
"There is another portion in the underground palace. Where could the other divine essences be?" Jun Ruo murmured to himself. "When Xuan Xin's divine essence shattered, a part protected this small world, a part sealed the Demon Lord, a part protected the reincarnation of the Human Emperor, and another part was taken by Yu Tian..."
Jun Ruo gazed at Xiao Man for a long time. He recalled an attempt to probe Xiao Man's interior, only to be repelled by a force within her. Her divine essence had recovered at least half. Besides the part that sealed the Demon Lord, where did the other portion come from?
"Have you met Yu Tian and the Human Emperor?"
"Mm."
Jun Ruo straightened up. "You have met both of them?"
"Mm," Xiao Man replied without looking up. "Is there a problem?"
"Have Yu Tian and the Human Emperor met?"
"They have."
"And these two didn't engage in a battle to the death?" Jun Ruo's eyes gleamed with curiosity.
"No, I've disappointed you." Xiao Man glanced at Jun Ruo, not missing the schadenfreude in his eyes. She slowly added, "Oh, and I forgot to tell you, Mo Mo has found someone he loves."