The meatball was in great pain.
Every single bloodline was connected to its soul.
"Rise."
Chen Fan raised his hand and opened the River of Life and Death.
Whoosh.
The river water churned, and endless life force surged into the meatball's body.
Its condition was already dire.
Only an unending stream of vitality could mend its injuries.
"Squeak squeak squeak."
The familiar sound made Chen Fan finally breathe a sigh of relief.
It was the meatball's voice.
The meatball used to speak like this before. Although Chen Fan couldn't understand the words, he could sense its happiness.
As the meatball's condition improved, Chen Fan was finally able to relax and smile.
He gave the meatball a reassuring smile and instantly poured his strength into his hands.
Boom!
A deafening roar echoed, and the mountain of flesh shattered.
"Squeak squeak squeak."
The meatball's soul trembled with pain.
Fortunately, the life force arrived in time, preventing the risk of its body and soul from disintegrating.
"Hoo."
At this point, Chen Fan finally exhaled.
He stepped forward, picked up the weak meatball, and sank his divine sense into its body.
Upon inspection, Chen Fan's expression turned even more grim.
Even more immense life force surged in, mending the injuries within the meatball's body.
"Squeak squeak squeak."
The meatball happily hugged Chen Fan's arm and fell into a deep sleep.
Chen Fan fell from the sky, landing beneath an ancient tree.
Looking at his conflicted disciple, he said solemnly, "Even if the meatball stood in your way, you could have just let it go. Why go through all this?"
His tone grew heavier.
Hearing this, the conflict on Chen Qi's face finally subsided, his emotions calmed. He opened his mouth and said, "I didn't want to harm the meatball, and I tried to persuade it to join me, but it refused. Besides your command, it listens to no one."
At this point, a hint of bitterness appeared on Chen Qi's face. "I thought after interacting with the meatball for hundreds of millions of years, our bond was as strong as metal and stone, but sadly... in its heart, there was always only you, Master. Its kindness towards me was merely because of your command back then."
His gaze fell upon the meatball, and a mixture of love and hate flickered in Chen Qi's eyes.
"Sigh."
Chen Fan sighed.
After a long pause, he said, "Poor little thing."
Indeed, the meatball was truly pitiful.
It had blocked Chen Qi's path but refused to yield, all to wait for Chen Fan's appearance.
"Master."
This time, Chen Qi spoke first, "I have lived for too long. My greatest wish now is to build a truly peaceful place."
"And so?"
Chen Fan countered, "You created the ruins, lured Order to them, and then snatched the Nine Heavens back from him. What is it all for?"
"For the Dao."
"What Dao?"
"The Eternal Dao."
Chen Qi's voice held a hint of fanaticism.
A memory flickered in his mind, "Master, do you know, I once saw a higher heaven, stronger existences. Though it was but a fleeting glimpse, it made me yearn for it. They are eternal beings, coexisting with heaven and earth."
Chen Fan: "..."
He didn't know what his disciple wanted to say, so he remained silent.
'Master, do you know what eternity is?' Chen Qi asked again.
"Time,"
Chen Fan provided the answer.
"Exactly."
A look of intoxication, tinged with red, appeared in Chen Qi's eyes.
In Chen Fan's perception, this was a very deep, pathological expression.
But he didn't say much. Perhaps... the person himself knew very well and simply didn't care.
That expression was terrifying.
"Master."
The light in Chen Qi's eyes grew brighter and brighter. "Time, the sole entity of heaven and earth. In this world, only you can condense time, because you came from the future. Therefore... only you can condense time, do you know that?"
"Heh heh."
I don't know...
Chen Fan sneered. "That peerless expert you saw, if what you say is true, should have also condensed time, right?"
"No, he did not."
At this point, Chen Qi calmed down a bit, shaking his head. "He only condensed a little..."
"So?"
Chen Fan's smile was gone.
Looking at the familiar face of his disciple, he felt an immense strangeness. "You put so much effort into me?"
"..."
"Time."
A flicker of nostalgia crossed Chen Fan's eyes.
He didn't know what he was nostalgic for. Perhaps it was their past master-disciple relationship, or perhaps... the time he hadn't yet unlocked.
Buzz!
A Time Stone appeared in his hand.
"Time, epoch."
Chen Fan gave a bitter smile. "Five elements, yin and yang, life and death, light and dark, wind and thunder... My good disciple, this is the secret to unlocking time."
Chen Qi's gaze flashed, and he smiled, "Indeed, nothing in this world can be hidden from Master."
"Not necessarily."
Chen Fan shook his head. "At least I don't know the reason you targeted Xue'er."
Xue'er, a secret buried deep within his heart.
Chen Fan hadn't uttered this name for a long time.
When he occasionally thought of it, it was when no one was around.
The moment these words were spoken, Chen Qi's face changed drastically. His eyes stared intently at his master.
Chen Fan met his gaze calmly.
After a long while, Chen Qi gave a bitter smile. "Master, you know everything?"
"I didn't before."
He didn't hide it. "I originally thought the Seven Divine Weapons were the key to suppressing the rift. Now it seems everything was your plan. Everything you did was to set me on this path, to gather all the power of the Great Dao, and ultimately, to unlock time."
"...What else does Master know?"
"That supreme being you saw, he's behind the rift, isn't he?"
"..."
"So, you want to use my power to unlock time, and then strip me of all my power, only to devour that person, correct?"
Clap clap clap.
Chen Qi applauded and laughed, "Master is Master. Nothing can be hidden from you."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
Chen Fan replied noncommittally. "Now that everything is in place, you've decided to make a move on your master, haven't you?"
Patricide.
Chen Fan couldn't be wrong. This disciple... was thinking exactly that.
"..."
Chen Qi fell silent.
He knew his master had seen through his intentions.
Finally, he spoke, "As long as Master is willing to hand over all his power, your disciple will ensure Master's safety for a lifetime, and will also return your wife to you."
"Haha."
The mention of "wife" made Chen Fan laugh heartily.
He was genuinely happy, not faking it.
After laughing, he suddenly retorted, "Do you think you've got me cornered?"
By now, he no longer referred to himself as "this master."
Chen Qi shook his head. "Master, don't struggle. Everything you have now was given by me. Without the Divine Weapons, you are no different from an ordinary person in my eyes."
Miraculous time.
Chen Fan went back to the past and took Chen Qi as his disciple.
And Chen Qi, using the methods taught by his master, interfered with the future, achieving his master.
It had to be said, this was the wonder of time.
What Chen Qi said was the truth. Without the Divine Weapons, Chen Fan had nothing else to rely on besides the power of the Great Dao.