Xue Ji's Counsel: Unleashing the Fourth Trigram's Arcane Artifact

Over two million Huhuhu Beasts knelt around a massive crater, their devotion absolute, their worshipful chants, laced with a hint of fawning, deafening the air.

Steve chuckled, "Third Bro, is this your friend? Looks like we've got this in the bag!"

Du Chen, however, gazed helplessly at the grey sky. "More like we're dead in the water!"

"Huh?"

"Just follow my lead. I hope we can survive this ordeal. Whatever you do, don't provoke this Green Gourd Beast. This fellow seems a bit *too* powerful right now..." Du Chen eyed the devoured life-wall, pursing his lips. An entity that could chew through a Life Tree's branches? "We are pests." Green Gourd's motto really wasn't for nothing.

As Green Gourd's colossal tail surfaced, the life-wall bizarrely began to heal itself. Du Chen watched, powerless, as his escape route sealed shut, his head slumping. Their last lifeline was gone!

Upon seeing Green Gourd in its entirety, the Huhuhu Beasts' cheers grew even more thunderous.

Green Gourd was stunned for a moment by the beasts' prostrations. Its small head, pitiful and confused, turned to Du Chen, blurting out, "Alex, I'm sick of this Labyrinth of Life! Take me back. I'd rather be your captive again; at least... you feed me!"

The creature had yet to grasp the sheer extent of its own power.

The Huhuhu Beasts were dumbfounded by their 'Divine Son's' astonishing declaration. Changxi roared, "Heh-gakka, Divine Son, why would you want to be a captive? Just give us the command, and we'll Heh-gakka eliminate them in a flash!"

Green Gourd paused, bewildered for a long moment. Its small head turned towards the largest, loudest Huhuhu Beast. "You all listen to me? This massive horde of brothers listens to me?"

Steve, realizing something was amiss, whispered, "This guy looks pretty傻乎乎. Can we trick him?"

"Do you think everyone's an idiot?" Du Chen rolled his eyes but, stroking his nose, pondered internally: This Green Gourd really doesn't seem that bright!

Changxi swore his loyalty again. "Heh-gakka Divine Son, please lead us!"

"Heh-gakka?"

"Heh-gakka!!"

Confirmed by its brethren, Green Gourd abruptly lifted its head, its pitiable demeanor utterly vanished. It glared menacingly at Du Chen. "Heh-gakka, eliminate them!"

Green Gourd help Du Chen? Only if the Goddess of Fate herself had gone mad. How had Du Chen dealt with Green Gourd back then? Young Master Philip had killed dozens of Green Gourd's siblings, forced its brother into The Undead Base to his death, and finally coerced and enticed Green Gourd to participate in the war against Bonis, where it nearly perished in the Fiery Core.

Now, the oppressed, pitiful Green Gourd had gained power. It would be stranger if it *didn't* turn around and deal with Du Chen!

"Nobody move!" Du Chen bellowed, stopping the Brockman people, ordering them to behave. Then, he smiled at Green Gourd. "The wheel of fortune turns..."

Green Gourd smirked triumphantly.

Du Chen cleared his throat. "But don't forget, your brother is still in my family's hands! If even a single hair on any of us is harmed, your family can forget about living well!" He muttered inwardly: Nonsense, all the Green Gourd Beasts had long perished during The Undead uprising. But this one didn't know; it had been fast asleep in the Precious Lotus Scripture at the time.

Green Gourd shook its head, quickly stopping the Huhuhu Beasts. Right, its own brother was still in his hands. Could it really eliminate him?

Changxi urged, "Heh-gakka Divine Son, our brothers are starving!"

Green Gourd shook its head. "No! First, have your brothers surround them. No killing; my brother is still in his hands!"

The Huhuhu Beasts immediately became agitated, murmurs and protests rising. Changxi's gaze towards Green Gourd was now akin to how he looked at Pieres.

Du Chen thought, *May Pieres' miserable fate not befall Green Gourd. If Green Gourd dies, I won't survive either!* He stroked his nose, his eyes darting, then smiled. "King Changxi, how many Violet-Bloods do we have left here? Enough for how many meals? Hm? Don't be too hasty. Can't you even wait for a few words from me?"

He sauntered over to Green Gourd, patted its massive body, and said with a smile, "Actually, I've had an idea for a long time, but I lacked a way to penetrate the life-wall, so I never discussed it with you. But now that Divine Son Green Gourd is here, and he can lead us through the Life Tree's wall, my idea can finally be realized..."

"Stop rambling!"

"Don't rush! My idea is... cooperation between the Huhuhu Beasts and us Violet-Bloods!"

Du Chen's words were astonishing. Green Gourd had a small head and limited brain capacity, only vaguely worrying about its brother. But Changxi wasn't stupid. He asked, "How would this cooperation work?"

Du Chen sighed. "King Changxi, you must be worried about the Huhuhu Beasts' food supply once the Violet-Bloods are gone, right? We Violet-Bloods aren't enough to feed you all. Heh-heh, we aren't enough, but there are many, many Red-Bloods on the Three Continents, and their taste isn't bad at all!"

Changxi's eyes lit up. "You mean..."

"I know the path to the human world. Your Divine Son can break through the life-wall. Isn't our prospect for cooperation incredibly bright then?" Du Chen spread his hands.

At these words, the first to show alarm was Thirteen. She exploded in anger, "Alex, you would sell out all of humanity just to survive?! Damn you, do you have any idea what the consequences will be if this horde of savage beasts reaches the human world?!"

The other Violet-Bloods were indifferent. Indeed, what did the lives of Red-Bloods have to do with them? Steve frowned, but in an instant, understood his younger brother's true meaning. He remained silent, pressing Thirteen's mouth shut!

Changxi was quite moved. He was also a clever Huhuhu Beast, knowing that devouring the Violet-Bloods now was a last resort and would inevitably lead to great trouble later. So he knew the immense allure of Du Chen's proposal!

Du Chen continued, "Listen to me. You escort me, and the remaining Violet-Bloods, with the Divine Son leading the way. We will go to the human world together! Once we arrive, I will immediately return the Divine Son's family to you, and you will release us... Then, we are safe, you have food, the Divine Son has his family, and everyone is happy, aren't we?"

Upon hearing his brother could be safe, Green Gourd immediately nodded. "Good, good idea, Changxi, is it? Just agree to him!"

Changxi deliberated for a moment. "That's a Heh-gakka plan, but I have conditions. First, on the way to the human world, we Huhuhu Beasts also need to eat. These 'provisions' will be supplied by you!"

Du Chen pointed to the Violet-Bloods. "Except for the Brockman family, eat whoever else you like!" After the Huhuhu Beast attack on the bunker, only about forty to fifty thousand of the original one hundred thousand Violet-Bloods remained. At Du Chen's words, almost everyone's expression changed. Only about one-tenth wore the Brockman family crest, their faces showing relief and gratitude towards Du Chen!

Du Chen snorted inwardly, *Don't blame me for selling you out. Who told you to be the true criminals? I already moved the innocent into the Brockman family!*

Then, he casually tossed Thirteen, Fourteen, and Angie to Changxi. "Your Majesty, these few are offerings for you!" Du Chen had originally intended to keep them as living captives to interrogate about the mysterious organization, but now it seemed he had to settle for a lesser option: using others to kill, silencing them!

Changxi narrowed his eyes, accepting the gifts with a smile. "Second condition, you must remain in the center of my army on the journey. And where is your wife? Bring her out. If one of you is not under my watchful eye, I absolutely won't feel at ease!"

Du Chen shrugged, retrieving Xue Ji from the Precious Lotus Scripture. The silly girl was still healing through deep slumber, so he simply carried her on his back.

Changxi said, "It's a deal! Heh-gakka Divine Son, we'll set off after I finish eating these few people!" After the major battle, Changxi was genuinely hungry. He opened his massive maw and lunged at Angie.

"Save, save me!" Angie cried out in panic. "Captain, save me!" Thirteen coldly rebuked, "Soldiers must be prepared for life and death! Even in death, maintain your dignity! What kind of conduct is this?"

"I, I don't want to die!" Angie leaped up, but with Huhuhu Beasts all around, there was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. As Changxi closed in, Angie, in desperation, used the Thirteen Trigram Secret Technique that Thirteen had taught her, though she hadn't yet mastered it...

"Red Luan Kill..."

Before she could finish her words, half of Angie's body had already fallen into Changxi's great mouth. Changxi, after all, was one rank lower than Du Chen, which surprisingly gave Angie a chance to make a dying move, unlike Du Chen who would cripple an opponent in one strike!

"Mmm, tastes good!" Changxi smacked his lips, thoroughly satisfied.

But Du Chen was utterly dumbfounded!

*Was that the stealth technique of the Red Luan Killing Array?! Heavens, it's the Grand Matriarchs' Red Luan Killing Array!*

His gaze snapped to Thirteen!

*Julie, Lieutenant General Julie!? Ancestor Sigurd's sworn sister, the Grand Matriarchs' master, one of the greatest heroes in human history, Lieutenant General Julie of the Fallen Gods!?*

Watching Changxi swallow Fourteen and then advance towards Julie, Du Chen hastily shouted, "Wait!" Meeting Changxi's suspicious gaze, he gave a forced laugh. "Uh, Heh-gakka King, I merely wanted to remind you that the journey to the human world is long. Good things shouldn't be devoured all at once!"

Changxi nodded. "Indeed. Imprison this one for me. Divine Son, we can now depart!"

"Alright. Oh, and by the way, there should be a giant dragon in the City of Penance. That fellow is quite a menace..."

"The first twenty squads follow me into the Tunnel of Life! The squads behind them are to search the City of Penance. If you see the giant dragon, bite it to death immediately, then catch up with the main force!"

Du Chen slowly exhaled. It was done; his life was temporarily saved, and he had hitched a ride home. But... he was utterly making a deal with the devil! Who knew when the Huhuhu Beasts would go berserk again?

...

Green Gourd, with its astonishing biting ability, tore open a massive hole and then guarded the entrance to prevent the life-wall from closing. The Huhuhu Beasts surged into the Labyrinth of Life like a tide. Du Chen walked in the center of the column. Chek led his men, caring for his old mother and the unconscious Xue Ji, keeping close to him. Steve, having also guessed Thirteen's identity, walked closer to Changxi, hoping to observe Thirteen further.

Seeing the dark green glow within the labyrinth, Chek let out a long sigh, tears welling in his eyes. Over ten years had passed; his family had finally emerged from this hellish City of Penance. Aside from some peripheral servants and a few unremarkable third-generation members, most of the core members were intact.

Looking back at the column under Huhuhu Beast escort, the Brockman family's hastily assembled army, having endured multiple battles, had drastically shrunk. Now, only about four thousand remained, but it was still a respectable minor force. At the very least, the Ancestor's top-secret military formations and a wealth of Fiendkind intelligence were still present – these were part of Du Chen's gains from the City of Penance! The other Violet-Bloods... well, they were now food for the Huhuhu Beasts!

Chek suddenly sighed, "To think we'd leave the City of Penance under such circumstances..."

Du Chen whispered, "Now is not the time for sentiment. We are still under the Huhuhu Beasts' control!" After a few low-voiced instructions, he asked Little Pudding how to get to the human world. Then, he went to the front to inform Changxi of the path.

Although Green Gourd possessed the ability to penetrate walls with the Life Shortcut, it hadn't inherited the Life Shortcut's knowledge, nor did it know the path. This was Du Chen's only leverage in dealing with the Huhuhu Beasts!

A massive, almost terrifying army of fierce beasts, still growing in number, slowly advanced through the Labyrinth of Life, stretching for an unknown distance, interspersed with many Violet-Bloods. Du Chen, adhering to the principle of self-preservation, only revealed one section of the path to the vanguard each day, not the entire route. The Huhuhu Beasts, confident that he couldn't escape, didn't push him too hard. Thus, the main force traveled through the labyrinth for three days.

On this day, Du Chen's vanguard arrived at a long, wide tunnel. Changxi caught up from the rear, his face filled with displeasure. "Alex, the last batch of Huhuhu Beasts have left the City of Penance, and the Divine Son has also departed, but we found no trace of the giant dragon you mentioned! My brothers have wasted several days for nothing!"

Du Chen paused slightly. *Where had Constantine gone?* He asked, "Was there anything unusual at the exit of the City of Penance?"

"Nothing!"

*Good,* Du Chen sneered inwardly. There was only one path out of the City of Penance, opened by Green Gourd. If Constantine hadn't come out in time... *Hmph, he can stay in that accursed City of Penance forever!*

Touching his nose, Du Chen then asked, "Heh-gakka King, could you lend me your 'delicacy' for a while? I'd like to ask her a few questions." He was referring to Thirteen, who was very likely Lieutenant General Julie.

Changxi immediately grew wary. "No! She's my reserved food!" Then, his tone shifted, and he coldly eyed the questioning Du Chen. "Alex, I actually have something to discuss with you. Come with me!"

The Huhuhu Beast King's chilling gaze sent an ominous premonition through Du Chen. Negotiating with a tiger was tantamount to suicide, but what other choice was there now?

While the Green Gourd Beast was easily swayed, the real power among the Huhuhu Beasts lay in Changxi's hands. This King, who had seized his throne through rebellion, was certainly no ordinary fool!

Du Chen followed him to the center of the camp, an open clearing. Countless Huhuhu Beasts formed a semicircle, and the four thousand or so members of the Brockman family were pressed against one side of the wall. Chek was at the forefront, his expression terrified. "Mister Alex, the Huhuhu Beasts, they're not keeping their promise!"

"Yes, they're going to eat us!" shouted a few bolder individuals. But instantly, the countless Huhuhu Beasts collectively erupted into 'Heh-gakka' roars, their momentum overwhelming. The semicircle encirclement immediately tightened by a few steps, closing in on the Violet-Bloods!

"Don't move, leave this to me!" Du Chen sharply turned to Changxi. "King, didn't our agreement state that you couldn't eat members of the Brockman family?"

Changxi snorted. "The number of my subordinates has now surpassed three million. There isn't enough food to go around, Alex. I can't just watch my brothers starve, can I? Heh-gakka?"

The Huhuhu Beast horde pressed forward a few more steps, their vanguard now able to touch the Brockman people's clothes!

"Stop!" Du Chen gritted his teeth. "Where is the Divine Son? I demand to see him!"

Changxi arrogantly looked down at Du Chen. "What? Do you intend to coerce us with the Divine Son's brother? Let me tell you, out of respect for the Divine Son, I won't harm you and your family. However, my brothers need food!"

*Boom!* He pointed his giant tail at the Brockman people. "The Divine Son will not see you! I give you five hourglasses of time to select a thousand provisions. When the time is up, I will come for them. If you haven't selected the food for me by then... Hmph hmph!" The threat was unmistakable!

*You motherfucker!* Du Chen cursed inwardly. But he knew, when circumstances were against you, you could only swallow your pride. The intricate Labyrinth of Life was now swarming with Huhuhu Beasts. Unless Du Chen could break through the walls, there was no chance of escape!

After delivering his threat, Changxi barked at the surrounding Huhuhu Beasts, "Brothers, keep a tight watch! If anyone dares to do anything 'Heh-gakka,' except for Alex, eat them all!"

"Heh-gakka King, Heh-gakka command! Execute!"

The Huhuhu Beast horde roared, almost every pair of eyes fixed on Changxi filled with worship! Changxi smiled triumphantly, then arrogantly departed...

Chek rushed forward and grabbed Du Chen's arm. "Mister Alex, what do we do?!"

*What do we do? What do we do? Since I met you, that's all you ever say—what do we do?!* Du Chen took several deep breaths. This was not the time for a tantrum. "Don't panic!"

His gaze slowly swept over the Brockman people, but almost no one dared to meet his eyes. *Heavens, he's going to pick a thousand of us for food. Alex is looking at me. No, he's not going to pick me, is he?* At this moment, Chek timidly whispered, "Mister Alex, perhaps we could select a thousand of the old, weak, sick, and disabled..."

"No!" Du Chen glared fiercely at Chek. "If we set that precedent, if it's a thousand today, Changxi will eat all of you tomorrow!"

"But, but what then?!" Chek now looked less like a forty or fifty-year-old strongman and more like a lost, bewildered child.

Du Chen furrowed his brow and walked into the midst of the Brockman people, comforting them, "Everyone, rest assured, I am with you. I told you, I will definitely lead you to the human world!"

At this very moment, in this situation, who would still believe that the Brockman family could survive to reach the Three Continents? Who would still believe Du Chen's words? Some scoffed, some were numb with indifference, but many more felt gratitude. For Alex to still be sharing their hardship, to walk among them, was already an act of utmost benevolence. Without Alex, they wouldn't have survived these additional days, nor would they have seen the outside of the City of Penance in their lifetime.

Reaching the deepest part of the crowd, he leaned against the wall, stroking his nose, deeply engrossed in thought. No one dared to disturb him, leaving a clear space around him.

Just as Du Chen's head began to ache from thinking, a soft call came from behind. "Alex..." He turned to see Xue Ji gracefully approaching. Du Chen forced a smile. "You're awake? Why didn't you rest more?"

"Xue Ji couldn't continue sleeping peacefully to heal!" The silly girl's expression was unusually cold, almost icy. Her eyes, fixed on Du Chen, were also chilling. "I heard the Brockman people talk. I know what you're about to do!"

Du Chen smiled. "Don't worry. The Huhuhu Beasts still need me. I will definitely bring you home safely, I promised!"

Xue Ji's face remained cold. She suddenly waved a hand, and the Brockman people, understanding, widened the empty space even further. They didn't want to overhear the 'couple's' private conversation.

Xue Ji came before Du Chen. Her eyes, once shy and avoiding his gaze, now stared intently at him, and she spoke slowly, "Alex, ever since you saved me at the Blade of Heaven Peak, Xue Ji dared not ask about your detailed origins, dared not ask what you were doing, or what you planned to do. I even dared not question how you ascended from Eight-Star Battle God to Titled Peak, just a step away from godhood, within a mere month... Xue Ji only feared delaying your affairs!"

Du Chen suddenly felt that the Xue Ji before him was incredibly unfamiliar.

"But today, Xue Ji must ask. If you bring these three million Huhuhu Beasts to the human world, have you considered the consequences?" Xue Ji said calmly. "Currently, the Fiendkind are counterattacking humanity, and war clouds gather over the Three Continents. At precisely this time, you bring three million savage beasts... No, given their reproduction rate, their total number will likely exceed ten million by the time they reach the human world! Ten million savage beasts possess the power to devour a small country in a single day! How many lives will you destroy by bringing this force to the human world?"

Xue Ji's tone wasn't stern, and apart from her cold expression, there was no sign of anger. Yet, Du Chen found her words incredibly distressing. He lowered his voice, defending himself, "It's just a temporary measure. I still understand the relative importance of humanity and the Brockman family..." His voice dropped even lower. "If, before entering the Three Continents, I cannot find a way to escape the Huhuhu Beasts, then I will abandon the Brockman people, lure the Huhuhu Beasts elsewhere, and then use the Precious Lotus Scripture to escape with you and Eldest Brother!"

Xue Ji countered, "Elsewhere? The Labyrinth of Life has Dead Ends everywhere, yet also lifelines. If these Huhuhu Beasts find a lifeline within the labyrinth and break out, it will be a devastating catastrophe for the beings beyond that lifeline. Huhuhu Beasts should not leave the City of Penance..." She sighed wistfully. "Do you remember what I told you about the Battle God laws passed down by the Divine Emperor?"

Du Chen certainly remembered. It was during their first exploration of the Huhuhu Beast base, but Xue Ji had been interrupted by Steve mid-sentence, and Du Chen, confused, hadn't paid it much mind.

"Huhuhu Beasts are a mistake in the natural laws. As Battle Gods, our mission is either to guide them into correct laws or remove them from those laws... not to bring them to the human world and destroy all life on the Three Continents!"

Du Chen's heart stirred. The profound impact of witnessing the Huhuhu Beasts' evolution process for so long reached its peak at this moment. He seemed to vaguely understand something. Interrupting Xue Ji, he urgently asked, "If I really bring the Huhuhu Beasts to the human world, it would indeed be a disaster for humanity. But am I not also helping the Huhuhu Beasts escape the crisis of extinction, am I not doing good for them?"

Good and evil are relative; acting without shame in one's heart – wasn't that Master Grape's standard? But now Du Chen suddenly had doubts.

Xue Ji paused slightly, then lowered her head. "Xue Ji is young and doesn't understand profound principles. But Divine Emperor Prince once said that all things in heaven and earth have their natural laws. The Battle God's mission is to promote and protect these laws, not to destroy them. Bringing Huhuhu Beasts to the human world means you are using erroneous evolution to destroy the natural order of the human world..."

Du Chen's Primordial Spirit surged. He urgently asked, "What else did the Divine Emperor say? Humans need to eat when hungry. Giving food to a beggar is a good deed, but conversely, is protecting vegetables while letting people starve also a good deed?" Unbeknownst to him, the two questions he'd once asked Master Grape now spilled out to Xue Ji.

Xue Ji was even more bewildered, replying, "The Divine Emperor's meaning should be... For humans to eat meat and vegetables when hungry is a natural law, perfectly justified and beyond reproach. And for beggars who lack three meals, giving them food is naturally a good deed. But everything has its limit. Xue Ji heard that many nobles indulge in extreme extravagance for their palate. Lanning once had a monarch who, to flaunt his wealth, filled a pool with fine wine and created mountains of meat and vegetables before foreign envoys. Under such lavishness, depriving that monarch of his meat and vegetables would be the good deed! So-called good deeds are indeed relative, but more importantly, they revolve around the word 'limit'! And the Huhuhu Beasts are *beyond* that limit."

Du Chen stared at Xue Ji, then suddenly burst into an inexplicable laugh. "So, it's normal for people to eat, but wasting food is not good, is that right?"

Xue Ji was unaccustomed to Du Chen's street-style questioning but still nodded. "The Divine Emperor said, Heaven and Earth have limits, and the Battle God's duty is to protect this 'limit.' As for how to protect it..."

Du Chen suddenly chuckled. "The Way of Heaven diminishes the excessive and replenishes the insufficient. That is the standard for protection, isn't it? Damn it, that old man Prince could actually comprehend this phrase; no wonder he's the Eternal Divine Emperor!" In his urgency, this phrase, the most familiar Chinese saying to Du Chen, came out. Xue Ji, of course, didn't understand, but she only saw Du Chen utter a string of strange syllables before bursting into wild laughter, bending over with mirth.

Du Chen's laughter grew louder and louder. Xue Ji, not understanding, quickly asked, "Mister Alex, did Xue Ji say something wrong?"

"You said nothing wrong! On the contrary, you said everything right!" Du Chen's emotions were at their peak. He suddenly pulled Xue Ji into an embrace and gave her a fierce kiss on the cheek. "Master Grape, so this is what you meant! The Way of Heaven, you old geezer, you wanted me to comprehend the Way of Heaven! Haha!"

Du Chen continued to laugh heartily, but Xue Ji...

*He, he kissed me!?*

That feeling of his lips pressing fiercely against her cheek, that intimate contact, that wonderful sensation in her heart...

Xue Ji stood rooted to the spot. She didn't even notice Du Chen's babbling about "Master Grape" and "Way of Heaven."

After laughing his fill, Du Chen suddenly let out a long breath. His Primordial Spirit hummed, and the Precious Lotus Scripture within him vibrated in series. Suddenly, his butt felt as if it were on fire, but he clenched his jaw and endured. "Brothers of the Fourth Trigram, come forth!"

Perhaps his comprehension wasn't complete enough, perhaps there were still various shortcomings, but Du Chen knew that at least he was on the right path. And that was enough for him to utilize the Arcane Artifacts of the Fourth Trigram!

Under the cover of the four thousand Brockman family members, Du Chen was unrestrained. His inner strength circulated freely, causing five lotus flowers from the Fourth Trigram to rise from his body, pass through his waist and abdomen within his clothes, enter his sleeve, and land in Du Chen's hand!

These were five lotuses, shimmering with a faint yellowish glow, their purpose unknown.

Du Chen smiled contentedly, asking his Primordial Spirit, "Brothers, can you give me any help?"

Just as he spoke, the five lotus flowers suddenly began to wither. Du Chen was greatly startled, watching the lotuses wilt before his eyes. His heart, too, sank to the bottom.

*Damn it, what's going on? Just when I could use the Fourth Trigram's Arcane Artifacts, why did they wither and fade?*

The transformation of the lotuses wasn't over. After wilting, the five flowers began to rot, as if petals had fallen into the earth, enduring wind and sun, and over time, became part of the soil... They transformed into fine, golden-yellow sand.

"Master Grape, what do you mean by giving me a handful of fine soil?" Du Chen was dumbfounded.

But at that moment, Little Pudding in the Lotus Pedestal suddenly let out a mighty roar, "Good soil! To hell with the Essence of Earth, that thing is nothing!"