Chapter 408: The Terrified Executor of Karma

Two hundred years passed after Jiang Li left.

Yuan Shang and a Tribulation Transcendence Stage cultivator died in battle, and his successor took up the banner of the Nine Provinces to resist the demons.

The Executor of Karma silently arrived in the Nine Provinces.

“Everything is proceeding as expected. The number of Tribulation Transcendence cultivators in the Nine Provinces is decreasing.” The Executor of Karma counted the remaining Tribulation Transcendence experts and felt immensely satisfied with his plan.

“The Nine Provinces world is too powerful to be destroyed from within through schemes. We must first eliminate its top-tier forces.”

“After the Heavenly Dao gained sentience, Earthly Immortals began devouring each other, becoming grotesque monsters. These monsters are overwhelmingly powerful – sending them to any world would instantly annihilate it without any suspense.”

“But instantly destroying worlds might cause terrible consequences, so we can’t deploy them recklessly.”

“These insane Earthly Immortals are perfect for dealing with the Nine Provinces. Sending one every hundred or two hundred years will maintain constant pressure.”

“Eventually, when all the high-level cultivators are dead, I’ll execute my secret plan to destroy the Nine Provinces from within.”

The Executor of Karma swelled with pride. His plan to annihilate the Nine Provinces had been approved by his superiors.

“These years, I’ve been busy formulating slow-death plans for other worlds and couldn’t come to the Nine Provinces. Yet even so, I’ve created a plan that satisfies my superiors and remains feasible.”

The Executor of Karma considered himself the wisest among Celestial Immortals.

“Outer Realm Demons? Mahayana Stage?” The term made him pause in slight surprise.

“As expected of Immortal Elder Changcun, using the concept of Outer Realm Demons to conceal the truth and fabricate the illusory Mahayana Stage to give people false hope.”

“The Immortal Elder’s wisdom is nearly equal to mine.”

The Executor of Karma shook his head: “Pity. Falsehoods remain falsehoods. No matter how seamless the lie, the truth will eventually surface. How long can you keep hiding it?”

Like an aloof deity, he watched the Nine Provinces employ various methods to resist the so-called Outer Realm Demons, feeling smug.

He critiqued each method, finding flaws and weaknesses everywhere.

“Wait, what’s this about the Earth Vein?” Something seemed to have exceeded his expectations.

He used his spiritual sense to scan the Nine Provinces, then disguised himself as an ordinary cultivator to gather information, finally infiltrating the world’s core where he saw an azure-blue stream.

Cold sweat drenched the Executor of Karma.

In his tens of thousands of years of existence, both in the Nine Provinces and after ascending to the immortal realm, he had never felt such terror.

“How could this exist?!” His body turned cold as death itself seemed to loom closer than ever before.

“This shouldn’t be! This shouldn’t be! This shouldn’t be!” He roared quietly, venting his fear.

He knew if he reported the Nine Provinces’ Earth Vein to his superiors, he’d be the first to die!

“Such things only emerge when all living beings face absolute despair. How could it appear in the Nine Provinces?”

Baffled, he recalled sending monsters carefully calibrated in both number and power to remain within the Nine Provinces’ capacity to handle – never enough to cause true despair.

Never!

“The Earth Vein formed two hundred years ago… when I sent three monsters.”

“That shouldn’t have happened. The Nine Provinces had over a dozen or twenty Tribulation Transcendence cultivators plus Immortal Elder Changcun – more than enough to handle three monsters.”

Forcing himself to calm down, he investigated the Earth Vein’s origins.

“Damn it! When three Earthly Immortal-level monsters appeared, those bastard Tribulation Transcendence cultivators were too busy scheming against each other and holding back their full strength, making the common people think the Nine Provinces was doomed?!”

He had ordered the monsters to target Tribulation Transcendence cultivators first, expecting desperate resistance that would kill the monsters while severely weakening the cultivators.

Furious, he realized he’d accounted for everything except the cultivators’ psychology.

“Destroy the Earth Vein?” His first thought was quickly dismissed.

“Impossible. Even in its embryonic form, the Earth Vein’s level is far beyond what I can damage.”

“Since the Earth Vein already exists, why not just destroy the Nine Provinces outright?”

He dismissed this second thought as well.

The Nine Provinces was too prominent. Annihilating everyone would draw his superiors’ attention.

If they noticed the Nine Provinces, they’d discover the Earth Vein – and then execute him.

“Delay. Delay as long as possible!”

After ascending, he’d learned not just immortal techniques but also the art of procrastination.

He dared not alter his plan either, as his superiors had already approved it. Sudden changes would arouse suspicion.

His only option was to pretend nothing had happened.

Destroying the Nine Provinces’ population wouldn’t erase the Earth Vein – it would merely transform into another state.

Only gradual destruction could make it disappear.

“This is the only way. I pray no more surprises occur.”

“In eight thousand years, when the Tribulation Transcendence numbers reach their lowest, I’ll return to implement the new plan.”

With these troubled thoughts, the Executor of Karma departed.

…

“The Nine Provinces feels much more comfortable now.” Jiang Li stretched after Emperor Shun sent him back.

Recalling Emperor Shun’s frantic rowing speed, Jiang Li suspected the emperor wanted him gone quickly.

As if the longer he stayed in the River of Time, the more dangerous it became.

“Hello everyone.” Jiang Li cheerfully greeted nearby people.

“So where exactly did you appear from?” Yu Yin sat regally on her throne, magnificent yet bewildered by Jiang Li’s sudden appearance.

She’d been holding court when Jiang Li materialized out of nowhere during the final moments.

Not exactly nowhere – she sensed time dao fluctuations more profound than Ji Zhi’s.

The ministers bowed: “We greet the Human Sovereign.”

Yu Yin asked, “Weren’t you in some superpower world doing a two-man show with Bai Hongtu?”

“The Weigu World.”

“Hard to remember names.”

“This trip was quite fruitful. I need to discuss some things with Immortal Elder. Want to come?”

“How fruitful?”

“Enough to shatter your worldview.”

“Let’s go.”

Intrigued, Yu Yin knew Jiang Li’s business would be more interesting than court matters.

Mid-flight, Jiang Li felt he’d forgotten something.

At the Dao Sect’s entrance, he suddenly remembered – he’d left Bai Hongtu behind.

Setting up a summoning array, Jiang Li chanted: “Return to me, Bai Hongtu!”

Bai Hongt appeared in a strange pose, as if shaking someone by the collar.

“High Priest! Revive quickly and send me to the River of Time too!”

The two Dao Sect disciples at the entrance weren’t fazed by their sect leader’s antics.

This was just normal behavior for him.