n

n

n

n

"So, we're good?

" Wu Hong asked.

n

"Of course,

" Wang Wei nodded.

"But I would like to remind you that in our future arguments, I will be petty and bring up today's event to win.

"

nWu Hong's body suddenly paused before sneering,

"Do that, and I will bring up the maid, Dong Lifen, and even her.

" She pointed at Xun Junyao in the stadium. Wang Wei looked at her with mouth open — he was speechless.

n

"That's a dirty move, and you know it.

"

n

"Since you want to be petty, two can play this game.

"

nWang Wei was out of words, so he could only eat his grape and sip his drink in response. He had lost this battle of words.

n

"By the way, what does she truly look like,

" Wang Wei asked, finding Xun Junyao's situation quite fascinating.

n

"You don't want to know.

"

n

"Now, I'm even more curious,

" Wang Wei said as he focused his eyes. He tried to look through whatever power was around her face and body. However, it was to no avail, so Wang Wei had to summon a projection of the River of Fate to boost his efforts. Sadly, even that did not work. Feeling challenged, Wang Wei chose to use more extreme measures. He temporarily lifted the seals in his soul, accessing the full power of his Paragon Soul. He observed Xun Junyao alone with his soul, and the result was the same — she looked like a more perfect version of Wu Hong.

nWang Wei then immediately activated the perfect aura from his body and used it in tandem with his Paragon Soul. Her face blurred temporarily as if he was about to break through that veil, but he failed at the last minute.

nWang Wei sighed in resignation and looked at Wu Hong:

"A little help, please.

"

n

"Are you sure you want to see?

" she asked a second time.

n

" I am.

"

n

"Alright.

" She tapped on the side of his forehead, and Wang Wei's eyes suddenly felt a cold power running through it. He immediately focused on Xun Junyao, and his eyes squinted.

n

"She has no face?

"

n

"That's right.

"

nWang Wei calmly observed her. It was truly bizarre. In his current sight, her head was empty with no skull, muscles, tissues, or any skins — just nothing there. He checked her soul, and it was there, but it also had facial expressions, just a vague outline of her face.

n

"What's going on?

" Wang Wei asked.

n

"It's her curse,

" Wu Hong explained.

n

"An Innate Curse?

" It was rare for cultivators to be born with a curse, but it does happen. For example, the Sword Empress was born with her talent sealed, which can be considered an Innate Curse.

n

"Even worse, it's a Grand Dao Curse,

" Wu Hong explained.

"Nothingness and Perfection are the most common path of transcendence — especially the latter. For eons, countless people believed it was the only way to go beyond the Paragon Realm, and they were correct.

n

"Becoming Perfect means becoming closer to resembling Grand Dao. Do you think it would allow someone who embodies the concept of perfection to exist without adverse effects?

"

n

"So, Grand Dao created a flaw for Xun Junyao by taking away her face, ensuring she was not truly perfect and that no one could study her to achieve true perfection,

" Wang Wei sighed.

n

"That's right.

"

nWang Wei became quiet.

n

"What? Now that you know the truth, are you less attracted to her?

" Wu Hong asked with a smirk.

n

"Is that your goal? Are you trying to eliminate the competition?

" Wang Wei retorted, and she rolled her eyes. She would not have shown it to him if that were the case.

" Wang Wei chuckled.

"I think it's worth it. She loses her face, but in exchange, she has the best foundation to walk the transcendent path.

" As long as Xun Junyao becomes a peak Paragon and has some achievements in studying Immortal Perfection, she can make up for her flaw and use that foundation to enter the Half-Step Transcendence Realm.

n

"You're only saying that because you're looking at things purely logically,

" Wu Hong added.

"People have been telling the poor girl she was the most beautiful woman in the world for as long as she can remember. Yet, whenever she tries to look at herself, she sees nothing.

n

"I've read about people like her during my travels in Primordial Chaos, and from my experience, all those people die tragically by taking their own lives. The fact that Xun Junyao can live until she becomes a Paragon is a testament to her willpower and Dao Heart.

"

n

"You make a good point,

" Wang Wei nodded. Now that she reminded him of this perspective, his respect for Xun Junyao increased immensely.

n

"I now kind of understand what kind of vulnerable mindset she was in when she chose that Dao,

" Wang Wei stated.

"However, I think it's a waste. Chaos Dao is literally perfect for her.

"

n

"Chaos Dao?

" Wu Hong muttered, and she immediately understood.

"The primary 3800 Dao represents the original and perfect state of the universe, so they match her situation.

n

"And it seems even fate is trying to guide her by granting someone with the first physique as her disciple.

"

nThen, Wu Hong frowned.

n

"You noticed too, huh.

"

n

"Yes, it's a contradiction,

" Wu Hong nodded. Grand Dao restricts her by limiting her perfection, but it also uses fate to influence her to walk the path of perfection.

n

"What do you think is the reason?

" Wang Wei asked.

n

"Grand Dao's contradictions are usually because it wants people to play by the established rules,

" Wu Hong replied calmly.

"So, it could mean it wants Xun Junyao to walk that path, but she must work for it and earn that strength.

n

"Or, the more likely scenario, someone intervened and messed up Grand Dao's layup.

"

n

"The Adjudicator of Fate,

" Wang Wei replied.

n

"You think it's him?

"

n

"I know he did something for Grand Dao to wish to replace him,

" Wang Wei analyzed.

"What if his crime was studying perfection?

"

n

"Maybe,

" Wu Hong uttered.

n

"You don't agree?

"

n

"No,

" she replied.

"One of the fundamental characteristics of Half-Step Transcendence is that the application of the rules no longer restricts them. The stronger they are, the more that is so.

n

"Although the Fate Adjudicator is technically an Employee of Grand Dao, I don't think the rules would restrict him so much that he could not study perfection.

"

n

"You may have a point,

" Wang Wei nodded.

"So, what do you think he did?

"

n

"I think his crime was lusting after his boss' power,

" Wu Hong said.

"As I said, perfection means becoming closer to Grand Dao. I think he wanted to cultivate a perfect being that contains the essence of Grand Dao. Then, he would study it in an attempt to reach higher levels.

"

n

"You may be into something,

" Wang Wei said with bright eyes. He peeked at the essence of Grand Dao when he established his Perfection Foundation. If he had someone like Xun Junyao – who achieved Half-Step Transcendence — to learn from, Wang Wei could not imagine what he could accomplish.

n

"If that is genuinely his crime, I must say I respect him a lot more,

" Wang Wei stated. His views of the Six Cardinal Tribunals are that they chose to serve Grand Dao in exchange for keeping their strength after their long service ended. However, he would respect him much more if the Fate Cardinal became ambitious and tried another method.

n

"Now we're on this topic; I suddenly thought of someone else.

"

n

"Are you talking about Di Tian?

"

n

"Yes,

" Wang Wei nodded.

"I originally thought he was a pawn of the Samsara Cardinal, but with his obsession with perfection, he might have been the Fate Cardinal's pawn first.

"

nDi Tian studied Creation first and was already obsessed with creating the perfect life form in his first life. So, there is a high chance the Fate Cardinal abandoned him after his second life when he started cultivating Samsara Dao. Or, the Samsara Cardinal might have made a deal with Fate to get her hands on Di Tian.

nWu Hong sighed,

"Obsession is a powerful force, but it's also the easiest way to manipulate someone.

"

n

"Wiser words have never been said,

" Wang Wei said as he chugged his win.

"So, what's your obsession?

"

n

"Me? It used to be to prove to the world that I was worthy,' Wu Hong said.

"But now, it's no longer an obsession and more like a goal or desire that has been transformed into something else.

"

n

"I guess you're lucky to have escaped such a shackle,

" Wang Wei replied with a wry smile. Di Tian, Lin Fan, and likely Xun Junyao are pawns that these higher beings used obsession to control. But wasn't it the same for him?

nThe sad truth is that as long as he is obsessed with pursuing freedom and becoming free and unfettered, he will always be a pawn.

n

"Discouraged?

" Wu Hong asked.

n

"Of course not,

" Wang Wei sneered.

"Until the very end, it's not known who is the pawn or who is the chess player.

"

n

"That's more like it,

" she smiled.

n

n

n