Myriad Realms Gatekeeper

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The girl's face was full of apology.

But—

Above her head floated a line of "???????," just as when he first saw that little girl in the examination hall.

Seven question marks.

Not one more, not one less.

So it has been you helping me all along.

But how did you turn into the form of a little girl? Could it be some sort of talent?

Shen Ye looked toward Song Qingyun again.

Hovering above her head was a line of text:

"Star Picker."

"Description: Plucking stars from the heavens, evolving the God Scroll, and re-establishing the Divine Realm."

Behind her, nine massive one-eyed serpents stood tall in the air, their gazes falling as they stared at Shen Ye together.

...such a badass sight.

Could no one else see this monster?

Shen Ye looked around.

Everyone seemed at ease, their eyes shining, but none reacted to the phantom behind Song Qingyun.

How could this be...

Some people should possess the Dharma Eye, yet how could they just ignore such a terrifying sight?

Shen Ye suddenly felt a sharp pain in his eyes.

A faint light quickly emerged, coalescing into small characters:

"Your Dharma Eye: Under the stimulus of Moonlight Divine Illumination, its ancient potential has been activated, allowing you to see all the hidden Evil Gods within the Magical Realm."

"—The Majesty of the Chaotic Heaven Gate Exorcising Demons."

"Your Dharma Eye: Moonlight Divine Illumination is awakening."

"Please practice Frosty Moon Shocking Sky to the First Layer of the Law Domain standard;"

"Please practice the Flying Shot Art 'Sudden Rain' to the First Layer of the Law Domain standard;"

"Once both conditions are fulfilled, your Law Eye Pupil Technique 'Demon-slaying Frost Line' will advance by one rank, unleashing its true power!"

All the small characters retracted.

Shen Ye steadied his mind and looked at the two women before him, and at the nine one-eyed serpents that floated behind Song Qingyun.

To call them serpents seemed somewhat inaccurate.

—What kind of snake has only a vertical pupil in the middle of its forehead?

Monster.

Evil God.

And the one it protects, Song Qingyun, is a "Star Picker."

Alas!

Could it be that among the countless members of the Human Race, not a single person possesses this Dharma Eye to see through her true form?

"Brother Shen Ye, why are you not speaking?" Song Qingyun asked curiously.

Shen Ye came back to his senses.

—What should he say?

He suddenly remembered the red text "Tool" that had once appeared above his head.

Although it had temporarily dissipated, he could almost recite that line of the hint.

"This term is a manifestation of your 'gate' ability sensing the special powers of the Magical Realm at this location, leveraging it to distill the thousands of years of the Human Race's blood and tears history into an evaluation, just to raise your alertness."

Thousands of years of the Human Race's blood and tears history.

Perhaps only matters related to Divine Spirits could make such an explanation appear on his own term.

Therefore...

He must not be that "tool."

To leave this place, not to cause conflict with her, not to get involved in anything, and to just complete tonight's event properly.

This was the best strategy.

Shen Ye then opened his mouth to say:

"If it really is her, then let's forget about this matter."

Song Qingyun was somewhat surprised.

Song Yinchen, sitting in the wheelchair, also looked towards him.

—Is he so easy to talk to?

"But I don't think it's her," Shen Ye took a different turn with his words.

"Why?" Song Qingyun asked.

"The video clearly shows it was you," Shen Ye said.

The crowd began to stir.

The smile vanished from Song Qingyun's face.

She asked in a calm tone:

"Even our mother can't distinguish between us, how could you?"

"That's very simple, ah," Shen Ye scratched his head, looking somewhat embarrassed, "she's prettier than you."

She's prettier than you.

The commotion that had just arisen suddenly subsided.

Everyone's gaze shifted back and forth between Song Qingyun and Song Yinchen—

—This—

The two looked exactly alike, how could one tell who was prettier?

This guy must be saying this on purpose.

People looked towards Shen Ye.

On his face still hung a slight bashfulness and sincerity.

"Prettier than me? I also feel I'm not as pretty as my sister," Song Qingyun said with a smile.

"Oh yeah, you're quite self-aware," Shen Ye agreed.

—If not causing conflict with you is the best strategy, then why did I even come here?

Song Qingyun's smile was straining.

"Eh? Why did you suddenly stop smiling?"

Shen Ye asked in surprise and sincerity.

—Asshole.

Before, I wasn't sure if you were doing this intentionally or not, but now it seems likely that you had a hand in this whole affair.

You almost got me killed, caused the death of so many people—

Even if you are compiling the God Scroll, so what?

First learn to be human!

From within the crowd, a disdainful voice suddenly rang out:

"Qingyun has already explained herself properly to you, what kind of attitude is that?"

Shen Ye looked in the direction of the voice, only to find a tall and sturdy teenager, about eighteen or nineteen years old, with a face full of acne.

"Who are you?" Shen Ye asked.

"Zhongli Fengluo," the young man said.

A wave of uncontrollable anger suddenly surged in Shen Ye's heart.

During the exam, that Great Upholder from the Zhong Li Family—

So it appears this Zhongli Fengluo was the one behind it all!

Kill him.

He must find a way to kill him!

At that moment, yet another authoritative male voice spoke up:

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"This matter was indeed done by my daughter Yinchen," the man's voice declared. "There's no need to discuss it further; she has already apologized. I hope you can still be friends in the future."

Shen Ye glanced in the direction of the voice.

He saw a tall figure in a Taoist robe emerging from the crowd.

The man had a majestic appearance and was followed by several attendants. As soon as he appeared, people began to bow to him in respect.

Since he called Song Yinchen "my daughter," he must be the father of the two girls.

—That is, the patriarch of the Song Family.

Since the patriarch himself had acknowledged the matter—

There was no longer any point in arguing.

Shen Ye looked at Song Qingyun, and then at Song Yinchen, feeling quite puzzled.

—Why treat one daughter better than the other?

Could it be simply because Song Qingyun was more powerful and admired, a top-notch student of the Jia Lan School?

Tsk.

Intent on killing Zhongli Fengluo.

But this was the enemy's turf, outnumbered in a brawl would be at a disadvantage, and killing someone would probably be stopped.

Another plan was needed.

"Okay, let's say it was Song Yinchen who did it—I wouldn't bother quarreling with an ordinary person, but the scions of the noble family who hired the assassins are a different matter," Shen Ye said, then suddenly paused.

A flare of understanding passed through his mind.

Zhongli Fengluo.

And other scions of noble families…

Including himself.

And all those who had died.

Perhaps they were all just Song Qingyun's tools.

After all, what would killing him bring to her and the Evil God behind her?

At the beginning.

The original Shen Ye had not yet awakened the "Gate" ability, nor had he become a true disciple of the Chaotic Heaven Gate.

The inconsequential Shen Ye.

Even if he were to die.

How could it affect a "Star Picker" sheltered by an Evil God?

And those scions of noble families, the assassins, the ordinary people.

All these actions were using tools to accomplish something, to achieve some end.

What end was that?

"So sorry, I'm not planning to forgive anyone," Shen Ye stated.

A silence fell over the crowd.

Father Song's face flickered with a touch of anger, but before he could speak, Song Qingyun stopped him.

"Brother Shen Ye," called out Song Qingyun.

"Hmm?" Shen Ye responded.

"Do you remember when we parted during the New Year back then? We even exchanged greeting cards, remember?" Song Qingyun said while she drew an old and yellowed card, showing it to everyone present.

On the card was a few clumsy lines:

"When we grow up, we'll be together."

"—From Shen Ye."

Song Qingyun casually unleashed a wisp of flame, igniting the card that bore the promise of being together when they grew up.

Laughter erupted all around.

All the clan disciples looked at Shen Ye with schadenfreude.

Staring at the flame, Shen Ye faintly remembered the incident.

In his memory—

He had given this card away when they parted that year.

But that concerned his predecessor.

"Brother Shen Ye, I feel that we've drifted apart. Let's forget about our childhood," Song Qingyun casually said.

Shen Ye, as if he heard her not, felt a faint glow slowly rising in his mind, casting shadows hidden behind reality into slight relief.

The end goal—

Was—

His gaze fell upon Song Yinchen.

Song Yinchen stared at the burning card with tear-reddened eyes, a trace of despair flitting silently by.

In the depths of his heart, Shen Ye sensed he had grasped a critical thread.

Tool.

His own ability provided this warning.

—Looking at the situation now, it seemed that everyone, including scions of noble families, assassin groups, and even The Skinner who worshipped the Evil God, were no more than Song Qingyun's tools.

Perhaps The Skinner was intentionally chosen by her.

The deaths of tens of thousands were also calculated in advance.

Her purpose was—

Shen Ye's physique flashed, moving straight to Song Qingyun, snatching the burning card and extinguishing the flame.

The jeering grew louder.

Shen Ye could clearly see the fleeting hesitation in Song Qingyun's eyes when he took the card.

But she eventually made a decision.

—What did it matter if he took the card?

With the card in hand, Shen Ye watched as Song Qingyun stepped back, hands on her chest, her lips curled in a smile, feigning shock as she said:

"Brother Shen Ye, you gave me such a fright."

"…Do you still like me?"

Shen Ye glanced at the half-burnt card, the premonition in his heart growing ever stronger.

—Something was about to happen!

Without a sound.

Two lines of faint, glowing small text leapt forth from the tattered card:

"A card that was once ordinary."

"—It once stirred a vast sea of willpower."

Shen Ye looked towards Song Qingyun.

She noticed nothing.

His gaze then shifted towards Song Yinchen.

In Song Yinchen's expression was an indescribable despair, and yet within that despair, she was staring at Shen Ye, her eyes unwilling to part.

She was like someone drowning, in the last moments of life, waiting for something.

Waiting for what?

He had no clue.

"Song Qingyun, I really don't understand," Shen Ye said, thoughts swirling in his mind as he spoke slowly.

"Are you referring to this card? You gave it to me back then, but I don't want it now," said Song Qingyun.

Shen Ye immediately followed up her statement:

"It was a gift to your sister, so why is it with you?"