Eldritch Horror Theatre

Was this not offline revenge for a Warehouse-assigned task, but retaliation for executing the Prison Archangel?

Master Yuhun had struck decisively, initiating the First Step of refining the Real World—and even that had stemmed from that string of Meteors?

The moment he realized this, Fu Qian could not help but marvel at the sheer weight of the phrase: ”The Academy is much too lively this time.”

Of course, this brought a minor complication to any workplace injury claim—it looked like he had brought this current situation entirely upon himself.

Without his convenient use of the Typhoid Terror at the end, the man before him might have actually waited a little longer.

The Linghui Courtyard might have been affected early on, but guest student Wen Li could have finished her study tour in peace, rather than getting so unlucky as to stumble headfirst into such a radical scene.

But it did not matter. Even though the Warehouse had washed its hands of the matter cleanly, Fu Qian quickly found a new party to blame.

If the Night Watchers had not harbored a mole, forcing him to uphold justice and help prepare the Great Purge Campaign, why would he have casually smashed Meteors into The Ark?

Still, during this Autumn of Many Troubles, he would tally up this debt on their behalf for now.

Additionally, His Excellency Master Yuhun had seemingly revealed another piece of information: he was intimately familiar with the Miracle beneath the Benevolent Curse Institute, and had even gleaned insights from it much earlier.”To think that beneath the peaceful Academy, an apocalypse from a history of fallacy could be called forth? That it could even continue to attract survivors from a thousand years ago to dock here? Do you not find that a brilliant mockery of the word ’reality’?”

Sure enough, Master Yuhun mentioned his own mental journey the very next moment.

Indeed, anyone who witnessed such a scene and grasped its underlying essence would likely develop doubts about ”truth.”

As a special and exalted power, the Miracle was fundamentally a ”story of a Deity,” which genuinely amplified the world’s level of unreality.

”So you were the one who triggered that apocalyptic Miracle?”

While he understood this, Fu Qian was more concerned with another question.

He suspected the man before him was more than just a discoverer.

......

He could almost confirm that neither the apocalyptic Miracle beneath the Benevolent Curse Institute nor The Ark were Nepheli’s doing.

In fact, when they traveled back a thousand years together, she had personally mentioned sharing the same frustration as Professor Ah Kai—that a particular forerunner always stayed one step ahead, rendering many new discoveries utterly dull.

Even when she demonstrated the Flame of Frenzy to him, she had mentioned that the Miracle’s name had been coined by that forerunner.

How could Fu Qian possibly forget such a mysterious figure?

From his initial contact with His Excellency Master Yuhun’s philosophies, to sitting and discussing the Dao right now, and even seeing the world through his eyes—one of Fu Qian’s deepest impressions was that such abilities and concepts were perfectly suited for uncovering world passwords like Miracles.

”That is right, it was me.”

Reassuringly, Master Yuhun actually nodded the very next moment.

”Although I first observed the Academy through the Linghui Courtyard, I later found far more interesting things elsewhere.

”Miracle. A very interesting name, though in my eyes, it should be called a hole... Do you know why it can only appear beneath the Benevolent Curse Institute?”

Admitting it openly, but bearing an attitude toward Miracles clearly different from the people at the Benevolent Curse Institute, Master Yuhun continued to test Fu Qian.

”Because that place is the starting point of a certain apocalypse?”

Having just experienced it, there was no way Fu Qian would forget.

”And why would that ship dock there?”

Master Yuhun did not let him off easily.

”Because of the special attributes granted by that face of yours? Returning to your hometown when everything is past the point of no return?”

This fell under pre-studied material. Recalling the unofficial history told by Su Gao’s mother, Fu Qian pointed at the face across from him that belonged to Melia.

”Why is this place the hometown?”

Surprisingly, Master Yuhun did not deny the contents of that unofficial history.

”Because this was once Melia’s preaching ground?”

Fu Qian recalled the bonus questions he had proactively studied.

”Wrong. Melia never existed at all.”

This time, however, Master Yuhun shook his head.

......

”And the reason?”

They always said the third sub-question was the hardest, but for it to be this difficult was still shocking.

The higher entity Melia did not exist?

This was true even when the person across from him was wearing His face and holding His symbol, and Fu Qian had even ridden in His ship.

At that moment, Fu Qian made no effort to hide his thirst for knowledge.

”Because I traveled to a thousand years ago, and He was not there.”

Master Yuhun actually answered every question honestly, his smile turning peculiar.

”His honorific name, His symbol, His Emblem, His authority... all of these exist, and they are all real.

”This land itself is even directly defined as His place of favor, but I could not find Him.”

This... Do not get intoxicated by the Lie?

He had to admit, this exchange was truly fruitful. This was already the second time Fu Qian had recalled that warning.

A legitimate higher entity—one whose divine power he had personally experienced—did not actually exist?

Calling it explosive news would not even begin to cover it.

Although there was a possibility that this was merely the opponent’s psychological warfare, Fu Qian had always maintained a good habit regarding interesting knowledge: regardless of whether it was true, brainstorm as if it were first.

And if this information were true, not only would it confirm His Excellency Master Yuhun’s vast historical knowledge, but it would also mean a higher entity could literally be constructed entirely out of lies?

This was simply too mind-blowing.

”Are there any similar cases?”

Remaining noncommittal, Fu Qian casually asked to confirm.

”None that I have found so far.”

Master Yuhun was surprisingly honest, stating without hesitation that this was just a special case.

......

What a formidable opponent. He was directly making Fu Qian experience the exact same mental journey he had undergone when attaining the Dao back then.

Whether Fu Qian believed it or not, directly instilling this information in him was an absolutely straightforward, unhidden open scheme.

Seeing Master Yuhun remain completely silent after answering, not speaking another word, Fu Qian silently lamented that he really had not misjudged the sheer difficulty of the situation.

In this contest of strength, it was clear that from the moment the man appeared, he did not care about minor gains or losses, nor did he force temporary dominance.

His strategy from start to finish was simply to honestly share what he had seen, let Fu Qian draw his own conclusions, and then decisively kill the battle in one fell swoop.

It was indeed the best strategy against an opponent like him. No wonder he had not wanted to pay attention to the White-Faced Man.

At the same time, this all-out effort also made it clear that there was absolutely no possibility of reconciliation.

As for whether it was effective...

”I have learned much. To converse like this today is fortunate for three lifetimes.”

Faced with such tactics, Fu Qian did not rush to refute him. Instead, he earnestly thanked him first.

”This calls for draining a large goblet.”

And as he praised him, his movements did not stop. A gash spontaneously tore open on the hand holding the paper cup. Fresh blood flowed steadily out, filling half the cup in the blink of an eye.

There was actually a distinct smell of liquor.

And in the very next moment, he tossed back a mouthful.