Facing an Ancient God for a Year

Chapter 1987: Chapter 1982: Mathematical Nirvana (Final)

Who else could it be?

Aside from the one who has always been reluctant to show himself and is suspected to be the Ancient Man, who else could create such an influence on the level of consciousness, interfere with an attack, and even seize the opportunity to counterattack?

And why the attack? Fu Qian was also speaking the truth.

Whether it was truly the Confession Brother or that person pretending to be him, he was not very sure, but he had to confirm it anyway.

The final result also led to no further need for disguise, which is why the other party asked so directly.

As for why the other party assumed he was suspicious of his identity, rather than simply bloodthirsty?

Simple, for the same reason as how he survived the counterattack from the other party.

The original target of that strike was not this position.

How could a bloodthirsty murderer be prepared for failure when attacking and manage to dodge a critical hit under mental interference?

Everyone in worldly society, the momentary interaction just now had already explained too much.

”Nonsense! What’s your real reason for showing up here?”

Unfortunately, the older one gets in this worldly society, the less they believe in Fu Qian’s honesty; the suspected Ancient Man sneered coldly, directly questioning his motive for appearing.

And while speaking, he had already moved to just within attack distance, weapon in hand, ready to strike at any moment.

The situation was indeed grim, almost heading toward the worst possible outcome...

Though he successfully probed the disguise, Fu Qian had no joyful thoughts.

Feeling the shaky will and the overwhelming ecstasy just a step away from the hundredth layer, he continued to nod honestly.

”Of course, it’s to kill you.”

...

”So that’s why you were desperately climbing earlier?”

Perhaps a long acquaintance reveals a person’s heart; this time, Fu Qian wasn’t directly suspected.

The suspected Ancient Man even tried to understand his series of actions based on this.

”Including subtly telling that guy the correct method of Transcendence on the way here, to have a few more people help distract me during the next attempt?”

His words revealed the extent of his control over the situation, observing everything without fail.

Even if calculated against, and some of his will falling with it, the conversations on the previous carriage were completely captured in his mind.

Dimensional reduction attack, terrifying indeed.

”Can’t it be that I am kind-hearted, trying to help everyone?”

Admiring silently, Fu Qian asked with a strange tone.

”Your thinking is clear, the method not even wrong, but unfortunately, you have no chance anymore.

”I left and returned, intending to completely execute you... Believe me, this time you will experience a very long time as a bug.”

Yet the suspected Ancient Man directly ignored such nonsense and continued to convey his point.

”The only thing you can do now is to reveal what exactly is driving you to do these things; I might consider reducing your pain a bit.”

Of course, the pressure was not for nothing; he soon got to the core question.

”Can’t it be because I have a strong drive to improve, resorting to any means to climb higher and attempting to remove any obstacles?”

Unfortunately, Fu Qian wasn’t very cooperative, maintaining the same sentence structure.

”Without guidance, no one could rise to the Third Heaven with such efficiency. Even for me, it took decades to complete this process...

”Is it the thing behind the church? Don’t think I can’t see the changes in you...”

This reaction apparently further ignited the suspected Ancient Man’s anger.

But it was clear he was really eager to know the answer, to the point of turning a fill-in-the-blank question into a true-or-false one.

”No, that’s the thing driving you.”

Unfortunately, even the true-or-false question was answered with no.

...

”You’re seeking your own death.”

Though previously very troublesome, the suspected Ancient Man finally paused briefly, then delivered a classic line.

”You’re talking too much.”

Fu Qian’s commentary was ruthless, and in that moment, he completely gave up on facial management, with every muscle and even every pore going wild independently.

”I never thought you couldn’t break free from this body’s restrictions for so long, so the one initially speaking to me, I still tend to believe, was the original owner of this body. But the problem lies here—

”You’re clearly not an overly emotional person. After breaking free from the restrictions, you’d have plenty of chances to kill me. Is it really necessary to take this risk and come back to do it personally?

”Even if you returned, there were clearly other better ways, like creating a commotion to draw those guarding outside in... In the end, you didn’t even want to startle them.”

Both in tone and expression, he was overly rich, as if entering his own turn.

”More obvious than who’s directing me is your concern about what’s wrong with yourself. How could you have such an irrational impulse, and even now can’t break free... And I happen to know someone quite impulsive.”

...

Why did I say earlier that the worst-case scenario happened?

Probing must be done, but Fu Qian knew very well that if Confession Brother was indeed off, it almost only prefigured one possibility—the one who escaped was dragged back to kill him.

Or rather, to more quickly destroy his will, transforming it into the final form of the Pleasure Exhibition Hall.

When not in a clear-headed state, Lord Stomach could completely do such a thing.

No exaggeration, as soon as Fu Qian confirmed that Stomach and the Ancient Man were not acting together, he suspected whether, after all these years of elevating to Nine Layers Heaven, the latter could truly remain untainted by such a pollution source?

In all the places he’d been before, Lord Stomach’s influence could always be seen.

Voluntarily heading to the church to detonate the Seed of Ecstasy, joining under Lord Stomach’s banner to drive a tiger to swallow a wolf—what’s the most terrifying prospect?

Of course, if the mission target turns out to be a colleague.

When serving the same court, how do you kill? The mission can never be completed.

That was the most crucial reason why, knowing he might not make it in time, he still insisted on hurrying over to see.

Unfortunately, exhausted by calculations, what he got was indeed the worst result.

The suspected Ancient Man had long been unknowingly corrupted by Lord Stomach, only revealing itself after being provoked by him.

”So, for hundreds of thousands of years, it has been using me to erode this place... And all along, I thought I skillfully avoided it...

”That’s also why, no matter how high I climbed, I could still see its traces... The current situation is like what I once did to you all...”

It was evident the suspected Ancient Man had indeed considered such a risk, understanding instantly, showing signs of significant enlightenment.

”So, are you interested in answering the earlier question, what do you call yourself?”

Fu Qian also seized the opportunity to inquire.

”I absolutely can’t comprehend your confidence. Even if slightly influenced, my state is much better than yours. You’ll never reach a higher tier than me.

”Even collaborating with such a force, my efficiency will be higher until I ascend to the peak and completely master Paradise, at which point you’ll also meet your complete death.”

Unfortunately, even in such circumstances, the suspected Ancient Man still lacked any sharing spirit, instead letting his malice become apparent.

”So, I’m quite puzzled, knowing earlier it was me, why didn’t you run?”

Indeed, is that so? Multiple layers belong to the inherent characteristic of Paradise, and ascending each layer to the peak allows you to master it fully and truly obliterate the target within.

”Told you, I’m here to kill you.”

The slaughter poised to erupt, at that instant, Fu Qian shook his head, his gaze penetrating beyond the golden gourd to an endless depth, seemingly looking towards an infinitely high place.

In reality, it wasn’t that high, merely the pinnacle of Heaven as the other described.

It was an unprecedented experience, everything seemingly being reconceptualized, each layer of Heaven already traversed unfolding one by one, even those not yet experienced, one by one...

Precisely for this reason, he could now completely confirm that in front of him was indeed the ”Ancient Man of Nine Layers Heaven,” the mission target.

As for how this was achieved—

”Does incessant advancement equal reaching the end... The era you lived in must have lacked a subject called mathematics.”

Fu Qian once again sighed at the importance of knowledge.

”What?”

The Ancient Man seemed confused.

”There’s an interesting story, something like if a tortoise starts running first, then a rabbit would never catch it, but unfortunately, there’s no time to elaborate with you here now.”

Fu Qian continued to sigh, meanwhile taking a step forward, raising the golden gourd hammer always held at his chest once more.

How...?

The Ancient Man, who had long been sharpening his sword, at that moment seemed to be suddenly awakened as if struck on the head, becoming not only unable to attack but even unable to dodge entirely.

Crack!

A crisp sound, red and white splattered.

[Current mission completed, number 1-002 successfully contained]