Tribulation of Myriad Races

Great Xia.

Heart Cultivating Pavilion.

Wan Tiansheng looked out the window, at the academy outside the pavilion, at the city outside the academy, and at the world outside the city.

He was deep in thought.

He considered numerous details and contemplated numerous possibilities, wondering if he was still in control or if he had been turned into a chess piece unknowingly. He had his own ideas and plans.

Outside the window, a figure flickered into existence.

A smiling person gazed at Wan Tiansheng, who gazed back at that person.

“Principal, are you moongazing?” Wan Tiansheng replied indifferently, “I’m gazing at you. You look good.”

“So you like someone with a good look, Principal?”

With a laugh, the newcomer transformed into a beautiful woman. With a dainty and wide smile, the newcomer said, “Principal, am I beautiful?”

“Lunatic.”

“Why are you calling me that?”

The woman covered her face and protested coquettishly, “Principal, am I not beautiful? Or perhaps you have a special fetish so you don’t like a beautiful woman like me?”

Wan Tiansheng gazed at the newcomer expressionlessly and asked, “Are you done playing around?”

“You’re so boring, Principal.”

The woman teased before transforming into an ethereal old man and speaking in a deep and wise tone, “O Little Wan, life is short and bitter. You should learn to enjoy life while you still can.”

Wan Tiansheng’s eyes started shining as he said, “If you’re done playing around, you may stop.”

The old man stopped speaking and transformed into a serious middle-aged man before solemnly saying, “Lord Principal, Lan Tian greets you.”

Wan Tiansheng stared at Lan Tian for a very long while before speaking again, “Did you betray me?”

Lan Tian exclaimed in astonishment, “What are you even talking about? How can you doubt my loyalty? The sun and the moon can bear witness to my unwavering loyalty toward you!”

Wan Tiansheng said, “So only Sunmoons can witness your loyalty but not Invincibles?”

“…”

Lan Tian laughed, “Ahhh, Principal…you’re such a practical person. Indeed, nobody knows me better than the principal! My parents might have brought me to this world, but nobody knows me like the principal!”

Wan Tiansheng coldly said, “You can shut your mouth. Lan Tian, what are you planning? Did Su Yu get his transform character from you?”

“Nonsense!” Lan Tian laughed, “How could that be me? Clearly, it was the Hundred Arm Thief, Xu Bin. And Su Yu comprehended the character himself. Nobody taught him anything. That has nothing to do with me.”

“Are you not Xu Bin?”

Lan Tian exclaimed in astonishment, “Is Xu Bin me? That’s not possible! Is Xu Bin…me?”

Lan Tian sank into deep contemplation. After a long while, he grinned, “Maybe. Principal, you don’t know this, but Great Ming is very interesting. And powerful. They managed to create an ancient sensing jade. Through that jade, they caught me! Oh, the suffering I went through! Left with no choice, I could only pretend to be a woman and earn some pity from them. Alas…”

Lan Tian paused to transform into a woman. While brimming with tears, he continued, “Su Yu, the damn brute, does not know how to cherish the fairer sex! He even threw a punch at me!”

Wan Tiansheng merely gazed at Lan Tian coldly.

Lan Tian met Wan Tiansheng’s gaze in a coquettish manner. But that only lasted a moment before he laughed and transformed back into a middle-aged man. With a helpless tone, he asked, “Principal, do you have a heart of stone? How can you be like this? How are you so indifferent even when I’m crying?”

Wan Tiansheng coldly said, “Shut up if you’re done. Answer me. Do you actually know who First Divine is?”

“What are you talking about, Principal? You’re First Divine.”

Wan Tiansheng stared at Lan Tian silently. Lan Tian returned the gaze.

This lasted for quite a while before Lan Tian laughed awkwardly, “Is that not the case?”

“What do you think?” Wan Tiansheng asked coldly.

Lan Tian replied blankly, “I have always thought that you’re First Divine.”

He exclaimed in shock, “Stop messing around! Are you really not First Divine?”

Wan Tiansheng continued staring at him coldly.

Lan Tian was stunned. In a dazed manner, he said, “Stop joking with me! Is that not your past body?”

“I don’t have any tri-life body.”

Wan Tiansheng said, “I’m only a ninth-stage Sunmoon. A real ninth-stage Sunmoon with no tri-life bodies.”

Lan Tian straightened his back in shock.

“Stop joking around!”

Wan Tiansheng stared at Lan Tian for a long while before repeating himself, “I’m only myself. Wan Tiansheng. There shall only be one Wan Tiansheng in this world. I don’t cultivate my past. I don’t have a future. I am only me, Wan Tiansheng.”

Lan Tian was completely stunned.

“Stop this! It’s not funny!”

Noticing Wan Tiansheng’s expression, Lan Tian realized that the principal was really not lying. He exclaimed in shock, “Then…that…that…First Divine…”

“He was already around about a hundred years ago. How did you reach the conclusion that we’re the same person?”

Lan Tian swallowed and said blankly, “N-no! That’s not possible! I tested him many times. I always believed that you had replaced the previous First Divine in secret. But now, you’re saying that’s not the case…”

Lan Tian continued muttering in disbelief, “What is this? This isn’t right. In that case, who is he?”

Wan Tiansheng stared at Lan Tian and asked, “Without knowing who he actually is, how dare you claim that he’s the third principal? Do you know that this can easily cause more trouble for us?”

“No…” Lan Tian stuttered a reply, “I-I-I might have fallen into a trap!”

“What do you mean?”

Lan Tian frowned, “First Divine had deliberately guided me into this line of thinking! He set me up to say those words! He planned the whole thing! Definitely!”

Lan Tian solemnly said, “He lied to me! No…maybe…perhaps…he’s really the third principal! I’m serious! Based on what I know, he might really be the third principal!”

Wan Tiansheng continued staring at Lan Tian silently.

Lan Tian continued, much more solemn than before, “The third principal might still be alive. First Divine is the third principal. That’s the only possibility if you’re not him.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m…quite sure.”

“Quite sure?” Wan Tiansheng questioned coldly, “Why did you do this before consulting me about it?”

Lan Tian suppressed the confusion he was still feeling and flashed a smile, “This is a trivial matter, not worthy enough to waste your time, Principal. Furthermore…”

He laughed before continuing, “I’m also not sure if you’re a good guy or not.”

“Lan Tian, are you starting to love your position as a sect master? You’re tempted to remain a sect master forever, is that the case?”

“That is absolutely not true.” Lan Tian asked, “Principal, is Profound Nine Su Yu?”

“What do you think?”

“I think that’s the case.” Lan Tian said, “Apart from him, nobody is both so brazen and good at stirring trouble. Maybe First Divine had guessed the same as well. I keep having a feeling that he knows a lot more than he’s letting on. That was the main reason why I mistook him for your tri-life body. He might know a lot more than we expect. Based on what he seems to know, he can only be you or the third principal. I’m certain of this.”

Wan Tiansheng laughed, “You’re certain?”

“Yes.”

Wan Tiansheng sighed, “Leave. You’re useless. You are incapable of getting anything done. I told you to unite the entire cult under your wing, but you did the opposite. I told you to remain hidden, but you couldn’t stop attracting attention. You’re no longer Lan Tian. Leave and do whatever you want. I don’t care anymore.”

“What are you saying?” Lan Tian laughed, “You misunderstand me, Principal. I’m simply too famous to stay low profile. I can only do the opposite and grab even more attention. As for the cult, if it wasn’t for me, the cult would have grown much stronger after all these years. My contributions over the years weren’t light at all. Am I right?”

Wan Tiansheng ignored him.

Lan Tian continued, “Come on, it’s not like I have achieved nothing. At the very least, I had successfully handed over the cult to Su Yu. Am I right?”

“Profound Nine is not Su Yu.” Wan Tiansheng sighed, “You…what a fool.”

“…”

Lan Tian exclaimed in astonishment, “Stop joking around! After claiming that you’re not First Divine, you’re now claiming that Profound Nine isn’t Su Yu? You must be kidding.”

“Fool.”

Lan Tian’s eyes widened in frustration as he asked, “I’m being serious here! Is Profound Nine really not Su Yu?”

Wan Tiansheng replied, “If you want to know so badly, you can visit Grandstar City yourself to verify it.”

“…”

Lan Tian stared at Wan Tiansheng silently. After a while, he frowned and said, “You still don’t trust me.”

“Perhaps.” Wan Tiansheng sighed, “The plan…might fail now. You fool. How dare you babble all that nonsense before verifying First Divine’s identity. And now, you’re spouting nonsense about Profound Nine’s identity as well.”

He shook his head, sighed again, and said, “Stop doing stupid things.”

Lan Tian asked suspiciously, “Are you wary of me as well? Wan Tiansheng, you’re being too paranoid. I’m working for you. Why are you treating me like an outsider?”

Wan Tiansheng calmly explained, “Not at all.”

“You’re definitely doubting me!” Lan Tian’s face fell as he complained, “Is this how you treat me? After all these years? After all I’ve done for you?”

Mid-sentence, he transformed into a woman and spoke with the tone of a disappointed wife, “You broke my heart!”

“…”

Wan Tiansheng frowned and demanded, “Stop messing around. Is this a game for you?”

“You’re a heartbreaker!” The female Lan Tian spoke with boundless bitterness, “You must still suspect me! First Divine is either your past body or the third principal. Am I right? Profound Nine is Su Yu. Am I right? Why are you hiding things from me?”