Chapter 423: Sitting at Home

To purge threats to Providence, one must naturally use the power of Providence.

Moreover, with Providence present, the Dark Origin dares not appear nearby. Even when first emerging in the Fifth Heaven, it would still hide and conceal itself. No need to fear Providence’s amplified power being detected.

"Let’s go, back to the Cave of No Return to take a look!" Lu Ye said.

At this moment!

The Six Paths of Reincarnation.

The Reincarnation Celestial Worthy observed the workings of reincarnation and couldn’t help but frown slightly.

He was ever cautious and meticulous—whether after becoming an Emperor or ascending to Celestial Worthy, prudence defined him.

This was also why, over such a long time, despite countless cataclysms, the Six Paths of Reincarnation remained stable.

Another reason was that the Six Paths of Reincarnation aligned with Providence, allowing it to swiftly restore the vitality of the world after each destruction, under Providence’s protection.

Recently, however, there was the issue of the doubled obsession, which he couldn’t comprehend—even divination proved futile.

He didn’t understand why this was happening.

But later, when the Dark Origin manifested across the Nine Heavens, the Reincarnation Celestial Worthy naturally wouldn’t miss such a spectacle. Intel-gathering was key to his longevity.

Finally, the Reincarnation Celestial Worthy understood—he realized why the reincarnation obsession had doubled!

In the previous life, someone had actually stolen his reincarnation obsession!

Not just stolen—they’d implanted it into another Celestial Worthy.

But shouldn’t a Celestial Worthy have sensed it?

That wasn’t the issue. The real issue was something else entirely.

Namely, right under his nose, without his permission, could someone have taken away this reincarnation obsession?

Unthinkable, right?

Yet reality now told him that not only had someone taken it, but they had also used it.

Had he truly been oblivious?

Or had he turned a blind eye?

There was one last possibility—that he himself was a conspirator in the Celestial Worthy’s downfall...

Which of these three possibilities was it?

Which one would Lu Ye believe?

Even the Reincarnation Celestial Worthy, looking at it himself, felt it might be the third!

That he’d helped orchestrate Lu Ye’s fall?

Yet now, he recalled nothing of the past life! Did he and Lu Ye share karma now or not?

Should Lu Ye regain his Celestial Worthyhood, would he seek vengeance?

These questions weighed heavily on him.

The Reincarnation Celestial Worthy was absolutely furious—now he truly understood what it meant to have trouble drop on him out of the blue!

If he were to kill Lu Ye, he had no reason at all!

Could it be because Lu Ye was about to ascend to sainthood, and he himself also aspired to it, so he sought to prevent Lu Ye from achieving it?

The Reincarnation Celestial Worthy’s mind was a little rattled.

It wasn’t that he feared Lu Ye—he simply disliked this feeling of everything being unknown and beyond his control.

He glanced at the wheel of rebirth.

There was still one stubborn soul, endlessly reincarnating, only to commit suicide the moment it succeeded.

Wasn’t this just complete lunacy?

"No, I need to ask Providence!"

The Reincarnation Celestial Worthy couldn’t take it anymore. If he and Lu Ye were truly enemies, even under the threat of the Great Sage of the Nine Heavens’ annihilation, he would rush down and wipe Lu Ye out and nip the problem in the bud.

He was the pinnacle Celestial Lord, his existence way older than even the Great Sage of the Nine Heavens.

By age alone, the Great Sage of the Nine Heavens was just a kid to him.

If the Reincarnation Celestial Worthy truly disregarded everything to slay Lu Ye, even the imprint left by the Great Sage of the Nine Heavens might not hold him back—though the Celestial Worthy would undoubtedly get wrecked.

The Reincarnation Celestial Worthy assumed the lotus position.

The Reincarnation Mark on his brow began to glow.

"Ding! The Reincarnation Celestial Worthy is contacting us!" The system pinged.

Lu Ye, who had been flying, stopped dead.

"Let’s see what he wants."

"Ding, Got it!"

At that moment, a voice—genderless, cold and emotionless, like the Dao itself speaking—resounded in Lu Ye’s mind.

It was a tone of supreme authority, a born superiority.

"What is it?"

Lu Ye… hadn’t heard the system speak in such a voice for a long time. In his previous life, after the system became Providence, it had sounded like this every day—robotic, completely emotionless, like a mere program.

In truth, Lu Ye had somewhat regretted letting the system become Providence back then.

Now, hearing this tone again, a random thought popped up in his mind.

This thought was baseless.

It was too messed up to say!

It absolutely should not have crossed Lu Ye’s mind.

Namely—if the system got… *you know*, what would it even sound like with this voice? What kind of noises would it make?

Suddenly, Lu Ye slammed a fist into his own chest—so hard that he coughed up blood, his energy immediately tanking.

"What's wrong with you?"

Both Drunken Sword Taoist and Lin Chuyue were startled.

He was perfectly fine, yet he punched himself like that—had Lu Ye lost his mind?

"It's nothing, just felt a bit agitated earlier. Gave myself a punch to the chest, and now I’m not agitated anymore," Lu Ye explained.

"Huh? That actually works?" Lin Chuyue exclaimed in shock.

"Sure does!"

"Guess I’ll try that next time!"

Lu Ye was absolutely sure that he had been corrupted by that fool Shangguan.

Seriously, what the hell was Shangguan Huanling thinking?

How the hell did she come up with the idea of having Shen Xitong hold him down while she went first?

Stay away from Shangguan—unless you want bad luck!

Lu Ye spat out another mouthful of blood, completely shaking off the chaotic thoughts from his mind, and focused on listening to the conversation between the Reincarnation Celestial Lord and Providence.

"Greetings, Providence." A calm, measured voice echoed in Lu Ye’s mind.

Lu Ye could even imagine the posture Reincarnation Celestial Lord was in right now.

"Providence has been keeping close ties with that NineLives Celestial Lord, Lu Ye. In this life, my fixation on the Six Paths of Reincarnation has doubled. May I ask, how did those women from the previous life take away the reincarnation obsession right under my nose?" Reincarnation Celestial Lord was no stranger to dealing with Providence. He cut straight to the point.

"The Dark Origin used a decoy tactic," the system answered flatly.

"So, this matter has nothing to do with me?"

"Nothing."

"Then, did I have any karma with Lu Ye in the previous life?" Reincarnation Celestial Lord pressed.

"The past is past; only the present matters."

That put the Reincarnation Celestial Lord at ease.

Providence never lies. It seemed there was no enmity between him and Lu Ye.

Thinking about it, if he and Lu Ye had been enemies, Lu Ye would surely have called him to account before his ascension in the past life. The fact that he hadn’t been targeted could mean either that his strength was truly formidable or that there had never been any grudge between them in the first place.

"Thanks for clearing that up, Providence. Farewell!"

After asking just a few simple questions, Reincarnation Celestial Lord took his leave.

But now Lu Ye voiced his doubt.

"In the previous life, did the Reincarnation Celestial Lord really stay out of it?"