Unexpectedly, the other party did not obstruct him, only asking him to pause for a moment, "General Feng, please wait, I have a trade for you that is no less significant than this piece of intelligence."

"What trade?" Feng Yi halted slightly, but did not turn back.

"Do you remember being sealed by Mengdie using a forbidden technique? That kind of seal will naturally unravel over time. The Jade Clear Sect only wanted to peek at some things. Unfortunately, the seal could not completely restrict you and was eventually forcefully broken. This could cause significant issues with your body, which may develop into an irreversible trend and even lead to death—do you ever feel puzzled why you can't reach your peak condition, General? This is merely an early sign of the underlying hidden dangers."

"Thank you for the reminder; I am well aware of my limits." Feng Yi clearly did not believe these words.

The elder seemed to see through his thoughts, "General, perhaps we might accelerate time a bit."

As the words fell, Feng Yi immediately became alert; he felt the environment around him change drastically. The yellowing sky vanished in a wink, and in the blink of an eye, dark clouds covered the sky, and sand and stones flew around.

Accustomed to life and death, how could Feng Yi fear a mere illusion? Suddenly, a storm of battle aura enveloped him, forming an absolute domain around him, followed by a sweep through the void, determined to break through the clouds and see the blue sky!

Whoosh! The storm instantly dispersed the dark clouds, but soon, they were covered again by even more clouds. Feng Yi couldn't help but feel alarmed inside, "This... it's not an illusion?"

"Correct, General Feng, this is not an illusion, but the Yin-Yang Daoist Arts of Huaxia."

Feng Yi naturally knew some rumors about Daoist arts, but they were just that—rumors. When had he ever seen such a reversal of day and night? He finally turned around in surprise to find the elder holding a wooden pagoda, saying, "Could it be that this wooden pagoda is..."

"Good eye, this pagoda is a treasure of the Jade Clear Sect."

"A treasure?"

"Indeed, in modern terms, it could also be called a magic item. I have altered the timing. You might consider everything you see and hear as a phenomenon."

"I don't understand what you're saying, and I really can't see what mystery this exquisite little pagoda holds."

He explained that this pagoda, also known as the Five-Colored Exquisite Pagoda, consisted of five levels, representing the Five Elements, crafted from five kinds of Yin-Yang plants. Briefly put, honeysuckle represents metal, ivy stands for wood, daffodil symbolizes water, the firethorn pertains to fire, and Central Earth is symbolized by the Bagua, made of thirty-six pieces of wood representing the Thirty-Six Heavenly Gangs. The upper level is woven from seventy-two vines representing the Seventy-Two Earthly Fiends. This combination of yin-yang transitions forms a map of one hundred and eight star constellations, corresponding to the twelve months of the year, a miniature cosmos that returns to unity through multiplication by nine. What he witnessed was but a phenomenon of the inverted yin-yang annual rings. The Five-Colored Exquisite Pagoda could reflect the sun, moon, and stars to change the heavens and the Earth above, and below determine life, death, fortune, and disaster through inversion of yin and yang, a marvel of ingenuity and the supreme artifact of the Jade Clear Sect.

And this miniature world reflected what was to come in the future. The elder also mentioned that according to his observations, a star would fall after several years, and there was no doubt that it was Feng Yi. He had merely accelerated the passage of time and finally asked Feng Yi if he felt unwell?

As time passed, Feng Yi's complexion grew extremely pale. Not only did he feel an intense pain in his heart, but it also felt as though a fierce fire was burning inside of him, making him so uncomfortable that he was almost suffocating. Under the dual pressures, Feng Yi, in despair, couldn't help but fall to his knees...

Seeing this, the elder finally withdrew the treasured pagoda, "I can even see that, General, your current realm has remained the same for quite a long time... Do you believe me now?"

Feng Yi's face was pale… He finally began to doubt his own judgment and the elder's true intentions, but, as the saying goes, 'I control my fate, not heaven,' why should he fear? He said, "I do not fear death, nor am I eager to die."

Understanding Feng Yi's meaning, the elder gave him a deep look, perhaps realizing that a star was indeed on the verge of falling, and the unique skills he possessed would be lost with it, which was a matter of some regret. But all he did was shake his head…

"Compared to the future of humanity, perhaps the general's death really isn't much, or maybe, it will change a lot."

"What, sir, do you mean by the future of humanity?" Feng Yi was somewhat concerned about what the old man had said, or perhaps he had even started to believe it, as his tone shifted in response.

The old man replied, "The ways of Heaven are ethereal, and its secrets are not easily revealed, but it's not completely inscrutable. In a few years, the future of humanity may undergo unpredictable changes, be it a technological explosion leading us beyond the galaxy, or a disaster wrought by natural calamities or an epidemic influenza. Living in the era of the fifth sun cycle, it might be our fate since 2112 to begin an era of destruction—or perhaps, our paths have not yet diverged, the time is just not yet ripe, and I shall return."

With a deep sigh, the old man disappeared in a rush of wind... leaving behind a pale and distraught Feng Yi and Mengdie, who hadn't moved and had been listening intently.

Feng Yi's gaze turned to Mengdie. She looked in terrible condition, yet stubbornly propped up half of her body...

Mengdie remained silent, her tranquil gaze meeting Feng Yi's as they quietly looked at each other... She was always calm and quiet, yet beneath her clear eyes seemed to hide some secret sorrows, which especially evoked pity and made one want to delve deeper into her world, to discover what was really on her mind. For some reason, Feng Yi felt an inexplicable urge to tease her whenever he saw her, as if amusing this stunning beauty was an interesting thing to do.

The problem was, he couldn't even stand up any more—no, he probably couldn't even make it back, could he? After the old man's acceleration of time, his body seemed unable to return from that state, the water in his body evaporated in an instant by the numbing sensation of boiling blood, pushing him to the brink of death.

A thought suddenly struck Feng Yi. Yes, Mengdie could conjure water from the void and turn it into ice. If he could coax her with a few words...

'Hey, pretty girl, it's not without possibility for you to confess to me right now, but on one condition, you have to give me some water to drink first.' Feng Yi thought this to himself and then immediately dismissed the idea. She seemed like a carefree person but was actually as cold as frost, and likely wouldn't agree to such a nonsensical request. Besides, she didn't seem that bored, did she? Was he, the esteemed leader of the Blazing Flame Legion and the Revenge Shadow Rider, really going to die of dehydration in this desert?

No, he had a better proposal: a trade. The Jade Clear Sect clearly wanted to strike a deal with him, and with this rationale, it might be easy to do so, but that would be far too despicable. He would have made the offer to anyone else, but for some reason, he just couldn't bring himself to deceive Mengdie.

Forget it, Feng Yi shook his head helplessly. Never mind the future, perhaps he wouldn't even survive the day?

With this thought, Feng Yi prepared himself for death, when suddenly his nose detected a whiff of refreshing breeze...

Looking up... Mengdie had already formed the Butterfly Dance Jade Handprint in the void, a mysterious skill from Qimen Dunjia, a drop of crystal-clear dew shaping up, swirling around her slowly turning into a small stream...

Mengdie's fingertips, tender like young shoots, gracefully traced various beautiful arcs in the void, the stream eventually forming a spring that she carefully cradled in her hands and presented before Feng Yi.

For a moment, Feng Yi was bewildered, unsure of what to do... Her sincerity contrasted with his intentions to deceive, and he felt guilty for even considering such thoughts. What astonished him most was that Mengdie seemed to have the ability to read the heart's secrets, as she saw through his own thoughts.

Without hesitation, Feng Yi gulped down the water. The bizarre position that could almost be described as a sort of prostration seemed completely natural, almost like a courtly ritual between a queen and her knight...

Finally feeling somewhat restored, Feng Yi's expression was a bit embarrassed, "Ahem... um... thank you." He wanted to say more, but Mengdie didn't spare him a glance, simply turning and walking away.

Feng Yi felt even more awkward, "Hey, hey, don't think just a few drops of water..."

Mengdie silenced Feng Yi with an ice needle, stopping him from continuing. Don't forget she was an assassin, seemingly warning him silently to keep it low key, while she remained beautiful...

(I've had some minor health issues recently. If someday I do not update and there's no announcement, I may have passed away. Just so my brothers know.)

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