“Like this flame,” Qin Ruqing opened her palm, revealing a swirling purple-gold flame.

The flame was lively, as if it had a life of its own.

“I can make it look like this.” With a gentle swipe of her hand to the right, Qin Ruqing drew a soft, water-like ripple in the air.

But it was actually fire.

“And I can make it look like this.” Qin Ruqing clenched her fingers tightly, and the rippling fire quickly converged.

When she opened her palm again, five sharp ice shards danced upon it.

The flame retained its color but emitted a cold, blade-like sharpness.

Qin Ruqing finally extinguished the flame and looked up. “Just like what I demonstrated, the power of chaos can completely alter the nature and state of a material. But the prerequisite is that I must understand the material well.”

“If I understand correctly, if you are well-versed in the power of the Five Elements, you can freely switch the flame’s nature among the Five Elements, correct?” Yue Ming’s tone was slightly rapid, filled with a certain emotion.

“Yes!” Qin Ruqing nodded firmly.

As expected of Dao Sovereign, their insight was sharp.

Thus far, the uses Qin Ruqing had developed for the power of chaos were such.

For instance, in the Blood Pool, she absorbed the essence of both the human and beast clans, mastering their auras, which allowed her to simulate switching and help her companions conceal the flaws of the Soul Shifting Illusion Technique.

Fusheng and Yue Ming fell into silence.

It was as if one who didn’t know how high the sky was might find it strange to suggest measuring the heavens with a ruler.

The experiences of the two Dao Sovereign allowed them to understand the vastness and depth of the world.

Seeing Qin Ruqing casually mention her ability to switch among the Five Elements, their feelings were complex.

Was this the successor of the Dao Ancestor?

Indeed, there was something extraordinary about her.

Fusheng’s eyes shifted as he recalled something. “Does this power of chaos, rooted in your Dao Physique, enable you to seek out the Sixth Domain?”

Qin Ruqing shook her head. “I tried once after returning to the human realm, but it didn’t work. As I said before, the power of chaos relies on existing laws. It cannot help me find a region whose existence is uncertain.”

“Uncertain existence”—both Dao Sovereign noticed the emphasis in Qin Ruqing’s words.

She had already heard their statements about gathering the entire power of the cultivation world to search, which had ended in failure.

In the face of this outcome, the Dao Sovereign’ previously uncertain beliefs were further shaken.

They couldn’t help but ask themselves—does the Sixth Domain truly exist?

Is it really wrong to guide the juniors to search for the Sixth Domain?

If it truly does not exist, and the traces of the Dao Ancestor are completely illusory, then why waste manpower and resources?

The cultivation world’s time resources are already extremely tight.

Even the Dao Sovereign were caught in an indescribable dilemma.

After a long pause, Fusheng said, “You are the Dao Ancestor’s successor. According to your view, should we continue searching for the Sixth Domain?”

It seemed that the future development of the cultivation world was entrusted to Qin Ruqing’s decision.

“Ruqing believes we need to continue searching,” Qin Ruqing said calmly, raising her gaze. “And I have a new approach.”

Fusheng and Yue Ming exchanged a glance.

Yue Ming nodded slightly, “Speak.”

“Since the failure of the first search for the Sixth Domain, I have been contemplating whether the Dao Ancestor still exists.”

“The fundamental purpose of our search for the Sixth Domain is still related to the Dao Ancestor. If the Dao Ancestor has already fallen, our search for the Sixth Domain would be meaningless.”

Qin Ruqing’s words seemed almost rebellious.

She was seriously analyzing with the Dao Sovereign—whether the Dao Ancestor was dead.

The Dao Sovereign were stunned into silence by her words.

Qin Ruqing continued, “Considering the failure of the first search, I have to hypothesize that the Dao Ancestor might very well no longer be in the world.”

If the Dao Ancestor is no longer in the world, then using the Dao Physique and the Dao Ancestor’s connection to search for the Sixth Domain would inevitably lead to failure.

Fusheng sighed silently, and his voice unconsciously took on a more solemn tone: “You say we should continue searching for the Sixth Domain, while also suggesting that the Dao Ancestor is dead. Qin Ruqing, do you understand what you are saying?”

“Please, Dao Sovereign, understand that I did not say the Dao Ancestor is dead,” Qin Ruqing lifted her gaze to meet Dao Sovereign Fusheng’s eyes directly.

She explained calmly, “If someone is still in the world, they must have a physical body. What I said is that the Dao Ancestor might no longer exist in the physical world. But the disappearance of the physical body does not mean that the person has completely fallen. In such a case, Dao Sovereign should be more aware than I am.”

Not just more aware.

The two Dao Sovereign, Fusheng and Yue Ming, were examples of what Qin Ruqing was referring to—they were actually in a state between life and death.

Their physical bodies had long since fallen, but their powerful strength and the unique Void Realm had preserved their souls, even granting them consciousness and thought.

In other words, as beings more powerful than Dao Sovereign, the Dao Ancestor might also exist in a special state.

“Your hypothesis is not without reason,” Fusheng acknowledged Qin Ruqing’s point.

“How confident are you?”

“Before entering the Void Realm, I had only 50% confidence, but after entering and seeing a certain person, my confidence has now risen to 80%,” Qin Ruqing’s lips curved into a subtle smile.

“And who is this person?” Yue Ming asked.

Qin Ruqing looked at Yue Ming and declared with certainty, “Your successor, the current member of the Celestial Family, Fifth Lingyu.”

Yue Ming looked at Qin Ruqing’s smile, falling into a state of inexplicable shock.

---

Outside the barrier, it was very quiet.

Even though the Dao Sovereign were “not present,” the people outside did not dare to move or whisper casually.

They maintained their meditative postures, lost in their own thoughts.

When the barrier dispersed, the familiar aura reappeared, signaling that the private discussion between the Dao Sovereign and Qin Ruqing had ended.

They glanced at Qin Ruqing, and a subtle feeling crossed their minds as they stood up to bow.

The Dao Sovereign seemed to have a particular purpose.

Their gazes swept over the group and finally settled on a tall and upright figure.

“Fifth Lingyu. Step forward,” said Yue Ming.

Fifth Lingyu, in a sense, was the “master” or “successor” of the Dao Ancestor.

Everyone was startled, and Fifth Sheng was particularly stunned.

Fifth Lingyu was the most composed among them.

He merely paused momentarily, cast a quick glance at Qin Ruqing, then silently stood up and walked to stand beside Yue Ming.

Yue Ming’s eyes were like blades as she stared directly at Fifth Lingyu.

Her voice, though sounding like heavenly music, felt more like an interrogation.

“Qin Ruqing says that you carry the aura of Chaos. Can you explain?”

The aura of Chaos?

This news almost shook everyone’s minds.

They were astonished, their intense emotions shifting as they looked back and forth between Qin Ruqing and Fifth Lingyu.

Hadn’t the Dao Ancestor’s successor already been determined to be Qin Ruqing?

How could Fifth Lingyu also carry the aura of Chaos?

Fifth Sheng found it almost impossible to control his overwhelming connections and emotions.

Could it be that… is Lingyu truly…

Fifth Sheng struggled to control his expression and listened with bated breath.

“Lingyu doesn’t know what the Dao Sovereign is referring to.” Facing Yue Ming’s deliberately oppressive scrutiny, Fifth Lingyu’s facial lines tightened, but he still responded calmly.

He denied it.

Yue Ming frowned and a formless sword blade pressed down on Fifth Lingyu’s shoulder. “Are you sure you’re not hiding something? Dare to say it again?”

Fifth Lingyu’s face turned pale, his lips moved slightly, seemingly about to speak.

“Dao Sovereign, please don’t rush. Let me ask him. He is an important clue in our search for the Sixth Domain; we cannot let him die in vain,” Qin Ruqing said, stepping forward and patting her hands.

Below, Fifth Sheng relaxed his posture slightly, and the hand gestures he had been forming in his sleeves loosened.

Earlier, Dao Sovereign Yue Ming had genuinely been ready to kill.

If Lingyu had truly dared to lie in front of Dao Sovereign, he would have risked his life to intervene.

Qin Ruqing approached Fifth Lingyu and looked at him with clear eyes.

“Director, you know that Dao Sovereign has asked you for an answer today, so why play coy and refuse to answer? Isn’t this outcome exactly what you anticipated and perhaps even hoped for?”

Huh?

Not to mention others, even Fifth Lingyu was stunned by these words.

Lingyu was acting on purpose?

Was he pretending?!

Fifth Sheng was increasingly alarmed.

Did Lingyu intentionally ask him to bring him to the Void Realm just for this moment?

Fifth Lingyu stared at Qin Ruqing without speaking, but she saw a fleeting glimpse of killing intent in his eyes.

Ah, you want to kill me?

If knowing you’re upset makes me feel better.

Qin Ruqing provocatively and slowly placed her hand on Fifth Lingyu’s shoulder.

Fifth Lingyu watched her movement.

Qin Ruqing’s hand firmly held his shoulder, and her eyes locked onto him.

Everyone saw Qin Ruqing’s eyes suddenly gleam with a golden-green light.

As if drawn by some mysterious force, Fifth Lingyu’s eyes also began to glow with the same hue.

However, the light was not as deep or radiant as Qin Ruqing’s.

Seeing this result, Qin Ruqing curled her lips in a smile and moved away, creating distance between them.

“Director, what do you have to say now?”