Act as a Safety Net
A visible aura surged in the nothingness, sweeping across the Forbidden Sea!
This single word contained the power to destroy the heavens and earth. The moment it sounded, the entire ocean fell quiet... Even the waves beating against the reefs seemed to have briefly muted, becoming completely silent.
The Calamity of Taboo froze;
All the Calamities in the Forbidden Sea also froze;
Jian Changsheng, who had just finished vomiting, covered his ears with both hands. He just blankly raised his head and saw Master's actual face exposed in the air... Then, he also froze in place.
In this bizarre silence, Master snorted coldly.
His sleeve brushed past his cheek, and his entire person changed back to a youth's height and face. Turning his head, he grabbed that arm that had already returned, and exerted force once again!
Bang—!
That figure staggered and swayed in mid-air, seemingly so dizzy that he almost plunged headfirst onto the ground, but the next moment an arm steadily supported him.
Chen Ling shook his mushy head, looking at the tender youth in the Theatrical Robe in front of him, and stood blankly for a while before coming back to his senses.
"Master?!"
The corners of Master's mouth slightly curled up. "... Finally succeeded."
Chen Ling's blank gaze swept over the surroundings. The first thing he saw was Jian Changsheng with a dumbfounded face, then the tide of Calamities frozen on the sea surface behind him, and the incomparably massive black giant shadow in the distance...
"Master, they..." Sensing that terrifying World-Ending aura, Chen Ling's expression was somewhat subtle.
"Ignore them."
Master waved his hand nonchalantly. "Let's go, they wouldn't dare to chase over to kill us."
After saying that, Master calmly placed his hands behind his back, and just like that, unhurriedly walked forward in front of the numerous Calamities of the Forbidden Sea.
Chen Ling froze for a moment. Although the World-Ending aura felt like thorns on his back, he still chose to trust Master.
After taking a deep look at the Forbidden Sea, he quickly caught up.
"No wait... Hearts! Wait for me!"
Seeing that he was being left behind alone, Jian Changsheng immediately climbed up from the ground, jogging all the way to catch up, deeply afraid that if he ran a bit slower, he would be swallowed by those Calamities.
As the three figures gradually disappeared at the end of the horizon, the massive giant shadow in the deep sea also sank into silence.
It didn't choose to chase and kill.
After an unknown amount of time, that churning World-Ending aura still gradually restrained itself... A pair of eyes like giant Lanterns seemed to have deeply memorized the three people, and then slowly sank into the seabed amidst the churning waves.
...
The bone-piercing chill gradually faded away behind the three people, and before their eyes was only endless gray silence.
Master walked at the very front, while Chen Ling and Jian Changsheng walked behind him on the left and right. At this time, Chen Ling had just recovered from the dizziness, and his mind was still recalling the scene from just now.
He only remembered that after grabbing Master's hand, he was pulled by a giant force, directly smashing open the steel-like curtain and returning to his main body... The first scene he saw after seeing the light of day again was Master with his back to him, his Theatrical Robe fluttering in the wind, and then slowly changing from an adult back to a youth.
Chen Ling felt that Master had many secrets.
For example, how did he reach his hand into the Theater? For example, why did he know about the existence of District 3 Chen Ling within his body? Why did he know the relationship between District 3 Chen Ling and the Path of the Witch God? What were those four "Nameless Actor" Spirit Tablets? And the very first question...
Master, why did he designate him to join the Dusk Society?
Because he knew he had the [Mockery] Calamity on him? Was it just that?
Countless doubts surged into Chen Ling's mind. He looked at the youth's back walking in front, and after struggling for a long time, he still spoke up:
"Master..."
"Hm?"
"Just how much do you know?"
"Which aspect are you talking about?"
"About me... about the Theater, about Chen Ling, about the [Mockery] Calamity..." Chen Ling spoke thoughtfully, "Actually, during my last memory retrogression, I heard your voice... On that rainy night, you were also present."
"Mhm, your master was indeed there." Master replied calmly.
"Did you orchestrate all this?"
"..."
"Actually, I found it a bit strange before. Why did it have to be that rainy night... Why such a coincidence, that in one family there could be an older brother with Path of the Witch God talent, and a younger brother with Path of the Actor talent... I always feel that there is an invisible thread stringing everything together on that rainy night." Chen Ling paused for a moment.
"Master, are you the one who strung everything together?"
Master's footsteps slightly paused.
He didn't answer, just turned his head and took a deep look at Chen Ling.
"Old Six... There are some things that your master isn't unwilling to confess to you, but the time isn't ripe yet... Knowing everything early will do you no good."
"Then when will the time be right??"
"When you can unravel all your Bewilderment by yourself." Master paused for a moment. "Trust your master... That day won't be too late."
Chen Ling had also guessed Master's answer, otherwise, when they were at the Ancient Vault of the Drama Path, Master would have already told him everything long ago, and there wouldn't be his current Bewilderment...
Chen Ling changed the subject and continued asking:
"There's another thing, actually, I also don't quite understand... During the Realm War, you yourself were clearly in the Red Dust Domain, so why did you hint for me to release the [Mockery] Calamity?
If you made a move yourself, the result shouldn't be much worse, right? Moreover, there wouldn't be so many issues now."
Although Chen Ling was replaced by the Audience, he also saw everything in the Theater, from fighting the [Mockery] Calamity alone, to using Spirit Tablets to seal it, to later trying every possible way to deceive and trick it into coming to the belly of the Calamity of Taboo... Master had paid too much to bring him back. In fact, he could have avoided all this from the very beginning.
"Although this time was risky, it's a good thing for you. Only after you understand that place and the [Mockery] Calamity better, can you go further." Master spoke calmly. "Moreover, after successive fierce battles, the [Mockery] Calamity's consumption is not small. Coupled with your increased resistance to it, you can be more composed when facing its Loss of Control in the future..."
"You went through so much effort, all for me?" Chen Ling froze.
Master chuckled lightly:
"You are your master's Disciple, if not for you, then who else? In this era, the only one who can suppress the [Mockery] Calamity and accumulate experience for you is your master... While your master is still around, I have to do more things for you.
However, your master can only help you with this kind of thing once. In the future when your master is not around, you can't try this easily."
Hearing these words, both Chen Ling and Jian Changsheng froze, and their hearts immediately became nervous...
Especially Chen Ling. As a former Director-Screenwriter, he was too sensitive to this kind of dialogue. Generally, aren't these words said when people set up flags before their sacrifice?!
Chen Ling immediately asked back:
"Master, in the future when you're not around... what do you mean?"
Master froze, and then smiled, patting him on the shoulder, "Hahahahaha, naturally it means in terms of distance! Your master is very busy, I can't always follow behind you and Act as a Safety Net for you, right?"