Chapter 171 Su Changqing asked the shadow behind the door while watching Bai Heng completely lose hi

"Next, let's talk about the fourth one."

As soon as those words were spoken, the heat that had just been stirred up in front of the Taiji Hall by the "setting up of the luxurious immortal cage" was instantly suppressed as if gently pressed down by an invisible hand.

It's not cold.

Instead, it is more concentrated.

Everyone's attention was drawn back to Bai Heng at this moment.

The construction of the luxurious fairy cage has already begun.

At Sikong Changfeng's command, the open space in front of the Taiji Hall, which was originally oriented towards the "viewing area" and "question and answer area," immediately became lively.

The disciples of Snowmoon City acted quickly, clearing the area immediately, setting up a cordon, and moving out a section of seats that had been reserved for extra audience members.

Several craftsmen and array masters who had been waiting rushed over carrying materials, their faces showing a mixture of tension and barely concealed excitement.

The remaining fragments of the border of the patrol seal were carried carefully to a corner of the arena by four disciples. Several specially made black iron pillars followed closely behind, landing with a dull thud that made the white jade ground tremble slightly.

Wushuang had already walked over.

He didn't waste any words, he simply raised his hand and pressed it on the sword box.

The next moment, several flying swords were drawn from their sheaths with a clang, hovering in mid-air, their blades gleaming, drawing long, thin silver lines in the afternoon light.

The young man now exudes a calmer aura than when he is actually about to kill someone, whenever he sees "setting up a frame," "cutting the main beam," or "trimming and polishing."

Because over the years, he had long been led astray by Su Changqing.

A sword is not just for killing people.

Swords can also be used for cutting vegetables, carving, chopping wood, repairing beams, and modifying cages.

and--

Within the Changqinglou system, the latter is often more important than the former.

Lei Wujie had already rolled up his sleeves and was busily moving materials.

As he moved the load, he didn't forget to shout a couple of times at the people who were staring wide-eyed in front of the Taiji Hall.

"Make way, make way!"

"The luxurious fairy cage is under construction, please don't block the way!"

"If Bai Heng really goes into the cage later and it hurts you, you won't be liable!"

As soon as these words were shouted, the densely packed crowd actually started to move back to the sides.

It's not that I'm afraid of Lei Wujie.

It's fear—

He said it as if it were really going to happen.

That's outrageous.

However, because Su Changqing has already trampled the "impossible" into the ground several times, even the most outrageous words now sound strangely believable coming from the mouths of the Changqing Tower people.

Standing not far away, Xiao Se watched the absurd scene of setting up cages while continuing to interrogate the guide, and felt a mix of emotions.

He used to think that Su Changqing was so strong that he was unreasonable.

Now I'm increasingly realizing that what makes this person so terrifying isn't just his strength.

But -

He will forcefully pull all the things that should be suspended high and made people even careful to breathe back into the rhythm of being able to touch, see, calculate, and arrange in the human world.

The arrival of the guide should have been a calamity.

When it came to him, it became a project.

The crack in the Heavenly Gate should have been a disaster.

When it comes to him, it becomes just background.

Even the so-called "bookholders," "book changers," and "the crowd behind the door" are being dragged little by little from an abstract high place into a concrete logic of "they will come to the door sooner or later, and when they come, they will settle accounts."

This ability is more terrifying than simply killing Bai Heng with a single palm strike.

Because it changes people's hearts.

Xiao Se's mind was churning with thoughts, but his face remained cold and indifferent, only glancing indifferently at Bai Heng in the arena.

Then, his gaze fell on Su Changqing.

The man in the blue robe stood there, his aura calm and even, without any violent or overbearing pressure or sharp edge that deliberately made people feel suffocated.

But ironically, he alone firmly controlled the entire area in front of the Taiji Hall.

This kind of "stability" has almost reached a certain limit.

Thinking of this, Xiao Se suddenly let out a slow breath.

Fortunately.

This person is on my side.

……

Bai Heng had no interest in seeing how the luxurious fairy cage was set up.

Or rather—

He saw it.

I heard it too.

He could hear Lei Wujie's shouts, Sikong Changfeng's loud commands, the faint sword cries as the peerless flying sword sliced ​​through the beams, and even see the shadows cast by the black iron main pillars in the setting sun after they landed.

But these things no longer seemed absurd to him.

Rather, it is a reality that is gradually approaching.

The cage is really being built.

It's not just talk.

These are not empty words used to humiliate him.

Instead, right in front of him, they were actually building the framework piece by piece, erecting pillars one by one, inch by inch, turning the idea that "the guide Bai Heng might be caged tonight" from an absurd joke into a visible, cold, and solid engineering project.

Bai Heng had never felt the weight of the words "being arranged" so clearly.

He was even momentarily dazed.

When I watched other versions of the series before, was it like this?

Look down.

The situation is chaotic, people are in disarray, geniuses are struggling, emperors are fighting, sects are cracking, and the border is burning.

He merely watched from above, his mind preoccupied with what he was thinking—

How long can this area be sustained? Which line is more valuable? Who should be supported and who should be restrained? When should the harvest be completed and when should the end be reached?

Now the tables have turned.

He became the one "in the game".

Meanwhile, standing on the sidelines was Su Changqing.

This feeling is absolutely awful.

Even worse—

He can hardly see things from the perspective of a "guide" anymore.

Because three of the bones have been lost.

With the departure of Chengmen Jiegu, the most crucial "boundary sense" on his body seemed to have been suddenly thinned out.

Originally, as long as Bai Heng stood here, even without speaking or making any hand seals, he would naturally feel a sense of detachment, as if he were "above this world, not belonging to this world, and observing this world."

But now, that sense of separation is beginning to loosen.

He actually began to genuinely feel—

The ground beneath my feet feels very solid.

The wind felt so real on my face.

The smell of blood rising from the corners of my lips and chest felt very human.

It's not that kind of lofty "order" that's circulating.

It is a very real pain that comes after the physical body is injured, the Dharma body is unbalanced, and the bone structure is disordered.

This kind of "realism" was almost an insult to Bai Heng.

He shouldn't be so human.

But Su Changqing was deliberately pushing him back to a "human" state, little by little.

Su Changqing seemed completely unconcerned about what Bai Heng was thinking.

He simply looked at him, his gaze slowly moving downwards, finally settling on a seemingly calm spot on Bai Heng's lower chest, where his ribs met his spine.

obviously.

The fourth bone already has a direction.

Bai Heng instinctively tensed his back.

It wasn't because he knew what kind of bone it was.

Rather, it's because—

He knew that once Su Changqing's gaze fell upon him, it was almost certain that he knew the truth.

This feeling made him feel like he was walking on ice.

It hasn't really been exposed yet.

But my heart had already turned cold.

Su Changqing didn't rush to speak.

He even tilted his head and asked Bai Heng another question first.

"You just mentioned 'registeree' and 'alterer'."

"Um……"

Bai Heng's throat moved slightly, and he managed a weak reply.

Su Changqing continued:

"What kind of book is this?"

Upon hearing this question, Bai Heng's eyes visibly narrowed.

He didn't expect that, just when three bones had been removed and the fourth bone was about to fall, Su Changqing would still be able to bring the conversation back to "behind the door".

Moreover, this led to a deeper and more crucial point.

Register holder.

The alterer.

What exactly is this so-called "book"?

Zhao Xuance had only vaguely mentioned "maps" and "accounts" before, but had not gone into details.

Now that it's Bai Heng's turn, there's clearly finally an opportunity to dig deeper.

The atmosphere in front of the Taiji Hall, which had been somewhat agitated by the construction of the luxurious immortal cage, subtly calmed down again after Su Changqing asked his question.

Sikong Changfeng subconsciously lowered his voice and waved to the waiter next to him.

"Keep the noise of setting up the cage down."

"Here comes the important part, here comes the important part."

The craftsmen worked with greater care, even lifting and placing materials more carefully than before.

That scene was strange.

On one side, the guide was kneeling, being questioned about what happened behind the door.

On one side, the luxurious Immortal Cage was being expanded on-site, with craftsmen, Xueyue disciples, Changqinglou staff, Lei Wujie, and Wushuang busy preparing for what seemed like a grand opening.

However, the two sides do not conflict with each other.

They can even run in parallel very smoothly, albeit strangely.

Bai Heng paused for a few breaths before finally speaking.

"A book, not a single book."

"At least, it's not just a book of paper pages as you understand it."

"It is more like... a root that connects all realms, records lines, fruits, soil, gates, tents, and traces of alteration."

Su Changqing looked at him and said calmly, "Speak like a human being."

Bai Heng's expression stiffened for a moment.

Everyone in the room shuddered.

The guide managed to utter some lofty words through gritted teeth, only to be immediately dismissed with a simple "Speak plainly."

This tastes too overcooked.

The ancestral method of sabotaging Changqinglou.

Bai Heng remained silent for a moment, and finally dissected the set of things that were more like "high-level jargon".

You can understand it as—

"A set of illustrations made up of several layers of pages."

"At the lowest level, the basic accounts of each realm are recorded."

"Which realm has a strong origin, which realm has weak laws, which realm is suitable for nurturing the main fruit, and which realm is only suitable for making side materials, will all be noted first."

"Next level up, the life-memory track."

"Record who is being watched, which leads have been planted, which schemes have not yet been launched, which fruits are about to ripen, and which people are dead but still worthy of being recorded in the annals."

"The next level up is the revision level."

"Not just anyone can touch that area."

"There aren't many people who can make changes, but once you put pen to paper, many layers below will follow suit."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Se's eyes turned cold and heavy.

"In other words, if someone makes a change to the registry, many things in this realm that would otherwise seem to happen naturally will be affected?"

Bai Heng said in a low voice, "Not bad."

"Some are just minor additions, like bringing forward something that should have happened three years later to today."

"Sometimes, they simply reconnect half of a line that should have been broken."

"Heavier—"

He looked up at Xiao Se, and a very faint, bitter smile appeared on his lips.

"It's about letting people who shouldn't meet meet, letting people who shouldn't live die, and letting people who should live suddenly collapse when they should be at their most mature."

These words are not very profound.

But this made the hearts of many people in front of the Taiji Hall sink inch by inch.

Especially desolate.

His face was expressionless, but his hands, hidden in his wide sleeves, had unconsciously tightened slowly.

Because he understood.

This means that many of the "critical junctures" they have faced along the way may not have been simply a clash between fate and human will.

It is very possible that... someone did make a mark on a higher-level "book".

With a gentle flick.

This caused countless upheavals in the world.

This feeling is extremely disgusting.

It is also extremely disheartening.

Lei Wujie was furious and cursed under his breath.

"These bastards...they really use someone's entire life as practice for writing?!"

Wushuang remained silent.

But in those eyes that usually held a certain youthful calmness, a deep coldness had been added.

He is a swordsmanship genius.

What all true geniuses hate most is having someone "write" on their path.

Bai Heng looked at their reactions and suddenly felt a little ironic.

When he was standing behind that layer of logic, he never thought there was anything wrong with "revising the book".

For those in power, it was merely an adjustment, a correction, a necessary means to bring the value of a particular era back onto the right track.

But now, as he knelt on the ground, speaking to these "insiders" in an almost interrogative manner, he realized for the first time just how evil this matter truly was from a human perspective.

This feeling made Bai Heng himself feel absurd.

Su Changqing, however, paid no attention to this absurdity.

He just kept asking.

"What does the person holding the register look like?"

Bai Heng paused slightly.

I can't quite explain it.

"Um?"

"I really can't say."

Bai Heng looked up, his face pale, but his voice was very serious.

"Many guides, seal-bearing immortal officials, and even those in higher positions in the patrol hall may not have actually seen the true appearance of the person holding the book."

More often than not, we only see a hand, a page's shadow, a glimpse of a pen, or—

"The mark left after a single character is written."

Upon hearing this, Li Hanyi frowned slightly.

"You've never even seen it before?"

"no."

Bai Heng said in a low voice.

"Some people even suspect that so-called registered persons are not complete human beings in themselves."

"They are more like shadows attached to a book."

"Wherever there is a book, there you can see a corner of them."

Upon hearing this, a faint hint of interest finally flashed across Su Changqing's eyes.

film.

A copy of the appendix.

This was more like something "behind the door" than he had originally guessed.

It's not simply a matter of a few powerful individuals sitting high up.

It is more like something that is already entangled with rules, records, and the right to modify them.

Such people are indeed hard to find.

But it is precisely because of this—

Taking apart Bai Heng's core would be even more valuable.

Thinking of this, Su Changqing tapped the back of the chair lightly with his fingertips, and suddenly said:

"The crowd behind the gate, the one holding the register, the one revising the register, and the guide."

"Your structure is quite detailed."

Bai Heng gave a wry smile.

"A delicate plant is easier to care for."

Upon hearing this, Sikong Changfeng subconsciously frowned.

"What do you mean?"

Bai Heng glanced at him, probably thinking that since he had already said so much, one more word wouldn't matter, and slowly said:

"Raising a field and raising an orchard are essentially the same thing."

"The one at the very bottom has to be responsible for the leader."

"The middleman has to take responsibility."

"Those above are responsible for overseeing this."

"Those who go up next are responsible for making changes."

"A little higher—"

As he spoke, his voice lowered, as if he instinctively hesitated to even mention that level.

"That's the person who decides whether or not this entire garden is worth keeping."

The area in front of the Taiji Hall fell silent again.

This analogy is too direct.

It's so straightforward it's disgusting.

But it is precisely because of its straightforwardness that everyone can see more clearly how that net was cast.

Su Changqing didn't react much after hearing this.

He simply nodded slightly.

"Okay, at least you said something useful."

Bai Heng's lips twitched slightly.

After being dismantled to this extent, kneeling down to explain the layers behind the door, the only evaluation I received was, "At least you said something useful."

But ironically, he no longer has any right to be dissatisfied.

Because the fourth bone is still hanging there.

Upon thinking of this, Bai Heng's chest tightened instinctively.

Su Changqing naturally noticed it and his gaze followed it down.

"Scared?"

Bai Heng remained silent.

But silence itself is the answer.

Upon seeing this, Su Changqing actually smiled.

"Being afraid is the right thing to do."

"Fear makes people speak the truth."

After he finished speaking, he stood up.

As soon as he stood up, all the attention in front of the Taiji Hall was completely drawn back to him.

Because everyone knows—

We've finished asking about what happened behind the door.

Next, it's still about bones.

The fourth bone.

Bai Heng himself froze at that moment.

He had originally thought that after Su Changqing asked about these things behind the door, he would at least pause for a while to digest the information, think about it, or say a few more words to Xiao Se and the others.

But he still underestimated Su Changqing.

This person doesn't drag things out at all.

After asking the questions, they continued dismantling the structure.

While advancing the main line at higher elevations, the process of dismantling the bones was also carried out.

Neither side will interfere with the other.

This rhythm is simply not something a normal person could have.

Sikong Changfeng had already arranged the "Bai Heng Special Pre-sale" to be almost complete, and even had a new sign temporarily brought over and placed in the most conspicuous position in front of the Taiji Hall.

The ink on the sign was still wet, but the characters were enormous:

[Tonight's Bai Heng Special - Deluxe Celestial Cage Premiere Pre-sale Begins]

[The guide kneels to report the remains, personally explaining the hierarchy behind the gate]

[Limited front row seats, additional middle row seats, VIP seats available by reservation for close-up viewing of the cephalic section]

Many people who were originally crowding outside, only knowing that the process of the escort was being conducted inside, stared wide-eyed when they saw the sign.

"A special performance by Bai Heng?!"

"Opening tonight?!"

"You can even schedule a close-up view of the cephalic section?!"

"I want to buy it! I'll buy it right now!"

"Get out of the way, I was here first!"

"More money! I'll pay more!"

In an instant, a lively atmosphere filled the area outside the Taiji Hall.

If it weren't for the Imperial Guards and Snow Moon City disciples maintaining order, the queue would probably stretch all the way to the palace gates.

Inside the arena, the main frame of the luxurious fairy cage has already begun to truly take shape.

The thirteen peerless flying swords operated simultaneously, cutting, embedding, and polishing the main pillar of black iron and the remnants of the patrol seal under his swords, with the sound of metal clashing against metal ringing out incessantly.

He did it even more carefully this time than the first time.

Because this time, the "customer"—no, the "decorative object"—is indeed of a different level.

Wushuang had even begun to consider whether the cage door should open at a more precise angle to prevent someone like Bai Heng, a guide-level figure, from trying to pull any tricks at the last moment.

Lei Wujie carried the materials and ran around, asking as he ran:

"Third brother! How many viewing windows should we have?"

Sikong Changfeng didn't even look up: "Let's start with all four sides, then we'll see Bai Heng's feedback!"

Lei Wujie: "..."

Even viewer feedback has emerged?

Fine.

As Bai Heng listened to all this, the pent-up frustration in his chest almost reached his throat.

He had almost forgotten that he was now nothing more than a guide, a person whose bones were being dismembered, and a knife behind the door—

It will also be the first "Luxury Fairy Cage" ornament to be displayed at Changqinglou.

This realization made him feel like he was trapped in an increasingly absurd nightmare from which he could not escape.

Su Changqing was now standing in front of him again.

Bai Heng subconsciously looked up at him.

Su Changqing glanced at him, but his gaze slowly moved down to the area where Bai Heng's chest was lower, where his ribs met his spine.

This is the location of the fourth bone that was determined earlier.

Bai Heng's breathing became heavy.

Even though he already knew that the fourth bone was inevitable.

But when Su Changqing actually focused his gaze there, he instinctively tensed up.

Because he knew that what was hidden there was no ordinary bone.

That was the hidden bone in his remaining physical body that truly determined whether his "qualification for receiving guidance" could continue to be maintained.

It is neither the life-illuminating bone nor the guiding bone.

But if it were missing—

My shell of being a "guide" is really about to start falling off piece by piece.

Su Changqing didn't rush to act, but instead asked another question:

"What's this one called?"

Bai Heng's eyes widened in shock.

He didn't expect that, even at this point, Su Changqing would still let him speak for himself.

But when he thought about the process of the previous three, he dared not think that this was "letting go".

This clearly means he's being made to name the fourth cut himself.

Bai Heng's lips moved, and after two breaths, he whispered:

"Returning to the bone order".

Upon hearing these three words, Gu Changxuan's expression changed slightly.

"Order of Bones..."

He murmured softly.

"No wonder you spotted it right away."

Bai Heng closed his eyes and didn't reply.

Returning to the bone order.

As the name suggests, it belongs to the "preface".

It is not a boundary, not a mandate, not a gateway.

Instead, it forcibly pulls back a set of "still usable order" from the body of the guide, taking all the messed-up, scattered, and wrong things from before.

to be honest--

Even though Bai Heng has already had three bones removed, he can still hold on without completely falling apart, without completely collapsing, and without completely losing his "Guide-like appearance," partly because this Guiding Bone is barely holding him together.

If it's gone again—

Bai Heng may not die immediately.

But his sense of order as a "guide" will truly begin to crumble piece by piece.

Su Changqing nodded upon hearing the name.

"Return to order".

"The name is quite fitting."

Bai Heng's throat tightened, and he finally couldn't help but whisper:

"This one... shouldn't be touched too soon."

"Oh?"

"If it's gone, I'll truly start to fall into chaos."

"Isn't that perfect?"

Su Changqing countered with a question.

Bai Heng was speechless.

Su Changqing looked at him with a calm expression, even a hint of taking it for granted.

"I broke your bones just to see how you'd go berserk, didn't I?"

"The fact that you can still stay here means the demolition isn't complete yet."

These words were like the final nail, driven directly into Bai Heng's heart.

He wanted to argue.

But he couldn't utter a single word.

Because what Su Changqing said was too blunt and too harsh.

He originally thought he still had some room to "hold on".

But in Su Changqing's eyes, this little bit of leeway he had was just proof that "the demolition wasn't done in time."

Yes.

The Guixu Bone is still intact, so you can still barely function as a guide.

Then I will disassemble and reorganize the bones.

See what you'll look like when you're completely different.

Bai Heng suddenly felt a chill run through his body.

It's not the wind that's cold.

It was a coldness that seeped out from between the bones.

Because he discovered for the first time that what Su Changqing was most interested in about him might not be "whether or not he could kill the Guide Envoy".

But -

"What will be left after the guide is completely dismantled?"

As soon as this thought crossed Bai Heng's mind, he felt a sudden heaviness.

Su Changqing had already raised his hand.

This time, his movements were no faster than when he dismantled the Chengmen boundary bone.

It was even slower.

Because the locating bone is not on the surface, not directly in front, and not in a position that can be seen through at a glance.

It's more like it's hidden on that thin beam where "the remaining order can still hold itself together."

When you move it, it's not like you're removing a single bone; you're moving the last layer of support that determines whether the whole system can still function properly.

Therefore, Su Changqing was naturally not in a hurry.

He even tilted his head and casually said to Bai Heng:

"Don't be afraid."

Bai Heng's pupils constricted slightly.

"Your current disorder is just right for me."

The wind blows gently.

Countless people in front of the Taiji Hall felt their hearts leap at those words.

Then they saw—

Su Changqing's hand had already landed.