The Side Character Who Wins by Doing Nothing

Hearing Yuan Xin’s words, Gu Jue regained his composure. "So... becoming the Heavenly Dao has its benefits, but also its drawbacks?"

Yuan Xin nodded.

"The benefits are obvious. Once you become the Heavenly Dao Will, you will be an immortal and indestructible existence. Unless this entire world is destroyed, your existence will be eternal."

"But at the same time... you will no longer be able to ascend to another world like others."

"You... will be forever bound here."

Gu Jue froze, but a thought quickly came to him. "But you’re able to pass the position of Heavenly Dao to me, so why can’t I..."

He trailed off, a sudden realization dawning on him. After a slight pause, he muttered, "...Is it because you’re about to dissipate that you can pass the position to me?"

Yuan Xin nodded. "Precisely... I am dying, but I have a sliver of strength left to last until the day you reach Divinity Transformation. Once I give you the position, my Divine Soul will also completely dissipate."

Gu Jue fell silent.

Seeing this, Yuan Xin sighed softly. After a moment’s hesitation, she continued, "There is one more issue. It’s not very important in my eyes, but perhaps... it will be very important to you."

Meeting Gu Jue’s questioning gaze, she said slowly, "You and I are different. I am an Artifact Spirit by nature, but you are a mortal from this world."

"To you, many people in this world hold a special meaning. If you become the Heavenly Dao, you might not do it intentionally, but you will inevitably favor them unconsciously."

"But a Heavenly Dao that can truly preside over a world should not show favoritism to anyone. Otherwise, it would be unfair to everyone else."

"So if you agree to become the Heavenly Dao... I must purge you of your earthly passions and desires."

"When that happens, you will still remember these people and everything you’ve experienced, but the feelings you once had for them will be gone."

Gu Jue’s eyelashes trembled slightly. "So you’re saying... I would still remember that my master raised me, but I would no longer feel any respect or admiration for him? From then on, he would be no different to me than any other living being?"

Yuan Xin nodded. "I can tell you’re a person who deeply values your connections to others, so I imagine this is a significant matter for you."

"Of course, whether or not you are willing to accept the mantle of the Heavenly Dao is your choice. I will not force you."

Gu Jue was silent for a long time before taking a deep breath and asking, "Why me? If I don’t agree, who will you choose?"

Yuan Xin was honest with him. "Because among the four people who entered this Secret Realm, you are the only choice."

"Ye Zhiyao is the Child of Fortune chosen by that person, and Lu Sangjiu is the savior I have chosen. As for the other person..."

Yuan Xin fell silent for a moment, then shook her head. "I cannot tell you the reason, but he is not an option either."

’If Lu Sangjiu were to become the Heavenly Dao, she would also be bound by its rules, unable to act against mortals herself. Then she wouldn’t be able to kill Ye Zhiyao.’

’That’s why the successor to the Heavenly Dao and the person who kills Ye Zhiyao must be two different people.’

The logic was simple enough to follow, but Gu Jue hadn’t expected the Child of Fortune to be Ye Zhiyao.

It was surprising, but on second thought, it made perfect sense.

"So... besides the four of us, can’t it be someone else?"

’Gu Jue knew asking such a question was like trying to pass the buck—a shameless thing to do.’

’But... his heart had always been set on becoming a free-roaming Sword Immortal, not a frog in a well, trapped forever in one place.’

’Besides, the thought of being forced to forget his master, his friends, and... Mr. Lu... was something he was completely against.’

’Even if he cared about the fate of the world and wanted to save it, he couldn’t help but hesitate.’

Yuan Xin’s next words, however, shattered his last sliver of hope.

She looked at Gu Jue apologetically and shook her head. "Why do you think Ye Zhiyao came here?"

Gu Jue was taken aback; he hadn’t thought much about it before.

But Yuan Xin’s question made him suddenly recall how Ye Zhiyao had almost destroyed this very painting. A realization struck him. "Could it be..."

Yuan Xin nodded. "That person has limited influence over the people of this world. He can’t give her specific tasks, so he can only influence her actions through the means of the Heavenly Dao."

"So perhaps even she doesn’t realize it, but she came here because he located me. He intends to use her to destroy this wisp of my Divine Sense."

With a sigh, her voice tinged with helplessness and sorrow, she said, "Gu Jue, it may be unfair to say this, but... you truly are my last hope."

"If you are unwilling to become the Heavenly Dao, then when I dissipate, he will be able to take complete control of this world. Any hope of Lu Sangjiu killing Ye Zhiyao will be slim to none."

"And once she fails, he will surely plunge this world into utter chaos and endless slaughter."

"At that time, countless Cultivators will die, and their Spiritual Energy will return to the heavens and the earth, allowing it all to be absorbed by Ye Zhiyao."

"And if Ye Zhiyao succeeds, this world will be downgraded, and no one will ever be able to achieve Ascension again."

Gu Jue was silent. After a long moment, he squeezed his eyes shut.

With all hesitation gone, he heard his own firm voice say, "Alright. I am willing to become the Heavenly Dao."

The moment he said the words, strangely, Gu Jue didn’t feel as sad or pained as he had imagined. Instead, he felt a wave of relief.

’Perhaps... he had never intended to only look out for himself, not from the very beginning.’

So, with no other options left to agonize over, he felt a sense of calm, as if the dust had finally settled.

Yuan Xin, for her part, was not surprised. She was the Heavenly Dao, after all. Even if this was Gu Jue’s first time meeting her, she knew him very well.

’This child... His heart is so full of great love. It was his destiny to be unable to stand by and watch this world be destroyed.’

"Very well. I will now plant a seal within your body. I will seal away all your memories from the moment you met me. When you break through to the Divinity Transformation realm, the seal will break on its own."

"At that time, you will have three days to say farewell to your loved ones. After three days, your mortal emotions will be completely erased, and you... will completely replace me, becoming the Heavenly Dao Will of this world."

"The entire inheritance of the Heavenly Dao is within the seal. When the time comes, it will guide you on what to do."

But Gu Jue didn’t understand. "Why seal my memories?"

"With these memories, I can help Mr. Lu fight against Ye Zhiyao after I leave. Wouldn’t that be better?"

Yuan Xin shook her head. "Right now, his attention is entirely on Lu Sangjiu. She is someone who exists outside the bounds of fate, so she is less affected by him. He can’t do anything to her yet."

"But it’s different for you. If I don’t seal your memories, he will notice you, and he will undoubtedly use every means at his disposal to kill you."

"So... I’m sorry, but for the sake of the greater good, I must do this."

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