# Chapter 95: Cultivation (8)
"What?" Qi An shifted the umbrella in his hand, allowing the wide canopy to shelter both of them.
"Our mission is to save the world, and this sudden rain is the trigger for the world's destruction." The usually impassive young man slightly curved his lips upward when he noticed the umbrella above his head. "This rain erodes people's intellect. They may look normal now, but their own consciousness has already begun to fade away."
"They'll become people completely devoid of emotion who only know how to smile." Zhang Zhaoqi's gaze flicked toward the two people. "As long as this rain continues, everyone in this world will become like them. Those successfully infected by the rain will join their ranks, and those who can resist will only..."
Zhang Zhaoqi pointed to the pile of bones on the ground. "Be seen as anomalies—or rather... food—and disappear."
The red rain was growing heavier. What had started as a light drizzle was now approaching moderate rainfall. This rainwater seemed to symbolize some ominous omen, quietly hinting that something was about to happen.
"Cultivation world practitioners have stronger constitutions, so the effects aren't as obvious. But in worlds where there are many ordinary people..."
Qi An gently furrowed his brow and looked into the young man's inky black pupils. When their gazes met, Qi An's grip on the umbrella tightened slightly.
There was no reflection of himself in Zhang Zhaoqi's eyes. Instead, they were projecting images from another space. It seemed this scene was the ordinary human world he had just mentioned.
There was a crowd of people—men and women, old and young, some dressed in rich garments and others in plain clothes—all gathered together. Even though rain was still falling quite heavily from the sky, even though their clothes were completely soaked through, no one was holding an umbrella.
In a field of crimson, every face bore a perfectly elegant smile.
Even the infants still in swaddling clothes had lost the innocence that should have been in their eyes and expressions. The children standing on the ground had lost their vitality, every mouth curved upward at a precise yet chilling angle.
Not a single one... was normal.
And this crowd was walking toward one direction. Qi An discerned that their destination was a very tall mountain peak, piercing into the clouds with mist swirling around it. The very place where the Xuantian Alliance was located.
"So if we want to save this world, we must solve the problem of this rain?" The scene vanished in an instant, and Qi An fixed his gaze on Zhang Zhaoqi.
"That would be an accurate way to put it." Zhang Zhaoqi extended his hand, placing it on the umbrella's shaft, signaling with his eyes for Qi An to let go. "However, it's merely a trigger. The real cause isn't here."
"What is it?" Qi An's gaze fell upon that strong hand of the other person's.
"..." Zhang Zhaoqi didn't answer Qi An's question. Instead, he said, "Actually, it's fine if you don't complete the mission in this world. If you don't want to save this world, you don't have to."
[An'an! The main quest has changed into... an optional quest!] The system's astonished voice came immediately after Zhang Zhaoqi's words. [Zhang Zhaoqi!]
Hearing the system's words, Qi An's gaze fell upon Zhang Zhaoqi's face once more. The other person's expression was as cold as ever, making it completely impossible to discern his emotions from it.
"I want to take you somewhere." Zhang Zhaoqi didn't mind the young man's gaze; instead, he naturally took Qi An's hand with his other hand.
[His status must be very high, right?] Qi An nodded, speaking in a tone that was impossible to categorize emotionally.
[Yes! This is a mission issued by the Bureau. How could it change for no reason, and it happened right after Zhang Zhaoqi said that!]
The young man whose hand was being held had his eyelashes flutter slightly. He quietly allowed Zhang Zhaoqi to lead him in a certain direction. That was inside the Xuantian Alliance. Zhang Zhaoqi seemed to have set up some kind of concealment technique. Throughout their walk, they encountered many disciples of the Xuantian Alliance, but no one greeted Qi An, and no one questioned Zhang Zhaoqi's presence. It was as if they simply couldn't see either of them.
Zhang Zhaoqi finally brought Qi An into a great hall. Qi An recognized it as the sect's council chamber. Only when something extremely important occurred would the sect's elders be summoned here to discuss matters.
They had barely entered when Qi An heard the voice of an inner disciple standing below: "As they say, that person's identity is highly classified information. Only the old members of the Shadow Tower knew about it. Since he joined the Shadow Tower only after Du Ning's death, the Shadow Tower members never told him who 'that person' was. The Shadow Tower attempted to obtain information from those elderly members, but..."
"Nothing."
"Du Ning's reincarnation..." The elder who had stood up unconsciously stroked his flowery white beard. His voice changed, completely losing its usual steadiness. "It makes sense. The only one who could drive the Shadow Tower members to madness would be Du Ning. They were willing to fall into demonic ways for Du Ning back then, so naturally they would do some... insane things for his reincarnation now."
"They intend to give all these treasures to Du Ning's reincarnation, right?" The elder's weathered eyes revealed obvious complexity.
"Yes." The inner disciple nodded affirmatively.
"... Then let's just let this matter rest." The speaking elder exchanged glances with the others, gently waving his hand.
"What?" The inner disciple seemed momentarily stunned by this response.
"Since they're going to give all these things to Du Ning's reincarnation, there's no need to pursue this further. Explain this situation to all the forces that were plundered by the Shadow Tower, and they'll understand." The elder sighed and sat back down on his bench. He seemed to have aged many years in an instant. "Du Ning was a... very good person..."
"These are what we owe him."
A very good person.
This evaluation again.
A feeling of indescribable emotion rose in Qi An's heart. Everything had changed since he returned to this world.
"Zhang Zhaoqi, you know everything, don't you?" The black-haired young man's eyes drooped slightly.
The young man's question seemed somewhat confusing, but Zhang Zhaoqi was silent for a long time before finally nodding. "Mm."
"An'an... Do you know what the fundamental reason for this world facing destruction again is?" Zhang Zhaoqi's grip on Qi An's hand tightened. "It's because... it's you."
"Everyone regretted it after you died..."