With help from the others, the three of them geared up completely. Liu Jun double-checked their safety ropes before allowing them to step onto the three pillars.
Chu Qianli carefully stepped onto the Pillar of Balance. Even though she had a safety harness on, she couldn’t help but shiver slightly as cold wind gusted up from below. She forced herself to focus on solving the mechanism.
All three stone pillars and the twenty-two connecting paths had corresponding mechanisms. The key now was figuring out the correct order.
Chu Qianli walked straight to the end of the Pillar of Balance and stepped onto the first pressure plate. She then began a divination using the Infant Stone Tarot. Looking at the Wheel of Fortune in her hand, she said, “Xingxing, please walk to the midpoint of your pillar, then take one step back and press the mechanism in the middle path.”
Tan Muxing was on the Pillar of Mercy. He obediently followed her instructions and stepped on the button engraved with mysterious letters.
The next second, the Pillar of Balance where Chu Qianli stood rumbled and suddenly sank far lower than the other two, drawing alarmed looks from the surrounding people.
Chu Qianli remained calm. “There’s no mistake. The mechanism seems to be tied to the card drawn.”
The Wheel of Fortune represented the ups and downs of life, which, in the context of the ruins, was externalized as the Pillar of Balance sinking.
Chu Qianli continued her work. Looking at the Empress card in her hand, she said, “Xingxing, it’s still you. Please move from your current position to the Pillar of Severity.”
Tan Muxing followed instructions and stepped onto Path 14. The three pillars didn’t react.
“Abner, please move from Path 27 to the Pillar of Mercy.”
Abner was well-versed in the structure of the Tree of Life, and followed Chu Qianli’s instructions precisely, stepping onto the Pillar of Mercy. As soon as his foot landed on the pillar, the Pillar of Severity began to descend, slowly aligning in height with the Pillar of Balance.
Standing atop the pillar, Abner looked down at the others and chuckled, “Now I’m the highest one…”
Before he could finish his sentence, a deafening explosion erupted ahead. The side of the mountain wall suddenly blasted open as if struck by a ball of lightning. Debris flew everywhere, and the air was filled with the sharp scent of chemicals.
Liu Jun cried out in alarm, “What’s going on!?”
As the dust settled, debris fell onto the Pillars of Balance and Severity—but the two standing atop them remained unscathed. If the Pillar of Severity hadn’t descended first, it likely would have been struck by the blast.
Chu Qianli waved away the dust and coughed violently. “It was the Tower… I didn’t expect it to be so powerful…”
Path 27 of the Tree of Life corresponded to the Tower in Tarot, which represented catastrophic, uncontrollable change. The card’s image showed a lightning bolt striking a tower, with people falling from its crumbling heights.
Had Chu Qianli made a mistake in the order, both she and Tan Muxing could’ve been blown away.
“You’re sinking lower—we won’t be able to see you anymore.”
Chu Qianli stood on the Pillar of Balance, Tan Muxing on the Pillar of Severity. Compared to where they started, they had already descended significantly, nearing the dark, bottomless chasm, slipping out of Liu Jun and the others’ view.
“We can’t stop now. If the sequence is correct, it shouldn’t be dangerous.”
Chu Qianli had figured out a common trait in all the key placement sites: the builders always left a safe zone. As long as they solved the mechanisms step by step, they should be safe.
The exploration continued.
Chu Qianli looked at the High Priestess and Justice cards in her hand. She moved twice in succession, stepping onto the Pillar of Severity and ending up a few steps away from Tan Muxing.
The Pillar of Mercy beneath Abner slowly began to descend. Steadying himself, he sighed, “Great. I’m coming down too.”
All three pillars were now descending in sequence. No one knew where they were being taken, and the onlookers at the edge of the chasm couldn’t see them anymore. Communication could only be maintained via devices.
Elsewhere, atop a snow-dusted slope, Lin spotted the tightly guarded tunnel entrance in the distance. His face expressionless, he waved a hand—signaling the operation to begin.
Though patrols moved around the tunnel entrance, chaos soon erupted.
Uniformed soldiers of H Nation, armed with rifles, suddenly turned on their comrades. Without hesitation, they opened fire on those beside them, aiming at former allies with cold cruelty.
Many didn’t have time to react before blood burst into the air.
Pan Yicheng had been stationed outside. Faced with the sudden outbreak of violence, he immediately called out, “Notify Liu Jun! Tell them to retreat now!”
There were traitors within the H Nation forces, and unfamiliar forces had encircled the tunnel entrance—a clear sign that conflict had begun.
Gunfire rang out. Battle erupted.
Now, no one on the Chinese side could trust outsiders. Fortunately, their uniforms differed from the rest, allowing them to carve a narrow escape route in the chaos.
“Don’t linger—find the key first!” Lin charged inside with his team, gun in hand, searching for Chu Qianli. He aimed to seize the Tarot cards and couldn’t afford to waste time fighting at the tunnel.
The danger outside now bled into the chasm below.
From the comm device, Liu Jun’s anxious voice came through: “Don’t come back up—hold your position!”
Abner was bewildered. “What do you mean? What happened?”
Behind Liu Jun’s voice were loud booms, chaotic noise, and gunfire. Fierce fighting had broken out at the chasm’s edge, but nothing could be seen or heard clearly from the silent depths below—only faint traces made it through the comms.
The three continued descending on the pillars, now too deep to hear the battle above. Chu Qianli was at the lowest point.
The order now, from top to bottom: Abner on the Pillar of Mercy, Tan Muxing on the Pillar of Balance, and Chu Qianli on the Pillar of Severity.
“Xingxing, what’s happening?”
Chu Qianli was so close to the chasm that she could only hear Tan Muxing’s voice. Abner’s words could no longer reach her.
Tan Muxing couldn’t see the scene either, and his expression was hesitant. “It seems like someone has broken in.”
“Then we have to speed up. They’re definitely here to steal the key. It’s best to finish the sixth one right now!”
Chu Qianli quickly began divination again, keeping the three stone pillars descending, aiming to complete the mechanism.
The Death card and the Devil card both triggered violent explosions.
Fortunately, the three of them had followed the correct sequence and remained within the safe zones the whole time.
At the edge of the chasm, Lin engaged in a chaotic gunfight with Liu Jun and the others. However, when he still didn’t see Chu Qianli, suspicion crept in.
Amid the hail of bullets, a woman pulled down her mask, revealing the familiar features of a gypsy. She shouted, “She’s not here. Follow me!”
Lin hesitated. “You…”
“Just because I didn’t try hard during the selection doesn’t mean my divination is inaccurate!” Lilith had held back during the screening process. She had poured all her energy into the keys and actually had a solid metaphysical foundation.
“If you won’t believe me now, then wait until the ruins are opened.” Lilith turned and exited the battlefield, her voice cold. “She’s about to finish.”
Lin made a swift decision. “Follow her!”
Deep within the chasm, the three pillars were still descending. Looking up, the three could now only see a small spot of light above.
The Pillar of Mercy came to a firm stop with a dull thud, as if it had clicked into place.
Abner stood atop the Pillar of Mercy. He looked around and cautiously said, “Mine seems to be stuck. I don’t think it can move anymore.”
There were tracks at the top of the pillar, indicating it had reached the bottom.
“Because there aren’t many left.”
Chu Qianli and Tan Muxing were now both on the Pillar of Balance. She nimbly stepped onto the Pillar of Severity, and both the Pillars of Balance and Severity began to descend.
Moments later, the Pillar of Balance also made a dull thud, locking perfectly into place.
Tan Muxing said, “Mine reached the bottom too.”
“Just two more to go!” Chu Qianli saw that victory was within reach. She continued divining excitedly, but when she flipped the Hanged Man card, her expression subtly changed.
The Hanged Man represents the sacrifice of what you possess in order to accept a test—only then can you do what you were meant to do in this life.
What was it that she currently possessed?
Standing on the Pillar of Severity, Chu Qianli instinctively looked at Tan Muxing.
Tan Muxing met her gaze, not understanding, and glanced at the tarot card in her hand. “Almost done?”
“Mm. Just this one, then one more.” Chu Qianli hesitated, then slowly stepped onto the 23rd path, corresponding to the Hanged Man. She smiled. “Xingxing.”
“What is it?”
“…Thank you.”
Thank you for walking this far with me.
In the next moment, the Pillar of Severity carrying her began to descend again, as if plunging into an endless abyss. The suddenness of it filled Tan Muxing with a deep sense of unease.
He quickly leaned over to look for her, but darkness had completely swallowed her up. The descending Pillar of Severity seemed to have no end in sight!
“I was really happy that Xingxing came with me. So now, I don’t have any regrets.”
Those words she had spoken flashed in Tan Muxing’s mind, stirring an ominous feeling he couldn’t shake. But he was now stuck on the Pillar of Balance and had no way of escaping.
Silence all around.
The Pillar of Severity continued to fall.
This descent lasted longer than any of the ones before, as if it were taking her into the depths of hell.
Drip drip. There was a faint sound of water.
The Pillar of Severity finally reached the bottom. Along the way, Chu Qianli had even removed her safety rope—otherwise, she wouldn’t have made it down.
Before she could steady herself or examine her surroundings, the side wall of the mountain suddenly exploded. A searing wave of heat surged forward, and a stream of people poured in!
Lilith had instructed Lin’s men to blast open the mountain wall, forcibly creating a tunnel inside the ruins. She waved with a smile. “Surprise!”
Facing a group of armed, hostile strangers, Chu Qianli remained calm. “Sorry, I only understand Chinesē.”
Lilith had been searching for Chu Qianli’s whereabouts. To catch her before she finished her task, they had gone as far as damaging the interior of the ruins. Fortunately, their timing was just right—the sixth orb hadn’t been placed yet, and they’d managed to find their target!
All eyes were on Chu Qianli, standing alone on the Pillar of Severity!
Lin raised his gun at her, a cold glint in his eyes. “You seem awfully calm. That’s… unexpected.”
He had imagined her looking flustered and panicked, but she stood there with a composure beyond her years, even bordering on indifference.
“Honestly, I had a hunch this would happen,” Chu Qianli said. “What really surprises me is that you all managed to work together.”
Lilith had once been caught stealing a crystal ball, and now she had teamed up with Lin? A typical flip-flopping move from Country A.
Lilith’s voice was laced with threat. “I never settled the score for last time. Today’s the day. Hand over the key quietly, and if you cooperate, considering your talent, we can guarantee your safety—just like we did for Qiao.”
“I know you’re helpless without your bodyguard. You’re not strong enough to resist on your own.” Lilith smirked. “It wasn’t easy finding the moment when you two were apart.”
“He’s not my bodyguard,” Chu Qianli corrected seriously. “He’s my Xingxing.”
Lin’s expression darkened. “Cut the crap! Hand over the key now, or don’t blame us for pulling the trigger!”
Countless cold gun barrels were aimed at Chu Qianli, leaving her no way out.
Chu Qianli calmly swept her gaze across the fully armed enemies, then let out a quiet snort, her tone faintly mocking.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Lin’s gaze turned icy.
“I just think it’s funny, how you’ve all come to catch me now.” Chu Qianli glanced toward the 31st path and said evenly, “You know what I was most afraid of these past two days?”
“I was really scared Xingxing would stay by my side the whole time. If I died in front of him, it’d be over.”
She lowered her gaze.
Chu Qianli had performed a divination under the aurora while placing the compass.
She had told Tan Muxing that the result of the divination emphasized the process, but that could also mean that the result was unseen—or that there was no result at all.
No result meant the end. The termination of everything. A complete reset to zero.
The Baby Stone Ruins were steeped in karmic power, far beyond that of any typical geomantic treasure site. For someone with her fate to come here, it would either change her destiny or lead to her demise. It was truly a journey of nine deaths and one life.
“Right now, I’m actually kind of grateful to these broken pillars—they didn’t mess up at the crucial moment and managed to separate the two of us,” Chu Qianli said with a laugh. “Do you know where we’re standing? If we go by the theistic interpretation, this is the end of the Tree of Life. On the path to immortality, only those who make the final breakthrough succeed.”
“All of us are born with sin. Only by undergoing judgment and reflecting on our past deeds can we reach a new state of existence.”
Chu Qianli clenched the stone in her hand, something she had picked up by chance earlier. The 31st path corresponded to the Judgment card, but she didn’t have time to rush over and step on the mechanism—so she couldn’t reach the safe zone.
She wasn’t sure if the upcoming explosion would hit her.
If the sixth orb fell, even if the Tarot key was lost, Mei Rujing and Xu Zaiyuan might still be able to decipher the secret of the seventh orb.
Sensing Chu Qianli’s “if I perish, you go with me” mindset, Lilith panicked. “We can totally work together! Don’t you want to live!?”
Lilith feared that Chu Qianli would fight to the death. Whether the sixth orb was completed or the key lost in the chaos, either outcome would be a devastating blow to them.
“Live?” Chu Qianli’s lips twitched in a mocking smile. “Of course I want to live—I want it more than anything, more than anyone…”
She had pursued this for so long, for so painfully long, that she was honestly exhausted.
“Then let’s—”
The next second, Chu Qianli suddenly hurled the stone in her hand and slammed it hard into the mechanism for the 31st path. She shouted in rage, “But living a good life is so damn exhausting!”
Precisely because she wanted to live so badly, resentment sometimes welled up inside her. Why was it so easy for others? People who couldn’t even see their own fate could live long, peaceful lives—why was she the one who had to suffer this for no reason?
If everyone has a life lesson to learn, was hers to accept death?
Everyone has a dark side. More than once, she had thought—maybe that’s it, maybe this is where it ends.
She wasn’t that important. Dying young didn’t really matter. The world would go on without her. Why keep chasing a result that had no visible end?
If not for the discipline of astrology, and if not for Xingxing—who accompanied her without complaint—she would have given up long ago.
The stone struck the Judgment card mechanism with perfect precision. The surrounding mountain walls exploded with a deafening roar. Flames burst forth in all directions, far more powerful than any previous card!
Mortals have no right to judge. Only gods can judge with true impartiality.
“What’s going on!?”
The others were terrified by the successive explosions, completely confused by the strange phenomenon around them.
Several fire dragons fell from the sky, scorching the mountainside and leaving blackened streaks as waves of heat surged outward, nearly toppling the crowd!
The once silent chasm turned into an instant inferno. Blazing tongues of fire rose up, mercilessly devouring anyone outside the safe zones.
Chu Qianli and Lin, along with others, weren’t within the safe zone. Fiery sparks rained down, burning her skin and leaving behind searing pain.
“The sixth orb has dropped!”
She had completed it in the end.
Lin stared at Chu Qianli in disbelief. Gun in hand, he approached, his face twisting with fury and humiliation.
“Lin, you always thought you were the chosen one, didn’t you?” Chu Qianli stood amidst the blazing flames. Explosions went off all around her. She was barely able to stand on the pillar, yet she still laughed. “Why don’t we see who’s really chosen—who’ll survive this?”
If this was fate’s trial for her, then she had given it everything she had. The rest could be left to the heavens to settle.
“Judgment has begun.”
Both their faces were blackened and scorched.
Lin didn’t hesitate. He aimed and pulled the trigger. “No need to test it!”
Bang!
She had to die here!
A violent burst of fire exploded above them. The shockwave flung both of them into the air, leaving behind only choking smoke.
Lin hit the ground hard. As he gathered himself, he fired several more rounds into the smoke without hesitation—ruthlessly aiming to finish off Chu Qianli.
When the dust from the explosion cleared, the Pillar of Severity was empty.
The next moment, the surrounding stone walls collapsed with a thunderous crash, and waves of flame engulfed everyone left behind.
![You’re Causing Chaos Again [e-sports]](https://www.freenovels.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/1sMqC2JNjIep8Ov.jpg "You’re Causing Chaos Again [e-sports]")
