Chapter 1682: Chapter 866: Deadly Calculation "You... Young Master?!" Several Elders of the Xiao family, especially those who pinned high hopes on the branch of Xiao Tianquan, disregarded hierarchy and rushed to the main seat. They checked Xiao Tianquan’s breath, felt his pulse, and sensed his Divine Sense. In an instant, their faces turned as pale as white paper. Some took out Pills and tried to stuff them into Xiao Tianquan’s mouth. But their hands were trembling, and it took them a long time, without any effect. Xiao Tianquan’s seven orifices bled ominously, and he had no breath left. "Rea... Really... dead..." In an instant, everyone felt a chill run through their entire body. An elderly Elder of the Xiao family looked up at Master Xia, his gaze filled with accusation, blame, and resentment. Yet, due to the difference in Cultivation and status, he didn’t dare show it too obviously, only saying in a grudging voice: "Master Xia... what on earth is going on?" The Golden Cores of the Xia family looked at each other in dismay. Master Xia himself furrowed his brows deeply, losing the calm demeanor he usually maintained. This matter was indeed too bizarre. He never imagined that one day someone would suddenly die in front of him without his Perception picking up any clue. There were no signs of Spiritual Power or Blood Qi, nor any traces of Spiritual Artifacts or Taoist Skills. Just like that... he drank a cup of wine, went mad, and then died. To outsiders, it even seemed like... He, the Feathered Immortal, had killed Xiao Tianquan! Master Xia approached Xiao Tianquan. Several Elders of the Xiao family displayed wary expressions, wanting to stop him, but due to Master Xia’s profound Cultivation and imposing demeanor, they hesitated. At this moment, the elderly Elder of the Xiao family suddenly sighed and said sincerely: "Our young master of the Xiao family met with misfortune and died abruptly. I ask Master Xia for a clear judgment and to give us justice." "Elder!" Some of the other Elders of the Xiao family were still indignant. "Shut up!" The elderly Elder of the Xiao family sternly reprimanded in a low voice and shook his head, saying, "This matter has nothing to do with Master Xia." The Xia family and the Xiao family had an alliance, with Xiao Tianquan being a key figure. Master Xia had no reason to kill the young master of the Xiao family. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞 Moreover, if he wanted to kill, he wouldn’t do it in such a setting, in front of so many Elders of the Xiao family. Earlier, the incident happened too suddenly, and the Elders of the Xiao family were in shock and anger, but pondering for a moment now, they realized and no longer stopped Master Xia. Master Xia approached the gruesomely deceased Xiao Tianquan, examined briefly, and frowned even tighter. No trace at all... Even with his years of experience in investigation, he couldn’t find a single clue. It was as if, in a moment of euphoria, his mind snapped, unable to suppress the Evil Qi, rebounded, the Sea of Consciousness ruptured, bleeding from seven orifices to death... This is impossible. Master Xia took out from his sleeve a palm-sized blue jade Compass and was about to deduce Causality. But as soon as the Thought arose, with a flick of his finger, his pupil shrank, and he immediately covered the Compass. Master Xia said nothing, putting the Compass back into his sleeve slowly. But no one knew that the hand he hid in his sleeve was also trembling. At the same time, a deep chill surged in Master Xia’s heart. Malicious omen! This was the most menacing omen he had ever sensed, hidden within the Cause and Effect, extremely terrifying. Master Xia’s gaze became sharp. The Heavenly Mechanism Technique is quite special and not all cultivators would study it, and most wouldn’t even believe it. But he had once heard from an expert: Do not observe the heavenly secrets, do not spy on Cause and Effect, misfortune and blessing are unpredictable, life is not controlled by oneself. This line left a deep impression on him. Therefore, after his Feather Transformation, he put great effort and devotion into seeking guidance from an Ancestor in his clan, spending well over a decade before gaining the Ancestor’s wisdom, learning a bit of the Heavenly Mechanism Technique. But the Dao of the Heavenly Mechanism stands unique, vastly different from the usual spell point of cultivation. He learned it after Feather Transformation, and to date, has only grasped bits and pieces. But just these few bits "pieces," have overturned his understanding of the entire Cultivation World. Some things, appearing to be natural disasters, are in truth caused by humans. Under seemingly foolish appearances lie deep and vast machinations and calculations. The people of the world, each appearing "independent", are in fact puppets set on a pre-ordained Divine Sense track, wound with a "spring." And now, his understanding was overturned once more. He personally experienced that the "great terror" spoken of by the Ancestor existing within the Heavenly Mechanism Causality is indeed real... Master Xia remembered deeply that the Ancestor of the Xia family once said: "Heavenly Mechanism Causality, measure if you can, refrain if you can." Measure if you can’ means, don’t be afraid to waste Divine Sense, don’t be lazy, check Causality more often in leisure, some apparently simple matters may hide heavenly secrets. "Refrain if you can" means, once there is a premonition of danger, stop immediately to avoid calculating something that shouldn’t be calculated, drawing an unknown great disaster. Previously he was always "measure if you can", but now, he encountered for the first time the situation of "refrain if you can". Master Xia’s expression was extremely grave. The Elders of the Xiao family looked at each other in panic when they saw this, and asked in a low voice: "Lord Inspector, have you found anything?" Master Xia came back to his senses, his face as calm as water. After a moment, his eyes flashed with insight, and he said slowly: "The meridians of the flesh, the Qi Sea, and the Sea of Consciousness, all self-destructed without any sign of external force... Either there was a mistake in cultivation, or..." Master Xia paused slightly, then said firmly, "A Heavenly Mechanism Great Power used the Causality Skill to sever his vitality!"