Yu Zikuan descended the mountain just in time before the activation of the Invitation to God Formation. He decisively placed the small sects he had just escorted down, nonchalantly leaping into the besieged Kushan sect.
“I need to go back.” He spoke rapidly. “This formation is weird. Do you all have any idea?”
Shi Jingzhi glanced at his dirty mask. “This formation is powerful. It’s better for Your Excellency to give up. Zongwu Mountain is too big, and the small sects are running around; there will inevitably be casualties. We do our best and leave the rest to fate. This way…”
Yu Zikuan interrupted him with a trace of bitterness in his voice. “Well, I understand. Everyone, let’s part here.”
Shi Jingzhi sighed. “This formation is clearly designed to drain people’s qi and immobilize them. Those with strong inner force can survive a little longer. But once in the formation, all qi is depleted, and escape is impossible.”
“I know, but A’Zheng is still in there. I must go.” Yu Zikuan shook his head and turned to leave.
“Hold on.”
Yin Ci suddenly spoke up.
He took off the white jade hairband on his head, and his long hair fell instantly. Yin Ci stroked the hairband, then looked at Shi Jingzhi. “This hairband is engraved with a protective spell. The essence of the protection formation is a qi shield. The Invitation to God Formation will consume the shield first, so the person in the shield will still retain some energy, allowing for a little more action.”
Shi Jingzhi suddenly understood. “A’Ci, you wouldn’t—”
“The spell works best when a person is used as material.” Yin Ci smiled; most of the coldness in his smile had dissipated. “However, Shizun forbids me to harm myself, so I can only have him help with this matter.”
With a swipe of the Hanging Shadow Sword, a good chunk of Yin Ci’s long hair was cut off. He quickly tied up the hair. “It just so happens that Shizun’s wounds haven’t healed yet, so just add some blood to it.”
Before he could finish tying his hair, Shi Jingzhi quickly cut off a large chunk of his own. Sect Master Shi alternately stroked his hair with his two injured hands, and the originally black and shiny hair emitted a strong smell of blood.
“The more, the better. It’s best to be well prepared. Here, A’Ci, tie them together.”
Time was urgent. Although Yin Ci felt like he was being teased by this little brat, he didn’t delve into it.
Yin Ci firmly tied the two strands of long hair and handed them along with the hairband to Yu Zikuan. “Take this. Activate the spell as soon as you enter the mountain. The summoning formation is too strong, so it won’t last long. You must go and return quickly.”
Seeing Yu Zikuan open his mouth, Yin Ci frowned and immediately interrupted him. “There’s no need for useless words of thanks. This hairband is my treasured possession. If it doesn’t work, you’d better die somewhere noticeable so I can find it… Now go.”
Yu Zikuan took a deep breath, swallowing the words on the tip of his tongue. He stuffed the bloody hair into his arms and charged straight into Zongwu Mountain.
Shi Jingzhi turned his head instantly. “Treasured possession?”
“I just told the truth.” Yin Ci looked at him with amusement.
“It’s rare to see A’Ci be so enthusiastic.”
Yin Ci looked in the direction Yu Zikuan had left, his smile fading slightly. “As the saying goes, things should not pass in threes, but some things only need to be experienced once*… It’s just empathy.”
*He’s combining two idioms together. The first part, “Nothings should be done three times in a row” comes from Journey to the West, which refers to one should not repeat a mistake more than twice. The second, “but some things only need to be tasted (experienced) once” refers to there are some experiences that one goes through that are so painful or profound that you learn from them immediately.
Losing someone precious and being helpless about it was undoubtedly the most suffocating pain in the world. Yin Ci, accustomed to watching the world’s tragedies with a cold eye, now felt his heart softening, even harboring an almost childish thought—perhaps by helping Yu Zikuan, he could accumulate some merit and prevent a similar misfortune from happening to Shi Jingzhi.
But this idea was too subtle. Even his thick old face couldn’t bear it, and he would never say it out loud.
On Zongwu Mountain, in the hall of the Grand Pavilion.
It felt like taking shelter under the eaves in heavy rain. Yan Zheng’s surroundings warmed up slightly. That oppressive force was blocked by something, allowing him to breathe again.
Yan Zheng straightened his trembling knees, trying hard to lift his eyelids. “Yu Zikuan?”
“Yeah.” Yu Zikuan pushed the mask aside. “Time is limited. Let’s get going first.”
The Invitation to God Formation mercilessly continued to operate. Even a young and powerful person like Yan Zheng was now taking his last breath. The older people, like Elder Kong, had already turned into twisted flesh on the floor, already lifeless.
Yan Zheng moved his dry lips, but no sound came out for a long time. He was angry at Yu Zikuan for being too stubborn, daring to rush back into the deadly formation. However, the fact that “someone was willing to come back for him” made Yan Zheng unable to control the mixed feelings of sour and sweet in his heart.
“I’ve made arrangements for you.” He grabbed Yu Zikuan’s sleeve again, somewhat deliriously. “You have to escort the innocent small sects down the mountain…”
For the past six years, Yan Zheng wasn’t blind to Yu Zikuan’s intentions. He was of the same age as Yu Zikuan’s deceased son, and there were no companions in the mountains. To some extent, Great Warrior Yu projected his feelings onto him. Even if he raised a dog, six years would be enough to accumulate some affection.
So he had already arranged an excuse for Yu Zikuan, saying he couldn’t save himself.
Why did Yu Zikuan come back? And how did he manage to move within this deadly formation? Yan Zheng was extremely weakened, and his mind was muddled.
“They have already gone down the mountain,” Yu Zikuan patiently explained. “This time, I’m here to take you.”
“Your Excellency… I…”
“I know what you want to say. I don’t intend to forgive anyone for their blood debts. As a member of Taiheng, I naturally have to punish the wicked and promote the good.”
Yu Zikuan placed one hand on Yan Zheng’s shoulder.
“Those who don’t repent are to be killed; those who can distinguish between good and evil are to be punished. Yan Zheng, you still have the medical skills of the Yan Clan, which are useful in the world. As one of the enemies of the Ling Sect, I sentence you to save as many people as you have harmed. Are you willing?”
Yan Zheng wavered in place, looking at the bodies of the Ling Sect disciples all around. He stepped down from the position of Patriarch and squeezed out a response.
“Mm.”
Yu Zikuan gave a tired smile. “It’s a deal.”
After saying that, he took out the white jade hairband from his chest and took a hurried look at it. Most of the hair tied within had turned into dust, and it continued to crumble. He held the hairband in his left hand, hoisted Yan Zheng, who was barely breathing, on his right shoulder, and made a full sprint towards the mountain exit.
It seemed as if the pressure of the Invitation to God Formation had significantly increased after discovering these two fish had slipped through the net. The blood-soaked hair seemed to be burned by invisible flames, disappearing at a rapid pace. The protective barrier around the two made faint shattering sounds and was on the verge of collapsing. Despite the impact of the summoning formation’s “sealing movement”, Yu Zikuan, having depleted all his inner force, ran all the way with hardly any qi left.
Every step forward took multiple times the effort. The hair was about to burn out, exposing him under the formation, giving him the feeling as if his whole body was submerged in an icy swamp. As Yu Zikuan’s vision was getting darker, his many years of intuition collided in his mind—
He was about to collapse.
For the unknown origins of the master and disciple from the Kushan Sect, the protection provided by the blood and hair for over half an hour was already extraordinary. Seeing the boundary of the mountain was near, Yu Zikuan gritted his teeth and stuffed the hairband into Yan Zheng’s arms.
Yan Zheng was still young and had been in a state of resting for quite some time, so he could still muster some strength to save himself. He himself had already reached his limit and was afraid he could only stop here.
“Remember to give the hairband… back to Yin Ci from the Kushan Sect,” Yu Zikuan said with difficulty. He put Yan Zheng down on the ground and gave him a push towards the mountain edge. “Go quickly. Don’t look back…”
At this moment of life and death, Yan Zheng actually laughed.
He barely steadied himself and then, in the next moment, propped up Yu Zikuan from the ground. Both of them were extremely weak and nearly fell together.
“The villains of the Ling Sect are still roaming around the world. They need a great warrior like you to monitor them,” Yan Zheng gasped, struggling to hold up the tall and burly Yu Zikuan. “Don’t look back? At this point… I am not that useless. Of course I will look back.”
With the hair completely burned, the protective shield shattered, and with the loss of the vital qi, so did the restraint against the formation. Yan Zheng decisively slit his wrist and sprinkled his blood on the white jade hairband, stubbornly taking one step after another towards the mountain exit. The effect of the blood was limited. Yan Zheng could see his flesh and hair withering and drying, but he still forced himself to maintain his stance, struggling forward, almost falling down.
It felt like the time it takes to make a cup of tea was like a hundred years, but they finally moved out of the edge of the Invitation to God Formation.
The heavy pressure lifted from their bodies, and both of them almost simultaneously fell to the ground. Yan Zheng’s long hair was spread all over the ground. What was originally black as ebony, was now as white as snow.
Both of them fell into a deep coma. The cool breeze along the mountain swept away the fog as dead grass rose and fell with their chests—the rise and fall was slight and slow, but it truly existed.
Compared to them, the situation of several others in the Kushan Sect was even more complicated.
Yan Qing looked at the slowly disappearing corpses and felt a chill run down his spine. The slight relief of defeating Chai Xin completely evaporated from his mind. If Shen Zhu hadn’t encountered Yu Zikuan that night, they would all have been on the mountain by now.
This formation was extremely dangerous. Once it was activated, even self-rescue was impossible. The Taiheng Sect, the Chigou Sect, the smaller sects that came to join in the fun, and the entire Ling Sect would have been caught in the Invitation to God Formation. If the main branch of the Ling Sect was destroyed, the various branches would surely fall into madness, and with the closure of the Jianchen Temple and the recent change of leadership in Taiheng, it was hard to say how long the unrest would last.
On the other hand, the discovery of the Shirou created chaos first, followed by inexplicable casualties from various sects. No one wanted to swallow their own teeth and blood*, and after this change, chaos in the martial world was imminent.
*Idiom referring to suffering a loss or humiliation in silence without being able to vent or express one’s grievances.
This dangerous formation was clearly the root cause of the fire.
But who would benefit from the chaos in the martial world? Yan Qing’s head was spinning, and he couldn’t figure it out. Those who had witnessed the Invitation to God Formation devouring living people also came to their senses and turned their attention back to the Kushan Sect.
No one was a fool. Seeing the scene before them and looking at the actions of the Kushan Sect, anyone with a clear mind could guess a few things. This time, it was hard to say whether “the Kushan Sect got a clue about the Shirou” was true or not, but it was a certainty that they lured them down the mountain.
Jin Lan was the first to speak. “Sect Master Shi, the formation…?”
“That’s a death formation set up by a villain, which we just happened to encounter,” Shi Jingzhi answered with revitalized spirit. “The formation is truly horrifying. We had no other choice but to lie about obtaining clues, hence this last resort.”
While speaking, Sect Master Shi shook the flag in his hand, causing his wound to bleed again. His sincere gaze was so hair-raising that it was as if he was about to say pitifully, “This is all for saving you. You should be thanking the Kushan Sect.”
Unfortunately, his good looks and eyes made his cunningness just right, making it hard for anyone to get angry.
Jin Lan: “…” He was more used to the modest style of people in the martial world and had some difficulty adapting to Sect Master Shi’s audacious manner.
Seeing Jin Lan not responding, Shi Jingzhi deliberately added vital qi to his voice. “We have been standing here for quite a while, and you all have seen our sect’s strength. If we really had the clue, we would have fled long ago. Why would we still be dawdling here?”
“Who knows?” A shout came from a small sect. “Just now you gave that man hair, and that man returned to the mountain. You know exactly how to deal with this formation. Maybe you were the ones who set up this dangerous formation!”
“I heard about the affairs of the Mishan Sect a few days ago. They, the Kushan Sect, are well-versed in battle formations, and they even ruined the Arcane Arts of the Mishan Sect—”
“I think the Sect Master orchestrated everything himself, just to earn everyone’s favor.”
Jin Lan’s heart skipped a beat.
Indeed, he was able to think positively about the situation because he had a decent impression of the Kushan Sect. However, for others, the Kushan Sect no longer had any reputation or credibility to speak of. He didn’t know how Shi Jingzhi could escape from this…
“Hm? Well, it’s not wrong for you to think so.”
Shi Jingzhi smiled and folded his arms behind his back.
“If our sect can form such a deadly formation, then it wouldn’t be difficult to kill all of you. Is it that you all want to refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit?”
Jin Lan numbly looked at Yan Qing, who evasively avoided his questioning gaze. Indeed, he had underestimated the thickness of Sect Master Shi’s face. After all, he hadn’t heard that the Kushan Sect was considered a righteous sect.
Even his disciple was cooperating and unreservedly emitting a thick murderous aura, making people dare not act rashly.
“For those who think they were rescued by my sect and want to return the favor, please share any clues you’ve discovered these days. If you don’t have any clues, you can just thank me loudly.”
“As for the idiots who think that my sect went to great lengths to create this deadly formation just to deceive you into being grateful… According to you, the deadly formation was created by me, the Kushan Sect, so the main branch of the Ling Sect must have been destroyed by my sect, right? The martial world became a bit more peaceful; shouldn’t you pay some reward?”
Sect Master Shi, with his fox eyes half-closed, seemed to be calculating everyone’s debts. Jin Lan, who had been in the martial world for a long time, had never seen such a… such an impolite person.
However, “just saying thank you” was counted as repaying the debt, and it was much better than forcibly seizing or harming lives. Jin Lan sighed inwardly.
Even if he was a wanted person, a favor was a favor. It would be better to withdraw as soon as possible and report the big news of the “destruction of the Ling Sect’s main branch” rather than continue to waste time on this clue. The Ling Sect’s branches were causing trouble, and Taiheng’s manpower was even more insufficient.
Jin Lan reluctantly took a step forward and faced the cheerful Shi Jingzhi. “Taiheng has never liked to owe favors. The findings of these past few days have been organized by my sect, and I will present them to the Sect Master now. Let’s leave it at that for now. Next time we meet, Taiheng will still want to arrest the Kushan Sect.”
With Taiheng taking the lead, the rest of the smaller sects also followed suit. They lined up one by one, either to express their gratitude or provide information. Not to mention the Invitation to God Formation showed no signs of stopping, even if it disappeared immediately, the smaller sects wouldn’t dare approach Zongwu Mountain anymore.
Speaking wouldn’t cause any harm, and it would settle their debts, allowing them to sever ties with the Kushan Sect as soon as possible.
The four people from the Kushan Sect transformed into harvest farmers and began to reap the readily available information. The broken clues piled up like a mountain, and amidst their laughter, a rough outline of the map slowly emerged.
Yin Ci looked at the increasingly cheerful Shi Jingzhi and couldn’t help but feel emotional.
Yan Budu wanted to see the conflict between the sects, so he allowed a sea of people to search. They had to either respond with a carpet-style search or stir up conflicts halfway to seize others’ results. For the Kushan Sect, which didn’t have many people, neither path was easy. Who knew that this fox would actually find a way to solve the problem?
Shi Jingzhi seemed to have eyes on the back of his head. Noticing Yin Ci’s gaze, he slowly turned his head. “A’Ci, how is it? Don’t always be hard on yourself.”
Even pretending to cough, Sect Master Shi teased, “Where is your ‘It won’t happen again’?”
Yin Ci: “I’ll go for a walk around later and look for Yu Zikuan.”
“Okay, I’ll go with you… Wait, don’t change the topic!”
Yin Ci’s gaze softened. He leaned forward, and his warm breath wafted into Shi Jingzhi’s ear. “It won’t happen again.”
When the two servants from the Kushan Sect disappeared from sight, Yan Zheng picked up a long knife from the pile of corpses. He raised it up and swiftly brought it down. Chai Xin’s head separated from his body, leaving behind a slow trickle of blood emerging from his neck. Yan Zheng grabbed the desiccated white hair of the head, holding it in his hand, and turned in the direction of the Grand Pavilion.
The eyes of Chai Xin’s severed head were half-open as filthy blood dripped onto the stone slabs. Yan Zheng, holding the head, looked about 70% similar to Yan Budu of the past, but his aura was too calm, quiet to the point of death, like a dying fire.
“Just go down the mountain,” Yan Zheng said to Yu Zikuan with his back turned, his tone unnaturally cold. “There’s no need to go out of your way to confirm. I won’t run.”
Yu Zikuan frowned but remained silent.
“In the six years we’ve known each other, when have I ever not kept my word?” Yan Zheng stopped walking but still didn’t turn around. “You and I have broken the dam with ant holes*. I have already killed all the talented individuals. This time with Chai Xin’s head, I’ll call back the elders outside the mountain, and there will be no one to stand in my way. By sunset, the Ling Sect’s main branch will be destroyed. You can just watch from outside the mountain.”
*It’s referring to the idiom the embarkment of a thousand miles collapse because of an ant’s nest (千里之堤，溃于蚁穴). It’s a metaphor referring to the importance of paying attention to detail, as ignoring small problems can eventually lead to catastrophic consequences (AKA For want of a nail).
“What about you?” Yu Zikuan finally spoke.
Yan Zheng didn’t answer directly. There was a trace of barely perceptible trembling in his voice. “There are still quite a few small sects left on the mountain that haven’t retreated. Compared to dawdling here, Warrior Yu has more important things to do.”
Chai Xin didn’t bring all his followers with him. If he called everyone back and then left alone, those people would definitely become suspicious. Besides, Chai Xin was right about one thing—for the past eight years, he couldn’t escape the blood debt that the Ling Sect had accumulated under the banner of a “Yan Family’s Descendant”.
When the Invitation to God Formation activated, he would accompany the Ling Sect’s main branch in its burial with his own strength. It was good enough when the dust settled.
“Two days ago, a scout from the Ling Sect reported that there is a small sect stationed in the southwest of Zongwu Mountain. It doesn’t interact with other sects and probably hasn’t received the news. Time is running short. I hope Warrior Yu can lead them down the mountain.”
Yu Zikuan stared at him for a while, then grunted in affirmation.
Yan Zheng used his red clothes to cover his wounds, rising into the air without bidding farewell to Yu Zikuan. Yu Zikuan stood there for a while until Yan Zheng’s figure disappeared in the fog, then he turned and left.
There were still quite a few people left in the Grand Pavilion—most of them were weaklings unfit for battle. When they saw the current Patriarch carrying the head of the former Patriarch, they all held their breath, not daring to make a sound. A few old guys who had been unhappy with Chai Xin were all smiles, and Yan Zheng could guess what they were thinking.
With Chai Xin dead and him only in his early twenties, this bunch of old guys were probably already redrawing the power dynamics in their heads.
Yan Zheng cleared his throat. “Chai Xin planned to monopolize the clues to the Shirou and purposely used the Kushan Sect to spread false news. This Seat got the upper hand, yet he tried to kill me.”
After being immersed in the demonic sect for many years, whether it was lies or bullshit, Yan Zheng could easily spew them out.
Sure enough, the hall immediately filled with cursing. In the Ling Sect, only strength was respected. “Good relations” never existed. Now that the once high and mighty Elder Chai was reduced to a head, even if he asked them to kick it around like a ball, these people would do it.
The flamboyant Elder Kong winked; his tone exceptionally joyous. “All the major sects have been led out of the mountain by that Chai Xin, leaving him as bait. What a poisonous scheme!”
“The Patriarch got the clue. With this, the Chigou Sect will surely be jealous—it’s better to call our brothers back and defend the Grand Pavilion,” someone agreed right away.
“If we retreat, won’t the other sects get suspicious?”
“Who cares, Zongwu Mountain is easy to defend and hard to attack. It’s better than wasting our strength…”
Yan Zheng sat in the Patriarch’s chair, his body hurting to the point of numbness as fresh blood continued soaking the lining of his outer robe. Chai Xin’s head tilted at his feet, while the hall was still filled with the scent of wine and laughter.
He could hardly hide the irony in his smile. “Exactly, let’s call all our brothers back. Once everyone is here, I have an important announcement. Now that Chai Xin is dead, the positions of the elders need to be reassigned.”
The hall erupted with a mix of cheers, roars, and strange laughter. Seeing the messenger leave, Yan Zheng didn’t bother to bandage his wounds. He stepped on Chai Xin’s head, picked up a jug of wine, and coldly watched the chaos below.
For the first time, the “monkeys” in front of him, who were shouting and screaming, didn’t make him feel despair.
Blood slowly drained from his body, and the noise around him blurred into one. Yan Zheng looked pale as he turned to the window of the Grand Pavilion, where light was shining through. The fog outside the pavilion hadn’t dispersed, and he could only see the oppressive silhouette of the mountain.
He wondered if Yu Zikuan had left yet.
The liquor in his throat tasted slightly bitter, and the scent of blood hung heavily around his feet. It was at this moment that Yan Zheng finally realized: Everything was about to come to an end.
What a long six years it had been.
When he found out that Chai Xin was the true mastermind, Yan Zheng had considered simpler methods of revenge. He had tried to poison him, assassinate him, and launch numerous sneak attacks. However, Chai Xin had survived in the demonic sect for far too long. The murderous intent of a fifteen-year-old boy seemed no different to him than a kitten’s scratch.
Chai Xin even praised Yan Zheng from time to time. [Not bad, you’re ambitious for power at such a young age. You really do have the makings of a member of the Ling Sect.]
Yan Zheng had tried to build his own power base, but he didn’t understand how to coerce or persuade, and every member of the Ling Sect had their quirks. He tried his utmost for half a year, but in the end, he was helpless. His enemy was within reach, yet he couldn’t kill him no matter what. Besides being a puppet leader, it seemed he had no other choice.
During this half-year, news gradually spread that “the Ling Sect now has a ‘ghost eye’ leader”. The various branches developed rapidly, and the number of people killed by the Ling Sect doubled. The originally declining Ling Sect was gradually showing signs of revival.
So, Yan Zheng thought of death.
Death was the ultimate defiance; it would shatter the Ling Sect’s signboard of “a descendant of the Yan Clan”. It was his last counterattack and his only remaining path to redemption.
On a certain day, a Ling Sect side branch took back a large area in the northwest, and the followers celebrated wildly, torturing civilians for fun in the halls. The lights in the Grand Pavilion flickered, and fresh blood stained the newly painted beams. Amid the orderly chaos, Yan Zheng sneaked into a corpse cart and quietly left.
He had to die in a noticeable place, such as the entrance to Zongwu Mountain.
But before Yan Zheng could reach his destination, an arrow pierced his shoulder without warning. In the blink of an eye, a shining sword was pointing at his throat.
“Indeed, you are the bastard of the Yan Clan.” The man’s eyes were bloodshot and full of hatred. “I’ve been following you for so long. I didn’t expect you to make it so easy.”
Recognizing the man’s Taihang Sect attire, Yan Zheng quickly realized his situation. This wasn’t so bad. If he were killed by someone from the Taihang Sect, the news would spread even faster.
Yan Zheng didn’t scream or curse. He just sat on the ground, holding his arrow wound, silent.
The man paused for a moment. “Before I take your life, I have something to ask. Is Lu Fengxi, from your sect, currently at the main branch? How long will he stay at Zongwu Mountain?”
“I can tell you, but I have a condition.”
The man sneered. “If you want to beg for mercy…”
“I hope Your Excellency will make it quick.” Yan Zheng looked at the damp ground beneath his knees. “You can do what you want with This Seat’s body. Even if you hang it at the foot of Zongwu Mountain, I won’t have any complaints.”
The man eyed him suspiciously for a moment, then sheathed his sword. “Speak.”
“Is Your Excellency Yu Zikuan, the Great Warrior of the Yu Clan? In recent years, the only Taihang-related people killed by Lu Fengxi are Mrs. He, the wife of Yu Zikuan from Taihang, and their only son, Yu Qiuwen.”
“Correct,” Yu Zikuan said hoarsely. “You are a small puppet, but you seem to know a lot.”
“Lu Fengxi is repairing weapons at the main branch and will stay for about ten days. His staff is complex, and he needs to go down the mountain personally to select materials. If you want to take action, you can wait for him to leave the mountain.”
After finishing speaking, Yan Zheng closed his eyes, showing a relieved expression.
“I’ve told you what you wanted to know; now it’s your turn to fulfill your promise.”
Yu Zikuan, an elder of Taihang, was well known for his passionate nature. After his wife and child tragically died, he caused quite a stir in the martial world. Now, Yu Zikuan seemed half-mad, with his reason mostly gone, and he wouldn’t hesitate just because Yan Zheng was young.
It seemed fate was on his side.
The man made a slight movement, his boots grinding against the dirt. However, the next moment, pain didn’t come from his neck or chest but from his scalp—Yu Zikuan grabbed his hair, forcing Yan Zheng to stand.
“I don’t know why you want to die, and I don’t care about the internal affairs of a demonic sect.” Yu Zikuan sneered. “But you, after all, possess the ghost eye of the Yan Clan. It would be a waste to just let you die.”
Yan Zheng opened his eyes, looking at him expressionlessly.
Yu Zikuan’s face turned sinister. “Kid, since you want to die, it seems you don’t like the Ling Sect very much. Since you are going to die anyway, why not let me use you first.”
“I have no value to be used.” Yan Zheng spoke softly. “As you said, I am just a puppet.”
“For a half-grown kid like you, it’s natural that you can’t fight a bunch of old lunatics. As for power tactics and people-reading skills, I’ll teach you. If we work together, it’s not impossible to bring down the Ling Sect.”
“You trust me?” Yan Zheng’s words carried a hint of sarcasm.
Yu Zikuan chuckled and took out a pill from his pocket, pushing it into Yan Zheng’s throat. “This is a blood gu* from the Gu Tower. I was planning to use it on Lu Fengxi. But now it seems that feeding it to you is more suitable.”
*Referring to gu poison. It’s a venom-based poison that involves sealing several venomous creatures inside a closed container where they devour each other and allegedly concentrate their toxins in a single survivor.
Yan Zheng obediently swallowed it. Instead of vomiting, his eyes began to brighten.
“Are you willing to teach me?” Yan Zheng grabbed Yu Zikuan’s dirty sleeve. “Are you really willing to join forces with me and destroy the Ling Sect?”
“The Ling Sect is a tumor in the martial world. Just killing Lu Fengxi would not do justice to my wife and son.”
“But I don’t trust you either,” Yan Zheng murmured. “Before the Ling Sect is destroyed, you cannot kill Lu Fengxi, okay? If you kill Lu Fengxi in advance and leave, I won’t take the antidote for the blood gu.”
“Deal.”
‘As expected, even the heavens despise the Ling Sect,’ Yan Zheng thought.
In a joint effort with Yu Zikuan, they manipulated Chai Xin’s shortsightedness, silently allowing Yan Zheng to kill potential “rivals”. Years passed, and the Ling Sect didn’t prosper as they had hoped. Instead, the brief resurgence of the last two years seemed to be its last gasp before it once again embarked on an irreversible decline.
Collaborating with those from a demonic sect was a huge taboo in Taiheng. So, Yu Zikuan faked his death and secluded himself in Zongwu Mountain while Yan Zheng personally delivered his daily necessities. He hid so well that even the Yueshui Pavilion failed to detect Yu Zikuan’s whereabouts.
At first, Yu Zikuan taught Yan Zheng the art of power and physiognomy without uttering a word beyond that.
Perhaps bored by the mountain life, Yu Zikuan started teaching him Taiheng’s breathing methods and the weaknesses in the Ling Sect’s martial arts.
Later on, perhaps out of disapproval, Yu Zikuan taught him how to tie up his hair, how to deal with the bloodshed in the demonic sect, and how to barely keep going under the weight of fate.
“If you really can’t bear it, come and talk to me. It’s not a disgrace to lean on your elders once in a while.”
“Don’t exhaust yourself with pointless thoughts. We have a good goal—to uproot the Ling Sect, which can be considered atonement.”
“…Kid, if you insist on pursuing the deaths of those who have died over the years, I should bear half the responsibility. We share the guilt, okay?”
In the end, Yu Zikuan said that.
The Grand Pavilion made Yan Zheng feel like he was walking on thin ice, but the small grass hut brought him a bit of relief. Amidst the desolate mountains and the raging fog, Yan Zheng seemed to find a trace of his peaceful childhood. The act of “living” no longer seemed to be pure pain and torment.
The abyss behind him was now fenced in, and he no longer needed to walk alone in the darkness.
Compared to their initial encounter, Yu Zikuan’s madness had faded significantly, and his overwhelming hatred had turned into a calm persistence. Thus, Yan Zheng sent Lu Fengxi to the Ghost Tomb, hoping that seeing his sworn enemy punished would make Yu Zikuan take the issue of the Ling Sect’s destruction a little lighter.
Yu Zikuan, no longer as crazy as before, should have been able to see that the Ling Sect was on its last breath and that leaving at the right time would be the best choice.
But unfortunately, those from Taiheng were stubborn to the bone. Yu Zikuan not only didn’t leave but also gave him the antidote to the blood gu without a word of complaint.
“We’re even now.” Warrior Yu clicked his tongue, shaking his head.
But the ending could still be considered perfect. Yan Zheng sighed softly. Just now, when he was talking with Yu Zikuan, as soon as he touched the care in the other’s words, his remaining weakness couldn’t be suppressed. Yan Zheng almost wavered—
He almost wanted to live.
Fortunately, deep pain had accompanied him for several years. It was just a touch of soft affection that could easily be dissipated. Yu Zikuan hadn’t tainted innocent blood and deserved to live. But he, caught in the dark vortex, had long lost that right.
The fog was dyed gray red by the setting sun. Finally, a loud explosion echoed in Yan Zheng’s ears. To say it was a loud explosion might not be accurate, for the sound bypassed his ears and directly pounded into his brain. A strange fear surged from his feet, and Yan Zheng couldn’t help but shiver.
Such power… it must be the Invitation to God Formation.
The next moment, as the formation activated, the surrounding air suddenly became sticky, pinning Yan Zheng firmly to his chair. Inside the formation, his whole body was filled with a stinging pain, accompanied by a void-like cold.
Winter had passed, but the feeling was like standing naked in the cold winter snow or being ground to dust between two millstones. His internal organs twitched, his heart pounded, and his limbs were completely unresponsive. The earth trembled slightly, causing Chai Xin’s head to roll down the stairs towards the panicked crowd.
Here were gathered the most brutal and arrogant lunatics of Great Yun. They used to treat human life like grass, but now they all kneeled on the ground, screaming inaudibly and moaning in the face of death.
Yan Zheng’s vision went black repeatedly, but the smile at the corner of his mouth got bigger and bigger.
…It’s really over now. He closed his eyes.
This was the moment he had longed for the most, but it was different from what Yan Zheng had imagined. In the end, he held a hint of nostalgia. With the destruction of the Ling Sect, that person could also untie his knots and move forward, right?
Who would have thought that the next moment, Yan Zheng felt a long-lost pain on his scalp—a pair of hands grabbed his long hair and forced him to stand up.
“That’s enough,” said the familiar voice hoarsely. “Kid, let’s run.”
At the foot of Zongwu Mountain.
The setting sun slanted westward, and all the chaotic sects were frozen in place.
The strange golden cage of the Kushan Sect was still standing, but the “birds in the cage” had become four. Apart from Shen Zhu, who didn’t want to get close to the bloodshed, four people from the Kushan Sect stood at the center of the formation. The big shots of the Ling Sect had left early, while the Chigou Sect didn’t leave many people behind. Taiheng had no intention to fight, so the scene was more like a meeting of minions.
When a variable occurred on the mountain, even fewer people were willing to approach the Kushan Sect.
The Fog Tomb Array of the Ling Sect hadn’t been removed yet, which made the strange phenomenon even more pronounced—it was as if an invisible giant creature was reaching out from the mountain; its movements like a nimble long tongue, sweeping across the vast Zongwu Mountain. Wherever people could see, all the fog was stirred into chaos. Layer upon layer of thick fog, like river tides in a storm, was forced to rise into grotesque waves.
Some people from the Ling Sect were still retreating up the mountain. Despite the short distance, everyone watched as they knelt on the ground, struggling painfully and weakly, like desperate insects trapped in a spider’s web.
Although at different speeds, the followers of the Ling Sect were all gradually withering, as if something was sucking the life out of them. Several servants had even fallen to the ground, their bodies deflated like dry corpses. Not long after, their bodies, like ice cubes in a stove, slowly shrunk and twisted, flattening and shrinking, turning into a perforated human skin rug…
Eventually disappearing into nothingness.
Kinky Thoughts:
Me just sobbing uncontrollably in each arc. I’m glad Yan Zhang didn’t die… Did Nian Zhong finally grow a heart with these side characters?
“Dr. Yao!” Medical staff from other areas rushed in, all waiting for her instructions.
But she just waved her hand. “Seal the academy’s exits and split up to search.”
After dismissing everyone, Yao Tai took big strides towards Ping Zong.
Among everyone present, Ping Zong was the most anxious. Upon hearing the news of Lan Sheng’s disappearance, he stood there helplessly. Seeing Yao Tai approaching him, he was unsure why.
“Close your eyes,” Yao Tai said without hesitation as she pressed both of Ping Zong’s shoulders. “Focus your energy.”
Ping Zong closed his eyes as instructed, but his concern for Lan Sheng occupied most of his thoughts, and he couldn’t concentrate.
Yao Tai’s slow speech was in stark contrast to the current urgent situation; her voice was so calm that it seemed hypnotic.
“Feel his location.”
Ping Zong tried to think in the direction she pointed, but he was still kept out by Lan Sheng’s mental barrier. The resistance was stronger than he expected. The conflict was evident on his face, making Ling Xiao wish he could take his place.
In contrast, Ying Feng was much calmer. From Yao Tai’s words, he learned for the first time the extent of a Qizhu’s mental strength. No wonder they say that the Qizi have no freedom.
His gaze shifted from the troubled Ping Zong to the anxious Ling Xiao, who clenched his fists, looking as if he were the one exerting the effort.
Yao Tai continued her guidance. “Slowly, concentrate, and sense his position.”
Ping Zong shook his head in pain and opened his eyes. “I can’t do it.”
“You can.” Yao Tai still maintained her previous pace. “You’re his Qizhu. It’s your right. You must be resolute and not be swayed by his emotions.”
Ping Zong closed his eyes again, frowning and shaking his head. Time ticked away without any progress.
Just as Ling Xiao was getting anxious for him, Yao Tai’s soft voice suddenly turned sharp, startling everyone.
“Hurry! If we don’t find him, he’ll die!”
Ping Zong’s eyes shot open. “The rooftop! He’s on the rooftop!”
Everyone thought Lan Sheng had run away. They never expected him to be on the rooftop. Upon hearing the location, Ling Xiao was the first to dash out, followed closely by Ying Feng, whose speed matched his. Ping Zong, who most wanted to see Lan Sheng, was left behind because his body hadn’t fully recovered.
Ling Xiao was the first to reach the rooftop. But the sight before him made his heart race. Lan Sheng was standing on the edge. One more step, and he would plummet.
The wind billowed around him, his body swaying. Everyone stopped in their tracks, fearing that any noise might make him fall.
Ping Zong, the last to arrive, tried to push past Ling Xiao and Ying Feng to see, but they stood closer together, as if trying to delay the inevitable.
The noise caught Lan Sheng’s attention. He turned to look. The look in his eyes was seared into Ling Xiao’s memory—a look he’d never forget.
It was not the Lan Sheng he knew. Along with the darkness in his eyes, all signs of life seemed to have disappeared.
At that moment, Ling Xiao realized, without a doubt, that Lan Sheng truly wanted to die. Every word Yao Tai said by Ping Zong’s bedside was no exaggeration.
Ling Xiao, shocked, was pushed aside by Ping Zong, and the same scene unfolded before him.
Ling Xiao, seemingly coming back to his senses, urgently called out, “Ping Zong!”
But he couldn’t continue, at a loss for words.
Yao Tai, having been through such situations more than once, remained calm. She discreetly sent a distress signal via her personal terminal, hoping for timely assistance.
Then, Ping Zong spoke.
“Lan Sheng.” His voice was trembling. “I didn’t mean to retaliate. I truly wasn’t in control then. I don’t know what happened. Do you believe me?”
“What he said is true,” Ling Xiao quickly added, “The truth isn’t what the doctor said. We were all deceived. Ping Zong is also a victim. Apparently, during the coming-of-age ceremony, everyone is forced to act. You can distrust everyone, but how can you not trust Ping Zong? He sincerely wanted to give his heart’s blood for you. Do you think this outcome is what he hoped for?”
The words of these two people couldn’t shake Lan Sheng at all. An inorganic voice came from the wind and reached the ears of everyone present.
“The outcome is already determined. Does it matter whether it’s unintentional or intentional?”
This was definitely not the Lan Sheng that Ling Xiao was familiar with. The Lan Sheng he knew would never say such words to Ping Zong. Although he often had sharp words and was always pessimistic, he would never speak so coldly to his beloved.
It was only at this moment that Ling Xiao finally understood the mental disorder caused by the hormonal imbalance that Yao Tai mentioned—it was enough to turn one person into another, blinding their mind, controlling their actions, and even destroying their emotions.
“You come down first, and we can talk slowly, okay?” Ping Zong was still trying. “Dr. Yao said that you are currently experiencing a temporary hormonal imbalance. As long as we stay together for 72 hours, your mentality will return to normal. Please don’t do anything rash now.”
“It’s no use talking to him now,” Yao Tai whispered quickly behind him. “His current mental state can’t communicate with normal thinking. He won’t listen to anything you say.”
Ping Zong hesitated, obviously torn.
“Use the method I taught you. It’s the only way now. If you want him to live, you must control his mind. There’s no other way!”
“Lan Sheng!” Ping Zong called out unwillingly.
Yao Tai had lost hope in his indecision, and Ling Xiao’s anxiety was no less than that of Ping Zong. She exchanged glances with Ying Feng, and they both understood. The two tried to minimize their movements as they approached Lan Sheng from two different directions, trying to get close to him on the wall.
Now, Yao Tai only hoped that Ping Zong and Ling Xiao could buy them some time.
“Lan Sheng, do you remember what Dr. Yao and the professor said? As long as two souls are equal, their statuses are equal. I don’t know why things turned out this way, but I can promise you, whatever you promised me, I can do the same. Since we won’t abuse our rights, why are you so concerned about our status?”
“Lan Sheng, I promise you, I will cherish and respect you, using the power and rights I have to protect you. I will never oppress you with the position of the Qizhu. Our relationship remains the same; nothing will change. I’m asking you, not as a Qizhu but as a lover, can you please come down?”
—I willingly offer my heart’s blood, and in this life, I am his Qizi.
—I will also use the power and rights I have to protect him, and never oppress him with the position of the Qizhu.
Every word Ping Zong said was something Lan Sheng had said to him before, which had once confirmed his decision to spend his life with this man, even at the cost of his own life. But the same words couldn’t move the person in front of him at all, regardless of how Ping Zong tried to appeal to his emotions.
“Dr. Yao and the professor said that as long as two souls are equal, their statuses are equal.” Lan Sheng slowly turned around, and every little movement of his made everyone hold their breath. “But they also said that the professor willingly offered his heart’s blood during the coming-of-age ceremony and never regretted it.”
Yao Tai tensed up upon hearing this.
“Which statement should I believe?” Lan Sheng asked. “Dr. Yao deceived me, the professor deceived me, and even you deceived me.”
“I…” Ping Zong wanted to explain but found himself at a loss for words.
“For all these years, I prided myself on being able to protect you, even feeling proud of it. Thank you for satisfying my vanity for so long. My doubt only existed for a moment, when you blocked Ling Xiao’s punch. If it were me, I definitely couldn’t have done it without a scratch. Ling Xiao probably realized this long ago.”
“Even someone as obtuse as him realized that you’ve been indulging me all this time. Looking back, among the three of us, I am the most foolish one. I thought I was great when I was actually worthless.”
“You’re not!” Ping Zong retorted passionately. “I’ve never thought of you that way!”
“Every adult has been lying to us, my best friend hid things from me, and I can’t even trust the one I love.”
“Stop being foolish, alright?” Ling Xiao blurted out angrily. “He wasn’t trying to use you. Speaking of secrets, you two hid your relationship from me for three years. Did I ever say anything? Who said in the beginning that the bond between the Qizhu and Qizi would be based on each one’s own abilities? Even without all those lies, during the coming-of-age ceremony, you would still lose, still become the Qizi. How is that any different from today’s outcome?”
“You’re right,” Lan Sheng admitted nonchalantly. “I lost to you at the coming-of-age ceremony because I was less skilled. I shouldn’t blame you.”
“But I also can’t accept this version of me. I can’t accept living as a loser.”
“You’re not a loser!” Ping Zong roared, unable to hold back. “When I chose to become your Qizi, did you treat me as a loser?”
“I did say that to you, and I meant it. I still love you to this day. I just can’t accept myself. Thank you for putting up with me all these years. I’m sorry for holding you back in this life. In the next… No, there might not even be a chance to make up for it in the next life.”
“Lan Sheng!”
Lan Sheng’s voice was calm and composed. “Goodbye, Ping Zong.”
With one last glance at Ping Zong and Ling Xiao by his side, he leaned back, tracing an arc with his hand in the air.
Ling Xiao dashed to the edge without hesitation. Yao Tai and Ying Feng, who were closer, lunged from both sides. Yao Tai missed, but Ying Feng managed to grab a corner of Lan Sheng’s sleeve. However, the grip was slipping due to the weight. Without a second thought, Ling Xiao reached out to grasp Ying Feng’s hand and helped pull up, extending his other hand to grab Lan Sheng’s.
Turning to Ping Zong, who stood frozen, he yelled, “What are you waiting for? Help!”
Yao Tai deftly leaped over the barrier, one hand holding onto the edge and the other reaching for Lan Sheng, hanging in mid-air, attempting to pull him up.
“Watch out!” Ling Xiao, with sharp eyes, noticed Lan Sheng drawing a dagger from his waist and feigning a stab at Yao Tai, who swayed to dodge and almost lost her grip. Ling Xiao released Ying Feng and caught her just in time.
At that moment, Lan Sheng’s dagger suddenly changed direction, cutting off the corner of his sleeve. Ying Feng felt the weight disappear from his grasp, and they all watched helplessly as Lan Sheng plummeted.
“Lan Sheng!” Ling Xiao’s heart-wrenching scream echoed. Simultaneously, a brilliant flash of white light appeared, and to Ling Xiao’s astonishment, Pingzong appeared beside the falling Lan Sheng, gently embracing him. Their descent slowed until they safely landed on the ground.
Yao Tai used her right hand to propel herself back onto the rooftop. Ling Xiao turned around, but Ping Zong was nowhere to be found.
“What just happened?” Ling Xiao felt a sense of foreboding. Looking at Yao Tai, she turned away, closing her eyes in agony, as if she couldn’t bear to see.
With trembling lips, Ling Xiao managed to utter. “Dr. Yao…”
“In the end, he mastered a unique ability of the Qizhu,” Yao Tai murmured, “A power that can only be used once in a lifetime, the ultimate and most potent ability.”
“You mean…?”
“To exchange one’s life for another. That is the highest power of the Qizhu.”
On the distant ground, clarity returned to Lan Sheng’s eyes, but with it came confusion.
“Ping Zong, your body…”
Ping Zong’s body was starting to become transparent. “Lan Sheng, remember when you said that one life is just one life and that you wouldn’t hope for an uncertain next life? If I leave you in this life, you will continue living, cherishing the memories of me.”
He gently caressed Lan Sheng’s face, but all Lan Sheng felt was a wisp of smoke. “The things your crow’s mouth spews, they always come true.”
Around him, countless radiant spots emerged, intensifying in brightness and quantity, eventually forming a bright blue sphere, emitting blinding light.
Lan Sheng reached out but grasped nothing.
On this morning, the early risers of Bikong witnessed a bright blue orb rise from the direction of the medical building, piercing through the clouds towards the soul lighthouse, disappearing forever.
The author has something to say:
Tips: The Tianxiu people have a unique eye structure. They can see things in strong light and in the dark and are not far or nearsighted, so the glasses they wear are purely functional, like for storing data.
In 15 minutes, Zhou Qian completed the transformation into a god and turned into a creature resembling a fish, briefly losing his sanity and experiencing the pain that Epoh had once endured…
Now, everything had passed. His sanity had returned, and all the physical pain had disappeared. Zhou Qian was about to face his final test—to survive in the midst of Epoh’s attack.
However, Zhou Qian’s consciousness still seems to be scattered.
He was trapped in a distant nightmare that he still couldn’t let go of.
So much so that when he was pinched by a powerful god by his chin, he could only stare closely into the god’s eyes and accusingly proclaimed—
“Bai Zhou, you’re a coward!”
“I’ll hate you. I’ll hate you forever!”
What finally woke Zhou Qian up was a series of system notifications.
[Warning! Player Zhou Qian is about to be attacked by God Epoh!]
[System assessment: Player Zhou Qian cannot resist!]
[Player Zhou Qian, the system has prepared a basic grave for you. Rest in peace. If you pay 300 gold coins, you can upgrade to a premium grave. Your balance is insufficient. The system provides you with a funeral donation feature—]
Quickly realizing his situation, Zhou Qian looked into the eyes of Epoh through his sweat-soaked hair, who was close by.
Those eyes were clear and beautiful, reminding him of scales that sparkled like blue stars.
But at the same time, they were cold and showed an uncompromising killing intent.
In those beautiful eyes, Zhou Qian saw his reflection and his dire situation.
The powerful god’s killing intent had reached its peak.
In this crucial moment, Zhou Qian reached into his bag and pulled out a black pill.
With a slight smile at Epoh, Zhou Qian whispered into his ear, “Dalang, it’s medicine time.”
Epoh: “………”
A moment later, God Epoh obediently took the black pill from Zhou Qian and ate it.
After which, he remained frozen in place.
With a loud bang, the one-hour limit finally arrived. The gates to Apple Paradise finally opened.
Catching his breath, Zhou Qian stood up and looked at the opened gate, telling his three stunned teammates, “This pill can hold him for three minutes. Let’s go now!”
Inside the paradise, a gigantic apple tree was laden with tempting red apples. Below the tree were white petals scattered like snow.
The palace was windy, making the trees sway and the petals dance. But the blue lake in front of the gigantic tree remained without ripples, as if made of crystal.
The lake was calm, just like Epoh’s eyes.
The stunning God Epoh, entangled in branches and under the influence of the medicine, hovered mid-air. His mirror-like eyes watched the players leave.
He watched them step over the snow-like petals, cross the crystal bridge, run into the green apple forest, and eventually sprint towards the newly opened gate without ever looking back…
The four players ran desperately towards the palace gate.
Zhou Qian was the first to run out of stamina and, in the end, was practically carried by Qi Liuxing and Gao Shan.
When they were 30 meters away from the gate, the three-minute limit ended. Zhou Qian felt a gust of wind from behind—either God Epoh was trying to teleport him, or he had appeared behind him.
Zhou Qian didn’t dare to look back.
“Three, two, one, jump!”
He commanded loudly, and his teammates leaped with him, all of them tumbling out of the palace!
[Players successfully cleared “Apple Paradise” and received a treasure chest. Upon opening, they can obtain random items.]
[Players achieved a hidden achievement and will receive a special reward. Please wait for the end-game animation.]
[Player Zhou Qian successfully “Transformed into a God”, achieving the ultimate hidden achievement.]
……
With the continuous notifications, a treasure chest appeared in front of each of the four players. They stored the chests for now, not opening them immediately, since the end-game animation was still playing.
Turning around, they looked together at the palace gates and saw the entire paradise undergoing a massive transformation—the doors, stone pillars, and countless apple trees were all twisting and leaning towards the ground. Eventually, they all fell into the mud, becoming part of the branches, and slithered like snakes toward the center of the paradise…
The previously serene azure lake suddenly whipped up into a tumultuous storm, and its blue waters turned a deep crimson. A blood-colored deluge surged to the skies before pouring back into the roots of the giant tree.
The tree seemed to breathe, and in a moment, it had devoured all the lake water.
Perhaps the lake was truly the blood flowing within the tree’s veins.
It seemed everything in this paradise was a part of the giant tree, or perhaps a part of Epoh.
Now, as the illusion faded, everything returned to its original form.
The giant tree grew even larger, its countless branches twitching. From afar, it resembled a creature with innumerable tentacles. And at the center of this creature was the god Epoh.
His long hair, intertwined with the green leaves, enveloped his radiant, elongated body. He hovered in mid-air, looking down upon the world with the posture of a god.
Kneeling before him were the two goddesses in white dresses.
They no longer laughed with naive romance; fear filled their faces, and their bodies trembled.
At this moment, since the players had completed the game, they could observe everything up close.
Thus, they walked toward the central part of the original paradise.
Observing the scene of the goddesses kneeling, Yun Xiangrong remarked, “The goddesses lied. They’re not gods transformed from eating apples. Otherwise, like the followers, they would’ve been killed long ago. They were just deceiving and tempting the believers! Remember—”
Gao Shan picked up from there. “I recall now! Adam and Eve were warned by God not to eat the forbidden fruit. Yet, seduced by the devilish snake, they ate it and were expelled from the Garden of Eden. And that devilish snake was… was…”
“…The incarnation of Satan,” Zhou Qian added, just as the two goddesses collapsed, writhing in pain.
After a soft sigh from Epoh, they turned into ashes.
God created angels, but they aspired to overthrow him, falling and becoming the devil Satan.
In this game’s narrative, Epoh created the goddesses, but they harbored evil intentions.
They tempted humans to eat apples and become gods. What was their next move? Would they unite the god-turned followers against Epoh?
Comparing these symbolic images with legendary stories, Zhou Qian noticed that Epoh in the sky was looking in their direction.
Raising his hand, Epoh waved lightly, and in front of each player floated something resembling a matchbox.
Upon opening it, Zhou Qian found it was indeed a matchbox containing several matches.
Looking up, Zhou Qian asked Epoh, “Is this our reward for completing the hidden mission?”
Epoh, enveloped in branches and leaves, appeared mysterious in the shadows of his silhouette. He gazed at Zhou Qian, merely saying, “God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. Now, God grants you the ‘Seed of Fire’.”
[Players received the item: Seed of Fire]
[Function: ?]
[Grade: ?]
The system panels of the four players simultaneously displayed this notification.
Uncertain about the purpose of the [Seed of Fire], the players were taken aback, all wondering what special reward Zhou Qian, who achieved the ultimate hidden achievement, would receive.
Everyone’s eyes turned to Epoh who was floating in the air.
Epoh slightly tilted his head, looking down at Zhou Qian.
He raised his right hand—long-fingered yet powerful.
Not long ago, he had placed this hand on Zhou Qian’s neck, intending to end his life. But now, he pointed to Zhou Qian’s chest.
Transformed, Zhou Qian felt as though his chest was being torn open. Flesh separated, blood pouring. Yet he felt no pain—
Epoh reached into Zhou Qian’s chest, extracting a rib.
Both the tree and Epoh vanished from their spot, instantly appearing before Zhou Qian.
Bending down, Epoh handed the bloody rib to Zhou Qian, saying, “Take it.”
These words echoed, sounding as if they were from the far horizon.
God created the first human, Adam. To prevent him from feeling lonely, God took one of Adam’s ribs and transformed it into his wife, Eve.
Now, Epoh also took one of Zhou Qian’s ribs and crafted it into a weapon for Zhou Qian.
The eyelid lifted, and Zhou Qian instantly saw a palm covered in fresh red blood as well as a rib enveloped in thick blood.
“This is quite a unique gift.” Zhou Qian smiled, then added, “Wait a moment for me.”
Epoh remained silent.
Everyone else: ???
Zhou Qian then took out a tissue from his bag, wrapped it around his palm, and reluctantly took the rib.
Everyone: “…”
Isn’t your cleanliness a bit over the top?!
After accepting such a gruesome reward, Zhou Qian wiped the blood with the tissue, then asked Epoh, “Now that I’ve ascended, this rib after ascension… it’s not going to turn into a girl like Eve, right? I don’t want a wife; I want a weapon. Can it be used as a weapon?”
The system panel answered in place of Epoh.
[Player Zhou Qian Rank: F→D]
[HP: 300→2000]
[MP: 300→2000]
[Initial Skill Points: 100]
[Suggested Skills: Agility, Control]
[Acquired Weapon: Rib of God]
[Weapon Function: For Rank D players, only one function can be unlocked—slowing down time; Range: 10m2; other functions to be unlocked.]
……
In the wilderness, dusk had set.
After cleaning the rib, Zhou Qian looked up at Epoh, who seemed about to leave.
“Are you just data, or are you a real person?” Zhou Qian asked again.
Epoh turned his head, his emotionless eyes meeting Zhou Qian’s gaze, seemingly still not understanding what he meant.
Zhou Qian raised his right hand, where Epoh’s strand of hair was wrapped around his index finger.
“Will I see you again? Epoh.”
Epoh still didn’t answer.
So Zhou Qian asked, “So, at the end of this story… What’s your fate? To leave forever?”
“Yes, I will leave forever.”
A god once passed through a land and found humans living there, who were backward, poor, and without any special abilities.
The god was willing to grant favors, fulfilling humans’ wishes, as long as they believed in him and became his followers.
People thought the god must have ulterior motives behind his kindness. But they were wrong; the god had no such intentions. Human power was too insignificant to be of any use to him.
God bestowed pure kindness upon humans, earning their devout worship. But because it came too easily, the followers took God’s blessings for granted. So, when one day God’s powers waned and he could no longer fulfill their desires, they began to resent him.
To vent their anger, God allowed them to hurt him. But God’s blessings also came to an end.
When the followers overstepped, wanting to become gods, coveting his power, and even standing beside him…
God felt murderous.
“So, do you resent humans? Do you resent us?” Zhou Qian asked again.
Zhou Qian’s main purpose wasn’t just to explore the game’s depths or storyline, but to understand the true intent behind the game’s design.
If the level design of a game could reflect the character of the designer behind the game, could the plot of the instances in the game also reflect the selfishness of the designer?
To be able to construct such a vast game world, this kind of power surely exceeded human comprehension.
Then, like Epoh in this story, could the game designer also be a god?
If he really was a god, what was his purpose in designing this game?
Would he, like Epoh, resent humans?
And as the name “Epoh” suggests, would he rob humans of their hope?
If the game designer was indeed a god, what was his purpose in creating the game?
From midair, Epoh calmly said, “Humans are not worthy of God’s hatred. He is just disappointed. Disappointed in humans and this land. That’s why he chose to leave. God abandoned humans and this land.”
Sometimes, the opposite of hope wasn’t despair, but disappointment.
Zhou Qian looked up, his eyes reflecting the countless stars in the sky. Staring at Epoh, he said, “I have another question for you.
“You said earlier… God selflessly bestowed kindness upon humans. I disagree. You fulfilled Li Dafu’s wishes, but you harmed a young boy. What did the boy do wrong?”
Epoh replied indifferently, “God only cares about his followers.”
“Oh, so because the boy didn’t believe in you, his life didn’t matter to you? Li Dafu did evil things, but as long as he’s your follower, you don’t care?”
Zhou Qian’s eyes narrowed, emitting a very oppressive aura.
“Actually, for me, the life and death, good and evil of humans aren’t important.” Epoh looked at Zhou Qian, his face showing no pity. “Would you care about the goodness or wickedness of an ant?”
After he spoke, branches, like tentacles, writhed in the air and enveloped Epoh completely.
Suddenly, a massive tree ascended, touching the sky in a moment, looking like a meteor returning from the earth to the sky. It soon vanished into the vast night.
The magnificent palace disappeared as if it had never existed, signifying this land was now abandoned by the gods.
The surroundings fell silent, and the background began to fade. This indicated that the end animation was about to disappear, and players would soon return to reality.
While staring at the place where the palace used to be, Zhou Qian heard Yun Xiangrong ask, “Why did you ask him that question? I always felt that you didn’t seem like…”
Zhou Qian noticed that Gao Shan was also looking at him.
It seemed they all believed that he wouldn’t care about the life or death of a little boy who was an NPC.
“Perhaps it’s because—” Zhou Qian calmly said, “I almost ended up in a situation like his.”
The three were visibly shocked at his words, exchanging uneasy glances.
Zhou Qian looked up at the near-transparent night sky.
“I am satisfied with Epoh’s answer. It should be that way. In a crisis, no one will come to your rescue. Don’t even think of pleading with so-called gods. No one cares about your good or evil, or life or death, except yourself.”
……
During the player logout period, all scenes completely disappeared.
In the pitch-black environment, Zhou Qian noticed a faint glow coming from his body.
Looking down, he realized—his appearance was still that after “becoming a God”, resembling a non-human entity.
As for the source of the light, it was from the scales on his body.
The scales, shimmering like deep-sea stars, inevitably reminded him of the near-death night and a dragon that pierced the haze towards him.
In a moment, Zhou Qian noticed the webbing on his hands fading, and most of the scales’ glow gradually dimmed.
With the game logout process nearly complete, he was slowly returning to his normal human appearance outside the game.
Finally, with a “ding” sound, three scales fell to the ground.
He picked them up. The darkness vanished, and he was back in the hospital room.
[Player Zhou Qian obtained the item: Divine Scale]
[Function: Shiny scales from a creature the system has never seen. What kind of human, driven by what obsession, would grow such luminous scales? A tiny scale with a significant effect, it can transform into a dragon entirely controlled by the player with absolute obedience. It can be used for playful pranks or as a cute decoration!]
[Note 1: The dragon formed by the scale is born from a living player, so it has similar vital signs to the player. Wanting it to sneakily approach someone for a surprise? The system advises against it, as it is easily detectable! It has no attack power or any skills.]
[Note 2: The scale is a consumable. Each dragon created by a scale can only exist for 24 hours; cherish the time spent with the dragon.]
……
Spring Hill Asylum, Ward 1, Room 302.
Upon leaving the game, Zhou Qian found himself lying on a hospital bed. He checked the time on his phone; it was only 8:10 pm.
When he left, it was 8 pm. He had spent several hours in the game, but in reality, only 10 minutes had passed.
All the physical pain from the game disappeared after logging out.
However, the mental exhaustion was substantial.
Feeling extremely tired, Zhou Qian took a shower and went back to bed. But he couldn’t sleep.
Whenever he closed his eyes, he saw that colorful dream, those unforgettable scales, and the dragon. If not, it was the young boy’s departure on the sycamore tree-lined path. The boy waved, saying “goodbye” as if he were just a regular schoolboy, but he never returned…
Getting up, Zhou Qian took out the sleeping pill prescribed by Li Xuehai from his bedside table, took one, and finally fell asleep.
He slept until noon the next day.
After freshening up, he went to the dining hall of Ward 1.
After disdainfully glancing at the lunch, he didn’t take anything and left.
Back in his room, he opened the game panel and saw that he had received 600 gold coins as a reward for clearing “Apple Paradise”.
According to the system, one gold coin could be exchanged for ten thousand yuan. Zhou Qian tried to exchange for thirty thousand yuan. After succeeding, he quickly picked up his phone to call a luxury hotel he had often visited in the past. The call was answered by a manager familiar to Zhou Qian. Recognizing it was Zhou Qian, the manager hesitated. “But you’ve gone bankrupt, so…”
Zhou Qian immediately transferred the money. “Check your WeChat.”
“Oh! I’ll send it to you right away!”
“As for the dishes, you can decide for me. Do you remember my preferences?” Zhou Qian asked.
“Of course!” replied the manager professionally. “You don’t eat onions, ginger, garlic, coriander, celery, fennel, star anise, or fish with bones or shrimp with shells. Right?”
“Correct.”
An hour later, Zhou Qian was having a lavish lunch in his hospital room. When Dr. Li Xuehai came for a checkup, he caught Zhou Qian sipping coffee.
Entering the room, Li Xuehai noticed the mess of plates and cups everywhere. With a twitch in the corner of his eye, he tried to maintain a serious demeanor. “You should cut down on coffee. It’s a stimulant—”
Zhou Qian, looking at him curiously, asked, “Dr. Li, what happens if I take coffee and sleeping pills together?”
Li Xuehai: “…”
Keeping a straight face, Li Xuehai approached Zhou Qian, took out his notebook, and began asking routine questions such as how he slept, if he felt uncomfortable anywhere, or if he felt irritable. Zhou Qian obediently answered all the questions. When Li Xuehai was done writing, Zhou Qian narrowed his eyes and asked, “By the way… Why did you only come for a checkup this afternoon?”
Li Xuehai frowned. “Something came up. The hospital leadership called an urgent meeting. I didn’t prioritize you since your case is mild.”
“What happened?” Zhou Qian pressed.
Setting his notebook down at the foot of the bed, Li Xuehai walked to the window, deeply troubled. “Two patients from Zone B died yesterday. One jumped off the building, and the other died suddenly.”
Behind him, Zhou Qian became serious. “What were their names?”
“Wang Lu and Dong Xiang,” Li Xuehai answered, sensing something off about Zhou Qian’s inquiry. “You usually aren’t interested in other people’s affairs. Why the sudden curiosity?”
Zhou Qian replied, “It seems you don’t know me well. I’m quite interested.”
Li Xuehai: “…”
Zhou Qian continued, “Have there been many deaths in the hospital recently?”
“Besides the sudden two last night… everything else seems normal. Zone 1 is fine, but patients in Zone 2 and Zone X are very severe. Some desperately try to commit suicide. Despite strict control, there are always oversights.” Li Xuehai frowned. “Why are you asking this?”
“No reason.” Zhou Qian yawned and continued sipping his coffee. He and Dong Xiang were both from Spring Hill Asylum and both appeared in the game. It wasn’t a coincidence. He mentioned in the game that they were all mental patients, and no one refuted him, indicating he was right. It seemed the game was selecting players from mental hospitals. From what he could tell, the mysterious deaths at Spring Hill Asylum weren’t widespread, indicating the game had only recently affected the hospital and involved few patients.
While lost in thought, Zhou Qian kept the conversation going with Li Xuehai.
When Zhou Qian teased him by saying, “Huh, why are you wearing the same pants as yesterday? Can’t afford multiple pairs of that brand?” He finally managed to annoy the doctor into leaving. Zhou Qian then turned his attention to the notebook left at the foot of his bed—Li Xuehai had left behind his records.
Driven by curiosity, Zhou Qian picked up the notebook. A sharp intuition pierced his mind, causing a throbbing pain in his temple.
Pressing one hand against his aching forehead, Zhou Qian hesitated for a moment before flipping open the notebook.
The notebook was categorized by ward, including the dangerous Zone X.
Is Li Xuehai also responsible for the patients in Zone X?
Zhou Qian frowned and turned to the records related to Zone X. The first page of this section was a list of patients and their room assignments.
As he read further, Zhou Qian’s expression turned from curiosity to seriousness, shock, and disbelief. His pupils nearly contracted to pinpoints, and his entire body tensed up.
He saw the record on a certain line in the list.
[03X87, Bai Zhou.]
……
The dimly lit sycamore tree path appeared again in front of Zhou Qian.
Time flowed like water, moving forward in ripples under the gentle breeze, and the path seemed to sway, leading back to a much earlier afternoon.
Zhou Qian became an observer, watching his younger self doing homework with a similarly young Bai Zhou. Or more precisely, Bai Zhou was the one doing the homework, and he planned to copy.
At that time, they had just started their first year of junior high.
Outside the window, the wind rustled the sycamore tree leaves, making them fall. The sound of the falling leaves was similar to the sound of Bai Zhou’s writing.
Fwish, fwish, fwish…
After an unknown period, Bai Zhou closed his workbook. Zhou Qian made a move to snatch it, but Bai Zhou evaded him.
Zhou Qian nudged Bai Zhou with his elbow. “Give it to me.”
“Do it yourself,” Bai Zhou replied with certainty.
“I can’t.”
“I can teach you.”
Out of boredom, Zhou Qian opened a page in his workbook. “I don’t know how to do this problem.”
Bai Zhou took out a piece of scratch paper, writing down the calculation while explaining it earnestly to Zhou Qian. Bai Zhou was looking down while writing, so Zhou Qian, sitting straight, could see his drooping eyelashes.
After a while, Bai Zhou asked him, “Did you understand?”
Distracted, Zhou Qian reached out to pinch Bai Zhou’s eyelashes. “No, I don’t understand.”
Bai Zhou dodged Zhou Qian’s hand and patiently said, “Then let me explain it again.”
Ignoring him, Zhou Qian, failing to pinch Bai Zhou’s lashes, decided to pull his hair.
Bai Zhou had to grab his wrist, looking him in the eyes. The young Bai Zhou’s gaze was already quite intimidating. “Zhou Qian, sit still.”
Thus, Bai Zhou patiently explained a simple question to Zhou Qian three times.
After the third time, Bai Zhou asked, “Do you understand now?”
Zhou Qian shook his head, looking at Bai Zhou with a mischievous glint in his eye.
What will he do next?
Bai Zhou gave him a casual glance and handed over his scratch paper. “Alright then. Copy my calculations 10 times. If after 10 times you still don’t get it, copy it 100 times. Repetition can lead to understanding. Start copying now, no matter how late it gets, I’ll be with you.”
Zhou Qian sighed. “Why do you insist on helping me?”
Is it just because we’ve been classmates since the first grade?
But Bai Zhou said, “Because in the one-on-one tutoring program, we were put in the same group. I promised the teacher that I would be responsible for you.”
Zhou Qian: “…”
Is it just because of the teacher’s request?
Due to a hidden past, Zhou Qian was actually sick at that time. When not having episodes, he was sweet and had high emotional intelligence, getting along with everyone. But when an episode hit, he would lose control.
Zhou Qian had been on medication for some time and hadn’t had an episode in a while.
But that day, for reasons even he couldn’t fathom, he became uncontrollably angry when Bai Zhou spoke. He grabbed Bai Zhou’s neatly written homework and tore it to shreds.
The torn pieces fluttered like snowflakes, falling as the two sat side by side, looking at each other.
Then Zhou Qian said with malice and mockery, “Don’t think you’re better just because you’re the class president and rank first. No matter how well you do in school, what’s the use? You might work your whole life and still not be able to afford my family’s villa in the city center. No, you might not even afford a bathroom in my house.”
After venting his anger, Zhou Qian thought—Given Bai Zhou’s modest background, my words must have really hurt, right? He’ll be angry, give up on me, right?
Much later, Zhou Qian realized why he had said those words that day.
In an almost pathological way, he was testing Bai Zhou’s limits.
How could someone be so good? Beneath that gentle exterior, could there be another side to him that no one knows?
How bad do I have to be for you to leave me, to give up on me?
It wasn’t intentional.
He simply couldn’t believe that Bai Zhou would care for him when even his own parents didn’t. The naive him firmly believed that Bai Zhou should have distanced himself earlier because they were simply not from the same world.
Even though Bai Zhou’s family background was rather ordinary, in Zhou Qian’s eyes, he had everything he should have—the most ordinary, yet warm and loving family life, filled with lively chatter and warmth.
But Zhou Qian was different. On the surface, the Zhou family appeared glamorous, but it had been rotting from the inside for a long time.
Facing Zhou Qian’s actions, Bai Zhou seemed entirely unmoved.
He just got up, went to the balcony, fetched a broom, and meticulously cleaned up the torn bits of paper. Then he returned to his seat, picked up his pen, and started to do his work. “I’m starting my homework from the beginning; you might as well join me.”
Some time later.
Zhou Qian apologized to Bai Zhou.
The sycamore leaves were still withered yellow, and the autumn breeze and sunlight were as gentle as ever.
The same classroom, the same spot by the window.
Zhou Qian stared unblinkingly at Bai Zhou before him.
A breeze lifted his hair, revealing Bai Zhou’s beautiful eyebrows and eyes. The corner of his eye had a little red—a mark made intentionally or unintentionally with a red pen during their playful scuffle.
“Zhou Ge,” Zhou Qian softly began, his tone noticeably rising.
“Hmm?” Bai Zhou looked up at him. “What is it?”
Zhou Qian asked, “Why are you always so gentle? Is it just towards me or everyone?”
Bai Zhou simply patted his head. “Do your homework.”
Zhou Qian blinked a few times and then suddenly said, “I didn’t mean what I said last time.”
Bai Zhou asked, “Which time?”
“When I said you couldn’t afford a villa like mine,” Zhou Qian blinked again and earnestly said, “I don’t know why, but that day I just wanted to make you angry. Don’t take my words to heart. If you want, you could earn a lot in the future. You could buy a thousand, no, ten thousand of my villas.”
Bai Zhou chuckled. “Why would I keep buying your villas?”
Zhou Qian didn’t answer but instead sought reassurance. “I’m actually quite good-natured most of the time, right? I’m not always like this… My mom often calls me a little lunatic. Do you think I’m mad?”
“No,” Bai Zhou answered seriously.
“Bai Zhou, have you never gotten angry? Even when I’m not around, are you the same?”
“Do you always find the world so wonderful?”
“Have you ever felt resentment or discontent?”
“Do you ever feel life has been unfair to you?”
“Why is there someone as perfect as you in this world?”
“Do people like you really exist?”
……
Zhou Qian asked Bai Zhou many questions.
He remembered all of Bai Zhou’s answers.
Perhaps because Bai Zhou was too perfect, heaven took him away too soon.
Those who were strong were easy to break, and those who were too wise would die prematurely. Probably, the same principle applied.
Shaking off the memories, Zhou Qian looked at the name on the list before him.
What’s going on? Is it a namesake?
……
Three days later.
A new patient, Qi Liuxing, joined Zhou Qian in his hospital room.
Originally, Qi Liuxing was staying at the Second People’s Hospital in the neighboring city, another psychiatric facility.
After leaving the game this time, a new patient was admitted to his room, which made it inconvenient for him to log into the system and enter or exit the game.
After contacting Zhou Qian and learning that he was alone in his room, Qi Liuxing decided to transfer.
Now they both resided in Ward 302 at Spring Hill Asylum. After moving in, Qi Liuxing wanted to discuss with Zhou Qian their next adventure in the game. However, he was first tasked by Zhou Qian with a mission—to keep watch.
Every day from 2 to 6 pm, some patients from Zone 1 were allowed to be outdoors within a designated area. So, at 5 pm that day, during the outdoor activity time, Qi Liuxing was called by Zhou Qian to a tree at the edge of the garden.
He watched Zhou Qian climb the tree and take out a high-powered binoculars, peering in a specific direction. His task was to stand below and ensure nobody saw Zhou Qian.
Confused by Zhou Qian’s actions, Qi Liu Xing whispered, “What’s happening?”
Zhou Qian countered, “Ever heard about the structure of Spring Hill Asylum?”
“There’s Zone 1, Zone 2, and Zone X? Besides Zone 1, the other zones are practically like prisons, right?” Qi Liuxing said, glancing in the direction Zhou Qian was looking, “You’re looking at Zone X?”
Indeed, Zhou Qian was observing Zone X.
On the manual, Bai Zhou’s number was 03X87.
Using the excuse that he had a friend in Zone X and wanted to visit, Zhou Qian had inquired about it with a nurse he was familiar with.
The nurse’s answer was, “What’s your friend’s number? If it starts with 01 or 02, there’s still a chance to visit… but 03 is absolutely out of the question. Those with numbers starting with 03 are held in the West Hua Building, facing Gate 1. Gate 1 is sealed all year round and is under the tightest security. This is because the people in West Hua Building are extremely dangerous. Especially…”
“I heard there’s one with the number 03X87. He’s the most dangerous one—must have committed a very serious crime. Don’t even think about going there.”
03X87. That was exactly Bai Zhou’s number.
How did he become the most dangerous and inaccessible person?
Zhou Qian was determined to find out what was going on in Zone X.
Spring Hill Asylum was built on a mountain.
Zones 1 and 2 were on the north side, and Zone X was on the south.
A small river separated Zone X from the other wards, much like the Chu-Han boundary. Guards were posted in front of the stone bridge over the river, preventing any unauthorized access. On the riverbanks, there were metal fences, with electric wires stretched above.
Fortunately, the West Hua Building was close to the first door, directly facing the activity area of Zone 1.
This allowed Zhou Qian to observe the West Hua Building with binoculars.
At that moment, sitting on a rather thick tree trunk, Zhou Qian looked at the building on the opposite bank of the river with his high-powered binoculars. According to the patterns he had learned, patient number 03X87 was in the 7th room on the 8th floor.
He counted the rooms one by one through the binoculars and quickly located the room where Bai Zhou was.
The weather was overcast, with the setting sun mostly obscured by thick clouds. Thus, when Zhou Qian looked from afar, his view wasn’t very clear, as if everything was covered by an orange-gray filter.
Under this grayness, he saw the situation inside the single room.
There was indeed a person lying on the bed, wearing a restraint suit, completely tied to the bed, unable to move at all.
Due to the angle, Zhou Qian couldn’t see his face clearly, but he could see a little of his nose and a thin, slightly pale chin.
Qi Liuxing’s voice came from below the tree. “What are you looking for?”
“I’m looking for someone,” Zhou Qian said. “His name is Bai Zhou.”
“Bai Zhou? What’s special about him?” Qi Liuxing asked.
Zhou Qian paused for a moment and then said, “Nothing special. He’s been my… rival since childhood.”
After saying this, Zhou Qian laughed at his own joke. The term ‘rival’ had always been a joke on his part.
Bai Zhou never took the joke seriously or even got mad at him, probably because he never took Zhou Qian seriously.
“Your rival is in Zone X?” Qi Liuxing curiously asked.
“It might just be a coincidence, because…” Zhou Qian’s voice suddenly faltered.
Zhou Qian’s eyelids were flat, and his eyes were narrow. When he looked down, he easily seemed melancholic. Hearing the change in his voice, Qi Liuxing looked up and saw him like this.
Noticing his unusual demeanor, Qi Liuxing asked, “Why?”
“Because he’s dead,” Zhou Qian replied.
“How did he die?”
“I don’t know.”
Zhou Qian really didn’t know.
Holding the binoculars, he stared intently at the distant room and began to recount, “On the surface, he seemed gentle, but it felt like he was always competing with me behind the scenes, always trying to one-up me. Was it because he was too arrogant?”
Zhou Qian had average physical strength but had honed his skills in gambling under his father’s guidance. His skills weren’t just evident in card games but also in playing table tennis.
For a while, he was very interested in table tennis and often participated in school competitions.
In one final match, as expected, Zhou Qian faced Bai Zhou.
Zhou Qian narrowed his eyes, seeming lost in memory. “I won. He lost. After that, he transferred schools. Do you think he couldn’t handle the loss?”
Qi Liuxing didn’t know how to respond, so he remained silent.
Looking at the half of the chin exposed from the restraint suit, Zhou Qian slowly said, “After he transferred, I lost contact with him. I held a grudge against him for a year. When I went to his house later… his mother said I came at an unfortunate time, as he had just died. When she talked about him, she spoke as if discussing a stranger.”
“Why?” Qi Liuxing was extremely surprised. “Usually… it wouldn’t be like this, right?”
Zhou Qian replied, “When I went to their house, I saw his mother holding a chubby baby. They probably preferred their second child.”
Qi Liuxing asked again, “Is it possible… that Bai Zhou never actually died? His mother just admitted him to a mental institution and gave you a random excuse?”
“No.” Zhou Qian shook his head. “His mother gave me the address of his grave. I’ve been there. There’s a photo of him on the tombstone. He’ll forever remain 17—he hadn’t even reached adulthood.”
“Besides, even if he didn’t die…”
Zhou Qian’s pupils contracted. “Why would he be in Zone X? Many people in there have committed serious crimes.”
The sky was about to turn dusky.
The wind rustled the leaves, blending the fresh scent of grass and trees, entering Zhou Qian’s nostrils. It inadvertently reminded him of the time right after the final table tennis match in the first year of high school.
Outside the west gate of the campus, the small path was almost overshadowed by the sycamores on both sides, making the sunset appear like twilight. The streetlights were on, with countless specks of dust floating in the beams.
Bai Zhou stood beside the dim streetlight.
Looking at him in the light, Zhou Qian’s gaze carried the sharpness unique to young boys, while the slight smile on his lips had a hint of disdain.
He asked, gritting his teeth, “Why did you deliberately lose to me? Looking down on me?”
In contrast, Bai Zhou’s gaze at Zhou Qian was extremely calm. “I didn’t lose on purpose. You won on merit.”
“Bullshit.” Zhou Qian stepped forward aggressively, grabbing Bai Zhou’s collar. “That second last ball, you clearly could have caught it. Why did your hand tremble? Trying too hard, huh? And that last service error was even more ridiculous. Everyone knows you’re good at serving.”
“Bai Zhou, I really wanted to beat you, but not like this! I don’t need your pity!”
“Today, I indeed made mistakes. Next time, I’ll play my best against you.”
“When is ‘next time’?”
“We should have many opportunities like this. I promise you.”
“You…”
All of Zhou Qian’s anger, hostility, and bad temper seemed to hit cotton when faced with Bai Zhou’s nonchalant gaze. The energy went out, but no feedback was received. Zhou Qian’s glare intensified, no longer just about the match but also about why Bai Zhou remained so calm. It was probably something akin to a childish mentality of “I want to fight him, but he just won’t fight back”.
Despite the anger boiling inside, without realizing, Zhou Qian’s grip on Bai Zhou’s hand loosened.
He heard Bai Zhou say, “Goodbye, Zhou Qian,” before turning away.
The autumn sycamore leaves fell one after another, and under the row of streetlights, everything from that after-school evening in his memories took on a warm hue.
The boy walked away, his school bag on his back.
That was the last time Zhou Qian ever saw Bai Zhou.
At this moment, a few green leaves fell. Qi Liuxing played with them while asking Zhou Qian a few questions.
Zhou Qian didn’t answer. He sat on the tree, motionless as if frozen in time, seemingly lost in deep memories.
Qi Liuxing didn’t disturb him and simply took a nap right there.
After about fifteen minutes, Qi Liuxing was awakened by someone—it was Zhou Qian.
“What is it?” Qi Liuxing asked, still groggy from sleep.
Zhou Qian, with his dark pupils blending with the night, said, “You looked bored. How about accompanying me to dig a grave?”
“…?” Qi Liuxing, still half asleep, was confused. “What?”
Zhou Qian’s dark pupils became darker with the night. “I’m going to dig up Bai Zhou’s grave.”
If you were to ask Dong Zhi this question, his answer would probably be that after being around the male god for a while, all pretense and decorum are eventually lost.
Because the two of them had basically done everything that couples would do. Even the spiritual intercourse, which ordinary people couldn’t achieve, had been experienced countless times. Compared to physical pleasure, this exploration of the spiritual realm was even more endless and exhilarating. It felt as though every nerve ending had been lovingly caressed, making one tremble and weaken all over. If you combine this spiritual intercourse with physical actions, the effect was simply magnified.
Dong Zhi couldn’t adequately describe this feeling with mere words, but each instance certainly brought the two of them closer. The term “soulmate” wasn’t just a descriptor of a close relationship for them. Now, even if they were thousands of miles apart, while Dong Zhi may not know exactly what Long Shen was doing, he could still sense any intense emotions or imminent dangers Long Shen might face.
After all, his body was utterly destroyed back in the abyss of hell. The body he now inhabited was reshaped for him by Long Shen.
In other words, Dong Zhi had indeed died. Because his power was greater than that of Su Huan or Xiao Zhao, it would undoubtedly destabilize the balance of the world, and the underworld messengers must have seen through this, hence their insistence on detaining him.
Could it also be that because Long Shen gave him a portion of his power, it resulted in the lingering demonic qi within him after returning from the abyss?
Seeing Dong Zhi holding him and remaining silent, Long Shen, slightly puzzled, tilted his head and then pushed him down onto the bed. Due to the position, Dong Zhi’s T-shirt rolled up, revealing a portion of his fair waist, slender yet taut with muscle, that was very appealing to the touch.
As soon as Long Shen touched him, Dong Zhi’s eyes became hazy. Trying to regain his focus, Dong Zhi protested, “No cheating!”
Just now, when Long Shen touched him, he silently infused his qi into Dong Zhi, almost enchanting him.
Dong Zhi realized that his once aloof and reticent master was now more playful than before. Thinking back to the mischievous things Long Shen wrote in that notebook, perhaps he was never really aloof to begin with; it was just a misperception on Dong Zhi’s part.
“Master, when will the demonic qi within you be completely expelled?” Dong Zhi, his mind in a whirl, couldn’t help but grab Long Shen’s wandering hand.
Dong Zhi was unsure if Long Shen’s heightened desires after returning from the abyss were due to the influence of the demonic qi, as he was particularly interested and frequently took the initiative.
Long Shen: “I don’t know, but it doesn’t matter. It can’t control my mind and soul. Why?”
The corner of Dong Zhi’s mouth twitched. “So you can always blame the demonic qi for anything you do in the future.”
“No,” Long Shen pragmatically responded, freeing his hand from Dong Zhi’s loose grip and resuming his advances.
Before Dong Zhi’s reasoning could collapse completely, he heard Long Shen murmur, “Isn’t this what you like?”
Since when did he start liking this?! Confused, Dong Zhi was then swept up into a tumultuous consciousness, unable to speak any further.
The next afternoon, Dong Zhi finally managed to leave his soft bed, only to find out that Long Shen had already gone out and returned.
He brought back good news. According to the information provided by Deng Bin, Captain Yin and his team managed to retrieve surveillance footage of Deng Bin’s whereabouts on Nanyun Road that day. The timing indeed coincided with the incident involving Su Huan. Thus, Deng Bin now had an alibi. Although there was also footage of a shadowy figure impersonating Deng Bin entering and leaving the Deng residence, when compared, the chances of Deng Bin being exonerated greatly increased.
However, the Su family was convinced that Deng Bin was the murderer of their daughter and refused to let the matter rest. They repeatedly confronted the Deng family. This had surpassed Captain Yin’s responsibilities, and the police could do nothing about it.
Long before Deng Bin was captivated by Su Huan’s appearance, deeply desiring to marry her, the seeds of their tragic fate were already sown. If it weren’t for Deng Bin’s shallow infatuation with Su Huan’s beauty without truly understanding her character, and if it weren’t for Su Huan’s own restless heart being swayed by Ao Yin’s manipulation, their situation might have merely resulted in a divorce at most. It wouldn’t have escalated to the devastation of their family. Dong Zhi felt that even though Deng Bin wasn’t the killer, he was still partly to blame for the tragedy.
Eventually, the conflict between the two families was settled with the Deng family compensating the Su family a large sum of money. Two years after his release, Deng Bin remarried. This time, he chose someone from a similar background. The woman had also been divorced. However, their marital relationship wasn’t harmonious, leading to another divorce after a few years. All of this gossip was later relayed to Dong Zhi by Deng Po after chatting with Kan Chaosheng. Regardless, Dong Zhi and his team had completed their duties regarding this case. Anything else wasn’t their concern.
Chang Qing, in the end, didn’t express interest in joining the Special Administration Bureau. The day after the case was resolved, he left a short message saying that he was continuing his travels, then checked out and left.
For several years, Dong Zhi neither saw nor heard from Chang Qing. It wasn’t until many years later, on the night Kan Chaosheng became a true dragon and the heavens sent down thunder, that Dong Zhi, Long Shen, He Yu, Zhong Yuyi, and others hurriedly went to protect him, assisting the young jiao through the ordeal. In the flash of lightning that illuminated the earth, Dong Zhi thought he caught a glimpse of a familiar figure not too far away. Silently guarding and assisting from beneath the trees by the lake, it faintly resembled Chang Qing, someone he had interactions with in the past.
Throughout the spring and autumn years, everyone continued to move forward, never ceasing their journey of growth.
As for the current Kan Chaosheng, he was sent back to Wuzhiqi Well under Huaishui. All his snacks and communication tools were confiscated, and Long Shen didn’t leave him a single penny.
Climbing out of the well, soaking wet, Kan Chaosheng found himself face-to-face with an octopus.
The octopus excitedly said, “Big brother, you came to see me! Did you bring me a phone?”
Kan Chaosheng: …Sorry, I’m penniless right now, only a lowly jiao.
The Wuzhiqi clearly had “I knew you would come back” written all over his face, pointed at the octopus, and said, “Want to become a disciple? You’d have to call him senior brother.”
Kan Chaosheng jumped up. “Why? I’m clearly his elder brother!”
The Wuzhiqi laughed. “If you had taken the initiative to stay with him back then, wouldn’t that make you his senior brother? Yet in the end, you still came back after making all those detours.”
Kan Chaosheng: …
The octopus, confused, asked, “So, big brother has to call me senior brother?”
Wuzhiqi: “What are the rules for new disciples?”
The octopus replied to Kan Chaosheng, “Every morning you have to massage the master’s shoulders 500 times, tell bedtime stories about the outside world in the evening, and play cards with him when he’s bored on weekends. If you win, you practice breathing exercises 500 times. If you lose, you stand on your head for a day.”
Kan Chaosheng wailed, “Boss, I’d rather serve 20 years unpaid!”
Unfortunately, his cries only echoed in the cave, unheard by those above.
Long Shen and Dong Zhi, meanwhile, continued their journey south to Yangcheng.
On the way, Dong Zhi made a detour to Hezao Mountain to pay respects and report his activities over the past two years to his nominal master, assuring him that his name, Dong Zhi, had made its mark in the cultivation world. Given time, people would know about his master, Fang Yang, and the Hezao sect, which was also part of his heritage. Master Fang Yang, who never had a disciple in his lifetime, would surely rest in peace knowing that his only student had accomplished so much. Deep down in the afterlife, the old master must surely be resting in peace with a smile.
The last time was interrupted by unexpected events, and with various trivial matters that later occupied him, only now did Dong Zhi remember the magical mirror that Long Shen had used to capture dark souls. He inquired about Tang Jing’s recent situation.
Long Shen shook his head. “He’s been constantly searching for a way to resurrect Ming Xian. I haven’t been in touch with him for quite some time.”
He took out his phone and dialed a number.
Considering Tang Jing should currently be deep within the mountains, it was doubtful if the call would go through due to bad reception. However, they were in luck. After a few rings, the call was answered, and although the connection was choppy, it was indeed Tang Jing.
Tang Jing’s voice sounded tired, but there was an underlying serenity. “Actually, I haven’t been practicing for quite a while. Now, traveling with Ming Xian across mountains and rivers, I’ve found the peace I once felt.”
“Can Ming Xian be brought back to life?” Dong Zhi asked, posing the question that weighed on his heart.
Though he barely had any interactions with Ming Xian, their initial encounter was under the ancient tombs of Yinchuan, where weapons clashed, and sparks flew. Dong Zhi held Tang Jing in high regard and couldn’t bear to see him exhaust himself over resurrecting Ming Xian. Naturally, he hoped for a positive outcome for them.
“I don’t know.”
Tang Jing sat on the ground cross-legged with the guqin across his lap. He gently plucked its strings, his gaze filled with tenderness and care.
Perhaps, initially driven by guilt and wanting to make amends, he experienced the profound pain that humans yearn to escape. However, their intertwined fates couldn’t easily be separated for a dispassionate analysis.
“The guqin is gradually being restored. Maybe one day he will come back; it could be in a few years, decades, centuries, or even longer. But I think, I will wait.”
His words were meant for Long Shen and Dong Zhi, for himself, and for the guqin. “Since I’ve started this, I will definitely wait for an outcome.”
Dong Zhi felt a pang of disappointment but was also filled with a glimmer of hope.
“Tang Jing.”
“Hmm?”
“Ming Xian will surely come back. He has a thing for looks, how could he bear to leave such a handsome guy like you to someone else?”
“That’s a good point!” Tang Jing laughed heartily. His cheerful laughter from the other end of the line sounded like the same playful person who was once cosplayed in women’s clothing.
The author has something to say:
This concludes the extra chapters. For updates regarding the publication, please follow me on Weibo. I’d like to thank all the readers for accompanying Dong Zhi on his journey from the train heading to Changchun, helping him step into a new world, grow, chase after his male god, and evolve from an ordinary individual to a qualified member of the Special Administration Bureau. Maybe he’s just like the inconspicuous person next to you, silently guarding the world alongside Long Shen.
The green mountains remain unchanged, the clear rivers flow continuously, Dong Zhi and Long Shen are always there, always happy. By the way, an early Happy New Year to everyone! May the upcoming year be filled with prosperity, health, and contentment~~
Kinky Thoughts:
This marks the end of the extras. If you did, please consider supporting the author by buying the raws. You can use Google Chrome with their auto translate and this guide on how to buy novels on jjwxc. Remember, only with your (financial) support can artists continue to produce more great works.
I also like to thank everyone for your comments, encouragement, help with my translations, and ko-fi donations. It in part fuels my motivation to release so frequently.
This was what Qi Liuxing, Gao Shan, Yun Xiangrong, and even Zhu Qiang and Yu Xian all thought.
But as they watched him about to take a bite of the apple, the other three players had no choice but to follow his instructions, cross the lake to Epoh’s side, and cautiously, yet helplessly… pluck a hair from his head.
Qi Liuxing and Gao Shan felt too awkward to say anything.
Yun Xiangrong muttered before plucking the hair, “Blame Zhou Qian for this*, not us!”
*Every injustice has its perpetrator (冤有头债有主) Metaphor referring to every grievance has a specific source or person responsible, so one should address or seek redress from the right person or source rather than blaming the wrong individual.
Epoh: “…”
A moment later, each of the three returned to the other side of the lake, each holding a hair. Zhou Qian, holding an apple, walked over and sat next to Epoh again.
But he didn’t immediately eat the apple. Instead, he leaned against a large tree and closed his eyes as if to rest.
The three players on the other side of the lake seemed to know why he did this, so they didn’t say much. They just sat down and waited for the right moment to come.
Yu Xian, who was watching the screen of his phone, was a bit lost. He asked Zhu Qiang, “What does this mean? Although it’s incredible, wasn’t Qian Ge planning to eat the apple?”
Zhu Qiang thought for a while and said, “I get it. He’s waiting for 12:45 am to eat the apple.”
The ceremony started at 10:00 pm and ended at midnight. The goddess announced that the palace doors would open at 1:00 am. Those who successfully became gods after eating the apple would be attacked by the Great God Epoh 15 minutes later. If they survived the attack, they would become real gods and achieve the ultimate hidden accomplishment.
Zhu Qiang explained the rules again to Yu Xian, then analyzed, “Qian Ge probably wants to time it just right. If he eats the apple at 12:45 and succeeds, he will likely be attacked right at 1:00. That’s when the palace doors will open. He could still escape and clear the game.”
Yu Xian: “I see… So, when Epoh attacks, as long as Qian Ge manages to run out in time, the game ends. And the attack wouldn’t reach him anymore. That means he would have achieved god status and received the ultimate hidden accomplishment.”
“Exactly. That’s probably Qian Ge’s plan.”
“But even so, Epoh’s power is terrifying. How can Qian Ge escape?”
“After becoming a god, his health would greatly increase. Maybe there’s still a chance?”
“No chance at all. Unlike Little Brother Xiao Qi’s scraping skill, Epoh’s attack is a one-shot kill.”
“What I’m most curious about isn’t how Qian Ge would dodge the attack. How can he be so certain of his success when the chances of successfully becoming a god are only 36.8%?”
In the game, time slowly moved to 12:45 am.
Zhou Qian, playing with the apple in his hand, turned to Epoh, who was covered in leaves and petals and had his eyes closed.
Zhou Qian whispered, “Can I eat your apple?”
Opening his eyes, Epoh met Zhou Qian’s somewhat mischievous gaze. “Aren’t you afraid?”
“There doesn’t seem to be much to fear.” Zhou Qian’s deep black eyes were inscrutable, with a hint of madness. “All I’ll do is… experience the pain you’ve been through.”
Epoh said, “It seems you’re looking forward to this pain.”
“Maybe.” Zhou Qian nodded thoughtfully. “I haven’t felt pain in a long time. I’ve lost all sensation. So I think… I’m suitable for becoming a god. I’m ready for the pain.”
Epoh remarked, “It seems you’re a gambler.”
Instead of directly answering, Zhou Qian suddenly said, “Your real form is this tree, or at least something very similar. You and the tree are interdependent? The numerous apple trees on the other side of the lake are just illusions created by your spiritual power. They don’t bear apples because of you. Only the tree that surrounds you can absorb your blood and bear apples… You heal each other and depend on each other to live?”
Epoh didn’t respond but seemed to implicitly acknowledge Zhou Qian’s speculation.
So Zhou Qian asked again, “So many people have died here, but all the flesh and blood have disappeared. Were they absorbed by you and the tree? Has your power increased? If I’m a gambler like mentioned, and now I’m your believer, if I make a wish to you, can you increase my luck?”
Zhou Qian’s voice became very gentle, and his words were very seductive.
It seemed as if he wasn’t worshiping the Great God Epoh but rather guiding the god to believe in him.
However, Epoh stared at him and shook his head. “No. I no longer have the power to fulfill human wishes. I didn’t lie to you. Human power is useless to me. Killing them won’t make me stronger.”
“Alright. Let’s take a gamble then.” After saying this, Zhou Qian looked at Epoh with a smile, and decisively took a bite of the apple.
“Someone led me into this game,” Zhou Qian said leisurely, biting into the crisp apple. “Actually, I’m not clear about who controls this game, nor the so-called ‘sub-levels’, or what kind of dimension they’re in. But all the rules in the game are similar to many games I’ve played.”
“Just like people, games have their own personalities. Players can feel the character of the game designers while playing. Up to now, I’ve discovered some traits related to the designer of this ‘Apple Paradise’ level.”
“He likes to play tricks on people. He enjoys seeing the regretful expressions on their faces.”
“First, the game starts with a scoring minigame, and the main goal is to find the ‘fake believers’. Most players will form cliques at this stage, dividing and making it nearly impossible for them to cooperate later. This has already determined that the chances for players to collaborate against the transformed believers to get hidden achievements are very low.”
“At that time, no one would think that both the goddesses and the Great God didn’t care about the authenticity of believers. They can pass peacefully.”
“Secondly, in the ritual of tormenting the god, players will definitely think that not hurting you is the wisest choice. But this will lead them to face a terrifying pursuit in the subsequent stages…”
“Third, after the ritual, most players guess that the transformed believers will eat the apple and attack them, thinking that hiding in the treehouse is the best strategy. They’ll just get through without knowing how.”
“They never imagined that in the end, only 7 believers will transform, and as long as they survive for 15 minutes, the Great God will kill all the transformed believers.”
“All these traps reflect the character of the level designer.”
“He wants to see the regret of the players when they find out the truth—was it really that easy to pass? Was it really that easy to get the hidden achievement? If only I wasn’t so afraid of death…”
“Based on this logic, I’m confident in my deduction—”
“After getting the hidden achievement, when they hear about the ultimate hidden achievement but find out the chance of transformation is only 36.8%, most will choose to give up, thinking they don’t dare to gamble.”
“But based on this designer’s temperament, I guess… For players, the success rate of this segment is actually 100%, as long as they’re willing to endure the pain.”
Smiling at Epoh, Zhou Qian’s eyes shimmered.
“So, Great God, you don’t have to grant me luck. I’m confident… I can become a god like you.”
The game designer tried to divide the players at the beginning of the level by using the scoring minigame to prevent them from cooperating later.
Zhou Qian’s strategy was to keep all the gold coins and useful items in his hands.
With this, he had enough chips to become the master of the game.
He didn’t need to persuade everyone to cooperate; he controlled everyone to act according to his thoughts.
From the beginning, he put himself in control of the entire situation.
And he really did have that ability. With just a few plot details, he even grasped the intentions of the game designer.
Zhou Qian’s words left the Yu Zhu duo, who were listening, in stunned admiration.
Before they could react, they suddenly noticed that Zhou Qian’s body began to change—he was emitting a red glow, and his pupils turned white…
He truly succeeded in his transformation!
……
Zhou Qian felt as if something called ‘pain’ was sprouting within him. It hadn’t grown fully enough to make him truly feel the pain, but it made him feel an inexplicable restlessness.
It seemed that he had to go on a killing spree to dispel this restlessness.
Zhou Qian immediately stood up, looking everywhere for prey.
Around him… there was something alive!
No, that’s not right…He exudes an aura of pain; he must be one of his own kind…
Thinking this, Zhou Qian unconsciously walked past the Great God Epoh, then slowly crossed the bridge, reaching the opposite shore of the lake.
On the opposite shore, Qi Liuxing, Gao Shan, and Yun Xiangrong, who were previously calm, all stood up, prepared for anything.
They didn’t move, just intently watching Zhou Qian.
The Zhou Qian before them had drastically changed—scales had grown on his face and hands. These were deep blue scales that, under the gentle glow inside the palace, reflected a dazzling white light.
When Zhou Qian lifted his hand, one could see that his fingers were joined together—he had developed webbing.
Zhou Qian stared at the three, and they stared back without blinking.
For a moment, none of them moved.
Zhou Qian looked dazed and lost, while the three others tightly gripped a strand of Epoh’s hair, sweat forming on their foreheads.
After a short while, a peculiar fish tail grew from Zhou Qian’s back, and he walked away dragging the tail.
The other three let out a long sigh of relief, their tense bodies finally relaxing.
As for Zhou Qian’s transformation, everyone had many questions in their hearts. But they dared not speak, fearing that any small disturbance might provoke his attack.
In front of the phone screen, Yu Xian and Zhu Qiang were quickly discussing.
“The direction of a deified person’s evolution is related to their consciousness, right?”
“Indeed. The Believer No. 1 became a pregnant monster because, in her consciousness, she was pregnant. Later believers knew the lake was dangerous and shouldn’t go into it, so they grew wings to fly. The subsequent giant cats and cheetahs… I think it’s similar. They evolved to have incredible speed just to chase after the fast-moving Qi Liuxing.”
“What about Qian Ge? Why did he develop scales? By rights, he should have had a subconscious warning not to go into the lake! Why did he become fish-like?”
“I don’t know! Could it be… because of his real-life experiences, he has some obsession with scales?”
Zhou Qian was completely unaware of the discussions on the screen or the thoughts of his three teammates.
The world before his eyes had become a vast white expanse.
Unconsciously stepping onto the crystal bridge and then to the opposite shore, he didn’t realize he was heading deep into the forest. All he felt was that he was walking towards… that night eight months ago that felt like a nightmare.
That night, he drank the soup handed to him by the maid and fell into a deep sleep.
Awakening in the middle of the night, lying on the dining room floor, he smelled a pungent gas and, for the first time, felt the sensation of being on the brink of death.
At that moment, he could hardly breathe; his lungs and head ached immensely, and the world before him seemed shattered into countless pieces, each stained a different color.
He knew it was a hallucination caused by gas poisoning.
In the hallucinatory world, amidst the dazzling colors, Zhou Qian saw a dragon.
As the dragon moved towards him through the colorful fragments, he felt certain he was going to die, as he couldn’t even feel pain anymore.
It felt as if his soul had left his body, floating in the air, indifferently watching his own body grow cold.
But the next moment, he felt a cool and extremely comforting sensation.
It was the dragon’s tail wrapping around him, enveloping his body.
His soul was pulled back by this cold sensation, and Zhou Qian regained his sense of pain. He gasped for air instinctively, craving oxygen. Then, from somewhere, oxygen indeed began to flood into his body.
As he regained sensation, the shattered world pieced back together, and Zhou Qian knew he was alive.
When he woke up, Zhou Qian couldn’t remember the appearance of the dragon, but he remembered the color of its scales—a beautiful, glowing deep blue, like stars deep in the ocean.
Vivid blue stars filled his surroundings, creating a world full of brilliant starlight.
Zhou Qian saw himself playing with these stars.
Touching them, they felt sticky, wet, and cold.
So, this is what stars feel like.
Eight months ago, when Zhou Qian had this thought, he smelled the pungent scent of disinfectant. Then he woke up in a hospital, and the stars all around him vanished.
Now, he was once again playing with the stars.
Just as he hadn’t had enough fun, he came to his senses and found himself by a familiar lakeside.
Rationality and consciousness returned simultaneously. He glanced at his watch and discovered that 15 minutes had passed, though he had completely lost his sense of time earlier.
The moment his sanity returned, and overwhelming pain also surged forth.
It felt as if a knife had ruthlessly pierced his heart, and then was violently pulled out, leaving him drenched in blood. Cold sweat broke out all over him, wetting his clothes almost instantly.
Then, a slap resounded, strong enough to plunge his vision into darkness momentarily, only returning after a while. The feeling of fists, countless stabs, even the sensation of being sliced into pieces…
Zhou Qian experienced it all.
He lay agonizingly on the ground, drenched in sweat.
His hair clung wetly to his temples, and his sweat-drenched eyelashes made his eyes appear misty. His body looked as if it had been drenched in sweat, and his complexion was pale to near transparent.
However, the strangest feeling at this moment was—his heart was completely calm. It felt as if he had been bound to a massive tree, transforming into Epoh.
The fanatical believers who repay kindness with revenge were venting their anger on him. When he opened his eyes, he seemed to see countless believers stabbing and slapping him.
If he still had his former temper, he would have charged in anger, ready to fight them to the death.
But the Zhou Qian now realized—he couldn’t feel any anger.
His body was in extreme pain, but his heart felt nothing.
When exactly had he fallen ill?
Only Zhou Qian knew. It wasn’t eight months ago when his parents passed away.
He had been sick long before that. He had thought he was recovering, but he lost the medicine that could have saved him.
Instead of seeing the green trees and blue lake, the scene shifted to a path lined with sycamore trees from years ago.
On a street at dusk, leaves were fluttering, and everything was overlaid with a vintage filter.
A young man in white sneakers and a blue school uniform gradually disappeared into the distance, fading into a yellowish sycamore tree grove, becoming indistinguishable.
Zhou Qian wanted to chase after him, but the pain immobilized him. He couldn’t even muster the strength to shout, “Come back!”
Zhou Qian’s consciousness started to fade, lost in illusions.
Until loud shouts pulled him back from the void.
It was Qi Liuxing and others who had rushed to the lakeside, shouting his name.
Zhou Qian looked up and saw the Great God Epoh close at hand.
Epoh raised a hand, showing his clearly defined, long fingers. His skin was fair, yet the veins protruding from his hand looked powerful, capable of deciding life and death in a snap.
The hand moved forward, gripping Zhou Qian’s jaw.
It felt like, in the next moment, his neck would be snapped by Epoh.
From Epoh’s mouth came a cold, mocking, merciless, and murderous statement. Although spoken softly, it hit Zhou Qian’s ears with thunderous force.
“A firefly’s glow—how dare it dream of standing alongside the sun and moon?”
Zhou Qian seemed not to hear as his vision blurred with double images.
The yellow sycamore tree path and the vibrant Apple Paradise intertwined, separated, and then merged again.
The fading silhouette of the young man on the path overlapped with the god in the paradise. He saw the young man turn around, revealing a pair of calm, contrasting eyes.
Speaking softly and with a blurred gaze towards Epoh, yet clearly looking at someone deep in his consciousness, Zhou Qian uttered two words to Epoh. “Bai, Zhou.”
Kinky Thoughts:
This is the last of the free chapters on jjwxc. If you’ve been enjoying the novel so far and are able to, please consider supporting the author by buying the raws. You can use Google Chrome with their auto translate and this guide on how to buy novels on jjwxc. Remember, only with your (financial) support can artists continue to produce more great works.
“I want a mirror,” Ping Zong repeated firmly. Ling Xiao helplessly sought assistance from Yao Tai, who gestured to the medical staff. Shortly, a mirror was presented to Ping Zong.
Staring at his reflection, Ping Zong was taken aback. Even though only the color of his eyes had changed, it seemed like he had become an entirely different person.
Under the stimulation of the truth, memories gradually returned: the intense fight, the sweet scent of blood, and the slowly fading gray in Lan Sheng’s eyes. The events of the previous night replayed. Ling Xiao didn’t deceive him, he had won. The loser was Lan Sheng.
“I want to see him,” Ping Zong said, pulling back his blankets to get off the bed.
“He won’t want to see you.” Yao Tai finally spoke. “Given his current mental state, he’s not seeing anyone.”
Disbelief filled Ping Zong’s dark eyes. “But I am not just anyone.”
“I assume the last person he wants to see right now is you. There’s no more time for you to ponder,” Yao Tai stated gravely. “What I am about to tell you is extremely important. Please listen to every word.”
Before he could recover from the most significant blow of his life, Ping Zong was forced to attentively grasp new information.
“After the coming-of-age ceremony, the Qizi releases a surge of hormones, affecting their brain and causing emotional turmoil. I know the outcome of your ceremony was unexpected, which led to him secreting several times the normal amount. Based on our instruments, in the next 72 hours, he will experience intense anger, irritability, panic, or feelings of despair. Currently, no drug can treat or control these negative emotions.”
“How can that be?” Ping Zong inquired anxiously. “How do others get through this?”
“The Qizhu is the only one who can soothe the Qizi. Usually, after the ceremony, we encourage the Qizhu to spend as much time with the Qizi as possible. However, looking at Lan Sheng’s current state, he won’t allow anyone, including you, to be close.” Yao Tai’s voice deepened. “This means you must quickly learn how to control your Qizi.”
Ping Zong’s eyes widened. “Control?”
“Exactly. Many Qizhu spend months or even a year mastering this, but you might not have that much time. Lan Sheng’s mental assessment has reached a high-risk level. Historically, the mortality rate for such individuals is up to 50%.”
Ping Zong tensed up. “I will learn.”
“Focus and try to infiltrate his mental realm. Do whatever it takes, even if it means forcefully controlling his mind. Believe in your ability to dominate your Qizi. Remember, you’re not equals. You are controlling him, and this is a forceful measure. Any pity or soft-heartedness will cause a failure in the mental connection.”
Ping Zong closed his eyes, visibly straining in his effort. Yao Tai watched him for a moment before leaving, with Ling Xiao and the others departing the ward to give Ping Zong a tranquil environment.
Outside, Zhi Shang hesitantly asked, “What do you think?”
Yao Tai shook her head. “Not optimistic. That boy still can’t fully accept his identity as a Qizhu. He’s emotionally sensitive, which might hinder him from breaking through the mental barrier.”
Simply put, he was too compassionate. The colder one was, the faster they could master this ability. Clearly, Ping Zong’s feelings for Lan Sheng were overwhelming.
Zhi Shang shook his head in disbelief. “This is my fault. Like the student said, I deceived them.”
Yao Tai silenced him. “It’s not your fault. Even if you hadn’t said those things, they would’ve faced this phase.”
“But I gave them hope.” Zhi Shang’s guilt wasn’t alleviated. “I painted a dream for them, only to find out it was a nightmare. If they knew it was a nightmare from the beginning, they would’ve been prepared and wouldn’t have been shattered.”
Yao Tai stayed silent for a while, finally offering him a silent embrace.
The communication light on Yao Tai’s terminal lit up. “Dr. Yao, the student in the intensive care unit is awake.”
Ending the brief hug, Yao Tai quickly made her way upstairs. By the time she and another person arrived, Ling Xiao and his classmates, who had been informed in advance, were already waiting outside the observation room. Ling Xiao’s fists were clenched tightly against the glass window, trembling constantly, as if he were using all his strength to restrain himself.
Yao Tai had anticipated such a scene, but now she had no time to consider the feelings of others.
The medical staff came forward to report Lan Sheng’s condition. “His body is recovering at a rapid pace, but his mental state is very concerning. He’s showing signs of overexertion. If this continues, it’s only a matter of time before he breaks free from the restraints.”
Yao Tai somberly approached the window. In the center of the room was a lone chair, to which Lan Sheng was tied. Both his hands and feet were shackled. He was struggling fiercely, and by reading his lips, it seemed he was screaming, but the sound was cruelly blocked by the walls. His eyes were fixed on a spot on the wall, as if something there was deeply loathsome that he wanted to pierce through.
Ling Xiao closed his eyes, pressing his forehead weakly against the cold glass, unable to bear the sight. Behind him, two of his classmates’ eyes began to redden unwittingly. This was their first lesson in their coming-of-age ceremony, and it was already brutally overwhelming.
Lan Sheng’s strength grew, causing even the chair bolted to the floor to tremble. His wrists rubbed fiercely against the handcuffs, quickly becoming stained with blood.
“Give him a sedative,” Yao Tai ordered.
Soon, a nurse entered with a syringe, quite long and thick, and injected a clear liquid into Lan Sheng from behind his neck. Only then did the person inside gradually calm down, slowly bowing his head, motionless.
“Do you really want to stay here?” Yao Tai asked Ling Xiao, who had turned into a statue.
Ling Xiao seemed not to hear and remained motionless.
Yao Tai sighed softly and called the two classmates over.
“Who in your class can handle Ling Xiao?”
The two looked at each other. “Probably only Ying Feng…”
“Call him over. Watch him, don’t let him cause trouble or get close to the person inside. It’d be best if you can take him away,” Yao Tai said with a rare look of exhaustion. “There are many others who’ve completed the coming-of-age ceremony these days. We have too many to care for and can’t spare hands for unrelated individuals.”
One of them hesitated. “But Ying Feng probably won’t care about others.”
“Just tell him I said so.” Yao Tai’s tone was firm, brooking no refusal.
Ying Feng did come. When he arrived, Ling Xiao was torturing himself by standing outside the ICU. The person inside was motionless, and so was the person outside, as if they were mirroring each other.
“Ying Feng,” the classmate said nervously as he saw him approach, “We’ve been trying to persuade him for ages, but he refuses to leave.”
Without a word, Ying Feng grabbed Ling Xiao by the collar and started walking him downstairs. Surprisingly, Ling Xiao didn’t resist and seemed lost in thoughts as he was dragged down.
“No.” Ling Xiao seemed to snap back to his senses near the entrance. “I don’t want to go.”
Ying Feng stopped and stared at him.
“I want to stay.” Ling Xiao, whose eyes always shone with confidence, was now filled with bewilderment and confusion. “They are my friends. I can’t just leave them here.”
After a brief pause, Ying Feng pulled him in the opposite direction until they reached a bench in the hallway.
“Can you at least sit and wait here?”
Ling Xiao didn’t struggle much and was pressed down by Ying Feng. Then, Ying Feng himself sat next to Ling Xiao. They both sat silently side by side without speaking.
As night fell, the surroundings became eerily quiet. The deafening silence became unbearable.
“Ying Feng.” Ling Xiao’s voice sounded like a stone dropped in a quiet pond, breaking the silence. Ying Feng slightly moved, signaling he heard.
Ling Xiao called his name but seemed unprepared for what to say next. After a pause, he said, “You don’t have to stay here.”
He spoke these words with such insincerity. The other two classmates had already left, and he had never felt so alone and in need of someone by his side before.
Ying Feng glanced at him from the corner of his eye. Although he usually paid little attention to others, this version of Ling Xiao was something he hadn’t seen in ten years.
The Ling Xiao he remembered was always aggressive, always looking for reasons to provoke him, and never showed his vulnerabilities. But today’s Ling Xiao radiated vulnerability that seemed so out of character for him.
“I promised Dr. Yao,” implying, ‘My staying here has nothing to do with you’.
Ling Xiao didn’t know why Dr. Yao wanted Ying Feng to stay, but upon hearing this answer, he truly breathed a sigh of relief.
The atmosphere became quiet again. Ying Feng subconsciously took out a peach pit from his pocket, slowly rubbing its rough surface. This had evidently become a habit. Whenever he did this, he felt at peace.
Ling Xiao noticed his movement and looked at him curiously. Once he saw, he couldn’t take his eyes off it. “What’s that in your hand?”
Ying Feng didn’t answer, but Ling Xiao became more interested in the item. “Can I have a look?”
Ying Feng hesitated for a moment but handed it over. As Ling Xiao took it, a flash of blue light appeared for a fleeting moment.
“Did you see that?”
“What?”
“There was light inside.”
“I’ve had it for nearly ten years, and I’ve never seen any light.”
Did I see it wrong? Ling Xiao examined the peach pit closely, and from any angle, it just seemed like an ordinary peach pit.
“What did you say earlier? You’ve had it for almost ten years, which means you’ve had it since shortly after you woke up?”
Ying Feng simply replied, “Mm.”
“Why do you carry it with you?”
Ying Feng hesitated for a long time before answering. “I found it in my energy chamber.”
Ying Feng had never told anyone about this secret, including the base staff. It seemed that tonight’s atmosphere was even making secrets want to be shared.
“You mean, it’s been with you since you woke up? How’s that possible? Souls reincarnate, leaving no memories, so how can they leave objects?”
“I want to know why even more than you do.”
Ling Xiao thought for a while but couldn’t come up with a logical explanation. He had visited the base and knew the staff there wouldn’t carelessly drop a leftover peach pit into an energy chamber.
Could past lives truly leave traces in this way?
“So, you’re desperately trying to find your lover from a past life because of this?”
Ying Feng didn’t deny it. “The first time I saw it, I felt it belonged to someone else. I’ve always felt there’s a connection between them. If I can find them, this mystery will be solved.”
Who was the other person? Ying Feng didn’t specify, but Ling Xiao understood. Suddenly, the peach pit in his hand felt hot, and he quickly returned it, his heart in turmoil.
“The universe is so vast; how do you plan to search?”
Ying Feng silently took the pit back. “I have a feeling they’re close by—very close to me.”
“And what if you never find them?”
“I’ll keep searching.”
……
Even in the longest nights, dawn would always greet them. When Ping Zong came out of his room, he saw the two usually conflicting individuals sitting together on the bench outside the door, with Ling Xiao’s head resting on Ying Feng’s shoulder, both of them deeply asleep.
Ying Feng, ever alert, was awakened by Ping Zong’s gaze. This was the first time he saw Ping Zong after the coming-of-age ceremony. There was a moment of discomfort in Ying Feng’s eyes as they met.
His slight movement woke Ling Xiao, who rubbed his eyes and jumped up anxiously upon recognizing the person in front of him.
“How did it go?” he asked eagerly. Ping Zong looked like he hadn’t slept all night, with dark circles under his eyes.
“I still couldn’t do it,” Ping Zong said frustratedly. “He resisted fiercely. As soon as I got close, he started screaming. The sound was piercing. I could sense how painful it was for him when I invaded his mental realm. I couldn’t bear it.”
Ling Xiao didn’t know how to respond, so he just comfortingly placed his hand on Ping Zong’s shoulder.
Just then, a short and long alarm rang from the medical building. The three of them looked around in surprise.
Medical staff from the first floor ran out of their offices, all looking anxious. This included Dr. Yao.
“Dr. Yao!” Ling Xiao called out to her, “What happened?”
Dr. Yao turned off her communicator, looking grim. “Lan Sheng is missing, and his personal items are gone.”
With these words, the atmosphere around Yan Zheng suddenly changed. He no longer exuded the deathly aura from earlier; instead, his killing intent was so intense it felt like it was about to explode, going out of control.
Despite dragging along a body full of wounds, he somehow found strength. Before Yan Qing could even react, Yan Zheng stepped on the edge of the giant sword, leaped into the air, and swung his Death Whip in the air, creating a sonic boom.
Yan Zheng concentrated his wild killing intent on one place and, like a hawk, pounced on the Corpse Retrieval Team who were supposed to protect him, seemingly desperate to break through. Unfortunately, his whip hadn’t even finished its arc when Chai Xin’s Dragonfly Wings cut through the air and disrupted his whole whip.
The members of the Corpse Retrieval Team, who resembled corpses themselves, still silently stood guard around them, not moving an inch.
“Oh, you still care about it? Back then, you were crying to me, saying that you were willing to do anything as long as you could get revenge. And now, for the sake of the Shirou, you’re going to betray our Divine Sect?”
Chai Xin still didn’t take Yan Zheng seriously. His Dragonfly Wings flashed, and the blades swept over the whip adorned with barbs, making a piercing noise that gave people goosebumps.
“Shut up.”
Chai Xin acted like he hadn’t heard. “You’re turning your elbow out*, but you have to choose the right person, even if it’s that cut sleeve Kong. I heard that the Kushan Sect killed the real Elder Huo in order to infiltrate us… This kind of partner who despises our Divine Sect—you better change it.”
*Idiom referring to a person who helps outsiders instead of their own.
After a full-force strike didn’t work, Yan Zheng dragged his wounded body, spun around, and returned behind the Sword of Compassion with a somewhat distorted expression. The Death Whip sensed his murderous intent, and the pitch-black whip body trembled slightly.
They couldn’t kill Chai Xin, as the gap in experience and power was a chasm that couldn’t be bridged by courage alone. However, as long as the summoning formation was activated, Chai Xin and his confidants were still on the mountain…
Yan Zheng’s eyes were locked on Chai Xin as he slowly straightened his back.
“If the Divine Sect is ruined by outsiders, who will help you avenge Taiheng? Who will help you investigate your enemies?” Chai Xin, oblivious to the approaching death formation, continued to speak “heartfelt” words.
Yan Zheng: “He who kills shall always be killed. I pay my price, and you will pay yours.”
“Alright, stop messing around.” Chai Xin chuckled. “Your price? I haven’t seen you pay any price. Instead, I’ve given you a place to live and taught you martial arts—you’ve taken all the advantages… Think more about how your parents died. You haven’t even avenged your blood feud, so don’t try to fight for power and wealth.”
Upon hearing these words, Yan Zheng’s murderous aura suddenly solidified.
His bloodshot eyes stared at Chai Xin, and the ferocity and anger from earlier all retracted into an ugly smile. The relationship between master and disciple in the demonic sect wasn’t as amiable as in the orthodox sects, and they weren’t very polite in their speech. But the tone Yan Zheng used now, rather than facing a “master”, seemed more like facing a “sworn enemy”.
“Blood feud not avenged?”
Yan Zheng’s voice was hoarse, and a hint of despair seeped out from his laughter.
“The ‘blood feud’ you speak of, I finished avenging it six years ago—in the end, you nearly listed every high-ranking member of Taiheng as my enemies. Over these years, under the guise of avenging the ‘descendants of the Yan family’, how many demons and monsters have you summoned, and how many innocent people have you slaughtered?”
“Is the knife of the ‘disciple’ handy?”
By the end of his question, his voice was almost drenched of blood.
However, Chai Xin was just slightly stunned, then smirked. “What was I thinking? So it was just about this. It was merely killing a few people under your name… How splendid was the Hierarch back in the day, indiscriminately killing the young, the old, the sick, the disabled, and anyone he didn’t like. Where is there room for such nitpicking like you?!”
“It takes more than a day or two for the Ling Sect to kill innocent people, haven’t you heard? Expecting a great demonic sect to work for you without gaining anything in return? Where in the world can you find such a good deal?”
Then, as if he had thought of something, the old man laughed sharply. “If you really don’t want to be used by our Divine Sect, you can finish avenging your blood feud and find a place to end yourself. Good disciple, why don’t you die?”
He spoke these words with unparalleled arrogance, as if he was certain that he had grasped Yan Zheng’s weakness. Not far away, the dark red Grand Pavilion loomed in the fog. Although it was just a faint shadow, from Yan Zheng’s point of view, it was like a thorn deeply embedded in a wound.
“Six years ago, I indeed had such thoughts and took such actions.”
Yan Zheng didn’t react as Chai Xin had anticipated, bursting into shameful rage from being exposed as a coward. He simply fluttered his eyelids, his expression a bit strangely empty. Blood trickled down from his torn red clothes, pooling on the stone slabs, emitting a faint fishy smell.
“Perhaps heaven thought the burial gifts I gave were too modest and didn’t agree, so it didn’t let me die. Over these six years, I have been gathering my own burial gifts… As for the matter of the blood feud, I have something to say.”
Yan Zheng looked at Chai Xin a few steps away, his voice growing softer.
Compared to eight years ago, Chai Xin’s appearance had hardly changed. For an old man, eight years was but a fleeting moment. But for Yan Zheng, it was a long time that had transformed him from a youth to a young man.
When he first met Chai Xin, he was soaked in the blood of others. Now, he was soaked in his own blood—it was as if things had come full circle. Memories of the past resurfaced like daytime nightmares, wrapping around him once more.
He wasn’t originally named Yan Zheng. His ancestors changed their surname to “Yu” to escape from being hunted down.
His father, Yu Chunhui, was born with a pair of ghost eyes. To protect his parents, wife, and children, he blinded himself early on and became a blind doctor. With Yu Chunhui’s excellent medical skills, the family was able to purchase a property near Yidu and live comfortably.
His father concocted potions, while his mother diligently and meticulously crafted them. They even made “demon skin soft lenses” to conceal the color of their pupils, allowing their son to play in the sun like any other child. His father was gentle, his mother was intelligent, and their family was in the business of healing the sick and saving lives. Yan Zheng once thought that there could not be a more peaceful life in this world.
That was until eight years ago, when his father’s old friend fell ill.
The old friend was a jade craftsman surnamed Wu, who was originally well-off. But when sickness struck, it became a bottomless pit that devoured money. With elderly and young in his family, the jade craftsman was their sole provider. Seeing the pillar of their family about to collapse, the Wu family quickly sold their home and property, even considering selling their children.
[…He’s a jade craftsman. Why don’t we give him our family’s jade pendant? He can cut it and sell some of it. The jade is of excellent quality, made into a ring. It can sell for two to three hundred taels, enough for him to afford his treatment.]
At that time, his parents deliberately avoided him and went to the backyard to discuss. Yan Zheng quietly followed and heard everything clearly. His father’s words were as gentle as ever, and he remembered every word distinctly.
His mother hesitated. [Husband, is there really no problem with that jade? Wasn’t it said that it could be Yan… Ah, you said before that it should be hidden and only taken out in an emergency.]
Yu Chunhui: [Demonic Lord Yan has been dead for a hundred years. Not to mention that ordinary people don’t know about these kinds of objects. This time, let Lao Wu divide and modify it. Then it’ll be safer to keep at home in the future. We’ve been friends for over a decade, and Lao Wu has watched A’Zheng grow up. We can’t just watch his family be ruined.]
His mother was silent for a moment, then sighed.
[Alright. His children are so chubby and adorable. We’ve always loved them; it would be pitiful if they were sold off…]
His parents had always been soft-hearted, to the point of almost being foolish. Yan Zheng had thought countless times, if his father had been a little harder, a little more cautious, even if he had inherited just one thousandth of Yan Budu’s selfishness, would his parents still be alive?
When Jade Craftsman Wu got the jade pendant, he thanked them profusely, even to the point of almost kneeling down to Yu Chunhui with his sick body. Unfortunately, Yu Chunhui didn’t know that this old friend had a distant relative who was a servant of Taiheng and had long been familiar with the lost relics of the Yan family.
Especially the jade pieces.
At that time, Yan Zheng didn’t think too much about it. How could his all-capable parents make a mistake? Besides, Uncle Wu had always been kind and affectionate, always giving him honey candies when they met and never scold him.
This was a move of righteousness; there was nothing to fault.
However, in the end, all Yan Zheng got was a lament of “Run, don’t look back.”
Even without looking back, he still saw the flash of Taiheng’s sword and remembered the dull thud of his parents’ bodies hitting the ground.
Without his father’s medicinal soup, Yan Zheng’s demon skin lenses quickly dried and wrinkled, failing to cover his ghost eyes. Yan Zheng had to cover his eyes with a torn cloth while stumbling and roaming the streets. Jade Craftsman Wu prospered from this. The whole family moved away from the poor streets and alleys to a spacious and clean courtyard, and their children wore silk clothes and were even plumper than before.
The neighbors called Jade Craftsman Wu a “righteous citizen” who didn’t fear demons.
What righteous citizen?
Yan Zheng stole a knife and sneaked into the Wu house on a windy night. Upon seeing his eyes, the previously kind face of “Uncle Wu” was filled with fear.
[A’Zheng, Uncle deserves to die. Uncle was just confused for a moment, just a moment!]
Jade Craftsman Wu stammered while the point of Yan Zheng’s blade traced a line of blood on his neck, and he almost wet his pants.
[But-but you have to understand. The finger rings are worth just two to three hundred taels of silver, but the clues to a Yan family’s descendants are-are worth three thousand taels. I had no choice. I was doing this for my family… You-You first put away your knife. I will kneel and apologize to you; is that okay?]
[A’Zheng, your brothers and sisters are still, ah, still waiting for me to come home!]
The jade craftsman, looking at those burning ghost eyes, was terrified to the point of weeping. Hearing this man mention his two children, Yan Zheng’s hand shook. As a result, Jade Craftsman Wu seized the opportunity to grab his wrist, about to scream for help.
A surge of cold sweat and hot tears almost simultaneously broke out on Yan Zheng’s back. He used all his strength to thrust the blade into Jade Craftsman Wu’s neck. The next moment, hot blood sprayed all over his face, Jade Craftsman Wu’s eyes bulged wide, and he quickly fell silent.
The knowledge of acupoints and medical practice taught by his father in the past became the most suitable method of murder. A person’s neck was harder than he thought, the blood was more than he imagined, and the dying breath was more hoarse and unpleasant.
Just for the life of Jade Craftsman Wu, his parents had been brought to their demise. And in less than half an hour, he easily took it away.
Endless absurdity and emptiness swept over him. Yan Zheng almost dropped his knife. ‘There’s one left,’ Yan Zheng thought dazedly. He had to survive to find the Taiheng disciple who killed his parents that day…
[Your killing aura isn’t bad. There’s some talent, but it’s too naive. With those eyes of yours, it’s really a waste.]
A coarse and unpleasant voice sounded. Yan Zheng raised his head and saw an old man with one eye like a dried radish on the eaves of the Wu’s house. His hands were still stained with fishy, sticky blood. Yan Zheng’s spirit was in chaos, having no time to pay attention to such an old man.
[How old are you?] The old man jumped down and stood in front of him.
[Thirteen.] Actually, not quite, but thinking of the birthdays celebrated together in the past at home, Yan Zheng felt a surge of nausea.
[A little old, but it’s okay. Come with me. I promise you won’t worry about food or clothing, and I’ll help you get revenge.]
Yan Zheng turned his head and walked away. The old man, Chai Xin, chuckled and grabbed him like a chicken. [You little brat, you don’t recognize a good thing when you see it. If it weren’t for me stepping in, with all the noise you made, you would have been heard by his family! You killed him, and next, your life will be gone too. How can your parents rest in peace if you let an enemy roam free?]
Yan Zheng stopped struggling; he blankly stared with wide eyes and saw the dark red blood on the old man’s hands. He shifted his gaze and saw a row of porcelain dishes deep in the courtyard, almost vomiting on the spot.
Jade Craftsman Wu’s two children were indeed dead. The heads of the two round-faced children were placed in the middle of a large porcelain plate, with thinly sliced bodies underneath with their eyes still wide open in fear. Behind them were the elderly and women of the Wu family, each corpse meticulously arranged on a plate with the smell of blood heavy in the air.
Yan Zheng was momentarily soul-stricken, unsure whether killing Jade Craftsman Wu at the gate was cruel or some kind of mercy in a sense.
[Killing one isn’t enough. This is the revenge of a Ling Sect member. Yu Zheng, I know everything about you—a beggar-like kid; you’re dreaming if you think you can deal with Taiheng. Come, return to my Divine Sect with me. I’ll be your master, and I’ll take good care of you.]
Chai Xin said with a smile, holding out a carrot after wielding a stick.
[After all, you can’t escape today’s matter. The Wu family is in such a state, so both the officials and Taiheng will be after you, the ‘evil spawn’. What will you do? Or should I break your legs and let you try to escape?]
Using both threats and promises, the young Yan Zheng gave in, fueled by a burning hatred.
Back then, he was young and thought that every road in the world could be a way back.
[The ‘Zheng*’ we named you isn’t about fighting; it’s about living up to expectations. A’Zheng, you have to live up to it. Be the best doctor in Yidu.]
*Clarity: (争) Means to contend, fight, struggle for. However, they don’t mean to fight in regard to battle but more so to strive (for oneself).
…But what about his fate?
He was no longer the son of Yu Chunhui, Yu Zheng, but the descendant of Yan Budu, Yan Zheng.
Chai Xin used his ghost eyes to recruit dangerous people into the Ling Sect, taking quite a lot of territory from Chigou and Taiheng. Yan Zheng closed his eyes and ears, devoted to martial arts training, tirelessly seeking the person who killed his parents.
Anyway, without him, the Ling Sect would still be killing people everywhere. Hatred was the best anesthetic, so Yan Zheng balanced his conscience with hatred, just maintaining equilibrium.
His revenge was justified; he had no other choice.
Chai Xin did what he said and had “helped” him quite a bit. The old man set him one goal after another, and every time one of them died, Chai Xin would always casually say, [Master has interrogated in person. It’s not this person. It’s okay, let’s continue.]
This life continued for two years. At the age of fifteen, Yan Zheng was quietly sought out by a person from Taiheng Sect.
The man looked emaciated and appeared to be in considerable pain. Yan Zheng initially thought that the man intended to defect to the Ling Sect. However, when he spoke, his words nearly froze Yan Zheng.
[I killed your parents.]
The man from the Taiheng Sect kneeled in front of Yan Zheng, his forehead smashing heavily into the stone slab, leaving a faint trace of blood.
[After killing those two that day, many people approached Taiheng to reason. They said the couple of the Yu family were kind-hearted and philanthropic, certainly not great villains… The present evil results in the martial world were entirely caused by me. I’m sorry.]
What was he talking about? Yan Zheng thought somewhat blankly. What did this mean?
[Back then, when Jade Craftsman Wu raised the Yan’s jade pendant to Taiheng, the returning spies also stirred up trouble, claiming that the Yu family had committed many evils, which coincidentally coincided with the Wu family’s claims. I was eager to make achievements, so without further investigation…]
Was this a confession? A member of a righteous and well-known sect was apologizing to him, the Patriarch of a demonic sect? This must be a scheme. The one who killed his parents must be someone insidious and evil.
[Those of the Yan family, kill on sight.] Yan Zheng wrapped his whip around the man’s neck and whispered. [The rules of Taiheng Sect don’t mention good and evil, so you don’t have to be so pretentious.]
Did this man think that by saying a few soft words, he would spare his life?
With the life of his enemy in his hand, Yan Zheng’s blood almost entirely rushed to his head, and his breathing became rapid. As death approached, this man should reveal his ugly side. He had to strike at the moment of the man’s greatest fear, to repay him with his own medicine, and let his enemy taste the flavor of losing everything.
[Rules are dead, people are alive*.] The man didn’t struggle. He only raised his eyes, which were devoid of any spark. [Pushing all the evil deeds to ‘the sect is like this’, can deceive others, but not oneself.]
*Idiom referring to rules are usually rigid and inflexible (dead set) while humans are alive and should have flexibility to interpret them based on the situation at hand. He’s basically saying, humans shouldn’t follow the rules blindly and should consider the situation before acting.
Yan Zheng’s heart suddenly contracted, causing a sharp pain.
He composed himself, and with a forced, cold laugh, he said, [Everyone can preach great truths. Even if you are truly remorseful, I will not spare you.]
[I have done wrong*, and I cannot ask for forgiveness.]
*Every injustice has a head, and every debt has a master (冤有头债有主) Idiom referring to there’s someone who is responsible and should be held accountable (AKA Every debt has its debtor).
Yan Zheng’s hand trembled. He gritted his teeth, averted his gaze, and suddenly tightened the whip in his hand.
There was a crisp sound. The man’s neck was broken, and his body limply fell to the ground. A simple life was taken, even cleaner than when he killed Jade Craftsman Wu. But Yan Zheng had no sense of satisfaction; instead, he felt suffocated.
Compared to revenge, he felt more like he had fulfilled the man’s wish.
His enemy didn’t lie. The accumulated pain and guilt weren’t feigned. Yan Zheng was very familiar with it. Every time he heard the elders boasting about their torture methods and comparing the number of lives they had taken; he would look into the bronze mirror and see the same emotions in his own eyes.
He had thought that he would get used to it, but who knew that his sense of guilt was growing day by day. Now, with his hatred suddenly having no place to land, the balance in his chest was swaying unstably. The pain that had been suppressed for two years burst forth, making it difficult for him to breathe.
Was everything he had done for revenge up to now meaningless?
Yan Zheng was cautious. He quietly disposed of the body and mixed the man’s name into the investigation list, saying that he wanted to investigate personally. But Chai Xin just glanced at him. After a few days, the old man pretended to say, [Master has thoroughly investigated. Those people have nothing to do with your parents.]
[Good disciple, why don’t you look at this dog elder. When your family died, he happened to be near Yidu. At that time, Taiheng only gave a reward of one thousand taels for finding the descendants of the Yan family. An extra two thousand taels were personally added, an amount that ordinary people can’t afford. It must have been this old coot who added it…]
Yan Zheng’s heart skipped a beat.
Near Yidu… When he planned to kill Jade Craftsman Wu, Chai Xin was also near Yidu. Yidu was far from Zongwu Mountain, and Chai Xin was the Patriarch. How could he just be wandering around Yidu, and even be prepared in advance to wait for him? He had hidden very well after his parents were killed that even Taiheng couldn’t find him, but it was the Ling Sect who found out about his revenge plan?
Something wasn’t right.
The “Taiheng spy” that the enemy mentioned… Was he really from Taiheng? Behind his deep-seated hatred, there seemed to be others fanning the flames. In this way, the one who benefited the most from killing his upright parents and snatching away the vengeful orphan…
That night, Yan Zheng quietly turned over the account books of the Grand Pavilion without telling anyone.
From that day on, the balance in Yan Zheng’s chest was completely overturned and shattered on the ground.
Looking at the smug Chai Xin in front of him now, Yan Zheng only felt unspeakably nauseous. “You really played a good game back then—adding a bounty for the jade craftsman on one hand and confusing Taiheng on the other. When my parents died, you got a puppet who hated Taiheng.”
“All for only two thousand taels. What a bargain. Luckily, I checked the account books when I was fifteen. You should have destroyed the record of those two thousand taels.”
Unfortunately, just as Yan Zheng expected, Chai Xin’s conscience had long since rotted away. After listening to all that, Chai Xin didn’t show the slightest guilt. Seeing Yan Zheng’s angry reaction, he even laughed out loud. “Ah, my disciple is even more promising than I thought. If you had said so earlier, I wouldn’t have bothered to act. Acting is quite tiring.”
“You knew all along, but you still couldn’t let go of this Patriarch’s chair. I’ve let you sit for six years; are you comfortable, Patriarch Yan? If you dump all the shit on me, will you be completely clean and not considered a villain?”
Having said that, Chai Xin turned to Yan Qing with great interest. “Boy, you heard it too. This is a bad debt. All the people killed by the Ling Sect over the years still have to be accounted for by my beloved disciple—”
Yan Qing unconsciously shook his head.
The Dharma words inscribed by Venerable Kongshi on the Sword of Compassion were extremely heavy. Yan Qing had lost too much blood. His limbs were intermittently cold and numb, and merely gripping the stone sword required all his strength. The voice of Chai Xin seemed as if it were behind a thick layer of water, making his words indistinct to Yan Qing. However, the reaction of Yan Zheng by his side was clearly visible. Yan Zheng’s originally pale face turned a shade paler, and the resentment on his face deepened.
But to Yan Qing, Chai Xin’s constant chatter was simply annoying. He hadn’t fallen yet, so this battle wasn’t over… He hadn’t lost yet.
Whether Yan Zheng was a villain under the concept of righteousness, did it matter? Yan Qing had witnessed his cooperation earlier with Yu Zikuan. At this moment, Yan Zheng wanted to eradicate the Ling Sect, and all he had to do was assist him.
“Elder Chai,” Yan Qing said politely.
“Our Divine Sect always acts like this. If you are deceived, it’s your own fault for being naive. Survival of the fittest has been the rule for hundreds of years…”
“Elder Chai,” Yan Qing interrupted him politely again.
“Hmm? Speak.”
Yan Qing took a deep breath, not looking at Yan Zheng beside him. He moved his numb wrist while his face adorned a particularly sincere smile, and his voice was full of curiosity—
“No offense, but it’s said that out of ten sentences spoken by people of the demonic sect, nine are lies and the rest are only half-truths. Elder, you keep saying ‘deserved to be deceived’ …Do you expect me to believe you, or hope that I don’t believe you?”
He wasn’t strong enough—at least not strong enough to be distracted by these gibberish or to think about irrelevant things during a fierce battle. Whether it was due to his dull mind or his temperament, once his worries were dispersed, Yan Qing felt an inexplicable surge of confidence.
Chai Xin’s mouth moved up and down, but all Yan Qing saw was a soundless babble. Just now, Chai Xin spoke for a long time with a sarcastic smile, but Yan Qing didn’t take in a word.
Elder Chai was subtly choked by his words and had to act as if he didn’t hear. “Just now, you heard what my disciple said. This man is undoubtedly from the Ling Sect. If you don’t want to aid in tyranny, you’d better give up…”
“I didn’t hear,” Yan Qing said calmly.
Chai Xin: “…?”
Yan Qing: “He’s also a member from a demonic sect. Why should I be in a hurry to believe him? We’re fighting for our lives, not disputing in court.”
They had been in a bitter feud for a long time, yet this person from the Kushan Sect had been daydreaming and hadn’t taken in a word.
Even Yan Zheng turned his head; a trace of doubt crossed his face—he had originally thought this person was honest and straightforward, but now, he was still part of the Yan Clan’s descendants after all. Yan Qing’s eerie eyes were half-open, calmly looking at Chai Xin a few steps away. His movements were as steady as ever, but there was an unfamiliar arrogance in his demeanor.
That arrogance, mixed with his gentle demeanor, was particularly annoying. Compared to him, the straightforward Yan Zheng seemed far more likable.
“That bald donkey Kongshi’s sword is nothing more than that—recognizing only petty men and unable to distinguish the hypocrites. Since you didn’t hear, I will—”
“Elder, forgive this Junior’s stupidity. Even if I agree that Yan Zheng is a villain, so what? …Will you let me go easily, Elder? Or is it that Elder thinks he is so evil that it makes you approachable, and that would make this Junior yearn for you?”
Chai Xin was left speechless.
Yan Qing didn’t speak forcefully, but his tone was neither humble nor arrogant, earnest with a particularly strong touch of ridicule. Summed up this way, Chai Xin looked like a fool who couldn’t string his sentences together.
What was this kid made of? Why did he turn sarcastic all of a sudden?
Seeing Chai Xin not responding, Yan Qing coughed up some blood and laughed. “Since Senior has no other instructions, then I will continue to judge only by actions, not intentions.”
Yan Zheng whipped his Death Whip and couldn’t help laughing.
“Good, very good. Worthy of being my brother connected by blood.” He propped up his shaky body. “Yan Qing, he dares not take our lives, why not fight back?”
If he could have such a fight before he died, he could rest in peace.
Having been caught off guard, Chai Xin’s face turned purple. He gave up on slowly grinding away with the Jade Chime Sword Technique, deciding to end the fight quickly. “Everyone, go! It’s okay to be a bit rough; just leave them some breath!”
“…So we continue to fight.”
Yan Qing breathed out a sigh, his tone calm.
“But before we fight, allow me to express my gratitude. If it weren’t for both of you creating such a mess in front of me, I might still be thinking about unnecessary things.”
Such as right and wrong, cause and effect, weighing pros and cons, and the gap in strength. Facing the intricate reality ahead and the abyss behind, Yan Qing suddenly felt enlightened.
Yan Zheng, who was taught by Chai Xin, was always at a disadvantage. They had managed to hold on until now with the first two techniques of the Jade Chime Sword Technique. The third technique, with the greatest power, Yan Qing had never succeeded in using.
In his current state of mind, he suddenly wanted to give it a try.
The third move was called “Opening Gold and Stone”. It could only be activated through utmost sincerity. He, however, remained as cautious and careful as ever, his heart filled with a myriad of complicated emotions. How could he talk about sincerity? The extreme of sincerity was nothing more than sacrificing oneself to save others. In a blink of an eye, would any martyr really think so much?
It was just seeing what was in front of you and giving your best. The matters behind could be dealt with later.
The Sword of Compassion in his hand seemed to lighten considerably, and Yan Qing closed his eyes. He didn’t think about his significant gap in strength with the master and disciple of the Kushan Sect, nor about the impact and consequences of this battle. He just emptied his mind, leaving only the demonstration of Yin Ci that day.
The third move of the Jade Chime Sword Technique, Opening Gold and Stone.
The strategy against the crowd was to hurt the enemy a thousand times while hurting oneself eight hundred times. It could only be used when there was no other way. Now, when it was time, he found that he was using it more smoothly and quite relaxed.
His sword path was righteous, bringing up gusts of wind. The incoming Corpse Retrieval Team barely touched the sword wind before being struck flying by the thick sword move. Despite his sword techniques being rough, his sword intent was even more pure and gentle than Yin Ci’s demonstration. Seeing the unfavorable situation, Chai Xin tried to stop the great sword with his Dragonfly Wings. Unfortunately, the Death Whip was light and agile, while the Sword of Compassion was incredibly heavy. The thin daggers were almost broken.
This sword path surprisingly revealed the power of the Jianchen Temple, perfectly restraining Chai Xin’s martial arts. The shortcomings were all made up by Yan Zheng. The two complemented each other’s skills and didn’t let a single Ling Sect member get close.
Even Chai Xin was caught by the Death Whip, unable to escape, and his forearm was broken by a strike of the Sword of Compassion.
The Elder Chai retracted his Dragonfly Wings with one hand and said angrily, “Pretentious! This sword move consumes a lot. It doesn’t have a trace of killing intent. I don’t believe you can keep going. Once you stop, I’ll tear off your arm…”
He was interrupted mid-sentence, his eyes widening in shock.
A bright knife tip protruded from his chest, with a thin layer of fresh blood on it. Chai Xin spat out a mouthful of blood, almost gasping in horror and making a rattling noise in his throat.
It was an assassin—an incredibly skilled one. Otherwise, how could they break through the Corpse Retrieval Team and approach silently? But where did this assassin come from? This was clearly not the style of a righteous sect…
“Tear what?” The assassin’s voice was sweet and steady. “Tear who?”
Chai Xin turned his head in terror and only saw a pair of smiling willow-leaf eyes. A teardrop mole was on the corner of the person’s eye that was full of evil.
With that, the person drew the knife from his hand and retreated nimbly a few steps back. The members of the Corpse Retrieval Team had just been seriously injured by the sword technique and hadn’t yet reacted when their throats were sharply cut open. However, there were still a few who slipped through the net and tried to fight back. Before they could get close, they were shot through the heart by arrows.
In an instant, blood spattered everywhere.
The remaining Ling Sect members fell like wheat after a storm. In less than half the time it took to drink a cup of tea, the two reinforcements cleared them all.
After dealing with each corpse, Su Si neatly retracted his butcher knife. Yu Zikuan also jumped down from a high place. He had a long bow on his back and quickly scanned Yan Zheng’s injuries.
“San Zi, I just went to deliver a message, and you’ve made yourself like this.” Su Si wrinkled his nose. “What a disaster. The Sect Master’s medicine box is going to be emptied by you again. Will you have any money left this month?”
Yan Qing turned pale, propping up his body with his sword and trembling. The momentum that had built up just now dissipated in an instant. “But-but I learned the third move of the Jade Chime Sword Technique…”
His voice got lower and lower, presumably thinking that Sect Master Shi wouldn’t care about this little progress considering his thick skin. Especially since he hadn’t followed the plan and had not yet gathered at the foot of the mountain.
The more Yan Qing thought about it, the more he felt hopeless. He had to change the subject. “Where’s Lord Bai?”
Su Si supported one of Yan Qing’s arms and helped him stabilize. “That silly goose was caught by the people from the Chigou Sect, but they’ll treat it well. It’s more urgent here than stealing a goose. After all, I know the habits of the Chigou Sect. If I can steal once, I can steal a second time.”
“Didn’t you say that you ran into Lord Bai by chance…”
“Don’t mind such trivial matters,” Su Si said seriously, instantly changing the topic. “Brother Yu, I’ll take my people down the mountain first. You hurry up on your side too—that Invitation to God Formation isn’t an ordinary formation. Shen Zhu might not be able to time it right.”
Yu Zikuan didn’t help Yan Zheng and just grunted in response. The relaxed expression on Yan Zheng’s face also disappeared. He shook his head at Yan Qing and made a goodbye gesture.
Yan Qing was dizzy and still had to carry the Sword of Compassion in one hand, which really didn’t allow him to think too much. He nodded at Yan Zheng and quickly turned to Su Si. “Did you deal with the people from the Chigou Sect? What was their reaction when they found out we got the key?”
The Chigou Sect wasn’t the Ling Sect. They were experts in searching for things and had stayed here for quite some time. It was hard to say whether the lie Shi Jingzhi made in haste would be seen through by people of insight.
“Oh, the message I sent wasn’t about that.” Su Si smiled very happily. “I made a more wonderful ‘secret letter’. They will retreat quickly and won’t cause trouble for us at the foot of the mountain.”
“What ‘secret letter’?”
Su Si sneered. “I told them that Matron Wuxue is dead, and they should hurry back for the funeral.”
Yan Qing: “……”
He felt that after the battle on Zongwu Mountain, they truly offended the Chigou Sect to death. He sincerely prayed that Sect Master Shi and Brother Yin wouldn’t kill Su Si.
The author has something to say:
Su Si (whispering like Panda Man*): Look at the secret letter. Your Matriarch is dead, teehee.
*It’s referring to something like this. Basically, a meme (I think).
A group of people crossed the shore. They had to walk a long way before reaching the edge of the reserve to find any sign of human habitation.
Xiao Zhao was shivering from the cold. Kan Chaosheng, however, was too lazy to walk and decided to coil around Xiao Zhao’s neck, killing two birds with one stone. However, with Kan Chaosheng’s fur damp, Xiao Zhao shivered even more. Dong Zhi had no choice but to light two sunlight talismans and place them on both sides of Xiao Zhao’s shoulders.
Having had his soul taken out and his body possessed by Su Huan, Xiao Zhao was weaker than usual. Dong Zhi used the flames from the talisman to stimulate the yang energy in Xiao Zhao, and soon enough, his complexion improved.
From the start to the end, Long Shen was always holding onto Dong Zhi’s wrist, not even letting go when he saw him take out a talisman, making Dong Zhi operate with just one hand.
Dong Zhi found it odd, even more so by the actions of the yin ghost that tried to detain him earlier. He suddenly remembered the scene in the abyssal hell and was slightly shocked.
Everyone was exhausted and not in the mood for idle chatter. Xiao Zhao, with the support of Chang Qing, barely managed to keep up with the rest of the group. After walking for more than two hours, they finally made it out and met the night shift staff of the reserve.
Seeing them looking disheveled and carrying strange items, like swords and a cat, the staff almost mistook them for poachers. Long Shen showed his ID, explaining that they were police officers chasing a suspect and had already contacted the local police to verify their identity.
The staff member was skeptical and asked, “Where’s the suspect then? Did you not catch him?”
Long Shen casually pointed at Xiao Zhao.
Xiao Zhao: ……
He felt he should play along and pretended to be fierce, shouting, “Even if you catch me, it’s useless! I’ll be out in a few years!”
Probably used to seeing criminals, his act was quite convincing. Chang Qing looked at Long Shen, then at Xiao Zhao, realizing he should play the role of the arresting officer, and gave Xiao Zhao a slap on the back of his head. “Be honest!”
This almost made the already weakened Xiao Zhao fall.
Captain Yin quickly arrived with reinforcements. Three hours later, they finally changed into clean clothes and sat in an office with a warm air conditioner, as if the events on the lake were just a dream.
After Long Shen introduced himself, Captain Yin became serious. The Special Administration Bureau was mysterious and had vast authority. Captain Yin had never expected someone of such high rank from the bureau to be involved. Seizing the opportunity, Captain Yin spoke passionately for five minutes, expressing his gratitude.
Dong Zhi briefly explained the events after they got the book. Captain Yin was flabbergasted. If not for his knowledge of the Special Administration Bureau mysterious cases, he would have thought Dong Zhi was telling a fantasy story or was trying to trick him.
“So, the illustration book is gone?” Captain Yin looked disappointed. “From my personal standpoint, I believe you, but there’s surveillance footage of Deng Bin entering and exiting the house. Unless it can be proven that it wasn’t him in the footage or he has an alibi for those two hours, it would be tough to clear his name.”
In other words, the bizarre story involving a monster called an Aoyin, who manipulated people’s minds through a book and Su Huan becoming a vengeful spirit after death, couldn’t be used as evidence.
Dong Zhi felt this issue was challenging. After all the efforts to bring down the real culprit, Deng Bin was still suspected. It wasn’t like Su Huan’s ghost could testify either.
Long Shen said, “Take me to Deng Bin. Let me try.”
Captain Yin, still skeptical, led Long Shen and Dong Zhi to the detention center.
Right now, Kan Chaosheng was just a cat, which had its privileges as a cat. He didn’t need to follow and rush about, so he could stay here for now and comfortably rest. He was lying in front of the heater, warming up and dozing. His tail swished back and forth. Getting overly comfortable, the tip of his tail hit the heater, and in an instant, his tail was burnt, causing him to jump up and whine.
Idiot. Chang Qing looked at him without speaking, but that word was clearly written on his face.
Kan Chaosheng brandished his claws and shouted, “With me here, you definitely won’t get into the Special Administration Bureau!”
Chang Qing mocked, “You better take care of yourself first. Did you not notice the way Director Long looked at you just now?”
“What kind of look?” Kan Chaosheng became suspicious.
Chang Qing: “A look that says you need to be retrained.”
Kan Chaosheng: “…”
He forgot his grudge with Chang Qing and began to reflect on his behavior since the appearance of Long Shen.
Well, when the Aoyin transformed into a dragon, due to his psychological scars, he didn’t dare revert back to his original form to face it head-on. But he saved Xiao Zhao, and at that time he didn’t know that the dragon wasn’t a real one, but half a dragon. That wasn’t his fault, right?
The more he thought about it, the guiltier he felt. The fat yellow cat curled up into a ball, as if this could save him from disaster.
On Long Shen’s side, Deng Bin still looked dejected. Captain Yin hadn’t told him about Su Huan’s ghost. Regardless of how absurd these matters seem to ordinary people, revealing this to Deng Bin, who was already psychologically fragile, would only confuse him more.
Captain Yin knew that Deng Bin’s family was doing their best to help him. It seemed they even wanted to get a psychiatric evaluation for him. If he was diagnosed with a mental illness, the courts would likely be lenient given the condition when judging the murder. But Deng Bin knew he didn’t kill anyone, so he wouldn’t want to use this as an excuse.
Captain Yin introduced Long Shen. “This is a psychological expert invited by our provincial office. He has some questions for you.”
Without even greeting, Deng Bin just nodded in a lackluster manner.
Long Shen said, “I believe you didn’t kill anyone.”
Suddenly, Deng Bin looked up at him and also noticed Dong Zhi. He became excited.
“You… aren’t you the one from Kunlun Mountain last time?”
Dong Zhi recognized him too. Previously, Deng Bin tried to contact Dong Zhi for help but couldn’t reach him. Yet fate works in mysterious ways.
Long Shen: “During the two hours when Su Huan had an accident, where were you? If we can’t clarify this, you’ll remain a suspect.”
Deng Bin, whose hopes were raised, sank back into despair. He clutched his hair in agony. “I don’t know. I really can’t remember! If I could, I wouldn’t be sitting here now…”
Before he could finish, Long Shen suddenly stood up, walked around the table, and flicked him on the forehead three times.
“Snap!”
To the bystanders, Long Shen’s words sounded faint, but in Deng Bin’s ears, it was as loud as a morning bell or evening drum, deafening.
The chaos in his mind suddenly cleared up. He remembered a prank he played on his parents when he was six and even earlier memories from when he couldn’t speak, lying in his crib and seeing his mother’s smile…
“I remember now!” He shouted. “I went to the suburbs, near Nanyun Road. There’s a forest there, where before the liberation, there was a chaotic burial ground. I don’t know what got into me, but I drove there and parked on the small road outside the forest for two hours, in a daze!”
Captain Yin pondered. “I know the place you’re talking about. It’s indeed desolate around there and probably has no surveillance. But there should be surveillance at the entrance and exit of Nanyun Road. I’ll have someone check it.”
If they find surveillance footage, it would be an alibi for Deng Bin.
For the remaining work, Long Shen and Dong Zhi couldn’t help anymore. When they returned with Captain Yin, the fat yellow cat was sleeping on the sofa with its belly up. Beside him, Chang Qing was playing with his phone, occasionally glancing at the cat with disdain.
“Chaosheng,” Long Shen said.
The fat yellow cat just turned over and continued sleeping.
Long Shen casually picked up a pen from the table and threw it at him, hitting him right on the nose.
Dong Zhi smirked, reminded of classmates who were hit by pens thrown by teachers for sleeping in class.
The fat yellow cat jumped up with a yowl, his face filled with anger, which immediately wilted upon seeing Long Shen.
“Meow meow meow?”
Long Shen: “Speak human.”
The fat yellow cat reluctantly transformed back into a child’s form, but he forgot to retract his tail, which continued to sway behind him.
Idiot. Chang Qing glanced at him, clearly expressing disdain with his look.
“Boss, you’re back. How did it go?”
Long Shen replied, “Pack up. I will send you on your way tomorrow.”
Kan Chaosheng was horrified. “All I did was take a short nap, and now I’m going to be silenced?! Boss, you can’t be so heartless. You picked me up and raised me with your own hands. Our bond should be deeper than yours with Dong Zhi!”
He rushed forward, wrapping his arms around Long Shen’s legs and wailing.
With just one hand, Long Shen easily pulled him away.
“I’m sending you to Huaishui.”
Kan Chaosheng looked puzzled. “Why am I going there?”
Long Shen gave him a slight smile. “I previously neglected to discipline you, which allowed you to be lax in your training. In Wuzhiqi’s place, you should find a quiet environment to study and won’t be easily distracted by the city’s allure.”
Faced with Long Shen’s rare gentle smile, Kan Chaosheng shivered. Remembering his desperate farewell with the octopus, the realization of no phones, no snacks, no internet, he weakly asked, “Can I refuse? How about if you deduct my salary for this year? And next year too? Or I’ll work for free for ten years?”
Long Shen responded, “First, go to Huaishui. After that, you can work for free for ten years.”
Kan Chaosheng’s vision went dark.
Dong Zhi silently lit a candle for him in his mind.
After settling all these matters, the two returned to the hotel.
Dong Zhi stretched. “Finally, we can get some rest!”
He collapsed onto the bed and immediately felt the heaviness of sleep on his eyelids.
Suddenly remembering something, he opened his eyes to ask Long Shen, “Master, you only booked one room, right?”
Long Shen hummed in affirmation, turning away and bending over to retrieve clothes from his suitcase.
Pretending to be serious, Dong Zhi said, “If Captain Yin comes to report to you tomorrow and sees both of us under the same blanket, won’t that leave a bad impression?”
After considering for a moment, Long Shen replied, “That’s true. I’ll ask them to book another room for us.”
As he moved towards the door, Dong Zhi, not expecting him to take the suggestion seriously, quickly jumped up and hugged him from behind.
“Who cares about appearances? After all, Lao Yin has no authority over us. Being overly concerned with others’ opinions will tarnish your brilliant and heroic image, right?”
“Damn, that’s impressive! The buff introduced by the game designer must have been meant for players to deal with Li Dafu! Qian Ge dealt with Li Dafu in such a unique way that he saved the buff!”
“Before the Believer No. 1 attacked Qian Ge, just hearing her child cry caused his health to decrease. The same goes for this winged monster; affected by its wind, Qian Ge’s health started to drop…”
“The believers are indeed formidable, but their unique traits can be used to Qian Ge’s advantage!”
“So before Believer No. 19 launched his ultimate move, Qian Ge was waiting, biding his time until his HP dropped to 5%. Once the follower used his ultimate move, under the buff’s effect, Qian Ge would be completely immune to damage! He succeeded, and now Believer No. 19 can’t move! His skills are all on cooldown! They should take this chance to flee while they’re still on cooldown!”
“That being said, it was a risky move! How could Qian Ge be so sure about the timing? What if his health reached 5%, and the believer didn’t unleash his ultimate? If the believer continued to reduce his health gradually, the buff would only shield minor damage. Qian Ge would still be doomed!”
“Didn’t Qian Ge manage to get some small health recovery potions from that mini game? Those potions might not seem very useful normally, healing only about 1% of health, but they are perfect for adjusting the health level here!”
“But Qian Ge is really tough on himself…”
Zhu Qiang: “Yes, but it’s effective. Look at Little Brother Swordsman, with tears in his eyes, looking guilty… After this, I think he will completely become Qian Ge’s little brother.”
Yu Xian: “Following Qian Ge means there’s meat on the table! I want to be his little brother too!”
……
Inside the game.
The shadows of trees swayed as the wind continued.
Currently frozen in the air due to his ultimate’s cooldown, Believer No. 19 and the three players were stunned by Zhou Qian’s actions.
It took them three seconds to react. They quickly rushed to help Zhou Qian up.
At this moment, all four were in terrible condition, but Zhou Qian was undoubtedly the weakest.
Yet Zhou Qian looked up nonchalantly, first at Believer No. 19 in midair, then turned his gaze to Qi Liuxing.
Upon meeting Zhou Qian’s gaze, Qi Liuxing instantly looked away.
Zhou Qian laughed. “What’s wrong? Can’t look me in the eyes?”
“I just…” Qi Liuxing, fists clenched, managed to respond, “Why did you just…?”
He gritted his teeth, and his voice was hoarse. “Even with that buff, you could have died.”
Zhou Qian patted him on the shoulder, calmly meeting his gaze. “Maybe I was using you?”
“You… I now feel… Maybe you aren’t…” Qi Liuxing hesitated, unable to find the right words. He still couldn’t come up with an opinion on Zhou Qian.
Yun Xiangrong interrupted, “Given the cooldown of the believer’s ultimate, we should hurry to the treehouse!”
Zhou Qian: “No need.”
“You lunatic. We’re all in bad shape, and there are so many believers still powering up on the other side, we—”
Yun Xiangrong’s voice stopped abruptly as she noticed something and instinctively grabbed Gao Shan’s hand.
The couple, Qi Liuxing, and Zhou Qian, whose faces were half covered in blood, all looked towards Believer No. 19 in the sky.
Suddenly, the believer turned away, no longer staring intently at the players, and with a scream of extreme pain, plummeted to the ground.
“No! Don’t stab me!”
“It hurts!”
“Ahhhhhh!!!”
“Don’t, don’t, please don’t cut my leg…”
“Don’t!! My head!! No!! Please spare me!!!”
The ground beneath Believer No. 19 became wet from the sweat of his pain. But he bore no wounds. The pain was only mental.
His screams were eerily familiar to the players. It resembled the pain experienced by the Great God Epoh.
When a person encountered true pain, the tears shed, the look in their eyes, their body language, and even the roars from their throat, were all extremely shocking.
People who are easily empathetic could easily be affected and, consequently, feel the same sadness as others.
Gao Shan was the first to be affected.
Upon hearing the wail of Believer No. 19, a sharp pain struck his heart, and his eyes quickly turned red.
Then an even stranger event occurred.
From across the lake, a similar wail echoed.
The thirteen believers who hadn’t yet ascended to godhood knelt to the ground in unison, screaming in extreme agony. The loud wails spread throughout the paradise, and feelings of sorrow, pain, suppression, and disappointment surged like a tidal wave, overwhelming everyone with intense negative emotions.
No one could hear such collective cries and not be moved. Not to mention Gao Shan, even Qi Liuxing and Yun Xiangrong couldn’t help but shed tears.
The only one unaffected was Zhou Qian.
Yun Xiangrong looked at him and asked, “Why don’t you…?”
Zhou Qian openly admitted, “Because I have a condition.”
Yun Xiangrong: “……”
A moment later, the three reminded each other to plug their ears, feeling slightly better.
After a while, singing echoed from across the lake. The voice was mysterious and melodious, emotionless as if it came from ancient times.
Meanwhile, the Great God Epoh, previously covered by falling flowers, began to move. His body, wrapped in countless leaves and flowers, slowly rose into the air. He opened his eyes in a manner that seemed to look down upon all living beings. His eyes no longer showed any compassion; only coldness and cruelty.
Though he didn’t speak, the mysterious song seemed to be coming from him. The song overshadowed the believer’s wails, allowing the players to let go and exchange puzzled glances.
After a pause, Gao Shan asked, “What’s happening…?”
Zhou Qian pointed to the magnificent apples on the tree across the lake.
“These apples are born from the pain of the Great God Epoh. After eating them, the believers will feel the same torture they inflicted upon the god—”
His tone turned cold, and he smirked. “This is called getting what one deserves, or an eye for an eye. It’s only fair.”
Having shared his hypothesis, Zhou Qian glanced at the system panel’s timer.
About 15 minutes had passed since the believers ate the apples.
Looking across the lake again, those thirteen believers who had eaten the apples hadn’t yet ascended.
What would happen to them?
As this question crossed his mind, Zhou Qian quickly got his answer.
Across the lake, amidst the serene song, the believers were reliving the pain Epoh had once felt, continuously wailing. However, their cries were completely masked by the song, turning their agony into a silent film.
Some of them rolled on the ground, clutching their heads in pain, some banged their heads against the ground or trees, seemingly to ease the pain. A few seemed to regain some clarity but were in even greater distress. Unable to endure their pain, they rushed towards the Sin Lake, diving in without hesitation, only to be torn apart by its waters.
A minute later, all the chaos ceased.
For those thirteen had turned to dust.
[Players have discovered two hidden plots of “Apple Paradise” by participating and witnessing.]
[Hidden Plot ①: 15 minutes after eating the apple, one will feel immense pain contained within it.]
[Hidden Plot ②: Not everyone can successfully ascend to godhood after eating the apple. Those who can’t ascend within 15 minutes lack the potential to become gods. They will suffer a backlash from divine power and consequently disintegrate.]
All four players received this notification.
Of the 20 believers, excluding one who died prematurely, seven became gods. Zhou Qian did the math; the success rate was about 36.8%.
Among those seven, six were killed by the players, leaving only Believer No. 19, who was now rolling in pain near Zhou Qian and the others, tormented by the anguish from the apple.
After witnessing all the believers on the opposite side vanish, everyone’s eyes turned to Believer No. 19.
Gao Shan spoke, voicing the doubt everyone had. “All other believers are dead; what about him? What will happen to him? Can he become a god?”
Zhou Qian narrowed his eyes, staring straight at the direction of the Great God Epoh.
God Epoh, who oversaw all life, silently hovered in the middle of the giant tree trunk. His dark pupils showed no emotion. The innocent purity he once exuded was nowhere to be found. A hidden, profound intent to kill was concealed in the deepest darkness behind him. At this moment, it was surging, waiting for the moment to break free—
Once this intent was unleashed, perhaps everyone on this land would be devoured by him. No one would survive.
“The Great God once told me,” Zhou Qian began, “To gods, humans are like how ants are to humans. So, when the believers were still humans, he wouldn’t even bother about them. But now…”
A hint of a smile appeared on Zhou Qian’s face. He continued, “Now, Believer No. 19 is no longer human. He ate the apple, passed the trials, passed the physical tests, and transformed into a god. Epoh won’t kill humans. But what if… the opponent is also a god?”
“When you’re just a mere ant, I wouldn’t mind you causing a minor disturbance, and I can endure a few bites. However, if you act recklessly and try to stand as an equal, then death would only await before you evolved and became stronger than me.”
Upon hearing Zhou Qian’s words, Qi Liuxing immediately understood.
Joy appeared in his eyes as he asked, “So… we don’t need to deal with Believer No. 19 anymore? God Epoh will kill him? You…you guessed this all along?”
“I had a hunch. But I wasn’t entirely sure,” Zhou Qian responded. He opened his system panel and found that he only had 10 gold coins left.
He spent 5 coins to buy a tissue and meticulously wiped the blood from his mouth and fingers, saying, “Have you heard the story of the Garden of Eden? The apple is the forbidden fruit. Mere humans, tempted by the devil’s serpent, dared to eat the apple to gain wisdom like God… Thus, God would be angry.”
The lake was as blue and calm as ever. But a wind began to blow on the opposite shore.
As the song grew sharper, petals flew, whirling like a snowstorm, filling the entire space. Amid the snowfall of petals, God Epoh’s pupils were pitch black, devoid of any light.
He looked in the direction of Believer No. 19, slowly raised his hand, and beckoned him with his index finger.
No one knew the magic God Epoh used, but Believer No. 19 vanished from his spot, only to quickly reappear on the opposite shore.
He knelt at God Epoh’s feet.
At this moment, it seemed the apple’s painful effects had subsided. The Believer No. 19 no longer suffered or screamed. His eyes no longer glowed red, but the wings on his back remained.
Having gone through the process, he successfully transformed into a god and regained his sanity.
Yet, he became extremely fearful.
Kneeling before God Epoh, he trembled incessantly, murmuring words too soft to hear, presumably begging for mercy.
But it was already too late.
God Epoh, surrounded by the snowy petals, gently laid his hand on top of Believer No. 19’s head. Instantly, the believer silently turned to ash, mingling with the countless petals before falling to the ground, resembling piles of snow.
It seemed God Epoh was tired. He sat back down by the tree and closed his eyes in exhaustion.
The world became completely silent. There was no more wailing of believers, no killing, and not even the sound of picking apples.
The four players could almost hear each other’s breathing.
Suddenly, the system prompts came again.
[Players triggered hidden plot ③: After successfully becoming a god, it will provoke God Epoh’s attack.]
[Players Zhou Qian, Yun Xiangrong, Gao Shan, and Qi Liuxing have triggered all stages of the hidden plot and completed the hidden achievement. Congratulations. Rewards will be settled together once players clear the game.]
Upon reading these two lines, Qi Liuxing, Gao Shan, and Yun Xiangrong finally relaxed.
All hidden plots had been triggered, and the highly threatening believers were all dead. They just needed to wait for 45 minutes for the palace doors to open, and then they could leave!
The ceremony to torment the god ended around midnight. According to the goddess, the palace door would open at 1 in the morning. As long as the players leave the palace after that, the game would be considered cleared.
Now, not only could they clear the dungeon, but they also achieved a hidden achievement that only 10% of players could obtain. All the previous battles seemed to have paid off, and no one wasn’t thrilled about it.
But just then, another system prompt came through.
[Players have triggered the method to obtain the “Ultimate Hidden Achievement: Deification”.]
No one expected that behind the hidden achievement, there was even an ultimate hidden one. Yet, at this point, almost no one was willing to pursue this achievement.
What did deification entail?
It meant that of those who ate the apple, only 36.8% had the physical constitution to adapt to the divine power contained within the apple and then successfully become deified. If one didn’t deify within 15 minutes, they would disintegrate into dust after experiencing the pain that God Epoh once felt. And even if they succeeded in deification, not only would they experience all that pain once more, but they would also face Epoh’s attack.
Losing 15 minutes of consciousness, attacking former teammates, betting on the mere 36.8% chance of deification, transforming into an unrecognizable creature after deification, and then facing Epoh’s wrath…
None of these steps were something any player would willingly undergo.
“Contentment brings happiness.” Yun Xiangrong pulled Gao Shan by the arm towards the palace door and said, “Let’s wait there for the door to open. And take a good rest.”
“I agree.” Qi Liuxing quickly chimed in.
However, Zhou Qian took out something red from his bag.
It was unmistakably an apple.
“I picked this when I went over to pull a strand of God Epoh’s hair. It’s perfect timing.”
The other three players stared at him, almost in shock, yelling in unison, “Are you out of your mind?”
Playing with the apple in his hand, Zhou Qian simply said to them, “Now there are no believers blocking your way. You can easily cross over and each pull out a strand of Epoh’s hair. In this way—”
“After I become deified, I won’t attack you all. We can coexist peacefully.”
Yun Xiangrong, Gao Shan, Qi Liuxing: “……”
Zhou Qian: “Of course, just to be safe, I’m giving you a heads-up. Be careful. I only have 5% health left.”
Kinky Translations 