Chapter 881: Chaotic Advancement

"That's great."

Bai Yang nodded. "I just came up with a plan for a 'Di Ji' game on the spot."

"On the spot...?"

We all paused in surprise. A 'Di Ji' game could virtually determine the entire fate of a 'Sheng Xiao', so how could someone just think of it on the spot?

"'Yin Guo', would you be willing to help me?" Bai Yang asked. "I can exchange it with 'Dao' or 'Shi Wu'."

"Don't be ridiculous," Jiang Ruoxue said. "We don't need 'Dao' at all, and Zhichun has already told me what those 'Shi Wu' are... I don't want any of them."

"Will you still help me, then?" Bai Yang asked again.

Before answering, Jiang Ruoxue turned to look at me, then said, "You still don't seem to understand the logic here. I want to help you because Zhichun wants to help you. So I don't need any reward—as long as Zhichun thinks you're worth helping, I can use 'Yin Guo' on you for free."

"Alright." Bai Yang nodded, then turned to me. "Yan Zhichun, I'm about to ascend to 'Di Ji'. If you ever find that I've disappeared, bring 'Yin Guo' and come find me in the new venue. Remember... you have to find me as soon as possible."

After hearing that, I didn't understand right away, since I had once seen the 'Sheng Xiao Fei Sheng Dui Du Hetong'.

"Hold on... wait a minute," I said. "What do you mean you're about to ascend to 'Di Ji'? Logically, shouldn't you still have to stay in the 'Mian Shi Fang Jian' for a few years?"

Bai Yang stared at me for a long time before replying gravely, "I can't answer that question. All I can say is that I'll ascend directly to 'Di Ji'."

"How on earth did you manage that...?"

I thought I had started to figure out Bai Yang, but he surprised me once again.

Everyone else becomes a 'Sheng Xiao' by taking steady, step-by-step progress, but Bai Yang is different.

After becoming a 'Sheng Xiao' a few years ago, he immediately appeared in the 'Mian Shi Fang Jian', then expelled everyone inside. Next, he became a 'Ren Ji' in the game venue, and now he's skipping the 'Mian Shi Fang Jian' to go straight to 'Di Ji'...

Why can he be so different from everyone else? Why can he just do things his own way?

I wanted to voice my questions several times, but Bai Yang had instructed me not to mention the 'Mian Shi Fang Jian' incident to anyone, so I had to let it go.

"About when will you ascend to 'Di Ji'?" I asked.

"Very soon," Bai Yang replied. "Just keep coming to see me every day as usual. If you find one day that I've vanished, figure out a way to go to the new place and find me."

"But where should I look for you?" I asked.

"I don't know myself," Bai Yang answered. "You'll have to think of something then. But remember... you have to be quick."

After that parting with Bai Yang, life seemed to return to its usual calm. After the cycle, Jiang Ruoxue went back to her area, and I continued visiting Bai Yang every day as normal.

Ever since he met Tong Ayi, Bai Yang no longer had any other questions.

It seemed he had found his 'Lian'.

Could he have really seen the 'Mu Shen' that Tong Ayi mentioned?

But why, after seeing the 'Mu Shen', would he no longer need 'Lian'?

Was the face he had been longing for actually the face of the 'Mu Shen'?

I really wanted to see her, to know what the 'origin of everything' that Tong Ayi spoke of was like.

But I knew that was unrealistic. That person only existed in Bai Yang's heart, not in the real world.

It's worth mentioning that the place where Tong Ayi was born seemed to be close to me. I once asked if she wanted to travel with me, but she refused.

She said she couldn't keep helping 'Sheng Xiao' and had to continue searching for people carrying massive 'Shan Ye'. Only by acting with those bearing great 'Shan Ye' could she accumulate more 'Shan' and deeply feel the will of the 'Mu Shen'.

After saying goodbye to me, she headed deep into the city to seek that great 'Shan Ye'. Though I didn't quite understand why anyone would persist in doing good in the 'Zhong Yan Zhi Di', I still supported Tong Ayi's choice.

In life, everyone needs a goal, even if it's one that can never be achieved.

Thinking about it, I was a bit afraid to travel with Tong Ayi. She gave me a different feeling from Jiang Ruoxue. Although she always wore a kind smile, I could never truly see through her.

When I looked into her clear eyes, I couldn't tell what was in her heart. Maybe she really was, as she said, always pursuing a state of 'Wu Yu Wu Qiu'.

Days passed one by one, and about four years ago, Bai Yang disappeared from his game venue.

Normally, a 'Sheng Xiao' disappearing here is nothing unusual—they either sign a contract to enter the 'Mian Shi Fang Jian' or get gambled away on the streets, and no one goes looking for them.

But I was different. I needed to find Bai Yang, especially since he had emphasized finding him immediately.

At the same time, I needed to contact Ruoxue quickly, but we were at opposite ends of the city, so how could we get in touch?

No... I suddenly realized I didn't need to find her, because of 'Yin Guo', she would come to me.

Sure enough, as I expected, Ruoxue sensed I needed her and appeared by my side a few hours later.

We quickly caught up a bit and then set off on the journey to find Bai Yang, knowing full well what this meeting meant—

Bai Yang needed me, and I needed Jiang Ruoxue.

Without much thought, we decided on a plan to find Bai Yang: ask that white flower snake.

As fellow 'Di Ji' 'Sheng Xiao', aside from Bai Yang, he was the only one we had some connection with.

When we found the white snake, he was in the middle of a sorrowful hanging act—this was probably Jiang Ruoxue's doing.

The two of us stood there watching his self-directed performance, and after he fell from the rope and stood up with a grin, we knew he had probably gone mad too.

His gray-white suit wasn't as clean as it used to be; it even had some bloodstains, which didn't look like they came from other 'Can Yu Zhe', but more like they had seeped out from inside his own body and stained his clothes.

After Jiang Ruoxue's mix of threats, persuasion, and relationship advice, we once again got information from the white snake without joining the 'Hu Zhu Hui'.

Although we got Bai Yang's detailed location, the white snake's words made me a bit wary:

"If you're looking for that Bai Yang, you'd better hurry. His game is full of loopholes—who knows how he convinced the higher-ups. Any 'Can Yu Zhe' who goes in might cause a violation, and Zhu Que could descend directly. Whether you two girls can even see him depends on your luck."

(On March 2nd, at 6:30 PM, we'll start a Douyin live stream, connecting with the publisher, and at 7 PM sharp, we'll begin selling the second volume of 'Shi Ri Zhong Yan · Mi Cheng'. The first minute's orders will all have autographs. Family and friends who want to buy the book can come watch; those who don't can still come chat. After the sale, we'll chat with everyone. Thank you to everyone who sees this message, no matter what.)