Through the crack, Fang Yun could vaguely see the archaeological pit, with archaeologists huddled together at its edge.
The faint sound of an ambulance siren could be heard in the distance…
The Zhenyuan Cauldron had actually reopened the passage to Earth!
Moreover, even though he had spent nearly ten thousand years in the Xuanxiao Realm, time on Blue Star seemed to have stopped at the very moment he left.
Only now that the passageway had been reopened had the flow of time resumed.
"Brother Ding, that's not very nice of you!"
"Back when I was invincible and walked with impunity, you wouldn't let me go back. Now you want me to crawl back in disgrace?"
"That won't do.I've suffered such a great loss, reduced to a state of neither human nor ghost. If I don't retaliate fiercely—crushing that big eyeball, boiling it, and making soup from it—wouldn't that tarnish my illustrious reputation as the Supreme Immortal Venerable who never forgets a grudge?"
Easier said than done.
Although he had satisfied his urge to vent, Fang Yun knew that, not to mention the countless hardships he would have to endure if he started over, he had already reached a near-perfect peak in all aspects before his last tribulation.
Even if he retraced the path of cultivation, it would only mean repeating the same mistakes.
The eerie, enormous eyeball that had appeared during the final stage of his ascension still lingered in his mind.
Rather than a final test before ascension, it felt more like his act of ascension had attracted some special existence…
"No, we need to find another way…"
Fang Yun muttered to himself as he released the Zhenyuan Cauldron, gathering together the usable items in the cave and taking a quick inventory.
Although he was once a powerful figure in his region and naturally possessed countless spirit stones and rare treasures, he had devoted them all to cultivating magical artifacts in order to prepare for the heavenly tribulation.
In addition, with the erosion over the past ten thousand years, only a very small portion remained that was still usable.
Fang Yun's gaze gradually focused on the pile of puppets in front of him
This was a set of magical artifacts called [108 Bronze Puppet Men] that Fang Yun had previously refined at the Boundless Realm, using a great deal of resources and effort.
These puppets' bodies were almost identical to those of real people.
Not only could they be used to learn the vast majority of cultivation techniques, but they could also improve one's cultivation level, allowing one to exert strength comparable to, or even surpassing, cultivators of the same level. They could be described as a masterpiece.
However, their disadvantages were just as prominent as their advantages.
Each puppet not only required a separate soul to control it, but these souls also had to be capable of acting completely autonomously and not be affected by any magic.
Human hearts are unpredictable.
In the Xuanxiao Realm, cultivating a group of intelligent, diligent puppets who are completely loyal and obey all one's commands is as difficult as reaching for the moon in the heavens…
Therefore, after careful consideration, Fang Yun abandoned the creation of these puppets and casually tossed them into a corner of his cave.
However, things were different now. The Zhenyuan Cauldron had opened a passage between Blue Star and the Xuanxiao Realm…
Perhaps this would let those damned big-eyed idiots see what a real natural disaster was like!
…
Several months later.
"Beep beep beep… beep beep beep…"
The shrill alarm clock shattered the tranquility of the dormitory, forcibly dragging college student Shen Yi back to reality from his slumber.
"Brother Peng, what time is it now?"
"What…what time is it?"
Zhou Peng, who was in the opposite bed, was clearly not fully awake yet. He groggily grabbed his phone from beside his pillow.
The next second, he sprang up from the bed with a "whoosh," his forehead slamming heavily against the upper bunk with a dull thud.
"Hey friend, the sun's shadow has only just asked it which way it's going, and you've blown the fire from the naan baker into a volcanic eruption?!"
A conversation with a very strong flavor came from Zhou Peng's upper bunk.
"Pfft, what Eric meant was, I was just asking you about the time—why are you reacting so strongly?"
Shen Yi translated with a smile.
"Ugh, you guys are still laughing?! It's already 11:30! Tam has class this morning!! Didn't any of you set alarms?!"
"This is terrible. Tam emphasized at the beginning of the semester that if you miss two attendance checks, you'll fail the course."
Zhou Peng rubbed his head and complained loudly.
Tam was the nickname his dorm gave to a teacher at school. Because he liked to take attendance, was strict in grading, and never highlighted anything, he was always considered the biggest enemy by the entire dorm.
"Ah?!"
A wail immediately erupted in the dormitory. It was Aili, who slept on the lower bunk, who was the first to break the heavy atmosphere.
"Ah, their hooves are already kneeling in the sand, so unload the camel's baggage and let the teapot sing by the fire."
"Aili means that since things have come to this, let's eat first."
Shen Yi translated with a wry smile, rolled off the bed, and picked up his meal card from the desk.
Just as he was about to pick up his lunchbox and leave, three hands reached out with lightning speed and stuffed three different lunchboxes into his handbag.
"Black pepper pork chop rice." (Zhou Peng)
"Lamb chops with rice." (Aili)
"Stir-fried beef noodles." (Lin Tingxuan)
"Thank you, godfather!!" (Together)
"What a bunch of unfilial children!"
Shen Yi smiled wryly and left the dormitory amidst his roommates' compliments.
When he returned with his prize, his roommates were already sitting at their computer desks, beginning their daily battles.
"Point A, point A, I'm going to put my bag down!"
One shot, and he's crippled!
"Miracle Walker?! Miracle Walker is still farming jungle camps!"
Shen Yi, carrying his lunchbox, turned on his computer and skillfully opened the constantly vibrating chat software.
A group chat with a monkey head icon immediately popped up.
Steam Taoist: Hey, did you guys see that new game reveal video that was posted on Bilibili today?
2077 Refund: Huh? There are experts here??
Crane Immortal, return my elixir! (Hereafter referred to as Crane Immortal): Are you referring to that game, "Eight Desolations Immortality"? The one that claims to be a fully realistic virtual reality game?
Steam Taoist: Yeah, I saw that promotional video and it was pretty awesome. The visuals, the depth of field, it looked just like the real thing.
2077 Refund: Don't tell me it's another CG scam. I've been using this ID since back then, and I'm starting to have some PTSD.
Shield Strike: The Path to Godhood (hereinafter referred to as Shield Strike): I doubt it. Even Alyx, the best VR game to date, is still a long way from being fully realistic!
Not to mention this is an online game, tsk tsk tsk...
Crane Immortal: That's easy. It says in the introduction that they're selecting beta testers to try it out, and it even includes a website link. Just go and give it a try.
2077 Refund: Don't bother. That website requires not only a phone number but also a specific address. They might be short-staffed in northern Myanmar again. I'm not taking that risk.
Shield: That's easy. Our group leader has tried every game imaginable, and is known as the "Cyber Shennong" (a legendary figure in Huxia mythology known for his expertise in cyber warfare). Just tag him and solve the problem!
Steam Taoist: @CyberShennong
2077 Refund: @CyberShennong
Crane Immortal: @CyberShennong