*Beep—*
As Huang Tian was quietly pondering, the door swung open, and a woman stepped inside. She wore a slate-blue blouse with trailing ribbon accents paired with an A-line black suit skirt, radiating an air of poised, intellectual grace.
It was Zong Wenjun.
Over the past seven years, she had completed her master's degree, passed the civil service examination to join Customs, and remained in the capital for work, living together with Huang Tian.
Although Huang Tian focused most of his efforts on cultivating in the Earth Immortal Realm, at his level of attainment he had long been capable of splitting his mind ten thousand or even a hundred million ways. Consequently, throughout these years, his true body on Blue Star continued to lead a completely normal everyday life.
"Finally off work!"
Zong Wenjun trotted over in light steps and wrapped her arms around Huang Tian, rubbing her face gently against his chest. "You smell so nice, such a wonderful scent."
Huang Tian smiled and stroked her hair. "You seem in good spirits today. Let's go out to eat in a bit."
"All right."
After sharing a brief embrace, the two walked out the door together. Rather than drive, they strolled at an unhurried pace. It was an autumn dusk, the weather hovering between mild and brisk, with several elderly residents in the neighborhood walking or carrying young children.
Beyond the residential compound, traffic flowed endlessly along the streets, pedestrians hurried along the sidewalks, and the sounds of advertisements drifted through the air from time to time.
"The True Martial Dao Classes have begun! In-person trial sessions available, or purchase our trial lesson for free in the virtual world!"
"Senior Cultivator Li Chunqi of the sixth layer of Qi Gathering will teach you cultivation online! The registration fee isn't 998, nor 598, but only 288!"
"The latest smart home robot! Sweeps floors, hangs laundry, watches the kids! Now only 1,560! Only 1,560!"
"The grand hyper-realistic simulation game *Flames of Chaos* has officially launched its open beta! Experience an entirely different life: lords and ministers, beauties and renowned steeds, romantic scholars, clashing blades, and marching armies—"
"Leyou Tutoring Center: don't let your child lose at the starting line of cultivation!"
"Offline sparring partners! Raw, visceral strikes! With our top professional coaches and finest pugilists, the Divine Fist Boxing Club welcomes you! Together, let us scale the peak of the martial path!"
"..."
Listening to these slogans, Zong Wenjun murmured softly, "In just a few short years, the world has changed so much."
With the discovery of spiritual qi, the birth of the virtual world, and the spread of the twin paths of immortals and martial artists, the entire civilization of Blue Star had ushered in tremendous development: aerospace, agricultural science, advanced materials, energy conservation, electronic information...
Naturally, the most pronounced transformation lay in human evolution and biomedicine.
Precise gene editing and targeted pharmaceuticals to a certain degree, brain-computer interfaces and neural integration, limb repair and regeneration, synthetic biology, nanorobotics...
Cultivation inherently fostered the evolution of the human body, banishing many ailments. Paired with rapid strides in biomedical technology, numerous illnesses once deemed terminal had been solved.
Furthermore, the two fields complemented each other. Patients who could not be cured by modern medical techniques could alleviate their conditions or even fully recover through cultivation, while cultivators struggling to progress could accelerate their pace via technological aids. Several universities and tech enterprises had already developed bioelectric cultivation methods, AI-monitored bodily cultivation regimens, neuromodulation cultivation arts, and more.
"Do you think these changes are good?" Huang Tian asked.
Zong Wenjun looked up at him with a gentle smile. "Of course. Even though the dizzying pace of change these past few years makes one's head spin, everything is developing in a better direction. Technology is more advanced, people live longer, and everyone has more time to experience life and be with family."
She looped her left arm through Huang Tian's and opened her right hand. "A century is far too short—whether for pursuing one's dreams or spending time with loved ones and family, it passes far too quickly. All beautiful things are fleeting. In the span of a momentary daze, you suddenly realize you've grown old, and the people around you have either drifted apart or passed away. Life is too fleeting; time can neither be grasped nor retained."
Huang Tian chuckled softly. "No. Time can be seized, and humanity can attain immortality."
"Like the immortals in myths and legends?"
"Indeed, and yet far more than that. The universe has boundaries, but human evolution is limitless. The road ahead is long, and I shall seek high and low."
"Won't it be exhausting?"
"I partake of it as if it were the sweetest honey. If one day the Dao were truly exhausted by me, that would be when life turned tedious."
Conversing as they walked, arm in arm, they slowly made their way through the crowd into a clean, brightly lit restaurant, sat down, and ordered several dishes. After dinner, they strolled aimlessly through the streets for a while longer before heading home.
***
That night, with a single thought, Huang Tian sent a wisp of his consciousness into the virtual world. Raising his hand with a beckoning gesture, a small orb of light materialized in his palm—the "artifact spirit" of the virtual world, the Brain of Justice.
*Now that my spiritual avatar in the Earth Immortal Realm has attained pseudo-Daluo, illuminating hundreds of thousands of worlds, I need to leave my mark and my name across those worlds and even more...*
Through his innate ability, the more people remembered his name and the more imprints he left throughout endless dimensions, the more impossible it became for him to truly perish.
However, there was no need to attend to such matters in person; others could do the legwork on his behalf.
"Virtual world, it is time for a major update."
He channeled a vast torrent of information into the Brain of Justice. Moments later, the orb began to hum and glow brightly.
"Go forth."
"Understood, Master."
The very next moment, a new announcement flashed across the virtual world.
"Attention all players: The personal interface has been updated with an all-new feature—[World Traversal]!"
The announcement sent shockwaves throughout the world. Players currently logged in scrambled to check the details of the new section, while those offline rushed to log in.
Originally, the players' personal interface contained five sections: World Square, Science Hall, Martial Tower, Realm of Profound Mystery, and Trial Space. Now, beneath the Trial Space entry, a sixth section had appeared.
[World Traversal: Players must wear their virtual helmets, recline in a comfortable and secure environment, and click this section. A wisp of consciousness will traverse into another world. Currently, a total of 862,358 worlds are open.
Note: After descending into another world, even if you perish, no harm will befall your true body; however, access to this section will be restricted for three days.]
Upon reading this, the World Square forum erupted instantly.
"Holy crap! Real world traversal?!"
"Wait, are we really crossing into genuine worlds, or are these just simulations generated from data?"
"It has to be real! Otherwise, what's the difference between this sixth section and the Trial Space?"
"Over eight hundred thousand new worlds... I wonder what they're like. Demons and ghosts? Martial arts jianghu?"
"Speaking of which, once we cross over, can't we do whatever the hell we want? We won't actually die anyway, hehehe~"
"The guy above better stop daydreaming. Didn't you see there's a three-day cooldown upon death? If you mess around and get killed by the natives, you'll be stuck waiting three whole days. More importantly, my guess is that the cooldown rule exists because the Brain of Justice wants us to remain lawful neutral in other worlds rather than act like reviled villainous chieftains. If you go around slaughtering indiscriminately, the Brain of Justice might very well sanction you in reality, hehe~"
"Indeed, don't gamble. If you lose, it's totally not worth it. Leaving aside whether it ends your life in reality, just getting permanently banned from the virtual world would ruin your life entirely."
"Ahem, compared to all that, I'm more curious about what level God Huang has reached now! God, immortal, or what? To let so many people traverse worlds at once?"
"Stop guessing blindly. The gulf between us mortals and God Huang's realm is unimaginably vast; guessing will only make us look like fools."
"Brothers, enough talk, I'm starting my traversal! Other world, here I come!!"
***
Inside an apartment in Yandong Garden, Zong Wenjun looked down at her phone, saw the breaking news pop up, and exclaimed in astonishment, "We can actually traverse to other worlds?"
Huang Tian nodded. "Want to experience it?"
"I'll go get my virtual helmet!" Zong Wenjun said with palpable excitement.
"No need. I'll take you directly."
With those words, Huang Tian pointed a finger. Zong Wenjun slipped peacefully into slumber, lying across the bed. Immediately, a wisp of her consciousness was drawn out, accompanying his spiritual sense into the boundless void.
Standing in the void, Huang Tian connected with his avatar in the Earth Immortal Realm. Unfurling the power of a pseudo-Daluo, his spiritual sense instantly descended into one of the hundreds of thousands of worlds he had previously illuminated.
*Whoosh—*
The bustling clamor of voices reached their ears. Zong Wenjun slowly opened her eyes, and what met her gaze was a lively nocturnal panorama.
The ancient, paved street stretched long. Beneath the eaves, before verandas, and among the treetops of every household hung lanterns fashioned from silk gauze and bamboo ribs. Their warm yellow halos swayed gently in the evening breeze. Carriages, ox carts, and throngs of pedestrians crowded the thoroughfare—some in fine brocades, others in tidy hemp garments, every face brimming with smiles.
"It really is another world!" Zong Wenjun's eyes sparkled.
"This world somewhat resembles the Song and Ming eras of our Blue Star. Right now, they're celebrating a festival," Huang Tian said with a smile. "Come, I'll take you for a stroll."
"Mm-hmm!"
The two moved forward slowly with the crowd, taking in the bustling prosperity all around them.
Peddlers carried shoulder poles while calling out their wares, their baskets filled with handcrafted novelties and sweetly fragrant blossoms.
A man scooped up molten sugar syrup with an iron ladle and, with a deft flick of his wrist, poured it onto a flagstone in an instant, forming translucent designs of dragons, phoenixes, and beasts that drew bursts of delight from gathered children.
Further along, a troupe of masked performers danced as they marched, their robes and sleeves fluttering to the rhythmic tap of their feet, harmonizing with the sound of zithers drifting from roadside taverns.
Arriving atop an arched stone bridge and gazing downward, one could see numerous pleasure boats drifting along the river. Charming maidens either strummed zithers within the cabins or stood at the prows, chatting and laughing brightly. Their wandering gazes met subtly with those of young noblemen holding their reins on the riverbanks, stealing away hearts and souls.
Past the bridge, the boats faded from view, yet the festive merriment grew only louder. Precious steeds and carved carriages filled the avenue with fragrance, pedestrians wove like tapestries, and lanterns danced in dazzling splendor.
"They even have candied hawthorns in this world..." Zong Wenjun looked curiously toward a street vendor.
Huang Tian chuckled softly. "It's not surprising. Across myriad worlds, there are always bound to be similarities."
He walked over to the vendor, produced several coins, bought two skewers, and handed one to Zong Wenjun. "Have a taste."
Zong Wenjun took it and took a gentle bite, her eyes crinkling into crescents. "So sweet! It tastes just like the ones on Blue Star."
Huang Tian took a bite as well and nodded. "Not bad at all."
Nibbling on their candied hawthorns, the two ambled along, pausing before occasional stalls to browse and pick up a novelty or two. After walking for a short while, the crowd ahead suddenly erupted into cheers.
"The Ao Mountain Lantern is lit!"
"Go see the lanterns!"
"Off to see the lanterns!"
Throngs of commoners surged toward the palace city, and Huang Tian and Zong Wenjun followed along.
Before long, they arrived outside the imperial city, where an artificial mountain of lanterns several fathoms high had been erected.
Ten thousand colored lanterns hung together in three tiers. The lowest tier featured statues of immortals soaring upon clouds, interspersed with vibrant lanterns of every hue. The middle tier bore statues of gods and Buddhas crowned with halos of merit. The summit was crowned with a grand pavilion, symbolizing the jade towers of celestial peaks.
Along the palace walls, one could faintly discern nobles in splendid attire, sipping wine as they admired the lanterns and composed poetry, thoroughly enjoying the revelry.
"This lantern mountain has a unique beauty of its own," Zong Wenjun remarked, looking up at the tens of thousands of lanterns, her eyes reflecting the luminous glow.
Huang Tian smiled faintly. With a flick of his finger, a streak of light settled onto the Ao Mountain Lantern. In an instant, the brilliance of the already dazzling lantern mountain underwent an astonishing transformation.
The previous illumination had been the pinnacle of brightness and color achievable by mortal artisans, but now, the light seemed to come alive.
The tens of thousands of lanterns no longer merely emitted light; like a rhythmic breath, they rippled outward with rings of soft radiance.
The halos blended into one another, soaking the entire mountain of lanterns in an amber haze like warm honey.
The colored ribbons tied to the lantern mountain resembled drifting sunset clouds and swirling nebulae, blooming into buds condensed of pure light before scattering adrift as a sky full of fireflies.
Countless glowing motes drifted down over the gathered onlookers, prompting gasps of wonder from the crowd.
A stir ran through the nobles atop the palace walls as they cried out in astonishment about "immortals." A middle-aged man clad in a black imperial dragon robe leaned forward on his tiptoes in shock and elation, peering into the distance. "Where is the immortal? Go find him for Us at once—no, invite him!"
Guards scrambled in a flurry to search for the immortal.
Beneath the palace walls among the crowd, Zong Wenjun cupped a descending mote of light in her hands and whispered, "It's even more beautiful now."
Huang Tian took her by the arm, tapped the ground lightly with his toes, and soared gracefully into the air. The two stood atop a soft cloud, looking downward.
Below, the ancient city's lantern market was as bright as day, as if the Milky Way had poured down into the mortal realm.
Where the Ao Mountain towered, a world of lapis lazuli conjured the illusory Penglai; beneath the revolving moon, the dancing light of fish and dragons startled the starry sky. Fragrant carriages crushed the shadowed dust, silk robes chased passing silhouettes, laughter echoed up into the azure heights, and the jade clepsydra hurried on the spring...
The two lingered in appreciation for a long time until the night deepened and the crowds gradually thinned. The clamor receded like an ebbing tide, and cool moonlight fell once more, mingling with the dying embers of the lantern light as heaven and earth returned to gentle silence.
"Time to head back."
"Okay."
The scene shifted, and their consciousness returned to Blue Star. In the bedroom, Zong Wenjun opened her eyes, sat up, and wrapped her arms around Huang Tian, who sat beside the bed, feeling the pleasant exhaustion that follows pure delight.
Huang Tian gently stroked her head and switched off the light, leaving only serene quiet behind...
Chapter 208