Chapter 556: A Prophet Fell

My name is Duan Yu, yes, the one from Jin Yong's Wu Xia novel "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils."

Duan Yu, of the Dali imperial family, Emperor Xuanren.

"I never imagined that Brother Duan and his beloved were the resurrected ones you had longed for day and night; though our time together was brief, recalling our conversations back when we were locked up, I truly feel we met too late."

Lu Xiaofeng raised his cup of baijiu, tipped it toward the sky, and drank it all in one gulp.

"What do you mean 'locked up'? It was just detention."

Rosell, with his chestnut wavy long hair, blue eyes, high nose bridge, and thin lips, corrected him, then sighed deeply as well:

"Lu Brother and I saw Miss Bai Feng—oh, Sister Bai Feng—on the roadside, she looked like a bodhisattva descending from heaven, so we both approached to chat, but then the three of us got into an argument."

"It was fate, really; those days we exchanged insights on admiring flowers, the moon, and beautiful women—it was immensely enlightening."

These two before me are my father's sworn brothers from Tiancheng: Uncle Huang and Uncle Lu.

Duan Yu was beginning to regret contacting these two.

He didn't want to know any of this, just as he never wanted to know that all his beloveds were actually his sisters.

"Since you've inherited Second Brother's account, you're family now. Here, I'll create a group so we can exchange information easily." Rosell said, holding his Universal Communication Token.

"Coincidentally, I recently met a brother who has roamed the romantic world for years and can rival your father; his character is equally trustworthy."

Tiancheng Romance Exchange Group

Members: Duan Zhengchun (Duan Yu), Huang Tao, Lu Xiaofeng, Wen Lianggong

Huang Tao: "Now that we're all in the group, let's exchange information about our family members first, so we avoid future friction and ruin this bond."

Huang Tao: "Before that, I need to post a list and photos—do not, under any circumstances, approach any of these divine or demonic women, or you'll die horribly."

Group owner Huang Tao uploaded a list.

Huang Tao: "Picture

Especially this demonic woman—please, brothers, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely do not entertain any thoughts. Wen Lianggong, you're new here, pay attention."

She was a girl with gray-white hair, wearing a wizard's soft hat, and glass-like eyes.

Generally speaking, over ninety percent of people in Tiancheng have seen the movie, but just in case, Rosell made sure to clarify.

Wen Lianggong: "."

Wen Lianggong: "Picture—is this one?"

She was a gray-haired girl whose expression looked weary, with unease and annoyance in her eyes.

Tiancheng Romance Exchange Group has been disbanded.

"." Wen Lianggong snapped back to reality, quickly retracted his Universal Communication Token, and explained: "Miss, I only noticed you seemed troubled, so I—"

"I don't have a Universal Communication Token. Please stop bothering me," the gray-haired girl said weakly.

"Misunderstanding—pfft—!"

Wen Lianggong was struck in the abdomen and flew backward like a meteor.

"Young Lady Yi Leina, are you alright?"

A man with an exaggerated hairstyle bared his white teeth; his chest bore a golden cone, and his black windbreaker school uniform flapped loudly.

"I'm fine. Thank you."

"Thank me? Don't be so formal! Oh, it's me—I'm Lu Mingfei."

Lu Mingfei removed his wig, his eyes flashing with sharpness, and quickly added: "If you really want to thank me, there's one thing I'd like you to help me with."

"Huh?!"

Unlike usual, Yi Leina today seemed slow to react.

"A commission?" asked the gray-haired demoness, puzzled.

"Of course," Lu Mingfei glanced around, saw no one nearby, and whispered:

"It's about that thing I mentioned before. As for the reward—I thought long and hard, and this item will surely interest you!"

Lu Mingfei gently lifted his school uniform, swiftly opened and closed a photo album.

"Light in Different Backgrounds and Hair Styles"

The saying goes that things shouldn't happen thrice, but Lu Mingfei carefully counted—he seemed to have already died three times over.

Su Lin still hasn't done anything—this isn't because his personality has improved, but because he's holding back for something bigger.

Yes, whether the other self sealed inside the thousand-year-old pyramid on my chest, or myself, we must both strive to survive.

All my messages were read but unanswered; after waiting in Tiancheng for the right moment, I finally found this demoness.

"Light…?"

"Correct. Su—the unnameable Goddess of Light mode."

Lu Mingfei raised his thumb, but suddenly noticed behind the gray-haired demoness two other Yi Leinas, drooping like wilted flowers, exiting different shops, each carrying bread and a pile of fruits and vegetables.

"Did you finish shopping?" said one Yi Leina without the soft hat, listlessly: "Strange… no one here charges me."

"A stranger with a third eye on his forehead paid for me," said another Yi Leina, eyes vacant, equally confused.

"." Lu Mingfei froze in place.

He looked at the demoness before him—whose eyes had previously held no sparkle—and now saw a hint of surprise, and just a little more vitality.

"Is he actually a girl?"

"No."

"But you just said the photo was Su."

"The ultimate god among gods, the ultimate male among males, the dominator of men, the lord of men, the terminator of men—Sophie Ross!"

Lu Mingfei shouted: "I meant Sophie Ross!"

Although Tiancheng has no spring, summer, autumn, or winter, the rising and setting of the sun and moon, the dawn and dusk, still changed on schedule.

In the damp, chilly air, clamor shattered the silence.

"You better explain yourself!" San Yueqi had Star cornered in an alley piled high with trash bins. "What do you mean, you didn't want to return to the train just because you were afraid to hear me talk?!"

"." Star glanced at Dan Heng, who was playing with the Ten Thousand Worlds Communique and recording data, utterly unbothered, showing not a shred of guilt as a snitch.

"I just wanted to wait for Qiong to return to the train."

Star felt hopeless—he had avoided San Yueqi for days, yet he was caught today anyway.

"That guy already returned to the train! We've wandered through several unfamiliar galaxies these past few days, just waiting to find you before heading back to our original universe!"

San Yueqi crossed her arms, dissatisfied.

"Especially that so-called Xianzhou-style civilization universe—where cultivators just attacked on sight to seize the train, then called in their elders after getting blasted away."

"What kings, what sages, what Great Saints—oh my, terrifying."

"But thanks to Qiong's intervention, the train is now apparently called the Ultimate Emperor Weapon in that galaxy."

A Great Saint who just moments ago felt overwhelmingly powerful was now blasted away by the train, yet I feel nothing—is this just because the game's stats have inflated too fast?

"That wasn't Qiong. Qiong hasn't returned yet."

Star closed his eyes, pressed his palm to his forehead, and whispered:

"I hope he doesn't come back for now. There must be some way to escape the fate of having Qiong and San Yueqi on the train—I just haven't found it yet."

"Hey, you just said your inner thoughts out loud," San Yueqi stared at Star blankly. "If not Qiong, then who?"

"Ahha," Star said.

Dan Heng put down the Ten Thousand Worlds Communique and stared blankly at Star, his mouth opening slightly.

"Ahha?" San Yueqi tilted her head in confusion, then suddenly widened her eyes: "That Joyful Star God!?"

"Star God, ah…" Star lifted his head, suddenly enlightened. "So the stat inflation is my problem?"

I accidentally pulled two Star Gods in a ten-pull—Hope and Joy—so stat inflation was inevitable.

"I'm impressed by your incredibly strong network," San Yueqi now looked like the one with a headache.

A few days ago, Star apparently encountered an incredible enemy, which is why he was temporarily granted that terrifying power.

All other illogical bits were brushed off with excuses like "simulated universe" or "movie filming."

Regardless of whether they believed it or not, faced with the reality that had already appeared, they were powerless—yet at least there was one Dafan Sect member on the train.

"Even the strongest network can't escape fate's power," Star said dejectedly.

"What are you thinking about all day?" San Yueqi sighed, but upon hearing the word "fate," she suddenly smiled. "My earlier deduction was right after all."

"That seemingly upright, generous, noble Wu Zhenxian from the North—surely he's scheming behind the scenes."

"A place connecting so many universes suddenly holding a giveaway event—there's definitely a hidden hand."

Star tried to reason: "Ancestor, please stop blessing things from now on."

"Don't give me that," San Yueqi grumbled. "Master Gellman said that whether it's occult divination or deduction, the underlying logic is always science and materialist principles."

"Those things already exist—they were bound to happen. Divination and deduction are merely auxiliary tools."

"Now I've nearly mastered Tarot divination. From now on, before every train departure, I'll cast a hex—guaranteeing safe travels, and sometimes even earning a bit of funding, hehehe."

This girl was perfect in every way—except for her mouth.

"Uncle Yang said he wants to visit the new psychological clinic opened by the Guild. He told us to return to the train after finding Star, without waiting for him," Dan Heng said, holding the Ten Thousand Worlds Communique.

"I need to go too," Star picked up the black trash bag on the ground, casually lifted the metal trash lid as a shield, and eyed San Yueqi warily. "Please return to the train first, Prophet San Yue."

San Yueqi wasn't scary—it was the Prophet who had triggered some unknown bond that was terrifying.

"Eh, really?" San Yueqi crossed her arms, speechless.

"If I were really a Prophet, whatever I said would come true—then I say Dan Heng's Ten Thousand Worlds Communique is the forum rumor about the Dafan Sect's universe-siphoning signal transmitter."

"Besides, 'Ten Thousand Worlds Communique' and 'Ten Thousand Worlds Siphoning Talisman' sound almost identical."

"Do you believe me?"

Star nodded seriously. "I believe."

She continued backing away.

San Yueqi deflated. She narrowed her eyes and sneered: "Then I say Qiong appears right now! Has he appeared!?"

Boom—

Star suddenly collided with a solid figure as he retreated to the alley's mouth.

The metal trash lid slipped from his hand, clattering to the ground. Star turned around and saw Su Lin staring at him in surprise.

"What are you doing?"

Star glanced into the alley, where San Yueqi stood with raised eyebrows, hands pressed over her mouth in shock.

Su Lin saw San Yueqi, his eyelid twitched, and he adopted a cautious stance, slowly retreating away.

Yi Leina carried a bag of bread and ingredients, taking a small bite of the steamed bun bought from Ju Xia Lou:

"Are you all idiots?"

"Ding!"

"Shang Yue, check-in successful."

After completing the check-in with a blank expression, Shang Yue entered her assigned area within the Ten Thousand Heavens Tower and began her dull, uneventful district manager life.

"Good morning, Master."

Shang Xiaoyue had brewed a pot of tea and had been waiting in the shop all along.

"Good morning, Xiaoyue."

After Ye Tian Di obtained all permissions, he freed Shang Xiaoyue from the Tiancheng system, making her an independent sentient being.

Not knowing where else to go after leaving Tiancheng, she preferred to stay here daily, drinking tea and waiting for the Guild's quarterly dividends to arrive.

He had originally thought the frightened customers wouldn't dare return—but only two or three days later, Tiancheng was even busier than before.

Those disturbances

Under the influence of some unknown force, it is gradually fading.

Someone has already posted an analysis thread on the Multiverse Knowledge Token forum.

Compared to the past, today's Tiancheng has a host of mythic figures standing behind it; as long as you stay steady and don't act recklessly, even a dog will eventually fulfill its wish.

To prevent malevolent beings from exploiting Tiancheng to wreak havoc, and to screen or maintain a degree of secrecy, only traders holding a Pass may enter on their own.

Of course, the Pass can also be purchased, and the price is not high.

"After arriving at Tiancheng, I realized I lack the talent to be the main character king," Shang Yue said, lying on a chair scrolling through the Multiverse Knowledge Token, reading a thread title, and laughing aloud.

After encountering the Lord Donghuang, the God, the Three Pure Ones, and Nidhogg, what kind of king are you going to be?

Oh, yesterday I seemed to have seen the Pirate King's man selling Devil Fruits, but it was strange—he ate and drank in the guild without paying a single coin.

He appeared in a movie, but had almost no presence; his screen time was only slightly better than the forum's daily spammer, "Zui Guang Jushi."

"I have no right to laugh at others."

"In my heart, Master is the only main character."

Shang Xiaoyue comforted him.

"Heh," Shang Yue chuckled bitterly: "Now I think about it, Nan Gua said my name was poorly chosen—maybe I should've picked another back then."

"What name should you have picked?" Shang Xiaoyue asked, puzzled.

"After my reincarnation, the orphanage director loved studying Shang and Zhou dynasty history—he made me choose between 'Shang' and 'Zhou' for my surname, and pick a name from 'day, moon, yin, yang.'"

Shang Yue slumped in the chair, cradling a thermos cup:

"If I'd taken 'Zhou,' Zhou Ri sounded bad; Zhou Yue and Zhou Yin were girls' names; Zhou Yang sounded better—the director himself said that name was nice."

"How could I, a true main character, follow the orphanage director's advice? Of course I did the opposite."

And I got everything backwards.

All the main characters and villains I've met are also twisted, wrong.

Fang Yuan, the pillar of the Heavenly Court; Hun Tian Di, the fallen paragon of the righteous path; Xiao Yan, the Flame Emperor who refines elixirs for all living beings; Lu Mingfei, who may have come from the dragon clan's final chapter; and Lord Donghuang Taiyi—who might be using a 'Zhong Li' alias in some 2D mobile game world.

"There's no more room! It's full!"

The desperate cry came from Manager Pei Qian's section.

It's said that after Lord Haotian glanced at the guild's list, he greatly admired Pei Qian and discussed it with Ye Tian Di, arranging for the most expensive resources and goods in the entire guild to be sold in Pei Qian's section.

As expected, business boomed.

"Why is business so good?! Why?!!"

Pei Qian slumped to the floor, knees buckled, eyes dull—wasn't it supposed to be the hardest-to-sell goods they gave me?

"Business is going well, Manager Pei."

Su Lin greeted him.

"Thanks, haha."

Seeing the man shed happy tears, Su Lin did not disturb him, and walked with his group through a special passage into the guild's premium goods section to browse.

After the twelve towers merged, Ye Fan adjusted the interior space—it no longer looked as exaggerated as before, but was bustling like a city within a city.

"Your Majesty."

"Go about your business. Don't mind me."

"Yes."

Near some indoor potted plants, Zhao Gongming strolled with Bi Gan, Wang Hai, Fan Li, Duanmu Ci, and Bai Gui—the gods of the Heavenly Court's wealth system.

"Business is getting better and better."

Su Lin sighed.