Chapter 764: Re-entry

Hotel.

Aaron opened his eyes and saw the mobile phone in his hand.

Calculating the time, not even much had passed.

"But I have already been playing in that game for almost a month... Interesting!"

Aaron touched his chin, feeling the 'Qi' inside his body, which was exactly the same as in the game, and roughly understood why he couldn't beat 'Lao Cai Bang Zi'.

The other party, having opened such a time cheat, who knows how many years they might have spent in bitter cultivation in the game!

"However... the result should be different now."

'After all, I cannot be tied too deeply to the Association; that way, if I am ever besieged, it won't be very convenient to escape...'

He opened the photos in the document; they were all of gold, silver, and bronze artifacts.

Hong Gouyi stepped forward: "So I have decided..."

Feng Ping looked at his own hands and muttered to himself: "That senior really didn't lie to me... The future of ancient martial arts lies in the 'Ancient' game!"

Aaron asked with a surprised tone: "How did they die?"

"The existence of Daliang..."

It was still an instantaneous transition, and Aaron arrived before Wanfo Temple.

"Simulator, start!"

At this moment, he looked toward the direction of Jincheng.

He opened his phone, but did not continue playing the game; instead, he began to search for information about 'Daliang'.

"That's perfect, we have a member waiting for assessment over there; you bring her to the branch, and I will send you the information later."

Aaron searched all the way and arrived at Zhou Dunlin's office.

He took a casual look and set it aside for now: "Hong Gouyi? I'll take a look at it later while I'm at it..."

"At that time, Daliang should have already reached its final stage, with rebel armies rising everywhere under heaven... Red Turban? Wait..."

After finishing his instant noodles, Feng Ping stood up and slowly practiced his punches.

Aaron looked at this female college student and suddenly smiled.

'Sorry, young lady, no matter how powerful technological means are, when encountering a metaphysical detective, you're still going to be blind!'

"Who are you?"

After a long while, Zhou Dunlin put down his reading glasses and sighed with emotion: "According to my speculation... it should be related to the sudden death of the rebel leader and the infighting among subordinates..."

Although Chen Ci said the Association had dedicated staff dormitories with decent conditions, open to employees for free, he was still prepared to consider it.

【Mission failed, game character died!】

"I don't know about this, after all, there is too little history of Daliang..." Zhou Dunlin spread his hands helplessly: "But we can speculate... As a rebel leader, that person must have had to go to the front lines and brave arrows during the difficult early days... War is dangerous, and besides, there were no antibiotics in ancient times; perhaps a small wound infection caused death... A sudden death is not surprising..."

"What you said makes a lot of sense..."

But through the messy hair, one could see his eyes shining with a sharp light, clearly not as decadent as he appeared on the surface.

Crack!

And now, Xu Feng was dead!

At this moment, on the stone slab in front of him, a line of ants crawled from somewhere and formed characters.

Aaron secretly used the 'Demon Heart Art' to grasp some of the thoughts in Hong Gouyi's heart.

Then, he suddenly had a strong sense of déjà vu.

The light was dim, and the floor and table were full of leftover instant noodle cups...

Aaron complained in his heart and revealed a smile on his face: "I know your game name, which doesn't mean the Association knows, but look... you think you are very safe, but in reality, you are very dangerous... So, joining a large organization is more secure, isn't it?"

"Hmm... The Red Turban was indeed one of the rebel armies at that time, and their power was once very great, but they suddenly perished..."

While in the taxi, Chen Ci's call came through: "Did you see it? Look at the news... Xu Feng is dead!"

"Then how did the leader of the Red Turban Army die?" Aaron's gaze was sharp.

No matter what this game represents behind the scenes, as long as it doesn't interfere with his goals, that is enough...

"Let me introduce myself, my name is Aaron, from the Folk Custom Enthusiasts Association... At the same time, I am also your Guide!"

"Yes!"

"No... I cannot die just like this..."

"That was already the final years of Daliang..." Zhou Dunlin sighed: "I can't say I understand it... At most, through some excavated cultural relics and archaeology, I know a few glimpses; I don't know what you want to ask?"

"However, on a piece of funerary goldware, the inscription seems to mention that a Daoist named 'Qinghuizi' wrote a book related to this matter... But obviously, this document has long been lost..."

This was the spiritual sense produced after he cultivated the 'Unfixed Heart Zen' to the 'Eighth Ground Immovable Bodhisattva Realm', making his mind extremely sharp.

There was no way; no matter how firm his character was, facing a pure text game, he could only be blind.

Of course, this was because Aaron recognized the other party, but Zhou Dunlin did not recognize Aaron.

In a certain rented room.

"Speaking of Daliang... the academic world is increasingly believing that this dynasty existed, and some research organizations have even received official funding from Daxin... It is said that they are going to make a few special programs."

This professor was currently idle because his previous relic investigation work had been snatched away by the Folklore Association.

【Mission: Within two years, obtain any one of the Six Supernatural Powers of Antiquity!】

He had been offline for so long, yet after logging back in, it still maintained the appearance from when he left.

Hong Gouyi blew the wind on the rooftop, tidied his hair, and said indifferently.

"Lincheng University!"

After reading several articles in succession, Aaron noticed the author's name.

Feng Ping, who had successfully transitioned from a brick-moving youth to a gaming youth, was scruffy and unkempt, his messy hair growing wild... looking quite like the style of certain masters from the Sanhe region.

I wonder how that Feng Ping, who was single-mindedly pursuing martial arts, is doing now?

He stared at the map on the wall and suddenly took a deep breath: "It's time to start... let me pull back the curtain on the revival of ancient martial arts!!!"

"It seems this is the unlucky mission that leads to my death in two years... Is it one of the Six Supernatural Powers of Antiquity?"

"It doesn't matter if I die, but the path forward for ancient martial arts must be seen by more people!"

Ever since she barely escaped pursuit last time, she was suspicious of everyone she saw.

After controlling his game character and thrillingly surviving another battle, Feng Ping immediately exited the game and muttered to himself.

Aaron had a subtle feeling.

Zhou Dunlin seemed to think of something, opened his computer, and found a document: "Take a look..."

This world clearly has a problem!

The idea of clinging to a powerful figure naturally needs to be carefully considered.

"Die in the game... whatever way a player's game character dies in the game, it will be the same in reality. I've watched the surveillance; those scenes where no one harms them and they die automatically are the most common way players die."

"Regarding the issue of an insurgent army during the Xianzong period... for example—the 'Red Turban Army'?"

Lincheng University.

He stroked the red bricks and glazed tiles in front of him, muttering to himself.

After sending Hong Gouyi to the Association branch, he clocked out right on time and returned to the hotel to continue eating, drinking, and having fun.

'Announcing it all at once is too shocking; are they planning to influence things subtly first? For example, by pushing it forward step by step through the form of revealing secrets... that's also acceptable.'

……

"Qi..."

Hong Gouyi's expression became very vigilant: "Are you monitoring players' phones? No... that's not right, I clearly took defensive measures very carefully... my hacking skills, it's impossible for there to be no trace of detection..."

In a trance, Aaron felt a sense of familiarity.

"Hah!"

To be precise, the inscriptions on the gold, silver, and bronze artifacts, as seen by the current Aaron, had a style very much like that of the Daliang period.

Aaron nodded secretly: "Professor... I wonder if you have any understanding of the history of the Daliang Xianzong period?"

Before the words fell, she folded her body, arrived behind Aaron, wisps of True Qi erupting, her thighs like two pythons, strangling toward Aaron!

A layer of blood-colored clothing appeared on Aaron's body, letting the giant python strangle him.

Being able to live until now was entirely due to good luck.

And some cultural warm-ups were measures like a preventative vaccine.

"Although... I shouldn't really be going to hit the president of this Folklore Enthusiast Association..."

"So that's how it is; our Association doesn't force new players to join..."

The next day.

Even so, a deep palm print still appeared on the wall.

Aaron nodded, not having much thought of correcting the other party.

And when Aaron showed his Association credentials, he became very interested in chatting with Aaron.

After Aaron finished his call, Chen Ci sent a message.

"So that's how it is, thank you, Professor Zhou..." Aaron nodded and was about to take his leave.

Aaron thought for a moment, and a smile suddenly appeared at the corner of his mouth.

【The second day, the news of you killing Du Zhongshan spreads, and the Four Great Holy Monks appoint you as the 'Great Vajra Protector', becoming the number one enforcer of the Buddhist sect. You endure it forcibly and silently collect information on the 'Buddha Son' and 'Great Connection'...】

Before, she was afraid of the retaliation of Black Butterfly Xu Feng and had to find a backer.

Jincheng.

Even in the movement, wisps of Qi overflowed, and finally, he struck out with a palm, stopping three inches away from the wall.

This time, what he displayed was not the Five Poison Fist, but a brand-new fist technique.

Zhou Dunlin was also quite curious about Aaron and the Association behind him.

The Daxin government was also considering the feasibility of making supernatural powers public.

Crack!

He nodded and remembered this name.

"The Six Supernatural Powers of Antiquity? Great Dream of a Thousand Years?"

That was the scene of a player speaking when he logged into the player mutual aid group!

"Nine-Tailed Meow Meow Meow?!"

"Actually... exposing my identity was a last resort... and I still have some concerns about whether to join the Association."

Aaron naturally agreed.

【The first day, you attend the Bathing Buddha Festival, receive the praise of the 'Wisdom Holy Monk', debate with the monks, fight the novices with fists... and gain the reputation of being the best at debating and the best at fighting... However, in the end, the monks still did not choose you.】

Hong Gouyi said goodbye to Professor Zhou, and the two went to the school rooftop together.

……

"The transcendence of ancient civilization..."

At this moment, a female college student rushed in in a flurry: "Professor Zhou... I..."

"Oh?"

……

Chen Ci's reply was quick: "Where are you planning to go now?"

Aaron got up early, washed up, went out, and took a taxi to Lincheng University.

After rummaging through a vast sea of junk information, he finally managed to find a few articles with some substance.

"In ancient times, clans relied on tying knots to record events, and then in the Black Iron Age, slightly more civilized societies preferred carving stones to leave records..." Zhou Dunlin said, "And during the Daliang period, people liked to engrave major events onto gold, silver, and bronze Artifacts; this was known as 'engraving gold to record events'... This is a funerary object excavated from an ancient tomb, and it seems to mention the 'Red Turban Army'... Let me see... Hmm, thanks to the software that student Hong sent me earlier, it saves so much trouble translating these things now..."

He put on his reading glasses, skillfully started the software, and began to translate.

Aaron was completely unaware of what had happened in Jincheng.

After pondering for a moment, Aaron suddenly spoke up.

As there were more and more players and their strength grew, the previous blockade measures had gradually become ineffective.

Aaron watched from the side with interest; the two of them were getting along quite harmoniously, without a trace of the awkwardness from when Aaron had startled the other party during their first meeting at the Rotten Buddha Temple ruins...

Hong Gouyi stopped thinking about beating around the bush to get Professor Zhou to give him extra credit, and looked at Aaron with a suspicious expression.

"Hmm, I will take you to the branch office later."

But Aaron knew it clearly in his heart.

As for the problem that playing the game might lead to death?

"How do you know my game name?"

"Are you... Hong Gouyi?"

After one exchange, Hong Gouyi jumped back to his original spot, his expression somewhat shocked: "I didn't expect even an office clerk from the Association to be so powerful... I can't beat you, I can only choose to join!"

Aaron habitually prepared for the worst and accumulated his Spirituality for a period of time, before finally opening his phone under the urging of the game's prompt.

"Is this also the true purpose of Ancient?"

"Zhou Dunlin... Professor of the Department of History and Archaeology at Lincheng University?"

Aaron reached out his hand.

Even though he had been prepared, he still could not understand this kind of supernatural ability.

"Okay."

"But influencing and interfering with history is truly real... Even Qinghuizi has become a historical figure..."

When talking about a topic he was interested in, Zhou Dunlin was beaming with excitement.

"So it was you." Hong Gouyi's eyes flashed: "Regarding joining the Association, I still need to consider it... It's not convenient to talk in detail here, let's go outside to talk."

Furthermore, within his body, a mass of Qi was already circulating with ease, clearly having brought a martial art of Qi to the level of Entering the Hall.

Aaron considered it for a moment: "Is this hinting that I should... obtain Brahma and I as One through the Bathing Buddha Festival?"

Then, his 'Yao' Spirituality became slightly active, and he captured a scene.

【Do you wish to enter "Ancient"?】

A true martial arts fanatic simply did not care at all!

After finishing his daily practice, Feng Ping sat upright, looked solemnly at his phone screen, and began to log into the game...

"Okay."

Aaron blinked his eyes.

【In the first year, rebel armies rose everywhere, and eventually, one insurgent force breached the Daliang capital, Dajing... You were ordered to head to Dajing to protect many monks and believers, and fought a decisive battle against the Anti-King "Li Qiankun" at the peak of the Imperial Palace, ultimately ending in a draw... You were hailed as the number one expert of the Buddhist sect and the second person in the world.】

【In the second year, you chose to ambush the original "Buddha Son", now the Saint Buddha "Datong", and were defeated by his "Brahma-Self Unity"... You escaped with your life, turned from Buddha to Demon, and obtained the title of "Demon Buddha"... The mission time limit for the "Ancient" game expired, you were judged to have failed the mission, and you have died...】

(End of chapter)