Chapter 139: The Start of the Third Playthrough

Jiao Ming died, his tragic yet brilliant life came to an end……

Looking at the game message about the simulation ending, Zhao Si was stunned for a moment, and finally sighed.

If only this little bird's disposition were a bit more ruthless, it could actually attain the Dao and become a sage—whether continuing to let Rahu help slaughter the bloodline and directly refine heaven and earth into the Dao, or waiting for Hongjun to shape the Heavenly Dao and then become a sage, either would work.

He could join Hongjun to usher in the future era of the Dao of Immortals, or replace Hongjun as the patriarch of the Dao of Immortals—Hongjun himself would willingly yield, as long as he was willing to live.

In Hongjun's eyes, this little bird was both his intimate Dao companion and his junior disciple; he had long deduced that Jiao Ming was not a person of this era, and although his guess was somewhat off, he actually liked this junior all the more for it.

Hongjun had painstakingly taught him many times, hoping to change his useless disposition and set him on a bright and proper path; even as an old fogey of Hongjun, he could do this much for him, showing how great his advantage was!

The key is, I previously exploded a proper Immortal method—Immortal method plus fire. I clearly invested two things, yet you only give me back a cluster of fire, meaning my investment not only earned nothing, but actually lost the principal.

Whether he's there or not makes no difference; it's even worse, because this time the small-scale historical alteration is too great, causing the worldview to be unable to graft onto the eternal wilderness of the Golden Heavenly Emperor, so there is no longer a Sun Golden Heavenly Emperor who defies fate and changes destiny in the future.

If you want to restart, I'll let you restart to your heart's content!

Huh? Unknown purpose?

Zhao Si had never seen such wording in a game description before, and for a moment he felt confused:

【A cluster of platinum-colored true fire of the Golden Crow rose spontaneously from the young bird's body, but instead of burning it, it tempered his frail physique, filling him with warm comfort.】

【Ding! Protagonist Jiao Ming has requested your assistance: (Golden Crow true fire), (Southern Wilderness power). Do you agree?】

Fine, fine, fine, no more acting, huh? You're directly asking me for a specific item, right?

【In the nest there's only your egg; you have no siblings, not even parents—perhaps they're dead, or perhaps they simply don't care about you.】

Zhao Si: ……

Although Jiao Ming would surely not hear these words in the game, Zhao Si really wanted to complain.

I…… I……

【Originally it was just a try; I didn't expect it to actually succeed, which makes you ever more confident about your future path. With this Southern Wilderness power condensed from your past life by means of a half-sage, your future cultivation can save you a great deal of hard work……】

But Zhao Si hesitated a moment, then looked more closely and faintly saw a hint of… blood-red within the platinum-colored fire!

Once the flame was in his hand, the foreign object wrapped inside became obvious; Zhao Si hesitated before taking it out……

「Prize? What is it? 」

No more love!

I've been so good to this little bird of yours; not getting a repayment would be bad enough, but you're even using me as a free Palu, giving you startup funds for your next life……

And Jiao Ming…… his brilliance was indeed brilliant, but he basically had no effect on the future course of the wilderness.

Hmm, now that's more like it!

Zhao Si felt greatly comforted in his old age, as if he had personally witnessed a greenhorn finally mature; his sense of achievement was excellent.

「What does this mean? Jiao Ming sent me a puzzling gift? 」

【Ding! A gift bound from an important figure of the wilderness: "Southern Wilderness power from the myriad spirits' common ancestor!"】

【"Southern Wilderness power from the myriad spirits' common ancestor": a wisp of Southern Wilderness heaven-and-earth power condensed by the myriad spirits' common ancestor Jiao Ming after refining the Southern Wilderness, using half-sage methods; purpose unknown (bound!).】

Zhao Si: ……

A cluster of Golden Crow true fire, a wisp of Southern Wilderness heaven-and-earth power—both landed on the phone screen and then vanished……

【A familiar feeling makes you sigh, hoping only that in this life you can break through all obstacles and smoothly fulfill the mission of your three lifetimes of reincarnation……】

【Ding! This round's rating is "medium"; we are now selecting a corresponding prize for you……】

「Yo? 」

Realizing this fire seemed different from before, Zhao Si's eyes narrowed and he looked again at the prize description on the screen:

【Young Jiao Ming prayed to heaven for aid, and the only response was another himself!】

「Fine, fine, fine! You're taking my stuff and giving it back to me? Even offering flowers to the Buddha isn't as shameless as you……」

【Old fogey! Hammer me with gold coins, mouth too!!!】

Zhao Si: ……

【……On an utterly ordinary day of some year, some month, some fortune, beneath a small volcano in the wilderness, an old tree sprouted a bird egg that hatched for no reason; a barely-feathered chick clumsily poked its head out of the shell, gazing at this world for the third time……】

If the second life's Jin Bing is an extreme scorching sun, then the second life's Jiao Ming is a brilliant meteor!

【Suddenly, past memories surged up like smoke; you clearly comprehended former events, knowing that in your previous life you had actively ended yourself due to shattered beliefs, and waves of emotion rose in your heart.】

Zhao Si, in a fit of anger, just got angry for a moment!

「It's just a matter of passing things along, isn't it! 」

【After the true fire, a wisp of blood-red, flame-like Southern Wilderness heaven-and-earth power also descended here; sensing the weak yet condensed Southern Wilderness power, you can't help but marvel at the old fogey……another self's mystery and strength, which actually can transmit objects across time!】

This is also a cluster of flames!

But the flame's hue is blood-red, looking completely unlike the Golden Crow true fire, and Zhao Si even faintly feels this isn't fire at all, but a special power manifested as fire.

Jiao Ming, fallen.

【And once one seeks to break through to half-sage, the Three Ancestors will surely come to obstruct; even as strong as Hongjun and Rahu, they cannot effectively protect the Dao for oneself, and the situation is unfavorable from the start!】

「What can I do? Of course I'll forgive you……】

【Already returned to the initial node……】

【The reason your previous life ended in self-destruction largely lies in your own operational inadequacy, but the fundamental cause is unrelated to your operation—because you are constrained by historical information conditions, you are naturally at a disadvantage.】

【Faced with the difficulties of your current situation, you choose (?)—please fill in freely!】

In comparison, the second life's Jiao Ming is clearly far better in image than the second life's Jin Bing.

「Begin simulation. 」

【"Golden Crow true fire from you": a cluster of solar-origin true fire bestowed upon himself by the myriad spirits' common ancestor Jiao Ming, containing profound mysteries, capable of burning the heavens and boiling the seas, refining heavenly materials and earthly treasures! (Bound!)】

【No matter how you manipulate things to produce a flower, if it can't be done, it still can't be done, because as long as you fail to break through to half-sage, you will certainly be unable to slay them before the Three Ancestors massacre myriad beings; the ultimate limit is merely the tragic victory of the previous life, but the myriad spirits were still sacrificed.】

Without his wilderness, the myriad spirits were sacrificed by the Three Ancestors and Hongjun; Hongjun kneaded the true spirits of myriad beings into the Heavenly Dao, thereby attaining the Dao and becoming a sage, inaugurating the era of the Dao of Immortals.

With his wilderness, the myriad spirits were still sacrificed; Hongjun still kneaded out the Heavenly Dao and attained the Dao to become a sage!

For the prize, Zhao Si is quite curious.

【Ding! This round's prize is: "Golden Crow True Fire from you!"】

Zhao Si, wearing a helpless expression, was so angry he wanted to laugh.

Compared to Jin Bing's obedient dragon, this kid is far more independent—on the first simulation he just blindly banged his head, and by the second round he started blowing my gold coins, this old geezer.

This little bird has a distinct personality, totally unlike the Golden Heavenly Emperor's approach; its excessive freedom and self‑will make it hard for player Zhao Si to handle.

Zhao Si was venting his grievances when a cluster of platinum‑colored flame suddenly sprang up on his phone screen—exactly the familiar Golden Crow True Fire.

【As a veteran player of three cycles, you don't hesitate; you directly request aid from "another self".】

You damn it!

Upon seeing this prize description, Zhao Si was so angry he wanted to laugh.

Those gold coins were originally mine that I blew out; now you're giving them back as a prize!

But none of Hongjun's promises can change Jiaoming's resolve to die; a beautiful future has nothing to do with him; only the lives of the sacrificed matter to him.

In the end, the primordial wasteland's strongest being, the first semi‑sage who opened heaven and earth, the shared wisdom ancestor of all myriad beings in the wasteland, the enlightener of the civilized age, and the ender of the Three Ancestors' dark era.

With your investment method, who would dare to follow up?

Wait! I'm going to make you start the next round naked...

An idealist's self‑destruction upon shattered dreams cannot be reversed by anyone, by any means...

Could it be that this cluster of true fire obtained from the ten Golden Crows contains something left behind by Jiaoming?

After thinking, Zhao Si reached out and summoned the true fire back.

Zhao Si sighed and obediently blew out the gold coins designated by the little bird.

This is what the little bird and I deserve...

Zhao Si's mouth twitched:

"I hope you learn a lesson in the third round; remember, when in doubt, ask me first..."

"Yes!"

【So, realizing your limited wisdom, you decisively abandoned the headless‑fly behavior of your previous two lives and turned to seek strategy from that vague "other self"......】

【But for now you can't use this yet; you carefully store the power of Nanhua, then begin to ponder.】

Footsteps!

Just then, the game prompt sounded:

But the problem is, the final achievements of the second‑life Jin Bing are far superior to Jiaoming's, because even if second‑life Jin Bing is abstract, it at least physically resolved the "monster‑human contradiction," completely changing the future of the wasteland.

【Ding! You overthought it; Jiaoming means that in the next simulation's opening, you should give this to him, not keep it for yourself.】

"It harbors profound mysteries..."

【Ding! A new wasteland gift has been detected; bind it?】

While Zhao Si was complaining in his heart about the little bird's increasingly direct gold‑coin blowing, he suddenly gasped:

"Has this kid finally awakened?"

【Ding! Since you gathered enough information in the previous simulation, this round will deviate somewhat from the last; please monitor and control it......】

The monster‑human contradiction, the witch‑demon war, the Fengshen Journey to the West... they're back, all of them!

So this round was rated "medium" by the game, and Zhao Si has nothing to say about it.

"If you don't ask me for strategy, I can't get involved, leaving these two rounds just you, a native, blindly bumping around—so a perfect ending is definitely out of reach."

Now that we're on the third round, you're still telling me what to blow up!

But this strategy is really tricky; he needs to carefully brainstorm...

……

(End of chapter)