Chapter 213

Chapter 213

The falling crystal bottle had been open, so even though Enoch managed to catch it, almost all of the Immortality Spring water had spilled out, leaving just a few drops.

Enoch, humiliated before Xie Yin Xue, Bu Jiu Zhao, and the onlookers, directed his anger at others. Standing up, he snapped, "What are you looking at? Stare any longer and I'll gouge your eyes out!"

Ying Yi Ling felt rebuked for her concern and bit back her words.

However, Liu Bu Hua, wearing a floral crown, walked over to Xie Yin Xue and innocently probed, "Godfather, why did Captain Enoch suddenly kneel before you and then get all furious?"

Xie Yin Xue laughed softly, sounding rather resigned, "Captain Enoch thought I was kind-hearted and wanted to pay his respects, hoping to be as kind-hearted as me."

Hearing Xie Yin Xue's words, even Liu Bu Hua couldn't pretend to agree. She muttered, "He's got the wrong guy then. Next time he meets Chen Yun, he should bow to her. Or even Thirteen, if he feels like it now."

Enoch: "..."

However, Zheng Shu noticed the crystal bottle in Enoch's hands belonged to Xie Yin Xue and curiously asked, "Didn't Xie Yin Xue want to drink the Immortality Spring water?"

"Exactly, he missed his best shot at immortality! He'll surely regret this in the future!" Enoch huffed and then glared at the others, "Do you want to miss out too?"

Seeing Enoch's aggravated demeanor, no one else dared to drink.

Furthermore, having witnessed Xie Yin Xue's capabilities, Zheng Shu believed it was best to follow his lead. So, he declared, "I won't drink it."

Mu Yujin and her younger brother voiced in unison, "We won't drink it either."

Yi Yao was torn between immortality and gold. After some thought, he clutched the gold bar and declared, "Gold is more valuable."

Yino didn't truly care if they drank or not. His primary concern was getting Xie Yinxue to drink. When Xie Yinxue refrained, all Yino could do was sternly warn the rest, "You'll regret it!"

Xie Yinxue turned to Bian Yuchen, who had silently held the crystal bottle for a long while, and gently inquired, "Mr. Bian, you're not drinking either?"

"The divination told me to let go." Bian Yuchen released the bottle, took a deep breath, and poured out its contents. Only after this did he smile at Xie Yinxue, "My predictions are never wrong, so I won't be drinking."

Yino, still visibly frustrated, snapped impatiently, "Enough! So, are you leaving today or tomorrow?"

After posing the question, he hesitated, then suggested, "Perhaps you should leave tomorrow. The sights of Na Luo Tower City are splendid, and you haven’t had the chance to explore them. Maybe you should..."

At this, Bu Jiuzhao finally spoke up, his voice cold as ice, "We leave today."

Yino could sense Bu Jiuzhao's irritation and, unwilling to be silenced, cast a sly, unsettling smile towards Ying Yiling and Song Quyou, "Do you both intend to leave as well? If you drink the Immortal Spring Water and then leave Na Luo Tower City... you'll die, you know!"

Both Ying Yiling and Song Quyou widened their eyes in alarm, pure fear evident in their expressions.

Zheng Shu sighed in relief and quickly discarded his crystal bottle, exclaiming, "I knew this damned thing wasn't to be trusted! Good thing I didn’t drink it."

"The Immortal Spring Water only works for those who stay in Na Luo Tower City."

Xie Yinxue glanced at the resurrected butterfly by the city gate, saying calmly, "If you drink the water and then leave, you probably won't achieve immortality. You'd age and die just like any ordinary person."

Song Quyou's emotions were a roller coaster, "So, either way, we're doomed."

Yino, unabashedly exposed, still pitched the city, "Isn't it wonderful here, though? The residents of Na Luo Tower City are lovely, with plenty of beauties and hunks. You can have a regular life here, free from concerns about food and death. It's almost like your normal lives, minus the internet. Why wouldn't you want to stay?"

Zhan Meng, a tough guy on the surface but a real mama's boy, said, "That won't do. My mom is waiting for me back home. I need to change my outfit immediately upon returning, or she'll break my legs seeing me in a dress."

Mu Jinhai chimed in, "Exactly, I need the internet. I'd rather go home and play video games than live forever."

Yino berated him, "You're so worthless!"

"Yes, I'm useless." Mu Jinhai shrugged indifferently, "These three gold bricks will pay for my internet for a long time."

Liu Buhua, twirling her pink hair, declared, "Me too. I'm looking forward to reincarnation in my next life. I really don't want to continue this life anymore."

Yino: "..."

These people were impervious to kind words, so Enoch had no choice but to be blunt. He asked them, "Are you sure you can survive the subsequent levels once you pass this checkpoint?"

"To be honest with you," Enoch began, "the Path to Immortality has ten stages. Which stage do you think you're at now? If you leave here, to achieve immortality, you'd have to clear all ten. Don't take it personally, but given your abilities, this stage might be your only shot at immortality. Think it over."

Enoch's question plunged Ying Yi Ling and Song Qu You into silence.

The boy wasn’t wrong. This dungeon was the eighth they'd tackled, and indeed, it was the simplest they'd encountered. So simple that not a single participant had died by the time they reached the end.

If they chose to stay now, they could continue living. However, leaving might likely lead to their deaths in the upcoming dungeons.

Ying Yi Ling hesitated and said, "But this is so sudden... I haven't prepared to say goodbye to my family..."

It was tempting, no doubt about that. But for Ying Yi Ling to instantly decide to stay was too much. The immortality they had imagined was to live forever in the real world, not being stuck in an isolated small town like this one.

In the real world, she had family that loved her, lifelong friends, and countless cherished memories. She couldn't bear to abandon them and stay in an unfamiliar place forever.

Enoch spread his hands and scoffed, "When has life ever been perfect? If you die in the dungeon, you won’t get to say goodbye to your family either."

Hearing this, Ying Yi Ling and Song Qu You became silent once again.

Thinking they were contemplating, Enoch decided to push further, "If you're hesitant, we can stay a night in the town of Naurota to experience its culture and ambiance, and then decide tomorrow..."

Suddenly, Bian Yu Chen interrupted Enoch, "Captain Enoch, what's the difference between immortality after the tenth stage and the one now?"

"Humans..."

Enoch began to reply but choked after just one word. Bian Yu Chen looked at him in confusion just as Enoch suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood.

The blood splattered unexpectedly, covering Zhan Meng and Zheng Shu with its warmth. Enoch clutched his throat desperately, as if struggling against unseen hands. Blood bubbled from his lips as pain distorted his face. Amidst the shock of onlookers, Enoch managed to gasp out a short answer: "Cough... the number of people!"

As soon as he spoke, Enoch's face hit the ground heavily.

The steel-hearted participants didn't care about Enoch's condition. They quickly whispered among themselves—

"The difference is in the number of people?"

"Does that mean only one person can attain immortality after the tenth stage?"

"That can't be it; haven't we known that information for a while now?"

"So what's the difference in the number of people?"

"Captain Enoch, are you still alive?" Zheng Shu crouched down in front of Enoch and prodded him with the end of the Spear of Destiny. "If you're alive, let us know."

Enoch remained unresponsive.

He couldn't respond.

In fact, his head was now lifted because Bu Jiu Zhao had grabbed the hair at the back of his head.

"You're quite talkative. Continue speaking."

The man yanked him up from the ground. Though his tone sounded calm at first, his fury was barely concealed. Enoch had no doubt that if he dared utter another word, Bu Jiu Zhao would snap his neck in an instant.

Yet no one knew of this. To all the participants, Enoch simply lay motionless on the ground, and Bu Jiu Zhao stood still beside Xie Yin Xue, never moving or speaking.

— This was the difference in their strengths.

A chasm so vast, it seemed insurmountable.

Enoch tried to open his mouth, but his burnt tongue and vocal cords hadn't fully regenerated. He couldn't make a sound, not even to plead for mercy.

Zhan Meng wiped the blood splattered on his face by Enoch, grabbed the boy's wrist to feel his pulse, and then exclaimed in shock, "Damn... Enoch has no heartbeat. Did he really die?"

Zheng Shu was incredulous, "Die from spitting out a bit of blood? I don't buy it."

Xie Yin Xue gazed at Enoch's corpse-like form on the ground, the long eyelashes veiling his emotions. After a moment, he rested his chin on Bu Jiu Zhao's shoulder. Sensing the man tense up, Xie Yin Xue flashed a wry smile and softly asked, "Did you kill Enoch?"

Bu Jiu Zhao replied, "I didn't."

He merely exerted a tiny bit of force.

It was Enoch's own doing that his tongue and vocal cords were burnt.

Bu Jiu Zhao explained, "This is the backlash for breaking an oath."

Xie Yin Xue understood: Immortality could indeed be achieved after the tenth stage, but the nature of this "immortality" was a secret that none of the guides could disclose. Otherwise, they would suffer a backlash like Enoch.

"It seems Enoch really wanted me to stay here. He risked the backlash to let me know that the immortality after the tenth stage differs from the current one, and might even be worse."

Pondering this, a deeper smile graced his lips. "Bu Jiu Zhao, if you were to reveal it, would you face backlash?"

"Would you?"

"Because the vow was meant to bind them, not you."

Sentence by sentence, the young man delicately unwrapped what seemed to be a meticulously crafted gift. With each phrase, he peeled away another layer of the exquisite wrapping, until at last his fingers rested atop the gift box. All he needed was to lift the lid to unveil the mystery within.

Turning to the person who had prepared the "gift" for him, he asked, "Bu Jiu Zhao, the little secret you've kept from me is this, isn't it?"

Just as Bu Jiu Zhao was about to respond, Xie Yin Xue interrupted him, "It's your secret. You don’t need to share it with me."

"Alright, let Enoch go. After all, he's still a child." The young man added, "Or at least, he appears to be."

Heeding his words, Bu Jiu Zhao released Enoch.

Once freed, Enoch collapsed on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably.

Zheng Shu, hearing his cries, remarked, "Oh, wow."

Zhan Meng scratched his head in confusion, "He's alive even without a pulse?"

Enoch lifted his muddied and bloodied face from the grass, tears making the mess on his face even more mottled. He moistened his newly regrown tongue and said between sobs, casting a forlorn glance at Xie Yin Xue, "I can't say more. Speaking out will cost me dearly. You'll have to figure it out yourselves."

When had anyone ever seen the renowned Enoch in such a pitiable state?

But his current condition only further validated the truth in the hints Enoch had provided.

Thus, Song Quyuan made up her mind, declaring firmly, "I've decided. I don’t want to stay. I have loved ones to see. Even if I might die in the next stage, and can only be with them for another month, I still want to go back."

"I've always wanted to survive, to clear the levels and live the life I once knew. I never sought eternal life. Those who wish to stay, please, be my guest."

Having said that, Song Quyuan turned and climbed onto the airship. Yin Yeling hesitated for a moment before joining her, perhaps fearful that lingering might sway her decision.

Zhan Meng, while boarding the airship, lamented, "Damn, had I known we could take gold with us, I would've grabbed more gold bracelets for my mom."

Mu Yuji chuckled, looking at her brother, "Weren’t you always going on about wanting immortality? Don't you want to stay?"

Zheng Shu, arms crossed, responded nonchalantly, "That’s how I felt when I was broke. Now that I've made so much money outside, I can't bear not to spend it."

"Exactly... It would be a waste not to." Mu Yuji sighed, her gaze lingering on the city of Naolota.

After experiencing the splendors of the real world, how many would choose to stay in a small town like this, living on endlessly without the prospect of death?

When life becomes unbearably prolonged and beyond one's control, when you're confined to the same place day after day with no end in sight, eternal life is no longer a coveted blessing. Instead, it becomes an endless torment and punishment.

Maur Jin Hai, Yu Lan, Yun Qian, Yi Yao, and others, who had also decided not to stay, lined up in succession to board the airship. After they were all on board, it was Bian Yu Chen's turn, but Thirteen, who had always followed him closely, hesitated to join him.

Yinuo pointed at the hesitant Thirteen and said, "Ah, I forgot to mention earlier, he didn’t bring back any gold. Without it, he can't buy a ticket and without a ticket, he can't return."

"No big deal," declared Yi Yao, who was famously tight-fisted. Yet, at that moment, he generously tossed a gold bar over the ship’s rail to Thirteen, proclaiming with a grand gesture, "This one's on me, brother Thirteen!"

"...Thank you." Thirteen smiled with gratitude, but his eyes didn't mirror the joy.

Bian Yu Chen glanced back at Thirteen. In his presence, Thirteen couldn’t hide his feelings or secrets. From that single look, Bian Yu Chen discerned the truth – Thirteen had jumped off the cliff a day before them. When they returned to the entrance of Na Luo Ta City, Thirteen had run out from inside the city gates, indicating he had stayed there overnight.

Yinuo had always tried to persuade them to stay in Na Luo Ta City for a night. Perhaps there’s a magic about the city; just one night might make one wish to stay indefinitely.

Was that what happened to Thirteen?

Bian Yu Chen turned to Thirteen and inquired, "You don’t wish to leave with us?"

Though phrased as a question, his tone was declarative.

Thirteen looked down, "Master, I..."

Bian Yu Chen pressed, "Just tell me, is it true?"

Meeting Bian Yu Chen’s gaze, Thirteen's eyes, reflecting the clear blue sky, shone brilliantly. "Yes."

It was now Bian Yu Chen who looked away, recalling the times he had seen Thirteen's eyes shine like that in the past, always so dazzling. "...Then you need not come with me."

Stunned, Thirteen could only utter, "Master…"

Without looking back, Bian Yu Chen boarded the airship, never sparing another glance at Thirteen.

The airship, which had carried fifteen including Yinuo on its journey to the city, now departed with one less.

When they were leaving, Thirteen returned the gold bar to Yi Yao, who in his usual flamboyant manner, passed it on to Zhan Meng saying, "For your mother, Zhan Mei Wa."

"Hey, if we ever meet again out there, we can still greet each other," Zhan Meng replied, now oddly cordial and free from his usual cheek. "Just don't call me Zhan Mei Wa anymore."

Yinuo chose a spot far from Bu Jiu Zhao and cleared his throat, "Dear teammates, your captain has a tale for you. Have you ever heard of a legend—"

"—long ago, a team of adventurers discovered a chain of uninhabited islands. Within a temple left by the gods in the islands’ inner waters, they found the Fountain of Immortality. Drinking from it granted eternal life, but removing its water would awaken a guardian serpent that would pursue anyone who consumed it. To deter the serpent, the adventurers planted a blood-thirsty forest near the temple. Still, they fell victim to the temple's curse, unable to leave the islands. Even the Spear of Fate, which could grant death, and the key to the temple were taken by the gods. They were doomed to remain nearby, longing for death they couldn’t attain."

"Now, tell me, what lesson does this legend teach us?"

Zheng Shu cautioned, "One shouldn't venture out lightly."

Zhan Meng added, "Especially not to uninhabited islands."

Liu Buhua advised, "And never casually drink untreated water from the wild."

Yino remained silent, "...".

Xie Yin Xue, seeing Yino's speechless expression, couldn't help but laugh. Then, she articulated, “Are you trying to say: All beings don’t wish to come to life, but are compelled to be born, and they don’t desire death, yet are destined to die. How can one attain eternal life?”

Observing her astuteness, Yino felt that aside from her obstinacy, Xie Yin Xue was a good person. Most importantly, she had managed to tame the wild beast, Bu Jiuzhao. He applauded her, "That's the correct answer, truly worthy of you!"

Xie Yin Xue glanced at him and languidly responded, "But I simply don’t wish to die. I don’t like hearing this philosophy, so refrain from preaching it."

Yino, in the midst of clapping, suddenly froze again.

Fearing Yino might bear a grudge if they laughed at his predicament, everyone quickly turned their attention to the view outside the airship. The sky hadn't darkened yet, and looking down they observed countless sunken ships in the azure shallows. These vessels, like an unrecorded history, faded from clarity in the shallows to obscurity in the deeper waters, eventually swallowed whole by the ocean, forgotten by time.

Bu Jiuzhao, looking at the profound depths, momentarily lost himself in thought, as if he was taken back a millennium, standing on a boundary nine steps away from the warm sun, gazing longingly at the falling snowflakes he loathed, envying their ability to drift with the tide, traveling to vast lands he'd never see.

Suddenly, Bu Jiuzhao felt a gentle tug on his ring finger.

Without looking back, he knew who it was.

"Bu Jiuzhao."

The young man softly called his name.

But Bu Jiuzhao didn't dare turn around to meet the young man's eyes.

The youth continued, his voice gentle and unhurried like a drizzling rain, "In my world, the ring finger is the one closest to the heart. Thus, wearing a ring on it signifies holding your beloved close to your heart."

The ring finger that had been touched trembled slightly.

Sensing this, the young man held onto it even tighter.

At that moment, Bu Jiuzhao wanted to turn around, to confess all his secrets to Xie Yin Xue. But the young man rested his chin on his shoulder, preventing him from turning, whispering, "You don't need to explain. I have eyes; I can see for myself."

"I must leave now, but when we meet again, I'll bring you a gift."

The airship returned all the participants home. By the time they arrived, the sky was pitch black. They were still dressed in the outfits they had brought from the game, but their metal detectors, guns, golden spears, and star-shaped brooches were all missing.

Glancing at his watch, he realized that six hours had passed since they entered the duplicate realm. It was the first time that time within Lock of Immortality intersected with real-world time.

It was as if they truly boarded an airship, visiting the city of Naurota, exploring the temple in the Land of the Lost, and even traveling to the Dakonas Archipelago— islands said to be cursed, as Yino once told in legends.

Perhaps they did indeed visit those places.

They retrieved a touch of gold treasure from the temple, resisted the allure of the Fountain of Immortality, and like the protagonists in every adventure film, returned to their mundane lives.

Liu Buhua gazed upward, watching Yino's airship depart. As Xie Yin Xue turned to retire for the night, Liu Buhua spoke from behind: "Father, did you choose not to drink from the Fountain of Immortality and stayed in Naurota City because of Bu Jiuzhao?"

Xie Yin Xue paused, replying, "This time, it wasn't for him."

"The next duplicate is your ninth challenge."

"Bu Jiuzhao once told me, that after overcoming nine challenges, one could leave Lock of Immortality for good. I brought you in, and I will make sure to bring you out."

Hearing this, Liu Buhua turned around, looking at the young man's slender silhouette, his voice somewhat strained, "And then...?"

"Then, I won't come back."

The young man continued walking, his sandy golden hair shimmering like flowing gold under the cold moonlight, gradually blending into the deep colors of the winter night.

Author's Note:

① "All beings don't desire life, but are forced to be born, they don't wish for death, yet are destined to die. How can one hope for eternal life?" — Book of Transformation

② "The ring finger is closest to the heart, thus wearing a ring on it symbolizes keeping your beloved closest to your heart." — Sourced from online research.

Yino: Xie Yin Xue, why can't you understand? No man is ever true!

Xie Yin Xue: ?

Bu Jiuzhao: ?

Liu Buhua: Aren't you a man, don't you have...?

Yino: I'm a cute boy!

Liu Buhua: ...