The purple lightning bolts descended, illuminating the captive area as bright as day. Perhaps the awe-inspiring power of this destructive thunder was too imposing, as no one came to disturb them during the half hour.
When the purple lightning finally ceased, Mo Yang and Wan Mei saw a deep pit where the lightning had struck. Inside the pit were two phoenix wristbands, shimmering with fine purple electric patterns.
The phoenixes, carved on the wristbands, were now completely different from before. The intricate feathers and patterns had disappeared, replaced by a natural and agile appearance. With the flickering purple electric patterns, the phoenixes seemed to come to life, appearing and disappearing on the wristbands.
In short, after absorbing a large amount of phoenix flower juice and being purified by the thunder, the originally delicate phoenix wristbands had turned into rare treasures that would amaze anyone who saw them.
[Congratulations to players Yang Heigou and Mei BaiWan for finding the treasure of the Phoenix Village, “Thunder Blood Jade Phoenix Wristbands.” This item is the only item in Dream World’s “Mystery Puzzle Game” category. It cannot be replicated or seized. This item can be upgraded in specific game scenarios (the Land of Ultimate), so players should strive to become champions.]
The system’s prompt confirmed that their creation of the Phoenix wristbands was correct. Now, all that was left was to take the wristbands and meet Feng Zhao, to see how they could bring the Phoenix Village, which was already rotten to its core, back to life.
Mo Yang stepped forward and picked up the blood-red phoenix wristbands shimmering with purple light. He examined them closely. When they were brought in, these phoenix wristbands were only made of silver, but now, it seemed that even the material had changed. The touch of these wristbands was softer than jade, yet more delicate and rigid than silver.
“Hmm, you can study what material these Phoenix wristbands are made of. They’ve been struck by lightning for so long and still haven’t shattered. Impressive,” Mo Yang said, handing one of the wristbands to Wan Mei.
Wan Mei glanced at the phoenix relief on the wristband and raised an eyebrow. “This one isn’t mine. Mine is the other one.”
Mo Yang paused for a moment. “They’re the same anyway. There’s no signature on them.”
Just as he finished speaking, the inside of the two phoenix wristbands displayed a signature. The one with the phoenix now had the word “BaiWan” inside, while the other wristband had the word “Heigou.”
Mo Yang: “…” Damn dog-like game.
Wan Mei naturally also noticed the sudden appearance of the signature and smirked as she took the phoenix wristband engraved with “BaiWan” from Mo Yang’s other hand.
At this time, Zhou Api, the chubby guy, had also picked up the ancestral jade pendant that he had thrown into the pool. This jade pendant wasn’t a game item but a rare item detected by the Guide when he entered the Dream World.
According to his Guide 666, wearing it for a long time would be beneficial for his body and mind. He had been quite proud of it for a while, thinking that he was most likely the Chosen One. After all, how could he have the most frequently appearing jade pendant in novels?
But now, with the same preciousness, the wristbands seemed to have become even rarer after being struck by lightning, while his jade pendant only had a small red dot in the center and nothing more.
Zhou Api looked at his ancestral jade pendant with a heavy heart. Reality told him that he might not be the Chosen One. But that’s okay! Even if he couldn’t be the protagonist, he still wanted to be an important supporting character and maintain a good relationship with the bosses!
“But, at least there should be some changes, right? After all, it also absorbed a lot of phoenix flower juice,” Zhou Api said, just as a system prompt appeared before his eyes.
[Player Zhou Api successfully upgraded the item “Ancestral Jade Pendant” and obtained the “Ancestral Blood-Infused Jade Pendant.” Special function activated: Ancestral Blessing.]
[Ancestral Blessing: The protection of eighteen generations of ancestors guarantees that you won’t be cannon fodder while following the bosses. You can choose to follow a specific boss into the game, just by paying a small amount of “incense money” (the ancestors’ power doesn’t come for free).]
Zhou Api: “!!!”
“What the hell!”
“Oh, ancestors, bless me!”
The longer Zhou Api stayed in the Phoenix Village game, the heavier his mood became. As someone who made a living by selling information, he had a keen sense of danger. Based on the information he had gathered about the Dream World in the past few days, Zhou Api was almost certain that the Dream World was not a benign place.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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Zhou Api knew that his survival skills were not particularly high. Apart from collecting information, he was useless in many other aspects. He couldn’t fight or defend himself properly. His luck wasn’t great either.
When he entered the game and found himself in the “Phoenix Village,” he almost wanted to cry. He thought he was going to be trapped here. In fact, he almost did get trapped, but luckily his ancestors blessed him, and he encountered two big shots!!
Originally, Zhou Api had thought that before the game ended, he must become friends with the big shots and find a way to follow them in the future to ensure his safety. He just needed to work for the bosses. And now, he was already following the bosses, tossing his jade pendant. And he obtained the coveted skill he had dreamed of! What could it be if not the blessing of his ancestors?!
Zhou Api held the jade pendant and thanked his ancestors from all directions, then his eyes shone brightly as he stared at Mo Yang.
Mo Yang felt a bit uncomfortable under the round, shiny eyes of the chubby guy. “What are you doing?”
Zhou Api excitedly explained the function of his jade pendant. Mo Yang and Wan Mei both felt a bit speechless.
“You really… have the blessing of your ancestors,” Mo Yang couldn’t help but sigh. Although he and Wan Mei had been relatively successful on their journey so far, it took a lot of effort to obtain the Phoenix Ring. But this chubby guy just tossed his jade pendant into the Phoenix Flower Pool, and he effortlessly obtained a follow-up item.
Although the value of this item was not as high as the Phoenix Ring, it could still be considered a minor treasure. Although he had to offer sacrifices to his ancestors every time he used it, it was still better than serving the Dream World. With this item, Zhou Api’s chances of survival in the Dream World game would greatly increase as long as he chose a boss to follow.
Zhou Api’s chubby face bloomed like a flower.
“Boss Yang Heigou! From now on, I’ll follow you! Please, Boss, don’t be polite! Although I might be a bit lacking in physical abilities, when it comes to collecting information, no one can surpass me!”
Mo Yang coughed and said, “You want to follow me?”
Zhou Api nodded.
“To be honest, in terms of combat power and intelligence, Mei BaiWan is probably better than me.”
Zhou Api glanced at Wan Mei, who was still carefully studying the wristbands, and coughed, “But I feel that Boss Yang Heigou is more down-to-earth.”
Mo Yang laughed. Compared to Wan Mei, he was not just more down-to-earth. Wan Mei was known as the “Great Demon King” in his research institute, which showed how difficult it would be for someone to be his subordinate.
“Okay then. Since we’ll be acting together from now on, it doesn’t make much difference whether you follow me or him.”
Zhou Api paused for a moment. Mo Yang’s last sentence seemed to have a deeper meaning. He looked at the matching Phoenix Rings that the two of them wore and had a sudden realization. In his mind, he couldn’t help but exclaim, “Damn it!”
You two went out together to find matching items, and then dared to say not to think too much!!
Matching backpacks, matching thermos, matching wristbands! Even the brand of your clothes is the same! And you’re telling me not to think too much!!
Zhou Api silently rolled his eyes in his mind, wearing an obsequious expression. “I understand, I understand. I will closely follow the footsteps of the two bosses. I’ll be a reliable and quick-witted subordinate!”
Mo Yang felt that there was something off about the chubby guy’s words, but he couldn’t pinpoint what it was.
“Alright, let’s not waste time. Let’s quickly find Feng Zhao.”
The three quickly left the enclosed area. Although there were no crazed villagers near the enclosed area, they could still hear occasional bestial roars coming from the village ahead.
It would be very unwise to try to return the same way they came through the maze from the well to find Feng Zhao. Mo Yang paused for a moment and then laughed, “Let’s go directly to the village entrance.”
Wan Mei had previously used two small bottles of explosive medicine to blow holes in the two Phoenix Trees. The ground there should be loosened, and they might be able to jump down from the surface and find Feng Zhao directly. Why waste time in the village?
On their way back, however, Mo Yang and the others witnessed a horrifying scene. The villagers, who had previously been running around the village like they had lost their minds, had changed drastically. Not only had they lost their sanity, but their once unique and beautiful faces were gradually aging and even decaying.
They saw Feng Yan screaming at the top of her lungs, clutching at her peeling face. “No, no, don’t take away my face! Don’t take away my beauty! Give me back my skin!”
Mo Yang also saw Feng Mengmeng, who had playfully grabbed his arm before. Although her face wasn’t peeling like Feng Yan’s, it had become extremely unattractive. Covered in acne, squinty eyes, a snub nose, and crooked teeth, she looked even uglier than Xu Shuai, whom she had previously mocked.
She sobbed while covering her face, “This isn’t me, this isn’t me! I’m not this ugly! I’m not ugly! I’m innocent too!”
Meanwhile, the young men in the village were frantically searching for the outsiders who had come from outside the village. They repeatedly chanted, “Catch them!”
In the darkness, the voice of the village chief sounded particularly hysterical, “They blew up the sacred tree! Catch them and feed them to the sacred tree!! We must catch them and make sure they never rise again! Only when the sacred tree is restored can we regain our prosperity and continue to thrive!”
Zhou Api took a slow breath. “Heavens, so you’re saying that their faces are all fake, molded using the Phoenix Flower sap from those trees?!”
Mo Yang nodded and shook his head, “I’m not entirely sure, but it seems that these villagers sacrificed the good-looking visitors from outside to the two trees. Then they feed more and more good-looking people to the trees.
Afterward, the faces of the people who were eaten are preserved within the tree trunk, becoming ‘templates’ for them. The villagers may be able to choose their desired appearance by consulting the priest, just like plastic surgery.
However, compared to the risks of plastic surgery, the villagers probably only need to maintain their appearance with the Phoenix Flower sap after the selection.”
“No wonder I thought that Feng Bing and the other three female envoys looked similar to Feng Zhao. They probably used the same template.”
Zhou Api imagined the horrifying image of faces inside the trees, making himself sick. When they managed to evade the villagers and arrived beneath the two Phoenix Trees at the village entrance, Zhou Api couldn’t bear to look at them directly.
Mo Yang, on the other hand, chuckled as he looked at the large pit between the two trees. He glanced approvingly at the mastermind, Mei BaiWan, and then jumped straight into the pit.
Wan Mei followed suit, and Zhou Api closed his eyes, jumping down as well.
The underground area was quite damaged from the two previous explosions. Feng Zhao’s flute had stopped playing when the thunderstorm descended.
He no longer had the crimson, furious, and mad look he had when Mo Yang and the others escaped. He sat quietly beside the Phoenix Flower pool, raising his head as Mo Yang jumped down, revealing his usual smile.
As if he were the divine figure who welcomed them at the village entrance a few days ago.
“You’ve come.”
Feng Zhao smiled at Mo Yang. “From the moment I saw you, I knew you might be able to free me from this troublesome cycle.”
Mo Yang furrowed his brow. “Cycle?”
Feng Zhao gently flicked the water in the pool.
“I should have already died, so this can’t be considered reincarnation, right? It’s just that my spirit is trapped in this world, unable to escape or dissipate, twisting and distorting until it became what I am now.”
Mo Yang looked at the current state of Feng Zhao and had a sudden feeling, reminiscent of his conversation with Ouyang Shuo that night. His heart skipped a beat, and he tentatively asked, “Can you follow me out?”
He didn’t specify where he meant to go, but Feng Zhao seemed to understand his words. He shook his head with regret.
“No, I can’t.”
“But others can.”
Feng Zhao smiled and pointed to the two dilapidated Phoenix Trees. “Then, can those two trees prolong a person’s life by absorbing human lives?”
Mo Yang fell silent. Of course, that wouldn’t work. Feng Yu and Ouyang Shuo, no matter how formidable, were still ordinary people, while Feng Zhao had already lived for a thousand years. He couldn’t be considered an ordinary person.
“So you can’t take me away. I only have two choices: to continue cycling along with its will in this place, or choose to dissipate on my own.”
“All this time, I haven’t chosen to dissipate. After all, I haven’t seen any hope. It’s hard to accept dissipating like this.”
Feng Zhao stood up and walked over to Mo Yang’s side. He gently touched Mo Yang’s hair and took the Phoenix Ring from his hand. With a wave of his hand, Wan Mei’s Phoenix Ring also flew into his hand.
“But now, I think I can choose another path.”
As he said that, the two crimson Phoenix Rings, radiating with thunderous light, suddenly burst into a brilliant glow in his hands, while his figure gradually dissipated.
Afterward, it was still Feng Zhao’s voice, but now it seemed to carry a power that communicated with heaven and earth, appearing solemn and dignified.
“With my power, I offer this sacrifice to the divine powers of heaven and earth. May you all tread through the netherworld, console the spirits, overcome obstacles, and bring peace to the people.”
As this solemn voice resounded, Zhang Xiaoyao, who had been restrained by several villagers in Phoenix Village, suddenly felt the strength of those holding him weaken. Using his last bit of strength, he struggled free and witnessed the crazed villagers calming down. They no longer cared about their appearances and seemed to regain their sanity.
A devout and serene expression appeared on their faces as they chanted: “May you all tread through the netherworld, console the spirits, overcome obstacles, and bring peace to the people.”
Then, amidst these repeated blessings, all the villagers of Phoenix Village turned into tiny red lights, dispersing into the heavens and the earth. The breathtaking scene left Zhang Xiaoyao dumbfounded. At the same time, he heard a notification from the system.
[Congratulations, player, for successfully completing the ‘Phoenix Village’ level. Game evaluation is in progress.]
Zhang Xiaoyao wiped his face and stood up in a daze. In the distance, he seemed to see Murong Feng and Chen Yuanyuan crawling out of the river in a sorry state.
Meanwhile, in the underground palace, Feng Zhao’s figure was reduced to a faint illusion. He gently placed the Phoenix Rings, which had turned back to their silver form after his ritual, in Mo Yang’s hands. Then, he slightly bowed, seemingly curling his lips to whisper something in Mo Yang’s ear before disappearing completely.
[Congratulations, player, for completing the hidden mission and successfully clearing the ‘Phoenix Village’ level. Game evaluation is in progress.]
Mo Yang heard the system notification, but he stared at the white jade Phoenix Ring in his hand, tightly pursing his lips.
“Mo Yang, pleased to meet you. I am Feng Zhao, the Great Priest of the Phoenix Star.”
Ooooh the mystery about what is the dream world as a new clue ! Thank you for the chapters !
He knows his real name!!!
Thank you for your translation 💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛
+1 omg you’re right! I just noticed that after you commented about it!
I guess he also a player trapped in the game. Thank you
Feng Zhao touching Mo Yang’s hair definitely radiates a fondness energy. Will someone drink vinegar or not? (○ﾟεﾟ○)
It doesn’t matter now anyway. 😭😭😭
LMAO, I’M CRYING. DID YOU JUST COME BACK TO MY COMMENT TO CALL ME OUT? POOR FENG ZHAO GOT ****, LITERALLY “DOESN’T MATTER NOW” 😭😭😭
Oh, no, don’t get me wrong… I was just grieving LMFAO. BUT IT REALLY DIDN’T MATTER IN THE END SADLY.
I WOULD HAVE LOVED FOR OUR HEUGOU TO HAVE A BIG HAREM (of lovers and friends) BUT IT SEEMS LIKE NONE OF THEM NPCS WILL SURVIVE. LET OUR BOY HAVE FUN COZ IT WON’T MATTER AFTER THE GAME. 😭😭 😭
OMG YOU’RE A MO YANG HAREM ENTHUSIAST, TOO?! 🙌 LET’S GRIEVE TOGETHER FOR HIS INVISIBLE (UNAVAILABLE) HAREM 😭
I AM AHHHH!!
Our boats, unfortunately, can’t sail. BUT WHO SAYS WE CAN’T ENJOY THEM 🥳🍾🍾
i… shouldnt have read the comments. i know spoilers can be in here but curiosity got the better of me and now im sitting here crying
I also shouldn’t have come to the comments section.💔🥲