Li Muyang had a vague suspicion about Jie Zijiu’s true state from the start of the game.
The world within the Ancient Resentment Well was exceptionally perilous, with evil spirits constantly appearing near Qingshan Village.
A young boy who hadn’t awakened or gained the Nightwalker clan’s powers wanting to venture alone into the wilds in search of his parents—his fate could only be death at the hands of the evil spirits in the wilderness.
Li Muyang had mastered the Nightwalker clan’s powers and the Save-File Divine Skill, yet he still died countless times at the game’s opening.
So how could the original Jie Zijiu—a powerless young boy—manage to venture out alone into the wilderness at night and come back alive?
Li Muyang’s first quest upon starting the game was to return to find the uncle.
When he returned to the village, the villagers curiously asked where he had gone the previous night. Upon seeing the uncle, even he asked Jie Zijiu where he had disappeared to for an entire night…
It was precisely this missing night that caused Jie Zijiu’s uncle to decide to teach the Nightwalker clan’s powers to his nephew. The uncle feared the young Jie Zijiu might run off again and die in the wilderness.
—But in truth, the Jie Zijiu his uncle cared about had already died from the very beginning.
Everything that followed was merely Li Muyang, the Ascendant, acting while borrowing Jie Zijiu’s corpse…
“Ah… it’s quite heartbreaking.”
Li Muyang sighed deeply, filled with complex emotions.
As the game progressed, the system accurately displayed how much longer this corpse would remain functional.
But this time, Li Muyang didn’t rush to complete the game; instead, he decided to do something for the already deceased boy one last time.
The dead cannot be resurrected; he couldn’t bring Jie Zijiu back to life.
Yet, at the very least, he could do something for his family.
And then there was the puppet, Princess Pingyao, who had been by his side all this time.
Now, the wooden expression of Princess Pingyao directed at him seemed unchanged, yet faintly, her gaze seemed to carry a trace of liveliness.
This Princess Pingyao, who had been turned into a puppet, also needed to be dealt with…
…
……
[Game — “Buddha’s Heart Demon” has been cleared]
[Entrusted by the Earth Spirit Buddha Ancestor, you ventured into the distant and mysterious Ancient Resentment Well, defeated the ancient enemy of the Buddhist sect who once destroyed it, allowed thirty-six ancient Buddhas to rest in peace, rescued the princess of a fallen kingdom, and freed an ancient capital overtaken by monsters… Although you failed to defeat Miao Fengjun of the Ancient Demon Temple, your merit was immeasurable. If the Earth Spirit Buddha Ancestor were watching from above, they would feel gratified.]
[Completion rating: Flaw amidst perfection]
[Achievement unlocked: Night Traveling Thousand Mountains]
[Night Traveling Thousand Mountains: Upon entering the Ancient Resentment Well, all attributes increase by 30%, and attributes increase by 80% during nighttime.] (This achievement badge can stack with other achievement badges)
[Completion rewards are available to claim. Would you like to claim your completion rewards?]
[Available rewards (choose one out of three):]
[Cultivation +2 (Purple Mansion Realm, early stage → Purple Mansion Realm, later stage)]
[Soul Stabilizing Pill x10] (Mysterious immortal pill capable of stabilizing the main soul, immune to all soul invasions)
[Immortal Artifact Casting Device] (Can upgrade the Destruction Wheel to Immortal Artifact Rank)
[Note: Once rewards are claimed, this game’s entry will close permanently and will not be accessible again]
…
The three options displayed in his field of vision made Li Muyang raise his eyebrows slightly.
The Cultivation +2 reward was expected, but the other two… An Immortal Artifact Casting Device that could upgrade the Destruction Wheel to Immortal Artifact rank?
If so, wouldn’t he possess two Immortal Artifacts, making him invincible?
But then there was the second reward, the Soul Stabilizing Pill…
“That’s clearly the elixir Yan Xiaoru desperately needs,” Li Muyang muttered to himself.
The system had indeed refreshed the item he lacked most.
The Soul Stabilizing Pill could cure Yan Xiaoru, whereas the Immortal Artifact Casting Device was the fastest way to empower Li Muyang, ensuring a safe escape.
If Li Muyang had two Immortal Artifacts along with the assistance of Dan Taiming, breaking through the heavy encirclement of the Evil God would be effortless.
But…
“I can only choose the second one.”
Li Muyang lamented slightly; the third reward was incredibly tempting.
But he had to give it up.
In the late stages of the game, as the difficulty increased, the rewards became immeasurably enticing.
Each time he had to forgo two rewards, it left him with a bitter regret.
But now was not the time for Li Muyang to dwell on such sentiment.
He had already lingered in the game for too long; Yu Chan had urged him twice in her anxiety.
Finally, Li Muyang took a deep breath and claimed his reward.
A flash of white light appeared in his hand, revealing a bright red miniature gourd-shaped accessory.
Inside the gourd were ten Soul Stabilizing Pills.
Upon inspection, Li Muyang discovered that the gourd was also a Magic Artifact capable of storing Magical Treasures and living beings.
Unfortunately, it couldn’t be used in combat—it could only absorb targets unable to resist.
Still, this was a remarkable ability.
After all, storage artifacts like the Qiankun Ring couldn’t store living creatures.
But Li Muyang’s Blood Gourd could.
“At least not all is lost—ten Soul Stabilizing Pills and a uniquely crafted gourd…”
Li Muyang stowed the gourd and turned to Yu Chan, who had been waiting patiently.
“I’m ready now, Yu Chan. Let’s leave the secret realm.”
Hearing his words, Yu Chan let out a long breath, immediately tugging her brother along to leave.
“Brother, Senior Dan Taiming and Senior Haitang Jun are already waiting outside, along with Alliance Leader Pei of the Hidden Immortal Alliance.”
“Everyone is fully prepared…”
Yu Chan quickly summarized the situation.
However, Li Muyang discreetly slipped one Soul Stabilizing Pill into her hand.
Feeling the elixir placed in her palm, Yu Chan was startled. She then heard her brother’s telepathic message.
“Take this pill—it will stabilize your Divine Soul and ward off external evil.”
The Soul Stabilizing Pill was the essential elixir for saving Yan Xiaoru, but this soul-stabilizing elixir could also be consumed by Li Muyang himself.
Once ingested, it would grant immunity to external evil invasions—a permanent buff that essentially nullified soul-targeted attacks and rendered him impervious to Heart Demon corruption.
This buff would prove invaluable in battles against unique entities like the Evil God’s projection.
Many Evil Gods spread their corruption through Evil Power to taint the living of the Mortal World.
Yet, by consuming a Soul Stabilizing Pill, one could become immune to such corruption, avoiding any evil transformation or mutation.
These ten elixirs were not only the Spiritual Medicine to save Yan Xiaoru, but when considered carefully, they also served as tickets to survival amid the apocalypse.
—If in the future, the Evil God truly destroyed the Mortal World, corrupting all life, those who consumed the Soul Stabilizing Pill would remain untainted, enduring life without succumbing to evil transformations in the desolate future.
In a sense, this was a safeguard.
Though, if given the choice, Li Muyang wished to live in a bright and normal world.
He didn’t want to return to the dark eras of antiquity.
A world ruled entirely by Evil Gods was overwhelmingly dreary, filled with malevolent spirits. Even if one could resist the Evil God’s corruption and survive, life in such a place would be depressingly miserable.
Li Muyang handed the pill to Yu Chan, and she consumed it without hesitation.
She trusted her brother completely, without the slightest doubt.
Having gone through countless life-and-death trials together, the siblings had long become of one heart.