Chapter 448: You're Here

"Can one become a god in the Surface World too?"

Yan Jing's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Those six did."

With those casual words, Sheng Xia dropped a bombshell.

Those six beings standing at the apex of the Surface World, whom Shen Youran had mentioned before—were actually Deities?

Yan Jing took a sip of milk, his expression calm. "So what you mean, Miss Sheng, is that when the Day of Godhood arrives, someone in the Surface World will truly become a god?"

"That is correct."

Sheng Xia glanced at Yan Jing from the corner of her eye, hoping to catch a glimpse of surprise or shock on his face.

Unfortunately, there was none.

Yan Jing simply took another quiet sip of his milk.

"Do you not wish to become a god, Mr. Yan?"

Sheng Xia asked softly.

"Of course I do."

Yan Jing nodded.

Saying he didn't want to become a god would likely be a lie.

"But becoming a god isn't the most important thing to me."

"If walking this path meant trading away certain things, I don't think I'd do it."

As he spoke, Sheng Xia looked into Yan Jing's eyes and knew he was telling the truth.

"You truly are a strange man, Mr. Yan."

Sheng Xia adjusted her posture to look him straight in the eye. "I've asked many people this question, and almost everyone has a different answer."

"But their answers always boil down to two types. Whether they want it or not, it always revolves around what they might gain."

"Only you, Mr. Yan, immediately thought of what you might lose."

Yan Jing nodded and set down his milk. "A person will first consider what they care about most," he said softly.

"Are you very afraid of losing things, Mr. Yan?"

Yan Jing remained noncommittal. "Because I am a greedy person."

"I can live without having more, but I don't want anyone taking what's already mine."

Sheng Xia fell silent for a few seconds before she shook her head and laughed. "This is all just hypothetical, anyway. Even if I'm very confident, the chances of actually reaching that step are far too slim."

"Did you know, Mr. Yan, that our Yueyin is only one of the Twelve Domains in the Surface World's outer ring? Compared to the inner ring, our average strength is far too lacking."

Yan Jing looked up at Sheng Xia. "Have you met the experts of this generation from the inner ring, Miss Sheng?"

Sheng Xia nodded. "They are very strong."

"Very strong."

She didn't describe them in detail, only repeating the phrase twice before changing the subject. "That is why I absolutely must fight for this God's Candidate Ticket."

"I won't show any mercy, Mr. Yan."

"Of course. Neither will I."

Yan Jing gave a slight nod, then quietly finished his milk. The two bid each other farewell and returned to their respective rooms.

The night passed without incident.

The next day.

Meanwhile, the Bobo Pirates had been sailing steadily toward Lookout Cape, encountering no further accidents.

It was estimated to take one more day for them to reach Lookout Cape.

But that afternoon, Yan Jing was sitting in the aircraft's activity room with the others when a broadcast echoed overhead.

"Please fasten your seatbelts. The aircraft is preparing to descend."

Everyone returned to their seats and buckled up.

The plane soon began its descent. A massive roar filled the air, and as the clouds and mist outside the window parted, Yan Jing saw the scene below.

It was a circular region.

The ground appeared to be paved entirely with some sort of pale yellow brick, making it look exceptionally striking amidst the surrounding wilderness.

It looked like a bright moon suspended among the barren mountains.

Its area was indeed quite small, containing only a dozen or so buildings, all with off-white exterior walls.

As Yan Jing observed the scene within this circular zone, he suddenly sensed something. He looked up toward the building at the very center of the circle.

There, an almost invisible figure was looking through a window, watching their descending plane.

Soon, their gazes seemed to meet in midair.

Yan Jing's lips curved into a smile, and he placed a hand over his chest in a gesture of greeting.

The figure quickly vanished from sight.

The plane landed smoothly.

The group grabbed their luggage and disembarked.

Although the First Ring Domain was small in area, its airport was surprisingly large. The group converged with several other teams that had disembarked from a plane arriving around the same time, and together they walked toward the red-carpeted exit.

Several staff members stood waiting in the spacious hall.

A charming, flirtatious-looking female staff member offered everyone a warm smile. "Welcome to the First Ring Domain, everyone."

"This is also the final stop of your journey."

"The lord will receive you all tonight. Until then, you are free to move about."

"The First Ring Domain doesn't have many convoluted rules."

"If you defeat anyone you encounter in the First Ring Domain, you will earn their acknowledgment and a reward."

"You can even team up to fight. Of course, the more people involved, the smaller the reward will be."

"This rule will remain in effect from now until the Ranking Dungeon begins."

"In fact, it has been this way since the First Ring Domain was established. Whether you are here or not, it never changes."

"Now, your free time begins."

The moment she finished speaking, several figures shot out from the crowd like lightning, their target—

Aimed straight at the female staff member who had just briefed them.

Faced with this sudden assault, the female staff member didn't show a hint of panic. Instead, the corners of her lips curled up slightly.

Yan Jing glanced at Sheng Xia and the other team leaders. Some wore cold sneers, others looked as placid as still water, and some weren't even paying attention to the unfolding battle.

It seemed they weren't the least bit worried about any harm coming to the "staff member" before them.

And things played out exactly as they expected.

Weird Energy surged around the female staff member. She smiled and snapped her fingers, and the expressions of the men charging toward her instantly changed.

An unnatural flush crept up their necks and onto their cheeks as they halted awkwardly in their tracks.

While the remaining women didn't react quite as intensely as the men, their faces also flushed red, and their breathing involuntarily quickened.

In just an instant, the tense atmosphere of swords drawn and bows bent suddenly turned suggestive.

The bystanders who hadn't made a move watched this scene and subconsciously took a step back, their expressions shifting.

Even a fool could see now that the woman in front of them was far from simple.

Of course, a few individuals still managed to resist the woman's mental interference. Churning their Weird Energy, they unleashed their abilities at her.

But the result was easily imaginable—

In the end, those few people, men and women alike, collapsed to the ground. Their bodies were burning hot, lustful fire surging in their eyes, and low groans escaping their throats.

"The quality of the little ones this time isn't bad."

The woman smiled. "So many actually managed to withstand the first wave."

"It seems that day really is coming."

"Anyone else want to issue a challenge?"

The woman scanned the crowd. Everyone who made eye contact with her involuntarily backed away a few paces.

Her smile deepened. Finally, she looked toward Zhou Kai, the team leader who had been annoyed with Yan Jing this whole trip. "Little Kai, want to give it another try? Maybe you'll succeed today?"

To everyone's surprise, the usually arrogant and

"Can one become a god in the Surface World too?"

Yan Jing's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Those six did."

With those casual words, Sheng Xia dropped a bombshell.

The six entities standing at the apex of the Surface World, whom Shen Youran had mentioned before—were they actually Deities?

Yan Jing took a sip of milk, his expression calm. "So what you mean, Miss Sheng, is that when the Day of Godhood arrives, someone in the Surface World will truly become a god?"

"That is correct."

Sheng Xia glanced at Yan Jing from the corner of her eye, hoping to catch a glimpse of surprise or shock on his face.

Unfortunately, there was none.

Yan Jing simply took another quiet sip of his milk.

"Do you not wish to become a god, Mr. Yan?"

Sheng Xia asked softly.

"Of course I do."

Yan Jing nodded.

Saying he didn't want to become a god would likely be a lie.

"But becoming a god isn't the most important thing to me."

"If walking this path meant trading away certain things, I don't think I'd make the exchange."

As his voice faded, Sheng Xia looked into Yan Jing's eyes and knew he was telling the truth.

"You truly are a strange man, Mr. Yan."

Sheng Xia adjusted her posture to look him straight in the face. "I've asked many people this question, and almost everyone has a different answer."

"But all their answers generally fall into two categories. Whether they want to or not, it always revolves around 'gaining' something."

"Only you, Mr. Yan, immediately thought of 'losing' something upon hearing this question."

Yan Jing nodded and set down his milk. "A person will first consider what they care about most," he said softly.

"Are you very afraid of losing things, Mr. Yan?"

Yan Jing remained noncommittal. "Because I am a greedy person."

"I can live without possessing more, but I don't want anyone taking what is mine."

Sheng Xia fell silent for a few seconds before shaking her head with a laugh. "Actually, we're just discussing it. Even if I'm very confident, the chances of reaching that step are still far too slim."

"Did you know, Mr. Yan, that our Yueyin is only one of the Twelve Domains in the Surface World's outer ring? Compared to the inner ring, our average standard is far too lacking."

Yan Jing looked up at Sheng Xia. "Have you met the experts of this generation from the inner ring, Miss Sheng?"

Sheng Xia nodded. "They are very strong."

"Very strong."

She didn't describe them in detail, only repeating the phrase twice before changing the subject. "That is why I absolutely must fight for this God's Candidate Ticket."

"I won't show any mercy, Mr. Yan."

"Of course. Neither will I."

Yan Jing gave a slight nod, then quietly finished the milk in his bottle. The two bid each other farewell and returned to their respective rooms.

The night passed without further event.

The next day.

During this time, the Bobo Pirates had been sailing steadily toward Lookout Cape, encountering no further accidents.

It was estimated to take one more day to reach Lookout Cape.

In the afternoon, Yan Jing was sitting in the cabin's activity room with the others when a broadcast echoed overhead.

"Please fasten your seatbelts. The aircraft is preparing to descend."

Everyone returned to their seats and buckled up.

The plane soon began its descent. A massive roar filled the air, and as the clouds and mist outside the window parted, Yan Jing saw the scene below.

It was a circular region.

The ground appeared to be entirely paved with some sort of white-yellow brickwork, making it look exceptionally striking amidst the surrounding wilderness.

It looked like a bright moon suspended among the barren mountains.

Its area was indeed quite small, containing only a dozen or so buildings, all with off-white exterior walls.

As Yan Jing observed the scene within this circular zone, he suddenly sensed something. He looked up toward the building at the very center of the circle.

There, an almost invisible figure was looking through a window, watching their descending plane.

Soon, their gazes seemed to meet.

Yan Jing's lips curved into a smile, and he placed a hand over his chest in a gesture of greeting.

The figure quickly vanished from sight.

The plane landed smoothly.

The group grabbed their luggage and disembarked.

Although the First Ring Domain was small in area, its airport was surprisingly large. The group converged with several other teams that had disembarked from a plane arriving around the same time, and together they walked toward the red-carpeted exit.

Several staff members stood waiting in the spacious hall.

An alluring female staff member offered everyone a warm smile. "Welcome to the First Ring Domain, everyone."

"This is also the final stop of your journey."

"The lord will receive you all tonight. Until then, you are free to move about."

"The First Ring Domain doesn't have many convoluted rules."

"If you defeat anyone you encounter in the First Ring Domain, you will earn their acknowledgment and a reward."

"You can even team up to fight. Of course, the more people involved, the smaller the reward will be."

"This rule will remain in effect from now until the Ranking Dungeon begins."

"In fact, it has been this way since the First Ring Domain was established. Whether you are here or not, that will not change."

"Now, your free time begins."

The moment her voice fell, several figures shot out from the crowd with the speed of thunder, their target—

Aiming straight at the female staff member who had just briefed them.

Faced with this sudden assault, the female staff member didn't show a hint of panic. Instead, the corners of her lips curled up slightly.

Yan Jing glanced at Sheng Xia and the other team leaders. Some wore cold sneers, others looked as placid as still water, and some weren't even paying attention to the unfolding battle.

It seemed they weren't the least bit worried about any harm coming to the "staff member" before them.

And things played out exactly as they expected.

Weird Energy surged around the female staff member. She smiled and snapped her fingers, and the expressions of the men charging toward her instantly changed.

An unnatural flush crept up their necks and onto their cheeks as they halted awkwardly in their tracks.

While the remaining women didn't react quite as intensely as the men, their faces also flushed red, and their breathing involuntarily quickened.

In just an instant, the tense atmosphere of drawn swords and bent bows suddenly turned suggestive.

The bystanders who hadn't made a move watched this scene and subconsciously took a step back, their expressions shifting.

Even a fool could see now that the woman in front of them was far from simple.

Of course, a few individuals still managed to resist the woman's mental interference. Churning their Weird Energy, they unleashed their abilities at her.

But the result was easily imaginable—

In the end, those few people, men and women alike, collapsed to the ground. Their bodies were burning hot, lustful fire surged in their eyes, and low groans escaped their throats.

"The quality of the little ones this time isn't bad."

The woman smiled. "So many actually managed to withstand the first wave."

"It seems that day really is coming."

"Anyone else want to issue a challenge?"

The woman scanned the crowd. Everyone who made eye contact with her involuntarily backed away a few paces.

Her smile deepened. Finally, she looked toward Zhou Kai, the team leader who had been annoyed with Yan Jing this whole trip. "Little Kai, want to give it another try? Maybe you'll succeed today?"

To everyone's surprise, the usually arrogant and unruly Zhou Kai showed an unnatural smile upon hearing her words. "I think I'll pass, Aunt Yun. Let's leave it for today. The plane ride was a bit tiring."

The woman chuckled lightly at this. "Did you not get any rest on the plane? You young people need to take better care of your bodies."

Zhou Kai's expression grew even more rigid, but he kept his mouth shut, merely pulling his goose-feather cloak slightly tighter to cover a bit of his chest muscles.

The woman shifted her gaze to the leader of the fourth team, the short-tempered youth of slight build. Her beautiful eyes danced as she asked, "Does Xiao Feng want to try?"

"Forget it, Aunt Yun."

The youth also backed down, refusing with a dark expression.

"Oh my—then it seems we'll have to stop here for today. The other little ones probably won't agree either. What a pity—"

The woman sighed with regret.

Sheng Xia subconsciously glanced at Yan Jing, suddenly feeling a bit nervous.

Based on her understanding of this man, Yan Jing would very likely make a move next.

To be honest, she was somewhat looking forward to him taking action, simply because she wanted to see him make a fool of himself.

But—

To her surprise, Yan Jing remained perfectly calm and didn't move a muscle.

Why is he being so well-behaved today? Did he chicken out?

Sheng Xia blinked in confusion.

Soon after, the crowd dispersed.

Since the woman hadn't arranged rooms for anyone, and asking team leaders like Sheng Xia only yielded the answer that "rooms need to be fought for," everyone was forced to drag their suitcases around and wander through the First Ring Domain.

It was during this process that they discovered something: although the First Ring Domain wasn't large in area and only had a dozen or so buildings...

...it was fully equipped. From a hospital and a library to a sports stadium, a gym, and even a Security Department—all these facilities were present and accounted for.

And in every single building, without exception, there were very few people.

Take the library, for instance. It occupied at least several hundred thousand square meters across a dozen floors, yet there were only a dozen or so staff members managing it.

This time, however, no one dared to attack anyone rashly.

Their earlier experience at the airport had taught them a harsh lesson: this was the First Ring Domain. There simply were no weaklings here.

Soon, after half an hour of exploring, everyone understood exactly what "rooms need to be fought for" meant.

The First Ring Domain's single hotel was currently experiencing a "shortage" of rooms. If they wanted a room, they had to defeat the hotel's front desk manager.

The recruits began discussing among themselves. Some were already calling out to form teams, hoping to succeed in one fell swoop.

Behind the crowd, the team leaders watched this scene calmly. Zhou Kai chuckled. "Just as I thought, not a single one of them is worth a second glance."

"Just because they ran into Aunt Yun at the airport, they subconsciously assume they can't defeat anyone else here either."

"If they don't even have the courage to challenge the strong, how can they ever hope to forge a Heart of reaching the summit?"

"Oh, so you have the heart of the strong?" Beside him, Shui Nianshuang rolled her eyes at Zhou Kai and sneered. "If your heart of the strong is so great, why didn't I see you take up Aunt Yun's offer just now?"

Zhou Kai was left speechless for a long moment, so infuriated he could only squeeze out a single retort. "Shui Nianshuang, just because Sheng Xia isn't here, you're picking a fight with me again, aren't you?"

"Heh." Shui Nianshuang pulled her fur coat tighter around herself. "It wasn't personal. Sorry for bruising your fragile little ego, you poor baby."

Zhou Kai was just about to explode when a man nearby, who hadn't spoken until now, suddenly interjected. "Where did Little Xia go?"

The man was dressed in a black trench coat, his messy hair pressed down against his forehead by a knitted beanie. His pitch-black eyes were extremely cold, giving off the feeling of a biting winter wind.

After the man spoke, the bickering Shui Nianshuang and Zhou Kai both immediately grew serious.

The short youth beside them named Xu Feng said, "No idea. She vanished just a moment ago."

The last of the six leaders, a man who constantly wore a smile, spoke up gently. "I saw Little Xia head toward the First Building just now."

Before the others could digest this news, the man added, "However, it doesn't seem she went there of her own accord. I saw a man in a beige trench coat heading over there first, and then she chased after him."

With that, he looked at the surprised faces of Shui Nianshuang and Zhou Kai and laughed. "Don't tell me that man was this 'lunatic Yan Jing' you guys keep talking about?"

"I was observing him for a while just now. Honestly, he seems quite normal to me."

"Mr. Yan! Mr. Yan!"

Sheng Xia watched Yan Jing heading straight for the First Building, feeling a massive headache coming on. She finally managed to call out and stop him.

"Miss Sheng, it's free time now. You don't have to follow me anymore."

Yan Jing smiled.

Here we go again.

The classic act of playing dumb.

Sheng Xia swallowed her frustration and used her gentlest tone. "Yes, it is free time, but where exactly are you going?"

"This building, of course."

Yan Jing looked at the grand structure a few hundred meters ahead of them and smiled. "Isn't it obvious?"

"And you're going there to...?"

"Didn't she ask me to come here? Naturally, I'm going to see her."

Yan Jing smiled. "Isn't this your mission as well?"

"But she might be working right now—"

Hearing Yan Jing's words, Sheng Xia's expression softened considerably. "Usually, you need an appointment to see her. I imagine she will summon you this evening, so there's really no need to rush."

"But that lady just now said there aren't so many rules here."

Yan Jing took those casual words and wielded them like a royal decree.

"Well, yes, but—" Sheng Xia sighed.

She couldn't help but feel that Yan Jing lacked a certain reverence for her.

After all, she was the ruler of Yueyin. It wasn't to say Yan Jing completely dismissed her in his speech, but he certainly didn't show any sense of awe.

"But you'll have to get past the gate guard first."

"Master Lu has a terrible temper. I'm worried he might seriously injure you."

Hearing this, Yan Jing nodded thoughtfully. "Then how about... we go together?"

No, is that what I meant?

Sheng Xia snapped, "Fine, go ahead. I won't stop you."

They had reached the First Ring Domain anyway, so she had technically completed her mission.

Even if he were beaten half to death, the medics could heal him.

"Alright then. Wait for my good news."

Yan Jing smiled.

Soon, Yan Jing arrived in front of the red-nosed old man dozing in the guardhouse by the entrance.

Just as he approached the glass window of the guardhouse, the old man woke up in an instant.

An indescribable, murderous aura instantly permeated the air.

Yan Jing experienced a sudden illusion—it felt as though the one opening his eyes wasn't an old man, but a primeval beast.

He was being watched. The person across from him was treating him as prey.

Behind him, Sheng Xia watched the old man wake up, her right hand subconsciously clenching into a fist so tight her knuckles turned white.

She restrained the urge to step forward and beg for mercy on Yan Jing's behalf, fully prepared to let him suffer a bit.

To her shock, however, the old man merely swept his gaze over Yan Jing, then pulled an object resembling a pass from his military overcoat and slid it through the gap under the guardhouse window.

"She is waiting for you. 11th floor, room 1106. Don't wander around."

"Thank you."

As if blind to the old man's gloomy expression, Yan Jing smiled and took the small pass card.

Then, under Sheng Xia's shocked gaze, he walked straight into the building.

Soon, he arrived outside room 1106.

This room had the widest entrance on the entire floor. The mahogany doors stretched a full six or seven meters from left to right. Before he could even raise his hand to knock...

As if blown by a sudden gust of wind, the doors swung inward on their own.

That familiar, tall figure sat behind a desk, her calm gaze falling on Yan Jing. "You're here."

"Yes."

Yan Jing smiled.