Chapter 40: Reunion — Is It You?

Inside the glowing eggshell, the young man curled up in a dark corner, hugging his knees. The silence around him was absolute.

He had returned once again.

"It hurts so much." He whispered to himself, hugging his knees tighter. His gaze drifted across the corners of the shell as the scene replayed in his mind—disappointment, rage, and helplessness entwined, surging over him like a tide, nearly drowning him.

He could accept dying again, but—but his Old Tree was gone.

The person he loved was gone.

It was the first time he had ever loved someone, and only after they were parted did he realize just how much he had loved him.

"I’m in so much pain..." He buried his head in his knees. He had tried, he had truly tried so hard, yet all his persistence and effort seemed to have been in vain.

If that giant hand came looking for him again in the future, what should he do? If he went to meet Yaoguang again, would he end up just like before—sacrificing his life for him?

What was he supposed to do?

Would he have to watch Yaoguang die before his eyes once more? Would he encounter such a scene again?

He buried his head deeper, tears sliding down silently. His heart felt as though it were blocked by a suffocating ache. He didn't even dare to dwell on it further, let alone glance at the simulator.

Simulation, simulation... if this was all fake, then what was real?

What should I do?

He huddled in the eggshell, crying until his eyes ached, though he didn't know how long it had been. He knew, however, that time was running out; he should start the simulation and lick his wounds afterward. But he didn't want to use it at all; he was terrified to even touch it.

"Just a little longer. A little longer is fine." He wiped his eyes, telling himself, "I still have to find Yaoguang, save him, and do what I must."

Just as he was drowning in sorrow, a sudden "tap-tap-tap" echoed against the shell, as if a guest had arrived.

Lin Zhao jolted. Upon thinking of the world outside, the horror story of "the last human on earth hearing a knock at the door" flashed through his mind.

He took a deep breath, casting aside his hesitation and panic. He gripped a golden feather between his fingers; he was in a foul mood and could use a few monsters to offer as a sacrifice.

After a moment, three more knocks followed.

Lin Zhao appeared instantly at the opening of the shell. A flash of golden flame surged from his hand as three feathers shot outward. The figure on the other side skillfully caught them, and as they looked up, a handsome, gentle, and familiar face was revealed.

"Are you sick?!" The boy was still half-inside the shell, but seeing that face, tears of grievance fell. "Brother, I don't want to fight you today! Get lost!"

His Yaoguang, his Old Tree, the one he loved...

"Azhao," the man’s voice was gentle, laced with heartache, "listen to me..."

"I told you to get lost, didn't you hear me?" Lin Zhao roared, looking up, but for a moment, he lost the ability to speak.

The young man before him wore a gentle expression. He held a dial in his palm; on the circular plate surrounded by small birds, three hands floated and moved like stars. The markings were made of white clouds, exuding the elegant fragrance of grass and trees—just as flamboyant as the last one.

"I came in a bit of a hurry," Ji Yaoguang said, gazing down at him, his voice flowing like water into the depths of Lin Zhao's heart. "I only had time to make this much. Azhao, do you... still like it?"

Lin Zhao covered his mouth, unable to stop his tears. Finally, unable to hold back any longer, he lunged forward and threw himself into Yaoguang's arms.

"Old Tree." He hugged him tightly, his silent sobbing finally erupting into loud, unrestrained weeping.

"Azhao." Ji Yaoguang held him close, his fingers gripping the dial tightly.

"I was so afraid to see you, yet I wanted so badly to find you!" the youth choked out. "I'm so glad you came. I didn't know what to do."

"How could I not come looking for you?" Ji Yaoguang said softly. "I promised I would find you. It took me a while, so I’m a bit late."

The Vast Sea was enormous. In the past, the little bird had always been the one to come to him, so he hadn't known the exact location, which was why it had taken him some time.

But thankfully, he had found him.

...

After the reunion and a good cry, Lin Zhao finally felt he had returned to normal—his vitality restored, ready to be the kind of person who could turn the world upside down at a moment's notice.

He finally had the headspace to consider things he hadn't thought of before.

Meanwhile, Ji Yaoguang was busy arranging a forest outside the eggshell.

As a powerhouse beyond the level of a Heavenly Shaman, nearing the status of a Shaman God, he could not bear to see his little bird living in a lonely shell.

How could a bird not have a tree?

A lush, green forest rose from the ground. Between the towering trees, pure white flowers bloomed like bright incandescent bulbs, bathing the woods in a warm, tranquil light.

He turned a hollow in a tree into a room, wove green vines into a nest, and placed the warm eggshell inside.

He hung a curtain of green vines at the entrance, laid down a carpet of soft grass inside, and added shelves for fruit. The white flowers in the hanging baskets served as both decoration and lamps.

In this godforsaken place, it was truly a cozy little home.

"Flamboyant..." Lin Zhao rolled on the carpet. "Come in, I have questions for you!"

Ji Yaoguang stepped into the shell, looking curiously at the glowing surface. He sat quietly on his knees beside Lin Zhao, setting up a low table and placing fresh fruit upon it.

"When did this start?" Lin Zhao tapped the table, looking down at him imperiously to begin his interrogation.

"From the very beginning, I went to seal that dreamscape," Ji Yaoguang confessed.

"So, from the first time our village was destroyed, you’ve been repeating life with me?" Lin Zhao gritted his teeth slightly.

Ji Yaoguang touched his nose, helpless. "Yes. At the time, I thought I had encountered some unprecedented Great Evil that had trapped me in an illusion."

"Then why didn't you say so sooner? Having fun playing with me?" Remembering the hundreds of times he had mindlessly thrown his life away, Lin Zhao felt a surge of resentment, his eyes sharpening as he looked at Ji Yaoguang.

"It was fun." Ji Yaoguang smiled slightly. "Every time you came to find me, I was so happy. Even though you always attacked without saying a word, I liked it."

Lin Zhao sneered. "Don't try to brush it off. And those extra monsters that suddenly appeared halfway through? You were the one driving them toward me, weren't you?"

Ji Yaoguang chuckled lightly. "Yes. Azhao was growing so fast that the monsters around weren't enough, so I specifically caught many more from the remains of the Black Tortoise."

"You really have a lot of free time," Lin Zhao ground his teeth. "So, when you saw I was captured by Bonian, you came to save me. Were you pretending not to know then, too?"

Ji Yaoguang peeled an orange for the little bird and held it to his lips. "How could that be pretending? You never asked me about it."

"What’s the principle behind it? Why am I bound to you? Is it possible the two brothers from the Di Kingdom are also bound?" Lin Zhao ate a slice of orange, lost in thought.

"Unlikely," Ji Yaoguang recalled secrets his Divine Father had mentioned. "The Vessel of Retrograde Time is likely the divine power of the Second Shaman God, Si Zhou. According to my father, before the Great Catastrophe, Si Zhou altered time several times, which is somewhat similar to this. My father said this method has very specific requirements for the soul; at least in the tens of thousands of years Si Zhou has existed, he hasn't found a second person."

Lin Zhao hummed. "Fine. Are you rested?"

Ji Yaoguang handed him another slice of orange. "Of course. At your command."

Lin Zhao swatted his hand away. "Who wants to eat these useless, flashy things? Give me the real meal!"

Ji Yaoguang looked confused. The next second, Lin Zhao grabbed his necklace, pulled him close, and pressed against his left eye. However, the delicious sensation didn't come. Lin Zhao, refusing to believe it, inhaled forcefully.

Ji Yaoguang’s heart skipped a beat. "Uh, listen, let me explain..."

Lin Zhao pulled back by a finger's width. "Explain."

Ji Yaoguang whispered, "After you ate that eyeball, when it returned to my body, it no longer had the source of corruption. Instead... instead, it’s actually helping my old wounds heal."

Lin Zhao recalled the eyeball that had torn its way out of his bird body and nodded, acknowledging this.

"Also," Ji Yaoguang immediately grabbed Azhao's hand, "don't worry, there's another source at Bonian’s place. I'll seal it when the time comes, and you'll still be able to eat your fill every day..."

"Why seal it for no reason? It's not like I can only eat that," Lin Zhao rolled his eyes at him. "Quiet. Let me think."

He finally remembered his simulator panel and opened it to check the gains from the previous round.

He skipped over the simulation counts and a pile of newly learned skills, looking directly at the last few lines.

...

Bloodline: Blood of the Golden Crow.

Shaman Soul: Bo, True Soul of the Golden Crow.

Evaluation: You experienced a fantastic adventure and used your wit to destroy a small kingdom. The future is promising!

Rewards: 1000 Simulation Points, Golden Crow Form (Though very small, it is a true Golden Crow; though it lacks feathers and its claws are still curled under its belly, unable to fly, it is indeed a Golden Crow), Heaven Patrol: Briefly utilize the True Golden Crow Form to dispel all ominousness in the land under the sun and stabilize order.

Emm...

Seeing the evaluation, Lin Zhao felt the sting of mockery and his face burned, but when he saw the rewards, he instantly decided he didn't care what the system said—the rewards were indeed excellent.

He pulled open his collar, pleasantly surprised to find that the totem on his chest was no longer a small pair of wings, but a baby bird. However...

What was with this hairless bird body?

Why was there only a ring of feathers around the neck, and where were the legs? The wings? Who would want a totem that looked like a roasted chicken? How could it be so insulting?

Lin Zhao roared irritably: "What are you looking at? Never seen a hairless chick before?"

Ji Yaoguang silently turned his head and said nothing.

Lin Zhao felt his tone had been a bit harsh, so he quietly grabbed the Old Tree's hand. "Ahem, Brother Yaoguang, what do you think we should do next?"

Ji Yaoguang smiled slightly. "We’ve wasted some time. By now, Bonian must have already gone to the Di Kingdom. He certainly won't be found at the Black Tortoise remains, so let us go to the Di Kingdom. Fortunately, this time, I am not troubled by the source of disaster, so I can seal another source object for you to nourish your growth."

He picked up the basket. "Look, I’ve prepared all the fruit decorations."

Lin Zhao glanced at them—they were all very pretty fruit ornaments—and raised an eyebrow. "Forget those things. Don't worry, in this second playthrough, your brother will lead you to a flawless victory!"

"This..." Ji Yaoguang hesitated. "Then what about our food and lodging..."

"We'll sponge off the rich." Lin Zhao smiled faintly and stroked the Old Tree’s cheek. "Bring the eggshell, let's go."