He had not forgotten the port, the ships, the buildings, or the various arrangements.
This was his former self!
But as Zhu Zhengwei flipped through the diary page by page, his expression gradually turned strange.
So the reason she had become so twisted was because you had unknowingly nudged her along when you passed by?
"Third Brother, you really are a fine painter."
He took a sip of tea to moisten his throat and said helplessly, "You really have caused me no small amount of trouble. That woman is in the sea now, and she's giving me quite a headache."
He shook his head with a light laugh and glanced at the sunlight outside the window, feeling that this was a moment of peaceful beauty amid the passing years.
Life was just this absurd.
His mood was quite calm. He treated it simply as a way to pass the afternoon by reading some idle material.
When he glanced at the weed beside him, he found that it had already posted the current situation on the forum.
"Brothers, I've encountered a hidden quest!"
The Immortal Herbs enjoying the scenery all burst out laughing. "What? This Wallpaper Game has hidden quests too? You can't even move, so it should be a Hidden Plot, right? What kind of wallpaper scene are you in?"
The weed was extremely indignant. "It really is a hidden quest! Who says you can't do quests just because you can't move? My eyes can move! My brain can move! If I can memorize some things, I might be able to complete a hidden quest!"
Everyone was baffled.
Was this Wallpaper Game really that hardcore?
It was clearly a wallpaper game where you could not move at all. The Development Team was short on funds, yet they had thoughtfully enriched the gameplay?
A hidden quest that could be completed by moving your eyes and using your brain?
"Where are you?" someone immediately asked.
"I don't know. I'm in an old house deep in the mountains. A god with a tear mole is flipping through two books. One is Stone Light Emperor Zhizheng's sacred work, and the other looks like a very old diary. The sacred work has just been blown open by the wind, and the page on cultivating Qi Consumption happens to be right in front of me!"
"Speaking of which, this wallpaper scenery is so beautiful. A sunny afternoon, a little house deep in the mountains, and me as a windowsill plant in front of a desk, looking at a book filled with the fragrance of ink. I feel like I'm about to be intoxicated—intoxicated by this sight of a flourishing age." This player was clearly a scenery enthusiast, a fan of fresh and delicate aesthetics, and felt as if he were about to melt into the beautiful view.
Following his words, everyone filled in the scene with their imaginations.
It really was fresh and delicate.
But this fresh and delicate wallpaper scene was very likely a hidden quest.
That book was a sacred work, after all. A deity had descended and personally completed the general outline, covering all things and beings in the world. It even contained the cultivation method for Qi Consumption.
Could they cultivate that Qi Consumption?
Generally speaking, Cultivation Books in games were impossible to understand.
They were basically meaningless scrawls, praised as mysterious otherworldly writing, or crooked tadpole-like characters. Otherwise, the text was blurred. How could they possibly give you a cultivation method?
But here, they could actually see the words clearly!?
And it was the sole work of their idol, Stone Light Emperor Zhizheng!?
At this thought, everyone's breathing quickened.
They could not hold back anymore.
Their curiosity flooded out.
After all, this feeling was like an idol you had followed for more than a decade suddenly releasing a limited collector's edition. Even if the contents were terrible, wouldn't you still have to see what timeless masterpiece your idol had left inside?
"Intoxicated, my ass! Hurry, hurry, hurry! Get up and start!"
"Record the screen! Study it!"
"Oh, my Superman, Stone Light Emperor Zhizheng's life's work—I'm coming! Hahahaha!"
"Hurry it up~~"
Some indescribable muttering came from beside him. Zhu Zhengwei had long since grown accustomed to it, and instead glanced outside the window.
The green leaves were lush. Trees as huge as those in a primeval forest were wrapped in vines, while sunlight pierced through the leaves and scattered mottled shadows.
He could not help stretching, feeling relaxed and content. "This unpolluted world really is beautiful. No wonder they're so intoxicated."
He lowered his head and continued reading the diary.
[Year 0327. The dynasty prospered, and governance was sound. A Da, who should have died of illness, discovered an Immortal Herb and ultimately stepped into that realm. I had not wanted him to cultivate. Perhaps growing old and dying as an emperor would have been the best outcome. Because I knew that once he began cultivating, he would certainly practice the method pioneered by Stone Light Emperor Changheng of the first Slave Dynasty: the Cannibalism Method. Stone Light Emperor Changheng, the man who had once come closest to becoming a god, was a super genius of the Evil Method. He developed a short-lived, evil method that consumed human souls and rapidly expanded one's qi sea, harming both others and himself. The second Stone Light Emperor Changshou had sealed away the previous generation's method because he was extraordinarily afraid of death, but A Da would certainly resume cultivation.]
[Year 0331. A Da suppressed the other two emperors by himself. My unease had come true. He must have consumed human souls and targeted condemned prisoners. Hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands? How many condemned prisoners' souls had he consumed? How many people's lifespans had he swallowed? I do not know. I only know that he obtained power similar to that of the man once known as the one closest to god, and used it to Unify the World.]
[Year 0336. I decided to stop A Da from straying down the wrong path. I brought three hundred Immortal Herbs to find him. Perhaps because he was too lonely, I hoped he could become a longevity being like me, but he refused. He chose to distribute the three hundred Immortal Herbs among his subordinates, creating three hundred Blessing Shamans, and prepared to lead the remaining two kingdoms on an expedition across the seas. He said the Immortal Herbs were in the sea, and that if things continued this way, humanity would eventually perish. What use was longevity to him then? To watch humanity suffer? To see one group of slave laborers after another? The words he spoke to me remain vivid in my memory: 'The moment I ate the Immortal Herb on the Tea Shed, I seemed to hear the God of Destiny whispering. I finally understood the mission for which I am alive. I will fight for it all my life.']
When Zhu Zhengwei turned to this page and saw the final line, his hand suddenly trembled.
He quickly shook his head and continued reading.
[Year 0351. A Da embarked on an expedition across the seas. I knew that although A Da had defeated two emperors, he might still not be a match for that Sea Giant. I disguised myself as a sailor and struck with that sword. It had indeed grown powerful. If we had waited any longer, the consequences would have been unimaginable.]
[Year 0367. A Da has now been on the throne for several decades. The All Living Beings Scripture he pioneered gathered the wisdom of scholars from across the world over the course of decades, and I also helped him organize the book. But he is truly about to die. The side effects are erupting. Before his death, he still had one wish: he wanted to meet the legendary deity. He asked me to help him find a way to pay respects to the god. I agreed, because the moment he voiced this thought, it took root in my mind and could not be stopped. I had too many questions as well. We immediately came to an agreement and organized three questions together.]
When Zhu Zhengwei read this, he realized that the tone of the diary was no longer relaxed. It carried a sense of urgency.
He took a sip of tea and turned to the next page.
[Spring of 0376. A Da had completely fallen ill. Countless famous physicians from all over the land entered the palace, only to shake their heads, sigh, and leave. As I watched yet another old friend grow old and die before my eyes, without the slightest fear of death, I thought again of Li Su's final moments. I hated my own weakness and cowardice more and more. Compared to them, I was far less courageous in facing death with such freedom.]
[But A Da said he admired my courage. The best release this world had to offer was death. Li Su and he had both chosen their own release, leaving only the strongest longevity being to bear the hopes of all living beings throughout history and suffer beneath them. Death was the only true end. In truth, he was far inferior to me. He said: Longevity is the most vicious curse in this world.]
[Summer of 0376. I left the royal palace and wandered aimlessly until I reached a port to clear my mind. Suddenly, my childish nature rose up, and I kicked a ball and played with a child in front of the harbor. But that evening, I saw Rosy Cloud Qi blaze across the sky in the direction of the City of a Hundred Stones. He was about to die; his qi was dispersing. At the same time, I suddenly saw golden light filling the heavens, a beam of radiance piercing through the clouds.]
The handwriting on this page grew increasingly messy. His emotions were far from calm. Nearly half the final page was blank, with only one large, crooked line written across it:
[It is god. Is He finally truly coming?]
Before you continue