Da Ming's Plan

Jiang Ci'an watched the blood-red spirit ring slowly rotating beside him and sighed softly.

If he were in the world of Douluo I, he might take things step by step, or at least he wouldn't be this anxious.

But he couldn't help the fact that this was the era of the Peerless Tang Sect.

Not to mention the threat of the Evil Spirit Masters, in certain extreme situations, a certain God King could be incredibly shameless and descend directly...

Without rapidly increasing his cultivation, he truly felt no sense of security at all.

Shaking his head, Jiang Ci'an cast aside his chaotic thoughts and refocused his attention on the spirit ring.

His first spirit ring carried "Indifference," which he could chisel away at in reality, as it didn't have many usage scenarios.

However, in this Virtual World, "Indifference" needed to be kept active as a default state, so he couldn't just chisel it randomly.

Fortunately, the hundred-thousand-year spirit ring that Xiao Wu had sacrificed to him could also serve as test material. Moreover, because it was a sacrifice, Xiao Wu's soul would actively cooperate with his chiseling, making it even easier.

Recalling the knowledge regarding "Ring Detonation" he had observed from Tang Hao, combined with the experience gained from making Tang Hao detonate his rings countless times in the Virtual World, Jiang Ci'an took a deep breath.

He triggered the spirit ring with his spirit power and began attempting to chisel a small opening into it.

And then...

"Bang--!"

Reality.

In the backyard of Ping'an Pharmacy, on the bed.

Jiang Ci'an snapped his eyes open, a trace of daze flashing through his golden pupils before he quickly regained his senses.

Feeling his meridians and spirit rings intact within his body, Jiang Ci'an remained silent for a moment.

"..."

He took a deep breath, his gaze turning serious.

"I refuse to believe that I can't improve a mere 'Ring Detonation.'

"Again!"

Jiang Ci'an closed his eyes once more, re-entering the Virtual World.

And then...

"Bang--!"

Out.

Back in.

"Bang--!"

Out again.

Going in and out like this, faint, imperceptible fluctuations of spirit power erupted from Jiang Ci'an's room from time to time, yet he remained stubborn, refusing to stop.

Outside the room, in the backyard.

Xiao Xiao, who was diligently cultivating, heard the noises occasionally coming from her childhood friend's room, and her movements paused for a brief moment.

She tilted her head to listen for a while, a flicker of confusion in her eyes, but she soon shook her head.

Forget it.

Since Ci'an was doing this, he must have his reasons.

She should just focus on her own cultivation.

Xiao Xiao withdrew her attention, her small face returning to a look of seriousness. She steadied her stance, the Three-Life Soul-Suppressing Cauldron rotating slowly above her head, and resumed the cultivation she had just interrupted.

The night deepened.

Inside Ping'an Pharmacy, the two were each cultivating, both making progress.

Outside Ping'an Pharmacy, the streets were brightly lit.

Although it was already night, Shrek City remained lively. Pedestrians came and went in an endless stream, the sounds of hawking, laughter, and horse hooves weaving together into the unique clamor of the marketplace.

Lanterns along the street lit up one after another, their orange glow connecting into a single expanse, illuminating the entire street as if it were day.

At a certain moment, at the end of the street, a line of carriages slowly drove in.

The carriages looked perfectly ordinary; the bodies were plain, without any extra decorations, and they were carrying a few crates of goods. They were no different from the common merchant caravans passing through the city, appearing quite unremarkable.

Suddenly, the curtain of a carriage window was lifted from the inside by a small hand.

An exquisite little face poked out.

The young girl looked to be about six or seven years old, her long blue-pink hair shimmering with a dreamlike luster under the light of the lanterns.

She opened those eyes, which were also a dreamlike blue-pink, and curiously sized up the street outside, her eyes filled with wonder.

"Wow! Big Daddy, Second Daddy, look! It's so lively here!"

The young girl turned her head, her voice crisp as she spoke to the two figures inside the carriage.

Among those two figures, a middle-aged man with a composed face and a gentle temperament smiled and spoke:

"Does Dong'er like it here?"

The girl nodded earnestly, her small face filled with certainty: "It looks much more interesting here than up on the mountain!"

A hint of kindness flashed in the middle-aged man's eyes, his tone gentle: "Then would Dong'er like to stay here for a while longer?"

The girl's eyes lit up instantly, her whole being seeming to glow:

"Really? Can I?!"

The middle-aged man smiled and nodded.

"Yay! Big Daddy is the best!"

The girl cheered, but her attention was involuntarily drawn back to the hawking on the street outside. She turned her head again, leaning against the carriage window, her eyes sparkling as she watched the street scene.

The middle-aged man's gaze remained gentle.

However, the burly, rugged-looking man beside him couldn't help but use soul power to transmit his voice, his tone low and cautious.

"Big Brother, is it really okay for us to bring little Dong'er to Shrek City like this? What if that guy Tang San finds out..."

Da Ming shook his head, responding with soul power as well, his tone calm and firm:

"He won't be able to detect it. After all, even deities from the God Realm cannot effectively observe Shrek City as it is now, and that guy cannot interfere with us here."

Er Ming paused, feeling slightly more at ease.

Half a year ago, Tang San had suddenly issued an order from the God Realm for the two of them to investigate the anomalies in Shrek City, yet he hadn't explained what those anomalies were or what exactly they should be investigating.

At first, they had simply sent their subordinates from the Clear Sky Sect to investigate.

But because Tang San's orders were far too vague, the people they sent wandered around Shrek City for two or three months, only to return empty-handed.

Given the situation, and with Tang San constantly urging them on, he had no choice but to take action himself.

To his surprise, he discovered that as soon as he entered a certain range of Shrek City, the restriction Tang San had placed on his soul actually became ineffective!

At that moment, he almost thought he was hallucinating.

He didn't make a scene; after returning, he informed his elder brother about the matter. After his brother went to Shrek City and tried several times, they reached a conclusion.

It wasn't that the restriction had failed, but that it had fallen into a slumber.

The restrictions in their divine souls were essentially connected to Tang San's divine consciousness.

The purpose of those restrictions was twofold: first, to allow Tang San to spy on their status at any time, and second, to allow Tang San to suppress them whenever he pleased.

Once they entered Shrek City, this connection was shielded by some kind of power.

With the restriction losing its connection to the source, it naturally slipped into a dormant state.

And as long as they left this area, the connection would be restored.

After a brief and careful deliberation, his elder brother decided to bring him and little Dong'er to Shrek City together.

Er Ming paused for a moment, but still couldn't help but ask: "But I still don't understand, Big Brother. At most, we are only hiding for a while. If Tang San finds out, what will we do then?"

Da Ming's gaze was calm as he transmitted his voice faintly:

"It has been ten thousand years. We have been wearing that dog collar, gasping for breath. Now that we can finally catch our breath, why not rest for a while?

"Besides, if he finds out, he finds out.

"Not to mention that we are technically carrying out his orders to investigate the anomalies. Even if we couldn't fool him and were exposed, would that guy really kill such useful pawns?

"Anyway, having worn the dog collar for ten thousand years, I'm already used to it. At worst, it would just mean adding another loop to the chain. Being able to rest for a few years is not a loss."

Er Ming fell silent, but Da Ming's eyes grew dim as he added one more sentence.

"Furthermore, this is also for Dong'er's sake... Heh, using his own daughter as a pawn—what a rare, 'good' father he is."