Absolute Destiny Game.

Chapter 556 Reincarnation, Level 1 Newbie

Under the respectful guidance of the judge, the group traversed the deep, winding corridors and numerous palaces of the Ghost City. Along the way, eerie will-o'-the-wisps flickered, and murals depicted the horrific scenes of the eighteen levels of hell and the mysterious scrolls of reincarnation. The air was filled with a strange scent of sandalwood mixed with yin energy, filling the group of souls with both awe and anticipation.

Finally, they arrived at a stone door engraved with countless intricate runes and radiating a faint spatial energy fluctuation. Two ghost generals, clad in heavy armor and wielding soul halberds, stood solemnly on either side. Upon seeing the Judge and Xiao Jie, they bowed silently and then pushed open the heavy stone door.

Behind the door was a more secluded side hall. The hall was not large, but it was shrouded in an eerie tranquility. The walls, floor, and even the dome were covered with flickering, eerie blue runes, which shone and faded like breathing, forming a powerful magic array that protected the strange pool of water in the center.

The pool was about three zhang square, and the water was crystal clear, appearing at first glance like a flawless spring. But if you looked closely, you would find that it was impossible to reach the bottom. There was only a deep and boundless darkness that seemed to swallow all light, making one feel small and insignificant, as if it were a passage leading to an unknown abyss and countless possibilities.

The edge of the pool was made of a warm, black jade, smooth as a mirror. In front of the pool stood an ancient stone disc about half a person's height, covered with mysterious and incomprehensible runes that constantly shifted and changed. These runes combined and transformed, vaguely forming a complex graphic resembling a user interface, radiating a soft and mysterious aura.

The judge invited Xiao Jie to the stone slab, bowed slightly, and said, "Immortal Master, please look, this is the 'Rebirth Pool.' Through this specially opened waterway, the true spirit can directly avoid the torment of the whirlpool of the Sea of ​​Reincarnation and be safely reborn into the mortal world." As he spoke, his withered fingers gently brushed over several key runes on the stone slab.

Om-!
The darkness in the pool suddenly changed! Countless tiny points of light emerged and converged, quickly outlining a grand and clear map of the Nine Provinces. On the map, mountains rose and fell, rivers meandered, and cities and villages were scattered like stars, many of which twinkled with points of light of varying intensity, like stars adorning the night sky.

“Immortal, please look,” the judge explained, “these points of light are the towns and villages in the mortal realm where one can be reborn. I wonder where your friends wish to be reborn?”

Xiao Jie had already considered this. These dozens of souls before him varied in their closeness and relationships, so they couldn't be treated the same. Those members of the "cannon fodder" group, as well as Ba Tian Kuang Long, Qie Ting Long Yin, and Wo Bu Chi Niu Rou, were people with whom he had only a superficial relationship. His rescue was out of a sense of duty, and arranging a safe reincarnation for them was already more than enough. If he were to take care of every single one of them in every detail, then this immortal would be acting far too much like a "nanny."

Considering that most of these people were members or associates of the Dragon Soaring Guild in their previous lives, being reborn in the core area controlled by the Dragon Soaring Kingdom is undoubtedly the best choice, making it easier for Dragon Travel to take care of them in the future.

He gathered these people aside and explained his arrangements: "Friends, many of you had some connection with Longxiang in your previous lives. I will arrange for you all to be reincarnated in Xiaofeng City or Luoyang Town within the territory of Longxiang Kingdom. How about that? It's relatively safe there, and it will be convenient for the Longxiang Guild to take care of you in the future."

Everyone naturally had no objections. Although I, who don't eat beef and ramen, was still a little confused about the current situation, I was overjoyed to hear that I could be reborn in a safe area, and I nodded quickly.

“Brother Feng,” Ramen Guy seemed to remember something and asked with some worry, “If I reincarnate in Luoyang Town… won’t I get into trouble with those bastards from the Tianxia Society again?” He had suffered enough from the oppression of the Tianxia Society in his previous life.

Xiao Jie smiled calmly, but his tone was full of absolute confidence: "Don't worry, the World Society has long since vanished. Xiong Ba and his henchman Yun Xiao Ke have all been personally killed by me. You can go in peace."

Upon hearing this, Ramen Bro excitedly clasped his hands in thanks, his voice choked with emotion: "Thank you so much, Brother Feng!" He never expected to receive such strong protection even after death.

I, who don't eat beef, bowed gratefully as well, hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "Um... Ximen Wuhen..."

"I take money to solve problems for people. I dealt with him back in the newbie village," Xiao Jie replied casually.

The bounty I posted when I didn't eat beef turned out to be his first pot of gold after entering the game, and it later played a significant role in the monster siege battle.

"Haha, Brother Feng is indeed incredibly capable and clear about right and wrong!" The two exclaimed in unison, their pent-up emotions finally dispelled. They had both died because of the World Guild and were both solo players, so they felt a sense of shared suffering and mutual respect. They exchanged a glance and decided that after being reborn, they would team up and support each other.

However, Xiao Jie immediately realized a practical problem: "Your Excellency Judge, if these dozen or so people are to be reincarnated at the same time in a corner of Luoyang Town, is there enough space for newborns there?" He pictured crying babies and busy midwives in his mind and felt that this seemed unrealistic.

Upon hearing this, the judge stroked his beard and chuckled: "Immortal, please rest assured, the matter of reincarnation in the netherworld is not the same concept as the reproduction of living beings in the mortal world. Reincarnation does not depend on the birth of a newborn."

"Oh? What do you mean?" Xiao Jie was very curious. He had been playing this game for a long time and had indeed rarely seen baby or toddler NPCs, which had always puzzled him.

"Every town and village in the mortal realm has a 'population cap' determined by its inherent destiny," the judge patiently explained, tapping a few times on the stone disc. Detailed data about Luoyang Town immediately appeared. "As long as the current actual population hasn't reached the cap, there are 'vacant spots' available for souls to reincarnate. Look—"

Luoyang Town (Level 3 Town): Current population 4791 / Maximum population 5000.

Available reincarnation slots: 209 people.

"Two hundred or so spots are more than enough," the judge said with a smile.

Xiao Jie was speechless. Well, he had indeed overthought things. This was, after all, a world governed by game rules; reincarnation was more like a "character initialization" and "data refresh," rather than a true process of life's creation. However, this did save a lot of trouble. If one were to truly grow from infancy, it would take more than a decade.

"Very well then, let's begin."

The judge accepted the order, his withered fingers moving and pressing skillfully on the stone slab, as if playing an ancient instrument. The map of Kyushu in the pool rapidly zoomed and positioned itself, ultimately revealing a clear and detailed street layout of Luoyang Town.

"All those who are about to be reborn, please enter the Immortal Pool." The judge stepped aside and gestured for them to proceed.

The dozen or so souls assigned to Luoyang Town, filled with excitement, trepidation, and anticipation, all headed towards the pool shimmering with a ghostly light, quickly filling it to the brim.

The judge seized the opportunity and pressed down hard on the largest and most complex rune in the center of the stone plate!
In an instant, the calm pool water churned violently, forming a powerful whirlpool at its center, emitting a deep hum. An irresistible, gentle suction enveloped all the souls in the pool, gently and swiftly dragging them into the depths of the abyss. After a series of gurgling sounds, the surface of the water quickly returned to calm, and the dozen or so souls had vanished without a trace.

Xiao Jie and the other ghosts looked on with strange expressions. Why did this process of reincarnation look so familiar?
Meanwhile, in the mortal realm, in Luoyang Town—

Inside an ordinary house, the air rippled slightly, and a figure dressed in coarse cloth slowly materialized and emerged.

I don't eat beef (Commoner of Luoyang Town): Level 1. Health: 110.

On the training ground of the garrison in Luoyang City, a flash of light appeared, and a figure dressed in simple leather armor and holding a training wooden spear quietly emerged from the ranks of new recruits. Overlord Dragon (Luoyang Town Recruit): Level 1. Health: 130.

In market corners, in inn backyards, and along farmland edges... similar scenes were quietly unfolding simultaneously throughout Luoyang Town. In the blink of an eye, more than a dozen people had all been reincarnated, "refreshing" in adult form in various corners of the town, without exception, all becoming level 1 NPC templates.

Through the surface of the Rebirth Pool, Xiao Jie saw everything clearly, as if watching a live video. He marveled inwardly, "It seems that once reincarnated, one is completely integrated into the cycle of reincarnation in this world, no longer a 'returnee,' but a true 'native.'"

As for his level dropping to zero, he wasn't worried. NPCs in this world could also fight monsters, train, and level up, a fact he had already confirmed through his past interactions with NPCs. As long as Batian Kuanglong and his group could find a way to contact Longxing Tianxia, ​​with the Longxiang Guild protecting them, their safety and development shouldn't be a problem.

Next, it was Xiao Jie's turn to focus on his closest and most trusted companions: Han Luo, Wo Yu Feng Tian, ​​Ting Yu, Yuan Bai, and the original core team members, including Jiu Jian Xian, An Ran, Xia Yi Wu Shuang, and Wen Tian Wu Ji. These people shared a deep bond with him, having been through thick and thin together, so it was natural that careful arrangements were needed to choose the safest and most promising starting point for them.

At the same time, it should also be convenient for him to take care of him in the future.

"Judge, I wish all my friends could be reborn in Ginkgo Village, is that possible?"

Ginkgo Village, as a beginner village, has low-level monsters to level up and various NPCs to teach skills, making it the most suitable place for new players to grow.

"Please allow me to examine it." The judge manipulated the stone disc again, bringing up the data for Ginkgo Village.

Ginkgo Village (Level 1 Village): Current population 100 / Maximum population 100.

The population limit has been reached!

"This..." Xiao Jie was at a loss for words.

The judge chuckled, appearing confident: "Immortal, do not worry. Such a trivial matter can naturally be resolved for you. I just wonder if there are any villagers in Ginkgo Village who have a bad relationship with you, or who you wish to 'give up' their positions? Preferably insignificant ones."

Or is there someone who has a good relationship with the immortal and doesn't want anything to happen to him?

Xiao Jie immediately understood the other party's intention. Although he felt that this method was against the natural order, he couldn't care less about that for the sake of his friend. After all, they were just NPCs.

He quickly ruled out people he knew, such as village chief Huang Shidao, militia captain Tie Qianli, and blacksmith Zhou Tong, and only included villagers he had no recollection of, marking them with an X.

"I understand your meaning, Immortal Master." The judge nodded knowingly. "This matter is simple. Just select these targets and send the 'Wanderers of Impermanence' to collect their souls. As the saying goes, if Yama determines that someone dies at midnight, who dares to keep them alive until dawn? The order of heaven and earth is already in chaos, and the balance of yin and yang is off. A few more people dying unjustly will not matter much in the grand scheme of things."

He spoke casually, then turned to face the shadowy corner of the hall and shouted in a deep and majestic ghostly language: "Impermanent Walker, heed my command!"

From the shadows, two chilling gusts of wind swirled out, coalescing into two indistinct, tall, slender figures exuding a soul-devouring aura, bowing in submission.

"Follow the list provided by the immortal, go to Ginkgo Village in the mortal realm to retrieve the souls. Do not fail!"

The two dark figures bowed again, then vanished like smoke, passing directly through the palace to carry out their orders. The entire process was silent, carrying a chilling aloofness and indifference.

In just a short while, the population data of Ginkgo Village displayed on the stone slab began to fluctuate and decrease, quickly changing from 100/100 to 89/100, leaving exactly 11 empty slots.

"Immortal Master, the position has been vacated. Furthermore..." the judge added meaningfully, "If the Immortal Master is willing, I can also have the village chief, Huang Shidao, 'die a natural death.' In this way, a position for 'the son of the village chief' can be created. The one who is reincarnated here can naturally take over the position of village chief upon reaching adulthood. Wouldn't that be of great benefit to your friend's future development?"

Xiao Jie was stunned, thinking to himself, "Holy crap, this... it can be done like this?" He suddenly gained a deeper understanding of the "flexibility" of this reincarnation mechanism. It seems that in this world, reincarnation does not require a strict biological reproductive process, but is more like a kind of "job replacement" or "identity coverage" at the level of law.

He looked at the complex stone disc interface and suddenly noticed that the reincarnation option was not singular; there were several smaller rune areas beside it, most of which were dim and lifeless. Only one area, marked with the ancient character for "human," was lit up.

"Judge, these are..."

“I hope you will understand, Immortal,” the judge respectfully explained, “this is a choice of the Six Paths of Reincarnation. The one that is currently lit up is the Human Path, which your friend will soon be reincarnated into.”

He pointed to a completely dark option with the most complex and mysterious rune structure: "This one cannot be selected; it is the 'Heavenly Path.' It is said that in ancient times, great sages with perfect merit and profound blessings could be reborn in the heavenly realm through this path and become low-level gods. But since when has this path been cut off and can no longer be used?"

Then he pointed to several other options, some dimmed and some flickering:

"This is the 'Asura Path'. Those who enter this path will transform into Asura war demons, born with deep-seated malevolence, bloodthirsty and belligerent, often falling into endless slaughter until they are destroyed by stronger beings."

"This is the 'Animal Realm,' where one can be reborn as birds, beasts, or forest spirits, experiencing the myriad aspects of life. However, one's intelligence is obscured, and the future is uncertain."

"This is the 'Hungry Ghost Realm.' Those who are reborn into this realm will become walking corpses or wandering ghosts, roaming the desolate wilderness, suffering from hunger and thirst, and never having a peaceful day."

"And this last one is the 'Hell Path,' which is also ineffective and cannot be used. It is said to be used to punish the most heinous souls, making them suffer the torment of purgatory forever."

(End of this chapter)