Starting as pearl divers, they have endless jobs.

Chapter 122 Return to the Main World

The seventeenth day of the first lunar month.

The sky was overcast from morning onwards, and an unprecedentedly grand funeral was being held in this city that had survived the catastrophe.

There was no mournful music, only the sobbing of the wind passing through the dilapidated streets and alleys.

Chen Ye, dressed in plain clothes, bid farewell to his master Guan Sihai, his close friend Tiedan, and all the fellow Peking Opera performers who sacrificed their lives that night.

People came spontaneously, and the dark mass of people filled the streets, stretching from the General's Temple all the way to the city gate.

They didn't cry out; they just stood silently, sending these heroes off on their final journey in the simplest of ways.

In the funeral procession, the Lu family father and daughter, and the Qi family father and daughter, silently accompanied Chen Ye.

Lu Jinghong's eyes were red and swollen. She wanted to say some words of comfort several times, but she felt that any words would be pale and powerless in the face of such a life-and-death separation, so she finally kept her mouth shut.

The funeral was not over until the last handful of earth was laid.

But the commotion in Zhenhaiwei had only just begun.

The imperial envoy sent by the court carried an imperial edict to confer upon Chen Ye the title of "Guardian Master of the Nation," reward him with a thousand taels of gold, and grant him a title and fiefdom, intending to bring this "celestial musician" under the control of the court.

Reporters from major newspapers, like sharks smelling blood, tried every means to dig up an exclusive story about "a fairy descending to earth and slaying demons with a single song".

For a time, the area outside the Chen family's house was bustling with activity, almost breaking down the threshold.

But Chen Ye ignored them all.

He neither accepted the imperial decree nor met with any reporters. Instead, he found another secluded residence to live in, closed his doors to visitors, and remained indifferent to worldly affairs.

He doesn't go on stage, doesn't see guests, and doesn't even see friends who come to him.

Lu Jinghong was very worried about this and wanted to visit Chen Ye several times, but her father, Lu Dahu, stopped her each time.

Looking at his daughter's anxious expression, Lu the wealthy man could only sigh and say, "Let him calm down. No one can help him through this. He has to get through it himself."

Upon hearing this, Lu Jinghong could only bury her concern and worry deep in her heart.

But on that very day, an invitation was suddenly delivered.

When Lu Dahu and Qi Shihao opened the package, they found it was a gift from Chen Ye, inviting their two families to a banquet that evening.

The two exchanged a glance, both somewhat surprised, but this was followed by a surge of joy.

In their view, Chen Ye's willingness to treat everyone to a meal proved that he might have already moved on from that immense grief.

Lu Jinghong was so happy when she heard the news that she almost jumped for joy.

All afternoon, she kept trying on clothes in her room, turning around and around in front of the mirror, feeling that none of them were suitable for tonight's dinner party.

As evening fell, the two families met up and traveled together to Chen Ye's new house.

The carriage stopped at the gate of the mansion, where Chen Ye was already waiting.

He was still dressed in a simple long robe, and his figure seemed a little thinner than before, but his face had a gentle smile, showing no trace of gloom.

Seeing this, Lu Jinghong finally felt a little relieved.

What she feared most was that Chen Ye would become despondent and unable to extricate himself from the past.

It doesn't seem that serious now.

Chen Ye smiled and ushered everyone into the courtyard.

In the small pavilion in the courtyard, a copper hot pot was already set up, the soup inside was boiling, and the charcoal fire was burning brightly, radiating a warm and cozy feeling.

“Although it’s spring, it’s still a bit chilly,” Chen Ye explained with a smile. “Having a hot pot in the courtyard is quite a nice touch.”

No one objected, and they all took their seats.

The food was already prepared, consisting of fresh beef and lamb, and seasonal vegetables.

Chen Ye picked up a kitchen knife and personally cut meat for everyone.

His knife skills were superb; with a flick of his wrist, he sliced ​​beef and mutton into pieces as thin as cicada wings, arranging them evenly on the plate.

Lu Jinghong was completely mesmerized.

She rested her chin on her hand, her bright eyes fixed on Chen Ye without blinking.

This man is not only good on stage but also in the kitchen, and most importantly, he's so handsome. If you could marry a man like him, you'd probably be laughing in your sleep.

At this moment, Chen Ye also felt Lu Jinghong's burning gaze, but he only sighed softly in his heart and did not respond.

Having spent so much time together, how could he not know the feelings of this young lady from the Lu family?

She is a sincere, enthusiastic, and pure girl.

It would be a lie to say that you are not moved.

But he was destined to leave eventually.

This meal was his farewell banquet for himself, though he didn't say it aloud.

So rather than letting her miss you day and night in the future, leaving her with an irreparable regret for the rest of her life, it's better to be ruthless now and cut the Gordian knot.

Although Chen Ye didn't consider himself a good person, he couldn't bring himself to hurt such a sincere and innocent girl because of his own selfish desires.

The atmosphere at the meal was rather subtle.

Both Lu the tycoon and Qi Shihao were shrewd people. They seemed to have sensed something, but they didn't say anything. They just kept eating meat and drinking one cup of wine after another.

Qi Nana looked at Chen Ye thoughtfully, then glanced at her best friend beside her, who looked happy, her eyes filled with complex emotions.

Lu Jinghong, however, seemed oblivious to everything. She continued to eat heartily, enjoying the meat and drinking plenty of sweet and sour fruit wine. Her rosy cheeks made her look incredibly adorable.

The meal lasted until late at night.

Both Lu Dahu and Qi Shihao were already quite drunk, and Lu Jinghong was also feeling a bit dizzy from the aftereffects of the fruit wine.

Of all the people at the table, only Chen Ye's eyes remained as clear and bright as ever.

After finishing their last glass of wine, Lu the tycoon and Qi Shihao staggered to their feet and took their leave.

Chen Ye escorted them to the door.

One by one, everyone boarded the carriage, and it was time to leave.

"and many more!"

Lu Jinghong, who had been somewhat dazed, suddenly jumped off the carriage.

Amidst everyone's astonished gazes, she rushed to Chen Ye, opened her arms wide, and hugged him tightly.

She buried her face in Chen Ye's chest, her voice tinged with a drunken murmur and suppressed sobs.

"Bon Voyage."

"And... if possible, I hope you will remember me on that long road ahead."

Chen Ye was stunned.

He didn't expect that Lu Jinghong, who seemed carefree, actually understood everything.

She was simply playing along with him in this final act, in her own way.

Then Chen Ye sighed, raised his hand and gently patted her back, his voice more tender than ever before.

"Of course I won't forget you."

Upon hearing this, Lu Jinghong suddenly raised her head, her eyes glistening with tears in the moonlight.

"Where...where are you going? Can you take me with you?"

Chen Ye smiled and shook his head.

He couldn't explain that he didn't belong to this world, and could only say, "I'm going to a very, very far place."

"Will you come back?" Lu Jinghong pressed, this was her last hope.

Chen Ye was taken aback.

return…….

But can I ever come back?
It was that moment of hesitation that made Lu Jinghong understand completely.

All his hopes vanished in that moment of silence.

She nodded, but finally couldn't hold back the tears in her eyes, which slid down her cheeks.

But she laughed, though the laugh was more painful than a cry.

"I see."

"Wishing you... a bright future."

After saying that, she let go of his hand, turned around dejectedly, and climbed into the carriage without looking back.

The coachman cracked his whip, and the carriage slowly drove away, eventually disappearing at the end of the long street.

Chen Ye stood alone in front of the door for a long time before letting out a long sigh.

He turned and closed the gate, cleaning up the cups and plates in the yard. Although it was completely unnecessary, Chen Ye did it very carefully, as if he were saying a final goodbye.

After doing all this, Chen Ye returned to the house, sat cross-legged, and sank his mind into his sea of ​​consciousness.

That ship of the other shore suspended in the sea of ​​consciousness is radiating an unprecedentedly brilliant light.

[It can carry the fruits of the Great Dao back.]

[Will you return immediately?]

Looking at the prompt before him, Chen Ye inexplicably asked himself, "Is it... still possible for me to return to these worlds I've experienced?"

The ship on the other shore did not respond, seemingly engaged in some complex calculation.

Just when Chen Ye thought there would be no answer, a brand new golden light screen slowly appeared before his eyes.

[Special conditions must be met.]

you can!

When Chen Ye saw the golden light screen appear before him, his heart skipped a beat.

Although the Ark on the Other Shore did not specify what special conditions were required, this affirmative answer was sufficient.

He suppressed his excitement, walked to the table, hesitated for a moment, and finally picked up his pen to write a letter.

In his letter, Chen Ye told Lu Jinghong that he would definitely come back to see her if he had the chance.

After leaving the letter on the table, Chen Ye once again immersed himself in his sea of ​​consciousness and chose to return.

In an instant, the ship of the other shore suspended in the sea of ​​consciousness shone brightly and began to make a final assessment of his experience on this journey.

Scenes flashed by rapidly, like a revolving lantern.

From a clueless apprentice just entering the Qingchun Opera Troupe, to a captivating star who sings with ghosts on stage; from the breathtaking performance of Farewell My Concubine, to the mirage-like courtier who judges Yan Xun through illusions; and finally, to the final scene where he gives his all to summon the gods and slay the demons...

Finally, all the light and shadow converged, and the shape of the boat on the other shore began to change drastically, rapidly expanding from a small boat into a magnificent painted boat with distinct pavilions and carved beams.

Immediately afterwards, the ship's hull glowed with flickering light, and one by one, the marks of various professions flashed by: "Extra in a Fool's Tale," "Soul-Stealing Famous Actress," "Mirage Court Performer," "Heavenly Official of the Pear Garden."

The light flashed several times before finally settling on a fixed point.

Four ancient characters slowly emerged: 【蜃楼伶官】.

Seeing this result, Chen Ye was not surprised; on the contrary, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Although the final performance was truly spectacular, it ultimately came at the cost of countless Peking Opera colleagues, severely weakening the city of Zhenhaiwei and causing heavy casualties.

Therefore, it is normal that the evaluation is not as high as that of the second martial arts world.

Moreover, although the talent of "Illusory Reality" in the Heavenly Official of the Pear Garden can be called a divine skill, it also requires a massive amount of willpower.

In the world of opera, it was the accumulated will of the people of the General Temple over a century, the rekindled faith of the entire city's residents, and the burning spirits of countless fellow opera performers that served as fuel for the unveiling of the Zhong Kui image.

But where in the Blackwater Lake, where sinners abound, everyone is in danger, and faith has long since collapsed, where can one find such immense willpower?

Therefore, compared to the other two, the Mirage Courtier's talent for creating illusions is much more practical.

Weaving illusions with one's own divine sense consumes one's own mental energy. Whether used to confuse enemies, carry out mental assassinations, or conceal one's own whereabouts, it is far more suitable for discreetly operating in the perilous main world than the Heavenly Official of the Pear Garden.

Just as he was pondering, the painted boat beneath his feet suddenly trembled, carrying him into a vast river that stretched through the endless void.

Despite having seen it several times, Chen Ye was still deeply moved whenever he saw this river that seemed to cascade down from the source of the universe and flow towards the end of time.

Each wave here may represent a world; the grandeur of the scene surpasses the limits of language.

Faced with this long river, Chen Ye felt as insignificant as a speck of dust.

However, this magnificent sight was fleeting.

The next second, Chen Ye felt himself plummet downwards, as if he were falling rapidly from a great height.

……

The familiar chill and dampness hit me.

Chen Ye suddenly opened his eyes and found himself back on the dilapidated awning boat on Blackwater Lake.

The surroundings were familiar, with the perpetual mist and the monotonous sound of the lake water lapping against the side of the boat.

The dramatic joys and sorrows of the world of traditional opera seem like a fleeting dream.

But he quickly suppressed these emotions.

Ultimately, people must look forward, especially in this perilous world.

Chen Ye rowed his boat slowly back to the dock, handed in his Spirit Pearl task for the day, and then returned to his town.

The town remained as lifeless as ever. The previous batch of new criminals had long since been absorbed, resulting in several more corpses in Blackwater Lake and a few more streetwalkers with numb eyes.

They scanned every passing man with empty eyes, selling their cheap bodies in exchange for a meager amount of food.

Chen Ye didn't look to the side and went straight back to his wooden house.

After closing the door, Chen Ye went to the water tank and looked down at the images inside.

His appearance was still the same, but his facial features seemed to have become more distinct and handsome, especially his eyes, which were deep and bright, and his brows had gained an indescribable charm.

This is the change brought about by becoming a famous opera singer.

However, Chen Ye only glanced at it and then stopped caring.

In this Blackwater Lake where human life is less than that of a dog, being good-looking doesn't put food on the table.

To survive, one must possess their own strength. With this in mind, Chen Ye opened his professional panel.

Name: Chen Ye

【Occupation: Night Stalker (lv3)】

[Talent: Child of Shadows]

[Skills: Skillful Hands Lv10, Swift Blade Lv10, Leaping Steps Lv10, Shadow Steps Lv5, Throwing Lv5]

【Occupation: Tanka (lv2)】

[Talent: Cold Resistance, Body of an Ox or Horse]

[Skills: Diving Lv2, Clam Sensing Lv2]

[Occupation: Grandmaster of the Gods]

[Talent: Martial Arts Heart - Heaven and earth are the furnace, all things are the ingredients, and the heart is the guide; one can refine all martial arts techniques, break through shackles, and advance bravely and diligently.]

[Martial Arts: Wind-Splitting Saber Technique lv10, Mountain-Splitting Force lv10, Formation-Breaking Fist lv10, Formation-Cleaving Stomp lv10]

[The Mirage Courtesan: As the singing begins, a pavilion rises from the ground; as the water sleeves fall, a mirage-like sea appears out of thin air. Your performance constructs a dreamlike realm where reality and illusion are indistinguishable, captivating the audience and turning their dreams upside down.]

[Talent: Prodigy of Illusion – Able to integrate one's own divine sense into the script, weaving illusions that are indistinguishable from reality, allowing viewers to feel as if they are there and experience the same emotions.]

[Skills: Stage Presence lv10, Loyal Judgment lv5]

The Ark of the Other Shore (cooled down, can be reactivated)

Chen Ye was overjoyed, because not only did he bring back the profession of Mirage Court Performer, but he also inherited the skills of "Powdered Appearance" and "Loyal Judgment"!

These two skills, one a perfect disguise and the other a mental attack, perfectly compensate for his biggest weakness!

Against someone like Zhao Qiu, he could use his night-walker skills to carry out assassinations.

However, if he were to face a formal disciple of the Blood Lotus Sect, a single spell from that disciple could leave him completely bewildered, not even knowing how he died.

But it's different now.

With the illusionary abilities of the Mirage Official, he finally had a sliver of confidence to protect himself and even fight back against those cultivators!
In the days that followed, Chen Ye went into complete silence.

Every day, he would still take his small boat deep into the lake and collect spirit pearls patiently and meticulously, just enough to complete his daily quota.

The rest of the time he would hide in the reeds or secluded bays where few people went, practicing his new skills again and again.

As he was able to consistently deliver on his daily tasks, Chen Ye's criminal level finally improved again, rising from level four to level five.

The daily food rations have increased, the quality of the yin-repelling talismans has improved significantly, and they are even allowed to take a day off each month.

Such treatment naturally aroused jealousy and envy from other criminals.

But Chen Ye didn't care about it at all.

He knew very well that relying on such petty gains would be useless if he wanted to truly escape this hopeless situation.

The only way out is to keep traversing and getting stronger!
Blackwater Lake is the only place he knows of where he can reliably obtain Spirit Orbs and activate the Ark of the Other Shore.

He wasn't sure if he could find a suitable spiritual object after leaving this place.

So his current idea is very simple: to develop in a low-key manner, accumulate strength, and then launch a sudden attack when he has enough strength to uproot this damned Blood Lotus Sect.

With this in mind, Chen Ye's days passed relatively peacefully.

But this calm did not last long.

On this day, Zhao He, an outer disciple in charge of managing their area, suddenly summoned all the criminals to the dock.

Everyone was on tenterhooks, wondering what kind of trouble might arise next.

Zhao He stood on the high platform of the dock and announced two things.

First, he will no longer be in charge of managing this area from this day forward; second, he will introduce his successor to everyone.

Chen Ye watched Zhao He's jubilant expression from below the stage and realized that he must have been promoted.

Even though he was just an outer disciple, spending all his time holed up in this place dealing with criminals would make anyone feel desperate.

So when he finally had the chance to leave, Zhao He was naturally overjoyed.

Just then, a flash of blood appeared, and the person who replaced Zhao He arrived.

When they saw the man's face, all the criminals, including Chen Ye, were surprised.

The newcomer was tall and slender, with an exceptionally beautiful face and a cold, aloof demeanor. A blood lotus flower mark adorned his brow, making him none other than Li Qingyan, who had visited the dock when the rare spiritual pearl was first discovered.

(End of this chapter)