I would rather betray the gods

Tracing traces in the snow, thoughts are like those of a tree.

A frog in a well has a view of the sky that is as vast as the sea.

Halfway up the mountain, there was a stone pier with two lines of text carved on it. Combined with a thatched hut not far away, Youzi guessed that the stone pier was the entrance to the home of that master.

Based on these two lines, he exclaimed that the person he met was truly a master.

He was full of doubts just a moment ago, but now his attitude has completely changed. How could two lines of text change his mind? Yuebai, please explain.

While Youzi might lack the skill to manipulate stars and perform magic, she was incredibly adept at elaborating on words and phrases. Youzi enthusiastically explained:

Although the words on the stone are simple, their meaning is profound.

Firstly, no matter how many paths others have trodden, without your own perspective, you're just a single tree in this jungle, limited by your own understanding.

The second line says, "So what if I'm a frog trapped at the bottom of a well? Even if all I see is a patch of sky the size of the well opening, I can still roam among the stars and be born extraordinary."

These two lines together perfectly encapsulate reality: some people, aside from good luck, possess only a glamorous exterior and appear to be thriving, yet are actually spiritually impoverished.

Some people are like jade stones on a riverbed, with an ordinary appearance but hidden treasures inside. No matter how long they lie on the riverbed, their inner quality remains unchanged. Once they are discovered, they will be amazing.

"It's a pity that such a simple truth has been buried in this world of blindly following the crowd."

Just like moss growing on a stone pillar, over time people will gradually cover up true knowledge.

Banlan gazed at the stone pier and sighed.

Just as the two were having a pleasant discussion, the expert came out of the thatched hut and clapped his hands to praise Youzi's unique insights. He said that when he carved the words, he didn't think so much about it. He just wanted to express his feelings of living in seclusion in the deep mountains.

Alright, a great ruler and a god-king put on a show of self-entertainment.

Indeed, people with special talents are often aloof from social interactions and don't give face to anyone.

Fortunately, the expert changed the subject, saying that the sun rises and sets, and the same sun shines differently. Now the inscription on the stone pier has become the subject of discussion between the two big shots.

You and Bai then waded through the clouds and mist to reach the steps provided by the expert, leaving behind an awkward silence.

The master looked like a Taoist, wearing a gray Taoist robe, with his disheveled hair tied up with a small twig, making him appear rather unkempt.

The master, who called himself Old Xu, said that he was a man from the mountains and had never had a Taoist name. He was not of the same lineage as the Taoist priests in the temples, and each had his own lineage and mission.

When asked about his purpose for visiting him to consult his divination, Old Xu remained tight-lipped.

He did tell Yuzu that he had anticipated she would ask him when he could see his sweetheart.

How strange! Youzi had this plan when he came, which made him have great faith in Lao Xu's abilities, so he hurriedly and respectfully asked when he could meet him.

Old Xu didn't answer either, but instead asked Youzi, "If I told you that all the fruit on a tree was sour, would you still pick it?"

The pomelo replied that it probably wouldn't choose fruit from other trees instead.

Old Xu smiled and said, "If the season hasn't come yet, the fruit on another tree will also be sour. Life is the same. Knowing the answer or not makes no difference. No matter which way you go, you have to keep going. If you don't go, you'll never reach the next intersection."

Could there be a better answer? Yuzu felt enlightened and couldn't help but bow deeply.

Then Lao Xu picked a leaf from nearby and gave it to the two divine beings, explaining that his refusal to leave the divination was not a charade but rather had another purpose, the mystery of which was like this leaf.

"All divination methods are like taking a pulse through a thread; they are all largely the same!"

After leaving behind another insight from his divination, Old Xu returned to his thatched hut, hands behind his back, humming a mountain tune.

Indeed, strange people are often eccentric; even the gods don't favor them, not even offering a polite invitation to come in for tea. Yuzu watched Old Xu's retreating figure, her gaze finally settling on the leaves...

Back home, Yuzi's phone reconnected to the internet and immediately received a long list of complaints from Fang Yuan.

Fang Yuan is now increasingly inseparable from Youzi. Her small room is her world, and she wants to share everything she knows with Youzi so that the world can be more colorful and vibrant.

But Yuzu just loves listening to everything about Fang Yuan. The stars and the sea aren't in the sky, but in the silly girl he loves so much.

Fang Yuan told Youzi in a message that her mother was worried sick these past few days, asking people every day to ask about her marriage prospects, but for various reasons, she couldn't get anything done, which made her laugh to death.

Of course, there was another reason why she told Yuzu about this almost like a live broadcast: to let Yuzu understand how painful it was for her to wait for him, an unspeakable pain.

Yuzu chuckled as she looked at the message.

Let alone Auntie (Fang Yuan's mother), even the Great Ruler of Earth, along with his God King, only managed to draw a single leaf from a fortune stick.

But as she laughed, Yuzi's eyes began to well up with tears.

He understood; his silly girl was so innocent, bearing too much invisible pressure without even knowing it.

In all the time they've known each other, she's only ever asked him for 100 yuan, and she only spent 10 yuan of that on a pot of string of pearls.

Forget about predestined relationships from past lives, where can you find such a wonderful girl!

he!

We must work harder, even harder, and even harder still!

Whether it's the many gods who look down on him or the restless inner demons, one day he will use his strength to sweep away all obstacles that prevent him and Fang Yuan from embracing!

No.

Not someday, but the sooner the better!

However, when he was cultivating at the half-level, Banlan said that he was the kind of "smart person" who could learn something at a glance but would fail when he tried to practice, and that he would have difficulty making progress.

And that was indeed the case. No matter how much he was taught by his Capricorn friend or how much guidance he received from others, he never made any significant progress.

So he gradually realized that even the most exquisite teachings are still based on someone else's methods.

Just like successful businessmen sharing their success stories with aspiring entrepreneurs, it's not very meaningful except for offering a pot of inspirational platitudes.

Behind every successful person lies a story of hard work and struggle, which cannot be replicated.

His cultivation was the same; he needed a method that suited his own circumstances.

After a period of adaptation and reflection, a method that suited his own situation gradually came into his mind.

This method really does require someone like Banlan to be a "smart person" who will "see" it and then fail at it.

If he learns it, he's growing; if he fails at it, he hasn't grown. It doesn't stop the inner demons that he's capable of connecting with from staying put.

Moreover, after several tentative attempts, he discovered a "puzzling" issue, which he didn't know how to describe, so he'll just call it a loophole for now.

A vulnerability that only exists within him, one he's unsure if he can control...

Inside a stone cave in a no-man's-land.

Lorota, who was instantly killed by the Moonlit Polar Region, not only did not die, but now also had the appearance of a god, with a faint light around her that only exists when a god is newly ascended, illuminating the stone cave.

Lorota knelt before a cloaked figure, expressing deep gratitude, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for granting my request."

The cloaked figure kept his back turned throughout, saying, "Cats have nine lives, and with my divine essence, I will now help you ascend from the depths of despair to godhood. But remember, you have no more lives to live."

This person was the extraterrestrial visitor who taught the magic of the Lolota.

Having narrowly escaped death, Rorota has tempered his arrogance. "Rest assured, God, I will be more cautious in my actions from now on. Now that I am a god, I will not easily lose my life if I encounter that so-called Great Ruler again."

"Alright, we're both exhausted from this ordeal. You should go back and rest first, and make sure you find that woman in red for me."

The cloaked figure waved.

Lorota nodded, placed his hand on his chest to show his loyalty, and then transformed into a streak of blue light and departed.