Absolute Destiny Game.

Chapter 554 Old Friends, The Sea of ​​Reincarnation
The two were stunned for a moment, as if they could not believe what they were seeing. Suddenly, the armored giant-like figure moved abruptly, taking two heavy steps and arriving in front of Xiao Jie with a loud thud. He then squatted down and hugged him tightly.

"Brother Feng! Waaah... You've finally come to find us!" I Want to Become an Immortal burst into tears like a child, my voice muffled and choked through the heavy helmet. The imposing armor he wore contrasted sharply with his current words and actions, making Xiao Jie feel both sad and amused—this guy was still that naive college student at heart.

"Alright, alright, I'm here now." Xiao Jie patted his cold shoulder armor, his tone gentle.

"Stop crying, aren't you ashamed? It's only been half a month." Ye Luo said irritably, arms crossed, but when her cold gaze turned to Xiao Jie, she couldn't help but reveal a hint of emotion and admiration. "But I have to say, although I always thought you would succeed, I really didn't expect you to arrive so quickly... and in this way."

"Hahahaha!" Facing his former comrade-in-arms, Xiao Jie, unusually, shed his aloof and unfathomable facade as an immortal, his smile becoming hearty and genuine, as if he had returned to the days when they teamed up to grind monsters in the newbie village. "Don't you know who I am? A master like me, one in ten thousand, what's so great about becoming an immortal?"

The three looked at each other, and their tacit laughter echoed in the hall. Their friendship, forged through life and death together, was fully expressed in these unspoken words.

"So, you really achieved immortality? How does it feel?" Ye Luo asked curiously.

"Incredibly wonderful." Xiao Jie spoke succinctly, without boasting too much about his immortal powers. Instead, his tone shifted, tinged with a hint of melancholy, "However, the journey has truly been difficult. I've narrowly escaped death several times, almost failing and losing my soul." He briefly recounted the numerous trials he had faced on his path to immortality and in the Illusory Realm of the Great Void, the various hardships flashing through his mind, ultimately culminating in a soft sigh: "It really wasn't easy."

"And you two?" Xiao Jie looked at his two friends. "How are you... getting used to this Netherworld?"

"Good my foot!" Ye Luo spat without hesitation, even though she was a spirit and had no physical form. "We've all become ghosts, how good can it be? It's eerie, cold, and boring, and we can't even get a hot meal." Although she complained, her tone was still relatively calm. "But it's still much better than those lonely ghosts suffering in the Sea of ​​Reincarnation. At least I wasn't thrown in to suffer. On the contrary, because of my job as the 'Yellow Springs Envoy,' I got an official position. Now that I'm dead, it's like... returning to my original job."

She explained that the Messengers of the Underworld are special beings who travel between the realms of the living and the dead, responsible for guiding the souls of the deceased and maintaining order in the River Styx. For them, death is more like a job transfer, moving from an office in the mortal realm back to headquarters in the underworld.

"But in the end, without a physical body, the spirit still exists in the world, always feeling empty and uncertain. Many of the joys of life are lost, and one can't muster the energy to do anything." There was a hint of melancholy in Ye Luo's voice.

"And you, have you become an immortal? How are you?" Xiao Jie looked at his companion, who was still wearing heavy armor.

The voice of "I Want to Become an Immortal" came from under the helmet, filled with frustration: "Don't even mention it! They said I was surrounded by pure incense and the power of vows, a promising talent, and a ghost general took a liking to me and recruited me into the army. These days I've been fighting on the front lines against the demons and monsters under the Underworld Emperor's command. Swords flashed, ghosts wailed, and I was almost torn to pieces several times, my true spirit annihilated! Those days were simply inhuman... well, although we're definitely not human anymore now."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jie felt reassured and said loudly, "Don't worry, now that I'm here, I naturally won't watch you take risks anymore. I'm here to help you, and others, to be reincarnated and reborn!"

"Reincarnation?" I Want to Become an Immortal and Nightfall spoke almost simultaneously, their tone filled with doubt. "Isn't it just direct resurrection? If it's reincarnation... what will happen to us in reality? Will we... still be considered players? Or will we become NPCs?"

Xiao Jie paused, realizing this was indeed a difficult problem. From the perspective of immortals, there was no absolute distinction between players and NPCs among all living beings; the only difference lay in the essence of their souls and their forms of existence.

Once reincarnated, one will be integrated into the cycle of reincarnation in this world. As for how the connection with the real world will become, even he cannot say for sure at this moment.

Just as he was about to explain in detail, the respectful voice of the guiding ghost official came from outside the hall: "Reporting to the immortal, your other friends have also been brought. Would you like to enter the hall now?"

Xiao Jie paused for a moment and nodded: "Bring them in, and I'll explain to everyone at the same time."

A moment later, the palace doors opened again, and dozens of figures filed in, guided by the ghostly officials. Most of them retained their appearances from their previous lives, but their souls were clearly ethereal, emanating a faint aura of yin energy, and each wore a look of desolation and confusion. Several of them had obviously been immersed in the River Styx for too long, their souls damaged, their expressions dull and numb, their eyes empty and lifeless.

Xiao Jie's gaze swept over the familiar yet unfamiliar faces below, his heart filled with mixed emotions. The core team members immediately recognized him.

"Holy crap! Hahahaha!" The spirit of the Drunken Sword Immortal was the first to shout excitedly, "I knew it! Brother Feng would definitely come to save us! This aura, this presence! Awesome!"

Bai Ze's soul breathed a long sigh of relief, filled with emotion: "Heaven has eyes... I'm finally free from endless suffering in that sea of ​​misery..."

Xia Yi Wushuang was both surprised and delighted: "Brother Sui Feng! You really... really became an immortal?! This look, this divine light, is absolutely awesome!"

The other members of the "cannon fodder" group who were found were overjoyed. They had died unjustly, caught in the crossfire, and thought they were gone forever. They never expected that Xiao Jie would remember them and pull them out of the sea of ​​suffering. This was a completely unexpected joy.

"Vice President! Did you come here specifically to pick us up?"

"Wow! Brother Feng! That's so kind of you! Awesome!"

The hall was immediately filled with cheers and excitement from those who had survived the ordeal.

However, some people were completely bewildered, such as Batian Kuanglong and Qieting Longyin, who had died earlier and had no idea about the current situation.

"What's going on, Brother Suifeng? Where...where is this? Weren't we already..." Batian Kuanglong looked around in confusion, staring at his own illusory hand.

Xiao Jie had no time to explain to everyone. His gaze searched anxiously through the crowd, finally settling on a figure—Han Luo! Although they were all friends, Han Luo was his closest friend of many years. When they first entered the game, Han Luo died protecting him, and Xiao Jie had always felt deeply guilty.

If it hadn't been Han Luo who died, it might have been me.

"Han Luo!" Xiao Jie strode forward. "Do you remember me?"

The spirit raised its head, its face filled with confusion and unfamiliarity: "You are...?"

"I am Xiao Jie!"

“Xiao Jie… Xiao Jie…” Han Luo murmured to himself, trying hard to remember, his brows furrowed. Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck him, “President!? You are the president?!” “That’s right! It’s me!” Xiao Jie felt a little relieved. Fortunately, Han Luo hadn’t completely forgotten him.

"Guild leader...we...were we in a raid? How...did we end up here? It's so cold here..." Han Luo's memory was clearly incomplete, and he had no recollection of his experience after death.

"It's good that you still remember me! Don't worry, I'll tell you the details later," Xiao Jie reassured him.

"Hahahaha! Second brother! You've really made something of yourself!" At this moment, a handsome young man who looked about fifteen or sixteen years old floated up and greeted Xiao Jie with a smile, but his tone was mature beyond his years.

Xiao Jie was taken aback at first, but when he saw the name vaguely appearing above the other person's head, he suddenly realized: "Big brother? How come you..." This young man's soul was actually Yuan Bai! However, he was no longer in the form of an old ape, but had become a human boy.

“I don’t know why either,” Yuan Bai scratched his head, somewhat puzzled himself, “After waking up from death, I look like this, and it feels… much more relaxed and comfortable.”

Xiao Jie's heart stirred slightly, and he made a guess. Yuan Bai's physical form was affected by changes in his own perception before his death, and it was likely that this change also affected his soul.

Its true age was not that old to begin with; its aged appearance was due to lingering in the River of Oblivion for too long. Now that it has shed its obsessions and external influences, its soul has naturally returned to its original youthful form. Could it be that the appearance of these ghosts is determined by their own consciousness?
At this moment, "I Want to Become an Immortal" also found the soul of his brother, "I Want to Seal the Heavens," and was patiently explaining the current situation through gestures. Ye Luo was also excitedly talking incessantly, holding the soul of her best friend, Ting Yu. However, these two were in a similar situation to Han Luo, suffering from severe memory loss, and could only be guided patiently by the others.

Looking at the scene before him, with old acquaintances and friends who had died reappearing before him, Xiao Jie couldn't help but feel a deep sense of emotion—it wasn't easy.

After a while of noise and pleasantries, everyone finally understood their situation and Xiao Jie's purpose in coming.

Xiao Jie walked to the high place in front of the hall and said loudly, "Friends and comrades, I think most of you are already aware of the current situation. There may still be some friends who have doubts, so I will explain it to you here."

"Some of you died in the great battle with the Red Dust Taoist, while others died in the game for other reasons. Since you passed away in this special world, your souls did not dissipate, but instead wandered into the River Styx in this Netherworld to suffer."

Today, I have ascended to immortality and reached an agreement with Yama, the ruler of this realm, to specifically seek you all out and help you reincarnate and be reborn!

He paused, his tone becoming even more solemn: "Although I have achieved immortality, all I can do is revive you in this world. The real world... I'm afraid we can't go back."

A slight commotion and sighs arose inside the hall, but quickly subsided. To be given a second chance at life was already a great fortune; no one dared to ask for more.

Xiao Jie continued, “Now, I will give you the choice. If anyone does not wish to be reincarnated, they may choose to stay in this Netherworld or seek an official position, becoming a ghost soldier or ghost official. I respect your individual wishes. If there are no objections, I will arrange for everyone to be reincarnated shortly.”

"Wait a minute, Brother Feng!" the Drunken Sword Immortal hurriedly asked, "If we are reincarnated, will we still retain our current memories? Will we forget everything, forget everyone?"

“Of course you can retain them,” Xiao Jie answered confidently. “You haven’t been immersed in the River Styx for long enough, so your souls are intact. As long as you don’t drink the Meng Po soup, you can retain your memories of this life and reincarnate. It’s like… well, you can think of it as ‘resetting your character’, but this time, you will exist as real individuals integrated into this world’s reincarnation. In a sense, you can also say that you have crossed over into this game world and become a part of it.”

"So... are we still considered players? Or have we become NPCs?" Someone asked this crucial question again.

"Well..." Xiao Jie pondered for a moment, "I can't be completely sure either. The matter of reincarnation is extremely mysterious, and this is the first time I've handled it. In the eyes of the Heavenly Dao of this world, there may not be an absolute boundary between players and NPCs. What's important is that you have the opportunity to start over and can retain your past memories and emotions."

The crowd then bombarded them with questions, which Xiao Jie patiently answered. In the end, no one chose to remain as a ghost. They had already deeply experienced the suffering of the River Styx and the weakness of ghosts, and all longed to regain their physical bodies and a hopeful future.

“Alright! Since everyone agrees, then I will…” Xiao Jie was about to instruct the ghost official to begin making arrangements when he was interrupted by a voice.

"Sui Feng, wait a moment." Ye Luo floated forward, her expression a mixture of helplessness and determination. "I... I'm afraid I can't be reincarnated."

"What!?" Xiao Jie was taken aback. "Why?"

“I am the messenger of the Yellow Springs,” Ye Luo sighed and explained, “This identity is both a power and a heavy responsibility. My soul has long since signed a pact with the River Styx and the laws of the Yellow Springs, thus gaining the ability to communicate between Yin and Yang and guide the souls of the dead. But precisely because of this, my true spirit has been marked with the Yellow Springs mark, closely connected to this world. Unless the pact is completed or my power reaches a level sufficient to transcend its constraints, I cannot easily enter the cycle of reincarnation.”

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jie frowned deeply. This was indeed a troublesome matter. His mind raced: "How could I, a dignified immortal, be stumped by such a trivial matter? Let me see for myself."

He turned to the crowd and said, "Please wait here for a moment, everyone. Ye Luo and I will be right back." Then he said to Ye Luo and me, who wanted to become immortals, "Take me to the place where the laws of the Yellow Springs converge to see what's going on. If you want to become an immortal, you can come along too."

"Me?" I, who aspire to become an immortal, was taken aback for a moment, but still followed as instructed.

The three walked out of the Hall of Welcoming Souls. Xiao Jie moved his mind slightly, and the immortal spiritual energy around him circulated. A cloud of auspiciousness gathered from beneath his feet, lifting the three of them up lightly to the sky above the City of Ghosts and flying towards the Sea of ​​Reincarnation.

The ghost soldiers and generals patrolling the route were terrified to see a living person riding on clouds. They all raised their weapons, their yin energy surging, as if facing a formidable enemy. But soon, a high-ranking ghost general received a divine command from Yama, who sternly shouted at his subordinates: "All of you, retreat! Do not obstruct! This is a distinguished guest of Yama, a celestial being descending to earth. You have no need to disturb him!"

The ghost soldiers then retreated in fear, but they still couldn't help but look up with a mixture of awe and reverence at the figure that radiated pure celestial light and seemed out of place in the underworld as it swept across the gloomy sky.

Guided by Ye Luo, Xiao Jie flew along the River Styx. Soon, a vast, boundless, and magnificent dark ocean appeared before him. Its immeasurable size and waters were no ordinary water, but a strange entity formed from pure Yin energy and countless particles of soul light. At the center of the ocean was an indescribably enormous whirlpool, slowly rotating and devouring endless soul light. The whirlpool appeared to move slowly, but this was due to its sheer size; every "wave" stirred up at its edge was composed of countless struggling and wailing souls.

"We've arrived. This is the Sea of ​​Reincarnation, the end of the Yellow Springs, the final resting place of all souls." Ye Luo pointed to the breathtaking scene below, her voice carrying a hint of awe that she herself was unaware of. "The Yellow Springs is not a real spring; it is the manifestation of the law of life and death, the cycle of reincarnation. Although I am the envoy, I have only scratched the surface of it."

(End of this chapter)