Absolute Destiny Game.

Chapter 558 The Initial Destiny of Immortality
Xiao Jie rode on auspicious clouds, flying only a dozen miles away from Ginkgo Village, when he suddenly slapped his forehead and exclaimed, "Oh no!" He had been so busy arranging everyone's reincarnation and thinking about long-term plans that he had forgotten the most important thing—the newbie equipment and supplies hadn't been distributed yet!

He quickly turned the cloud around, and the azure rainbow-like light drew a sharp and graceful arc in the air, before flying back to the sky above Ginkgo Village in the blink of an eye.

Descending from the clouds, they could see a group led by Wentian Wuji and Jiu Jianxian sitting around the huge ginkgo tree in the center of the village, clearly still enthusiastically discussing their next development plan. Jiu Jianxian and Xia Yi Wushuang, the two impatient ones, had already picked up the rough wooden sword and spear given to them by the system, eagerly gesturing and wanting to rush out of the village to find some monsters to test their skills.

Wen Tian Wuji, however, appeared much calmer. He calmed the two restless individuals and said in a deep voice, "Everyone, calm down! The most urgent matter is not to rush things, but to determine our future development path! This time, we have a chance to start over, and with Brother Feng, this immortal, guiding us, are we going to randomly choose a physical profession and follow that 'loser' path with limited prospects, just like in the past? To become an immortal or a god, we must start planning from 'childhood'—uh, from level 1!"

"Huh? Brother Feng? Why are you back again?" The sharp-eyed Sword Immortal was the first to spot Xiao Jie's return and exclaimed in surprise.

Upon hearing this, everyone looked up, their faces showing confusion.

Xiao Jie smiled somewhat embarrassedly, then descended from the clouds and landed among the crowd: "I was in such a hurry that I almost forgot the most important thing." As he spoke, he opened his backpack, and with a thought, a small pile of items shimmering with various colors appeared on the ground.

These were all things he had gotten for free in Guyun Prefecture. Although they weren't high-grade, everything produced by immortals was of the highest quality, and the requirements for equipping them were extremely low. For everyone at this stage, they were practically beginner's godsends.

"These pieces of equipment have all undergone my initial screening. They have very low level and attribute requirements, but their effects are quite practical." Xiao Jie pointed to each item and introduced them. "This 'Firefly Short Sword' has a slight evil-repelling effect, which is very effective against low-level undead creatures; this 'Patchwork Vine Armor' is lightweight and tough, and can effectively resist the claws and bites of ordinary wild beasts; and this 'Swift Boots' can slightly increase movement speed, which may come in handy when you can't win a fight and have to escape... As for the attributes, they are top-notch at this stage."

With your skill level, you'll absolutely crush the monsters around the starting village with ease.

He then picked up a few small jade bottles: "These are all top-grade pills, all of which were given away for free in Guyun Prefecture. Don't be reluctant to use them. Use them as needed, and I'll go get more when you run out."

He distributed the pills to everyone, his expression becoming more serious. "Although I have some connections with King Yama now, and if something unexpected happens, I might be able to rescue someone again, 'rescuing someone' will ultimately leave me with karmic debts. If we can avoid death, we should try our best to stay alive. Safety first, understand?"

"Understood!" everyone responded in unison, excitedly accepting the equipment and pills, playing with them with great delight. With these, their initial sense of security and confidence increased significantly.

"We were just discussing whether we should go out and level up right away," the Drunken Sword Immortal said impatiently, brandishing his newly acquired Firefly Short Sword.

Wen Tian Wuji then looked at Xiao Jie and asked the most crucial question: "Sui Feng, do you have any specific arrangements or suggestions for our 'path to immortality'? Should we start leveling up immediately? If we do, how should we allocate our skill points? These all need to be planned in advance to avoid making mistakes and wasting this hard-won opportunity for rebirth."

Now that you are an immortal, these matters naturally fall under your jurisdiction.

Xiao Jie pondered for a moment, then organized his thoughts: "While I have some ideas, I'm not entirely confident that this will ultimately succeed. Therefore, my advice is—you can level up and accumulate experience, but remember two things: First, never allocate attribute points randomly! Don't add any! Second, try to keep your level at 9 and don't break through to 10! Be sure to retain all your free attribute points!"

He emphasized, "Otherwise, if you are unable to receive the 'destiny' in the future because of haphazardly allocating attribute points or having an excessively high level, don't blame me for not warning you in advance."

"A predestined connection with immortals?!"

These two words seemed to possess a magical power, instantly igniting everyone's eyes! Even the usually calm Wentian Wuji and Bai Ze became breathless.

"Hahaha! Brother Feng! I knew you were a true friend!" The Drunken Sword Immortal almost jumped up excitedly. "We risked our lives to help you become an immortal, so we have to share in this destiny!"

"Brother Feng, can you tell us a little bit? What kind of destiny is it?" Bai Ze rubbed his hands together, his face full of anticipation.

Xiao Jie chuckled inwardly, "Damn it, I don't even know what it is!" What he intended to advocate for was guidance from Lin Xuance, the Martial Dao Immortal, and the Myriad Dharma Lord—the members of the Heaven-Mending Alliance. As for ordinary, unassuming immortals, aside from the amount of karma points required to persuade them, even if they were invited, they would likely just go through the motions and wouldn't genuinely impart any profound techniques.

Only Lin Xuance and a few others harbored ambitions to "save the world." Inviting them to the Underworld would be a perfect opportunity for them to see his friends, who were "extraordinarily talented and charismatic," and to "persuade"... well, to sincerely ask them to leave behind some legacy. As for what exactly they could offer, that truly depended on luck and their mood.

As for himself, as a player, he doesn't seem to be able to pass on skills. Even if he can break through the system's restrictions, as a newly promoted immortal, his understanding of immortal techniques is still something he learned from the "Introduction to Immortal Techniques" in the Scripture Pavilion that morning. He doesn't have much confidence in teaching others skills.

"It's a secret that can't be revealed." Xiao Jie could only wave his hand mysteriously. "Anyway, remember my words: save your attribute points and stay at level 9! When you need any attribute, just max it out all at once, and that should meet the requirements. Alright, this matter is of great importance, and I must do it immediately. I can't delay any longer."

After saying that, before anyone could ask any more questions, he once again rode his escape light, soaring into the sky and transforming into a streak of azure light, instantly disappearing into the horizon.

This time, Xiao Jie didn't delay any longer and flew at breakneck speed towards Guyun Prefecture in the vast overseas void.

They traveled in silence for over an hour, after which Xiao Jie had crossed the void and arrived above Guyun Prefecture.

He flew back to the top of Fangzhang Mountain in one breath, above the Cloud Misty Immortal Palace, and found the small thatched hut next to the waterfall.

Xiao Jie descended from the clouds with practiced ease and stepped into the thatched hut. The hut was empty except for a magnificent ancient ink painting hanging on the wall directly opposite the entrance. The painting depicted a breathtaking panorama of mountains and rivers, and the celestial bodies of the sun, moon, and stars. Xiao Jie gently raised his hand towards the painting, infusing it with a wisp of celestial energy. The painting seemed to instantly come alive; the clouds on the canvas began to flow, the river rippled, and the stars twinkled. The entire painting transformed into a gateway to another world, radiating a powerful spatial energy.

Without the slightest hesitation, Xiao Jie took a step forward, his figure instantly disappearing into the painting. The surrounding scenery rippled and changed like water, and the next moment, he found himself in a strange world filled with birdsong and fragrant flowers, where the spiritual energy far surpassed that of the outside world.

It is truly a landscape painting of mountains and seas.

Without pausing, he flew straight toward the magnificent palace complex in the center of the painting. From afar, he could hear the sounds of string and wind instruments and unrestrained drinking coming from the largest palace, interspersed with the uninhibited laughter and singing of the immortals.

"Well, these guys are still having a blast here..." Xiao Jie shook his head helplessly.

Stepping into the main hall, the scene before him was almost exactly the same as when he left: the immortals were still as unrestrained and decadent as ever. Some were slumped down at the foot of the jade steps, clutching wine jars and fast asleep, snoring loudly; others had just woken from a hangover, groggily searching for wine to drink; still others were dancing erratically to the music in the hall, their immortal robes disheveled and utterly unrefined.

Upon seeing Xiao Jie enter, a plump immortal with a ruddy complexion and wine stains on his beard immediately brightened up. Raising his wine cup, he exclaimed loudly, "Oh my! Look who's back! Isn't this our newly promoted fellow Daoist, Yin Yue Sui Feng? Have you settled all your entanglements and karma in the mortal world? If you have nothing else to do, come and have a few drinks with me! I've just brewed a pool of 'Millennium Drunkenness,' a fine wine that I've aged for a thousand years using immortal techniques to accelerate the flow of time. It's incredibly mellow!"

As he spoke, he tossed a purple-gold gourd of wine from afar. Xiao Jie caught it, uncorked it, and an indescribable, strange aroma of wine immediately wafted out. The aroma seemed to have condensed the essence of the sun and moon for thousands of years, and just one whiff of it made one feel slightly intoxicated and lightheaded.

He tilted his head back and took a sip. The wine entered his throat, initially as clear and cool as an icy spring, then transformed into a warm current that rolled into his stomach. Immediately afterward, an indescribable feeling of comfort spread through his limbs and bones, as if every pore had opened up. His soul felt light and airy, as if it were about to leave his body and soar to the heavens, but it was firmly held in place by his immortal body. An ultimate sense of relaxation and pleasure surged into his heart, while his mind remained unusually clear. All sorts of mysterious sensations came rushing in.

"Excellent wine!" Xiao Jie couldn't help but praise, this divine brew was indeed extraordinary.

"Haha! Of course it's good wine! How could the wine I brew be bad?" The fat immortal said smugly, waving his hand. "Come, come, you've just entered the immortal sect, you should drink three jars to show your respect for us seniors!"

Three jars… Xiao Jie’s lips twitched slightly. The immortal’s standards for persuading people to drink were indeed extraordinary. But it wasn’t surprising. Immortals had extraordinary constitutions, and drinking any amount of mortal wine was like drinking water to them. But this immortal brew, which contained spiritual energy and Daoist charm, was a different story. If one was willing to savor it carefully, one could naturally feel its infinite wonders; if one just wanted to get drunk, even drinking a river of wine might not be enough.

Unfortunately, he simply doesn't have the leisure to drink and make merry here right now.

"I appreciate your kindness and the fine wine, fellow Daoist, and I am deeply grateful." Xiao Jie tossed the wine gourd back and cupped his hands in thanks. "However, I am currently preoccupied with important matters and cannot stay any longer. I can only ask for your guidance another day, fellow Daoist, and we will certainly drink to our hearts' content!"

"Tch~ More mundane matters!" The fat immortal grumbled, "Take my advice: the more mundane matters you do, the more they'll surface! What difference is there between those mortals and ants and mayflies to us? Born in the morning, dying at night, endlessly reincarnating. If you help them today, you'll be nothing more than a handful of dust a hundred years from now. What's the point? So-called cause and effect, as long as you ignore it, it can't entangle you. The more you pay attention to it, the deeper you get entangled! You might as well just pretend it doesn't exist, get drunk with us a few times, and wait for them to die naturally. Wouldn't that be a clean break, saving you time and effort?"

Xiao Jie thought to himself, "You really are heartless to the core!" Unfortunately, he couldn't be so carefree, nor could he agree with this view.

"These are just some trivial matters, and they can be preliminarily resolved in three to five days. I will definitely drink with you until we're both drunk another day!" Xiao Jie cupped his hands again, then changed the subject, "By the way, do you know where Fellow Daoist Lin Xuance is right now?"

A drunken immortal leaning against a jade pillar chuckled and lazily replied, "Where else could he go? He's going to find his friends from the Heaven-Mending Alliance again to discuss that vague 'salvation plan'! Such a futile endeavor, it's both laughable and lamentable!" With that, he picked up a wine jar and began chugging it down.

After Xiao Jie found out where Lin Xuance and the others usually gathered, he turned and left the noisy hall without lingering any longer.

Passing through three imposing yet desolate palace corridors, the view suddenly opened up. A meticulously maintained garden unfolded before me, where exotic flowers bloomed and rare herbs exuded fragrance. There were phoenix flowers as red as flames, dream orchids as blue as the starry sky, crystal trees with leaves as translucent as crystal, and seven-colored lingzhi mushrooms emitting a hazy glow. A babbling brook flowed around the artificial hill, making a crisp, tinkling sound, and the air was filled with a refreshing, complex fragrance that made one feel relaxed and refreshed with every breath, as if all worldly worries had vanished.

Inside a white jade pavilion in the center of the garden sat three immortals with extraordinary bearing: Lin Xuance, the Martial Immortal, and the Mysterious Law Primordial Sovereign.

At this moment, Lin Xuance frowned deeply and said in a heavy tone, "...Alas, I have thought about it over and over again, and deduced it countless times, but I still can't figure out where to start with this plan to save the world. Even if I use the art of divination to calculate repeatedly and exhaust my mind, all I see is the ending of the collapse of the Nine Provinces and the destruction of all things. Is it possible that all our passion is ultimately in vain?"

Upon hearing this, the martial arts immortal beside him bristled with anger and roared, "You can't say that! Doing something doesn't guarantee success, but not doing it guarantees failure! We can't just sit here and wait to die, watching the world perish. Let's perish together! Doing our best is better than sighing and complaining here!"

Miaofa Yuanjun gently shook her head, her voice ethereal and calm: "I think Fellow Daoist Shenjizi is not someone who easily accepts his fate. He seems to be living a life of debauchery, but based on my understanding of him, he must have some other plans that we are unaware of."

"A scheme? If there truly is a miraculous plan to save the world, why not tell us about it?" Lin Xuance retorted.

"What I'm talking about might not be a plan to 'save the world'," said the Mysterious Sovereign, her eyes deep, "but rather a strategy to 'survive.' When the world decays, perhaps that will be the time for him to seek transcendence. Or perhaps... he will seek another realm, to find a way out for us immortals?"

"You mean—" Lin Xuance and the Martial Immortal's expressions both changed.

(End of this chapter)