Tavern of the Spear: Desire for Pleasure

Cheng Yu sat alone in a corner of the tavern, the dim light illuminating his slightly weary face. Bai Ze, the Dream God—these two choices were like two paths leading to the unknown, laid out before him. Which one was the right one? Which one could lead him to the truth and free the enslaved white dragon? He felt lost, yet he had no choice but to make one.

He began to ponder the meaning behind these two choices. To worship the ethereal Bai Ze, or a fallen dream god? Neither choice seemed to hold any real significance for him, and might even push him into a more dangerous situation. Both Kaimen Richie of the werewolf tribe and Obsidian of the black dragon tribe seemed to harbor hostility towards him.

Just as he hesitated, Aolian's image resurfaced in his mind. The thought of Aolian felt as if a sharp sword had pierced his heart; the excruciating pain made it hard to breathe. He didn't know why he felt this way every time he thought of Aolian. Perhaps Aolian didn't want him to think about her anymore, because it wasn't a good thing for him. Aolian had always wanted to keep him out of danger, but he could never forget the white dragon who had given everything for him.

In the end, Cheng Yu made a choice. He decided to help the Dream God Sect.

Bowen nodded, then left the tavern with the five white dragons, leaving Cheng Yu sitting there alone. The room was so quiet that only his own breathing could be heard, making him feel somewhat lonely.

Not long after, five white dragons pushed open the tavern door and entered. They were completely different from the previous five white dragons, emanating a decaying divine aura. They looked somewhat weak, as if they had been enduring some kind of pain for a long time.

"Are you the 'Dream Builder'?" the leader, Bai Long, asked in a low, hoarse voice.

Cheng Yu nodded somewhat uncertainly, sizing up the five white dragons in front of him.

“We are members of the ‘Dream God Faction’,” the white dragon continued. “I am the Sage, this is the Believer, this is the God Follower, this is the Priest, and this last one is the Executor.”

"The aura emanating from you..." Cheng Yu asked, somewhat puzzled, "What's going on?"

The wise man sighed and explained, "We have always believed in the Dream God, even though he has fallen. The power of that faith could not be absorbed by the Dream God, so it remained in our bodies and continues to erode our health."

"I see," Cheng Yu nodded, filled with admiration for the five white dragons. Even while enduring suffering, they remained steadfast in their faith.

"Would you be willing to help us resurrect the God of Dreams?" the wise man asked, his eyes filled with anticipation.

Without the slightest hesitation, Cheng Yu nodded firmly: "I'm willing."

He knew it would be a difficult and dangerous road, but he was prepared. For Aolian, for all the enslaved white dragons, he had to complete this mission.

The wise man smiled with satisfaction and said, "Thank you, Dream Builder. We will do our utmost to assist you in completing this sacred mission."

Cheng Yu nodded. He knew that what awaited him next was definitely a thrilling story, which might help him collect exciting stories more quickly.

“I am the leader of the ‘Dream God Faction,’ you can call me Enlightenment.” The leading white dragon spoke first, his tone steady, tinged with a barely perceptible worry. His companions introduced themselves in turn: “My name is Piety,” said a white dragon with resolute eyes. “My name is Sainthood,” said a white dragon with a pure and serene aura. “My name is Priest,” said a slightly older white dragon. “My name is Sharp Blade,” the last white dragon said, his voice icy, like a drawn blade.

Cheng Yu's gaze swept over them one by one, memorizing their names and appearances. He noticed that although they all exuded a decaying divine aura, their eyes were full of hope, as if they had seen the dawn in the darkness.

“Qiming…” Cheng Yu murmured the name, feeling the hope it contained. He understood that these people would be his important partners in the future, and together they would embark on a sacred journey to resurrect the Dream God and save the White Dragon Clan.

"Now, please show us the white scales you have collected." Qiming's voice pulled Cheng Yu back from his reverie.

Cheng Yu nodded and took out two white scales from his pocket. One was from the Mad White Dragon, and the other was a gift from Hei Ze.

The five white dragons' gazes all fell on the two scales, their eyes filled with anticipation. However, when they saw that there were only two scales, and one of them came from the Black Swamp, a hint of disappointment appeared in their eyes.

"Only... two pieces?" Qiming's voice carried a hint of undisguised disappointment.

Cheng Yu noticed their disappointment and wondered, "What's wrong? Is there something wrong with these two scales?"

Qiming sighed and explained, "Each scale of the Dream God contains a piece of history. And this history is crucial to the Dream Weavers. Only by collecting enough scales can we uncover the truth behind the Dream God's fall and find a way to resurrect him."

He paused, then continued, "But right now, you have too few scales. Just two are probably not enough to help us complete this mission."

Cheng Yu's heart sank. He hadn't expected that these two hard-won scales wouldn't be of much use.

"But... these are scales of the Dream God." Cheng Yu said, somewhat puzzled. "Don't you worship the Dream God? Shouldn't you cherish everything about the Dream God?"

Upon hearing Cheng Yu's words, the five white dragons wore complex expressions. Saintly said softly, "Of course we believe in the Dream God, but what we yearn for even more is the freedom of the White Dragon race. What's the point if we can't find a way to save our people by blindly worshipping the Dream God?"

The priest nodded and added, "Perhaps what we worship now is no longer the dream god of the past, but the hope of the future."

Looking into their resolute eyes, Cheng Yu suddenly understood their thoughts. They weren't blindly worshipping the Dream God, but rather seeing him as a symbol, a symbol of freedom and hope. What they longed for wasn't simply to resurrect the Dream God, but to create a new era, an era in which the White Dragon Clan could truly gain freedom.

“I understand.” Cheng Yu nodded, his eyes filled with determination. “I will continue to search for the scales of the Dream God until I have collected enough.”

Just as the five members of the Dream God Sect were discussing their next plan with Cheng Yu, the tavern's wooden door was suddenly smashed open with a tremendous force, producing a deafening crash. Wood chips flew, dust billowed, and a tall figure appeared in the doorway, blocking the sunlight streaming in. The newcomer was a black dragon orc, burly and muscular, exuding a powerful aura of dominance. Most striking were the two golden dragon horns on his head, gleaming brilliantly in the dim tavern. In the Black Dragon tribe, only Obsidian possessed such unique golden horns, undoubtedly identifying him.

Hei Yao glanced around, his gaze settling on the five white dragons, a flicker of displeasure crossing his eyes. But he quickly shifted his attention to Cheng Yu, striding over to him and scooping him up in his arms like a child. He pinched Cheng Yu's cheek, feigning disappointment, and said, "Cheng Yu, why didn't you come to see me when you came to the Black Dragon Tribe? Is it because you don't like me, this black dragon?" He then put on a heartbroken expression, saying pitifully, "And I even stopped that madman for you and rushed you to the temple for treatment..."

Seeing this, the five white dragons tactfully left the tavern, leaving Hei Yao and Cheng Yu alone. Cheng Yu was somewhat taken aback by Hei Yao's sudden action. He looked awkwardly at Hei Yao, then at the closed door, and stammered, "Um... Lord Hei Yao, I have something to attend to. May I leave now?"

Hei Yao ignored Cheng Yu's request and instead hugged him even tighter. He ruffled the wolf fur on Cheng Yu's head, chuckled, and said, "You were able to have a relationship with Qian Tu, and Qian Tu is my friend, so I'd like to understand why you're so attractive to Qian Tu."

Upon hearing this, Cheng Yu quickly broke free from Hei Yao's embrace. Looking at the tall black dragon before him, he nervously swallowed and resolutely refused, "No! Absolutely not! If I were to have any relations with you, I would definitely break!"

Seeing Cheng Yu's panicked state, Hei Yao's lips curled into a playful smile. He didn't press the matter further, but instead released his grip and said, "Alright, since you're so scared, then forget it. But don't try to avoid me next time."

Cheng Yu felt as if he had been granted a pardon and hurriedly nodded in agreement, then fled the tavern as if his life depended on it. He ran all the way until he was far away from the Black Dragon Tribe before finally letting out a sigh of relief. He still felt lingering fear when he recalled the scene just now. Hei Yao's actions made him very uneasy; he didn't know what Hei Yao meant, nor did he know how to face him.

He wandered aimlessly across the wilderness, his mind racing. He didn't know where to go next, or how to complete his mission to resurrect the Dream God. He felt lost, yet he had no choice but to keep going. He looked up at the sky, took a deep breath, and silently said to himself, "This all feels increasingly insane. It's becoming more and more detached from the game! I wonder if any new people will appear in the future? Sigh..."

Cheng Yu sighed and took out the photo he had put in his bag. In the photo, the dragon beastman and the wolf beastman were snuggling together affectionately; it was a picture of him and his master. Every time he saw this photo, he would think of his most respected master, and his heart would fill with guilt. He had left without saying goodbye again; his master must be very worried. When he got back, he would probably have to go through a lot of trouble to appease him.

Just then, Cheng Yu bumped into a solid "wall." He rubbed his sore nose, looked up, and saw that it was the five white dragons that had attacked him before. The leader, Pan Yan, was blocking his way, looking at him with a serious expression.

"What...are you planning to do now?" Cheng Yu asked warily, a sense of unease creeping into his heart.

Pan Yan stepped forward and said firmly, "We want to fight you again!"

Cheng Yu was stunned; he hadn't expected the other party to make such a request. "Why?" he asked, puzzled. "Is there some grudge between us?"

"We were careless before; we didn't expect you to be so strong," Pan Yan explained. "We want to fight you again to prove that we, the Bai Ze Sect, are not a bunch of cowards!"

Cheng Yu was speechless. He was still lost in thought about his master and had no interest in fighting them. "I don't want to fight," he said helplessly. "Right now, I just want to be a good boy and think about what to do when we get back."

To make my master happy.

With that, he gently pushed the rocks aside, walked around them, and continued forward.

Pan Yan and the others exchanged bewildered glances, clearly not expecting Cheng Yu to react this way. They had assumed Cheng Yu would readily accept the challenge, but he turned out to be so ungrateful.

"Hey! Wait a minute!" Pan Yan shouted, "We're serious!"

Cheng Yu stopped and looked back at them, sighing helplessly: "I know you're serious, but I'm also serious about not wanting to fight."

"You..." Pan Yan was so angry he couldn't speak. His companions behind him also urged him to give up, after all, Cheng Yu's attitude was already very clear.

"Forget it, Rock," a white dragon named Shadowblade advised. "If he doesn't want to fight, then he doesn't have to. There's no need for us to force him."

Pan Yan hesitated for a moment, but ultimately gave up. He watched Cheng Yu's departing figure, his heart filled with resentment.

Cheng Yu continued walking forward, his mind filled with doubt. He didn't know what the Bai Ze Sect wanted, nor why they were so determined to fight him. He shook his head, putting these questions aside. His priority now was to find more scales of the Dream God and complete the mission of resurrecting him.

As dusk settled and the setting sun painted the sky a golden-red hue, Cheng Yu strolled across the wilderness, feeling the gentle breeze on his face, his heart gradually calming down. He looked up at the sky, silently praying that he could complete his mission soon, freeing all the enslaved white dragons so he could return home as soon as possible.

Just then, he suddenly saw an ancient ruin not far ahead. The ruin's gate was tightly closed, and it was surrounded by vines and weeds, looking like it had been abandoned for a long time. Cheng Yu's heart stirred; he sensed that this ruin might hold some secret. He decided to go in and explore.

He cautiously approached the ruins and pushed the gate. The gate remained unmoved, as if locked by something. Cheng Yu examined it closely and discovered a complex pattern on the gate, resembling an ancient rune. He tried touching the rune, and a strange energy emanated from it, flowing into his body.

Cheng Yu felt a wave of dizziness, and everything before his eyes blurred. When he opened his eyes again, he found himself in ruins. The ruins were completely dark, with only a faint light flickering on the walls. Cheng Yu looked around and found himself standing in a spacious hall. In the center of the hall was a huge stone platform, on which rested a scale that emitted a white light.

"What's going on? Isn't this too bizarre? Has no one else ever discovered this place? Holy crap?!"

At this moment, Cheng Yu was absolutely dumbfounded. How could this thing appear in front of him by such a coincidence? The most important thing is that the werewolf tribe and the black dragon tribe have been here for so long, why didn't they find such an obvious ruin? Or is it that only Cheng Yu can see this thing, and only he can enter it?

P.S.: Hehe, what I really want is the Easter egg, take a look at this.

There were 99 actors on stage, of whom 79 were subordinates, and the remaining 20 were superiors (20).

The one who killed God and then wanted to become God had a powerful father, but he killed his father, who was weak. (58)

Of the 79 inferior beings, nine were of the middle class, while the other 70 belonged to the lowest common species (70).

A play is just one actor away from starting its performance, and this one is just the right one to counteract all the ailments brought about by the common species (76).

The one who controls the stage is both the end and the beginning; he is the beginning and the end of any event. He may be the master of this nightmare, but he may be able to do nothing at all (01).

(Connect the numbers in the image, doge emoji)