Tavern of the Spear: Desire for Pleasure

Bowen slowly opened his eyes, a hint of disappointment flashing within them. He gently shook his head, handed the magic book to Cheng Yu, and said, "I...can't do it...it seems...this book...is not meant for me..."

"You can't do it?" Cheng Yu took the magic book and asked in surprise, "Then you think... I can do it?"

“Yes…” Bowen nodded, “You… possess… a… special… power… perhaps… can… resonate… with this book…”

"Special...power?" Cheng Yu looked at himself in confusion, then at the magic book in his hand. "I don't think I have any special power..."

“Try it and you’ll see…” Bowen said.

Cheng Yu hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded. He placed the magic book in his hand, then slowly closed his eyes, trying to sense something.

Just then, he suddenly felt a strange energy connecting him to the magic book in his hand.

He suddenly opened his eyes and saw that the magic book in his hand was changing.

On the previously blank cover, a line of text slowly appeared:

"An Actor Prepares"

"This..." Cheng Yu stared blankly at the words on the cover. "What does this mean? An actor's self-cultivation? This... is it really useful?"

"What? The actor's self-cultivation?" Bai Yu and Ao Lian also came over, looking puzzled when they saw the words on the cover.

"Let me see." Cheng Yu handed the magic book to Bai Yu.

Bai Yu took the magic book, examined it carefully, then shook his head and said, "In my hands... nothing has changed..."

“It seems… this book… really… is destined for you…” Bowen said.

"But... what does this mean?" Cheng Yu asked. "An actor's self-cultivation... what does this have to do with the fragments we're looking for?"

“I don’t know either…” Bowen said, “but… Master… left this book… there must be a reason for it…”

"Logic?" Bai Yu couldn't help but say, "What logic could a book like 'An Actor Prepares' possibly have? Are you sure... your master... isn't joking with us?"

“Master…wouldn’t…joke…” Bowen said, “This book…must have its…use…”

“But…” Bai Yu wanted to say something, but Cheng Yu interrupted him.

“Alright, Bai Yu,” Cheng Yu said, “Since this book has chosen us, let’s accept it for now. As for its use… perhaps we’ll find out later…”

"Alright..." Bai Yu sighed and said nothing more.

“In that case…” Bowen said, “then this book… will be entrusted to you… I hope… you can… unlock its secrets…”

“We will do our best,” Cheng Yu said.

"So... what do we do next?" Aolian asked. "Should we continue searching here?"

“No…” Bowen said, “This place… no longer… contains what we are looking for… We… need to… go to another place…”

"Another place?" Bai Yu asked. "Where?"

“A place that only the person with the key can enter…” Bowen said.

"A key?" Cheng Yu asked. "What key?"

“I don’t know…” Bowen said, “but…I know…who has the key…”

"Who?" the three asked in unison.

“My… senior brother…” Bowen said.

"Your... senior brother?" Bai Yu asked in surprise, "You have a senior brother?"

“Yes…” Bowen said, “He… is Master’s… most prized… disciple… and… the only one… who knows… the whereabouts of the key…”

"Then...where is your senior brother?" Aolian asked.

“He…” Bowen hesitated for a moment, then said, “He…is…somewhere…in this city…”

"This city?" Cheng Yu asked doubtfully. "You mean...we're...in a city right now?"

“Yes…” Bowen said, “This city… is called… the City of Oblivion…”

"The City of Oblivion..." Bai Yu murmured to himself, "Why is it called that?"

“Because…this city…has been…forgotten by…people……” Bowen said, “except…those…who are trapped here…”

"People trapped here?" Aolian asked. "You mean... there are other people... trapped here besides us?"

“Yes…” Bowen said, “They…are all…trapped here…by…some kind of force…and unable to leave…”

"Then... how can we find your senior brother?" Cheng Yu asked.

“I…have a way…” Bowen said, “Come with me…”

After saying that, Bowen turned and walked out of the library.

Bai Yu, Cheng Yu, and Ao Lian exchanged glances, then quickly followed.

They followed Bowen out of the library and onto the outer corridor.

Bowen led them through a series of corridors until they arrived at a tightly closed door.

“This…is…the…exit…leading…outside…” Bowen said.

"Exit?" Bai Yu asked in surprise. "You mean... we can get out of here?"

“Yes…” Bowen said, “but… this door… is… sealed by some kind of force… Only… the person with the key… can open it…”

"Then... what should we do?" Aolian asked.

“Wait…” Bowen said, “Wait for my senior brother…to come find us…”

"Wait for your senior brother to come find us?" Cheng Yu asked疑惑地, "Why would he want to come find us?"

“Because…” Bowen said, “he…needs…me…”

"Do we need you?" Bai Yu asked. "Why?"

“Because…” Bowen hesitated for a moment, then said, “Because…only I…can…help him…complete…his…plan…”

"A plan?" Cheng Yu asked. "What plan?"

“A…plan that can…change…everything…” Bowen said, his voice tinged with…fervor.

"Change everything?" Bai Yu frowned. "What exactly are you talking about?"

“Soon…you will find out…” Bowen said, a strange light flashing in his eyes.

Just then, the tightly closed door suddenly made a sound.

“They’ve arrived…” Bowen said, a slight smile appearing on his face.

"Who's here?" Aolian asked.

“My… senior brother…” Bowen said.

As soon as he finished speaking, the door slowly opened.

A figure appeared at the doorway.

"Senior brother!" Bowen called out immediately upon seeing the figure.

“Well-informed…” the figure spoke, his voice…deep and…hoarse.

“You’ve finally arrived…” Bowen said.

"I...have arrived..." the figure said. "Are you...ready?"

“I… am ready…” Bowen said, “Let’s… begin…”

"Start?" Bai Yu, Cheng Yu, and Ao Lian were all filled with doubt when they heard the conversation between Bo Wen and the figure.

What exactly are they going to start?

Who exactly is that mysterious figure?

What exactly happened?

Just as the three were wondering what was going on, the mysterious figure slowly walked into the room.

When he fully entered the room, the three of them were finally able to see his appearance by the light inside.

That was a...

"How could it be you?!"

The three of them shouted in unison, their faces filled with shock and... disbelief.

The figure had completely emerged from the shadows, and in the dim light, Bai Yu, Cheng Yu, and Ao Lian finally saw his face clearly. They recognized that face immediately—it was Bo Wen!

"How could it be you?!" the three exclaimed in unison, their voices filled with shock and disbelief.

The "Bowen" before him had a sly smile on his lips, completely different from the dull and slow-witted Bowen he had been before. He slowly walked up to Cheng Yu and took the copy of "An Actor Prepares" from his hand.

"This...how is this possible?" Cheng Yu muttered to himself, his gaze shifting back and forth between the two "learned" characters. "How can there be...two 'learned' characters?"

The newly appeared "Bowen" held "An Actor Prepares" in his hand, and the pages began to turn automatically, making a rustling sound. Cheng Yu watched this scene in surprise and subconsciously tried to snatch the book back, but the other person subtly sidestepped him, cleverly dodging the attack.

"Bowen" closed the book, turned to look at the other "Bowen" who had been standing to the side like a wooden figure, and said in a teasing tone, "Junior brother, you played the role... not bad."

As soon as he finished speaking, the body of the previously silent "Bowen" suddenly began to twist and deform violently, as if manipulated by an invisible force. His body gradually blurred, eventually transforming into a strangely shaped creature, and then vanished into thin air before everyone's eyes!

"This..." Bai Yu, Cheng Yu, and Ao Lian were stunned by this sudden scene. They opened their mouths wide, but could not make a sound.

"Surprised?" The newly appeared "Bowen" curled his lips into a mocking smile. He looked at the three dumbfounded people and said in a condescending tone, "You can't even see through such a simple performance? It seems... you really aren't cut out to be actors. But then again, people like you... are only fit to be spectators."

After saying that, he tossed the copy of "An Actor Prepares" back to Cheng Yu, and then walked gracefully into the darkness.

"Wait!" Bai Yu was the first to react. He shouted and chased after the direction in which "Bowen" had disappeared.

Cheng Yu and Ao Lian followed closely behind, rushing into the darkness.

The three followed "Bowen's" figure, passing through dimly lit corridors until they arrived at a spacious hall. In the center of the hall was a huge circular platform, covered with intricate runes that emitted a faint glow.

"Bowen" stood at the edge of the platform, turned around and looked at the three people chasing after him, with a half-smile on his face.

“You guys… are really persistent,” said “Bowen,” his voice tinged with amusement.

"Who exactly are you?" Bai Yu demanded sharply. "Where did you put your true knowledge?"

“True erudition?” “Erudition” chuckled. “Don’t you understand yet? From the very beginning… there was no true erudition. I… am erudition, erudition… is me.”

"I don't believe it!" Cheng Yu shouted. "You must have used some kind of sorcery to control the real Bowen!"

"Sorcery?" "Bowen" laughed loudly, "How laughable! In this world, the most powerful force... is not sorcery, but... acting skills!"

"Acting skills?" Bai Yu frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"It seems... you really are foolish." "Bowen" shook his head and sighed, "Very well, then I'll let you... see... what... real acting skills are!"

After he finished speaking, "Bowen's" body suddenly began to change. His face began to distort, and his body began to elongate. In the blink of an eye, he had transformed into a tall, cold-faced man!

"Senior brother!" A familiar voice suddenly rang out.

The three turned to look and saw the real Bowen standing at the entrance of the hall, looking at them anxiously.

"Bowen!" Bai Yu exclaimed in surprise, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine..." Bowen shook his head, then looked at the man who had transformed from "Bowen," his eyes filled with anger, "Senior brother! Why did you do this?!"

"Why?" the man sneered. "For power! For... supreme power!"

“But… Master clearly said…” Bowen wanted to say something more, but was interrupted by the man.

"Master? Hmph! That old fool!" the man said disdainfully. "He doesn't understand at all! Only I... only I understand... the true mysteries of this world!"

"You...you're crazy..." Bowen looked at his senior brother, who was both familiar and unfamiliar, his eyes filled with disappointment and heartache.

"Crazy? No, I'm perfectly lucid!" the man said. "I'm more lucid than anyone else! I know... what I want! I know... what I have to do!"

"You..." Bowen wanted to say something, but was interrupted by the man waving his hand.

"Alright, Bowen, stop wasting time," the man said. "Now that you're here, let's... begin!"

"Start?" Bowen was taken aback. "Start what?"

“Of course… let’s begin our plan!” the man said, his eyes gleaming with madness. “A plan… that can change everything!”

"Change everything?" Bai Yu, Cheng Yu, and Ao Lian were all filled with doubt upon hearing this.

What exactly is going on?

Who exactly is this mysterious man?

What kind of plan does he and Bowen have?

Where will all of this lead?

Just as the three were wondering what was going on, the man suddenly raised his hands and began to mutter incantations.

As he chanted, the circular platform in the center of the hall began to emit a dazzling light, and the runes engraved on the platform lit up one by one.

"Oh no!" Bowen's expression changed drastically. "He's going to activate... that magic array!"

"A magic array?" Bai Yu asked. "What kind of magic array?"

“A magic circle that can open a door to another world…” Bowen said, his voice filled with fear.

"Another world?" Cheng Yu exclaimed in surprise. "You mean... he's going to open... the door to another world?!"

“Yes…” Bowen nodded, “If he succeeds… the consequences… will be unimaginable…”

"Then... what should we do?" Aolian asked.

"Stop him!" Bowen exclaimed. "We must...stop him!"

"How do we stop it?" Bai Yu asked.

“I don’t know…” Bowen shook his head, “but… we must… give it a try!”

After saying that, Bowen rushed towards the man.

"Senior brother! Stop!" Bowen shouted.

However, the man seemed not to hear him and continued chanting the incantation.

"Damn it!" Upon seeing this, Bowen gritted his teeth and sped up.

Just then, the man suddenly turned around, waved his hand, and a beam of light shot towards Bowen.

"Watch out!" Bai Yu exclaimed.

Bowen quickly dodged, but the light still grazed his shoulder, causing him to let out a muffled groan.

"Well-informed!" Bai Yu, Cheng Yu, and Ao Lian rushed over.

"I'm fine..." Bowen covered his shoulder and shook his head.

"You madman!" Bai Yu glared at the man. "What exactly do you want?!"

"What do I want to do?" the man sneered. "I want to... become a god!"

"Become a god?" Cheng Yu said disdainfully. "With your abilities?"

"Me?" The man laughed loudly, "Of course it's not just me! There's also...it!"

As he spoke, the man pointed to the circular platform beneath his feet.

"Once I open the gate to another world, I will gain... endless power! At that time... I will be... a god!"

"Don't even think about it!" Bowen shouted. "I will absolutely not let you succeed!"

"Is that so?" The man gave Bowen a cold look. "Then... let's give it a try!"

After saying that, the man raised his hands again and quickened the pace of his chanting.

The light on the circular platform grew brighter and brighter, and the entire hall began to tremble violently.