Tavern of the Spear: Desire for Pleasure

After bidding farewell to the enthusiastic Ao Cheng, the three embarked on a journey to find the "River of Oblivion." According to Ao Cheng, only those who are proficient in the laws of time can find the mysterious river, and among the three, Bai Yu has the deepest understanding of the laws of time. Therefore, he naturally became the leader of the team.

"Bai Yu, are you sure we're heading in the right direction?" Cheng Yu asked, looking at Bai Yu who was walking at the front, somewhat worried. Since leaving the wolf tribe, they had been walking in the wilderness for almost a day, but still hadn't seen any trace of a river, which made Cheng Yu somewhat doubtful.

"Don't worry, it's definitely right," Bai Yu said without turning his head, his gaze fixed on a silver dragon-shaped bracelet on his left wrist. The bracelet looked ordinary, without any patterns or decorations, but it emitted a faint silver light, as if it contained some kind of mysterious power.

"What is this?" Heavy Fist asked curiously, as it was the first time he had ever seen such a strange ornament.

“This is the ‘Time-Space Bracelet,’ a gift from my master,” Bai Yu explained. “It helps me perceive the flow of time and find the singularities hidden in the gaps of time.”

"This thing is truly amazing. I thought it could only be used for communication," Cheng Yu said in surprise. "Can you use it to find the 'River of Oblivion'?"

“Of course,” Bai Yu said confidently. “Although the River of Oblivion is mysterious, it is still part of the river of time. As long as I can find its singularity, I will definitely be able to find its entrance.”

"That's good." Cheng Yu breathed a sigh of relief. "But we've been walking for so long, why haven't we found it yet?"

“Don’t rush, finding a time singularity is no easy task,” Bai Yu said. “We need to wait patiently.”

Cheng Yu shook his head helplessly. He knew Bai Yu was right; these things couldn't be rushed. He turned to look at Chong Quan beside him, only to find that Chong Quan had become taciturn and rarely spoke since arriving in this world, which Cheng Yu found somewhat strange.

"Chongquan, what's wrong?" Cheng Yu asked. "Is something on your mind?"

After a moment of silence, Chongquan slowly spoke, "I just... remembered some bad memories."

"Bad memories?" Cheng Yu asked疑惑地, "What memories?"

“This place…the wolf tribe…reminds me of my past experiences.” Heavy Fist’s voice was somewhat deep. “Before being rescued by my master, I was a slave, living a life of utter darkness.”

“Slave…” Bai Yu was very surprised. He did not expect that Chongquan would have such a past. Logically speaking, how could a white dragon like Chongquan become a slave?

“Yes, slave.” Heavy Fist nodded. “I was once locked in a dark, sunless enclosure, forced to do hard labor every day, starving and cold, and subjected to beatings and insults. Actually, that was considered good. I also had to provide other services. The power of the werewolves here reminds me of those painful days.”

"I'm sorry, Chongquan, I shouldn't have asked those questions," Cheng Yu said apologetically.

“It’s alright, it’s all in the past.” Heavy Fist shook his head. “My master saved me and gave me a new life. I’m no longer the person I used to be.”

“Yes, you’re right,” Cheng Yu said. “We will all get better and better.”

“Thank you, Cheng Yu,” Chongquan said. “Thank you for listening to me.”

“We’re companions, it’s only natural for us to confide in each other,” Cheng Yu said with a smile.

"Hmm." Heavy Fist nodded, a long-lost smile appearing on his face.

“Alright, let’s continue on our way,” Bai Yu said. “I can already sense that the singularity of the ‘River of Oblivion’ is nearby.”

"Really?" Cheng Yu and Chong Quan were both very happy. "Then let's go quickly!"

The three quickened their pace and headed in the direction Bai Yu had pointed.

"Hey, Cheng Yu, why did you put your hand on mine just now?" Chongquan suddenly asked.

"Huh?" Cheng Yu was taken aback for a moment before remembering that he had tried to put his arm around Chong Quan's shoulder but couldn't reach it. He immediately felt a little embarrassed. "Um... I was going to put my arm around your shoulder, but... you're too tall, I couldn't reach you..."

"Haha..." Heavy Fist couldn't help but laugh upon hearing this, "You're really funny."

"Is...is there?" Cheng Yu scratched his head and laughed along.

"Alright, stop laughing," Bai Yu said. "We've arrived."

Upon hearing this, Cheng Yu and Chong Quan quickly looked ahead and saw a fog in front of them, so thick that they couldn't see anything inside.

"Is this the entrance to the 'River of Oblivion'?" Cheng Yu asked.

“That’s right.” Bai Yu nodded. “The ‘River of Oblivion’ is hidden in this mist.”

“Let’s go in then,” Heavy Punch said.

"Wait a minute." Bai Yu stopped them. "Before we go in, I must warn you that the 'River of Oblivion' is extremely dangerous. Once you enter, you may lose your way and never be able to get out. Moreover, the river contains a powerful force of oblivion. Once you come into contact with the water, you may lose all your memories and become an idiot. So, you must be careful and never fall into the river."

"Don't worry, we'll be careful." Cheng Yu and Chong Quan both nodded.

"Alright, let's go in." Bai Yu said, taking the lead into the mist.

Cheng Yu and Chong Quan followed closely behind, also entering the fog.

Upon entering the mist, Cheng Yu felt dizzy, and the surrounding scenery became blurry, as if he were in a dream.

"What's going on?" Cheng Yu asked.

"This is the mist of the 'River of Oblivion,' which can disrupt people's senses and cause them to lose their way," Bai Yu explained. "You must stay close to me and make sure you don't get separated."

"Okay." Cheng Yu and Chong Quan followed closely behind Bai Yu, not daring to slack off in the slightest.

The three walked in the mist for a long time, but the surrounding scenery remained unchanged, still a vast expanse of white.

"Bai Yu, how much longer do we have to walk?" Cheng Yu asked.

"It's almost there. I can already sense the presence of the 'River of Oblivion'," Bai Yu said.

After walking for a while, Cheng Yu suddenly smelled a faint fragrance. The fragrance was very light, but it made people feel refreshed and relaxed.

"Can you smell it?" Cheng Yu asked. "It smells so good!"

“This is the fragrance of the ‘Flower of Oblivion’,” Bai Yu said. “The ‘Flower of Oblivion’ is a peculiar flower that grows on the banks of the ‘River of Oblivion.’ Its fragrance can make people forget all their troubles, but it can also make them forever sink into a dream, unable to wake up.”

"So dangerous?" Cheng Yu said in surprise. "Then let's leave here quickly."

“No, we must find the ‘Flower of Oblivion’,” Bai Yu said. “The ‘Flower of Oblivion’ may be the key to finding the fragments of the ‘past’.”

"Why?" Cheng Yu asked.

“Because the ‘Flower of Oblivion’ grows at the source of the ‘River of Oblivion,’ and the fragments of the ‘past’ are hidden within the source of the ‘River of Oblivion,’” Bai Yu explained. “Moreover, the closer I get to time, the more of a guess I have in my mind.”

"Are you sure about your guess?" Cheng Yu looked at Bai Yu with doubt, but seeing that Bai Yu's expression wasn't too good, Cheng Yu quickly changed the subject, "Then let's go find the 'Flower of Oblivion' first!"

The three continued forward, and as they ventured deeper, the fragrance of the 'Flower of Oblivion' grew stronger. Cheng Yu felt his consciousness begin to blur, as if something was eroding his memories.

"Oh no, there's something wrong with this smell!" Cheng Yu quickly covered his mouth and nose and said.

“This is the intoxicating fragrance of the ‘Flower of Oblivion.’ It will trap people in a hallucination and make them lose themselves,” Bai Yu said. “Quickly close your eyes and hold your breath. Don’t ask me why. You need to close your eyes because this thing is made up of time. It’s best to close your ears as well, so that you can see right through it. Actually, doing all this is useless. Just follow me! We don’t have much time left.”

Cheng Yu and Chong Quan quickly did as Bai Yu said, closing their eyes, holding their breath, and following closely behind Bai Yu.

Led by Bai Yu, the three finally arrived at the source of the 'River of Oblivion'.

It was a crystal-clear stream, its water flowing quietly, making a gentle murmur. Along the stream, clusters of snow-white wildflowers grew, emitting a faint fragrance; these were the 'Flowers of Oblivion'.

“We’ve arrived.” Bai Yu opened his eyes and said, “This is the source of the ‘River of Oblivion’.”

Cheng Yu and Chong Quan also opened their eyes, looked at the beautiful scenery before them, and couldn't help but exclaim, "It's so beautiful!"

“The fragment of ‘Past’ is nearby,” Bai Yu said calmly. From his eyes, it was clear that he wasn’t happy about finding the fragment. “Let’s split up and search.”

"Okay." Cheng Yu and Chong Quan nodded and began searching along the stream.

"Found it!" Suddenly, Heavy Fist shouted, "I've found the fragment of the 'past'!"

Cheng Yu and Bai Yu rushed over and saw that Chong Quan was holding a fragment that was shimmering with a faint light. It was the fragment of the 'Past'.

"Great!" Cheng Yu exclaimed excitedly, "We've finally found the fragments of the 'past'!"

“Now, only the ‘now’ fragment remains,” Bai Yu said. “We must find it as soon as possible.”

"Mm." Cheng Yu and Chong Quan both nodded.

The three of them carefully collected the fragments of the 'past', left the 'River of Oblivion', and continued their journey to find the fragments of the 'present'.

After successfully obtaining the fragments of the "past," the three left the eerie and dangerous "River of Oblivion" region without delay. The surrounding mist gradually dissipated, replaced by a desolate and vast plain, dotted with sparse bushes, and in the distance, rolling mountains could be vaguely seen. The air was filled with the dry smell of dust, a stark contrast to the humid atmosphere of the "River of Oblivion."

After leaving the "River of Oblivion," Bai Yu immediately focused his attention on the silver dragon-shaped bracelet on his left wrist. This bracelet, a "Time-Space Bracelet" given to him by his master, could help him perceive the flow of time and find singularities within the rifts of time. However, at this moment, a phantom image of a pocket watch appeared on the bracelet, its hands spinning wildly at an unsettling speed, as if out of control.

Seeing this unusual phenomenon, Bai Yu's expression became more serious than ever before. He stared intently at the wildly spinning hands, his brows furrowed, as if trying to see through the small pocket watch. Cheng Yu and Chong Quan also noticed Bai Yu's strangeness. They exchanged a glance, both seeing doubt and worry in each other's eyes.

"Bai Yu, what's wrong?" Cheng Yu couldn't help but ask. "Is something the problem?"

Bai Yu didn't answer immediately. He continued to stare at the pocket watch, seemingly deep in thought. After a long while, he slowly spoke, his voice low and serious: "We might... be trapped in a time loop."

"Time loop?" Cheng Yu and Chong Quan asked in unison, their faces filled with shock and confusion.

Bai Yu nodded and explained, "My master once told me that if the hands of the pocket watch on the 'Time Bracelet' are spinning wildly like this, it means we've fallen into a time loop. In this loop, time no longer flows linearly, but rather repeats itself like a closed circle."

"Then...then does that mean we'll never get out?" Chongquan's voice trembled slightly. He couldn't imagine being trapped in one place forever, repeating the same things—what a terrifying prospect that would be.

“No, there should still be a way,” Bai Yu said. “Master said that every time loop has a ‘node’. As long as we find this ‘node’, it may be possible to break the loop.”

"What is a 'node'?" Cheng Yu asked eagerly.

“I don’t know.” Bai Yu shook his head. “Master didn’t tell me how to find the ‘nodes’. He just said that we have to find them ourselves.”

"So what do we do now?" Heavy Punch asked. "Continue searching for the 'present' fragment?"

Bai Yu was silent for a moment, then said, "'Past,' 'Present,' and 'Future' are probably meaningless in this cycle. Because in an infinitely looping world, the same time will appear countless times, there is no such thing as 'past,' 'present,' and 'future'. Everything is just an infinite closed loop."

"Does that mean everything we did before was for nothing?" Cheng Yu felt a sense of frustration. They had gone through so much trouble to find the fragment of the "past," only to be told that the fragment might have lost its function.

“It wasn’t all for nothing,” Bai Yu said. “At least we know the truth about this world. And I believe the fragments of the ‘past’ still have a purpose, we just haven’t discovered it yet.”

"So what should we do now?" Heavy Punch asked.

“I think… the reason this void has become like this might be the time hourglass I used before,” Bai Yu said thoughtfully. “I restored the time here, so that the time is no longer misaligned, which also restored the three different time periods to normal and then started to cycle.”

Bai Yu glanced at Cheng Yu and Chong Quan, sighing inwardly. He knew that this time loop was likely his doing, as he had used the Time Sandwich in an attempt to restore the world's temporal order. However, he hadn't anticipated that this action would lead to even more serious consequences, trapping them in an infinite loop.

"In other words, the time we are in now might be the original time of this world?" Cheng Yu guessed.

“That’s right.” Bai Yu nodded. “What we are experiencing now may be what this world was originally supposed to be doing.”

"Does that mean we'll never be able to leave here?" Heavy Fist felt a wave of despair.

“No, there must be a way,” Bai Yu said. “Unless one of us is also highly proficient in time management, then we can only help me. Otherwise, I can only solve this problem on my own.”

Bai Yu sighed, looked at the two fragments he had already collected, and gave a bitter smile. Even if he collected all three fragments, he would still be unable to leave this void. History would repeat itself, and they would be trapped in this cycle, collecting fragments again, with only himself remembering them in the end.

"So what should we do now?" Cheng Yu asked. "Continue searching for the 'present' fragments?"

“We still need to search,” Bai Yu said. “But we can’t search blindly like before. We need to be more cautious and observe everything around us more carefully, looking for any possible clues.”

“Okay, we’ll listen to you.” Cheng Yu and Chong Quan both nodded.

"Let's find a place to rest first," Bai Yu said. "I need to think things through."

The three found a relatively flat spot and sat down to rest. Bai Yu closed his eyes and began to recall the knowledge about time that his master had taught him, hoping to find a way to break the time loop. Cheng Yu and Chong Quan quietly stood guard to his side, not daring to disturb him.

Time passed second by second, and Bai Yu's brows furrowed and relaxed at times, as if he was pondering some important question.