In the blink of an eye, Zheng Xiu’s consciousness surfaced, and he left the Path.

The Path wasn’t a place he could come and go as he pleased.

The rewards had been tallied, so Master Zheng didn’t dwell on it. He swiftly left the gloomy Path and returned to the Heart Prison.

Seated on the Bone Chair, Master Zheng looked around and was slightly stunned by what he saw.

’How come it feels like the Heart Prison has expanded a tiny bit?’

With a single thought, Zheng Xiu quickly waved his hand, summoning the Paper Scroll.

The Host’s information on the Paper Scroll was clear and concise, directly showing his recent changes.

[Host]: [Zheng Xiu]

[Path]: [Prisoner] (Jiazi · Ninth Gate)

[Derivation]: [Observing the Sky from Prison (some accomplishment)][Divine Travel (some accomplishment)][Projection (some accomplishment)][Unbreakable (some accomplishment)]

[Talent]: [No merchant is honest (some accomplishment)]

[Experience]: [White Carp’s Initial Search for Secrets, Tumultuous Times Shock Waves (Newcomer to the Martial World)][Chang’an’s Escape from Danger, Vast Righteous Qi (Retired from the Jianghu)]

The information on the Paper Scroll had changed accordingly.

’So the Path can be upgraded?’

’Ninth Gate?’

Zheng Xiu was bewildered, but then he recalled his experience within the Path. A wave of realization washed over him, followed by a surge of anticipation.

’Wait, Jiazi?’

Zheng Xiu suddenly recalled the characters he had seen in Feng Bei’s right eye.

Hers was "Ding Wei."

’Could it be the sequence of the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches?’

Jiazi means it’s the very first.

Ding Wei, on the other hand, is ranked forty-fourth.

’If Feng Bei’s "curse" was actually some kind of Ability...’

’...is she the same kind of person as me?’

’Whoever she touches is annihilated.’

’Touch anyone, and they die.’

’Ahem, except for me.’

A strange thought popped into Master Zheng’s head.

Recalling his experience in the Ghostly Realm, Zheng Xiu couldn’t help but sigh with emotion.

Feng Bei’s fate was heartbreaking. Although he had rescued her in the Ghostly Realm, Zheng Xiu couldn’t actually change history. As one of the "twenty-six households," she had died in the tragic massacre that night in the mountain village.

Zheng Xiu now understood the full story of Baili Village.

The existence of Baili Village was quite bizarre. Twenty years ago, the Treasure King fled the Imperial City with his illegitimate son Wei Chen. They passed through Baili Village, shattered its "peace," and triggered a series of events that ended in a total wipeout.

This was the truth.

Putting this matter aside for the moment, Master Zheng continued to read.

By pushing open the [Jiazi · Ninth] Gate within the Path, Zheng Xiu saw the most direct change: all Extraordinary Abilities derived from the Path had simultaneously advanced to the "some accomplishment" stage.

Furthermore, by pushing open the "Ninth Gate," he had also grasped a new Derivation Ability.

[Unbreakable (some accomplishment)] While in prison, your will is firm, like a majestic mountain, standing unmoved. Your skin is like stone, your bones like refined steel. One day, you will be able to achieve a state in prison where you are impervious to fire and water, invulnerable to all techniques, your body like pure jade, and utterly indestructible.

’Why does this have the feel of an empty promise?’

But he had to admit, it was a very tempting promise.

The Unbreakable Ability was exactly what it sounded like.

As long as he was in prison, his skin would be like stone and his bones like refined steel.

To put it simply—he’d be hard.

Master Zheng, hard!

’I’ve really become tall and hard!’

And to make a reasonable deduction...

...as long as he could continue to delve deeper into the Path, one day, he would be invincible—so long as he was in a "prison."

But after a while, the excitement faded. Master Zheng thought of the Path’s drawback, and his enthusiasm cooled.

’He can’t just stay in prison for the rest of his life, can he?’

’Perhaps there are other solutions?’

’Or a tricky way to get the Ability to activate?’

’Could it be triggered if just a part of his body was in prison?’

’Like... an appendix?’

’Or a strand of hair?’

’Or a tooth?’

SIGH...

As various stray thoughts flashed through his mind, Zheng Xiu’s gaze moved down the Paper Scroll.

The [Experience] section seemed to record the journey and choices of his Zheng Shan Incarnation within the Ghostly Realm.

The phrase "Chang’an’s Escape from Danger, Vast Righteous Qi," caused Master Zheng to involuntarily picture a scene of Zheng Shan leaving behind a legend in the world of the Ghostly Realm.

’But what does "Retired from the Jianghu" mean?’

Zheng Xiu didn’t get it.

After reviewing the power-up for his Main Body, Zheng Xiu flicked his wrist. The yellowed Paper Scroll drifted out of the Heart Prison and vanished into the dense mist.

He then looked toward the Game Table.

The "Ghostly Realm - Baili Village," which had once been shrouded by what looked like the shell of a century egg, was now just a patch of crumbling ruins on the map, labeled "Baili Village Ruins."

’So it’s a ruin now.’

Looking over the entire map, Zheng Xiu scratched his head.

The strange thing was, no new Ghostly Realm had appeared yet.

’Is that it? Impossible.’

His gaze shifted to the center of the Game Table map, to the location of his Zheng Shan Incarnation, where Zheng Xiu discovered a new change.

Beside the vigorous Mighty Painter, a faint, formless shadow had appeared.

The shadow twisted, at times appearing human, at others, not.

Seeing this, Master Zheng’s breath hitched, and his face lit up with joy.

’Whoa, I can create a second Incarnation!’

Zheng Xiu wasn’t about to wait for a more auspicious day for such a momentous occasion. He had to strike while the iron was hot. Riding the wave of good fortune from clearing the Ghostly Realm, he was sure he could roll for something amazing.

He lightly touched the blank shadow, and a second blank sheet of paper floated before him.

Huh?

A new discovery.

’I can set a[Title]now.’

’When you roam the Jianghu, you’ve got to have an impressive title.’

Master Zheng excitedly began creating his character.

As was his custom, he first sculpted his own face to increase the sense of immersion.

In just a moment, a handsome and alluring face with delicate features was sculpted.

[Name]Zheng Er.

’The Zheng Clan will grow bigger and stronger.’

As he continued to fill out the sheet, Zheng Xiu’s brow furrowed, and his fingertip paused.

He remembered that after his [No merchant is honest] Talent reached the "some accomplishment" stage, he had grasped the "Dao of Choice and Discard."

To put it simply, when setting the Incarnation’s various Attributes, he could now make a trade-off: he could accept halving the result of one roll in exchange for a "Cunning and Deceitful" gain on the next.

But looking down the list, Zheng Xiu, who now fully understood the importance of every Attribute, found it difficult to make a trade. Sacrificing any one of them felt wrong.

Last time in Baili Village, he had coincidentally run into a huge storm and met Li Dachui, allowing him to quickly farm [Constitution] and [Step Technique].

’What if he doesn’t get such a golden opportunity next time, or find such a perfect sheep to fleece?’

’What if he accidentally rolls a "two," and then it gets halved...’

Master Zheng didn’t dare to imagine it.

Among the many Attributes, the only one Master Zheng was willing to see "halved" was Age.

’But can Age even be halved? It’s something I’m supposed to fill in myself.’

So, Master Zheng made a bold attempt.

’Fuck... it actually works.’

Master Zheng’s horizons were once again expanded.

’As long as I don’t roll an age where I can’t take care of myself!’

Anything above five years old was acceptable to Master Zheng.

[You will randomly determine your Age.]

[You will make a choice and discard.]

[You are being Cunning and Deceitful!]

[Twenty]!

Zheng Xiu wanted to kiss the Dice.

After some maneuvering, the new Incarnation was created.

Beside Zheng Shan, the blurry figure gradually solidified into the image of a child.

The child’s facial features bore a strong resemblance to Zheng Xiu, as if he were his illegitimate son. The boy had two cute pigtails sticking up like horns, and his expression was three parts mischievous, three parts wicked, and only four parts innocent.

Finally, a vivid, red, nine-petaled lotus mark appeared between his eyebrows like a birthmark.

The gender was, of course, male.

Zheng Xiu had no desire to have his Mighty Man’s dao-heart shattered by being gender-swapped.

Lastly, from a dazzling array of initial Acquired Traits, Zheng Xiu selected three and entered them in the [Traits] section.

Having experience in speed-farming, Zheng Xiu chose three initial Traits that seemed both farmable and full of future potential.

The last thing was the [Title].

Looking at the child on the table, eyes closed, a lotus blooming on his forehead, Zheng Xiu focused his mind and carefully wrote down two words.

"Evil Child!"

[Name]Zheng Er

[Title]Evil Child

[Birth]scholarly family

[Age]Ten (Age of Outside Tutoring)

[Muscle Strength]Thirty-four (Innate Divine Power, Powerful Strength)

[Step Technique]Thirteen (Agile and Swift)

[Constitution]Thirty-six (Righteous Qi Within, Evil Cannot Be Touched, Immune to Hundred Poisons)

[Appearance]Eighteen (Delicate and Handsome)

[Will]Twelve (Distracted) (Note: Rolled a six but unexpectedly triggered a Cunning and Deceitful outcome.)

[Destiny]Eighteen (Fortunate People’s Celestial Appearance)

[Physique]Twelve (Small Child)

[Scholarship]Eight (Ignorant and Naive)

[Traits]inspiration (Slightly Knowledgeable), Stealth (Slightly Knowledgeable), Fist Skill (Slightly Knowledgeable)

After grinding all night, he had finally cleared the Ghostly Realm.

Ah, tomorrow will be a better day.

Master Zheng gazed with satisfaction at his second Incarnation, [Evil Child], and prepared to awaken to a new day.

Until the very second before he opened his eyes.

Master Zheng was still oblivious to the gravity of the situation.

...

When he came to his senses.

Master Zheng felt a chill run through his entire body.

A cold, moist sensation landed on his face, as if someone were secretly licking him.

Master Zheng opened his eyes and stretched lazily.

’It seems especially cold today.’

’The wind is really strong.’

’The sky is so bright.’

He opened his eyes.

Snow was falling everywhere.

Zheng Xiu froze, dumbfounded. The vast, white expanse of the sky was slightly blinding.

The sky was so bright.

...The sky?

Zheng Xiu didn’t believe it. He closed his eyes to start over.

’An illusion. It must be an illusion.’

Zheng Xiu told himself to calm down and opened his eyes again. The first thing he saw was the bright sky and the falling snow.

Zheng Xiu moved, and the accumulated snow on his body fell off with a soft SHUSH.

Master Zheng sat frozen on the Grandmaster’s Chair.

He remained stunned for the time it takes an incense stick to burn.

"Which goddamn bastard was so wicked they ripped off my ceiling?!"

CAW—CAW—CAW—

Only the flock of crows circling in the sky above let out sharp cries, as if in answer to Zheng Xiu’s question.

Blue sky, white clouds, a flock of crows, and falling snow.

Zheng Xiu shot up from the Grandmaster’s Chair, wiped the snow from his face, and dashed to the edge of his cell in a few quick steps.

From his vantage point, nearly all the buildings of the Imperial City were spread out beneath him.

Zheng Xiu discovered that he had woken up in a prison cell perched atop a sheer precipice. He roughly estimated its height at about thirty meters. It was exposed to the elements on all four sides, and the top was open to the sky. Only its bars of refined steel seemed Indestructible.

It was less a prison cell and more a cage set atop a high tower.

’Is that... the Imperial Palace?’

Zheng Xiu gazed into the distance. In the spot where he remembered the familiar Imperial Palace, a magnificent palace now stood, rising out of nowhere and towering even higher than his own position. He could vaguely make out nearly a hundred figures on the thousand-step staircase leading to it, all climbing toward the palace.

Some of the figures wore stately official robes, while others were clad in battle armor, presenting the very image of all the civil and military officials heading to morning court.

’Did I fucking... transmigrate again?’

Zheng Xiu broke out in a cold sweat. This sudden turn of events had caught him completely off guard.

No.

A moment later, as Zheng Xiu gazed down at the familiar yet alien Imperial City, he had a sudden realization.

’This is the fucking butterfly effect!’