Lingzhou.
This province, together with Dingzhou, is one of the nineteen provinces of the Great Zhou dynasty. Its landscapes are picturesque, and its literary culture is especially prominent.
Inside the largest “Tianfeng Pavilion” in Lingzhou city,
the sound of the qin flows like cascading waterfalls and clear springs, carrying the essence of time, captivating the audience in a trance.
After a long while, the music ceases, and the hall falls into complete silence.
“One song that enchants the entire province… Previously, I thought it was just hearsay, but today, experiencing it firsthand, I now understand that the lingering charm for three days is no exaggeration…”
A noble young man in the crowd gazes with admiration: “The qin virtuoso’s artistry is unparalleled… Even if I came here for this song alone, the journey would have been worth it…”
He gazes at the white curtain on the stage, his expression tinged with regret.
“Upon hearing the sacred music, the ancient sages could go three months without tasting meat… After returning home, I shall ponder this qin’s charm and likely feel the same…”
The speaker is an elderly Confucian scholar with white beard and hair, yet his eyes gleam with childlike innocence—the so-called “heart of an innocent child.”
“Master Tong is a renowned elder of Lingzhou’s Confucian circle. With such a comment, the reputation of the qin virtuoso is sure to rise even further…”
A few well-dressed men exchange glances and silently think.
The qin virtuoso is also an extraordinary woman from Lingzhou. She comes from a humble background and was once unknown, but she astonished everyone at a grand banquet hosted by Ling Gong by the Ling River.
Ling Gong is a duke enfeoffed by the imperial court, holding a position of great honor. However, he is not involved in politics. He indulges in music, hunting, gourmet food, and fine drinks. He often hosts extravagant banquets on large boats along the Ling River, filled with music and dancing, inviting renowned scholars from all over the land to gather and celebrate throughout the night, inspiring many poets to compose verses in praise.
However, at that time, this woman, arriving in a small boat, played the qin with such mastery that she outshone the entire banquet. After her performance, Ling Gong was so amazed that he exclaimed, “There has been no one like her in the past three hundred years!”
As a high-ranking and influential figure, Ling Gong’s discerning eye and authority in appreciation and critique gave his comment immense weight, instantly spreading the qin virtuoso’s fame throughout the province.
If not for the current chaos in the world, it would not be long before her name became known across the land.
For this performance, many noble sons and scholars have traveled from afar just to catch a glimpse of this remarkable woman.
Unfortunately, the thin curtain separating them feels like an insurmountable barrier, cutting off heaven and earth, leaving many young men frustrated. Seeing the gathering of noble guests, they dare not act recklessly.
…
“Miss!”
Behind the Tianfeng Pavilion, in a quiet and elegant pavilion,
a charming young girl with a peach-blossom-like face, almost a beauty beyond compare, holds a qin and giggles: “Today, when Miss performed, even the son of the provincial governor, known as the ‘Jade of Lingzhou,’ could hardly take his eyes off the stage!”
“Xiaoman, don’t be disrespectful!”
Qinyun gently reprimands her: “Be careful with your words!”
Her voice is soft, like clouds drifting from the heavens, ethereal and ever-changing, carrying a gentle tone mixed with a hint of resignation.
“Hehe… I know, Miss. It’s just the two of us here anyway!”
Xiaoman giggles again, clearly understanding her mistress’s nature. Her lazy attitude visibly amuses Qinyun, who smiles faintly.
If an ordinary person saw Qinyun for the first time, they might feel disappointed, for her beauty is only slightly above average, seemingly even less striking than her maid Xiaoman. However, upon meeting her eyes—those brimming with spiritual grace, filled with passion and love for life—one would immediately feel that the experience was worth it.
Although Qinyun is not a peerless beauty, her naturally elegant and refined aura sets her apart. When she stands beside Xiaoman, no one would mistake the two’s roles.
“Miss… look quickly!”
After stepping out briefly, Xiaoman returns holding a large stack of gilded invitation cards: “So many noble sons have invited you! Even the Prefect and Master Tong, the esteemed scholar of today, have sent invitations. They say the emperor himself once invited him to be his teacher!”
“If it’s about combining poetry and music, then fine…”
Qinyun treats the pile of golden invitations with indifference, picking up the plain white one representing Master Tong: “I’ve long heard of Master Tong’s exceptional Confucian scholarship, rivaling even Chancellor Xiang of today. I shall visit him for guidance… As for the others, send them a gift and politely decline. Use gentle words…”
“I know the rules, Miss!”
Xiaoman sticks out her pink tongue playfully, looking quite adorable.
Yet amidst such a whirlwind of attention, maintaining her composure and avoiding entanglement speaks volumes about Qinyun’s wisdom.
The pavilion is decorated in a simple and elegant style, with only an orchid in full bloom, exuding a subtle fragrance, a rare beauty.
Upon entering, one feels a sense of refined elegance, forgetting the mundane world.
“Mother… if only you could see your daughter today, how would you feel?”
Qinyun gently strokes her qin, her expression a mix of sorrow and joy: “One day… there will come a day…”
Suddenly, her expression changes.
A grand and mighty voice, without any warning, echoes in her mind:
[Reality Task Issued!]
“A reality task?!”
Qinyun blinks, scanning the description, her mind quietly pondering: “…The ‘Great Zhou Records of the Western Regions’? What is that? Fortunately… it doesn’t seem too difficult…”
Even with the help of the Temple of the Sovereign, enabling her to overcome hardships and achieve her current status, the perilous nature of the past cycle tasks was something she never wished to relive.
“Miss?!”
The commotion naturally catches Xiaoman’s attention.
Knowing her mistress has secrets, Xiaoman directly asks: “What happened?”
“Nothing…”
Qinyun’s eyes flicker: “Wait… don’t refuse the provincial governor’s son’s invitation just yet…”
…
A similar scene unfolds among several other cycle participants.
However, they share a common trait: they all lean towards the arts and entertainment industry and wield considerable influence.
Together, this network forms a significant force. While it may not be enough to influence the imperial court, it is more than capable of promoting a novel or story collection with ease.
“Finally done!”
In Chufeng Prefecture, Dingzhou, Wu Ming stretches lazily, though with a hint of regret: “Creating this task and then issuing rewards consumes a lot of world energy…”
As the Sovereign, he is quite frugal in this regard, but even so, he must still provide the minimum required rewards.
Of course, it’s just the evaporation of a mere wisp of purple energy—something Wu Ming can easily afford.
“This batch of seeds, once scattered, will spread the ‘Great Zhou Records of the Western Regions.’ The wider the audience, the more other minds will help deepen this world, ultimately forming a virtual paradise…”
The more readers there are, the stronger the collected spiritual energy becomes.
Moreover, the sparks from countless minds interacting will enrich and complete the world, making it more authentic!
The benefits are immeasurable, and the consumption required is far less than if he were to construct the entire world solely through world energy from scratch.
Compared to that, the initial investment is negligible.
A flash of light, and Wu Ming reappears within the Temple of the Sovereign.
In the grand and resplendent Sovereign Temple,
Wu Ming gazes at the still-unremarkable Origin Pool and waves his hand.
The surroundings instantly shift, as if he has entered a universe filled with countless stars and swirling galaxies glowing with mystery.
“Gods and ghosts, stars, Fusang…”
Wu Ming looks toward a larger glowing orb, clearly sensing the world’s consciousness and the position of the Heavenly Emperor within.
“If I wished, I could descend at any moment… but… to confine myself to a small world, possessing only false immortality, only to perish with the world during the great calamity of the era—is that truly what I seek?”
Wu Ming questions his own heart, then walks past without hesitation.
“This place… is the connection point between the Temple of the Sovereign and the myriad worlds across all realms. It may be called the ‘Great Luo Hall’!”
Although the surroundings resemble a dark cosmic expanse, Wu Ming confidently names it.
“As for world levels… among all the worlds I’ve experienced, the Great Zhou world remains the highest… Unfortunately… it also has too many great cultivators. It would be unwise to aggressively extract world energy without fully understanding the situation…”
The Great Zhou world is too dangerous. Launching an aggressive invasion without thoroughly grasping the situation would certainly lead to disaster.
In Wu Ming’s view, the Temple of the Sovereign extracting world energy is essentially an invasion of that world—one that is even quite bloody. After all, a world without its core will immediately collapse, and a reduction in the total core essence means the world’s scope shrinks, the limits of cultivation for its beings decrease, and even the world itself may degrade!
Therefore, once discovered, it would mean damaging the interests of the entire Great Zhou world and all its sacred realms, and Wu Ming has no doubt that he would be “united against and attacked.”
At that point, no matter how powerful the Temple of the Sovereign might be, it would likely have no choice but to flee in disgrace.
Moreover, the Great Zhou world would become vigilant, and such a valuable opportunity would not come again so easily.
“Actually… with the current Temple of the Sovereign and the fate confusion and deviation caused by the cycle participants, it’s enough to extract a small amount of world energy… but the amount is tiny. I estimate it’s only enough for a celestial immortal’s sacred realm… or maybe even less than what’s been consumed recently…”
Wu Ming wearily rubs his temples: “If I rely solely on the Temple of the Sovereign’s slow and steady approach, I don’t know how many hundreds or thousands of years it might take… I’ll have to take matters into my own hands!”
He steps deep into the Great Luo Hall. A manuscript in his hand suddenly radiates light, transforming into a white glowing point that hovers in midair.
Boom!
Instantly, with the Great Luo power of the Temple of the Sovereign, a connection is formed.
Wu Ming opens his heavenly eye and immediately sees countless white threads emerging from the void, continuously flowing into the white glowing point.
With this reinforcement, the white glowing point gradually but steadily grows stronger. Thunderous sounds emanate from within, as if a universe is being created. The boundless power ripples outward, wrapped in the transcendent light of the Temple of the Sovereign, eventually forming a small white orb the size of a thumb.
This is the embryonic form of the virtual paradise!
Creation of a world lies within a single thought!
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