Chapter 37: Otherworldly Starry Sky and the River of Time

Because of their comparable power levels, Great Immortal Zhenyuan and the Tathagata were unable to calculate or deduce each other's actions. Any attempt to peer into the other's plans would immediately trigger mutual interference and warnings.

For this reason, beings of such high status never casually cast divination on their peers, and they actively maintained strong wards to protect their personal secrets.

Consequently, regarding the matter of Sun Wukong, Great Immortal Zhenyuan only knew the barest fragments. It was not until the gaze of the Tathagata briefly brushed against Wang Liang that he inwardly cried out in alarm.

"How on earth did that green ox dump such a troublesome burden in my lap?"

Great Immortal Zhenyuan muttered with a trace of helplessness, though he could not take direct action against Wang Liang. In truth, the moment he first laid eyes on Wang Liang, he had already perceived the aura left behind by the green ox, instantly recognizing the young man's identity.

Although Wang Liang was now in his fifth reincarnation, his profound ties to Lord Laozi remained unbreakable. While Great Immortal Zhenyuan styled himself a friend of the Three Pure Ones, he was not foolish enough to actually make an enemy of Lord Laozi. If he could calmly endure Sun Wukong completely uprooting his precious Ginseng Fruit Tree, naturally he could tolerate being asked to look after Wang Liang.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Great Immortal Zhenyuan made his decision.

He walked over to Wang Liang, who was still seated beneath the Ginseng Fruit Tree, and gently tapped him awake.

"Stop pondering for now. I am going to tell you something of utmost importance, and I want you to listen to every single word carefully."

Seeing the rare solemnity on the Great Immortal's face, Wang Liang instinctively nodded.

"You have gone a bit too far this time. When others make their moves, they merely treat the world as a chessboard and place a few subtle pieces down. But you? You practically flipped the entire board over. It will not be long before they come looking for you. Given that you are the disciple of my old friend, I am bound to protect you. Therefore, I will give you a Ginseng Fruit right now.

You must leave this place immediately. Once you are outside, remember to—never mind, I had better assist you further.

I shall place a seal upon you, rendering you temporarily unable to enter the River of Time. This will shield you from the notice of those mighty figures. Once you have fully digested the power of the Ginseng Fruit and attained the Dao to become an immortal, you may freely traverse the River of Time once more, and even they will be powerless against you."

The River of Time?

Wang Liang froze. What on earth was that?

The very next second, Wang Liang was nearly startled out of his skin as the system delivered a notification that made him want to spit blood.

[Ding! Affected by external forces, you are temporarily barred from entering historical plotlines until you reach Level 60.]

[Ding! Notice: The game worlds accessible to players are the ancient battlefields of the Jie Sect and the Chan Sect spanning hundreds of millions of years. Their warfare permeates the starry firmament and flows through the ages. The game's narrative is divided into the Alternate Starry Sky and the River of Time. The Alternate Starry Sky refers to alien worlds that never appeared in true history, while the River of Time refers to specific temporal nodes within history.]

With this explanation, Wang Liang finally began to understand.

The conflict between the Jie Sect and the Chan Sect was no longer a mere dispute between two philosophical schools; it was a grand, sprawling war that stretched across countless stars and hundreds of millions of years of timelines.

The two game worlds he had previously experienced, and even this very game world he currently inhabited, all belonged to specific historical nodes. Wang Liang even harbored a suspicion that he himself might be a designated figure within one of these historical nodes.

Such a realization galvanized Wang Liang. From the words of Great Immortal Zhenyuan, he could clearly discern that his actions in this world had already touched upon the vested interests of certain supreme entities. Great Immortal Zhenyuan and the higher power standing behind him were capable of shielding him, but that was the extent of it. Given their lofty status, they would never personally intervene for the sake of an insignificant pawn like him. Therefore, if Wang Liang wished to receive help, he had first to stand firmly on his own two feet.

The goal set for him by Great Immortal Zhenyuan was to achieve immortality, which corresponded to Level 60 in the system terminology.

Wang Liang firmly believed he could accomplish this feat; otherwise, his entire journey here would have been in vain.

Thus, Wang Liang nodded slowly and decisively.

Seeing Wang Liang accept the arrangement, Great Immortal Zhenyuan smiled with satisfaction. With a subtle wave of his sleeve, Qingfeng and Mingyue instantly materialized behind him.

In Mingyue's hands rested a metallic object that bore a striking resemblance to a Ruyi scepter.

Noticing Wang Liang's puzzled gaze, Great Immortal Zhenyuan proudly explained: "This Ginseng Fruit Tree of mine is a primordial spiritual root nurtured by heaven and earth itself. It blooms once every three millennia, bears fruit once every three millennia, and takes another three millennia to ripen. All in all, it requires a full ten thousand years just to yield fruit, and even then, a single ten-thousand-year cycle produces a mere thirty fruits.

These fruits possess properties of mutual restraint dictated by the Five Elements: they drop upon encountering metal, wither upon encountering wood, dissolve upon encountering water, scorch upon encountering fire, and sink into the earth upon encountering soil.

That is precisely why I have never allowed any metal objects into this orchard, lest someone accidentally damage my precious fruits."

As he spoke, Great Immortal Zhenyuan flicked his wrist, sending the Ruyi-like metal artifact flying forth. An infant-like fruit gently detached and fell neatly into his palm.

"This is the Ginseng Fruit. Ordinarily, merely catching a whiff of this fruit can extend one's lifespan by three hundred years, and consuming a single one adds forty-seven thousand years of life. However, the greatest virtue of this fruit lies elsewhere—it is the Earth Immortal Dao fruit. Once consumed, the threshold to immortality is instantly unlocked for you.

Given your current strength, you cannot digest it all at once. I shall seal it deep within your body, allowing its medicinal potency to gradually unfurl as your power grows. By the time you attain immortality, you will have completely absorbed its essence."

Having stood guard over the Ginseng Fruit Tree for countless years, Great Immortal Zhenyuan undoubtedly knew the most rational and efficient way to consume such a treasure.

Therefore, Wang Liang raised no objections whatsoever. He had only one guiding principle: listen to the experts.

Without further ado, Great Immortal Zhenyuan pressed the fruit gently against Wang Liang's glabella, infusing the entirety of the Ginseng Fruit's majestic power straight into Wang Liang's mortal frame.

The very next instant, a rapid cascade of notifications echoed in Wang Liang's ears.

[Warning: Massive influx of external data detected...]

[Warning: Purging impossible...]

[Warn... Ding! Congratulations, you have consumed a genuine Ginseng Fruit. The effects of the Ginseng Fruit are now taking place.]

[Ginseng Fruit (Special Effect 1): For every 1 level gained, +1 to unallocated attribute points. Current level is 24; the previously accumulated 24 attribute points have been randomly distributed and added. Please check your status.]

[Ginseng Fruit (Special Effect 2): For every 1 level gained, +300 to vitality. Current level is 24; maximum vitality has been increased by 7200. Please check your status.]

[Ding! The medicinal power of the Ginseng Fruit has triggered the special effects of the natal artifact's Nine-Turn Golden Pill, as well as the special effects of the artifact's Spirit-Bright Stone Monkey Pit.]

[Nine-Turn Golden Pill (Special Effect 1): Grants one chance of resurrection per game world (must be out of combat for at least 5 minutes; resurrection restores only 1 point of vitality, and this is not a combat revival).]

[Spirit-Bright Stone Monkey Pit (Special Effect 1): For every 1 level gained, +1 to strength. Current level is 24; 24 strength attribute points have been added. Please check your status.]

[Note: The special effects of the Ginseng Fruit, the Nine-Turn Golden Pill, and the Spirit-Bright Stone Monkey Pit have not been fully activated. Please discover the activation methods on your own.]

[Note: Friendly reminder—the Ginseng Fruit has a maximum limit of 5 special effects, the Nine-Turn Golden Pill has a maximum limit of 7 special effects (authentic version limit is 9), and the Spirit-Bright Stone Monkey Pit has a maximum limit of 3 special effects.]