Chapter 38: Seeing You Off, a Thousand Years Away

[Name: Wang Liang (Versatile Wang Ji Long)]
[Gender: Male]
[Occupation: None]
[Level: Level 24 (72%)]
[Status: None]
[Attributes (Unequipped): Strength 40, Agility 18, Constitution 21, Spirit 25, Condition: Good, Available Attribute Points: 0]
[Talent: Dream Celestial Level 1 (Activated), Three Thousand Purple Vapors (Golden Elixir Special Effect, Activated)]
[Skills: Grand Master Tai Xuan Jing Level 5, Proficient I Ching Level 4, Mo Dao Mastery Level 1, Riding Mastery Level 3, Archery Mastery Level 1, Self-Sacrifice Slash Mastery Level 1, Primordial Universe Skill Mastery Level 2, Water-Aversion Incantation Novice Level 1, Tiger-Slaying Axe Talisman Novice Level 1, Meditative Weeding Incantation Proficient Level 5]
[Sub-occupations: Cooking Novice Level 1, Archaeology Novice Level 1, Architecture Novice Level 1]

Checking his attributes, Wang Liang discovered that his strength attribute had instantly received a massive boost.
After all, with a sudden addition of 24 points to strength, coupled with a few more points randomized into it, it was only natural for his strength to reach this level.
Such formidable strength was a completely novel experience for Wang Liang, and he felt a strong urge to find somewhere to test his current physical prowess.
However, Great Immortal Zhenyuan did not afford Wang Liang such an opportunity.
"These are the things you brought. Now, off you go!"
With that, Great Immortal Zhenyuan pointed a finger at Wang Liang's location. Wang Liang felt as though his entire body was unravelling, and in the blink of an eye, he vanished into the darkness.
After sending Wang Liang away, Great Immortal Zhenyuan calmly sat back down in the seat Wang Liang had previously occupied.
Once Qingfeng and Mingyue removed the Golden-Striking Mallet, Great Immortal Zhenyuan slowly spoke.
"I did not. I know nothing."
For a moment, the air in the small courtyard froze. Finally, a gust of breeze blew through, and everything seemed to return to its original state.

Great Immortal Zhenyuan looked up at the Ginseng Fruit Tree behind him, seeming to understand something, and said with a helpless sigh, "Thirteen Ginseng Fruits saved. This wave is definitely worth it, no matter how you look at it."
Judging by Great Immortal Zhenyuan's attitude, however, this matter was far from over.
Of course, Wang Liang knew nothing of this. He had been sent out forcibly rather than leaving the game through normal channels.
Much like how he had not entered through normal channels either.
Wang Liang fell directly from the sky, crashing heavily onto the vast plaza outside the Palace of Eight Views.
With this impact, his face hit the ground first, followed by a crisp crack as his body seemed to twist seven or eight times, nearly warping out of shape.
With great difficulty, he managed to sit up from the ground. Lacking even the strength to stand, he could only sit on the grand plaza and gasp for breath.
At that moment, a voice came from afar, "Isn't this Young Master Wang? What on earth happened to you?"
Before Wang Liang could react, his Tai Xuan Umbrella automatically unfurled, shielding him within.
The two figures rushing toward Wang Liang stopped dead in their tracks, waiting obediently outside the protection of the Tai Xuan Umbrella.
Wang Liang looked up and saw that the people standing outside were none other than San Jin of the Five-Metal Syndicate and another player he did not recognize.
"So it's you guys."
Wang Liang struggled to his feet. The Tai Xuan Umbrella folded itself up naturally and floated back behind him.
San Jin's eyes lit up as he stepped forward to steady Wang Liang. "Young Master Wang, how are you holding up? You got flung out of the game, didn't you? Actually, this is quite normal. Whenever people play games, they always encounter all sorts of unexpected events. We just need to try not to dwell on them."
Even as he said this, San Jin was screaming frantically in his heart: *Oh my god, what did I just discover? That's the scent of the Nine-Turn Golden Elixir! He actually refined that Nine-Turn Golden Elixir into his natal magical treasure! Just which family's young master has such extravagant methods?*

Wang Liang had no idea about the whirlwind of thoughts passing through San Jin's mind. Since he happened to run into someone knowledgeable, he immediately raised his question: "By the way, San Jin, you've come at the right time. There's something I want to ask you. Do you know about the River of Time and the Starry Sky of Other Realms?"
"Young Master Wang, you're only at what level, and already you know about the River of Time and the Starry Sky of Other Realms? Actually, people usually only find out about these after reaching Level 40 at the earliest.
Let me put it this way for you: while the worlds you encounter in the River of Time can sometimes be rather difficult, their paths still follow historical storylines. Therefore, no matter what happens, there are traces to follow. If you run into any trouble, just go along with the flow of the story's plot.
You should have already figured this out yourself, actually. Take that mansion we sold you, for instance—we dragged that straight out of the River of Time. The reason we managed to handle everything so effortlessly was simply because our timing was calculated perfectly, right before that mansion was ever put to use."

Hearing this, Wang Liang nodded. He recalled that when San Jin sold him the mansion, they had mentioned it was right after the official silver was stolen—this must have been a specific temporal node within the historical narrative.
"But the Starry Sky of Other Realms is completely different. That place consists of shattered starry skies, where every single world operates under entirely different rules. Some achieve Dao through martial arts, some attain enlightenment through sheer physical force, some practice immortal cultivation, and others practice alchemy. The rules and the worlds themselves vary completely from one to another.
Most importantly, those worlds have no pre-existing storylines to follow; players must rely entirely on themselves.
Those with weaker strength simply cannot survive in the Starry Sky of Other Realms. Generally speaking, only players above Level 40 choose to gradually dip their toes into the gaming tracks of the Starry Sky of Other Realms.
Surely you don't intend to get involved right now, do you, Young Master?"
"It's not that I want to, but that I have no choice. My family elders felt I've had things too easy and slapped a restriction on me. Until I attain immortality, I can only go to the Starry Sky of Other Realms. San Jin, you're considered well-informed—think about it and see if there are any suitable Starry Sky of Other Realms worlds appropriate for my level."

Faced with this question, San Jin looked somewhat troubled.
"The Young Master hasn't even reached Level 30 yet, right? That is actually the most awkward level to deal with. After all, after Level 40, there are plenty of options in the Starry Sky of Other Realms to choose from. I've got seven or eight routes right here in my hands, all of which come with complete strategy guides.
Since you're under Level 30 now, the available directions are quite limited. Let me ask the boss and the others."
Wang Liang thought for a moment and agreed. San Jin did not run off, instead directly initiating a private chat with the leader of their Five-Metal Syndicate right in front of Wang Liang.
After asking a few detailed questions, a hint of a smile finally appeared on San Jin's face.
"Young Master, there's news! I asked our syndicate leader, and there really is such a route. It's just that this particular route is one we usually reserve for guiding our whale clients, so..."
Wang Liang understood immediately. With a flip of his hand, he produced an item.
"How does this look to you?"
What Wang Liang pulled out was none other than the Pope's Letter. Upon use, it could open a path to a Blue-tier world associated with the Western Teachings or the God of Light.
This was something Wang Liang had brought out from his very first world. He had originally intended to keep it for his own use, but upon reflection, he realized that his game progress on the historical track was practically ruined. Once he reached Level 60, Blue-tier worlds would no longer provide enough progression, so he simply decided to take it out and use it as currency.
"I'd say this should be more than enough to trade for a piece of information."