Darkness assailed Chen Jiuyang.
The scenery before his eyes spun madly in reverse.
After an unknown duration, a sinister, eerie, and terrifying sensation surged into Chen Jiuyang’s heart.
His vision cleared.
“Am I… in a coffin?”
Chen Jiuyang took a careful look around. He was lying inside a coffin.
“Something’s not right…”
He could hear the chilling funeral dirge from outside the coffin.
In the dimness, he had the illusion that he was dead and about to be buried.
He raised his hand and forcefully pushed the coffin lid.
The moment he pushed open the coffin lid, Chen Jiuyang’s expression instantly changed drastically.
Because, as he looked up, he saw outside…
Were countless ‘Chen Jiuyangs’ identical to him.
His heart sank immediately.
What was going on?
He quickly pondered, this must be one of the nine supreme origin great daos mastered by the Dao Fruit of Immortal Emperor Zhuang Wu.
The ‘Chen Jiuyangs’ outside, seeing Chen Jiuyang push open the coffin lid, showed no change in expression, only ceasing their dirge.
Yet, despite his inner composure, seeing so many versions of himself made Chen Jiuyang feel a chill down his spine.
This surpassed the understanding of ordinary martial arts.
He needed to figure out the situation first.
A ‘Chen Jiuyang’ dressed in village chief attire said, “You shouldn’t have come back to life. Your living will only bring us trouble.”
Chen Jiuyang frowned, “Why would my living bring you trouble? Who am I in your eyes?”
Village Chief ‘Chen Jiuyang’ replied, “You are an anomaly, a variable in our ‘Chen Jiuyang Village.’ If you live, none of us can become the man we aspire to be.”
Chen Jiuyang Village?
Chen Jiuyang was slightly taken aback, feeling increasingly uneasy.
Village Chief ‘Chen Jiuyang’ continued, “If you live, then we might die.”
Chen Jiuyang frowned, “We can discuss things, but for now, can I come out of the coffin to understand the situation?”
The other ‘Chen Jiuyangs’ immediately frowned, looking at the village chief, and began to murmur amongst themselves:
“Village Chief, we cannot let him live!”
“If we don’t bury him today, the anomalies will come for us, and we will die!”
“If he refuses to be buried and die peacefully, then kill him and bury him!”
“That’s right, his death can ensure the peace of our entire village!”
“Village Chief, you cannot be soft-hearted in such a crucial matter!”
Village Chief ‘Chen Jiuyang’ said, “Even if he must die, we should give him some time. Let’s leave it at that for now. We’ll discuss it tonight.”
“You all go and attend to your own matters.”
Following this, the other ‘Chen Jiuyangs’ reluctantly turned, their eyes filled with resentment and hatred as they glared at Chen Jiuyang, before leaving.
Village Chief ‘Chen Jiuyang’ said, “Follow me.”
Chen Jiuyang then got out of the coffin.
Upon emerging from the coffin, Chen Jiuyang realized this was not Qingzhu Village, nor Old Remnant Village…
But a place he had visited before…
The Three Lives Tomb Inheritance Secret Realm!
Chen Jiuyang had once ascended the Three Lives Tomb to search for divine abilities to enhance his foundation. Shortly after entering the secret realm, he was expelled by its owner and warned not to return.
But…
He was clearly in the Nine Nether Myriad Tombs, so why had he come here?
As he left the coffin, he saw many Chen Jiuyangs.
There was a young Chen Jiuyang, a teenage Chen Jiuyang, a young adult Chen Jiuyang, a middle-aged Chen Jiuyang, and an elderly Chen Jiuyang.
Chen Jiuyang’s brow furrowed. What kind of divine ability or origin great dao was this? It was too bizarre and strange.
He had never heard of such a divine ability or origin great dao.
Something was wrong, very wrong. This place must hold a deeper secret, far more complex than it appeared on the surface.
Village Chief ‘Chen Jiuyang’ stated, “Our village has a relatively complete range of talents. There are diligent students, soldiers who protect the country, those aspiring to be regional lords, those determined to become good doctors, and those who are good fathers.”
“There are also some unfortunate failures.”
“And quiet elders who simply await the arrival of death.”
“Our village is relatively peaceful, but the prerequisite is that you willingly accept burial and death.”
Chen Jiuyang remained silent, his brow furrowed.
These identities were all past versions of himself.
But why did these people hate him so much, insisting on his burial and death?
Chen Jiuyang asked, “Why?”
“If you don’t die, you will attract misfortune, leading to the suffering of others,” the Village Chief ‘Chen Jiuyang’ replied.
Chen Jiuyang’s brow furrowed even tighter, and he asked, “Who am I in your eyes?”
Village Chief ‘Chen Jiuyang’ said, “The source of all evil, the origin of misfortune.”
For a moment, Chen Jiuyang felt his breath grow heavy, an unbearable sensation.
Dark, dense fog rolled in, carrying a sense of ominous roars. The other Chen Jiuyangs immediately stared at Chen Jiuyang as if he were a mortal enemy.
Chen Jiuyang frowned, “May I reside here for a period of time?”
‘Village Chief’ Chen Jiuyang replied, “Naturally.”
“But you must lie back in the coffin at night. Otherwise, even I cannot protect you.”
Chen Jiuyang took a deep breath and said, “Alright.”
“Besides our village, are there other villages in this place?”
‘Village Chief’ Chen Jiuyang answered, “Of course, there are. Our village is the ‘Living Chen Jiuyang’ Village. Next to it is the ‘Dead Land Chen Jiuyang’ Village, and beyond that, the ‘Anomalous Chen Jiuyang’ Village.”
“Living? Dead Land? Anomalous?” Chen Jiuyang frowned, noting these down.
According to Princess Shile’s advice on entering the game, managing the game, facing death to live, and breaking the game.
Chen Jiuyang realized that this was an origin great dao of Immortal Emperor Zhuang Wu’s Dao Fruit.
However, he was currently completely bewildered and could only stay for now.
‘Village Chief’ Chen Jiuyang explained, “You are now a living person and cannot leave our village. Only after your burial can you go to the ‘Dead Land Chen Jiuyang’ Village.”
He would enter the game first.
‘Village Chief’ Chen Jiuyang continued, “I have matters to attend to. You can look around freely for now. I will wait for the day you are ready for burial.”
Afterward, Chen Jiuyang began to walk around the village. However, whenever he approached another ‘Chen Jiuyang,’ that individual’s eyes would turn red, as if provoked.
Chen Jiuyang found it impossible to communicate with them, but he could feel the intense resentment towards him within the village.
Each ‘Chen Jiuyang’ seemed like the real him, existing in an alternate timeline with an alternate identity.
Chen Jiuyang lived on in identities such as student, scholar, doctor, soldier, and disabled person.
…
As he reached the edge of the village, he discovered an unspeakable terror that threatened to engulf and consume him.
“I want to become Chen Jiuyang!”
“Let me eat you!”