C29 In the Original World

"Whoa, there's another way to play? Directing NPCs to run off somewhere else?"

"Seriously, the Ancient Celestial Court? Who's brave enough to venture there..."

"I was all set to dive into the Nuwa's Heaven-Mending original copy to rack up some experience, and now look at this mess..."

"Serene Highness, aren't you worried about getting taken down for moving NPCs around?"

Ye Tianhan couldn't help but grin at the sight of the World Channel going completely haywire.

It wasn't that Ye Tianhan was up to no good; it was simply that resources in the Prehistoric World were infinite. More for others meant less for him, so he made his choice to ensure a swifter ascent through the levels.

Naturally, those like Muddy Dragon who had aided Ye Tianhan didn't have to venture to the Ancient Celestial Court like the rest of the players to access the main mission.

And those players who vowed to take him down? Ye Tianhan wasn't the least bit concerned.

In this era, power was everything. As the esteemed senior disciple of the Violet Rose Palace, he had the exclusive right to reassign NPCs. Not using such a privilege would be foolish indeed.

Perched atop the Golden Roc, Ye Tianhan joined the procession of Nuwa's female disciples heading to the Ancient Celestial Court, the key NPCs in tow.

The main NPC from Heaven Mending Village, upon noticing Ye Tianhan's presence, greeted him with due reverence, "Welcome, Senior Brother. Since you've completed the Heaven Mending dungeon, the 'Earth Tearing and Man Forging' dungeon is now unlocked. Would you like to enter?"

Before long, the main mission of 'Earth Mastery' along with a brief introduction materialized before Ye Tianhan.

With a decisive nod, he signaled his readiness to proceed.

In the next instant, a malevolent force, as if tearing through reality itself, violently pulled Ye Tianhan in.

When Ye Tianhan reopened his eyes, he found himself in the Prehistoric World, a place thousands of years removed from the present.

This world of 'Earth Mastery' bore a striking resemblance to the Nuwa main mission. The Prehistoric World before him was a vista of desolation, with constant skirmishes among creatures and their colossal remains scattered about.

The entire Prehistoric World resembled an endless purgatory.

"So this is the main world for 'Earth Mastery'?"

Ye Tianhan narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.

He had ventured into this main world once before, though at that time, he was accompanied by many allies.

The sensation wasn't as profound as when he had entered alone.

As Ye Tianhan pondered, a silhouette gracefully emerged in the midst of a distant brook—it was the youthful Nuwa. Presently, Nuwa bore a halo of fortune, albeit a dim one, not yet the resplendent Sovereign of Demon Race she would later become.

Nuwa had been fortunate to receive teachings from Hong Jun on two occasions, gaining much insight. Now, she roamed the vast Prehistoric World in search of something.

"This is the place," Ye Tianhan noted, his gaze subtly intensifying upon seeing the young Nuwa.

According to the dungeon's narrative, Ye Tianhan was tasked with aiding Nuwa in gathering exceptional soil to create Tranquility Soil and to locate the gourd vine, one of the ten foremost Connate Spiritual Roots.

With the player's assistance, the young Nuwa would harness the gourd vine's power to imbue the Tranquility Soil with supreme earth, enabling her to mold humans from the clay.

The importance of this process cannot be overstated. Without the supreme Tranquility Soil or a Connate spiritual treasure like the gourd vine, the creation of humans would be impossible. The Nether Blood Sea's ruler, Minghe, had once attempted to emulate Nuwa and forge a new race, only to end up with the grotesque Asura.

Once Nuwa completed the creation of humanity, the players would safeguard them, driving back the formidable demons, thus fulfilling the dungeon's quest.

However, Ye Tianhan, a reincarnated being, was privy to a method that could garner additional original points, maximizing his benefits. Moreover, he could even partake in the merit of Nuwa's act of creation.

Lost in thought, Ye Tianhan caught the attention of the young Nuwa, who promptly displayed a golden exclamation mark above her head: "Player, I find the Prehistoric World too desolate. We need a new race. Will you assist me?"

As she spoke, Nuwa's eyes, brimming with sweetness, fixed upon Ye Tianhan.

Regrettably for Nuwa, Ye Tianhan was impervious to her charm. Without a second thought, he turned on his heel and made a beeline for the dungeon's distant edge.

Truth be told, while Nuwa professed a desire to alleviate loneliness by creating a race, the young goddess had already begun to discern a path to her Dao. Her stated reason was merely a dignified pretext.

"Player?"

The young Nuwa watched as Ye Tianhan ignored her analysis. The golden exclamation mark above her head shone even brighter, a dazzling beacon of curiosity. Sadly, Ye Tianhan seemed oblivious, as if blind to its gleam.

Having parted ways with Nuwa, Ye Tianhan was soon greeted by the sight of an immense, multicolored mountain.

Composed of seven distinctively hued stones, the mountain exuded an aura of oppression from a distance, leaving onlookers in awe.

At the peak, nestled within a thatched hut, a gourd vine thrived in silence, bearing seven gourds, each a different vibrant color. Their robust growth was evident, each gourd impressively large and vivid.

"Gourd vine," Ye Tianhan murmured, the corners of his mouth lifting in a subtle smile as his eyes sparkled with recognition.

This was no ordinary vine. It had aided Nuwa in creation and stood as a spiritual root of the highest order, rivaling the likes of the Immortality Peach Tree, Ginseng Tree, and Osmanthus Tree.

Securing the gourd vine as a magical treasure would undoubtedly hasten Ye Tianhan's advancement—a prospect too enticing to ignore.

More astonishing still was the vine's ability to yield seven magical treasures and two Divine Weapons. Missing out on such treasures would be a lifelong regret for Ye Tianhan.

Lost in thought, Ye Tianhan was jolted back to reality by a booming voice: "I am the Mountain Guardian of Gourd Mountain. Who goes there? How dare you trespass upon Gourd Mountain!?"

Several Mountain Guardians clad in golden armor materialized before Ye Tianhan, encircling him.

Mountain Guardian Level 40 Skills: Thunderous Punishment, Earth-Shattering Mountain.

Mountain Guardian Level 41 Skills: Thunderous Punishment, Earth-Shattering Mountain.

Mountain Guardian Level 39 Skills: Thunderous Punishment, Earth-Shattering Mountain!

The attributes of the Mountain Guardians flashed before Ye Tianhan, revealing an average level of 40.

Ye Tianhan's gaze sharpened.

In a bygone era, a million players had stormed Gourd Mountain, only to be thwarted by a mere ten Mountain Guardians for two weeks. It took that long for the million players to vanquish them, and Ye Tianhan had been among their ranks.

But the Ye Tianhan of today was a changed man. With his newfound strength, he could single-handedly quell these Mountain Guardians.