Chapter 69

The cycle of reincarnation has begun again.

"Is Zhou Xian alright?"

Xu Tianyun helped Zhou Xian back to his room and then returned to the living room.

"He's fine, maybe he's just overheated or something. But I also suspect it might be related to Lao Zhou's ability."

"It's not much related to his ability. According to the initial check by my personal terminal, his body is completely normal." Zhang Taihao said, then walked towards Zhou Xian's room.

"Hey, what are you going to do?" Su Xiaoyue asked immediately when she saw Zhang Taihao walk over.

Zhang Taihao waved his personal terminal and said, "Nothing much, I just received some news. I'll go tell him."

"Phew..." Tao Shan stretched lazily and said, "Alright, I'm going to rest now. I've been helping Lao Zhou all day, I'm exhausted."

"Me too, I'm going."

Xu Tianyun also followed Tao Shan out.

However, after following Tao Shan out, Xu Tianyun found an excuse to quietly leave and then hid in the toilet.

"What should I do?"

He took out his personal terminal, his head drenched in cold sweat.

"Is anyone in there?"

At that moment, Liuli's voice suddenly came.

"Ah, sorry, I'm in the toilet, it might take a while."

"..."

Hearing Xu Tianyun's words, the maid outside left.

After the maid left, Xu Tianyun let out a sigh of relief.

"What should I do now?"

He had placed a seal with anti-magic effects on Zhou Xian's clothes, and now he was about to expose Zhou Xian's identity.

"What am I doing!!!"

Xu Tianyun's mind was a mess.

However, the fear brought by that ability still lingered in his heart.

"Soul Thought System."

Soul Thought is not just a single ability, but a series of abilities, forming a development path as a system. However, Soul Thought is also incomplete.

In this aspect, Xu Tianyun knew more than Zhou Xian.

The trial of the Divine Power Prison is a baptism and trial of the soul. The Soul Thought System is something added and completed during this "baptism" and "trial."

The true trial of the Divine Power Prison is not something easily known. Even Jiuyou did not have the complete version of the Divine Power Prison trial. When Beidou casually mentioned that he knew about this trial, Xu Tianyun was very surprised.

However, Jiuyou is a powerful being. He obtained the incomplete trial of the Divine Power Prison but did not bother to find the remaining content, instead completing it according to his own method.

And this method involves the power of the Outer Domain Demons.

However, human souls cannot bear the corrupting power of the Outer Domain Demons. Therefore, after obtaining the Soul Thought System, human souls have actually undergone some changes, creating a "disharmony" or "mismatch" with the body.

This disharmony and mismatch is what Ying Tianlong and others played with during the competition. But the true use of the ability is not like that.

"Once you have the complete Soul Thought, you will have the ultimate ability. You can use the abilities from the game world in the real world, as the two souls have become one at this point."

Originally, Xu Tianyun was one of the top players in the Dragon Tomb Society. However, with Zhang Taihao's joining, Xu Tianyun's position as the leader became increasingly nominal, and Zhou Xian, originally a casual player, grew in strength terrifyingly.

While Xu Tianyun was troubled, he heard about a mysterious system called "Soul Thought." As is well known, once a secret is put on the internet, it is no longer a secret. Initially, Soul Thought developed in this way: later, he entered a small circle through some communication platforms and obtained Soul Thought. At first, he was very excited because this ability increased his win rate in competitions by 10%. He also felt fortunate because, after that, a mysterious force began to delete information about Soul Thought from the internet, and eventually, it seemed as if Soul Thought had never appeared on the internet.

However, with Zhou Xian's investigation and the "virus incident" caused by Soul Thought, Xu Tianyun began to feel fear.

Will I also fall into a coma?

What about my dream of being a professional player?

Will my parents be sad because of this?

Will I... die?

Fear dominated Xu Tianyun's heart.

At this moment, a messenger of Jiuyou appeared before Xu Tianyun and said the words mentioned earlier.

And this was the beginning of everything.

He was told that he had only gone through the "first stage" of Soul Thought, and only after being guided and "awakened" by Lord Jiuyou could he enter the second stage, just like Li Zheng, truly using abilities in the real world!

If he remained in the first stage without entering the second stage, he would fall into a permanent coma in as little as one or two months or as long as five or six years.

—Those who fell into a coma did so because their souls could not bear the power of the Outer Domain Demons.

Originally, Xu Tianyun did not immediately make up his mind.

But when he saw Zhou Xian using skills in the real world, he became jealous. Why you and not me? Why are you so skilled now? Why is this happening? Why is this happening?

Fear and jealousy made Xu Tianyun respond to the messenger of Jiuyou in a daze.

And now, these people were probably already nearby.

"They are nearby... They are nearby..."

What should I do?

What should I do?

With a strange feeling, Xu Tianyun walked out of the toilet and came to Zhou Xian's room. Zhou Xian was wearing a virtual helmet, doing something unknown.

Xu Tianyun's gaze focused on the "Do Not Disturb" switch on Zhou Xian's head.

When the "Black Iron Head" appeared eight years ago, this design was a classic, but now, Xu Tianyun had other thoughts.

"—Right, if Lao Zhou doesn't know it was me who betrayed them, wouldn't that be better?"

Thinking this, Xu Tianyun felt a bit better.

He felt his breathing becoming more rapid.

He slowly walked to Zhou Xian's side.

"Open this switch, then send a message to Jiuyou's subordinates, and ask them to grant me that powerful ability..."

This thought kept swirling and repeating in his mind.

In reality, Xu Tianyun was already drenched in sweat.

Someone, stop me!

I'm about to betray my friend!

No matter who, come and stop me!

Xu Tianyun felt his mind was a mess, and he was not quite sure what he was thinking.

He just moved mechanically.

Turn off this switch, then send the message, and pretend to be captured together...

His hand slowly reached out.

His breathing became more rapid.

"Slap—"

Xu Tianyun slapped himself hard.

"Xu Tianyun, when did you become such a scumbag! I despise scumbags like you!!!"

He cursed himself fiercely.

"Huh? Lao Xu?"

Zhou Xian seemed to hear the sound, then took off his helmet and saw Xu Tianyun with a red face.

"Ah... Lao Zhou. I just came to check on you. And, take off that clothes, I accidentally dropped it on the ground, I'll get you a new one."

Saying this, Xu Tianyun pulled Zhou Xian to change his clothes.

"Hey—! Lao Xu!"

In front of the determined Xu Tianyun, Zhou Xian's clothes were quickly taken off, and his virtual helmet rolled to the side—unpowered.

"I'll go get you a new clothes!"

Xu Tianyun ran out with the clothes.

At this moment, Zhou Xian, who had been confused just now, finally smiled.

"I waited for you 37 times, and finally, I waited for you!"

Zhou Xian patted Xu Tianyun's shoulder, his eyes filled with fatigue.

The scene in front of him... he had seen it 37 times!

Just to make Xu Tianyun make a choice, he had replayed this scene 37 times!

Zhou Xian noticed that every time Xu Tianyun came to his room, he would struggle and hesitate.

Originally, Zhou Xian only planned to question Xu Tianyun. But when he saw Xu Tianyun's actions, he had another idea.

—I want you to choose the right path.

Xu Tianyun, who had started the first stage of Soul Thought training, had his soul already polluted by the Outer Domain Demons. His betrayal and thoughts might also be due to the pollution by the Outer Domain Demons.

Even if it was wishful thinking, Zhou Xian believed that Xu Tianyun himself would not do this, and he wanted to give Xu Tianyun a chance.

The first time, after struggling, Xu Tianyun silently chose to send the message.

The second time, he trembled as he opened Zhou Xian's "Do Not Disturb" switch.

The third time, he shed tears as he chose to betray...

The fourth, fifth, and sixth times.

Replay, replay, replay.

Zhou Xian chose to replay it again and again.

Until now.

Until the 37th time, he finally made his own choice.

"Lao Zhou, here's your clothes."

Xu Tianyun handed another set of clothes to Zhou Xian.

"Thank you."

Zhou Xian smiled and put on the new clothes.

Xu Tianyun let out a sigh of relief and turned to leave.

However, when Xu Tianyun reached the door, he hesitated.

He stood there, not sure what he was thinking.

"Lao Zhou, there's something I have to tell you—no, tell you all."

He decided to reveal all the truths and facts he knew, without holding back.

Including... his thoughts of betrayal. For Zhou Xian, it was enough that nothing unfortunate happened.