Chapter 690: Longevity Palace

Chapter 690 Longevity Palace 

“Strokes going left and right, just what the crap is this?” Tian Lie raised his head to look at the sign plaque before them. Even after studying it for a long time, he was incapable of reading the words on the board.

“Those are seal scripts. Longevity Palace,” Zero slowly said. 

The three of them was standing within a long, jade white passageway. Straight ahead before them was a huge palace.

The passageway was hundreds of metres wide and appeared terribly damaged. Traces of destruction could be seen everywhere.

The passageway rested in between the night sky, which possessed an illusionary quality. Countless stars drifted about as they flashed continuously.

The jade white passageway kept going, moving higher and higher. Meanwhile, the traces of destruction on the passageway grew in numbers. It appeared as though those traces of destruction were left behind by ancient gods.

As the jade white passageway approached the palace, it came to a halt as only small fragments were left of the passageway. The fragments were all suspended within the darkness of the void.

Only the front portion of the palace could be considered intact while the other parts had collapsed. As for the sign plaque that Tian Lie was referring to earlier, it was hanging above the main entrance of the palace.

“Longevity Palace? Humph… … what part of this place fits the term longevity?” Tian Lie scoffed. “Who is the one who did this to the place?”

“I do not know.” Zero shook his head. “Since the day my memories began, this place had been in this state.”

After having said that, Zero – without making any movements – caused a faint yellow-coloured ring of light to descend and envelop the three of them.

Tian Lie and Nicole felt softness upon their feet. It was as though they were stepping on marshmallows. They were lifted up and sent flying across the jade white passageway and toward the palace. 

Wrapped by the ring of light, the three of them flew forward at an extremely fast rate. As even the incoming winds were blocked off by the ring of light, they could not feel that they were actually flying forward.

However, the jade white passageway beneath them was too long. Despite the incredible speed of the ring of light, after having flown forward for some time, they had only managed to cover a small distance.

“It is so big!”

Nicole widened her eyes and looked around. She looked at the surrounding stars, which slowly moved backward alongside the jade white passageway beneath them. And yet, the palace remained up there, far away from them. Her mouth gaped and she said, “I never expected… Zero City, there is such a huge space hidden within Zero City… … compared to this place, Zero City is just like… … like a pigeon’s cage!”

Only after 10 minutes of flight did they arrive before the palace. It was also only then did Nicole and Tian Lie become amazed at the colossal size of the palace.

Although only a minor part of the front portion of the palace remained intact, it was still unbelievably large. And even though it was built amid the starry sky, the palace appeared as though it had been built upon a high mountain. It slowly rose upward, each layer higher than the other, radiating an atmosphere of pre-eminence.

Beneath the sign plaque were stairs, thousands of steps long. The three of them slowly descended, looking like ants in comparison to the grandness of the landscape.

“We have arrived.”

Zero said coolly as the yellow-coloured ring of light around them finally descended, landing them before the palace entrance. “From here on out, we will not be able to depend on my authority to fly.”

“Not bad. At least, there is no need for us to climb all the way through those stairs,” said Tian Lie with a whistle. “What next? Do we head inside?”

“Yes.” Zero nodded his head and stepped forward.

The gate of the palace was practically as big as a building. However, one of the two doors on the gate had gone missing. Who knows which part of the sky it had gone to?

After walking inside, they were immediately greeted with dazzling golden lights. Every part of the hall of the palace, the pillars, the ceiling beams, the roof, all of them were made from pure gold. 

“The style of a nouveau riche.” Tian Lie grinned and pointed ahead. “Is it there?”

The hall was empty, devoid of any chairs or the likes. The only things inside were nine pillars in the middle of the hall, surrounding a circular set of guard rails. Looking at the guard rail from afar, it would appear that there was nothing within the guard rails.

“Yes. Please come with me.”

Zero quickly made his way toward the nine pillars while both Tian Lie and Nicole followed suit.

Only after approaching the place did Tian Lie and Nicole get a good look of what was in the middle of the guard rails.

The circular set of guard rails were surrounding a circle with a radius of a few metres. There were no tiles in the centre of the guard rails. Instead, a chaotic maelstrom of whiteness rested there.

A tiny black dot was slowly spinning in the middle of the chaotic maelstrom, expanding and contracting with a set rhythm, like a beating heart.

Just by looking at it once, Nicole found that her gaze had been sucked into the black dot and she was no longer capable of pulling her gaze away from it.

The black dot abruptly expanded within Nicole’s perspective, swallowing up everything within her line of sight as it utterly encompassed her.

Even her sensation toward time was instantly distorted as a result. Nicole felt as though she had suddenly found herself tossed into space. Her body had disappeared. Only her eyes remained to rapidly look around.

A mysterious feeling swiftly made its way through her body. Countless galaxies flew by her, not making contact with her at all.

After what seemed like an eternity, Nicole’s body suddenly shuddered. A palm had come to rest heavily on her shoulder.

Due to the palm, Nicole’s gaze quickly rose. In the blink of an eye, she furiously tore her gaze away from the black dot and returned to the hall. Then, she exclaimed, “Ah!”

A chilly feeling ran across her forehead all the way to her back. Reaching out to rub her forehead, Nicole found cold sweat all over her hand.

Tian Lie, who was beside her, also had a wretched look on him. However, he was in a relatively better state compared to Nicole.

“Don’t look anymore. Given your current level of strength, you will not be able to handle it.” Tian Lie, who was looking at Nicole, shook his head.

“I… … what should I do?”

Nicole turned her gaze away. She dared not look through the guard rails anymore. Instead, she turned around and asked Zero.

Zero’s gaze remained fixed upon the black dot within the chaotic maelstrom and both his hands rested upon the guard rails. He said softly, “Jump in.”

“Jump in?” Nicole stared with widened eyes. “You mean, jump into the thing within the guard rails?”

“Yes. Trust me, you will be all right.” Zero shook his head gently. “Please hurry. We do not have much time. Shen… … is coming.”

“Hold it.”

Tian Lie, with a frown on his face, suddenly reached out with his hand to stop Nicole. “Since we are already here, there is no need to rush. It is better to ask ascertain some stuff. What will happen after she jumps inside?”

Zero looked at Tian Lie and said with a calm expression, “I have told you that on the way here. She will obtain the highest authority over Zero City.”

“I know that.” Tian Lie impatiently interrupted Zero. “I am asking you, what will happen to Nicole after she obtains that highest authority?”

After a pause, Tian Lie continued, “I remember every word you said clearly. When you first appeared before us, you said that Chen Xiaolian possessed authority over you. Thus, he could command you. One of his commands is to stop Shen from gaining authority over you.

“However, back in the third stage, when you were talking with that man… … mm, his name is Chris, right? You said, no matter who obtains the highest authority over you, Zero City will disappear forever.

“So, I will have to trouble you to explain it all to me. Will obtaining the authority over you mean getting the ability to give you commands or cause Zero City to disappear? Until you can provide me with a satisfactory answer, I will not let Nicole take another step.”

“Tian Lie…” Nicole knitted her brows, but Tian Lie angrily shut her up. “Enough! Just listen quietly, you stupid girl!”

Nicole’s brows rose. However, she suppressed her rage and did not unleash her temper.

“I am very sorry. Due to the lack of time, I had not given you two a sufficient amount of explanation, thereby leading to this confusion.” Zero slowly shook his head. “The authority that Chen Xiaolian possesses and the authority that Shen wants to obtain, are two different things.

“The authority that Chen Xiaolian possesses is as my ‘administrator’. With this authority, he could give me commands, commands which I must obey. Unless of course, someone with the same level of authority or higher issues another command which goes against his command.

“The administrator authority is obtained through a certain place within Zero City, known as Room Zero. This Longevity Palace, on the other hand, in my core zone. The thing that Shen is after, is my core. Another way of putting it would be… … he is after me.”

“You?” Tian Lie’s brows furrowed up. “Be more detailed.”

“If I have to give an example…” Zero considered it for half a second before slowly saying, “In order to use a computer, you will need an account. Zero City is the computer.

“As for me, I am the operating system installed on the computer.

“Throughout the years, Zero City has had many resident guilds. However, none of them possessed the administrator account. They are the equivalent of users of guest accounts. Thus, they were incapable of accessing many features. In fact, not a single member of the Board of Patriarchs had had any contact with me before. They do not even know of my existence.

“Chen Xiaolian is the first person bearing the inceptive template to enter Zero City. Thus, he obtained the second highest authority. As such, he possesses the administrator account and could give me commands that I cannot defy.

“At present, however, what Shen wants is not an account for the software. Instead, he wants to close down this whole system, dismantle my PC (personal computer) chassis and take away my CPU (core processing unit).”

“So, in order to prevent Shen from getting that CPU, you want to give it to Nicole beforehand?” Tian Lie’s frown grew deeper. “What will happen after she obtains that CPU?”

“I do not know.” Zero shook his head. “As a program, I cannot consider existences that are beyond me. I can only follow the command that Chen Xiaolian had given to me.”

“Could there be such a possibility…” Tian Lie’s tone grew solemn. “Nicole… … will become a program like you, no longer a living human and instead, only capable of following the commands given by a certain someone. For example… … Chen Xiaolian?” 

“I am sorry. This question has exceeded my scope of my abilities. I am incapable of answering it.” Zero shook his head once more.

“Then, what if she… … refuses?” Tian Lie stared intently at Zero.

“I am merely a program. I am incapable of forcing anyone to do anything. Thus, if she refuses to do it, I will be incapable of completing the command that Chen Xiaolian gave me.” Zero’s tone remained calm.

“Tian Lie, since when do I need you to make the decisions for me?” Nicole’s cold voice rang out from behind Tian Lie. “Make way.”

“What are you doing?” Tian Lie turned around to glare at Nicole and pointed at Zero. “Do you want to end up as a program like this fellow?”

“If it means letting Shen suffer from a loss, I am most willing to pay such an insignificant price.” Nicole sneered and continued, “If I recall correctly, before entering Zero City, you said that you will not stop me from doing what I want to do. Now, please step aside.”

Tian Lie glared at Nicole. Likewise, Nicole did not let up and stared right back at Tian Lie.

Their gazes slammed fiercely against one another in the air.

“Fine.”

After some time, Tian Lie released a light sigh. “Do whatever you want. Go in if you want to. Sorry for being a busybody.”

Tian Lie stepped aside, moving away from the obstructing guard rails.

“Thanks.” Nicole nodded her head coolly and she walked toward the guard rails.

When Nicole approached them, the guard rails automatically swung open.

Taking a deep breath, Nicole then jumped toward the chaotic maelstrom.

However, her leaping figure suddenly froze in mid-air.

Zero abruptly jerked his head backward, his gaze piercing through the gate of the palace to look at the other end of the jade white passageway.

There in the distance, a blond-haired man had pushed open a door and one of his feet had stepped onto the ground.

His right hand was leading Adam while his left hand was stretched forward, his palm aiming right at the palace.

“I truly did not expect that you could find other life forms. I was delayed for a bit myself. Thankfully though, I managed to make it in time.” 

Despite the distance, Shen’s voice managed to ring out clearly within the Longevity Palace’s hall. “Well then. Return me… … my Oddity!”

…