My Fate Has Been Broken

Lu Ze joyfully relayed Chao Wendao's orders to the others.

At the same time, he added another announcement:

"The first hundred teams to clear the challenge will receive a 'Immortal Realm Domination' accessory, which can be used to change the weapons of immortals in [Arena Mode]."

At this point, the cultivators had yet to develop the concept of "skins."

But when Lu Ze released the preview images, fans of 'Immortal Realm Domination' immediately rushed to participate in 'Four Must Stand Together.'

In no time at all,

the Artifact Refining Pavilion became even more crowded.

……

……

An hour later.

Inside the illusionary world of Zhong Yi and his companions.

"Jump together!"

"Left, left!"

"Wait, right?"

"Left, left, left!"

"Right, right, right!"

"Ah, damn it—pull me up, pull me up!!"

"Stop dragging me—ahhh!"

……

The four of them shouted and yelled, their emotions running high.

After several rounds of trial and error, their strategy had shifted from Zhong Yi being the sole commander to whoever shouted loudest getting their way.

Fortunately, after dying too many times, muscle memory had kicked in, and their altitude was steadily increasing.

After bouncing off several trampolines, they reached an unprecedented height—

breaking 800 feet for the first time!

"What's that?"

Mu Yawen stared curiously at a fleshy orb floating above them.

The orb had fleshy wings sprouting from its top

and a massive black iron hook dangling beneath it.

"Maybe it's supposed to carry us up?"

Zhong Yi guessed.

"Let me try!"

Mu Yawen rolled up his sleeves and grabbed the hook.

Just as Zhong Yi had predicted, the orb began flapping its wings, lifting them higher.

"Brother Zhong, you're so clever! Haha!"

Mu Yawen praised.

"Stay humble, stay humble."

Zhong Yi smugly rubbed his nose.

The four were linked by chains, so as long as one person held the hook, the others were pulled up along with them.

Gazing at the shrinking ground below, Zhong Yi felt a surge of emotions.

In the past, scenes like this would have filled him with dread, fearing another fall.

But now, with nothing but open sky above, all they had to do was let the orb carry them up—easy and carefree.

"Brother Mu, hold on tight—don’t let go… What the hell are you doing?!"

A sudden jolt sent a shiver down Zhong Yi’s spine as he looked up in horror.

"Oh… oh! Just, uh, my body-refining instincts kicking in. We disciples of the Tempered Gold Peak train our upper body strength like this. Watch!"

Mu Yawen let go with one hand, then the other, alternating grips at lightning speed—perfectly stable.

"You—you—"

"Stop! Stop!"

"Brother Mu, hold on tight!!!"

The other three froze, frantically waving their hands.

"Relax, everyone! The drills at our peak are way harder than this… Huh?!"

Mu Yawen gaped upward.

The orb suddenly accelerated without warning.

His hand missed the hook.

"You idiot—"

"No—"

"AHHHHH!!!"

"Brother Mu, why must you court death?!"

"Back to the starting point we go—AGAIN!!!"

……

……

An hour and a half later.

The four stood before the flying orb once more.

This time, Zhong Yi wrapped his arms around Mu Yawen while urging Zhou Yue to grab the iron hook.

Only then did they ascend to the next level.

"What’s this?"

Zhong Yi circled a strange new vehicle, examining it curiously.

"Haha, Brother Zhong, don’t tell me you don’t recognize it? Think of the front part as a mortal-world donkey—this is just a magic-powered donkey cart!"

Zhou Yue chuckled, patting Zhong Yi’s back before hopping into the driver’s seat.

"Leave this to me. I’ve driven plenty of donkey carts!"

Hearing this, the others didn’t argue, happily taking their seats in the back.

Zhou Yue’s driving skills were indeed impressive.

If Zhong Yi had taken the wheel, they’d have reset at least ten times by now.

Faced with a massive cross-shaped windmill, Zhou Yue charged forward without hesitation.

"Brother Zhou, you’re a master at this!"

Zhou Yi gave a thumbs-up.

"Small potatoes. Easier to handle than the donkey carts of my childhood!"

Zhou Yue smiled faintly.

Memories of his youth seemed to resurface.

"Looking back, it feels like misfortune has always followed me…"

He sighed.

Zhou Yue had endured a hard life.

Disaster was his constant companion; misfortune defined his existence.

But the moment of melancholy passed quickly.

Thanks to Lin Qingxuan’s teachings, he had long since shattered that cursed fate with his cultivation.

Now, he was a new man.

"Brother Zhou, watch out—boulders ahead!"

Zhong Yi warned.

Zhou Yue glanced forward.

The wide path was intermittently pelted by massive rocks falling from the sky.

In the original game, these boulders didn’t rain down so unpredictably.

But since ordinary difficulty was too easy for cultivators, Lu Ze had tweaked the game’s mechanics.

The randomized boulder drops were one such adjustment.

"Ha! This reminds me of my childhood, gathering herbs in the mountains—always running into sudden landslides, flash floods, or mudslides…"

Zhou Yue laughed heartily.

The scene before him dredged up bittersweet memories.

Though the past was bitter, his spirit had long since transcended it.

"But!"

Zhou Yue’s eyes blazed as he urged the cart forward.

"Times have changed!"

"This cursed fate—"

"I, Zhou Yue, have broken it!!"

He roared triumphantly.

Then, out of nowhere, three boulders crashed down, sending the cart flying.

"HOLY—WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!"

"Since when do the boulders drop like that?!"

"Back to the start… back to the start… NOOO!!"

……

……

Three hours later.

Staring at the winding path littered with fallen boulders behind them, the four collectively exhaled in relief.

"Strange… truly strange…"

Zhou Yue frowned, deep in thought.

For some reason, every time he took the wheel during the boulder segment, the rocks would strike from impossible angles…

If this stretch was scripted to wreck the cart,

why didn’t the same happen when Zhong Yi drove?

But then again, Zhong Yi’s driving was abysmal.

The boulders spared him, but he’d steer the cart off the edge himself…

What should’ve been a simple level had them stuck for a full hour.

In the end, it was Zhou Qiaoling who drove them to victory.

And for some reason, during that final run, the boulders never struck from those absurd angles again.

A familiar sense of dread crept into Zhou Yue’s heart, leaving him frustrated.

"My fate’s already broken… This shouldn’t be happening…"

"Ah well. Probably just a coincidence."

He sighed.

As he turned to rejoin the group, his foot slipped on a loose tile, sending him tumbling off the cliff.

"GODDAMN IT—WHO PUT A FAKE BRICK HERE?! PULL ME UP!! HURRY!!"