Ye Jiuyuan · Conversa

Three years. Three whole years. Ever since the [Domain of All Realms] descended upon Blue Star, nations across the globe have been bound to a seemingly endless game of life and death. Random selection, tied to national destiny, broadcast live worldwide. If the Chosen Ones survive, the nation thrives in peace. If the Chosen Ones fall, the horrors enter reality, and the homeland collapses. The Dragon Kingdom was among the hardest hit. After seven consecutive failed instances, countless cities suffered the descent of supernatural entities. Gloomy mists shrouded urban centers, urban legends came to life, and the entire nation had been suffocating under the weight of despair for six straight months. Everyone was waiting— Waiting for a turnaround, waiting for redemption. 6:00 PM. Dragon Kingdom, Magic City. As twilight settled, a cold, mechanical celestial voice suddenly thundered across the sky, reverberating through every inch of the earth, inescapable and unstoppable. [The Domain of All Realms instance is about to commence.] [Randomly selecting Chosen Ones from all nations.] [Instance Mode: Multiplayer Instance.] [Instance Type: Chinese Folklore Domain.] [Instance Name: The Rain-Soaked Wake in the Ancient Manor.] The moment the voice faded, billions of live-stream feeds worldwide refreshed simultaneously. Audiences from countless countries held their breath, staring at their screens as a new round of national destiny gambling began once more. In the next second, the Dragon Kingdom's selection results popped up. [Dragon Kingdom Chosen Ones successfully selected!] [First Chosen One: Ye Jiuyuan] [Second Chosen One: Wang Jian] [Third Chosen One: Su Qing] [Fourth Chosen One: Liu Yiyang] [Fifth Chosen One: ...] Across different corners of the city, five figures were simultaneously enveloped by an invisible spatial force. Ye Jiuyuan stood before the floor-to-ceiling window of his apartment. Outside, the normal city dusk bustled with flowing traffic and awakening neon lights. He stood tall and sharp in a charcoal-black standing-collar tactical combat uniform, overlaid with a lightweight waterproof short trench coat. Fingerless gloves hugged his knuckles, and his gaze was calm and detached, betraying not the slightest panic. Three years into the domain's descent, he had seen cities fall, witnessed cataclysms, and watched countless Chosen Ones perish. He knew better than anyone— Being chosen was not good fortune; it was a crushing weight. The cold system prompt sounded by his ear: [Chosen One Ye Jiuyuan, bound to the National Destiny of the Dragon Kingdom.] [Commencing teleportation to domain instance: The Rain-Soaked Wake in the Ancient Manor.] [Loading... 10%... 60%... 100%] The light and shadows before his eyes abruptly twisted. Space tore apart, and the world lost its color. The bustling city vanished in an instant, replaced by boundless, icy rain and a pitch-black mountain forest. Fierce winds whipped freezing rain across the landscape, carrying a bone-chilling cold. A sinister, ancient mountain manor stood silently in the depths of the downpour. Broken black tiles, rotting timber, and two faded white lanterns hanging on either side of the main gate, swaying gently without any wind. The courtyard gate was left half-ajar. Through the pitch-black crack, an aura of dead, suffocating gloom seeped outward. The rain fell soundlessly; the mountain forest harbored no birdsong. The entire world was terrifyingly dead silent. [Entered Domain Instance: The Rain-Soaked Wake in the Ancient Manor.] [Instance Difficulty: Moderate] [Instance Quest: Keep vigil over the coffin in the ancient manor for one night. Surviving until the rooster crows at dawn constitutes clearing the trial.] [Instance Hint: Ancient manors hold ancient rites. Those who breach etiquette shall summon evil.] Ye Jiuyuan landed steadily on his feet, the hem of his trench coat fluttering slightly in the chilly breeze. He did not rush forward. Instead, his eyes narrowed slightly as he immediately conducted a swift survey of his surroundings: the puddles on the ground, the angle at which the lanterns swung, the sound of the wind through the trees. Tactical discipline was etched into his very bones— Secure control of the field first, then act. In the next instant, the space beside him rippled faintly. Several figures slowly materialized.