” Welcome to The World of Commanding Celestials, I’m your Beginner Guide, customer service number 233. Please enjoy this celestial world with me!”

“…”

Mu Xuan glanced at his empty side, and his heart chilled slightly. He had never expected his cub to enter a game world. He had placed a tracker on her optical computer to be able to receive any invitation requests sent to her regardless of the location in which they originated. With it, they would be transported to the same place. But this time the invitation happened to be to a web game he had never entered before.

In order to protect new players, Mu Xuan was transported to the beginner world, which meant that he was separated from Yao Si. The worst part was that he didn’t even know her ID and so wasn’t able to contact her.

Mu Xuan started to grow annoyed. It felt as though the world itself was deliberately trying to separate him from his cub!

“Player 985425531, Mu Xuan, the celestial world is a treacherous place filled with dangers. By accomplishing small tasks to help the villagers, you will be able to earn experience and level up. Once you have reached Level 10, you will be able to go into the outside world,” the guide explained enthusiastically.

Sensing Mu Xuan’s lack of reaction, he then continued, “Let me tell you a secret, Madam Li at the entrance of the village seems to require some help. Could you… Eh,where are you going?”

Before the guide could finish giving advice, Mu Xuan turned to head toward the exit. After looking through the newbie village’s data, he was sure that Yao Si wasn’t around. He needed to locate her as soon as possible!

“Wait a minute, that’s the way out! You can’t leave until you hit Level 10!”

The NPC was startled by Mu Xuan rushing to the exit before it could grab hold of him. The NPC then chased after him and heaved a sigh of relief when one of the guards by the exit stopped him.

Thank goodness! For an NPC guide, the main task was to ensure that players followed the sequence of actions indicated inside the beginner’s handbook. This was the first time he had encountered a player without any experience who insisted on leaving the village. Ah, players are getting so difficult…

“Dear cultivator, this is the village exit. Those who don’t meet the requirements should retreat,” Guard A said.

“Village chef has ordered not to allow players without the high enough level to leave the village and face the perils of the world,” Guard B added.

“Player 985425531 Mu Xuan, monsters of Level 20 and above are everywhere out there,” the NPC guide warned him. “To ensure your safety, you should first train inside the beginner village. It won’t be long, so you shouldn’t be anxious.”

“Move aside!”Mu Xuan’s face darkened.

“Eh, why doesn’t he listen?” Guard A fumed at his obstinacy. “I have already warned you of the dangers outside. Without any experience, you’ll die the moment you go out!”

“Yea, you’re too young. But do not misunderstand.” Guard B swept a cold look at him before scoffing. “With your level of experience, any monster out there will be able to finish you off. Rules are rules. If you want to leave the beginner village, you have to be at least Level 10.”

“I really hate arrogant youngsters like you.” Guard A was so infuriated that he hit his chest. “As long as I Guard A am alive, no one below Level 10 will be able to leave this place!”

The moment he said that, Mu Xuan raised his hands. With a gleam of light, Guard A who had just been thumping his chest froze, his form distorting. The next second, he turned into a bunch of data that disappeared with a string of beeps.

“…” NPC guide

“…” Guard B.

Guard A… died!

(⊙_⊙)

What just happened? Where are we? Aren’t the NPCs in beginner village unbeatable? How could one of us die? the NPC guide wondered.

“Can I leave now?” Mu Xuan turned to sweep a glance at them.

A cold ran through their spines, and they turned to hug each other instinctively, shivering… What a… scary player!

(╥﹏╥)

“Mmh,mmh, mmh.” They nodded aggressively, having no wish to become random data.

Mu Xuan turned around and headed into the distance.

Only when he became a tiny black dot in the horizon did the NPC guide finally stop trembling to check his data. All the NPCs in the beginner village were unbeatable and had the full data of all players. For a player to kill off an NPC so easily, was he perhaps a software?

After inspecting Mu Xuan’s data, NPC guide confirmed that he wasn’t anything like that. When he entered the stats containing the player’s real world information, a stream of red words flashed before him.

[Physical experience overload!]

[Magical experience overload!]

[Agility overload!]

What’s with all these overloaded stats?!

Σ(°△°|||)︴

His real life stats were even higher than those of the unbeatable infinity level NPCs…  Why are you even playing the game?! 

Player 985425531 Mu Xuan…

The NPC guide was suddenly reminded of a certain randomdata38. Were players with numbers in their ID all so insane?

–

“The crowd is starting to increase.” Bai Yi bit down on his lip as he glanced around at the large crowd surrounding them.

Yao Si started to panic. She still couldn’t locate Mu Xuan! But they needed him right now!

“The infinite level state after revival only lasts for half an hour, and there’s only five minutes left.” Bai Yi glanced down at the timer. Were they going to die again? “Lao Li, do you still have the random teleportation scrolls? Pass me two of them, we have to leave right now.”

“How could I still have those?” Li Zheng sighed, his expression panicky. “After we died, most of my equipment dropped on the spot, even the scrolls.”

“Your Highness, do you have any with you?” Bai Yi looked toward Yao Si in despair

“You must not be thinking straight. She’s just a Level 10 newbie that doesn’t even have the qualifications to enter the main city, so how could she have transportation scrolls?” Li Zheng said before she could reply.

“What should we do?” Bai Yi glanced at the increasing crowd. Some people were already taking up aggressive stances. “Everyone look into your bags. Even a healing salve would be useful now or we will really end up hitting Level 0.”

Yao Si rummaged through her bag. It was filled with shiny golden equipment given by an NPC in the newbie village as part of her beginner introductory package. They probably wouldn’t find it useful? She continued to dig through her bag, finally spotting something special in one corner.

“I don’t have a teleportation scroll, but I do have this, is it useful?” She passed a golden scroll over. The scroll had a couple golden words on it: Scroll of Poetic Saga (Only one)

(⊙ o ⊙)

“…” Bai Yi. F*ck.

“…” Li Zheng.  F*ck+1.

“Poe-e-e-tic s-s-s-sa-g-ga!” Bai Yi started to tremble. “Oh god, have I went blind? There was indeed such a scroll in the game! I always assumed it was just a rumor. Your Highness, how did you get it?”

“An NPC gave it to me?” Yao Si could recall getting it for the bunnies. Was it something special? “Is it useful?”

Bai Yi and Li Zheng exchanged a look, their expressions speaking a thousand words.  Useful? Of course it’s useful!

“Your Highness, don’t you know what this is?”

“I don’t!” Yao Si had never understood the use of that paper. If she could have gotten rid of it, she wouldn’t have kept it with her.

“It’s the scroll of Poetic Saga! It allows the user to alter the game! It means that a huge change can be made to the game through the use of this scroll,” Bai Yi explained. On top of that, it was the only one available in the entire game.

The World of Commanding Celestials had always maintained its original celestial pursuit stage at the maximum Level 80. A few years ago, the game officials had released a series of information about a huge war indicating the final stage of the game.

After that, the maximum level would be raised to 100 with a new map being released. However, not a single player had managed to bring that about, igniting rumors that questioned the existence of the scroll, with some people even believing that the scroll had not yet been released. But right then, Bai Yi saw that legendary scroll!

Once the news was released, he was sure that every player of every district would go into a frenzy.

“Can this scroll help us escape?” After that much blabbering, Yao Si still didn’t know if the scroll would be of any help in their current predicament.

“It should be able to.” Bai Yi nodded. “After activating the scroll, Your Highness will be able to obtain the mission for the poetic saga and will send us to the mission’s location. Upon completion, we will unlock an entirely new map. But single mission tasks are usually difficult.”

“What are we waiting for?” Who cares about the mission? We have to leave now! “How do you activate this scroll?”

“Tear it. But let’s first form a group so that we can be transported together.” Bai Yi sent them each an invitation.

Yao Si nodded in agreement. Their names appeared in green at the top of their heads. Bai Yi had named himself Silence, and Li Zheng Woodstop

Without hesitation, Yao Si tore the scroll in half. At the same moment, the protective barrier at the revival point reached its last second. Almost instantly, an array of abilities came flying down on them.

A golden glow engulfed the group before they disappeared from their spot.

[Ding! Official world announcement: Congratulations player #38, Silence, and Woodstop who managed to successfully activate the Scroll of Poetic Saga. Some new information shall be released because of that.

[The great war between the celestials and demons shall begin. All righteous cultivators, please pick up your weapons and protect your family. The narration is in progress, please wait…]

The moment the announcement was made, the entire server erupted into a frenzy.

[World（BloodFromTheRedPlanet）: F*ck !What did I just see?]

[World（ShiningBloodling）: F*ck +1]

[World（NoLongerSingle）: F*ck +2]

[World（LittleCottonFromGodMu’sHome） :F*ck +Galactic identification number]

[World（WorldAffairsAreFallacy）: Can someone pinch me? Am I seeing things? Its that the real poetic saga! Wasn’t it just a prank by the management?]

[World（MyGodMuIsTheMostHandsome）: Poetic saga… Is it the same poetic sage I know of? Ahhh! After three years… someone finally found it.]

[World（ToKillAllLowlifes）: Those three lowlifes were actually the ones who found it… That’s another reason to kill them! ]

[World（FiveLittleBalls）: Kill +1]

[World（ShiningBloodling）: Kill +2]

[World（NoLongerSingle）: Kill +3]

…

[World（GodMu’sNumberOneFan）: Am I the only one who finds the ID randomdata38 familiar? ]

The world chat kept renewing with new inputs until a new announcement made another appearance.

[Ding! World News: While the Daughter of the Heavenly King, the prettiest celestial in the seven seas Celestial Han Yue had been traveling through the immortal lands, she was captured in the bone perishing lands by the demon Ancient Demonic Dragon. It was fortunately witnessed by #38, Silence, and Woodstop.

[Brave cultivators, please make your way to punish that despicable demonic dragon and save the the prettiest celestial in the seven seas Celestial Han Yue. The Heavenly king shall open the heavenly gates so that cultivators with sufficient experience will be able to surpass their abilities and reach up to level 100.]

The trio were transported to a foreign land. The moment they reached it, a task appeared in their task list: Save the Prettiest Celestial of the Seven Seas: Celestial Han Yue

The corners of Yao Si’s eyes twitched. This progression… isn’t it too scripted? 

–

At that moment, a few thousand miles away in beginner village, Mu Xuan who was just about to enter the outside world heard a warning signal.

[Ding! Data inspection complete, position forcefully adjusted!]

A white glow washed over him, and he disappeared!