There is One New Rule Every Month Globally

"So, Chen Yi, you are the first person to have slain a deity."

"While the original deities were still in slumber, Jiang Chenglu's enemies were not the deities themselves, but their avatars. Now that a true deity has died today, all the other slumbering deities will sense it."

"The remaining deities will soon begin to awaken."

"The great battle is about to come, and this moment has arrived much earlier than we anticipated."

"The main purpose of this trip was to inform you of these matters. With the protection of the ascent game, other deities can't attack for now, but... I estimate it won't last long. If possible, try to clear the maps from 'Ultimate One' to 'Ultimate Nine' as soon as you can."

"These nine maps are the ultimate maps of the ascent game, and they are also the finale maps."

"They are the nine most difficult maps in the ascent game."

"And clearing each map will yield a set of 'Godslaying Suit,' the properties of each map's 'Godslaying Suit' are different, a lot of divine power from the deities was consumed to create these nine sets."

"They can give someone the power comparable to a deity instantaneously."

"Originally, it was planned that each predestined player would receive a set, but... Tuberculosis Rabbit designated you as the sole predestined player, so only you can clear these maps and obtain the 'Godslaying Suit,' and only you are qualified to wear them."

"Nine sets... Not sure how you're going to wear them. Stacking them definitely won't work—maybe change a set per day."

"Anyway, no one else can wear them besides you."

Chen Yi looked thoughtful as he glanced towards the Boots of the Sea God in his backpack and projected their panel info into the air: "Is this what you mean?"

"You've already obtained it?"

"Yes, one that the Gold Miner hooked back."

"Tsk, the status of being a predestined player really does bring good fortune. Any other player could hook for a lifetime and still probably wouldn't be able to get this thing."

Santa Claus sighed softly and said, "This map is also accessible to newbie players. Over at the Snow Sea Project Team, there are quite a few S-rank free permissions. Spend a permission to leave Blue Star and clear those nine maps."

"It's not difficult."

"Those nine maps were one of the few solid foundations at that time. For ordinary players, the difficulty isn't that high, but if ordinary players succeed, they'll have to stay there and play the role of the boss. That's the rule; there has to be someone acting as the boss."

"But for predestined players, as soon as they enter, they can take the suit away. This distinction is mainly there because we were worried the avatars of the deities would infiltrate the ascent game."

"In fact—"

Santa Claus hesitated for a moment before continuing, "When we set up the ascent game, we didn't establish so many complicated rules, but when we were almost done setting it up, we discovered that quite a few deities' avatars had reincarnated into our realm in secret, waiting for the ascent game to begin."

"Left with no choice, we had to establish all sorts of rules."

"In design, within the Myriad Clans of the ascent game, there are quite a few avatars of deities now; it's just that if they don't expose themselves proactively, they also won't be detected."

...

Santa Claus and Chen Yi's group chatted for a long time.

Until it got dark and then light again.

...

Time moved on, to 8 a.m. on the morning of February 10th.

Countless crackling firecracker sounds erupted outside; today was the first day of the New Year, the celebration had begun!

Numerous Blue Star players walked onto the streets with beaming smiles, endlessly greeting each other with clasped hands, clearly satisfied with having lived to see the Spring Festival.

"It's the New Year, huh."

Standing on the edge of the rooftop, Chen Yi gazed down at the bustling crowd below and murmured softly.

"Yeah."

Standing behind Chen Yi, Tuberculosis Rabbit nodded in agreement and said, "Indeed, shall we go set off some fireworks as well?"

"No need."

Chen Yi seemed to think of something and suddenly turned his head to look at Tuberculosis Rabbit with a frown, asking, "How many lifetimes have we been partners?"

"Uh... A lot. I've forgotten many things. I just remember I've had many names, like Tuberculosis Rabbit, Scar Dog, Old Goat, Old Chicken, Ergou, Niu Mang, and so on."

"All animals?"

"Yeah, not sure why. Maybe I don't deserve a surname. Yi, you've had many names too, such as Chen Yi, Chen Jiang, Chen Ping, Chen Dao, Chen Gu, Chen Li, and so on. A lot, all with the surname Chen."

"I see. What about Sword Without End?"

"Him? He's been nothing but a bum in all the lifetimes we've known him, always a bum; he's not important."

"..."

Sword Without End maintained an expressionless face as if he heard nothing and remained silent.

"And Jiaye?"

"Jiaye and Tie Chui were an accident. Yi, you never had a woman before, nor a woman you liked, only in this life you met your sister-in-law by chance and ended up together. It's a variable, but maybe it also means we might have a perfect ending this life."

"Is that so?"

Chen Yi looked down at Jiaye leaning against him, her arms wrapped around his, his eyes gradually becoming peaceful; he said nothing.

After a long while.

Tuberculosis Rabbit spoke hesitantly again, "How about we go down and set off some firecrackers?"

"No."

Chen Yi responded, rejecting the idea calmly, "These firecrackers are too small. We're going to set off some big firecrackers. I've already talked to the Snow Sea Project Team; we're going to have some fun with the people from Ninefold Planet."

"What for?"

"Force them to ascend to Tenfold Planet, support Jiang Chenglu, and stabilize the battle situation."