Heavenly-Dragon furrowed his brows slightly and asked softly, “What are you talking about?”

“Ah…” Earth-Monkey was taken aback. “Sorry… we… don’t know what the situation is right now…”

“Mind your own business.” Heavenly-Dragon said meaningfully. “The situation is special right now. All the ‘Zodiacs’ are temporarily under observation. As long as you perform well, you’ll still have a chance to survive.”

Earth-Monkey and Earth-Rooster quickly lowered their heads upon hearing this. It was as if something hidden deep in their hearts had been seen through, and they didn’t dare to respond anymore.

Heavenly-Dragon paid them no more attention. Led by Qinglong, he walked toward the door leading to the “Sun.”

Stepping through the door, the fishy stench belonging to “Taoyuan” poured into their nostrils. The two of them walked onto the ground beneath their feet as if they hadn’t sensed anything.

They walked forward step by step. Qinglong shook his head helplessly. “Heavenly-Dragon, you should know… any ‘Zodiac’ who appears near the ‘train head’ at this time doesn’t have a clean identity.”

“So what…” Heavenly-Dragon walked ahead, speaking lightly. “From their perspective, even the ‘Heavenly-level’ died, yet Baiyang didn’t win. Those ‘Earth-level’ who participated in the rebellion are all terrified right now, but they happen to be extremely loyal. If we can find a way to bring them under our command, we can quickly establish a new order.”

“I see…”

Heavenly-Dragon changed the subject and asked, “So exactly how seriously are you injured…?”

“I…” Qinglong pressed his lips together, feeling that this matter was really quite difficult to speak about.

Being forced into a desperate situation by three “Participants” and a tree… how could he bring that up?

“You, who are used to using ‘Leap’ constantly, are now willing to walk with me. It seems all your ‘Beliefs’ have become unstable.” Heavenly-Dragon chuckled lightly. “Could Baiyang really push you to this extent?”

“Baiyang…” Qinglong’s gaze gradually darkened. “He’s a complete and utter liar. We nearly lost our lives there…”

“But the scales tipped in our favor once again.” Heavenly-Dragon said. “Although this time seemed so dangerous, we still pulled through.”

“It doesn’t matter. The sun will rise as usual today.” Heavenly-Dragon smiled lightly. “Because we are the will of heaven. No one can shake you or me.”

The two slowly approached the strange stone platform. Heavenly-Dragon extended one finger and lightly touched the “energy storage” eyeball in the center of the platform.

The eyeball on the stone platform began to shake violently as if it had come into contact with extremely precious nutrients. In that moment, Heavenly-Dragon’s “Belief” surged into it.

The massive “Belief” was like filling a balloon with a lake. In just a few seconds, the eyeball was filled until it was bright red. With a tremor beneath their feet, the “Separation” facing the entire “Taoyuan” began to burst forth from the “Sun.”

Countless distant screams, cries of alarm, and pleas for help rang out in “Taoyuan,” just like every normal cycle.

Apart from the entire “Taoyuan” becoming slightly more foul-smelling than before, nothing had changed.

Heavenly-Dragon’s complexion began to turn slightly pale at this moment, but he seemed to have long been accustomed to this state.

He reached out to cover his chest, his breathing becoming somewhat difficult. Although he would become weak every time, this was the first time his breathing had become so difficult.

It seemed that things had been wrong ever since he woke up this time. Waking up in this kind of place day after day, perhaps his body had already been affected as well.

How many more times could he “Separate” these people?

“Every time I wake up, I have the chance to talk to you, to prove that I haven’t gone mad.” Heavenly-Dragon smiled bitterly. “Qinglong, do you look forward to my awakening?”

Qinglong lowered his head without speaking.

“Tell me… how many people in all of ‘Taoyuan’ look forward to my awakening?” Heavenly-Dragon asked again.

“Don’t overthink it. You and I are both the masters of all ‘Taoyuan.'” Qinglong said. “You will definitely wake up. This has nothing to do with whether anyone ‘wants’ it or not.”

Heavenly-Dragon nodded. Listening to the distant screams, he changed the subject and asked, “Do you remember when I once told you why a cycle is twelve days?”

Qinglong looked into the distance indifferently, seemingly unwilling to answer this question. “I don’t remember.”

“‘Twelve’ is the infinitely great number between heaven and earth.” Heavenly-Dragon looked at the sky and said. “Heaven, earth, and man are all controlled by ‘twelve.’ One cycle is twelve years, one year is twelve months, one day is twelve periods. Among these… what is missing?”

“What are you trying to say…” Qinglong sighed. “Are you saying that there lacks a rule in this world that can bear ‘twelve days’?”

“Isn’t that so?” Heavenly-Dragon said. “We’ve completed the deficiency in the universe of heaven and earth, solely bearing ‘twelve days.’ Since this place can remedy the deficiency between heaven and earth, it lives up to the name ‘Taoyuan.’ No matter what, it’s as if we’ve done a good deed.”

Qinglong paused slightly after hearing this, then nodded and said, “Although the reasoning is such… but…”

“There are twelve Heavenly Stems and twelve Earthly Branches, twelve Zodiacs and twelve lunar phases.” Heavenly-Dragon turned around with slight excitement. “Qinglong, do you remember me telling you? The crown worn by the Son of Heaven has a total of twelve tassels, and each tassel is threaded with twelve jade pieces. ‘Twelve’ is the will of heaven. What we do is to conform to the will of heaven.”

“The will of heaven…”

“The cycle between heaven and earth is twelve days, there are twelve ‘Heavenly-level’ managers, and each room has a total of twelve ‘Participants’ and ‘Zodiacs.'” Heavenly-Dragon took a deep breath. “Ten days end, yet there are two illusory days. Isn’t all of this conforming to the will of heaven?”

“Although I understand, I’m just afraid…” Qinglong said through gritted teeth. “Some people’s appearance will disrupt all this ‘will of heaven.’ Perhaps the ‘twelve’ we established has already encountered changes…”

“Even if there really are any changes…” Heavenly-Dragon’s expression also darkened as he said this. “Then we’ll personally make up for them. If the will of heaven is thus, we’ll let it be thus. If the will of heaven is not thus, we’ll make it thus.”

Qinglong looked at Heavenly-Dragon without expression. After releasing that astonishing “Separation,” his reason seemed to have gradually begun to disappear.

Heavenly-Dragon steadied his breathing and spoke, “Qinglong, I’ve completed half of my tasks after awakening. Before I fall asleep again, while I can still communicate normally, is there anything you want to say to me?”

Qinglong was silent for a long while. “No.”

“Good.”

Heavenly-Dragon nodded, turned around indifferently and headed back to the “train.” Qinglong followed closely behind.

The two came to the “train head” room through a chaotic corridor and sat down beside the round table.

“Qinglong.” Heavenly-Dragon called out again. “A new batch of ‘Participants’ should be appearing in the ‘interview rooms’ one after another. Is there anything you want to say to me?”

Qinglong didn’t know what this sentence appearing repeatedly meant. Since there was no way to fathom the other party’s intention, it was naturally better not to answer. So he could only shake his head and say:

“No.”

“Then I’ll speak.” Heavenly-Dragon reached out and rotated the table, turning Heavenly-Pig’s head to face him directly. “How many more times are you planning to try?”

“What…”

Heavenly-Dragon didn’t look at Qinglong, only at Heavenly-Pig’s head on the table with eyes that refused to close in death.

“Qinglong, without your secret help, how could so many people board the ‘train’? How many more times are you planning to try?”