118: Get an Extra Life

Boom!

With the roar resounding once again inside his mind, time resumed its flow.

“Ugh...” Since being before the divine throne temporarily healed his wounds, returning to reality meant the heavy injuries returned in full force. Ming Tian groaned lowly, immediately dropping to his knees and gasping for air.

It hurt so much.

His face was swollen like a pig’s head. Ming Tian wanted to touch it, but the moment his fingers grazed his cheek, a tearing pain shot through him, causing him to gasp sharply and pull back his hand.

That damned god—couldn’t he have healed me properly? Hmph. And the debuff’s back again?

Glancing sideways, Ming Tian noticed Cui Jue and Yin Chan were also there, bewilderedly taking in their surroundings.

“Have you given up too?” Ming Tian asked.

Yin Chan and Cui Jue exchanged a glance and smiled faintly.

“If I leave, what will happen to that pig-headed swollen face of yours?”

“As long as one of us with the Chaos Ripper remains in this world, I can’t leave.”

Yin Chan and Cui Jue each stated their reasons for staying.

Cui Jue’s was understandable enough, but Yin Chan’s reason felt a little too contrived—her explanation lacked conviction.

The true reason she was staying was obvious to anyone—it was for An Luo.

Ming Tian didn’t expose her, instead focusing on the key question: “If I’m not mistaken... your golden finger is the same as mine, right?”

Golden finger?

Yin Chan and Cui Jue exchanged another glance, clearly acknowledging that Ming Tian had hit the mark.

The moment they returned to this world, a message had appeared in their minds:

“You have obtained a Certificate of Achievement. Collect ten to merge into a Grand Certificate of Achievement.”

Along with the message came an infusion of related knowledge.

Only those who had completed their achievement but chose to give up could know this information, and they were forbidden from revealing it to any who hadn’t completed their achievement, under penalty of losing their lifetime eligibility.

The so-called achievement was the grand, selfless mission decreed by the gods upon their arrival—a noble cause whose fame was irrelevant.

Giving up on an achievement granted one Certificate of Achievement.

Each certificate could only be used once in a lifetime—it was essentially a single-use item.

It had four purposes:

First, it could restore life to the dead. One certificate equated to one life. If the holder died from unnatural causes before using it, it would automatically activate to revive them.

Second, if the holder died from natural causes—aging, illness, organ failure—they could return to their original era and restart their life.

Third, a certificate could be split into two Great Healing Spells, usable on oneself or others, instantly curing any injury. Once split, it could no longer be recombined into a certificate.

Fourth, collecting ten certificates allowed merging into a Grand Certificate of Achievement, which consumed all ten.

In other words, a Certificate of Achievement was basically a second chance at life!

As for the Grand Certificate and Grand Achievement...

Ming Tian didn’t believe he could ever accomplish that.

If an achievement influenced an era, then a Grand Achievement decided an era.

The Grand Achievement didn’t necessarily require ten achievements combined; it could be completed at once—but its difficulty was at least ten times greater.

It demanded a monumental contribution or sacrifice for the fate of an entire race.

To put it plainly, becoming a Confucius-level figure meant influencing Chinese thought, which was an achievement but not a Grand Achievement.

A Grand Achievement required something like singlehandedly saving the entire Chinese race from extinction.

No historical figure, no matter how renowned, could claim a Grand Achievement.

Only the most supreme sages could achieve it.

Completing a Grand Achievement with individual power was nearly impossible.

The Grand Certificate’s use was equally peculiar, making Ming Tian even less inclined to pursue it.

Like the Certificate of Achievement, it was single-use.

And its sole purpose was to dismiss and liberate all travelers from other worlds.

In short, a Great Dismissal.

What a joke. Why should I risk my life completing some pointless Grand Achievement for other travelers? It held zero appeal.

Ming Tian shook his head and cast the idea aside.

Such thankless tasks could be done by anyone, but he would absolutely not be the one.

Speaking of which, if that was the case, why didn’t killing Xiao Baojuan count as an achievement? Wasn’t he the Lord of Eastern Hun?

He shook his head again, unwilling to ponder the exact standards for achievements.

Still, the Certificate of Achievement was quite handy—an extra life! It felt like eating a rare life-boosting mushroom.

There were four people on his team: Yin Chan, himself, and if he could get two more certificates, that meant two lives each. Solid as a rock!

That said, after the ordeal in Yangzhou, Ming Tian really didn’t want to go through that again.

All he wanted now was to hurry to Sumen Town to see his parents, then visit the Di tribe to see Xin Zhu’s parents, marry, have children, and live out a peaceful life in this world.

Watching Yin Chan and Cui Jue excitedly clutching their Certificates of Achievement, Ming Tian felt a quiet sense of relief.

Finally, everything was over.

Yet...

As the saying went, life was unpredictable. Just as Ming Tian’s heart began to settle, a familiar figure quietly appeared beside him.

Looking up, he saw Xiao Xin Zhu clad in armor.

Since it was already night, she had removed her helmet, but her eyes were red and blurred with tears.

“Commander...” she whispered, gently embracing Ming Tian and breaking down in sobs.

The sudden hug flustered Ming Tian.

These were not tears of joy, but of sorrow.

She seemed to be carrying some unbearable burden as she wept against him.

“What’s wrong, Xin Zhu? Why are you crying?” Ming Tian softly patted her armored back, bewildered as he tried to comfort her.

Her cries were heart-wrenching. Between sobs, she said, “General An... he... he just passed away...”

What?!

That single sentence struck Ming Tian and Yin Chan like a thunderclap.

An Luo... he’s dead?!

“An Luo...” Whispering the name, before Ming Tian could react, Yin Chan dashed toward the pavilion.

Breath growing ragged...

An Luo, that foolish boy, actually...

No! No!!

Rising, Ming Tian helped Xiao Xin Zhu to her feet. Despite his exhaustion and wounds, he limped toward the pavilion.

His injuries no longer mattered.

He had to save An Luo!

He could not let him die!

...