233. Leozi's Secrets
[Starfall Master]
Li Aozi's pupils constricted.
In that moment,all the earlier confusion,puzzlement,and contradictions suddenly clicked into place.
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"It is now Galactic Era 220,while the 1.0 public beta for the "Star Abyss" game is in Galactic Era 226. Even if we consider the first public beta—no,counting the very earliest closed beta—it would still be 222."
"In other words,I'm a full two years ahead of that version. I have more than enough time to prepare!"
"Humans on Azure Star have their technology,souls,and understanding all bound to the ground by gravity. Only I hail from the deepest depths of the Star Abyss!"
"This is an incredible opportunity. In Galactic Era 220,the extraordinary system on Azure Star is just taking its first steps. I can fully leverage my experience to make the [Starfall Master] truly shine!"
......
"Every time I see those little babies,I realize there should be a bottom line for us humans. Life has its own noble dignity. My life shouldn't be lived merely for profit; I should have my own boundaries and beliefs as well..."
"And I have only one line in the sand—don't touch infants!"
......
"Five thousand years ago,the [Secret Society] Gaia breached Haines,killed Leozi,and devoured Morphedria—who was still in its infant stage. I remember it,every citizen of the machine realm remembers that shocking sight."
"Gaia… actually ate Morphedria? The Domination-type main god turned out to be an infant?"
......
"All of this belongs to you. Your fate was determined long ago,just like a main character in some popular novel,manipulated by an unseen hand—a down-and-out,dissolute 'author'—who is toying with your destiny. Your path is being sketched out by someone else."
"Yet in the vision I saw through the spiritual realm,your life trajectory is a single,Eerie straight line. Someone has paved everything for you."
"You—Li Aozi,Leozi,Li Zi—they are all one and the same."
......
「You passed through Chaos and descended here—10752. You are the 10,752nd god born today. Now,pick up your sword and go die in service of His Highness Morphedria.」
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"…I see."
Li Aozi raised his hand and clenched his fist. A trace of deep blue flickered in his eyes,but his firm will swiftly drove it away:
"So,it was all predestined after all."
Why was he so obsessed with reviving the [Starfall Master] the moment he crossed over?
Why did he feel so stirred and protective toward infants?
Why is it that,despite having a transmigrated body,'Leozi' and 'Li Aozi' sound almost identical?
The answer is clear enough now.
Li Zi,Leozi,Li Aozi.
These three existences are essentially one and the same.
Leozi's chosen followers are the [Starfall Master],while Li Zi was the undeniable #1 [Starfall Master] player in his past life. The two have been entwined for ages in myriad ways,but their mutual connection was obscured by the lens of the "Qiqiao Network," isolating them from related understanding.
Because Li Aozi on Azure Star had the right name and conditions,he caught Leozi's attention. Upon his death,he was permanently marked as a vessel to accommodate Li Zi's soul. He inherited Li Zi's name,memories,and life,allowing it all to continue.
And previously,he managed to pass the exam and enroll at White Candle Interstellar University… That was definitely no coincidence. Looking back now,there were gaping holes in his logic.
"…Li Aozi is Leozi,Leozi is Li Aozi."
Li Aozi murmured,eyes tinged with a deep blue:
"Everything now is guided by Leozi yet driven by Li Aozi's own will."
He remained calm about it.
In truth,he had been using that angle to bluff people for a while. Same Domination lineage,same name,same direction on the path.
If not for the fact that there is no concept of reincarnation in the Layered Abyss,many would have already guessed his identity.
[So… how did Leozi end up becoming who I am now? What's really going on behind the "Star Abyss" game? How did I accomplish reincarnation and transmigration,and how can I restore my original power? If I really am Leozi,could old foes still hold a grudge? And just how many enemies did Leozi have…?]
There were too many questions.
After pondering for a moment,Li Aozi decided not to waste any more time on mysteries with no immediate answers.
[I'll hold off on confirming my identity for now. When necessary,I might just sever ties with 'Leozi' to salvage some reputation or dodge a crisis.]
Before,flying the banner of "Leozi reincarnated" served both to scare others and to increase his fame. But if need be,Li Aozi wouldn't hesitate to abandon that Leozi identity.
As a master of "slippery survival," Li Aozi had never been burdened by any real moral limit when it came to identity.
Profit and efficiency—those are the only causes he's faithful to.
On that foundation,doing what is right,not violating public order and accepted values—even if there are small missteps,people will accept and forgive.
Having sorted all this out,Li Aozi no longer cared about his connection with Leozi.
He's no believer in bloodline theories or fate. Moreover,if his past memories are accurate… Leozi might not have been so noble in the first place.
Let's not even mention other things...
Think about it:How does a god with no divine name,no divine authority,and no divinity become the Creator's proxy? And not only that,how did he get the name "Leozi," wield the supreme Omega Energy,and command every Warrior of the Pantheon under him?
Li Aozi narrowed his eyes.
It's quite possible Leozi's methods weren't all that clean...
"Being an elite isn't an inherent status,but a state you achieve. Rather than believing Leozi was simply born as an elite or a 'chosen one,' I'm more inclined to think Leozi used certain shady methods to gain power."
No matter how you look at it,both Li Deweidens and Sophia Marlin mentioned that 'Leozi was not universally welcomed' and that many gods either hated or outright opposed him.
If he really wants to claim Leozi's inheritance,he'll likely face old enemies—after all,inheriting an estate comes with its debts.
Unfortunately,Li Aozi has no idea what physical inheritance Leozi left behind. In his previous life,references to Leozi were just minor bits of background flavor in the game—basically worthless,with no associated quests.
After thinking it over,Li Aozi realized he could still play the "Leozi" card a bit longer.
Based on his extensive streaming experience,when virtual streamers reincarnate and see a dip in popularity,they often reveal small bits of info linking them to their previous account. That sparks curiosity in fans,prompting them to dig up info. And once they confirm "XX streamer is the same person as the old XXX streamer," there's a decent chance the old fanbase will revive and coalesce once more.
As for the tangible assets Leozi left behind,Li Aozi hasn't gotten anything—but the name "Leozi" itself still has value… enough to toy around with.
If he ever runs into Leozi's old enemies,he can always disown that identity. Layered Abyss doesn't even have a reincarnation system in the first place—who could prove he's Leozi?
Li Aozi then asked two more questions,but the answers were vague. Even Sophia Marlin,who had personally experienced the Li Aozi era,didn't know much about these matters.
For instance,when he asked,"What exactly did Leozi do?" Sophia Marlin only offered some stories and rumors.
"Leozi… Apparently,Leozi assembled the Pantheon and bestowed divine status upon tens of thousands of gods,forming a historically unprecedented divine army. Even the Pantheon itself is an incredibly powerful artifact—rumor has it that the Pantheon can connect to history,enabling the gods to step into any timeline to fight against the [Society] or to eradicate rebellious evil gods."
"In Haines,during the one and only time Leozi descended,he wiped out our local draconic civilization. Over the next hundreds of thousands of years,the [Starfall Master] launched a massive 'Dragon Extermination Movement.' Most [Starfall Master] combatants wore dragon-based materials in their weapons or accessories as a tradition. They spread the notion among the populace that 'dragons are the most wicked creatures.' Because of their actions,the once mighty dragon race was exterminated by Leozi."
"Beyond that,there was a mighty Titan who attempted to challenge Leozi's dictatorial rule. But Leozi crushed the Titan mercilessly. The entire Titan race was wiped out by the [Starfall Master]. This greatly tarnished Leozi's reputation in Haines,for many scholars believe that no matter how the Titan race challenged authority,they didn't deserve complete genocide."
"Then there's the Teknik people in Haines,a matriarchal species embodying reason. They possess strong technological and R&D capabilities and can interpret all things through a 'science' form of magic,forcibly incorporating the mysterious into their system. They once attempted to build a marvel to learn the secrets of the gods,but Leozi launched a ruthless purge against them. The Tekniks used their matriarchal framework to break into the astral realm,narrowly escaping total annihilation by Leozi."
"Even for us survivors in Haines,there's no record of Leozi descending again. The one guiding our mortal lives was the [Goddess of Truth] Sharguenia. There's a rumor—just a rumor—that She survived the Haines battlefield. If you want to learn more,you might try tracking Her down."
This all sounds like the conduct of a tyrant…
Li Aozi couldn't help but curl his lip.
The draconic race is mysterious in the Star Abyss and is generally considered both noble and terrifying,wielding significant influence. But on Leozi's side,they were simply wiped out...
Titans are universally acknowledged in the Star Abyss as formidable Warriors—battle-lovers who roam widely to challenge the strong. Simply because they wouldn't submit to his rule,Leozi annihilated them...
As for the Teknik race—by the sound of it,they resemble a scholarly civilization,not unlike the Life Commune—and Leozi drove them into exile...
The gods outside the Abyss certainly have a brutal style. Such behavior would absolutely cause an uproar and controversy within the Star Abyss.
"Does the Star Abyss even know about these rumors?" Li Aozi couldn't help asking.
"I'm not sure—maybe,maybe not." Sophia Marlin thought for a moment,then shook her head. "In truth,not many exiles remain from Morphedria's universe. Fearing a hunt by the [Society],most surviving gods have gone into hiding. But if you plan to parade around under the banner of 'Leozi reincarnated'… never mind that the Layered Abyss has no concept of reincarnation. You'll have to think carefully about Leozi's notoriety. Make your own judgment…"