Decaying World

The water in the pool was silver, emitting a faint, bizarre fragrance.

Lin Hui’s nose twitched; he instantly recognized this as the scent he had just smelled.

Sitting on the ox cart, he watched as it drove straight toward the silver pool without slowing. He frowned and looked at Li Xinruan.

"The Deep Domain is underwater. Don't worry, this water is only a thin surface layer. Below it is a massive space where you can breathe normally," Li Xinruan hurriedly explained.

Lin Hui said no more, simply waiting and watching as the white ox stepped into the water.

With a splash, it submerged completely, followed by the carriage, the reins, and then himself and Li Xinruan.

Whoosh.

His vision blurred as he sank into the water. Looking up, he saw the silver surface rapidly receding above him.

Sure enough, there was no water below the surface, but rather a colossal, cave-like space.

It was a massive, deep gray underground void. Inside the cavern, colorful swimming fish—reds and blues, dozens of meters long—swam leisurely through the air.

At the bottom of the cavern, a continuous complex of white buildings was clearly visible, their outlines distinct as building blocks.

Between the buildings, people walked everywhere—men and women, densely packed, flowing in an endless stream.

At a glance, everyone seemed driven by some invisible force, their steps hurried and their expressions urgent.

"The Deep Domain is composed of two types of people," Li Xinruan introduced quickly from the side. "One type is the producers. They come here to make money—to earn Feather Blood—by providing services to others. The busy people you see make up that group. The other type is the pleasure-seekers. These people come for the Moon Tower quotas. According to the Moon Tower's rules, if one wishes to enter the Extreme Desire Heaven of the Moon Tower formally, they must rank within the top one hundred on the Bliss Platform here."

"Bliss Platform?"

"Yes, that is where the Moon Tower issues tasks. The tasks vary from period to period, but as long as you follow the task content and rank in the top one hundred, you will be granted permission to enter the Moon Tower and enjoy the true ultimate bliss of the Extreme Desire Heaven. Moreover, this kind of bliss grants the effect of extending one's lifespan by twenty years! This is a special treatment unique to our Tuyue!" Li Xinruan said with a hint of pride.

Lin Hui sat on the ox cart, watching as the carriage continued to descend. The vehicles ahead of them also began to diverge, driving into various branch lanes.

The ox cart, driverless, skillfully selected an intersection on the right and turned in.

As soon as they entered this street, a heady scent of wine wafted over them.

"Since it is Little Brother's first time here, let me introduce you." Li Xinruan’s eyes shifted as she smiled. "The Deep Domain's 'Extreme Bliss' is mainly divided into four districts: Fine Wine, Mesmeric Music, Beautiful People, and Fine Food. Our Li family's business is mainly concentrated in the wine district."

"Fine Wine...?" Lin Hui sized up the sides of the street. Shops stood wide open, filled with drunkards swaying and collapsing in disarray.

These drunkards included both men and women, all with flushed faces and disheveled clothes. Some fell asleep right where they dropped, while others began pawing at the walls. There were also those chattering incessantly in unknown dialects, seemingly boasting about something.

Lin Hui even saw several children, no older than ten, drunk on the ground, crawling around like bugs.

"Don't worry, Little Brother. The wine in the Fine Wine District is all top-grade stuff that won't harm the body. Not only does it not harm the body, but it also strengthens the constitution and cultivates the source, allowing one's Essence, Qi, and Spirit to be continuously nourished and strengthened amidst enjoyment," Li Xinruan said softly.

"Roughly how big is this Deep Domain?" Lin Hui asked in a low voice.

"Below every Moon Tower, there is a Deep Domain. This specific Deep Domain holds about seventy or eighty thousand people. That’s just the permanent population, not counting those flowing in and out," Li Xinruan answered quickly.

"..." Lin Hui fell silent, simply looking at the drunkards reeking of alcohol on the roadside, speechless.

Before coming here, he had mentally prepared himself for various dangers.

But to arrive at a place like this...

"Are they not worried about theft or accidents?" he couldn't help but ask.

"No need. The Undying Race of the Moon Tower stands guard here. They are immortal and indestructible, sleepless and tireless, keeping a close eye on the Deep Domain's security at every moment," Li Xinruan shook her head. "Besides, do you see those fish in the sky?"

Lin Hui followed her pointing finger and saw a massive koi, patterned in red and white, swimming over a five-story building in the distance, swishing its tail.

The koi was about the same size as the building below it.

"I see them."

"Those are the Second-Tier Adjudicators. They verify the rankings for the Bliss Platform and incidentally maintain order in the Deep Domain," Li Xinruan laughed. "If anyone dares to cause trouble, they will immediately dive down and swallow them whole."

The ox cart slowly came to a halt, stopping in front of a three-story pavilion.

Someone was already waiting at the entrance. Seeing Li Xinruan, several young men and women quickly stepped forward to bow.

"Eldest Miss, the Master Brewer has been waiting for your goods for a long time. Please send them in quickly. The new Clear Pool Brew is just missing the final three medicinal ingredients," a female manager in the lead said with cupped fists.

The manager wore only a simple moon-white tube top, white trousers, and small white boots. Her black hair reached her waist, her features were picturesque, and her temperament was elegant and pleasant.

"Where is Little An? Why is it you, Little He, coming to pick me up this time? This is my friend; arrange things well for him, and absolutely do not neglect him." Li Xinruan got off the cart and introduced Lin Hui to the group.

"Little An got pregnant again yesterday. She'll come to see you this afternoon after she gives birth," the female manager, Little He, answered respectfully.

"Pregnant again? Can't she exercise a little restraint? Did she go to the Beautiful People District again?" Li Xinruan frowned.

"You know how it is. Staying in a place like this, who can control themselves... Didn't I give birth to thirty in one month back in the day, before I barely managed to get it under control?" Little He said helplessly.

"Just enjoying it is fine; there's no need to keep giving birth. It harms the body too much. Remind her later," Li Xinruan said solemnly.

She turned back and smiled at the bewildered Lin Hui, explaining, "Little Brother probably doesn't know yet. In this place, girls get pregnant very quickly. After intimacy in the morning, their bellies swell by afternoon, and they can give birth the next day. And the children born grow into adults in just one month. Inside this restaurant, ninety percent of the staff are Little He’s own flesh and blood."

Lin Hui was speechless.

He felt his mind reeling.

"But Little Brother doesn’t need to worry about overpopulation. Giving birth too often harms the girls themselves, so it’s usually just the newcomers who can’t control themselves. They keep running to the Beautiful People District to seek pleasure and have children. Think about it—most people who can come here are good-looking. Children born from the union of such people naturally have fine features. Over time, the people in the Beautiful People District have completely surpassed those in the outside world. Coupled with the subtle influence of the Deep Domain, no one who enters can truly resist it,” Li Xinruan laughed.

"I have a question... Since birth and growth are so fast here, why are there still so many people outside? The numbers don't seem to have changed much. Shouldn't the population be exploding at this speed?" Lin Hui couldn't help but ask.

"Because the children who grow up here will die if they go outside," Li Xinruan smiled.

Lin Hui was speechless once again.

This place truly upended his understanding of the world.

He recalled the words of the Benevolent Heart Sect's Long Ji, telling him to come and see. Now he had seen it, but what then?

Why?

Why does the Moon Tower maintain the existence of such a strange zone?

This thought flashed through Lin Hui's mind.

"Would Little Brother like a cup?"

By this time, Li Xinruan had already led Lin Hui inside the pavilion. Servants had filled a large table with wine and dishes. Alluring aromas drilled into Lin Hui's nose constantly; the scent of the wine was simply countless times better than the so-called fine wines outside.

The gap between them was like the difference between coarse straw paper and fine rice paper for calligraphy.

With a seductive expression, Li Xinruan handed over a small cup of wine. The liquid was amber, emitting the fragrance of honey, flowers, and some unknown fruit—incredibly enticing.

"Since you've come to the Fine Wine District, if you don't drink a cup, you'll regret it when you go out..."

Lin Hui looked at that small cup of wine. He noticed that the Li family servants around them were all gathering closer, staring at the cup in front of him with greedy and craving eyes.

"Thanks, but no need." He pushed the cup away, refusing.

"Did Little Brother not come here to extend his life or enter the Moon Tower? To enter the Moon Tower, one must obtain a Bliss Ranking. This ranking depends on how much happiness you can experience. The stronger the joy you experience, the higher your ranking will naturally be..." Li Xinruan smiled.

"I don't like drinking..." Lin Hui pushed away the wine offered to him again, though with difficulty.

He remembered the reminder from the old man, Ah Zhe: Free things are the most expensive. Li Xinruan's offering him free wine definitely meant she had ulterior motives.

“Is that so? Then does Little Brother prefer Mesmeric Music? Or Beautiful People?” Li Xinruan’s gaze turned playful. “Once you step into the Mesmeric Music District, it’s very hard to come back out. The music is like an illusion—it seeps into every pore and drags you deeper into addiction. As for the Beautiful People District, no one is allowed to wear clothes there. Could it be that Little Brother wants to go there and bare everything for Big Sister to see?”

Li Xinruan’s eyes grew misty. For some reason, the moment she saw Lin Hui, she sensed an indescribably alluring aura around him. That aura was scorching and intense, like the finest wine, making her want to draw it in with every breath.

She had a feeling that if she could get close to him, her level of Extreme Bliss might climb to a new peak.

"Come, Little Brother, come into Sister's arms... We can play something even more fun together..." Unconsciously, she downed the wine in one gulp and reached out again to grab Lin Hui's arm.

Whoosh.

But in the next instant, a breeze blew past, and the person in front of her had vanished.

Outside the pavilion.

Lin Hui's figure flickered as he traveled rapidly through the streets.

If Li Xinruan hadn't intentionally lied to him, she had basically explained part of the Deep Domain's rules.

This place existed to let everyone who entered experience ultimate happiness. Those who were the happiest would be granted permission to enter the Moon Tower.

He didn't know what the Moon Tower wanted these people for, but according to Li Xinruan, those who entered could extend their lifespan by twenty years. This undoubtedly drove everyone even crazier.

"If you cannot provide Extreme Bliss within two hours, you shall be expelled from the Deep Domain."

As he sped along, a clear female voice suddenly sounded in his ear.

Lin Hui paused his steps and looked in the direction of the sound, only for his breath to hitch suddenly.

Directly above his head.

A massive red koi, at least a hundred meters long, was floating there.

The red koi stared at him with both eyes, its fish mouth moving slightly.

"Also, do not worry about the Void Field; there is no Void Field inside the Deep Domain."

"…" Lin Hui glanced up. The shadow cast by the giant red koi shrouded the space for dozens of meters around him.

The crushing pressure felt almost solid, quietly slowing the circulation of Internal Force in his body by nearly twenty percent.

Whoosh.

The red koi flicked its tail and glided away at speed.

In its wake, only Lin Hui remained, standing alone on Fine Wine Street, surrounded by sprawled drunkards and looking utterly out of place.

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