togophonebook Chapter 57: Do you have to pay internet fees for Journey to the West?
Chapter 57: Do you have to pay internet fees for Journey to the West?
"That!!"
After entering the incense hall, Wu Peng immediately spotted a good spot and quickly pulled Cao Xing over there.
Cao Xing glanced around and saw that the place was a crossroads, and Wu Peng had chosen a spot diagonally opposite.
As the saying goes, "golden corners, silver edges, and grassy belly."
This is a really good location.
Wu Peng then took out another talisman from his pocket, chanted an incantation, pointed it at an empty space, and the talisman turned into a wisp of green smoke, which then transformed into an exquisite stall standing in front of the two of them.
"Hey, not bad, right? This is a material transformation talisman, 10 taels of silver each, the elder specially recommended it to me."
Wu Peng grinned smugly.
But Cao Xing felt that something was wrong. He looked around but didn't see anyone else setting up a stall. Instead, people just threw down a stool and sat there sunbathing.
Some people even looked this way and grinned, their smiles clearly mocking them.
No! There's a problem.
Cao Xing immediately took a step back, silently distancing himself from Wu Peng, and like the others, casually sat down on the ground and began to meditate.
Wu Peng found it strange, but didn't ask any more questions. He buried his head in placing the Corrosive Spirit Ointment that Cao Xing had given him on the stall, looking very pleased with himself.
Before long, more and more people began to join the incense gathering.
There are humans, and there are demons.
Cao Xing looked around, a glimmer of light appearing in his eyes. Under the blessing of the "Jia Mu Qing Ling Fu", many figures that appeared to be unharmed immediately revealed themselves to be demonic forms with beast heads and long tails.
Most of these monsters have only recently taken human form and have not yet completely shed their beastly appearance, so they need to use an illusion to cover it up.
Of course, there are also some monsters that don't bother with illusions and come out in their true form.
In fact, for most demons, it is neither worthwhile nor comfortable to consume their own spiritual essence and completely relinquish their true form. As long as they are strong enough, they are not afraid of human cultivators daring to cause them trouble.
"Old Wu, put those things away."
At this moment, Cao Xing noticed that many people looked at Wu Peng with strange eyes. Realizing that there must be something wrong, Cao Xing signaled Wu Peng to put away the Corrupting Spirit Ointment first.
Even without Cao Xing's reminder, Wu Peng himself realized that something was wrong, so he immediately packed up his things and even threw the stall he had set up aside.
"Old Cao, I feel like I've been tricked."
Wu Peng squatted down next to Cao Xing and whispered.
Cao Xing rolled his eyes at him. "Isn't that obvious? You actually believe what those elders in the Upper Temple say? You'll be screwed over."
Cao Xing also found it strange that as dusk approached, the incense gathering was unusually quiet, with not a single light in the dilapidated buildings, lacking any atmosphere of an incense gathering.
Just as the two were feeling something was off.
A shooting star suddenly streaked across the night sky, its starlight dazzling and trailing a long tail, illuminating the mountains and forests in the next second.
"here we go!!"
At this moment, those who were sitting on the ground stood up.
"Get up!"
Cao Xing and Wu Peng looked up and saw the colorful halo above them growing bigger and bigger, as if it were falling towards them.
Cao Xing opened his eyes wide, but he couldn't see what was inside.
"boom!!"
In the blink of an eye, Cao Xing's vision was instantly covered by dazzling golden light, and a massive golden torrent enveloped the entire Qiongshan Mountain.
Golden light enveloped everyone's bodies, and everyone was momentarily stunned, as if they heard heavenly music.
"The Three Realms, the Four Continents, a realm of non-action, beyond suffering. The long night ends this morning, form and emptiness dance together, without distinction..."
The heavenly music began, and the golden light gradually subsided.
When Cao Xing and the others opened their eyes again, the world before them had changed completely.
Countless golden lines covered the earth, and even strands of golden lines appeared on everyone's body. The originally dilapidated buildings were repaired by these golden lines and became magnificent. Strands of lights, like stars, illuminated the world as if it were daytime.
These gold threads...
Cao Xing stretched out his palm and felt that the golden threads looked very familiar. After thinking about it carefully, he realized that when he was on the Dark Web, he had looked up at the sky and the sky was covered with countless golden threads.
Could these gold threads be the same as what I saw on the dark web?
Just as Cao Xing was puzzled, a sudden realization dawned on him, as if a piece of information had been transmitted directly into his mind through the golden thread.
This area is covered by the Heavenly Net. Within the coverage area, you can freely post information, and each post will cost one tael of silver.
Within the Tianluo coverage area, all street facilities will be repaired by Tianluo. Although they are free to use, please be mindful of your words and actions and do not resort to violence lightly. You will have to pay compensation whether you win or lose!
Ownership of street-front shops requires payment of a usage fee. Before the end of this incense festival, ownership belongs to individuals and is transferable and tradable, but taxes and fees are subject to payment.
All transactions within the Tianluo area will be taxed at 1% of the price. Please be aware of your personal assets. If you become insolvent, you will be responsible for the consequences if you are unable to pay the tax within a short period of time after the first warning.
Heaven's Net!
After processing the information before him, Cao Xing couldn't help but think to himself, "Isn't this just browsing the internet? Or is it 3D panoramic view??"
Surprised, Cao Xing couldn't help but think of the golden threads he'd seen on the dark web: "This should be considered a regional network, right? If there's a celestial net, then does it also have a terrestrial net?"
Cao Xing couldn't help but think of Chapter 5 of the original Journey to the West, "The Great Sage Steals Peaches and Elixir, the Gods of Heaven Capture the Monster."
In this chapter, the Jade Emperor orders the destruction of Flower Fruit Mountain because Sun Wukong caused havoc at the Peach Banquet.
The original text reads: The Jade Emperor was greatly angered. He immediately dispatched the Four Heavenly Kings, along with Li Jing and Prince Nezha, and selected the Twenty-Eight Constellations, the Nine Luminaries, the Twelve Earthly Branches, the Five Directions Protectors, the Four Duty Officers, the Thirty-Six Heavenly Stars, the Seventy-Two Earthly Fiends, all as assistants, along with the Nine Evil Stars, the Four Wood Bird Stars, and various Buddhas, totaling 100,000 heavenly soldiers, to set up eighteen layers of heavenly nets and descend to the mortal realm to surround Flower Fruit Mountain, determined to capture that scoundrel and punish him.
Cao Xing will not discuss what the ground net is for now, but judging from the current situation, the number of eighteen heavenly and earthly nets means that the heavenly and earthly nets can be deployed at any time as needed.
Just like now, a protective net covers the Qiongshan area, repairing houses, illuminating streets, and sharing information.
"Isn't this what they called modern information warfare in my previous life?"
Cao Xing slapped his thigh and gasped, "Hiss... Advanced!"
Just as Cao Xing was sighing, a message suddenly popped up in front of him.
Please pay 10 taels for the installation of the Heavenly Net and deposit 100 taels for Heavenly Net wear and tear.
[Attention! Within the Heavenly Net's range, the more frequent and intense your actions, and the stronger your spells, the greater the consumption of the Heavenly Net. This consumption will be deducted from the Heavenly Net's cost. If the balance is insufficient, you will be unable to cast any spells within the Heavenly Net's coverage area, and your mobility will be significantly limited!!]
Cao Xing stared at the notification in front of him, completely dumbfounded. His eyes were glued to the information, and he thought, "Damn it, I've been reborn, and I still have to pay for internet?!"