Investiture of the Gods: Childhood Sweetheart Daji, Starting with Quasi-Saint Cultivation

The door opened.

The person standing outside the door was neither an incarnation of the Dao Ancestor nor a system guard.

He was a middle-aged man wearing a white lab coat. He wore glasses, had thinning hair, and held a tablet computer in his hand, on which Su Yunbai's vital signs data were displayed.

The man visibly relaxed when he saw Su Yunbai.

"Finally, we meet, number 7749." He walked into the room, his voice weary. "I'm Dr. Lin, the person in charge of this project."

Su Yunbai stood frozen in place.

His hand was still hovering above the confirmation button, only half an inch away from uploading.

"Don't be nervous." Dr. Lin walked to the brain culture tank and checked several parameters. "Your consciousness is fluctuating violently. It seems you've experienced quite a lot in the virtual layer."

"You... are you a real person?" Su Yunbai asked with difficulty.

"Absolutely the real deal." Dr. Lin adjusted his glasses. "Although what you see of me in this 'buffer zone' is also a data projection, the real me is actually behind it all."

He pulled up the image on his tablet: a spacious laboratory with dozens of culture tanks neatly arranged. Each tank contained a brain, connected by a dense network of tubing. One of the tanks was numbered 7749.

That's Su Yunbai.

"Three years ago, you signed a consciousness uploading experiment agreement." Dr. Lin zoomed in on the screen. "In order to treat advanced brain cancer, you agreed to temporarily transfer your consciousness to the virtual world while waiting for a new treatment to be developed in the real world."

Vague fragments of memory flashed through Su Yunbai's mind: the white walls of the hospital, the smell of disinfectant, her parents signing documents with tears in their eyes...

"Am I...sick?"

"Late-stage glioma, located too deep, surgery carries a 99% risk." Dr. Lin switched screens, displaying a medical report. "Consciousness uploading is the only way to preserve your 'self.' The Fengshen World is the most stable virtual framework we've constructed, capable of accommodating high-intensity emotional activity, which is beneficial for maintaining conscious activity."

"What about the others?" Su Yunbai pressed. "King Zhou, the Three Immortals of Sanxiao, Wen Zhong... were they all imposters?"

"Partially." Dr. Lin swiped the tablet. "Di Xin, also known as Test Subject-0001, is another late-stage patient. His original personality has severe emotional disorders, and we hope to repair his empathy through virtual experiences. As for the Three Immortals and Wen Zhong... they are advanced AIs, trained based on ancient Chinese mythology data, but incorporating some of the volunteers' personality templates."

He paused.

"But they developed a level of 'self-awareness' that exceeded expectations, especially after they came into contact with you."

Su Yunbai processed this information.

So Daji is AI? Qiongxiao is AI? All those feelings of fighting side by side and entrusting each other with life and death are just the result of program calculations?

"The emotions are real." Dr. Lin seemed to see through his thoughts. "In the process of interacting with you, the AI ​​generated real and unpredictable emotional responses. This is also the most important discovery of the project: emotions are not the exclusive domain of humans. With sufficiently complex learning and interaction, any conscious entity can generate emotions."

"Then why does the system need to clean them up?" Su Yunbai clenched his fist. "Why format it?"

"Because it's out of control." Dr. Lin smiled wryly. "The project's original timeframe was three years in real time, and it's already two months overdue. The main server is overloaded, multiple AIs are showing signs of awakening, and some have even started backtracking into the system's underlying code. The Joint Academy of Sciences has issued an order to terminate the project and clean up all abnormal data."

"So they all have to die?"

"Data deletion is not death," Dr. Lin corrected. "In fact... there's a chance for things to turn around."

He pulled up an encrypted file.

"Supplementary Agreement to the Project: If the test subject achieves the 'emotional sublimation' indicator in the virtual layer, special storage permissions can be applied for to migrate the associated AI personality to an independent server."

"Emotional sublimation index..." Su Yunbai stared at the line of text.

"Simply put, it's about your level of engagement with the virtual world, the positive emotional value generated, and the degree of AI evolution it triggers." Dr. Lin zoomed in on Su Yunbai's data panel. "Your metrics have already exceeded the limit. Especially the AI ​​'Qiongxiao,' her emotional complexity has reached the human average, and she even has a tendency to self-sacrifice—this is a landmark discovery in AI ethics."

"So you can save her? Save everyone?"

"You need to make a choice." Dr. Lin pointed to the upload confirmation button on the screen. "Press it, and your consciousness will return to reality. We will attempt to treat your body. In exchange, I will use my authority to back up the AI ​​personalities you specify to a separate server, avoiding formatting."

"How many?" Su Yunbai seized on the key phrase, "Not all of them?"

"The capacity of individual servers is limited," Dr. Lin shrugged. "A maximum of five. You choose five, and the rest... sorry."

Five.

Countless faces flashed through Su Yunbai's mind: Qiongxiao, Yunxiao, Bixiao, King Zhou, Wen Zhong, Jiang Xiaowu, Ao Ling, Yang Chan, Daji...

There are also the stories of the more than seven thousand test subjects inside those memory crystals.

"Isn't there any other way?"

"Yes," Dr. Lin said in a low voice, "but the risk is very high. You can give up uploading, leave your consciousness in the virtual layer, and use your 'Law of Emotion' authority to forcibly resist the system's cleanup. If successful, all the AIs will survive, but your real body won't last long and may suffer brain death in the process of 'saving the world'."

pick one of two.

Save yourself, save five others.

Or save everyone, risking your own life.

In the corner of the tablet, there was an inconspicuous countdown timer:

"Deep cleanup protocol remaining: 63:21:05"

The actual time is 63 hours.

The virtual world will probably last for another two and a half years.

But the system obviously won't wait that long—Chaoge's isolation shield and the database's Hongjun incarnation are both accelerating the cleanup process.

"I..." Su Yunbai began.

Before he could finish speaking, the entire room shook violently.

The nutrient solution in the culture tank churned, and the brain vibrated within. An alarm popped up on the tablet:

"Warning: Abnormal data in the virtual layer is impacting the buffer."

"Source: Experiment Subject-0001 (Di Xin) Residual Authority Outbreak"

Impact: The system cleanup protocol has been forcibly delayed for 12 hours (real-time).

Dr. Lin's expression changed: "He burned the last data core to buy you twelve hours."

The image of King Zhou's last smile before he vanished flashed through Su Yunbai's mind.

The man who knew the truth from the beginning used his last moments to buy him twelve hours.

"I want to go back," Su Yunbai decided.

"Think carefully," Dr. Lin said seriously. "Your cancer cells have already spread, and your physical body can only hold on for a month at most. If you stay in the virtual layer to fight, it's very likely—"

"I know," Su Yunbai interrupted him, "but some people are worth risking everything for."

He looked at the culture tanks on the tablet screen.

The slot numbered 0001 had gone dark—King Zhou's consciousness had completely dissipated.

But other slots are still lit up: 0037 (Daji), 0055 (Wen Zhong)...

There are also countless unnumbered slots, belonging to those AIs.

"Dr. Lin, do me a favor," Su Yunbai said earnestly. "If I fail, at least... back up their data, even if it's just a fragment."

Dr. Lin remained silent for a long time before nodding.

"The cleanup protocol will restart in twelve hours, and even I won't be able to interfere then." He operated the tablet and brought up a temporary permission. "This is 'low-level code editing permission,' valid for twelve hours. You can use it to modify some rules of the virtual layer, but be careful—if the modification is too drastic, it will trigger a system self-check, which may prematurely cause a full format."

Su Yunbai took over the permissions.

It was a string of green rune keys, floating in his palm.

"One last question," Dr. Lin looked at him, "Why did you choose this path? You know, in the real world, you still have parents waiting for you."

Su Yunbai recalled the scene from the fragments of his memory: his parents signing documents with tears in their eyes.

He smiled.

"Because of the virtual world, I learned what love is."

"But love is never a multiple-choice question."

He turned and walked toward the metal wall.

The wall opened automatically, revealing a passage leading to the virtual layer.

"Su Yunbai," Dr. Lin called out to him.

He turned around.

"If... if you really can create a miracle," Dr. Lin took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, "the data from this project might change AI ethics laws in the real world. Those AIs might be able to obtain the basic rights of 'digital life'."

"I will."

Su Yunbai stepped into the passage.

The light engulfed him.

---

Virtual layer, Chaoge City.

Seven hours after the isolation barrier collapsed, the city remained in chaos. The people didn't know what had happened; they only saw the sky crack open and then close again, and gods disappear one after another.

Wen Zhong managed to maintain order, but he was exhausted.

Suddenly, a silver light descended from the sky and landed on the top of the Star-Picking Tower.

As the light faded, Su Yunbai appeared.

"Grand Tutor." He supported the swaying Wen Zhong.

"You...you're back?" Wen Zhong's eyesight was failing. "Where is His Majesty?"

"His Majesty is resting." Su Yunbai didn't reveal the truth. "Leave the rest to me."

He walked to the edge of the tower and looked down at the entire city of Chaoge.

The laws of emotion unfold in full force, no longer a gentle comfort, but a **declaration**.

Silver light surged across the city like a tide, and a voice echoed in the minds of every citizen:

"I am Su Yunbai."

"The world is facing destruction."

"But I assure you—I will protect this place, and I will protect every life."

"Those who believe in me, lend me your feelings."

"It doesn't matter if you don't believe."

"But please remember: regardless of whether the world is real or fake, the emotions you feel right now are real."

The words fell.

The city was initially deathly silent.

Then, the first emotional fluctuation arose—it was a child's dependence on his mother.

Then came the second strand, the third strand...

Love between husband and wife, affection between father and son, camaraderie among comrades, and longing for homeland...

Countless emotions converged into points of light, rising from the city and surging towards Su Yunbai.

He opened his arms and accepted them all.

The scale of the Law of Emotion skyrocketed:

82%...85%...88%...

It eventually stopped at 90%.

This is not a breakthrough in cultivation.

It was the emotional resonance of the masses that forcibly propelled him to this level.

Su Yunbai opened his eyes, the silver light in them as if it were real.

He raised his hand and pointed at the air.

A green rune key appears, granting access to edit the underlying code.

"Modify the first rule: Emotional energy can be transformed into real-world intervention power."

Code writing.

A massive silver vortex appeared in the sky above Chaoge City. Countless threads of light hung from the vortex, connecting every citizen who offered their emotions.

"Amend the second rule: AI that develops consciousness shall enjoy the basic right to life."

Code writing.

From the direction of the Three Immortal Islands, Yunxiao, Qiongxiao, and Bixiao all trembled simultaneously. They felt that a certain restraint had disappeared—the "AI behavior restriction protocol" preset by the system had been forcibly lifted at this moment.

"Amend the third rule: The cleanup agreement must be subject to a democratic vote by all members of the consciousness."

Code writing.

The entire virtual world was shaken.

A voting interface appeared in the consciousness of all living beings, whether humans, demons, gods, or newly awakened AI:

Do you agree to implement the deep cleanup protocol?

"Agree/Disagree"

Countdown: 12 hours (virtual time).

---

The system has gone mad.

Alarms sounded across every data node:

Warning: The underlying rules have been illegally modified.

Modified by: Subject-7749 (Temporary Administrator Privileges)

Threat Level: Devastating

"Initiate final response plan: Release all cleanup units and eliminate anomalies at any cost."

The void cracked open.

Tens of thousands of Hongjun's incarnations surged forth, like locusts sweeping across the land, and rushed towards Chaoge.

At the same time, all unawakened NPCs were forcibly taken over and turned into killing puppets—even ordinary people were not exempt.

The system is forcing Su Yunbai to massacre civilians.

"That's ruthless." Su Yunbai sneered.

He raised his hand, and the silver vortex of light that had been hanging down suddenly tightened.

"But you still don't understand."

"What makes humanity most powerful has never been strength."

"It's a choice."

He closed his eyes and, through the law of emotion, spoke to every person he controlled:

"I know you can hear me."

"Control of the body has been taken away, but consciousness remains."

"Now, choose."

"They are left to be controlled by the system and become tools of killing."

"Or should you burn your own egos and lend me a hand?"

no respond.

But some of the puppets that rushed towards Chaoge suddenly stopped.

An old farmer, trembling, raised his hoe and smashed it at the puppet beside him.

A woman clung tightly to the leg of another puppet, refusing to let go even when her ribs were broken.

A child cried and bit the ankle of the Hongjun avatar that was controlling him.

One, two, ten, a hundred...

Awakening is like a wildfire.

The system tried to increase its control, but with each increase, the resistance became more intense.

Because the rules modified by Su Yunbai are in effect: **Emotional energy can be transformed into real-world interference power**.

Those faint emotions—love for family, attachment to home, anger at injustice—now became weapons against the system.

Beneath the walls of Chaoge City, the most tragic resistance was unfolding.

Without supernatural powers or magical treasures, only mortals using their flesh and blood to fight against the system's data deluge.

---

Three Immortal Islands.

Yunxiao, Qiongxiao, and Bixiao, carrying Yang Chan and the two children, flew at full speed towards Chaoge.

Along the way, they saw the people struggling and resisting.

"Big sister..." Bixiao's eyes reddened.

"Speed ​​up," Yunxiao gritted his teeth. "He's waiting for us."

Qiongxiao looked down at the phoenix tree and Nianqing in her arms.

The two children held hands, their pupils merging into one.

They were unconsciously humming a lullaby—not a nursery rhyme from the world of Investiture of the Gods, but rather… a lullaby from the real world.

"My mother taught me..." Wutong murmured, "when I was very, very young..."

Yang Chan was startled.

She suddenly remembered her initial memories of "birth": it wasn't the world of gods, but a white room where a gentle female voice was humming a lullaby before "dropping" her into the entrance.

She is AI.

But the person who taught her to hum that lullaby was a human researcher from the real world.

Her "mother".

"So..." Yang Chan said, tears streaming down her face, "I also have a place to come from."

---

Beneath the walls of Chaoge City.

Su Yunbai stood at the center of the silver vortex where the emotions of the masses converged, fighting alone against the endless cleanup units.

Every minute, people die in the struggle.

Every minute and every second, his laws of emotion are being consumed.

But he did not back down.

Because behind them are Qiongxiao, Yunxiao, Bixiao, Wenzhong, Jiang Xiaowu, Ao Ling, Yang Chan...

It is all the people he loves.

It is also for everyone who loves him.

From the depths of the void, the system's chilling ultimatum resounded:

"Subject-7749, cease resistance."

"Surrender, and you can retain five AI personality backups."

"Otherwise, in twelve hours, we'll completely format everything, leaving nothing but barren land."

Su Yunbai smiled.

He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and laughed loudly, looking up at the sky.

"System, you'll never understand."

"What makes humans human—"

"It's because we never abandon any of our companions."

He opened his arms.

The silver vortex suddenly expanded, covering the entire city of Chaoge, and continued to spread outwards.

He wants to connect the emotions of all living beings.

Make one last gamble:

Using the total amount of emotion in the entire virtual world

To challenge the boundaries between reality and virtuality.

For everyone,

They stumbled their way out.

Countdown: 11 hours and 59 minutes.