189: Chapter 189 Unexpected Changes on the Ancient Road, Heavenly Dao Self-Inspection Announcement

[Heavenly Court - First Generation] The 31st hour of sailing in the Void Realm.

The bow pointed toward the Dragon Clan Main Star. On the holographic star map, that golden star had magnified from a mere speck of light to a point where its surface textures could be vaguely distinguished. The distance of 47 light-years had been compressed to a final 16 light-years. At the current overload cruising speed of 1.0 light-year/day, they would arrive at the outer orbit of the Dragon Clan Main Star in another 16 hours.

Lin Ye stood in the center of the command cabin.

His gaze fell upon the golden star drawing closer on the holographic star map, but his thoughts were elsewhere.

He was thinking about that drop of True Dragon blood essence.

After the absorption was complete, a force he had never possessed before appeared within his body. It was not Chaos Power, but another kind—more primitive, more violent, as if it would break through the shackles of his Physical Body at any moment—Dragon Power.

It lay sleeping within him.

Waiting to be awakened.

Su Qingyue walked to his side.

Her left hand gently grasped his hand.

3 seconds.

She let go.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked.

Lin Ye did not answer immediately.

He looked at the holographic star map.

3 seconds.

"Dragon transformation Breakthrough," he said.

"It requires Dragon Qi baptism."

"It requires a Dragon Pearl."

"It requires a Dragon Transformation Pill."

Su Qingyue nodded.

"Dragon Clan treasury," she said.

"Fight our way up, level by level."

Lin Ye did not speak.

But his right hand pressed against the sword hilt.

That refined iron longsword brought back from the Trial Ancient Star; the gray crack in the center of its blade was pulsing at a frequency of 1.7 seconds per beat.

It was perfectly synchronized with the Dragon Power sleeping within his body.

With the myriad things mother qi cauldron embryo deep within his brow, which was on the verge of shattering.

With the Dragon Clan Main Star that would be reached in 16 hours.

31 hours and 17 minutes.

Qin Ruoxue's voice came from the communication station.

It was not the usual professional tone, which was so calm it was almost cold.

It was something else.

It carried a hint of—unprecedented—confusion.

"Boss."

"Received a server-wide announcement."

Lin Ye turned around.

He looked at Qin Ruoxue.

He looked at the light screen in front of her.

On the light screen, a line of golden text that had never appeared before was scrolling at an extremely slow speed.

The font of that text was larger than any System announcement.

It was so large that it felt like a "proclamation."

[Server-wide Announcement—!!!]

[heavenly dao system · Emergency Self-Check Maintenance Notice]

[Dear players:]

[The Heavenly Dao Light Brain will initiate a comprehensive self-check maintenance for a duration of "24 hours in real time (10 days in game time)" starting from Epoch Calendar 1972 · Day 354 · 00:00:00.]

[During maintenance, the following functions will be affected:]

[1. Some NPCs will enter "hibernation," unable to interact, accept quests, or trigger plotlines.]

[2. Monster respawn frequency will experience "abnormal fluctuations"; some areas may have no monsters to farm, while others may see a surge in monsters.]

[3. Cross-Star Domain teleportation arrays will be suspended (already activated teleports will not be affected).]

[4. Economic Systems such as auction houses and exchanges will have delayed settlements (maximum delay of 24 hours).]

[5. Large-scale events such as faction wars and siege battles will be temporarily suspended.]

[6. Resurrection time after player death will be extended to "3 times the normal state."]

[7. Some maps may experience "temporary closure."]

[8. The in-game time flow will remain normal, but the 1:10 ratio with reality will be temporarily adjusted to 1:9.7 (slight fluctuation).]

[After maintenance ends, all players will be compensated with "Heavenly Dao Treasure Chest" × 1 (containing a random Legendary-grade item).]

[Please arrange your game time reasonably.]

[-- heavenly dao system · Operations Center]

[Epoch Calendar 1972 · Day 353 · 14:27:33]

The command cabin fell into a deathly silence.

It was not fear.

It was "incredulity."

Zhao Wuji was the first to speak.

His voice was a bit dry.

"Maintenance?"

"This game... has never had maintenance since it launched."

Chen Hao looked at the line "24 hours in real time, 10 days in game time."

His right hand—the right hand that had gripped the control ball for 2,820 seconds during the 47-hour extreme load test—tightened slightly.

"10 days," he said.

"Can't move."

Shi Potian did not speak.

But his left fist—the left fist that had permanently lost 5% of its maximum HP—clenched tighter than ever before.

Su Qingyue walked to Lin Ye's side.

She did not speak.

But she looked at him.

In those ice-blue eyes, there was worry.

Lin Ye did not speak.

He just looked at that announcement.

Looking at the line "The Heavenly Dao Light Brain will initiate a comprehensive self-check maintenance for a duration of 24 hours in real time (10 days in game time) starting from Epoch Calendar 1972 · Day 354 · 00:00:00."

3 seconds.

He spoke.

"Qin Ruoxue."

"Present."

"How long has this announcement been out?"

Qin Ruoxue's fingers swiped across the light screen.

"17 seconds ago," she said.

"Server-wide synchronization."

"What is the reaction on other channels?" Lin Ye asked.

Qin Ruoxue pulled up another light screen.

On it was a real-time information stream from all over the server.

[Big Dipper Star Field · Central Province · God City]

"Maintenance?! This game can actually have maintenance?!"

"I just accepted a hidden quest, and the NPC is going to hibernate? What do I do about the quest?!"

"Legendary-grade compensation? Heavenly Dao Treasure Chest? What is that?"

[Eternal Star Domain · Star Ring City]

"Delayed settlement? The stuff I listed on the auction house won't be credited for 24 hours?"

"Monster respawn abnormality? Doesn't that mean the monster farming spots I hoarded are ruined?"

"10 days no cross-Star Domain teleportation? I just came from the Big Dipper Star Field!"

[Ziwei Star Field · Qishi Mansion]

"heavenly dao system self-check? Never heard of it..."

"Could it be some kind of bug?"

"I always feel... this game is a bit strange..."

[Abyss Star Field · Holy Demon Palace]

"During maintenance, some NPCs hibernate?"

"What about our contract quests?"

"The instructors of the Holy Demon Palace... will they hibernate too?"

[God Spirit Star Field · God Temple]

"Lord Odin was just about to go to the fourth level..."

"Teleportation array suspended?"

"Is this an arrangement by Heavenly Dao... or something else?"

The information stream scrolled at a speed of thousands of lines per second.

There was shock.

There was anger.

There was confusion.

There was fear.

But most of all, there was "incredulity."

Lin Ye looked at that information.

3 seconds.

He spoke.

"Qin Ruoxue."

"Present."

"Bring up the release time of this announcement."

"I want it accurate to the millisecond."

Qin Ruoxue's fingers swiped rapidly across the light screen.

[heavenly dao system · Maintenance Announcement]

[Release Time: Epoch Calendar 1972 · Day 353 · 14:27:33.471]

Lin Ye looked at that time.

14:27:33.471.

He closed his eyes.

Recalling.

Past life.

Third year.

47 days before the Fusion of the game and reality.

There was also a "maintenance."

But that time, there was no announcement.

No compensation.

No notification whatsoever.

It was just one day, when players logged in, they discovered—

Some NPCs had disappeared.

Some maps were closed.

Some quests could not be completed.

Then, 47 days later.

The world underwent Fusion.

He opened his eyes.

"It's different," he said softly.

Su Qingyue looked at him.

"What's different?" she asked.

Lin Ye did not answer.

He just looked at that line "24 hours in real time, 10 days in game time."

10 days.

What would it be enough for him to do?

Enough to go to the Dragon Clan treasury?

Enough to find the mysterious yellow qi?

Enough to find the Dragon Blood Lingzhi?

Enough to complete his Dragon transformation Breakthrough?

He did not know.

But he knew one thing.

These 10 days might be the last "normal time" in the game world.

What would happen after 10 days?

He did not know.

But he had to be fully prepared before then.

"Chen Hao," Lin Ye said.

"Present."

"Maintain speed."

"Target unchanged."

Chen Hao looked at him.

"Boss," he said.

"After 10 days, the teleportation array will recover."

"But if we are at the Dragon Clan Main Star during these 10 days..."

"What if that side is also affected?"

Lin Ye did not speak.

He looked at the golden star on the holographic star map.

3 seconds.

He spoke.

"Then, before it gets affected."

"Finish the job."

[System Prompt: You have received a notification regarding "heavenly dao system Maintenance"]

[Maintenance Start Countdown: 9 hours 32 minutes 47 seconds]

[Suggestion: Arrive at a safe area before maintenance begins to avoid encountering "monster respawn abnormalities" in the wild]

[Current Starship Location: 16 light-years from Dragon Clan Main Star]

[Estimated Arrival Time: 16 hours later (6 hours 28 minutes after maintenance begins)]

Lin Ye closed that prompt.

He looked at that distance of 16 light-years.

16 hours.

6 hours and 28 minutes after maintenance begins, they would be able to reach the Dragon Clan Main Star.

What would the state of the Dragon Clan Main Star be at that time?

Would NPCs hibernate?

Would monster respawns be abnormal?

Would the Dragon Clan Princess Pale Moon—still be there?

He did not know.

But he had to go.

The 32nd hour.

Qin Ruoxue's voice sounded again.

"Boss."

"Received a second announcement."

[Server-wide Announcement · Supplementary Explanation]

[Regarding this maintenance, the heavenly dao system provides the following supplementary explanation:]

[1. During maintenance, some "high-intelligence NPCs" may not fully hibernate but instead enter "low-power mode," still capable of basic interaction.]

[2. Monster respawn abnormalities are limited to "normal wild monster" areas; dungeon/BOSS areas are not affected.]

[3. Cross-Star Domain teleportation arrays are suspended, but "already activated personal teleportation items" can still be used.]

[4. Economic System settlements are delayed, but "face-to-face transactions" are not affected.]

[5. Faction wars are suspended, but "faction dungeons" can still be played.]

[6. Resurrection time after player death is extended, but "resurrection-type skills/items" can still be used normally.]

[7. Some map closures are limited to "unexplored areas"; already explored areas are not affected.]

[8. Time flow fluctuation has been corrected, the 1:10 ratio remains unchanged.]

[9. This maintenance is a "routine self-check"; players do not need to panic.]

[10. After maintenance ends, the heavenly dao system will reveal a "new version preview."]

Lin Ye looked at the line "high-intelligence NPCs may not fully hibernate."

3 seconds.

His pupils constricted slightly.

High-intelligence NPC.

Li Ruoyu.

The valley-guarding Elder in Chaos Valley who once said to him, "Heavenly Emperor, you have arrived three days earlier than expected."

That existence who claimed to be "the consciousness formed by a fragment of the Heavenly Dao Light Brain."

Was he still there?

Would he hibernate during maintenance?

Or was it that—he himself was a part of the heavenly dao system?

He did not know.

But he had to know.

"Qin Ruoxue," Lin Ye said.

"Present."

"Contact Chaos Valley."

"Ask Elder Li Ruoyu if he is still there."

Qin Ruoxue's fingers tapped rapidly on the communication panel.

3 seconds.

17 seconds.

31 seconds.

At the 47th second.

The communication connected.

Yun Que's voice came from the other end.

[Yun Que · Heavenly Court Remaining Commander]

"Boss?"

"We received the announcement."

"Elder Li Ruoyu..."

He paused.

"He is still here."

"But he... has changed."

Lin Ye's pupils constricted slightly.

"Changed?" he said.

"What do you mean?"

Yun Que's voice was a bit uncertain.

"He... doesn't speak."

"He just stands at the entrance of the main hall."

"Looking at the sky."

"We call him, but he ignores us."

"But his eyes... are still moving."

Lin Ye was silent.

3 seconds.

He spoke.

"Watch him."

"If there are any changes, tell me immediately."

The communication hung up.

Lin Ye stood in the center of the command cabin.

He looked at the holographic star map.

He looked at that golden star.

He looked at that line of pulsing countdown.

[Maintenance Start Countdown: 8 hours 47 minutes 23 seconds]

He remembered what Li Ruoyu had said.

"Heavenly Emperor, you have arrived three days earlier than expected."

"I am the consciousness formed by a fragment of the Heavenly Dao Light Brain."

"Trapped here."

"Fusion of the game and reality in one year."

"But the process has changed."

The process has changed.

What changed?

How did it change?

Why did the heavenly dao system want to perform a self-check at this time?

Is it a coincidence?

Or—

He did not know.

But he knew one thing.

These 10 days might be his last chance.

Before the "truth" is revealed.

Before the "Fusion" begins.

Before everything becomes irreversible.

He must become stronger.

Must obtain the mysterious yellow qi.

Must repair the myriad things mother qi cauldron embryo.

Must complete the Dragon transformation Breakthrough.

Must—be prepared.

[Chapter 189 · End]