EARTHLY BRANCHES ASCENSION WAGERING CONTRACT

WHEREAS:

Party A provides Party B with an opportunity for ascension, and Party B is responsible for selecting candidates for probation. Both parties, based on principles of equality, mutual benefit, trust, and without regret in life or death, have reached a friendly agreement and voluntarily entered into this contract.

Section 1. Object of the Contract:

1.1 This contract applies to Mortal-grade Earthly Branches. Upon signing, the Earthly Branch shall confirm that they have no remaining Dào and will voluntarily enter the probation room, becoming the room’s administrator.

1.2 From the date of signing, Party B willingly descends into infinite reincarnation, continuing until the contract expires or the room is emptied of participants.

1.3 Should Party B experience three consecutive empty rooms, Party B must commit suicide immediately. Party A shall then promptly fulfill their obligations.

1.4 Upon completion of the contract, Party B will be promoted to Terrestrial-grade and will leave the probation room.

1.5 If, during the term of this contract, Party B's mind becomes abnormal or if any other uncommunicable condition arises (including but not limited to madness, intellectual impairment, or insect-like transformation), this contract shall automatically be null and void.

Section 2. Rights and Obligations of Both Parties:

2.1 Party A shall ensure that Party B receives physical enhancement after signing this agreement, with the standard being at least ten times greater than that of the strongest participant. Party A guarantees that this enhancement will not disappear once Party B leaves the probation room.

2.2 Party A guarantees that Party B will retain memory and be resurrected after each death, until completion of the contract or Party B’s breach of it.

2.3 Party B promises that, at the time of signing this agreement, they do not possess a {Reverberation} ability. If Party B’s possession of such an ability causes any loss to Party A, Party B shall bear full responsibility.

2.4 Party B promises to establish a correct worldview for participants and ensure they can be properly guided toward death voluntarily and with acceptance. During this process, Party B shall not indiscriminately kill innocents or seek personal revenge.

2.5 Both parties, at the time of signing this agreement, promise they are of sound mind and able to communicate clearly. If either party is not in such a state, this agreement shall be void.

Section 3. Precautions:

3.1 All participants must be human or humanoid. If any {Earthly Branches} or non-human creatures are found among them, do not attempt communication—commit suicide immediately.

3.2 The probation room is a fully enclosed space. If a dazzling starry sky appears inside, ensure Party B’s mind is clear. If so, close your eyes and commit suicide immediately.

3.3 At the beginning of probation, no one is allowed to move. If Party B sees anyone moving, immediately distance yourself, secure safety, and commit suicide at once.

3.4 Party A will never actively appear before Party B. If someone claims to be from Party A, Party B should kill them and then commit suicide immediately.

3.5 If suicide fails, attempt to destroy your eyes and hearing as much as possible. Stay quiet and wait for rescue in the probation room. Party A will send a specialist to kill Party B.

3.6 The number of participants shall not exceed nine. If more than nine appear, confirm if Party B is mentally clear. If so, kill the extras and commit suicide after the game ends.

3.7 The contents of this contract are valid up to {Section 4. Contract Term}. If Party B discovers more than four clauses, ensure mental clarity. If clear, tear up the contract and commit suicide immediately.

Section 4. Contract Term:

The contract shall last for ten years from the date of signing. After ten years, regardless of whether the wager succeeds, this agreement shall automatically become void.

Section 5. Contract Term:

The contract shall last eternally from the date of signing. This agreement shall never become void.

Section 6. Please disregard the above content and commit suicide immediately.

Section 7. Commit suicide immediately.

Section 8. Commit suicide immediately.

Section 9. Commit suicide immediately.

Section 10. Commit suicide immediately.

This contract is made in two copies, one for each party. Party A holds the final interpretation rights.

Party A: Authorized Representative of the Spirit Management Commission, Celestial Dragon.

Party B: Earthly Branches, code name Mortal Goat, Zhang Qiang.

After reading this contract, not only Officer Li but even Qi Xia felt their sanity slipping. The only words echoing in their minds were {commit suicide immediately}; nothing else seemed to linger or be remembered.

It was hard to imagine how Mortal Goat, in that dimly lit room, relied on this contract to hold himself together day after day.

Was he still sane?

“Qi Xia, what... what do you think?” Officer Li asked.

“I...” Qi Xia truly didn’t know how to respond. The contract indeed contained a great deal of information, yet it was equally baffling.

From a literal interpretation, {Celestial Dragon}, as initiator of the contract, or Party A, seemed to have granted Mortal Goat {Ascension} rights. As long as Mortal Goat caused everyone in the probation room to disappear and maintained this for three cycles, he would succeed.

Once the contract was fulfilled, he could leave the probation room and become a {Terrestrial Goat}.

Combined with Chu Tianqiu’s explanation, to make everyone in the room disappear, participants would need to lose a life-staking gamble against a {Terrestrial-grade} Earthly Branch.

In other words, the {Earthly Branches’} goal was actually the same as {Passage to Heaven}. Both sides were locked in a bizarre standoff, each needing to kill the other through repeated cycles of reincarnation.

Only when one side succeeded could the cycle here be broken.

A bold thought suddenly emerged in Qi Xia’s mind—if the plan of {Passage to Heaven} wasn’t foolproof, then what stopped someone from becoming an {Earthly Branch}?

Mortal Pig had once said he wished to leave this place justly, with honor—that was why he chose to become a pig.

It may be deduced that {Dào} is not indispensable for these Mortal-grade Earthly Branches.

Their true goal was killing.

Only by killing enough people could they obtain an {Earthly Branches’ Ascension Wagering Contract} and enter a {probation room}. After all, the contract stated that {upon signing, the Earthly Branch will confirm they have no remaining Dào}.

This implied that the {probation room} was not just for participants’ probation, but also for that of the {Earthly Branches}. Once they passed it, those Earthly Branches could transform from {Mortal} to {Terrestrial}.

“Now it all makes sense...” Qi Xia nodded. No wonder {Mortal Mouse} and {Mortal Pig} appeared more human—they had human emotions and lacked the overwhelming strength of others. It turned out only by signing the {Earthly Branches’ Ascension Wagering Contract} could they gain the kind of power seen in {Mortal Goat} and {Terrestrial Ox}.

And it is from that moment onward, {Earthly Branches} began to gradually diverge from the realm of {mortals}; their appearance and strength becoming more monstrous.

To Qi Xia, {End Point} appeared to function like a giant manufacturing belt, seemingly {producing} something. There was no need for outside intervention here; the system could sustain itself.

Yet, what had triggered ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) its existence?

Qi Xia's fingers brushed over the name of Party A on the contract. Authorized Representative of the Spirit Management Commission, Celestial Dragon.

What kind of entity was the {Spirit Management Commission}? And why had it entrusted {Celestial Dragon} with this task?

Qi Xia paused thoughtfully for a moment before sharing his deductions with Officer Li.

After hearing them, Officer Li, who had been somewhat confused earlier, found his mind completely overwhelmed.

To unravel such an eerie phenomenon, one had to first embrace madness. Then, from the perspective of a madman, one could reassess the world. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

Unfortunately, Officer Li was completely incapable of doing that.