TDU Chapter 179: Celestial Goat？
(5/3/2025) TL Note: Shoutout to J.M. for supporting me and my translations! So happy to have you aboard with us and I hope you enjoy the advanced chapters~
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Edited by Molly Z and CitrusP
Chapter 179 Celestial Goat？
Seeing the three of them in such a carefree state, Qi Xia couldn’t help but feel a sense of dissonance. This was a {Terrestrial}-grade game, and their opponents were from {Judgment's Domain}. The weight of the situation pressed heavily on his mind, the tension palpable in every thought. Yet here they were—so relaxed, almost nonchalant, as if it were a casual outing. It felt completely out of sync with the reality Qi Xia felt looming over them.
After about an hour of walking, guided by his memory, Qi Xia arrived at the familiar corner where he had encountered Xiao Xiao the day before. He turned, following the path, and then his gaze landed on the {Tiger}.
The figure before him had the head of a white tiger, its fur so finely detailed it almost seemed as though it grew directly from its face. Unlike the other {Earthly Branches}, the {Terrestrial Tiger} didn’t stand poised with arms behind his back. Instead, he sat slumped on the ground, exuding an air of lethargy as if the world around him held little interest.
Behind Terrestrial Tiger loomed a tall, old-fashioned residential building, standing at least five or six stories high.
As the four of them approached, Terrestrial Tiger lazily raised his eyelids to glance at them, then, with a slow, almost indifferent motion, lowered his gaze once more.
"Oi." Zhang Shan called, "Time for work."
At the sound of his voice, Terrestrial Tiger slowly lifted his head once more, casting a brief look at Zhang Shan, but offering no words in return.
Zhang Shan squinted at him, his confusion evident. "What's wrong with you?" he asked, "The {Earthly Branches} I met before were all eager for people to come to their door, but you don't seem to welcome us."
"Get lost." Terrestrial Tiger said.
"Huh?" Zhang Shan blinked, taken aback. "What do you mean by {get lost}?"
The {Terrestrial Tiger} let out a weary sigh, slowly rising to his full height. With an air of indifference, he repeated, "My game’ll kill. If you understand that, get lost quickly."
He seemed to expect that his words would shake the group, cause them to hesitate, but to his surprise, none of the four reacted with anything more than mild indifference.
Zhang Shan, unfazed, asked calmly, "How much is admission?"
Terrestrial Tiger glared at the group before him, his impatience now more apparent. "Don't you understand what I’m saying? You could die if you participate in my game."
Zhang Shan nodded and replied, "Yeah, we know. So, how much is admission?"
Terrestrial Tiger's expression shifted ever so slightly. After a low groan, he turned his back on them and moved toward the large iron door. He swung it shut with a heavy thud, and as it closed, he muttered, "Sorry, we’re closed for the day. So get lost."
Qi Xia stroked his chin thoughtfully, his eyes narrowing as he observed the Terrestrial Tiger before him. The situation struck him as rather peculiar.
While all the other {Earthly Branches} were eager to drag participants into their games, this white tiger displayed an entirely different attitude. In past encounters, no matter how deadly the game, the {Terrestrial}-grade opponents had always sought to lure in participants, hoping for a bloodbath. Yet here stood Terrestrial Tiger, using {my game’ll kill} to push them away.
A realization struck Qi Xia. Xiao Xiao had mentioned the day before that the venue of this Terrestrial Tiger’s game was newly established. That could only mean one thing—this Terrestrial Tiger had just been promoted.
In other words, he was different from other Terrestrial-grade {Earthly Branches}, as he still retained a semblance of {morality}.
"Hey, hey, hey... This game is very important to me." Qiao Jiajin said, "This is my {Brain Protection Battle}, can you, the referee, cooperate a little?"
"I don't understand." Terrestrial Tiger shook his head, "There are so many {Earthly Branches} around here. You can go wherever you want, just don't step into my territory."
Qiao Jiajin and Zhang Shan exchanged a brief glance, both realizing this wasn’t going to be as straightforward as initially assumed.
Qi Xia stepped forward, his gaze steady as he asked, "Terrestrial Tiger, why don't you want us to participate in your game?"
Terrestrial Tiger paused, clearly wrestling with the words before responding slowly, "I don’t want to kill anyone." He added after a beat, "At least not for now."
"Why is that?" Qi Xia pressed.
"Do I need to explain to you?"
Qi Xia wasn’t fazed by the stonewalling. His voice remained calm but carried an edge, "What if we want to die?"
"You..." Terrestrial Tiger’s expression darkened, irritation flickering across his features. "There are countless roads before you. Why deliberately seek death when there are so many other paths?"
"Indeed." Qi Xia nodded, "There are many paths in this world, and everyone walks their own. The road we choose is to participate in your game."
At these words, Terrestrial Tiger’s entire demeanor shifted. A tremor rippled through his frame, and for a brief moment, disbelief clouded his gaze. His eyes, deep and tawny, scanned Qi Xia with newfound intensity, as if searching for something beneath the surface.
"Excuse me..." His voice quivered, an edge of incredulity creeping into his tone, "What did you just say?"
"I said," Qi Xia met his gaze, "There are many paths in this world, and each person walks their own."
Terrestrial Tiger stood silent for a long while, only the faint sound of him swallowing breaking the stillness. After a moment, he spoke, his voice low but firm, "Five {Dào} per person," he said. "Three people per group. Two groups required."
Zhang Shan, though momentarily puzzled by the sudden shift in the tiger's behavior, simply shrugged it off. He reached into his pocket and tossed a handful of {Dào} towards Terrestrial Tiger with a casual flick of his wrist. "Then we’re going in," he said, waving his hand as if it were nothing, before turning to lead the group toward the door.
But Qi Xia stayed rooted in place, an unsettling sense of foreboding stirring deep within him. "Terrestrial Tiger, are you familiar with the phrase I just mentioned?" he asked.
Terrestrial Tiger paused, then after a brief moment of thought, he gave a slow nod.
That subtle nod sent a shiver of unease crawling up Qi Xia’s spine.
Without thinking, he stepped forward and seized Terrestrial Tiger by the shoulder, his grip tightening with urgency. "Where is she?!" Qi Xia demanded.
Terrestrial Tiger’s eyes widened in confusion. "What...?"
Qi Xia's expression darkened, the calm veneer cracking. "Where is the person who said that to you?!" His voice was sharp with intensity. "Where did you see her?!"
"Why are you so worked up?" Terrestrial Tiger extended his hand and shoved Qi Xia back. His strength was overwhelming, easily forcing Qi Xia to stagger a few steps back, unable to find any footing against the sheer power. "You know that goat?"
"Wha—" Qi Xia’s eyes widened in sudden realization, his breath catching in his throat. "You mean... you heard this phrase from another {Earthly Branch}?!"
Terrestrial Tiger, realizing he had divulged too much, allowed his expression to harden. "Why does this concern you?" he retorted coldly, his steps slow and deliberate as he closed the distance between them. "Aren’t you asking far too many questions?"
"I..." Qi Xia opened his mouth, intending to press further, but as the words hung in the air, his mind felt as though it were spinning. The fragments of the clues he had so meticulously pieced together—the ones that once seemed so certain—now crumbled into nothingness.
A goat?
Yu Nian'An was a {Goat}?
The situation had grown too surreal, too twisted to comprehend. Was it possible that Yu Nian'An was the one who had led him to {End Point}? Had she always been a part of this scheme?
But what was the purpose behind it all?
Qi Xia's eyes slowly widened in realization.
Could it be that the name {Yu Nian'An} itself had been nothing more than a fabrication—another lie spun by {Goat}? The lies told by this {Earthly Branch} were not confined to mere games. They could warp reality itself—distorting memories and shaping perceptions.
No, it wasn't just memories... She had truly appeared in the real world. She had sewn a patch of a cartoon goat's head for him.
Such power far surpassed that of {Terrestrials}.
Could it be that Yu Nian'An is...
"Hey..." Qi Xia's voice trembled as he asked, "The goat you're talking about... were they a {Celestial Goat}?"
"Should be," the {Terrestrial Tiger} replied, his gaze wandering aimlessly to the sky. After a brief pause, he added, "Wasn't originally... but they should be now."
Qi Xia reached up to cover his forehead, a sharp headache pulsing at his temples.
‘She’s a {Celestial Goat}... So, have I been deceived all along?’
He slowly lifted his head, his gaze locking onto the fluffy tiger face before him.
Soon, a pained smile slowly curled at the corner of his lips. Why had he placed his trust in the words of a creature with the head of a tiger and the body of a man, in this twisted, unreal world?
He had known Yu Nian'An since they were nineteen.
Even if she were {Celestial Goat}, how could she possibly have spent seven years deceiving an ordinary person like him? Would a {Celestial Goat} truly need that much time to manipulate someone from the lowest echelons of society?
"Either I’ve been deceived..." Qi Xia murmured, "...or I’ve gone mad."
