Li Ming knew the timeline was fixed when the sun rose at a normal hour, the trees didn't hum, and no one worshiped their pillow.
For the first time in weeks, he actually felt peace.
Then a letter fell from the sky and slapped him in the face.
He peeled it off. The parchment was glowing with official Heavenly Script.
Bai Guo squinted at it. "Looks serious. Smells like paperwork."
Li Ming unfolded it.
> By decree of the Celestial Registry of Reincarnations and Temporal Misconducts—
Li Ming, Dream Patriarch, is hereby summoned to answer for crimes against chronological integrity.
Failure to attend will result in spontaneous enlightenment and immediate dispersal.
Li Ming blinked. "They're going to kill me with enlightenment?"
Lei Shan yawned. "Sounds efficient."
---
The sky cracked open before he could reply.
A massive lotus-shaped platform descended, covered in glowing seals. On it stood… clerks.
