Chapter 41: Don’t Talk About It, My Heart Hurts
Everyone saw the portrait.
Shen Lanqing, who had recently had his heart awakened only to undergo a light-speed breakup, was much more sensitive to ambiguous elements. He frowned at the red string in the painting. A red string around the fingerâwhat was the artist trying to imply with that?
Jin Hongqi’s next sentence confirmed his guess wasn’t a misunderstanding. He fished out two storage rings from his chest, one green and one black. “Inside these are the meeting gifts from our Huaxu Sect to the Temple Master. The green one is for you, and the black one is for your Dao Companion.”
“Dao Companion?” Shen Lanqing’s eyes went wide. He immediately turned to Yun Wuxiang. “Master, you have a Dao Companion?”
Yun Wuxiang: “No.”
The copper mirror struggled free from his sleeve, loudly declaring its existence.
“Yes!”
Yun Wuxiang hooked his finger. The copper mirror, as if trapped by an invisible rope, was hooked back into his palm. A silencing talisman formed rapidly on the mirror’s surface. Then, with an inward flick of his wrist, the copper mirror left his hand and was smoothly tossed back into his long sleeve.
With the boost of the Mystic Immortal realm, this set of movements was lightning fast, completed before Shen Lanqingâs naked eye could even catch it. His expression remained calm and composed as if nothing had happened.
Shen Lanqing looked around. “Did someone speak just now?”
He had heard a noise, but Nan Junxuan, who was still a mortal, had no idea what had just happened. She replied affirmatively, “No.”
Mo Yang glanced at Yun Wuxiangâs sleeve, frowning slightly. He had sensed Yin energy just now.
Jin Hongqi immediately corrected himself. “So the Temple Master has no Dao Companion. It seems it was the artist’s personal fantasy. With the Temple Masterâs heavenly appearance, having a few admirers is perfectly normal. This storage ring contains items needed for spirit beasts to cultivate. I heard the Temple Master raises a flock of spirit cranes; using it for them would be good too.”
He could take or leave the gift for Song Yilou, but Yun Wuxiang accepted the one for the red-crowned cranes without hesitation.
The copper mirror in his sleeve was still protesting, firmly locked down by chains formed of spiritual energy.
Yun Wuxiang divided his attention between suppressing the copper mirror and listening to Jin Hongqi spew nutrition-free flattery.
After listening to three sentences without a main point, Yun Wuxiang interrupted him. “You want nothing?” To risk smuggling himself across the Demon Realm just to deliver a gift?
Jin Hongqi paused, then smiled brightly. “Naturally, I do.”
He pulled a bracelet off his wrist. “This is my storage artifact. I ask for your help in finding a sword with the words ‘Celestial Stardust’ carved on the hilt. That is the compensation I promised Mo Yang just now.”
“Hahaha, I forgot that I couldn’t open the storage ring after descending. Thankfully, I met the Temple Master.”
veins popped on Mo Yang’s forehead. “You dared to break my sword when you couldn’t even take out a replacement!”
Jin Hongqi: “Don’t panic, don’t panic. Isn’t Senior Temple Master here?”
[Host, Jin Hongqi is a Heavenly Immortal. His storage bag has a restriction. Your cultivation cannot open his storage artifact. Do you wish to use Energy Points to assist? Estimated cost: 10,000 Energy Points.]
3339 stared at the cost calculated in the background: [Wait, 10,000 points to pick a lock? Why don’t you just rob someone!]
[Host, quickly find an excuse to refuse him!] 3339 said, then started scratching its head. [Refusing now would damage the Host’s image as a high-level expert. If people question the Host’s strength, the Persona Integrity score will drop.]
[What happens if the Persona Integrity score drops?]
[Points deduction. If Persona Integrity drops below 60%, it’s considered a failure. Even if the final mission is successful, 50% of the Energy Points will be deducted… Host, why did you take the bracelet!]
[Don’t panic.] Yun Wuxiang held the two storage rings in his left hand and Jin Hongqi’s bracelet in his right. His divine sense swept through its structure, and he spoke unhurriedly.
[It’s not as complex as the restriction in Zhao Sihai’s head.]
Yun Wuxiang taking the bracelet and staring at it without moving aroused the confusion of those present.
Mo Yang: “Senior, is there a problem with his storage ring?”
Jin Hongqi asked suspiciously, “Senior Temple Master?”
The bracelet let out a crisp snap. Yun Wuxiang tossed the bracelet back to Jin Hongqi. “It works now.”
Jin Hongqi caught the bracelet. For a moment, he didn’t react to the meaning. It was Mo Yang reaching out and saying, “The storage ring works, give me the sword,” that woke him up.
Jin Hongqi looked at the longsword in his hand in disbelief. The weight in his palm suddenly vanished as the sword was taken by someone else.
Mo Yang looked the sword up and down, exclaiming, “Good sword. Truly a good sword.”
Saying this, he performed a sword technique on the spot.
[Host, amazing.]
3339 swiped away the prompt demanding 10,000 Energy Points and applauded enthusiastically.
Screw your 10,000 Energy Points! My Host doesn’t need them!
[Host, since you’re so amazing, can you research a peerless divine technique and become an Immortal Lord overnight to complete the Golden Legend?]
Yun Wuxiang: […Forget the Golden Legend. Even if I had the technique, I couldn’t do it. The Mortal Realm doesn’t have enough celestial spiritual energy to support the cultivation.]
Even if it did, it wouldn’t work.
A genius might be able to learn three years of someone else’s knowledge in three days, but they absolutely could not eat three years’ worth of someone else’s meals in one breath. They would burst.
[Boohoo, Host, ignore me. I’m going to go be sad for a while.] 3339, its fantasy shattered again, went off to sulk in seclusion.
Thud.
Jin Hongqi suddenly knelt on the ground, startling everyone.
Mo Yang looked at his knees hitting the dirt in shock. “Jin Hongqi, what are you doing?!”
“You shut up first!” Jin Hongqi shouted, then looked at Yun Wuxiang. “May I ask, Sir, can you truly enforce punishment on behalf of Heaven? Disciple Jin Hongqi begs to question the Heavenly Dao!”
Yun Wuxiang: Why ask me if you want to question the Heavenly Dao?
[Host, the World Consciousness wants to know what this person wants to ask it. Help it listen.]
[It hasn’t gone to sleep yet?] Why is it awake for so long this time?
[No, it’s upgrading the Tribulation Clouds. It says it wants the lightning tribulation to penetrate the defense of magical artifacts and talismans, striking the person undergoing tribulation directly.]
3339 added in a whisper: [Host, you used lightning tribulation to fight lightning tribulation. You made it angry.]
[…I didn’t do it on purpose.]
[You can say that to the other cultivators. The World Consciousness has already inscribed the reason for modifying the lightning tribulation into the new tribulation code.]
[In other words, in the future, all cultivators will know that it is because of you that they cannot rely on artifacts and talismans to pass their tribulations. Congratulations, Host, your name will go down in history.]
[…]
[Is it trying to draw aggro for me?] Is the World Consciousness that petty?
[I think so.]
[I believe the World Consciousness is being unjust. This is unfair to Talisman, Artifact, and Array cultivators. Artifacts and talismans are manifestations of their cultivation. With this change, won’t the world be filled with only Body Cultivators in the future? As the World Consciousness, it shouldn’t make such rash decisions.]
[The Host is right. I’ll go give feedback to the World Consciousness. Host, why don’t you attend to the guy kneeling on the ground first?]
Oh, right. There was still one kneeling on the ground.
Yun Wuxiang looked down at Jin Hongqi. “Huaxu Sect owes me a promise.”
Such a wealthy sectâif their character was decent, he could entrust Shen Lanqing to them after he left.
Jin Hongqi: “As long as it resolves the confusion in this disciple’s heart and violates neither human ethics nor heavenly harmony, let alone one promise, what harm is there in a hundred or a thousand!”
“I only want one.” Yun Wuxiang secured the promise in the name of the Heavenly Dao. A bolt of thunder crashed down right beside his foot on the clear day.
Yun Wuxiang glanced up at the sky and said, “It is here. Speak.”
The people present were startled again, looking up at the sky. It was clear for thousands of miles, empty of everything but the blazing sun, yet everyone felt a lofty, vast, inviolable presence watching them.
Yun Wuxiang stomped his numb foot where the lightning had struck nearby and said to Jin Hongqi, “Stand up and speak. You’re too short; the Heavenly Dao can’t see you.”
Perhaps influenced by Yun Xinyang’s memories, he didn’t like seeing people kneelâexcept for Song Yilou. He was the same whether standing, kneeling, or lying down.
Jin Hongqi turned to look at Yun Wuxiang, stood up silently, raised his head to the sky, and asked loudly:
“Huaxu Sect’s 132nd generation disciple Jin Hongqi, on behalf of three hundred sects including my own and hundreds of thousands of living beings in the Immortal Realm, asks the Heavenly Dao: The three Great Immortal Sects have monopolized the Heavenly Dao’s luck for ten thousand years, seizing total power over the Immortal Realm, allowing their disciples to do as they please, oppressing others with power, and harming living beings. Does the Heavenly Dao know? Does the Heavenly Dao permit this?”
Yun Wuxiang answered in his heart: It doesn’t know. It was sleeping before.
Another bolt of thunder landed by Yun Wuxiang’s foot. He felt his numb leg and spoke to the void: “Change your way of greeting next time.”
[If my leg goes numb and I can’t stand steady, falling over in public and making a fool of myself causing my Persona Integrity to drop… does that benefit it in any way?]
Under the gaze of four pairs of eyes, Yun Wuxiang stood silently for a moment after speaking, as if listening to someone, then said, “I understand.”
“Senior, what does the Heavenly Dao say?” Jin Hongqi hadn’t been this nervous in a long time. He felt like he was back in his childhood, having not finished his homework and being spot-checked by the teaching elder. His palms were sweaty.
Yun Wuxiang: “People of the Immortal Realm stole the destiny of the Son of Luck. Someone will resolve this matter shortly.”
Once the Host who took the mission arrived, the Golden Legend in the mission bar would be gone, and Sanjiu would cry itself to death.
Some rejoiced while others worried. Just as sad as 3339 was crying, Jin Hongqi was equally happy. “I knew it! How could those people deserve the favor of the Heavenly Dao!”
Like an excited antelope, he reached out and grabbed Mo Yang’s shoulders, shaking him violently. “Mo Yang, did you hear that? The Immortal Lords are going to face divine retribution! Hahaha!”
Mo Yang pressed down on his shoulder. “Under the Heavenly Dao, show some dignity.”
Jin Hongqi instantly behaved, looking up at the sky tremblingly, then turning to Yun Wuxiang.
Yun Wuxiang: “Do as you please. It has already left.”
“Hahaha!” Jin Hongqi, having shaken enough, tossed Mo Yang aside and turned to Nan Junxuan. “Apprentice! Master can take you back to the Immortal Realm with peace of mind now!”
Nan Junxuan nodded like a chick pecking at rice. “Okay, okay!”
Shen Lanqing offered sincere congratulations. “Congratulations, congratulations.”
Mo Yang asked, “Jin Hongqi, do you know how to repair the Descending Immortal Altar?”
“No need to repair it. I have a Cross-Realm Teleportation Talisman given to me by Martial Uncle Fu Jiang,” Jin Hongqi said, pulling out a talisman.
Whoosh. The talisman paper spontaneously ignited. Jin Hongqi stared at it in shock, only letting go when he felt the burning sensation on his fingers.
“Ah… the talisman?”
Mo Yang: “Ah! The talisman!”
Nan Junxuan: “The talisman is burning!”
Shen Lanqing: “Uh, are there any more talismans?”
“No! Just this one!” Jin Hongqi squatted down, staring wide-eyed at the pile of ash on the ground where the talisman had burned.
Hearing the word ‘no’, Yun Wuxiang released the fingers forming a seal inside his sleeve and said leisurely, “The Descending Immortal Altar will be repaired in ten years at the latest.”
If they wanted to take the female supporting character away, they would have to wait until he collected enough Energy Points.
Jin Hongqi wanted to cry but had no tears. “But I don’t have a Travel Pass.”
“What?” Mo Yang’s eyes widened, reaching out to strangle his neck. “Are you an idiot! Descending without a Travel Pass! Why didn’t you just forget yourself in the Immortal Realm?”
“Cough, let go, cough cough. Travel Passes are managed by the three Great Immortal Sects. To get one, you have to register. I sneaked down; how would I have that?”
Jin Hongqi spoke half-deadly. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw two objects flying toward him. He reached out to catch them. They were cool to the touch. Looking closely, they seemed familiar…
“Travel Passes?”
Yun Wuxiang retracted the hand he used to throw the items. “The Travel Passes from Bai Lingdang and Zhao Sihai. You take them.”
After a round of thanks, Yun Wuxiang asked about Shen Lanqing’s cultivation progress and adjusted his technique again.
After experiencing the feeling of being so exhausted his brain went numb once more, Shen Lanqing slumped in a chair, soul leaving his body.
“Master, they say I am also a Son of Luck, but why am I not like the Immortal Lords they talk aboutâsmooth sailing in everything, helped by the heavens? If it weren’t for Master, I couldn’t even cultivate.”
Yun Wuxiang wanted to say that “Dragon Pride Heaven” protagonists and “Dogblood Melodrama” protagonists were two different breeds, but he couldn’t say that.
“I understand. My luck was all used up in meeting Master. With Master here, I am a Son of Luck!”
Before Yun Wuxiang could offer comfort, Shen Lanqing had figured it out himself and was thoroughly convinced of his judgment.
Yun Wuxiang smiled. Seeing him talking even though he couldn’t keep his eyes open, he cast a few cleansing spells and sent him to bed. “Sleep.”
After he fell asleep, Yun Wuxiang’s smile faded. His figure vanished from the room, reappearing in an uninhabited spot outside. He took out the copper mirror that was about to revolt. Scanning it with his brows furrowed, he saw the screen filled with the words “Temple Master.”
“What now?”
“Temple Master, let’s go to the Immortal Realm. Let’s kill that impostor. I am the Temple Master’s only Dao Companion; they all deserve to die!”
“Not going.” Yun Wuxiang said, flipping the copper mirror over and tossing it back into his sleeve.
[Host, the robber is here.] 3339 said dejectedly.
The only one 3339 would call a “robber” was the external support Host coming to execute the Golden Mission.
Yun Wuxiang paused in the motion of smoothing his sleeve. [Did you tell them about Song Yilou?]
[Not yet. I’m going now.] 3339’s sound effects changed to a mechanical system voice after that sentence.
[Connecting to target System… Connection successful.]
[The other party has agreed to the Host’s request.]
“En.” Yun Wuxiang gave a faint acknowledgment, smoothed his sleeve, opened his eyes, and looked at the full moon in the sky.
Resolve Song Yilou, wait for peace in the Immortal Realm, gather enough Energy Points, send Shen Lanqing to the Huaxu Sect, and then he could take Yun Xinyang home.
Everything was going as he wished, yet he couldn’t say he was very happy.
After a long while, he asked: [Sanjiu, after I return to the modern world, can I come back?]
[It requires double Energy Points. Host, you are not a professional Host. Our binding relationship is temporary. Once I send you back, I will automatically unbind. So, what you have now is a one-way ticket.]
[Host, if you had completed that Golden Legend, I would have had the Energy Points to take you back to headquarters to sign a formal contract. Then, let alone coming back here, regular inter-dimensional tourism wouldn’t be a problem.]
At this moment, Yun Wuxiang truly felt 3339’s persistent grief and regret.
He raised a hand to cover his chest. [Don’t talk about it. My heart hurts a little.]
[Heartache is useless. The mission belongs to someone else now.] 3339 whimpered.
In the cool night breeze, one man and one System nursed their respective heartaches, mourning the passing of the Golden Legend.
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