Chapter 4: What? A “Flower Market” Ragdoll Master?
## The Confinement of the Dream
“Don’t be like this… please.”
The absurdity of last night had truly mortified Ming Ji. He had gently coaxed the man to stop, asking him to prepare some food. Once the man left, he hadn’t even dared to bathe, hastily arranging his clothes before fleeing on his sword.
Thankfully, he didn’t follow…
Ming Ji was exhausted, his vision blurring slightly. He leaned against a tree trunk to rest, occasionally scanning his surroundings.
“*** are you looking for me?”
He froze instantly, not even daring to turn his head.
A chill rushed up his spine, and his chest heaved violently.
The man dragged out the last syllable, his voice filled with affection and tenderness.
Little did he know, this tenderness only caused Ming Ji’s pupils to dilate, his mind going blank.
The rapid beating of his heart seemed to pound against his nerves, instantly snapping Ming Ji to his senses as he struggled to escape this endless humiliation.
The man sensed his thoughts. Letting out a low laugh, he imprisoned Ming Ji, his fingers cold as a viper’s tail slowly creeping up, until finally…
“Why are you so afraid of me?”
His breathing was unsteady, his eyes filled with an unspeakable depth.
“***, why are you so disobedient—”
Is it because I treat you poorly? Why must you run!
Nerves screamed, and desire drowned out reason.
He sneered, his fingertips catching Ming Ji off guard as he lifted the clothes.
Green robes were stripped away, and the Immortal Venerable wept softly.
Ming Ji, now devoid of spiritual power, kicked out blindly in his panic, aiming for the man’s chest.
The man’s brow was cold and severe. He extended a palm, instantly controlling the situation.
The world spun, and the aloof Immortal Venerable’s pure white back was pressed against the rough grass.
Those red marks looked truly pitiful.
Seeing this, the man’s eyes surged with emotion. He lowered his head to trace the Immortal Venerable’s bright red lips.
He had waited long enough.
Watching Ming Ji’s chest rise and fall, his chaotic breath dampening his cheek, he bullied him maliciously.
“Tell me…”
“How should I punish you?”
Who is it? Who is it?
Disordered images flashed through Ming Ji’s mind, unable to piece together a complete memory.
[Host, what is wrong?]
Ming Ji opened his mouth to answer, but it was as if he had lost his voice; no sound came out for a long time.
Why can’t I see the man’s face clearly? Why can’t I hear how he addresses me?
Ming Ji tried to ignore the subconscious trembling of his body, reaching out to hold the corner of the table to steady himself.
He spoke softly, “A scene just appeared in my mind… It should be a memory from this body’s past life.”
The System did not ask further, assuming it was a temporary aftereffect of Ming Ji’s consciousness merging with the residual memories.
[I will now transmit the original memories to you.]
Accompanied by a buzzing electric sound, many scenes surfaced in Ming Ji’s mind in response.
Most of these images were unbearable to look at.
Even though Ming Ji was indifferent and aloof, with rarely fluctuating emotions, seeing this soulless body being bullied by everyone time and again still made him freeze in place.
Most of the time, the Ming Ji in the visions had empty eyes, devoid of any clear consciousness.
Yet those who humiliated him loved this depraved look of his, tirelessly pinching his chin to force Ming Ji to say those obscene words, and even…
Ming Ji closed his eyes, unwilling to dwell on such scenes any longer.
The source of these developments began today.
The Second Elder had quietly begun his plotting, administering “Nether Incense” to Ming Ji while he was unaware.
For an ordinary person, taking it would be harmless, but for Ming Ji, with his Cauldron constitution, it would cause him to lose all his cultivation, his consciousness fading into dazed pleading.
Such despicable means were enough to make others spit in disgust.
Ming Ji rubbed his temples, finding the series of events unspeakable.
—Two years ago, after his cultivation was damaged from slaying a demon beast, he was affected by the beast’s residual aura and transformed into a Cauldron constitution.
Unwilling to be reduced to a plaything, Ming Ji had gone to the Library Pavilion to consult numerous ancient texts, attempting to find a solution.
Unexpectedly, he accidentally stepped into a strange formation and was instantly sent to another continent by a mysterious ancient book, leaving behind only one soul and one spirit.
Because a Nascent Soul can travel out of the body, Ming Ji’s physical body remained here.
Although the remaining soul and spirit retained a bit of Ming Ji’s clarity, it was suppressed by a massive malice.
This malice not only controlled his body but also intentionally or unintentionally seduced Ming Ji’s disciples, ruining his reputation.
Most importantly, after the malice finished provoking everyone, it left Ming Ji’s body to bear the consequences, departing cleanly without a trace.
everyone dragged this Immortal Venerable into depravity, and no one cared how vastly different Ming Ji’s behavior was from before.
Ming Ji: …Did no one really notice anything wrong?
The System remained silent for a long time. Perhaps seeing that Ming Ji hadn’t spoken for a while and sensing his dissatisfaction, the electronic voice offered a rare consolation.
[Host need not worry. Because you accidentally changed the plot when you first returned, a butterfly effect has already occurred, deviating from the original setting.]
[Congratulations on avoiding the first “Flower Market” Ragdoll plot—The Bullying in the Great Hall. Your Chastity Points +5. Total Chastity Points: 5.]
Although Ming Ji didn’t know exactly what “Ragdoll” or “Chastity Points” meant, associating them with the images in his mind, he knew they certainly weren’t good terms in this context.
He took a deep breath to calm his mind. After pondering for a long time, he slowly asked the question that puzzled him. “Who exactly was the one occupying my body?”
[The System cannot query the intrusion point. You are expected to explore this yourself.]
Ming Ji was rendered speechless and helpless. He had to change his question. “You mean, situations like this will still happen in the future?”
[Yes, Host. I am also known as ‘Saving the High Mountain Flower from Falling from the Altar.’ Just as you were about to ascend, the Heavenly Dao discovered that the continent you were originally in was eroded by unknown factors. As the Child of Destiny, you were affected and deviated from your original path. I was specially sent to reverse time and assist you.]
“So that is how it is.”
The System paused for a moment. [According to the memories I extracted from you earlier, you should have been in the Ascension Stage. However, you must now cultivate again from scratch.]
Ming Ji frowned. His hand subconsciously gripped the corner of the yellow rosewood table. Failing to control his emotions, by the time he reacted, a piece of the table corner had already shattered.
“You mean to say, I had already passed the tribulation and was about to ascend, yet upon returning here, I haven’t brought back a single bit of cultivation?” Ming Ji pinched the bridge of his nose, truly at a loss for words.
He released his other hand from the table. Perhaps the force was too great; without support, the yellow rosewood table simply collapsed with a crash.
The System looked at the shattered mess of yellow rosewood and fell silent for a moment. The pause was so long that Ming Ji even thought it might spit out a few useful words, but then the mechanical voice spoke.
[Artifact -1]
Ming Ji was speechless.
At a time like this, this damn System was adding fuel to the fire.
[Not exactly. You have become a frail Cauldron, and you have a whole sect of people coveting your body, as well as a regressed Golden Core cultivation.]
Seeming to think of something, it added: [There is also your *** which needs constant protection, and finally, a broken you.]
Ming Ji now understood the emotion of being so angry one could laugh when rendered utterly speechless.
But he had weathered many storms; a few weightless words were hardly enough to shake his steadfast mind.
Ming Ji quickly steadied his emotions and asked, “Has that story not ended yet? Why was I able to return?”
After all, he had tried every method to return from the other continent before, always without success. Yet now, he had inexplicably returned.
And that phrase “altering fate”…
Ming Ji pondered, staying silent for a moment.
Fortunately, this time the System gave a useful answer.
[A broken world destroys one’s moral compass. Humans want to see the high-and-mighty, aloof Immortal Venerable humiliated. They want to see the dustless immortal become low to the bone, begging them.]
[They want to see his eyes full of depravity, thereby gaining satisfaction in their hearts. This is inherently against the natural order.]
[And you, Host, as the Child of Destiny of the Nine Heavens Continent—it is because in the final ending, the Nine Heavens Continent collapsed due to unknown reasons, so the Heavenly Dao sent you back before the events occurred.]
[Naturally, as long as you return to the original plot and improve your cultivation to prevent the story line from collapsing again, you will be able to ascend.]
Hearing this news, Ming Ji’s expression finally improved somewhat.
Using the bronze mirror, he looked at the lustrous white earring on his earlobe and touched it subconsciously.
Fortunately, it can temporarily conceal my Cauldron constitution.
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