Chapter 38: Why Don’t You Want Me?
Above Cangfeng Island, the sky suddenly darkened. Cumulus clouds formed rapidly at a speed defying convention, shrouding the overhead. Everything around dimmed, as if the day had turned to night in the blink of an eye.
Beneath the tribulation clouds, Yun Wuxiang stood with his hands behind his back, looking up at the sky. The wind curled his long hair, dancing in the air, his robes fluttering.
Yun Wuxiang, who had wanted to give a few more instructions in Yuan’an City, had to hastily leave a Dharma seal on the people there and rush back to Cangfeng Island without stopping.
The moment he stepped onto the island, the tribulation clouds began to gather. Sensing the power of heaven and earth, the living creatures on the island began to spontaneously flee to safe zones.
For a time, the entire island was bustling. More than half the island was vacated, left for Yun Wuxiang to undergo his tribulation.
Yun Wuxiang swept his arm horizontally in front of him. A row of talisman papers lined up neatly, separated, doubled, then doubled again up, down, left, and right, until they extended into a talisman wall over ten meters long.
In his sea of consciousness, 3339 felt more and more that certain types of talismans appearing in this place were a bit inappropriate.
ăLightning Defense Talisman, Golden Bell Talisman, Grafting Talisman, Evil-Fighting Talisman, Exorcism Talisman…ă
Fighting evil, exorcising spiritsâwho uses these talismans for a lightning tribulation? That’s a lightning tribulation, not a fierce ghost or evil spirit.
The remaining talismans opened 3339’s eyes even wider: ăFortune Transfer Talisman, Wealth Beckoning Talisman? Peach Blossom (Romance) Talisman?! Why are these here too?ă
Host, are you planning to attract romance for the lightning tribulation? What are you thinking?!
Yun Wuxiang didn’t care if these talismans were suitable for the current situation. As long as they were formed talisman papers, they contained spiritual Qi. Even if useless, they could be used as fodder.
After Yun Wuxiang had practically emptied the stock of talismans he had accumulated over the years, he looked up at the tribulation clouds and whispered, “Come.”
The heavenly lightning seemed to hear his words. White lightning, carrying the might of heaven, fell and collided with the talisman papers.
For a moment, a vast blankness appeared in his ears; all sound was swallowed by the thunder.
Yun Wuxiang, having been struck, rubbed his ears. He had a rough estimate of the lightning tribulation’s power and felt a faint doubt in his heart. Is this all the power the lightning tribulation has?
Just as the thought arose, Yun Wuxiang noticed the tribulation clouds expanding at a speed visible to the naked eye. In just two breaths, the range doubled.
Yun Wuxiangâs eyes widened as he looked at the tribulation clouds overhead. “…Alive?” It can monitor my thoughts?
The tribulation clouds emitted a muffled thunderclap, vibrating the entire mass. Lightning sketched a shape resembling a sinister grin within the dark clouds.
Yun Wuxiang looked at this overly vivid cloud. “…Lightning tribulations shouldn’t have their own sentience, right?”
ăHost, the World Consciousness says you looked down on it, so it’s withdrawing the Host Tribulation Welfare and making you face a real lightning tribulation.ă
So it wasn’t that the lightning tribulation had consciousness; the World Consciousness was operating behind the scenes.
Then Yun Wuxiang was surprised: [It’s actually awake?]
Previously, the World Consciousness only woke up when the plot went haywire, then went back to sleep. Its wakefulness now made Yun Wuxiang think.
[Did the plot go wrong again while I was undergoing the Heart Demon Tribulation?]
ăPeople from the Immortal Realm came down again, intending to assassinate the protagonist. They were beaten off by Mo Yang. The World Consciousness was frequently woken up, so it’s had trouble sleeping recently.ă
Yun Wuxiang’s first reaction upon hearing about visitors from the Immortal Realm was that there were new mission targets to farm energy points from.
Only then did he wonder how these people got down.
[Was the passage repaired?]
ăNo, they smuggled themselves through the Demon Realm passage,ă 3339 said.
Yun Wuxiang asked: [Are the relations between the Demon Realm and Immortal Realm here very good?]
Good enough to borrow a gate?
ăVery bad. But the relationship between the Immortal Realm and the Yao and Ghost Realms is even worse.ă
3339 mentioned this in passing, then continued to ask about the current matter: [The World Consciousness is rushing me. Host, do you want to turn off the Tribulation Welfare?]
Yun Wuxiang: [Explain the function of this Tribulation Welfare.]
ăTribulations have risks. To ensure the host can complete the mission smoothly and not be struck to death by lightning midway, the Tribulation Welfare selects appropriate lightning tribulations for you. It simulates the might of the tribulation, allowing the host to perfectly present the standard the character should have, avoiding OOC (Out of Character).ă
ăTribulation Welfare mainly serves hosts with no cultivation experience who won’t stay long in the mission world. This kind of lightning tribulation is the weakest; it looks impressive but is just for show. Similarly, because it’s not a real tribulation, the post-tribulation cultivation base is only at the bottom tier of the same level.ă
By the last sentence, 3339 sensed its host wouldn’t choose to use the welfare. This was obviously a back door for rookie hosts; its host didn’t need it. But the procedure had to be followed.
ăDue to system regulations, I need to ask the host again: Are you sure you want to turn off the Simple Tribulation Mode and face the lightning tribulation personally?ă
Yun Wuxiangâs answer was exactly as 3339 expected, a single unhesitating word: [Yes.]
ăOkay, Tribulation Welfare deactivated.ă
ăThen, I wish the host every success.ă
As 3339âs voice fell, the tribulation clouds in the sky expanded again. From covering half the small island, they expanded to truly blot out the sky and sun. The entire visible sky was filled with tribulation clouds.
Golden lightning, several times thicker than the previous white lightning, crashed down. Yun Wuxiang immediately activated the talismans to block.
As the sound of the collision dissipated, a gap was cleaved in the talisman barrier in front of Yun Wuxiang. At the end of the gap, facing Yun Wuxiangâs open palm, lightning flickered between his slender fingers.
His muscles twitched unnaturally. The aftershock of the lightning tribulation penetrated flesh and blood, piercing into meridians and bone marrow, like thousands of small knives made of lightning swimming inside his body.
The next bolt followed closely. Yun Wuxiang lost another batch of talismans. The initial ten-meter-plus talisman wall was left in ruins, gathering together to barely form a small shield slightly taller than a person.
After this bolt, the talismans in front of Yun Wuxiang turned to ash. The edges of his robes showed scorch marks, and a drop of blood slid from between his fingers.
Yun Wuxiang shook his numb arm. The lightning tribulation came like a roaring dragon, carrying the force of ten thousand jun.
3339 was so scared it covered its eyes, then spread its paws to peek through the gaps, only to be blinded by the sudden burst of intense light.
ăHiss, so bright!ă 3339 closed its eyes, reached into its pocket, took out a pair of sunglasses, and put them on.
The brightness reduced, and 3339 finally saw the situation in the center of the tribulation.
Yun Wuxiangâs bleeding fingers hung in the air, fingertips scorched, white bone slightly exposed. His pupils changed color, baleful aura revived, and a bright red rune suspended in front of him.
The lightning dissipated. Arcs of lightning danced on the crimson rune. The entire floating red talisman trembled violently, shaking Yun Wuxiang’s arm along with it.
When the next lightning bolt fell, the corners of Yun Wuxiang’s mouth lifted slightly. His eyes looked at the sky through his raised fingers as he said, “Return.”
Lightning shot out from the rune, from bottom to top, colliding with the falling lightning in the air.
ăThat talisman can shoot lightning?ă 3339 was dumbfounded, then realized: ăThe host’s talisman reflected the previous bolt back!ă
The tribulation clouds in the sky seemed startled by this accident. The next bolt fell two breaths late. The difference was, this bolt was swifter and fiercer than before.
Yun Wuxiang used up the previous bolt; he had to take this one head-on. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, but a shimmer of excitement flickered in his eyes. The red rune shifted slightly. He smiled at the sky canopy: “Again!”
Lightning came. Lightning gone.
The red talisman under Yun Wuxiangâs hand grew brighter, as if fully charged.
The tribulation clouds were angry. Bolt after bolt smashed down. Half were neutralized by the previous bolt, and half were absorbed by the rune. Yun Wuxiangâs attention shifted from how to resist the lightning to how to adjust the rune structure, incidentally using the aftershocks to temper his physical body.
By the end, the rune in his hand was dyed with a layer of the tribulation’s gold.
The lightning tribulation went from rage to numbness, and finally, out of exasperation, gave him a perfunctory strike before slowly dissipating.
Yun Wuxiang was still pondering how to improve his newly created talisman. After a while with no lightning falling, his gaze moved from the rune to the sky. “Gone?”
The dissipating tribulation clouds forced themselves to gather again, as if wanting to give him one more shot.
Yun Wuxiang looked over expectantly. The clouds dispersed even faster. Sweet dew descended, spiritual light cleansing his wounds. His limbs and bones felt as if soaked in warm water, clear and refreshed.
Confirming there would be no more lightning, Yun Wuxiang withdrew his gaze in disappointment. He condensed the red talisman, which still held half a lightning bolt, into a piece of red-gold jade.
ăHost, congratulations… careful!ă
A black shadow suddenly sprang from a corner, attacking Yun Wuxiang.
Bam!
Yun Wuxiang punched the attacker on the top of the head, turned sideways, raised his foot, and stomped on the attacker’s back.
His peripheral vision swept over the place where the black shadow had sprung from. On the scorched earth, a copper mirror reflected an arc of light.
When did this thing fall out?
The just-dispersed tribulation clouds gathered once more.
ăHost, get away quickly! This is Song Yilou’s tribulation. If you’re inside, you’ll be struck too!ă
Yun Wuxiang left immediately upon hearing this. Before leaving, he didn’t forget to set a Ghost-Trapping Talisman to fix Song Yilou in place to obediently take the lightning.
After fleeing beyond the range of the tribulation, Yun Wuxiang looked back at the sky and suddenly said, “Wrong.”
3339 wondered what was wrong, only to hear Yun Wuxiang say: “Should have just killed him directly.”
If the one undergoing the tribulation dies, wouldn’t the tribulation end?
It was too late now. The tribulation had formed; going in now would mean being locked onto by the lightning.
A ghost’s tribulation brought down Yin lightningâbolts of black thunder accompanied by gusts of Yin wind.
3339 secretly observed its hostâs face. No expression, very calm, yet there was an inexplicable chill that made the system dare not make a sound.
Yun Wuxiang waited quietly for the tribulation to end. He returned to the site immediately. On the ground where a Song Yilou should have been, there was only scorched earth.
“Is the Temple Master looking for me?” A cool, thin breeze brushed past the hair at Yun Wuxiang’s ear.
The red jade hanging on Yun Wuxiang’s wrist vibrated, and golden lightning struck the figure behind him.
“Wah, ah, ah! I’m going to die! Temple Master, it hurts so much~” The person claiming it hurt didn’t retreat half a step in the lightning light. Instead, he pressed forward, clinging onto Yun Wuxiang.
“Temple Master, why don’t you want me? I became your Life Gu, so I can only listen to you. Didn’t you want an obedient pet?”
Song Yilouâs head pressed against Yun Wuxiangâs ear. His voice, laced with ghostly energy, sounded like a vengeful spirit claiming a life, recounting unwillingness and grievance.
“Why don’t you want me?”
Yun Wuxiang turned to look. The ghost, having regained his sanity, looked at him in confusion. Despite having an adult’s physique, those eyes remained identical to Little Black Tuft in the illusionâblack and white, possessing a child-like innocent cruelty.
“Song Yilou.”
Yun Wuxiang asked seriously, “What benefit do I get from taking you as a Life Gu?”
Song Yilou: “Lots. Like being invulnerable to a hundred poisons.”
Yun Wuxiang extended a finger through a wisp of Yin energy left by the Yin lightning. “You are a ghost now. Half ghost, half Gu. You don’t even have a body. Are you sure you can still grant immunity to poisons?”
Song Yilou blinked. “Don’t know.”
He abandoned this advantage and continued, “I can also help the Temple Master fight and kill people, poison things, and destroy corpses.”
Yun Wuxiang: “Great. Commit suicide.”
Song Yilou pretended not to hear and switched to another advantage. “As long as I live, the Temple Master will never die.”
Yun Wuxiang: “Sorry, the one I want to kill is you. If I live and die with you, how can I kill you?”
“I can help the Temple Master with chores. Serve tea and water, do laundry and cook.”
“I don’t have chores here.”
“I can help you protect King Li and Shen Lanqing.”
“You’ll pull petty tricks. And King Li already has a ‘you’ beside him.”
After his list of uses was completely rejected, Song Yilou suddenly tore open his collar, revealing his collarbone and a large expanse of pectoral muscles. He declared loudly, “I can warm the bed!”
The disgust in Yun Wuxiang’s eyes couldn’t be hidden. “That alone is the most useless thing. If I wanted someone to warm the bed, would I lack a stone-cold ghost like you?”
“Who do you want to warm the bed?” Song Yilou bared his sharp little tiger teeth, looking as if he would bite the next second.
“Put your clothes on properly first.” As Yun Wuxiang reached out to pull his collar, his fingertips inadvertently brushed against his chest. Runes instantly generated on the skin, spreading and turning into shackles to control Song Yilou.
“Righteous Lightning Evil-Slaying Talisman. Descend.”
Lightning fell, striking Song Yilou, causing another roar of thunder.
Amidst the lightning, Song Yilou gave Yun Wuxiang a ghostly look, turned into a stream of Yin energy, and rushed toward a certain patch of scorched earth.
Yun Wuxiang kicked away the scorched clods on that patch of ground. hooking his finger upward, the copper mirror with several cracks on its surface flew into his palm. His movements were elegant and calm, yet his speed was not slow in the slightest as he carved several seals and tucked it into his sleeve.
“Indeed, hard to kill now.”
No matter. Song Yilou, the illiterate, couldn’t understand cultivation methods and spells. Placing a few more seals would trap him for a while.
Next, should he kill the new stowaways to earn some energy points first?
Or should he go disable the restriction in Zhao Sihai’s brain and dig out the secret regarding the Son of Luck?
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