Mount Wan Zhang.
A towering peak, majestic as if piercing the heavens, flickered between illusion and reality, carrying an ethereal, mirage-like quality.
Yuan Kong stared gloomily at the illusory shadow of Mount Wan Zhang before him.
As matters gradually settled into order, Chu Xingchen delegated authority to the Village Chief, treating this affair as little more than a side quest.
With established rules now in place, Chu Xingchen no longer needed to involve himself too deeply.
After all, his true objective lay in the treasure hidden within Mount Wan Zhang.
Li Yingling reached out to touch the shadow, only to grasp empty air. She then turned her gaze to Yuan Kong, voicing a sincere accusation:
"Are you even a real Buddha’s Chosen One? You can’t do this, you can’t do that."
Yuan Kong’s face fell at her words, and he began to wonder if his senior brother had deceived him—perhaps he wasn’t the Buddha’s Chosen One after all.
Mount Wan Zhang wasn’t exactly far, but the problem lay in the fact that it wasn’t a physical entity.
It was merely a towering illusion. Chu Xingchen had attempted to fly into the mountain, only to pass through its shadow.
Even the supposed problem-solving Buddha’s Chosen One could do nothing but touch empty air.
Having long accepted that Yuan Kong was useless, Li Yingling turned to her master and said:
"Master, I think the Village Chief is hiding something. How could he know nothing? That Buddha’s Heart is in his possession."
Chu Xingchen offered no immediate opinion. Instead, he patted Yuan Kong’s shoulder lightly and said:
"Yuan Kong, surely you have some untapped method? Surely a person can’t be completely useless?"
"I… I…"
Yuan Kong opened his mouth to retort, but no words came out.
His expression grew even more dejected.
At this point, even Yuan Kong was starting to believe he truly was worthless.
Right now, he really had no means to contribute.
A faint smile tugged at Chu Xingchen’s lips as he comforted him:
"It’s fine. At least you’re diligent when it comes to eating. That’s already commendable."
This wasn’t baseless mockery—after all, Yuan Kong had yet to reach Foundation Establishment and couldn’t abstain from food.
Had Chu Xingchen not left a large portion of his spatial ring empty, he wouldn’t have bothered filling it with anything.
But since empty space was better utilized with practical items, he had stuffed it full of Chen Baiqing’s favorite snacks and treats.
After all, Chen Baiqing’s innate talent remained unclear. The sole golden-tier trait she possessed didn’t seem to aid cultivation.
Her progress would undoubtedly lag behind Li Yingling and Li Xingtian’s, meaning she’d remain in Qi Refining for much longer.
To prepare for contingencies, Chu Xingchen had packed plenty of food.
Yuan Kong, who had likely never tasted delicacies like candied fruits or sugar paintings before, became the fastest and most voracious eater whenever meals were served.
He’d even sneak a few extra into his sleeves afterward.
Thus, he had no rebuttal.
Yuan Kong silently raised his head.
Thanks. That wasn’t comforting at all.
Before setting out, Chu Xingchen had already questioned the Village Chief thoroughly.
Taking advantage of the Village Chief’s burning curiosity about Chu Xingchen’s management methods, he had dangled answers in exchange for more information.
The results were remarkable.
The Village Chief, scratching his head in frustration, had eagerly sought Chu Xingchen’s insights and, in doing so, revealed many previously undisclosed details.
But regarding Mount Wan Zhang, the Village Chief could only repeat that the treasure lay within the mountain and that only the Buddha’s Chosen One could retrieve it.
Through his divine sense, Chu Xingchen perceived the mountain as a void—though not entirely. Occasionally, faint traces of existence flickered.
Illusory yet intentional…
Interesting. If the Village Chief wasn’t lying, how exactly was the Buddha’s Chosen One supposed to ascend this intangible Mount Wan Zhang?
Chu Xingchen reached out again, brushing his fingers through the mountain’s shadow as if sweeping through empty air.
His gaze returned to the despondent Yuan Kong, and he asked once more:
"That Buddhist scripture documenting this place—are you sure you haven’t missed anything?"
Yuan Kong racked his brain yet again but could only shake his head helplessly. There truly was nothing else.
Li Yingling’s gaze drifted thoughtfully between Mount Wan Zhang and Yuan Kong.
Suddenly, inspiration struck.
"Master, I have a suggestion," she declared.
"Wait—" Yuan Kong’s eyes widened, and he frantically raised a hand to stop her.
After spending these past few days with Li Yingling, Yuan Kong had developed a healthy fear of her. This woman was ruthless, and her schemes always left him trembling.
Just from the look in her eyes, Yuan Kong could tell her idea wouldn’t bode well for him.
But as the utterly useless one, he had no say in the matter.
Chu Xingchen turned to Li Yingling, waiting for her explanation.
"Mount Wan Zhang is formless, but we are tangible. Perhaps that’s the root of the problem. If we make Yuan Kong formless, wouldn’t he be able to ascend the mountain then?"
A chill ran down Yuan Kong’s spine.
Becoming formless? That meant soul separation!
As a mere Qi Refining cultivator, the only way his soul could leave his body was through death.
Yuan Kong shot a pleading look at Chu Xingchen, hoping to awaken his conscience.
But Chu Xingchen ignored him entirely, his gaze fixed on Yuan Kong as he pondered the plan’s feasibility.
Admittedly, Li Yingling’s suggestion had given him an idea.
The Village Chief had already admitted that this world operated on the principle of "mind over matter."
Thus, Mount Wan Zhang, existing within this realm, followed the same rule.
Chu Xingchen reached out and placed a hand on Yuan Kong’s head.
Normally, Yuan Kong hated having his head touched—even his senior brother wasn’t allowed. But now, rendered useless, he had no energy left to protest.
He allowed the hand to ruffle his hair as Chu Xingchen’s voice sounded beside his ear:
"Yuan Kong, are you tired?"
"I just woke up, so… no?"
"That’s fine. I’ll help you."
Yuan Kong lifted his head in confusion, wanting to ask what Chu Xingchen meant—
But a surge of spiritual energy from the hand on his head sent him tumbling into unconsciousness.
In his fading awareness, he faintly heard Chu Xingchen’s murmuring voice:
"Mount Wan Zhang is an illusion. Dreams are illusions. So seek the real Mount Wan Zhang within the dream."
"This is called ‘negative times negative equals positive’!"
At that moment, only one thought filled Yuan Kong’s mind—
What the hell does that even mean?!
Amid the heavy fog of unconsciousness, a faint pulse of spiritual energy jolted him awake.
Yuan Kong’s eyes snapped open.
Before him still loomed the towering Mount Wan Zhang. He scrambled to his feet, intending to demand an explanation from Chu Xingchen—
Only to realize he was completely alone.
The faint silhouette of Peach Blossom Village, barely visible before he passed out, had vanished without a trace.
Yuan Kong took a deep breath, understanding dawning upon him. He reached out to touch the mountain again, hoping for solidity this time—
But his small hand passed through empty air once more.
His vision darkened.
This didn’t work either! He still couldn’t touch it!
Yet, there was no doubt that progress had been made.
Yuan Kong quickly steadied himself, sitting cross-legged on the ground as he calmly observed the majestic mountain.
After a long silence, he lightly knocked his own head.
He had been too fixated on the wrong thing.
lanned to earn money steadily and take life at a slower pace. But he never expected... his father's remarriage, and the stepmother bringing along a dependent, would completely disrupt his life's plans...
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
orn and Humiliation】【Forced Love】 In his past life, Lin Ran was betrayed and murdered by his girlfriend and family, while the yandere female aristocrat, who had treated him as a mere plaything, avenged him by doing in his enemies. Upon seeing the yandere female aristocrat lying in the same coffin, ready to die with him, Lin Ran realized how profoundly mistaken he had been. Reborn, he abandoned the fickle campus beauty and wholeheartedly embraced the yandere female aristocrat's arms. "Ran! If I dig out your eyes and turn them into a specimen, you'll only be able to look at me!" Lin Ran: "Darling, kiss me!" "Ran! If I break your legs, you won't run away anymore, right?" Lin Ran: "Love, hold me tight!" "Ran! If..." Lin Ran: "Hush now! Love me more!" Luo Yao: ... Seeing his scumbag dad: "Take him out!" Seeing his stepmother: "Get rid of her!" Seeing his brother: "Eliminate him!" Seeing his white moonlight: "Send that to Southeast Asia!"
e bizarre and supernatural had descended. The previous emperor was a thoroughgoing tyrant; no longer satisfied with human women, he had set his sights on a stunningly beautiful supernatural entity. He met his end in his bedchamber, drained of all his vital essence. As the legitimate eldest son and crown prince, Wang Hao was thus hastily enthroned, becoming the young emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No sooner had he awakened the "Imperial Sign-In Intelligence System" than he was assassinated by a Son of Destiny—a classic villain's opening. The Great Zhou, ravaged by the former emperor's excesses, was in national decline. The great families within its borders harbored their own treacherous schemes, martial sects began to defy the imperial court's decrees, and border armies, their pay and provisions in arrears, grumbled incessantly against the central government. Fortunately, the central capital was still held secure by the half-million Imperial Guards and fifty thousand Imperial Forest Army who obeyed the court's orders, along with the royal family's hidden reserves of power, barely managing to suppress the realm. As the Great Zhou's finances worsened and supernatural activities grew ever more frequent, the court sat atop a volcano. Ambitious plotters everywhere dreamed of overthrowing the dynasty, and even some reclusive ancient powers emerged, attempting to sway the tides of the world. At the first grand court assembly, the civil and military officials nearly came to blows, fighting tooth and nail over the allocation of fifty million taels of silver from the summer tax revenues. The spectacle opened Wang Hao's eyes—the Great Zhou's bureaucracy was not only corrupt but also martially proficient, a cabinet of all-rounders. Some officials even had the audacity to suggest the emperor release funds from the imperial privy purse to address the emergency. Wang Hao suddenly felt weary. Let it all burn.
