"I don't care! Whether you're human or ghost, you're still my husband!" Hu Tao clenched her fists and said, "If you dare not come back, I'll summon your soul every single day!"
Lucas gave a faint smile and said, "Time's almost up. I have to go. Say it one more time."
"Say what?" Hu Tao frowned.
"You know, the one I like hearing the most," Lucas said helplessly. "I don't know why, but if I go too long without hearing it, I start to feel a bit off."
Hu Tao's face flushed red, but she still bit her lip and murmured, "Geez… Do you really like being insulted by me that much, you useless old man? You feel uncomfortable unless I'm cursing you out, huh? How pathetic… Fine, I'll bully you good…"
However, before she could finish speaking, the puppet body had already slowly closed its eyes. Deep down, Hu Tao knew that Lucas's soul was no longer present.
"But… if I can't scold you, I might feel even worse instead…" Hu Tao wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, patted her cheeks to encourage herself, and said, "This isn't the time to wallow in self-pity. I have to get the carriage ready quickly…"
...
Exorcist Clans.
It had been decades since he last came here. As the only exorcist sect of its kind in Liyue, and with Shenhe's successful ascension to the Qixing, the Exorcist Clans' influence in Liyue went without saying.
Returning to this familiar place, both its scale and the number of disciples under its name were far beyond what they had been.
But for some reason, despite the Exorcist Clans supposedly being solemn and sacred, Lucas instead felt an eerie, chilling presence.
Ordinary people naturally couldn't sense it, but Lucas could clearly see a large number of demons and evil spirits circling above the Exorcist Clans, among them many other Baku, constantly transporting the souls they had collected into the central structure of the sect.
Who could have imagined that the Rider's Plague, which had plagued Liyue for years and torn countless families apart, actually originated from the Exorcist Clans, who were supposed to stand for eliminating evil and upholding righteousness?
A barrier was set up around that building. The Baku would quickly leave after delivering the souls into the barrier, looking rather apprehensive.
"Great King, that's the place," the Baku said with a trembling voice. "All the male souls we've collected over the years have been delivered into that building. Not a single one has ever escaped. You must be very careful."
"I got it, now you should go too," Lucas waved his hand casually and said, "Eat more nightmares when you can, consider it atonement for your sins. Just don't get caught again."
Saying that, Lucas couldn't help but feel a little ironic. Up until now, he himself didn't even know how many evil deeds he had committed, yet here he was advising someone else to do good.
The Baku nodded thoughtfully, murmured, "Take care, Great King," and quickly departed.
Lucas looked around and saw countless wandering souls like himself, all seemingly devoid of consciousness, drifting involuntarily toward that building. It seemed that the other subdued spirits had all been specially treated. To avoid suspicion, Lucas followed the other souls and entered the building along with them.
Decades ago, when he had last come here, this building hadn't even existed.
Anyone with a basic understanding of geomancy could tell that this area was extremely rich in Yin energy, making it entirely unsuitable for construction. The Exorcist Clans couldn't possibly be unaware of this—unless they deliberately intended to make use of the Yin energy.
Sure enough, once he entered the building, he saw a massive demon-refining cauldron placed in the center of the room. The souls seemed to be guided by some unseen force as they poured into the mouth of the cauldron.
Surrounding the cauldron was a large Five Elements Formation, clearly meant to use these souls to refine some kind of pill.
However, it seemed the cauldron hadn't gathered enough souls yet, so the refining hadn't begun. This meant that the souls collected up until now should still be inside the cauldron—just like the demons once absorbed into the Harmony Hexagram Hat.
Just then, footsteps suddenly echoed from outside the door. Lucas was startled and about to hide, but the door had already been flung open. A powerful aura instantly surged into the room.
"Cough, cough…"
An old man in a Daoist robe slowly stepped in. His hair was silver, his body hunched, his face wrinkled like tree bark. He looked just like a man ravaged by consumption. After coughing twice, he said, "As expected… it seems something foul has snuck into this old man's alchemy chamber."
Despite his frail and sickly appearance, his voice was deep and forceful. Upon seeing his face clearly, Lucas couldn't help but be slightly shocked.
This old man was actually the head of the Exorcist Clans.
Over twenty years ago, Lucas had once come to the clan to search for Shenhe, and had met this very clan leader once.
Judging by age, he should only be around sixty now. Moreover, practitioners of the Way typically aged much slower. Yet now, he looked as though he were already eighty or ninety.
Lucas recalled how he had once aspired to join the Exorcist Clans precisely because he admired the extraordinary bearing of this clan leader. Who would've thought that, after all these years, the man had become like this—and he himself had even turned into a monstrous evil spirit. It was a truly lamentable fate.
Lucas had only infiltrated the Exorcist Clans to uncover the truth behind the Rider's Plague. He hadn't planned to cause trouble. Besides, while this clan leader appeared frail, his true strength was unfathomable. And this was his domain—if a fight broke out, Lucas might not gain anything from it. He immediately decided to escape.
But just then, the Five Elements Formation within the room suddenly activated, forming five walls of light that enclosed Lucas.
"Cough… I remember now…" A gleam of clarity flickered through the clan leader's cloudy eyes. "You must be Shenhe's younger brother. We met once more than twenty years ago."
Seeing that there was no way to escape, Lucas instead calmed down and asked, "How did you recognize me?"
Logically speaking, after going through so many changes, even his adoptive parents might not recognize him—let alone this man, whom he had only met a few times.
"It must be the bond of blood," the clan leader said faintly. "Even though you've turned into an evil spirit, you're still… my son."
Perhaps because he had already learned this truth through the simulator, Lucas remained calm. With a cold laugh, he said, "My physical body was devoured by a horde of demons long ago. I have nothing to do with you anymore."
"You're right. The human body is far too fragile," the clan leader coughed twice again and said. "After your mother died, I grew more and more afraid of death. I even began to envy those filthy demons—why should they be granted such long lives?"
"So I began releasing those sealed demons and subjugating them, hoping to refine an elixir of immortality." He snorted coldly. "But those pills didn't restore my youth. Instead, they left me riddled with filth."
Only now did Lucas understand why the number of demons in Liyue kept increasing—turns out the Exorcist Clans were releasing them themselves.
The clan leader removed his Daoist robe, revealing that he wore no inner garments beneath. His body, as shriveled and dry as dead bark, was covered in horrifying pustules that writhed and squirmed grotesquely, creating a revolting sight.
"This is what you get for your own actions," Lucas frowned slightly and said. "Rather than continuing to suffer, why not just end it all and be done with it?"
"No. I will not die!" A twisted grin slowly spread across the clan leader's face. "I've finally found a method to prolong my life. As long as I gather ten thousand souls of adult men and refine them using the utmost Yin method, I can produce the 'Yin-Yang Rebirth Pill.' Now that I've collected them all, today is the day I reclaim my youth."
His obsession with immortality had already turned this once-normal man into a complete madman.
Or perhaps, the moment he was willing to abandon his own son for power, he had already proven himself a hypocrite.
"So even if I am your son…" Lucas said coldly, "you'll still kill me without hesitation, won't you?"
"Children are merely vessels to carry on one's genes," the clan leader's smile grew more deranged. "Now that I can obtain eternal life, what need do I have for offspring? Besides, your body has already been destroyed. You have nothing to do with me anymore."
"I figured as much," Lucas, however, showed no fear—instead, he smiled. "If I destroy this demon-refining cauldron, then your dreams of immortality will be shattered, won't they?"
The clan leader sneered. "This cauldron is forged from special materials and reinforced with magical power. It's impossible to destroy it from the outside."
"In that case, since it can't be destroyed from the outside…" Lucas turned around without hesitation and plunged into the demon-refining cauldron. "Let's try it from the inside."
The demon-refining cauldron naturally accepted all without discrimination and immediately absorbed Lucas's soul into it.
"You actually chose to destroy yourself?" The clan leader slowly pulled his robe back on and said calmly, "Very well, consider it dregs for the pill."
By now, his obsession with immortality had led him down the path of demonic cultivation. Forget this biological son whom he had abandoned since childhood—even if his deceased wife returned to life, if she stood in the way of his path to eternal life, he would cast her aside without hesitation.
Now that ten thousand adult male souls had been collected, and the moment of regaining his youth was just around the corner, the clan leader naturally didn't want to waste a single moment. Beneath the cauldron, a rootless true flame ignited.
"In just thirty-six hours—six times six—the Yin-Yang Rebirth Pill will be ready. Cough, cough…" The clan leader coughed harshly twice more and said, "Just three more days, and I'll be free of this frail body."
...
Lucas had always thought only Sun Wukong would get thrown into a pill furnace.
He never expected that one day, he'd be thrown in too.
However, the environment inside this demon-refining cauldron was far less pleasant than that of the Harmony Hexagram Hat.
After all, Hu Tao's grandfather had captured demons with the intent of redeeming them. This cauldron, on the other hand, was nothing more than a tool.
In this endless void, countless souls of men floated like an ocean—all looking sickly and dispirited. Even when they saw a new face appear within the cauldron, they paid him no mind.
Indeed, having their souls inexplicably drawn out and trapped in this dark, hopeless place without a shred of light—it would crush anyone's will, even a normal person's.
Lucas scanned the crowd and, sure enough, recognized many familiar faces.
After all, for the Spirit-Summoning Rite service he offered on Hu Tao's behalf, Lucas had to take the form of these men, and even memorize various details about them to avoid arousing suspicion.
But now, facing them directly, Lucas felt somewhat conflicted inside.
Even if meeting their wives in their form had been well-intentioned, some affectionate interactions were inevitable. If these men ever found out the truth, those with bigger hearts might just barely forgive him—those with smaller ones would likely hate him to death.
"Ahem!"
Lucas suddenly gave a few loud coughs, raised one hand, and shouted, "Hey, brothers! Why do you all look so lifeless? Don't you want to get out of this hellhole?"
Some of the men raised their heads in confusion, then slowly lowered them again. Most, however, remained completely expressionless, showing no reaction whatsoever.
Clearly, he wasn't the first person to stir up trouble in here. Similar "uprisings" had likely all failed, and they had long since given up hope.
"Kid, give it up," said a burly man, patting Lucas on the shoulder with a sigh. "You must be like us—just got married not long ago, then mysteriously had your soul taken here. Sigh… I wonder how my wife's doing out there. Maybe she remarried… Actually, that'd be better. At least she wouldn't spend her life alone."
Lucas looked closely and was slightly startled. "You're… Wang Wench?"
That's right—since Wang Wench had been the very first man he transformed into, Lucas had a deep impression of him.
Wang Wench scratched his head in confusion. "How do you know my name?"
"Not only do I know your name," Lucas continued, "I also know your wife's name is Siyu. Am I right?"
"You even know my wife's name?" Wang Banzi scratched his bristly crew cut, suddenly realizing something. He grabbed Lucas by the collar and roared, "Hey! Don't tell me you had a thing going on with my wife!"
Even within the demon-refining cauldron, these ordinary men's souls were no match for Lucas. But he hadn't come here to pick a fight.
"Misunderstanding, misunderstanding!" Lucas hurriedly explained, "Here's the thing—I work at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. I'm Hu Tao's husband. After you all passed away, your wives missed you deeply. They brought your photos and information, hoping to use a Spirit-Summoning Rite to summon your souls."
"My apologies—I wrongly accused you," Wang Wench finally released his grip and sighed. "But all our souls have been locked up in this godforsaken place. How could they ever summon us?"
"That's true," Lucas's eyes turned slightly as he said, "But since Lady Hu saw how sad they were, she used a spell to create substitutes of you. During the rites, your wives were able to meet with those substitutes."
Naturally, Lucas wasn't about to reveal the truth about those "substitutes." Fortunately, these ordinary people didn't understand the intricacies of ghostly spells, so they didn't question it much.
"So… you've seen my wife then?" Wang Wench asked eagerly. "How is she doing in the mortal world? Did she find someone new?"
"She… she misses you very much," Lucas answered "truthfully." "She would rather meet you during the Spirit-Summoning Rite than marry anyone else."
"My Siyu, you silly girl!" Wang Wench was deeply moved. He wanted to laugh and cry all at once. Slapping his thigh, he said, "I want to see you too, even if it's just one more time!"
The men nearby had also been drawn in by their conversation.
They had long since lost all hope in life—no, in the afterlife. The only thing that still tied them to the world was their living family, especially the wives they left behind.
Now that this "newcomer" might know how their wives were doing, they naturally perked up.
"Hey, little brother! Have you seen my wife?"
"Did my wife go to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor for a Spirit-Summoning?"
"My wife loves me a lot—she definitely went to summon my soul, right?"
...
Seeing more and more people gathering around him, Lucas couldn't help but feel a bit of secret joy. "Everyone, don't crowd! One at a time! Uncle—you're Master Mao from Wanmin Restaurant, right? Your wife and daughter are running the restaurant very well now. And you, big brother—your wife must be Ying'er from Chunxiang Kiln, yes? Every time she comes to the rite, she brings some spices as a gift…"
Lucas hadn't expected even Master Mao to be here. After all, he'd died before the Rider's Plague had spread.
Then again, it was possible his soul had already been captured by the clan leader's people even earlier.
Luckily, Lucas had a strong memory and had remembered nearly all the personal details, with barely a single mistake, which won over everyone's complete trust.
The men, who had previously been utterly devoid of will, began to show renewed light in their clouded eyes upon learning that their wives still missed them in the world above.
"Gentlemen, please hear me out," seeing the moment was right, Lucas raised both arms and said, "Now is not the time to give up hope!"
"What hope is left?" Wang Banzi shook his head and said helplessly, "Even if we could escape from here, we're all already dead. How could we possibly reunite with our wives?"
"Although your physical bodies have been destroyed…" Lucas encouraged, "if we use the automaton technology from Inazuma and the spellcraft of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor to inject your souls into those puppet bodies, then you could be 'revived' in another form."
Whether this method was truly feasible, even Lucas wasn't sure. But under the current circumstances, he had to offer them enough hope so they could once again ignite the will to escape.
"R-Really?" Master Mao said excitedly, "I… I want to see my wife again! I want to see Xiangling—see how she's grown up! While I've been trapped here… I even missed her coming-of-age ceremony!"
"Missed your daughter's coming-of-age ceremony? That's nothing!" someone else quipped. "We even missed our own funerals!"
Although that line had a touch of gallows humor, it did help lighten the grim mood a little.
Just then, someone suddenly cried out, "What the—!? What's going on? S-So hot!"
Only then did everyone notice that the temperature in this void had suddenly risen dramatically—especially in the central region, which was now unbearably scorching.
"Damn it…" Lucas frowned. "The reason we were imprisoned here was to serve as alchemy ingredients. Now that the required souls have been gathered… the fire must have been lit."
At these words, the expressions of the men around him turned complicated.
To receive hope only to fall back into despair right after—that kind of pain was unbearable.
"Don't panic!" Lucas quickly tried to calm them. "After marrying into the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, I studied quite a bit of spellcraft. This demon-refining cauldron conceals the Eight Gates: Rest, Life, Injury, Obstruction, Scenery, Death, Fright, and Open. The Gate of Life is the vent through which air flows. If we can concentrate enough power to block it, the cauldron will collapse from within."
The men were completely confused. Wang Wench scratched the back of his head and said, "Bro, enough with the roundabout talk. Just tell us what we need to do."
"It's simple," Lucas raised his arms. "I need all of you to lend me a little bit of your Yang Qi. If we combine everyone's strength, we might just be able to block the Gate of Life."
The demon-refining cauldron was a place of extreme Yang. The Yin energy in Lucas's body was ineffective here, so he had no choice but to borrow a wisp of Yang Qi from these male souls.
A single soul's Yang Qi might be negligible, but if ten thousand souls combined as one, the power would be formidable.
The principle was actually similar to the Spirit Bomb from Dragon Ball, except instead of gathering Genki, Lucas was collecting Yang Qi.
Although… gathering Yang Qi this way felt just a little bit weird.
The souls here were already incredibly weak, barely held together by a single strand of Qi. But if this was their only chance to escape and reunite with their families, they couldn't afford to care anymore. They were dead either way. So, they all closed their eyes and began transferring what little energy they had into Lucas.
Due to the frequent Spirit-Summoning Rites, Lucas's body already contained the Yin Qi of their wives. Now that he was absorbing their husbands' Yang Qi as well—in theory, Yin and Yang should conflict—but since both energies came from couples, instead of clashing, they fused and complemented each other perfectly.
Lucas felt the Yin and Yang energies within him intertwining and harmonizing, producing an entirely new kind of power!
"Gentlemen, thank you for your Yang Qi! You're all amazing!" Lucas's smile grew increasingly unrestrained. "And thank your wives too—they're amazing as well!"
While there was nothing overtly wrong with what he said—he seemed to be praising their devoted wives—the surrounding souls couldn't help but feel that something sounded… off.
...
In the demon-refining chamber.
Balancing Yin and Yang had taken quite a bit of time. Before he knew it, nearly three full days had passed in the Exorcist Clans' estate. During those three days, to prevent any mishaps, the clan leader had stayed beside the demon-refining cauldron, acting as its guardian.
To refine the Yin-Yang Rebirth Pill, rare and precious alchemy ingredients had to be added every hour.
The clan leader couldn't entrust this to anyone else—he had to handle everything personally.
Suddenly, he heard a muffled rumble from within the cauldron. The once-sturdy structure began to tremble violently. Everything happened in an instant. Then, with a loud bang, a crack appeared on the surface of the cauldron.
That crack rapidly spread like a spider web. From within the gaps, golden light began to shine through.
Startled, the clan leader hurried to cast a spell to suppress it—but he was already a step too late. With a thunderous crash, the cauldron shattered, and golden light burst forth, illuminating the dim chamber like it was broad daylight.
First it was the Spirit Bomb, and now the cauldron jump—Lucas had basically followed Sun Wukong's moves down to the letter. A true fusion of culture and combat.
"A Golden Pill… has formed?"
The clan leader shakily took two steps forward. As the light faded, he saw a figure slowly emerge from the wreckage.
"It's not that a Golden Pill has formed," the figure shone brilliantly, as though coated in gold lacquer. "It's that… a Golden Body has been forged."
The clan leader instinctively took two steps back, muttering, "I-It's you! How is this possible?"
That's right—the one who had just broken free from the cauldron was none other than Lucas.
Inside the cauldron, he had not only perfectly harmonized the Yin and Yang energies within him but had also absorbed the countless alchemy materials tossed into the mix—miraculously forging a new physical body.
Unlike the puppet body he'd used before, which only served as a vessel for his soul, this new body had truly fused with Lucas's spirit—granting him a genuine, living body once again.
"Sorry, my dearest 'Father,'" Lucas brushed off the shattered fragments from his body and sneered, "this is what it means to 'suffer bitterness year after year weaving golden threads, only to sew the wedding dress for someone else.'"
That's right. The clan leader had toiled for years, painstakingly collecting countless souls and materials—not only had he failed to refine the Yin-Yang Rebirth Pill to preserve his youth, but instead, he had unwittingly prepared everything for Lucas, allowing him to obtain a golden body.
Yet despite this, the clan leader's expression remained remarkably calm.
"No matter, no matter…" The clan leader lightly coughed twice and said, "The Golden Pill is you, and you are the Golden Pill. As long as I can devour you, I'll still attain eternal youth and immortality!"
"As the saying goes, 'Even a vicious tiger doesn't eat its cubs,'" Lucas clenched his fists and smiled. "If you can say something like that, then there's no need for me to talk sentiment with you anymore."
In truth, there was no longer any emotional bond between them. This exchange was more like Lucas formally cutting ties.
"You don't think I left myself without a backup plan, do you…" The clan leader's shoulders quivered slightly as he let out a teeth-grating laugh. "I've been preparing for this day for decades—how could I let you ruin it so easily!"
As his words fell, his body began to swell at a speed visible to the naked eye. From his once gaunt and shriveled form, numerous limbs of various demons began to sprout.
"I see…" Lucas muttered thoughtfully, "So you too… sold your body to the demons?"
Lucas was naturally familiar with this phenomenon.
After all, he had once done the same—when gravely wounded and desperate to protect Qiqi, he had offered his strength to a long-waiting demon in exchange for a usable body.
By doing so, one could transform their body into that of a demon. Of course, it came with immense risk.
Lucas, being a rare Pure Yin constitution, was able to integrate demonic powers and coexist with them.
But the clan leader was different. In pursuit of immortality, he had forcibly grafted demonic power into himself, leading to rejection and conflict among the different forces. His body had begun to break down as a result.
The numerous twisted demonic limbs sprouting from his body were undeniable proof of this failed fusion.
Even so, the mingled strength of so many demonic entities still burst forth with immense power. As his body swelled, the entire alchemy chamber began to collapse under the pressure.
With the destruction of the chamber, Lucas saw the sky again for the first time in what felt like ages.
Perhaps it was due to the influence of the demonic energy—even the sky above had taken on a gloomy haze.
Outside the alchemy chamber, the sect's many disciples stood in formation. Even when they saw the clan leader's grotesque new form, not a single one showed any sign of surprise.
Just as Lucas was feeling puzzled, the clan leader—now completely unrecognizable and resembling a thousand-limbed monstrosity stitched together from severed parts—let out a hoarse cry: "Offer your lives!"
The disciples in the front row stepped forward in unison like puppets. Without another word, the clan leader grabbed several of them with massive limbs and absorbed them into his body. The sickening crack, crunch sounds followed, and new human limbs began sprouting from his monstrous form.
"You even corrupted your own disciples…" Lucas's expression twisted in disgust. "Turning them into reserves of power—to consume whenever needed?"
"Becoming one with me is their honor…" the clan leader rasped. "Not enough… I need… more power…"
As he spoke, the second row of disciples stepped forward. Among them, to Lucas's surprise, were none other than Chongyun and Xingqiu—clearly, they too had fallen under the clan leader's influence.
Lucas naturally couldn't just stand by and let the clan leader continue to feed. Just as he was about to strike, he suddenly felt a familiar yet distant presence sweeping in from afar. Before the figure arrived, a long spear had already come flying—an icy blue spear pierced through one of the clan leader's arms, severing it. The hand holding Xingqiu released its grip, and the boy fell—right into Lucas's arms.
A stunning silver-haired beauty descended from the skies like a celestial being. Hovering above them, she looked down with red eyes tinged with sorrow. "Master… I never imagined that while I was training under Cloud Retainer all these years… you would fall to the path of demons."
"Shenhe, my disciple…" The clan leader cast aside his injured limb without care and said, "Your achievements today are all thanks to my guidance. If you aid me now, you shall be my top general in the future. The Qixing, the Adepti… even the Geo Archon himself… will one day be beneath my feet."
"Save it, will you?" Lucas sneered from the side. "My toenails are already scraping out a new Jade Chamber. Why don't you go ahead and declare yourself ruler of Teyvat, immortal and eternal while you're at it."
Only now did Shenhe notice the golden figure standing below. She descended and landed beside him, frowning slightly. "Who are you, and why do you…"
It had been decades since they'd last met. Logically, Shenhe should now be in her forties like him. But due to training under the Adepti, she still looked like a woman in her early twenties—though her once-black hair had somehow turned snow-white.
"You're wondering why I shine so brightly, huh?" Lucas knew that revealing his identity now might distract her, so he chuckled and said, "I'm a Golden Pill turned spirit. How about we beat this old monster together, and I'll let you take a bite. Might not grant eternal youth, but it'll at least boost your vitality."
Shenhe, who was normally stoic and reserved, couldn't help but lift the corner of her lips at his nonsense. She replied coolly, "Aren't you afraid I'll eat you whole?"
"Being devoured by a beauty like you," Lucas grinned, "is still better than being eaten by that freak."
Before he could finish his sentence, the clan leader—now fuming—suddenly lashed out. One of his arms, formed from dozens of dismembered limbs, swept across toward Shenhe. Without hesitation, Lucas leapt forward and tackled her to the ground.
"Ah-He!" Lucas blurted out. "Are you okay?"
With her current strength, Shenhe could have easily dodged the attack on her own. But upon hearing the name "Ah-He," she froze momentarily and asked, "You… how do you…"
"Now's not the time for chatter," Lucas quickly realized he'd slipped up and shifted the subject. "Let's deal with that bastard first!"
Upon hearing those words, Shenhe glanced once more at the grotesquely twisted monster. For a moment, she seemed hesitant.
"What is it?" Lucas asked nervously. "Don't tell me… you can't strike him down because he's your master?"
"To him, I was nothing more than a tool to revitalize the sect. The one who truly treated me like a disciple was Cloud Retainer…" Shenhe said calmly. "It's just… he is the biological father of an old friend. If I kill him, I fear…"
As she spoke, she casually glanced at Lucas, as if waiting for some kind of response.
"Don't worry," Lucas smiled. "That old friend of yours would definitely stand on your side."
"Alright."
Shenhe's answer was crisp and decisive. Their eyes met for a moment—then in the next instant, two flashes of gold and silver darted forward from opposite sides, launching their assault on the clan leader.
Lucas had accumulated years of strength, and now that the Yin and Yang within him had fully fused—and with the unexpected gain of an indestructible golden body—his power was beyond compare.
As for Shenhe, she had always been extraordinarily gifted. After years of rigorous training under Cloud Retainer, she already bore the bearing of an Adeptus.
In the blink of an eye, the battle had already dragged on for half an hour.
Even after absorbing the life force of his entire sect, the clan leader was no match for the two of them. Signs of fatigue began to show; his terrifying limbs now seemed more burdensome than threatening.
Lucas and Shenhe had expended a great deal of energy as well, but continuing on would simply be a matter of time before they secured victory.
"Damn it! Damn it all!"
The clan leader let out a furious roar and bellowed, "My disciples! What are you waiting for? Offer all your strength to your master!"
The disciples, like puppets, released their souls one after another, which the clan leader greedily absorbed into his body.
His careful cultivation of these disciples had never been for their sake, but for himself. The stronger these "emergency rations" became, the more power he could extract from them.
Sure enough, after absorbing a massive number of souls, the damage on the clan leader's body miraculously healed. Not only that, his form swelled once again—his body arched grotesquely like a shrimp, and the shadow it cast now engulfed half the sect grounds.
"He's completely turned into a monster…" Lucas looked up, his neck and jaw practically at a 180-degree angle. "Pretty sure only an Ultraman could take him down now."
"Ultraman?" Shenhe blinked in confusion. "I'm quite familiar with Liyue's circle of Adepti, but I've never heard of one with that name."
"Adeptus? Yeah… something like that. Not from Liyue, though—he's from Inazuma," Lucas said awkwardly. "But really, with so many Adepti in Liyue, why hasn't anyone come to deal with this guy?"
"A monster of this level could certainly be subdued if Cloud Retainer took action," Shenhe said, gripping her spear tightly. "But… mortals cannot always rely on the Adepti."
Just then, the clan leader, having absorbed a fresh wave of soul power, swelled even further. With a piercing shriek, the entire ground began to tremble violently.
Shenhe frowned and swept her spear in a wide arc. A wave of ice burst forth, freezing a large portion of the monster's body.
But the beast forcefully shook itself, and the ice shattered instantly.
"Damn…" Shenhe gritted her teeth. "The sect's disciples all cultivated Pure Yang Qi. Now that he's absorbed it, his body has been strengthened to an extreme—physical attacks likely won't work."
"If physical attacks won't work, then let's try a mental one," Lucas said, as if a plan had come to him. "Ah-He, stall him for me—buy me a little time."
Shenhe didn't hesitate in the slightest. She nodded and said, "I'm nearly out of strength. I can probably only hold out for another quarter hour… but I believe in you."
With that, she leapt forward, spear in hand, and launched another assault on the mountain-like beast. Meanwhile, Lucas closed his eyes and began chanting a spell.
...
At this time, Liyue had entered the early hours of the morning. Thousands of lights had been extinguished. The entire city slumbered in darkness.
Suddenly, a single light flickered on in Wanmin Restaurant.
Still half-asleep, Xiangling stumbled to the door and found her mother kneeling by the bed, palms pressed together in prayer.
"Mom?" Xiangling finally snapped fully awake, blinking in confusion. "What are you doing?"
"I… I saw your father in my dream!" Lady Mao said excitedly. "He told me his soul is being held captive by evildoers—and someone is trying their best to save him. He asked me to lend him some strength!"
Xiangling thought her mother might have gone delusional from grief, but seeing how earnest she looked, she didn't dare refute her. "Alright… I'll pray with you."
One lamp, two lamps, three lamps… ten, a hundred, a thousand…
Like falling dominoes, lights lit up one after another. Countless wives, awakened by a strange dream, rose to offer their prayers.
This was the result of the spell Lucas had cast.
Back during the Spirit-Summoning Rites, he had planted a seed deep within the subconscious—within the souls—of these wives. Now, by activating that spell, he was able to form a mental link with them.
...
A quarter hour passed in a flash. Shenhe's stamina was nearly depleted.
"Shen… Shenhe…"
Even in his twisted form, the clan leader retained a shred of consciousness. In a voice as grating as sandpaper, he rasped, "Become… one with me…"
As his twisted claw reached out to seize Shenhe, a streak of golden light suddenly flashed past her—charging straight toward the clan leader.
It was him?
No… it wasn't!
Shenhe turned to look—Lucas's golden body was still standing in place. What flew at the clan leader… was his soul!
This idiot!
Shenhe's heart clenched in alarm. The clan leader now treated souls as food, and Lucas was actually launching his soul straight at him. Wasn't that like offering himself up on a silver platter?
Sure enough, the clan leader sensed Lucas's soul and was overjoyed. Absorbing that soul would be as good as swallowing a Golden Pill. His greed overwhelmed him, and without hesitation, he devoured Lucas's soul whole.
In the consciousness space—
"Tsk tsk, so this is the great clan leader's consciousness space?"
Lucas looked around at the twisted, eerie surroundings and mocked, "I've infiltrated plenty of people's minds before, but this one is hands down the most hellish."
"I didn't expect you to walk right into my trap…" The clan leader's figure slowly emerged from the shadows. "This is a fitting end for you. I gave you life—now, you should return that life to me."
Since this was a mental space, his appearance naturally reflected his peak condition: refined and noble, handsome and elegant—exactly the image Lucas had once admired in his youth.
"More importantly," Lucas said unhurriedly, "don't you want to know how I escaped your alchemy cauldron?"
"Just some petty trickery, nothing more," the clan leader snorted. "Shenhe is already spent, and your soul has walked right into my hands. This farce should come to an end. I've spent years collecting the souls of ten thousand men—how could I allow it all to go to waste…"
"You're right—it should end now." Lucas gave a chilling laugh. "Gentlemen, the one who made you die unjustly, separating you from your wives, and who kept you trapped in that cursed cauldron for years… is this guy right here."
The clan leader frowned slightly. "Who… who are you talking to?"
As he finished speaking, golden light suddenly erupted around Lucas, and countless figures appeared at once, filling the vast consciousness space to the brim.
That's right—these were the ten thousand men whose Yang Qi had been lent to Lucas. After breaking free of the alchemy cauldron, he had protected their souls within his own consciousness.
Then, by linking their minds to their wives through the ritual, Lucas had allowed them to once more hear their beloveds' prayers, reigniting their strength. That's how Lucas had broken through every barrier and invaded the deepest reaches of the clan leader's mind.
Golden light glowed faintly from their forms, illuminating what had been a shadowy realm.
Their eyes were all fixed on the clan leader, filled with burning hatred—they looked as if they wanted to tear him apart on the spot.
Though the clan leader was momentarily shocked, he quickly regained his composure and said coldly, "It's useless. This is my consciousness space. No one can harm me here."
"You know, I once resided in a little girl's consciousness, and just like you, I couldn't hurt her directly," Lucas said, cracking his knuckles with a grin. "But I eventually found another way to make her suffer."
Then, Lucas casually snapped his fingers.
In that instant, the gazes of the ten thousand spirits shifted subtly.
The clan leader noticed the change and muttered, "You… what did you do?"
"Oh, just made a few adjustments to how they perceive you," Lucas smiled. "Now, to them, you're a very attractive person… Of course, that doesn't mean they hate you any less."
"Gentlemen, you've been cooped up in that damn cauldron for years, unjustly separated from your wives," Lucas shouted. "Let this bastard pay the price for all your pent-up frustrations!"
Next came a flurry of tearing sounds as the garments of the ten thousand men shredded open, revealing muscular physiques beneath. Their eyes glowed red as they stared at the clan leader like furious bulls.
"Go ahead and punish him to your heart's content," Lucas encouraged, fanning the flames. "Your loved ones will never know this happened."
"N-No… don't come any closer! Stay away!"
The clan leader's voice was soon drowned out by the curses of a thousand burly men—and then, it turned into a single prolonged, agonized scream.
Moments later, that scream faded away, leaving only the men's loud conversations behind.
"My turn, my turn!"
"Isn't there still space over there?"
"Look, he's rolling his eyes. Is he dying or what?"
"How could a soul die? You done or not? If you're not, I'm going next!"
"Done?! Hell no! I'll wreck him—A! Thou! Sand! Times! And! It! Still! Won't! Be! Enough!"
...
Meanwhile, in the real world—
At the moment Lucas's soul rushed in, the clan leader's monstrous body suddenly froze, unmoving like a stopped machine.
Even Shenhe found the sight puzzling.
Soon after, a streak of golden light shot out from within and returned to Lucas's golden body. His eyes opened soon after.
"What just happened?" Shenhe quickly asked. "Why isn't he moving?"
"Just a little trick," Lucas replied. "Give it a bit—his consciousness should collapse completely soon."
After all, in the clan leader's mental realm, he was currently… in a rather intimate battle with ten thousand vengeful men.
And to those men, the clan leader now looked like a very alluring beauty.
Either way, Lucas figured that, after receiving so much help from their wives over the years, it was only fair to return a little "favor." That helped ease his conscience, at least a bit.
Sure enough, the clan leader's massive body began to visibly shrink. Countless limbs withered and rotted away, falling to the ground as piles of meat and dust.
And in the stinking heap of grotesque remains, only half a body remained.
It was the clan leader's deteriorating form. His lower body was gone, and only one arm remained above. He twitched like a lunatic, mumbling over and over:
"No… don't… stop…"
"His consciousness collapsed so thoroughly that even his body is breaking down?" Shenhe said curiously. "What exactly did you do in there?"
Lucas coughed awkwardly twice. "Just let those with grudges settle their scores, that's all."
"What now?" Shenhe narrowed her eyes. "Should we finish him off?"
"No," Lucas shook his head. "His soul is filled with too much filth and malice. If he dies, that corruption will erupt all at once and spread throughout Liyue Harbor, causing even more trouble. Better to leave him like this—to rot away slowly."
Of course, for him, this might be a fate worse than death—because Lucas had left all ten thousand lingering souls behind in his consciousness space.
This meant that from now on, the clan leader's endless life force would be just like that of Awei—forever at the mercy of being wrecked back and forth by ten thousand Jiege.
For him, it was a fitting and well-deserved end.
"Now, it's time for you to answer my question," Shenhe fixed her gaze on Lucas. "Just who exactly are you?"
"I…" Lucas was at a loss for words. After everything that had happened, he didn't quite know how to respond to Shenhe.
Just then, the sound of galloping hooves echoed in the distance. A black-haired girl in black clothing rode in on a black horse. Upon seeing Lucas and Shenhe, she quickly dismounted, panting heavily as she said, "Sister Shenhe… you're too fast… Didn't I say we'd take the carriage back together?"
"Your horse was too slow," Shenhe said calmly. "I was faster on my own."
"Well… that's fair…" Hu Tao caught her breath and then turned to Lucas, her expression shifting to one of surprise. "You… what happened to you?"
As she spoke, she circled Lucas twice, then knocked on his chest with her knuckles, producing a dull duang sound. Clicking her tongue, she said, "What is this, you coated yourself in gold?"
"This… this is the perfected Golden Body," Lucas said with a wry smile. "I'll explain later."
"You're not going to stay like this forever, are you?" Hu Tao frowned. "I mean… being hard all the time might not be so bad, but still…"
"Wait," Shenhe suddenly caught on to something. Her eyes swept between the two of them. "You two… know each other?"
"I…"
Before Lucas could speak, Hu Tao jumped in, quick-tongued as always. "Obviously! He's the one who told me to rush through the night to Mount Aozang to bring you back. If Grandpa hadn't left me a 'No-Taboo Talisman,' I wouldn't have even made it to see you and your master."
At this point, there was no hiding it anymore. Lucas glanced at Shenhe and said with a sigh, "A lot has happened over the years, I…"
"It's okay. You can explain it to me slowly," Shenhe said, a subtle curve forming at the corner of her lips. "After all, we have plenty of time. Lots and lots of time."
Ding…
Hu Tao narrowed her eyes as she observed the subtle exchange between them. She bit her lip. "You two… don't tell me you've got a thing going on?"
"Well…" Shenhe's face turned slightly red. She looked at Lucas and asked, "You never mentioned me to her?"
"W-wait a sec!" Hu Tao quickly grabbed Lucas's arm. "Let's get one thing straight! This guy, though he's slow-witted and rotten to the core, is still my lawfully wedded husband and private property of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor—don't even think about stealing him!"
"So… you're already married," Shenhe sighed deeply. "I see… once again, it wasn't my turn."
She suddenly paused, startled by her own words.
Why did she say once again?
"Don't worry," Shenhe continued, her tone shifting. "He's… my older brother."
The word "brother" brought a flood of memories to Lucas's mind.
Back then, they were just teenagers, slaying monsters in the night streets of Liyue Harbor. That period might've been the most carefree time of his entire life.
Just then, a tightness seized Lucas's chest, and he coughed up a mouthful of blood. The golden hue on his body instantly faded, and he staggered, nearly collapsing—only to be caught just in time by Shenhe and Hu Tao on either side.
"What's going on?" Hu Tao's expression turned anxious.
"It's just exhaustion," Shenhe said calmly, clearly used to this. "No matter. I'll transfer some Qi to him, just like… before."
"What do you mean 'just like before'…"
Hu Tao didn't even get to finish her sentence before the answer appeared before her eyes.
She watched, dumbfounded, as Shenhe and her husband… kissed.
This wasn't right! I was here first!
Sure enough, a stream of Qi flowed from Shenhe's mouth into Lucas's body.
Even though Hu Tao knew this was a proper Qi-transfer technique, she couldn't help but feel a bit strange watching it.
Fortunately, the process didn't last long. Lucas's complexion quickly returned to normal. He gave a couple of light coughs and said, "Yep… same flavor as before."
"I swear…" Hu Tao narrowed her eyes. "You two are really siblings?"
"Yes. We are siblings. But…" Shenhe replied expressionlessly, "siblings with no blood relation."
Sensing the tension in the air, Lucas quickly changed the subject. "Let's talk about what to do next. Now that the clan leader is dead, what should become of the Exorcist Clans?"
Shenhe looked out across the area. With the clan leader defeated, the life force he had absorbed was now returning to the disciples.
"As one of the Qixing, I'll explain everything to the rest of the council," Shenhe said calmly. "As for the clan leader's position—I'll take over for now."
Indeed, aside from the previous leader, Shenhe was the strongest and most respected member of the clan. Her taking over was only natural.
"With the Exorcist Clans severely weakened, this might be the perfect time for the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor to grab some business," Hu Tao said as she rubbed her chin, her mind already spinning with ideas. "No, no… that's too small-minded. If I could use this chance to merge the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor with the Exorcist Clans, then whether it's funerals or exorcisms… anything to do with the dead in Liyue Harbor could be monopolized by us!"
As a true capitalist, how could Hu Tao possibly resist the temptation of monopoly?
But how to go about absorbing the Exorcist Clans in a legitimate, structured way?
Her eyes instinctively glanced over to Shenhe and Lucas, and suddenly—ding—the lightbulb went on.
That's it!
Lucas was her husband, which made him a stakeholder in the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. If he married Shenhe as well, he'd also be the representative of the Exorcist Clans. That way, the merger would be completely natural and indisputable!
As she thought of this, a greedy glint flashed in Hu Tao's eyes.
And Lucas, completely oblivious… didn't realize that a price tag had already been slapped on his head.
A certain thinker once said: if there's a 100% profit, capitalists will risk everything; if there's a 200% profit, they will defy all laws; and if there's a 300% profit, they will trample everything underfoot!
Let alone… merely selling off a husband?
[Mission Complete]
[Reward Obtained: "Diamond Body" upgraded to "Pure Yang Indestructible Golden Body"]
[Pure Yang Indestructible Golden Body]
[Rank: S]
[Effect: Permanently increases Defense by 50%; once per day, you can enter the "Indestructible Golden Body" state—during its duration, all incoming damage is reduced by 90%]
So there's even skill advancement now?
Compared to the previous [Diamond Body], not only had the passive effect improved, it even came with a much stronger activated state skill. The only question now was how long the "Indestructible Golden Body" state could last. After all, a 90% damage reduction was quite impressive.
As everyone knows, in games, "Defense" boosts are rarely as effective as straightforward "Damage Reduction" stats.
Facing a 10,000-point attack, having 100 defense or 200 defense makes little difference.
[Age 43: Half a year has passed since the major incident involving the Exorcist Clans. The truth behind it is now known only to you, Shenhe, and a few members of the Qixing.]
[To avoid stirring further trouble, you and Shenhe used secret arts to modify the memories of the surviving disciples—fabricating the story that "the clan leader went mad due to cultivation backlash and was slain by Shenhe, the disciple who returned in time to stop him."]
[As planned, Shenhe naturally became the new head of the sect.]
[Age 44: At Shenhe's suggestion, Liyue and Inazuma began a joint collaboration to study bionic puppet technology. The more basic service-type puppets eventually entered common households.]
[And you, true to your promise, helped the male souls rescued from the Refining Cauldron to inhabit puppet bodies—allowing them to "revive" in another form.]
[Of course, some souls believed that life and death followed the natural order and should not be defied—those chose to rest in peace.]
[However, the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's "Spirit-Summoning Rite" remained available, giving those who lost loved ones a way to meet with them one last time.]
[Age 45: Spurred on by Hu Tao, you and Shenhe entered into a "political marriage," naturally becoming husband and wife. Fortunately, you now possessed the "Pure Yang Indestructible Golden Body," otherwise, even an iron body might not have held up.]
[Age 46: After two years of cultivation, you finally gained complete mastery over the Yin and Yang energies within your body. Returning to the place where Qiqi's body was preserved, you channeled the Yin and Yang energy into her, successfully reviving her.]
[To her, those decades felt like nothing more than a dream. You didn't intend to tell her everything you had gone through—nor would she likely understand. The only thing she needed to know was that you would never leave her again.]
[You once thought Shenhe and Hu Tao might struggle to accept Qiqi, but your worries were completely unfounded.]
[Qiqi, being linked to the Three Eyes and Five Manifestations, had already been acknowledged as an orthodox "Third Eye" long ago—making her, in some sense, Shenhe's senior. Shenhe naturally treated her with great courtesy.]
[As for Hu Tao, she was deeply intrigued by the girl who existed in a state of neither life nor death.]
[Of course, you caught Hu Tao on more than one occasion trying to find a chance to secretly bury Qiqi. After several rounds of "physical correction," she finally obediently put the shovel back into the utility closet.]
[Age 47: Your "family of four" enjoyed a rather peaceful life. Monday and Tuesday were for Shenhe, Wednesday and Thursday for Hu Tao, and Friday and Saturday for Qiqi. Thought you could rest on Sundays? No. Sunday was the hardest—you had to deal with all three.]
[Sometimes, you missed your days without a physical body. After all, a body brings burdens. As a youkai, your stamina had been virtually limitless, but now, even with a Golden Body, you were constantly being drained and divided.]
[Age 48: Shenhe became pregnant and used this as a reason to step down from both the Qixing and the position of sect leader. Naturally, as her husband, you took her place as the new head of the sect.]
[Hu Tao, on the other hand forcibly swapped shifts with Shenhe. Shenhe was quite generous, saying, "I need to rest for the baby. I probably can't handle him alone. Feel free to help whenever you like."]
[And so, on Mondays and Tuesdays, one-on-one became one-on-1.5.]
[Age 49: You had worried that your Pure Yin constitution combined with Shenhe's Solitary Star and Calamitous Fate would lead to a child of great misfortune. But surprisingly, perhaps due to a "double negative," your child was born amid auspicious omens—purple light rose from the east, large as a carriage cover and long-lasting. People called it a sign of great fortune.]
[Age 50: Under your leadership, the Exorcist Clans and Wangsheng Funeral Parlor officially merged. With that, Hu Tao finally fulfilled her dream of total monopoly. Nearly all matters concerning death and spirits in Liyue Harbor now passed through the Funeral Parlor, and followers flocked in droves.]
[Public opinion was split on the matter. Supporters claimed the Funeral Parlor standardized the industry and created jobs. Critics said you had monopolized the funeral business, violating the anti-monopoly laws laid down by the Geo Lord himself.]
[Age 51: Hu Tao became pregnant. But due to her overly lively nature, she couldn't stay still even with a large belly. Once, she almost had a miscarriage due to an accident. Fortunately, Qiqi helped stabilize her condition. Even so, the daughter she gave birth to was born frail and with a severely weak constitution.]
[One official who had long opposed the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor used this incident as a major talking point, claiming that the Funeral Parlor had brought this upon themselves as retribution for damaging their karmic virtue through monopolistic practices.]
[Yet just a week later, that very official was found dead at home under mysterious circumstances. The cause of death stirred much speculation throughout Liyue Harbor. Some said he had been assassinated by the Funeral Parlor, while others claimed the Parlor was protected by Adepti and should never be offended.]
[Of course, it wasn't you who did it—it was Shenhe. Though she appeared cold, her temper was fiery. If anyone dared to slander her child like that, she naturally wouldn't let it go. Perhaps due to becoming a mother herself, she came to treat Hu Tao's child as her own.]
[To ensure Hu Tao's child could survive, Shenhe proposed taking the girl to Mt. Aozang to cultivate from a young age under the tutelage of Cloud Retainer. Perhaps this might help her body, and she would benefit from growing up under an Adeptus' guidance.]
[Hu Tao naturally agreed, wanting her daughter to survive. But she also couldn't bear to part with her child, and for a time, she was torn between both desires.]
[And so, you made a swift decision—to take the whole family and move to Mt. Aozang.]
[After all, with the wealth you've accumulated through Wangsheng Funeral Parlor and the Exorcist Clans, you've earned enough Mora for several lifetimes. It was time to enjoy the pleasures of family life.]
[Your earlier years were full of hardship and wandering. Now, you no longer intended to toil.]
[Both Shenhe and Qiqi supported your decision. Shenhe had always loved the tranquility of Mt. Aozang, and as for Qiqi—so long as you were there, the location of life meant little to her.]
[As for the daily affairs of the Funeral Parlor and the Exorcist Clans, you left them temporarily in the hands of Xingqiu and Chongyun.]
[Age 52: Your entire family relocated to Mt. Aozang. Ever since hearing that Shenhe had given birth, Cloud Retainer had long wanted to see the child. She was delighted to find not just one, but two children brought back, clearly overjoyed as your "mother-in-law."]
[She liked both Hu Tao and Qiqi quite well, but when it came to you—the son-in-law—Cloud Retainer seemed to have quite a few opinions. It took much pleading from Shenhe for her to reluctantly agree to let you stay at the abode.]
[Age 53: Thanks to the nourishing Adepti energy of Mt. Aozang, Hu Tao's daughter gradually recovered to good health. Your family began to grow accustomed to the secluded life. Only Hu Tao still missed the Funeral Parlor and would occasionally want to return to check on things.]
[After all, the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor was the Hu clan's heritage, passed down for generations. Hu Tao would never hand it over to outsiders. So every once in a while, she'd return to Liyue Harbor for inspection.]
[As for Shenhe, she never stopped cultivating and would periodically venture out to train.]
[And you, quite naturally, took up the job of childcare.]
[Age 54: You fully adjusted to life on Mt. Aozang. The only trouble was that Cloud Retainer still didn't seem to like you much.]
[Age 55: Due to Shenhe and Hu Tao's frequent absences, the two children ended up becoming more attached to Cloud Retainer. But she still didn't particularly like you.]
[Age 56: Cloud Retainer felt two children weren't lively enough. Yet both Shenhe and Hu Tao had no time to give you another child, and as a zombie, Qiqi naturally couldn't. But Cloud Retainer was not one to be daunted by obstacles—she decided to take matters into her own hands.]
[Age 57: Cloud Retainer became pregnant. But she still disliked you—even though you'd contributed quite a bit to the process.]
...
[Age 66: A pair of rather unusual siblings returned to Liyue Harbor, taking over the management of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor and the Exorcist Clans respectively. Wherever the brother went, good fortune followed. The sister was whimsical and clever, with an innate ability to commune with spirits.]
...
[Unknown Age: Countless years later, all legends of you had vanished from Liyue Harbor. However, travelers seeking immortals who lost their way in the mountains occasionally stumbled upon what could only be described as a hidden paradise atop Mt. Aozang. There lived a crane, a zombie, a white-haired witch, and a golden-glowing immortal. Yet none could find their way back again, and so the tale passed into myth.]
[This life simulation has ended.]
[Cause of Death: Unknown]
[Rewards have been sent. You may check them at any time.]
[Please choose one of the following as your innate talent: "Pure Yin Constitution", "Soul Possession", or "Yin-Absorbtion Technique".]
As expected, it's best to pick the purple-grade talent.
By now, Lucas had already amassed quite a mix of bloodlines and constitutions. A few more wouldn't matter anymore.
As for [Yin-Absorbing Technique]—its effects overlapped a bit with [Mischievious Shiba Inu]. And [Soul Possession] conflicted with [Try Again].
[You have obtained innate talent: "Pure Yin Constitution"]
[Pure Yin Constitution (Purple): You possess an extremely rare pure yin physique]
[You have received three A-grade loot boxes. Would you like to open them?]
"Just synthesize an S-grade,"
At this point, Lucas had little interest in A-grade rewards. After all, even SS-grade ones had already shown up.
[Synthesizing into an S-grade box. Opening now…]
[Obtained S-grade Skill: Soul-Dream Transcendence]
[Effect: Allows you to enter the dream of a designated target, and via that dream, reach a corresponding time or space]
[Description: Said to be an exclusive immortal art of a half-serpent, half-human divine race. When used properly, it can even transcend time and space]
Soul-Dream Transcendence?
Isn't that a skill from a certain Chinese game?
He hadn't expected to actually get such an ability.
However, despite being an S-grade skill, it wasn't combat-oriented.
While time-travel was undeniably tempting, it required another person's dream as a medium, which made it far more limited. To reach a specific point in time or space, he'd have to locate a specific individual first.
Of course, Lucas didn't take it too seriously. At this stage, loot box rewards were just bonuses. The real strength came from the simulation itself.
...
As always, stepping out of the simulator gave Lucas a strange sense of displacement—like he'd just lived another lifetime.
Staring at the sleeping Ganyu beside him, it took a while for him to recall what had just happened.
Still, he wasn't the least bit tired.
"Mmm… so tasty… hehe…"
Just then, he heard laughter—Ganyu, laughing in her sleep.
"I wonder what kind of dream you're having…" Lucas muttered, gently poking her cheek with a finger. Suddenly, a thought struck him. "That's right—with [Soul-Dream Transcendence], I can enter Ganyu's dream, can't I?"
Curiosity got the better of him, and without thinking further, he activated the immortal art directly on Ganyu.
Soon, Lucas felt his vision blur. When he opened his eyes again, he found himself in a serene mountain forest.
This sensation was quite similar to the simulator's "Immersive Mode."
But Lucas was well aware—this place was merely Ganyu's dream.
"If this is Ganyu's dream…" Lucas glanced around, brows slightly furrowed. "Then where is she?"
Roll roll roll…
At that moment, he suddenly heard the sound of something round tumbling. Turning his head, he saw a fluffy round object rolling down the hillside, accompanied by what sounded like muffled crying!
Without hesitation, Lucas rushed forward and caught the strange fuzzy ball in his arms like a fumbled catch—only to realize it was much heavier than he expected!
Even though it was only about twice the size of a basketball, it felt like a ball of solid iron. Despite Lucas' resilient physique, he still took two steps back before barely managing to stop its momentum.
Good thing it was him who caught it. Had it been an ordinary person, at best their wrist would've fractured, and at worst, they might've been sent flying outright.
"Whoa now, what on earth is this thing?"
Lucas examined the unidentified ball in his arms. It resembled the young of some mammal, covered in soft, light blue fur—fluffy and warm to the touch, actually rather pleasant. But…
"Why is it so heavy…" Lucas was already quite strong, yet still found this thing surprisingly weighty.
"I'm… I'm not heavy at all!"
The furball stretched out, revealing itself to be a rather adorable creature. It looked somewhat like a lamb, except it had two horns on its head—striped in black and red.
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