Chapter 97

One day prior.

Black and white light flickered incessantly, the vast alchemical array trembling under the conflict of two strange energies, as if it might explode at any moment. However, the necrotic energy, being rootless, soon dissipated completely. The decaying, foul-smelling chunks of flesh were broken down into fundamental particles, invisible to the naked eye. Under the regulation of the alchemical array, these particles recombined according to a set pattern, being continuously infused with alchemical energy by Chu Ci, which left its mark. Before long, a naked male body appeared within the alchemical array, with clear features, rosy lips, and white teeth, exuding a delicate and refined air. Ignoring his bare body, the entire person radiated a scholarly aura.

Chu Ci clapped his hands and refined a white robe for him (don't ask why he didn't refine it separately, as the precision required for shaping the body left no spare mental energy for refining clothing). In an instant, a lively and handsome young scholar appeared on stage.

A body without a soul is just an empty shell. This wasn't the Main God Space where soul crystals could be exchanged, but Chu Ci had another method. Using a vicious magic from the witchcraft, he split off a resilient strand of mental energy, cultivated and multiplied it, and then implanted it into the young scholar's body. Although his soul felt extremely fatigued, a good night's sleep and some restorative medicines would largely negate the effects. After this cycle, he could return to the Main God Space to recover, and even re-integrate the mental seed, increasing his mental energy limit.

However, seeing his remaining 95 mental energy in his stats, Chu Ci still wore a bitter smile. If the mental seed were destroyed, it would be a significant loss (at least 750 reward points).

"Lord Fu, I see you as a good official. There is a matter of great importance concerning the people that I wish to discuss with you," Chu Ci said solemnly to Fu Tianchou after the young scholar left. "The current imperial advisor is a fake! He is a monster in disguise!"

When a nation is about to fall, there will be monsters! Since the suppression of Buddhism by Emperor Wu of Tang, the righteous path has declined, and eunuchs, traitors, factions, and warlords have risen. The government is corrupt, and wars are frequent. During the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, the people suffered. The Zhao family provided some relief, but the Mongol invasion further weakened the righteous path. Now, a few monsters disguised as Zen masters can stand in the court, self-proclaimed as imperial advisors, and control the government.

This centipede spirit, in particular, is remarkable. Favored by the emperor, it has not been corrupted into a greedy and lustful feudal official but has instead redoubled its efforts in cultivation, striving to reach the pinnacle of the monster path.

Of course, being a monster, the centipede spirit's cultivation is not on the righteous path. Instead, it leverages the fortune of the court officials, consuming human energy to increase its monster power.

Every dynasty has a dragon aura, which protects the nation, ensuring favorable weather and national peace. Under the protection of the dragon aura, the emperor has imperial energy, and the officials have official energy, making them upright and capable. Therefore, if the emperor and officials are immoral and incompetent, they will waste the dragon aura and shorten the nation's lifespan.

The centipede spirit's cultivation is not yet sufficient to harness the dragon aura or the imperial energy, nor can it defy the human trend to harm the emperor. However, it can deceive the emperor and capture a few upright officials with official energy for cultivation. Now, with its cultivation greatly advanced, ordinary upright officials are no longer of interest to it. As a first-rank official and a well-known upright official, Fu Tianchou has become its next target.

"Lord Fu, once you leave the capital, the fake imperial advisor will surely slander you to the emperor and have you imprisoned. At that time, you will be like fish on a chopping board, at the mercy of the fake imperial advisor."

"Daoist Chu, do you have any evidence for what you say?" Fu Tianchou was both shocked and angry. If what Chu Ci said were true, he would be close to death. His death would be of little consequence, but the nation could not be thrown into chaos. However, such a matter requires solid evidence, not only to convince Fu Tianchou but also to persuade the emperor.

"Evidence? Do you know where the fake imperial advisor's temple is? The evidence is inside his temple!" Chu Ci declared confidently, though his true thoughts were known only to himself.

...

"Chu Ci, what are you doing? Where's Ning Cai Chen?" Huang Wu stood on a stone, grabbed Chu Ci by the collar, and slapped the tape recorder on the bookshelf, cutting off the theme song of "A Chinese Ghost Story," and demanded angrily.

"Ning Brother, he finished his business and went back home to be with his wife," Chu Ci said with a fresh and handsome face, his smile making even Huang Wu feel uneasy. He wondered where this guy had gotten his plastic surgery, which was far better than the fake plastic surgery in the Main God Space.

"Damn! Without Ning Cai Chen, how can the plot develop!" Huang Wu wanted to slap Chu Ci, but after much hesitation, he consoled himself that this was a beginner's world, and there was no need to take it personally.

"I am Ning Cai Chen!" Chu Ci touched his chin, feeling the novelty of being in a different body, like wearing a VR headset. Although his consciousness felt somewhat intangible, his senses of sight, hearing, touch, and hunger were all real.

"If you become a scholar and call yourself Ning Cai Chen, then if I become a bearded man, can I call myself Yan Chixia?" Huang Wu rolled his eyes and complained.

"Sure, as long as you can use a powerful technique to defeat the tree spirit and the Black Mountain Old Demon, you can be Yan Chixia," Chu Ci forcefully pulled Huang Wu's hand away, straightened his clothes, and fumbled on the bookshelf, pressing the play button. The tape recorder resumed playing music, and he swayed to the beat, walking toward the Temple of Lanru.

"... The path of life, a joyful young man,

The road is rugged, without a glimpse of sunlight,

In the mud, how many directions of joy are there?

A thread of dreamlike wind and rain, the path follows the people, vast and boundless,

A thread of dreamlike wind and rain, the path follows the people, vast and boundless ~~~"

Damn! Pretending to be Ning Cai Chen is one thing, but bringing a tape recorder to play BGM is another! Huang Wu followed behind, deeply despising Chu Ci's pretentiousness.

"Even if I can't be Yan Chixia, you can't be Ning... wait!" Huang Wu suddenly stopped, finally realizing why Chu Ci was pretending to be Ning Cai Chen!

What does Ning Cai Chen know? Besides seducing women, he knows nothing! Not only could anyone play the role of Ning Cai Chen, but even a cat or a dog could do it. As long as they resisted the first wave of temptation from Xiao Qian and showed a grand spirit of boundless love, they could enter the plot!

Damn! He was being taken advantage of! Huang Wu, who considered himself a handsome young man (thanks to the excellent plastic surgery in the Main God Space), realized that if he had known earlier, he could have worn a disguise and played "A Chinese Ghost Story" himself. Now, Chu Ci was getting all the benefits.

"No way, even if Chu Ci takes the lion's share of the side quest, I have to get some benefits too!" Huang Wu was extremely displeased, his lips pouting so much that they could hold a bottle. He quickened his pace, sticking closely to Chu Ci. Even if he couldn't be the main character, he would at least get involved in the side quest!

The Temple of Lanru was just ahead. Chu Ci turned off the tape recorder, put it back on the bookshelf, and tidied up his clothes before entering the temple. He walked through, appreciating the cyclical rise and fall of the temple. Soon, he arrived at the back courtyard and the monks' quarters, where he met Yan Chixia. He hurriedly approached and bowed.

"I am Ning Cai Chen, from Jinhua, a student returning home. I am passing through this place and wonder if I may stay for the night."