Despair

*Knock, knock!* He tapped the door twice, then cast the Star Escape Technique to enter the study. Zhang Yuanqing instinctively glanced toward the end of the red carpet, only to find the vast desk empty. Only then did he turn toward the reception area to the left. Clad in white, Fu Qingyang was enjoying a drink and conversation with his mentor, Lingjun. Fu Qingyang handled the drinking, while Lingjun handled the joyful conversation. The instant the starlight rose, both turned their heads simultaneously. "Oh, Yuanshi is back," Lingjun said with a chuckle. "Your girlfriend was just here, claiming she lost her mind and broke up with you, and now she regrets it bitterly. Why aren't you hurrying over to coax her?" As he spoke, taking advantage of the fact that Fu Qingyang couldn't see his face, he winked repeatedly at Zhang Yuanqing with an ambiguous smirk. How could a student's little scheme elude the discerning eye of a master of romance? *Looks like my trick worked...* Zhang Yuanqing's spirits lifted. His mentor's sly grin bolstered him with immense confidence. If the plan hadn't worked, Lingjun would have sighed and offered a hint instead: *"Look at the stupid thing you've done. Fu Qingyang entrusted his cousin to you, and is this how you treat her?"* This was the unspoken understanding between brilliant master and worthy apprentice. Fu Qingyang set down his wine glass and said coolly, "Lingjun, step out for a moment. I have something to say to Yuanshi." *You're done for.* Lingjun shrugged at his beloved student, signaling that his hands were tied. Though the intention behind the scheme was noble, the power of Guan Ya's maternal family was not to be underestimated. Zhang Yuanqing watched his mentor leave, took Lingjun's seat, picked up the plate piled with ham slices, and dug in with gusto. Fu Qingyang waited patiently until the plate of ham was emptied before asking, "What was inside Takamagahara?" Without holding anything back, Zhang Yuanqing told him everything about what they had gained from the tree hollow. Countless past events had proven that in this cold world where not even a blanket could provide true warmth, even a girlfriend might not be entirely reliable, but his boss was absolutely trustworthy. "The Demon Refining Pot..." Hearing the Palace Master of Halting Slaughter's description of the Demon Refining Pot, even the Money Prince, ever poised, composed, and seasoned, could not help his expression changing, struggling to remain calm. He had expected the treasures left by Empress Wa to be priceless, but not to such an astronomical extent. An item that symbolized the supreme power of an entire profession. If word of this leaked out, wide as the world was, there would be no shelter left for the Palace Master of Halting Slaughter. She would be hunted down by every Spirit Realm walker alive. "You just gave the Demon Refining Pot to her like that?" Fu Qingyang frowned. "Think of it as an investment. The Palace Mistress and I go way back. Investing in her is far more reliable than investing in any other Musician." Zhang Yuanqing held his own philosophy and consoled him, "Boss, I didn't lose out either. I got a physical body and the remaining power of the Golden Crow." Only then did Fu Qingyang's brow unknit. "You should have demanded more benefits. You could have even used the Demon Refining Pot to control the Palace Master of Halting Slaughter, demanding anything you wished... If I had known, I should have accompanied you." He felt a twinge of regret. Had he gone along with Yuanshi to Takamagahara, the Demon Refining Pot would never have fallen into the Palace Master of Halting Slaughter's hands. *Demanding anything I wished from the Palace Mistress? That does sound tempting...* Zhang Yuanqing thought to himself. *It's precisely to guard against this sort of situation that I didn't let you come, Boss.* Just imagine: if Fu Qingyang and the Palace Mistress had clashed in Takamagahara, with his deeply affectionate brother-in-law on one side and his deeply affectionate family-friend older sister on the other, he truly wouldn't have known whom to support. At most, he could only have stood to the side shouting: *Stop! Please don't fight anymore!* "Still, since you've already given it away, there's no need to dwell on it. Your investment will yield returns in the future." Fu Qingyang was decisive by nature and would not obsess over what was already done. "Besides, you also obtained the clay clone and the divine power of the sun. Take them out and let me see." Zhang Yuanqing gave an "Oh." "The clay clone and the divine power of the sun are both inside the Demon Refining Pot. The Palace Mistress said they need to be nurtured for seven times seven—forty-nine days." Upon hearing those words, a distinct question mark seemed to drift across the Money Prince's perpetually stern face. He asked, somewhat uncertainly, "You mean everything is in the hands of the Palace Master of Halting Slaughter, and you got nothing? You made a trip into Takamagahara and came out empty-handed?" Zhang Yuanqing nodded. Expressionless, Fu Qingyang retrieved a pair of golden scissors. "B-Boss, what are you doing?" "First, I will snip your marital thread, and then I will take you to kill the Palace Master of Halting Slaughter." "Don't, don't, don't, Boss! It's just left in her safekeeping. Please don't be rash..." "I am not being rash. My blood pressure is just a little high." Immediately realizing his loss of composure, Fu Qingyang set down the golden scissors and pinched the bridge of his nose. Wearily, he waved a hand. "Get lost. I don't want to look at you right now." "Boss, I have one more thing to report," Zhang Yuanqing said. Fu Qingyang said coldly, "I hope it isn't something that will raise my blood pressure further." With that, he saw Yuanshi retrieve Little Red Riding Hood and give his hand a gentle flick. Several heavy bronze plates tumbled out, slamming heavily onto the carpet with dull thuds. Zhang Yuanqing laid out the bronze plates and said, "Boss, this is very interesting. You'll definitely like it." *Yuanshi's expression looks a bit like someone presenting a prized treasure. He seems utterly convinced that I'll be astonished, even lose my cool. Ridiculous...* Fu Qingyang suppressed his foul mood, pushed back from the desk, and walked over to the bronze plates. Knowing Yuanshi wouldn't act without reason, he actively reined in his emotions while focusing his gaze on the carved reliefs. Yet the moment he clearly discerned the content of the engravings, his pupils contracted nonetheless, his austere face registering extreme shock. Such shock, such an intense wave of emotion, was exceedingly rare on the Money Prince, even surpassing his reaction upon hearing about the Demon Refining Pot. "Boss, what do you think?" Zhang Yuanqing curled his lips, very pleased with Fu Qingyang's reaction. Fu Qingyang drew a deep breath and remained silent, still processing the contents of the bronze plates. Zhang Yuanqing obediently held his tongue. After several minutes passed, he couldn't help speaking up: "Boss, you're a Scout. What can you analyze from this?" He cast out a brick to draw jade, first recounting his and the Palace Master of Halting Slaughter's interpretations. Fu Qingyang hit the nail on the head: "An experimenter? How can you be certain these meteorites weren't cast down by the Spirit Realm? Rather than postulating some unverifiable experimenter, wouldn't the Spirit Realm dropping the meteorites be far more logical? "How can you be certain these meteorites are our origin? Could it be possible that what the carvings recorded was merely an instance of the Spirit Realm creating superpowered individuals, just like in the early Republic period, when the Spirit Realm created the first batch of Spirit Realm walkers?" Hearing this, Zhang Yuanqing furrowed his brows as well. Indeed, there was zero evidence proving the meteorites were the true origin of superpowered beings; they could very well have been the process of the Spirit Realm manufacturing superpowered individuals on a particular occasion. A Scout's logical reasoning was truly sharp. Fu Qingyang continued, "The deployment of meteorites in these reliefs certainly bears heavy traces of artificial intervention, but the artificial traces of the Spirit Realm are even heavier. That is nothing unusual. Compared to the meteorites, I find the existence of Empress Wa far more worthy of attention." He said in a low voice, "Empress Wa was special. She was different from the other ancients who gained superpowers." "You think she's special too? Please, do tell." In the presence of a Scout, Zhang Yuanqing temporarily discarded his brain; if he didn't understand, he would simply ask. Fu Qingyang pondered for a moment, then spoke slowly: "Too powerful. Peerlessly powerful. She is the Mother of Humanity in mythology and legends, commanding the ultimate power of two major professions: Scholar and Musician. She was, in all likelihood, an expert who surpassed the realm of demigods. "That is why she was able to quell the catastrophe." *Feels like a statement of the obvious...* Zhang Yuanqing grumbled internally. Wasn't Empress Wa's immense power self-evident? If she weren't powerful, could she have refined stones to mend the sky? Could she have forged the Bronze Sacred Tree to serve as a perching ground for the Golden Crows? If her specialty lay merely in being powerful, he would have noticed that long ago. Fu Qingyang glanced at him and said in a heavy voice, "Whether among ancient practitioners or modern Spirit Realm walkers, there has never appeared anyone above the level of a demigod. That is the biggest problem." A thunderous rumble went off in Zhang Yuanqing's mind, and myriad pieces of information suddenly connected at this moment. "Empress Wa was an out-of-control experimental subject! She surpassed the demigod stage and became an entity beyond the Spirit Realm's control, even posing a threat to it. Hmm, I once heard someone say that the existence of character cards is a self-defense mechanism of the Spirit Realm..." "Because of the cautionary precedent set by Empress Wa, the Spirit Realm restricted the growth of Spirit Realm walkers, which is why after Empress Wa, no one has ever been able to surpass the demigod stage?" "Back then, Empress Wa's 'sky mending' caused unimaginable damage to the Spirit Realm, causing it to remain dormant until modern times, when it finally rebooted?" Zhang Yuanqing felt he was approaching the truth. He voiced his speculations aloud. "If this were storytelling, it would be magnificent enough, but reality is no story," Fu Qingyang countered coldly. "If the ancient world-ending catastrophe was wrought by the Spirit Realm, then why has the Spirit Realm begun maintaining order in modern times? Setting aside all other details, this single contradiction alone proves that matters are far more complex than we imagine." *Right, the Spirit Realm urges walkers to grow, stopping at nothing even if it means forcing their growth prematurely, yet the existence of character cards serves as the Spirit Realm's self-defense mechanism, preventing walkers from transcending demigod status. That is also a contradictory point...* Zhang Yuanqing gave a bitter smile. "I oversimplified it." The two fell into mutual silence, thinking without a word. After a long while, Fu Qingyang said, "Forget the things on those plates. Knowing too many secrets that do not match your level will only disturb the mind of a powerhouse. Facing these questions, thinking is useless; strength and level are the keys to unlocking secrets. One must live in the present." *I suppose that's all I can do...* Zhang Yuanqing shook his head, casting these distant questions to the back of his mind. Thinking of his mixed-race girlfriend weeping next door, he felt Fu Qingyang's words made plenty of sense. A man had to live in the present—or rather, live between the legs. "Boss, I'll go check on Sister Guan Ya." Imitating the President, he snapped his fingers handsomely and vanished in a flare of starlight. *** Wanbao House. Xiahou Aotian put on his black earphones and heard the excited murmuring of the Qin Fangshi: "The Hundred Refining Furnace... Empress Wa's Hundred Refining Furnace..." *The Hundred Refining Furnace?* Xiahou Aotian glanced at Lian Sanyue. Unafraid of her noticing, he whispered, "This clearly is the Hundred Refining Furnace." The Qin Fangshi inside the ring said, "It is indeed not the full Hundred Refining Furnace; it is merely a part of it. Legend has it that Empress Wa left behind two great legacies: first, the Demon Refining Pot, and second, the Hundred Refining Furnace. "The former is the supreme treasure Musicians dream of, while the latter is the ultimate pinnacle a Scholar pursues all their life. Heh, I advise you best not use it. This furnace was once used by the First Emperor back in the day." Xiahou Aotian was surprised, yet not entirely surprised. "It was the First Emperor's Dharma artifact?" "It briefly remained in the First Emperor's hands..." The Qin Fangshi drifted into reminiscence. "After the First Emperor unified the six kingdoms, he dispatched troops south to conquer the Baiyue, advancing all the way to the South Sea. At that time, Jiaoren dwelt in the South Sea. Hearing of the First Emperor's might, they sent envoys ashore to pay tribute with beauties and jewels of their tribe, and informed the First Emperor that at the bottom of the abyssal trench of the South Sea lay an ancient divine artifact called the Hundred Refining Furnace." Xiahou Aotian had a sudden epiphany, recalling the item description of the Hundred Refining Furnace—*Sunk to the seabed due to a disaster, until it was found by...* So the ellipsis referred to the First Emperor. "Then shouldn't I use it all the more?" Xiahou Aotian said. "I haven't finished speaking yet." The Qin Fangshi sighed. "Back then, when salvaging this divine artifact, an eerie event occurred. Upon receiving the news, the First Emperor ordered Xu Fu to assemble nearly a hundred eccentric masters and skilled individuals to coordinate with the Jiaoren tribe in retrieving the artifact. Who could have foreseen that seven days after entering the water, calamity struck? A colossal tsunami surged across the South Sea. The eccentric masters and Jiaoren who had dived into the abyss to salvage the artifact were washed ashore, transformed into monsters with human torsos and serpentine tails! They howled frantically, shouting: *'Empress Wa has harmed me!'* "Afterward, babbling in incomprehensible tongues, they dropped dead." "And then?" Xiahou Aotian's curiosity was thoroughly piqued. "Naturally, the First Emperor would not abandon the divine artifact. He bestowed the Heaven-Worship Attire upon Xu Fu, and Xu Fu personally led men into the sea. After several days, Xu Fu returned with the Hundred Refining Furnace. "He was the only one who returned; none of the other eccentric masters who assisted in the salvage ever came back. Xu Fu never revealed what lay in the abyssal trench to the world, only holding a secret discussion with the First Emperor. "Regarding the divine artifact, Xu Fu claimed that the Hundred Refining Furnace was suppressing the sea's eye and could not be retrieved in its entirety; only a portion could be taken, which is this very Hundred Refining Furnace before you. "Yet the matter did not end there. Having obtained the divine artifact, His Majesty wished to utilize the Hundred Refining Furnace to forge weapons and consolidate his empire. Bizarrely, the weapons forged from the furnace harbored a terrifying demonic nature. "Every wielder went mad, slaughtering anyone in sight while screaming, *'Eradicate the remnants of Empress Wa!'* They caused no small disaster in Xianyang. At the same time, tsunamis pounded the South Sea repeatedly, warfare erupted across the lands of Baiyue, and rebellions flared ceaselessly. "Left with no choice, the First Emperor had to dispatch Xu Fu to the South Sea once more to return the Hundred Refining Furnace to the abyss." The old grandpa in the ring gave a scoff. "Think about the functions of that Taotie Weapon Refining Furnace, then look at the item information of this Hundred Refining Furnace. Doesn't it seem familiar?" Xiahou Aotian recalled carefully. "It really is somewhat similar." "The Taotie Weapon Refining Furnace was an imitation of the Hundred Refining Furnace, commissioned by the First Emperor later on. Regrettably, an imitation is an imitation after all, far inferior to the true furnace," the Qin Fangshi lamented. *So such an incident took place back then...* Xiahou Aotian listened with relish. "Not a big problem. It's already been subdued by the Spirit Realm now; what happened back then won't happen again. Otherwise, Lian Sanyue would have been the first to die." Hearing him, Lian Sanyue narrowed her eyes. The proud protagonist paid no heed to her expression, continuing to communicate with the ancient soul in his ring: "Why was Xu Fu unharmed?" The old grandpa in the ring said, "I just told you: the First Emperor bestowed the Heaven-Worship Attire upon Xu Fu. Protected by the Heaven-Worship Attire, Xu Fu naturally came out unscathed." "Heaven-Worship Attire?" Xiahou Aotian asked in confusion. "Alas, that item is even more sinister than the Hundred Refining Furnace..." The old grandpa in the ring sighed. "Two thousand years pass in the snap of a finger. It is all in the past, not worth mentioning." Xiahou Aotian sensed that the old fellow seemed rather taboo about the Heaven-Worship Attire, clearly unwilling to elaborate. At this moment, Lian Sanyue said impatiently, "Are you done chatting with the vengeful spirit in your ring? Are you going to start the furnace or not?" "Of course I am," Xiahou Aotian said. "What's the charge?" Lian Sanyue spread her palm. "Using the furnace is free, but the firestone to activate it must be purchased. Five hundred thousand per piece." Next, she explained the sealing mechanism and its fees. "I need to seal the furnace?" Xiahou Aotian scoffed. "Haven't you heard that the protagonist comes with his own luck aura?" *Don't think that just because you're wearing Kakarot's face, you can spout such brainless nonsense. Is this guy putting on an act? It's a pretty good disguise...* Lian Sanyue tossed a firestone over. Catching the firestone, Xiahou Aotian opened the lid, tossed in the materials first, then threw in the firestone. Pressing his palm against the furnace, he silently recited the item category and quality he desired. The Hundred Refining Furnace began humming and vibrating, its vents spewing out dense purple mist. Before long, the purple mist dissipated, and the furnace settled into calmness. Unable to wait a second longer, Xiahou Aotian rushed over, pressed his palm against the furnace body, and checked the energy accumulation: —2% "???" A string of question marks flashed through his mind. "What I just threw in was a Saint-grade material." He stared blankly at Lian Sanyue. "You're not swindling me, are you?" "The Hundred Refining Furnace is just like this. Higher quality doesn't necessarily mean higher energy accumulation; sometimes it comes down to luck." Lian Sanyue shrugged. "Another round?" "No more." Xiahou Aotian shook his head. His wallet made him reasonable. "Fine by me." Lian Sanyue didn't push. "Though a while ago, a lucky fellow used this furnace to craft a top-tier item. Of course, that's impossible to replicate. Ordinary people aren't so lucky." "I think... I can try again..." "Ooh, not bad, 10%. Another round?" "...Again." "11%. Another round?" "Last time!" "13%, what a pity." "L-Last time!" "You actually have Dominator-grade materials?!" "30%. That's two Dominator-grade materials now. How about calling it quits? Even I'm feeling the pain on your behalf." Lian Sanyue shook her head repeatedly. Xiahou Aotian stood before the furnace, motionless, as if turned to stone. No one knew how much time passed before he walked silently to the side, his back draped in loneliness and despair, like Qu Yuan trudging toward the Miluo River. Without a word, he retrieved a cannon barrel, a base, and a nearly depleted energy pack from his inventory, assembling them in complete silence. "What are you doing?" Lian Sanyue was stunned. Then, she saw Kakarot lift his face, wearing an expression as if he had just watched Krillin being blown to bits by Frieza—brimming with fury, despair, and sorrow: "I don't want to live anymore! I'm taking this thing down with me!" In his voice, not a single shred of lingering attachment to the mortal world remained.