Chapter 99: God’s Seed (6)

Jian Shiyuan didn't know how long he had slept. His heart was beating steadily and he could hear faint voices in his ears, which were fragmented and messy.

"Master, please stay awake and watch over me."

'They can't see us'

“Can’t leave it behind.”

Jian Shiyuan's heartbeat was rapid, and his consciousness gradually became clear, but his body was still unable to move. The voices of the players became clearly audible.

"Is the Sect Master alright? His eyebrows are furrowed. Is he in pain somewhere?"

"How about this? I'll give the Sect Master a Faheimrik first aid. I'm willing to sacrifice my first kiss for the cause of the Condensing Mist Sect."

"Get lost! There are only three of us here, why should you be the one to do the first aid? I can also perform artificial respiration, I'll do it!"

"How about we draw lots?"

"Take turns?"

Jian Shiyuan, who was awake but unable to move:

Very good, deduct a point of favorability from each person.

Just as the players were about to break the sticks, Jian Shiyuan opened his eyes.

Song Mu was the first person to notice that the sect leader was awake. He turned his head and glanced casually, and happened to meet Jian Shiyuan's eyes.

Those were beautiful yet emotionless eyes, cold as the snow on a mountaintop, clean, distant, and devoid of color. Jian Shiyuan usually wore a smile, his aura gentle, and looking into his eyes felt gentle, but now, all expression was shed, revealing a blunt indifference.

Song Mu shouted in surprise: "Master, the sect leader is awake!"

As she spoke, she reached out to help him up, her expression agitated and aggrieved, "Master Sect Leader, you've been sleeping for several days, and we were all so worried about you."

Jian Shiyuan's lips were pale, and he forced a smile. "How many days have passed in the illusion?"

His strength did not disappear, he was just exhausted and a little tired. Seeing the players put away his sword, Jian Shiyuan relaxed, supported Song Mu's shoulders, stood up straight, and then lowered his arms.

Shui Jing Zhu was more steady than the two male players and stepped forward to report the information he had collected.

"Master, this seems to be a mortal town, with ordinary people coming and going. We have been here for three days and have made some discoveries."

"First, they can't see or touch us. We are like spirit bodies, and they can pass through us."

"Second, it is now the year 2739 of the Kaiyuan era. We are located in a town called Ping'an, where the people are simple and honest."

"Third, there's a gang called the Tiger and Leopard Gang here. They're very domineering and often bully men and women."

After hearing the summary of Shui Jing Zhu, Jian Shiyuan's smile disappeared. His glass-like eyes remained motionless as he stared at her. He asked slowly, "How did you get this information?"

Crimson quickly answered, "We went to teahouses, restaurants, gambling houses, and other places of entertainment, and eavesdropped on the people's conversations to come up with this conclusion."

Jian Shiyuan still didn't smile. He said lightly, "Yeah."

Song Mu sensed that the Sect Master was unhappy, and wanted to make him laugh, so he stuttered and teased Shen Hong, "Originally, we weren't going to the brothel. It was Shen Hong who was obsessed with sex and wanted to peek at the Oiran. He dragged us along, and he even eavesdropped on other people's affairs!"

Shen Hong was furious when he said that. "What do you mean by eavesdropping? You asked me to inquire about the Tiger and Leopard Gang. No one can see me, so I can't ask anyone. So I can only follow the leader and follow behind him. Wherever he goes, I follow him. Who would have thought that he would go to a brothel and have fun with the ladies? Do you think I want to watch dead fat pigs mate?"

"Master Sect Leader, please don't believe this guy's instigation. He's just been staying in the teahouse for the past three days listening to storytellers! He hasn't done anything else!"

"I also went to the teahouse to inquire about the news!"

The two men were about to start fighting, but when they saw Jian Shiyuan staring ahead, they shut up and followed the sect leader's gaze.

It was a young man holding a red-haired fox, wearing a linen robe, with his hair tied up with a cloth belt, and dressed in poverty.

The man had bright eyes and handsome features. His body hadn't fully grown yet, but he showed the appearance of a handsome young man in the future. His figure was like jade, and his back was straight. That face was exactly like Jian Shiyuan's youth!

The Crimsons were shocked, looking at the young man and then at Jian Shiyuan.

The young man had a blank expression on his face, and there was a coldness in his eyes that kept people at a distance.

As for Jian Shiyuan, the moment he saw the boy, the corners of his mouth turned up habitually, and he became the gentle person familiar to players.

Song Mu pointed at the boy with trembling fingers, "This..."

Jian Shiyuan lowered his eyes, the smile on his lips widened, and he slowly said, "That's me. This illusion must be recreating my memory."

[Look at your heart]

This should be a test of conscience.

Some powerful beings would leave behind magical arrays to test those who came after them. Only those who passed the test could obtain the relics. Examining one's conscience was the most common form of testing. One could deceive others, but not oneself.

To break the formation [and question your conscience], you can only follow your former self and experience life again.

Jian Shiyuan thought he had forgotten Ping'an Town and his youth.

But as he stood on the familiar street, looking at his younger self, his voice couldn't help but become hoarse.

Simple folk customs?

It's ridiculous!

The market was noisy with people coming and going. Vendors along the road were shouting loudly. They were holding goods for sale or holding hand towels in their hands, waving them at passers-by.

From time to time, people stopped to bargain. Along the street, there was the aroma of cooked food, the greasy fragrance of rouge and powder, and the fragrance of fruits and vegetables.

Jian Shiyuan looked at the young man himself and also at the red fox in his arms.

The young man Jian Shiyuan was outstanding in appearance. As he walked through the crowd, no one was willing to give his eyes to others.

Jian Shiyuan greeted him in his heart.

He said—

Long time no see, Brother Fox.

The boy passed by them, his breath clean, without any fragrance or taste.

Jian Shiyuan always has the scent of pine and cypress around him.

People will eventually change.

Jian Shiyuan followed, and the players followed him in silence for a while. Jian Shiyuan then spoke, explaining to the puzzled players. His voice was low, tinged with inexplicable emotion, "If you want to break this illusion, you must find the center of the formation. Follow him."

The players didn't know how to crack it, but they trusted Jian Shiyuan and followed him obediently, whispering to each other—

"Is that fox in the Sect Master's arms a pet? It's so well-fed, its fur is smooth and shiny, and its paws are plump."

"So cute, it's wagging its tail. I really want to pet it!"

"It may not be a pet. Maybe it's the clan leader's food reserve. Hey, it's really fat."

"Hey, be careful with your words, or the Sect Master will deduct your favorability points."

"I have to say, the young sect leader is quite aloof. Just looking at him gives me a chill. I still prefer the current sect leader. He's so gentle."

"I'm different. I want them all, hehe."

The young boy Jian Shiyuan was as cold as ice, but the fat fox in his arms was lively, with fur as red as fire and combed smooth and soft. It lay in the boy Jian Shiyuan's arms, occasionally swinging its tail to sweep across his chest, its round eyes blinking flexibly, and its nose tip was moist and small, looking very lovable.

The young man Jian Shiyuan was very tolerant of it. When walking for a while, he would support its body and lift it gently so that it could lie more comfortably between his arms.

"It really looks like a pig. The Sect Master looks so poor. Could it be that it has eaten him into poverty?"

"I think it's very likely. Look at the look in its eyes—"

When they walked to the roast chicken and braised meat stall, the fox cried "嘤嘤嘤", put its paws on the boy's arm, scratched it gently, and wagged its tail softly.

“Woo——”

"I've spent all my money. I'll buy you some when I earn some money today, and I'll also bring a pot of wine for the master."

“Hmm——”

"Today we're still going through the fire ring. Remember to lift your tail when you jump, or you'll get your fur singed again."

“Ouch—”

"I won't go collecting herbs tonight. I promised Aunt Wang to go check on Uncle Wang's legs."

A man and a fox communicated across languages. The young man, Jian Shiyuan, appeared aloof, but he was not indifferent. On the contrary, he was remarkably humane, compassionate to the weak and eager to help. Players followed him as he counted money, promised the fat fox a roast chicken, exchanged herbal remedies, and discussed helping villagers repair their houses.

When he spoke, his tone was cold and indifferent, without a smile on his face, but his tone was gentle and calm, like a vibrant sunflower, full of beautiful expectations for tomorrow and the future.

Song Mu looked at the Sect Master, then at the young Jian Shiyuan. He always felt that there was an indelible sadness between the Sect Master's eyebrows and eyes.

He had a smile on his face, but he didn't look happy.

It was midday, the sun was scorching, and it felt like summer in the illusion.

The young man Jian Shiyuan walked to a stall and greeted the aunt, "Aunt Wang, I'm here to get my box."

The middle-aged aunt with a woman's bun looked fierce and aggressive. She had a mole on her upper lip and spoke quickly and lightly, "Ling Yu is here. You can help yourself. I have some pears here. Pick one up and eat it."

Jian Shiyuan's courtesy name is Lingyu.

The young man Jian Shiyuan smiled and picked a small pear with a broken skin from the stall.

He didn't eat it, but stuffed it into his arms and went to pick up the big wooden box beside him.

It was a big box, almost one cubic meter, but he lifted it up easily.

The fox was afraid of having its tail pressed down, so it slipped and climbed onto the boy Jian Shiyuan's shoulder, wrapped itself around his neck like a scarf, and placed its two front paws on the boy's right shoulder.

The young man, Jian Shiyuan, moved swiftly, reaching the intersection and stopping. He took out the iron ring, sword, tar, and kapok from the box, and expertly soaked the tar with a cloth, still distracting himself with the fox, beckoning it to come down.

The fox looks fat, but it is actually very agile. It jumped down obediently and leaned at the feet of the young boy Jian Shiyuan, licking his paws from time to time.

Players watched the young Jian Shiyuan's movements and whispered to each other

"What is he doing? There are so many long swords, damn, they are all sharpened."

"It's on fire! A fire ring! Hiss, just grab it with your hands, he's not afraid of pain——"

"Why does this look so much like the seal jumping through a ring I saw at the aquarium? He's holding the ring of fire upright! Is he really going to jump through it?"

"I have to say, the Sect Master was a really ruthless person in the past."

The young man Jian Shiyuan made preparations and struck the gong, "Don't miss it if you pass by, the blind flying sword, the fox jumping through the fire ring. If you have money, you can support it with money, if you don't have money, you can support it with your presence!"

He spoke skillfully, and soon a group of people gathered around him.

Looking at his former self directing the fox to jump through the fire ring, Jian Shiyuan felt an itch in his throat.

He wanted to laugh, but he couldn't make any expression. His eyes were slightly hot. He knew he didn't cry, and he didn't even show a trace of sadness.

The people around were talking about it, and occasionally a few words:

"This fox is so agile and obedient, could it be a monster?"

"Well, the monster doesn't eat people and comes here to perform tricks to get your money? Wouldn't it be faster to kill and rob?"

"That's right, this little fox is really well trained, and he can even write a book to ask for rewards."

The coins were dropped into the wooden box, making a jingling sound. The fox leaped even harder, rolled into a ball in the air, and then leaped and tumbled back and forth between the rings of fire. The audience applauded, and the fox threw the coins even more skillfully.

The players had never seen such a scene. There were also acrobatics in the costume dramas that Song Mu had starred in, but they were all staged. Now that they were watching it in person, and the performer was the master of the sect whom he admired, they felt that they could never get enough of it.

On to the next performance.

The young man, Jian Shiyuan, had his eyes bound with black cloth, revealing his straight nose and jade-like chin. He made a hand gesture, and a dozen long swords before him roared and soared into the air. Amid the exclamations of the onlookers, they flew one after another towards the prepared wooden plank.

“Zheng——”

The audience all exclaimed in surprise, and Shui Jing Zhu even covered his mouth. The twelve swords were nailed into a circle exactly, like a clock, tightly clustered together.

Someone recognized something and exclaimed, "It's a monk! This guy is a monk!"

The whole audience was silent at first, and then burst into loud cheers.

"Why did Master Monk come to perform for us?"

"If this gentleman is in financial difficulty, he can go to the county magistrate's office. As long as he has the necessary skills, he can be accepted as a retainer and have no worries about food and clothing."

"Master, my master has prepared some wine and invites you to a gathering at Qinxiang Tower."

The young man Jian Shiyuan took off the black cloth, his face still icy. He looked at the enthusiastic crowd and said slowly, "I'm not a cultivator. There's a magnet behind this board. The sword flew up because of the magnet's attraction."

Soon, a voice came from the crowd, "This kid from the Jian family is naturally strong. He's been performing acrobatics at this street corner for days. He's not a cultivator. What cultivator would work so hard here to please a bunch of mortals like us?"

Everyone thought so too. It was too easy for monks to make money. How could the monks be willing to endure the hardship of doing such a juggling act exposed to the sun and wind?

In any place under heaven, monks have wealthy families to rely on. If they are more ruthless, they will find a secluded family and kill them directly to take their money. Who can catch them? Mortals without any background can only accept their fate when they are killed by monks.

Everyone had already made up their minds, and when they saw that the young man Jian Shiyuan was dressed simply and didn't have any valuable accessories on his body, they gave up the idea of ​​trying to please him.

However, his performance was indeed wonderful, so everyone was more generous and gave him a few more coins.

Shui Jing Zhu observed the wooden board and suddenly said, "That's not a magnet."

Shen Hong was puzzled: "Why is the master here?"

You clearly have the skills to be supported and praised by others, so why do you have to work so hard to earn this little money?

Song Mu glanced at him and said, "It's not shameful to earn money through your own labor. It's those idlers who prey on the common people who are shameful."

From the people's attitude towards monks, which is both respectful and fearful, it can be seen that most monks in this world are difficult to get along with, especially towards mortals, and their attitude is probably condescending.

Song Mu looked at the silent sect leader again and felt that his image was a little more majestic.

How many cultivators are there who stick to their original aspirations like the sect leader?

Jian Shiyuan watched his younger self sorting the copper coins in the wooden box with the fox. He didn't know what was going on, so he said softly, "I don't think there's any difference between cultivators and mortals. We're all human, and no one should be treated inferiorly."

He relies on his own abilities to make money cleanly and live a hard-working life.

What's so strange about that?

Shen Hong looked at Jian Shiyuan, who grinned, "Yes, we are all human beings."

How many cultivators in the world could be like the Sect Master, willing to live in poverty and earn their living with their own hands? This world is ridiculous.

Ask yourself, if you put yourself in front of a choice, can you stick to your heart?

Desire and power can make people lost. Once people elevate themselves, they can't come down.

The young man Jian Shiyuan and his fox packed up their things. The players watched as they used half of the copper coins they earned to buy a roast chicken, and used the remaining copper coins to buy a pot of wine, leaving only a few coins.

"You spend money lavishly. Doesn't the Sect Master save money?"

"The fox is probably too good at acting cute. It's whimpering, who would have the heart not to buy it? That pot of wine is a tribute to the master, so we can't save it."

"Maybe today was a day worth celebrating, so I spent a little more. I think I should save money normally, right?"

Hearing the players' discussion, Jian Shiyuan turned around and said, "No, during that period, we spent whatever we earned."

Thinking of something, he put on a nostalgic and sad smile, "Fortunately, I didn't save it. Sometimes patience and waiting will turn into eternal regret. I won't wait."

I won't tolerate it either. Never.

The players didn't understand what Jian Shiyuan meant, so they just shut up and followed him.

The place where the young boy Jian Shiyuan lived was very remote. The players watched him and the fox walk into the mountains in twists and turns, and after walking a long way, they finally saw a bamboo house.

Now that he is home, the fox no longer needs to pretend to be a beast.

It spoke, its voice like a human teenager, soft and delicate, "Lingyu, give me food, I'm hungry."

The fox started talking, which scared the players.

"Fuck, it can talk? A monster—"

"It's a male, tsk, I thought it was a female fox."

"He's clearly a monster, yet he's willing to pretend to be a beast and go through a fire ring to make money. Well, he's worthy of being the clan leader's pet, just like him."

In the wooden house, the young boy Jian Shiyuan said "hmm", opened the lotus leaf and gave it to the dog to eat.

The fox stretched out its front paws but refused to move its mouth. "Ling Yu, tear off half for me."

Crimson: "Why is this fox so pretentious? He even needs to be fed—"

Song Mu: "You still want half? Just some chicken necks and heads aren't enough!"

When Jian Shiyuan heard this, his throat started to itch and he felt indescribable sadness in his heart.

——He is falling into the abyss step by step

The young man Jian Shiyuan didn't make a move. He just pushed the lotus leaf in front of the fox and said, "You eat first, and give me the rest."

The fox whimpered, "No, I am a beast and you are a human. You can't eat at the same table with me. Others will look down on you."

The young man Jian Shiyuan squatted down and touched the fox's head. "What did you see and hear?"

The fox felt a little sad, his ears drooping. "That blind beggar on the street lost all his money in gambling. His family members either died or ran away, leaving him with only the big yellow dog to depend on. He wouldn't even share a bun with the dog, throwing it on the ground. I heard him say, 'Those who eat with animals are animals themselves.'"

It opened its round eyes and rubbed the wrist of the young man Jian Shiyuan apologetically, "Ling Yu, I'm sorry, I didn't understand before. I won't do it again in the future."

Shui Jing Zhu noticed that there were tears in the eyes of the sect leader. He clenched his fists and just looked at him expressionlessly.

For some reason, Shui Jing Zhu felt that he was very sad.

The young man Jian Shiyuan was also stunned. He held the fox's two front paws and shook them, saying, "Don't listen to that guy's nonsense. No one looks down on him, so he's angry and takes it out on the dog. What good can a bully like that say? Besides, you're not a beast. You're my fox brother, and we're friends."

As he spoke, he lifted the fox up and placed it on the lotus leaf. "Eat it quickly. It won't taste good if it gets cold."

The fox wagged its tail happily, "I'll save all the chicken legs for you!"

The young man Jian Shiyuan lowered his eyes and said, "I don't like eating chicken legs. Leave the neck to me. I like to eat it."

The fox smiled, "Ling Yu, you are so nice!"

The young man Jian Shiyuan took a book, wiped the pear in his arms, read a page and took a bite. The fox was happily eating the chicken. Suddenly he looked up and asked, "Lingyu, why do you still want Aunt Wang's pears? Her pears are so sour and taste bad."

The young man Jian Shiyuan cast his eyes on the book and said casually: "I treated her husband's leg, and she felt bad about it. If I don't bring some fruits and vegetables, she will think too much and feel that she owes me a favor. It's just a small favor, why bother others?" Take you...