If Elder Qingcheng was someone from the game lobby, it would be equivalent to him and Elder Qingcheng coming from the same place.
There’s a vivid phrase called “returning home in glory.” Achieving something outside might not be as uplifting as letting the people in your village witness your accomplishments. It’s a subtle emotional state because only the villagers have seen your past struggles. Returning in glory allows you to hold your head high.
For outsiders, it might only trigger envy, but for the people in your village, it’s the ultimate comeback. So, is Elder Qingcheng’s current restrained yet proud demeanor driven by this desire?
If so, Elder Qingcheng could very well be the so-called “copy master”. However, being a master doesn’t mean being the boss. Just like in the mermaid copy, Dijia might have been a “copy master” at that time, even killing an ancient god while inside, but there was still a true boss inside.
The Identity of “master” seems more like a manager of the copy, perhaps part of an agreement between the system and the copy boss. So, the boss willingly lets the system interfere excessively.
Bai Lixin glanced at the conflicting Elder Qingcheng. This young man seemed to believe he is the controller of this cooy. He holds the highest position, the strongest power, and the utmost respect. Little does he know, he might just be a pawn used as a shield by someone else.
“Damn ghost,” Bai Lixin called out calmly, “How do you handle the demons you kill?”
“We take their demon cores,” Elder Qingcheng said, “then mix them with demon blood to refine elixirs.”
Bai Lixin: “What kind of elixirs? Are they good things?”
Elder Qingcheng: “Of course, they are good. It’s said that if the elixir is successfully refined and consumed, one can ascend to become an immortal.”
“Ah?” Bai Lixin hesitated for a moment, “But isn’t this a game copy? Is this part of the copy’s setup? Can we really become immortals by eating them?”
Elder Qingcheng: “I know about this. We’ve been refining continuously, but we’re always missing one crucial ingredient.”
“What ingredient?” Bai Lixin inquired.
“The purest demon core in the world,” Elder Qingcheng paused, “But I’m close to finding its whereabouts. It just escaped me. Once I find it, I’m sure I can catch it. With that demon core, we can refine the elixir. I’ve never been a god, I want to try being one.”
“If the elixir is refined, will you eat it?” Bai Lixin continued questioning, “Or will the members of Qingcheng Sect share it?”
“That depends on the quantity of elixirs produced. If there’s only one, I will consume it. If we refine many elixirs, then it depends on my mood,” Elder Qingcheng smiled, “You know, my position is the most revered in the sect. Even the sect leader has to listen to me.”
While they talked, several people approached. The person leading them wore an exquisite Daoist robe and a jade crown, different from the others.
Upon seeing Elder Qingcheng, the leader saluted respectfully, “Greetings Elder, weren’t you in Qingcheng Town? Why are you back?”
“Master, there is no need for formalities. This is my guest, and we’re just visiting Qingcheng Sect,” Elder Qingcheng dismissed him.
This man was the sect master of Qingcheng sect.
Although he was the sect master, he was very respectful to Elder Qingcheng. Elder Qingcheng seemed to be used to this kind of relationship. He was still very arrogant in front of the sect master, and there was no respect in his words.
The sect master was not angry and exchanged a few brief greetings before leaving.
They continued walking around Qingcheng Sect, and as night fell, Bai Lixin and Elder Qingcheng returned to the town.
Bai Lixin originally planned to stay at Qingcheng Sect, investigate secretly at night, but Elder Qingcheng seemed unwilling to stay and asked about leaving, so Bai Lixin had no choice but to follow back.
It was nearly dark when they returned. Elder Qingcheng wanted Bai Lixin to stay for dinner, but Bai Lixin found an excuse and left.
Walking aimlessly on the road, Bai Lixin suddenly heard a familiar voice near a vendor’s stall, “Boss, another bowl of wine.”
At a stall not far away, a young man in casual attire sat steadily at a table. There were already several bowls in front of him.
Bai Lixin walked over and sat beside him, “Are you drinking to drown your sorrows?”
The man looked at Bai Lixin through blurry eyes, surprise flashing in his eyes, “Sir, what a coincidence! How did you end up here?”
“I resigned from the yamen, not died. Why can’t I be here? Why are you drinking so much?” Bai Lixin asked.
Zhang Biao burst into laughter, “Sir, I’m happy.”
As he spoke, he took another sip of wine and said “You don’t know what happened after you left. When County Magistrate Lin opened the study door, everyone was dumbfounded.”
“I later chatted with a few constables from Liu Shanmen and found out the crown prince confessed everything. He killed numerous people, but deep down, he lacked resilience. He’s just a child indulged by the princess, never having suffered any hardship. The Imperial Envoy and the Liu Shanmen scared him, and he confessed everything.”
“I now realize what ‘people at the bottom speak lightly’ means.” Zhang Biao said angrily. “I thought this only applied to brothel girls and maids. But it turns out that even I, Zhang Biao, am subject to it and that the crown prince is just a coward. Why wasn’t he afraid of us before? Because he feels superior. In the eyes of those upper-class people, we are nothing more than a group of insignificant ants. He never took us seriously, so why would he fear us?”
“But the Imperial Envoy is different; he had the imperial edict. So, he got scared, confessed to everything.”
Zhang Biao squeezed the bowl in his hand tightly, “That damn dog looks down on people.”
Bai Lixin comforted him: “So the crown prince confessed? Where is County Magistrate Lin? What did he say?”
Zhang Biao: “Oh, by the way, sir, there’s something I must tell you. Go back and tell your sister to be careful. County Magistrate Lin said if she doesn’t leave Lin Mansion, he’ll ransack the Song family. I can tell he wasn’t joking, he’s genuinely angry. You should be careful too.”
“Alright, I understand. Thank you for informing me,” Bai Lixin acknowledged.
“Hmph! This is what I should do,” Zhang Biao laughed, “In fact, I should thank you. After you left today, I realized the yamen had changed.”
“It visibly improved.”
“Before, when you were there, I didn’t pay much attention. But today, when I went out in the afternoon, I realized my brothers seemed to have grown. Sir, you unknowingly threw a stone into a pond filled with silt. At first glance, it seemed clear, but only by throwing a stone could you reveal the murkiness.”
“Before your arrival, the yamen was like a pond filled with sediment. At first glance, it seemed crystal clear. But only when you threw a stone, it showed the problems lurking underneath. And you, sir, are the stone.”
“If not for you, we would have kept thinking the yamen was fine, nothing wrong. But it’s changed after you came.”
“You unknowingly made a significant impact. The yamen may not be perfect, everyone has some flaws, but at their core, the people here are upright and righteous.”
Bai Lixin smiled, “It’s all in the past now. I believe, with these events, the yamen in Qingcheng Town will become better and better. My usefulness is mainly because the majority in the yamen, like you, are righteous at heart.”
He stood up slowly, “I should leave now, I’ll take my leave.”
Zhang Biao stood up, silently watching Bai Lixin’s departing figure. He respectfully clasped his hands, bowing at a ninety-degree angle.
In the pitch-black night, a young man walked into a dead-end alley.
His steps were steady, and just as he was about to reach the end, his speed showed no sign of slowing down.
Right when his nose was about to hit the wall, his figure swayed, and he disappeared into the deepest part of the alley.
Inside the temple courtyard, silence prevailed.
Bai Lixin looked around. The bedroom door was tightly shut, and it was dark inside.
The door to the meditation room was open, and through it, a faint, yellowish candlelight was visible.
Thinking of the monk’s fondness for meditation, Bai Lixin swiftly passed the bedroom and entered the meditation room.
He expected Fanjia to be in the meditation room, and was surprised to find it empty. Three meditation cushions were arranged on the floor, and on the lotus seat sat something wrapped tightly in a cassock.
A faint golden light kept flickering from the lotus seat, and the object within the robe moved, but its movements were weak.
Strange, Fanjia isn’t here. Only this place is illuminated.
There were no lights in the study, and the bedroom was pitch-black.
Could it be that Fanjia went out?
He’s not here?
Where did this man go wandering off to again?
Bai Lixin rubbed his forehead, silently sitting on one of the cushions.
The moment he sat down, an extremely subtle sound suddenly reached his ears.
The sound was soft, shallow, and muffled, neither near nor far, but just right to enter his ears.
Bai Lixin was stunned.
He looked around, but there was nothing around him.
How did he seem to hear Fanjia’s voice just now? Was it a figment of his imagination?
Bai Lixin shook his head, and then another sudden sound came to his ears.
This time, the sound was clearer than before, and he even detected a hint of suppression within it.
Bai Lixin, who was originally confused, suddenly woke up.
He quickly stood up from the ground, stealthily walked to the wall and pressed his ear against it to listen attentively.
After a few more seconds, the suppressed sound rang out again.
The sound was coming from the other side of this wall.
Bai Lixin stared at the wall in surprise. He pressed his ears against the wall again, and listened carefully.
Soon, the initially indistinct sound gradually became clear in his ears.
Suppressed, painful, blissful—complex emotions wrapped into a single voice, making it deep and rich.
The next moment, another sound entered Bai Lixin’s ears, “Bai Lixin…”
In the hoarse and suppressed voice, there was a lingering and yearning. In the quiet night sky, his lover silently expressed his desire for him.
Bai Lixin’s eyes lit up.
Faced with such a situation, how could he not respond!
If Elder Qingcheng was someone from the game lobby, it would be equivalent to him and Elder Qingcheng coming from the same place.
There’s a vivid phrase called “returning home in glory.” Achieving something outside might not be as uplifting as letting the people in your village witness your accomplishments. It’s a subtle emotional state because only the villagers have seen your past struggles. Returning in glory allows you to hold your head high.
For outsiders, it might only trigger envy, but for the people in your village, it’s the ultimate comeback. So, is Elder Qingcheng’s current restrained yet proud demeanor driven by this desire?
If so, Elder Qingcheng could very well be the so-called “copy master”. However, being a master doesn’t mean being the boss. Just like in the mermaid copy, Dijia might have been a “copy master” at that time, even killing an ancient god while inside, but there was still a true boss inside.
The Identity of “master” seems more like a manager of the copy, perhaps part of an agreement between the system and the copy boss. So, the boss willingly lets the system interfere excessively.
Bai Lixin glanced at the conflicting Elder Qingcheng. This young man seemed to believe he is the controller of this cooy. He holds the highest position, the strongest power, and the utmost respect. Little does he know, he might just be a pawn used as a shield by someone else.
“Damn ghost,” Bai Lixin called out calmly, “How do you handle the demons you kill?”
“We take their demon cores,” Elder Qingcheng said, “then mix them with demon blood to refine elixirs.”
Bai Lixin: “What kind of elixirs? Are they good things?”
Elder Qingcheng: “Of course, they are good. It’s said that if the elixir is successfully refined and consumed, one can ascend to become an immortal.”
“Ah?” Bai Lixin hesitated for a moment, “But isn’t this a game copy? Is this part of the copy’s setup? Can we really become immortals by eating them?”
Elder Qingcheng: “I know about this. We’ve been refining continuously, but we’re always missing one crucial ingredient.”
“What ingredient?” Bai Lixin inquired.
“The purest demon core in the world,” Elder Qingcheng paused, “But I’m close to finding its whereabouts. It just escaped me. Once I find it, I’m sure I can catch it. With that demon core, we can refine the elixir. I’ve never been a god, I want to try being one.”
“If the elixir is refined, will you eat it?” Bai Lixin continued questioning, “Or will the members of Qingcheng Sect share it?”
“That depends on the quantity of elixirs produced. If there’s only one, I will consume it. If we refine many elixirs, then it depends on my mood,” Elder Qingcheng smiled, “You know, my position is the most revered in the sect. Even the sect leader has to listen to me.”
While they talked, several people approached. The person leading them wore an exquisite Daoist robe and a jade crown, different from the others.
Upon seeing Elder Qingcheng, the leader saluted respectfully, “Greetings Elder, weren’t you in Qingcheng Town? Why are you back?”
“Master, there is no need for formalities. This is my guest, and we’re just visiting Qingcheng Sect,” Elder Qingcheng dismissed him.
This man was the sect master of Qingcheng sect.
Although he was the sect master, he was very respectful to Elder Qingcheng. Elder Qingcheng seemed to be used to this kind of relationship. He was still very arrogant in front of the sect master, and there was no respect in his words.
The sect master was not angry and exchanged a few brief greetings before leaving.
They continued walking around Qingcheng Sect, and as night fell, Bai Lixin and Elder Qingcheng returned to the town.
Bai Lixin originally planned to stay at Qingcheng Sect, investigate secretly at night, but Elder Qingcheng seemed unwilling to stay and asked about leaving, so Bai Lixin had no choice but to follow back.
It was nearly dark when they returned. Elder Qingcheng wanted Bai Lixin to stay for dinner, but Bai Lixin found an excuse and left.
Walking aimlessly on the road, Bai Lixin suddenly heard a familiar voice near a vendor’s stall, “Boss, another bowl of wine.”
At a stall not far away, a young man in casual attire sat steadily at a table. There were already several bowls in front of him.
Bai Lixin walked over and sat beside him, “Are you drinking to drown your sorrows?”
The man looked at Bai Lixin through blurry eyes, surprise flashing in his eyes, “Sir, what a coincidence! How did you end up here?”
“I resigned from the yamen, not died. Why can’t I be here? Why are you drinking so much?” Bai Lixin asked.
Zhang Biao burst into laughter, “Sir, I’m happy.”
As he spoke, he took another sip of wine and said “You don’t know what happened after you left. When County Magistrate Lin opened the study door, everyone was dumbfounded.”
“I later chatted with a few constables from Liu Shanmen and found out the crown prince confessed everything. He killed numerous people, but deep down, he lacked resilience. He’s just a child indulged by the princess, never having suffered any hardship. The Imperial Envoy and the Liu Shanmen scared him, and he confessed everything.”
“I now realize what ‘people at the bottom speak lightly’ means.” Zhang Biao said angrily. “I thought this only applied to brothel girls and maids. But it turns out that even I, Zhang Biao, am subject to it and that the crown prince is just a coward. Why wasn’t he afraid of us before? Because he feels superior. In the eyes of those upper-class people, we are nothing more than a group of insignificant ants. He never took us seriously, so why would he fear us?”
“But the Imperial Envoy is different; he had the imperial edict. So, he got scared, confessed to everything.”
Zhang Biao squeezed the bowl in his hand tightly, “That damn dog looks down on people.”
Bai Lixin comforted him: “So the crown prince confessed? Where is County Magistrate Lin? What did he say?”
Zhang Biao: “Oh, by the way, sir, there’s something I must tell you. Go back and tell your sister to be careful. County Magistrate Lin said if she doesn’t leave Lin Mansion, he’ll ransack the Song family. I can tell he wasn’t joking, he’s genuinely angry. You should be careful too.”
“Alright, I understand. Thank you for informing me,” Bai Lixin acknowledged.
“Hmph! This is what I should do,” Zhang Biao laughed, “In fact, I should thank you. After you left today, I realized the yamen had changed.”
“It visibly improved.”
“Before, when you were there, I didn’t pay much attention. But today, when I went out in the afternoon, I realized my brothers seemed to have grown. Sir, you unknowingly threw a stone into a pond filled with silt. At first glance, it seemed clear, but only by throwing a stone could you reveal the murkiness.”
“Before your arrival, the yamen was like a pond filled with sediment. At first glance, it seemed crystal clear. But only when you threw a stone, it showed the problems lurking underneath. And you, sir, are the stone.”
“If not for you, we would have kept thinking the yamen was fine, nothing wrong. But it’s changed after you came.”
“You unknowingly made a significant impact. The yamen may not be perfect, everyone has some flaws, but at their core, the people here are upright and righteous.”
Bai Lixin smiled, “It’s all in the past now. I believe, with these events, the yamen in Qingcheng Town will become better and better. My usefulness is mainly because the majority in the yamen, like you, are righteous at heart.”
He stood up slowly, “I should leave now, I’ll take my leave.”
Zhang Biao stood up, silently watching Bai Lixin’s departing figure. He respectfully clasped his hands, bowing at a ninety-degree angle.
In the pitch-black night, a young man walked into a dead-end alley.
His steps were steady, and just as he was about to reach the end, his speed showed no sign of slowing down.
Right when his nose was about to hit the wall, his figure swayed, and he disappeared into the deepest part of the alley.
Inside the temple courtyard, silence prevailed.
Bai Lixin looked around. The bedroom door was tightly shut, and it was dark inside.
The door to the meditation room was open, and through it, a faint, yellowish candlelight was visible.
Thinking of the monk’s fondness for meditation, Bai Lixin swiftly passed the bedroom and entered the meditation room.
He expected Fanjia to be in the meditation room, and was surprised to find it empty. Three meditation cushions were arranged on the floor, and on the lotus seat sat something wrapped tightly in a cassock.
A faint golden light kept flickering from the lotus seat, and the object within the robe moved, but its movements were weak.
Strange, Fanjia isn’t here. Only this place is illuminated.
There were no lights in the study, and the bedroom was pitch-black.
Could it be that Fanjia went out?
He’s not here?
Where did this man go wandering off to again?
Bai Lixin rubbed his forehead, silently sitting on one of the cushions.
The moment he sat down, an extremely subtle sound suddenly reached his ears.
The sound was soft, shallow, and muffled, neither near nor far, but just right to enter his ears.
Bai Lixin was stunned.
He looked around, but there was nothing around him.
How did he seem to hear Fanjia’s voice just now? Was it a figment of his imagination?
Bai Lixin shook his head, and then another sudden sound came to his ears.
This time, the sound was clearer than before, and he even detected a hint of suppression within it.
Bai Lixin, who was originally confused, suddenly woke up.
He quickly stood up from the ground, stealthily walked to the wall and pressed his ear against it to listen attentively.
After a few more seconds, the suppressed sound rang out again.
The sound was coming from the other side of this wall.
Bai Lixin stared at the wall in surprise. He pressed his ears against the wall again, and listened carefully.
Soon, the initially indistinct sound gradually became clear in his ears.
Suppressed, painful, blissful—complex emotions wrapped into a single voice, making it deep and rich.
The next moment, another sound entered Bai Lixin’s ears, “Bai Lixin…”
In the hoarse and suppressed voice, there was a lingering and yearning. In the quiet night sky, his lover silently expressed his desire for him.
Bai Lixin’s eyes lit up.
Faced with such a situation, how could he not respond!
