Chapter 54: A New Name, the Pesky Little Old Man (Patreon)

Victor felt as if he had been thrown into a brazier filled with fragrant balm.

The balm was heated to just a fraction above his body temperature. Formless, it enveloped his body, the soft, slick substance rolling over his skin, tightening its embrace.

It brought him a sense of relaxation even deeper than a warm bath, and he soon found himself lost in the sensation...

[The next day. You are sitting up in bed, your gaze sweeping over the girl—no, the woman—beside you, who clings to you like a python, as if terrified you might run away.]

[This is for the best, you think to yourself. Bringing her along will better perfect your persona as a good old man. After all, what kind of villain could a good teacher be, one who makes his genius disciple willingly give up her future to elope with him to a distant land?~]

[However, to prevent her from disturbing your research, you'll have to find something for her to do. Hmm, the Zhuming's Alchemy Commission excels in acupuncture and incense arts. You'll just have her slowly learn those...]

[You scheme silently in your mind.]

[Just then, Danzhu awakens. Having tasted the forbidden fruit for the first time, she appears exceptionally alluring.]

[She stretches lazily, then wraps her arms around you again. She extends a finger and traces it lightly across your chest.]

["Teacher, I wish to change my name," she says in a cloying tone.]

[You raise an eyebrow and ask with a smile: "What name do you want to change it to?"]

["'Danzhu' belongs to you alone, Teacher. From now on, I will be called 'Lingsha'~"]

["'Lingsha'? A fine name." A glint flashes in your eyes as you praise her.]

[Thanks to your secret machinations, the Vidyadhara Elders have unanimously displayed their ostracism toward you.]

[In Jing Yuan's eyes, you have become a victim of the Vidyadhara Elders' political struggles. When he hears you wish to leave the Luofu for the Zhuming, he even seeks you out, offering to contact General Huaiyan of the Zhuming on your behalf and recommend you, ensuring you would be given an important post.]

[You can see a hint of guilt for you in Jing Yuan's heart. However, the purpose of your trip is to get away from the spotlight of the Luofu so you can conduct your experiments in peace, without interruption. So, you put on a disillusioned act and tactfully decline his kind offer.]

[Your performance completely dispels Jing Yuan's suspicions. He no longer focuses his attention on a 'failure' like you, turning his gaze instead toward the Alchemy Commission and the Vidyadhara Elders.]

[With no one to see you off, you take the newly renamed Lingsha and depart from the Luofu, arriving at the Zhuming.]

[If the Luofu corresponds to the element of Wood, then the Zhuming surely corresponds to Fire.]

[The Zhuming excels in ingenious crafts and the arts of the Alchemy Commission. Its Artisanship Commission is second to none in the entire Xianzhou Alliance, especially its Calamity-Fire Lotus Lantern Forge Palace, whose forging and smelting techniques are renowned throughout the cosmos. General Huaiyan of the Zhuming is himself a Master Craftsman of the Artisanship Commission.]

[Although you tactfully refused Jing Yuan, he is a thorough man. This, combined with his guilt, led him to secretly contact General Huaiyan of the Zhuming for you anyway.]

[You and Lingsha have just arrived at the Zhuming Xianzhou when you are greeted by someone. The person is an aide from Zhuyuan Mansion.]

[Led by the aide, you meet the de facto ruler of the Zhuming Xianzhou, General Huaiyan.]

[Although General Huaiyan has the appearance of a short, scrawny old man, you dare not underestimate him in the slightest.]

[This man is known as the longest-lived person on the Xianzhou. Due to his advanced age, many do not even know his specific years.]

[The average lifespan of a Xianzhou native is as high as eight hundred years. Once they exceed this age, the probability of a Mara-struck outbreak increases dramatically. Any Xianzhou native who can break this limit is no ordinary person.]

Victor remembered that Jingliu was around 1,800 years old when she appeared. Her appearance had barely changed, yet the influence of the Mara-struck was already profound. To suppress it, she even had to wear a blindfold to cover her vision. Even so, she still had episodes from time to time, acting no different from a madwoman.

General Huaiyan, on the other hand, already showed signs of old age. His age must be far greater than Jingliu's, yet he remained calm and composed, showing not the slightest sign of a Mara-struck outbreak. This little old man was truly unfathomable.

Furthermore, Victor recalled carefully that among the Xianzhou natives he had encountered in the game, he had seen no elderly figures at all, aside from General Huaiyan.

Even Master Gongshu, who looked middle-aged, would be revealed to have the face of a young man if you looked closely; he simply grew a full beard on purpose.

The theoretical lifespan of a Xianzhou native is infinite. This should refer to the upper limit of their physical lifespan. In reality, Xianzhou natives often succumb to the Mara-struck while their bodies are still at their peak, never getting the chance to show signs of old age.

To be able to live to old age peacefully on the Xianzhou is a skill in itself. Moreover, the older they get, the more formidable they become, which speaks volumes about General Huaiyan's caliber.

[You are well aware of how powerful this seemingly harmless, amiable little old man before you truly is.]

[As expected, after a bit of casual, family-style chit-chat, you nearly expose yourself. This little old man's ability to draw information out of you is relentless, his methods so deep that they're impossible to guard against.]

[Fortunately, you had the advantage of premeditation against his spontaneity. Coupled with Jing Yuan's recommendation, you ultimately pass the test without arousing General Huaiyan's suspicions.]

[When General Huaiyan asks if you are willing to take up a key position in the Zhuming's Alchemy Commission, you feign a look of utter disillusionment and confess: "The things I experienced on the Luofu have left me exhausted. I no longer wish to involve myself in these messy secular affairs."]

[This statement is not entirely false. After all, if you spend all your energy on management and office politics, what energy would be left for dedicated research?]

[It is precisely this sincerity that prevents General Huaiyan from seeing any flaws. He says with a kind face: "In that case, you can just take up a sinecure as a consultant in the Alchemy Commission."]

[You hesitate, and General Huaiyan sees that you seem to have more to say. "Is there anything else?"]

[You say with a helpless expression: "I am a man who has lost his fighting spirit; this is all my life will amount to. But my disciple is still young..."]

[General Huaiyan smiles and says: "Since she is your prized disciple, she must be exceptionally talented... How about this, I will introduce her to Yanting-jun."]

["Thank you, General Huaiyan."]

[After expressing your thanks, you leave Zhuyuan Mansion with Lingsha.]

[You then notice that Lingsha seems a bit downcast. You can't help but ask curiously: "Weren't you just clamoring to tour the Zhuming Xianzhou first? Why the long face now? Did someone upset you?"]

[Lingsha puffs out her cheeks in a huff. "You're asking despite knowing the answer. Isn't the one who upset me you, Teacher?~"]

["Me?" Your mind is full of question marks.]

[Lingsha throws her arms around your right arm, her entire body nearly pressing against you. Then she lifts her head slightly, looking at you with the pitiful expression of an abandoned pet. "Teacher, are you... are you abandoning me?"]