In Order To Ascend, I Became A Modern Wage Slave - Chapter 39: Elemental True Monarch 12

Chapter 39: Elemental True Monarch 12

 

“Right.”

 

Xi Yu said, “After all, it’s not that I don’t believe in gods at all. It’s just that rather than blindly putting my faith in deities, I’d rather believe in myself. Occasionally, when I encounter something I can’t solve on my own, I’ll still pray just for peace of mind.”

 

Lian Bei pondered over Xi Yu’s words and said, “A new perspective? Like, what if Beishang Zunjun didn’t come from you, but your royal brother deliberately guided you into believing it, and you fell for it?”

 

Xi Yu thought deeply and said, “His skills are far better than mine.”

 

It wasn’t as if Xi Yu hadn’t considered this possibility, but such craftsmanship seemed almost supernatural. Even if Xi Yi were exceptionally skilled, he likely couldn’t replicate something like this.

 

“So Beishang Zunjun should have originated from me,” Xi Yu said. “However, for now, everything is just speculation, nothing conclusive. Anything is possible at this stage. This particular theory makes sense for now and is helpful at the moment.”

 

Xi Yu rambled on for a while, partly trying to convince himself of other faint possibilities.

 

Who doesn’t indulge in a little unrealistic fantasy?

 

Knowing it’s unrealistic, but still plunging forward; knowing the odds are slim, but still daring to dream. As long as it’s not an absolute denial, the fantasy has its own validity.

 

Don’t imagine things as being too perfect. At the same time, don’t seal your conclusions too early either.

 

Keep an open mind, and the journey will be more enjoyable.

 

Suddenly, Xi Yu remembered something. Standing at the Gate of Ghosts, he instructed Lian Bei, “Just stand aside and watch in a bit.”

 

With that, he pushed open the gate. A pitch-black scene greeted them. As they walked, their vision slowly cleared, and two figures came into view—Yuan Xu and Bai Fan.

 

Noticing Lian Bei’s odd gaze, Bai Fan voluntarily explained, “I’m here for two reasons. First, to enjoy the spectacle of my colleagues, and second, to prevent certain accidents.”

 

Xi Yu sharply caught onto the key point: “Colleagues?”

 

“Yeah, didn’t you know?” Bai Fan said. “I, Yuan Su, Xiai, Wanxiang, and Beishang are all under Zhiyi Zhenjun, collectively known as the ‘Five Greats.'”

 

Zhiyi Zhenjun, the Five Greats.

 

Xi Yu froze in place. The first thing he did upon snapping out of it was instinctively turn to glance at Lian Bei.

 

Lian Bei placed a hand on his shoulder, his expression calm, and said something unrelated to the topic: “Should we hide? I hear footsteps outside.”

 

Bai Fan and Yuan Xu didn’t move. Xi Yu and Lian Bei ducked behind a curtain.

 

As the curtain swayed, Xiao Mingqiang burst through the door, stumbling inside.

 

Through a small gap in the curtain, Xi Yu observed the scene outside.

 

Yuan Xu frowned and said, “Why do you keep staring at me?”

 

Xiao Mingqiang glanced at the composed Yuan Xu standing beside the deity statue, steadied his breath, and stammered slightly, “You… I… I want to worship him…?”

 

“Who else?” Yuan Xu smiled. “Worship me?”

 

Suddenly, he felt something wet on his nose. Touching it, he found it sticky. Although the darkness obscured everything, he knew all too well—it wasn’t mucus. It was blood.

 

Blood!

 

It flowed continuously down his nasal cavity, unstoppable and unending. He wiped it away, but it wouldn’t stop. He knew it clearly—late-stage cancer, coagulation disorder. He had looked it up online. Paired with symptoms like difficulty breathing and loss of appetite, all signs pointed to one thing: he didn’t have much time left.

 

Xiao Mingqiang wiped several times to no avail, then pinched his nose and said in a nasal, hurried voice, “Do I need to worship? I’ll do it now. Worshiping will make me better, right?”

 

When people are alive, they toss around the word “death” casually. But when death truly approaches, immense fear takes over the heart. “Death” becomes a deep abyss, sweeping away all rationality and leaving only one thought: “I want to live!”

 

In such moments, people become utterly frantic.

 

As Yuan Su nodded slightly, Xiao Mingqiang’s legs buckled, and he knelt on the mat. Pinching his nose with one hand and supporting himself with the other, he began bowing deeply.

 

Once.

 

Twice.

 

Three times.

 

Then, standing up, he clasped his hands together, closed his eyes, and waved them several times.

 

When it was over, Xiao Mingqiang looked at Yuan Xu with bloodshot eyes and asked blankly, “Is it done?”

 

He tentatively loosened his grip on his nose. The nosebleed hadn’t stopped.

 

Yuan Xu glanced at the deity statue, then calmly said, “No. Do it again.”

 

Xiao Mingqiang stared at him for a while. Though reluctant, he repeated the ritual. The result remained unchanged. He tried several more times, growing increasingly frustrated. Just as he stood up, ready to question them, Bai Fan interjected, “Are you just playing at the kneeling ritual?”

 

She glanced at the offering box in front of the statue. “Or are you treating this thing like a decoration?”

 

In a proper worship ceremony, it’s customary to offer incense money after kneeling. For those casually paying respects, it might not be necessary, but for someone like Xiao Mingqiang, seriously seeking help, even a token offering was essential to demonstrate sincerity.

 

Xiao Mingqiang hadn’t brought a single cent.

 

He turned to Yuan Xu, clearly expecting him to pay on his behalf.

 

Yuan Xu said, “If someone else pays for you, it won’t work.”

 

Xiao Mingqiang felt the blood flow worsening, trickling down his throat like he was drinking water, filling his mouth with the taste of iron. He said, “I don’t have money. Lend me some, and I’ll pay you back later!”

 

Bang!

 

At this moment, the door was pushed open, and the newcomer was Luo Yang. He said, “I’m here… huh? Are you all busy? Then I won’t bother you, haha…”

 

Seeing Luo Yang, Xiao Mingqiang rushed up and pleaded, “Boss, could you lend me some money?”

 

Luo Yang was momentarily stunned and instinctively reached into his pocket. “How much?”

 

Xi Yu and Lian Bei walked out from behind the curtain. When Xiao Mingqiang saw Xi Yu’s face, his eyes widened instantly. The memory of Xi Yu grabbing his collar and slamming him against the wall not long ago was still fresh in his mind.

 

Bai Fan turned her gaze toward them as they emerged and said, “Why were you hiding?”

 

Xi Yu replied, “I wanted to hide, so I did. No reason.”

 

They had hidden to better observe Yuan Xu’s reactions. At this moment, Xi Yu tightly clenched his fists, convinced that Yuansu would appear. He was betting—betting that Yuansu wouldn’t abandon a single life, betting that he would come.

 

Lian Bei said, “I’ll lend you some money.”

 

Earlier, Xi Yu and Lian Bei had rummaged through their belongings behind the curtain. After some effort, they finally found a lone one-yuan coin in Lian Bei’s pocket. Lian Bei extended his hand toward Xiao Mingqiang, the one-yuan coin lying in his palm.

 

Xiao Mingqiang immediately grabbed it without a second thought and turned to toss the coin into the offering box.

 

The offering box was empty, and the coin hit the bottom with a crisp “clang.”

 

The sound echoed, and suddenly Xiao Mingqiang coughed violently, spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood. It felt like countless tiny insects were crawling through the marrow of his legs—aching and excruciatingly painful. His legs buckled, and he collapsed to the ground, unable to control or muster the strength to stand.

 

Xiao Mingqiang felt as if his leg bones had shattered.

 

He wasn’t stupid. This was nothing like what Yuansu Zhenjun had previously promised—it was clear that things had worsened.

 

Visibly worsened.

 

He didn’t even have the strength to support his upper body, slumping forward limply. Each breath was split into five or six desperate gasps, yet his chest remained constricted.

 

Summoning all his strength, he lifted his head, his eyes wide and fixed ahead.

 

What was going on?

 

Was this person deceiving him?

 

He felt like he was about to die in the next moment!

 

Yuan Xu attempted to walk away, but Xiao Mingqiang crawled over and clung desperately to his leg. Through gritted teeth, Xiao Mingqiang muttered resentfully, “Why? Why…”

 

I followed your instructions, so why haven’t I gotten better?

 

“Let go!” Yuan Xu raised his other leg, intending to kick him off.

 

Luo Yang, with one leg inside the threshold and the other outside, was caught in an awkward position. He neither advanced nor retreated. Bai Fan noticed and walked toward him, saying, “I’ll go with you.”

 

“Oh, oh, okay.”

 

Seeing Lian Bei standing motionless, Bai Fan directly pulled him away, saying, “Let’s go. Stop watching the drama.”

 

The three of them left, and as they stepped over the threshold, Bai Fan threw out a comment, “The atmosphere doesn’t feel quite right.”

 

She loved fanning the flames and stirring up trouble. Before leaving, she even waved her hand. The moment her figure disappeared, a layer of dark mist crept up, instantly enveloping the Yuanzhen Temple.

 

Yuansu, who had considered dragging Xiao Mingqiang along with them, found his path blocked by the black mist. There was no way out.

 

At this point, there was no need to conceal or beat around the bush in an attempt to make the other party reveal their true intentions. Xi Yu directly asked, “How should I address you—Yuansu or Yuan Xu?”

 

“Address me?” Yuan Xu said sarcastically, pointing to himself. “Do you think I’m that soft-hearted fool?”

 

“I am not him.” Yuan Xu repeated emphatically, “I am Yuan Xu. Do you understand? I am Yuan Xu!”

 

By the end, he was shouting hysterically, his voice directed at the deity statue.

 

Xiao Mingqiang mustered a bit of strength and staggered to his feet. His eyes were filled with resentment as he looked at Yuan Xu and then slowly turned to Xi Yu.

 

It is often said that before a person dies, their memories flash before their eyes like a carousel.

 

No wonder Yang Xue had suddenly disappeared and avoided him like the plague.

 

Xiao Mingqiang turned his gaze to the deity statue. The statue’s eyes sparkled, and through it, he seemed to see his own haggard and dying face.

 

He shouldn’t have fallen ill.

 

As a child, a fortune teller had said his destiny was good, that all the hardship would be endured in his youth, and that he would encounter many benefactors in adulthood.

 

Still, he was advised to remain cautious.

 

Judging by the current situation, he had misjudged people.

 

However, fortunately, he glimpsed a sliver of the solution from his faint and blurry memories.

 

Since birth, people are told that gods and ghosts don’t exist, and that most things can be explained by science. The inexplicable is simply a limitation of modern technology. Though he believed this, there were times he couldn’t help but feel that his misfortune might have been caused by a curse.

 

An evil god—this was an evil god!

 

Using all his remaining strength, Xiao Mingqiang ran toward the deity statue.

 

Yuan Xu immediately rushed to grab him. He wasn’t too late; his reaction was timely, and Xiao Mingqiang had no time to do anything to the statue.

 

However, at the instant Xiao Mingqiang touched the statue,

 

Yuan Xu froze in place. Xi Yu stepped forward, immediately understanding why.

 

A crack appeared down the middle of the statue’s face, slowly spreading, deepening, and lengthening.

 

Snap!

 

A crisp cracking sound echoed throughout the temple.

 

The deity statue, like the locust tree from before, split in two.