In Order To Ascend, I Became A Modern Wage Slave - Chapter 43: Elemental True Monarch 16

Chapter 43: Elemental True Monarch 16

“Do you want it?” Bai Fan raised the book in her hand.

Everyone’s expressions changed. They were all too familiar with what she held—The Elemental Chronicles.

Judging by her expression, it was likely the genuine article.

“How did you get that?!” Yuan Xu lunged forward to snatch it away, but Bai Fan dodged deftly, erecting a barrier of magical energy to block him. Yuan Xu roared, “Give it to me!”

Bai Fan said, “You know as well as I do: if something is in my hands, it’s mine. There’s no such thing as getting something for free. If you want it, you’ll have to exchange it for something else.”

Yuan Xu forced himself to calm down. “What do you want?”

Bai Fan scanned him up and down but said nothing. Instead, she turned to Xi Yu. “Since you’re helping him, shouldn’t you handle the exchange on his behalf? I don’t ask for much—just a favor after this is all over. It’s not difficult. If you can’t do it, I won’t trouble you further.”

Her words were clear. Lian Bei said, “Bai Fan, what is this about?”

“I’m helping you,” Bai Fan replied with a smile. “That little friend beside you must be curious about where you came from and why he’s here, right? My ‘favor’ could provide you with those answers. It’s a win-win. What do you say?”

Xi Yu nodded. Bai Fan met his gaze, nodded slightly, and casually tossed the book toward Yuan Xu. Before it hit the ground, Yuan Xu anxiously caught it.

Xi Yu asked, “Aren’t you afraid I’ll go back on my word?”

“My bargaining chip is very tempting,” Bai Fan replied with a smile.

Yuan Xu’s hands trembled as he opened the book.

Perhaps due to something Bai Fan had done, Xi Yu could also see what was written in the chronicles.

—

Year 1 of Yuanqi, June 1

Who am I? Where did I come from?

These questions don’t matter. Starting today, I will seriously study medicine, travel far and wide, and heal the sick!

Year 1 of Yuanqi, August 15

I met a lovely little girl today. She asked me why I practiced medicine, and I said, “To save lives!”

She said I was the second-best person she had ever met in the world, haha!

I asked her who the best was, and she said his name was Xi Yu. If fate allows, I must meet him someday.

Year 1 of Yuanqi, August 18

The little girl passed away. It’s unimaginable. It wasn’t that I couldn’t save her—her illness was actually quite common, though it required effort to treat. But her family wouldn’t let me treat her because they couldn’t afford it. I’ve never charged for my services!

Oh, it was the cost of the medicine! So, I decided that from today onward, I will not only practice medicine but also gather and harvest herbs. This way, more people can survive!

Year 1 of Yuanqi, August 26

While climbing a mountain to gather Selaginella, I nearly fell. Thankfully, a skilled man saved me. He said his name was Xi Yi.

I know Xi Yu—he said that’s his younger brother.

Year 1 of Yuanqi, September 1

Exhausted. Today, I treated two more patients. They didn’t trust me at first and even beat me. But thanks to my relentless efforts… sigh. Why must I insist on treating them? If I ignored them, I’d feel unbearable guilt.

They say healers can’t heal themselves. Could I be ill too?

Year 1 of Yuanqi, September 5

Learned fortune-telling today! I can make some money now, which will allow me to buy rare and hard-to-gather herbs. Fantastic!

I did a reading for myself. The omen was strange—how can someone be alive yet dead?

Year 1 of Yuanqi, September 11

I arrived in a village where everyone was suffering from a strange disease. I’d never seen such symptoms and decided to stay and treat them.

The disease caused bright red skin and severe ulceration. I began by testing herbs that affect the skin.

Year 1 of Yuanqi, September 15

Determined it’s not a skin condition. Blood is seeping out internally, causing redness and weakening the skin, which leads to wounds and ulcers that won’t heal. No solution yet.

Year 1 of Yuanqi, September 20

While gathering herbs in the mountains, I met Xi Yi again. He asked for my name, but I didn’t know it myself. He said he’d give me one: Yuan Su.

I asked why. He said he was actually a ruler and that Yuan Su was a deity his great-grandfather worshipped, associated with health and healing. Since I practiced medicine, we were similar. Also, the word “Su” symbolizes simplicity and purity, which suits me.

I liked it very much. Thank you.

From today, my name is Yuan Su.

—

Xi Yu stared at this entry, rereading it several times, murmuring, “Great-grandfather?”

When he was young, he had no interest in gods or spirits. He simply learned what he was taught without asking questions. All he knew was the deities worshipped by his grandfather and father.

Xi Yu glanced at Lian Bei, who hesitated before explaining, “Your great-grandfather worshipped a deity of medicine called Yuan Su, known to the world as the True Elementalist. Back then, other deities were also worshipped, but the True Elementalist was added due to an epidemic. Not many people know about this now.”

Yuan Xu held his breath as he continued reading.

—

Year 1 of Yuanxu, May 5

Today was the happiest day of my life. Thanks to that divine herb, thanks to Xi Yi, and thanks to heaven, I successfully refined a pill to cure the disease! Each person only needed one pill to recover. I divided it into 200 doses. Everyone left in the village is saved, with a few pills to spare for emergencies.

Year 1 of Yuanxu, May 6

The pills weren’t enough. Someone stole more than half of them. Why? Where did they go?

Year 1 of Yuanxu, May 13

I pleaded with Xi Yi to descend to the mortal realm. He told me the method to cultivate the divine herb. A carefully nurtured flower—just one month, one month!

There were no dates recorded after that, and the handwriting grew increasingly messy.

[They blocked my door every day, so I escaped. I’ll wait for the divine herb to grow, and then I’ll return to save you all.]

[They found me. They killed me. My blood fell onto the divine herb, and it miraculously grew. I died.]

[I ascended. Using my power, I healed them all.]

[So it turns out I am the Elemental True Lord, but I had forgotten my own name. I became a person without a past, wandering through this world, doing what I could. Yet, it seems I have received no gratitude, only endless curses. Perhaps not everyone deserves to be saved.]

[Today, someone prayed to live a little longer. I reviewed their life and found they had committed too many evil deeds, so I decided not to save them.]

[That person died. Because his wife and children lost his protection, they were subjected to a home invasion… Why didn’t I save him? If I had, this wouldn’t have happened. He only wanted to live a little longer; he didn’t ask for immortality.]

The handwriting grew increasingly erratic after that, and one phrase appeared frequently: “Should I save them?” Every time it appeared, it was circled several times.

[They toppled my statue. From today onward, I won’t save anyone. Let them fend for themselves.]

[The Elemental is dead. My name is Yuanxu. My name is Yuanxu. My name is Yuanxu…]

My name is Yuanxu…

The Elemental in the journal was always alone, tirelessly wandering. The name Xi Yi appeared the most.

The name “Yuanxu” only appeared at the very end, repeated over and over, with increasingly chaotic handwriting.

Comparing it to the earlier entries, it was as if they were written by two entirely different people.

After carefully reading through nearly the entire journal, Xi Yu went through it again. Lian Bei, stroking his chin, pondered and said, “It seems we’ve been misled. Yuanxu is the Elemental’s new identity after reinventing himself. Essentially, they are the same person.”

The appearance of this journal indeed conveyed this information.

Looking up at the sky, the sun was setting.

Thud!

Yuanxu dropped to his knees, the book falling beside him.

He picked it up again, flipping through it repeatedly before tearing out a single page.

Only that page.

Yuanxu poured all his anger onto that sheet of paper, shredding it into countless tiny pieces. Like scattered petals, the fragments drifted to the ground.

For some reason, he suddenly sneered. He lifted his head, his expression a mixture of viciousness and softness, his gaze tinged with a bleak chill—a complex emotion. At that moment, Xi Yu finally saw the shadows of two people merging within him.

“I am Yuanxu,” he insisted stubbornly.

“I am not the same person as you.” Yuanxu repeated firmly, “I am Yuanxu. Do you understand? I am Yuanxu!”

In the end, he shouted, hysterically, at a locust tree.

“I’m not as cowardly as you!”

“I’m not as stupid as you!”