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Chapter 54: Renaming the Troublesome Old Fox
🕑 Added 2025-04-27 17:03:42 +0000 UTCSolon felt as though he had been plunged into a warming furnace filled with scented balm.
The balm's temperature was just slightly higher than his body heat, its formless texture enveloping his body, its silky smoothness rolling and clinging to his skin.
It brought him a relaxation deeper than soaking in a hot spring, and soon, he was utterly lost in it…
[The next day. You lean against the headboard, your gaze sweeping over the woman—no, the young lady—beside you, who coils around you like a python, as if afraid you might slip away.]
[Perhaps this is for the best, you think to yourself. Keeping her close will further polish your "kindly mentor" persona. After all, a teacher who could make a genius disciple willingly abandon her future to follow him into exile—how could such a man possibly be a villain?]
[Still, to prevent her from disturbing your research, you'll need to keep her occupied. Hmm… The Danheng Division of Zhu Ming excels in acupuncture and aromatherapy. Why not have her study those?]
[You silently plot your next steps.]
[Just then, Danzhu stirs awake. Having tasted forbidden fruit for the first time, she exudes an alluring charm.]
[She stretches lazily before wrapping herself around you again, tracing a finger lightly across your chest.]
["Master," she murmurs sweetly, "This servant wishes to change her name."]
[You raise a brow, amused. "And what name would you like?"]
["'Danzhu' belongs to you alone, Master. From now on… let this servant be called 'Lingsha'~"]
["'Lingsha'? A fine name." Your eyes gleam with approval.]
[Under your subtle manipulation, the Dragon Elders unanimously turn against you.]
[To Jing Yuan, you become a casualty of their political machinations. When he learns of your desire to leave the Luofu for Zhu Ming, he even seeks you out, offering to contact General Huaiyan of Zhu Ming to secure you a prestigious position there.]
[You sense the faint guilt in Jing Yuan's heart. But your goal is to escape the Luofu's spotlight and conduct your experiments undisturbed. Thus, you feign despondency, politely declining his offer.]
[Your act erases Jing Yuan's suspicions entirely. He shifts his attention away from you, a 'defeated man,' and turns his scrutiny toward the Alchemy Commission and the Dragon Elders instead.]
[With no one to see you off, you depart the Luofu with the newly renamed Lingsha, arriving at Zhu Ming.]
[If the Luofu embodies the Wood element, then Zhu Ming is undoubtedly Fire.]
[Zhu Ming excels in craftsmanship and alchemy. Its Artisanship Division is unparalleled among the Xianzhou Alliance, especially the renowned Blazing Lotus Forge, whose smithing techniques are celebrated across the cosmos. General Huaiyan himself is also the division's Master Artisan.]
[Though you refused Jing Yuan, his meticulous nature—and perhaps his guilt—led him to secretly arrange an introduction to Zhu Ming's General Huaiyan on your behalf.]
[The moment you and Lingsha set foot on Zhu Ming, an envoy from the Candle Abyss Pavilion greets you, escorting you to meet the faction's de facto ruler: General Huaiyan.]
[Despite his appearance—a wizened, diminutive old man—you dare not underestimate him.]
[He is said to be the Xianzhou's longest-living individual, so ancient that few even know his true age.]
[The average Xianzhou native lives eight hundred years. Beyond that, the risk of Mara-struck affliction skyrockets. Anyone who surpasses this limit is no ordinary soul.]
Solon vividly remembers her—Jingliu—who appeared nearly 1,800 years old yet showed little external aging. Yet the Mara's grip on her ran deep. To suppress it, she wore an eyepatch to limit her vision, yet still suffered sporadic episodes, teetering on madness.
General Huaiyan, however, despite his aged appearance—undoubtedly far older than Jingliu—remains composed, without a trace of Mara's corruption. This old fox is truly unfathomable.
Moreover, Solon recalls that among all the Xianzhou natives he's encountered in-game, Huaiyan is the only elderly figure.
Even Master Gongshu, who seems middle-aged at a glance, reveals upon closer inspection a youthful face deliberately obscured by a thick beard.
Theoretically, Xianzhou natives have limitless lifespans—but this refers only to their physical potential. In reality, most succumb to Mara long before their bodies show decline.
To age peacefully in the Xianzhou is a feat in itself. And the older they are, the more formidable they become. Huaiyan's very existence proves his unparalleled prowess.
[You know all too well the danger lurking beneath this seemingly harmless old man's kindly demeanor.]
[Sure enough, what begins as casual small talk nearly trips you up. The old fox's skill at extracting information is a relentless, layered trap—impossible to fully guard against.]
[Fortunately, your preparations and Jing Yuan's endorsement see you through. Huaiyan's suspicions remain unraised.]
[When he asks if you'd like a high-ranking position in Zhu Ming's Alchemy Commission, you affect a weary tone: "The trials of the Luofu have drained me. I've no desire to meddle in such trivial affairs anymore."]
[This isn't entirely a lie. After all, wasting energy on bureaucracy leaves little for research.]
[Your sincerity convinces him. With a genial smile, Huaiyan says, "In that case, take an advisory role in the Alchemy Commission—a title without obligations."]
[You hesitate, and he notices. "Was there something else?"]
[Feigning reluctance, you sigh. "I've lost my drive, but my disciple… she's still young."]
[Huaiyan chuckles. "A prodigy under your tutelage must be exceptional. Very well—I'll introduce her to Lord Yanting."]
["My thanks, General."]
[After expressing gratitude, you leave the Candle Abyss Pavilion with Lingsha.]
[But something's amiss. Lingsha, usually so lively, seems sullen. Curious, you ask, "Weren't you just begging to explore Zhu Ming? Why the long face? Who upset you?"]
[Lingsha pouts. "Must you ask? You did, Master~"]
["Me?" You're baffled.]
[She clings to your arm, pressing close, then gazes up with the pitiful eyes of an abandoned pet. "Master… are you casting me aside?"]
