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Chapter 24: Gaining from Misfortune

Saving the world, maintaining peace? Isn’t that the protagonist’s job?


Yu Sheng’s gaze gradually sharpened as he began to devise one hundred and eighty methods of mental attack against the system. For example, during that previous incident, the system hadn’t informed him in advance about the fall and had played dead for many days at a critical moment. In a fit of anger, he used his muttering technique, which yielded remarkable results! System: Ding, additional explanation!


[This emergency task’s reward: 700,000,000 points total, one-time settlement. (Due to the host’s butterfly effect disrupting the main storyline and protagonist’s persona, causing a world collapse crisis, this task’s reward is deducted by ninety percent, with the actual points received being 70,000,000.)]


Wow, so many zeros…?!


Yu Sheng: Ah!!! Groundhog screaming.jpg! …? Hey, why did I just use a meme?!


System: This is a mental compensation for the host.


Yu Sheng: …


Yu Sheng: Groundhog screaming.jpg x3!!!


He took a deep breath, stood up from the ground, pretended to be blank, and silently counted the zeros after the points five times, repeatedly confirming that the unit was points and the base was decimal, not some other base.


No mistake, although he was deducted ninety percent, what remained was still seventy million points! That’s a full ten times more than the points he missed from the seven protagonists!


Ah! Seven hundred million points, which came from the saying “a loss may turn into a gain”! Goodbye!


Oh! The new points of seventy million are bigger than a skinny camel! I’m coming!


This might be the power of wealth. Yu Sheng comfortably closed his eyes and exhaled, feeling that switching tasks wasn’t a big deal; with the protagonist to hold up the sky, it didn’t matter if he left the Three Realms Cliff.


It was just changing to another place to stay at home. Even the unreliable system 451 looked cuter than usual.


Kind-hearted, he decided not to sulk at the system. He wanted to focus on the present, look to the future, and cherish the points.


He felt passionate, he felt heroic, he was filled with ambition! Yu · Yuyangzi · Sheng! He was going to save the world!


With a kind, warm, and enigmatic smile that was difficult to decipher, Yu Sheng turned around, looking at his three disciples as if they were his own three cabbages, his gaze akin to a father’s broad hand gently stroking the heads of his three disciples.


In the hot and bustling world of his heart, the only regret was the division of seven by three, which could not be whole—otherwise, he could have added one more nickname for his disciples in his heart.


Since returning to the bottom of the cliff, the three protagonists had never seen Yuyangzi smile like this.


In Zhan Xiaotian’s eyes, this was the discovery of his disciple's little thoughts and weaknesses, a hidden depth from which a reckoning could come at any moment.


In Ying Wangzhi’s eyes, this was seeing through his disciple’s tricks and dark sides, a hidden depth that could pierce the window paper at any moment, thereby kicking him out of the sect.


In Wen Jiu’s eyes, this was understanding his disciple’s small schemes and false masks, a great wisdom that could easily reject all calculations and selfishness whenever he wanted, keeping everything under control.


The three of them reacted surprisingly similarly and synchronously. Under the pretense of calmness, they felt guilt, panic, and fear.


In four words, it could be summarized as—unfathomably impressive.


If Yu Sheng’s change in spirit was too drastic, after a moment of strong deception, it led to a vague feeling of something being off: the person in front of him was clearly quite simple and shouldn’t be like this.


Then, the next moment, Yu Sheng decisively and suddenly changed his illusion, completely and timely dispelling the last bit of doubt in the hearts of the three.


A seventeen-year-old boy, with distinct facial features and a slightly youthful appearance, suddenly transformed. His hair turned gray, and a full beard hung down, shaking as he moved. His appearance aged rapidly, morphing into the old man they had first encountered.


Upon closer comparison, it became evident that to resemble an elder more closely, Yu Sheng’s figure had become shorter and rounder. His smile lines were prominent, and his forehead, cheeks, and chin were full and rosy, looking like an old man worshipped in some small temple or shrine, who could jump around and bring wealth and blessings.


This was definitely meant to remind them to pay attention to the distinctions of age and status, to avoid being too reckless, using this image to suppress their rising ambitions!


The three protagonists thought this simultaneously, secretly alarmed. After a moment, their expressions varied—still, they couldn’t easily give up!


Yu Sheng was taken aback: “What’s wrong with you guys?”


The three shook their heads in silence, and for this moment, there was a hint of “being the same person” among them.


Then, that hint was broken in the next moment.


Ying Wangzhi actively invited Yu Sheng, “Master, if you’re ready, let’s set off. The Ghost Realm is no longer as it was; it’s not that terrifying and desolate anymore.”


Zhan Xiaotian bit his lip and pulled at the corner of Yu Sheng’s sleeve, “Master’s condition has just stabilized; shouldn’t we rest in the human realm for a while? Master, I’ve prepared a lot of delicious snacks, fruits, drinks, and countless markets, lantern festivals, and performances for us to enjoy.”


Wen Jiu was calm and collected, smiling understandingly, “Master can go wherever you want; the Spirit Realm is far away, so it won’t be late to go there last.”


After all, the last place visited is the most likely to become the final destination…


Yu Sheng also smiled, quietly watching them perform, without saying a word.


He was different now; he knew the plot, understood the hidden settings, and he was no longer an outsider but someone who needed to save the world and the protagonists!


In the past, he would have been overwhelmed, wishing to feign dizziness, play dead, or act foolishly until the end of time. But now, looking at these three protagonists, all that remained was the love, indulgence, and leniency he felt for a mischievous little nephew.


It was fine; it was just a little conflict—bickering and arguing, even biological brothers would quarrel. Besides, they weren’t fighting to the death; they were like dutiful sons fighting over who would take their father home to retire.


How warm, how lovely, how understanding and kind!


Moreover, to be precise, these three protagonists weren’t brothers; fundamentally, they were the same person! This couldn’t even be counted as siblings bickering; it was like beating oneself up! What was there to worry about? People are the easiest to forgive themselves!


Yu Sheng genuinely believed that the three protagonists would reconcile and merge into one; it was just a matter of time, and he was the unique catalyst for that.


The optimistic, positive, and uplifting Yu Sheng had returned, and so had the nightmares of the three protagonists. They couldn’t grasp Yu Sheng’s thoughts or see through their master’s plans. Clearly, he was the creator of this hellish scene, the one who should be troubled, but he exhibited the composure of “let him be strong, the gentle breeze brushes over the mountain ridge,” effortlessly deflecting the tension.


The more Yu Sheng smiled, the more uneasy they became, reminiscent of the fear induced by family gatherings.


Zhan Xiaotian tugged at his sleeve, “Master?”


Yu Sheng raised a hand high, ruffling Zhan Xiaotian’s hair, “Good boy, I plan to visit all three realms; you all decide the order with your palms.”


The three were taken aback, exchanging doubtful glances as if they hadn’t heard correctly.


Such an important matter… was actually going to be decided with their palms!?


Yu Sheng raised the duster above his head, “Ready—palm up—”






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