Chapter 048: Raising a Son

Chapter 048: Raising a Son

After finishing his meal, Shen Jue strolled around the courtyard for a couple of laps to aid digestion, then headed over to Shen Xiaonian's side to check on the child's studies.

Although Shen Xiaonian couldn't be considered the male lead, he was still Shen Jue's own kin, the closest family member aside from Zhongli Jin.

After Shen Jue's birth mother passed away, the second consort who adopted him was Consort De, the biological grandmother of Shen Xiaonian.

At that time, Consort De already had a child but, seeing how miserably Shen Jue was living with another consort, she took the initiative to adopt him. After all, Shen Jue wasn't favored, and at that time, Consort De's daughter-in-law was pregnant with Shen Xiaonian. The emperor, excited to become a grandfather, gladly approved.

However, the consort who had "lost" her foster son to this arrangement harbored a grudge against Consort De. Although she had mistreated Shen Jue, often making him sick to use it as an excuse to see the emperor and have a child of her own, Consort De was unaware that her kindness would eventually harm her own son and daughter-in-law.

Shen Xiaonian was born in a breech position, his feet coming out first. Upon realizing it was a boy, the midwife, under unknown orders, ripped open the dying woman's belly to take the child out. The imperial consort didn't even live to see the next day.

Consort De's son, deeply emotional and loyal, also passed away soon after, leaving only Consort De and her young grandson to rely on each other in the palace.

The woman seemed to age ten years overnight. She almost followed her children to the afterlife, but the cries of the infant brought her back. In a daze, she entered the chambers to take one last look at the child before leaving the world with her children.

But what she saw was Shen Jue, who was only twelve or thirteen years old but looked eight or nine due to malnutrition, clumsily and carefully cradling Shen Xiaonian.

If she left, what would happen to these two children?

Just recalling how Shen Jue had to secretly dig for snow to eat because he was so hungry under the care of that malicious consort, Consort De couldn't bear to leave the two children alone.

Fortunately, Shen Xiaonian survived and grew up intelligent and well-mannered, earning the emperor’s affection, which helped Consort De regain her strength. She even became pregnant once more.

But she was too old, and the child was stillborn at four or five months. Seeking revenge for her lost children, the woman framed the malicious consort for the miscarriage.

Due to the miscarriage, Consort De's health deteriorated, and she passed away a few years later.

Afterward, Shen Jue took Shen Xiaonian under his care, moving them to the custody of a third consort. Fortunately, this woman didn't mistreat them, though she didn't pay much attention to the two difficult-to-raise children. However, the palace servants, who always judged based on status, gave Shen Jue just enough food to survive since he wasn't favored.

Shen Xiaonian's life was even harder. He didn't even have a wet nurse, and Shen Jue fed him by selecting the less spoiled portions of food and mashing them into a rice paste.

This is why Shen Jue never dared to take sides or offend anyone. Consort De had saved him, and he couldn’t risk making any mistakes that could cost his young nephew his life.

Fortunately, before long, he encountered his destined benefactor.

Shen Xiaonian had been raised by Shen Jue, and he trusted and relied on this uncle who was only ten years older than him.

To Shen Xiaonian, Shen Jue was his last family. Even when the prince regent was overwhelmingly powerful in the early years, Shen Xiaonian tried to rescue his uncle from the "clutches" of the prince regent.

To his embarrassment, he discovered that his uncle was living a better life than ever before.

The food and clothing were of the finest quality, better than even the favored consorts in the palace, and Shen Jue's health was gradually restored with medicinal treatments.

Moreover, noticing Shen Xiaonian’s genuine care for Shen Jue, the prince regent discreetly offered protection. Later, as his talents became evident, the prince regent openly began teaching him the ways of an emperor, clearly intending to groom him as the future ruler.

Shen Xiaonian's talents weren't particularly outstanding, even average compared to his uncle's generation of princes.

So, he had to work extra hard, sleeping only two or three hours a day to compensate for his lack of brilliance. Zhongli Jin appreciated the boy's diligence, not lightening his academic load but also having him train in martial arts to strengthen his body.

If Shen Jue was the closest and most trustworthy person to Shen Xiaonian, Zhongli Jin, despite having killed many of his royal relatives, had always been seen as a benefactor because those relatives only wanted Shen Xiaonian's life.

However, Shen Xiaonian was puzzled. Given Zhongli Jin's methods and being only four or five years older than him, why was he being groomed as emperor?

It wasn't until Shen Xiaonian accidentally discovered the relationship between the prince regent and his uncle that he finally understood.

Zhongli Jin might have been planning to stabilize the kingdom early on and then hand it over to him, so he could live a carefree life as prince regent, together with his little uncle...

Shen Xiaonian often felt like he was on the verge of understanding something important.

After all, he was the only heir left in the entire palace, and without any siblings to compete with, Shen Xiaonian's thoughts were relatively simple, and his ambitions weren’t particularly strong.

Moreover, even if Shen Xiaonian dared to rebel, he couldn't afford to mess with the Zhongli family...

Shen Jue stopped by to visit Shen Xiaonian, bringing along some snacks and drinks. Although Shen Xiaonian called him uncle, Shen Jue was only ten years older than the boy and really couldn't act as stern as a father.

Besides, if he had to be strict, a single glance from Zhongli Jin was enough to make the kid behave.

At just twelve or thirteen years old, the teenager handled a long spear with impressive vigor. The weather in the southern palace was hot and humid, and soon Shen Xiaonian was drenched in sweat.

Seeing Shen Xiaonian had finally stopped to rest, Shen Jue quickly sent someone to bring over some clothes, so he wouldn’t catch a cold in the breeze.

Shen Xiaonian gulped down the sweet water, his body still steaming from the heat. Unlike his reserved demeanor in front of the stern prince regent, the teenager now smiled widely, his eyes curving like crescent moons.

"Thank you, uncle."

"After drinking the water, go change your clothes, or you might catch a cold," Shen Jue said. He wasn't much taller than the teenager, so he had the palace servants help wipe the sweat.

The kid was only wearing a short jacket in this weather, his body steaming hot, and the smell of sweat was strong enough that Shen Jue could smell it.

Fortunately, the kid's sweat didn’t smell bad. The teenager was about to say something to Shen Jue, hoping for a reward, when he suddenly straightened his back, no longer in a posture to act spoiled, and obediently called out "second father."

Come to think of it, Zhongli Jin sure knew how to play people to his advantage. Being only a few years older, he insisted on being called father.

The term "second father" was originally used to respectfully refer to someone who held a position second only to one’s own father. After all, in ancient times, the father was like the sky, the most revered person in one’s life. Placing someone’s status above one’s father was considered unfilial, a serious offense that would bring shame upon the family.

But this term was also used in another context.

In this era, when two men formed a bond, the adopted child would call one father and the other "second father."

Shen Jue didn't know this at first and only understood it later when listening to storytelling.

Zhongli Jin wasn’t trying to get closer to Shen Xiaonian at all. The abacus beads were practically hitting him in the face!

What surprised Shen Jue was why Shen Xiaonian was so accepting of two men being together.

Later, he learned that people in ancient times were much more open than modern people. Men with multiple wives and male favorites weren’t anything surprising. There were even famous stories about "duan xiu"...

With few entertainment options available, Shen Jue often turned to storytelling for amusement. Sometimes, the storytellers would veer into risqué territory, weaving tales of love, hate, and even ghostly entanglements... It was quite the eye-opener, making modern melodramas seem tame in comparison. Even the ancestors were bold in their writing.

The food in ancient times was really good!

Shen Xiaonian put on a performance of arts and literature for Shen Jue and Zhongli Jin, a proper combination of literary and artistic talents. Zhongli Jin first examined his literary studies with questions, then tested his martial arts skills, before finally letting him go change clothes and rest.

Shen Jue was greatly astonished. This twelve or thirteen-year-old kid spoke in ways that even he sometimes couldn't fully understand.

No wonder he was chosen as the heir by the protagonist of a typical wish-fulfillment story. Shen Jue even felt that Shen Xiaonian, if placed elsewhere, had the qualities to be a protagonist.

Too bad he encountered someone as perverted as Zhongli Jin.

It was a compliment, as this person was exceptional in both literary and martial arts, as well as in governance, truly not someone ordinary humans could match.

Seeing Shen Jue’s interest, Zhongli Jin asked if he wanted to join in the fun as well.

The word "play" has a certain spiritual quality here.

To Zhongli Jin, those lethal weapons were as easy to handle as toys.

Shen Jue tried it out. The red tasseled spear that Shen Xiaonian had spun so buzzingly earlier was almost as heavy as Shen Jue himself. He struggled just to lift the thing.

The eighteen types of martial arts—from beginner to giving up.

As long as he switched quickly enough, there would always be something he could manage.

Shen Jue naively thought that pulling back a bowstring must be simple. But damn, the bow was so heavy that just lifting it made his arms ache. And the thick, tightly strung bowstring was nothing like the loose ones in those TV dramas!

It buzzed even when touched lightly, and the strength needed to pull it was immense. Shen Jue managed only a few centimeters before his fingers were nearly cut by the string.

Next one…

After trying each one, Shen Jue realized he probably wasn’t cut out for martial arts. Eventually, Zhongli Jin had the palace servants prepare another set of weapons without Shen Jue knowing.

These weapons looked much less intimidating. Some even appeared miniature, and Shen Jue could handle them.

Zhongli Jin knew that just resting wasn’t enough to keep the body healthy, so he found martial arts instructors for him. These martial arts instructors had previously taught the crown prince.

It was only later that Shen Jue learned these miniature "weapons" were for children just starting their education, usually around seven years old, which was why they were so small and required little strength.

TV shows can really mislead people! Shen Jue had always thought those delicate scholars in stories would be blown over by the wind, but now he knew the Six Arts of a gentleman included driving carriages and archery… and he couldn’t even pull back an adult-sized bow!

He had once heard that Confucius was a muscular, meat-loving giant of 1.9 meters and thought it was absurd, but now it seemed he could lift three of Shen Jue with one hand.

However, practicing martial arts did seem to improve one’s health. Despite feeling embarrassed about using children’s equipment, Shen Jue noticed significant improvements in his health during his stay at the Southern Palace. He was much healthier and even less lethargic.

With something new to learn each day, Shen Jue found it easier to cope with being alone in the secluded palace.

By the end of winter, with the system’s help, Shen Jue could hit the bullseye from thirty steps away—even with a child’s bow!

Since he had already mastered horse riding as Jin Shuyi, after grasping archery, he was eager to try horseback archery.

Horseback archery is different from standing still and aiming. Not only is the rider moving on the horse, but the target is also moving if you’re hunting.

This demands a high level of overall skill. It’s not simply about being able to shoot arrows and ride a horse; it’s not a simple 1+1=2.

The first time Shen Jue mounted the horse, he was unaccustomed. Even the gentlest horse was likely fiercer than the warm-blooded horses bred in later generations. Shen Jue could barely sit steadily, let alone shoot arrows.

His body was too weak.

He almost fell off the horse, but a figure grabbed the reins, leaped up, and landed steadily behind him.

A familiar and calming fragrance enveloped him.

Since Shen Jue’s arrival, Zhongli Jin had switched to a different incense, replacing any cold or potentially harmful scents with Chinese medicinal herbs. The scent itself had a warming and nourishing effect on the body.

Originally meant to protect Shen Jue from being harmed by incense, Zhongli Jin, at his prime age, with daily nourishment and not allowed to stay up late when busy… ended up having a nosebleed during court one day.

Shen Jue was frightened half to death, only to learn later that it was because Zhongli Jin had too much nourishing food… his qi and blood were too vigorous.

This was tough on Shen Jue. After a day of learning martial arts, he still had to help this guy with boundless energy cool down, almost exhausting him to death.

Zhongli Jin used this as an excuse to have extra meals every day, and Shen Jue was worried he’d die on him. But instead, Zhongli Jin became increasingly energetic and radiant, almost glowing with vitality, his lips turning a healthy pink.

How could the difference between people be so huge?!

Shen Jue was indignant, extremely so, and genuinely furious.

But his constitution was lacking, and no amount of effort could make up for it. After all the efforts to strengthen his body, it only ended up benefiting Zhongli Jin. That guy was coming up with all sorts of new tricks every day, to the point that it was almost enough to write a connoisseur's guide.

But at the critical moment when Zhongli Jin leaped onto the horse and pulled Shen Jue into his arms, all that indignation turned into reassurance.

His sturdy chest pressed against Shen Jue's back like an unyielding wall, and his strong arm could draw the heaviest bow in the palace. Zhongli Jin seemed to have grown even stronger than before.

These were not muscles built in a gym, but those accumulated through real martial arts training, vibrant, bulging muscles exuding raw masculinity, making him even sexier than during certain indescribable moments.

Shen Jue realized for the first time what it meant to be distracted by lust. He had been frightened after nearly falling off the horse, but his heart soon started beating rapidly.

The way their hearts beat together made them feel like an old married couple. Just being held like that made his face feel hot, as if it was about to catch fire.

Zhongli Jin's talent and status often made people forget that he possessed a young, energetic body. So full of vitality, it was hard not to be moved.

Shen Jue could hardly hear what the other was saying. The horse's movements were rhythmic, and when riding, one had to relax their body to match the horse's rhythm to avoid injury. But these jolts and rhythms inevitably stirred his imagination.

Zhongli Jin held him, teaching him how to stabilize his body, how to control the horse's gallop while shooting arrows.

The bow that Shen Jue could barely draw with great effort was like a toy in Zhongli Jin's hands, making it seem like even a slight increase in strength could snap the string or break the bow.

A sharp sound of breaking air was heard, and the long arrow flew out, reaching a place dozens of meters away.

"Do you want to eat roast rabbit for dinner?" Zhongli Jin asked him.

Shen Jue: "..."

Shen Jue: "Wild animals can carry many parasites. We shouldn't eat them."

He felt Zhongli Jin's low laughter, and his entire back went numb.

Zhongli Jin said, "Okay."

He mentioned that the rabbit's fur color wasn't nice and promised to get a prettier one and make it into gloves for warmth.

After staying in this ancient world for so long, Shen Jue had gradually become accustomed to the thinking of people from that time. After all, with every industry not being so developed, fur was truly the warmest thing for people of this era.

"It's almost summer; we can discuss this again next year." But Shen Jue still wasn't quite used to it and spoke tactfully.

"Alright, whatever you say."

Zhongli Jin rode over, and the palace servants stood next to the wild rabbit that had been shot in the head, waiting for Shen Jue to examine it before taking the rabbit away.

It must be said, Zhongli Jin's archery skills were nothing short of astounding.

It was a grey rabbit that Shen Jue hadn't even spotted from that distance.

At that time, while Zhongli Jin was teaching him the essentials of horseback archery, he casually drew the bow and shot the arrow, hitting the rabbit's eye, piercing through its entire head.

Despite the lack of blood, Shen Jue still felt a bit uneasy.

He had been too sheltered and had hardly seen any bloody scenes. The impact of the written word was far less than seeing it with his own eyes.

Even before, when reading novels, fan fiction, or watching dramas, he had thought hunting was something very cool.

But when the dead animal, pierced by an arrow, was presented before him, Shen Jue felt somewhat... unsettled.

He might still not be completely used to living like people from ancient times.

Zhongli Jin keenly noticed this and had the palace servants take the rabbit away, letting them have it as an extra meal.

Despite how advanced the Da Jin Dynasty is, meat remains a luxury that ordinary palace servants can’t afford to eat often.

Therefore, the palace servants were all very happy and even hoped that the emperor or the prince regent would hunt more prey to reward them.

Their fur helped them survive the brutal winters, especially since firewood was so costly that people frequently froze to death during the cold months. Thus, the fur of these wild animals was essentially lifesaving.

The meat of the prey could also improve their meals. Most of the palace servants weren’t thin because they were trying to maintain their figure; they simply lacked proper nutrition.

Shen Jue fell silent once more. If things are this tough in peacetime, how many must have starved during wartime?

Noticing Shen Jue’s discomfort at seeing these cute animals die, Zhongli Jin suggested they take a break and go horseback riding instead of hunting.

Shen Jue shook his head. "I still want to learn."

He’d eaten plenty of chicken, duck, and fish before, so he wasn’t being overly sensitive. He wasn’t some delicate, overly sentimental type.

Zhongli Jin seemed to have guessed what he was thinking and kissed his cheek.

“You have such a kind heart, my love.”

Shen Jue felt a bit embarrassed by the praise, but after experiencing it a few more times, he gradually became more accepting.

The palace servants were incredibly grateful to have such a compassionate master. They didn’t even mind running around in the woods.

As dusk approached, Shen Jue actually hit his first target!

Well, not exactly. Zhongli Jin guided his hand when he shot the arrow, causing some deviation. It wasn’t as precise as before and only grazed the rabbit’s leg.

Since he didn’t have much strength, the wound wasn’t very deep.

If the palace servants hadn’t run fast, the rabbit might have escaped.

But with the palace servants surrounding it, Shen Jue didn’t dare to take another shot with his poor accuracy, and when he rode over, the rabbit was still alive.

“Let’s keep this one alive,” Zhongli Jin suggested. “Consider it a celebration of your first successful shot.”

Though Shen Jue knew Zhongli Jin was just saying it to make him feel better, he still bought into it.

After all, the arrow was shot from his own hand; how could it not count?

By the time the day’s hunt ended and Shen Jue returned to the temporary palace, the rabbit had already been bandaged and placed in a cage, with a dedicated palace servant tending to it.

When Shen Jue returned with the rabbit, Shen Xiaonian had just finished his day’s lessons. Seeing Shen Jue with the rabbit, he thought it was a reward for him.

Shen Jue: “...”

Oh no, he forgot to save a rabbit for this kid. All the prey today was given to the palace servants.

But he still insisted that this was his first hunted prey and gave it to Shen Xiaonian as an encouragement, hoping Shen Xiaonian would take good care of it. His attempt to act strong made Zhongli Jin turn away to stifle his laughter.

With such a messy reward, one dared to give, and the other dared to accept. It was just a wild rabbit, but Shen Xiaonian almost treated it like a pet, wanting to eat and sleep with it in his room, until Shen Jue, hearing about it, stopped him.

“That wild rabbit is filthy! It hasn’t even been cleaned—how could you bring it into the bedroom?”

He truly is a naughty child.

Translation:

Shen Xiaonian was especially delighted by Shen Jue's affectionate care. After the rabbit’s wound healed, he even gave the little creature a thorough bath, leaving it spotless and smelling fresh, and joked that it could sleep in bed now.

Shen Jue wanted to remind him that untrained rabbits don’t use litter boxes. But seeing how much Shen Xiaonian liked it, he decided not to say anything and let him play with it.

Their relationship started to feel more and more like a father-son dynamic. Shen Xiaonian also gradually became less restrained in front of Zhongli Jin. They often ended up debating because they had different opinions on various issues. But against the experienced Zhongli Jin, Shen Xiaonian never won an argument.

It was even more like raising a son.

Before they knew it, autumn had deepened, and they couldn’t stay at the southern palace any longer.

Even though they could handle state affairs at the temporary palace, it wasn’t feasible to ‘work from home’ year-round, so they returned to the imperial palace.

After a few days of rest, Shen Jue finally—

He had been living as Shen Jue for almost half a year, and this was his first time attending court.

The ministers had been through quite a rollercoaster. At first, they were worried that Prince Regent Zhongli Jin might overthrow the throne and take it for himself. Then, upon hearing that Shen Jue was ill, they thought Zhongli Jin had imprisoned him. Afterward, when Shen Jue went to the southern temporary palace, the court officials even suspected whether Zhongli Jin had killed the emperor.

Back on the dragon throne, Shen Jue looked healthier and more energetic than he had six months ago.

Reflecting on their earlier suspicions and fears...

They felt pretty foolish!

Despite suspecting Zhongli Jin of assassinating the emperor, none dared challenge him openly.

Perhaps it was because this person's talent was truly monstrous; in just a few short years, the changes in the Da Jin Dynasty were evident to all discerning eyes. Even if he overstepped his bounds, no one would be foolish enough to topple Zhongli Jin for such a peaceful and prosperous life.

This man seemed like a celestial envoy sent to save the Da Jin Dynasty, always coming up with ideas that ordinary people had never thought of, making the dynasty thrive more and more.

Faced with such a leader, even if one cursed him, they couldn't help but admire him deep down.

In reality, how could anyone be perfect? Even money has its detractors, let alone someone who isn't entirely just.

As for why no one has managed to overthrow Zhongli Jin to this day, it's not out of admiration for his talents, but simply because these people have already been dealt with by Zhongli Jin before they could speak out.

From the moment he entered the public eye, his hands were stained with blood. It's just that he killed so many people that everyone has become numb to it, failing to realize the extent of it.

All those who might pose a threat to him, no matter how talented, have been eliminated by Zhongli Jin early on.

However, in an era like this, there will always be some who slip through the cracks.

Shen Jue found that whether he attended court or not made little difference, so when he occasionally felt too drowsy to get up, he didn't even bother to put on a show.

Summer floods were frequent, and water disasters were a topic that came up almost every year.

Even though Zhongli Jin had long been planning for this, the construction projects weren't something that could be completed in a year or two. The related water conservancy projects were massive, and with the additional summer hailstorms, Zhongli Jin was often busy until late at night.

Shen Jue could only do what he could manage. With so much free time, learning the Six Arts of a gentleman or the Eighteen Martial Arts, listening to stories, viewing paintings, and playing board games eventually became tedious.

Even on his day off, Zhongli Jin called the ministers into the palace to work overtime. The weather in the palace was hot, and the cold air from the ice wells was heavy. Shen Jue mentioned this to Zhongli Jin and went to the mountains to escape the heat, waiting for Zhongli Jin to finish his work before joining him.

The travel party was not grand and conspicuous.

For safety reasons, Shen Jue's travel party was very low-key, disguised as ordinary wealthy merchants. The sedan chairs even carried several women, giving the appearance of a noble family outing.

Shen Jue was in the palanquin disguised as a woman. The palanquin was small, just enough for him to lie down barely, filled with thick soft cushions, as soft and comfortable as lying in a sea of clouds.

It was just a bit hot.

Not long after entering the mountain, Shen Jue felt the surrounding air become cooler, but he still couldn’t lift the curtain to get some fresh air.

As it turned out, Zhongli Jin’s worries were not without reason.

Before they had even reached the halfway point of the mountain, they encountered roadblockers.

If these roadblockers were just ordinary mountain bandits, the accompanying guard team would have been able to handle them easily.

But these weren’t just any “bandits.” They were surprisingly skilled, managing to break through multiple layers of defense, using a human wave tactic to rush into the most luxurious palanquin in the group and kill the person inside.

Blood, screams, and corpses littered the ground.

Shen Jue had never seen such a scene before. He had been afraid of dead rabbits at first, let alone so many people dying in front of him.

Countless people who looked like mountain bandits rushed out. No matter how many well-trained people Shen Jue’s side had brought, they couldn’t withstand the nearly merciless, suicidal attackers from the other side.

Several of them would hold off one of Shen Jue’s guards, and when one fell, a new person would immediately take their place. Even the battle-hardened soldiers on Shen Jue’s side were stretched thin.

“Uncle!”

Staying in place was dangerous. Several people who looked and were dressed similarly to Shen Jue were escorted off the palanquin under the same protection and fled in different directions.

Shen Jue was among them.

The attackers were clearly prepared. Even though Shen Jue’s side had split into six groups, many of the attackers were chasing behind them with a relentless demeanor.

They wanted his life!

Shen Jue didn’t even have time to fear the constantly falling corpses. He was just grateful that he had been exercising his body over the past six months, so he wasn’t too much of a hindrance while running under the guards' protection.

The distance closing in felt like he was being chased by death. Shen Jue gradually lost his strength. His lungs were filled with a stabbing pain, his heart was beating fast, and his blood felt like it was boiling, burning his entire body.

He had never been so afraid. Even though he knew that the system would probably protect him from dying so easily, the fear of death wasn’t something that could be easily overcome.

It was like knowing that the terrifying scenes in horror movies were just special effects or actors, but still being scared.

The other side was employing a war of attrition. No matter how strong the guards protecting Shen Jue were, with constant attrition, they would eventually show a weakness.

Moreover, after dealing with the other groups, more and more enemies were coming to reinforce the attack on Shen Jue’s group, and their combat skills were on a whole different level compared to the earlier rotational combat tactics.

Shen Jue watched helplessly as many of the people who had been protecting him just moments ago died one by one. His heart ached unbearably.

Even though he knew this was just a world within a book, these were still vivid, living lives!

At one point, Shen Jue even had a moment of despair, thinking that he might as well die so as not to be a burden on so many people.

His heart broke, and his will was worn down. The exhaustion brought by grief and fear overwhelmed him, and he couldn’t take another step.

But in the end, Shen Jue still pushed Shen Xiaonian away.

He couldn’t run anymore.

He wasn't really going to die; at worst, he'd just get sent back to the main space...

Shen Jue couldn't help feeling guilty towards Zhongli Jin.

How devastated would he be?

But Shen Jue was also sad, knowing he wouldn't be able to see the other person one last time.

Exhausted, Shen Jue collapsed to the ground, unsure what he could leave behind for Zhongli Jin in these final moments.

Just as a cleaver was about to strike him, a sharp, ringing sound like metal clashing echoed through the air.

"Uncle, you go first!"

Shen Xiaonian had somehow chosen to turn back, his small figure standing in front of Shen Jue.

He was just a twelve or thirteen-year-old child, shorter than the martial arts practice spear.

Yet that thin back was firmly standing in front of him.

His heart, which had turned to ash, suddenly reignited.

He wasn't so weak that he would let a child stand in front of him.

Shen Jue paused time and summoned the system, asking if there was any cheat he could activate.

He had over 200 points, but even the cheapest pain-blocking function, discounted, required 300 points, let alone other powerful functions.

Moreover, due to the limitations of this body, Shen Jue couldn't use too many system functions.

"The current suggestion is for the host to use the newbie's 50% off ten consecutive draws and see if any necessary permanent function drops. Even with the body's restrictions, it would still partially work."

Permanent functions are like getting early access to official employee privileges, so they can partially work despite body limitations.

Without hesitation, Shen Jue chose to draw and even stacked a luck buff, though previously when he stacked luck buffs to save Jin Yu, it couldn't override permissions. It only succeeded because the system had violated the rules and, seeing that it was protecting the protagonist, made an exception.

Unfortunately, Shen Jue didn't have the protagonist's aura. In the second ten consecutive draws, only one purple drop appeared.

A mediocre function costing 200 points in the system shop was even less valuable than what he got the first time.

Those trial cards were entirely ineffective during their trial period.

Even though time was paused, Shen Jue could still see the teenager standing in front of him. He didn't want this child to die...

"Ahem," System 626 cleared its throat. "Requesting host to enter system space, do you agree?"

Shen Jue: "..."

He had a nagging suspicion that the system was up to something. Without much hesitation, he clicked 'agree.'

Because time was paused, even if Shen Jue's soul left his body, his body wouldn't fall.

"Do you have something you want to discuss?"

System 626 looked extremely happy, to the point that even the plain white light seemed to turn into a vibrant rainbow.

"Actually, the function the host has drawn is not as useless as it appears on the surface. This is a famous glitch card. If used properly, it might help the host resolve the current crisis."

Shen Jue's heart trembled. "How so?"

System 626 began its explanation.

The card Shen Jue drew was a permanent function card that allowed for the storage and partial use of various experience cards.

For example, the pain block function has a minimum duration of a day card. Once purchased and activated, it lasts for twenty-four hours. If you only need one hour of pain block, the remaining twenty-three hours would go to waste.

However, by placing the experience card into the temporary storage, you can extract as much time as you need, eliminating any waste.

"The glitch with this temporary storage is that it keeps the function in its original form rather than as an experience card, thus bypassing identity restrictions. When used, it has the same effect as the official version. In other words, the host can place unusable experience cards into the storage and use the restricted functions normally."

Shen Jue could only think "incredible."

It truly was a great glitch card. But after promotion, this perk disappears, explaining its low price.

Shen Jue placed all his experience cards into the temporary storage and withdrew ten minutes each of physical enhancement, luck buff, and potential boost.

Although his body's restrictions prevented these functions from fully activating, they could at least provide a glimmer of hope.

Shen Jue mentally prepared himself and resumed time flow.

He casually grabbed a handful of grass and accurately threw it into the eyes of the person about to harm Shen Xiaonian, causing a Temporary Blindness effect.

"Go!" Shen Jue activated the pain block, got up, and pulled Shen Xiaonian to run.

In the chaos, no one noticed that this frail puppet emperor had become incredibly agile. It seemed every time they were about to be killed, they just managed to dodge, not even receiving a scratch.

Damn it, it's like they're possessed by ghosts!

How is this frail puppet emperor so hard to kill!

As Shen Jue and Shen Xiaonian ran towards the shelter, Shen Jue randomly grabbed anything he could throw, hitting the pursuers with surprising effectiveness, even injuring several.

His incredible luck continued as he found a Tetanus Blade in the forest, enchanted with magic, cutting down enemies with each strike.

Shen Xiaonian was amazed by Shen Jue's unexpected combat skills. The two of them managed to lead the rebels on a chase through the forest for thirty minutes.

However, all the potential boosts took a significant toll on Shen Jue's body, but with the pain block activated, he only felt a bit of weakness without much concern.

A piercing arrow whistled through the air, striking a nearby rebel in the head.

That arrow skill... it's Zhongli Jin!

Shen Jue suddenly lost his strength, his body completely exhausted. However, a robust man hiding beneath the gradually falling bodies suddenly leaped up and attacked Shen Jue.

Despite his sharp reflexes, Shen Jue couldn't move in time to avoid the attack.

The blade sliced through flesh with a dull thud, filling the air with the stench of blood.

At this point, the entire group was wiped out.

In the dim forest, a lean figure approached. Before his vision blurred, Shen Jue finally made out the stranger's face.

Cold, emotionless eyes stared at him, as if he were already dead.