Chapter 121

Chapter 121

Few things could genuinely shock Chen Zui, but at this moment, in this situation, he was utterly speechless. His only concern was that the device in Wang Qianjiao’s hand might spin too fast, fly off, or even catch fire.

Wang Qianjiao pressed the small square in his hand again, and Chen Zui watched something spray out of it.

Chen Zui: …

Suddenly, he wasn't so sure he wanted it anymore.

Ao Tian: [The craftsmanship is superb, hey!]

But that wasn't all. With a wave of Wang Qianjiao’s hand, the room plunged into darkness, and in that darkness, Chen Zui saw a dazzling "L8."

It even changed colors, flashing through red, orange, green, cyan, blue, and purple.

Chen Zui’s lip twitched. What was happening now? Was he supposed to bob his head to this rhythm? Use this thing as a disco ball?

Ao Tian was laughing so hard in his head he nearly passed out.

The lights came back on. Chen Zui looked at Wang Qianjiao, whose expression was beaming with pride and satisfaction over his creation. He realized that entrusting this matter entirely to him had been his own mistake. Who would have thought that someone who appeared so conventional could be so wildly imaginative in this regard?

Wang Qianjiao switched off each feature one by one.

The object instantly stopped spinning and then went limp in his hand.

Wang Qianjiao looked at Chen Zui.

Chen Zui was breaking out in a cold sweat. Was he still expected to offer praise?

But Wang Qianjiao kept staring at him…

He forced a stiff smile: "Brother, you’re truly amazing! Such creative and unexpected ideas, hahaha, I’m genuinely surprised…"

Ao Tian: [Blink if you’re being held hostage.]

Wang Qianjiao actually felt he could add more features, but he didn't have any ideas for now. Still, there was no rush—he could make a few more for his puppet and swap them out later if needed.

"Come here, I’ll attach it for you."

Chen Zui’s steps were heavy.

As he approached Wang Qianjiao, he resembled an innocent man about to be defiled, reluctantly beginning to undress. Wang Qianjiao, in a cheerful mood, prepared the tools he would need.

This time, there was no need to cut the skin; he just had to stitch this item on.

The base was almost circular and positioned quite low, making it difficult to sew. Wang Qianjiao instructed Chen Zui to hold it himself. Tilting his head, he sewed with extreme concentration. Chen Zui watched closely, roughly estimating that for every centimeter, Wang Qianjiao sewed over three hundred stitches. The stitched area was completely invisible, as if it had grown there naturally.

Wang Qianjiao moved his head slightly, and his cheek brushed against the object in Chen Zui’s hand.

Chen Zui raised an eyebrow silently.

Wang Qianjiao glanced at it but acted as if nothing had happened and continued sewing. The spider-silk thread stretched in his hands, piercing Chen Zui’s skin. The fine needle slowly pulled the thread through, then the thread was stretched out again and pulled taut. As this repeated, the object in Chen Zui’s hand peeked out beside Wang Qianjiao’s focused face.

Once again, Wang Qianjiao, lost in concentration, forgot about the distance. When he turned his head, the object, almost indistinguishable from a real one, brushed against his lips, pressing into the seam of his mouth.

The scene was enough to make one want to feed him a bite.

For a moment, Wang Qianjiao stopped sewing.

He looked up at his puppet, who had not actively moved the object away.

Seeing those pitch-black eyes, he understood what was happening—no wonder it kept bumping him. It was intentional, a mischievous puppet’s doing.

"Brother, after showing off so many functions, what does it taste like?"

"I can’t taste it. Could you taste it for me and tell me?"

Although Chen Zui was calling him "brother," his expression now revealed his true nature—showing dominance and ambition, and a hint of sinister ruthlessness.

Wang Qianjiao tried to turn his head away.

But Chen Zui’s other hand grabbed his chin, controlling his movement. Wang Qianjiao could feel the force he was using.

"Brother, taste it for me."

This didn’t sound like Chen Zui’s usual wheedling; it felt more like a threat.

Wang Qianjiao stared at his puppet, feeling that this state suited his expectations for the puppet better and resembled the person from his dreams even more.

So, the usual good-boy act was just a facade.

But he wasn’t some pushover who could be manipulated by his own puppet.

Chen Zui’s strength wasn’t enough to control Wang Qianjiao. Wang Qianjiao forcefully turned his head away. "I can remove it and let you taste it carefully."

"Brother, you’re bullying me."

Chen Zui released his grip on Wang Qianjiao’s chin.

This was just a minor interlude.

Wang Qianjiao continued sewing. The top and sides were easier, but the bottom was trickier. He couldn’t have Chen Zui arch, as the surrounding skin would change and affect the final look.

Wang Qianjiao sat down on the floor, leaning back slightly.

"Walk over here."

Chen Zui’s eyelashes lowered slightly, then he obediently walked toward Wang Qianjiao. His feet stepped on either side of Wang Qianjiao’s body, moving forward until Wang Qianjiao’s head was almost between his legs.

He stopped.

Just as he was about to say something, Wang Qianjiao suddenly pressed the switch, and the object lit up again—this time with a white light.

Chen Zui: …

He lost all desire to flirt.

What should have been an intimate scene suddenly became absurd because of the light.

Wang Qianjiao was using the light to see better, as it was a bit dark underneath.

"Let go."

As soon as Chen Zui released his grip, the object dangled onto Wang Qianjiao’s head.

Wang Qianjiao continued sewing like this. Chen Zui no longer felt like teasing him. The hair on Wang Qianjiao’s head was slightly mussed up from the friction, and Chen Zui smoothed it back into place.

The moon had reached its highest point in the sky when Wang Qianjiao finally finished sewing it. He nudged Chen Zui, and Chen Zui, understanding, took a step back before reaching out to help him up.

"Thank you for your hard work, brother."

He meant it.

"Brother, can you give me that controller?"

These words also came from the heart.

Unexpectedly, with a flick of his wrist, Wang Qianjiao made the controller disappear.

Chen Zui was puzzled.

Wang Qianjiao: "I'll keep it. You can leave now; I need to rest."

Chen Zui took a moment to process this before chasing after him and jumping piggyback onto Wang Qianjiao. "Brother, this is a part of my body, not your toy."

Wang Qianjiao fell onto the icy bed, pulling Chen Zui into his embrace from behind. "If you don’t want to leave, then be good and sleep here. No more talking."

Chen Zui: ...

Being weaker in a fight was truly frustrating!

Noticing Wang Qianjiao’s slight dark circles, he decided not to disturb him further.

The ice-cold bed was too chilly for him to sleep on, so Wang Qianjiao became his bed instead. He slept entirely on top of Wang Qianjiao, becoming his oversized body pillow.

——

The next day

Chen Zui: "Brother, I’d like to go down the mountain for a while."

Wang Qianjiao was currently brushing his hair, selecting suitable accessories and holding them against him one by one.

"What do you plan to do down the mountain?"

"The world is so big—I want to go see it."

Wang Qianjiao looked at Chen Zui through the mirror, noticing his serious expression. Had he grown tired of staying by his side? Did he find him boring now?

A strange bitterness stirred in his heart.

For a puppet, he's so restless. No—he hadn’t even given him a heart, yet his desires were already this wild. It was just as well he hadn’t; if he had, who knows what would have happened.

He adjusted the silver crown on Chen Zui.

Chen Zui: "But I’ll return as soon as possible. I can’t bear to be away from you for too long."

Wang Qianjiao’s mood improved slightly. Chen Zui had some abilities now, and with the treasures he had given him—especially the defensive body chain—he could withstand three full-force attacks from a Divine Transformation stage cultivator.

It might be good for him to see the world outside. Experiencing hardship out there would make him appreciate how good he has it here.

Wang Qianjiao: "Alright."

Chen Zui: "You’re the best, brother~"

Wang Qianjiao: "When do you plan to go down the mountain?"

Chen Zui: "Right away."

Wang Qianjiao’s mood darkened again. Leaving in such a hurry—it seemed he had been wanting to go down the mountain for a while, probably waiting for him to finish installing that component.

But he wasn’t worried he wouldn’t return.

No matter where he went, he couldn't escape his reach.

He removed the silver crown he had just placed on Chen Zui and replaced it with a plain wooden hairpin, tucking it casually into his hair. As for the other accessories he had prepared, he didn’t give any to Chen Zui.

"Change your clothes before you go down the mountain."

So Chen Zui ended up with a set of rough gray linen clothes. Standing at the foot of the mountain, he looked at his outfit.

[Tell me, do you think he did this on purpose?]

[Maybe he meant well, worried you might get robbed.]

[Ao Tian.]

[Hmm?]

[In the future, when considering others, assume the worst rather than the best. Base your preparations and strategies on that.]

[Alright, noted.]

Chen Zui left the Zhu Xian Sect. His first problem now was to find a means of transportation—otherwise, the distance between here and the location Ao Tian mentioned would be immense.

First, Wang Qianjiao hadn’t given him a single coin, and he had nothing of value to trade for money. His options were limited to causing an accident to scam someone, committing robbery, or hoping a monster might randomly appear that he could tame as a mount.

As he pondered, Chen Zui continued walking forward, even bumping into several groups of Zhu Xian Sect disciples returning from outside.

Some of these disciples noticed him and, upon returning, went to inform Meng Changqing; others went to Mo Xingchen, and some to Liu Feiyun.

Only Yu Hong, wrapped up in his own affairs, was no longer concerned with such things.

Chen Zui walked until nightfall without getting very far. There weren’t even any villages near the Zhu Xian Sect—nothing but mountains and trees, with dirt roads that kicked up dust in the wind.

To make matters worse, it started raining at night, and Chen Zui had nowhere to take cover, nor anything to protect himself from the rain.

By the next day, he looked even more ragged, and his clothes were dirtier.

Fortunately, by noon, he finally saw a town.

Chen Zui entered the town—it was quite lively, with many vendors calling out their wares on both sides of the main road.

He circled the town once before deciding on the most impressive-looking house as his target.

Then he began observing and waiting.

By the late night, almost all the lights in the town had gone out, including those in this large estate.

Chen Zui had already confirmed that the household's servants were ordinary people, so he began his operation, quickly scaling the wall and entering the courtyard.

The master and lady of the house were fast asleep when the door was gently pushed open from outside. Moonlight gleamed on the dagger in the intruder’s hand, and the blade was silently placed against the master’s throat before pressing forward slightly.

The master awoke from his sleep to see a shadowy figure in the already dark room.

Terrified, he jolted fully awake. "Who are you?"

The shout also woke up the woman next to him. As soon as she opened her eyes and saw the situation clearly, she was about to scream.

But Chen Zui quickly knocked her out with a chop to the neck.

"Don't worry, she's not dead," he said to the husband, who was about to start crying.

"I don’t want your lives. Just give me some silver, and I’ll leave."

The husband let go of his wife and listened to these words with a mix of belief and doubt. The intruder was also wearing a mask, making it impossible to see his face clearly.

"Really?"

"Of course. We have no grudges between us."

"If you’re lying…"

"Then may I be struck by lightning. Hurry up. The sooner you give it to me, the sooner I leave, and you can go back to sleep."

With his life in the other’s hands, the husband dared not object. He turned and felt his way toward the bedside drawer.

"If I give it to you, you must spare us. We have parents to care for and children to raise. We’ve done good deeds all our lives and never harmed anyone…"

He muttered, reaching into the drawer, pulling out two silver notes, and handing them to Chen Zui.

Chen Zui glanced at them; together, they amounted to fifty taels.

Though he wasn’t sure if it was enough, a person should have some conscience. Without any grudges, he couldn’t bring ruin upon this household.

He tucked the silver notes into his clothes.

"Thank you."

Then, with another chop of his hand, he knocked out the husband before he could say another word. Like a shadow, he vanished without a trace.

After he leaped over the wall and ran far away,

Wang Qianjiao appeared by the courtyard wall. Climbing walls and breaking into homes at night was mostly the work of petty criminals, and he had heard every word of the conversation just now.

His puppet was not only cunning but also a bit wicked.

The next day, when the husband slowly woke up, he found a gold ingot on the table.

For a moment, the husband was completely baffled. Had he really been robbed last night or not?

——

Chen Zui traveled for a day and arrived at a large city. Even entering the city required an inspection. He lined up in the middle of the queue and, after a not-too-thorough check, entered the city.

The place was bustling with crowds, and the combined chatter was nearly deafening. Various fantastical creatures walked through the streets alongside their owners.

He asked a vendor where to buy fantastical creatures and headed straight for the destination.

Wang Qianjiao, who had cast an invisibility spell on himself, followed Chen Zui from a distance.

"Found him." Mo Xingchen was on the second floor of a teahouse. He narrowed his eyes, gazing at Chen Zui, who stood out in the crowd even in rough hemp clothing.

He tightened his grip on the bow and arrow in his hand.

This was a new weapon he had specially prepared for Chen Zui.

He raised the bow, pulled the string taut, and aimed at Chen Zui. But then he noticed two people following behind Chen Zui—both clearly cultivators.

Were they sent by Meng Changqing?

If so, there was no need to rush into action. He lowered his bow and left the teahouse.

Liu Feiyun appeared outside the city. This time, he was determined to eliminate that damned puppet.

Chen Zui arrived at West Lane Maluo Street and was immediately amazed. Winged heavenly horses, cranes, giant Xuanwu, and all sorts of birds and beasts—some he recognized, some he didn’t.

This world was truly fascinating.

After asking around, he learned that his fifty taels of silver were only enough to buy a relatively good horse.

Chen Zui stopped in front of a bat-like fantastical creature. It was enormous, with a glossy black coat, and even chained, it looked defiant and proud.

He liked this one.

But it cost five hundred taels or an item of equivalent value.

Wang Qianjiao watched Chen Zui pause in front of the iron cage. The shopkeeper nearby was shooing him away: "If you have no money, step aside. Don’t disrupt our business. Look at your shabby look."

The shopkeeper stared at Chen Zui again and laughed lewdly: "I think if you prostitute yourself for a few nights, you’ll have the silver."

Wang Qianjiao felt a twinge of regret.

He hadn’t created him to suffer humiliation.

Chen Zui gave the shopkeeper a long look but said nothing and left.

From that look, Wang Qianjiao sensed something. If things went as expected, Chen Zui would likely find an opportunity to come back and steal that bat.

Hah.

So cunning.

But that shopkeeper was indeed rude and deserved to be taught a lesson.