Chapter 50: ‘world-shaking Wisdom!’ Game Sprite
A black shadow crashed through the Vajra Temple door, madly sprinting into the residential area shrouded in night, making a few nimble turns before dashing elegantly into the pitch-black alley, leaving behind only a slowly dissipating dark gold afterglow.
At this moment, the Tiger Demon was wildly and excitedly sprinting at full speed. No matter how fierce the oncoming gale, it couldn’t quell the joy and restlessness surging in its heart.
“We’re rich! We’re loaded! One big haul! Boss, from now on, we’re wealthy people too!” The snake tail hanging behind the tiger’s butt excitedly went berserk, rapidly shaking its head.
She was hit by Yuan Zhu’s current ecstatic mental shock and infection, her mind equally clouded by joy, mindlessly giggling along. Controlling her master to run against the wind, she cheered and leaped with delight.
A few minutes ago, the Tiger Demon had smoothly explored every inch inside and out of Vajra Temple.
All the Buddha statues in this temple, from top to bottom, had been smashed and destroyed. The spots originally enshrining each Bodhisattva and Buddha were now occupied by corpse ghosts, transformed into their nests.
Finally, Yuan Zhu and the Navigation Sprite discovered an abandoned pure Golden Bodhisattva statue in a remote corner, a full 50cm tall!
Because it was too sturdy and hadn’t been smashed, just with a crooked head and slanted hand, it still retained some of its former glory. This Bodhisattva had two heads and eight arms, one face with a blue face, tusks, and wrathful expression, the other head replaced by a palm, which should be the origin of Buddha Hand Melon.
Its muscles were exceptionally developed, every arm bulging with veins, sculpted into forms of different species. Just the ones Yuan Zhu could identify included tiger claw, dragon claw, ape palm, and mantis blade leg…
Unfortunately, the originally exquisite and ferocious form had suffered external impact, with arms flipped over like broken bones, features battered askew with crooked eyes and mouth, cervical spine bent to the limit… artistic value plummeted, but gold content remained undiminished.
When picking it up, this Bodhisattva statue was surprisingly heavy, starting at least 100kg and up, absolutely solid! Yuan Zhu went mad with joy on the spot, involuntarily igniting the Tiger Demon with boundless enthusiasm and power.
The tail whipped and coiled back, wrapping circles tightly around the crooked-mouthed angry eight-armed Bodhisattva, then it sprinted at full speed, completely unconcerned whether the shadow pre-prepared meal could smoothly hatch, whether it could compete with the corpse hand plant for Yellow Springs power, or whether it could successfully pollute the Yellow Springs Pond?
His mind held only one thought: get out of the city! Get out of the city! He must go all out to rescue this precious Buddhist cultural relic, absolutely not letting those foul-smelling corpse ghosts pollute and destroy it!
He must speed out of the city to rendezvous with the captain, return to [Mao Mao King’s Happy Home], and bring this Golden Bodhisattva back to Running at once. Break off heads and limbs, take them to the gold shop to fence stolen goods, and become someone superior to others from then on!
Only by becoming someone superior to others, gaining social status and influence, can he push for social legislation to better protect more precious cultural relics!
Racing thousands of meters, gradually no longer sensing the Yellow Springs pollution from Vajra Temple behind, the Tiger Demon dashed into the Shadow World with one sprint, feeling no pollution or spread from ‘Yellow Springs Buddha Rhyme’, and immediately breathed a sigh of relief, relaxing.
“Now we’re really freaking loaded!”
The Tiger Demon raised one claw, rubbing it back and forth like the Gold Pool elder stroking his ornate kesa, fondly polishing the Golden Bodhisattva statue, leaving scratches all over it, still not satisfied, unable to stop touching.
Suddenly, a shout came from the horizon: “Love big sister or love gold?”
“Of course love gold! Hmm? Something’s off?”
Interrupted by the Navigation Sprite’s brainless little question in his greed, Yuan Zhu suddenly realized something was wrong, then calmed down: “Too excited, greed blinded my reason. But sudden wealth really tests one’s mentality. My heart is still pounding wildly, can’t slow down, too joyful!”
Navigation Sprite: “Indeed so refreshing! I never imagined this bubble small world could yield such a huge fortune? This [Mao Mao King’s Happy Home] really has prospects, boss, you absolutely can’t quit easily.”
“Hoo…”
Yuan Zhu exhaled deeply, finally calming a bit, starting to think with his brain: “Need to find a way to hide this Golden Bodhisattva, can’t flaunt wealth, it’s not good for team unity. What do you think… can I hide it in [Universe Within The Belly]?”
Yuan Zhu recalled the snake tail previously regurgitating ‘Ghost Companion pre-prepared meal’, able to store and release, a portable space!
Navigation Sprite shook head: “I don’t think so. [Universe Within The Belly] is indeed a mysterious space, but its essence is a space with digestion, corrosion, and decomposition functions. If this Bodhisattva goes in, I’m afraid it dissolves before we can take it out.”
“[Universe Within The Belly] so strong? I don’t believe it. How come it can’t even refine one Ghost Companion?”
“This Bodhisattva is an ordinary creation, those demonic creatures are pollution bodies, can’t lump them together. Universe Within The Belly is very powerful at breaking down food, can let Tiger Demon eat a meal and sleep a month. Big feast, straight to hibernation.”
Yuan Zhu: “Tigers don’t need hibernation.”
“But snakes do.”
“Then what? Take it openly through the checkpoint? Fine, such a big haul, giving teammates a Bodhisattva arm isn’t much. With this Bodhisattva body, enough for me to live lavishly the rest of my life.”
Sobered Yuan Zhu re-examined the Golden Bodhisattva in hand, realizing that when gold reaches 100kg, giving away a few kilos doesn’t hurt much, instead giving a sense of showing off in front of others.
After all, this thing wasn’t earned through hard work. Came easy, spend lavishly. No wonder the captain casually gives gold to build relations.
Navigation Sprite asked: “Boss, are we leaving the city now? Or do a few more runs before going?”
The Tiger Demon fondly clawed the Bodhisattva’s back, scattering wisps of gold powder in the shadow realm.
“No more stops, night brings many dreams, straight out of the city. I don’t think this Na Ye Buddhist Kingdom can produce anything more valuable than it. Plus this Bodhisattva is heavy enough, more would be hard to carry. Damn, no space equipment!”
Navigation Sprite suddenly showed an ‘hey! I have an idea’ expression: “Boss, I have a bold idea, not sure if I should say it?”
“Speak.”
“If we choose to leave the city, we must release Tiger Demon Stance, then your human form strength drops sharply, transporting the Golden Bodhisattva would be laborious. So… why not nurture out the Mao Mao King’s Uniform? Use [Shadow Power] to nurture it! Not only can we rely on the uniform to become stronger, but the human body can indirectly master Shadow Power.”
“What?” Yuan Zhu was first startled, then stunned. After serious thought, he found it really workable: “Damn! It can be done this way, you’re a real clever little imp!”
Use ‘Shadow Pollution’ to nurture the uniform, condense a power seed, then let human form harness my own power again. Compared to handling other unknown high-risk pollution abilities, Shadow Uniform has zero hidden dangers, and further whitewashes the risk of Tiger Demon exposure.
If in future missions I have to use [Boss Template] unavoidably, leaving traces, can cover with ‘Shadow Uniform’: “I, Yuan Zhu, call you the strongest Navigation Sprite, I underestimated you.”
“Jie jie jie…”
Praised Navigation Sprite could no longer hold back, arrogantly twisting tail and laughing maniacally: this feeling of recognition is unprecedented satisfaction! So refreshing, even better than boss finding gold.
Self-proclaimed awakened ‘world-shocking wisdom’ little tail advised again: “Boss, want to go further? Turn the shadow-polluted uniform into a power seed? Thoroughly whitewash into a power system under human stance? Then, under [Tiger Demon]’s unlimited investment, you can fully unleash potential…”
“No! Completely unnecessary.” Yuan Zhu shook head, firmly rejecting, “Even inheriting ‘Shadow System’ with human body, no need for [Mao Mao King] to meddle. Do I lack safe harmless ‘Shadow System power seed’? Not at all!”
“Moreover, in the brief clash with corpse ghosts in Vajra Temple, I realized [Shadow]’s pollution degree is somewhat low, not some powerful power of pollution, often needing two or even three portions to dissolve one portion of Yellow Springs Buddha Rhyme on ordinary corpse ghosts. So my human body must choose a sufficiently powerful native system for control group experiments.”
Hearing Yuan Zhu’s doubt, Navigation Sprite naturally recorded detailed data on various polluting energies in the bubble world, then started intelligent analysis.
“Boss, I have a hypothesis. [Great Desolation Immortal Scripture] perhaps targeted [Shadow Pollution]’s weakness to whitewash itself. At just 17.6% pollution degree cost, it bit off the core part from some shadow evil god, thoroughly refining it as its own, giving your [Boss Template] demon god traits too. If it were a super high-quality pollution source, even old man sacrificing himself couldn’t thoroughly refine and claim it.”
Yuan Zhu agreed with this.
He was currently in the Tiger Demon posture. Simply being in the shadows allowed a continuous influx of Polluting Energy to pour into him without any action, nourishing the Spiritual Root in his body to grow and develop, making himself constantly Get Stronger.
This passive buff that acquired Spiritual Energy out of thin air was very unusual, already involving some rules and concepts.
He could rampage in the Vajra Temple because of this passive effect, allowing him to expend Shadow Power without worry and freely combine several Supernatural Abilities.
On the contrary, the Corpse Ghosts in their home ground Vajra Temple had their Power of Pollution rapidly depleting in the fierce battle, hard to replenish.
After Yuan Zhu exchanged a few words with the Game Sprite and finalized the Plan, the Tiger Demon simply lay down in the Shadow Dimension to rest, frantically absorbing the Shadow Power surging from all around. Meanwhile, the Game Sprite swallowed the Mao Mao King’s Uniform in one gulp and processed and refined it in the Universe Within The Belly, continuously infusing Shadow Pollution.
“Do you think Mao Mao King will analyze the Power of Pollution through the uniform and indirectly discover the secrets of the Boss Template?”
“Don’t worry, she can’t! This uniform has very low purity to begin with, just like those ‘half-finished Ghost Companions’ you threw out. The Shadow Power on them only has the most basic pollution attributes, with no substance at all. Even if devoured and digested by other Demonic Creatures, they won’t uncover any secrets of the Immortal Scripture. The Mao Mao King’s Uniform works on a similar principle; she won’t invest too much effort in the uniform. I even think I can thoroughly Pollution Refinement it using the Universe Within The Belly.”
The Game Sprite analyzed seriously: “I believe Mao Mao King’s trump card is to sign an Anti-Law with her. Once the Anti-Law is established, this gradually out-of-control, wildly growing uniform will re-establish a new connection with the Pollution Source (Anti-Law), then upload brand new data.”
Yuan Zhu nodded in approval: “You’re really a great Game Sprite!”
“Right, right! So, Boss, can you give me a name? I don’t want to be called Game Sprite anymore; it’s too vulgar and ordinary, not worthy of such an excellent me! Only by being more excellent can I better highlight your greatness, Boss.”
The Tiger Demon looked up, admiring his own bone-white yet jade-like ferocious Snake Snake tail; it was truly a gorgeous work of art!
“How about… you be called ‘Skeleton Little Spicy Stick’!”
Before he transmigrated, on Earth in his hometown, people had already started calling snakes Little Spicy Sticks.
The Game Sprite was overjoyed upon hearing this and flattered: “Thank you, Boss, for the name! In ancient times, Anqi Sheng crossed the Kos Dragon to pay respects to Yu Jingzi; Boss is indeed erudite and versatile, with a heart earnestly seeking the Dao. From now on, my Daoist Name is Yu Jingzi! I absolutely won’t let down your expectations, Boss!”
“…Wait! Your name is Skeleton Little Spicy Stick!”
The Game Sprite was even more ecstatic upon hearing this and nodded vigorously: “Ah! ‘Snake Snake’ is of course no problem either! This is all out of your loving care for me, Boss. In the future, my Taoist formal name will be Yu Jingzi, and my nickname will be Snake Snake.”
“…” The Tiger Demon narrowed his eyes: Are you deliberately pretending not to hear?
Yu Jingzi: “Boss, your outer coat has been successfully refined. Do you want to leave the Shadow World and try it on? By the way, I have a bold and radical idea, I wonder…”
The Tiger Demon sighed: “Sigh… go ahead.”
“When I infused Shadow Pollution into that uniform through the Universe Within The Belly, I suddenly sensed that the uniform is a Container that can collect and accommodate various external ‘pollutions,’ fusing them with itself to forge strange Clothes. So, we perhaps don’t need to be overly conservative by just purely infusing 100% controllable ‘Shadow Pollution.’ Doing so would max out the uniform’s safety, but its potential would also be tied to Shadow…”
Yuan Zhu understood her idea: “So, you think we can upgrade the uniform by adding some extras? Reduce some controllable ‘Shadow Pollution’ and add some more stimulating elements, allowing the uniform’s potential to surpass the safe version of the Shadow Uniform.”
“Right!”
“What do you want to add? In this Bubble World, all that’s left is: Filthy Bone Demonic Creatures, Stars Eggplant, Yellow Springs Corpse Ghosts, Yellow Springs Kesa Ghosts… Even the slightly more legitimate ‘pure Buddha Cocoon’ has been completely polluted.”
Little Spicy Stick advised: “Then choose ‘Eggplant’! Avoid the wrong option of Filthy Bone Filthy Blood, and also avoid Yellow Springs which is already connected to the Tiger Demon. That leaves only the completely unfamiliar Starlight Eggplant. To improve controllability and let Shadow dominate the future uniform, we can appropriately devour (kidnap) a few more wild civilian Eggplants, try to refine a batch of new Ghost Companion half-finished products, and stuff one of them into the uniform.”
“Feasible!”
Yuan Zhu understood Little Spicy Stick’s meaning: capture civilian Eggplants, refine them into Ghost Companion pre-prepared meals, then feed them to the uniform as Food to nurture a Shadow Uniform with ‘Eggplant attributes.’
It sounds very interesting, worth a try. Worst case, if it fails, just ask the Captain for another new uniform.
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