met free Chapter 139 Want to steal a fire? I'll burn you first.
Chapter 139 Want to steal a fire? I'll burn you first.
The withered hand of the old lamp holder had already touched the wall of the eukaryotic chamber.
The hand appeared old, yet its speed was absurd. Five fingers pressed simultaneously onto the deck, and a dark golden Buddhist light instantly spread from the point of contact, like some corrosive liquid threatening to engulf the entire hull.
"Let's do it!"
With a roar from Chen Fan, seven figures leaped out simultaneously from different directions. The cultivators of the Flower Fruit Mountain Guardian Force reacted swiftly, forming an encirclement the instant the Burning Lamp's old seat appeared. However, the Buddhist sect was clearly prepared, with even more Buddhist soldiers pouring out from the underground fissures, their numbers rivaling those of the Flower Fruit Mountain Guardian Force.
"Get out of here!"
Pigsy's rake swept across, sending three or five Buddhist soldiers flying. But more Buddhist soldiers charged forward fearlessly, using their bodies to hold off the guards. The battlefield was locked in a stalemate, while the hand of the old seat of the Burning Lamp had already deeply penetrated the outer wall of the true core chamber.
"Eucore, back in place."
The Old Buddha of the Burning Lamp murmured softly, his tone as calm as if he were saying something perfectly natural.
But at that very moment, a line of text suddenly appeared on the surface of the eukaryotic chamber—
"The public rules are not yet complete, so the lock cannot be established."
The old lamp holder paused in his movements.
His withered face twitched, then he sneered, "Still growing? Interesting. It seems the true core you tampered with is more interesting than I imagined."
Chen Fan had already rushed within ten zhang and, upon seeing the words, immediately understood. The True Core was still evolving and was not yet in its complete form. Burning Lamp wasn't trying to take the True Core, but rather—
"You want to relock it?!"
"clever."
The old lamp-lighter raised his other hand, holding an ancient glass lamp in his palm. The light was dim, yet it gave off an extremely dangerous feeling.
"Nature cannot know too much." He looked at Chen Fan with a compassionate gaze, as if looking down at an ant. "The rules governing the leakage of eukaryotes are already numerous enough. If we allow it to continue growing, this experimental field will completely spiral out of control."
"An experimental field?"
Chen Fan sneered, "You Buddhist sect call this an experimental field? Then I'd like to ask you, what exactly are you experimenting with?"
"Experiment." The old seat of the Burning Lamp repeated the word softly, "The price of awakening all beings through experimentation. If too many awaken, order will collapse. Therefore—"
The glass lamp in his hand blazed brightly!
"—So someone needs to be responsible for cleaning up."
A fiery streak shot straight towards the true core chamber, scorching and distorting the space in its path. This was no ordinary flame, but the fundamental fire of Buddhism, a terrifying existence capable of scorching the very rules themselves.
"Don't even think about it!"
Tang Sanzang moved.
To be precise, it was the golden cicada phantom behind Tang Sanzang that moved. The golden cicada's form spread its wings and crashed head-on into the fiery rainbow. The collision didn't produce a deafening explosion, but rather resulted in a bizarre mutual annihilation.
"You!" Upon seeing Tang Sanzang's appearance, the old monk's expression changed for the first time. "Jin Chanzi? You shouldn't be here."
"Master," Tang Sanzang took a step forward, blocking the true core capsule, "you deceived me for three hundred years with fake scriptures, and that debt has not yet been settled."
"That's for your own good." Old Master Ran Deng frowned. "The true scriptures will kill you."
"Trying to kill me?" Tang Sanzang laughed, a laugh utterly sarcastic. "Making me a useless piece of trash, at your mercy for three hundred years, and you call that doing it for my own good?"
"As your teacher, I simply..."
"You are not my master."
Tang Sanzang interrupted the old seat of Dipankara Buddha, his voice calm yet firm.
"My master, Jin Chanzi, was killed by you long ago. He died on the journey to the West, in your so-called 'great cause.' Standing before you now is Tang Sanzang, a disciple of the strategist of Flower Fruit Mountain."
The old seat of the lamp burner remained silent for a long time.
Then he sighed: "How much do you know?"
"Enough is enough." Tang Sanzang stretched out his hand, and a jet-black seed appeared in his palm. "For example, what is hidden inside this true core? For example, why does your Buddhist sect purge all awakened beings? And for example—"
He looked at the old seat of the lamp-burning lamp, his eyes sharp as knives.
"Why would the Buddha rather use false scriptures to control the three realms than let sentient beings see the true truth?"
The old man with the lamp turned cold.
"You shouldn't know these things."
"Then let me know more."
Tang Sanzang's aura suddenly surged. The phantom of the golden cicada merged with him, and Buddhist light and demonic energy intertwined, forming an extremely eerie atmosphere.
"Come, let me see the true essence of Buddhism."
The old lamp stand remained untouched.
He simply looked at Tang Sanzang quietly, then shook his head.
"You're too naive. Do you really think you can stop me with your current cultivation level?"
"We can't stop them," Tang Sanzang said honestly, "but it's enough to buy them time."
Before the words were even finished, the defenders of Flower Fruit Mountain had already broken through the Buddhist soldiers' entanglement. More cultivators rushed towards the True Core Pod, and the situation began to reverse.
Ran Deng, sitting in his old seat, looked around, and his expression finally turned ugly.
"What a clever diversionary tactic." He stared at Chen Fan. "You knew from the beginning that I would come?"
"It wasn't exactly a perfect calculation," Chen Fan shrugged. "It's just that such an obvious target as a True Core couldn't be ignored. I was just waiting for you to come to me."
"Arrogant."
The glass lamp in the old seat of the Burning Lamp lit up once more. But this time, he wasn't attacking the true core, but rather—
"If we can't get it, then we'll destroy it."
An intense heat erupted from his palm, turning the lamplight pure white. The space itself began to evaporate at this temperature, revealing streaks of black cracks.
"Stop him!"
Chen Fan's expression changed drastically. Randeng was determined to destroy everything, directly annihilating the true core!
But it was too late.
The white flame shot out and rushed straight towards the nuclear chamber.
Then--
The eukaryote moved on its own.
Or rather, the eukaryotes opened their "mouths".
A pitch-black vortex appeared on the surface of the eukaryotic chamber, generating immense suction. The white flames were swallowed by the vortex and vanished without a trace, along with the spatial rift.
The old man with the lamp lit up his face drastically: "Impossible! It clearly hasn't—"
"External attack detected."
"Activate defense mechanisms."
"Rule countermeasures, begin."
The text on the surface of the eukaryote flashed, and then—
A sheet of paper floated out of the eukaryote.
The page was blank; nothing was written on it. But when it floated toward Chen Fan, the expression on the face of the old lamp-wielding monk was as if he had seen a ghost.
"Impossible...this is impossible..." he muttered to himself, "The eukaryote isn't even complete yet, how could it..."
Chen Fan reached out and caught the page.
It felt warm to the touch, and the material was neither paper nor paper, which was strangely indescribable.
"This is what you wanted to steal?" He looked at the old lampstand. "A blank sheet of paper?"
The old seat of the lamp did not answer.
He stared intently at the paper in Chen Fan's hand, his eyes filled with an extremely complex mix of emotions—fear, anger, and, more than anything, some indescribable feeling.
"You will regret this." The voice of the Old Throne of the Burning Lamp suddenly became very soft. "All of you will regret this. Once the True Cores are fully awakened, this world will have no reason to exist."
After he finished speaking, his body began to fade into nothingness.
"Trying to run away?"
Pigsy's rake swept across, but passed right through the body of the old lamp-burning seat.
"Walk!"
The old lamp holder gave Chen Fan one last look, a look that made Chen Fan very uncomfortable—it was like pity, or perhaps... expectation?
The Buddhist soldiers retreated like a receding tide.
The battlefield suddenly fell silent.
Chen Fan looked down at the blank page in his hand, his brows furrowed.
"Strategist," Pigsy leaned closer, "what exactly is this thing?"
"I don't know," Chen Fan answered honestly, "but for an old monster like Ran Deng to come and snatch it personally, it must be extraordinary."
He turned the page and suddenly noticed very faint writing on the back—
"The first rule: All beings are equal."
These seven words, vague and indistinct, seem as if they could disappear at any moment.
Chen Fan's heart skipped a beat.
This is......
What are the rules for eukaryotic expulsion?
Article 1?
What will happen next?
"Report!"
A guard rushed over.
"Strategist, an unusual energy reaction has been detected deep underground! Something else is about to emerge!"
Chen Fan suddenly looked up.
besides?
The eukaryotic chamber suddenly shook violently, and text reappeared on its surface—
"Second sequence visitor detected."
Warning: Insufficient permissions.
"Begin the expulsion."
In the distance, a crack silently appeared on the sea.
A huge eye, burning with black flames, slowly opened from the slit.
#Chapter 354 Blank Rule Page
It was a blank sheet of paper.
Suspended above the eukaryotic chamber, it was as thin as a cicada's wing, with an extremely faint golden glow at its edges.
Chen Fan stared at it, his pupils contracting slightly.
"What the hell?"
The older black operator next to him jumped up: "Strategist! This...this is a blank rule page! It's the original page where rules can be written directly!"
"Write the rules directly?"
"It's...it's the highest-level authorized carrier recognized by the True Core!" Old Hei's voice trembled. "Once it's written there, the True Core will execute it! Neither the Heavenly Court nor the Buddhist sect has the right to override it!"
Chen Fan grabbed his shoulder: "You mean, I can write a rule now?"
"Maybe... but there will be a price to pay!" Old Black pointed to the page, "Look at the edge, it's the color of ashes after burning! Every rule written consumes the energy of the true core!"
Chen Fan narrowed his eyes.
The eukaryotic chamber was now completely silent, and the black, fiery eye that had been about to open its eyes had vanished entirely. The sea closed again, as if nothing had happened.
But new text appeared on the surface of the eukaryotic chamber—
"A blank rule page has been detected."
Write limit: one rule per page.
"Energy consumption: Each write operation deducts one-third of the current energy stored in the eukaryote."
"Warning: Current eukaryotic energy storage is approaching a critical threshold."
Chen Fan released Lao Hei and took a step back.
"One-third...that's ruthless."
He quickly calculated in his mind.
The eukaryotic module just shielded him from a major attack, and its internal energy was already low. If another third is depleted, he'll likely struggle to even defend himself. But if I don't write…
He turned his head to look in the direction of the old lamp seat.
The latter was standing twenty meters away from the core module, his hands clasped together, chanting incantations. A faint, dark golden light membrane was spreading from his palms, slowly covering the core module.
Buddhist Fire Lock Seal.
Chen Fan recognized this supernatural power.
The Buddha used a variation of this technique to suppress Sun Wukong—sealing the core's fluctuations to prevent it from drawing upon the power of the rules. Now, the old seat of the Burning Lamp wants to completely seal off this core, turning it into an ordinary stone.
"Strategist! What do we do now?!" Old Hei jumped up and down in panic. "That old bald monk is sealing the true core! Once the Fire Locking Seal is complete, the true core will be completely useless!"
Chen Fan snorted.
"What's the panic?"
He looked back at the floating white page, his gaze becoming calm.
"He wants to seal the true core, but if I write a rule now, the Fire Lock Seal will be useless."
Why?
"Because once the rules are written, the true core must execute them. Execution requires the release of energy. The Fire Lock seal seals fluctuations and blocks calls, but it cannot stop the true core from extracting energy on its own."
Old Hei's eyes lit up: "So, as long as the rules are written down, the Fire Lock Seal can be broken?!"
"It will create an opening." Chen Fan's words were brief, "Just one bite is enough."
In the distance, the Fire Seal of the Old Lamp Throne had already covered most of the surface of the eukaryotic chamber. The dark golden light membrane was tightening, and the surface of the eukaryotic chamber trembled slightly, as if it were under tremendous pressure.
Chen Fan no longer hesitated.
He strode toward the eukaryotic chamber and reached out to grab the blank sheet of paper.
The moment my fingers touched the white paper, a strange sensation spread throughout my body—like grasping an extremely fine yet extremely tough thread, or like touching something alive.
The white paper gleamed slightly in his palm.
"Write intent detected."
Please confirm the rules.
"Current energy storage: write cycles available, 0.7 times."
Chen Fan took a deep breath.
He didn't rush to write.
Instead, he looked up at the old seat of the lamp.
"You old bald monk," he said, his voice low but loud enough for the other to hear, "how long can your Fire-Locking Seal last at most?"
The old lamp-burning seat opened its eyes, its gaze sharp as a knife.
"Young man, do you think you can confuse me with such rhetoric?"
"I'm not trying to bother you," Chen Fan smiled. "I'm just thinking about one question—what's your purpose in coming here? To kill me? To seize the True Core? Or to completely destroy Flower Fruit Mountain?"
The old man with the burning lamp sneered.
"Of course—"
"Wait a minute," Chen Fan interrupted him. "Let me guess. Are you planning to completely seal off the true core, then take it back to the Western Paradise and hand it over to Buddha?"
The expression on the old lamp holder's face changed.
Chen Fan has a sharp eye.
"If I'm not mistaken, your actions this time weren't officially authorized by Buddha, were they? Last time, you and Buddha clashed over the eukaryotic issue; he advocated a gradual, planned approach, while you advocated direct destruction. Isn't that right?"
The fire lock mark on the old lamp seat paused for a moment.
How did you know—
"I also know that your Buddhist sect is now divided into two factions," Chen Fan said. "One faction fears the True Core, while the other wants to utilize it. And you belong to the one who wants to destroy the True Core. Because you are afraid."
"How dare you!" roared the old seat of the Burning Lamp.
"Me, bold?" Chen Fan shook his head. "I'll boldly guess something else—if you fail in your unauthorized mobilization of the Buddhist elite to attack Flower Fruit Mountain, Buddha will definitely not forgive you. Right? You're already in..."
"shut up!"
The aura emanating from the old seat of the Burning Lamp suddenly surged.
The pressure of the Fire Lock Seal instantly doubled, and fine cracks began to appear on the surface of the eukaryotic chamber.
Chen Fan knew he had guessed correctly.
This operation by the former seat of the Burning Lamp was entirely unauthorized. He has already lost favor with the Buddha, and if he cannot seize the True Core and achieve merit, he will face purging.
That's why he was in such a hurry.
This is exactly what Chen Fan wants.
He stopped talking.
He looked down at the white paper in his palm.
He was going to use the first rule—not to break the Fire Lock Seal, but to directly target the source of authority of the Lamp Burner's former seat.
He had mentally rehearsed the rules countless times.
However, it cannot be too long.
A blank sheet of paper can only hold one short rule.
Chen Fan dipped his brush in the energy of the true core and picked up his pen—
No, it's not a pen.
It is a thin golden needle formed from eukaryotic condensation.
He touched the tip of the needle onto the white paper.
My wrist suddenly felt heavy.
The first word fell.
"Ordinary"
The white paper lit up for a moment.
Chen Fan could feel that something inside his body was being drawn away—the energy of the true core was being channeled into the white paper through the needle.
He didn't stop.
The second character.
"touch"
The tremors in the eukaryotic chamber became more intense.
The light membrane of the Fire Lock Seal has been pierced with a small crack.
The third character.
"true"
The old man with the lamp lit up his face.
"Stop!" He rushed over. "Are you crazy! Don't you know that writing rules depletes your true core—"
The fourth character.
"Nuclear"
The light on the white paper had turned into a dazzling gold.
Chen Fan finished speaking—
"者"
The white paper burst into flames instantly.
Golden flames shot into the sky.
The rules are complete.
Chen Fan released his grip.
The burning piece of white paper turned to ashes and vanished into the air.
But at the same moment, the dark golden light emanating from the old lamp seat suddenly went out.
He looked down at himself in disbelief.
Then, he suddenly looked up and stared at Chen Fan.
"What...what did you write?!"
Chen Fan smiled.
"The rule I wrote is—anyone who touches the core must first disclose the source of their access."
"What do you mean?!"
"What I mean is," Chen Fan approached step by step, "that from now on, anyone who wants to touch or access the True Core must first disclose to everyone where they got their access from. You are the Ancient Patriarch Dipankara of Buddhism, right? Then you have to tell everyone—was your Buddhist access granted by the Tathagata, or did you steal it yourself?"
The old man with the lamp turned pale instantly.
"You...you...!"
"It's not just you." Chen Fan looked at the distant battlefield. "Listen up, everyone from the Heavenly Court and the Buddhist sect! This rule is now in effect! Anyone who dares to covet the True Core again must first disclose the source of their access!"
His voice wasn't loud, but every word exploded like thunder.
On the battlefield, both sides engaged in combat paused for a moment.
Then, Tang Sanzang was the first to react.
He stood on the ruins beside the eukaryotic chamber, raised his staff, and pointed it toward the old seat of the lamp.
"Yes!" he shouted. "The strategist is right! What are you afraid of! You're afraid the world will know the truth! That's why you're hiding it! Now the rules are set, and anyone who dares to disobey is essentially admitting that their authority is questionable!"
The old lamp holder was trembling all over.
He suddenly realized that he was now in a difficult situation.
If he continues to attack, it is an open violation of the rules and an admission that his authority is questionable.
If he withdraws...
He stared intently at Chen Fan.
The latter was standing in front of the eukaryotic module, with his back to the bulkhead, his gaze calm.
"Strategist," Old Black ran over, "the true nuclear energy... is less than a quarter left."
"That's enough," Chen Fan said. "This rule is temporary and will last for a maximum of twelve hours. After twelve hours, the rule will automatically expire."
"And what about after twelve hours?!"
Chen Fan did not answer.
He looked out at the distant sea.
On the sea, waves rolled and churned.
At the horizon, it seemed that even more clouds were surging in.
"Twelve hours," he said softly, "is enough for us to do a lot of things."
End of chapter.
Suddenly, text reappeared on the surface of the eukaryotic chamber—
"A new sequence visitor has been detected."
"Access Level: Unknown"
"Target coordinates: Directly above Flower Fruit Mountain."
Chen Fan suddenly looked up.
The clouds in the sky parted.
A huge golden vertical eye slowly opened from the crack.
That look in his eyes—cold, dignified, and condescending.
It's like looking down at ants.
Chen Fan narrowed his eyes.
"The people from Heaven are finally coming out."
#Chapter 355 Whoever touches the true core, will be the first to run naked.
The text on the surface of the eukaryotic module is still dancing.
Chen Fan didn't even look at it.
His attention was entirely focused on the old seat of the lamp.
"Write the rules."
Three words popped out of Chen Fan's mouth.
The old man with the lamp lit up his face.
The aura emanating from him suddenly vanished at that moment.
It's like someone unplugged the power.
"Impossible..." Ran Deng looked down at his hands.
Those hands were no longer golden.
It is no longer the supreme crystal body of Buddhism.
Instead, it is grayish-white.
Covered in wrinkles.
Dry.
old.
Just like when he opened his eyes for the first time after being suppressed under the Five Finger Mountain for a thousand years.
The underground Flower and Fruit Mountain was witnessed by everyone watching.
"What's going on?!"
"Where is the Buddha's halo surrounding Dipankara?"
"How did he suddenly change like that?!"
Exclamations came from all directions.
Chen Fan took a step forward.
"You think eukaryotes are so easy to find?"
His voice wasn't loud, but every word struck like a hammer blow to the heart of the old lamp-burning seat.
"You've been a Buddhist monk for so many years... do you really think you're a Buddha?"
He suddenly looked up from the old seat where the lamp was lit.
Panic finally showed on that aged face.
"What...what nonsense are you spouting?!"
"Whether I'm lying or not, you know in your heart."
Chen Fan sneered.
"Experimental module custodian... this role is much more interesting than any Dipankara Buddha."
These words were spoken.
The entire room fell silent.
Tang Sanzang, who was calming his breathing in the back, suddenly opened his eyes upon hearing this.
"Experiment module custodian?"
He repeated it to himself.
Then, the monk, who was once the reincarnation of Jin Chanzi, slowly stood up.
His gaze shifted from shock to understanding, and finally to a cold smile.
"I see……"
Tang Sanzang took a step forward.
"So what you were guarding wasn't a Buddha, but a lock."
Six characters.
Every word is piercing to the heart.
The body of the old lamp-burning seat trembled violently.
"What...what do you know?!"
"I don't understand."
Tang Sanzang shook his head.
"But I know one thing."
He raised his hand and pointed to the old seat of the lamp.
"What Buddhism seeks to suppress is never demons."
"It's the truth."
The face of the old man with the lamp turned completely white at this moment.
wrong.
It's not white.
It's black.
Smoke began to rise from his body.
"The backlash from the eukaryotes... has begun."
Chen Fan said softly.
it is true.
The text on the surface of the eukaryotic module pulsed again—
"Unauthorized access detected."
"Start the cleanup process."
"Target: The Old Throne of the Burning Lamp".
"Countdown: Three seconds."
The old seat of the lamp finally panicked.
He suddenly turned around, wanting to run.
But suddenly, a beam of light shone from inside the nuclear chamber.
Golden light.
It is purer than his Buddha-light.
Even more dazzling.
The beam of light fell, striking the back of the old lampstand.
"Aaaaaaahh ...
Screams.
It wasn't shouted out.
It's squeezed out from every pore on your body.
The old lamp holder lay sprawled on the ground, his body curled up like a shrimp.
His skin was peeling off.
Like paper that has been burned, it falls off layer by layer.
Exposing what's inside...
It's not flesh and blood.
It's a machine.
It's a line.
It has a shimmering metallic sheen.
"So... you were modified too."
Chen Fan narrowed his eyes.
"Is this your true form?"
The old seat of the lamp burner was no longer able to speak.
His fighting spirit completely collapsed at this moment.
The light of the eukaryotes is still burning.
He was burning up, writhing and howling in pain, and finally struggled to his feet, staggering backward.
"Get out...get out of here now..."
His voice was no longer human.
Like a broken bellows, like a broken tape recorder.
Chen Fan didn't move.
He just watched.
"See you next time, I hope you can make a more spirited entrance."
The last vestige of dignity of the Burning Lamp Throne was utterly shattered by these words.
He dared not linger any longer.
With a flash, he disappeared between the sea and the sky.
The text on the surface of the eukaryotic module has finally returned to normal.
"Alarm over."
"The temporary rule has expired."
"Current rules page remaining: 50%".
Chen Fan looked down at the blank rule page in his hand.
What was originally a full sheet of paper is now only half left.
The other half has turned to ash and scattered with the wind.
"It really is a one-time use item."
He frowned.
A system notification sounded in my mind—
"Remaining energy detected in a blank rule page".
Current maximum number of writable rules: 2.
"Note: Larger rules require a higher-level platform."
Original media file: Not yet available.
Chen Fan's pupils contracted slightly.
Original media archive?
What is that?
Before he could think it through, the system added another sentence—
"A new enemy has been detected approaching."
"Target: The legitimate forces of Heaven."
Estimated arrival time: one hour.
Chen Fan took a deep breath.
One hour.
Twelve two-hour periods become one two-hour period.
It seems the Heavenly Court is getting restless.
In the distance, on the sea.
The real Yang Jian did not leave.
He held the three-pointed double-edged sword and watched this scene quietly.
The light above his forehead and eyes flickered.
"interesting."
He spoke.
"It's more valuable than I thought."
He turned around, took the Meishan brothers, and disappeared beneath the sea.
The underground of Huaguo Mountain.
All the generals watching the battle were in an uproar.
"The Ancient Buddha Dipankara... ran away?!"
"The strategist is awesome!!"
"They've completely exposed Buddhism's true colors!!"
The shouts rose in waves.
Chen Fan ignored all of that.
He looked down at the half-page of rules in his hand.
Only half is left.
The rules might need to be changed next time.
But what's more important now is—
Where is the original archive?
End of chapter.
Chen Fan raised his head and looked towards the nuclear module.
"How many secrets are still hidden within the eukaryote?"
He asked softly.
No one answered.
New text has emerged on the surface of the eukaryotic chamber—
"Third-order visitor".
"Permissions: Unknown".
"Coordinates: Core of Huaguo Mountain underground."
Chen Fan's expression changed slightly.
The underground core?
That is the deepest part of Flower Fruit Mountain.
The place where the Buddha was suppressed.
Before he could react, the eukaryotic chamber suddenly shook violently.
The hatch opened silently.
A hand reached out from inside.
A hand that doesn't belong to anyone.
Chapter 357 We also want to talk about the official version
The chapter begins by jumping straight into conflict and action:
The wind was strong at the mountaintop.
Chen Fan stood on the edge of the cliff, the paper ship wreckage still burning in the distance.
"Come out," he suddenly said. "You've been following me all this way."
A figure emerged from the shadows.
The one who arrived was indeed the real Erlang Shen, Yang Jian, without any heavenly soldiers or generals. He stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze fixed on Chen Fan.
"You're alone?" Chen Fan's lips curled into a slight smile. "You've got guts."
"I've come to make a deal with you," Yang Jian stated his purpose directly.
Chen Fan's eyes sharpened as he waited for the other party to continue.
"I've long suspected there's something wrong with the Heavenly Court's legitimacy," Yang Jian said in a deep voice, "but I can't openly oppose it; that would cause even greater chaos."
Chen Fan sneered: "So you want to act in secret?"
"I need your help to protect something," Yang Jian said, taking out an ancient jade pendant from his robes. "This is one of the pieces left behind when Nuwa mended the sky; I can sense its power."
"Protect it?" Chen Fan frowned. "What does that have to do with me?"
"Because you are the only one who can stop the Heavenly Court's conspiracy." Yang Jian looked directly at Chen Fan, "And I can tell you Chen Xuance's whereabouts."
Chen Fan's heart skipped a beat, but he remained outwardly calm: "What kind of deal?"
"Guard this jade pendant for me for ten years, and after ten years I will tell you Chen Xuance's exact location."
Chen Fan pondered for a moment, then finally nodded: "Okay, I promise you."
Yang Jian handed the jade pendant to Chen Fan: "Remember, this jade pendant must never leave your side, or it will bring disaster."
The moment Chen Fan received the jade pendant, he felt a powerful force flow into his body.
"Alright, here's the information." Yang Jian turned to leave. "Chen Xuance will appear in the 'Unused Opening Scroll Library' next time."
"What place is that?" Chen Fan pressed.
Yang Jian stopped and turned back, saying, "Only those related to the original carrier can enter."
Chen Fan wanted to ask more, but Yang Jian had already disappeared into the night. A cold glint flashed across his fingertip, and blood dripped down. The blood droplet was instantly absorbed upon touching the fragment, and the page emitted a faint golden light.
"It's done." Chen Fan said in a deep voice, "This aura can last for three days. Within three days, the traces of Yang Jian with the severed tail will not disappear."
Erlang Shen, staring intently at the incomplete scroll, asked in a hoarse voice, "What do you need?"
A smile appeared on Chen Fan's lips. "Where will Chen Xuance appear next?"
Erlang Shen's expression darkened. "He's in the unused opening scroll library."
Chen Fan pressed further, "What place is that?"
"That's a place forgotten before any story even began," Erlang Shen explained. "Only characters who embodied the original setting can enter."
Chen Fan's eyes flickered slightly, and he instantly understood the key point.
"Are you considered part of the original character?"
Erlang Shen smiled wryly, "I'm only half. That's why I can tell you the location, but I can't get in."
Chen Fan pondered. It seemed that only by finding someone truly connected to the original setting could he enter that space. But now, at least he had a goal.
"Do you have anything else to say?"
Erlang Shen hesitated for a moment, seemingly making some important decision. At the end of the chapter, suspense arose suddenly.
"There's one more thing," Yang Jian said in a low voice, "The Heavenly Court has recently been eliminating some 'destabilizing factors.'"
"What unstable factors?"
"Just like you, an uncontrollable variable." Yang Jian gave Chen Fan a deep look. "Be careful of the Heavenly Eye System; it can detect all anomalies."
Yang Jian turned to leave.
"Wait," Chen Fan called out to him, "Why are you helping me?"
Yang Jian stopped, his back to Chen Fan. "Because I also want to see what a world without the control of fate is like."
After saying that, his figure disappeared into the distorted space.
Chen Fan stood still, looking down at the fragment of Yang Jian's broken tail in his hand. A faint golden line appeared on the paper, pulsating slightly like a blood vessel.
"An unused opening volume library..." he repeated softly, "Interesting."
He looked up at the sky. In the direction of the Heavenly Court...
A dark cloud is gathering.
The Heavenly Eye System. It seems the Heavenly Court's counterattack came faster than he anticipated.
However, he likes it.
"Pass down the order," Chen Fan said to the shadows behind him. "Everyone, prepare. We're going into the 'opening document library' in three days."
"Strategist, only those associated with the original vessel are allowed inside."
"Then let's find one." Chen Fan sneered. "Sun Wukong is the originator of Journey to the West. Zhu Bajie, Sha Wujing—aren't they all original characters? Just tie one up at random."
"...Strategist, kidnap the immortals?"
"What's there to be afraid of?" Chen Fan turned and walked towards the cave. "The ETOs dare to rebel against even the Heavenly Court, what's a few gods being kidnapped?"
"yes!"
Chen Fan entered the cave and placed the fragment of the Broken-Tail Yang Jian scroll next to the True Core Pod. The golden patterns on the paper had completely disappeared, as if they had never existed.
But he knew that some things had changed.
Yang Jian is no longer an enemy.
At least for now.
The operation three days from now will determine the entire battle. He needs to find someone connected to the original vessel, gain access to the unused opening scroll library, and thwart Chen Xuance's conspiracy. This is a race against time.
Outside the cave, the mountain wind howled. The wreckage of the paper boat burned, crackling loudly. The dark clouds in the sky grew thicker, foreshadowing an approaching storm.
Chen Fan stood at the cave entrance, gazing at the distant sky. His eyes were deep and resolute, as if they could see through all hypocrisy and conspiracy. He would personally tear apart the darkness of the Heavenly Court, and he would personally reveal the truth.
The Heavenly Court's conspiracy is about to unfold in full force, and he is ready. This battle has only just begun.
#Chapter 357 I also want to talk about the official version
The wind on the mountaintop was very cold.
Chen Fan stood on the edge of the cliff, the paper ship's wreckage still burning in the distance, billowing black smoke rising straight into the sky. After listening to Yang Jian's words, he didn't answer immediately, but stared at the other for a long time.
"Did you come alone?"
"Alone," Yang Jian said, "without any heavenly soldiers."
"Aren't you afraid I'll kill you right here?"
Yang Jian shook his head. "You won't."
Why?
"Because you don't have a sure chance of winning," Yang Jian said calmly. "Besides, my death won't do you any good."
Chen Fan smiled.
"As expected of the genuine Erlang Shen." He finally nodded. "Alright, tell me about your deal."
Yang Jian didn't waste any words and went straight to the point.
"I've long suspected that the Heavenly Court's legitimacy is questionable," he said softly. "But I can't openly oppose it, at least not now."
Why?
"Because I am part of the Heavenly Court system," Yang Jian said with a wry smile. "If I openly betray them, the Heavenly Court will immediately list me as their number one enemy. At that time, not only me, but everyone in Guanjiang Estuary will suffer."
Chen Fan understood this concern.
"So you're planning to act covertly?"
"Yes." Yang Jian nodded. "I need an ally. An ally who is strong enough, crazy enough, and capable of standing up against the Heavenly Court."
"I?"
"It's you." Yang Jian looked directly at Chen Fan. "Chen Fan, or rather, your current name, Chen Xuance."
Chen Fan's eyes flickered slightly, but he didn't say anything.
"You should have already obtained the fragment of Yang Jian's severed tail," Yang Jian continued. "It's a failed attempt, an 'anomaly' that was eliminated by the Heavenly Court. If left unattended, it will completely dissipate within seventy-two hours."
"and then?"
"Then, it will take a part of my memories with it and disappear forever." Yang Jian's voice was calm, but Chen Fan could hear the bitterness in it. "I don't want to forget. Even the memories of failure are a part of me."
Chen Fan understood.
"You want me to prolong its life?"
"Yes," Yang Jian said. "In exchange, I'll tell you where Chen Xuance will appear next."
Chen Fan raised an eyebrow. "It's that simple?"
"Not simple," Yang Jian said. "No more than five people within the Heavenly Court know Chen Xuance's whereabouts. I am one of them. This information is worth the price."
Chen Fan pondered.
After a moment, he nodded.
"make a deal."
He took out the fragment of Yang Jian's broken-tailed scroll from his robes. The paper was already very fragile, and the writing on it was blurred and illegible, as if it might disappear at any moment.
Chen Fan bit his fingertip until it bled.
A drop of blood fell.
The paper shimmered slightly, and after absorbing the blood droplets, a faint golden pattern appeared.
"Three days," Chen Fan said. "This is the limit of my ability. This mark won't disappear within three days."
"That's enough." Yang Jian breathed a sigh of relief. "Now, tell me where Chen Xuance is."
Yang Jian did not answer immediately.
He looked at Chen Fan, his expression becoming complicated.
"Unused opening volume library".
"What place is that?"
"These are save points that were abandoned before any story even began," Yang Jian explained. "There are countless versions of Journey to the West, some of which are used, and some are not. The unused opening scroll library is where those 'unselected versions' are stored."
Chen Fan narrowed his eyes. "What was Chen Xuance doing there?"
"I don't know," Yang Jian shook his head, "but my men have seen him frequently going in and out of that area recently. He seems to be looking for something."
"Only those associated with the original carrier are allowed entry?"
"That's right," Yang Jian said. "Unused opening scrolls will automatically identify the character's identity. If you're not a character from the original story, going in is a death sentence."
Chen Fan understood.
"You're not a character from the original work?"
"I'm only half," Yang Jian said with a wry smile. "So all I can tell you is the location; I can't get in."
Chen Fan pondered.
It seems we need to find someone who is truly connected to the original Journey to the West setting to help us.
"Is there any other intelligence?" Chen Fan asked.
Yang Jian hesitated for a moment.
"Yes." He lowered his voice. "The Heavenly Court has recently been clearing out 'unstable elements'."
"What do you mean?"
"It's people like you who are variables," Yang Jian said, looking at Chen Fan. "Existences not controlled by fate. The Heavenly Court's system will list you as threats and then eliminate you in a targeted manner."
Chen Fan's eyes turned cold.
"What methods were used?"
"The Heavenly Eye System," Yang Jian said. "That's the Heavenly Court's core monitoring network, capable of detecting all abnormal energy fluctuations within the Three Realms. Your recent actions have been too drastic; you've likely already been flagged."
Chen Fan was displeased.
But he didn't show it on his face.
"Thanks," he said. "I'll remember this favor."
Yang Jian shook his head. "Each takes what they need."
He turned to leave.
"Wait a minute," Chen Fan suddenly called out to him.
"Is there anything else?"
"Why are you helping me?" Chen Fan asked. "Just for that incomplete piece of the Yang Jian with the broken tail? You're the real Erlang Shen, what kind of subordinates can't you have?"
Yang Jian stopped in his tracks.
After a moment of silence, he spoke.
"Because I want to see the truth."
"What's the truth?"
"The truth hidden by the system." Yang Jian's voice was soft. "The Journey to the West that Heaven told us is the only version. But I know it's not the real one. Chen Fan, I've been watching what you've done. You're breaking the shackles, you're tearing open the true face of Heaven. I want to know what's behind those shackles."
Chen Fan smiled.
"It's that simple?"
"It's that simple."
After Yang Jian finished speaking, he vanished from the spot in a flash.
Chen Fan stood there, looking down at the broken-tailed Yang Jian fragment in his hand. The golden patterns on the paper had completely disappeared, as if nothing had ever happened.
But he knew that some things had changed.
"Unused opening volume library..." he repeated softly.
Three days.
He needs to find a character related to the original setting of Journey to the West, and then enter that hellish place.
Sun Wukong?
Pigsy (Zhu Bajie)?
Sha Wujing?
White Dragon Horse?
Just tie any one together; it should work.
Chen Fan turned and walked down the mountain.
At the foot of the mountain, the allied forces were resting. The recent battle had left many wounded, but no one had retreated.
"Strategist!" a little demon ran over, "What's the next step?"
"Prepare for the operation three days from now," Chen Fan said. "We're going to kidnap them."
"Whom should we rob?"
"Stealing the original protagonist of Journey to the West."
The little demon paused for a moment, then nodded.
"yes!"
Chen Fan looked up at the sky.
Dark clouds covered the direction of the Heavenly Court.
The Sky Eye System...
interesting.
This is the real challenge.
But he likes it.
Chapter 358 Opening Volume Library
When Chen Fan kicked open the seal at the deepest part of the true core chamber, he didn't even look behind him.
The gray-robed sutra reader and the fragments of the author's agent followed closely behind, the air filled with turbulent energy.
"Strategist, what's down there—" The little demon leader didn't finish his sentence.
"Shut up." Chen Fan pressed down, and the void chains directly wrapped around the three bronze guards that appeared out of thin air in front of him, crushing them all with a "crack".
No more nonsense, let's just go straight in.
The door to the archive appeared before them, but it wasn't a door; it was a vortex of thousands upon thousands of suspended books, each with a year engraved on its spine, the oldest dating back to the beginning of chaos.
"Is this the original script library?" Chen Fan looked up, and the gray-robed Scripture Reader had already floated to the front of the vortex.
"To be precise, it's an 'opening template library'." The gray-robed man's voice was dry. "There are countless versions of Journey to the West. Every time traveler is randomly matched with a template version to enter."
Chen Fan sneered: "So, I got the Five Finger Mountain monkey-feeding box from a blind box?"
"No." The gray-robed man raised his hand, and void chains automatically appeared. "You are the... nine hundred and twenty-third attempter. But your template has been specially processed." He pointed to the center of the vortex. "See for yourself."
Chen Fan stepped in.
dizziness.
Countless images flashed before my eyes:
*In a modern school, Chen Fan, a poor student, is bullied. In the last second before jumping off a building, the Journey to the West System is activated: The host will travel to the Five Finger Mountain to feed Sun Wukong a hundred-year-old fruit to help him complete his journey to the West.
*In an ancient village, Chen Fan, a sickly young boy, was on the verge of death—"Host found to fit the Journey to the West supporting character template, immediately deployed."
*A cultivator sect, Chen Fan, a menial servant, is compared to... by his master; chased to the brink of death—"System detection: Can be transformed into a member of the pilgrimage team, forced time travel initiated."
*……
Dozens of "Chen Fans," from different eras and with different ways of dying, all point to the same starting point: Wuzhi Mountain.
Chen Fan's temples throbbed.
"So I didn't accidentally travel through time." His voice was hoarse. "Someone... is mass-producing 'supporting characters for the Journey to the West'?"
"Not only that." The gray-robed sutra-observing figure pointed to the deepest part, "Your template number '923-Special' has a note: 'Experimental variable, allowing local fate to be altered'."
Chen Fan's pupils suddenly contracted.
Local?
That is to say, his time travel itself was designed, and the emergence of the "morality-free system" was also part of the plan.
"Who designed it?" He clenched his fist.
"I don't know. But the only ones who can access the original template are—" Before the gray-robed man could finish speaking, the southernmost part of the archive suddenly went dark.
It is not darkness.
The light was swallowed up.
A black light slowly illuminated itself.
Chen Xuance's voice came from all directions, calm yet tinged with laughter:
"Chen Fan. You actually found this place."
Chen Fan whirled around, void chains exploding around him: "Chen Xuance! You've been following me all this time?"
"No." The black light grew brighter. "I'm waiting for you. Waiting for you to see these 'templates,' waiting for you to understand... we are all 'shells' that have been placed there."
"What do you mean?"
"Literal meaning." The black light coalesced into a human form, and Chen Xuance appeared in the center of the archives, still wearing the same black robe, but his face was even paler than before. "You think you're a transmigrator? No. We are all 'shells' thrown down from the upper world. Cogs in a script."
Chen Fan's mind was buzzing.
壳？
So his thoughts, memories, emotions... are all fake?
"You're talking nonsense!" Chen Fan took a step forward, and the void chains lashed out. "Even if you're just a shell, I can tear you apart right now!"
Chen Xuance did not dodge.
The moment the chains struck his body, he vanished in a wisp of black smoke.
"It's no use." The voice came from above. "I'm just a projection here. My real body... is at the very bottom of the archive."
Chen Fan looked up and saw that the black light had already enveloped the entire top of the warehouse and was seeping downwards.
"You came all this way just to tell me this?" Chen Fan sneered. "And then what? What do you want?"
"Cooperation." Chen Xuance's voice carried a hint of urgency for the first time. "We are all 'shells,' but you can break the rules. Your amoral system... can rewrite the underlying code."
"And then what? Become your pawn?"
"No." The black light paused. "Be the one who plays the game."
The air froze.
Chen Fan scanned his surroundings. The gray-robed sutra-observing figure remained motionless, while the fragments of the author's proxy model trembled slightly.
All the images of the "Chen Fan template" are disappearing rapidly, leaving only one set of images:
*In the blank hall, two humanoid silhouettes stand in the center.
*The label on the left reads: "Official Proposal - Core Member of the Journey to the West Team (Sun Wukong's Ally)"
*The right side is marked: "Discarded Case - Fate has deviated too far; destruction recommended."
Chen Fan stared at the words "discarded case" and suddenly smiled.
"Chen Xuance, you're telling me all this because..."
He abruptly pointed to the silhouette on the left: "That 'main body,' is that the spot reserved for me? And you, on the right?"
The black light fluctuated violently.
"So you're getting impatient." Chen Fan walked forward step by step, his footsteps cracking the archive floor. "You've discovered that 'scrapped cases' are gradually becoming 'official cases,' so you want to turn me into your 'shell' before that happens?"
"You're too smart." Chen Xuance's voice showed emotion for the first time, even carrying a hint of fear. "But not smart, just stupid. You think breaking fate is cool? You're just following a higher script."
"Higher?" Chen Fan stopped, looking up at the two silhouettes. "Who is higher? Buddha? Jade Emperor? Or—"
He didn't finish speaking.
The volume storage unit suddenly shook violently.
All the floating books suddenly opened, their pages flipping wildly, each one oozing blood.
The grey-robed sutra-observing man suddenly cried out in a hoarse voice, "Oh no! The original template has been tampered with!"
Chen Fan turned around and saw that in all the previous "Chen Fan template" images, a line of bloody text had appeared:
"Delete 923-Special, start 924-Normal".
The next instant, the ground in the very center of the archive cracked open.
Two blank humanoid shells slowly rose up.
The one on the left has the exact same outline as Chen Fan.
The one on the right, its outline...
Exactly the same as Chen Xuance.
The two shells together lit up with a faint light.
Chen Fan felt a chill run down his spine.
"This is……"
"The final version." Chen Xuance's voice came from within the black light, carrying a hint of relief. "None of us are original. We are just... containers waiting to be filled."
Chen Fan stared at the two shells, especially the outline of the "discarded case" on the right.
Suddenly, he smiled.
He laughed very loudly.
"Chen Xuance, what are you panicking about?"
He walked step by step toward the "discarded case" shell on the right:
"If I'm a rejected case, then you've stayed with me until now—and what are you then?"
My fingers gently touched that cool outline.
"and……"
He whirled around, and the void chains exploded towards the deepest part of the vault:
"If you're willing to fight for a 'formal' proposal, why didn't you just write it as a 'discarded' proposal? Why wait until now?"
The black light trembled violently.
Chen Xuance did not answer.
But at the top of the archive, the last wisp of black light suddenly contracted, coalescing into a huge, burning eye.
That eye was cold, dignified, and condescending.
It's like watching two shells about to be filled.
Chen Fan looked up and met those eyes.
three seconds.
Five seconds.
He suddenly whispered:
"So... the saying 'watching a game without speaking' is true."
End of chapter.
Both humanoid shells simultaneously emitted a soft "click" sound.
On the left side of the "main case" shell, a golden seal appears on the forehead.
On the right side of the "discarded case" shell, a black crack appears on the chest.
Black light slowly closed its eyes.
The archive has returned to silence.
Only Chen Fan's breathing could be heard, one breath after another, in the vast ocean of ancient texts.
He looked down at his hands—the lines on them seemed exactly the same as the cracks on the chest of the "discarded case".
In the distance, outside the true core module, the golden light from the direction of the Heavenly Court was getting closer and closer.
Three days.
Erlang Shen's challenge.
And this body in front of us...
His own shell.
Chen Fan suddenly and very slowly wrapped the Void Chains around his right hand.
"Strategist?" the demon leader asked in a trembling voice, "Should we... still leave?"
Chen Fan did not answer.
He stared at the discarded case file on the right and said softly:
"Leave? Of course I'll leave."
"But this time..."
He pressed his fingers to his chest.
Let's take the seashells with us.
Deep within the archive, the faint light from the two humanoid shells flickered simultaneously.
It's like... a heartbeat.
Chapter 359 You and I were originally one shell
Just as Chen Fan's fingers touched his chest, a blinding white light suddenly shone from the depths of the archive.
The two humanoid shells vibrated simultaneously.
The shell on the left—marked "Proper Case"—began to have dense text appear on its surface. The shell on the right, labeled "Discarded Case," seemed to be melting, its outline becoming blurred.
"Strategist!" the demon leader cried out in alarm, "They're moving!"
Chen Fan ignored him.
He stared at the two shells, his pupils suddenly contracting.
Because he saw—
The chest areas of both shells simultaneously lit up with identical light patterns.
The shape of the light pattern was exactly the same as the system mark on his palm.
"What's going on..." he muttered to himself.
Just then, a voice came from the entrance to the volume storage room.
"You've finally found this place."
Chen Fan suddenly turned around.
A figure emerged from the shadows.
He wore a blue robe, had a long beard, and possessed a cool and aloof demeanor.
That face—
Chen Fan's breath hitched.
That face bore a striking resemblance to his.
He was just more mature and composed, and his eyes no longer held that carefree attitude, but rather a deep and unfathomable calmness.
"Chen Xuance," Chen Fan blurted out.
The other party nodded slightly.
"You arrived three hours earlier than I expected," Chen Xuance said, his tone as calm as if he were stating the weather.
Chen Fan stared at him, his right hand already gripping the Void Chains.
"Have you been spying on me?"
"It's not surveillance," Chen Xuance shook his head, "it's observation."
He walked slowly toward the two humanoid shells, each step pressing on Chen Fan's taut nerves.
"You must have many questions," Chen Xuance said. "Now, I can answer three for you."
Chen Fan sneered.
You think I'd believe you?
"Believe it or not." Chen Xuance stopped in front of the "main case" shell, reaching out to stroke its surface. "But don't you want to know why you had those hundred years of amnesia?"
Chen Fan stopped moving.
Those hundred years.
For a hundred years, he was trapped under the Five Finger Mountain, feeding Sun Wukong fruit day after day.
He remembers every day and night, but he can't remember how he came to be.
It seemed to appear there out of thin air.
"You..." Chen Fan's voice tightened, "Do you know why?"
Chen Xuance turned around and looked him straight in the eye.
"Because of you, we were originally just a shell."
These words struck like a thunderbolt.
Chen Fan's mind went blank.
"What do you mean?" he blurted out.
Chen Xuance raised his hand and pointed to the two humanoid shells.
"The one on the left is the original case file. The one on the right is the discarded case file."
"The 'positive shell' is responsible for maintaining the stability of the experimental field, ensuring that the Journey to the West script proceeds according to its established course. The 'rejected shell' is responsible for continuing the trial and error process when failures occur, seeking new possibilities."
He paused, his gaze falling on Chen Fan.
"I am the vessel of the main body."
"And you—"
Chen Fan felt as if his heart was being squeezed.
"You are the vessel for the discarded case," Chen Xuance said. "We originated from the same original template, only assigned different functions."
The archive fell silent.
The little demon leader opened his mouth wide, unable to utter a single word.
Chen Fan's mind raced.
Same original template...
The approved and rejected proposals...
Maintaining stability and continuing the trial and error process...
"Then why did I lose my memory?" he pressed. "Why did I end up at the foot of Five Finger Mountain?"
Chen Xuance's eyes flickered.
"Because the discarded case should have been sunk to the bottom forever."
He turned and walked toward a row of bookshelves deep inside the archive.
"According to the original design, the primary solution shell was to dominate everything, while the secondary solution shell was merely a backup plan. Once the primary solution was running smoothly, the secondary solution shell should be permanently sealed in the deepest part of the volume repository, never to be activated again."
He stopped in front of a yellowed spool and ran his fingers over its surface.
"But the true core activated you ahead of time."
Chen Fan's pupils suddenly contracted.
"Eukaryotic?"
"The system within you isn't an amoral system," Chen Xuance said. "That's the outward manifestation of the true core. The true core is the real essence; it chose you as its vessel to awaken the abandoned case from its dormant state."
He turned around, already holding the yellowed spool in his hand.
"Why did it choose me?" Chen Fan asked.
Chen Xuance did not answer directly.
"The three questions are answered," he said. "Now, it's a matter of who gets this first."
He raised the scroll in his hand.
Four large characters are clearly visible on the surface of the scroll—
[Opening Record Summary]
Chen Fan's eyes narrowed.
Opening record summary?
What is that?
As if sensing his confusion, Chen Xuance explained, "This scroll contains the initial settings for the entire Journey to the West experimental field. Whoever obtains it can rewrite the opening rules."
He paused, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"Don't you want to know how you were originally brought into this world?"
Chen Fan did not hesitate.
The void chains popped out instantly, heading straight for the scroll in Chen Xuance's hand.
But Chen Xuance was prepared.
He dodged to the side, and at the same time, he waved his hand, creating a cyan light barrier in front of him.
The chains struck the light screen, producing a piercing metallic scraping sound.
"Your reaction was faster than I expected," Chen Xuance said, "but it's not enough."
He stepped back, creating some distance.
Chen Fan did not pursue.
He turned to look at the two humanoid shells.
"Little demon," he whispered, "take those two shells away."
"Yes!" The little demon leader immediately ordered his men to rush towards the two humanoid shells.
Chen Xuance frowned slightly.
"You're stalling for time."
"I'm preparing for both scenarios," Chen Fan said. "You want the opening record volume, I want those two shells."
"You can't take them away," Chen Xuance said. "They're bound to the volume database; forcibly taking them will trigger—"
Before he could finish speaking, the little demon leader had already grabbed the shell of the "discarded case".
The entire warehouse shook violently.
The ceiling began to collapse, and the bookshelves toppled over.
"Trigger what?" Chen Fan sneered. "This?"
Chen Xuance's expression changed slightly.
"Are you crazy? A warehouse collapse would—"
"What will happen?" Chen Fan interrupted him. "Will it expose the vulnerabilities of the experimental field? Will it cause the eukaryotes to go out of control?"
He took a step forward, the void chains swirling in his hands.
"I never wanted to play by your rules in the first place."
Chen Xuance stared at him, his eyes changing for the first time.
It was a kind of... scrutiny.
"You really are the vessel for a discarded case," he said softly. "You're far more destructive than constructive."
"Thank you for the compliment," Chen Fan said. "Now, give me the scroll."
Chen Xuance did not move.
He stood in the center of the collapsed archive, surrounded by falling debris, yet he seemed detached from it all.
"I can give you the scroll," he said, "but you can't take it with you."
Why?
"Because the scroll requires authorization from the main case to open," Chen Xuance said. "What you received was just a roll of blank paper."
Chen Fan narrowed his eyes.
"You're bluffing me."
"You can give it a try." Chen Xuance tossed the scroll to him.
Chen Fan raised his hand and caught it.
The roll felt incredibly light, almost weightless.
He unrolled the scroll—
blank.
It's truly blank.
"Now you believe me?" Chen Xuance said, "Only I can activate it."
Chen Fan closed the scroll and sneered.
"Then you absolutely cannot leave here alive."
He suddenly attacked.
The void chains transformed into several black shadows, surrounding Chen Xuance from all directions.
This time, he didn't hold back.
Each chain carried a sharp edge capable of tearing through space, aimed directly at Chen Xuance's vitals.
Chen Xuance dodged repeatedly, his figure moving so fast that only afterimages remained.
But the archives were collapsing, and his room for maneuver was shrinking.
"You're going to ruin the entire experimental site!" Chen Xuance shouted.
"Then it's ruined," Chen Fan said. "Anyway, it was a scrapped case from the start."
Chen Xuance's eyes turned completely cold.
"Since that's the case—"
A blinding light suddenly shone from his chest.
That is--
Dark.
The same black light as the one inside Chen Fan's body.
But Chen Xuance's black light was golden.
"You think you're the only one with the gift of the true core?" Chen Xuance said. "The authority of the true shell far exceeds your imagination."
Golden light erupted from his body, instantly creating a barrier that forcibly stabilized the collapsing archive.
Chen Fan felt an immense pressure bearing down on him.
That's... the suppression of one's realm.
Chen Xuance's strength is greater than his.
Moreover, it is much taller than that.
"Now, I'm going to show you something," Chen Xuance said. "After you see it, you'll understand why discarded case files must be buried at the bottom forever."
He raised his hand, and golden light condensed into a screen of light.
Images began to appear on the light screen—
It was a chaotic void.
In the void, a figure is falling.
The figure looked exactly like Chen Fan.
But his eyes were empty, and he seemed completely unconscious.
It's like an empty shell.
In the scene, the figure falls continuously, passing through layer after layer of barriers, finally landing in a familiar place—
At the foot of Wuzhi Mountain.
The image freezes.
Chen Fan was breathing rapidly.
That's him.
That was the scene when he was first thrown into the world of Journey to the West.
"See that?" Chen Xuance's voice came from behind the light screen. "You're not a time traveler."
"You were manufactured."
"You never had a past."
Chen Fan stared at the empty figure in the image, his fingers clenched so tightly they turned white.
"You're lying to me," he gritted his teeth. "I have memories, I have—"
"Everything you have was implanted," Chen Xuance interrupted him. "Your memories, your personality, your so-called past life—they're all just template settings."
He took a step forward, and the golden light became even more dazzling.
"You think you're a time traveler because the template gave you these memories."
"You think you're rebelling against fate because the template has already dictated your rebelliousness."
"You think you're subverting Journey to the West because the function of the discarded draft is trial and error."
He paused, his voice low.
"You were just a tool from beginning to end."
Chen Fan fell silent.
He lowered his head and looked at the void chains in his hand.
The chains were trembling slightly.
It's not because of fear.
It's because of anger.
"Tools?" he repeated the word softly.
Then, he looked up.
He had a smile on his face.
That smile was cold and sharp.
"You're right, I might be a tool."
"But tools—"
He suddenly attacked, his void chains piercing straight for Chen Xuance's chest.
"It can also turn against its master."
Chen Xuance's pupils suddenly contracted.
He didn't expect Chen Fan to be able to fight back under these circumstances.
The golden barrier blocked the chains, but the impact forced him to take a half step back.
"Are you crazy?" Chen Xuance roared. "You can't beat me at all!"
"Even if we can't win, we have to fight," Chen Fan said. "That's what a discarded case should be like, isn't it?"
He launched a continuous attack, disregarding defense with every strike, displaying a completely desperate attitude.
Chen Xuance was forced to retreat.
"You're asking for it!"
"Then try killing me," Chen Fan sneered. "If you kill me, the primary shell will lose its control sample, and the eukaryote will immediately detect the anomaly."
Chen Xuance paused in his movements.
He was right.
The original case and the rejected case are a matching set; neither can be missing.
If the discarded shell is destroyed, the eukaryotic system will initiate an emergency procedure, and the entire experimental site will be restarted.
That was the last thing Chen Xuance wanted to see.
"You..." he gritted his teeth, "Are you trying to force me to compromise?"
"I'm forcing you to negotiate," Chen Fan said. "Give me the actual contents of the opening record, and I'll let you go."
The two faced off.
The surrounding golden barrier began to falter, and the collapsing vault emitted a deafening roar.
The demon leader had already retreated to a safe area with two humanoid shells, watching this side nervously.
Chen Xuance stared at Chen Fan with a complicated expression.
"You're more difficult than I thought," he finally said.
"Is this a compliment?" Chen Fan asked.
"This is a warning," Chen Xuance said. "The information you have now is just the tip of the iceberg."
He raised his hand, and the golden light dissipated, revealing a jade slip in his palm.
"This contains the actual contents of the opening record volume."
He tossed the jade slip to Chen Fan.
"Take it."
Chen Fan caught the jade slip, but did not let his guard down.
Why did you compromise?
"Because I want to see just how far the abandoned case shell can go," Chen Xuance said. "Since True Core has chosen you, I'll give you this opportunity."
He turned and walked towards a hidden door deep inside the archives.
But remember—
His voice came from behind.
"You and I are merely shells. The true core is the essence."
"When the eukaryote decides to discard you, you won't even have a chance to struggle."
The hidden door opened, and Chen Xuance's figure disappeared into the darkness.
Chen Fan stood there, clutching the jade slip, without making a move for a long time.
"Strategist..." the demon leader approached cautiously, "We...won?"
Chen Fan did not answer.
He put the jade slip into his pocket and turned to look at the two humanoid shells.
"Take him away," he said. "Let's go back."
"yes!"
The group quickly evacuated the collapsed warehouse.
Chen Fan walked at the back, Chen Xuance's words echoing in his mind—
"You never had a past."
"You were just a tool from beginning to end."
He looked down at his hands.
The hand was trembling slightly.
It's not because of fear.
It was because something indescribable was churning inside my chest.
He looked up, gazing in the direction of the warehouse exit.
"Tools..." he murmured to himself, "Is that so?"
"Then I'll show you—"
"How did the tool manage to overturn its master?"