Chapter 220: Behind the Screen

"The legends are true..."

Shen Youran stared at the item description, murmuring in a daze.

"What legends?" Yan Jing asked.

"The legends of Chongming. More accurately, the legends of an entire era."

Shen Youran looked excitedly at the ferocious wing. "Transcendent power doesn't just exist in our time. It's been around for tens of thousands of years, maybe even longer! The myths recorded in the Surface World might exist because some Mutation occurred in the Inner World, causing those powers to bleed over into ours!"

"Xiao Yanzi, my parents might have been on the right track! If every Ritual uses the bodies of those ancient entities, someone might actually be able to reach the Summit!"

As she spoke, she turned away to wipe her eyes. Then, she faced Yan Jing again with a bright smile.

"Xiao Yanzi, a black-orange quality Third Rite. I don't think anyone in Yueyin has ever possessed something like this."

"This belongs to you!"

Yan Jing looked at the radiant smile on Shen Youran's face and was momentarily entranced. He reached out, brushing his fingers against the wing, and smiled.

"This belongs to us."

[Player Name: Yan Jing]

[Player Title: Chooser of Chaos and Order]

[Player Level: Third Tier, Experience (12.25%/100%)]

[Ritual:

Day Selection Ritual: Fear Sapling (Purple-Black)

Calming Rite: Lord of Execution's Silk Thread (Black)

Incense Burning Rite: Pending]

Looking at his status screen, Yan Jing immediately initiated the integration of the Incense Burning Rite.

Bong! Bong! Bong!

Unlike before, the moment Yan Jing entered that pitch-black space, he heard the tolling of a massive bell.

The Screen before him wasn't pitch-black like before either. It lit up immediately, revealing nine massive stars slowly revolving in the sky. They cast down light, dividing the space into distinct Domains.

But the biggest difference was the bizarre, ferocious silhouettes within the Screen. Whether it was just his imagination or not, they actually bore traces of color. Ribbons... armor... flaming tails... tentacles... These fragmented traits gave Yan Jing a few guesses about the figures before him.

"Burn the incense! Burn the incense!"

A figure urged.

Yan Jing calmly took out the wing and placed it in front of the meditation cushion. Unexpectedly, the moment he did so, the figures in the Screen fell into an absolute frenzy!

"Impossible!"

"It has the aura of that place!"

"It's true! It's the aura of that place!"

"Did anyone who came today ever go there?!"

"I've never been there, but I can smell something else."

"Exactly! It's the scent of extinction!"

"No, no, no, there's more. It's... it's the sacrificial idol of that being..."

"Terrifying, absolutely terrifying! Three scents! Burn the incense! Hurry up and burn the incense!"

"Yes! Burn the incense! Burn it! We hit the jackpot today!"

"Burn the incense!"

"Burn the incense!"

The figures inside the Great Curtain urged frantically in unison. Their overlapping voices swelled together, eventually overpowering the tolling bells.

Yan Jing's hand holding the wing paused.

"You can see my movements, and I can see you. I can hear your voices, so... can you hear me too?"

"..."

The Screen instantly went dead silent.

Even the strange silhouettes froze completely.

They were actually playing dead.

Yan Jing chuckled.

However, this pretty much confirmed they could hear everything he said.

He set the Wings of Praying for Death in front of the cushion, picked up the three sticks of incense next to the censer, planted them inside, and lit them.

He muttered under his breath, "I almost died last time. I don't know if the clash between hot and cold was just too intense, but you guys need to eat cleaner. If I die, who's going to bring you stuff? I still have my parents to feed, a newborn baby brother, a pregnant wife..."

"Sigh, living is so hard."

After saying his piece, he sat back on the cushion and closed his eyes.

Tick! Tick! Tick!

A second type of chime echoed.

What had originally sounded highly ritualistic now carried a completely different implication for Yan Jing.

It sounded like a dinner bell signaling that it was time to eat.

Soon, that rustling sound of eating returned.

Only this time, he could faintly hear some low murmuring.

"Is this kid telling the truth..."

"He's bluffing us..."

"Wants us to lend a hand..."

"Should we help him..."

"Might as well, might as well..."

"Let's skip the usual rules. Such a good item..."

The voices quickly faded away. The wing transformed into a stream of icy energy and drilled into Yan Jing's body.

Then, right on cue, the hot and cold currents appeared one after another.

Yan Jing was already well accustomed to the process.

To his pleasant surprise, the sensations of extreme heat and biting cold were significantly weaker than his second time. At the very least, those dark clusters of flame didn't appear.

Although it was still stronger than his first Ritual, a black-orange quality item had already broken the limits of a conventional Third Tier. And right now, the wing was evolving toward pure orange. The fact that the backlash was this mild proved that communication really did work.

A few minutes later, to the ticking of the electronic clock in his ear, he opened his eyes.

Vortices of chaos seemed to evolve within his eyes. Tens of thousands of crisscrossing silk threads already existed there, but now, a star born from a vortex joined them. As time passed, the star ebbed and flowed—bursting with vibrant life, then stepping steadily toward death, only to collapse back into a vortex and repeat the cycle.

Yan Jing's weird energy surged. A massive, pitch-black wing unfurled from behind his right shoulder, instantly cramming the entire living room. After advancing to orange quality, the wing's eight main bones had become nine, and the secondary bones had increased to eighty-one.

Double-pupiled eyes suddenly snapped open across the wing, all looking toward Shen Youran.

In Shen Youran's eyes, the current Yan Jing looked just like a Demigod from the legends. He possessed human features, yet radiated an aura that was incredibly sacred and powerful.

Watching this surreal scene, she couldn't help reaching out, as if wanting to touch his body.

In this moment, she finally understood why her Clan had dedicated so much time and effort to the investor profession.

When she was young, she had viewed the profession merely as her Clan's livelihood. She had chalked up her parents' passion for the industry to their love for their work and their desire to expand the Clan's business.

After the Shen Family fell, her definition of the industry changed.

It was perhaps more than just a simple job. At the very least... it represented power.

And with power came the possibility of revenge.

That was why she had poured everything she had into forging a Seed—a genius who walked far ahead of the masses.

Her parents' enthusiasm for the profession also gained a new meaning in her heart: it was a thirst for power.

But it wasn't until this very moment, seeing Yan Jing stand there like a legendary Demigod, that she finally understood her parents' true intentions.

Setting aside bonds and emotions, no investor could look at such an investee and not be moved!

This was a true masterpiece! A one-of-a-kind work of art!

And she had contributed a part to this masterpiece!

A part of it belonged to her!

Therefore, it was worth spending her entire life to perfect it!

One day, everyone in this world would behold a true Deity!

And a piece of that Deity belonged to her!

Belonged to her, Shen Youran!

Tears of sheer excitement welled up in Shen Youran's eyes. Meanwhile, Yan Jing was completely bewildered.

'What is Teacher Shen getting so crazy about?'

"..."

He blinked. "Teacher Shen, do you want some milk?"

"I'll drink it, I'll drink it."

Shen Youran handed over her glass. Yan Jing noticed that her hands were trembling slightly.

Yan Jing turned around to pour the milk. Suddenly, as if sensing something, he glanced back and saw Shen Youran clutching a pillow on the sofa, spazzing out:

"He's even getting milk for me, so handsome, so handsome, so handsome..."

"..."

The moment she saw Yan Jing looking, Shen Youran immediately sat properly and looked down at her phone.

Yan Jing turned back around, and the exact same sounds immediately resumed behind him.

It wasn't until Yan Jing retracted his wing that the situation finally improved.

[Incense Burning Rite: Wings of Praying for Death - Chongming]

[Quality: Orange]

[Incense Burning Rite Ability 1: Chongming - Ward Off Evil]

[Thoroughly trigger the power of Chongming to enter the Chongming State, restoring your body to its peak condition. For five minutes, the effectiveness of all abilities based on weird energy in your presence will be reduced, and all your physical attributes will receive a massive boost. Once this ability is used, it takes one month to recover the power of Chongming.]

[Incense Burning Rite Ability 2: Praying for Death Evolution]

[A brand-new stance comprehended by Chongming in a special state, praying for death amid the cycle of reincarnation.

If applied to an ability, Praying for Death Evolution allows you to nullify any ability up to two Tiers higher than your own. If the ability is continuous, the nullification is brief. Usable up to twice a day.

If applied directly to a target, it forces them to comprehend the agony of reincarnation, accelerating their path toward death. No usage limit.]

[Incense Burning Rite Additional Trait: Chongming. When you flap the wing, you can dispel darkness, turning the gloomy into the bright. Furthermore, you naturally gain a portion of the speed and strength of Praying for Death - Chongming.]

A defense-oriented Ritual.

Yan Jing assessed the strength of the two abilities. The physical boost from the Chongming State probably wasn't as high as the Second Stage of his Fear Stance, but compared to the heavy toll the Fear Stance took, the price of the Chongming State was negligible.

Most importantly, it could restore his body to peak condition! That feature alone made this Incense Burning Rite entirely worth it!

Coupled with the five-minute reduction in effectiveness for all weird energy-based abilities and the ability nullification of Praying for Death Evolution.

And it came with an extra trait.

It certainly lived up to the standard of a Ritual that had broken past the regular Incense Burning Rite by two levels.

Yan Jing nodded in satisfaction. Then, looking at Shen Youran, who was still staring intently at him, he smiled.

"Alright, Teacher Shen, I'm going into seclusion now."

"Okay."

Shen Youran nodded, but her feet didn't move.

"I'm going into seclusion now."

Yan Jing reminded her again.

"Mhm."

Shen Youran nodded. She stood up, but her feet still wouldn't budge.

"Phew—"

Yan Jing let out a soft sigh and smiled helplessly.

"How about another glass of milk before you leave?"

"Okay!"

Shen Youran instantly plopped back onto the sofa, nodding happily. "Just one glass, and I'll definitely leave after I finish it!"

"Careful not to give yourself a stomachache."

"If I get a stomachache, you can take me to—"

"Not a chance."

...

Ten minutes later, after seeing Shen Youran out, Yan Jing opened the Ghoulish Life Role-playing Game.

With his advancement complete, it was time to start building his Monopoly empire.