Chapter 1585 - 761:

Chapter 1585: Chapter 761:

"At that time, I was too young and too weak, unable to do anything. I could only swallow the blood down my throat, struggle to survive, and silently wait for the chance for revenge..."

Cheng Jiashu spoke softly, as if he had finally found the opportunity to vent the longstanding depression buried in his heart.

The music of the carousel around remained cheerful and pleasant, yet it could not mask the chill spreading in the air.

Fang Cheng stepped forward, raised his hand to pat his shoulder, comforting him:

"It’s all over now. The current you is no longer that helpless child from back then."

Cheng Jiashu turned his head, looking at Fang Cheng’s hand on his shoulder, suddenly smiling, the coldness in his eyes dissipating instantly.

"Yes, it’s all in the past. Later, I lived alone, struggled in society, learned to sing, learned to act, grew up bit by bit, and became mature."

"Thinking back now, those childhood events feel as distant as if they happened in a past life."

"So, you want to preserve the most beautiful part of your childhood memory forever in your Consciousness World?"

Fang Cheng withdrew his hand, glanced around the amusement park, expressing his understanding.

Cheng Jiashu shrugged, not continuing the heavy topic, instead staring into Fang Cheng’s eyes:

"All right, don’t give me a psychological counseling session. You never do anything without a reason; coming here in the middle of the night, what exactly do you want?"

Fang Cheng smiled, speaking openly:

"I just wanted to see your newly constructed Spiritual Secret Realm, and at the same time, understand how it’s different from my world."

Cheng Jiashu, being astute, immediately caught the hidden meaning, raising an eyebrow:

"What’s wrong, did your Spiritual Secret Realm encounter a bug?"

Fang Cheng hesitated slightly, but decided to share openly:

"Do you remember what happened last time when I broke into your dreamscape?"

"Of course I do."

Cheng Jiashu nodded, with lingering fear:

"If it weren’t for you, I reckon I would still be having that nightmare every night, being possessed by Jiang Chen, becoming a bloodthirsty murderer."

He stuffed his hands into his pockets, his tone resuming its usual laid-back style:

"Speaking of which, I haven’t properly thanked you. What do you like? I’ll pick a decent gift for you some day."

Fang Cheng chuckled lightly, politely declining:

"Forget about the gift. Help me by focusing more on the restoration of the space channel in Ancient Locust Village, or simply join our Illuminati, become a Vice Chairman, and assist me with tasks."

Upon hearing this, Cheng Jiashu’s lips curved slightly:

"If that’s your sincere wish, I might consider interning with your organization for a while before making any decisions."

"It’s a deal then!"

After making a joke, Fang Cheng restrained his smile and continued discussing the earlier topic:

"Back then, I saw you were being manipulated by Jiang Chen’s consciousness, reenacting the scene from two thousand years ago when he slaughtered the monks of Gufeng Temple, so I stepped in and broke the Enchanting Array that Jiang Chen had set up."

"Later, in the Inner World of Ancient Locust Village, I deployed my Domain Ability, suppressed Jiang Chen’s Corpse Mountain Blood Sea, and eradicated his true form completely."

"After Jiang Chen’s Domain was destroyed, many of those killed or whose souls were devoured by him gained relief and entered the cycle of reincarnation."

At this point, Fang Cheng shifted the conversation, frowning slightly:

"However, the monks slaughtered in that temple didn’t disappear; their spirits are now residing in my Secret Realm."

Upon hearing this, Cheng Jiashu’s body, which was originally leaning against the railing, instantly stood straight, a glimmer appearing in his narrow eyes.

"Spirits residing in your Secret Realm? Can you communicate with them normally?"

"I can’t."

Fang Cheng shook his head, truthfully informing him:

"Those monks are like programmed puppets, sweeping the floor and striking wooden fish daily."

"When I try to talk to them, they only respond with fixed phrases, lacking any self-awareness."

Cheng Jiashu rubbed his chin, pacing a couple of steps on the spot, his expression becoming solemn.

"I’ve never heard of such a phenomenon."

"Similar situations might only be encountered by those practicing unorthodox cultivation methods, but they merely collect lingering resentment from the deceased, definitely not complete spirits appearing in a Secret Realm."

At this point, Cheng Jiashu stopped, as if thinking of something, suddenly snapped his fingers.

"However, there might be someone who can help solve this puzzle for you."

"Who?" Fang Cheng asked.

"The current abbot of Gufeng Temple, Master Huiming."

Upon hearing the name, Fang Cheng’s expression couldn’t help but be stunned.

Gufeng Temple?

This ancient temple that was slaughtered by Jiang Chen two thousand years ago, does it still hold some secrets unknown to outsiders?

"As the saying goes, the one who tied the knot must untie it."

Seeing Fang Cheng’s confusion, Cheng Jiashu explained:

"Since the spirits appearing in your Secret Realm are the former monks of Gufeng Temple, the answer is likely hidden in the current Gufeng Temple."

"At least you should be able to find some relevant clues, which is better than pondering alone."

Fang Cheng nodded slightly, agreeing with his analysis, then asked:

"How much do you know about this Master Huiming?"

"He’s quite an intriguing old monk."

Cheng Jiashu earnestly evaluated, his lips curving slightly:

"Rather than saying he’s a monk who adheres to ancient Buddhist practices, he’s more like a highly skilled psychology tutor."

"I met him two years ago. At that time, my mental state was very unstable, frequently experiencing hallucinations, so whenever I had the chance, I sought him out for chats and asked him about Buddhist teachings."

"After every conversation, I’d gain quite a bit of insight, and this time, I could reconstruct the Spiritual Secret Realm so smoothly mainly thanks to the meditation techniques he taught me before."

Looking at Fang Cheng, Cheng Jiashu offered a reasonable suggestion:

"If you’re free these days, I could arrange to take you to visit Gufeng Temple in reality, and introduce you to him, maybe he can solve your mystery."

Fang Cheng pondered for a moment, realizing there was no more direct method, nodded and thanked him:

"Sure, that’ll be helpful."

"No need to be polite with me."

Cheng Jiashu waved his hand, joking:

"If you really want to thank me, when I release a new album, make sure to pay for a million copies and let me taste what receiving diamond record certification feels like."

Fang Cheng heard this, and couldn’t help but laugh.

The two stood in the amusement park for a little longer, chatting about their current situations and the progress of the project in Ancient Locust Village.

With Gufeng Temple’s matter on his mind, Fang Cheng took the initiative to bid farewell.

Cheng Jiashu didn’t try to keep him, yawning and turning towards the carousel.

The red and white clown costume soon merged into the colorful lights of the amusement park, disappearing from sight.

At the same time, Fang Cheng pushed open the colorful Light Gate suspended in the air and stepped inside.

Light and shadows twisted and transformed, consciousness instantly crossed an invisible barrier.

In less than a second.

He was standing again, back in his magnificent golden hall.

Outside the hall, the spirit rain continued its drizzle.

Fang Cheng walked to the hall’s entrance, his gaze passing over the broad plaza, looking towards the gray horizon.

Several kilometers away, amid rolling mountains, an ancient temple faintly appeared.

He could vaguely see several figures in gray monk robes, tirelessly sweeping the fallen leaves on the steps.

Fang Cheng quietly watched that scene.

Two thousand years of time, endless obsession, their boundaries even transcending life and death.

Yet now, they’ve turned into mere shadows within his Inner World.

Are they mere travelers in the river of history, or souls unable to rest?

Fang Cheng’s eyes sharpened, murmuring softly to himself:

"In a few days, I’ll visit Gufeng Temple."

Perhaps, he’ll find a way to awaken them.

Possibly...truly touching the Law known as "reincarnation."

Fang Cheng took a deep breath of the air filled with the fragrance of earth, turned back into the hall.

Then slowly closed his eyes, returning to the real world.