Surreal Magical World

Although Jiu Cai Rong felt his stomach cramping, his face was filled with ever-growing shock and delight.

It felt utterly immersive.

As if super technology from the future had traveled back to the present.

This time, he had truly struck gold.

This technology would surely deal a massive blow to the entire gaming industry.

But before his overflowing curiosity could let him study it for more than a few minutes, he saw that the other players had logged in as well, emerging one after another from the woods around them.

They did not seem entirely human, their skin bronzed all over.

They were a group of short, Cute and Naive little boys and girls, barely 1.2 meters tall, their skin looking tough, almost like cowhide.

Only then did Jiu Cai Rong realize that this body of his was not normal either. He was just a little runt too.

Was this a fantasy supernatural world, with its gloomy, oppressive, even sinister atmosphere?

To be a blacksmith in a place like this?

It was all so mysterious.

As he kept pondering, voices rose around him as well.

"Where is this?"

"So realistic. Look at how we're dressed—ragged clothes. Are we a group of refugees passing through?"

"Next, we'll probably have to go to the Mountain Villa up the mountain for an interview."

"Refugees, my ass. Can't you see we're all bronze-skinned creatures? One look tells you we're not human."

"So non-humans can't be refugees?"

"I'm so hungry. Why am I hungry? This game is insane."

"Also, aren't our faces copied from our real-life childhood appearances? I remembered how adorable I was when I was eight."

"Bro, you look fucking amazing."

"You're not bad yourself. You look fucking stupid."

They chattered away excitedly, studying and touching everything around them.

Most of them were clearly serious gaming enthusiasts, already beginning to discuss the plot.

This atmosphere was absolutely divine—the wind, the trees, the clouds, the oppression. It felt like a puzzle Horror Game. After all, a band of refugees was about to enter an unknown, bizarre Mountain Villa. It was far too much like the Stormy Mountain Villa setup.

With an opening atmosphere like this, would it even make sense if a few people did not die?

Everyone felt an indescribable sense of mystery filling their hearts.

"Everyone, quiet! Let me say something. We're at the entrance to the Mountain Villa now. According to the process, we'll be going in for interviews soon."

As the first person to enter and the apparent leader, Jiu Cai Rong touched the lump in his hair again, then dipped a finger into it and offered it to several players beside him, saying solemnly:

"This world has taste."

Jiu Cai Rong beamed. "Try something fresh. This game is seriously incredible, folks. The times have changed."

The moment everyone heard Jiu Cai Rong, they immediately gathered into a circle.

"Salty. It's a salty flavor."

"This game is so magical. That little kick of flavor scratched the itch right away."

"It's a little weird too, folks. Like nine-turn intestines."

The tense atmosphere instantly relaxed as everyone began discussing it.

Ning Zheng, who had just come up the mountain to open the doors and start work, arrived at that very moment. He saw a group of otherworldly tourists handing things out and tasting them on the lawn before the Mountain Villa.

His throat immediately went dry.

For an instant, he thought he was seeing things.

But things fell from the sky every other day here. How could he possibly be mistaken?

"No yin energy, and they aren't possessed either." Ning Zheng sniffed.

Honestly, at this first meeting after twenty years, Ning Zheng's impression of them was not very good.

Had human taste preferences and eating habits become far too advanced and abstract after twenty-five years?

After all.

Ning Zheng, who liked sweet flavors and ate normally, suddenly realized that he was utterly out of place among them.

Unfortunately, he could no longer see what that society had become. He could only learn about their daily lives, customs, and local ways from their scattered remarks.

They seemed to be around the same age as him too.

Only twenty years had passed since children of our time grew up. How had they all evolved into apes?

But he still suppressed his doubts and decided to see nothing and hear nothing.

Tolerance was a virtue.

Without giving it further thought, Ning Zheng, acting as the Old Steward, walked over to fulfill his duties. He took out a key and opened the gates of the Mountain Villa. "You are the refugees who came today to apply for positions as blacksmiths at the Mountain Villa, correct?"

A flash of amazement appeared in everyone's eyes.

He had the air of an immortal, his bones like those of the Dao.

This old man, dressed so simply, gave off an exceptionally kind and gentle feeling.

It was the sort of temperament no ordinary human could possibly act out, as though he had merged with the surrounding nature and become part of this beautiful painting between heaven and earth.

In truth, cultivators in this world all studied first before cultivating the Dao.

They understood reason and their own hearts, distinguished good from evil, and comprehended the principles of heaven and earth. Only after becoming learned Confucian scholars among mortals, Opening Three Flowers on Crown and awakening to heaven and earth, did they qualify to step into the legendary path of cultivating the Dao and seeking immortality.

Only by questioning one's heart could one question the Dao. That was true orthodox classical immortal cultivation.

After entering the immortal sect through his cultivation over the past two years, Ning Zheng's learning had given him no lack of bearing.

"Honored elder, we're here to apply as blacksmiths."

"Yes."

One after another, they hurriedly put on serious expressions and stood straight and proper, imitating Ning Zheng's bearing. Yet they only gave off the absurd impression of fake solemnity, neither fish nor fowl.

"Come in. Do not make too much noise. The manor lord dislikes it."

Ning Zheng spoke in a deep, hoarse voice. He swept his gaze over them, nodded, and slowly entered the Mountain Villa, followed one by one by the refugees.

"Next, those applying as blacksmiths will be assessed for a month."

Ning Zheng turned around and instructed them, "Blacksmiths, familiarize yourselves with the surroundings. Those applying to be stewards, follow me."

Not a single player behind him chose to leave. All of them intended to follow along and apply for steward positions too. Ning Zheng saw this and did not mind.

"Line up and let me have a look." Upon reaching the main hall, Ning Zheng stood at the front and examined every person's posture and movements.

"It's you!"

The process of applying to be a steward was not particularly complicated. After only a few glances, Ning Zheng pointed at one of them.

"I'm the steward?" Jiu Cai Rong looked overjoyed. Could this be a hidden reward for being the first to enter the game?

"Yes." Ning Zheng nodded. "If you are unsuitable, we can replace you later."

Although this person had seemed particularly strange earlier, Ning Zheng still chose him.

This was not a random choice.

Because among the group he had summoned, only Jiu Cai Rong's Luck Value had skyrocketed at that moment.

This meant that his luck in the near future would rise because of some fortuitous opportunity!

He would encounter an opportunity, which in turn proved that after going through a series of interviews, Ning Zheng would ultimately choose him as the steward and find his various abilities the most suitable.

Since his future self would choose him anyway, he might as well skip several hours of unnecessary interview detours.

This was also one of Ning Zheng's uses for "luck"—deducing the result in reverse.

Even without using Luck Value, merely peeking at a person's luck for the day had many marvelous uses.

For instance, if he intended to kill someone and that person's luck suddenly dropped today, it meant he would basically succeed and could strike directly.

If he planned to intercept and kill someone, yet that person's luck for the day instead surged, it meant he would be delivering himself to their doorstep like a fresh vegetable, becoming their great fortuitous opportunity instead.

That was how Qi Observation was used.

Of course, it was not absolutely accurate. It could even lead to reverse misjudgments.

In any case, by seeking fortune and avoiding disaster in this way, he had been able to lurk about everywhere in the peril-filled Spirit Manor beneath the mountain and live an incomparably comfortable life.