Sun Wukong the Grandmaster and Huarong Dao

(This chapter is free.)

Seeing that Alice was still keenly interested in Chen Rui, Aldas patiently explained, "Little Princess, if we can uncover the mysteries within this human, the Demon Realm's strength will take a tremendous leap forward. The benefits to Darkmoon City would be immeasurable. At the very least, the Eldest Princess's situation would improve greatly."

The moment Aldas mentioned her sister, Alice revealed a hesitant look and finally stopped insisting. As Chen Rui watched Aldas approach with a sinister grin, step by step, every hair on his body stood on end.

"Don't worry, I won't kill you all at once. I'll merely dissect you selectively," Aldas said darkly. "I'll keep you alive for further experiments."

Even if I die, I refuse to become a lab rat!

In his desperation, Chen Rui came up with an idea and shouted, "Wait! As long as you don't touch me, I'll tell you all my secrets!"

That made Aldas stop in his tracks. His eyes gleamed as he stared at Chen Rui. "Speak!"

"It all began in a place called Flower Fruit Mountain. While I was out wandering, I accidentally fell into a waterfall." Chen Rui's thoughts raced as he tried to steer things toward a plot he knew well. "Behind the waterfall was a Water Curtain Cave. Inside it, I received the inheritance of a Grandmaster. That Grandmaster was named Sun Wukong!"

Many things in this world were similar to the original Earth, such as time, units, and common terms, so Chen Rui had few reservations and grew smoother the more he spoke. This Sun Wukong was a supreme Grandmaster of alchemy. He once forged a divine artifact weighing thirteen thousand five hundred jin called the Golden Cudgel. It feared no magic and could freely change its size—large enough to pierce heaven and earth, small enough to become a needle. He had also created a divine medicine called the Jade Pool Flat Peach, capable of giving ordinary people lifespans of several thousand years, even immortality.

This was a matter of life and death. If he could bluff his way through it, then so be it. Even if Wu Cheng'en and Journey to the West fans strangled him to death again after he died, he would just have to accept it.

A divine artifact that could contend with the gods! A divine medicine that granted immortality! A Grandmaster skilled in both artifact forging and potions! The Dark Elf was stunned.

"If it is true, then this Grandmaster must have reached God Level!" Aldas's mind shook violently, but he immediately showed suspicion. "If this Grandmaster possessed such astonishing achievements, why has his name never appeared in any historical records?"

Chen Rui's bluff was nearly exposed, and his heart lurched. Fortunately, he had read countless webnovels and immediately found a way to patch the plot hole.

Before the Primordial Era, there had been an even older age known as the Primordial World, also called the Age of the Gods. Sun Wukong was a figure from that era. Because his achievements were too astounding, nearly allowing ordinary people to contend with the gods, he provoked the gods' fear. They dispatched an army of one hundred thousand to subdue Wukong, only to suffer a crushing defeat. Wukong then fought his way into the God Realm, terrifying the gods. That battle was called the Twilight of the Gods. In the end, Wukong was suppressed by Tathagata, the most powerful chief god. The "history" of the Primordial World was deliberately obscured by the gods, so even ancient texts might not contain any records of it. Only the occasional fragmentary scroll might mention one or two related names.

"Twilight of the Gods? I feel like I've seen that in some book before... but I can't remember." Alice's words gave Chen Rui a fright. Could such a legend actually exist? To avoid exposing himself, Chen Rui hurriedly continued fabricating. He claimed that he had received the inheritance of a fragment of Grandmaster Wukong's remnant soul in the Water Curtain Cave, and had thus been inexplicably transported to the Demon Realm. The Grandmaster's remnant soul was incredibly powerful and contained his lifetime of experience and knowledge. The reason Chen Rui was immune to all poisons was entirely due to the protection of that divine consciousness.

Chen Rui had learned many events from the Primordial Era through Master Wukong's remnant soul, but because his mental power was too weak, he could not yet receive the true inheritance. Only after his strength gradually increased would he be able to gain more knowledge.

The Dark Elf's expression eased somewhat. Chen Rui's words at least proved that the potion-making he had devoted his life to researching was not useless. It was merely that someone's protected physique was too unusual.

Alice listened with rapt attention and clamored for him to tell more stories of the Primordial World. Chen Rui casually pulled monsters from the Classic of Mountains and Seas, describing Taowu, Qiongqi, Yingzhao, and Hua Snake so vividly that little stars sparkled in Alice's eyes. If Chen Rui had not suffered at her hands earlier, he never would have guessed the true nature hidden beneath this adorable little girl's appearance.

Aldas did not fully believe him and sneered. "Even if the Primordial World truly existed, I don't believe any Grandmaster could fight against the gods. Nor do I believe a useless fellow like you could receive such an inheritance! If you cannot produce evidence convincing enough for me today, then you will personally experience the consequences of deceiving a Dark Elf!"

The little witch, who had just been such a devoted listener, immediately switched sides and eagerly added fuel to the fire. "And the great Lucifer Royal Family!"

From Arthur's fragmented memories, Chen Rui knew that alchemy in this magical world could be divided into two major branches: artifact forging and potion-making. In truth, it encompassed a broad range of knowledge, including mathematics, physics, chemistry, metallurgy, medicine, magic arrays, and more. Because its levels were so profound, very few could reach the rank of master, and they were highly respected everywhere. This was true in the human world and no different in the Demon Realm.

Chen Rui's thoughts spun rapidly, and he already had an idea. "What if I can produce real evidence?"

Aldas fell silent in thought. If everything Chen Rui said was true, then keeping him alive would mean preserving the lifetime achievements of a God Level Grandmaster. Its value to New Moon City, the Demon Realm, and even the entire world of alchemy would be impossible to measure.

"I swear upon the honor of the Dark Elf race that if everything you say is true, I will not harm you in the slightest," Aldas said solemnly.

The "honor" of the Dark Elves?

A barely noticeable smile flashed across Alice's face. In the Demon Realm, Dark Elves were labeled "cunning" and "sinister," and they took pride in it. At least half the assassins and killers throughout the Demon Realm belonged to this race. No matter how obsessed this master was with potion-making, he was still a crafty Dark Elf in the end.

Chen Rui knew none of this. He thought Aldas had truly sworn a grave oath and nodded. "My mental power is weak, so I cannot withstand too much information. I can only recall one or two small tools used for calculations. To a Grandmaster, they are trivial toys, but to—"

"What are they? Hurry up and tell me!" Before Chen Rui could finish building suspense, Aldas interrupted anxiously. A creation of a God Level Grandmaster, even a trivial little item, could very well be priceless.

"Do you have pencils and paper?"

"What is a pencil?"

"..."

Alice watched Chen Rui and Aldas bustle about with great interest, occasionally helping in ways that only made things worse. That pitiful Lesser Devil was still lying on the floor groaning, completely ignored.

After some time, Chen Rui's first creation in this other world was complete.

Aldas looked doubtfully at the rectangular frame before him, as well as the square and rectangular wooden blocks inside. No matter how he looked at it, he could not believe this was a calculation tool created by a Grandmaster. "It's finished?"

"So simple?" Alice asked curiously. "What can these nine ordinary wooden blocks do?"

Chen Rui shook his head and said solemnly, "Do not underestimate ordinary wooden blocks. Not every creation requires rare materials. Master Wukong once said that only those who can turn decay into magic are true Grandmasters!"

"Turn decay into magic? Worthy of a God Level Grandmaster!" Aldas seemed to gain some insight and immediately grew excited. His tone became exceptionally polite. "Please tell me, what mysteries does this tool contain?"

"Wait a moment. I need to add something." Chen Rui wrote several words on the wooden blocks: Cao Cao, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, Ma Chao, Huang Zhong, and soldiers.

"This is called Huarong Dao, a calculation puzzle game. The largest block, 'Cao Cao,' represents a ruler from the Primordial World, while the others are knights and soldiers from enemy nations obstructing his escape..." Chen Rui explained the tale behind Huarong Dao and its rules in terms Aldas could understand.

Huarong Dao was an ancient game known in nearly every household in China. Because of its countless variations and endlessly engaging nature, it was listed alongside the Rubik's Cube and Independent Diamond Chess by foreign intelligence-game experts as the "three great marvels of the puzzle game world."

The more Aldas listened, the more interested he became. Just as he was about to try it, Alice moved even faster and snatched it away, beginning to play with great enthusiasm. Aldas watched anxiously from the side but did not dare reach for it. Fortunately, the thing was simple to make, and the Dark Elf soon made a set of his own and gradually became absorbed in it.

The little girl was not very patient. After failing repeatedly, she was already puffing her cheeks in anger. She asked Chen Rui, "Are you tricking us? This ruler simply can't escape."

Chen Rui was naturally completely confident about this. "Your Highness, I dare guarantee it with my life. Huarong Dao can absolutely be solved, and there is more than one solution. The key lies in one's own deductive ability. The fewer moves, the better."

Alice knew Chen Rui feared death. Seeing how certain he was now, she did not question him further. At that moment, a charming voice sounded from outside the door. "Master Aldas, I am Jia, attendant to Her Highness the Little Princess. May I ask if Her Highness Alice is here?"

Aldas was engrossed in Huarong Dao and paid no attention. Alice answered herself, "Jia, I'm here. Come in!"

If Alice gave people the feeling of being "adorable," then Jia was pure "seduction"—gleaming snow-white skin, a sensual face and red lips, an astonishingly ample bust, and round, slender legs. Every part of her body radiated powerful allure. Her clothing was not particularly revealing, but the tight dress accentuated her incredible curves.

Alice claimed to be of the Lucifer Royal Family, and her appearance was no different from an ordinary human's. Jia, however, was different. She was a standard demoness, with a pair of curved horns on her head, a pair of delicate black wings on her back, and a thin tail behind her full hips. Yet none of these diminished her charm. Instead, they added an exotic, mysterious allure.

A seductress! An absolute seductress!

"Little Princess," Jia said with a bow, "the Eldest Princess is waiting for you in the study. Please come with Jia."

"My sister is calling for me at this time? Does she know I secretly followed Athena to the Rainy Jungle?" The little witch looked guilty, then noticed Chen Rui's expression and giggled. "Jia, your seduction has gotten stronger again. This human can barely control himself after one glance at you."

Jia glanced disdainfully at Chen Rui. "Jia's physique is special even among Succubi. This fellow is pitifully weak. Even a kiss would drain all his vital essence."

A Succubus? It seemed to be a kind of female demon that could suck men dry... Chen Rui found the description of such demonesses in Arthur's memories. His surging desire was as though drenched in icy water, leaving only shivers behind.

Beauty may be precious, but life is worth more.

Alice gave a mischievous laugh, picked up her little basket, and left the laboratory with Jia. Before leaving, she did not forget to take the Huarong Dao set with her.