What kind of trash script is this? I'm dead!

[I have pondered the reason for Viscount Priest doing this.]

In the vision, the young Lin Qing sat on his dormitory bed, staring at the letter with furrowed brows.

[I truly cannot fathom it; there must be something wrong here. But in the end, I decided to accept this massive sum of money.]

[Because I need Whale Rubber.]

"Whale Rubber?"

Lin Qing's eyes lit up in reality.

Good stuff!

In this era of the Douluo Continent, soul masters have yet to discover the true value of Whale Rubber.

Everyone thinks that thing is just an aphrodisiac, bought by noble lords to spice up their nights of pleasure.

Although the price isn't cheap, it is far from being astronomical.

But Lin Qing knows.

It wasn't until the Peerless Tang Sect era, ten thousand years later, that the true utility of Whale Rubber was unearthed.

When consumed using effective methods, it can significantly enhance a soul master's physical constitution.

More importantly, an improvement in physical constitution can increase the age limit of the soul rings a soul master can absorb!

Especially for the first few soul rings.

If one can utilize high-quality Whale Rubber, it is entirely possible to surpass the theoretical optimal configuration and maximize one's potential in the early stages.

"If it were me..."

Lin Qing put himself in the shoes of his parallel-world self, considering the situation.

Then, he shook his head with a bitter smile.

"I really couldn't refuse either..."

The temptation of one thousand Gold Soul Coin is simply too great.

In this era, Whale Rubber is not that expensive.

One thousand Gold Soul Coin is enough to buy several pieces of thousand-year quality Whale Rubber.

This is buying a future treasure at a cabbage price.

Only a fool would refuse.

The "Lin Qing" in the last words clearly thought the same.

This is what they call knowing there are tigers on the mountain, yet heading toward the mountain anyway.

[With the Gold Soul Coin I obtained, I purchased several pieces of thousand-year Whale Rubber.]

The youth walked out of a medicinal herb shop.

He held several squares wrapped tightly in oil paper in his arms.

[Since utilizing the effects of Whale Rubber requires melting it completely with high-temperature flames, I made arrangements and entrusted a fire-type soul master teacher at the academy to help.]

A middle-aged man wearing a teacher's robe raised a scorching flame in his palm.

The oil paper package was opened, revealing the dark red, translucent, gelatinous substance inside.

Under the scorching flame, the Whale Rubber gradually softened, turning into a viscous liquid and emitting a strange fragrance.

[After the Whale Rubber melted, before I even had the chance to consume it... Viscount Priest sent someone to invite me to the Priest Family for a chat.]

That gorgeously dressed butler appeared once again.

A stylized smile hung on his face, but his attitude was impossible to refuse.

[Never did I imagine...]

The narration paused.

The voice was filled with deep bitterness.

[That once I went, I would never return.]

"???"

Lin Qing was stunned in reality.

Does this mean that the Lin Qing of the parallel world died at the Priest Family?

He suddenly recalled that the portrait on the urn was still that of a six-year-old child.

"In other words... the me in the parallel world didn't even live past six?"

Lin Qing felt a chill run down his spine.

He had been too busy getting excited about the Whale Rubber and almost forgot about this.

Last words, last words—those only come from the dead!

His expression turned serious.

"How exactly did the me in this parallel world die?"

My curiosity was thoroughly piqued.

[Carrying my confusion, I arrived at the Priest Family.]

The scene shifted to an imposing manor.

High iron gates, manicured lawns, and an angel statue standing in the center of a fountain.

A typical aristocratic residence.

[I met Viscount Priest.]

In the living room, a man stood up from the sofa.

He was around forty years old, wearing gold-rimmed glasses. His hair was combed meticulously, and he wore a black robe with a silver cross pattern embroidered on the collar.

He was dressed... exactly like a priest in the church.

[He was a man who looked kind and amiable.]

Viscount Priest smiled and reached out a hand toward the young Lin Qing.

His smile was gentle, his eyes benevolent.

Anyone who saw him would think he was a friendly elder.

[He gently invited me to have dinner together.]

In the dining room, the long table was filled with exquisite dishes.

Candlelight flickered, and the silver cutlery reflected a warm luster.

The Viscount sat at the head of the table, cutting his steak with elegant manners.

"..."

For some reason, seeing this, Lin Qing's brow twitched violently.

A strong sense of foreboding welled up in his heart.

This scene... it was too much like the opening of some horror movie!

[However, right in the middle of dinner]

The image began to shake.

It was as if the person filming could no longer stand steady.

[I began to feel dizzy and feverish all over.]

The young Lin Qing clutched his forehead, and the fork in his hand dropped onto the plate with a "clatter."

He tried to stand up, but his legs felt as soft as cotton.

[I had been drugged!]

The narrator's voice finally carried a note of anger.

[Viscount Priest shed his gentle disguise.]

Across the dining table, that "kind and amiable" Viscount slowly put down his knife and fork.

He took off his gold-rimmed glasses and wiped them unhurriedly with a silk handkerchief.

Then, he looked up.

He was still smiling, but that smile had become twisted, greedy, and nauseating.

[He finally revealed his true colors—a wretched, perverted old freak!]

His gaze was like someone admiring a precious collection, terrifyingly intense.

[That damn bastard actually said I looked too cute, too perfect...]

[Screw his f***ing bleep-bleep-bleep-bleep-bleep-bleep!]

The narrator suddenly erupted into a roar, followed by a string of censored profanities.

Clearly, the Lin Qing of the parallel world was absolutely furious.

"???"

The Lin Qing in reality was also breaking into a cold sweat.

He stared fixedly at the light and shadow projection, his teeth grinding together.

Priest... Priest?

When transliterated into English, wasn't that just "priest"?

"Damn it!"

Lin Qing couldn't help but curse.

"What kind of garbage script is this!"

He felt a surge of rage rush from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head.

His fists were clenched so tightly that his nails dug deep into his palms.

Was his parallel-world self actually being targeted for such an absurd reason?

Just because he looked cute?!

"What in the heavens..."

Veins bulged on Lin Qing's forehead.

"My parallel-world self wasn't actually..."

He couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence.

Just imagining the scene made him physically ill.

That was a body identical to his own!

Fortunately.

The worst-case scenario did not seem to have happened.

[Upon realizing the sinister intent of this old pervert, I feigned weakness.]

In the image, the limp youth suddenly opened his eyes, a flash of resolve crossing his gaze.

[As he drew near, I lunged and grabbed the fork from the table.]

"Squelch!"

The silver dinner fork plunged deep into the left eye of Viscount Priest!

Blood sprayed everywhere!

"AAAAAAHHHH!!!"

The Viscount let out a shrill, wretched scream, clutching his eye as he stumbled backward.

[Yet even so, I realized that as a Spirit Scholar without even a single spirit ring, I had no way to escape.]

The youth struggled to climb up from the chair and staggered toward the floor-to-ceiling window of the dining room.

The sound of chaotic footsteps echoed through the manor.

The guards were closing in.

[And so, unwilling to be defiled by that old pervert... I chose to leap through the window.]

The youth stood before the window and took one last look back, his eyes filled with nothing but disgust and determination.

"Crash!"

The sound of shattering glass was sharp and piercing.

A figure plummeted.

The image cut off abruptly at this moment.

Everything plunged into darkness.

[And just like that.]

The narrator's voice was terrifyingly calm.

[I died.]