Why Must I Save You, Benefactor? Please Keep Reading! Please Vote!

Inside the Technology Guild Research Lab, Chen Hong looked at the exquisite pale silver Golden Hoop in his hand. Mysterious, beautiful golden patterns covered its surface, and dim gleams occasionally flickered across it. It was incredibly beautiful and refined.

Should I try it? A trace of hesitation flashed through Chen Hong's eyes.

Maybe I should let Dad try it first? A conflicted expression crossed Chen Hong's face.

Who knows whether it'll fry someone's brain?

After thinking for a long time, Chen Hong ultimately bought a plump little pig from Suotuo City's market. He placed it on the workbench, then carefully put the [Sage]'s Ring—whose exact grade even he could not determine—onto Second Senior Brother's head.

At first, Second Senior Brother had been squealing and grunting wildly on the workbench, his eyes filled with nothing but clear, uncomplicated stupidity. But after Chen Hong placed the [Sage]'s Ring on his head, he visibly froze, and the clear stupidity in his gaze immediately became utter confusion.

The [Sage]'s Ring clung tightly to Second Senior Brother's head, forming a faint Mental Magnetic Field. By absorbing the extremely weak Mental Ripples from Second Senior Brother's scalp, it continuously applied an Engraving Crown known as Sage.

Bajie! Once you wear this hoop, you will be forever severed from the mortal world! Amen!

The little pig sat dazedly on the workbench, curiously staring at the "big pig" before it. It seemed to be contemplating who it was, where it was, and where it was going.

Chen Hong spread out his weak Mental Power, his eyes wide as he watched the little pig sitting on its butt on the table and pondering the meaning of pig life.

"...Look here." Chen Hong waved his hand in front of Second Senior Brother in disbelief, trying to draw its attention.

"Oink?" Second Senior Brother stared blankly with its muddled little eyes at the "big pig" in front of it, unsure what the other party wanted.

"...Come here." Chen Hong beckoned toward himself, and the little pig actually came over!

Though its eyes were still full of clear, uncomplicated stupidity, it had undergone a qualitative transformation! Its clear stupidity was no longer that of a pig, but the clear stupidity of a university student!

A little dull, a little silly, but you could not say it was genuinely stupid!

"...Turn in a circle?" Chen Hong drew a circle with his finger at the little pig, but it merely looked at him in confusion.

"Mm, I'll give you something tasty. Come on, turn in a circle." Chen Hong pulled a small fruit from his pocket and stuffed it into the little pig's mouth, then gestured for it to spin.

As a result, Second Senior Brother happily spun around several times on the spot!

"!!!"

Watching Second Senior Brother sit back down after several spins and wait for Chen Hong to feed it, Chen Hong was utterly shaken.

"You play by yourself. Let me catch my breath first." Chen Hong tossed all the fruit in his pocket to Second Senior Brother, then collapsed into a rocking chair and slowly calmed his pounding heart.

After a long while, once Chen Hong had steadied his emotions, he looked again at Second Senior Brother on the workbench. His heart still could not help racing.

Is this the power of a man who has comprehended the mysteries of inscriptions?! Too terrifying! Chen Hong thought as he looked at Second Senior Brother, which was as intelligent as a little dog.

Chen Hong could tell that after wearing the [Sage]'s Ring, Second Senior Brother's bestial instincts had been diluted. Clarity had begun to emerge in its tiny, muddled brain, allowing it to use its pig brain to think simply about simple questions.

"From now on, you'll be called Bajie. Out of all your many brothers and sisters, I chose you. That means you have some affinity with our Buddha and our sect."

Chen Hong stroked little Bajie's round head and said slowly with a peaceful expression, "After entering our sect, all worldly affairs and mortal attachments shall have nothing to do with you. Beauty, greed, anger—you must never touch any of them. Come, do it with me. Amen!"

Chen Hong pressed his palms together, looking solemn and dignified. Little Bajie copied him, sitting on its butt and pressing its two adorable little forelegs together in imitation of Chen Hong.

"Hahaha! This is so fun!" Chen Hong burst out laughing at little Bajie's clever appearance.

Chen Hong planned to keep little Bajie for the time being and see how far this fellow, whose bloodline was only that of a small mountain pig, could grow.

For now, he would call it the "Bajie Project."

After finally achieving another brand-new result, how could Chen Hong not share it with his mother?

That night, Chen Hong carried little Bajie back to his mother's clinic and excitedly said to her:

"Mom! I found a little pig that's smarter than Dad!"

Chen Lin, who had just gotten off work and rarely made it home, was walking up to the attic when he heard his son's booming shout.

Chen Lin: ...

When Chen Lin opened the attic's sliding door and saw the mother and son lying on the floor, teasing a solemn-looking little pig, a system notification popped up above his head:

Family Status -1

Sob sob.

Chen Hong handed Bajie over to the curiosity-exploding Ning Lu, while Ning Lu asked a mysterious friend from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect to procure some more metal materials with spiritual attributes for Chen Hong.

Naturally, Chen Hong did not disappoint his mother. He forged another [Sage]'s Ring for himself and made a few minor adjustments based on some of little Bajie's reactions.

The only difference was that the second [Sage]'s Ring in Chen Hong's hand was pale gold, making it look far more luxurious.

The core of the [Sage]'s Ring was the Sage Inscription. It existed only within Chen Hong's own soul rings, or in the soul rings of certain extremely rare Spirit Soul Masters. For others to imitate it was not merely difficult—it was practically impossible.

Using his limited materials, Chen Hong forged only two [Sage]'s Rings in total: one pale gold and one pale silver. The former was for himself. Though the latter was worn on little Bajie's head, it would be placed on Ning Lu's head when necessary. Chen Lin wanted to be a rough man and said he did not need one. Chen Hong was not sure whether the "rough" he meant was the proper kind.

Ning Lu had secretly tested it already. The [Sage]'s Ring truly had a significant restraining effect on her "Drunkenness" state. Now a Spirit King, her soul skills had gained a Fifth Soul Skill, Agility Medicinal Wine, after Life, Soul Power + Flames, Strength, and Defense. When Ning Lu went all out, Chen Hong had not had the slightest rebellious phase from childhood to adulthood.

At the Technology Guild Research Department, Chen Hong held the pale gold [Sage]'s Ring high. Invisible rays of wisdom seemed to envelop him.

It was supreme wisdom, supreme brilliance, supreme light.

Without wearing it, I have no power to save you.

Under his parents' strange gazes, Chen Hong solemnly crowned himself with it.

At that moment, reason seized the high ground of his mind.

"Form is Emptiness, No Self. Benefactor, why must I save you?" Chen Hong murmured kindly to himself.

Ning Lu and Chen Lin: ???

I've realized that this protagonist's mental state is absolutely beautiful, hahaha.