Chapter 21: The Executor of the Previous Generation

Fate is unpredictable as the weather. At this moment, Mo Jiang felt these words with particular intensity.

He never could have anticipated the sudden changes that swept through the City of Demons and Ghosts, changes so drastic that even the Gate of Realms was forced to cancel its missions.

“The Gate of Realms couldn't lock onto the heretic before, which is why we had those deep infiltration missions. This cultivation method must have touched upon the rules of the City of Demons and Ghosts, making it easier to track down heretics from there. But suddenly, everything's been canceled. Unless there's been some upheaval in the city I’m unaware of, the most likely explanation is that the heretic has vanished from the main world.”

These were only Mo Jiang’s speculations.

Still, he felt he was close to the truth.

“I wonder if this thing is even useful anymore?” Mo Jiang looked at the golden tablet in his hand. Suddenly, he noticed it was warping and distorting. Moments later, it vaporized into thin air right before his eyes.

He was dumbfounded.

“Was it rejected by the rules of the main world?”

But then another question arose: “If that's the case, why do my bone armor and puppet still exist?”

Mo Jiang couldn’t figure it out, but he decided not to dwell on it. A thought occurred to him, and he checked his attribute panel, scrolling down to the “Gains” section.

Gains: Bone Armor, Bone-Handled Axe, Defective Puppet, four Level-2 Wish Fruits, one Level-1 Wish Fruit.

Mo Jiang stared at this line three times to make sure he hadn’t misread it.

“Is this... change?”

His expression was hard to describe. Previously, he’d had one Level-3 Wish Fruit and one Level-1 Wish Fruit, but not a single Level-2.

“But these Level-2 Wish Fruits are much smaller than the Level-3. I can barely swallow one whole.” Thinking this way, his frustration eased somewhat. There was no way he could swallow a Level-3 Wish Fruit; doing so would be suicide.

Being able to consume these in place of the ones he couldn’t was actually a fair trade.

Mo Jiang took out the set of arcane puzzles from the Tenfold Puppet Play, swallowed the Level-1 Wish Fruit, and began to solve them. Perhaps due to his recent bad luck, he managed to solve five questions in one go.

He glanced at his attribute panel.

Skills: Basic Antique Appraisal, Tenfold Puppet Play (Novice – 8%/100% – Proficient).

“What a bizarre way to train,” Mo Jiang muttered. He couldn't solve any more questions; the effect of the Wish Fruit had clearly worn off. He put the puzzles away.

He flopped onto his bed and slept. The next day, he spent the day with Su Nanzhou and encountered nothing unusual.

After all, extraordinary happenings were still far removed from the lives of most ordinary people.

The Gourmet Festival of Luojia City hadn’t even started yet, but stalls were already being set up along every street and alley. The event was officially organized, done with great care, and occupied most of the streets’ parking spaces. Once the festival began, cars would be banned, and even buses would have to take detours.

Most companies and businesses would give everyone the day off. Even the busiest would close two hours early.

Mo Jiang and Su Nanzhou spent half the day together on a snack street. He found her not only easy to get along with, but also genuinely agreeable and accommodating.

Wherever he suggested going, or whenever he proposed leaving, she never hesitated for a moment.

Now he understood why his predecessor’s parents had considered Su Nanzhou a perfect candidate for a daughter-in-law. With a girl like her, whom they knew well, they could truly be at ease.

As the saying goes, all parents’ hearts are alike in their concern for their children.

“Xiaozhou, are you tired? Want something to drink?” Mo Jiang pointed to a beverage shop along the street.

“Yes, please,” Su Nanzhou replied sweetly.

They went in and ordered two cold drinks. Before the drinks arrived, a masked person sat down next to them and said, “Hey, let’s talk.”

He spoke directly to Mo Jiang. “It’s about the Stone Gate.”

Mo Jiang was startled, but nodded. He asked Su Nanzhou to wait a moment and left with the stranger.

The man gestured to a car parked by the curb. “Unlock it.”

It was Mo Jiang’s car.

“You’re not shy at all,” Mo Jiang observed, still calm. He unlocked the car, and once both were inside, he asked, “Who are you, really?”

The man removed his mask, much to Mo Jiang’s shock.

“Zhang Wenheng!”

“Yes, but I prefer the name ‘Seven’,” the man replied, unbothered about revealing his identity. “The new Executor of the Gate of Realms.”

“What do you want from me?” Mo Jiang was both wary and curious.

The seventh puppet had come to him directly.

“Your predecessor—the Executor before you—sought me out and made a trade. He gave me a timeline and asked me to deliver a message,” the seventh puppet said. “He said you can use the Gate of Realms, but never let it be restored. The material required to restore it is mysterious and rare, so you’re unlikely to encounter it. Also, you can use the Gate to empower yourself, but once you reach a certain level, you must seal it away.”

“And, if you want true strength, don’t rely solely on the power of the main world! Even the powers from relic worlds will dissipate under the main world’s rules!”

“He said these words come from the goodwill of your predecessors. When he became Executor, the one before him told him these things. Now it’s his turn to pass them on.”

Mo Jiang was at a loss. He asked in astonishment, “That’s... all?”

“Yes,” said the seventh puppet, his tone subtly complex. “Just to pass on a message, he gave me a timeline. Your predecessor may be the strongest in the Virtual Realm. For the sake of that timeline...”

He seemed deeply moved, as if there was more to say, but he stopped himself.

“Virtual Realm?” Mo Jiang looked at him, puzzled.

“The Virtual Realm is what we call a relic world that, after obtaining a timeline, evolves and transforms. When it reaches its peak, it’s almost indistinguishable from the main world, with equally complete rules. There are several such realms outside the main world. If you ever want to visit the Virtual Realm, come to the City of Flowers. In the Gate of Realms, my home relic world is known by that name.”

The seventh puppet smiled faintly. “Now that I have the timeline, I’ll be going. As for Jeros, I regret what happened. Though he was under my control, I kept my hold light to avoid drawing the main world’s attention.”