SSEWC Chapter 62

A year later,

The collapse of the Immortal Ascension Gate symbolized the complete departure of the cultivation world from the era of mortal ascension.

The once highly anticipated first sword, Yan Qing’an, failed to break through the tenth layer of the Nine Yang Sword Technique and achieve immortality. He chose to remain in the mortal realm.

During the first-anniversary celebration of the Nine Nether Yellow Springs’ official opening, everyone adorned themselves in furry costumes. The streets were filled with visitors flaunting accessories featuring big ears and tails, amidst the hustle and bustle of various little demons coming and going.

The paradise turned into a furry ocean for a while.

Inside the opulently decorated top floor of the central hall, dazzling spotlights illuminated the stage, and below, the seats were filled with prominent figures from various realms.

Awards for the most influential figures in the immortal and martial arts world were being presented at this moment. Amidst the ceremony, He Heng, dressed in a flowing black daoist robe, stood in the center of the stage, receiving an interview from the host. Adorning his head and trailing behind him were very fluffy gray wolf ears and a tail.

As soon as he appeared in this attire, an excited cheer erupted from the audience below, and the online forum was flooded with comments.

[Oh my goodness, the Demon Lord looks so cute! I want to hug him!]

[It’s a gray wolf tail! Looks so fluffy and huggable!]

[For those thinking of touching the Demon Lord’s tail, dangerous statement alert! Daoist Yan is on his way with his sword.]

[Hahaha!]

[Yeah, where’s the Master? Why hasn’t the Master come over? I want to see the Master dressed up all fluffy too.]

[+1]

[+1]

[+10086]

[What do you think the Master will dress up as?]

[Feline! I want to see a big kitty~]

[I think it might be a rabbit(?)]

[Doesn’t anyone think the Master looks like a snow fox? A big, fluffy tail would be so cute!]

The comments on the forum were scrolling so quickly, it was almost dizzying.

On the other side, as the host on the award stage, looking at He Heng’s appearance with interest, asked:

“May I ask for your thoughts on being consecutively named the most influential figure in the cultivation world for two years and becoming the wealthiest in the Six Realms in such a short time?”

He Heng took the microphone from the host’s hand, wearing a confident smile as he looked at the audience below, saying, “Not much to say.”

“If I have to say something, I’d like to thank my master. It was he who gave me the initial design inspiration for the theme park.”

“It’s precisely because of this that I thought of organizing the ‘Fluffy Fantasy Dress-Up’ theme event on the first anniversary of the Nine Nether Yellow Springs’ opening.”

His words sparked another round of commotion in the audience:

[Ugh, he can’t resist showing off even at a time like this.]

[Where’s the Master? Hurry, let the Master come out and show off! I want to see a fluffy Master!]

Seeing this, the host immediately picked up on his statement, “Oh, did Daoist Yan also come today?”

“He did.” He Heng gave her a slight smile.

“He’s in the audience right now.”

Raising an eyebrow, the host said, “Then why not invite Daoist Yan to join us on stage?”

The next moment,

The spotlight shifted from the center of the stage to a corner, and the crowd could now see Yan Qing’an dressed as a fluffy snow fox.

He still wore a white daoist robe, his black hair simply pinned up with a hairpin. However, the usual cold expression on his face was nowhere to be found. Instead, he appeared somewhat shy.

Under everyone’s gaze, He Heng descended from the stage, took Yan Qing’an’s hand, and even kissed his cheek. Then, he escorted the slightly blushing Yan Qing’an back onto the award stage.

The crowd below erupted once again, and the comments were about to drown out the broadcasted video:

[Ah ah ah! I’m going crazy! They’re so perfect together.]

[I just want to ask, when are they getting married?]

[I heard they’ve already gotten married in private and even have kids.]

[???]

[Are you serious upstairs? Where did the kids come from?]

[Is it the Master who had them?]

[Can the Master even have kids???]

[I didn’t mean real kids; it’s about their pet, Wang Cai, that little fox-dog they often share online.]

[Almost thought the Master could have children.]

[Haha, me too.]

Meanwhile, Nie Zong, dressed as a little panda, sat alone in the front row below the stage. He listened to the commotion around him, slightly irritated, as he adjusted the panda whiskers on his face.

Nie Zong held Wang Cai, who was squirming in his arms, with a frown on his face, wearing an expression of reluctance.

Honestly, they’ve been married for so long, and yet, every day, they were so clingy. Even their “child” wasn’t taken care of by anyone else. Every now and then, they would just dump Wang Cai on him without a hint of responsibility.

Thinking about this, Nie Zong reached out and ruffled Wang Cai’s fluffy ears, looking at it with affection,

“Wang Cai, you’re the best. When we get home, Grandpa will give you some meat.”

As soon as it heard the words “meat”, Wang Cai immediately started rubbing its wet nose against Nie Zong’s face with joyful “purr-purr” sounds.

“Seriously,”

Nie Zong, feeling ticklish from the dog’s rubbing, muttered to himself while running his hand along the fur on its back:

“I wonder how those two usually take care of it? They almost starve the poor thing!”

After the award ceremony, people gradually dispersed from the hall. Nie Zong, holding the little dog in his arms, navigated through the crowds and found He Heng and Yan Qing’an in the backstage preparation area.

When he entered, He Heng was still playing with Yan Qing’an’s ears.

“Cough, cough.”

Nie Zong covered his mouth and coughed twice, indicating they should be a bit more discreet.

The next moment, the two bodies that were pressed together abruptly separated with a quick “swish” and there was a suspicious blush on Yan Qing’an’s face.

“Elder Nie, you’re here?”

Seeing Nie Zong approaching with his dog, He Heng quickly walked over, caressed Wang Cai’s head, and then smiled at Nie Zong.

“Could I trouble you to take care of Wang Cai tonight as well? Both Qing’an and I have some things to attend to.”

Nie Zong glanced at the two who were still close to each other, a bit unable to bear their overly affectionate appearance. He waved his hands repeatedly, saying, “Got it, got it.”

Anyway, Wang Cai hadn’t had good days following them. It was better to go back and enjoy good food and drink with himself.

“You two go on with your business; I’ll take it back today.” With that, he turned around with Wang Cai in his arms, ready to leave. However, he was stopped by He Heng.

“Hey, be careful. Don’t feed it too much. Last time, you stuffed it so full.”

The old man liked to spoil this little thing. Every time Wang Cai went to Nie Zong’s place, it transformed from three meals a day to thirteen meals a day.

Then He Heng took Wang Cai back, looking at its round and slightly wobbly appearance, he began to question life.

Are they raising a fox-dog or a corgi?

“Got it.” Nie Zong reluctantly agreed, and as he turned to leave, he muttered under his breath, “Stuffed? Where?”

Glancing down at the round bottom of the dog in his arms, he looked quite composed.

“Where is it fat? Isn’t it just right? Do we have to wait until it can’t walk before it’s considered good?”

After Nie Zong left, He Heng pulled Yan Qing’an into his arms again, smiling as he kissed his cheek. “I guess the little thing will gain another layer of fat when it comes back.”

Yan Qing’an smiled, “Last time, when Master came to our place and saw all the plates were empty, he thought you were mistreating Wang Cai.”

“No way!” He Heng defended himself, “It was clearly Wang Cai who licked them clean! I had just fed it before that.”

Hearing this, Yan Qing’an buried his face in He Heng’s chest and burst into laughter.

He Heng said, “This little thing can eat so much. It’s mischievous,” and reached out to playfully pinch the soft flesh around Yan Qing’an’s waist and hips. This elicited a surprised exclamation from Yan Qing’an, “What are you doing!”

“Just feel like it,” He Heng smirked. “Master has gained some weight lately.”

Yan Qing’an: “…”

“Aren’t you gaining weight?” Yan Qing’an, feeling a bit annoyed, went to pinch He Heng’s tail and tickle his sides.

He Heng, tickled by him, had to press the person in his arms down and begged for mercy, “Okay, okay, I’m the fattest.”

The two of them hugged each other quietly for a while. He Heng seemed to recall something and spoke up, “By the way, Master, the academy I sponsored for Wan Gu Dan Sheng is completed today. He invited both of us to go and take a look.”

In the past year, He Heng not only sponsored major events organized by various sects but also assisted many sects in constructing academies. He became the undisputed major behind-the-scenes sponsor, and the righteous path even collectively funded a sculpture for him in the Hall of Fame.

He Heng’s sculpture stood alongside those of several sect patriarchs, and he was even titled as an educator.

Upon hearing this, Yan Qing’an nodded and said, “Okay.”

Soon after, the two of them flew away on their swords, leaving the Nine Nether Yellow Springs.

Located at the foot of South Mountain, the newly built academy wasn’t large in scale. However, surrounded by green hills and clear waters, experiencing mild winters and cool summers, it was filled with the sounds of students studying diligently. It seemed like a perfect place for self-cultivation and learning.

As the last remnants of the sunset dispersed from the horizon,

He Heng and Yan Qing’an sat on the eaves of a building, listening to the sounds of reading and recitation slowly emanating from inside. Just like long ago, the old Daoist was still asking the disciples that same question,

“What is the Dao?”

At this moment, He Heng held the person in his arms, overlooking the newly built academies before them. He thought that perhaps the answer to this question wasn’t so complicated after all.

“The Dao” might simply be following one’s heart.

Following one’s heart and spending a lifetime hand in hand with the one you love—this was what he wanted.

…

The waves crash against the sandy beach, leaving deep and shallow imprints, and the moist, salty sea breeze permeates the air.

A fully loaded cargo ship slowly enters the harbor, and local residents, both officials and fishermen, busily unload the goods from it.

The ship’s horn and the bustling shouts blend together, making the early morning pier exceptionally lively.

This is Mingcheng, the coastal city of Great Liang.

With the rise of maritime trade in Great Liang, the shipbuilding industry for large vessels has also flourished, and maritime trade has become one of the country’s major sources of revenue. This has led to the rapid development of Mingcheng, one of Great Liang’s main ports, transforming it from a backward fishing village into a flourishing trading port in just over a decade.

On the other side, in a golden corridor of some extradimensional space, He Heng watched a video of this prosperous city through the screen in front of him. He can’t even perceive any connection between this place and the crematorium.

However, the incessant mechanical electronic sounds in his mind, constantly babbling about 996, tell him that everything is not as simple as it seems.

Sometimes, what appears calm on the surface conceals turbulent undercurrents beneath.

Indeed, in the next moment, the video’s scenes abruptly change, transitioning from the bustling dock to a nearby bay.

On the shores of the bay, people are dumping barrels of gunpowder billowing with thick smoke into the sea. The sea water quickly boils, and thick white smoke rises in the surroundings.

The dense smoke and the ash-black abandoned fuel contaminate the originally azure sea. Soon, the fish in this area turn belly up and float to the surface.

He Heng focused his gaze and only then noticed that the sea area had long been filled with various types of construction debris. A thick layer of grease had accumulated on the sea surface, floating with countless pieces of discarded rubbish, with numerous marine creatures meeting their demise in the process.

All of this was a result of the recent land reclamation and embankment projects undertaken by Mingcheng.

Witnessing this scene, He Heng furrowed his brow.

After contemplating for a moment, he asked:

“So, is this world telling us to cherish the marine environment?”

In response, 996 suddenly smiled mysteriously:

[Guess what your role is in this world?]

He Heng was momentarily stunned, then after a while, he hesitantly said:

“The Sea God?”

The other party had shown him so many documentaries about caring for the marine environment. Wasn’t it suggesting that he was the Sea God?

He Heng felt like he had figured out the plot of this world. It was probably one of those scenarios where an innocent human accidentally saved the fallen Sea God and ended up catching the Sea God’s interest.

Then the Sea God engaged in a play of coercion and pursuit, the classic “he runs, I chase, and neither can escape.”

Even though becoming a Sea God might mean living like a fish in the sea, He Heng figured he would probably get used to it after a day or two. It wasn’t a big deal.

Regardless of whether he was a domineering Sea God or an innocent merman, the top priority was to find his wife.

With this in mind, he earnestly said to 996, “Forget about my identity. Just tell me who he is.”

In the next moment, the mechanical electronic voice suddenly sounded in his mind,

[In this world, he’s called Qiao Ran, a merman.]

Surprised by the unexpected difference from his expectations, He Heng was momentarily stunned.

At this moment, a bad premonition suddenly rose in his heart.

“So, what about me?”

996 responded:

[You’re the newly rich noble responsible for land reclamation and embankment construction.]

 

 

 

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