Above Destiny

Chapter 764 Are you worthy?
"what."

Bustaman stared blankly, stiffly tilting his head back to peer at Ji Jue's expression, completely bewildered and unable to understand.

It's like one day when I walked in the door, opened my arms to hug my godfather's leg, and suddenly got slapped by him and asked: "Did you like to seduce people like this when you were outside?"

No, brother, there's no need to settle scores like this, is there?

How long has it been? Why are you suddenly bringing up old grievances?

His mind raced, instinctively trying to figure out Ji Jue's intentions, but looking into those dark eyes, he couldn't bring himself to utter any words of shirking responsibility.

At this point, what fancy lies could possibly be told?
Once it's done, it's done.

Being too clever for your own good is courting disaster; honesty and leniency are the right thing to do.

He lowered his head, knelt down and kowtowed, confessing, "It has nothing to do with anyone else; it was my own thought."

silence.

In the long silence, Ji Jue didn't speak, only the corners of his mouth were turned up, as if he had been amused.

He laughed coldly.

Bustaman felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave, repeatedly kowtowing and pleading, "Mr. Ji, I know I was reckless..."

"No, it's just a feeling of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a complex emotion encompassing feelings, emotions, and reflections

Ji Jue waved his hand, interrupting him, and sighed softly: "People are often unaware of themselves. Bustaman doesn't know his own limitations, doesn't know what he's doing, and doesn't know what he's actually done..."

He glanced at the trembling household gods on the ground, making no attempt to hide his contempt:
"Do you even deserve it?"

"what?"

Bustaman was increasingly bewildered, but he breathed a sigh of relief, finally realizing that this wasn't some kind of post-mortem retribution. But that was precisely why he was even more puzzled.

The transformation of the household gods was his greatest achievement, his most brilliant idea and plan. It was the result of decades of unremitting efforts and perseverance, and ultimately he created a path from scratch.

If it weren't for his good son suddenly poisoning him, leading to his death, and Ji Jue intervening by substituting himself for the family god, there would have been at least a 40% chance of success!
But now, when Ji Jue looked over, he suddenly started to panic. "Mr. Ji, are you saying... there's something wrong with my idea?"

"No, I just have a suspicion."

Ji Jue asked indifferently, "Is this really your idea?"

Just like a professor with a long face and a critical eye during a graduation defense, Ji Jue bombarded him with questions: "Where is the evidence for your theory? What are the references? Where are the sources?"
What do the changes in the Ascension lineage refer to? What are the specifications and offerings used in the rituals for consciousness fusion and replacement? Where did they come from? Who taught them?

Bustaman, suppressing his trembling, answered each question.

Fortunately, Minkler had only been in office for a short time, and the previous head of the family's belongings had not yet been cleared out.

Under his guidance, in a hidden compartment behind the office, they found the place where he had studied the household gods, as well as a large collection of rare books.

From the heart pivot to the ascending transformation, from the embers to the vortex system.

The manuscripts of artisans, handwritten scriptures and sacrificial texts, prepared offerings, and parchment scrolls recording many complex esoteric rituals, even including the annual publications issued by the Ring of the One and many books and papers in related fields.

More importantly, it is his observation, exploration and understanding of the household gods over the years, as well as the accumulation left by previous heads of the household.

It was clear that Bustaman had put in a lot of effort; although his answers were somewhat hesitant, all of Ji Jue's questions were answered.

The ancient books and papers inside can indeed solve the problems raised by Ji Jue.

All the research's trajectory and exploration of detours are recorded.

Ji Jue flipped through it briefly.

The more he looked, the more his brow furrowed.

I can't stand watching.

Ouch, that's too much!

It's like you've found all the right reference books, memorized all the question types and knowledge points, put in all the hard work and effort, and then you're given an open-book exam. A top student could get a perfect score with their eyes closed, but a hopeless case barely passed, and it was only because the tutor couldn't stand it anymore and gave you a hand.

That's too simplistic!

The understanding is superficial, the ability is mediocre, the operation is clumsy, the execution is a complete mess, and the efficiency is utterly appalling... But it must be said that the direction is correct.

Especially in terms of how to deal with household gods, it's a genius idea!

He actually figured out this path from scratch!

There's a kind of quack doctor's way of treating colds: the dosage is ridiculously high, antibiotics are taken like food, the cold is cured, and you don't care about the aftereffects, just tell me if you're better or not!
Cow batch!

Is this really the case?
Right?
First of all, the idea that you will reap rewards after you work hard is a false proposition in this world!
If effort were useful, there would be no deep abyss!

If you're heading in the wrong direction, no amount of effort will help.

Even if you're on the right track, it's useless to just work hard without talent, or have talent but no opportunity, or have opportunity but no luck!

There can be a million mistakes, but there is only one correct answer.

You're a corrupt official from the Seven Cities, your mind is full of petty schemes and your qualifications are utterly worthless. Where did you get the vision and luck to force a promotion from scratch using your superiority complex?
Without even figuring out what the self-nature and self are, suddenly, through a series of coincidences, they slap their foreheads and exclaim: "I get it! I've succeeded!"
Isn't that too much of a coincidence?
In the past, Ji Jue would have sighed and said it was just bad luck, a blind cat catching a dead mouse. But now, after taking it seriously and carefully examining Staman, he realized just how big the problem was.

You know, even God is selective in who he feeds.

If Ji Jue is just being condescending, Bustaman, despite his rotten exterior, still has some talent inside and can be considered a gem... These notes and the records inside shouldn't be this bad!
How did you even get into graduate school?!

What do you mean by getting full marks just by stepping on the answer sheet?
With your luck, why are you still struggling in this quagmire of Seven Cities? It's more likely that a big shot from the association will just fall from the sky and tie you next to the furnace to boost your enhancement chances, even if it's just by one percentage point!
Under Ji Jue's cold gaze, Bustaman began to sweat.

He racked his brains and pondered deeply.

I almost cried.

“But this is indeed what I came up with, I… I also…” No matter how hard Bustaman thought about it, he couldn’t find anything unusual. “Does Mr. Ji suspect that I’m being controlled by the Mind Control? That shouldn’t be the case. With the protection of the household gods, the Mind Control couldn’t possibly succeed.”

"If the heart meridian truly needs to be changed, can you tell?"

Ji Jue shook his head. "Besides, why would you need a mental pivot to change a person?"

Isn't the greatest threat to the heart precisely this concealment? Over time, imperceptibly, a single glance, a syllable, an expression can silently transform a person beyond recognition.

But what can change a person is not just the heart.
“Mr. Ji, if you ask me… even if I ask this old ghost, he won’t be able to give me any concrete answers,” Minkler suggested. “Why don’t we just find a symptom on his heart? Let’s open him up and search him!”

A classic moment of filial piety between father and son.

But Bustaman nodded repeatedly at Minkler's suggestion, eager to have a psychiatric support system to help him prove his innocence.

At the same time, there was no shortage of fear and unease in my heart.

The greatest achievement and most important result of my life may not have come from myself... After lording it over Xiangzhou for so many years, I may have been just a pawn and puppet in someone else's hands.

What am I in this life?
What a joke!

Some problems shouldn't be thought about too much; once you start pondering them, life becomes unbearable.

He also wanted an answer.

Since I'm already dead, and I'm just clinging to life by relying on the household gods, it's hard to say whether I'm still the same person I was before, so there's nothing to be ashamed of.

Unfortunately, the central pivot point is difficult to locate.

Although it's not difficult to find, it's just like how finding a craftsman would be easy for someone of Chopra's size.

They're everywhere along the roadside.

But finding a reliable psychologist and a trustworthy craftsman is not easy.

While the professional ethics of craftsmen can at least be guaranteed by the association, who can be sure that your trust in the Heart Pivot is not just a result of its influence?

Xinshu loves doing this so much!

Before they were exposed, they all pretended to be clean and innocent, like lotuses rising from the mud unsullied, selling their talents but not their bodies in KTVs. But after the exposé, who knows how shady they were behind the scenes!
Ji Jue, however, was not worried about this.

The heart pivot is already on its way.
.
Ten minutes later, in the basement of Chopra's house.

The secret place built by successive patriarchs was isolated from the outside world by the family gods. After Ji Jue repeatedly checked and found no eyes or ears, a handsome young man with a cane came from the distant Central Plains through the projection of the Myriad Manifestations Engine.

Yan Chang!

Why is my body still like this?

Ji Jue frowned, scrutinizing his appearance. "Could it be that Manager Xu didn't completely eliminate the problem before? Are there any lingering effects?"

"Actually, I'm all better now, but I've been progressing a bit too fast lately, and my body hasn't kept up. I feel a little weak." The boy smiled slightly. "My mind was putting pressure on my body, so it's a bit out of sync. I'll be fine after resting for a while."

Although his body looked extremely weak, the boy was surrounded by a strange aura that made him stand out even in a crowd.

If there is true peace and tranquility, it is as clear as crystal and as perfect as a jewel.

A pair of dark eyes gleamed with a soft, shimmering light, as black as sandalwood, instantly inspiring a sense of warmth and a desire to confide one's troubles.

Even with just a glance, one can instinctively conclude that this person is trustworthy and a good person.

Even if he suddenly asks someone for their bank card password, the person will feel that while it's abrupt, they also feel that since he's asked, they can't very well not answer.

The current physical weakness is precisely because the soul is too powerful, which in turn makes it difficult for the body to bear. And this gentle and peaceful aura is involuntarily revealed.

See through illusions and end worries.

On this path guided by ignorance, Yan Chang strode forward at breakneck speed!
"Transformed?"

Ji Jue clicked his tongue in admiration and rubbed his head: "You're making such a fast pace."

"It's all thanks to your guidance." Yan Chang smiled. "The Paradise System is quite interesting. Once you get into it, you improve without even realizing it."

If the mind wants to progress, it cannot do without interacting with spirits and the like.

He is now involved in the breeding of the Fly Lord clan and the maintenance of the Paradise system. Using his own abilities to resolve internal conflicts and anomalies is hard work, but the rewards are equally plentiful.

The spirits of creation are generally simple, with little darkness or filth in human nature. Even if anomalies or distortions occur, they are easy to deal with.

What he received in return was pure spirituality and intention, without causing any deep-seated pollution.

Such a wonderful thing, if word gets out, I wonder how many hearts writhing in the cesspool will be so envious they'll cry themselves hoarse and tear their handkerchiefs to shreds.

"The speed of progress isn't important; what's important is to stabilize yourself. Take a good rest later and don't push yourself too hard," Ji Jue comforted him, then asked, "Where's your brother?"

"They're still busy with Mr. Inayat and the others."

Yan often said, "I leave early and return late, and the harvest looks quite plentiful."

Ji Jue then understood.

No progress was mentioned.

It seems Yan Chang has already left his own brother behind...

I'm too embarrassed to tell myself this.

They're brothers after all; even now, he's still covering for his older brother.

(End of this chapter)