Sky Curtain: An Initial Overview of the Immortal Lord of the Myriad Laws of the Mortal World

The Night Watchman of Three Truths, the Century of Solitude of a Mediocre Man

[As light and shadow shifted, the grand narrative above the sky suddenly came to a halt, transforming into an antique courtyard, yet one that reeked of money. The timeline shifted back to 1906.]

[In the center of the shot, a young man dressed in fine silk and satin, waving a folding fan, is grumbling at a well. His eyes hold a hint of innate superiority, but at this moment, they reveal more resentment and confusion. This man is none other than Huang Erguo, the second senior disciple of the Three Truths Sect.]

"Why?" Huang Erguo pointed at his nose, gesturing angrily at the air. "In terms of family background, I'm the only son of the Huang family; in terms of wealth, I'm a spendthrift; in terms of looks, was my title as the most handsome man in Sanzhen a freebie? I didn't even let the potatoes I planted sprout. Why did Gao Haoguang, who can't do anything but cause trouble, get chosen by the same month's order instead of me? Did the mission scroll navigation go wrong?"

Despite his complaints, when the scene shifts to the Black Mountain Village questline and he faces a bizarre crisis, this "handsome man" doesn't hesitate to pull out not talismans, but a handful of gleaming copper coins.

"Seven coins in ambush, rise!"

A series of clinking sounds rang out, and seven copper coins floated in mid-air. Though they looked flashy, their defensive power relied entirely on their sheer amount of money. This was Huang Erguo's unique way of using "money power" in combat.

The world of One Piece.

Nami's eyes instantly turned into Berries symbols, and she practically glued herself to the screen, excitedly slapping her thigh: "Only 998... No! This attack method is simply art! Hey Huang Erguo, can your attack be recycled and reused? If not, please throw it onto the Going Merry! A man who knows how to solve battles with money is much more reliable than Luffy, that meat-eating guy!"

The world of "Fox Spirit Matchmaker".

Bai Yuechu, with half a colorful stick dangling from his mouth, watched the copper coins flying everywhere, and two streams of tears involuntarily rolled down his cheeks: "Is this the world of the strong? They actually used my life... no, I mean, money as projectiles? This isn't a formation, this is downright mental bullying of a poor Taoist like me! Senior brother, does our Three Truths Sect need any leg ornaments? No need to pay me, just let me clean up the battlefield and collect the coins after the battle!"

Tu Shan Susu blinked her big eyes and tugged at Bai Yuechu's sleeve: "Taoist brother, even though that brother used money, he seemed really scared. His legs were shaking, just like when you were being chased after because you owed money, Taoist brother."

-

The scene abruptly shifts to a brutal and gruesome tone. The Battle of Sanchuan is a scene of carnage and carnage.

[Huang Erguo was being tightly gripped by the monster named Zhao Yan, his once rosy cheeks now visibly withering away as his life force was being frantically drained. Even so, at this critical moment, when his seemingly unreliable junior brother Gao Haoguang rushed into the fray in his makeshift "magic robe" to save the day, Huang Erguo's nearly lifeless eyes blazed with an unprecedented light.]

The scene shifts to the aftermath of the battle, where the two collapse amidst the ruins. Gone is the jealousy and resentment of before. Looking at his blood-soaked junior brother, Huang Erguo gives him a genuine thumbs-up for the first time. He silently admits it—even though his junior brother can't even grow potatoes, the "suicidal" courage he displays in the face of adversity is something this pampered rich young master can never learn.

The world of Dragon Ball.

Vegeta leaned against the rock with his arms crossed, giving a cold snort, but his gaze remained fixed on the ground: "Hmph, whether they're Earthlings or some nobody from another planet, even trash with a power level of only 5, as long as they can overcome their fear and stand here, they're better than those cowards who deserted in the face of battle. This guy who plays with a coin may not be strong, but he has a good eye for men. That momentary awareness of acknowledging that his opponent is stronger is a required course for the strong."

The world of Hunter x Hunter.

Leo pushed up his small round sunglasses, took a can of beer from his suitcase, and gulped it down. "I knew it! Not all heroes have to be at the forefront! For us rich... cough, we have resources, acknowledging the excellence of others is a skill in itself! That sense of pride of 'I may not be good enough, but my brother can,' I know all too well! Staying alive is more important than anything else; only by staying alive can you have a backup plan, you bastard!"

-

The scene shifts again to an "Extraordinary Trading Zone" filled with a bizarre cyberpunk aesthetic.

Led by Haishanliao (Haishanliao should be Haishanliao here), Huang Erguo was like a country bumpkin visiting the Grand View Garden, his gaze finally settling on a statue named "Jiang Mingzi". Amidst the swirling incense smoke of the Three True Immortals Entering the Divine Realm, looking at the dignified yet slightly playful statue, Huang Erguo, the womanizer, actually revealed a lovesick expression, even starting to deduce the mysterious creator's XP system from the statue's beauty: "Tsk tsk, the person who made this statue must have sculpted it based on their beloved. Their aesthetic sense, though not as good as mine, is still quite charming."

The world of Demon Slayer.

Zenitsu Agatsuma, trembling as he clutched Nezuko's wooden box, suddenly jumped up as if struck by lightning upon seeing this scene, letting out a sharp, explosive cry: "It's here! It's one of our kind! That blond guy... ah, he's black-haired! That blond guy is definitely one of us! In such a terrifying place, he immediately noticed a girl's statue! What a healthy male instinct! But that statue is really cute! If it's Nezuko... Ahhh, I want to make a statue of Nezuko-chan too!"

The world of Mob Psycho 100.

Reigen Arataka, adjusting his tie in the Reigen Consultation Office, wore an air of profound wisdom: "Look, this is what they call 'mortal wisdom.' To maintain an appreciation for beauty in such a repressive environment filled with spiritual pressure is a kind of mental resilience. Although this disciple's combat power seems less than a finger of yours, when it comes to social skills and setting the mood, he's definitely a 'killer move' level of support. And the way he commented on the statues—it's clear he's the kind of person who frequents the entertainment industry... cough cough, a seasoned connoisseur."

-

Time flies, and it's now 1911. That youthful spirit of chivalry has been worn away by time; Huang Erguo in the picture is no longer the spirited young swordsman he once was.

At home, he held a chubby, fair-skinned boy in his arms, who had absolutely no talent for cultivation. The boy's eyes were sunken, his stubble was messy, and he looked utterly worn down by life. When Gao Haoguang, now the eldest senior brother, came to visit, seeing the once-handsome man in such a state, he mercilessly unleashed his sarcastic mode: "Second senior brother, the way you look now, you look like you've been ruined by opium addiction!"

Huang Erguo wasn't angry; he just smiled wryly as he changed the baby's diaper, muttering about how difficult the family business was and how expensive baby formula was.

The scene shifts to the beach, where Haoguang, his heart ravaged and his reputation ruined. Facing a shooting star streaking across the night sky, unlike his senior sister's pure wish to save Haoguang's heart, Huang Erguo makes a pragmatic wish: "Let my son become the world's richest man!" But the very next second after making the wish, he turns around and secretly slips the most valuable tonic he brought from home into Haoguang's medicine jar.

The world of Crayon Shin-chan.

Hiroshi Nohara had just gotten home from get off work. As he took off his smelly socks and looked at the sky, he suddenly felt a lump in his throat. Ignoring the stench, his hand gripping the socks trembled. "I want to be the world's richest man too! But… I understand that look! It's the look of a man burdened with a 32-year mortgage and the future of two children! Whether he's considered useless or called颓废 (颓废 is a difficult word to translate directly, but it implies a state of being listless,颓废, or颓废), as long as he can bring home a salary and help his brothers a little, that's enough! That weariness is so real! Honey! I want some beer for dinner tonight!"

The world of Gintama.

Sakata Gintoki was picking his nose, sprawled on the sofa with a deadpan expression: "Hey, isn't this the epitome of daily life at the Yorozuya? So-called adults are creatures who complain 'I can't live like this anymore,' while wishing for wealth, and in the end, they still give away the last of their strawberry milk to others. That Huang Erguo, although he looks like a middle-aged man who's about to become useless, that 'I want to get rich but I won't abandon you' kind of lewd gentleness has quite the samurai spirit."

The world of "If History Was a Bunch of Cats".

Guazi, munching on sunflower seeds, glanced at Tangyuan beside her: "This human's thoughts are so realistic, meow. Wanting to become the richest person to buy the best cat food for his cubs, what's wrong with that? But remembering to send supplements to that unlucky junior brother at a crucial moment shows that this two-legged beast has a strong sense of territory. Once he considers someone to be one of his own, he'll protect them even if it means going bankrupt. He's got the makings of a good cat owner, meow."

-

The imagery on the screen gradually becomes blurry, as if the signal has been interfered with by time and space. The following content is a projection of that unrecorded history, with the subtitle reading: "What if that day truly comes?"

The year is 1957. That year, Gao Haoguang, in order to defy karma, "disappeared" after the great battle and escaped into a false world. His senior sister also vanished without a trace. The once most vibrant and passionate Three Truths Sect was reduced to nothing more than a decrepit old man overnight.

[In the scene, Huang Erguo, now seventy years old, has white hair and a stooped back. He lacks the gentle protection of his senior sister and the extraordinary talent of his junior brother. Even in his old age, he remains a mediocre talent who barely touches the threshold of a "seeker of the Dharma." Yet, this old man, who once loved money most and feared death most, tenaciously guards the plaque of the Three Truths amidst desolation.]

He is the 219th head of the Three Truths School of Buddhism.

[He possessed no earth-shattering supernatural powers; his only achievement was living and teaching. He carefully hid the "Three Truths Returning to the Past Talisman"—a powerful artifact left to him by his junior brother Haoguang to protect his life—passing it down from generation to generation until it reached the hands of Liuqin and Xinglian's master.]

As the sun set, the old man sat on the rock where Haoguang had once practiced his skills, stroking the now worthless copper coin in his hand, humming a tune he used to play with his friends. He had held on. With the life of an ordinary man, he had preserved the spark of a myth's return.

The world of "Under One Person".

Wang Ye was sitting on Wudang Mountain basking in the sun when he saw this, and his usual lazy demeanor completely vanished. He faced the sky and performed a proper Daoist bow, his tone unusually serious: "This is true cultivation. People only know that flying and escaping are the mark of immortals, but they don't know that tempering the heart in the mortal world is the most difficult thing to endure. In the long years after the decline of one's sect and the departure of old friends, one person keeps a promise that may never come back. This sitting in meditation for fifty or sixty years is more important than any of the Eight Extraordinary Skills. This old man Huang is a true master who has entered the Dao. Not a master of martial arts, but a master of being a person."

The world of "Rakshasa Street".

Cao Yanbing held the Ten Kings of Hell in his hand, his guardian spirit faintly visible behind him. His gaze was fixed intently on the hunched back of the old man: "This guy… he may not have much power, but he's got guts. Guardianship isn't about how big your fists are, but how long you can persevere for that 'family.' As the 'older brother,' he takes care of the mess his junior brother left behind; as the 'head of the family,' he passes on the torch. Only this kind of 'mediocre talent' deserves to be a Soul Guardian General. If he comes to my Rakshasa Street, I'll offer him a cup of wine."

The world of "Scissor Seven".

Wu Liuqi stopped getting a haircut and squatted at the entrance of the barbershop, looking at the lonely old man. He sighed seriously, "Oh, Zhen, look at this old man. He's seventy years old, all alone guarding that tattered sign. It reminds me of those old folks who hold onto their old crafts and don't want them to die out. The most powerful martial art in this world isn't cutting steel with scissors, it's that kind of... um, what's it called again? 'As long as I don't die, this school won't perish'—that kind of stubbornness. That's what a real hero is."

The world of One Piece.

Usopp cried his eyes out, tears and snot streaming down his face, even wetting his sniper scope: "Waaah! What is this?! Isn't this just another form of the 'brave sea warrior' I've always admired? Not the invincible kind of strength, but someone who knows they're mortally weak, knows everyone else has left, yet still stands there alone, holding up the flag! This is harder than defeating a giant! Because it takes a lifetime of courage! Uncle Huang Erguo, you're not some mediocre coward, you're the greatest coward ever!"

[At the end of the scene, in 2019, the "Three Truths Return to Treasure Talisman," a treasure passed down for centuries, was finally activated. Its light enveloped the Xinglian siblings, continuing the lineage of the Three Truths.]

In the void, it seemed as if a pair of giant hands, spanning time and space, belonged to Huang Erguo, gently pushing the younger generation forward. A sigh, echoing across centuries, faintly reverberated:

"Ah Guang, the task you assigned me... I, your second senior brother, also messed it up this time. This book, I didn't lose money."