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

The graininess of the celestial backdrop has become slightly coarser, a characteristic texture of old film. Amidst the interplay of light and shadow, the river of time flows slowly, frozen in the years after 1911.

There were no earth-shattering magical phenomena, nor a battlefield teeming with sword energy. What appeared before them was an antique-style shop's accounting office, filled with the clatter of abacus beads. Huang Erguo, long since shedding his boyish naiveté, was now dressed like a wealthy man, his fingers flying across the abacus. His skillful movements were even more agile than when he used the Seven Coins Ambush Formation years ago.

He managed his family business with great skill, becoming a leading merchant in the area. But the scene shifts, and a newspaper is slammed onto the table. The headline is shocking—"Gao Haoguang's Reputation Ruined." Watching his junior brother, with whom he had shared life and death in Heishan Village, suffer such torture, Huang Erguo frowns and curses, "That kid's gone astray!" But turning to his shop assistant, he orders, "Go, send a batch of the best medicinal herbs to Penglai. Put it in my private treasury."

[In the stillness of the night, in the courtyard, a shooting star streaked across the sky, leaving a long, fiery trail. In this fantastical world where even wishing could bring the dead back to life, at a time when his fellow disciples were all concerned for the world, Huang Erguo clasped his hands together and, with utmost sincerity and pragmatism, made a wish upon the shooting star that would later be repeatedly revisited by countless viewers.]

"Please bless my son... so he can become the richest man in the world!"

The world of Jujutsu Kaisen.

Nanami Kento had just finished a day of overtime and was loosening his tie as he walked into a convenience store to buy bread. Upon seeing this scene on the sky, this usually aloof "reliable adult" stopped what he was doing, and a look of extreme approval flashed in his eyes behind his glasses.

As he paid, he looked up at the sky and said, "This is the kind of judgment a normal adult should have. Cultivation or sorcery, it's all bullshit in the end. Compared to that, money may not solve all problems, but at least it can guarantee the dignity of life. Mr. Huang, if he were in the world of sorcery, he would probably be an outstanding talent who refuses to work overtime without pay, not only leaves work on time but also achieves financial freedom. Let idiots do the kind of thing that involves dying for a vague ideal. The desire to become the richest man is much more down-to-earth and respectable than 'exorcising all curses'."

The world of "Under One Person".

Zhang Chulan was squatting unceremoniously on the steps behind Longhu Mountain, a half-eaten chicken leg clutched in his hand. Seeing Huang Erguo making a wish, he chuckled and nudged Bao'er next to him with his elbow.

"Sister Bao'er, look at this guy, he's so insightful! What's all this talk about the common people, what's all this talk about ascending to immortality? Nothing's more important than making money for his son! This is the 'way' of us ordinary folks! Don't be fooled by those so-called sect leaders and masters who all seem so otherworldly. When things really get tough, it's this kind of senior brother who quietly sends you money, medicine, and manages your business behind the scenes who's the real pillar of stability. He doesn't pretend. If he really becomes the richest man, even if the Three Truths Sect collapses, he can use his money to rebuild a new one. This is called 'the economic base determines the superstructure.' This Senior Brother Huang has truly understood the ways of ordinary people."

-

As time passed, the subtitles reappeared with those chilling words: "[Another Possible History: A Deduction]".

[Time jumps to 1957. It was a long period after Gao Haoguang's battle against karma. Haoguang, in his struggle against karma, vanished into a false world, disappearing without a trace; his senior sister Qingqing also left no legacy. The once bustling and joyful Three Truths Sect, like dust forgotten by time, was reduced to a single, empty courtyard.]

[In the footage, Huang Erguo, who was once "greedy and cowardly," has become an elderly man in his seventies. At seventy, his face is covered in age spots, and his back is hunched. He hasn't awakened his innate supernatural powers, and he's barely even reached the threshold of becoming a "seeker of the Dharma." His aptitude is mediocre; he's just a strong and healthy mortal.]

But he didn't leave. He moved a wicker chair and sat in the courtyard where Gao Haoguang and Miao Qingqing had once played together. The wind blew up the fallen leaves, swirling past the not-so-grand gate plaque.

[A line of text slowly appeared on the screen: [The 219th generation sect leader of the Three Truths Sect: Huang Erguo] ]

This most mediocre second senior brother, in an era where heroes have departed, single-handedly shouldered the responsibility. He was neither as brilliant as Haoguang nor as gentle and charming as Qingqing. Like Master Ma Chao, who dedicated his life to sweeping the floors for the Three Truths Dharma, he quietly began his "teaching and nurturing" in a corner forgotten by time.

The world of Naruto.

Jiraiya sat in the izakaya, the sake beside him now cold. Instead of his usual playful gathering, he gazed solemnly at the sky through the window. His eyes, which had witnessed the joys and sorrows of the ninja world, were now filled with reverence.

"Not bad at all... True 'perseverance' isn't just about shouting slogans. After everyone else has left, being able to guard that empty shell alone, waiting for hope that may never return, that kind of loneliness is a hundred times harder to endure than fighting on the battlefield. This old man can't stand seeing scenes like that. Isn't the so-called inheritance just this kind of foolish persistence? This Master Huang, although you don't know any heroic ninjutsu, when it comes to protecting your 'home,' you are definitely on par with the legendary Sannin."

The world of Assassin Seven.

Da Bao, wearing sunglasses and with a cigar tucked under his wing, stood at the entrance of the hair salon. Upon seeing the old man guarding the yard, this blue-feathered chicken, usually obsessed with making money, suddenly fell silent, its beady eyes behind its sunglasses slightly moist.

"Ah Qi, look at this old man. He's like... like me back then, guarding those unhatched eggs. Sometimes it's easy to be a hero, all you have to do is get carried away and rush in; but being a security guard is hard, because you have to be able to endure loneliness. This old man isn't cool at all, and he doesn't have any fancy tricks, but he's like that broken manhole cover. He may be inconspicuous, but as long as he's there, no one below will fall in. That's a responsible guy, much better than that guy who only knows how to cut offal."

-

The scene continues. Under the dim light of an oil lamp, the elderly Huang Erguo is instructing two young children. These will later become the master of Zhou Liuqin and Duan Xinglian—the 220th generation successor.

The old man, trembling, pulled something wrapped in layers of cloth from his inner pocket. It was the powerful magical artifact Gao Haoguang had left him to save his life—the "Three Truths Returning to the Treasure Talisman."

"Listen..." the old man's voice was hoarse, like the grinding of dry wood, "This is our family's most treasured possession. In my whole life, I've been useless, no good at fighting, but my only skill was keeping it from being lost, and I've never been willing to sell it for money. Now... I'm entrusting it to you."

He stroked the talisman as if he were stroking the head of his junior brother who was always causing trouble back then.

"This is a seed for the future. No matter how difficult things get, it must not be touched unless absolutely necessary. It must be... passed down."

The world of One Piece.

On the snowy plains of Drum Island, Dr. Hiluluk, though no longer alive, seemed to overlap with this scene in the images of his memories. At this moment, Chopper, looking at the sky, was crying his eyes out, snot and tears streaming down his face, his little hooves frantically wiping his eyes.

"Waaaaah! Isn't this what the doctor said? 'When do people die? When they are forgotten by the world!' As long as this thing exists, as long as people remember it, the Three Truths Dharma is not dead! This grandfather really did it! He held onto the most important thing like a treasure, not to save his own life, but to give hope for the future! This is the seed of a 'miracle'! This kind of selfless gentleness is truly a prescription that only the best doctor can prescribe!"

The world of Attack on Titan.

Commander Erwin Smith stood at the Survey Corps' encampment, his cloak fluttering behind him. A faint smile appeared on his steely, resolute face—a smile of recognition for his fellow human beings.

"It is because of people like these, who dedicate their hearts to the unknown future, that humanity can move forward in despair. Whether it is a soldier charging into battle or an old man passing the torch from the rear, the essence is the same. We entrust meaning to the next living. This Mr. Huang Erguo, although he did not have a 3D Maneuver Gear, his 'charge' across time is equally awe-inspiring. He successfully passed on hope, and he won this investigation outside the walls."

The world of "Fox Spirit Matchmaker".

Tu Shan Rongrong narrowed her shrewd fox-like eyes, her hand still holding the abacus that never left her side. But this time, she wasn't calculating profits; instead, she gazed at the sky and nodded gently.

"This is truly a super long-term investment spanning a century. In this world where humans and demons coexist, there are few who can see through the fog of time, and even fewer who can bet on the future with the perspective of a mortal. He is investing his mediocre life, and the reward he awaits is the rebirth of the entire sect. This is riskier than any reincarnation and continuation deal in Tushan, and also... more worthwhile. This second-in-command is really good at arithmetic."

-

The camera zooms in on decades of history, moving quickly to 2019.

The Three Truths Sect is no longer what it used to be, but on that perilous night, when Xing Lian and her brother were on the brink of death, the entire sect mobilized its resources to finally activate the "Three Truths Returning Treasure Talisman," which had been dormant for a hundred years.

A dazzling light shot into the sky, reversing time and space, saving Liu Qin and Xing Lian from certain death, and preserving the last flame of the Three Truths.

Within the towering pillar of light, a blurry figure appeared in a daze. It was Huang Erguo, the young man in an expensive long robe, waving a folding fan; it was also the old Huang Erguo, hunched over, sitting in the setting sun guarding his signboard. He seemed to have traveled through a hundred years, glancing at the successful descendant he had sent away, a sly smile spreading across his face—a smile as if he had just closed a big deal.

"Ah-Guang...did you see that?"

A sigh, tinged with smugness, echoed in the void: "The mess you left behind, I, your second senior brother, have cleaned up flawlessly. I even put that talisman to good use."

"Teaching and nurturing students, passing on the family line. This business spanning a century... we, the Three Truths, didn't lose! We made a killing!"

The world of Demon Slayer.

Flame Pillar Kyojuro Rengoku knelt upright in the corridor, his fiery eyes shining even brighter now. He shouted loudly at the sky, his voice filled with passionate power:

"Hmm! Truly remarkable! This is what they call 'igniting the fire in one's heart'! Though lacking swordsmanship, that sense of responsibility that has burned for a hundred years is enough to sever the demons of time! He did not let that will sever, nor did he close the path for the younger generation. This Lord Huang has perfectly fulfilled his duty as an elder! Looking at that smile, my heart also ignited! True strength is not just about power, but also about this spirit of entrusting the future to others!"

The world of Dragon Ball.

Master Roshi, unusually serious, put aside his lecherous expression, adjusted his sunglasses, and stood with his hands behind his back in front of the Kame House. The sea breeze ruffled his beard, making the god of martial arts appear exceptionally solemn.

"The essence of martial arts lies not in being able to shatter a few mountains, but in this spirit of continuous life. That young man named Huang Erguo... oh no, old friend, although he's not good at martial arts, he's already a qualified grandmaster in terms of life cultivation. He can hold a seed in his arms for a lifetime and finally make it bloom. This kind of 'Kamehameha' is incredibly powerful."

The world of "Rakshasa Street".

Cao Yanbing sat on the throne, the Ten Kings of Hell in his hand trembling slightly. As the holder of the Guardian Spirit, and as the Soul Guardian of Rakshasa Street, he understood the meaning of protection better than anyone. A proud yet admiring smile curved his lips.

"Hmph, well done. 'Mediocre'? Who dares to call him mediocre! On this damned Soul-Suppressing Street, countless so-called strongmen have run away because they couldn't stand the loneliness, but this old man stubbornly held on until the very end. This obsession with his family, this stubbornness in leaving his legacy to his descendants... I really admire him. Hey, old man, if you ever have the chance to come to Rakshasa Street, I'll treat you to the best wine. We're kindred spirits."

The world of Gintama.

Sakata Gintoki scratched his messy curly hair, his eyes still lifeless, but his voice carried a lazy seriousness: "Ah—ah—that's why these old-fashioned men are the most troublesome. They keep saying they want money, they want their sons to be the richest, but in the end, they only do things that lose money. They dedicate their whole lives to paving the way for others. But...sometimes, aren't men living for such stupid reasons? That back view, not at all shabby, it's taller than Edo Tower, you bastard. Shinpachi, see that? That's what you call...the backbone of an adult."