Douluo Continent: We agreed on a simulation, but they've come to life?

A prodigy with an incomprehensible martial soul, and... this rare metal reserve is clearly not something a disciple could obtain.

Although he is a science-oriented straight man, it doesn't mean he's stupid.

He understands exactly what many things mean.

"Teacher, are you sure you want to know?"

Lu Cheng leisurely sipped his tea and glanced at Xuan Ziwen with a playful look.

The latter's face twitched, and after a long while, he gritted his teeth and slammed his fist on the table: "I don't want to know anymore, get out of here!"

"..."

The scene was somewhat quiet.

Lu Cheng leaned back in his chair and sighed softly, "Teacher, what if one day someone from the original continent wanted to recruit you?"

“I’m just a nobody from Mingdetang, and I don’t have any core secrets of Mingdetang. Why should I go to such lengths to win me over?” Xuan Ziwen said with a complicated expression.

"You're quite extraordinary."

Lu Cheng smiled and shook his head: "The other researchers can't study this neural operating system."

He stared directly at Xuan Ziwen and said calmly.

“No wonder…” Xuan Ziwen let out a long breath and said dejectedly, “I knew it. There’s no such thing as a free lunch. Even if there were, how could I possibly stumble upon it?”

"For the sake of our past relationship as master and disciple, I won't report you, but..."

"These Ice Extreme Divine Crystals are all for you, as materials for researching neural operating systems. At the same time, they will provide at least hundreds of millions of gold soul coins in research funding every year, as well as all the blueprints for the Tang Sect's precision instruments."

Lu Cheng interrupted Xuan Ziwen and said, word by word.

"..."

The exorbitant price left Xuan Ziwen stunned.

These research conditions are what most researchers crave their entire lives. Not to mention him, even Jing Hongchen doesn't have such extravagant research resources. Although he is the head of Mingde Hall, he is still constrained at every turn.

"Gurgle~"

Xuan Ziwen's throat bobbed, his heart already wavering.

As a researcher, he knows that some things, once missed, can never be regained.

“However, our soul guidance infrastructure is relatively underdeveloped, so I will also recruit another batch of low-level soul guides from the Sun Moon Empire to serve as your assistants,” Lu Cheng said with a smile.

"You win."

Xuan Ziwen slowly closed his eyes. There was nothing he could do; this kid had given him far too much.

Master, I am truly sorry. Before I leave, I will finish the projects I have on hand as much as possible and leave behind some experimental data that he has compiled over half his life. That will be my way of fulfilling my loyalty to the Empire.

After all, he wouldn't be given important responsibilities here.

But some people treasure him like a precious gem...

"When are we leaving?" Xuan Ziwen gritted her teeth and turned to look at Lu Cheng.

"Why are you in such a hurry? Stay a few more days. I still have a few old friends I haven't met yet..." Lu Cheng said with a smile.

“Alright, since you’ve decided to leave, do it as soon as possible, or things might change. Once you’ve set a time, I can pack my things.” Xuan Ziwen had completely sided with Lu Cheng as the “spy.” He solemnly urged him a couple of times, then turned and left the lab, glancing around warily before leaving once he was sure no one was there.

Upon hearing this, Lu Cheng couldn't help but chuckle.

As expected of Teacher Xuan, he switches between these roles so quickly...

……

In a small town outside the capital of Ming.

The night was dark and the wind was high.

Wearing a white cloak, Nana walked alone down the street. She looked around and, seeing that no one was following her, cautiously approached a secluded courtyard and knocked on the door.

The door slowly opened a crack.

Nana nimbly slipped inside, and then the door slowly closed.

“Your Excellency, the Holy Spirit and the Great Holy Spirit are both below the Temple of Earth. Would you like to see them?” the man who opened the door asked respectfully.

"Ah."

Nana lowered her head and nodded slightly.

This was her only chance to see her parents once a month. The Holy Spirit Church controlled her tightly through her parents' souls. She had tried to resist and struggle, but to no avail.

Even the Royal Soul Guidance Academy of the Sun Moon Empire turned a blind eye to this.

What could she do?

We can only let them do as they please, hoping that the suffering of our parents' souls will be lessened.

"Please come with me..."

The Holy Spirit Cult disciple bowed and led Nana into a long, narrow corridor. The lights around them flickered, and ahead lay a pitch-black place that seemed to have no end.

"wrong."

Nana suddenly felt a chill run down her spine. Behind the closed door at the dark end ahead, her ghostly martial spirit, which she sensed particularly keenly, made her heart clench.

"A Quasi-Holy Spirit?" The disciple looked slightly surprised and turned to look at Nana.

"No, it's nothing..."

Nana hesitated for a moment. There was only one chance per month, and if she missed it, the Holy Spirit Church would not give her a chance to make up for it.

He then forced himself to say, "I just thought of something."

The young disciple glanced at her, then turned and headed towards the end of the corridor. As she pushed open the heavy, dark door, a creaking sound filled the air, but the silence inside was so oppressive that it made her heart clench.

"Huh...why aren't the lights on?"

The young disciple asked in surprise, groping his way towards the lamp in the darkness.

Nana suddenly felt her hair stand on end and instinctively took a half step back.

Something's not right in the darkness!

At the same time, the pungent smell of blood hit her. Just as she was about to stop the young disciple, he had already turned on the wall lamp.

A faint light came on.

The two witnessed a scene they would never forget.

Almost half of the disciples of the Holy Spirit Cult's branch altar, including the three Holy Spirits, lay sprawled in the very center of the altar, their bodies soaked in blood and emitting a strong stench of decay. Only a young man dressed in white sat leisurely on a high seat, smiling as he looked down at them.

"Nana, you're finally here..."

"I've been waiting for you for several days."

Nana felt a chill run down her spine, a cold sensation shooting from her feet to the top of her head. Judging by the days these corpses had been rotting and decaying, they had been there for at least three days, a full three days.

The Holy Spirit Cult disciple who led him there was completely unaware of this place?

Or perhaps this mysterious guy only left one person behind, specifically to open the door for him?!

……

Chapter 186 Mirroring the Mortal World, Upper Body Sect; Grandfather's Kindness and Grandson's Filial Piety

"Who are you? How did you end up in the Holy Church?"

The young disciple who was leading the way was terrified. He took a few steps back, pointing at Lu Cheng and trembling all over. But even in his fear, he knew that this person was probably someone he couldn't afford to offend.

Otherwise, the Holy Spirits wouldn't have all ended up lying amidst mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

What frightened him, even terrified him, was that it was all so bizarre.

When something defies common sense, it will continuously brew and ferment in one's mind, turning into a terrifying event that makes one's heart tremble. Mystery shrouded the entire Temple of Earth. He couldn't understand why the Great Holy Spirit, whom he had seen just an hour ago, would be lying in a pool of blood with wide-open eyes and astonishment in his eyes.

The body was even rotting and stinking, clearly indicating that it had been dead for at least several days.

He knew that it was all the work of the mysterious young man sitting on the platform, but he didn't know what methods the other party had used to kill everyone in an entire branch without lifting a finger.

When the other party's methods are beyond one's own comprehension.

That would be practically the same as being a god.

"Pfft~"

But the next moment, the young man lowered his head in terror as a sharp blade pierced his abdomen, blood flowing down a hand gripping the blade. What was chilling was...

This is clearly his own hand.

when……

Blood gushed from the disciple's mouth, and his body collapsed heavily to the ground. He quickly lost all life, but his face remained turned to the side as he looked at Nana, his pupils wide, with a trace of fear still lingering.

Nana's throat bobbed, her body stiffened, and she dared not move.

"Do you think the members of the Holy Spirit Cult should die?" Lu Cheng slowly stood up, stepping over mountains of corpses and seas of blood, and slowly walked towards Nana.

"Damn it!" Nana swallowed and uttered two words.

Her hatred for the Holy Spirit Church was immense.

The problem is, this was originally the Holy Spirit Church's fault, but they've ended up getting implicated...

If he died, that would be such a terrible injustice.

Nana gritted her teeth, her whole body tense, like a cheetah with its back arched. A short dagger appeared in her hand, and she charged suddenly at Lu Cheng.

Lu Cheng raised an eyebrow, put his hands behind his back, and remained expressionless.

The girl rushed past him and landed in front of the dead holy spirits. Blades flashed, disemboweling them in a bloody scene, but the girl's eyes were red as she vented her emotions.

Back then, it was he who led a group of evil spirit masters into our home and forcibly took my mother away. It was also he who, seeing his own talent, forcibly dragged her into this branch of the Holy Spirit Cult.

Lu Cheng remained calm, seemingly unsurprised.

After Nana finished venting her emotions, she staggered to Lu Cheng's side. With a clatter, the short dagger fell to the ground, making a crisp metallic clanging sound. Then, the girl knelt on the ground, her head drooping.

"My lord, I have only one request before I die, and I beg you to grant it."

"explain."