Worldwide Awakening: My Soul Kinds Are Lost-Chapter 514: Unrecognizable as Soon as He Walks Out the Door_1
The subsequent affairs were smoothly settled. The Demon Gods from various Demon God Temples were quite pleased with the Temple Master’s actions in demolishing Dai Temple. As for not killing Wang Linchi, there was only a minor rebuke afterward. Expecting the Temple Master to kill Wang Linchi was something they couldn’t possibly accomplish. However, for the sake of the Demon Gods’ dignity, they felt compelled to attempt it.
Primarily, the Demon Gods were scared. A mere boy had managed to kill the Mysterious Tiger God Sovereign. This implied that Wang Linchi, who had raised the boy, must be even more formidable. This incident was reported to the highest echelons of the Demon Gods and attracted intense attention from their entire community. The hunt for Li Qinglian, in particular, was the most significant in history, conducted with the full cooperation of the Court.
Regrettably, this news also reached the ears of the various Rebel Armies. Naturally, whatever their enemy opposed, they would support. Therefore, they all tried to recruit Li Qinglian. Although they attempted to recruit him, not many took it seriously. Most were simply greedy for the power Li Qinglian possessed—the power to kill Demon Gods—and wanted it for themselves. After all, power in someone else’s hands was never as secure as power in one’s own.
Meanwhile, Li Qinglian was fitting in perfectly at the Human Association. Thanks to his feat of killing the Mysterious Tiger God Sovereign, he had quickly risen to become one of its higher-ups. A person capable of killing Demon Gods could not possibly be one of their followers or a spy they had sent. If the Demon Gods were willing to make such a significant sacrifice merely to plant a spy within the Human Association, then the Human Association would simply have to accept that reality.
Wang Linchi, however, kept a close watch on Li Qinglian. His Unpredicted Prophet-like abilities were undeniably useful. From the events that followed, one could already discern some clues about what was to come.
Why is this generation’s Nine Extremes being treated like a protagonist? Wang Linchi couldn’t help but grumble. After Li Qinglian joined the Human Association, his superior turned out to be a rare beauty with a significant family background; her grandfather was the chairman of the Human Association. She often engaged in flirtatious behavior with Li Qinglian. His constant teammate was a loli of mysterious origins. Wang Linchi recognized a trace of Divinity in her. After a remote examination, he deduced she had once been a vessel for a Demon God, intended as a sacrifice for its descent. However, the Human Association had rescued her, and she now possessed some unique abilities. Furthermore, a powerful female Elder in the Human Association was drawn to his displayed Way of Magical Talisman and actively secured resources for him.
Emperor Xuanwen didn’t have such... Oh, wait, he did—he had an entire harem, Wang Linchi suddenly recalled. He hadn’t paid much attention back then because Emperor Xuanwen was, after all, an emperor. Additionally, Wang Linchi himself was often traveling. The combination of these factors meant he hadn’t formed much of an impression. Now, however, Li Qinglian’s situation was glaringly obvious.
If I’ve guessed correctly, the upcoming plot should involve a powerful enemy attacking and a traitor endangering the Human Association, Wang Linchi contemplated. Li Qinglian will then step forward in the face of danger to turn the tide, defeat both the enemy and the traitor, and subsequently take over the Human Association. This development seems plausible. At first glance, it would seem to be Li Qinglian’s achievement, but in reality, it would all be his fault.
The only powerful enemy was the Demon Gods. Normally, they wouldn’t strike such a severe blow against the Human Association. The reason they would do so was because Li Qinglian had killed the Mysterious Tiger God Sovereign. Their actual target wouldn’t be the Human Association, but Li Qinglian himself. However, since Li Qinglian happened to be with the Human Association, they would figure they might as well eradicate this ’cancer’ along with him.
So, essentially, Li Qinglian is the root of all these problems. Even I’ve been dragged into this because he killed the Mysterious Tiger God Sovereign, Wang Linchi thought. He didn’t think Li Qinglian was wrong for killing the Mysterious Tiger God Sovereign. However, he felt Li Qinglian’s actions were reckless, like someone who stirs up a huge mess and then just walks away, heedless of the consequences. What about those who had to suffer because of him? Alright, I can already imagine how this will play out. If I didn’t have enough strength, I would be targeted. Even if I didn’t die, my life would become miserable. Then, when the successful and famous Li Qinglian eventually returned, if I were still alive, he’d help me recover. If I were dead, he’d avenge me. Either way, I’d have to thank him. It’s the classic scenario: one person achieves enlightenment, and all their connections ascend with them. The truth is, without Li Qinglian, my life would be perfectly normal. Even if he had been more discreet or killed Demon Gods in other cities, the chances of me being implicated would have been minimal.
So, is he the protagonist? But Li Qinglian doesn’t possess the Destiny of a protagonist, Wang Linchi was utterly baffled. He knew that most protagonists were always surrounded by beautiful women. Even if the protagonist wasn’t romantically involved, the women still had to be present. The protagonist could reject them, but they couldn’t *not* have them around. As for why this was the case, I’m not quite sure. I just know I’ve never enjoyed such treatment, Wang Linchi thought. Logically, he shouldn’t receive such treatment... Alright, perhaps it’s simply because Li Qinglian is exceptionally handsome, he mused, acknowledging the other’s impressive looks.
Both Emperor Xuanwen and Li Qinglian possessed looks that were at the peak of human attractiveness. Wang Linchi wondered how they managed to look that way. It’s not as if they could have altered their own appearances, could they? Or perhaps they had some deficiency in one area, compensated by exceptional looks in another?
That said, after Li Qinglian left Dai Temple, the drastic change in his stats is just too significant, Wang Linchi thought, comparing the Li Qinglian from Dai Temple with the one who began to shine after killing the Mysterious Tiger God Sovereign. They seem like two entirely different people. Under my care, he was like a caterpillar. Now, he has broken free from his cocoon and transformed into a magnificent butterfly—incredibly impressive.
The effect of reputation... Wang Linchi had identified the source of the other’s transformation: his reputation. He himself had utilized this peculiar power of reputation to charge the Cycle Remnant Mark, so he had conducted some research into it. Looking at Li Qinglian now, it was clear this significant change had started from there—from his reputation.
However, this special power couldn’t directly enhance Li Qinglian’s strength. Instead, it seemed to act as a form of Potential or innate talent, accumulating within him. As for its specific function, Wang Linchi wasn’t yet sure. This power, being essentially intangible reputation, was difficult to research. It was comparable to fortune; without the corresponding data, one couldn’t observe it effectively. It hadn’t been easy for Wang Linchi to notice it in the first place.
I need to understand civilization as soon as possible. I feel incomplete without that knowledge, Wang Linchi realized. He understood why he couldn’t observe such things: he lacked the data related to these kinds of acquired Rules. Concepts like fortune and reputation are born from civilization. In contrast, fundamental elements like metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, which are inherent Rules or laws coexisting with the world’s creation, were things Wang Linchi could understand at a glance without needing to research. Conversely, phenomena that were man-made or arose alongside civilization were currently beyond his full comprehension.
If life, wisdom, and civilization didn’t exist, then concepts like fortune and reputation wouldn’t exist either. They are subsequent creations that arise in conjunction with these foundational aspects. Indeed, where would reputation come from in a world devoid of life and wisdom? Without these fundamentals, it simply couldn’t exist—unless that world was aberrant and bent on self-destruction, to conjure such things out of nothing.
There’s still one issue, Wang Linchi mused, puzzled. Everything Li Qinglian does seems to be for the sake of reputation. But why did he attribute the title of Talisman Developer to me? He had indeed perfected the system of Charms, even installing it as a ’skin’ for game characters, and had also created lower-specification versions. However, Wang Linchi had never intended to disseminate it. Yet, Li Qinglian had gone ahead and done so on his behalf. He claims I developed it, but it was probably his own development, merely attributed to me, Wang Linchi remarked sarcastically.
The Way of Magical Talisman Li Qinglian demonstrated was a simplified version of the one Wang Linchi had developed. It was effective in the current era, but would become far more complex in subsequent ones. Moreover, the various Charms Li Qinglian presented were unlike anything Wang Linchi had seen before, possessing an almost futuristic style. They were remarkably refined and efficient, designed to unleash maximum power for minimal cost.
Is it because he’s an Unpredicted Prophet? Or is he a Reincarnator from the future? Wang Linchi hadn’t initially considered this. However, after witnessing Li Qinglian’s well-established Way of Magical Talisman, he began to suspect the latter. You didn’t reveal this much even back in Dai Temple. I raised you for sixteen years, yet it seems I’m less important to you than a group of outsiders, Wang Linchi thought, shaking his head. When Li Qinglian taught The Way of Magical Talisman to others, he held nothing back. With Wang Linchi, however, he had always been secretive. Was it simply because I am male?
