yasinovel Chapter 49 Resentment Condensed in Marrow and the Essence of the Water Mansion
Chapter 49 Resentment Condensed in Marrow and the Essence of the Water Mansion
"The resentment that condenses into marrow (a sediment), what the old river workers call 'water ghost fat,' the black moon that corpse retrievers hold on their poles, the bottom of the Han River, how many drowned people hasn't been swallowed up every year? Over the years, the resentment settles in the deepest mud, forming lumps of ointment-like stuff. If you throw this stuff at someone's face, it will soil their flesh and mess up their mood."
"Water Mansion Essence (Weapon Material): When water is turbid, it naturally generates spiritual energy. After a hundred years of transformation, it condenses into this bean-sized point of true yin. It can be embedded into a weapon to give it a certain ability to control water and cleanse the surrounding polluted water sources. However, the prerequisite is that it must be in a place with water."
There are two items. One looks like poop, doesn't cause much damage but is extremely insulting. The other can upgrade weapons, but it has many limitations.
Chen Fu scratched his head. He said, "It's useful, really. From now on, anyone who dares to mess with me will have to ask Yuan Ning Sui if he'll allow it. But if it's not useful, then we'll have to find a place with water to fight."
After reading the introduction, Zhou Jianbang and Zhang Mingyuan lost interest.
They have no use for this thing. Besides, it all belongs to Chen Fu, so it's up to him to decide what to do with it.
Zhou Jianbang returned to his office and reported the matter of the round bead to Yanjing. Zhang Mingyuan found a chair, sat down, and opened the game, preparing to do as Chen Fu had instructed yesterday.
Chen Fu wasn't idle either; after putting his things away, he started playing games.
After dissecting the bead, he also gained two skills.
"Clear waters have no fish (Special Skill): You can influence the thoughts of all people and things within a small area, making them more aligned with the direction you want to achieve. After one use, there will be a cooldown period of one week."
"Turbulent Waters Bring No Benefit (Special Skill): After activation, within five minutes, the consequences of your actions will slightly improve for the better. After one use, it will enter a cooldown period of one week."
Having reached level 3, the Coroner's abilities have increased, and he has gained two skills for dissecting the bead.
The saying "clear water has no fish" is similar in essence to the round bead. The reason why so many wronged souls and mutated fish and shrimp appeared in Sidu Lake is all because of the fluctuations emitted by the round bead.
The cooldown time is a bit long, the same as the dungeon time. Chen Fu is unsure if it's always like that or if he got a stripped-down version.
The statement that turbid water is of no benefit is a conceptual statement, but no specific values have been revealed, and the actual effects remain to be verified.
Chen Fu prepared to go to the Reincarnation Stage to test its effects.
Before that, he checked if the Tang Hengdao had been sold. He found it hadn't, guessing that the previous two items were too expensive, leaving players temporarily without enough money for amulets.
Okay, harvesting leeks should be done gradually; if you do it too fast, they won't have grown properly.
However, now that we have the special skill of "clear water with no fish", even without the money for warding off evil spirits, it shouldn't be too difficult to enter the Reincarnation Stage.
Actually, this is for the best. Otherwise, you would have to figure out how to fight monsters and get money, and you might die if you're not careful, and then you would have to wait for the stamina penalty time.
To Chen Fu's disappointment, he did not encounter the successor of the Craftsman Saint in the Wedding City; otherwise, he could have tried to upgrade his weapon again.
Although this skill requires water to be effective, it's better to have some than nothing, and Chen Fu accepts any water available.
"Chosen One, where do you wish to go this time? Will you head to the Reincarnation Stage to listen to music and enjoy yourself, or simply stroll around, or perhaps have a drink at the Resurrection Wine Shop?"
Who in their right mind drinks in broad daylight? Chen Fu knows Jiangcheng has a culture of early morning drinking, but he doesn't have that habit. And they want me to go to the Soul-Returning Wine Shop? Do they think I've lived too long? I'm not falling for that!
Chen Fu immediately chose to go to the Reincarnation Stage.
Everything else can be set aside, but we absolutely cannot give up the whole forest for one tree, hehehe, my lovely ladies, here I come~
"You have arrived at the Reincarnation Stage again. The servants of the Weeping and Laughing Spirit Officer greet you warmly and ask what you would like to do, whether you want to enter the stage to listen to the music or talk to him about what has happened in the Wedding and Funeral City these past few days."
Surprisingly, another option appeared.
Chen Fu thought that haste makes waste, and the actress was not going to run away, so he decided to talk to her first.
"The servant of the Laughing and Crying Spirit said he met two people yesterday, one from Bloodblade Town and the other from the far north. Both were greenhorns who had just arrived and didn't have a penny on them. He laughed them to death and asked if they were funny."
Chen Fu's eye twitched. "So, you were talking about me! Where's Yuan Ning Sui? I'll smear it all over your face."
"The servant of the Crying and Laughing Spirit Officer also said that the Resurrection Wine Shop is having a grand opening event recently, and all the regular customers have gone there to get drunk, leaving the stage without any business. If you can help go and check on the situation, he will let you into the stage for free once."
You want me to run into a ghost bride too? No way! Chen Fu chose to use his skill.
"You used the 'Clear Water Without Fish' technique on the servant of the Laughing and Crying Spirit. He was affected and learned of your eagerness to enter the stage. He was immediately moved and generously waived your entrance fee."
"You have used the principle of 'muddy waters bring no benefit,' and within five minutes, the outcome of your actions will be better."
"You have entered the stage of reincarnation."
"Ghosts sing 'The Play of Love,' while humans listen to 'The Strings of a Tragic Fate.' Don't be fooled by the fact that the Reincarnation Stage is a stage for opera performances; it's actually a notorious den of iniquity in the City of Weddings and Funerals. As soon as you enter, you're surrounded by beautiful women, your arms are covered in soft, delicate flesh, and your nostrils are filled with the scent of perfume. As the saying goes, 'To die beneath the peony is to die a romantic death,' and you experience unparalleled pleasure."
In reality, Chen Fu felt nothing at all. He even started to wonder if the game was malfunctioning, since he didn't get anything.
"The troupe leader of the Reincarnation Stage is also a servant of the Crying and Laughing Spirit Official. As soon as he saw you, he understood what was going on and ran over to ask if you wanted to stay in the main hall or go to the side room."
"He also told me not to be surprised, because free services can sometimes offer great value. Besides, the real economy is tough these days; it's full of ruthless competitors. If that 'Resurrection Bride' wasn't related to the ghost bride, how could it attract so many people?"
Chen Fu felt much more at ease and chose a private room. He was shy and didn't like going to crowded places.
"The troupe leader will have the lead actress guide you upstairs to your private room and wish you a pleasant and enjoyable time. If you are satisfied, please come again next time. It would be even better if you could bring a few more friends."
"The actress was a bride who died before she even got into the sedan chair. Her face was painted with greasepaint, cinnabar mixed with amber, sweet and pungent with a putrid bitterness. She asked you if you wanted to hear her sing a song or get straight to the point."
Chen Fu thought to himself, "What kind of music are you listening to? Come on! Let me see what's going on!"
"Upon hearing this, the actress drew her knife, stabbed it into your stomach, cut open the flesh, removed the kidney, chewed it in her mouth, and mumbled that she hadn't met such a kind person in a long time. Before her, there was one whose stomach was cut open and found to be full of rotten copper and iron."
Chen Fu's eyes widened immediately upon seeing this.
What? You actually want to eat my kidneys? That's a huge frying pan! I'll smash you to death!
His wonderful feelings about the first time and his beautiful anticipation of being alone together shattered into dust at that moment.
And this was only after he had used the "muddy waters" technique, otherwise he would have encountered something even more dangerous as soon as he entered the room.
"Chosen One, you've finally realized that there's no such thing as a free breakfast, lunch, or dinner, but who can you blame for that?"
"What do you want to do now? Hit the actress's head hard with a frying pan and make her vomit your kidneys? Or smear the Resentment Essence on her face and make her feel humiliated? Or run away in a panic, clutching your belly, to prevent the rest of your body parts from being eaten?"
First knock her on the head, then smear it all over her face! Chen Fu was furious. No wonder your Reincarnation Stage has no business. If I had known this, I would never have come in.
"You took out a frying pan and smacked the actress on the head."
The actress was a little dazed by the knocking and said, "How come you're still alive?"
"The power of the vow to create the patchwork robe has been exhausted."
"You used all your strength to pull out the resentment and smear it all over the actress's face."
"The actress screamed, her face paint smudged, and she got angry, grabbing a knife and stabbing you in the chest several times."
"You are dead."
"The mountains are silent, activate."
"You came back to life and took advantage of the actress's stunned moment to escape through the door."
"Chosen One, which direction do you plan to escape from? Will you go through the main hall and leave through the front door, or go deeper into the second-floor corridor? Or perhaps climb onto the roof beams, wait for the actress to chase after you, then return to your room and jump out the window?"
Hey, you didn't expect that, did you? I have three lives, so you can eat my kidneys! Chen Fu thought quickly and chose the third option.
Leaving through the main door would definitely lead to being discovered, and who knows what you might encounter deep in the second-floor corridor? Only the third option is the safest.
"You climbed onto the roof beam and waited quietly for the actress to leave. You saw the makeup on her face completely fall off, revealing her originally fleshless face. Her body began to tremble, and her voice became hoarse. Resentment was seeping into her marrow, further corrupting the actress."
The ancients were right; it really is a pink skull, its true form revealed once the makeup is gone. But this resentful marrow seems to be causing significant damage as it continues to pollute.
Chen Fu thought of the phrase "tainting flesh and blood, and ruining the tune," wondering what would become of the leading lady.
But it was no longer related to him, and the actress chased after him.
"Before the lead actress could call out the troupe leader and the others from the Reincarnation Stage, you successfully returned to your room, rushed to the window, and jumped out without hesitation."
"Chosen One, you seem to have forgotten that the Reincarnation Stage was built on the banks of the Han River. There's no land below the window, and you fell into the water with a splash."
"The Han River is murky and visibility is extremely low. You're not a good swimmer, so you'll just slid down."
Chen Fu faintly smelled the fishy smell of the river. He explained that he had been able to swim since he was a child, but the game didn't listen.
"You saw many mutilated corpses, the poor souls who were taken advantage of and thrown into the river by the actresses and performers in the Reincarnation Theater. And you are about to become one of them."
Chen Fu wasn't intimidated by the game text. He wouldn't die; at most, he'd suffer an eight-hour stamina penalty before being resurrected at the entrance of the Wedding Funeral City.
"Coroner's Walker Ability, triggered."
"You've encountered a paranormal event."
"You've discovered a skeleton that's still breathing. Do you want to go and check it out?"
The skeleton was breathing? Chen Fu sensed something was off, but he still chose to step forward. He had achieved his current success by triggering supernatural events at crucial moments.
"You come to the corpse and find that it is another descendant of the Skillful Saint. He looks at you and says, 'Hey buddy, you were also taken advantage of and thrown down by those people on the Reincarnation Stage, right?'"
What kind of look is that? Do you think my delicate skin looks like it's been completely devoured? If you can't speak properly, then shut up. Your fellow disciples are much better at talking than you.
"This descendant of the Master of Skill also noticed something amiss and apologized for his rude remarks earlier. He said that if you could get him out of there, he could tell you a secret about the Reincarnation Stage."
"What do you plan to do? Will you abandon him and try to swim to shore on your own, or will you agree to his request, but possibly stay at the bottom of the river with him?"
Chen Fu thought to himself, "I still need to find Lao Chuan to upgrade my weapons, I can't just ignore this." But he himself was at the bottom of the river, carrying a skeleton, so getting ashore would be very difficult. What should he do?
Just as Chen Fu was struggling with this, he saw that the game text had been updated once again.
"The descendant of Master Qiaosheng saw your predicament. Yes, we're all stuck at the bottom of the river, so how can we force you to do something you can't? But he also keenly noticed that you carry a rare item. If you could give it to him to forge, perhaps it could solve your current difficulties."
"Do you want to hand over the Water Palace Essence and the frying pan, and let this descendant of the Craftsman help you upgrade your weapon?"
Old Chuan, I'm sorry I misunderstood you earlier. Your lineage of the Craftsman is the most lovable people in the world. They can even forge iron at the bottom of a river. What more is there to say?
Chen Fu handed over the Water Mansion Essence and the frying pan.
"The descendant of the Master of Skill swallowed the two items. Even though he is now a skeleton, he still follows the habits he had in life. His ribs twitched, his intestines churned, and after a series of clanging sounds, he returned the upgraded weapon to you."
"The House-Protecting Frying Pan (Snake Bone Essence Edition) - This utensil can no longer be called a utensil. Use it to tap your head, and it will not only strike silently, but it can also be used to drain water in certain situations. Forget about why a frying pan, as a tool placed on the stove, would drain water; as long as it works, that's all that matters."
Well, Chen Fu also felt that the frying pan's style was a bit off, but there was nothing he could do. He was waiting to get ashore, otherwise he would really be stuck at the bottom of the river with Lao Chuan.
"You wielded the upgraded frying pan, and the surrounding water flow changed rapidly, dragging you and the successor of the Master of Skill to the shore, thus avoiding the fate of drowning after a long period of time."
"The descendant of the Master of Skillful Sages is very grateful for your help. He told you about the Reincarnation Stage."
"The Reincarnation Stage is the property of the Laughing and Crying Spirits. On the surface, it's a stage, but in reality, it's a place where cannibalism takes place. The troupe leader, actresses, actors, and servants inside are obsessed with their appearance. If you can find something that can corrupt their faces, you can make them reveal their true colors and start killing each other."
"When that time comes, you can come back again and collect the treasures left behind by these people. As for how much you can take and what you can get, it all depends on your luck."
"The descendant of Qiaosheng Gong also said that this information was obtained by him through his martyrdom. It is absolutely genuine and trustworthy. If you don't get the item, you can go to Xingshi Tea House to get a prop that he made himself. He usually drinks tea and listens to opera there."
Old Chuan, I'm not saying anything more. You're in this state, how could I not believe you? But there's something I'm not sure if I should say: you only said there was something to take, but you didn't say when. If I arrived too early, would I be killed?
Chen Fu really wanted to ask, but after waiting for a long time, he still didn't see the corresponding option.
"After telling you what happened, the descendant of Master Qiaosheng turned and left. He needed to prepare a new body for himself, since he was currently a skeleton, which would affect his appearance. However, before he left, he told you not to worry about not recognizing him. Just go to Xingshi Tea House, and the person with the biggest belly is him."
The successor of the Master of Skillful Arts has left, leaving only Chen Fu on the banks of the Han River.
However, this trip wasn't entirely fruitless. I used the Resentment Condensation Essence, so I just need to wait to collect more items. The frying pan also got upgraded; don't worry about whether the art style is right or not, as long as it works.
Chen Fu felt that he had completed a small part of the wedding and funeral city's storyline, but as for what he would get, he would have to wait and see.
Just as he was about to leave the game running and wait for the enemy to come to him, Zhang Mingyuan ran over excitedly.
"Your method is quite effective; I've already made significant progress in the story."
Zhang Mingyuan's face was flushed, as if he had been drinking, and his eyes were sparkling. He admired Chen Fu even more.
Chen Fu scratched his head in confusion and asked, "Did you have some kind of extraordinary encounter?"
Zhang Mingyuan laughed and recounted his experience.
……