novelraw Chapter 1041: How Could There Be a Path to Immortality in This World? (49) – Defective Product
Chapter 1041: How Could There Be a Path to Immortality in This World? (49) – Defective Product
At the scene, both the Daoist Association and the Demon Association members each had—no, beside every single one of them stood an identical Gaia.
Gaia… they all spoke with the same tone, same cadence, even their expressions were indistinguishable. Their overlapping voices were perfectly synchronized, with no variation whatsoever.
Treasury Administrator? Subscriber?
What… exactly were they talking about?
But in the next moment, someone remembered what Yu Sanniang, the woman in white, had said: the things here weren’t so easily taken.
Could it be that these identical little girls before them were the “masters” of this place—or at least deeply connected to whoever the master was?
【Please choose the item you wish to subscribe to】
The layered voices once again rang out clearly in the ears of both the Daoists and the Demons… Don’t be fooled by their childlike appearance—despite looking harmless and unthreatening, they had appeared so suddenly and so precisely beside every single Daoist and demon creature present… even the most powerful among them each had one standing next to them.
And judging by the startled expressions of Daoist Baijie and the others, it was clear they’d been caught off guard. If these girls had come with hostile intent, how many of the people present—Daoists and demons alike—would still be standing?
Some truths are not meant to be probed. Once you go too far, all that awaits is fear. That’s the essence of the saying: “The more you think about it, the scarier it becomes.”“You… are you the one managing these treasures?”
Finally, a voice from the crowd broke the silence—immediately drawing everyone’s attention.
It was a young Daoist, seemingly still a novice. The magical fluctuations around him were weak; he was probably just here to tag along with his sect for experience.
【Confirmed】
But this time, only the Gaia beside this young Daoist responded. The rest remained still.
This prompted others—Daoists and demons alike—to begin questioning the Gaia beside them. And it turned out, all the Gaias could answer different questions simultaneously.
They looked identical, but were they actually separate entities?
But if Tai Yinzi were here, he wouldn’t think so—because he’d seen Gaia split herself before.
In other words, all these Gaias were simultaneously operating on multiple independent cognitive processes!
Soon, both the Daoist Association and Demon Association learned a few things from Gaia—for instance, that all the treasures in this forest belonged to the Treasure Vault.
Here, they were considered subscribers, meaning they could purchase these treasures and take them away.
No freebies—everything had a price. This shattered the initial assumption that treasures could just be picked up. It was a stark psychological contrast.
If we could obtain them through skill, why should we pay?
Greed is not limited to ordinary people. Even cultivators of the Daoist world are not free from humanity’s basic flaws.
Or perhaps… it’s better described as “refusing to believe in higher powers.”
【Respected subscriber, the item you've taken is a Azure Star Crystal. This product has a one-hit kill attribute…】
Suddenly, one Gaia began to speak while a middle-aged man in a traditional Tang suit (not a Daoist robe) standing before her began to look uneasy.
Because he not only felt Gaia’s gaze but also that of everyone else present.
He angrily slapped his palm and growled, “Nonsense! I don’t even know what this Azure Star Crystal is! Stop making things up!”
That Gaia, expressionless, replied:
【Scanning… Scan result: Azure Star Crystal located inside the subscriber’s body, in the biological stomach.】
“Isn’t that the Gluttonous Zhenren from the Taotie Sect?”
(Note: Taotie, a mythical beast known for insatiable hunger which also symbolizes greed.)
“It’s said the Gluttony Sect has a unique technique—training the stomach to devour all things, extracting spiritual energy from consumed items. It’s a sect that gains power by eating. Could it be… he really did…”
The murmurs grew louder, and the man’s identity was soon revealed.
This “Gluttonous Zhenren” remained silent, lips tightly sealed, but his expression was dark.
The Gaia before him continued without emotion:
【Query: Does the subscriber wish to purchase this Azure Star Crystal?】
Gluttonous Zhenren ignored her, snorted, and walked away.
【Query: Does the subscriber wish to purchase this Azure Star Crystal?】
“I told you! I don’t know what you’re talking about! I didn’t take anything! Stop this nonsense!”
【Warning: This behavior may be considered illegal theft. Warning: This behavior may be considered illegal theft.】
“Damn it! What kind of clueless brat is this!” Gluttonous Zhenren cursed and, without thinking, slapped Gaia across the face.
Smack—!
A loud and crisp slap. But the moment he struck, regret washed over him.
With so many famed Daoists, promising talents, and demon bigshots here, that single slap would destroy his reputation across both realms…
But he’d been pushed to the brink. That girl’s gaze—it felt like she had stripped away everything, peering directly into his soul.
That instinctual revulsion broke through his rationality in an instant.
“Daoist Glutton, have you considered if you might’ve eaten something without realizing it?” Daoist Baijie suddenly spoke up.
Gluttonous Zhenren froze, then caught on—Baijie was giving him a way out.
He shivered slightly, considering salvaging his reputation. But if he took Baijie’s suggestion, it would confirm he did something wrong.
He could only double down… Gluttonous Zhenren smiled bitterly to himself but kept a calm face. “Baijie Zhenren, surely you’re not going to believe this mysterious thing’s nonsense?”
Daoist Baijie frowned, clearly seeing through Gluttonous Zhenren’s game.
At that moment, the Gaia who’d been slapped suddenly raised her head. Her face was still flawless—no trace of a red handprint.
【Judgment: Subscriber committed theft. Judgment: Subscriber committed violent seizure. Verdict: Subscriber will be eliminated… Destruction system uploading… Destruction mode initiated】
Gluttonous Zhenren’s heart began pounding uncontrollably. Cultivators often have spiritual intuition—and now, it was screaming.
Panic surged.
"Wait! What did Gluttonous Zhenren take? How much does it cost? I’ll pay on his behalf!" Baijie Zhenren finally realized what was happening and quickly shouted, ignoring any further argument with Gluttonous Zhenren.
But at that moment, the Gaia before them had already begun to change form... and within an instant, the transformation was complete.
Her once-colored long hair turned ghostly pale, while savage, fang-like black markings appeared on both cheeks... and her delicate hands instantly morphed into massive blood-red metallic claws!
"What are you trying to—" Gluttonous Zhenren shouted, both startled and furious.
But the transformed Gaia didn’t respond. With a flicker, she vanished from sight—so fast that none of the Daoists or Demons present could react!
"—do?" Gluttonous Zhenren's voice was still hanging in the air.
In that same instant, his body was suddenly torn apart as if swept by a net of razor-sharp wires!
His head, shoulders, torso, and limbs split apart in neatly sliced chunks, falling to the ground.
What lingered in the memories of all present Daoists and Demons was only the final, panicked look in Gluttonous Zhenren’s eyes… his eyeballs had even rolled to the ground!
As his body shattered, a giant crimson metal claw plunged into the disintegrating remains.
When the body was reduced to a tidy pile of fine meat chunks, only the transformed Gaia stood beside it, holding in her claw a peculiar blue-white crystal about the size of a fist.
[Thief eliminated. Item recovered.]
Gluttonous Zhenren wasn’t especially famous in the Daoist Association, but in terms of strength, he was no pushover—solidly mid-tier. Yet he didn’t even have a chance to fight back before being shredded by this terrifying little girl.
Everyone watching—Daoists and Demons alike—gasped in shock. If all the Gaias present had the same ability…
It was a chilling thought.
[Inquiry: Will the subscriber make a purchase…]
At nearly the same time, seven or eight other Gaias all turned to the Daoists or Demons in front of them and asked the same question—the only difference being the specific item each referred to.
Clearly, these individuals had also secretly hidden items when no one was watching—just like Gluttonous Zhenren.
"I… I was just curious, I only took a look! I didn’t mean to keep it!"
A Black Tortoise Demon frantically shook his clothes, and a crimson plant fell from within. The Demon hurriedly picked it up and offered it with both hands to the Gaia in front of him.
Meanwhile, several other Daoists and Demons also hurried to retrieve hidden items from their clothing or belongings. At this point, who cared about reputation?
As for Cang Jinshui’s earlier statement about collecting and redistributing everything fairly—no one had time to worry about that now.
"Damn it! A bunch of useless cowards! I’ve had enough!" roared an angry voice.
It came from a member of the White Tiger clan—specifically, a personal guard who used to follow young master Huang Baifu. Ever since arriving here, Huang Baifu had gone missing, leaving this group leaderless.
"Power claims the treasure, as they say!" the Demon sneered and pulled out a strange fruit, laughing. "Buy? Why should it be yours just because you say so? I picked this with my own hands! It's mine!"
His arrogance echoed that of Huang Baifu… though it remained to be seen how his strength compared to the infamously fierce young master.
That was what most people were thinking.
"Don’t think killing Gluttonous Zhenren gives you any credibility!" the Demon sneered. "He was nothing—his powers were slow to develop, impure, weak as hell! There are plenty of strong Daoists and Demons here. Why should we fear you freaks?"
With that, several other White Tiger members gathered behind him.
The Demon gave a respectful gesture toward Cang Jinshui and Qu Xinghe. "Clan Chief Cang, High Priest Qu—our young master may be absent, but we can’t leave empty-handed from a treasure trove like this. Why don’t our clans join forces?"
Perhaps still unsettled by the earlier appearance of the intimidating Yu Sanniang, Cang Jinshui had grown more cautious.
He frowned at the suggestion but didn’t respond immediately—and Qu Xinghe remained silent as well.
It was clear the Azure Dragon and Vermilion Bird clans were aligned—at least for now, they seemed to be of one mind.
The White Tiger guard wasn’t a fool—he knew to rally allies instead of barging in alone like Huang Baifu had done, claiming everything for himself.
"Let’s at least hear what the buying process is," said Ming Tushan of the Black Tortoise clan calmly. "Young man, don’t be reckless. Think before you act. Don’t drag everyone into disaster."
"Hmph! Typical Black Tortoise cowardice! A thousand-year turtle, ten-thousand-year wimp—the saying holds true!" the White Tiger Demon snorted.
And right then, without warning, he slammed his fist into the Gaia standing beside him!
This punch couldn’t compare to Huang Baifu’s Dominating Fist, but it was still forceful enough to shake the ground.
With a thunderous boom, the Gaia was smashed into the ground!
The earth cracked, stones flew, and dust filled the air.
The Gaia’s body sank into the ground, her neck twisted at an unnatural angle—like a broken doll.
"Hmph, not so tough after all… huh?"
He suddenly stepped back half a pace.
The Gaia in the pit, her broken neck clicking like rusty gears, began slowly twisting back into place. Her body rose again...
[Assessment: Subscriber engaged in violent theft. Verdict: Eliminate subscriber… Destruction system uploading… Destruction Mode: Initiated]
[Initiated]
[Initiated]
[Initiated]
It wasn’t just that Gaia.
All the Gaias present now echoed the same phrase… countless voices chanting [Initiated] filled the air, enveloping the world.
One by one, the Gaias levitated into the air… and began to change form once more.
(End of Chapter)