Damn It! After Transmigrating into the Book, His Highness Is Teased to Tears Everyday - Chapter 4

“Fu Zhu, what is that?”

Mo Yuan asked with a look of confusion, his eyes reflecting the brilliant light.

Fu Zhu gazed at the glow, a profound meaning flashing across his eyes before he lowered his head. “If Senior Brother Mo cannot tell, how could Fu Zhu possibly know?”

Mo Yuan narrowed his peach-blossom eyes, choosing not to press the question.

Before they could observe the phenomenon further, the light gradually faded, obscured by thick, drifting clouds. Shi Yu watched the scene, a deep, enigmatic luster shining in his long eyes.

“System, do you know what is going on?”

Shi Yu probed his mind, but the system’s reply was disappointing.

“The system does not provide any information outside of task reminders.”

Shi Yu chuckled softly, intending to have a serious talk with the system, but the door to the main hall opened and Zemian Zun stepped out.

“Shi Yu, Mo Yuan, come in.”

Zemian Zun glanced at them, his tone indifferent.

Observing his master’s calm reaction, Mo Yuan suppressed his curiosity and led Shi Yu inside. As soon as Shi Yu stepped into the main hall, the mechanical voice prompted: “Task initiated: Please complete the apprenticeship ceremony and take away the Star Platform.”

Take away the Star Platform?

Shi Yu furrowed his brows in confusion. Mo Yuan had just said that the Star Platform was used by Zemian Zun for observation. Why did the system want him to take it?

Before Shi Yu could ponder the reason, other attendants entered, and the ceremony began.

“Shi Yu shall follow the teachings of Master, strictly observe the sect’s rules, and spend this life punishing evil and promoting good. I take the safety of the world as my responsibility and will save the common people from suffering.”

After reciting the oath, Shi Yu was helped up by Zemian Zun and received the jade pendant symbolizing his status in the sect. The apprenticeship ceremony was officially completed.

Zemian Zun led Shi Yu and Mo Yuan toward the stone shelf where the Star Platform was placed.

“Shi Yu, this is your Star Platform. I cast a divination for you today, and there were no abnormalities.”

Mo Yuan stood to the side with a cold expression, a trace of surprise flashing in his eyes when he heard this.

“No abnormalities? Then what caused the brilliant light in the sky just now?”

Hearing Mo Yuan’s question, Zemian Zun turned and pointed to another Star Platform.

“It is nothing. I just calculated yours again, and it must have been your nebula that shone.”

“My nebula?”

Shi Yu looked at Mo Yuan, his eyes questioning.

Mo Yuan met Shi Yu’s gaze, curled his lips into a smile, and spoke with pride.

“Yes! A-Yu, Master says my nebula is closely tied to the fate of Yunlan. Isn’t that amazing?”

Shi Yu cast a lazy, sidelong glance at him, immediately losing all curiosity, and turned back to his master, beginning to think about how to complete his task.

“Master, may I take this Star Platform back to have a look?”

Shi Yu stared at his master with bright eyes, seemingly acting out of the pure curiosity of a young boy.

Mo Yuan caught Shi Yu’s request, looking at him with a faint smile and burning eyes.

“A-Yu, why do you want to look at this? You have not learned Star-Gazing Arts yet; you will not understand it.”

Mo Yuan’s comment, which could be described as that of a teammate from hell, successfully earned him an eye roll from Shi Yu.

“It is fine. If you are curious, take it back to look. However, this Star Platform cannot leave the main hall for more than three days.”

Upon hearing his master’s permission, Shi Yu immediately agreed. “Shi Yu understands. I will surely return the Star Platform within three days.”

He figured the system would not make an unreasonable demand, so he decided to take the platform first. Sure enough, once Shi Yu returned to his quarters with the Star Platform, the system announced the task was complete, and a ray of light appeared out of thin air and flew toward the platform.

“System, what did you do?”

Seeing the light disappear near the platform, Shi Yu asked nervously.

“You need not be nervous. It merely erased the traces of the system’s existence.”

The mechanical voice explained, still perfectly calm.

Shi Yu was shocked that the system’s presence could even be detected on the Star Platform.

“But Master has already seen my Star Platform. Did he not discover it?”

Shi Yu frowned slightly as he asked.

“Please rest assured. The system can temporarily block probes from other characters, but it cannot hide it indefinitely, so it required you to bring it back for processing.”

The system explained in detail.

Shi Yu exhaled in relief; he did not want to be treated like a monster.

“Task settlement in progress. Bonus reward: Dream Weaving Technique. Task reward: Ziyang Jade Umbrella.”

The system, having learned its lesson, directly transmitted the manuals along with the rewards to Shi Yu.

Shi Yu took a simple look. The Dream Weaving Technique was likely granted by the system to protect his identity, while the Ziyang Jade Umbrella likely corresponded to the invisibility skill of the original owner’s cat-demon nature.

I have to do tasks to gain all the abilities the original owner already had? What kind of trashy cheat is this?

Shi Yu wanted to give up, but the system seemed to hear his thoughts and suddenly spoke: “Reminder again: Failure to complete tasks will result in punishment.”

“Side mission is about to begin. Please note that side missions do not contain rewards; they only exist as a punishment mechanism.”

Listening to the system’s unfair demands, Shi Yu became agitated, his voice tinged with anger.

“Do you not think this is going too far?”

“All system mechanisms comply with the Main System’s regulations.”

“How can it be a regulation if there is only punishment and no reward?”

Shi Yu almost lost his composure, but the system only continued to repeat the same phrase.

“All system mechanisms comply with the Main System’s regulations.”

“Broken machine!”

“All system mechanisms comply with the Main System’s regulations.”

While Shi Yu was struggling with the cold system, Mo Yuan had already arrived at Fu Zhu’s door and knocked.

Fu Zhu looked at Mo Yuan, who stood emotionless at the door, and was very confused.

“Senior Brother Mo? Do you need something?”

“Fu Zhu is a bit different today.”

Mo Yuan’s lips curled into a cold sneer, his eyes locked tightly on the person in front of him.

“Why do you not tell me, Senior Brother, in what way?”

Fu Zhu met Mo Yuan’s gaze directly, refusing to show weakness.

The two stood in a stalemate for a while before Mo Yuan finally broke the silence.

“Forget it. I know Fu Zhu surely did not mean it. Just be a bit more enthusiastic when you see A-Yu next time.”

Mo Yuan seemed to return to being a warm and cheerful youth, smiling at Fu Zhu while waiting for an answer.

“Rest assured, Senior Brother. Fu Zhu quite likes Shi Yu.”

Fu Zhu’s expression also softened as he spoke in a more relaxed tone.

Hearing this, Mo Yuan stiffened, his gaze turning cool. “Is that so? There is no need to like him too much.”

Fu Zhu was stunned by Mo Yuan’s display, then laughed softly.

“Fu Zhu cannot guarantee that.”

Mo Yuan’s gaze was indifferent as he stepped forward, intending to say something more, but he was met with a dismissal.

“Fu Zhu is a bit tired. Senior Brother Mo should return early.”

Watching the door close in front of him, Mo Yuan felt a breath of air stuck in his chest; he felt incredibly stifled.

The next day, Shi Yu returned the Star Platform to the main hall. After Zemian Zun waited for both Shi Yu and Mo Yuan to arrive, he began to give instructions in a casual tone.

“Mo Yuan, you have learned the general techniques of the sect over the past two years, so you should be the one to teach Shi Yu the basics first.”

Hearing this, Mo Yuan glanced at Shi Yu with a smile, the end of his tone wavering in an arc.

“Yes, Master.”

Seeing the look in his eyes, Shi Yu unwillingly looked away but still accepted his master’s words.

After the two left, Zemian Zun stared at Shi Yu’s retreating figure, his eyes filled with a trace of melancholy.

“Fu Zhu, you knew all along, did you not?”

Fu Zhu, who was standing to the side, looked at Zemian Zun, his tone indifferent.

“Zemian Zun, this is Fu Zhu’s fate, and it is also the fate of the people of the world.”

Zemian Zun sighed and looked up toward the heights.

“Let us hope that day does not truly arrive.”