The fake prince was exposed at the beginning, and I took office as emperor on the spot

Chapter 208 Mingzhu'er (Two Chapters Combined)

Five hundred years ago?!
Gu Fangchen's pupils constricted; she was genuinely taken aback.

Although it can now be basically confirmed that he did not really travel from another time, but rather a wisp of his soul was separated from the original Gu Fangchen and simply returned to his own body.

But even if we consider the original entity, it has only been nineteen years since then.

Where does this causal thread from 500 years ago come from?

He was also familiar with the calculation methods of causality.

In terms of "cause and effect" alone, the birth of any person can be traced back to generations, even directly to ancient times.

There is no effect without a cause; there are ancestors, and there are descendants.

However, these causes and effects have little to do with the subject, because the past is already past, unless one's cultivation reaches the first rank, which allows one to influence the past.

However, this is the understanding of contemporary cultivators. Based on the information Gu Fangchen currently possesses, it is basically certain that even a first-grade cultivator cannot transcend time and dimensions.

What lasts forever is the "Tao," not the "one who attains the Tao."

This explains his previous question: if Xie Qian and others could truly transcend dimensions, then "The Mirror in the Dust" should have included a segment about breaking the fourth wall to demonstrate this characteristic.

The game "Mirror in the Dust" is meticulously designed in every aspect, and this part should not be overlooked.

Now Gu Fangchen finally understands that the reason it wasn't set up was precisely because a first-class rank was truly impossible.

However, a "causal line" is different from cause and effect. A "causal line" must be closely related to the subject of cause and effect, and be created by the subject through personal experience in order to be called a "causal line".

For example, the "Six Star Lords'" method of destiny analysis requires one to put oneself into the cycle of reincarnation in order to weave a sufficiently large destiny chart with countless "causal lines".

Therefore, unless one experiences it firsthand, the "cause and effect line" cannot exist!

Since the Grand Preceptor has calculated that he has a "causal line" that dates back 500 years, he must have actually been to Garuda 500 years ago.

However, Gu Fangchen knew perfectly well that he could not have appeared five hundred years ago.

So far, aside from his experiences in the game, his only connection with this ancient Western Regions kingdom is that he was tested by Princess Prajna when he first transmigrated.

The way they tested him was by setting up the illusionary array of time, "A Dream of Yellow Millet".

The purpose of this illusion array is to trap people within it, subjecting them to the ravages of time. If they cannot find a way to break the array, they may indeed die of old age within it.

At that time, Gu Fangchen was in the illusion array, experiencing the twenty-two years she spent in Garuda.

This triggered the guaranteed enlightenment mechanism, allowing him to officially enter the ninth rank of the Divine Path.

"But that's an illusion array... There's no reason why a fifth-grade time illusion array could actually send me five hundred years ago."

Gu Fangchen's brows furrowed even more, finding the situation even more unbelievable.

This is incredible! Even a first-rank expert couldn't do it, yet an illusion array accomplished it?

Over the years, this "Dream of the Yellow Millet" is not considered a particularly rare skill in the illusion array. People use it everywhere, but I haven't seen anyone running around indiscriminately.

Gu Fangchen took a breath.

If it's not a problem with the illusion array, and it can't be a problem with the Prajna Lotus Moon, then there's only one possibility left—

It's his own problem.

Xu Fu had obviously thought of this as well, and pondered for a moment before saying:
"After that, did you experience similar illusions? They are not simply illusions, but rather use real memories and spaces as their medium."

Gu Fangchen shook her head.

Just kidding. Ever since he improved his cultivation, he's basically the one who makes others fall into illusion arrays. No one else has ever made him fall into an illusion array.

Moreover, during battle, illusions are usually only created briefly and momentarily, rather than the kind of long-lasting and tedious illusion arrays.

When Prajna Lotus Moon used "A Dream of Yellow Millet," her purpose was not to kill him, but to extract information from him.

Gu Fangchen also guessed what Xu Fu wanted to say:
"You want me to try entering this illusion array again, to see if the same thing happens?"

Xu Fudao:
"Yes."

"If that's not the case, it would be difficult to verify whether the problem lies with you personally."

Gu Fangchen was speechless.

It would be much easier to verify if it were in another location, but it just so happens to be Garuda.

This ancient kingdom was completely destroyed five hundred years ago... leaving only the Prajna Lotus Moon.

As Princess Prajna Lotus Moon was a Garuda, she had no interaction with Gu Fangchen, who was a low-ranking officer at the time, so it was impossible for her to obtain information about Gu Fangchen from her.

Gu Fangchen paused, momentarily stunned.

Originally, due to the characteristics of the Time Illusion Array, the memories within the array would gradually fade after breaking it. Over such a long period of time, he had almost forgotten the twenty-two years he had experienced.

But now, when Xu Fu brought it up again, he remembered the daughter he had adopted in the illusion array.

The hazy memories suddenly became clear again.

That was during his tenth year fighting at the bottom of society, when he found a baby girl on a battlefield where people were being slaughtered.

Since I didn't know how long I would have to stay in this illusion array, I decided to play a simulation game to pass the time.

However, since he himself was from a poor family, he couldn't provide good conditions. They could only rely on each other for survival, trying their best to save money and arrange all the good things for their daughter.

After all, Gu Fangchen thought he was just in an illusion array. He believed that once he broke the illusion array, he would still be the heir of the Prince of Zhenbei and wouldn't lack these things.

Those within the illusion array have only a short lifespan, and all they see is the barren, boundless yellow sand.

Gu Fangchen was naturally happy to play the role of a kind and gentle old father, giving everything for his daughter, and even dying because of her in the end.

At that time, Gu Fangchen, as a squad leader, did not live a particularly good life, but it was certainly not bad either. The house she lived in was located in a good place within the Third Ring Road, if not the First Ring Road.

The time period in question was several decades before Garuda's kingdom was destroyed, which was considered its peak period, so it was naturally impossible for someone to directly invade.

Therefore, the soldiers who killed Gu Fangchen in the illusion array were not from an enemy country, but were the personal guards dispatched by the high-ranking officials of Garuda.

These guards secretly searched everywhere for girls of marriageable age and captured them, eventually finding Gu Fangchen's home.

Given Gu Fangchen's lowly position, he had no way of obtaining information from higher-ups. However, as a player, he could guess their purpose.

At that time, Garuda was almost at the point where the princess made her grand vow.

After the fall of the ancient Zhou dynasty, there were no longer any gods in the world in the true sense. Only the remaining consciousness that had merged with the "Dao" remained and resided in cultivation techniques.

Although the legend is written in a fantastical way, such as an ancient kingdom suffering from sandstorms, leaving the land barren and thousands dying every year, and Princess Prajna, out of compassion, making a great vow to gouge out her own eyes as a sacrifice to the heavens, thus invoking divine mercy and sending down sweet rain, in reality, it was simply that the cultivation method was highly compatible, triggering the remaining "Dao" within it, which caused the strange phenomena in the heavens and earth.

Essentially, it was similar to the strange phenomenon caused by Gu Fangchen reciting poetry; it wasn't as powerful as the legends suggested.

But even before the princess made her grand vow, Garuda had never stopped trying to change the climate and environment, and the methods they used, such as secretly capturing young girls, were certainly not the right way.

Gu Fangchen risked her life to block the guards, creating a way out for her poor daughter.

Gu Fangchen, needing to escape the illusion array, took the opportunity to commit suicide.

Otherwise, he would have had a chance to make an even bigger commotion.

"If all the Garudas are destroyed... Mingzhu'er should be dead too."

Gu Fangchen muttered to herself.

He named his adopted daughter Mingzhu, which means "precious pearl in the palm of one's hand"... Although it was a bit casual, he was playing a low-ranking soldier at the time, and it wouldn't be right if she were too cultured, so he could only choose something simple.

However, the meaning remains unchanged; at least during those twelve years, he truly devoted himself wholeheartedly to the role of a child prodigy.

Upon hearing this, Xu Fu said calmly:

"Mingzhu'er?"

Gu Fangchen coughed twice, keenly sensing a hint of danger in the Grand Preceptor's tone, and quickly said:

"She is the daughter I adopted within the illusion array."

He gave a general account of his experience in the illusion array. Even if Mingzhu'er hadn't died then, with the resources a captain's daughter could have obtained, she probably wouldn't have become a cultivator and wouldn't be alive today.

But the sudden realization that the experience might be real left Gu Fangchen feeling somewhat melancholic.

He could barely remember what the little girl looked like at this moment.

However, I still remember it clearly. She was a slender and delicate girl with a pair of blue eyes that were like crystal gems, extremely clear and beautiful.

Even though everything about Garuda has been buried by the endless yellow sand, that beautiful blue color still seems to be shining brightly.

Their eyes were completely different from those of the Garuda people in the yellow sand, who always had a numb and hopeless look in them.

That was the color that Gu Fangchen personally polished.

It was a peerless pearl that he lifted out of the yellow sand.

It's just a pity that, if nothing unexpected had happened, Mingzhu would have also fallen into slumber in the yellow sands along with Garuda...

But... is there really no chance of anything unexpected?

Gu Fangchen's expression suddenly turned somewhat strange.

He remembered seeing the same shade of blue before. Shortly after breaking the illusion array, he had been curious and recklessly lifted the veil of Prajna Lotus Moon, revealing a pair of eyes beneath it.

It was a perfectly consistent, crystal-clear blue.

However, because Gu Fangchen had previously considered "The Dream of Yellow Millet" to be nothing more than a dream, she had some doubts but did not connect the two together.

After all, who the hell could have imagined that an illusion array could actually become real?!
To Gu Fangchen at that time, the world was still operating according to the rules of the game, so she could never have guessed that the problem lay with herself!

At most, it proves that the original legend was untrue, and that Princess Prajna did not gouge out her own eyes.

There are many people in the world with blue eyes.

But at this moment, Gu Fangchen realized that she actually had a causal connection from five hundred years ago.

In other words, he might be able to turn the illusion into a real, passive reality...

If Mingzhu'er is real, is there really such a coincidence in the world?
The two, both born from Garuda, also have the exact same eye color.

More importantly, throughout her life, Prajna Lotus Moon sought to resurrect a person who had never appeared in history...

In the original game, although on the surface it was the player who drove him into a desperate situation, ultimately causing him to burn himself to death.

But in reality, the main reason is that even after Prajna Lotus Moon gathered all the conditions for resurrection and even sacrificed the entire Tara religion, she still failed to be resurrected.

Therefore, Prajna Lotus Moon fell into despair and madness, and chose to end her life with a fire.

Having clearly met all the conditions, why did the revival attempt fail?

This is also where players have a point of contention, but at the time most people felt that the problem lay in the method.

However, Gu Fangchen now feels... that the problem might be with the person.

It's impossible to resurrect someone who doesn't exist, or someone who is still alive.

Xu Fu noticed Gu Fangchen's silence and asked:
"What did you think of?"

Gu Fangchen took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled.

"I have indeed come up with a clue. Perhaps we don't need to use the illusion array to experiment to find out if it was because of me that the illusion array turned from fake to real."

Using illusion arrays for experiments could potentially alter the past once again.

If it creates a butterfly effect, he wouldn't dare gamble again.

He now deeply understands the consequences of the "butterfly effect." After killing Gu Yuye, which caused the plot to deviate significantly, Ning Caiyong revealed that his cultivation had disappeared and Emperor Yong'an had become a head on his waist.

If we add fuel to the fire, who knows what outrageous changes will occur next...

Now, all he needs to do is continue to help Prajna Lotus Moon complete the resurrection ritual and, incidentally, extract some information to ascertain the truth.

This doesn't conflict with Gu Fangchen's original plan, so why not do it?

At the same time, the Grand Preceptor's discovery, which seems to have nothing to do with his origins, may actually confirm his existence and what significance it holds for the person who chose him.

Because there is something very unusual about Gu Fangchen.

This time, perhaps we can figure it out...

He looked up at the three large characters for "Night Watchman" above him—

The most unusual thing about Gu Fangchen is this "random job experience system" derived from the game!
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

P.S.: The previous events were in Chapter 15... I know you've all forgotten by now.
With this plot hole filled, we're pretty much in the final stages. There was originally another Confucian storyline involving Gu Youren and another involving Ning Caiyong, but I cut them both. So, it's normal that the progress seems to have sped up.

The earlier part, where the Imperial Advisor was summoned the very next day, really startled me. So, after some thought, I decided to cut two storylines without disrupting the overall structure or compromising the plot's integrity. There are still about two volumes left to cover.
(End of this chapter)