Weird, my gaming life

The golden-purple light of the Buddha burned a large hole through the clouds.

The light wasn't warm; instead, it had a cold, hard, metallic feel, pressing down on you as if it would break your spine.

Lin Yuan stopped, a metallic taste rising in his throat.

"Click."

A very faint, crisp sound emanated from his body. The sound was very small, yet it sounded particularly jarring in the deathly silence of the wilderness.

Sun Wukong suddenly turned around, his golden eyes fixed on Lin Yuan's face.

On Lin Yuan's originally pale, jade-like skin, a thin, hair-like black line had appeared. The line was not a wound; there was no flesh or blood inside, only a bottomless void that greedily devoured the surrounding light.

"Venerable One, your face..." Sun Wukong tightened his grip on the golden cudgel, his monkey hair standing on end, "It's cracked."

"It's alright."

Lin Yuan raised his hand and gently wiped his cheek, the black and white qi flowing from his fingertips, forcibly smoothing out the crack.

However, the swelling sensation originating from the depths of his soul did not disappear; instead, it intensified under the illumination of the purple-gold Buddha light.

A golden statue, twenty-two feet tall.

This body is almost unable to contain the immense, nearly out-of-control fortune.

"If the skin is damaged, it can still be used after some mending." Lin Yuan's voice remained calm, as if what had shattered was not his body, but an insignificant piece of porcelain. "But this thing in front of me is rather interesting."

Everyone followed his gaze.

In the distant horizon, a majestic mountain rises abruptly from the ground.

The mountain's shape was extremely strange; unlike the usual steep peaks, it was rounded and full. From a distance, it looked like a giant Buddha statue sitting cross-legged.

The Buddha's head is located at the summit, perpetually shrouded in a purple-gold halo. The Buddha's body is at the mountainside, with mountain ranges extending on either side resembling two enormous arms clasped together in front of the chest.

The so-called "purple-gold Buddha light" emanated from the gap between the clasped hands.

"That's...Mount Ling?"

Xuanzang reined in the horse and looked up at the towering Buddha statue. The brocade robe fluttered in the wind, and for the first time, ripples appeared in his usually calm eyes.

"Not there yet."

Pigsy carried the nine-toothed rake that had turned pure black, his beady green eyes, sunken deep in their sockets, narrowed into slits, and his nostrils flared wildly.

"Master, that tastes wrong."

Pigsy stuck out his barbed tongue and licked his chapped lips. "If Mount Ling smells like this, then Buddha must be a Taoist alchemist. I, Old Pig, smell it... it's the smell of medicine, and there's also a smell of burnt furnace ash."

"The smell of medicine?" Sha Wujing, carrying his load, took two steps to the side, seemingly afraid of touching the faint cracks on Lin Yuan's body. "Second Senior Brother, are you sure you're not mistaken? Where would medicine come from in this desolate wilderness?"

"No mistake." Pigsy chuckled, his fat cheeks bunching up to reveal a set of gleaming white fangs. "And it's the kind of 'great medicine' made from living people."

Lin Yuan took a step, and with each step, the rocks beneath his feet silently turned to dust.

"Whether it's medicine or not, we'll know once we go up and take a look."

"This mountain is called Pingdingshan. It seems that someone didn't want us to have an easy journey, so they deliberately set up a 'fake Western Paradise' here."

……

The closer you get to the foot of the "Big Buddha," the hotter the air becomes.

The surrounding vegetation has completely disappeared, replaced by a purplish-black rock.

Occasionally, huge craters can be seen on the ground, filled with dark red lava that bubbles and emits a pungent sulfur smell.

"This is no Buddhist sanctuary; it's clearly a giant furnace."

Sun Wukong used his golden cudgel to push aside a huge rock blocking his way. The rock rolled into the lava and was instantly melted away without leaving a trace.

"Master, be careful. This place is eerie; you can't even see a bird."

Xuanzang didn't speak, but silently urged the white horse on.

Ever since he saw the mountain that resembled a Buddha statue, he had been feeling rather down. The prayer beads in his hands spun rapidly, and he murmured the Heart Sutra, as if trying to combat the omnipresent sense of oppression.

Chang'e followed half a step behind Lin Yuan.

Her ethereal eyes were now fixed on Lin Yuan's back.

There, hidden beneath the clothing, several black cracks were slowly spreading outwards, as if they were alive.

"You need the power of Yin."

Chang'e suddenly spoke, her voice as cold as ice.

Lin Yuan didn't stop walking, nor did he turn his head: "No need. If this body can't even suppress this little bit of luck, then it's fine if it gets ruined."

Chang'e remained silent for a moment, then her fingertips twitched slightly, and a wisp of extremely faint moonlight silently disappeared into Lin Yuan's shadow.

Lin Yuan paused slightly, but did not refuse.

The cool sensation seeped into my body along with the shadow, slightly relieving the burning sensation in my meridians that felt like it was about to explode.

As they were walking, the mountain road ahead suddenly ended.

A massive canyon stretched out before them. The canyon was bottomless, with smooth, mirror-like cliffs on both sides, as if it had been cleaved open by a giant axe.

On the opposite side of the canyon, at the knee position of the "Buddha," sat a strange person.

It was a boy wearing a tattered Taoist robe and with a single silver horn on his head.

He looked no more than eleven or twelve years old, with fair skin and delicate features. However, his eyes had no pupils, only a silvery-white expanse flowing like mercury.

The boy held a purple-gold gourd in his hands and stared blankly at the bottom of the canyon.

Hearing footsteps, the boy slowly turned his head.

Those silver-white eyes swept over everyone, finally settling on Lin Yuan.

"It's finally here."

The boy's voice was very tender, yet it carried an air of age and weariness that was completely out of character for his age.

"I have waited for you for five hundred years, and the fire in the furnace is almost out."

"Who are you?" Sun Wukong pointed with his golden cudgel, his body slightly bent, ready to pounce at any moment.

"I?"

Silver Horned Boy tilted his head, seemingly deep in thought about the question.

"I'm the one who watches over the stove. You can call me... Silver Horn."

He raised the purple-gold gourd in his hand and shook it gently. A sound of liquid hitting something came from inside, sounding heavy.

"My eldest brother said that a few 'variables' have arrived from the west. If we throw you into the furnace and refine you, perhaps we can refine a 'golden elixir' to repair this world."

"Alchemy?"

Pigsy took two steps forward, his massive body casting a shadow that completely enveloped Silver Horn Boy.

"Little brat, how big is your gourd? Can it even fit one of my old pig's legs?"

Pigsy grinned, a gust of hot, foul-smelling air hitting Silver Horn's face. "Why don't you refine yourself and let this old pig have a taste?"

Silverhorn was not frightened by the terrifying giant boar.

He merely glanced at Pigsy, a strange smile playing on his lips.

"size?"

"In this world, size... has never been perceived by the eyes."

As he spoke, Silver Horn uncorked the purple-gold gourd.

There was no suction force coming from it, nor was any light emitted.

He simply called out softly to Pigsy:

"Pig Wuneng".

The moment those three words were uttered, the surrounding spatial laws instantly froze.

Pigsy's previously grinning expression suddenly froze. He felt an indescribable force of rules directly acting on his true name.

That's a causal-level lock.

As long as he agrees, or his soul accepts the name, he will be forcibly judged as a "storage object" by this rule.

"snort……"

Pigsy had just let out a muffled sound in his throat, before he could even speak.

Lin Yuan suddenly moved.

He took a step forward and instantly appeared in front of Pigsy, placing one hand on the gaping mouth that was about to open.

"Shut up."

Lin Yuan's voice was cold, directly silencing Zhu Bajie's words that were about to come out.

Pigsy shuddered, the green light in his eyes instantly cleared, and cold sweat poured down his face.

"That was close..." he muttered to himself, "This little kid's got some skills."

Seeing that Pigsy did not respond, Silver Horn's smile faded slightly.

He turned the gourd's mouth towards Sun Wukong.

"Sun Wukong".

Sun Wukong's eyes darted around, and he chuckled, completely ignoring the retort. Instead, he picked at his ear and said, "You little monster, why are you calling me Grandpa Sun? I, Old Sun, am not changing my name or surname; I am none other than the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, the Handsome Monkey King of the Water Curtain Cave on Flower Fruit Mountain..."

He rattled off a whole bunch of names, but never the three words "Sun Wukong".

Silver Horn frowned.

This rule-based magic weapon, though powerful, has a fatal weakness—it requires the user to respond with their real name.

If the other party does not respond, or the name is incorrect, the gourd is just for decoration.

"That's interesting."

Silver Horn slowly put down the gourd, a ripple appearing in his silvery-white eyes.

"It seems my elder brother was right, this year's pilgrims... are a bit cunning."

He stood up and dusted off his backside.

"Since words won't work, we'll have to resort to force."

Before he could finish speaking, the space behind Silver Horn suddenly cracked open.

A seven-star sword flew out of thin air and landed in his hand.

Seven gleaming star-shaped stones were inlaid on the blade, arranged according to the Big Dipper. As the sword was drawn, glistening snowflakes began to fall from the previously sweltering air.

"Move the mountain!"

Silver Horn let out a low shout and slashed the air with the Seven Star Sword in his hand.

Rumbling--

The ground beneath their feet trembled violently.

In the distance, the two mountain ranges that resembled Buddha's hands actually moved.

The mountain peak on the left rose abruptly from the ground, transforming into the phantom of Mount Sumeru, carrying a weight of billions of tons, and pressed down on Sun Wukong.

The mountain peak on the right transformed into the phantom of Mount Emei, sweeping towards Pigsy and Sandy.

"Impressive technique! They've actually managed to mobilize the spirits of this mountain!"

Sun Wukong's eyes flashed with golden light, and instead of retreating, he advanced.

"Big big!"

The golden cudgel swelled in the wind, transforming into a colossal pillar that held back the pressing Mount Sumeru.

"Open it for me, Old Sun!"

Sun Wukong's arms were bulging with muscles, and his demonic aura soared into the sky. He single-handedly lifted the mountain peak into the air.

On the other side, Pigsy was not to be outdone.

"I, Old Pig, am still hungry!"

He roared, his body swelling once more, transforming into that giant silver boar. The nine-toothed rake danced in his hands like a black whirlwind, each tooth carrying a chilling aura, slamming fiercely into the illusory image of Mount Emei.

Bang bang bang!

Rocks flew everywhere, and the mountain collapsed.

Although Zhu Bajie was forced to retreat repeatedly by the shock, he managed to withstand the blow thanks to his skin and flesh, which had been strengthened by the earth's vein essence.

"Is that all you've got?"

Lin Yuan stood still, his black clothes standing out starkly against the backdrop of swirling snow and falling rocks.

He looked at Silver Horn not far away, his eyes as calm as if he were watching a farce.

"If you're just a furnace boy, then this play... is rather boring."

Silver Horn looked at the two mountains that had been blocked, but instead of disappointment, he revealed an even more eerie smile.

"What's the rush?"

"The mountains are just an appetizer."

"The real meal...is in heaven."

Silver Horn suddenly pointed the Seven Star Sword in his hand towards the sky.

"Brother! If we don't act now, when will we?!"

boom--!

The purple-gold halo that had been enveloping the Buddha's head on the mountaintop suddenly exploded.

An oppressive force a hundred times more terrifying than before descended from the sky.

A crack slowly appeared between the eyebrows of the enormous "Buddha's head".

That's not the Heavenly Eye.

It was a huge furnace opening burning with raging flames.

A man dressed in a golden Taoist robe, with a head of golden hair dancing wildly, stepped out from the furnace.

He held a banana leaf fan in his hand and carried a golden rope on his back.

His face bore a resemblance to Silver Horn's, except that his eyes were pure gold, burning with a true fire capable of melting all things.

King Golden Horn.

Or rather... the fire-watching boy responsible for alchemy under Laozi of Taiqing Heaven.

"Lin Yuan".

Jinjiao looked down at Lin Yuan from his high vantage point, his voice booming like a great bell, causing the entire Pingdingshan Mountain to tremble.

"Your body... seems like it's about to split open."

Jin Jiao gently fanned himself with the banana leaf fan in his hand.

call--

A visible flame of the Six Ding Divine Fire descended from the sky.

This fire is no ordinary fire, nor is it the Samadhi True Fire. It is the Six Ding Divine Fire that refined Sun Wukong and gave him the Fiery Eyes!

Wherever the flames passed, the void was burned and distorted, even the light was swallowed up.

"Perfect! I'll throw you into this Eight Trigrams Furnace and refine you along with the world's fortune within you!"

Faced with the overwhelming divine fire, Lin Yuan finally raised his head.

The crack on his face, which had just been smoothed out, split open again.

This time, the crack was even bigger, and you could even hear the crisp sound of the skin breaking like porcelain shards.

But he laughed.

His laughter was somewhat ferocious, somewhat insane.

"Refine me?"

Lin Yuan stretched out his hand and made a grabbing motion towards the sky full of divine fire.

"Perfect, my golden body... is just one final touch missing."

hum-

For the first time, the black and white millstone inside his body was revealed to the outside without reservation.

A massive millstone lies between heaven and earth, rotating in reverse.

There is no defense.

There was no attempt to dodge.

Lin Yuan actually directly controlled the black and white millstone and swallowed the Six Ding Divine Fire, which was powerful enough to burn the sky and boil the sea, in one gulp!

"Since it's alchemy..."

Lin Yuan's voice was hoarse, with a metallic quality.

"Let's see who's really training whom."

"madman!"

The golden horn in the sky suddenly contracted its pupils.

He had never seen anyone dare to swallow the Six Ding Divine Fire whole. That was something that even a Venerable Realm expert would suffer greatly if they came into contact with it!

However, the next moment, something even more terrifying happened.

Lin Yuan, who swallowed the divine fire, was not burned to ashes.

On the contrary, a pure golden-red light began to shine through those originally black cracks.

Click, click.

Lin Yuan's skin began to peel off in large areas.

It's like a snake shedding its skin.

Beneath that shattered outer shell, a near-perfect new body, radiating a lustrous, crystal-like light, was slowly taking shape in the raging flames.

A golden statue, twenty-two feet tall...

break!

boom--!!!

A beam of light piercing through the heavens and earth erupted from Lin Yuan's body.

Within that pillar of light, there were not only black and white energies, Buddhist golden light, and thick earth veins, but also, at this moment... a blazing true intent capable of burning away all illusions.

Breaking through the Void Realm.

Beneath Pingdingshan, a place rife with scheming and bloodshed, Lin Yuan, fueled by the enemy's fire, forced himself to take that final step.

He stood in the pillar of light, his black hair dancing wildly, like a demon god emerging from purgatory.

He looked up at the golden horn in the sky and slowly extended a finger.

"You just said..."

"Who should we refine?"