I am a living immortal.

Chapter 465 Storytelling

Reaching such power within a thousand years is not much different from being born a god. The contrast between strength and time makes it seem even more exaggerated. But even if Su Mu was once the "protagonist," so what? He has now emerged from it. Of course, the world isn't as extreme as the Dongtian. Li Shu was an exception, and Su Mu isn't the only one. Why did the innate gods flee into the void, curling up in retreat? It was because the world felt that these innate gods, while capable of helping it, were too one-sided. If problems arose, these innate gods would simply perish with the world, rather than fight for survival.

Even those at the top of the innate divine realms were no exception. Their departure was a bargain with the world, a practical alternative. If the beings of this era failed, there was always a backup plan. The world's layout was never singular, even in this era, with a myriad of systems flourishing—immortals, Buddhas, demons, monsters, gods, and humans.

Su Mu hadn't forgotten the young man he'd met in that small town. It was that young man who had shown him that the world wasn't as stagnant as they'd imagined, but was instead constantly innovating. That young man in that small town was a thread. Perhaps in the future, immortals and gods would disappear, and a new form of being, one that controlled nature and its laws, far from the innate gods, would emerge. In previous lives, this state was called "technology."

The heterochromatic-eyed youth encountered in the ghost market of the Netherworld represents another thread. The age of human-god symbiosis isn't much less advanced than the age of technology. This is what Su Mu encountered; what else hasn't he encountered? No one knows how many hidden threads the universe has buried within the world. At such moments, Su Mu couldn't help but marvel at the world's foresight, a grand blueprint beyond human reach. Just a glimpse of it fills one with awe.

This completely overturned Su Mu's imagination. When she first came through, she had thought she was the protagonist of the world, conquering the world, achieving the highest level of success, controlling the world—all the stories in novels. But now, such thoughts were completely gone. The world was far more far-sighted than she had imagined, as evidenced by her own willingness to take the plunge.

Although the world can be a bit stingy sometimes—it'll strike you with lightning if you see its true face—and although Su Mu jokingly says the world is like a young wife, what young wife would dare to scrape her bones to cure poison? When it comes to foresight, Su Mu might not even be able to match him. When it comes to planning, if Su Mu didn't sense the changes in fate and have the foresight to seek benefits and avoid harm; if Su Mu's existence wasn't a good thing for the world, with his wisdom, he could be schemed by the world to his death without even realizing it.

Thanks to his strength, and thanks to his own resolute character, even if he was the protagonist, it would not matter. The world was completely unable to control him, and he could instead teach him a lesson, making him less sensitive, at least less sensitive to his prying eyes.

Shenlong knew Su Mu was probably right. However, he didn't have much affection for the world. If he hadn't known the world couldn't control Su Mu, he wouldn't be so happy right now. Because in the world's eyes, you get what you pay for, and these things aren't so easy to come by. However, following Su Mu made it easy. He felt at ease with what he had received. This wasn't given by the world, but earned through his own efforts.

The world isn't naive. Isn't the inevitable war a low-cost test? Their approach to the innate gods is also about recycling. Quite clever.

"How long will Xuan Mo last?" asked the old goat.

"About one or two months, no more than two months at most." Su Mu could still sense the progress of Xuan Mo's accommodating water veins.

“Two months, not long.”

They wouldn't stay in this country for long, only two months, and everyone knew they couldn't get too deeply involved.

"That's a shame." After Cao Chen learned about the Four Buddhas Temple, he had wanted to visit and learn from it. But since it was only less than two months away, he decided to give up and just take a break.

With two months to go, there was no need for the four of them to stay together; they could each do their own thing. After finishing their meal, Shenlong left first. As he had mentioned before, he needed to find a gift for Xuan Mo. It had to be something that would please Xuan Mo, and not be too shabby. He would have to go to the cave. Cao Chen planned to follow Su Mu. As for Su Mu, he didn't have much else to do.

After leaving the restaurant, Su Mu found a teahouse and listened to some books and music. He hadn't been this relaxed for a long time, and it was a bit strange. He had been wandering around, and suddenly stopped, feeling a little dazed. He could just call it early adaptation. The world continued to function without him, and Su Mu was gradually regaining his former state of mind.

The teahouse was bustling with activity. Due to the recent unexpected events in the war, involving princes, assassins, generals, and the power struggles between nations, all sorts of gossip was flying everywhere. Famous teahouses were adept at seizing this opportunity, spinning different versions of the story, expanding and perfecting these rumors into a single narrative. Of course, these stories couldn't possibly contain real names or places, and even the background had been changed, but the story remained the same, with a clear allusion, yet it sounded strangely familiar and impeccable.

And this adaptation isn't just random. These writers have managed to arrange the characters of the prince, the foreign enemy, the assassin, General Li, and Little General Li in a remarkably logical yet engaging way. Episode after episode, chapter after chapter, coupled with the storyteller's eloquence, is truly captivating. Against the backdrop of major national events, suspenseful incidents unfold, each of which weaves together to form a grand narrative. The story unfolds in a tortuous sequence, and every character—whether fictional or based on a real person—is relatable, delightful, deeply hateful, or deeply moving, all brought to life through the storyteller's unspoken voice.

This story went viral. Unbeknownst to Su Mu, the teahouse was already packed when he arrived. If Dr. Tea hadn't saved a seat for Su Mu, a generous regular, he might not have been able to get in.

At first, the storybooks might have held some resemblance to the real world, but eventually, they lost all trace of it. With the money, they naturally hired more people, and these writers brainstormed and wrote stories about otherworldly oddities. Su Mu was naturally delighted. It was actually not much different from listening to a novel, and the storytellers were talented, skilled ventriloquists. They mimicked every character, every sound of wind and rain, with exquisite fidelity. Combined with the dramatic twists and turns of the plot, it was a thrilling experience.

The storyteller clapped his wooden stick, startling everyone out of their story. He smiled, still unsatisfied, and said, "To know what happens next, please listen to the next chapter."