NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 5:
Chapter 5: The Duck-Feathered Wang Er—First Clue of Bai Suzhen:
[From that moment on, your life beneath the mountain became monotonous beyond words. You weren’t sure if it was due to the power of the Golden Alms Bowl, but every so often, a few wild fruits would appear before you. They were tasteless, but they kept you from starving.]
[As time passed, out of sheer boredom, you began meditating on various Buddhist scriptures and martial techniques.]
[Through self-enlightenment, you unexpectedly comprehended “Arhat Demon-Subduing Divine Art.”]
[“Arhat Demon-Subduing Divine Art” is a vast technique—its many divine abilities emerge naturally, requiring no formal guidance.]
[Five years later, your Buddhist attainments reached perfection. As if sensing your enlightenment, the Golden Alms Bowl voluntarily lifted its suppression and disappeared.]
[Without the Golden Alms Bowl restraining you, the earth around you softened. You dug your way out, finally escaping Fahai’s seal.]
[Upon regaining your freedom, what will you do first?]
[Option 1]: Seek revenge on Fahai, massacre every monk in Jinshan Temple, and turn the entire monastery into a ghostly wasteland.
[Option 2]: Return home to your parents. Your father, Su Donglai, is now the Imperial Transport Commissioner of Jiangsu and Zhejiang, responsible for managing finances and supervising local officials. Ask him to seal off Jinshan Temple and imprison all its monks.
[Option 3]: Having attained supreme Buddhist insight, your hostility has faded. Instead of vengeance, you will remain in Hangzhou, exorcising demons and earning merit to reclaim your Arhat status.
…
For the first time, Su Mo seriously considered his choices.
Up until now, he had always picked the most entertaining option, but this White Snake Chronicle simulation was too intriguing to mess up recklessly.
After all—
He still hadn’t met Bai Suzhen!
He didn’t even know what she looked like.
But she was bound to be stunning.
Would she be more beautiful than Madam Huang?
If he provoked Fahai too much, the entire storyline might collapse, and he wouldn’t even get a glimpse of Bai Suzhen.
A wise man knows when to retreat.
With that thought, Su Mo selected the third option.
[You choose to stay in Hangzhou and exorcise demons. After you leave, Fahai appears at the place where you were imprisoned. Seeing your transformation, he is pleased.]
…
Upon seeing this, Su Mo let out a sigh of relief.
Damn.
Luckily, he had chosen the third option—he hadn’t expected that Fahai was watching him all along.
…
[You finally arrive at Hangzhou City, but after being trapped for five years, your hair is long and messy, and your entire body looks as if it’s coated in dirt-colored grease—like a wild man.]
[Your shocking appearance causes an uproar. Two constables attempt to arrest you, forcing you to flee the scene.]
[Knowing that your current appearance could easily lead to misunderstandings, you bathe thoroughly in West Lake. You wash your monk’s cap, robes, and pants, clean them meticulously, and even weave yourself a pair of straw sandals. Despite being sealed under the mountain for five years, your robes remain intact and wearable.]
[From that day forward, a wandering monk known for upholding justice and exorcising demons begins to make a name for himself in Hangzhou.]
As the simulation continued, an image of Su Mo appeared on the screen.
He looked like a vagabond monk, dressed in robes similar to Ji Gong, traveling through the land.
…
[One day, while walking through the marketplace, you see a man with an extremely peculiar appearance. He is a thin young man, but strangely, his face and body are completely covered in duck feathers.]
[At this moment, the feathered man is squatting by the roadside, wailing loudly.]
“My life is so miserable! These duck feathers just won’t come off! Even when I cut them, they grow back again! Someone, please help me!”
[Though this scrawny man has a sharp, monkey-like face, making him seem untrustworthy, you are intrigued by the mystery of his duck feather transformation.]
[Curious, you approach him and channel the Arhat Demon-Subduing Divine Art to examine his meridians, but find nothing abnormal—it seems as if he was born this way.]
“When did these duck feathers start growing? How long has it been?”
[Seeing you, the young man looks at you as if you are his savior. He had heard rumors about a strange monk in Hangzhou who exorcises demons and punishes evildoers. He had waited by the roadside just to meet you.]
“Master! Living Buddha! My name is Wang Er. Five days ago, after eating a duck, my entire body suddenly grew duck feathers!”
“Every night, these feathers itch unbearably—it’s driving me insane!”
[You can tell that Wang Er isn’t lying, so you start questioning him further.]
“Before you ate the duck, did anything unusual happen?”
[Wang Er doesn’t dare hide anything and truthfully recounts his story.]
“No, nothing strange happened. But actually… that duck wasn’t mine. It belonged to Old Zhang, my neighbor.”
“I stole it. I was afraid someone would recognize the feathers, so I burned the duck alive before eating it.”
[After hearing the full story, you immediately realize that someone had cursed Wang Er as punishment for his theft.]
“Are you absolutely certain nothing else strange happened?”
[Your sharp and stern voice startles Wang Er, making him tremble with fear.]
[He dares not hide anything now.]
[Recently, a newlywed couple had moved into his neighborhood, opening a pharmacy named Hall of Harmonious Healing.]
[The husband’s name was Xu Xian, and the wife’s name was Bai Suzhen.]
[Wang Er admitted that Bai Suzhen was as beautiful as a goddess, and he had frequently visited the pharmacy just to flirt with her.]
…
This!
Su Mo’s heart trembled.
Bai Suzhen?!
Finally, he had found a lead!
But—
She was already married to Xu Xian.
What a pity.
Su Mo had always liked this kind of plot twist.
Since Bai Suzhen was already someone else’s wife, he wouldn’t bother choosing the “good ending”.
Now, he just needed to figure out how “Fateful Life” would make their paths cross.
The simulation continued.
…
[The moment Wang Er mentions Bai Suzhen, a dark demonic aura rises from his body, making you immediately wary.]
[A deep premonition surges within you—Bai Suzhen is not a kind-hearted being.]
[Clearly, Wang Er’s misfortune is her doing.]
[As an exorcist monk, it is your duty to subdue demons and uphold justice. You demand that Wang Er take you to the Hall of Harmonious Healing.]
[Wang Er assumes you just want to meet the gorgeous Bai Suzhen. Internally, he sighs—even monks can’t resist beauty.]
[And so, Wang Er, still covered in duck feathers, leads you to the Hall of Harmonious Healing.]