I'm Already the Richest Man, Why Did My System Just Arrive?

Chapter 198: Chapter 141: The Disappointed, Blank Paper, Heart-Demon Turmoil

"After giving my adoptive father a proper burial, I had nowhere to go. I remembered Master Dengdeng’s words and, for some reason, couldn’t resist going up the mountain to see him. I begged him to help me find my past."

"Master Dengdeng said that my name, Huahua, would become the greatest obstacle to finding my past. So he gave me the name ’Ruchen,’ implying that I should understand that my adoptive father had returned to dust, like fallen leaves returning to their roots. Only by letting go of one past could I find another. I couldn’t bear it, but remembering my adoptive father’s dying words, I resolutely changed my name to Ruchen and buried the bond I had with him deep in my heart."

Ruchen’s face was filled with nostalgia.

Hearing this, Zheng Xiu frowned and finally couldn’t help but interject, "What does this have to do with you being ’afflicted by Heart Demons’?"

"My master once said that Humans have attachments. When attachments multiply, they become demons. Demons are born from the heart, and the heart is roused by demons. Without a Heart Demon, one is hardly a Human at all. Though a thousand attachments are a lesser way, it is precisely these attachments that make a person live authentically, as their true self." Ruchen smiled, speaking in riddles. Then he saw Zheng Xiu’s displeased expression, and remembering the Mighty Man’s ferocity, he quickly explained, afraid of getting hit, "My master said that if I wanted to find my true self, I first needed to cultivate my heart. So he taught me Heart Cultivation Zen. He said that because I had lost my past, I was ’disappointed’ and had become a blank slate, making me the most suitable candidate for practicing Heart Cultivation Zen."

"Wait." Zheng Xiu was surprised to hear this. "The old Monk said you were ’disappointed’?"

"Yes, what’s wrong?"

Zheng Xiu stared blankly at Ruchen’s clueless expression, momentarily at a loss for words.

During his journey to the Immortal Maiden Temple, Zheng Xiu had used his Zheng Er Incarnation and traveled with Feng Bei, Dou Xie, and Yue Yan, briefly stopping in Danglang Town.

Zheng Xiu still remembered the couple with the small stall across from the noodle shop.

The Human Soul is divided into four parts: Will, Form, Fortune, and Direction. When one’s Soul Intent is lost, they are called one of the ’Disappointed People.’ This ’disappointment’ was different from what Zheng Xiu had always understood as ’amnesia.’ Being ’disappointed’ was like losing one’s ’heart,’ leaving only an empty shell. It was just like that timid husband in Danglang Town, whose actions were like those of a hollow husk, completely devoid of life.

But looking at Ruchen, he didn’t seem like the "Disappointed People" Zheng Xiu had seen before.

’The old Monk saw at a glance that Ruchen was one of the "Disappointed People," just an empty shell, and so he taught him "Heart Zen"?’

’Could this be understood as Ruchen’s original ’personality’ having been extracted, and now a new personality has been born within his body? Filling the void left by the original Human Soul?’

’You can... do that?’

’Does everyone have a chance to do that, or is it only a "Mystic Monk" who can get away with something so wild?’

Zheng Xiu’s expression was strange. He didn’t know how to discuss this with Ruchen.

To insist on saying to his face, "You’re not yourself," or "You used to be yourself, but now you aren’t," would undoubtedly elevate a perfectly normal topic to the heights of idealistic philosophy.

Wait. ’Could it be...’

Zheng Xiu’s pupils suddenly constricted. He thought of the Qixin Town Ghostly Realm.

’It couldn’t be... that Qixin Town is really inside Ruchen’s head?’

’Damn! No way, right?’

Zheng Xiu’s expression flickered slightly, but he remained silent.

Ruchen thought Zheng Xiu had understood, but unaware that Zheng Xiu was pondering something else entirely, he smiled faintly and continued.

"When practicing Heart Cultivation Zen, I must enter the world to experience all facets of life, to taste joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness, and to feel jealousy, hatred, love, and resentment. Along the way, all sorts of Heart Demons will be born in my heart. These Heart Demons will affect my behavior, making me seem a bit strange. This is what I meant by ’being afflicted by Heart Demons.’"

Ruchen paused for a moment, then smiled and reassured Zheng Xiu, "Brother Zheng, you don’t have to worry. I’m used to judgmental looks and not afraid of rumors. All these years, I’ve managed to hold fast to my true self and not be deluded by Heart Demons. If you’re really not at ease, Brother Zheng, just knock me unconscious the moment you see a Heart Demon acting up. I won’t have a single word of complaint. No, perhaps the resentment born from being hit would also be a necessary trial on my path of cultivation. I would be able to face it calmly afterward."

Hearing this, most of the doubt in Zheng Xiu’s heart dissipated.

He had long known that there were countless strange ways to glimpse the Path in this world. The road this Monk walked wasn’t necessarily so unbelievable; it was just that the current Zheng Xiu couldn’t understand it.

’No, that’s not right,’ Zheng Xiu thought again, then laughed in surprise. He suddenly felt that Ruchen’s Heart Cultivation Zen and his own "Incarnations" were wonderfully similar. Zheng Xiu could also walk different Paths using different Incarnations, while Ruchen used different ’personalities’ to walk different Paths.

’Perhaps this was the special trait of a "Mystic Monk"?’

From the moment Ruchen started speaking, Zheng Xiu had been carefully observing his expression. From the very beginning, Ruchen’s demeanor was open and honest; it didn’t seem fake. If Ruchen could really lie so flawlessly, with an expression that natural, then Zheng Xiu would have nothing more to say.

At that, Zheng Xiu’s worries were assuaged, and he apologized to Ruchen. "Sorry, I’ve run into too many Thousand Gate Generals lately, so I’m always paranoid."

Ruchen was puzzled. "Are you talking about Sister Susu, Brother Zheng? She’s not a Thousand Gate General."

"Heh, who knows."

Zheng Xiu hadn’t left Chu Susu behind in that small village on a whim. He always felt that woman was untrustworthy. Her behavior was too bewitching, and she even took advantage of this Mighty Man. Pah! Of course she couldn’t be trusted.

The Valley was secluded and quiet, its terrain hidden, making it a good place to hide.

The sky was clear and cloudless, as if washed clean, and exceptionally pleasant. Most importantly, there were no annoying crows flying about.

Zheng Xiu decided to rest here until sunset and then continue south after dark.

"Well then, Brother Zheng, you look exhausted. I’ll go catch some fish in the river and see if we can’t satisfy our hunger for the day."