Chapter 1819: Chapter 1846: I Wish You Fortune as Vast as the Eastern Sea and a Lifespan as Fleeting as the Ephemeral Flower
“Brother, I’ve bitten my pear; you can eat Kong Rong’s.”
The little chubby kid didn’t expect Li Xiaobai to set his eyes on his pear.
“Kong Rong’s pear is too small. I fancy the one in your mouth. Yielding is a traditional virtue of your family, not just a spirit only Kong Rong should embody; you can too.”
“Are you saying you’re going to refuse a guest’s request? You guys just invited me over!”
Li Xiaobai looked displeased. He knew the story of Kong Rong yielding the pear, but he was more aware of the truth hidden beneath it.
Everyone praises Kong Rong yielding the pear, symbolizing understanding humility at a young age as a sign of good character.
But the truth is the opposite; growing up under the influence of Confucian thought, the youngest Kong Rong couldn’t resist his parents and elder siblings, so yielding the pear wasn’t a sign of good character, but a lack of courage to fight for himself.
This family’s situation is very distorted; he wants to take the story in an entirely opposite direction and see what happens.
“Here… take it.”
The little chubby kid looked at his parents and reluctantly handed the pear to Li Xiaobai.
Li Xiaobai casually tossed it to Kong Rong: “This one’s yours too.”
“Now I have two pears. Brother, let me give this pear to you.”
Kong Rong’s face showed a strange smile as he prepared to return the bitten pear to the little chubby kid.
This counts as yielding pears too!
Li Xiaobai was shocked inside, reaching out to snatch the pear, but his fingers passed through Kong Rong’s body, without the sensation of grabbing an actual item.
Just like when encountering the Three Inch Golden Lotus, this was a Visualized Item, inaccessible with the flesh; it requires the power of the Divine Soul!
“Wealthy Li Xiaobai!”
“Stuff these two pears into Kong Rong’s mouth!”
Li Xiaobai snapped, and beside him appeared a “Li Xiaobai” crafted entirely from gems and treasure.
He grabbed Kong Rong, forcefully stuffed the two pears into his mouth, and then held his crown and jaw, forcibly making him chew, ultimately swallowing the pears.
“Plot… doesn’t fit…”
The parents and several children showed extremely horrified expressions, twisted and glaring at Li Xiaobai venomously, then picked up the table and fled.
Only Kong Rong remained, struggling in “Wealthy Li Xiaobai’s” grip.
“This is a Visualized Item; only Wealthy Li Xiaobai can touch it. So, I’ve been attacked!”
“Is there another overseer descending?”
“Never a moment’s peace; what’s this organization doing, killers are as common as cabbages.”
Li Xiaobai examined Kong Rong; his parents and siblings disappeared after fleeing, but this little guy remained.
“Kid, whose Visualized Item are you?”
“What’s a Visualized Item? I came from [Peach Blossom Spring Record], let me go, or you’ll learn why flowers are so red!”
Kong Rong’s temperament suddenly changed, baring his teeth and claws.
“You, little guy whose hair hasn’t grown fully.”
“Wealthy Li Xiaobai” released his hands, extended a finger, and flicked towards Kong Rong’s crotch. In an instant, the child was silent, his face turning red and blue alternately.
“Damn adult, committing such a vulgar act; why are you staring at me, want to fight?”
Kong Rong cursed, pulling out a fruit knife from his pocket, licking the blade with his tongue: “This demon knife is crying out to drink its thousandth person’s blood!”
Li Xiaobai stroked his chin. After the surface plot didn’t fit, the deeper inner story was uncovered.
Perhaps this is Kong Rong’s true nature; yielding the pear was just a hypocritical mask imposed by years of Confucian constraint.
“What is [Peach Blossom Spring Record]? What does fitting the plot mean?”
Li Xiaobai asked.
“I am very displeased with my parents and siblings; the Confucian Path suppresses my nature, making it hard to release.”
“Today, you released me from the story; I ought to tell you everything, but your vulgar act stirred my rebellious desire, and now I won’t tell you anything.”
Kong Rong crossed his arms, speaking coldly.
This was the first creature not to vanish with the story, and it knew everything.
After tearing down the hypocritical mask, his innate nature was rebellion, resentment towards Confucianism, and dissatisfaction with all oppression.
“No matter, I’ve already understood the rules of this Visualized Item. Though I don’t know what type of Law of Power the intruder controls, breaking the plot is all it takes.”
Li Xiaobai headed towards the main city gates.
“It’s not that simple; understanding it too superficially will lead to death.”
“Laws are not that straightforward.”
Kong Rong followed behind, hands crossed behind his head, looking around, curious about everything.
“Then tell me, what Law of Power is this, and who controls it?”
Li Xiaobai glanced at him, asking indifferently.
“Trying to trick me into talking?”
“Unless you pull down your pants and let me flick yours too.”
Kong Rong bore a grudge.
Li Xiaobai: “I refuse, what if it’s a new plot, won’t I be caught in it?”
Kong Rong: “You’ll die in ignorance.”
Chatting while walking out of the city.
On the way, Li Xiaobai saw all kinds of strange beings appearing out of thin air, then disappearing, with cultivators conforming to plot development undergoing various transformations: some died suddenly, some were perfectly fine, others aged rapidly—very bizarre and eerie.
Yu Huan Shui and Ma Niubi were nowhere to be found; neither was seen.
Kong Rong: “Wrong direction; are you trying to find the user of the Law?”
Li Xiaobai: “Instead of making sarcastic comments, tell me his information.”
Kong Rong: “Let me flick once.”
Li Xiaobai: “No.”
This dialogue repeated over ten times as the two ventured into increasingly desolate places.
“So why are you always following me?”
“If I don’t stick with you, how will other stories know you’re not following the plot?”
Kong Rong clapped, grinning widely.
At some point, a massive group of inexplicable creatures emerged from the main city gates. These creatures contained all sorts of stories; Li Xiaobai’s hair stood on end watching.
If the plot doesn’t fit, characters from the story will follow, and when others see, they’ll attack.
Li Xiaobai: “Kid, you’re quite cunning.”
Kong Rong coldly: “Not as much as your bottom flick.”
As they spoke, an elderly bald man, leaning on a cane, approached, holding a longevity peach.
“Young friend, today is my old birthday; could you…”
Li Xiaobai spared not a word, pulled out a broken jar, and smashed it on the old man’s bald head.
“I wish you fortune like the Eastern Sea, and longevity like a blooming ephemeral!”
“You…”
“Plot doesn’t fit…”
The birthday man’s entire body convulsed, kicking his legs, foaming at the mouth. He was shocked as to why Li Xiaobai could touch him before the plot conformed.
They hadn’t walked far.
An old woman ran up to Li Xiaobai, fell flat, and clung to his leg without letting go.
“Young man, you knocked me over; you can’t leave without compensation!”
Li Xiaobai raised the broken jar and slammed it on the old woman: “Now I’ve really hit you.”
The old woman screamed and wailed, hugging her head and scuttling away.
“I brought this jar out from another story; whoever nags me will get their head cracked!”