Chapter 46: Returning to Reality

Having finished reviewing all the rewards.

Wu Xian was about to worship the gods.

He inserted three premium incense sticks into the three statues, and instantly nine objects materialized, each formed from smoke, vapor, and bloodwater.

Each object emitted a faint silver glow.

This gave Wu Xian further insight.

It seemed that using premium incense on premium statues guaranteed a premium item, while using common incense on premium statues might yield either a premium or a common item.

Next, Wu Xian carefully examined the nine items, intending to select one to take into his next Fudi.

First, to become familiar with its effects and provide a basis for future choices.

“Hasten, as the decree commands!”

Wu Xian let out a quiet sigh.

Could this extra arm be the added permanent slot?

Second, its versatility was high—it could be used in nearly every Fudi, and its effects were highly flexible.

Julius Caesar’s ceremonial sword, originally merely decorative, had been elevated to a divine artifact through the faith of countless people; wounds inflicted by this blade carried a chance to trigger the “Instant Death” effect, with the probability decreasing the stronger the target.

But in a Fudi, survival mattered most.

This wooden fish could not be used in combat, its odd shape made it inconvenient to carry, and it would make the bearer far too conspicuous—Wu Xian feared he might earn the spirit merit but never live long enough to spend it.

Wu Xian returned home through the portal in the void.

“My word is law, my law is the Dao—go!”

He skimmed through all the information and randomly chose the “Yan” character and the fist technique.

He activated the “Fist Technique” divine art, infused the “Yan” character into his fist, and began practicing in the vast wilderness; his fists moved as if accelerated, leaving countless afterimages visible to onlookers, each strike far stronger than any ordinary martial artist’s, wreathed in roaring red flames.

He simply focused on tidying up his home.

Yellow Death:

This meant the Ten-Soul Banner had been registered in the permanent slot.

Having completed this task.

Made from the branch of the Soul-Returning Tree; striking it calms the soul, and chanting sutras while striking it for the dead increases spirit merit.

This book is a suspenseful meat pigeon infinite loop.

How had he ever survived so long in this pigsty?

“It seems the final True Fire Incantation I brought out gained such power not just from the combo trigger—premium items are inherently extremely powerful…”

Suddenly, Wu Xian noticed his statue.

He burned all the files, sold the old furniture and appliances cheaply to scrap dealers, then bought higher-quality replacements.

Among them, the Celestial Official Emperor granted talismans.

This longsword was stunningly handsome—truly a man’s ultimate toy—and its power was formidable; if luck favored him and the Instant Death effect triggered, he could end the Fudi immediately.

He had already enjoyed himself.

Since these divine talismans and arts couldn’t be taken outside, better to waste them here.

Wu Xian no longer felt any attachment to the endless wasteland and turned to step through the portal.

Now that he had the banner, how should he bring it into the next Fudi? How should he use this permanent slot?

Wu Xian glanced around, confirmed no one was watching, then began striking various poses, humming and hawing, placing the banner atop his head, trying to swallow it, accompanied by childish, over-the-top declarations.

In his previous Fudi, Wu Xian had survived thanks to the Coin Sword, so this time he would carefully choose a divine artifact.

Yet after enduring his embarrassment and trying for a while, nothing happened, making him slightly blush.

Each round resets entirely, creating tension, making the story easier to unfold.

Over several days, the once-derelict two-story house had transformed completely…

If the protagonist’s power increases, the suspense will quickly vanish due to his overwhelming strength.

First, I must disarm the bomb in the room!

The following days.

…

If the protagonist’s power doesn’t increase, readers will lose their sense of satisfaction.

Wu Xian never considered himself lucky, so reluctantly, he tore his gaze from the longsword and turned to the final banner.

Wu Xian did nothing.

They were: “Spray-Water Fire-Extinguishing Art” to put out fires, “Yan Character” to enhance fire energy, and “Replication Art” to copy a talisman held in hand.

Wu Xian stretched his limbs; he had many things to do, but first…

This was super fun!

If conditions were right and a large-scale death event occurred, this item could accumulate massive spirit merit.

Guaranteed one fully controllable You Sui, countless things could be done with it, and it could collect souls within the Fudi to expand the Ten-Soul Banner’s upper limit.

Then Wu Xian abandoned Yellow Death.

The statue had changed—it now had an extra arm, palm open as if holding something.

One feature of meat pigeon mode is that rewards don’t accumulate; each round starts from scratch.

Soul-Calming Wooden Fish:

“Premium items are truly far superior to common ones—if I’d had this set in my previous Fudi, I wouldn’t have been so desperate facing the Door-Breaking Sui.”

In the Thirty-Three Layers of Discontented Heaven, Wu Xian had only one thing left to do.

First, it was compact; rolled up, the banner could be easily concealed on his person without hindering movement.

After some thought, Wu Xian first discarded the Soul-Calming Wooden Fish.

He checked the time: March 24th, 6:00 a.m.—meaning that though he had experienced many days in the Fudi, only six hours had passed in reality.

The detective agency was old; walls, floors, and furniture bore the marks of time, windowsills, desks, and floors piled with chaotic files, scattered wires connected to various alarms and cameras, and in the corner by the wall stood a simple bed.

Wu Xian’s primary concern was divine artifacts.

Don't imagine how thrilled Wu Xian feels right now—his satisfaction is beyond your wildest imagination!

Eventually, Wu Xian cosplayed a famous anime character, and the flames in his hands gradually faded, the effects of the “Yan” character and the Fist Technique vanishing entirely.

But just as he had previously abandoned “Great Peng Eye,” probability was simply too annoying.

The mattress had to be electric, the pillow massage-enabled, the quilt goose-down, the computer top-spec, the toilet smart…

So Wu Xian reached into the vapor and pulled out the small banner.

Second…

Pinching his nose, frowning.

It was also his home.

Neither talismans nor divine arts contained what Wu Xian wanted.

He refinished the flooring, added potted plants, new lighting, a new bathroom… then hired professional cleaners to thoroughly sanitize the entire space; all renovations combined nearly drained half his savings.

They were: “Ghost Art—Shadow Technique” to hide within shadows, “Human Art—Fist Technique” to greatly enhance physical strength, and “Demon Art—Black Tortoise Armor” to increase defense.

Wu Xian looked at each one in turn, and information flooded his mind.

Fresh morning light filtered through the frosted floral glass into the Infinite Detective Agency.

I wanted to find balance between the two, so I chose meat pigeon mode.

After worshiping, Wu Xian noticed all three incense burners before the statues had vanished—meaning he could worship at most three times upon returning from each Fudi.

Before the Water Official Emperor’s statue floated three wisps of mist: a golden longsword, a smooth wooden fish, and a small black-and-red banner.

Ten-Soul Banner:

A banner capable of containing ten soul-based evil spirits; it comes with one free You Sui, the rest must be collected independently; releasing a soul-based evil spirit allows one to issue a single absolute command lasting no more than ten minutes.

Wu Xian thought for a moment, then placed the Ten-Soul Banner in the statue’s open palm; the palm slowly closed, and the banner turned to stone.

Floor varnishing, decorative plants, lighting, bathroom…

This was Wu Xian’s detective agency.

When I read suspense novels,

I felt many suspense stories easily fell into a dilemma.

The Earth Official Emperor granted divine arts.

The protagonist’s power can rise rapidly within each round, preventing readers from feeling unsatisfied.

Therefore, regarding the protagonist’s power, I will not let it grow infinitely.

(End of Chapter)