Chapter 498: Bro, this is like fine wine—the older it gets, the richer and smoother it becomes

Wait, tell me first—why do you need to hold back your fire when you sneeze?

The little lizard raised its head, speaking as if it were obvious.

Because I breathe fire when I sneeze, Dad!

There's such a thing?

Ji Ming instantly felt a surge of respect.

Please begin your performance.

Thus the artificial life turned a direction, flicked its tail, and gathered energy toward the sandy spot.

Hah… ah‑choo!

Whoosh!

Almost without any wind‑up, a blast at least ten times thicker and a hundred times longer than its body shot out, fierce enough to be called a fire dragon.

Moreover, this wasn't a simple projectile but a sustained fire blanket—roaring flames that burned for a full ten seconds before dying down.

When the flames died, that stretch of sand had been turned into a cloudy solid crystal with a faint luster, perfectly preserving the upward‑rolled shape from the fire's impact—no one would guess such a shocking scene came from a tiny pink lizard.

Fortunately, this eco‑house has a self‑repair function: when it detects severe damage inside, several diligent treants push open the reinforced door and enter.

They cool things down, sweep, clean, and replace the sand in a smooth, practiced routine—clearly they've been drilled hard in high‑intensity combat.

... Oh, no wonder the patterns on their faces look like bitter melon.

Cough cough!

And after scorching half the house, the pink lizard's only after‑effect was a couple of coughs, possibly from getting overheated.

Weird.

Ji Ming picked it up and examined it closely with a magnifying glass, but no matter how he looked, it was just a small lizard.

Could this also be one of the abilities of artificial life?

Since anyone studying magic can't help but be interested in artificial life, Buluowa nearby also gave it some thought, but in the end just shook his head.

It's a shame—cases of artificial life have always been rare, and successful results are even rarer; the elves' library has no answer for it.

We still need to figure something out—uncontrollable power is too dangerous; we can't just stop the kid from sneezing, can we?

Don't rush, let me think.

Buluowa walked a circle around the little pink lizard.

When it just breathed fire, I actually monitored the whole process—although there was indeed a strong magical flow, there were no obvious spell‑modeling traces, nor any form of enhancement ritual, so this must be its racial talent.

In other words, like breathing, a heartbeat, or intestinal peristalsis, it's an innate biological instinct that needs no learning and can't even be controlled.

Thus, in ancient times there were alchemists versed in life theory yet bold enough to dissect and study the anatomy of dragons.

They discovered that the essence of dragon breath is actually a second 'blue bar' in dragons, with a corresponding organ in their bodies that stores this special energy.

Yet precisely because of that, dragon breath—similar to a dragon's secretion—can gradually recover over time after being expelled.

But since the container is a biological organ, there will always be a storage limit, and reckless overuse will bring suffering.

So dragon breath is a fully controllable talent—unless, like the Three Leaders, one decides to detonate all of it inside their own body out of despair.

Otherwise, accidental activation would be nearly impossible—especially for a pink lizard, where a single sneeze can roast three pounds of meat.

Thus Ji Ming and Buluowa discussed it and decided to start their research from the root of the pink lizard's fire‑breathing—the act of sneezing itself.

First, lay out the theory.

A sneeze is when the nasal mucosa is irritated, causing a sudden inhalation, then a rapid expulsion through the nostrils accompanied by sound; it is also one way the human body expels internal bacteria.

Thus, strictly speaking, a sneeze can also be considered a kind of unconventional ranged attack—except that what people expel isn't elemental chaos but a breath mixed with saliva.

Of course, if the source of the sneeze were a creature like a Komodo dragon, it could also be regarded as the pestilential breath of a magic‑less world…

Wait a moment!

This is a Komodo dragon.

This is an unnamed pink lizard.

The thoughtful Ji Ming took a cotton swab, let the pink lizard hold it in its mouth, then pinched the swab and teleported to a clearing far from the Soul Spirit Holy Hall, and after releasing it he teleported another hundred meters away.

Almost simultaneously.

Boom!!

Those in the know said Ji Ming had rudely tossed a used cotton swab, while those unaware thought he had fired a field cannon at the clearing.

When the kicked‑up stones fell back down, the cotton swab had vanished, replaced by a large crater where it had landed.

Having recorded the whole scene, Ji Ming took the crystal back to show Lao Nv Shi and the pink lizard.

"This means… its saliva can trigger a massive explosion under certain conditions?"

"Dad, this is too scary! What if I someday spit on the ground and accidentally blow myself up?"

"Don't rush—since the principle of this is similar to dragon breath, why not just find a dragon to ask?"

"How are there still dragons?"

As a result, just as Ji Ming was about to teleport away, Lao Nv Shi grabbed him.

"Wait, I've been wanting to ask—where are you taking me? Isn't it the place where you previously brought me to meet the Lord of All Spirits?"

"Um, I thought you'd be able to guess, but alright, I'll come clean and tell you everything…"

By now Ji Ming saw no point in hiding; he brought Buluowa behind the curtain and frankly told Lao Nv Shi his origins.

But after hearing it, perhaps because his life had already been full of ups and downs, Lao Nv Shi's reaction was much calmer than he had imagined.

She nodded, her face even showing a hint of 'as I suspected'.

"Alas, the Holy Tree Kingdom has endured for tens of thousands of years; its library records countless odd tales. Once there was a person of extraordinary memory who, after reading every history he could find, concluded that 'beings from other worlds should from time to time descend upon this world.'"

"Although this view lacks concrete evidence and has never gained a foothold in the mainstream, if we follow that line of thought, many figures in Yangyue history with obscure origins—or whose lives diverged sharply from their later choices—could well be due to this."

"For example, the Lionheart King and the Sun King from five hundred years ago—one a border petty official, the other a rogue ranger—both ended up as kings, even becoming sage‑kings of the ages; at least one of them, possibly both, could have been time‑travelers."

The only luck is that, objectively speaking, they are not evil; indeed, they could be said to be doing good deeds, at least they haven't used their abilities to wreak havoc on this already chaotic world.

…… I thought it was because the worlds they came from had higher moral standards, but I never imagined that the root of all this was actually the great World Will.

Sure enough, in a world with many long-lived races, the small boss, desperate for a cure, dared to summon over a hundred saviors like dumplings, obviously playing with fire.

Even under its surveillance, no savior voluntarily told anyone this information, but how could there not be some exceptionally perceptive being noticing the anomaly?

Especially someone like you, claiming to come from a distant East... To think you could fabricate such an easily exposed lie!

Also fortunate that you appeared in the closed-off Sunshine City, where thugs haven't seen much of the world; if it were the commercial port of Lingxi Kingdom, you'd have been picked on and thrown into the sea as a spy.

Moreover, even if there were some Soul Spirit Throne, Master of Living Beings, and many Pioneers endorsing your origin, the fact that the so-called 'distant East' doesn't exist is an objective fact, just that nobody bothers to say it.

After all, what could happen if you spoke up? You're already a big shot in Hui Guang Kingdom; you can't possibly turn against me over such trivial matters...

Using events to allude to people, using the past to satirize the present, using Ji Ming's foolishness to cover his own foolishness, Buluowa nagged on and on, venting his resentment at being deceived by his students for over half a year.

He let out a slight sigh.

You haven't told anyone about this, have you?

Um, actually...

Damn! For such a big matter, the first thing you confess isn't... Forget it, go on.

I and Archbishop Nitisi...

What? Your relationship with Archbishop Nitisi is that good? I knew she, that old hag, voluntarily offered to take you back to the Royal Capital with ill intent! What a damn celibate succubus, pure dog can't change its eating habits... Forget it, I didn't say anything.

And Empress Mei Li Er Wang Hou...

She did it too!?

Buluowa almost crushed the sofa armrest, then quickly restrained his anger.

Oh sorry, I'm calm, I'm a calm person, I won't interrupt you again, go on, don't worry, go on!

Ji Ming:...

After a moment of silence, he tentatively began speaking, word by word.

It's this, added together, um, I've confessed, ah, about one and a half.

In response, Buluowa, as if preparing to do eye exercises, inhaled and exhaled repeatedly for three rounds.

Then he spoke.

I can understand you telling Archbishop Nitisi, she's been in the church that long, experienced in worldly affairs, she'd surely notice something different about you; previously they wanted to take you to the Holy Mountain, so they'd certainly ask clearly first, that's the rule.

Then he suddenly raised his voice.

So why did you confess half to the Empress? I know you get along fairly well with the Sun King, but you've only met a few times—what's your relationship with her?

Um, wait, teacher, you misunderstood; I mean I told Her Majesty the Empress 'one'.

???

!!!

Buluowa slowly widened his eyes, as if seeing Ji Ming for the first time, and slowly stepped back.

So that's how it is!? Goodness, no wonder you have no interest in those pretty girls at all...

Ji Ming! I don't mean to condemn your preference, but I must tell you, you... people have been married for nearly sixty years, doing this is immoral!

Ji Ming:???

【Man, women are like fine wine, the older the better】

Shut up, soldier boy!

He suddenly realized and hurriedly explained.

Teacher, it's not what you think; it's because she's also a transmigrator, she's my senior savior!

She also... ah, I see, huh...

Only then did Buluowa realize what Ji Ming meant, but he also immediately fell into thought.

As one of the existing top magic scholars, under Nitisi's recommendation, she had actually met Mei Li Er Wang Hou once when Mei Li Er Wang Hou was still a young maiden over sixty years ago.

Having both experienced life's setbacks and narrowly escaped death, she instantly saw that Mei Li Er Wang Hou's feigned youthful vigor was fake; the arrogant, condescending gaze of an onlooker deep in her eyes was the truth.

So Buluowa had privately communicated with Nitisi, saying this girl is no simpleton, her eyes hide a needle, whose child is she?

As a result, Nitisi told her that she was the daughter of Duke Jingguang, and that the girl had been headstrong since childhood, able to train adults to be obedient.

In fact, to resist the arranged marriage with the Guanghua family that had lasted generations, she was about to fall out with her relatives, so I hurriedly brought her out to calm down.

Oh...

With a friend's endorsement, Buluowa didn't think too much, thinking geniuses are madmen, so he put the matter aside and happily chatted with her about magic.

Afterward, he heard she had completely fallen out with her family and married the Andong prince.

Then the prince became a princely lord, the princely lord became a king...

Like in a potboiler, from a daughter who had to bow to her father, she became an empress whom her father had to bow to, and her infamous reputation spread, with rumors that she eats at least three children a day.

As it turns out, both she and I are extraterritorial demons invited by the World Will!

Heavens!

After a moment, she accepted this terrifying fact and then asked.

Which half did you tell Nitisi? So I can meet her later and compare notes.

I said I'm an alien, and we Pioneers were all transformed by the Master of Living Beings.

Good, good, good, this lie is well fabricated, or rather it's easy for people to accept...

But she has finished asking her questions, while Ji Ming still has one question left.

Then, teacher, may I ask you who is the genius who deduced that this world has transmigrants?

My father.

My father.

I know, I'm not surprised by your wording; I'm just wondering why such an interesting idea, I have never seen it in any classics.

Because the previous sage thought it was nonsense and sent his paper back.

I just asked the World Will, and that person should also be a savior.

Great, I think so too.