Chapter 33: This Seat Is That Of A Genius~

“Master Xiaoyue, you just said that if we had a Qilin, it could solve the problem… Master Xiaoyue? Master Xiaoyue??”

I summoned the little Qilin.

Though it looked listless—like a weary shepherd still stuck in post-sage mode—its radiant fur and gleaming horns unmistakably marked its identity.

“A ki… ki… it’s real…”

Who would’ve thought? Instead of calming down, Master Xiaoyue’s eyes widened in stammering disbelief—

And then he fainted, head tilting back.

“Passed out again… Are modern people really this bad at handling joy and sorrow?”

I sighed in resignation.

Looks like today’s therapy session ends here.

Better let the master rest and come back another day.

……

The rest of the incident was handled by the Department of Public Order.

The arriving enforcers took away all the criminals involved in the forced eviction and sent Master Xiaoyue to the hospital.

Soon, only I and Cluru remained.

“What are you doing here?” I asked a little awkwardly.

“Stalking.”

She answered with righteous conviction.

I had been so distracted today—troubled thoughts swirling, ambushed by a gang of scammers outside the hospital—that I completely overlooked Cluru tailing me.

My sensory field prioritizes malicious intent, and Cluru harbored none, which is how she slipped through.

“I didn’t agree to it,” I suddenly said.

Cluru knew exactly what I was referring to.

“You did.”

“I did not~!”

And with that denial, I bolted!

In the blink of an eye, I dashed a few hundred meters away.

Mehehehe~! As long as I don’t hear Cluru’s next words, she can never refute me!

This exalted one is truly a genius~!

……

“Luru, where’s Little Immortal Luo? Why’d you come back alone… and why are you turning red?”

That night, Teacher Xiao Yuan asked in surprise.

Cluru sat on the bed, pouting angrily, her waist-tentacles all glowing a furious red.

“No. Idea!” Cluru hissed through clenched teeth.

Seeing the bright festive red of her tentacles, Teacher Xiao Yuan suddenly recalled—octopus girls change color based on emotions.

Red when angry, gray-white when scared, usually bluish-purple when calm.

Most of the time, Cluru had been in that pale gray state, only regaining her bluish-purple normalcy when inside the box.

This was the first time she turned red.

She must be furious.

“Is Little Luo not coming back to sleep tonight?”

“No. Idea.”

“What’s she up to?”

“No. Idea.”

Welp. Three questions, three blanks.

“Should I check your blood pressure?” Teacher Xiao Yuan asked cautiously.

The tentacles were so puffed up they looked about ready to burst.

“No need.”

Cluru ground her teeth and curled up tightly inside the box on the bed—

As if claiming that little cardboard space as her personal den.

From inside came the sound of furious teeth gnashing.

……

Kang City, North End.

I originally planned to hole up in a hotel until it was time to head to Qinshan, but got rejected at check-in for not having an ID.

Damn it.

Am I really about to curl up under a bridge with a thin blanket?

Impossible! I am the esteemed Cloud Immortal Sovereign—how could the vast heavens lack a place for me?

“Excuse me, coming through.”

Gritting my teeth, I dragged some discarded cardboard I’d salvaged near a trash heap and hauled it under the overpass.

The area was already crowded with homeless folks.

In every era, there’s no shortage of down-on-their-luck souls.

But compared to the lonely wanderers of the past, these ones seemed unusually cheerful.

Because they were accompanied by spirits.

Hardships don’t hit as hard when you’re not suffering alone.

“Pfft, pfft.”

I laid down the cardboard and curled up inside it.

I was still wearing the stealth suit provided by Class Rep Xinyue, so I wasn’t too worried about being targeted by bad actors.

Yeah… this’ll do.

“Haaah…”

Sleepiness crept in.

This familiar scene reminded me of when I first arrived in the otherworld.

Back then, I was just another rootless wanderer.

No goddess, no grim reaper, no cheat skills to lean on.

I had nothing. I spent a long time living this exact kind of life.

Now I’ve returned to where I started.

…Feels a bit melancholy.

“Well then—good night, everyone.”

After laying down a small protective formation around me, I tried to sleep.

Tried.

Sleep.

Sleep, Damn it! Brain, stop dancing in the club!

Forget it, I’ll just scroll some short videos. Just until eleven.

“Beep beep beep.”

Time slipped by.

Eleven already? Okay, one last video, then bed.

Watched it… but damn, my muscle memory betrayed me—I accidentally tapped the next one.

Okay, this one’s the last.

Finished it… but the recommendation at the end is too tempting! Not clicking would drive me crazy!

Alright, now I’ll sleep after this one…

……

I don’t know when I actually fell asleep.

When I woke up, it was loud.

The time on my phone showed noon, yet the light was oddly dim.

It was like something had blocked off the space under the bridge, turning it into a sealed-off zone.

Most of the homeless had been driven away. Only a bunch of strange people in white robes remained.

They stood around in little groups, chatting excitedly.

“…By the grace of Mingen, you still remember? That pitiful state the evil god was in when it cried? Hahaha…”

“It was just a regular octopus summoner, wasn’t it? Besides, that was seventeen years ago. Do you really have to bring it up every reunion?”

“Hahaha! I don’t care how many years pass—I’ll never forget it. That was the brightest moment of my life. I sealed that evil god with my own hands… I saved the world!”

Right in front of me, at arm’s length, the man boasted smugly.