---o---
[Legacy]: Forge a Curio capable of transforming other lifeforms into the Vidyadhara race.Client: Elder Taoran Reward: 10 ~ 150 Crystals Risk: Low ~ Extremely High
---o---
"I actually agree with something you just said... what you're trying to do isn't wrong from the perspective of the Vidyadhara race. If one had to find fault, it would be that you haven't succeeded yet," Chen Li said, sitting in his chair and sipping his tea.
"Exactly! As expected of an Emissary of Abundance, your vision and insight are far beyond others," Elder Taoran nodded repeatedly.
The Vidyadhara possess a rare form of longevity: at the end of their long lives, they return to the ancient sea and form pearl-like eggs, awaiting their hatching and rebirth to emerge once more in a youthful form. This is their privilege as descendants of an immortal Aeon. Theoretically, this cycle could guarantee the immortality of an individual Vidyadhara. The reborn Vidyadhara loses most of their past memories, which could also be considered a form of [Reincarnation].
The problem, however, is that this "immortality" only means they "will not die of natural causes." In other words, a Vidyadhara "can be killed."
A Vidyadhara who is killed will not enter the molting rebirth cycle. To make matters worse, their reproductive capabilities are low, practically non-existent, which means that for the current Vidyadhara race, every death is a permanent loss.
Chen Li had always thought that Vidyadhara women would make excellent wives, provided one was a long-life species themselves. What was that saying again? To love him, you must love all of him! You get to love them from childhood to adulthood.jpg.
It was for this very reason that even though Dan Heng's past incarnation, Dan Feng, had caused the Sedition of Imbibitor Lunae in his attempt to revive Baiheng, his reputation among the Vidyadhara wasn't entirely terrible. The hostility Dan Heng faced upon his return to the Xianzhou was purely a matter of power struggles. In fact, Bailu's birth marked the first time the Vidyadhara population on the Luofu had ever increased.
"However, transforming a lifeform's very essence is actually very difficult," Chen Li said, feigning hesitation.
"Difficult... does that mean it's not impossible?" Elder Taoran's eyes lit up.
"Correct. I have a way," Chen Li nodded.
Although he hadn't figured out what that way was just yet, he was certain he could come up with something. At worst, he could just revive the Aeon of Long, the Permanence.
Elder Taoran, who possessed the "beauty of a big spender" in Chen Li's eyes, felt the sincerity in his words and stood up in excitement.
"As expected of you, Lord Emissary. As long as you can succeed in increasing the number of Vidyadhara, our race will agree to any request you make," Taoran said with earnest conviction.
"Help me collect materials related to dragons. The more historical significance they have, the more they bear the weight of time and fate, the better," Chen Li said.
"Must they be from living beings?" Taoran asked subconsciously, thinking of the materials the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus had requested from him.
"No requirements on that. But they must have draconic characteristics," Chen Li shook his head. In truth, while living beings would work, he didn't like using them to forge Curios. Of course, he wasn't rigid about it; he would do what was necessary when the time came.
"But doesn't the power of Abundance govern flesh and blood?" Taoran was a little confused.
"Heh, as if Abundance were so inconvenient. Shall I demonstrate for you?"
"Demonstrate what?"
"The miracle of completely changing a species."
"If it is possible... please."
"You're the one who asked for it." Chen Li looked at the expectant Elder Taoran, and a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
I'm about to start laughing.
Chen Li snapped his fingers. Countless golden chains shot out from behind him and instantly pierced into Elder Taoran's body. Taoran was shocked and tried to pull the chains out, only to find he couldn't even touch them.
"What are you try—"
Before Taoran could finish his sentence, he turned into a Slime with a poof.
This was the full process of Chen Li using Merit to turn someone into a Slime. In reality, this method wasn't invincible. If the target was too powerful, the amount of Merit required would increase. If they were so strong that they could exhaust all of Chen Li's Merit before their life essence could be modified, then the transformation would fail.
But Elder Taoran was clearly not that strong.
His collaboration with the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus, in which he had provided them with Vidyadhara marrow extracted from living subjects, was a great crime of harming his own kin. Even if Taoran did find a way to increase the Vidyadhara population, which would be a great merit from his perspective, his methods were far too cruel.
Besides, Taoran hadn't succeeded yet, had he? The Merit hadn't been credited to his account, so he was naturally still laden with sin.
Seeing their Elder turned into a Slime, everyone was horrified. The guards Taoran had brought with him all drew their weapons and aimed them at Chen Li.
"Relax, he can be changed back."
Chen Li snapped his fingers again. He had only set a ten-second sentence for Taoran this time, so he was released quickly.
After being turned into a Slime and then back, not only did Elder Taoran not fly into a rage, but he became even more respectful towards Chen Li.
This is the real deal! The big boss! If he could transform a Vidyadhara into who-knows-what, then he could naturally transform other things into Vidyadhara. This was a thigh he had to hug, and hug tightly!
"Oh, right. The dragon-related materials I requested are for research purposes. My personal labor fee is calculated separately," Chen Li reminded him.
"No problem, Dad," Taoran nodded repeatedly. At this point, forget asking for his money; he would even give his life.
"So, if you Vidyadhara have any specialty products, bring some over for me to try."
"Yes, Dad."
---o---
[Dad]: Yep, that's how it went. So, want some Vidyadhara specialty products?
[Jing Yuan]: ...
Elder Taoran had poured his heart out to Chen Li, and in return, Chen Li would go to great lengths for him... by stabbing him between the ribs.
A radical like Elder Taoran from the Vidyadhara needed to be reported immediately. Why wait for the new year?
Taoran's goal wasn't wrong—it was a move for the survival of his race—but his mistake was his disregard for human life. No matter how just the reason, indiscriminately killing the innocent is always wrong. Besides, Taoran's justice was only justice for the Vidyadhara.
[Jing Yuan]: I never would have thought that even Elder Taoran would be involved with the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus for such a reason.
[Dad]: There's a lot you haven't thought of yet.
[Jing Yuan]: For instance?
[Dad]: Ahem, no spoilers. Go investigate it yourself. It's time for you, my secret weapon, to make your move.
[Jing Yuan]: Huh? I'm the secret weapon now?
[Dad]: Yep. Right now, Elder Taoran has no idea that you know about his collusion with the Disciples. So you can investigate him in secret, right? Then you can catch him completely off guard. I don't have many strengths, but using secret weapons and Curios effectively is one of my greatest.
[Jing Yuan]: ...Still, it must have been difficult for you to gain Taoran's trust with that pretext and find out so much information. I will provide you with appropriate compensation.
Although Jing Yuan felt like Chen Li was just spouting his own lines back at him... forget it. The man had all but revealed that he was a Curio Forger. What else could Jing Yuan do? Of course, he had to keep him happy.
[Dad]: Then get me some more stuff related to the Aeons, thanks.
[Jing Yuan]: No problem.
[Dad]: Oh, by the way, who told you that my promise to Elder Taoran was just a pretext?
[Jing Yuan]: ???
[Jing Yuan]: You mean helping the Vidyadhara increase their population wasn't a pretext?
[Jing Yuan]: Say something.
[Jing Yuan]: You're not actually planning to forge a Curio that transforms other lifeforms into Vidyadhara, are you?
[Jing Yuan]: Hello?
---o---
"He's panicking! He's panicking!" Chen Li burst out laughing.
Since Elder Taoran had already issued a commission, Chen Li would naturally see it through to the end. The commission only said to forge an item that could transform other lifeforms into Vidyadhara; it didn't say who to give the item to.
And if Chen Li could really forge such a Curio, the Vidyadhara of the Xianzhou would definitely have to worship him like a god.
However, such a Curio absolutely could not be as widespread as the one he planned to forge for the Xianzhou natives to suppress mara-struck symptoms. The Vidyadhara population was really not suited for large-scale growth.
Speaking of which, the pretext that clever little Elder Taoran had used to persuade so many Vidyadhara to work for him was: ["The Alliance has fought a bloody war with the Denizens of Abundance for a thousand years without a victor. This is because if the Alliance were to win, it would become the next Denizens of Abundance, and if it were to lose, it would face extinction. But what if there was a way to transform other lifeforms into Vidyadhara? The Alliance would then have an endless supply of soldiers, with no need to worry about casualties. Once the war is over, these soldiers would not continue to reproduce, so there would be no fear of overpopulation. Both the Xianzhou Alliance and the Vidyadhara would have a bright future!"]
All one could say was that Elder Taoran wasn't stupid, just a bit unethical.
"I have a feeling that these flaws of the Vidyadhara race are somehow related to that obsessive-compulsive, HooH. The mara-struck of the Xianzhou, the moon-madness of the Foxians, the Vidyadhara's inability to reproduce, the dragon-madness of the High Elder... they all have a touch of the Path of Equilibrium to them," Chen Li said, looking up at the sky.
He had a feeling he had seriously offended the Aeon of Equilibrium several times already. And if he hadn't yet, he would soon.
"But then again... if I help the Xianzhou cheat and create a miracle to get crystals, Equilibrium will definitely find a way to constrain them again. In that case, can't I just keep helping the Xianzhou solve their new problems to get new crystals? Holy crap, the Aeon of Equilibrium is a good Aeon!" Chen Li's eyes lit up.
He seemed to have discovered a new bug in the world of Honkai: Star Rail.
Let the Xianzhou and the Vidyadhara suffer a bit; Equilibrium will take the blame.
On the other hand, the existence of the Aeon of Equilibrium meant that no matter what kind of Curio Chen Li forged in this world, the Aeon would find a way to counter it. In other words, Chen Li didn't have to worry about his Curios destroying the world, because Equilibrium would be responsible for balancing things out!
In any case, there was no limit to the Curios he could forge. Now it was just a matter of seeing if the Aeon of Equilibrium had a limit.
"Aeon of Equilibrium, let me see your limits!" Chen Li shouted, looking up at the sky.
Equilibrium is a great system. It should be implemented in all worlds!