Otherworldly Desert Dust

Some immortals use cloud light to obscure their forms, aiming to create an air of superiority, showcasing their extraordinary celestial nature to the fullest extent.

Some immortals use cloud light purely because they fear face-to-face communication with the living. Just like many people who, through text on messaging apps, can be eloquent, clear-thinking, witty, and humorous, yet when switching to voice chats, their responses turn into hesitant, stuttering, filler-word-filled sentences...

Wu Hen was at a loss for words.

Fairy Gong Qin had mentioned before that immortals typically had their quirks, but Wu Hen had never anticipated encountering a socially anxious immortal.

Reflecting on it further, it seemed very reasonable. Immortals exist as ethereal and solitary beings, transcending the mundane. They can observe the ceaseless turbulence of the mortal world, watch nations rise and fall, and listen to folk tales. In reality, they resemble modern young people scrolling through their phones late at night, absorbing all the significant or trivial happenings around the globe—also largely socially anxious.

"Alright, then we'll entrust this city domain to the Nuwa Lineage for management. Rest assured, Immortal Brother, our cultural inclusivity surely surpasses the other Human Clans of the Cang Chu Divine Realm. Not only will we avoid causing trouble for you, but we'll also govern this area in an orderly fashion," Wu Hen said.

Earlier, Wu Hen had already approached the cloud of light.

The socially anxious immortal perched atop the cloud was fumbling with his fingers, beads of sweat already forming on his forehead as Wu Hen prepared to engage him in face-to-face dialogue.

Fortunately, Wu Hen didn't move any closer, which allowed the immortal to unburden himself from his nervousness.

"This is my waist jade, which counts as a form of credential. If the self-important Human Clans refuse to cooperate with your harmonious governance or even resort to violence against you, you can use this jade to inform me," the socially anxious immortal said, his speech now much more fluent.

Wu Hen accepted the waist jade, smiled faintly, and then inquired, "What should I call you, Immortal Brother?"

"Bai Yue."

"Alright, Brother Bai Yue, I promise not to trouble you. If, in the future, I need to make a move against your Immortal Lineage, I'll certainly notify you in advance," Wu Hen said.

"It's no problem—no problem at all. Feel free to discipline some of these junior immortals on my behalf," Bai Yue replied.

"You're surprisingly open-minded."

Having completed his instructions, the socially anxious immortal vanished without a trace.

It was as if staying just one more second in this crowded setting would shave years off his lifespan.

Watching the socially anxious immortal depart, Wu Hen turned to Ruan Muhuan beside him and remarked, "Not all members of the Immortal Lineage are so arrogant after all."

"You used your power to ensure they wouldn't dare be arrogant toward you," Ruan Muhuan retorted.

That immortal may indeed have been socially anxious as part of his personality.

But when faced with someone on a different plane of existence, mere mortals likely wouldn't even have the chance to speak with him. His social anxiety might allow him to avoid necessary interactions with others unless circumstances spiraled out of control, compelling him to step forward and engage.

Thus, no matter the type of immortal, there's always a barrier between them and ordinary people. Until that barrier is broken, the flaws in their personalities will remain hidden. What people see will always be a cold, imposing face that inspires awe without anger.

"True. Speaking of which, why are the immortals gathering the Human Clans in this Infinite City? If we think about it conventionally, most immortals from the Otherworldly Dust are likely Black Immortals. They might be planning to use the entire Human Clan as a sacrificial offering to facilitate their ascension to the Eternal Realm. The entire Infinite City might be a massive array designed to refine the flesh and souls of Human heroes and gods. Fortunately, during this very congregation of the Human Clans, someone as perceptive as myself uncovered the sinister plot through its subtle clues and, with my intelligence, thwarted the evil immortals' scheme, restoring an era of prosperity and peace for all humanity," Wu Hen suddenly indulged in his imagination, attempting to deduce the purpose behind this Human Clan gathering.

Ruan Muhuan stared at Wu Hen, her wide eyes full of astonishment as he relished his scenario.

"The Infinite City doesn't belong to the Immortals—they merely discovered its rules earlier than anyone else," Ruan Muhuan said.

"Oh, I see..." Wu Hen pondered, realizing that if the Immortals intended to perform such an evil ritual, they would lack the most critical condition. After all, even the immortals haven't fully unraveled the rules governing the Infinite City, making it very unlikely for them to pull off a ritual like that.

"Then why, every few years, do they gather the Human Clans of the Cang Chu Divine Realm together? Immortals train themselves; they've already detached from worldly strife and rarely need to compete for Dust resources. So why this sudden initiative to mediate among the clans and host a discussion? Doesn't it seem extremely illogical?" Wu Hen pressed, still curious about the immortals' motives.

"Immortals need to undergo tribulations, but these tribulations often exceed their limits of endurance. To safely make it through, they must rely on external energy. Minor tribulations occur every ten years, and major ones every hundred years. This compels them to interact with us humans," Ruan Muhuan explained.

"Oh, right! Now that you mention it, I do recall something like that," Wu Hen nodded.

Fairy Gong Qin herself failed her tribulation and fell to the Scroll Realm.

Speaking of which, did she overcome her Heart Demon? If she did, she should now be an Upper Immortal, shouldn't she?

"So, every ten years, because immortals need to undergo tribulations and require the help of the Human Clan's power to do so, the Misty Immortals of the Cang Chu Divine Realm reveal themselves, convening this Human Clan assembly led by the Immortal Lineage. Human gods and heroes actively participate, all hoping to gain opportunities leaked from the immortals' grasp as they help them successfully transcend their tribulations, dreaming of rising to the heavens as well," Wu Hen mused aloud.

"Exactly. The Immortal Lineage isn't as united as one might think. They need to win over the Human gods and geniuses. The gods' choice of an immortal signifies their allegiance to a faction within the Infinite City. Given that human gods often represent their clans' highest faith, the immortals essentially gain countless followers in a short time. This not only weakens the force of their tribulations but also generates a massive power surge when their tribulations arrive to resist them," Ruan Muhuan elaborated.

"Ohhh~~~" Wu Hen exclaimed, drawing out the sound, then vented with exasperation. "Isn't this just like election campaigns! Running around campaigning, making promises all over the place, only to revel in their political tenure for over a decade afterward. Their supporting families and corporations profit through favorable policies, while regular citizens cling to pie-in-the-sky promises of reforms that never come... I thought immortals were noble beings striving for the unity and glory of humanity, but it turns out they're just capitalist immortals of the wicked variety!"

It would've been better if my earlier speculation about evil immortals exploiting humanity had been true. At least then, those immortals' depravity would have been blatant, prompting humanity to rise against them and slaughter them, gaining universal support in return.

But if Ruan Muhuan's version holds, each clan supports an immortal to undergo their tribulation. After the Immortals craft their personas perfectly, numerous clueless commoners will fall under their spell, blindly believing that following a particular immortal will bring them salvation. It's just like those politicians who make lavish pre-election promises but never deliver. And when they're finally overthrown, some diehard supporters, still fantasizing about those promises, will brandish their weapons at you, accusing you of tearing apart their idyllic lives...

Honestly, capitalist tactics run so deep that ordinary folks can't break free from their grasp. At its core, it's still about exploiting the surplus value of the masses!

Alas,

Why couldn't it have been the evil immortals I imagined? Those immortals would be far easier to deal with—we'd just smash them to pieces.

Immortals have really kept up with the times, haven't they? Their combat prowess already crushes all others, spanning across planes of existence. And now, they've started using their brains, mastering the infallible tactics of capitalism. For someone like me, lacking backing, it feels like I have strength but nowhere to apply it—completely bound hand and foot!

Wu Hen lamented for a long time, beating his chest and stomping his feet. Meanwhile, Ruan Muhuan blinked her wide eyes, failing to comprehend a word.

Seeing Ruan Muhuan's adorably puzzled expression, Wu Hen decided to enlighten the Martial God from True Martial Continent on the more advanced social systems of his own homeland.

"Put it this way: your True Martial Continent operates under a feudal-slavery system, which has many flaws and tramples on human rights. Many rulers in history have been overthrown due to this. Eventually, rulers realized this approach was unsustainable. Then came a cunning ruler who started preaching false equality and false freedom, seemingly distributing resources and interests to the commoners while secretly controlling the lifelines of society in the hands of private powerhouses. These private entities band together to manipulate votes, policies, and nations..."

"In simpler terms, the Ten Thousand Veins represent ordinary citizens, the Human gods are private capital, and the immortals play the role of politicians."

With animated gestures, Wu Hen enthusiastically delivered a lecture, finally able to convey the highest-level concepts he had learned in middle and high school to his extraterrestrial friends. He believed that once Ruan Muhuan understood the essence of capitalism, she would gain a deeper appreciation for the advanced system already established within the Nuwa Divine Realm!

Rat, perched on Wu Hen's shoulder, had been silent for an exceptionally long time.

She never could have anticipated that Wu Hen was essentially a universal political correspondent, eloquently criticizing True Martial Continent, the Immortal Lineage, and more. Rat couldn't help but feel a sense of inexplicable pride, thinking back to what she had learned during her school days—why hadn't she brought it up when dealing with these people from the Otherworldly Dust?

"So, according to you, we shouldn't step into the capitalist immortals' trap?" Ruan Muhuan asked clearly, revealing a sharp intellect that suggested she had been the type of ponytailed class monitor who took comprehensive notes during school, quickly grasping key takeaways.

"It's tough to break free—it all depends on time to prove everything," Wu Hen sighed.

"Muhuan, based on your observations, which immortals seem trustworthy?" Rat, having escaped Wu Hen's lecture, asked Ruan Muhuan for her opinion.

"Two of them seem reasonable. But my ability to judge people is rather limited, let alone discerning the nuances of immortals. This decision affects the fate of the entire True Martial Lord for the next decade. It's a significant burden," Ruan Muhuan admitted.

She understood the reasoning but couldn't alter the grand scheme. Ultimately, she had to represent the True Martial Continent in assisting an immortal in their tribulation.