Chapter 14: The First Duel of Magic

Chen Chushi circulated his spiritual power throughout his body, but still felt an icy chill behind him. When he turned around, he was startled! Several faint, translucent figures appeared, dressed in ancient attire, missing limbs, carrying hoes and sickles, expressions twisted and fierce, their stiff steps moving toward Chen Chushi. “Well… well…” they groaned.

Well?

Chen Chushi instinctively glanced at his hands. Apart from a travel guide, there was nothing! Were they talking about the Drought Dragon Well? How unjust—he hadn’t even stolen the well yet!

These translucent figures were most likely the people of Well Village from ancient times. But why did they appear in this form? Was it a phenomenon caused by the coincidence of nature, like a “recording” left behind, or was it something else—souls, ghosts?

He had been in this world for several days now, and after getting familiar with the environment, Chen Chushi discovered that apart from the solar helium flash and humans building spaceships to flee their homes, there was essentially no difference from the world before he crossed over. There were all sorts of mythological stories and legends of monsters and ghosts, but as in his previous world, these were simply cultural amusements. Humanity’s worldview was fundamentally grounded in materialism, with science reigning supreme!

He preferred to believe that these translucent people were nature’s “recordings.”

What are recordings? Certain geographical environments, under specific conditions, can act like a camera, recording scenes and playing them back when the conditions are right, projecting them like a three-dimensional hologram.

In Chen Chushi’s previous world, there were similar examples. For instance, in the capital’s Forbidden City, the residence of emperors through the ages, it was rumored that at a particular spot, such “recordings” occurred. On stormy nights, there was a small chance that the shadows of palace maids and eunuchs from centuries past could be seen wandering about…

It once caused quite a stir.

Chen Chushi watched the translucent villagers and stepped aside, hoping they would pass by. But the villagers kept their gaze fixed on him, their direction shifting as he moved, chanting the word “well.” Chen Chushi grew annoyed. “I didn’t steal your well, don’t try to pin that on me.”

The villagers seemed not to hear him. The sickles in their hands were raised higher, their stiff steps becoming more fluid.

So that’s how it is.

Chen Chushi realized these were likely manifestations of obsession or something similar. He just didn’t understand whether this world had always hidden such things, or if they appeared only after his arrival.

He decided to deal with it for now.

Not knowing the situation, he dared not approach recklessly.

The comments in the livestream:

[Charming Chuci: “What’s going on? Is the master planning to confront this supernatural phenomenon?”]
[I Dream of Qi Cultivation: “Please don’t! Your path of cultivation has only just begun, and none of us have even started yet. Master, please be cautious! We won’t mind!”]
[Charming Chuci: “Run, master! You’re amazing in close combat, but the enemy doesn’t respond to physical attacks. Don’t count on your ‘water control technique’—it’s great for bathing, but has no attack power!”]

Chen Chushi picked up a stone from the ground and launched it preemptively!

The stone blurred as it struck a villager’s head, shattering it. After a moment, the broken skull restored itself, the expression growing even more ferocious.

Physical attacks don’t work?

Chen Chushi noticed a water pipe and faucet on the ground nearby, likely left behind by workers during construction. He rushed over, blocked the faucet with his thumb, and twisted the valve open. Water sprayed through his fingers like a sprinkler, soaking the villagers. The spray passed through their bodies, riddling them with holes, but still failed to slow their advance.

Time was too tight for further experiments; he regretted he couldn’t try more.

Standing up, Chen Chushi decided to try the last method.

He formed a hand seal, gathering water from the faucet around him. The technique he used was particularly suited for controlling water.

Two masses of water compressed into flat discs. He shouted, “Water Cutter!” and hurled the discs!

Netizens in the livestream, drinking water to calm their nerves, suddenly sprayed their screens.

[I Don’t Want to Cultivate: “Did I just hallucinate? Water Cutter? Is that really the name of a spell?”]

The two water discs struck the shoulders of the foremost villager. Smoke billowed out. The villager, who had shown no pain when his head was shattered by the stone or his body riddled by water, suddenly screamed in agony. Both arms fell to the ground and dissolved into a pile of dust…

His fierce expression now showed a hint of fear, and his steps forward became hesitant.

Chen Chushi did not hesitate. He pressed his hands together and invoked another spell: “Water Impact Drill!” The tap water spun rapidly, mixed with a few grains of sand, and like an electric drill, pierced through the chest and back of the retreating villager, exploding and reducing him to dust, leaving nothing behind, with no sign of recovery.