121: The world's turmoil arises from road dust! And it's not just this world that's being stirred up.
Following the explosive popularity of this post in the Arctic Realm...
Early the next morning, the official media within the Arctic Realm, [Aurora Express], also released an official announcement:
The Grand Elder announced the lifting of the ban on the final chapter of the "Ice Soul Profound Canon." The cover featured a silhouette from the ancient era—a Huaxia person holding an ice crystal longsword, with the Ice Emperor Han Ming standing right beside them!
For a time, due to the unsealing of the permafrost, searches for Arctic tourism skyrocketed by 3000% worldwide!
Even couples were flocking to book the "Undead-Style Ancient Footsteps Package" launched by the local tourism industry!
They certainly knew how to do business!
---
At the same time, an email was leaked to the world's media.
It concerned the Chu Imperial Dynasty!
Early in the morning, a striking news headline appeared simultaneously across globally followed media outlets—[Chu Imperial Dynasty Internal Email Leaked]!
Talk about an Email-gate!
Sender: Third Prince Chu Jian
Subject: Emergency Response Plan
Response:
1. Destroy all ancestral artifacts bearing oracle bone script.
2. Secretly transfer core data from the Lishan Underground Palace.
3. Hire plastic surgeons at high cost to modify slave marks!
Attachment: [Inscriptions of the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor.jpg]
Caption: 221 BC, the words "The Chu Clan shall forever be tomb-guarding slaves" were engraved inside the National Stabilization Cauldron!
When this news broke, even Lu Chen, who was at the academy, found out about it.
Seeing this global trending topic, he frowned slightly.
So the Chu Imperial Dynasty was nothing more than a bunch of gatekeepers.
But clearly, these gatekeepers wanted to turn the tables and become the masters.
Interesting indeed.
---
Some news media outlets and their reporters naturally loved to stir up trouble.
Their first thought was to interview the Chu Imperial Dynasty.
Who would have thought the Chu Imperial Dynasty would avoid the subject entirely?
And so, the reporters turned their attention to street interviews.
And right at the foot of the Kunlun Academy mountain.
### [Street Interview Records]
Location: Xuanwu Street Sugar-Glazed Fruit Stall
Stall Owner Auntie Wang: "Little Lu? He often comes to buy twenty skewers of my 'insanely spicy' fruits! I don't understand how powerful he is, but I do know that as soon as he shows up, those kids from the Chu Clan noble families who study here—those little runts—all scurry away to avoid him..."
Location: Holy Light Department Store Luxury Shop
A sales clerk: "Professor Lu bought thirty-seven bags last night; his black card was smoking hot when he swiped it! Now these same 'undead-style' models are selling like crazy!"
Location: East Sea Fishing Village
Old Fisherman: "That stone ox's eyes are shedding stars? I said long ago something was off! Sixty years ago, my great-grandfather caught a hairtail fish that could recite poetry in his net... Am I bragging to you? Let me tell you, my ancestors were hanging out with Lu Chen back in the ancient era. Come, come, let me brag—I mean, let me tell you!"
Everyone from top to bottom was feasting on this gossip.
Even some academic researchers who wanted to advance their careers or ride the trending wave...
Changed their research directions because of Lu Chen.
They began to study Lu Chen himself.
For example, the famous [Authoritative Journal of the Cultivation and Magic World]—the special issue of "Xuanmen Monthly."
The cover title for this issue was simply: "From the bronze giant gate to the Galaxy Hairpin: On the Modern Reconstruction of Undead Aesthetics."
Core Viewpoints:
1. Lu Chen's fashion sense subverts the traditional cultivation clothing system (see the illustrated semiotic significance of Battle Armor vs. Hoodies).
2. The cross-over Fusion of God-Slaying Weapons and daily necessities (Case Study: Temperature control for hotpot using the golden compass).
3. On the enhancement of spiritual energy transmission efficiency through 'acting cool' (see Appendix for the data model).
It even included a selection of letters from readers:
"Is your journal considering opening an 'Undead Beauty Tutorial' column? Waiting online, in a hurry to attend a comic con!"
The intellectuals in charge of this monthly journal had their lips twitching!
I want to advance my career.
But you lot have absolutely no respect for my serious academic research!
The news was like this, and the popular short video platforms were an even bigger mess.
Swiping through the phone, if it wasn't Lu Chen, it was news about the undead.
### [Short Video Platform Hot List] *
TOP 1: Challenge #tianwen sword Art#
The million-follower influencer "Cultivation Li Jiaqi" failed his sword dance, and his hair was sliced into a 'Mediterranean' bald spot.
TOP 2: Science Popularization #Soul-Devouring Incense for Hair Loss Prevention#
Chu Pharmaceutical stocks hit the daily limit, despite official statements that they have never produced such a product.
TOP 3: Tutorial #Holy Light Selfie Filter#
The Church filed its 108th complaint, but netizens' photoshopped pictures were somehow more 'pious'.
TOP 4: Store Visit #Undead-Themed Hotpot#
A certain shop launched the "Sea-Suppressing Stone Ox Pot"; finding a foreign object in your food allows you to exchange it for a Chu Clan slave contract.
The Chu Imperial Dynasty issued a lawyer's letter that very day.
The shop has already gone out of business!
Culturally, it was a frenzy.
At the same time, because of Lu Chen, there was a massive economic impact.
Global stock markets began to fluctuate wildly.
Cultivation and Magic related concept stocks:
Arctic Snow Silkworm silk producers surged by 700%.
Holy Relic testing agencies collectively hit circuit breakers.
Traditional industries:
Insurance companies rushed to launch "Lu Chen Accident Insurance," with premiums equal to 80% of total asset value.
Astronomical telescopes sold out as citizens scrambled to find the "Slashed Down False God Constellations."
Black market trading:
A signed edition of Xu Fu's "Logbook" was auctioned for an astronomical price, only to be discovered later as a barbecue shop menu!
This is modern economic fraud!
Someone was reselling "Lu Chen Battle Fragments"; that scalper was directly burned into sarira by lava!
Finally, returning to the familiar academy, returning to the campus.
### [Campus Anonymous Tree Hole]
Submission 6897:
"Found Senior Lu Chen's borrowing records in the library: 'Postpartum Care for Sows' and 'The Overbearing CEO Falls in Love with Me.' What kind of ancient secret technique is he actually researching??"
Submission 6903:
"I'm that mercenary who was turned into a constellation ornament. Now young ladies are asking for photos with me every day. Does anyone know how to lift the petrification? Waiting online, it's quite urgent!"
Submission 6915:
"The elective course 'Undead Aesthetics' sold out in seconds! Can the Academic Affairs Office do something? This skeleton wants to sign up too!"
The tree hole was for sharing the stories you were making up.
It was comparable to a gathering of storytellers.
But it also reasonably reflected one fact—Lu Chen's popularity!
For a time, the so-called myriad aspects of the Three Realms were fully displayed through Lu Chen.
Even an elementary school essay from the East Sea Fishing Village appeared:
《My Idol》
"Brother Lu Chen said knowledge is power. I want to learn magic to slay false gods!"
Even some forums that people usually found eccentric and ignored began to stir.
For instance...
Netherworld Civil Servant Forum:
"Urgent! Undead visas have surged recently, and the ingredients for Meng Po's Soup are running out. What should I do?"
Heavenly Realm Resident Office in the Human World:
Announcement: Starting today, the 'Upper Realm Channel' is suspended. Emperor-level experts, please do not come up for now. Resumption time will be announced separately.
---
The world was in turmoil.
While Lu Chen was browsing these hot searches and eating hotpot, the golden compass in his hand projected a star map covering the entire globe.
The girls also watched tensely from the side.
They felt that Lu Chen must have some sort of plan.
"Stop looking." Lu Chen scooped some 'Galaxy Meatballs' into the girls' bowls. "Eat your fill first. We have things to do in a bit."
He looked up out the window at the passing afterimage of a Twelve-Winged Angel!
"I still need to teach some people the meaning of 'respecting the dead.' It seems some people just won't give up. But it's just as well—they're all here to deliver energy. Perfect!"