Chapter 29: There Is Something Wrong with This World
Lin Bei, dressed in a Japanese school uniform, was just like the Lin Bei from the adult-video world—both had transmigrated to Japan. However, his luck was worse than all the previous versions of Lin Bei combined. Upon waking up in that world, Lin Bei discovered he was holding a naked, beautiful woman who happened to be his girlfriend. Overjoyed, he engaged in an epic battle of three hundred rounds. It wasn't until he was nearly spent that he recalled the woman’s name: Tomie Kawakami. Realizing the woman he had just exhausted was Tomie, Lin Bei felt his entire being go numb.
Before he could process this, the television in the room flickered to life on its own. At first, it was nothing but static, but eventually, an image stabilized: a desolate courtyard featuring an old well. Lin Bei felt a sickening sense of familiarity. As the memory sharpened, terror washed over his face. Someone once said that if a situation can turn for the worse, it will inevitably turn for the absolute worst. That was exactly the situation Lin Bei found himself in. Having a girlfriend named Tomie only added one level of danger. A television playing a tape reminiscent of Sadako added another star of peril. But when he realized the previous owner of his rented home was surnamed Saeki, and Tomie presented him with a bizarre, unsettling doll, he could no longer remain calm. Given all these factors combined, how much longer could he possibly survive?
The Lin Bei from the Hong Kong cinema world looked at the "Horror World" Lin Bei with sympathy. Though his own world was filled with punk-styled lunatics who threatened to restart the world at the slightest provocation, it was undoubtedly far better than this. The other versions of Lin Bei patted the Horror World Lin Bei on the shoulder, intending to offer comfort, but were met instead with a crazed, manic grin. After sharing a look, the others instantly placed their hands on him to peer into his thoughts; they quickly pulled back, all wearing expressions of utter disgust. Even the most shameless "Adult Video" Lin Bei looked at him as if he were a pile of filth. Since sharing their power meant he wouldn't die immediately, the others stopped paying him mind and turned their attention to the Lin Bei sporting a queue hairstyle.
The Hong Kong cinema Lin Bei frowned. "The Qing Dynasty in your world is practically finished. Why are you still keeping that pigtail?"
The Lin Bei who had transmigrated to the end of the Qing Dynasty shook his head. "I am planning for the future. Since I’ve already arrived, it would be inexcusable not to start a rebellion. This appearance makes it easier for me to eventually claim that old hag’s head!"
Hearing this, all the other versions of Lin Bei gave him a thumbs-up. This wasn't just empty talk—he was preparing for the real deal. He had landed in a cinematic world merging the late Qing and early Republican eras, a time when martial arts flourished with figures like Wong Fei-hung, Huo Yuanjia, and Wang Wu. It was an era where "experts were as common as dogs, and grandmasters walked the streets." He was currently a disciple of Wong Fei-hung and was about to head to the capital for the Lion King Championship. Originally, he had only intended to infiltrate the gatherings of heroes like Wang Wu to plot his development, but with the added power from the other worlds, he felt capable of accomplishing something truly monumental.
After catching up on the newcomers' situations, the veterans discussed their future development. Most impressive was the Lin Bei from the martial arts world. During this time, he hadn't just been actively enhancing his own strength; he had also managed to win over Jiang Yuyan. The "ruthless" Jiang Yuyan was currently only missing the peerless internal energy required to reach her full potential, but she had already mastered the "Transfer of Flowers and Trees" technique from the Six-Faced God Dice. She was waiting for an opportunity to wipe out all her old rivals. Lin Bei had seized this chance to win her heart completely.
In the original television drama, where Jiang Yuyan killed so many characters that only the title remained, her invincibility came from her peerless internal cultivation, yet her actual technique was no better than that of a second or third-rate fighter. Otherwise, even if Hua Wuque had mastered the "Empty Wood Buries the Flowers," he wouldn't have been able to render her completely defenseless. The martial arts world's Lin Bei had personally secured the Wudang "Thirteen Swords of the Sacred Gate" and the Huashan "Deadly Three Immortal Swords" for her. Although these were the closely guarded treasures of their respective sects, the Emperor demanded them, so they had no choice but to comply.
They had assumed that without a foundation, these manuals would be useless, but they had underestimated both Lin Bei and Jiang Yuyan. Lin Bei’s talent for martial arts was skyrocketing like a rocket after sharing power across worlds; otherwise, the Wudang internal arts taught to him by Yu Lianzhou would not have progressed so rapidly. With the "Sun Breathing" style at his disposal, there were few places left in the world he dared not go.
As for Jiang Yuyan, she had used her sharp intellect to solve the mysteries of the Six-Faced God Dice that no one else could crack, and she had mastered the "Transfer of Flowers and Trees." Her cheapskate father, Jiang Biehe, certainly hadn't taught her these things out of kindness; it was all down to her own comprehension. Even first-class sword techniques like the "Thirteen Swords of the Sacred Gate" and the "Deadly Three Immortal Swords" proved no match for their combined intellect. The couple practiced and verified the techniques with each other, mastering them in short order.
Jiang Yuyan's attitude toward Lin Bei had also shifted—after all, he wasn't the fat, dim-witted old emperor from the drama. The martial arts world's Lin Bei was only in his twenties, handsome, and arguably even more dashing than Hua Wuque. Furthermore, after entering the mysterious space, he had inherited the "charming" skills of the Hong Kong cinema Lin Bei. While Jiang Yuyan was a ruthless character, in front of Lin Bei, she was no different from an innocent girl, albeit one with a few extra schemes. After spending time together, their relationship had truly improved. Besides, affection grows with time, and the more they shared, the deeper their bond became. At the very least, for the time being, the martial arts world's Lin Bei no longer had to worry about being decapitated by a vengeful Jiang Yuyan in his sleep.
As for the Lin Bei from the Demon Slayer world, his life was much simpler. He remained holed up in the mountains, learning the "Hinokami Kagura" from Tanjuro Kamado. He had already mastered the twelfth form; as for the thirteenth, it required fusing the previous twelve. Lin Bei hadn't grasped it yet, nor did he have the luxury of time. Tanjuro’s life was coming to an end, and according to the plot, the "scum boss" Muzan would soon come knocking. Lin Bei was certainly no match for him yet; even summoning the nine Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps would be useless. Without the "Transparent World" or the "Demon Slayer Mark," facing Muzan now was no different from serving himself up as a meal. Thus, the Demon Slayer Lin Bei was already preparing to flee with the Kamado family. Once his strength reached a sufficient level, he would return to hunt down Muzan personally, swearing to erase the most despicable boss in history once and for all.