[Mo Dao Zu Shi Fanfiction] I Raise A Ying in Yiling

The small room was not large, and the furnishings were simple. There were only a few cushions on the floor, and a rectangular table in front of it, with several plates of fruit and pastries on it. Next to the table stood a three-tiered wooden shelf, with several cloths and a small wooden basin without water draped on it. Directly in front of the table stood an antique-style, dark gold incense burner. Most importantly, on the innermost part of the table, near the wall, was a row of dark brown-red memorial tablets with gold edges, on which the names and birth and death years of the ancestors were clearly written.

This row of memorial tablets represents the parents of Wei Chaoyan and Wei Qingyan: Wei Zhu and Li Xiangqing; the parents of Wei Ying: Wei Changze and Cangse Sanren; the biological parents and adoptive parents of Demon Lord Qiye: Empress Dowager Yinyue; and the former Demon Lord Liudao. (Yes, during these past ten days, Wei Chaoyan not only diligently copied down information but also took every opportunity to ask netizens to meticulously examine the original novel of *The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation* and the TV series *A Chinese Ghost Story* frame by frame to determine the birth and death years of Zezang and his wife, as well as Qiye's parents, so that the craftsmen could carve the memorial tablets. Because Zezang and his wife, as well as Empress Dowager Yinyue, appeared too little in the original novel, their birth and death years were too vague to confirm. After much research, deliberation, and discussion by netizens, a more accurate estimate was finally reached.) The year was deemed appropriate, and Wei Chaoyan, after reviewing it, found it quite satisfactory and adopted it. Once the year was confirmed, Wei Chaoyan quickly handed it over to the coffin shop owner, paying extra to have the memorial tablet made quickly and requesting exquisite and beautiful workmanship. The coffin shop workers worked overtime and completed it a few days ago, delivering it to the Wei residence. In recognition of the extra money Wei Chaoyan had paid, they also gifted her a long, rectangular offering table, an incense burner, and several prayer cushions. Wei Chaoyan bent down and picked up a gray rag from a small wooden shelf, straightened up, and carefully wiped away the barely noticeable dust from the memorial tablet. After wiping it, she solemnly and devoutly lit several incense sticks and inserted them into the incense burner before kneeling on the prayer cushions and bowing several times.

After finishing her prayers, Wei Chaoyan, seemingly oblivious to any issues with her appearance, sat cross-legged on the prayer mat, staring blankly at the flickering candlelight. The viewers in the live stream found her behavior somewhat inexplicable, but they didn't bother to think about it too much. Out of respect for the deceased, most of the viewers also stood up and bowed respectfully when Wei Chaoyan lit incense and kowtowed.

Later, seeing Wei Chaoyan staring blankly at the candlelight without saying a word, most of the impatient netizens gradually logged off to attend to their own business. As for Wei Chaoyan's parents, who were watching her live stream, they knew her temperament well and knew that she was having some trouble thinking about something and needed some peace and quiet. So they stopped Liu Yu and the others who sensed something was wrong and wanted to ask her questions, telling her to give her a quiet environment and wait for her to figure things out.

So, undisturbed, Wei Chaoyan's thoughts drifted to the end of Hai hour (9-11 PM). Snapping out of her reverie, she grimaced and tried to move her stiff, numb waist and legs, feeling unable to move and rubbing her aching, numb areas with a pained expression. She kept repeating to herself, "Father, Mother, and all my uncles and aunts, I know this decision is risky, but I can't bear to clip Aying and the others' wings. They are destined to stand at the summit, shining brightly and looking down upon all others! Now that we have a path to the top that can help them climb, how can we easily give it up because of some difficulties?! If you are watching from heaven, please bless me so that my negotiations with Number 001 will be successful!" (Of course, Wei Chaoyan had already activated a censorship technique to shield this long string of rambling thoughts from the netizens' eyes and ears; what they saw was still Wei Chaoyan with her mind blank and in a daze.)

After massaging for over fifteen minutes, finally loosening some of the stiff and sore muscles, and enduring the waves of aches throughout her body, Wei Chaoyan limped forward to check the offering table for any imperfections. Finding nothing amiss, she breathed a sigh of relief and respectfully bowed to the ancestral tablet. Reaching for the lantern placed to the side, she used a bamboo skewer to adjust the wick in the center, making its flame brighter. Then, setting down the skewer, she carefully blew out the burning candle, and quietly opened the door, leaving the small room—no, it should be called a small ancestral hall.

Carrying a lantern, Wei Chaoyan returned to the dormitory quietly without making a sound to disturb the three sleeping students. She slipped into bed, nestled on the soft pillow, closed the live stream, and immersed herself in the system's backend, calling out, "001, are you there? I need to talk to you!"

"Beep, host, 001 is here. How can I help you?" The mechanical voice of tablet 001 sounded promptly.

It was already late, and Wei Chaoyan, exhausted, didn't bother with the roundabout talk with 001. She said directly in a deep voice, "I'm sure you already know the answer to my question. I don't need to waste my breath. Just tell me the answer!"

"Is the host referring to the time ratio between the learning space and the outside world? Or is it referring to the qualifications of the summoned instructors? Or is this holographic learning space a benefit only for you, the host?" Although Number 001's voice was still the same flat, mechanical tone that never changed, Wei Chaoyan could feel the blatant mockery and ridicule in it, mocking her, a mere ordinary person who dared to try to exploit the system's loopholes to enrich herself!