Chapter 22
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Chapter 22: Building the Grand Garden, Completing Human Visualization
Under the influence of the Burial Power, the ordinary horses visualized by Mu Lin transformed into skeletal warhorses wreathed in ghostly blue flames.
The Flying Crane’s mutation proved more horrifying. Its animal form began shifting into humanoid shape, but the transformation halted halfway—leaving a half-human, half-crane monstrosity covered in feathers with a twisted crane face. The uncanny valley effect terrified Mu Lin thoroughly.
“……Better stop this.”
Seeing the situation spiral out of control, Mu Lin immediately cut off his connection to the City of Heaven’s Funeral.
Yet within those brief moments, his proficiency had already risen by thirty points.
Mu Lin now understood: continuous use of the City’s power would make his Mind Image evolve toward fear and eeriness. Eventually, all his visualized objects would become strange evil spirits.
But nothing comes without cost.
The price manifested clearly—bloodstains appeared on his visualized long sword. These stubborn marks persisted even when he shattered and reforged the blade. Though enhancing the weapon’s power, Mu Lin resolved to avoid using Burial Power again until finding countermeasures.
“I should check the Paper Folding Secret Manual for how predecessors handled such mutations…”
While his three cultivation methods progressed steadily, ordinary skills advanced faster.
Despite focusing on training, Mu Lin’s calligraphy and painting both reached master-level. Like his paper folding skills, this mastery granted special traits:
[Calligraphy, 4th Level Master (33/8100), Traits: Master’s Work, Emotion Through Paper]
[Painting, 4th Level Master (49/7200), Traits: Master’s Work, Lifelike]
"Emotion Through Paper" let him imbue writings with his feelings—viewers could sense his heroism, joy, or fury. The "Lifelike" trait made his paintings as vivid as his paper figures.
With all three skills mastered, Mu Lin began constructing palace gardens. Though initially planning a Suzhou-style garden, his enhanced abilities and money-making ambitions drove him to recreate the legendary Grand Garden from memory.
He folded not just the garden itself, but also inscribed characters throughout and created paper maidens. The Twelve Gold Hairpins remained unmade—Mu Lin’s artistic pride refused to produce imperfect versions of these legendary beauties.
Yet he did fold his employer Yan Yunyu into the garden.
Xiaoxiang Pavilion, Daoxiang Village, Qiushuang Studio… These exquisite structures combined with master-level paper folding, painting, and calligraphy transformed the Grand Garden into a fantastical realm. Even Mu Lin found himself enchanted by its beauty.
But he felt no reluctance to part with it. To him, the garden’s true splendor required the Twelve Gold Hairpins. What he’d created was merely a flawed imitation—easy to give away.
“To fold you, I spent days, even delaying my cultivation… I hope that one won’t disappoint me.”
Though he spoke these words, Mu Lin wasn’t truly worried.
These past days, he’d learned of Yan Yunyu’s habits from Zong Xiu—a necessary precaution.
Some employers viewed effort as an obligation, piling more work onto those who tried hardest while accusing them of laziness.
For such people, Mu Lin wouldn’t lift a finger beyond the bare minimum.
Yan Yunyu was different. Proud and pampered she might be, but her wealth was real, and she spent freely.
Pleasing her meant Spirit Stones flowed without hesitation—a magnet for hangers-on.
Yet despite having finished the intricate paper Grand Garden, Mu Lin didn’t deliver it immediately.
“Private gifts earn no grand rewards. Like those rich second-gen heirs from my past life splurging on popular streamers for applause, she’ll pay best when others are watching.”
“A public presentation strokes her pride. My pockets get heavier.”
…
Setting the paper garden aside, Mu Lin resumed cultivating the Great Yin Living Scripture while visualizing his Mind Image · City of Heaven’s Funeral.
Humans came easier than expected—far simpler than horses or paper cranes.
At first puzzled, he soon understood.
“I’m human. I see humans daily. My past-life biology even taught me their anatomy.”
“Familiarity breeds speed. Makes sense.”
The hardest subject becoming the easiest amused him, but he pressed on.
To strengthen his Mind Image and diversify his paper figures, he visualized:
First, himself—to create decoys.
Next, ordinary folk.
Then serving girls for chores.
Warriors stalled him.
Power couldn’t be imagined into existence. To manifest battle-ready paper soldiers, every muscle and skill must be visualized true.
The Paper Folding Secret Manual offered four paths:
1. Learn martial arts yourself.
2. Study a warrior long-term for crude copies.
3. Seal a warrior’s spirit into paper—fast but reviled as soul manipulation.
4. Channel the City of Heaven’s Funeral’s power, warping even ordinary humans into demons through Burial Power—if you dared risk soul corruption.
Mu Lin dismissed the fourth option immediately. No soul-protection secrets? No Burial Power.
No evil ghosts nearby ruled out the third.
Martial training required time and resources he lacked.
Only the second method remained—observing a warrior closely. But time was scarce, and warriors didn’t parade their secrets for strangers.
“Must I use myself as reference? Wait… There’s another way.”
“Tomorrow’s plan… If it works, I’ll have my warrior blueprint by dusk.”
…
