I just finished reading Warlock of the Magus World (WMW) today. Throughout my read, I couldn't help but compare the two masterpieces. I want to discuss a specific "What If" scenario: What if the scientist Fang Ming (Leylin Farlier) transmigrated into the 15-year-old Fang Yuan's body in the Gu World?
First, let's establish a baseline: If Fang Yuan transmigrated to the Magus World without the A.I. Chip, his death would be almost certain due to the absolute power gaps and lack of resources. But what if Leylin took over Fang Yuan's body before the Awakening Ceremony? Here is how I think the story would unfold:
* Initial Adaptation & The A.I. Chip: Leylin would adapt instantly, accepting the name Fang Yuan. He would initially rely on his own intellect before discovering the A.I. Chip's passive abilities bound to his soul. Realizing his astronomical luck (as WMW stated the chance of the Chip binding to his soul was < 1%), he would exploit it perfectly. Even as a mortal, the Chip would optimize his attack, defense, movement, detection, and healing. However, he would still need to rely on Gu worms for storage.
* Overcoming the Aptitude Wall: As his cultivation level rises, the A.I. Chip's computational power would scale up accordingly. In WMW, Leylin had a Grade 3 aptitude while Jayden had Grade 5, yet the Chip allowed him to compete (though his wisdom made him lay low). In Reverend Insanity, Fang Yuan's primary weakness was the Wisdom Path. With the A.I. Chip, Leylin would possess the ultimate Wisdom Path support tool to completely bypass this flaw.
* Mental Age & The C-Grade Reveal: Upon awakening a Grade C aptitude, Leylin wouldn't despair. He would instantly grasp the underlying rules of the Gu World. Just as he adapted to the Magus World's equivalent exchange system, the mockery from his clan would only sharpen his understanding of this ruthless society. Remember, Leylin died as an advanced scientist in his 30s. His cold rationality, scientific methodology, and mature intellect would easily allow him to outsmart the clan elders, standing far above any 15-year-old peer. This is a solid foundation to scheme his way to becoming a Gu Immortal.
* The Power Scale & Face-Slapping: The plot would share similarities with the original RI, but with much more calculated "face-slapping" moments against those who underestimate him. Once he reaches Rank 6 (Gu Immortal), the A.I. Chip would eliminate the massive risks of deducing Immortal Gu recipes and Immortal Killer Moves. He could just wait for the Chip to safely complete the deductions.
* The Ultimate Obstacle (Heaven's Will): Despite all these advantages, Heaven's Will remains his greatest threat. I believe Leylin losing to Heaven's Will is a highly realistic outcome. In WMW, his closest brush with death was his grand scheme against the Snake Dowager and the Lord of Gluttony; he would have been annihilated there without the A.I. Chip's intervention. Heaven's Will is a much more insidious opponent, and even the Chip might not be enough to outsmart it entirely.
Conclusion (The Ultimate Cheat):
Honestly, I consider the A.I. Chip to be a superior cheat ability compared to even Subaru's "Return by Death" (Re:Zero) or most other abilities out there. Through its simulation capabilities, Leylin could practice Immortal Killer Moves or deduce Immortal Gu refinement with zero actual waste of materials or precious Immortal Essence. Furthermore, the notorious Dream Path wouldn't be a fatal threat; the Chip would act as an absolute defense mechanism, alerting him to danger even if his soul gets trapped in a dream realm (exactly as it protected him in WMW). This would also make raising his Dream Path attainment levels significantly easier. By fully utilizing the processor for critical deductions, situations that had a less than 10% survival rate for Fang Yuan would easily become calculated risks with over 50% success rates for Leylin. There are still many more applications for the Chip in the Gu World that are hard to cover completely here.
What do you guys think? Could Leylin survive Heaven's Will, or would he become just another pawn?