53 Triple Illusion

Hua Lang stared at the scenery in front of him with some disbelief at the white clouds and flying cranes. Isn't this... Qinglai?

She grabbed her arm—it hurt so much, she must be dreaming!

"Junior Sister, what are you thinking about?" A platinum-colored figure suddenly appeared beside Hua Lang. "Let's go. Didn't you say you would come with me to Huatang Peak to retrieve the stored spirit stones today?"

Ming Jinshu's words instantly interrupted Hua Lang's thoughts.

"It seems to be the case," Hua Lang looked at the Qinglai school uniform on her body and remembered that she had pestered Ming Jinshu yesterday, saying that she wanted to get some more spirit storage stones, but... what was she going to use them for?

Some of them I can’t remember…

"Okay, stop standing there like an idiot. It's time to go. If you go back any later, those brats will get me into trouble again."

Ming Jinshu urged him, and Hua Lang could only put his doubts behind him and follow her towards Huatang Peak.

After reaching the foot of Huatang Peak, the two followed the path and climbed up the mountain for a long time, and finally they could see a cave in the distance.

Walking forward along the dark and deep cave, the originally flat cave wall slowly became rugged, with several sharp stones embedded in it.

Hua Lang stopped and took out the small knife he had taken from outside the cave. With a knock of the slightly thick blade, a spirit storage stone appeared in his hand.

"You've chosen it so quickly?" Ming Jinshu instructed, "Junior Sister, try transferring your spiritual energy into it."

Hua Lang didn't suspect anything and tried to channel his spiritual energy into the stone in his hand...

After a moment, she looked at the demonic energy in her palm in confusion, and... the spirit storage stone in front of her that was glowing because it had absorbed enough spiritual energy.

Ming Jinshu didn't notice anything was wrong, as if she hadn't noticed any demonic aura. She naturally pulled Hua Lang over and said, "Let's go a little further in. There are more spirit stones stored in the deeper part of the cave."

Hua Lang took a few steps forward following her force.

Is that demonic energy? But shouldn't the spirit stone shatter when it encounters demonic energy?

However, Senior Sister didn't say anything, so it must have just been her illusion...

In a blink of an eye, Hua Lang was pulled deeper into the cave by "Ming Jinshu".

The cave became increasingly narrow, and in the dark distance, there was a faint "cracking" sound, as if the spirit storage stone was naturally cracking, or as if a huge monster was opening its bloody mouth in the dark, making intermittent sounds of its upper and lower jaws moving.

Hua Lang felt a little uncomfortable. She pulled her arm out of Ming Jinshu's hand and said, "Senior Sister, let's not go in. The spirit stones in there are for the mountain protection formation."

"Junior sister, don't you want to go in?" The melting lamps hanging on both sides emitted a faint light, casting a bloody shadow on Ming Jinshu's chin. Hua Lang could only see a scarlet mouth opening and closing. "Then let's stay here... Hehehe..."

"Senior Sister?!"

As if it was just Hua Lang's illusion, Ming Jinshu instantly returned to normal. She asked gently, "Junior Sister, have you taken enough spirit stones?"

Hua Lang nodded, "Well, Senior Sister, let's go back."

"No hurry," Ming Jinshu said softly as the giggling sound rang out again, "Junior Sister, I have fulfilled your wish... Will you stay here with me forever?"

Nature will stay here forever...

Hua Lang was about to blurt out this sentence without thinking, when an electronic sound exploded in her mind:

Don't promise her!

【She is not Ming Jinshu! 】

It was like a person who had been underwater for too long finally came to the surface, and while choking and coughing, he involuntarily inhaled a breath of air - the confused Hua Lang suddenly became clear-headed!

Ming Jinshu was unaware of the system's existence. She continued to whisper, trying to seduce Hua Lang, "Stay with me, Senior Sister, okay? No matter what you wish for, I will grant it to you..."

[This is just an illusion. If you agree to her, you will become the nourishment of the illusion!]

Hua Lang had already calmed down. Listening to 001's words, she took a step back without making a sound. When Ming Jinshu's eyes darkened, she pretended to be troubled and said slowly, "Senior Sister, I also want to stay with you, but there is one thing..."

Seeing her change of subject, Ming Jinshu said anxiously, "Junior Sister, what unfulfilled wish do you have? Just tell me, and I will help you fulfill it!"

Hua Lang seemed to be thinking about Ming Jinshu's words, but in fact he was looking at the cave. Since this was an illusion, there must be a nightmare demon hiding in the dark.

After looking around, her gaze returned to Ming Jinshu, who looked anxious. A subtle "gurgling" sound came from her body...

Ming Jinshu's expression was as vivid as a real person's. She asked, "Junior Sister, have you thought it through?"

"Of course I've thought about it," Hua Lang blinked. She pointed outside the cave and said, "Let's go out first. Once we get outside, I'll tell Senior Sister."

"Ming Jinshu" hesitated for a moment, but the urgent desire to obtain nutrients made her choose to follow Hua Lang's words and walk out of the cave.

It was bright outside the cave. Standing on the path along the mountain and looking down, one could see a bottomless cliff.

"Junior sister, we're outside the cave, you——!"

Hua Lang pushed Ming Jinshu into the cliff suddenly, and then she jumped down without hesitation.

At the foot of the cliff, there was a pile of broken and useless spirit-storing stones that had been piled up over the years. The spirit-storing stones were extremely sharp. Under normal circumstances, if the two of them fell down like this, they would surely die.

But now, in this illusion, Hua Lang knew that both the cliff and the Spirit Stone were merely illusions. The Spirit Stone in her hand couldn't even cut through her palm, and as for the cliff, at best, it could only kill the figure in the illusion. Once the figure died, the Nightmare Demon hiding within would reveal itself.

Sure enough, when the whistling wind died down, Hua Lang landed steadily at the bottom of the cliff covered with rubble, but the statue with Ming Jinshu's face had begun to rot.

She reluctantly stood up, stepped over the spiritual stones on the ground, and rushed towards Hua Lang.

"Why did you lie to me? Don't you want to stay? I've already fulfilled your wish!!"

Hua Lang took out the small knife he had used to dig out the spirit stone, and when Ming Jinshu rushed over, he slashed it towards her already broken waist and back.

A big hole was torn open in the human statue in an instant, and a nightmare demon fell out from the gap. It looked at Hua Lang fiercely, but did not dare to come forward.

The knife in Hua Lang's hand suddenly disappeared. It was a product of an illusion and could not fight against the nightmare monster. She had no choice but to touch her body again... She had no weapon at all!

Seeing the Nightmare Demon trying to escape, Hua Lang simply picked up her fist and punched it. The Nightmare Demon wasn't good at fighting, and after a few blows, she beat it without any chance of fighting back. After countless punches, the Nightmare Demon finally stopped struggling. As the smell of ash filled the air, the illusion began to dissipate...

Hua Lang sat on the Nightmare Demon, still waving her fists. Suddenly, the situation changed, and there was nothing under her. Her fists missed, and she sat down on the ground.

As the new illusion was being built, her thoughts just began to unravel when a voice sounded in time.

"Xiao Qi, Master gave you the Heavenly Sutra because he actually hoped that you would succeed him as the Qinglai Palm..."

Before the kind-looking Mo Jinghong could finish his words, Hua Lang decisively attacked him...

This time, the illusion only lasted for a few breaths before dissipating. Hua Lang, who was fighting vigorously, vaguely heard the sound of someone grinding their teeth. She looked around and saw only her and the nightmare demon that she had stuffed back into Mo Jinghong's statue. The nightmare demon under her exuded the breath of ashes, and the illusion was about to be broken again.

"Is she a lunatic?!" Seeing the illusion being shattered again, the demon wanted to bite her teeth to pieces.

Closing the green worm in his hand, he sensed the illusion that expanded several times under the power of the magic poison, dragging everyone in. The demon quickly calmed down his anger and even smiled.

"In that case, you can try the power of Qianyuan Gu for me."

*

"Gurgle gurgle--" is the sound of the wheels turning.

The slight noise woke Hua Lang up. She opened her eyes and saw a blood-red scene in front of her.

Hua Lang subconsciously reached out her hand and was about to uncover the red cloth covering her face when someone immediately held her down.

"My Lady, on this wedding day, you must not remove your veil too early. It's unlucky!"

After saying this, the old nanny seemed worried and put Hua Lang's hand back on her knees.

Hua Lang lowered her head. Through the veil, she could only see her nail-painted fingers and a phoenix embroidered with gold thread on the upper part of her knee.

Is this her?

Strange, why does she dress like this?

As if she knew what Hua Lang was thinking, the old nanny sitting in the carriage with her said, "Your Highness got up early today, so I'm afraid you haven't woken up yet. But this big day is not like any other. You can only rest for a while after the wedding ceremony."

Hearing her say this, Hua Lang indeed felt a surge of sleepiness. With the strength of her heavy head, she asked with her remaining consciousness, "Daughter...what kind of temple are you going to worship?"

Someone on both sides of the carriage let out a low laugh, and Hua Lang realized that there were more than just her and the old nanny in the carriage.

Hua Lang remembered that today was such an important day, and her maids were all in the carriage. How could she have forgotten even this...

The nanny scolded and the laughter stopped immediately.

The old nanny sat closest to Hua Lang. Her voice was as hoarse as the sound of tree bark scraping against the ground. "My lady, don't worry. The carriage will be outside the city soon."

Upon hearing this, Hua Lang was a little puzzled. As a princess of the royal family, why didn't she get married in the palace? Why did she run out of the city?

Also, didn't she forget too many things today?

Before he could sort out his thoughts, the carriage suddenly stopped as Mammy clapped her hands.

Hua Lang was helped up by the maid and was about to walk out of the carriage when the nanny stuffed an extremely heavy object into her hands.

"What is this?" Hua Lang looked through the veil at the sword in his hand.

Isn't she going to the wedding hall? Why give her this thing?

The old nanny said meaningfully, "This is the most precious item among the betrothal gifts, my lady. I specifically asked this servant to bring it to you on the wedding day."

...It seemed to be true, Hua Lang could only nod.

She quickly adapted to the weight of the sword and easily raised it slightly horizontally. Hua Lang smelled a familiar smell, like burnt ashes.

With a quick glance, she could vaguely make out the word "Cangluan" on the sword. There seemed to be a few more words engraved behind it, but the sword was stained with blood, and the remaining words were also stained by the blood, making them difficult to recognize.

There was no time to take a closer look. Under the guidance of the old nanny, Hua Lang could only look away. Holding the sword in one hand and supported by the maid in the other, the group finally stepped off the carriage.

The ground was covered with densely packed "喜" characters cut out of red paper, looking as strange as ghost paper with a different color. When Hua Lang stepped on it, the red paper, which had been soaked and softened, curled up at the muddy edge.

As if sensing her hesitation, the old lady urged, "My lady, please keep going forward."

"The son-in-law is waiting for you in front..."