Chapter 86 Chapter 86 "It seems that you are not only in the illusion...
The hand that was strangling his neck was soft and boneless, yet it contained a tremendous force. Shen Qian was unable to move at once, and he felt that breathing was becoming increasingly difficult. The blood rumbled in his ears, and his consciousness gradually faded.
Yao Ning calmly looked at Chen Qian's gradually reddening face and dilated pupils, with neither sadness nor joy nor hatred. The man was dying but did not resist, with endless sorrow in his eyes. He seemed to be in extreme pain and felt that dying here did not matter. If sacrificing his life could exchange for a little bit of heartache, guilt or regret from the one he loved, then his death would be worth it.
Yao Ning was confused for a moment, thinking that he was fragile and stupid.
However, this desperate act of exchanging death for love made his death have a sad and heartbreaking beauty.
I just wonder what the person he died for felt when he saw this scene.
Yao Ning shook his head, feeling even more sympathetic towards the man, and increased the strength in his hands.
In that case, let him die sooner so he suffers less.
“Ka-ka…”
The cervical vertebrae made a cracking sound, and Yao Ning saw the upright Chen Qian withering like a flower in front of him.
"Miss Yao? Miss Yao!"
When his eyes were filled with bloodshot red, Shen Qian heard a familiar voice.
But he didn't recognize it at the first time. This time, the voice did not appear in his consciousness, but came from the void, almost resounding throughout the heavens and earth.
The force on his neck loosened, the air rushed into his lungs, and Chen Qian started coughing violently.
"Cough cough cough!"
Yao Ning didn't let go completely, and looked up into the void: "Who?"
The voice was filled with flattery, and he immediately said, "Miss Yao Ning, I am a businessman. I don't mean to offend you, but I have always been honest and trustworthy..."
Yao Ning interrupted him: "What do you want to do?"
The man still spoke in a friendly tone: "I want to do business with Miss Yao."
"Oh?" Yao Ning glanced at Chen Qian, who was still being strangled by her neck, "What business?"
"I would like to ask Miss Yao to be magnanimous and let him go."
Yao Ning had already released his spiritual sense, but he could not sense the breath of the owner of the voice at all.
She remained calm and asked, "You want me to let him go. Since it's a business deal, what can I get?"
The voice paused, as if troubled. "Miss Yao, you want to kill him so that you can eliminate the Demon Lord and pacify the universe. But to be honest, in our world, this guy is no ordinary person. If he dies, our world will suffer as well. Miss Yao, since you are among the immortals and care about the common people, you will definitely not just care about your own small world."
Yao Ning narrowed his eyes. Sure enough, this voice, like the sudden appearance of Chen Qian, was not from this world.
Chen Qian suddenly appeared beside him, and his voice resounded throughout the heavens and earth. It seemed that the world they were in was much more magnificent than this world.
An inexplicable emotion suddenly emerged in Yao Ning's heart, which was neither sad nor happy.
If the world they live in is just a tiny place where people from other worlds are inferior, people from other worlds can come and go as they please, and even look down on their every move.
So, I proved my truth through ruthlessness, ascended to the upper realm, and finally became a god. But what is a god like me in their eyes?
She heard a very soft chuckle.
Although Chen Qian in front of him had bloodshot eyes and sadness between his eyebrows, he raised the corners of his mouth strangely, revealing a wicked smile.
Yao Ning was stunned for a moment and realized that this was the smile of the Demon Lord in Chen Qian's body.
With two souls in one body, the Demon Lord can also see what is happening.
He even understood Yao Ning's unknown feelings in an instant.
Yao Ning's eyes turned cold, and he increased the strength in his hands again, strangling the man to groan.
However, that strange smile did not fade away, but deepened a little.
"What's wrong with you?" Yao Ning murmured, no longer looking at Chen Qian, but looking up at the sky.
After a while, she curled her lips.
This voice was very familiar with people's hearts and almost led her thoughts off track.
"But if I let him go, I won't achieve my goal. If I don't save my world for a word from you, but instead help you, if this is a business deal, won't I lose everything?"
"Hey..." The voice was a little embarrassed, "You found out."
"..." Yao Ning snorted coldly and retracted his gaze. "If you could save him yourself, you wouldn't have spoken out in vain. I guess your world is higher than mine, and you are just dust under my feet."
Seeing that she understood his bluff and the strength of both sides in an instant, the voice did not appear again.
Yao Ning did not hesitate. She gathered spiritual power in her five fingers. To avoid any more trouble, she no longer used brute force but injected spiritual power into them. Chen Qian and the demon king imprisoned in his body would die together.
"Hey, stop for a moment." The voice suddenly appeared again, "I got it!"
Yao Ning ignored him and watched Chen Qian die calmly without even raising his eyelids.
However, the feeling in her hand suddenly changed.
"The time has come. Even if Miss Yao doesn't want to do this business, she will have to accept it with a smile."
Yao Ning frowned and felt a tightness in his heart.
What does "time's up" mean? Could it be that the man's real purpose wasn't to trade with him, but to stall for time...
Yao Ning thought of something and suddenly raised his eyes to look in front of him.
Dark, cold scales quickly covered Shen Qian's fair face, and the sadness in his eyes faded, turning into madness.
His entire aura suddenly changed, as if another soul had emerged from his body.
This person who exudes an evil aura is someone Yao Ning is very familiar with.
Yao Ning did not hesitate at all and no longer paid attention to the escaped Chen Qian. She immediately tightened her five fingers around the Demon Lord's neck. The sunlight was blazing, the whole world became bright, and red flames ignited between her five fingers.
The Demon Lord hissed in pain, but still had an expression of enjoyment.
Yao Ning spread out his other hand, summoned his natal sword, and thrust it into the Demon Lord's chest without hesitation.
The Demon Lord groaned, but the smile on his face did not fade. He looked at the god in front of him almost fascinatedly. Instead of retreating, he took a step forward and pulled Yao Ning into his arms.
Yao Ning's natal sword pierced through his chest, bringing out dripping blood. He groaned and vomited blood. The scorching flames melted his scales and burned the flesh inside.
His face was covered in charred and exposed bones and blood, but his eyes were filled with trance and madness. He hugged Yao Ning tightly, like a drowning man holding onto a life-saving piece of driftwood.
"Good girl." He smiled, nuzzled her ear, and whispered softly, "It's just the two of us left."
That was the last scene Shen Qian saw.
Yao Ning, who had become a god in that world, was hugged by the Demon Lord. It was unclear whether he wanted to kill her or blaspheme her.
Chen Qian opened his eyes again, and felt severe pain in his body. His neck felt like it was broken, and every breath he exhaled was filled with the smell of blood.
The damage from the three illusions was all superimposed on him.
Chen Qian was about to fall, but was held firmly by a hand.
He forced himself to turn his head and saw an unexpected face.
"..." Chen Qian was too shocked. He thought for a moment before remembering the man's name, "Chen Yin?"
Zhongzezhou, Xizhouguan, the disappeared boss.
Boss Chen nodded, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and said with fear: "At least I got you out. You don't know how terrifying she is. Even if she is in a small world, she should not be underestimated! I won't dare to do it again, no matter how much money I pay!"
Chen Qian was confused, and when he glanced around, he saw the flower hall before he entered the illusion.
The word "God" hanging in the middle has faded to the point where it is almost invisible.
All the memories that disappeared in the "God" realm came flooding back, and cold sweat broke out on Chen Qian's forehead.
He almost died in the "God" realm.
Compared with the previous two illusions, the "God" realm brought Chen Qian the most severe despair, so much so that he was unable to struggle and even gave up the will to survive.
If Boss Chen had not intervened, I'm afraid he would have really given up everything and died at Yao Ning's hands because he couldn't get what he wanted.
At that time, he even had a secret expectation in his heart, wondering if Yao Ning would feel sad and regretful after his death.
After a moment of trance, Chen Qian regained consciousness.
Boss Chen said, "We have to leave here quickly. If I interfere without permission, the Pavilion Master will find out sooner or later."
Although Chen Qian had many questions, it was obviously not the right time to talk, so he could only hurriedly say thank you. The two of them said no more. The most important thing was to get the Huanshen Pill and leave Tianji Pavilion.
Chen Qian and Boss Chen turned to the table at the same time, but were both stunned.
In the rainstorm, another thunderclap tore through the rain curtain. The bright light of lightning illuminated the room as if it were daytime, revealing the empty wooden carved white jade box on the table.
The Rejuvenating Pill is gone.
With a "creak", the sound of branches breaking was heard in the courtyard. Chen Qian turned around and met a pair of defiant eyes through the heavy rain curtain and the overwhelming sound of rain.
Bai Su glanced at Chen Qian, his lips moved, and then he disappeared into the rainy night.
Shen Qian understood, he was saying "thank you."
The sound of footsteps and the clashing of weapons approached over the sound of rain.
“There!”
"The Pavilion Master has ordered that they not be allowed to escape!"
"Come on, everyone!"
The auras of several cultivators were rapidly approaching from all directions, and it was initially estimated that their cultivation levels were above the Nascent Soul stage.
Chen Qian asked, "Boss Chen, can you make a deal with them so that the two of us can escape unscathed?"
"Although I'm honest and upright," Boss Chen said in fear, wiping his sweat, "business at Tianji Pavilion isn't easy."
Chen Qian groaned, frowned, and his voice became a little hoarse: "I'm sorry, but I'm actually in a hurry."
Boss Chen's eyes darted around for a moment, and cold sweat broke out: "Don't rush."
The rain became lighter, and thousands of raindrops were like swords from the sky piercing the ground. Looking down from the sky, the Tianji Pavilion covered a very large area. At this moment, several figures gathered rapidly in the same place, followed by a team holding torches, wearing armor and holding sharp weapons.
The lattice doors, window frames, roof and walls of the flower hall were broken at almost the same time, and several monks almost bumped into each other.
The wind, wrapped in raindrops, poured into the hall. The scroll hanging in the middle was blank and swayed gently in the wind.
Below the scroll, the wooden box carved from white jade shone brightly in the candlelight, but the Rejuvenating Pill inside had long disappeared.
The leader's face was gloomy: "The Pavilion Master has cast a barrier, give chase!"
The team split into several groups and dispersed. The rain wet the leaves of the trees, and Chen Qian, who was hiding high up in the tree, withdrew his gaze.
Boss Chen wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and breathed a long sigh of relief.
"Boss Chen, who are you?" Shen Qian suddenly asked.
Boss Chen paused to wipe his sweat and said with a wry smile, "I have some connections with the Pavilion Master of Tianji Pavilion, but I swear on all my money that I knew nothing about the battle between good and evil in Zhongze, or even the subsequent chaos. You gods are fighting, and I'm just a mortal passing by and getting caught up in the disaster."
Chen Qian nodded. Boss Chen had a connection with the head of Tianji Pavilion, so he was able to rescue him in the "God" realm. Chen Qian was anxious to chase Bai Su. The people sent out by Tianji Pavilion could not stop him, but if he killed them regardless, he would definitely expose Boss Chen who saved him.
Everyone has their own secrets. Boss Chen didn't elaborate, and Chen Qian didn't want to ask. As for his claim of innocence, Chen Qian remained skeptical for the time being.
Before leaving, Chen Qian wanted to know one more thing.
"Why should I save you?" Boss Chen shook his head. "I'm a businessman. I have to deliver the goods when they pay me. The price is fair, and I don't cheat anyone."
Did someone pay? Someone who has connections with Boss Chen...
Shen Qian's heart moved, and his breathing quickened a bit: "Is it her? She asked you to save me?"
Boss Chen glanced at Chen Qian and said strangely, "No."
Seeing Chen Qian's loss, he quickly said, "But it can be considered as... right?"
Boss Chen scratched his head. "Miss Yao worked at my Xizhou Pavilion for half a month. The circumstances were special, and she left in a hurry. She still hasn't been paid."
Chen Qian was confused by him: "Wages? You broke into the Tianji Pavilion and risked your life to rescue me from the horrifying 'God' realm. You were hunted by the Tianji Pavilion and offended the Pavilion Master. In a sense, you became a traitor, all for the sake of paying Yao Ning a few copper coins for wages."
Boss Chen said seriously: "Yes."
Then he muttered, "That's... owing her wages is not a good thing."
Shen Qian frowned, but now was not the time to dwell on this.
"I owe you a favor, but I don't need to thank you for your kindness." Shen Qian bowed and said, "I'll take my leave first."
Boss Chen grabbed Shen Qian and said, "I'll show you an easy way out."
There was a commotion in the distance. It must be Bai Su breaking through the Pavilion Master's barrier and attracting attention.
Shen Qian thought for a moment: "Okay."
Boss Chen did have a deep connection with Tianji Pavilion, and the path he pointed out to Shen Qian perfectly avoided the pursuers.
It can be seen that he is very familiar with Tianji Pavilion.
Questions popped up in Shen Qian's mind again, who is Boss Chen?
But there were more important things to do at the moment, so Chen Qian suppressed his doubts and continued to move forward.
He was seriously injured this time and probably fell in realm. Although he was confident that he could leave Tianji Pavilion, he still had to avoid conflict and leave quietly and quickly.
Chen Qian walked through several corridors and came to an inconspicuous side door.
The moment he left the barrier, the Pavilion Master and the pursuers would certainly be alerted, but it would be too late for them to catch up.
Chen Qianxian observed for a moment. Outside was an ordinary street. There were a few raindrops on the bluestone road, reflecting the flames of the wind lanterns on the eaves. A few dog barks could be heard in the distance.
Chen Qian was about to take a step forward, but suddenly stopped.
He suddenly wondered why he trusted Boss Chen so much.
Logically speaking, Boss Chen has a close relationship with the Pavilion Master of Tianji Pavilion, and the Pavilion Master clearly wanted to kill him through those three illusions.
Just because Boss Chen saved him doesn't mean he doesn't have his own plans.
His reasons for saving himself were also very far-fetched.
Yao Ning's wages...
The only one who connected himself with Boss Chen was Yao Ning.
In the territory of Tianji Pavilion, he entered the "god" realm and should have died in the illusion, but was rescued by Boss Chen. The Pavilion Master must know all this. Why were only a few ordinary cultivators and some guards chasing him, and why did the Pavilion Master not show up?
This contradicts the previous killing intention.
A bold idea emerged in Shen Qian's mind.
He stared at the ordinary corner door, and after a while, he curled his lips: "Boss Chen, the road you pointed out, are you trying to send me to death?"
"Or..." Chen Qian said softly, "Pavilion Master, are you inviting me to meet you?"
Shen Qian looked for a moment, then resolutely stepped into the door.
If it is related to Yao Ning, he wants to find out.
The moment he stepped out of the door, the light and shadow in front of him changed. Chen Qian looked carefully and saw that there was no street here. It was clearly a hall with bright lights.
Shen Qian smelled a familiar aroma.
The dome of the hall opened wide, and after the clouds had dispersed and the rain had stopped, moonlight poured in. The night wind blew up fallen petals, brushing against Chen Qian's cheek.
On the high platform of the hall, there is a chair made of pure gold. It looks luxurious and majestic, like a throne.
The throne was empty, and a woman in red was sitting in a lower position next to it.
The cherry blossoms brush against my face, the red dress is bright and gorgeous, and I am almost in a trance.
The woman's red dress looked exceptionally elegant, as gorgeous as the morning glow and flowing clouds, making the sight unforgettable.
However, she had a very ordinary face.
"Pavilion Master." Chen Qian nodded slightly.
The Pavilion Master nodded and said: "No one has passed the third level of the Huan Shen Dan in the past thousand years. You are the first one to do so. You are indeed to be feared by future generations."
Without Boss Chen, Shen Qian would not have survived the third level. Shen Qian didn't know what she meant, so he asked directly: "Master, are you going to take my life?"
She smiled and said, "The three great illusions cannot kill Daojun. My cultivation level is still lower than Daojun, how can I take your life?"
"Pavilion Master, don't you hate me for taking the Rejuvenating Pill?"
"The Tianji Pavilion said that anyone who complies with the will of heaven can obtain the Rejuvenating Pill. It's obvious that heaven particularly favors you."
Chen Qian knew that the Tianji Pavilion never got involved in worldly affairs, so he couldn't help but be curious: "Then why did the Pavilion Master ask me to come here?"
The Pavilion Master looked at him quietly for a moment.
Chen Qian felt unusually unnatural under that gaze. For some reason, he didn't know her well, but the Pavilion Master's gaze made him feel vaguely familiar, yet also with a frightening sense of oppression.
"Do you know what the illusion test is?"
Chen Qian answered honestly: "I don't know."
"You don't know?" The Pavilion Master raised an eyebrow. "If you don't know, then you're just going to risk your life."
Shen Qian frowned slightly, these words seemed a little out of proportion, making him feel uncomfortable.
But he couldn't take action against the Lord.
Not to mention that he was injured, given her status, even Gu Wuchen would have to be polite to her.
Shen Qian said calmly: "Yes."
The Pavilion Master did not mind his indifference: "These three levels test one's sincerity. There are so many infatuated men and resentful women in this world, but there are very few who are sincere. If there is someone who is willing to sacrifice his own life to save you from danger, such luck is worthy of God's mercy.
"The first level, if you can't see your own mistakes, can't admit your despicable behavior, and can't take action, then you can't get out. In fact, you only need to kill one person. Kill everyone, and you are the first one.
"The second level is that if one truly harbors hatred and is heartbroken, most people would kill the person who stole their things, not to mention hurting her. But you, on the other hand, wouldn't even touch her mistress. Are you afraid of upsetting her?"
Shen Qian's hands trembled slightly, he looked away embarrassedly, and said coldly: "She is not a thing, she is my wife."
The Pavilion Master said "Oh", stretched out his hand to gather the smoke from the incense burner beside him, and shaped a handsome face in the air.
Chen Qian looked at that face. In the "human" realm, he wanted to kill this person countless times, to smash him into pieces and peel off his skin.
Chen Qian clenched his fists, and the fishy-sweet taste in his throat almost made him vomit, but he swallowed it alive.
"What is he then?"
Chen Qian stared at the slowly disappearing face and said hoarsely, "It's her husband."
The Pavilion Master looked at him for a while, then waved his hand to disperse the smoke.
"The third level is actually the most common and easiest to pass. To be honest, the 'God' realm was originally the first level. I moved it specifically for Daojun."
Shen Qian looked at her in disbelief.
The Pavilion Master shook his head. "Yet you nearly died at the third level. You are the dignified Zixiao Daojun, a natural talent, the leader of the righteous path. Would you rather die than be loved?"
Shen Qian heard the strong sarcasm in her words.
The "God" realm is the first level, no wonder Boss Chen was able to find a way to rescue him.
"The Pavilion Master asked me to come here just to scold me?"
"No." She shook her head. "The Tianji Pavilion is secluded from the world, but they also know that the world has changed. Daojun has both natural talent and supreme cultivation. Why not let go of worldly ties and strive for an early ascension?"
Chen Qian frowned: "Thank you for your kindness, Pavilion Master. I will keep it in mind and think about it carefully."
However, the woman at the top looked at him quietly, her expression not softening in the slightest despite his promise.
"Never mind, I crossed the line."
The Pavilion Master stood up, her flowing red dress trailing on the ground, and she walked towards the center of the platform. Chen Qian thought she was going to sit on the pure gold throne, but she just stood there with her back to Shen Qian.
"Daojun, please go back."
Chen Qian couldn't help but wonder, she actually let him go, what was the murderous intent in the illusion? Could it be that she didn't intend to take his life, and asked him to come just to say a few words?
Chen Qian thought for a moment and said, "The Tianji Pavilion is well aware of the secrets of heaven. The Pavilion Master came looking for me today and then let me go. Is it because of An Ning?"
But to his surprise, she said, "No."
Chen Qian wanted to ask something else, but the Pavilion Master unexpectedly asked, "You are seriously injured, right?"
Chen Qian became alert. He now felt that his realm had indeed dropped. The Pavilion Master had always been low-key and no one knew her true strength. If she changed her mind and wanted to take action, Chen Qian didn't know if he could escape unscathed.
He said cautiously: "Fortunately, it is a Tianji Pavilion illusion after all. If there is no damage, it will also damage the reputation of the Pavilion Master."
She laughed twice: "You can't even stand steadily, and you're still stubborn."
Chen Qian dug his nails into his flesh and smiled, "Grief is devastating, and it's inevitable that one's mind may be hazy, but it won't harm one's cultivation."
The Pavilion Master glanced at him sideways, then looked away without saying anything.
Chen Qian bowed and said, "Thank you, Pavilion Master, for the medicine."
He turned and left, taking each step calmly and steadily, and it seemed that his cultivation was indeed intact.
A voice came from behind: "Don't think I don't know that the Huan Shen Pill was stolen."
It wasn't surprising that she knew about the Tianji Pavilion's territory. However, it was Bai Su who stole the Huan Shen Pill. She was afraid that because of her attitude, she would suspect that he had some connection with the Demon Realm...
Although Tianji Pavilion does not participate in the dispute, it is still a righteous sect after all.
Chen Qian was just thinking about how to respond when he heard a voice behind him with a hint of sarcasm.
"It seems that not only was your wife taken away in the fantasy world, but the reality is no less."
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