Chapter 24
A hollow voice echoed in the void, "Have you found it? My true form."
This seemingly peaceful voice, however, was like a ghostly whistle urging them to their deaths.
Chu Xianyue tried to activate his spiritual energy, and as soon as the illusion broke, his spiritual power returned. With him there, he knew they wouldn't be in immediate danger, but if they couldn't find the Ghost Palace Master's true form, they would truly have no chance of breaking the Ten Directions Cauldron above Little Mirror Lake.
Yun Yan stepped forward, blocking Chu Xianyue's path, her gaze fixed on the distant void. "Ghost Palace Master, are you sure you're not lying to us? If you don't actually have a real body, but only an illusory one, how could we find you?"
"The game is over. I only need one answer."
The voice was simple and clear; it didn't answer Yun Yan's question. It only needed one answer.
The game is over, and there are only two possible outcomes: win or lose.
The rules of the game are simple. If they lose, they have to leave; if they win, they can break the formation.
Chu Xianyue pushed aside the clouds in front of him. Based on what he had seen and heard in the illusion, he could only guess that it was a dilapidated temple.
There's something very wrong with that local temple in the south of the city. Perhaps, if the Ghost Palace Master really did have genuine feelings for Meishan Court, then it should leave its true form forever in those few beautiful memories of the past, in the temple where they first pledged their love.
Therefore, Chu Xianyue said to the void, "The Land God Temple in the south of the city, your true body is hidden in the Land God Temple in the south of the city."
Upon hearing this, Xie Wen and Yun Yan looked at Chu Xianyue in astonishment! They seemed to realize something very, very terrible.
It seems that Chu Xianyue has the same memories as the person who "looks just like him" in their dreams.
Coincidence or not?
Xie Wen alone dared not think about it in detail.
At such a crucial moment, Xie Wen was actually thinking about this?
That's absolutely absurd.
Xie Wen rubbed his face, held his breath, and awaited the judgment of the Ghost Palace Master.
Suddenly, a cloud of black mist dissipated, and the voice of the Ghost Palace Master echoed from the void, "Wrong. Game over."
Xie Wen felt the world suddenly shake violently, and her vision became a long focus. When she looked up, she saw that the world was shrouded in a vast white mist.
Beneath the Small Mirror Lake, under the array of light, the three people opened their eyes. They had been transported back by the illusion created by the Ten Directions Cauldron.
Looking up again, the golden light of the formation continued to operate day and night as always. The spiritual energy above Little Mirror Lake was being absorbed by the formation in wisps, like a bottomless pit. One day, it would drain Little Mirror Lake dry and also squeeze the entire Tianyan Sword Sect dry.
They had three chances to enter the center of the formation.
They've used up their two chances, meaning they only have one last chance left.
If they are sent out again this last time, just like before, not only will their lives be in danger, but Little Mirror Lake will also be destroyed along with the formation.
Chu Xianyue's expression turned serious. "We only have one last chance. We can't act impulsively again. Think it through before you go in."
"Since things have come to this, let's go back and rest."
Xie Wen blinked, feeling a little tired herself, and yawned, saying she wanted to go back to her room to sleep. The main reason was that she felt guilty. The years in the illusion had felt so real, as if she had actually done those absurd things. So much so that now, she felt incredibly guilty whenever she saw Chu Xianyue.
Years passed in the illusion, but only one day had passed in reality.
Xie Wen's feelings for the Tianyan Sword Sect weren't that deep yet. She was just an unlucky transmigrator, and it was already quite an achievement that she survived from the clutches of the great demon Chu Xianyue. More than worrying about the Tianyan Sword Sect itself, she was concerned about what would happen to her and her sister if, one day, this powerful number one sword sect truly fell from grace. They needed to find a place to stay and earn some money.
Actually, as long as her older sister is there, it doesn't matter where she goes.
She and her older sister were both dead in another world. Xie Wen was already very content to be able to travel to this world and live to be by her older sister's side.
Before I knew it, my thoughts had drifted thousands of miles away.
Just as Xie Wen was about to leave, Chu Xianyue called out to him, "Xie Wen, what are your thoughts on that illusion?"
"How dare you speak to me like that? How dare you address me by my name?"
The words were just on the tip of her tongue when Xie Wen slapped her mouth hard. Silently turning her back to Chu Xianyue, Xie Wen squatted down, scooped up a handful of water, and rubbed her face. She was much more awake now; having only recently emerged from the illusion, she had subconsciously still seen herself as that arrogant and vicious third young lady.
The only thing to blame is that the illusion was just too realistic! So realistic that Xie Wen seemed to have actually done those things. Wait a minute! There were some details Xie Wen didn't remember when she first left the illusion. But now, looking back at what happened in the illusion from a third-person perspective, it seems she even did *that* with Chu Xianyue in the illusion?
!!
Are you kidding me?
Xie Wen didn't want to answer Chu Xianyue's question. What was she thinking? Her mind was filled with shame and anger. How could she have entered such an illusion? And become a vicious female supporting character like Mei San in the illusion?
Right, those were all things Mei San did, what does it have to do with Xie Wen? Thinking this, Xie Wen felt much better.
However, Xie Wen still didn't have the face to talk to Chu Xianyue about her feelings about the illusion. What feelings? Was it about being a villainous female supporting character, or about keeping a male concubine? Xie Wen covered her head and ran away, not wanting to see him again.
As Chu Xianyue watched Xie Wen flee in disarray, a crack appeared on his usually cold and aloof face.
Yun Yan was completely baffled. Why was Senior Sister Xie Wen, who was so shameless and heartless, acting like that?
Little Mirror Lake is the foundation of the sect, but it has been controlled by an array that constantly absorbs its spiritual energy and disrupts its magnetic field. They only have one last chance to enter the center of the array, so they must proceed with extreme caution.
The person behind this clearly intends to drag them into the tragedy of Meijia Village more than a decade ago, but it is unknown what their purpose is. Their only clue at present is the shadowy figure from that night.
Currently, Little Mirror Lake is fraught with danger. Until the formation is completely broken and the truth behind it is fully revealed, Little Mirror Lake must be temporarily closed. The monthly Little Mirror Lake trials are also suspended.
Chu Xianyue returned to Feiying Pavilion. He stood amidst the fluttering cherry blossoms. Under the twilight, the river water was clear, reflecting a rich sunset glow, faintly visible, swaying with the cherry blossoms along the river.
Chu Xianyue focused his mind, standing in mid-air with the Nine Heavens Sword hanging beside him. He raised his hand and ran his palm across the sword, blood meandering down from his palm. He flicked his fingers, and in mid-air, he cast incantations written in blood, covering the entire sky above the river.
A crimson array appeared in mid-air. Its crimson patterns undulated and lit up.
Chu Xianyue leaped to the center of the formation and thrust his sword down.
The blood-red light flickered a few times before fading.
Beneath the void, the transparent barrier that had enveloped the entire Flying Cherry Pavilion vanished in an instant, and the deep and rich spiritual energy accumulated within the pavilion was also drawn away and scattered into the vast天地 (heaven and earth).
The next second, the entire Feiying Pavilion began to tremble and tilt uncontrollably. Xie Wen, who was sleeping, was awakened by the tremor. Thinking it was an earthquake, he got up in a daze and stood at the window to see if the sky had collapsed or the earth had cracked open.
Xie Wen, who was in a daze, suddenly woke up, his pupils dilating in shock.
The ground beneath Xie Wen's feet was shaking and trembling, making it difficult for her to stand. But she had no time to care about that. Before her eyes, the extensive network of bridges connecting Feiying Pavilion began to creak and break, sinking into the riverbed. And beneath these bridges, a huge, black, dragon-like thing slowly emerged.
A black dragon raised its head from the river, its bronze mirror-like eyes meeting Xie Wen's gaze by the window.
Xie Wen rubbed his eyes, wanting to shout.
Before he could even utter a sound, Xie Wen saw the black dragon suddenly burst out of the water. The enormous sound of the water reached Xie Wen's ears, deafeningly loud. A figure in cyan flew above the black dragon, gracefully stepping onto its back. Tall and elegant, the figure stood high above, looking down at Xie Wen by the window.
Xie Wen peered out the window, "What's this?"
The only black dragon remaining in this world. In the past, Chu Xianyue was afraid that the black dragon would go out of control and hurt people, so he suppressed the black dragon under the Feiying Pavilion and made it a barrier for the Feiying Pavilion.
Now, Little Mirror Lake needs it. Simply using illusions to conceal the existence of the formation is not a long-term solution. This matter is far more complicated than they imagine, and they may not be able to find a way to break the formation in the short term.
Chu Xianyue first placed Black Dragon Town below Little Mirror Lake to suppress the formation until they found a way to break it. That was the only way for now.
Having never seen a real dragon before, Xie Wen's eyes widened. Now that he'd seen it, it would be a shame not to touch the black dragon. Xie Wen glanced at Chu Xianyue standing on the black dragon's back. Why was he allowed to stand on the black dragon's back?!
Xie Wen: "Master, is this your mount?" Actually, what Xie Wen really wanted to say was: Damn, that's impressive!
Xie Wen felt a strong urge to ride on such a black dragon; she couldn't imagine how incredibly powerful it would be.
Upon hearing this, Chu Xianyue turned around and glanced at Xie Wen, seemingly seeing through Xie Wen's thoughts, and said calmly, "Come up."
He invited her to ride his dragon!
Xie Wen gripped the window frame with both hands, leaped up from outside the window, and flew towards the giant dragon in mid-air. A person above the dragon reached out a hand to her, and Xie Wen successfully landed on the dragon's back.
In that instant, Xie Wen was almost in disbelief, feeling as if it were unreal. Standing atop it, her vision suddenly cleared. Unlike when she flew on her sword, where she felt shaky and the surrounding scenery blurred into shadows, now she felt as if she were on the back of a black dragon, as if she were standing on the shoulders of a giant. The mountains, rivers, and magnificent palaces of the past were all laid out before her. Xie Wen felt even the wind above her was refreshing, and she felt like she was an emperor. Standing on the back of the black dragon, she slowly opened her arms. This is all my world! Hahahaha!
Xie Wen was so engrossed in his imperial dream that he couldn't pull himself out, while Chu Xianyue beside him was speechless.
As evening fell, disciples returning home from their evening lessons walked in twos and threes along the path. Suddenly, a huge black shadow streaked across the twilight sky and disappeared in just a few seconds, but it was still clearly visible that it was a giant black dragon.
"What are you doing? Why are you always looking up at the sky? What's up there?"
The boy pointed to the sky: "Black Dragon!"
"Do I look like a black dragon? Junior brother, have you gone mad from practicing your skills? Where did this black dragon come from?"
"It's true, there are two people standing on the black dragon's back."
"Hey, do you believe I'm the emperor or do you believe there really is a black dragon in the sky?"
As dusk fell, a burst of laughter erupted from the boys, followed by a chorus of greetings: "Greetings, Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"
Another teenager shoved the man, saying, "I'm serious."
"I'm serious."
...
On the other side of Little Mirror Lake, under a blue sky, a giant dragon rose and fell. Under a powerful pressure, the golden light array dimmed, flickering weakly a few times on the horizon, and finally sank down with the giant dragon above the golden array, eventually disappearing into the lake and beneath the sky.
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