Illusion within an illusion
Upon hearing Liu Linfeng's assessment of Xing Yu, Chi Wangyue appeared to be thinking. He blinked and said, "Xing Yu, so it's hard for him to make friends?"
Liu Linfeng replied matter-of-factly, "Of course. You didn't know?"
Chi Wangyue waved her hand. "I'm fine with it."
Liu Linfeng: "...Ayu, so you weren't against making friends, it turns out you only had feelings for me."
Yan Tianhua watched Chi Wangyue's "mischief," but wisely refrained from exposing her. She surveyed her surroundings, lost in thought.
Chi Wangyue silently leaned against Yan Tianhua.
"?"
Yan Tianhua replied, "What's wrong?"
Chi Wangyue replied, "Come on, give me a friendly performance."
Yan Tianhua glanced at the two of them, a smile playing on her lips, her body moving somewhat uncoordinatedly.
"Yes, it's easy to make friends."
Yan Tianhua moved very unnaturally.
Chi Wangyue glanced at his awkward expression and slowly gave him a thumbs up from behind.
"Keep it up." Chi Wangyue gave Yan Tianhua a small red flower.
Yan Tianhua took a deep breath and realized that her previous guesses were too reserved.
Chi Wangyue and Liu Linfeng are a perfect match, each with their own unique personality.
Liu Linfeng: "Where are you from?"
Chi Wangyue said without changing her expression, "Luoshu".
Chi Wangyue remained steadfast in her devotion, adding fuel to the fire for her sect: "Luoshu is a land of outstanding people and abundant resources, a sacred place for cultivation, suitable for all kinds of people, whether male or female, young or old, or even young teenagers. As long as one has a burning heart, one can rekindle the lost spark within."
Liu Linfeng: "...I'm not stupid."
Chi Wangyue said sincerely, "I know, believe me, my friend."
Liu Linfeng: "...Okay."
As Chi Wangyue tried to escape, she tugged at the sleeve of her senior brother beside her.
A spark of "doing something bad" flickered in his eyes.
Yan Tianhua's eyelids twitched; her sixth sense was warning her.
"You...you...you won't take the ride."
"Oh? Right." Chi Wangyue blinked, moving closer to him. Her voice was gentle, like a breeze.
The next moment, Chi Wangyue grabbed his hand unexpectedly.
Move your body forward.
While Liu Linfeng was enjoying the show, he was called out by Chi Wangyue, which made him feel a bit out of place.
"Tsk tsk... You guys are the main characters, why drag me into this?" Liu Xiaozi thought to himself, but on the surface he remained expressionless, as if the world owed him a million dollars.
Chi Wangyue accurately targeted Liu Linfeng's position.
"Take us to see Xing Yu."
Liu Linfeng said directly, "No."
Chi Wangyue's eyes softened, and her tone softened as she asked, "Why?"
Liu Linfeng's eyes flickered, and he said tactfully, "With your relationship, how can you go to see him? He's still a child."
Chi Wangyue was puzzled, Chi Wangyue was shocked, and Chi Wangyue gradually realized what was going on.
Yan Tianhua: "...What is our relationship?"
Liu Linfeng said sincerely, "You know the answer yourselves."
Yan Tianhua said in a serious tone, "Brothers."
Chi Wangyue added, “They are very proper fellow disciples, really, incredibly pure.”
Liu Linfeng smiled and said, "I understand, I get it."
Chi Wangyue sighed, "That's good."
...
Seeing Chi Wangyue's insistent tone, Liu Linfeng had no choice but to betray his friends and family.
Xing Yu: "...Is this how you treat me as a friend?"
Liu Linfeng retorted, "It's all their talk, they're lying. I wasn't careful and fell into their trap."
Xing Yu: "...Do as you please."
Looking at A Yu's appearance, Liu Linfeng thought to himself, "Oh no! He really is a friend of my family! Sure enough, how could such a calm and quiet child like A Yu have two living relatives and friends? It turns out he was just being harsh on me."
Ayu looked at Liu Linfeng's conflicted state of mind and saw through the mental struggle the man in front of him was going through.
Ah Yu said, "...one cannot demand too much perfection from others."
For example, Liu, through self-deception, self-influence, and self-pity...
Chi Wangyue greeted Xing Yu naturally when she saw him.
Hello, Xing Yu.
Xing Yu calmly replied, "...Hello."
He glanced at Liu Linfeng, who was engrossed in "So that's how it is when you're heartbroken," and felt a sense of disappointment and frustration.
"Trust is a skill."
Chi Wangyue followed the gaze and exchanged a glance with Xing Yu. The two silently acknowledged each other's identities.
In theory, Xing Yu can give way to anyone who, regardless of their purpose, does not threaten him or anyone close to him.
"It's just an identity, I gave it to them. Compared to someone's awareness of fraud prevention, you need to start the process in advance, so that one day you don't get scammed out of everything and end up feeling aggrieved and saying, 'It's all the other party's fault.'"
Liu Linfeng felt a chill creep through his body, sneezed, and casually remarked, "Someone's plotting against me? (Just kidding)"
Ayu: "Yes."
Liu Linfeng ignored A Yu's joke and immediately watched the interaction between the three of them.
Yan Tianhua gazed at him, her movements revealing a natural nonchalance. Her thoughts drifted, replaying their journey in her mind, page by page.
We came from the thick fog and arrived at a place.
The team members before I met him.
And amnesia?
Excluding external factors, human factors play a dominant role.
His fragmented thoughts flashed through his mind: "Did they travel through another timeline? Or was there something wrong with the fog they came from, and this is just a hallucination in their minds?"
Since its inception, the concept of the Enchanted Realm has been the subject of much debate.
He primarily cultivates the path of ruthlessness, but does not specialize in any particular area.
Yan Tianhua was powerless to do anything; his punch landed on cotton.
Yan Tianhua's own experience value is zero, but her main strength is too great.
At the same time, he was curious about something else that was surging in his mind—why were there secret guards attacking them?
"The person sent, Number One and the female madwoman, are both quite skilled. The people who came were prepared, but is all of this connected to the person behind the scenes? Using the death of one of them to exploit the security barrier of Danxin Peak, Yan Tianhua has witnessed it all."
The coincidence is not just a coincidence, but a perfect combination where all the coincidences avoid all the coincidences.
Chi Wangyue waved her hand in front of Yan Tianhua, who was lost in thought. After she opened it halfway, Yan Tianhua realized that she had accidentally grabbed the other person's hand.
The moment Yan Tianhua let go of his hand, Chi Wangyue was reasoning in his mind, "Senior Brother, what were you thinking about just now? Probably something closely related to the plot/a bunch of random things."
Whatever Yan Tianhua thought of, until reality reached a conclusion, it was all just a fantasy.
"Do not try to make something false into reality, just as a wolf in sheep's clothing is mistaken for a real sheep."
Chi Wangyue's heart stirred.
The probing look in his eyes as he looked at Yan Tianhua had weakened considerably.
Yan Tianhua glanced at Liu Linfeng and the others without paying attention.
He unconsciously clenched his fist, banished any thoughts that shouldn't be in his mind at this stage, and continued walking forward.
Liu Linfeng is very skilled at self-regulation.
Xing Yu looked at the young man who had been silent just moments before, but now could chat idly with Chi Wangyue, who had "overheard him," for dozens of hours. So he restrained himself and pulled him over.
Liu Linfeng: "!"
Chi Wangyue chuckled to herself.
Yan Tianhua kept their little squabbles in mind while also paying attention to changes in the surrounding environment.
Liu Linfeng sat on a wooden chair, rocking back and forth, his eyes filled with an indescribable curiosity.
A person's greatest charm lies in their insatiable curiosity.
Who are you?
It wasn't a large place, but it was like a personal space. Liu Linfeng discovered it by accident and decided to use it as their base on a whim. Since Xing Yu already knew about it, no one else noticed.
If it weren't for Liu Linfeng, they would never have found this place.
But the fact that they were both surprised to be paired with Liu Linfeng from the very beginning was something neither of them had anticipated.
Yan Tianhua's eyes flickered, and Chi Wangyue glanced thoughtfully at Yan Tianhua.
Yan Tianhua remained still, secretly drawing his sword.
In the absence of confirmed adversarial forces, it is still necessary to strive for opportunities for cooperation.
Fighting is a losing proposition. Minimize it if possible.
Chi Wangyue's eyes lit up when she saw Liu Linfeng find a chair.
He followed the clues and found the same chair. Under Liu Linfeng's piercing gaze, he sat down without any hesitation.
"Me? To be honest, I'm a wandering magician. Senior Brother Yan Tianhua, he... is a fruit seller."
Yan Tianhua's gaze drifted unnaturally toward Chi Wangyue's side.
Chi Wangyue automatically blocked out the stares from everyone, especially her senior brother, so she could avoid being bothered by what they saw.
"Ahem, I'm done talking."
Chi Wangyue thoughtfully reminded him.
Liu Linfeng asked bluntly, "Are you really a wandering sorcerer?"
"Yes, they specifically target those easy targets, using the money they earn to pay off the money the victims spend on pleasure-seeking, which is equivalent to eliminating evil and promoting good."
"Also, I only lie to people, not to their feelings. I'd rather earn less than lose my reputation," Chi Wangyue added.
Yan Tianhua was pulled into the conversation again. "Is he your shill?"
Chi Wangyue waved her hand and said, "He's not, he's my boss."
Liu Linfeng asked doubtfully, "Why would a fruit vendor lie to you? Also, I don't believe your identities; it's a bit far-fetched."
"To attract customers. I advise you not to underestimate a fruit shop owner who is good at expressing the quality of his fruit and has a legitimate, honest, and friendly agent, especially in the world of cultivation, where he has the background of various powerful families."
"Some young and ignorant boys are bottomless pits. They love to eat, which is in their nature. How can this not be considered a normal expense? It's gambling. Once they start, they will enjoy the fruits of their labor. Once they taste the sweetness, they will experience the so-called 'once gone, never to return' effect."
"For ordinary people who can afford it and have a stable source of income, fruit is also a daily expense, which helps improve their quality of life and further develop their spiritual needs."
"Although I may not be good at other things, I am good at making money."
As Yan Tianhua listened to his words, he gradually understood the business activity that had been arranged before he came to the Prince's Mansion, in which Chi Wangyue had looked at him with shining eyes.
It was like discovering a new continent.
Yan Tianhua glanced at Chi Wangyue's figure and smiled. "No wonder he was so confident before. But when it comes to sharing benefits and risks, the only reason he dared to do this was because he had help. As for the agreed 40/60 split of the results, Yan Tianhua doesn't care; it's just a matter of support."
Chi Wangyue seemed to notice Yan Tianhua's gaze. She really wanted to take a look, but when she saw Liu Linfeng's hesitant expression, she seized the opportunity and suppressed her thoughts.
"The reason I am a wandering fortune teller is that, although it is a means of making a living, we make money for a better future. Ninety-eight percent of the profits go to the people, adhering to the principle of 'taking from the people and using for the people.' Whether it is a natural disaster, man-made disaster, or other events, we will use this money wisely."
"If all lies are based on the premise of doing it for your own good, does that count as deceiving you?" Chi Wangyue brought out the question that had been nagging at him.
Liu Linfeng replied, "Naturally, it's like knowing there are tigers in the mountains, yet still heading towards them."
Chi Wangyue nodded in agreement.
Liu Linfeng seemed to have suddenly realized something, "So that's how it is."
Xing Yu said, "...just watched helplessly as his people were tricked and used as pawns."
Xing Yu looked cold, repeating to himself a dozen times, "Anti-fraud awareness starts with me! Liu Linfeng is too naive. We should put an anti-fraud book on his head and make him memorize it perfectly."
After dismissing the "simple" people, Chi Wangyue spontaneously looked to her next target.
Xing Yu nodded, which was considered his approval.
The true "like-minded people" have already been led onto a ship of no return by another clumsy goose.
Xing Yu glanced at Liu Linfeng, his expression serious, as if he were carefully considering his options.
"Stop thinking, you've already been fooled." Xing Yu sighed sincerely from the bottom of his heart.
Liu Linfeng possessed an inexplicable drive to "serve others." He blinked rapidly, quickly tidying himself up.
"Okay. Please invite me to join your army."
Liu Linfeng readily agreed, and under the guidance of his "representative" who had spent less than two minutes thinking, he made a request.
Chi Wangyue and Yan Tianhua stared at each other for a few seconds.
Yan Tianhua calmly replied, "Okay."
Liu Linfeng's expression changed. "Wait! Can we bring Xing Yu with us? We can work together diligently!"
Xing Yu: "Don't come near me! (Cat's shocked image)"
Despite his cold refusal, Rong lost the unfair vote between the three of them and one person.
Xing Yu knew these two men's identities were fake, and their origins were unclear, but his sixth sense told him they posed no danger. Even looking at Liu Linfeng before him, a dangerous thought surfaced in his mind: "Could he be deliberately believing me?"
Xing Yu chuckled. "It's not impossible."
But when Liu Linfeng looked at Xing Yu with a clear and understanding look in his eyes, Xing Yu thought, "...I don't know whether I should say this or not. It seems that he didn't go on an adventure on purpose."
And he's supposed to be a pill cultivator!
Xing Yu suppressed the sudden resentment in his heart and looked at Chi Wangyue with a hint of curiosity in his eyes.
As the saying goes, "What's done is done." Since it has happened, we must face it.
He neither evaded punishment nor feared it.
"Where are we going now?" Liu Linfeng asked.
Chi Wangyue countered, "Aren't we in an illusion right now?"
“That’s true… However, everything will change after we leave the illusion.” Liu Linfeng maintained a friendly attitude towards his side and briefly explained the current situation.
Just as Chi Wangyue was about to delve deeper, they had already come out.
To be precise, from the moment the thick fog rose from the Prince's mansion, to meeting Liu Linfeng, and then to getting to know Xing Yu, I emerged from this illusion.
Their previously enthusiastic discussion had been scattered by time, and now, the entire panorama of the former Prince's residence was clearly displayed before Yan Tianhua and her group.
Liu Linfeng was filled with regret. He shook Xing Yu's hand and asked with some sigh, "Why didn't you wake me up back then!"
Xing Yu sneered, "Is it necessary?"
Liu Linfeng looked to the side and said, "Is...it necessary?"
At this moment, Chi Wangyue suddenly understood what they had just experienced.
My mind was filled with mixed feelings. "So it was just another illusion."
It truly is "an illusion within an illusion."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com