Chapter 029

Chapter 29: Illusion

Maybe it was because Fang He An had laid down a harsh rule: without Core Formation, no one gets to leave the sect. Knowing he had no other chance, Li Wan Zhi worked especially hard for half a month and finally reached Core Formation four days before departure.

The Thunder Tribulation hit Disciples’ Peak without warning, shocking Xun Yin, Li Ming De, and the other elders.

“Another Core Formation,” someone said.

“Good, good. This batch of kids is doing great,” someone else said.

But compared with Ye Wan Wan, who had a master like Pei Xuan guiding her, Li Wan Zhi was a patchwork disciple who learned a little here and a little there. His Thunder Tribulation was very hard, and it was messy.

Under the Heavenly Tribulation Lightning, he screamed and ran everywhere. A few bolts later, several houses on Disciples’ Peak were smashed, and even the spirit herbs in the courtyards were hurt. When Yan Ju and Fang He An rushed over, Li Wan Zhi survived the fifth bolt only by relying on a magic treasure.

Then Yan Ju called for help and brought in the Third Elder, who was skilled in Array Arts. They helped Li Wan Zhi hold out through the remaining bolts. People later said Yan Ju threw a huge fit about it.

Ye Wan Wan asked: “Why?”

“Because our junior brother didn’t prepare at all and just met the Tribulation head on,” came the answer. “If Young Senior Uncle hadn’t sensed something was off and gone to check, he might have become Heavenly One Sect’s first disciple killed by a Minor Ninefold Thunder Tribulation.”

Even Bai Jian raised a thumb and said: “So brave.”

Li Wan Zhi sat up straight on the bed and said: “That was because I had no experience. No experience! How was I supposed to know that while I was cultivating, the Heavenly Tribulation Lightning would just come down out of nowhere? I had no idea!”

Fang He An stuffed an orange segment into his mouth and said: “Eat. Next time you’ll have experience.”

Because Li Wan Zhi needed to heal, they stayed three more days. Three days before the secret realm opened, they set out from Heavenly One Sect.

Of the four, besides Fang He An, Ye Wan Wan, Bai Jian, and Li Wan Zhi all used Sword Flight. This time, Fang He An relied on Li Wan Zhi.

Li Wan Zhi lifted his chin proudly and said: “See, senior brother, you still have to depend on me.”

Fang He An gripped Li Wan Zhi’s shoulders, face pale, and said: “Listen to me. Get down. I’ll do the Sword Flight.”

“Senior brother, this is my sword. You can’t control it. Trust me, I will definitely take you to Dream Marsh Mountain,” Li Wan Zhi said, full of confidence.

“No. I’m afraid I’ll die on this thing before we arrive,” Fang He An replied.

Li Wan Zhi’s spirit sword had been taken from Sword Tomb right before the trip, so he was not familiar with it yet. The entire flight was nothing less than a life and death test for Fang He An. By the time they came down from Sword Mountain and entered the city closest to Dream Marsh Mountain, Fang He An was clutching a tree and vomiting even worse than Li Wan Zhi had during his first ride on a sword.

Li Wan Zhi patted his back with a gloomy face and said: “Was that necessary? I didn’t even throw up.”

Fang He An’s hand shook as he pointed at Li Wan Zhi and said: “You did this on purpose to get back at me.”

Li Wan Zhi denied it right away and said, sounding righteous: “Nonsense. How could I do that? I am your dear junior brother.”

“…” Fang He An was certain it was on purpose.

Ye Wan Wan looked up at the city gate: Dreammarsh City. After Fang He An recovered a bit, the four of them entered the city.

But the moment they stepped inside, they all felt something was wrong. Even Fang He An, who had been hiccuping and gagging, suddenly went silent and felt fine. The street felt cold. There were people walking by. Dreammarsh City was one of the rare big cities with a population of a hundred thousand, so even a “quiet” street should have dozens or hundreds of people. But the faces around them were too numb, too indifferent. The air around the people felt bleak, dull, without any life.

“Deathly qi,” Ye Wan Wan said.

Li Wan Zhi’s playful mood faded at once. He moved to stand next to Fang He An. He was not stupid, and he was afraid he had heard wrong. He asked: “Junior sister, what did you just say?”

Even Bai Jian and Fang He An looked at Ye Wan Wan.

Ye Wan Wan kept her eyes on the people in the street. She did not repeat anything scary. Instead, she asked Fang He An: “Senior brother, where is the meeting place the sects agreed on?”

This secret realm was not a Heavenly One Sect training event. It was an invitation from the Dark Nether Sect. When they set out, Li Ming De had told Fang He An clearly that he was leading the team and handling all contact.

“East City, Seventh Street, Yue Lai Inn,” Fang He An said.

Ye Wan Wan nodded. “Let’s go.”

She led the way, with Bai Jian beside her. Fang He An and Li Wan Zhi followed behind the two young misses. Li Wan Zhi wanted to ask if they, as senior brothers, should be in front. But when he thought of Ye Wan Wan and Bai Jian’s strength, he gave up. This was the sect’s usual pattern anyway. The junior sisters charged the front. The senior brothers just had to avoid dragging them down.

The four turned street after street. They saw many common folk along the way, but each face showed the same numb look, like they could not even see the four cultivators. Even when they lifted their heads to talk to each other, their expressions were stiff.

Li Wan Zhi was bold and tried to observe the people and ask someone normal for news. But every time he opened his mouth and the other person’s deadlike eyes swung onto him, his words stuck in his throat. After a few such moments, he did not dare to speak again.

They reached the East City and found Yue Lai Inn. All four of them let out a breath at the same time.

“This secret realm invitation feels strange. Everyone be careful,” Fang He An said.

Ye Wan Wan said nothing. She only stared at the inn’s front door.

“Would an inn, in broad daylight, shut its door to paying guests?” Li Wan Zhi asked.

Hearing that made the unease in Fang He An’s heart grow heavier.

When Bai Jian and Ye Wan Wan moved to step forward, Fang He An said: “Let me.”

Ye Wan Wan glanced at him and did not refuse. Bai Jian had wanted to say, “What for?” But when she saw Ye Wan Wan step back, she also fell in beside her and waited for Fang He An to act.

Fang He An braced himself and knocked. Thump, thump.

It was clearly daytime, but it felt darker than night. People were moving on the street to the left and right, and there were voices. Yet in that instant, Fang He An felt like the whole world had only him in it.

The door seemed like the mouth of a giant beast. If it opened, it would swallow them whole. The feeling grew stronger. Cold sweat broke out on his back. Even so, he pushed the door hard and shouted: “Shopkeeper, are you there? We’re looking for someone.”

His voice rang through the inn’s hall. As the door opened, the people inside all turned their heads.

At the same moment, the strange feeling out on the street vanished. Noise and bustle returned, along with the sense of life.

Fang He An stared in surprise. Bai Jian and Li Wan Zhi looked back, confused, sensing something did not add up.

Ye Wan Wan’s expression did not change as a man inside laughed and said: “Hahaha, another one fell for my illusion.”