This cluster of palaces appeared to be an academy for preaching the Dao within the Qionghua Sect, and the Hall of Dharma Transmission served as the central hub of this area. Below a hundred-meter staircase lay an immense, flat plaza connecting lecture halls in all directions.
Looking into the distance from this vantage point, one could see many disciples clad in pale azure robes walking beneath the eaves of these halls.
They walked in groups of twos and threes, chatting and laughing merrily in bustling liveliness.
Xu Yuan was in no hurry to head down.
Relying on the profound cultivation of this body, even across a great distance, he could still hear their conversations when he focused his mind.
The topics were trivial and varied.
Some talked about daily trivialities, some discussed cultivation techniques and secret arts, and several male disciples even clustered together to discuss pretty female disciples and things related to spirit puppets.
All walks of life, in all their variety—it was as though he had truly stepped inside the flourishing, pinnacle era of the immortal Qionghua Sect from ten thousand years ago!
Xu Yuan hesitated slightly, sending a voice transmission to the young girl beside him: "Tianyan, is this sect truly conjured from an illusion?"
It was all too real.
Tianyan glanced at him and replied softly, "Naturally it is conjured. Everything within a selfless illusion is exceptionally real."
"A selfless illusion?"
Xu Yuan frowned and asked, "Both of us retain our consciousness. Shouldn't this be a true-self illusion?"
The difference between a selfless illusion and a true-self illusion was akin to the difference between a lucid dream and a hazy dream when mortals slept.
Tianyan's gaze remained calm as she answered in a low voice, "This is indeed a selfless illusion. I am immune to the selfless effect because of the Divine Soul Chapter of the Heaven-Deducing Art. As for you..."
At that point, she looked him up and down for a few breaths, then shook her head: "I don't know why you aren't affected by it either."
With that, a trace of regret showed in Tianyan's beautiful golden eyes.
If Xu Yuan had fallen deep into the selfless state, she could have done whatever she pleased, using their time in this illusion to thoroughly plant an anchor point in him.
Hearing this, Xu Yuan already had a rough guess in mind.
He had likely escaped the selfless state thanks to the cherry blossom mark between his brows.
Tianyan showed no intention of prying further, knowing that even if she pressed him, the bastard wouldn't tell her.
Pausing, she fixed her eyes on the Qionghua disciples bustling below and continued of her own accord: "Though a selfless illusion is realistic, these people will only proceed along the future scripted by the caster. They won't react to either of us."
Tianyan's cool voice carried a touch of wistfulness: "They are merely reenacting scenes from ten thousand years ago before our eyes."
Having said that, Tianyan shook her head slightly and started down the stairs.
"..."
Xu Yuan fell silent.
He had thought these sect disciples, dead for ten thousand years, would react to their actions like real people.
Yet Tianyan's words made sense.
The disciples across this mountain numbered well over tens of thousands. If every one of them possessed self-awareness, who would be controlling all those minds?
There was no artificial idiot AI from his past life here.
Even so, Xu Yuan cautiously extended his intent-soul to verify Tianyan's claim.
The method of verification was simple: if he openly probed the disciples below with his intent-soul and they didn't react, then Tianyan was telling the truth; if they did react, then she was wrong.
A few breaths later, Xu Yuan called Tianyan to a halt, his face dark: "Tianyan."
"Hmm?" Tianyan paused.
"Are you sure this is a selfless illusion?"
"Yes."
"And you're sure the people inside a selfless illusion won't react to our actions?"
"Naturally."
Confusion flickered in Tianyan's eyes, not understanding why Xu Yuan was suddenly asking this.
Xu Yuan paid her no heed. Instead, with an apologetic look, he cupped his hands toward the distance and sent a voice transmission.
Because of the Heaven-Deducing Art, Tianyan heard what Xu Yuan said: "Apologies, I meant no offense."
Puzzled, she followed his gaze, and her golden pupils constricted slightly.
Far off, a plain-robed young man walking alone across the academy plaza had stopped, staring in their direction with a puzzled expression.
Upon hearing Xu Yuan's apologetic voice transmission, the man hesitated slightly, then nodded, cupped his hands in return, and replied via voice transmission: "Senior Brother Jinghe is being too polite. It's a minor matter."
Xu Yuan's heart tightened.
Even though his appearance was different, this Qionghua Sect disciple still saw him as 'Jinghe' from ten thousand years ago.
Likely the very Jinghe in the pair 'Yuchu and Jinghe.'
Immediately afterward, Xu Yuan turned his gaze back to Tianyan, staring pointedly at her.
Witnessing this, Tianyan was struck dumb, thoughts churning in her mind.
This illusion was completely different from the selfless illusions she knew!
In the silence, Xu Yuan gave her wounded left shoulder a firm pat, maintained a calm expression, and walked downward.
Wincing from the pain, Tianyan snapped back to reality, took a deep breath, and hurried after him.
There were too many eyes and ears here; it was no place to discuss such matters.
As the two stepped onto the vast plaza below, the male and female disciples around them all cast looks their way to varying degrees, some even murmuring a few words to their companions about 'Xu Yuan.'
Thanks to these whispers, Xu Yuan gained a rough understanding of Jinghe's standing within the Qionghua Sect.
A peerless prodigy among the second-generation disciples, a prominent figure in the sect, and blessed with a childhood sweetheart as lovely as a celestial maiden—presumably that 'Yuchu.'
As he walked, Xu Yuan kept his eyes and ears sharp, quietly gathering information about his identity from the people around them. After all, inside this illusion, he had zero memories.
As he reached one of the exits of Mintian Academy, a dashing group of young lords and ladies in fine attire happened to approach head-on.
Four men and three women.
Unlike ordinary disciples, they were dressed completely differently: lavish, splendid brocade robes and cloud-treading boots, all carrying formidable auras. They were clearly prodigies of the Qionghua Sect.
This group obviously recognized 'Xu Yuan.' The moment they saw him, they walked up with bright smiles.
"Jinghe, we've finally found you! My father told me Senior Brother Li returned from his travels today and is already in Qionghua Hall."
"Heh heh, we haven't seen him in over a year. The few of us are throwing a welcome banquet for him tonight at Haiwei Restaurant at the foot of the mountain. Young Bai Fan is footing the bill."
"You made excuses when Tang Jiuqing celebrated his birthday last time. You can't back out today, kid! Out of all us friends, you're the only one who misses out every time."
They crowded around, chiming in one after another, nearly dragging Xu Yuan along by the arms.
Xu Yuan considered that this would be a great chance to fish for information, but he felt somewhat hesitant.
After all, he didn't even know the surnames of the people before him; talking about past events would very likely blow his cover.
As he hesitated, a sweet-looking young woman dressed in sheer light-blue gauze that bared her midriff suddenly giggled: "That's right, Brother Jinghe! Why don't you bring Sister Tianyan along too?"
"..."
Xu Yuan froze.
This blue-clad girl seemed to have just said something extraordinary.
With a numb expression, he glanced back at Tianyan, who had been playing mute at his side all along.
Tianyan blinked her lovely eyes, cleared her throat softly, and immediately chimed in with a sweet smile: "I have no objections."
"Did you hear that? Tianyan already agreed, so you can't use her as an excuse to dodge anymore!"
"It's settled then! We meet right here at Mintian Academy tonight at the fourth quarter of the You hour. Be there or be square!"
With that, as if terrified Xu Yuan might refuse, the group scattered like birds and beasts.
"..."
Watching this gang of drinking buddies walk away, Xu Yuan remained quiet for a moment. Still in no rush to question her, he turned and continued walking outward.
Past the exit of the academy, several winding stone staircases snaking along the mountain came into view.
Three paths: one leading up the mountain, one down the mountain, and one straight ahead.
The flagstone stairs vanished into lush mountain woods, dappled with sunlight filtering through the canopy. Summer cicadas and birds chirped incessantly amid the distinctive earthy fragrance of the forest, leading along quiet, secluded paths.
Xu Yuan picked one of them and walked forward, while Tianyan followed quietly behind him.
A quiet, suffocating atmosphere hung between the two of them.
Eventually, they stopped beside a mountain brook filled with the scent of flowers and the chirping of birds.
Lush green grass lined both sides of the stream, and a pavilion stood quietly in a clearing encircled by the woods.
Xu Yuan paused, pointing toward the pavilion to signal that they should rest there.
Inside the pavilion were stone tables and stools; as a mountain breeze blew past, their long hair fluttered gently.
Sitting on a stone stool, Xu Yuan said nothing, merely staring at Tianyan.
Under his gaze, after a moment, Tianyan took the initiative to say in a low voice, "Those disciples calling me by my name is likely because my Heaven-Deducing divine soul tore apart a portion of the illusion's soul intent when we were forcibly dragged into this illusion."
"What do you mean?"
"You don't even know that?"
"Cut the nonsense."
"..."
Tianyan curled her lip, but she hid nothing regarding the matter and said softly, "Simply put, because of the Heaven-Deducing Art, my intent-soul can resist most soul-confusing illusions under heaven."
Hearing this, a thoughtful look entered Xu Yuan's eyes.
He recalled how Tianyan had strolled through the Soul-Confusing Corridor earlier, finding the exit with absolute ease.
And Tianyan seemed to guess his thoughts, offering him a curved-eye smile: "Bewitching the soul in an illusion is a process, just like the selfless illusion we are in right now.
"Its first step in dragging someone into the illusion is temporarily wiping away their autonomous consciousness. Only then can it stuff them into an identity within the illusion without their knowledge, leaving them to sink endlessly into it.
"My intent-soul, however, allows me to remain awake at all times. So from that very first step, I tried to break free. Although I ultimately failed, I still damaged a portion of the illusion.
"My current identity and state are probably just the result of that red-robed woman forcibly patching up the damaged part of the illusion."
"..."
Xu Yuan listened carefully, suppressing the churning thoughts in his mind.
The power of the Heaven-Deducing Art was truly terrifying—it could even resist an illusion cast by a Meishen tree spirit?
Taking a light breath, Xu Yuan asked softly, "What part of the illusion did you damage?"
Tianyan tilted her head and pursed her lips, smiling playfully: "Probably my current identity. I think she was called 'Wang Yuchu.' At first, I thought that by destroying this identity, I could manifest my original strength within this illusion. Unfortunately, I failed..."
Xu Yuan listened silently before asking the question he cared about most: "Alright. Then why do the figures in this illusion react to our actions?"
Tianyan shook her little head and murmured, "I don't know. This illusion is already beyond my comprehension.
"It's like an independent world of its own. By all rights, no one's soul power should be able to bear such a colossal burden."
Everything in this world had its underlying principles; you couldn't just clap your hands and summon whatever you wished out of thin air.
Pondering slightly, Xu Yuan reminded her, "This is an illusion created by the Meishen tree spirit."
"Huh?"
Tianyan was visibly stunned. "A Meishen cherry tree can't possibly have a tree spirit."
From antiquity to the present, such divine trees were strictly monitored by sects. Even if refined into a spiritual essence spirit, it would never be permitted to possess autonomous consciousness.
Xu Yuan was stunned too; he had assumed Tianyan knew: "You fought her for so long earlier, and you didn't know that red-robed woman was the Meishen tree spirit?"
"..." Tianyan fell silent.
An illusion born of a Meishen tree spirit...
That explained it. No wonder that red-robed madwoman, a mere soul-body, was able to deploy a Dao domain, and no wonder she could trigger the Meishen flower inside Tianyan's body at the final moment...
At this thought, Tianyan suddenly looked up at Xu Yuan, clenching her small fists: "Xu Changtian, you knew that woman was a Meishen tree spirit and you still fed me a Meishen flower?!"
"..."
They locked eyes for a second.
Xu Yuan looked slightly sheepish and gave a dry cough: "Ahem... Wasn't she insane? Who knew she'd snap back to her senses at the end..."
With that, Xu Yuan steered the conversation back on track: "Do you have a way out of this Meishen tree spirit's illusion?"
Tianyan's chest heaved. After a moment's contemplation, she regained her composure: "If it is indeed an illusion conjured by a Meishen tree spirit, then I truly don't know how to get out for now, because there are no records of it."
Xu Yuan frowned: "In other words, is the cooperation between us finished?"
The entire basis of their cooperation had rested on the premise that Tianyan could lead him out.
Tianyan, however, remained largely unfazed, merely saying, "Actually, you should be glad you failed to kill me back in that hall. The figures in this illusion world react to our actions. If you killed me, it would naturally draw their attention. I think the relationship between us ought to change."
With that, Tianyan gave him a radiant smile: "After all, I'm your childhood sweetheart now, Jinghe."
"..."
Xu Yuan stared at Tianyan, his gaze flickering.
Tianyan simply stared back at him with a beaming smile.
Sunlight spilled along the pavilion's upturned eaves, falling across her fair skin. She looked beautiful.
After a few breaths of silence, Xu Yuan suddenly chuckled softly.
Seeing his smile, an inexplicable wave of unease rose in Tianyan's heart.
"Tianyan, do you know?" Xu Yuan stared at Tianyan, asking with a narrow smile, "When you instigated Ran Qingmo to kidnap me, she taught me something along the way. Do you want to know what it was?"
"..."
Tianyan shrank back slightly: "I don't want to know. Let's just..."
"No, I think you want to know."
Xu Yuan shook his head. With a surge of Source Qi from his raised hand, he yanked the girl across the distance into his grasp. Looking into her eyes, he said, "Just because I can't kill you doesn't mean I can't touch you.
"Since we're childhood sweethearts, and we're in a romantic, carefree sect like Qionghua Sect... heheh."
Saying so, he gently wrapped an arm around the young girl's supple, boneless waist.
The moment their bodies touched, flushes of crimson instantly surfaced across Tianyan's fair face.
Because of the Meishen flower and the Heavenly Desire aphrodisiac poison, even with the Heaven Character True Words and the Divine Soul Chapter of the Heaven-Deducing Art suppressing their effects, she remained right on the verge of igniting at the slightest spark.
Tianyan's eyes still retained their clarity: "Xu Changtian, I advise you not to do this."
Xu Yuan didn't speak. He pulled her red-robed figure straight onto his lap and asked offhandedly, "Tianyan, before coming to find me, didn't you investigate my past?"
"..."
Tianyan's golden pupils shrank slightly as she suddenly remembered that the man before her was a lecherous fiend.
Her heart fluttered slightly...
Her voice remained cool, but her words were quickening: "L-Let go of me! I only don't know how to get out of this illusion for now! As long as it's an illusion, there has to be a source! Once we find the source, I will have a way to break through the illusion and escape..."
"Heh."
Xu Yuan chuckled softly. He didn't humiliate her excessively, setting the flushed Tianyan back down:
"This is the last time. Now, let's talk about tonight's gathering..."
Chapter 121