At this moment within the illusion, everything was still as usual. Ye Qinglian observed all within the sect. Some things were similar to those in her memory, practically like the real thing. If not for her constant mental discipline maintaining its hold, she might have lost the ability to distinguish reality from illusion long ago.
“Junior Sister, this technique of yours is rather strangely wondrous. For a moment, I truly didn’t know where to begin to break it…”
Situ Xue walked ahead. After conversing with her briefly just now, her movements, expressions, even words were all incredibly similar. A smile tugged at the corner of Ye Qinglian’s lips. She had completely not expected that her little Junior Sister would present her with such an interesting affair.
“Being this lucid yet immersed is quite intriguing. If Junior Sister looks like this, I wonder how Shizun is portrayed~”
“Senior Sister, if you’ve caught a dementia disease, you should seek treatment early. Spare yourself the embarrassment of showing this foolish, stupid appearance before Shizun…”
“Ah, even in an illusion, Junior Sister’s tongue remains so sharp~”
Ye Qinglian lightly stepped on a white lotus with her toes, feeling this Illusion Realm indistinguishable from reality. Her sky-blue eyes scanned her surroundings, completely unable to see any flaws. Ye Qinglian followed behind Situ Xue, looking toward the peak of Jade Candle Peak, at that familiar oppressive sensation.
“In this illusion… what posture does Shizun hold~”
Ye Qinglian felt slightly curious. Yet, as soon they set foot upon that illusory ground, beneath the willow tree, there was still that pale figure. Silver hair cascaded loosely behind her. Her entire being radiated terrifying pressure.
“Disciple Ye Qinglian greets Shizun~”
Ye Qinglian looked at that figure before her. Though she knew the other was nothing but an illusion, her body subconsciously moved to bow. Her hands cupped in obeisance before her, she was just about to bend at the waist. But that white figure had somehow already arrived before her.
“Shi… Shizun…!”
Ling Qingyue had merely strolled over, but in Ye Qinglian’s eyes, there was no chance to react at all. Ling Qingyue’s face showed no expression whatsoever. Only the hem of her robes stirred with the clear breeze. Seeing this, Ye Qinglian couldn’t help but give a wry smile inwardly.
“This illusion wouldn’t possibly require me to fight Shizun, would it… That would truly be tormenting…”
Looking at Ling Qingyue, already within arm’s reach, Ye Qinglian felt at this moment as if she had encountered her natural predator. She had absolutely no intention of resisting. Before anyone else, she could perhaps toy with them in the palm of her hand amidst her playful games.
But solely before the Shizun in front of her eyes—Ling Qingyue’s title of Immortal Lord of the Banished Mausoleum was no mere honorific. It was carved out by her, one person, one sword. Ye Qinglian felt that scorching, intimidating pressure that pierced straight to the heart. Forcing herself to stay composed, she drew her weapon.
“Shizun, your disciple shall act without courtesy…!”
Facing Ye Qinglian, who had brought out her Spiritual Artifact, Ling Qingyue merely gave a casual, dismissive glance at the jade flute in the other’s hand, before continuing to close the distance between them. Finally, the flute in the other’s hand came to a rest against her own heart.
And Situ Xue, who stood to the side, seeing the scene before her, though doubt flickered in her eyes, did not voice it. She merely stood quietly by. Ling Qingyue simply stood there like that, allowing her disciple’s artifact to press against her heart.
“Have you had enough fun…?”
“Eh?”
Ye Qinglian looked at this Shizun fabricated by the illusion standing right before her, but the other showed no sign of attacking. Ling Qingyue’s eyes were cold and detached. Hearing her words, Ye Qinglian didn’t react for a moment.
“If you’ve had enough fun, then it’s time to wake up…”
“Shi… Shizun, you…?”
“Make your move…”
Hearing the two words spoken from the other’s lips, Ye Qinglian’s body subconsciously carried out the action. A fierce surge of Spiritual Power instantly erupted from her artifact. Immediately following, Ling Qingyue’s entire body dissipated like mist. Everything around was like a fleeting dream, gone in an instant.
“What kind of situation is this… Even an illusionary version conjured in an Illusion Realm is self-aware enough to know she’s a hallucination… Shizun, you are truly terrifying~”
At this moment, Meng Li looked at the maiden in the deep crater, long since unable to move. She reached out and grabbed her by the hair, the smile on her face still unchanged. To have been so closely protected from an explosion of that caliber, and the other still seemed to only have suffered superficial injuries.
“I’ll give you two choices. Acknowledge me as your master and fulfill your proper duty as a magical treasure. Or, be refined and become a part of my body~”
“Shameless… scoundrel… I absolutely will kill you…”
“So that’s a no? Then I’ll choose for you~”
At this moment, Meng Li was like a victor holding the winning ticket, and the woman before her was nothing more than the prize after victory. Thinking that she was about to collect her prize next, Meng Li’s heart grew even more delighted.
“A Red Quality Devil Puppet… I will put you to excellent use~”
“I long ago developed sentience. No matter how you treat me, I will never acknowledge you as master!”
“Isn’t it simple? If you have sentience, I’ll just erase it~”
Amidst casual conversation, Meng Li grabbed the woman beneath her. Immediately following, a weak stream of Spiritual Power was injected from Meng Li’s body into the maiden before her. Though the Spiritual Power was weak, its level of refinement was breathtaking.
“You! Ahh!”
After grabbing the maiden, Meng Li began refining her in an instant. The maiden before her gradually lost her original appearance. Shortly after, threads of silk began to wrap around her body.
The maiden’s eyes widened, feeling her memories fading away. At the very last moment of her memories, a rather delicate and handsome face appeared in her mind. Tears streamed ceaselessly from the maiden’s eyes, futilely trying to hold onto that final memory.
“Yu’er… in the end, I could not avenge you…!”
“So much chatter…”
When the Spiritual Power dissipated, there was no maiden left before her eyes. Only Meng Li stood there, feeling a new set of Spirit Meridians within her body. Her heart surged with excitement instantly. She could now simultaneously cultivate and switch between two completely different systems of techniques, even compatible with two entirely conflicting sets.
“Doesn’t this mean that in the future, my level cap will absolutely…~!”
Before Meng Li could retract her joyful expression, it was immediately followed by a massive ringing sound. Meng Li spun around sharply, only to find that the Great Void Bell, which should have been continuously revolving, had been forcefully smashed into the trunk of a tree. Ye Qinglian’s pale blue eyes looked upon her little Junior Sister before her.
“While I was asleep for this moment… Junior Sister was quite busy, wasn’t she…”
“Shi… Senior Sister!”
Meng Li panickedly retreated two steps. She raised her hand to form a finger seal, wanting to summon the Evil Self, but had forgotten that the other had just been used as a shield by her, dying off to the side. Seeing she couldn’t summon her, Meng Li tried to erase her from her body, only to discover that her previous trump card had also been used to deal with that Devil Puppet.
“Junior Sister, your array of magical treasures is truly diverse. It seems that one was also taken in by Junior Sister, wasn’t she… After all, right now, Junior Sister’s body… it’s quite unreadable to your Senior Sister…”
After scanning the area and not finding that person’s figure, Ye Qinglian then looked at the massive deep crater where the other had been standing, and at the strange Spirit Meridians in the other’s body.
“I… I was just…”
Meng Li’s mouth flapped for a long while, but she found herself unable to produce a fully coherent reason. Ling Qingyue, having witnessed everything that had just happened through the mirror—how Meng Li, all by herself, had maneuvered between two existences whose realms were far beyond hers—lightly tapped her finger. The surrounding chill dropped to a freezing point.
“To treat your own avatar so decisively… hiding a dagger behind a smile while maneuvering between two foes… concealing a treasure and hiding your true strength… Meng Li… how can this master possibly keep you…”
…………
…
