Bai Sha quickly understood what role she was playing.
She was performing the impoverished scholar that Mo Hen was originally supposed to portray. She even spoke involuntarily: “How can all the brightness in the world compare to a single sweet smile from a beauty?”
After uttering those words, Bai Sha understood.
Escaping the Dream Stage’s trap wasn’t actually difficult. The key was to observe what the person operating the Dream Stage was doing from outside and then imitate them. As long as one could perfectly coordinate with the performance, they would be freed once the act concluded.
But Mo Hen clearly hadn’t grasped this point.
When Bai Sha’s figure appeared and began making strange movements and speaking strange lines, Mo Hen instead shouted, “Who are you? A member of the Great White Shark Clan… Do you know Yin Sha? My relationship with Yin Sha is quite good. You have no reason to attack me, right?”
Although he had only recently snatched the Fire Jade Stone and fled from the three Demon Cultivators—Yin Sha, Hong Xing, and Hong Gang—such news couldn’t have spread so quickly, so he still dared to leverage his connection with Yin Sha.
However, Bai Sha was currently in the midst of performing and couldn’t answer any of Mo Hen’s questions.
She continued reciting the following lines. Even though the other paper man actors on the stage couldn’t continue their performance because of Mo Hen’s disruption, she was still uncontrollably speaking her lines and performing her actions.
To Mo Hen, this behavior seemed like outright mockery.
“Miss, I…”
Just as Mo Hen was about to continue speaking, a chill suddenly ran down his body.
Turning his head, Mo Hen found that all the paper men on the stage had gathered around him.
The paper man female lead, the paper man old master, the paper man servants, the paper man maids…
Each paper man’s eyes appeared eerily sinister as they stared directly at him.
“Why aren’t you performing? You’ve ruined our performance. How could you ruin our performance?”
“You deserve to die for ruining our performance.”
“You truly deserve to die.”
The paper men spoke one after another.
As they spoke, Mo Hen felt the temperature around him grow colder. So cold, in fact, that the Fire Jade Stone hidden within his tentacles became exceptionally scorching… No, it was even becoming too hot to handle.
Mo Hen trembled, and the Fire Jade Stone dropped to the ground.
“Wait, wait just a moment! I can exchange this Fire Jade Stone for my life! I can… Aaaahhhh…”
Mo Hen could utter no more words.
Because the paper men all lunged at him, each possessing immense strength and cruel methods. They viciously tore Mo Hen into shreds. His highly toxic blood, mixed with the poison, rapidly spread throughout that area.
As the paper men attacked Mo Hen, Bai Sha finally regained her autonomy.
Watching the scene unfold on the Dream Stage, she felt a chill deep inside.
“If another Demon Cultivator were to use the Dream Stage against me out of the blue, I might not necessarily be able to discern the key to breaking free either… Regardless, the matter is settled.”
Bai Sha released a few bubbles.
With Mo Hen dead, the Dream Stage returned to the size of a palm.
Bai Sha didn’t approach directly. Instead, she opened her mouth and unleashed a Water Dragon Burst, bombarding the spot where Mo Hen had died. The impact dispersed the lethal poison Mo Hen had left behind.
This was the seabed, and the seawater was constantly flowing. Combined with the impact of the Water Dragon Burst, dispersing the poison wasn’t difficult.
Before long, the area ahead became relatively clear again. The Dream Stage and the Fire Jade Stone were both there.
Bai Sha swam forward and scooped both the Dream Stage and the Fire Jade Stone into her mouth before looking left and right.
Mo Hen had left behind no other spoils of war—not a single Magical Tool or anything of the sort. If he had possessed any, they should have materialized on the scene after his death.
‘To be so impoverished even at the Late Qi Condensation stage… was that also why he was willing to sacrifice friendship just to snatch the Fire Jade Stone?’
Bai Sha mused to herself.
No matter the reason, however, the Fire Jade Stone now belonged to her.
With a gentle flick of her tail fin against the seawater, she executed the Wave Riding technique and sped through the water, heading straight for Seven-Colored Shell.
Seven-Colored Shell.
Demon Cultivators bustled back and forth in a continuous, lively stream.
Bai Sha’s arrival drew no one’s attention. She entered Seven-Colored Shell directly and activated her Rest Shell.
Although she had used the Rest Shell before, her free annual usage time wasn’t exhausted yet.
After closing the Rest Shell, Bai Sha spat out the Dream Stage and the Fire Jade Stone.
“Affinities gather, affinities dissolve, affinities must run dry; dreams come, dreams go, dreams turn to naught.”
She summoned her Dream Ruins Panel, directly opened the trading interface, and selected to sell the Fire Jade Stone.
Name: Fire Jade Stone.
Category: Mineral.
Function: Artifact Refining, Pill Refining, Talisman Crafting, Formation Arrangement, Foundation Establishment.
Bai Sha’s gaze swept across the description rapidly.
The Fire Jade Stone had quite a few uses. Not only could it be used to refine various items, but it could also serve as a Dao Foundation for establishing one’s foundation. However, the Demon Cultivators in the sea were all water-aligned. To the vast majority of sea-dwelling Demon Cultivators, the Fire Jade Stone was just too scorching and wasn’t a good choice for Foundation Establishment.
As for Water Jade Stones, those were a tier lower in quality. The choice of Dao Foundation during Foundation Establishment was very important, as it affected future cultivation.
Bai Sha wasn’t at the point of establishing her foundation yet, so she didn’t dwell on these thoughts for long. She simply sold the Fire Jade Stone.
“Originally, I thought 15,000 would be decent, but I ended up able to sell it for 17,000!”
Seeing the 17,000 Contribution Points added to her Dream Ruins Panel, a smile involuntarily spread across Bai Sha’s face.
These weren’t just 17,000 Contribution Points for her fifth life—they were 17,000 Contribution Points for life after life going forward.
After obtaining the Fire Jade Stone, Bai Sha immediately purchased an Ancient Forbidden Artifact without hesitation.
Name: Thunder Chariot.
Category: Ancient Forbidden Artifact.
Level: Foundation Establishment Level.
Effect: Can be driven while harnessing thunder, granting thunderous speed.
Cost: For however long the chariot is used, the Thunder Chariot will subsequently roll over you for that same duration.
This was an Ancient Forbidden Artifact specifically designed for travel. Its effect was clearly formidable, but the cost was unbearable. This time, the cost description didn’t specify that only pain would be felt—it was obvious one would suffer actual injury.
Fortunately, Bai Sha had no intention of using it. After exchanging for it, she immediately had the Simulator absorb the mysterious aura attached to it.
Her Simulation Count instantly increased by one, reaching five times.
Bai Sha promptly sold the Thunder Chariot back and also sold the Dream Stage.
The Dream Stage’s function was decent, but after using it once, Bai Sha realized that if it was used against a quick-witted individual, the Ancient Forbidden Artifact might fail to be effective. Thus, it was better to sell it first.
With that done, Bai Sha’s Contribution Points returned to 17,000.
She browsed through the Ancient Forbidden Artifact sub-section, looking for the next item.
Soon, Bai Sha had made a choice.
