Thunder Peak, Council Hall.
"Grand Elder, a Demon Cult mole may have infiltrated the sect!"
"Oh? Something that good happened? Tell me!"
"..."
Seeing Chao Wendao's eyes light up, Second Elder Ding Mingcang was speechless.
Then again, it made sense.
Most days, the Grand Elder had nothing to do but drink tea and play chess. If someone from the Demon Cult had really dared to show up, he would have found himself some new entertainment.
"Attendance among the sect's disciples has plummeted recently, and the atmosphere for cultivation has grown lax."
"After a thorough investigation, the Enforcement Team discovered that the disciples were obsessed with an Illusion Realm Trial and had neglected their cultivation because of it."
"This Trial can erode a cultivator's mind. I suspect the Demon Path is behind it."
Ding Mingcang took out a Mini Illusion Tower and an Illusion Crystal Stone.
He had personally led a team yesterday to confiscate them from some disciples.
At the time, two Inner Disciples had been facing off in their dormitory, gleefully slapping spittoons onto each other's heads. Ding Mingcang had caught them red-handed.
Chao Wendao beckoned, and the Illusion Crystal Stone floated into his palm.
His Spiritual Sense swept over it. Chao Wendao raised an eyebrow. "This is... a Replica?"
"That's right. The disciples are all using Replicas. Apparently, the Original is in the Artifact Forging Hall's Illusion Training Hall."
Chao Wendao narrowed his eyes and stroked his beard with interest.
A Replica was merely a copy. It did not contain every Spell woven into the Original, so there was precious little to learn from it.
Yet those few fragmented Spells alone struck Chao Wendao as novel.
It seemed no one had ever done anything like this before.
"Since it concerns the Artifact Forging Hall, have Elder Nangong handle it."
"Grand Elder, have you forgotten? Elder Nangong has gone traveling."
"In that case... tighten discipline yourself. I'll leave the matter to you."
Chao Wendao suddenly remembered that he himself had not stayed through his entire class a few days ago, and nodded.
After Chao Wendao left with the Illusion Tower and Crystal Stone, Ding Mingcang summoned an attendant under his command.
"Have you traced the source of the Illusion Crystal Stones?"
"Yes. They were all sold by a disciple of the Artifact Forging Hall named Lu Ze."
"Hmph. A business this big, handled by a single disciple? Investigate him thoroughly!"
Ding Mingcang's face darkened.
The sect's finances were under his control.
The disciples' obsession with "Demonic Path Escape" was one matter.
A huge sum of Spirit Stones flowing into someone else's pocket was another.
Disciples trading Artifacts among themselves was none of his business, however expensive they might be.
But large-scale sales like this were the sect's business alone.
And now someone else had monopolized it?
He had to punish this person severely.
"Have you found out who made this Illusion Realm?"
"There's no record in the archives. I've sent people to question the Artifact Forging Hall disciples."
"Bring the person responsible here by tomorrow at the latest!"
"Yes."
Sword Inquiry Peak, Severed Thought Cliff.
It was said that in ancient times, the Spirit Cloud Sect had once been besieged by forces of the Demon Path.
The Elder of Sword Inquiry Peak had fought them here, shattering myriad arts with a single sword stroke and leaving behind a sheer cliff.
Countless cultivators had later come to pay their respects and seek enlightenment from the cleft.
It had since become one of the Spirit Cloud Sect's sacred sites.
"Senior Brother Zhong, why did you ask me to come here?"
Mu Yawen drained her cup of tea in one gulp and smacked her lips.
In the Cultivation World, cultivators generally prized beauty, and most had slender builds.
Even those who specialized in Body Tempering deliberately kept their physiques in check.
Mu Yawen, however, was anything but ordinary. She was impressively burly.
Her muscles stretched her True Disciple robe taut, and her bronze skin was plain to see.
"Junior Brother Mu, have you heard about the new Illusion Realm Trial that's become especially popular in the sect lately?"
Across from Mu Yawen sat a handsome cultivator with long hair.
His name was Zhong Yi, and he was Grand Elder Chao Wendao's True Disciple.
"Illusion Realm training? Has another Grandmaster left behind a wisp of divine will?"
Mu Yawen's brows shot up, and her eyes instantly blazed with excitement.
She knew Illusion Realm training better than anyone.
Mu Yawen was obsessed with combat.
She spent her days immersed in Illusion Realm Trials, fighting wisps of divine will left by Grandmasters or phantoms of Great Demons.
"No. It seems to be for Outer Disciples to practice their movement techniques. It's called 'Demonic Path Escape.'"
"Why haven't I heard of it at all?"
"Because it's in the ordinary Training Ground. It's no surprise you haven't heard of it, Junior Brother Mu."
Mu Yawen usually trained in the Illusion Tower reserved for True Disciples. Its Trials were all high-level, so naturally she had no idea what was happening outside.
"If it's for Outer Disciples to practice their movement techniques, why are you so curious, Senior Brother?"
Mu Yawen asked curiously.
"That's the crucial part! An Illusion Realm Trial meant for Outer Disciples has become wildly popular even among Inner Disciples. I've heard some Outer Disciples have even scored higher than Inner Disciples..."
Zhong Yi explained.
Every disciple in the sect knew what Illusion Realm Trials were like.
Aside from a combat fanatic like Mu Yawen, there was not a second person in the entire sect obsessed with them.
And yet,
"Demonic Path Escape" had managed it.
"Is it really that amazing? Then I have to try it!"
Mu Yawen rubbed her hands together, unable to wait.
"If that's the case, you two can go together. Why call me?"
A cool female voice came from the sword scar in the cliff.
"Junior Sister, you finally decided to come out..."
Zhong Yi gave a wry smile.
The woman who had spoken was Li Moran, the Fifth Elder's True Disciple.
She spent her days on Severed Thought Cliff, practicing her sword against ancient Sword Intent to comprehend the Sword Dao. Her nature was exceedingly aloof.
"Master told me there seemed to be something suspicious about this Illusion Realm training. He wants me and the peak's other True Disciples to assess it together."
"..."
After a moment's hesitation,
a streak of light swept across the cliff and formed the figure of an exceptionally beautiful woman.
Li Moran parted her crimson lips, her expression frosty.
"Since it's Elder Chao's assignment, let's go and return quickly."
Glazed Fire Peak, Illusion Training Hall.
Compared with a few days ago, the Training Hall was much quieter.
The Outer Disciples' trial passes had expired, and they were working desperately to earn Spirit Stones for Mini Illusion Towers, so naturally they were not here.
As for the Inner Disciples, each had a Mini Illusion Tower and could play in their dormitories.
Looking at the empty hall, Lu Ze felt a little wistful.
He had heard that an Inner Disciple who had skipped class to play "Demonic Path Escape" in his dormitory that morning had been caught red-handed by the Enforcement Team, who had confiscated his Mini Illusion Tower.
If the higher-ups investigated, they would soon discover that he had made it.
Lu Ze was not worried.
He had made the Illusion Realm according to the requirements. At its core, it was meant to help Outer Disciples hone the Cloud Shattering Art. There was nothing wrong with that.
Was it his fault he had made the Illusion Realm a little more fun?
Clearly, the disciples' Dao Hearts just weren't firm enough.
A Righteous Path sect still listened to reason. They would not do anything to him over this. At worst, they would stop letting the disciples play "Demonic Path Escape."
The task was already complete anyway. If "Demonic Path Escape" disappeared, so be it.
As long as the concept of "video games" took root, if one "Demonic Path Escape" fell, countless more would rise in its place.
The biggest problem now was
that his Demonic Value was increasing too slowly.
After obtaining the Myriad Manifestations Xuan Demon Immortal Physique, the Demonic Value required for each new realm had increased tenfold.
Most players at present were Outer Disciples in the Qi Refining Stage and Inner Disciples in the Foundation Establishment Realm.
The highest cultivation level among them was only the Golden Core Stage.
He needed to expand the player base further. Otherwise, advancing to the next realm would be far too difficult.
Just then, a crisp system notification sounded in his ear:
Demonic Value +10
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