A Flawed Mental State

After Qin Luan woke up, he was somewhat dazed. As he gradually came to his senses and realized that everything just now had been an Illusion Realm, he could not help but feel startled.

When he saw a helpless young woman calling for help, he had saved her out of sympathy. Then, out of sympathy for the common people of the world, he had wanted to unify the land, quell the wars, and bring about an age of peace and prosperity.

Though he had ultimately pacified the chaos of war and founded a new nation, he himself knew what bullshit sympathy it was. He had simply lusted after her body! If he had not firmly believed that only what he cultivated was truly his own conviction, and thus never consumed Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, he really might have sunk into the Illusion Realm.

Qin Luan was also an exceptionally intelligent man. After a little thought, he understood what the Secret Realm was testing.

When he saw that only Jiang Li and himself had awakened, he knew that, at present, only the two of them had passed the Secret Realm's first layer of trials.

And this Kong Li had awakened even earlier than he had, which filled him with deep admiration.

"Brother Kong, you truly hide your talents well," he praised sincerely. How laughable that he had considered himself powerful and shamelessly declared that he would watch over the other man.

In his view, taking a month to see through the Secret Realm already counted as astonishing speed. Among those of the same generation and realm, no one should have been able to surpass him.

Yet reality told him that he still could not be the foremost of his generation.

One must not harbor arrogance.

Seeing through the Secret Realm had not improved Qin Luan's mental state. Instead, seeing Jiang Li, who was better than himself, had elevated his mental state by another level.

"Luck. It was all luck," Jiang Li said with a chuckle.

What a humble person.

Qin Luan admired Jiang Li even more.

Jiang Li grew a little bored as he waited, so he muttered to himself, "Dream Senior, could you let me see how the little ones are faring in the Illusion Realm?"

Not long after he finished speaking, moisture within the Secret Realm condensed into a smooth Water Mirror. It displayed the others' experiences within the Secret Realm.

Qin Luan assumed this was a reward for awakening early and stepped over to watch as well.

The person who had been possessed was named Li Litong, and the Water Mirror showed his Illusion Realm.

The experiences within the Illusion Realms were largely similar: all of them involved a pitiable young maiden pleading for help. The only difference was that Jiang Li had encountered Meng Chun, Qin Luan had encountered another maiden, and Li Litong had encountered yet another.

After saving the maiden, Li Litong also followed her advice and pacified the world to save the common people. His methods, however, were extremely violent. He killed as easily as breathing, and no one knew how many blades he had chipped and ruined.

He believed that saving the common people was the condition for clearing the Secret Realm.

Forget that he was a Spirit Transformation Stage cultivator in a possessed body—even if his past-life self had come here, he still would not have been able to tell that this was an Illusion Realm! Li Litong's cultivation also gradually rose as he killed, closing in on the limit of the Foundation Establishment Realm.

Jiang Li could tell that the cultivation technique this man practiced was related to absorbing vital energy and blood. Killing could stimulate a person's vital energy and blood to the greatest extent, allowing it to be absorbed. Such techniques were very similar to those of the Demonic Path, but they could not be equated.

The Demonic Path was a philosophy, while cultivation techniques were merely cultivation techniques.

There were no Demonic Path cultivation techniques—only people who cultivated the Demonic Path.

Most people who practiced slaughter-based cultivation techniques chose to enter law enforcement organizations or join the military, though a small number chose to join sects and improve themselves through battles between sects.

Li Litong belonged to the latter.

Li Litong was like a fish in water within the Illusion Realm. There were vast numbers of Qi Refining First Layer cultivators for him to use to improve his cultivation.

If he joined the military in the Nine Provinces, a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator like him would undoubtedly be cannon fodder. But fighting the armies within the Illusion Realm, he was a god of war!

In a daze, he returned to the days when he had still stood at the peak of the Spirit Transformation Stage, revered by all!

Li Litong also consumed Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, but he was very cautious and consumed only small amounts. Clearly, he knew that relying blindly on Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures had side effects, making later breakthroughs feel increasingly weak and powerless.

He unified the world in twenty days, spent another month and a half consolidating his regime, and even cultivated to the Early Golden Core Stage along the way, yet he still could not clear the trial.

But Li Litong was in no hurry. Being revered by others felt wonderful, much like it had in his previous life.

Besides the nine great Imperial Dynasties, the Nine Provinces also contained hundreds upon thousands of small nations. The cultivation of these rulers hovered around the Spirit Transformation Stage.

After two months, because Li Litong had not favored any of the women in his harem, the Illusion Realm judged that he had not indulged in female charms, and he cleared the trial.

Li Litong liked beautiful women too, but unfortunately, he cultivated the Virgin Boy Skill and could not go near women.

What could he do? The strongest cultivation technique he knew was the Virgin Boy Skill. He was despairing too.

But on closer examination, Li Litong truly did possess strong self-control, so he met the conditions for clearing the trial.

After Li Litong woke up, he found that he was still at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage. Realizing that what had just happened was an Illusion Realm, he felt hollow inside.

Seeing Jiang Li and Qin Luan intently watching the Water Mirror, he knew that he had placed only third.

This made him extremely displeased. He was one who had possessed another's body, and he looked down on Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators, believing himself naturally superior to them.

Moreover, he wanted to take first place in this Secret Realm trial and obtain the reward for first place, which would be of great help in returning to the Spirit Transformation Stage and even advancing further.

But he had only placed third in the first layer. If he wanted to take first overall, he would need to place first in the Second Layer with an outstanding result.

He had no confidence.

At this thought, a murderous look appeared on his face. They had all signed life-and-death waivers before entering the Secret Realm. Even if something happened within it, Great Zhou would not hold anyone accountable!

Bang—

Li Litong's vital energy and blood surged. He sliced open his palm and condensed his blood into two Blood Daggers, charging at Jiang Li and Qin Luan like a cannonball.

They were merely two people with a slight advantage in mental state. He did not care. Combat strength was the foundation of a cultivator! He had great confidence in his own combat strength!

"Brother Kong, be careful!" Qin Luan reacted swiftly and shielded Jiang Li. He felt immense pressure. This man exerted even greater pressure on him than Song Ying and the Seven Kill Dao Child had. He was very likely to lose!

Without a word, Jiang Li kicked Li Litong flying. Not only did Qin Luan fail to react, even Li Litong himself had not reacted! "With a mental state like that, he became a Spirit Transformation cultivator? Who knows what kind of luck he stumbled into."

Jiang Li sneered and stopped paying attention to Li Litong, continuing to watch the Water Mirror.

That seemingly weightless line of Focused Sound Transmission exposed Li Litong's greatest secret. He jolted, cold sweat pouring from him, terrified as though he had just been fished out of the water.

Integrated Body Great Talent! This was an Integrated Body Great Talent! Sensing Li Litong's reaction with his Divine Sense, Jiang Li gently shook his head. He had deliberately pointed out the flaw in Li Litong's Mental state, but it seemed his efforts had been in vain.

Because it had been Focused Sound Transmission, Qin Luan had not heard it. He merely admired Jiang Li even more.

"Brother Kong, what sect are you from, to have cultivated to such a formidable level?"

In Qin Luan's eyes, Jiang Li was powerful because his cultivation method was powerful.

Jiang Li smiled. "Want to join my sect? That's not impossible."

Jiang Li was not deceiving Qin Luan. With Qin Luan's talent and Mental state, he could absolutely become a Human Emperor Candidate and contend for the position of the next Human Emperor.

"Look, it's Song Ying's Illusion Realm now."

Qin Luan still wanted to say something, but upon hearing that it was Song Ying's Illusion Realm, his heart grew itchy with curiosity. He wanted to see how Song Ying would choose.