The Strange Illusion Realm (Two Chapters Combined)

This palace complex appears to be a teaching and learning center within the Qionghua Sect. The Transmission Hall is the central hub of this area, with a large, flat plaza at the bottom of a hundred-meter staircase, connecting to the teaching halls in various surrounding areas.

From this vantage point, one can see many disciples dressed in light blue robes walking under the eaves of these halls.

In small groups, people chatted and laughed, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere.

Xu Yuan didn't rush down.

Thanks to his profound cultivation, even from a great distance, he could still hear their conversations if he focused his mind.

The content is fragmented and complex.

Some people were talking about trivial matters of life, some were discussing Cultivation Method and secret arts, and some male disciples were even gathering in groups to talk about the beautiful female disciples and their Spirit Puppet.

The diverse characters and the myriad aspects of human life made it feel as if one were truly immersed in the once-prosperous Qionghua Immortal Sect from ten thousand years ago!

Xu Yuan hesitated slightly, then transmitted his voice to the girl beside him and asked:

"Tianyan, is this mountain gate truly an illusion?"

It all feels so real.

Tianyan glanced at him and said softly:

"Nature is an illusion; everything in the Self-Forgetfulness Illusion Realm is extremely real."

"Self-Forgetfulness Illusion Realm?"

Xu Yuan frowned and asked:

"We both have consciousness, isn't this just Self-Identity Illusion Realm?"

The difference between the Self-Forgetfulness Illusion Realm and the Self-Identity Illusion Realm is similar to the difference between a lucid dream and a dream state when a mortal falls asleep.

Tianyan's eyes were calm as he replied in a low voice:

"This is indeed Self-Forgetfulness Illusion Realm. I am unaffected by the Spirit Soul Chapter of the Yantian Art, but as for you..."

At this point, she looked him up and down for a few moments, then shook her head:

I don't understand why you are unaffected by selflessness.

After saying that,

There was a hint of regret in Tianyan's beautiful golden eyes.

If Xu Yuan becomes deeply absorbed in the illusion, she can do whatever she wants, using the time spent in this dream world to completely set an anchor point for him.

Upon hearing this, Xu Yuan already had a general idea of what was going on.

His ability to transcend self-forgetfulness is likely influenced by the Cherry Blossom Mark between his eyebrows.

Tianyan didn't intend to delve into the matter further, because she knew that even if she did, this bastard wouldn't tell her.

He paused for a moment,

Her eyes were fixed on the Qionghua disciples coming and going below, and she continued speaking to herself:

"Although the Self-Forgetfulness Illusion Realm is real, these people will only move forward according to the future set by the caster and will not react to the two of us."

As he spoke, Tianyan's cool voice carried a hint of emotion:

"They are simply reenacting certain scenes from ten thousand years ago before our eyes."

After saying that, Tianyan shook his head slightly and walked down the steps.

"."

Xu Yuan remained silent.

He assumed that these disciples of the sect, who had been gone for ten thousand years, would respond to their actions as if they were True Person.

However, Tianyan's words also make sense.

There are tens of thousands of disciples within this mountain gate. If each of them possesses self-awareness, then who is controlling these self-awarenesses?

There is no such thing as the artificial intelligence that was disabled in the previous life here.

Even so, Xu Yuan still cautiously controlled his Will Soul probe to verify Tianyan's statement.

A very simple verification method.

If he openly Will Soul to probe the disciples below, and they don't react, then what Tianyan said is true; if they do react, then the opposite is true.

After a few breaths,

Xu Yuan, with a gloomy face, called out to Tianyan:

"Tianyan."

"Hmm?" Tianyan stopped in his tracks.

Are you sure this is Self-Forgetfulness Illusion Realm?

"Um."

"Are you sure the people in the Self-Forgetfulness Illusion Realm won't react to our actions?"

"Nature."

Tianyan's eyes held a hint of confusion; he didn't quite understand why Xu Yuan would suddenly ask this question.

Xu Yuan ignored her, but instead cupped his hands apologetically towards the distance and sent a telepathic message.

Because of the Yantian Art, Tianyan heard Xu Yuan say:

"Sorry, no offense intended."

Puzzled, the girl's golden pupils narrowed slightly as she followed his gaze.

In the distance, a man in plain clothes, walking alone in the academy square, stopped and looked at them with a puzzled expression.

Upon hearing Xu Yuan's apologetic telepathic message, the man hesitated slightly, nodded, and returned the greeting with a cupped hand, replying telepathically:

"Jing He Brother Jinghe, you're too kind. It's nothing."

Xu Yuan's heart tightened.

Despite their different appearances, the Qionghua Sect regarded him as "Jing He" from ten thousand years ago.

It should be the Jing He from Yuchu Jing He.

But immediately, Xu Yuan turned around and stared at Tianyan with a meaningful look.

Upon witnessing this scene, Tianyan fell silent, his mind churning with thoughts.

This illusion was completely different from the Self-Forgetfulness Illusion Realm she knew!

In silence,

Xu Yuan patted her injured left shoulder forcefully, maintaining a calm expression, and walked downstairs.

Tianyan out of his pain, took a deep breath, and quickly caught up.

This place is crowded and noisy; it's not suitable for discussing matters.

As the two walked into the vast plaza below,

The male and female disciples around them, more or less, all cast their gazes at them, and some even whispered a few words to their companions about "Xu Yuan".

Thanks to these exchanges, Xu Yuan gained a general understanding of Jing He's status within the Qionghua Sect.

Among the second-generation disciples is an unparalleled genius, a prominent figure in the sect, and also a childhood sweetheart with celestial beauty, who must be "Yuchu".

As he walked, Xu Yuan kept his eyes and ears open, silently gathering information about his identity from the people around him, since he had no memory of this illusion.

As they approached one of the exits of the Mintian Academy, they were met by a group of elegantly dressed young men and women on horseback.

Four men and three women.

Their attire was completely different from that of ordinary disciples; they were all dressed in luxurious brocade robes and flowing boots, and their auras were all quite strong, suggesting that they were all geniuses within the Qionghua Sect.

This group of people clearly recognized "Xu Yuan," and upon seeing him, they immediately greeted him with smiles.

"Jing He, I've finally found you! I heard from my father that Senior Brother Li has returned from his travels today and is already in the Qionghua Hall."

"Hehe, it's been over a year since we last met. We're going to treat him to a meal to welcome him back. Tonight we're having a small gathering at the Seafood Pavilion down the mountain, with Bai Fan as the host."

"You declined Tang Jiuqing's birthday celebration last time, but you can't decline again today. You're always the only one who's absent from our gathering of friends."

Several people gathered around, each chiming in with their own words, practically dragging Xu Yuan away.

Xu Yuan felt this was a good place to gather information, but he hesitated.

After all, he didn't know the surnames of the people in front of him, and talking about the past would very likely expose his secret.

While hesitating,

One of the girls, dressed in a light blue gauze dress that revealed her midriff, suddenly laughed:

"Yes, Jing He, why don't you take Sister Tianyan with you?"

"."

Xu Yuan's eyes froze.

The girl in blue seemed to have said something extraordinary.

With a blank expression, he glanced back at Tianyan had been pretending to be mute.

Tianyan blinked her beautiful eyes, coughed lightly, and then immediately said with a smile:

"I have no objection."

"Did you hear that? Tianyan has already agreed. You can't use her as an excuse to back out now."

"It's settled then. We'll meet at the Mintian Academy tonight at 4:45 PM. See you there!"

Having said that, the group seemed afraid that Xu Yuan would refuse, and immediately scattered like birds and beasts.

"."

Watching his group of cronies walk away,

Xu Yuan remained silent for a moment, still not in a hurry to ask any questions, and turned to continue walking outside.

Passing through the entrance and exit of the academy, one is greeted by several winding, staircase-like mountain paths.

There are three roads: uphill, downhill, and ahead.

The stone steps are hidden in the lush forest, sunlight filters through the tree canopy and casts dappled patterns, and the sounds of cicadas and birds in summer are incessant, filling the air with the unique earthy fragrance of the forest, a winding path leading to a secluded spot.

Xu Yuan chose one of the paths and headed forward, while Tianyan silently followed behind him.

A silence and a sense of oppression continued to spread between the two.

Finally, the two stopped by a mountain stream filled with birdsong and fragrant flowers.

The stream is flanked by lush green grass, and a pavilion stands quietly in a clearing surrounded by trees.

Xu Yuan stopped and pointed to the pavilion, indicating that they should go there to rest.

Inside the pavilion, stone tables and chairs stand, and a mountain breeze gently stirs long hair.

Xu Yuan sat on the stone chair, not saying a word, just staring at Tianyan.

And under his gaze,

A moment later,

Tianyan spoke in a low voice:

"These disciples are probably calling me by my name because when I was forcibly dragged into this illusion, my Yantian Divine Soul tore apart a portion of the illusion's soul essence."

"What's the meaning?"

"You don't even know this?"

"Stop talking nonsense."

"."

Tianyan pursed his lips, not hiding anything from the matter, and said in a low voice:

"Simply put, because of the Yantian Art, my Will Soul can withstand most of the world's illusions and bewitching illusions."

Upon hearing this, Xu Yuan's eyes revealed a thoughtful expression.

He recalled the scene of Tianyan finding the exit while strolling leisurely through that Soul-Bewildering Corridor.

Tianyan seemed to have guessed his thoughts and smiled at him with his eyes crinkling:

"The process of being lost in illusion is gradual, just like the Self-Forgetfulness Illusion Realm we are in right now."

"The first step it takes to lure people into the illusion is to temporarily erase their independent consciousness, because only in this way can it stuff them into a certain identity in the illusion without their knowledge, and make them endlessly sink into the illusion."

"My Will Soul allows me to remain conscious, so from the very first step of pulling people into the illusion, I was trying to break free. Although I ultimately failed, I still managed to disrupt a part of the illusion."

"My current identity and state are probably the result of that woman in red forcibly repairing this damaged part of the illusion."

"."

Xu Yuan listened carefully, suppressing the turbulent thoughts in his heart.

The effects of the Yantian Art are so terrifying that it can even resist the illusions of the Charm God Tree Spirit?

Taking a slight breath, Xu Yuan asked softly:

What did you destroy in this illusion?

Tianyan tilted his head back, pursed his lips, and smiled mischievously:

"It's probably my current identity, I think it's called ' Wang Yuchu '. I originally thought that by destroying this identity, I could regain my original strength in this illusion, but unfortunately, I failed."

Xu Yuan listened silently, then asked the question he had been most concerned about:

"Okay, then why are the characters in this illusion reacting to our actions?"

Tianyan shook his little head and whispered:

"I don't know, this illusion is beyond my comprehension."

"This place is like a world unto itself. Logically speaking, no one's soul power could withstand such a massive consumption."

Everything in this world has its own mechanism; you can't just clap your hands and shout something and expect it to happen.

After a moment's thought, Xu Yuan reminded him:

"This is an illusion created by the Charm God Tree Spirit."

"Ah?"

Tianyan was clearly taken aback. "The Charm God Cherry Tree couldn't possibly have a tree spirit."

This kind of divine tree has been strictly monitored by sects since ancient times, and even when refining spiritual spirits and monsters, they are never allowed to have independent consciousness.

Xu Yuan was also taken aback; he assumed Tianyan knew about this.

"You fought for so long, didn't you know that the woman in red was the Charm God Tree Spirit?"

"." Tianyan.

The illusion of the Charm God Tree Spirit.

In that case, it's no wonder that the Red-Clothed Madwoman, a mere soul, was able to use a magic field, and it's also no wonder she was able to activate the Charm God Flower within her at the last moment.

Thinking of this,

Tianyan suddenly looked up at Xu Yuan, clenching his small fist:

"Xu Changtian, you knew that woman was the Charm God Tree Spirit, yet you still gave me the Charm God Flower?"

"."

They looked at each other for a second.

Xu Yuan looked slightly embarrassed and coughed lightly:

"Ugh, wasn't she crazy? Who knew she'd come to her senses in the end?"

After saying that,

Xu Yuan steered the conversation back on track, saying:

"Do you have a way to get out of this illusion created by the Charm God Tree Spirit?"

Tianyan's chest heaved slightly, he paused for a moment, then regained his composure:

"If this is an illusion created by the Charm God Tree Spirit, then I truly don't know how to get out for the time being, because there's no record of it."

Xu Yuan frowned:

"So, this means our cooperation has come to an end?"

All cooperation between the two was based on the premise that Tianyan could take him out.

Tianyan, however, did not waver much, and simply said:

"Actually, you should be glad you didn't kill me in that hall. The people in this illusionary world will take action against our behavior. If you had killed me, it would have attracted their attention. I think we should change our relationship."

As he spoke,

Tianyan smiled sweetly at him:

"After all, I'm your childhood sweetheart now, Jing He."

"."

Xu Yuan stared at Tianyan, his eyes flickering uncertainly.

Tianyan just stared at him with a smile.

Sunlight streamed down along the upturned eaves of the pavilion, illuminating her fair skin; she looked beautiful.

Quietly count your breaths.

Xu Yuan suddenly chuckled softly.

Upon seeing his smile, Tianyan felt a strange unease rise in his heart.

"Tianyan, do you know?"

Xu Yuan stared at Tianyan with a smile and asked, "You instigated Ran Qingmo to kidnap me. She taught me something on that journey. Do you want to know what it was?"

"."

Tianyan shrank back slightly:

"I don't want to know, let's just leave it at that."

No, I think you want to know.

Xu Yuan shook his head, raised his hand, and with a surge of Source Qi, he pulled the girl opposite him towards him from a distance, looking into her eyes:

"Not being able to kill doesn't mean not being able to act."

"We're childhood sweethearts, and we're both in the romantic and poetic Qionghua Sect, hehe."

As he spoke,

He gently placed his arm around the girl's slender, boneless waist.

The moment their bodies touched, a flush immediately appeared on Tianyan's fair face.

Because of the Charm God Flower and the Heavenly Desire Lust Poison, even with the Heavenly Word Mantra and the Divine Spirit Soul Chapter of the Yantian Art Technique suppressing the effects of the medicine, she was still on the verge of flaring up at any moment.

Tianyan's eyes remained clear.

"Xu Changtian, I advise you not to do this."

Xu Yuan didn't speak, but simply pulled the woman in red onto his lap and asked casually:

"Tianyan, before you came to see me, didn't you investigate my past?"

"."

Tianyan's golden pupils narrowed slightly as she suddenly remembered that the man before her was a lecherous devil.

A slight ripple ran through my heart.

Her voice was cool and clear, but her speaking speed gradually increased:

"Please, let me go! I just don't know how to get out of this illusion. As long as it's an illusion, there must be a source. Once I find the source, I'll have a way to break free."

"Oh."

Xu Yuan chuckled lightly, not bothering to humiliate Tian Yan excessively, and Tianyan flushed.

"This is the last time, let's talk about tonight's Elegant Gathering."