Lu Li was slightly startled:
"A large carriage? How large was it, and what did those people look like?"
Liu Yueling thought for a moment before describing it:
"That large carriage had no horses or beasts pulling it, yet it could move on its own. There were many people beside it, but they were not real people—they were paper figures."
"Paper figures? Could it be the Thousand Theater?"
The thought surfaced in Lu Li's mind.
In the martial world of the Jing Dynasty, martial arts flourished and countless factions existed. Generally speaking, gangs such as the Beggar Gang, Horse Gang, and Boatmen Gang, which roamed throughout the land, traveled the widest and had the deepest foundations. They could be found in nearly every sizable prefectural city.
Yet there were also some highly skilled eccentrics whose actions straddled good and evil, making them impossible to read. The Thousand Theater was one such group.
The Thousand Theater could be regarded as a mobile fortress. Built upon the framework of Paper Effigy Art, it traveled through the martial world without seeking fame or profit. Whenever it encountered someone it fancied, it would forcibly invite them onto its garden carriage for a fight.
This contest would not take lives; it was merely meant to test one's abilities.
Afterward, the Thousand Theater would generally have the person kill someone on its behalf. If they succeeded, they would be rewarded with precious pills, cultivation techniques, and the like, before being sent to kill another person, one after another without end.
At first glance, it seemed to be guiding someone through a period of training, yet sometimes it would abruptly come to an end and vanish without a trace.
No one knew what the Thousand Theater truly sought.
But Lu Li knew. It was the legacy left behind by the previous master of the Phoenix Spirit Fan, traveling the martial world in search of a worthy master for the Divine Weapon.
"Phoenix Spirit Fan... eighth on the Divine Weapon Ranking. When the fan was swept, gale-force winds could split gold and shatter stone. If one's inner energy was sufficient, it could even overturn lakes and seas."
Information regarding the Phoenix Spirit Fan surfaced in Lu Li's mind, but he knew perfectly well that with his current cultivation, he was nowhere near qualified to come into contact with a Divine Weapon.
The Heavenly Profound Divine Weapons were hot potatoes, treasures the Merging Cavern coveted intensely. Carrying a Divine Weapon with Meridian Opening cultivation was like a waiter carrying gold through a crowded market.
Moreover, the Phoenix Spirit Fan would not be easy to obtain.
If the Thousand Theater selected someone, it would make them repeatedly kill opponents stronger than themselves—fighting above their level and defeating the strong.
Once they had grown qualified to become the master of a Divine Weapon, the Thousand Theater would gather all candidates together and determine the true heir.
"Why was the Thousand Theater nearby?"
The thought flashed through his mind. Lu Li's gaze darkened as he looked at Liu Yueling and asked:
"Can you determine how far that strange carriage is from us?"
Seeing Lu Li's grave expression, Liu Yueling immediately nodded. "I'll try."
As soon as she spoke, she raised a hand and beckoned. The Ground Owl immediately flapped its wings and rose again, circling high in the sky.
Lu Li opened the map, intending to change routes. For now, he had no desire to get involved with the Thousand Theater.
By the time Lu Li had replanned their route, the Ground Owl had returned. Liu Yueling said:
"Brother Li, Little Gray saw that strange carriage. It's only half a forest away from us."
Half a forest?
Lu Li immediately understood the distance. Without wasting any time, he extinguished the campfire, brought Liu Yueling into the carriage, and cracked the whip as they sped in another direction.
The Thousand Theater posed no danger to life and could even be considered a small opportunity.
But reality differed from games. There was no telling whether something unexpected might happen, and Lu Li had never been in the habit of placing his safety in the hands of luck.
He was currently at the Fourth Layer of Meridian Opening. It was not a good time to deal with them.
Just as Lu Li drove the carriage all the way to the foot of the mountain, Liu Yueling suddenly said:
"Brother Li, they came straight down from the mountain."
Hearing this, Lu Li turned around and heard a tremendous crash from the hillside.
Looking over, he saw a massive carriage, as though forged entirely from white paper and draped in white sails, sliding down the slope. Its landing point was directly toward him.
The Ground Owl circled overhead.
Lu Li could not help but grit his teeth. The carriage he drove clearly could not compare to the other side's speed as it descended vertically.
Rumble!
In the blink of an eye, the Thousand Theater crashed down before the carriage frame, sending dust flying everywhere.
The carriage jolted violently, and the horses were startled. Lu Li forcibly pulled the reins and brought them to a stop.
At the same time, several figures emerged from the Thousand Theater before them. Their lightness skills were excellent. Each held a length of white cloth, and in an instant, they encircled the carriage.
They intended to seal Lu Li and the carriage inside together.
"So they had their eyes on me..."
Lu Li watched quietly and understood. He looked at the Ground Owl in the sky, then pulled Liu Yueling from the carriage and hurled her into the air in one motion.
The Ground Owl swooped down and steadily caught Liu Yueling.
"Brother Li!"
Liu Yueling panicked, tears filling her eyes.
"Don't worry. I'll be fine. Find somewhere safe and wait for me."
As soon as his words fell, the white sailcloth completely sealed off the carriage's surroundings. Everything became a vast expanse of white. Lu Li saw gears turning within the Thousand Theater's carriage, and a stage was erected in an instant.
"Please, young master, take the stage and perform a scene."
A grating, chattering voice rang out, as if a eunuch were forcing a shrill tone. Lu Li frowned as a chilling, sinister coldness washed over him.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The sound of something cutting through the air rang out. Lu Li glanced aside as wooden spikes shot toward him. His body moved, and he leaped onto the stage. The carriage where he had stood was instantly pierced through.
Only the horses remained unharmed, though extremely thin threads seemed to be wrapped around their limbs, leaving them unable to move.
Taking in the scene before him, Lu Li placed his right hand on the saber at his waist and slowly drew it.
Three "strange" figures stood above the stage. Lu Li narrowed his eyes and looked over.
They were three paper figures, seemingly weightless as they floated in midair. Their expressions were lifelike, indistinguishable from real people.
Others might truly have been bluffed by them. After all, flying through the air was a legendary immortal technique; even Divine Intent Realm experts could not fly.
However, Lu Li knew the truth. These "three people" were paper effigies. True flight was something only possible in the Outer Scenery Realm of the Demon Martial Path.
These three paper figures were merely being controlled by people behind the Thousand Theater.
"Bone age around twenty. Fifth Layer of Meridian Opening... average."
A paper figure on the stage spoke. It had the appearance of a stunningly beautiful woman, her alluring eyes brimming with charm as she looked at Lu Li as though autumn water rippled within them:
"Calm in danger, protected a little girl... superior."
The other two paper figures spoke in turn. One resembled a solemn, burly man, while the other resembled a kindly old man:
"Ninth-ranked Treasure Artifact, master of Xuandu... excellent."
As the three statements fell, Lu Li understood why they had targeted him.
It was because of Xuandu in his hand.
The Thousand Theater sought the master of a Divine Weapon, so naturally it would not grant qualification to every martial artist it encountered.
With the Heavenly Profound Divine Weapons absent, Treasure Artifacts were the most coveted treasures in the martial world. If one could not even wield a Treasure Artifact, then there was no point in speaking of wielding a Divine Weapon.
"The performance has begun. Please enter the stage, young master."
The beautiful woman spoke. Lu Li raised his eyes slightly. The sound of a gong reached his ears, and in an instant, a young man with an ancient, rugged face sprang onto the stage.
Lu Li could sense that the young man was not alive, but made of paper effigy craft. Yet a powerful fluctuation of inner energy emanated from him.
"First Layer of Meridian Opening cultivation?"
Before you continue