"I remember... there were many people, they were wearing very nice clothes, similar to that gentleman's!"
They came and went, some talking to each other, others sitting in meditation.
"They also had that clean, pleasant scent about them, some strong, some faint, but all very peaceful. Sometimes, they would even be over there..."
Two wisps of smoke drifted into its pair of emerald-like eyes, guiding more images to the surface.
"They gathered there, discussed philosophy, and there was beautiful music..."
It struggled to twist its imprisoned little head, smoke swirling around its body, and a thin layer of gray mist covering its emerald eyes—a symbol of being trapped in an illusion.
It claimed it didn't remember, but Chen Shuangbai didn't believe it.
Or perhaps... they only believed part of it.
Coincidentally, he had gained some insights into his cultivation techniques these days. He had mastered True Person Bo [ Clouds and Water Share the Same Sky ] technique bestowed upon him by Master Bo, and through this, he had also made some progress in his only illusion technique. So he used this little thing as his starting point.
Chen Shuangbai asked one last question.
"Who is the owner of this place?"
After asking the question, Chen Shuangbai released her Divine Sense to observe the little guy's reaction.
The jade toad was still dizzy, half-asleep, as if it had returned to those scenes, to the room filled with light, and murmured:
"I have no idea...
"All I remember is that when they talked to each other, the word they said most often was... Yu Ling!"
That's all.
It seemed to slowly awaken from its half-dream, belatedly realizing what was happening. Looking at Chen Shuangbai with a terrified expression, it watched as smoke billowed from its body and returned to Chen Shuangbai's hand. It cried out in horror, "You... what did you do to me?"
"It's just a little illusion."
Illusion?
It then realized that it had vomited everything up, and its head immediately drooped down, the entire toad losing its spirit.
Chen Shuangbai ignored it and instead silently pondered the words "Jade Spirit".
He suddenly thought of something...
During the time of the Wu Country.
Chen Shuangbai followed them into the blessed land, where they landed in an ancient Daoist temple, where an unknown cultivator whose name contained the character " Jade True " was enshrined.
The sect has sent people to study the many books and Pill Formula he brought out from the blessed land, but so far, no results have been found.
"This Jade True is following Jade Spirit... Could there be some connection between them?"
Da da da.
A crisp footstep came from the right. Chen Shuangbai looked in the direction of the sound and Fang Xiao's head pop out, calling out, "Kid, over here!"
Chen Shuangbai toad and walked over.
It was a mural.
The main figure depicted in the mural is the one seated on the white jade throne, seemingly hosting a grand banquet for all. The guests below raise their cups and drink with him, a truly delightful scene!
At the edge of the painting, there was a passage of text that Chen Shuangbai still couldn't understand.
But Fang Xiao recognized most of it.
But he didn't speak immediately. Instead, he looked at Chen Shuangbai with a mocking expression, clearly waiting for someone to beg him.
Chen Shuangbai found it amusing, thinking to himself that this so-called Golden Core Great Demon had a mind not much different from that of a sixteen or seventeen-year-old outer disciple in the sect.
"Brother Daoist, please explain this to me!"
Fang Xiao, satisfied, said, "The gist of it is that in a certain year and month, the owner of this place was named Clear and Bright Jade Venerable, a descendant of the Jade Spirit Clan. He was bestowed the title of Venerable by the King Who Swallows the Universe of the Heavenly Pivot Country and held a grand banquet for guests from all directions to celebrate..."
" Heavenly Pivot Country? King Who Swallows the Universe?"
Chen Shuangbai frowned slightly; he had never heard of these two names before.
The era in which the Immortal Kingdom existed has long since passed.
Today is an era of flourishing diversity and the popularity of establishing sects and factions... Sects and Lineage are the mainstream of this era.
However... Chen Shuangbai remembered.
He still had two items in his possession: an incense burner and a wine pot, both from an Ancient Kingdom in the Spirit Gauze Sea that had long since vanished into the river of time.
As for the name of that Ancient Kingdom... it seems to be called [ Bi Jue ].
Thinking of this, Chen Shuangbai turned his gaze back to the mural in front of him and found similar bird and fish patterns in many places.
"... So there really is a connection."
Chen Shuangbai muttered to himself, then took out the golden censer and wine box from his Storage Bag and brought them close to the mural.
The bird and fish patterns on the three items seemed to respond, lighting up one by one, but other than that, there was not much other reaction.
"Huh?"
Fang Xiao leaned closer, looked at the glowing bird and fish patterns, and asked, "Where did you get this stove and wine pot? The patterns on them... are somewhat similar to the paintings on this wall?"
Chen Shuangbai seemed to be touched and examined the jade toad more closely. Sure enough, he saw that the seemingly chaotic patterns on its surface contained many bird and fish patterns.
After some thought, Chen Shuangbai came to a conclusion--
At least they are related.
Things gradually started to get a little strange.
Chen Shuangbai felt no joy at discovering a hidden history; instead, she felt a sense of vigilance.
All of this is happening in a strange way...
It's like... it's like someone orchestrated things behind the scenes, guiding me step by step to acquire these things, and then discovering the connections between them...
Are these methods inherited from these two Ancient Kingdom?
It really is just... a coincidence?!
He circled around again and sat down before the white jade throne, looking at the horned corpse on it, which should be called the Clear and Bright Jade Venerable.
The opponent's body was hollow, without any trace of the powerful pressure left behind after the death of a strong person.
Chen Shuangbai then focused her gaze on the jade toad and asked, "Is there anything else you want to tell me?"
Yu Chan shook her head frantically, her tone full of grievance.
"I've said everything I needed to say, guided by your illusion... As for the rest, it all happened before I developed sentience, and I have very little memory of it."
That's the truth.
Just then, a slight creaking sound echoed throughout the hall.
It was a very slight sound.
But the man, the beast, and the toad all looked in the direction of the sound and saw the soulless corpse.
"Did it... raise its head slightly?"
Yu Chan asked, trembling.
Chen Shuangbai slowly took half a step back, hiding beside Fang Xiao to ensure that if anything unexpected happened, the first target would be this Golden Core demon.
Fang Xiao rolled his eyes, but his body betrayed him. He enveloped Chen Shuangbai with his Demon Power and stared intently at the corpse.
Creak... creak creak creak...
Under their watchful eyes, the soulless corpse emitted a series of sounds like popping beans, and then shattered into pieces on the ground.
But the shattered corpse on the ground quickly transformed into pieces of jade light and vanished into thin air, without a trace, just as depicted in the [ Diagram of the Flying Immortal Ascending to Clarity ] painting.
And a horn appeared on the white jade throne.
One...
Like the forked branches of an ancient tree, its entire body is a warm, bluish-gold color, with jade horns shimmering with Treasure Light!
[PS: This is the third update today! Please support me with gifts! Please give me a five-star review to improve the rating! Please!]