The Sword Mist was like a high-speed rotating excavator, with the collapsed soil in front of him rapidly gushing towards Li Qiang's back.
Mei'er exclaimed, "Brother, you're amazing! Nobody uses a flying sword to clear a path! Wow... the True Illusion Sword Qi is terrifying! The rocks are all turned to dust!"
Li Qiang laughed and said, "It's the same even without True Illusion Sword Qi, Mei'er. As long as you know how to fly a sword, this level of collapse and obstruction can't trap a cultivator."
Mei'er giggled and said, "I was just praising you, hehe, does that make you feel much more relaxed, brother?"
"Little girl, you've got quite a few tricks up your sleeve."
Mei'er suddenly said angrily, "Brother is bullying Mei'er! Mei'er is a ghost, so of course she's a ghost!"
Li Qiang was taken aback, then quickly said, " Mei'er, hehe, brother misspoke, don't be angry, hehe."
In fact, Mei'er regretted her words as soon as she finished speaking. She felt that she no longer had the right to lose her temper. Her physical body had long since disappeared, and she was now just a wandering Spirit Body. Only because of her strong will to live was she not completely destroyed. If it weren't for Li Qiang, she would never have had a chance to get ahead. She kept lamenting and blaming herself, and for a moment she couldn't say anything.
" Mei'er, why aren't you saying anything? Are you really angry?"
Hearing Li Qiang Qiang's gentle words, Mei'er felt a pang of grievance and heartache. She whispered, "Brother, Mei'er isn't angry... Brother, why are you so good to Mei'er? Why are you helping Mei'er?"
Li Qiang knew this little girl was getting stuck on something again, so he joked, "Because Mei'er is pretty, a real beauty. If I don't help such a pretty girl, who else should I help? Hehe."
Gu Mei'er had always thought Li Qiang was a very serious cultivator, and she never expected him to be so glib. She couldn't help but chuckle, "Did my brother really say that? Mei'er can't believe it."
"There doesn't seem to be anyone else here. I'm sure it wasn't someone else who said that, haha."
Mei'er giggled, her mood relaxing once again.
Li Qiang felt the pressure on the Star-Absorbing Sword suddenly ease, and he said, "Alright, it's open."
As they turned a corner, the scene before them suddenly brightened.
Mei'er recognized the place and whispered, "Brother, this is the Hall of Light! Mei'er has been here before."
"You've been here before? Is Mei'er familiar with this place?"
" Mei'er prepared for the treasure hunt for a long time, but unfortunately she still missed many things. This site is very large. Alas, she was too impatient at the time, and Mei'er's skills were not enough, which is why she suffered a great loss."
Li Qiang wasn't there to search for treasure; he was trapped in the ruins because he was tracking down the Overwhelming Annihilation Devil Wand. He said, " Mei'er, our goal now is to find a way out. I can't stay here any longer."
"Sigh, it's been too long, I wonder if I can still remember. Hmm, following this passage... the hall should be ahead, let's go take a look first."
This passage was completely different from the one before. The material of the walls resembled the luminous panels he had seen on the Tanbang Continent, and soft light radiated from the four walls of the passage. Li Qiang first searched the passage with his Divine Sense and found no hidden formations.
Mei'er said, "This place is so big that only very important areas have powerful traps and ambushes."
Li Qiang nodded and said, "Oh, I see. We still need to be careful. Hehe, it's never a bad thing to be cautious." He had been to many places like this and knew how dangerous they were. In places where no one would come for thousands of years, if something went wrong, there would be no one to help you.
The so-called Hall of Light was paved with a peculiar luminescent crystal, many of which had fallen off. There were no array formations hidden here, making it appear somewhat dilapidated. The hall had a rather unusual shape, a rare crescent shape, and the ground was covered with a thick layer of dust.
Li Qiang stepped in as if floating in mid-air. He immediately noticed the dust on the ground and said, " Mei'er, look! Who left these footprints?"
A clear row of footprints ran haphazardly from left to right across the main hall in the dust on the ground.
Mei'er examined the footprints closely and said, "Brother, the footprints were left recently. It looks like someone was being chased by something..." Mei'er pointed to a pillar and added, "Look! He tripped and fell there. A large patch of dust on the ground was wiped away, and there's a handprint."
Li Qiang noticed that Mei'er was observing very carefully and nodded, saying, "That's right, but who is he? How did he get into this dangerous place?"
Mei'er smiled bitterly, "Brother, this is the legendary largest site of the Buddha Sect. For thousands of years, countless cultivators have hoped to uncover its secrets. Moreover, there are many legendary Law Treasure and artifacts inside. If it weren't for the extreme dangers here, it would have been ransacked long ago."
Li Qiang hadn't paid attention to where he was, but upon hearing this, he asked in surprise, "This is the ruins of the Buddha Sect? Am I somewhere beneath the Wild Plains?"
Mei'er was extremely surprised. "Brother, you didn't crawl in from underground, did you? The Wild Plains... if it's not the Wild Plains, where would it be?" The little girl's casual remark was quite accurate; Li Qiang had indeed crawled in from underground.
Li Qiang inwardly groaned. He knew something big had happened in the Wild Plains recently, but he never expected to have wandered into the most dangerous Buddha Sect ruins without even realizing it. It turned out that the Overwhelming Annihilation Devil Wand and the Illustrated Book came from the Wild Plains ruins, which confirmed that something was definitely wrong here.
Li Qiang had originally planned to come with Qi Junsha, intending to rely on his unparalleled martial arts skills as his bodyguard. Now, however, he would have to rely entirely on his own abilities.
" Mei'er, you're right, brother did crawl in from underground. Ugh! That wretched Overwhelming Annihilation Devil Wand, it actually managed to escape here! When I find you, I'll chop you into seventeen or eighteen pieces! Hmph!"
He was still raging, but Mei'er was stunned. After a long pause, she stammered, "Brother... Brother, what you just said... what you said was... the... Demon... Wand?" Her tone was filled with fear and unease.
Li Qiang had no idea what the Overwhelming Annihilation Devil Wand was. He had once severed it with his Star-Absorbing Sword- Absorbing Sword, so he didn't consider it anything special; he was just angry that it indiscriminately killed lives. He laughed, "That's right, it's the Overwhelming Annihilation Devil Wand. So what? What's so special about it?"
Mei'er was genuinely surprised, just like the book. She wondered if Li Qiang understood what the Overwhelming Annihilation Devil Wand meant; it seemed Li Qiang didn't understand at all.
Mei'er sighed, "Brother, the Overwhelming Annihilation Devil Wand is alive; it's a famous Devil Artifact. Sigh, how can I explain it to you so you can understand? Hmm, brother, have you ever heard of the terms 'divine artifact,' 'celestial artifact,' ' Devil Artifact,' ' Spirit Artifact,' and 'treasure artifact'?"
Li Qiang chuckled sheepishly, "I know there are divine artifacts and immortal artifacts, but I don't know about Devil Artifact and Spirit Artifact. And what are treasure artifacts?" Actually, he himself possessed an immortal artifact, but he genuinely didn't know about Devil Artifact, Spirit Artifact, or treasure artifacts.
Li Qiang looked at the little figure on his shoulder. Mei'er's face was full of surprise and confusion, making her look incredibly cute. He suppressed a laugh and said, "It seems Mei'er understands. Can you tell your brother?"
Mei'er said seriously, "Hmm, it seems I need to tutor my brother. Let's start by talking about the Cultivation Realm Law Treasure of the cultivation world. The top-tier Law Treasure in the Cultivation Realm are generally called treasure artifacts, and they rank last among the five magical Law Treasure I just mentioned. The most powerful is the divine artifact, Law Treasure from the Heavenly God Realm, which is basically legendary and no one has ever seen it. Next is the immortal artifact, a Immortal Realm Law Treasure from the Immortal Realm, which is also almost legendary; it is said that some cultivators have discovered it. The third is the Devil Artifact, a magical Law Treasure from the Black Devil Realm, which is also very rare. Then there is the Spirit Artifact, a magical Law Treasure from the Spirit Ghost Realm..."
Li Qiang listened with great interest, and he interjected, "Shouldn't there be differences between Law Treasure of the same kind? For example, even among magical Law Treasure from the Immortal Realm, there must be differences in their quality, right?"
Mei'er rolled her eyes at him and said, "Of course, like the flying sword that brother uses, which should be considered a treasure, many times stronger than the flying swords of ordinary cultivators. The Overwhelming Annihilation Devil Wand is also a powerful Devil Artifact. Hmm, strange, how come it can't beat brother? Even if the Overwhelming Annihilation Devil Wand is not good, it is still a Devil Artifact. It doesn't make sense, unless brother has a celestial artifact to restrain it... But... that's impossible... his power shouldn't be enough..." Her voice grew softer and softer, her eyes darting around as if she was racking her brains.
Li Qiang was truly impressed by this young girl; she was incredibly knowledgeable, something he could never match. He laughed, "Really? I didn't think the Overwhelming Annihilation Devil Wand was that powerful..."
Mei'er hurriedly said, "Don't speak, let Mei'er think about it." She leaned against the Blue Light, sat cross-legged, and pondered deeply. Li Qiang thought this little girl was making a fuss over nothing. He smiled slightly, said nothing more, and continued flying forward.
There was nothing particularly noteworthy in the main hall. Li Qiang followed the tracks on the ground, noticing numerous cracks on the walls along the way, suggesting a fierce battle had taken place. Li Qiang suddenly stopped, listening intently. Faint sounds could be heard in the distance. Just in case, he drew his Star-Absorbing Sword- Absorbing Sword again. The sword's appearance immediately startled Mei'er, who was still deep in thought. She asked, "Brother, what's wrong?"
Just then, a loud, explosive sound rang out. Mei'er immediately tensed up and whispered, "Brother, there's a noise! Who's fighting with their Law Treasure?"
Li Qiang shook his head and whispered, " Mei'er, hook onto your brother's Billowing Essence Battle Armor, and don't reveal yourself, otherwise your brother will be distracted, understand?"
Mei'er, who seemed to know everything, exclaimed in surprise, "This is the Billowing Essence Battle Armor? Oh my, brother, you're a treasure from head to toe!" Li Qiang almost choked on his words. In their rural hometown, being a treasure from head to toe was a term used to describe pigs.
The Star-Absorbing Sword transformed into a thick mist, completely obscuring Li Qiang. Since hearing about the three realms of True Illusion Sword Qi, he had been greatly inspired. Although limited by his own skill level, he was unable to reach such a sword realm immediately, but he had already begun to pursue it purposefully.
After concealing himself with the Sword Mist, he tried his best to mimic the color and feel of the wall. Slowly, he seemed to disappear into the wall and drifted forward.
After turning a few corners, they reached another exit. Li Qiang stood there, completely stunned.
Outside the exit, there was a clear blue sky and green mountains and clear waters, like a paradise on earth.
Li Qiang was no longer a novice; he immediately realized it was an illusion. But it was so realistic, the gentle breeze on his face felt incredibly real and comfortable. He couldn't help but think, "If I ever build a secluded cultivation retreat, I must learn this method. There are so many amazing things in the Cultivation Realm!"
Mei'er transmitted her voice, "Brother, this is the Great Illusion Buddha Realm. Please be very careful. Mei'er didn't dare to go in last time, and I don't know what powerful things are inside."
" The Great Illusion Buddha Realm?" Li Qiang exclaimed, "It's truly remarkable! Mei'er know what makes the Great Illusion Buddha Realm so powerful?" This was the first time he had encountered such a realistic illusion, and he was a little unsure how to deal with it. He knew in his heart that if he stepped into it, he might get lost in the illusion.
Mei'er said timidly, " The Great Illusion Buddha Realm... I've seen it in ancient texts. It's somewhat similar to the Illusory Void Grand Formation in the Cultivation Realm, but it's more powerful and more refined. The texts don't mention how to break it. Brother, why don't we go somewhere else and avoid this place?" She was starting to get scared again.
Li Qiang stared at the illusion and said slowly but firmly, " Mei'er, we can't avoid it!"
Meier wondered, "Why can't you avoid it? The passages here extend in all directions, you can take any route."
Li Qiang shook his head. "It's not because there's no way to go, but because you can't avoid it, brother. If you go around it, it will be extremely harmful to your future cultivation. Cultivation requires facing everything; it's also a cultivation of the mind."
Mei'er didn't understand, because she had never reached Li Qiang's level of cultivation.
The moment Li Qiang stepped into the illusion, the entrance behind him vanished, and the surrounding scenery instantly changed. Li Qiang found himself standing beside a babbling brook. Listening to the rushing water, he couldn't help but laugh, " Mei'er, the scenery here is truly beautiful. Hehe, if I could find a place like this to cultivate in seclusion, that would be a blessing." His tone was very calm, seemingly unconcerned about the hidden dangers within.
Everything in the illusion seemed so real: birds flying in the sky chirped sweetly, a gentle breeze brushed against my face, and I could smell the faint fragrance of flowers, trees, and wild grass.
Li Qiang squatted down, grabbed a handful of soil, and couldn't tell the difference between it and ordinary soil.
After Li Qiang stepped into the illusion, he felt it was incredible; everything around him seemed so real and believable. He wasn't in a hurry to move forward, knowing it was useless. In the Bewilderment Forest of Heavenly Court Star, he had experienced the terrifying power of this kind of disorientation firsthand.
Mei'er was terrified. She didn't know what she would encounter next, only that anything could happen in the illusion. Everything here was closely related to the State of Mind of the person entering. Because she was attached to Li Qiang's shoulder, everything she saw was what Li Qiang saw. If she had entered alone, she would not have seen these scenes.
She was puzzled. The Great Illusion Buddha Realm didn't seem as powerful as the legends said. Watching Li Qiang stroll around leisurely, she was somewhat confused.
Li Qiang watched the small fish swimming in the stream, picked up a pebble from the bank, and threw it into the water. "Splash!" The small fish scurried away in a panic. Everything felt so real and believable, and a smile appeared on his lips. " Mei'er, this place is wonderful! It reminds me of my hometown, which is also in the mountains. There's a mountain stream with clear, flowing water that runs year-round. I loved sitting by it and daydreaming, hehe." Before he finished speaking, the scenery suddenly changed.
Li Qiang found himself sitting on a large rock, and the scenery before him was exactly as he had imagined. It was as if he had returned to the mountainous area of his hometown, and was sitting in front of the mountain stream just like he had in his youth.
Li Qiang was taken aback and couldn't help but say, "Wow, it's so effective! It's like whatever you wish for comes true." His expression was comical, which made Mei'er giggle.
Although Li Qiang was very clear-headed, the scene before him had successfully disrupted his calm state of mind, and he suddenly felt an intense longing to reunite with his family.
The Great Illusion Buddha Realm has begun to unleash its power.
In the blink of an eye, Li Qiang found himself standing in his room at home, the same dilapidated old house he had lived in during his youth, just as it had been when he left home to pursue his studies.
He was stunned, tears streaming down his face, and cried out, "Dad... Mom... where are you? I'm back!" His State of Mind was in turmoil.
Li Qiang rushed outside, only to find an endless desert stretching out before him. Looking back, his old house was nowhere to be seen. Yellow sand filled the sky, swirling and dispersing with the wind, the land a desolate wasteland. The howling wind howled sharply, the sky darkened, and a muffled rumble of thunder sounded in the distance—a sandstorm was approaching.
Disappointed, Li Qiang flew into a rage and roared, "What the hell are you doing? You bastards!"
The Sword Mist surged out like a dream, Sword Qi energy expanded rapidly, stirring up the yellow sand on the ground and sending it flying wildly in all directions.
Li Qiang charged headlong into the sandstorm, furious. He completely forgot that what he had just seen was just an illusion, as if something precious deep within him had been suddenly snatched away, causing him to erupt in uncontrollable rage. He roared as he faced the sandstorm, charging forward recklessly.
A massive, dark red sandstorm wall, stretching from the sky to the ground, rapidly approached from afar. Beneath this colossal sandstorm wall, Li Qiang appeared incredibly small and felt utterly powerless. In an instant, Li Qiang fearlessly charged straight into it. Darkness enveloped him, and a sharp, piercing howl swirled around him. The sandstorm contained not only sand but also countless fragments of rock, and even invisible energies. Li Qiang's body shimmered with a terrifying golden light, and his Sword Mist forcefully obliterated anything that approached him.
Li Qiang laughed maniacally, "What else? What else? Bring it all out and let me see! Haha!"
The scenery vanished again; the sandstorm suddenly stopped, and not a single grain of sand could be seen. Li Qiang found himself standing on the main street of Hanlin City, with a cultivator standing before him. He exclaimed in surprise, "How could it be you?"
En Gang's white hair fluttered in the wind as he held the Black Heaven-Holding Gall in his hand and said coldly, "Let's see where you can run this time!"
Li Qiang laughed loudly, "It seems I didn't intend to escape, haha! You are the first cultivator to fight me, let's try again!" The Sword Mist surged out rapidly and shot into his body without any hindrance. En Gang was immediately blasted into pieces by the Sword Mist.
Li Qiang was slightly taken aback. How could this guy be so bad? A cold wind blew by, and Li Qiang shivered. It was so cold.
The surrounding area was covered in ice and snow, a pristine white landscape.
A voice came from behind. " A-Qiang, this is the little wooden carving you gave me, here you go... I'm sorry... I..."
Li Qiang's heart clenched suddenly, as if an electric current had shot through it, leaving him completely numb. He slowly turned around and saw his first love, Zhao Wanwen. He remained silent, watching her walk away.
That was a deep, buried wound in his heart, which was unexpectedly stirred up by the illusion.
He was only eighteen years old at the time, and his family was destitute. His lover broke up with him on a snowy day because of her parents' objections. Just like now, he silently watched her leave without saying a word.
Li Qiang was furious, his State of Mind in complete chaos, and he began to curse bitterly. Suddenly, he was startled, looking at the room before him, feeling as if he wanted to cry but couldn't. The sign on the door—Room 403, Hilton Hotel, his long-stay room—he knew very well what was inside. His eyes were red with rage.
He suddenly channeled his True Essence Power, rapidly forming hand seals. In an instant, he managed to stack five layers consecutively—the first time he had ever done so. His skill had already reached a level where he could do this.
Mei'er was terrified by Li Qiang's rage and the series of unexpected events. She didn't dare to utter a sound, clutching the Buddhist beads around Blue Light's neck tightly, watching in horror. When Li Qiang unleashed the Eighteen Demon-Extinguishing Hands, she truly believed that she had also entered an illusion.
Li Qiang's entire body emitted a dazzling golden light. Golden flowers floated in from all directions, swirling around Li Qiang, while countless silver and gold stars gathered around his hands.
Mei'er could see him clearly from his shoulder. His gestures were strange: one hand was placed on his chest and abdomen, his thumb and middle finger forming a ring like a blooming flower, while the other hand was held upright like a sharp sword pointing forward. As the last layer was completed, Mei'er felt the entire earth begin to tremble, and rumbling thunder echoed among the floating golden flowers.
Mei'er felt extremely frightened, yet at the same time, she felt a faint sense of excitement. She discovered that the attack Li Qiang was launching was another ancient, almost lost technique. If she hadn't enjoyed studying various ancient texts, she wouldn't have been able to recognize it at all. It was the legendary Eighteen Demon-Extinguishing Hands!
Suddenly, Mei'er discovered that beautiful, dazzling golden flowers filled the world. The golden flowers seemed to be everywhere. She could no longer see the yellow sand that had filled the sky, nor could she hear the howling wind. All the scenery she had just seen had vanished, replaced by golden flowers floating in the air. An extremely strange feeling welled up inside her. She felt that Li Qiang seemed to have control over all the changes in the world, a thought that deeply shocked her.
As Li Qiang rapidly layered the talismans, his State of Mind calmed down. The Eighteen Demon-Extinguishing Hands truly lived up to its reputation as Buddha Sect's ultimate technique. He was surprised to discover that five layers of layering were completely different from four layers, and he carefully savored the differences.
The four-layer stacking is uncontrollable; once completed, it must be released immediately without any pause, otherwise the backlash will be terrifying. The five-layer stacking, however, is different; it seems to be controllable, with power at the user's command. He tried to gather the golden flowers in the air, and as he made the hand seal, the golden flowers began to change.
Gradually, the golden flowers began to gather, forming a huge flower ball.
A knowing smile appeared on Li Qiang's face, "So that's how it is..." The flower ball rapidly shrank, transforming into a golden sphere the size of a fist. Li Qiang shouted, "Freeze!"
Mei'er's eyes lit up. With Li Qiang's shout, the golden sphere emitted a bright light, and the true appearance of the Great Illusion Buddha Realm was revealed.
It was a vast space, with countless mountains, rivers, deserts, and ever-changing winds and clouds carved into the ground, like another world hidden underground. There were countless white bones on the ground, as well as various armors, weapons, and treasures, scattered everywhere.
She exclaimed, "My God, how many people are going to die?! This Mei'er!"
Li Qiang's gaze swept across the room and was immediately drawn to something: a dark-colored bead hovering in the center of the hall, emitting wisps of green energy that shot into the ground.
He knew this was the key, so he slowly moved closer.