When Qin Luan woke up, he felt a bit disoriented. As he gradually regained clarity, he realized that everything that had just happened had been an illusion—this realization gave him quite a fright. He had seen a weak young woman begging for help, and out of compassion, he went to save her.
Then, out of compassion for all the people of the world, he wanted to unite the lands, end the wars, and bring about an age of peace and prosperity. Although in the end he did pacify the chaotic lands and founded a new nation, he knew in his heart what nonsense that “compassion” truly was.
He had only been lusting after the woman’s body! If not for the fact that he had held firm to his own beliefs and cultivation path, refusing to rely on Heavenly Treasures and Earthly Marvels, he really might have fallen completely into that illusion. Qin Luan was an exceptionally sharp person.
After reflecting briefly, he understood right away what the test of this mystic realm was intended to measure. When he saw that only he and Jiang Li were awake, he realized that for the moment, only the two of them had passed through the first trial of the mystic realm.
And that person called Kong Li had woken up even earlier than himself—that truly earned his deep respect.
“Brother Kong truly hides his abilities,” he said sincerely, ashamed of his previous arrogance.
He had thought himself powerful and even boasted shamelessly that he would protect Jiang Li. In his mind, for him to see through the illusion in a single month was already a lightning-fast pace—among his peers and others at the same realm, he believed none could surpass him. But reality told him otherwise.
He had not yet reached the first among his generation. He must not grow arrogant. Breaking through the illusion had not in itself elevated Qin Luan’s state of mind; rather, seeing someone superior to himself—Jiang Li—had pushed his mental realm even higher.
“Just luck, all luck,” Jiang Li said with a light laugh.
Such humility!
Qin Luan admired Jiang Li all the more for it. Feeling slightly bored, Jiang Li spoke idly to himself, “Elder Meng, would you allow me to see how the younger ones fare within their illusions?” Before long, mist condensed in front of him into a smooth, watery mirror.
Within the Water Mirror appeared the scenes of the others still trapped inside the illusory tests. Qin Luan assumed this was some kind of reward for waking first, so he, too, leaned forward to watch. The possessed man was called Li Litong, and it was his illusion playing in the Water Mirror.
The experiences within the illusions were mostly similar: a pitiful, beautiful woman begging for rescue. The one Jiang Li had encountered was Meng Chun, Qin Luan’s was a different girl, and Li Litong’s yet another. After saving the girl, Li Litong followed her suggestions to pacify the lands and save the people of the world.
However, his methods were exceedingly violent—he killed without mercy, so many that his blade must have dulled beyond count. He believed that saving the people of the world was the condition for passing the trial of the mystic realm.
Let alone that he was a Spirit Transformation cultivator who had seized another’s body—even if he had arrived here in his previous life, he still might not have realized that it was an illusion! As the killing continued, Li Litong’s cultivation base swelled. He gradually approached the very limit of the Foundation Establishment Stage.
Jiang Li could tell that this man’s cultivation technique involved absorbing Vital Blood; slaughtering others stimulated and drew out their Blood Qi to its utmost, which he then devoured. Such a cultivation art was very close to those of the Demonic Path—but not identical. The Demonic Path was a kind of belief, whereas a cultivation art was simply a method.
There were no arts inherently of the Demonic Path—only cultivators who walked it. Most who cultivated killing arts would choose to join enforcement agencies or military sects. A smaller few would enter sects and rely on inter-sect battles to hone themselves.
Li Litong belonged to the latter kind. In the illusion, he moved like a fish in water—there were countless First Layer Qi Refinement cultivators to help him strengthen his cultivation. Had he been in the Nine Provinces joining an actual army, he would have been cannon fodder even at Foundation Establishment Stage.
But within this illusionary army, he was an unrivaled god of war. At times, he almost felt as if he had returned to being his former self at Spirit Transformation Peak—respected and revered by all.
Li Litong also consumed Heavenly Treasures and Earthly Marvels, though with caution and in small measure, evidently knowing that overreliance on them left hidden weaknesses that would hinder future breakthroughs. He took twenty days to unify the world within the illusion, another month and a half to consolidate his rule, and during that time reached Early Golden Core Stage.
Yet still, the trial gave him no sign of completion. But Li Litong did not worry. The adoration of the masses was intoxicating—it resembled the feeling he had once known in a past life.
Within the Nine Provinces, besides the Nine Great Imperial Dynasties, there were hundreds of lesser kingdoms. Their rulers’ cultivation bases generally hovered around the Spirit Transformation Stage. After two months, because Li Litong did not indulge his imperial harem, the illusion judged that he had not fallen into lust, and thus allowed him to pass.
While Li Litong certainly enjoyed beautiful women, the cultivation art he practiced happened to be the Virgin Cultivation Art, which forbade closeness with the opposite sex. What could he do? The only supreme technique he knew was one that required purity of body—he could only endure his frustration.
Yet on closer thought, Li Litong indeed had strong self-control, fulfilling the passing condition. When Li Litong awoke, he found himself still at Late Foundation Establishment. Realizing all he had experienced was illusion, he felt a hollow emptiness inside.
Seeing Jiang Li and Qin Luan both watching the Water Mirror with rapt focus, he immediately understood he had placed only third so far. This displeased him deeply. He, being one who had seized the body of another, considered himself innately above mere Foundation Establishment cultivators.
He had also wanted to be the first overall in this trial, for first place would come with some form of reward—crucial for his attempt to regain Spirit Transformation and perhaps go even higher. But now, having only ranked third in this first stage, he would have to achieve an extraordinary result in the second stage to claim total first.
He doubted he could. His expression twisted with violence. Before entering the mystic realm, every participant had signed a life-and-death agreement—even if something happened within, the Great Zhou would not pursue responsibility!
Boom— Li Litong’s Blood Qi surged. He slashed open his palm and gathered his blood into two Blood Daggers, launching himself like a cannonball straight at Jiang Li and Qin Luan. These two might have had slightly firmer states of mind, but that didn’t matter.
Combat power was the foundation of any cultivator! And his combat power—was something he had absolute confidence in.
“Brother Kong, be careful!”
Qin Luan reacted faster than anyone, stepping in front of Jiang Li as a shield. He immediately felt immense pressure—this person’s presence was even more oppressive than Song Ying’s or the Seven Kills Dao Child's. Against this, he might very well lose! Without a word, Jiang Li simply lifted his leg and kicked Li Litong away.
Not only did Qin Luan fail to react, even Li Litong himself failed to react!
“With a state of mind like that, and you actually became Spirit Transformation? I truly wonder what kind of luck brought that about.”
Jiang Li gave a faint sneer and turned back to the Water Mirror, no longer paying Li Litong any attention. That seemingly offhand comment, sent through Threaded Voice Transmission, struck directly at Li Litong’s greatest secret. He stiffened, drenched in cold sweat, trembling as though dragged up from deep water.
An Integration Stage Expert! This was someone at the Integration Stage! Using his Divine Sense, Jiang Li perceived Li Litong’s fearful reaction.
He shook his head slightly—he had intended merely to point out that Li Litong’s heart had a flaw, but it seemed his words were in vain. Because it had been a Threaded Voice Transmission, Qin Luan had heard nothing. He only felt his admiration for Jiang Li deepen.
“Which sect is Brother Kong from, to cultivate such great power?”
In Qin Luan’s mind, Jiang Li’s strength must have come from unsurpassable cultivation methods. Jiang Li smiled.
“Want to join my sect? That’s not impossible.”
He was not lying. With Qin Luan’s talent and mental composure, he fully possessed the qualifications to become a candidate for the Human Emperor, even to vie for the next position of Human Emperor.
“Look, now it’s Song Ying’s illusion.”
Qin Luan had been about to respond, but when he heard it was Song Ying’s trial, curiosity overtook him again—he really wanted to see what choices she would make.
(End of Chapter)