Chapter 133 - The Strange Illusory Realm (1)

This cluster of palaces seemed to be a teaching academy within the Splendorbloom Sect. The technique transmission hall stood as the central hub of the area. Below its hundred meter staircase lay a vast, level plaza, which connected to the lecture halls spread out in every direction.

From this elevated vantage point, Xu Yuan could see many disciples in pale blue robes walking beneath the eaves of those halls. They moved in groups of twos and threes, chatting and laughing, the place bustling with life.

Xu Yuan did not hurry down. Relying on his body’s profound cultivation, he focused his mind, and even from so far away, he could still hear their conversations.

The content was scattered and varied. Some were talking about trivial bits of daily life. Some discussed cultivation arts and secret arts. There were even a few male disciples huddled together, talking about certain pretty female disciples and matters related to spirit puppets.

All kinds of people, all kinds of lives. It truly felt as though he had stepped into the Splendorbloom Sect at the height of its glory, ten thousand years ago.

Xu Yuan hesitated slightly, then sent a voice transmission to the girl beside him. “Tian Yan, was this entire sect really conjured from illusion?”

Everything here felt far too real.

Tian Yan glanced at him and said softly, “Of course it was conjured. Everything within a self-forgetting illusion is extremely realistic.”

“A self-forgetting illusion?” Xu Yuan frowned.

“We’re both conscious. Shouldn’t this be a true-self illusion?”

The difference between a self-forgetting illusion and a true-self illusion was rather like the difference between a lucid dream and a hazy, confused dream when ordinary people slept.

Tian Yan’s gaze remained calm as she replied in a low voice, “This is indeed a self-forgetting illusion. I am unaffected because the Soul chapter of the Heaven DerivingArt can resist the influence of self-forgetting. As for you...”

At this point, she looked him up and down for several breaths, then shook her head.

“I don’t know why you are unaffected.”

After she finished speaking, a hint of regret flashed through those beautiful golden eyes of hers. If Xu Yuan had fallen fully into self-forgetting, she could have done whatever she wanted. With the time inside this illusion, she could have thoroughly planted an anchor on him.

As for Xu Yuan, he already had a rough guess in his heart. The reason he could break free from the self-forgetting effect was most likely related to the cherry blossom mark between his brows.

Tian Yan did not intend to dig deeper into the matter either because she knew that even if she asked, this bastard would never tell her. After a brief pause, she stared at the Splendorbloom disciples coming and going below and continued speaking to herself.

“Although a self-forgetting illusion feels real, these people will only move forward according to the future set by the spellcaster. They won’t react to either of us.” As she spoke, a faint sigh entered Tian Yan’s cool, clear voice. “They are merely replaying certain scenes from ten thousand years ago before our eyes.”

With that, Tian Yan gently shook her head and stepped toward the staircase.

Xu Yuan fell silent. He had thought that these sect disciples, who had been dead for ten thousand years, would respond to their actions like real people. But Tian Yan’s words made sense. There were easily more than ten thousand disciples within this sect. If every single one of them possessed self-awareness, then who was controlling all those minds?

This place, after all, did not have the artificial idiocy of AI from his previous life.

That said, Xu Yuan still cautiously extended his soul intent to verify Tian Yan’s claim. The method was simple. If he openly used his soul intent to probe the disciples below and they showed no reaction, then Tian Yan was right. If they did react, then she was not.

A few breaths later, Xu Yuan called out to Tian Yan with a dark expression.

“Tian Yan.”

“Mhm?” Tian Yan stopped.

“Are you sure this is a self-forgetting illusion?”

“Yes.”

“And you’re also sure that people inside a self-forgetting illusion won’t react to what we do?”

“Of course.”

A trace of confusion appeared in Tian Yan’s eyes. She did not quite understand why Xu Yuan would suddenly ask such a question.

Xu Yuan ignored her. Instead, he cupped his hands apologetically toward the distance and sent out a voice transmission.

Because of the Heaven Deriving Art, Tian Yan heard what he said.

“My apologies. I meant no offense.”

Still puzzled, she followed his gaze, and her golden pupils shrank slightly.

In the distance, a plain-robed man walking alone across the academy plaza had stopped in his tracks and was staring toward them with a doubtful look.

After hearing Xu Yuan’s apologetic transmission, the man hesitated for a moment, then nodded. He cupped his hands in return and sent back, “Senior Brother Jing He, you’re being too polite. It was nothing.”

Xu Yuan’s heart tightened. Even though his appearance was different, this Splendorbloom Sect disciple still saw him as Jing He from ten thousand years ago. It should be the same Jing He, who later became the Leech King. But then he turned his eyes back and looked at Tian Yan with a meaningful stare.

Seeing this, Tian Yan fell silent, thoughts churning in her heart. This illusion was completely different from the self-forgetting illusions she knew.

Amid the silence, Xu Yuan forcefully patted her injured left shoulder, kept his expression calm, and walked downward.

Tian Yan winced from the pain and snapped back to herself. She took a deep breath and quickly followed.

There were too many eyes and ears here. This was not the place to talk.

As the two of them entered the vast plaza below, the male and female disciples around them all looked over to some extent. Some even quietly exchanged a few words with their companions about Xu Yuan.

And thanks to those little conversations, Xu Yuan gained a rough understanding of Jing He’s status within the Splendorbloom Sect.

A peerless genius among the second-generation disciples. A famous figure throughout the mountain gate. He also had a childhood sweetheart as beautiful as a celestial maiden, who was most likely that Yuchu.

As he walked, Xu Yuan kept his eyes and ears open, silently collecting any information the people around him revealed about his identity. After all, in this illusion, he had no memories at all.

When they reached one of the exits, a group of bright, spirited young nobles happened to come walking toward them.

Four men and three women. Their clothing was completely different from that of ordinary disciples. Every one of them wore luxurious robes, cloud-treading flowing boots, and carried no weak aura. They were probably all geniuses of the Splendorbloom Sect.

And this group clearly knew Jing He. As soon as they saw him, they immediately came forward with smiles.

“Jing He, we finally found you. I heard from my father that Senior Brother Li returned from his travels today. He’s already at Splendorbloom Hall.”

“Heh, we haven’t seen him in over a year. The few of us are planning to welcome him back properly. Tonight we’re heading down the mountain to Ocean Air Tavern for a little gathering. Bai Fan is treating.”

“You already dodged Tang Jiuqing’s birthday last time. Don’t even think about slipping away again today. Every time our group gets together, you’re the only one missing.”

The group crowded around him, talking over one another. They were one step away from simply picking Xu Yuan up and carrying him off.

Xu Yuan thought this might actually be a good place to fish for information, but he hesitated. After all, he did not even know these people’s surnames. If they started bringing up old stories, he could expose himself in a heartbeat.

Just as he was hesitating, one of the girls, dressed in a thin pale-blue gauze outfit that revealed her midriff, suddenly smiled sweetly and said, “That’s right, Brother Jing He. Why don’t you bring Sister Tian Yan with you too?”

Xu Yuan’s eyes froze.

This blue-dressed girl seemed to have just said something rather alarming.

With a wooden expression, he turned and glanced at Tian Yan, who had been standing beside him pretending to be mute.

Tian Yan blinked her beautiful eyes, gave a light cough, then immediately smiled and said, “I don’t mind.”

“You hear that? Tian Yan has already agreed. You can’t use her as an excuse to refuse us this time.”

“Then it’s settled. Let’s meet here tonight at six. Don’t stand us up.”

With that, the group seemed afraid Xu Yuan might refuse, so they scattered at once like startled birds and beasts.

Xu Yuan watched this pack of questionable friends walk away. After a brief silence, he still did not hurry to ask questions. Instead, he turned and continued walking out.