"Thanks for the invite, currently in an illusion, already going insane."
If Shu Fu had to summarize her feelings in one sentence, that would be it.
Truly worthy of the legendary "Heart-Demon Illusion," living up to its name, no deception for young or old. Even if she originally had no inner demons, after experiencing this illusion, she'd probably develop some out of thin air.
After collapsing on the spot, Shu Fu didn't dare say another word to her inexplicably acquired husband and daughter. She practically scrambled down the steps on her hands and knees, fleeing the suffocating mansion without looking back.
So terrifying.
It was truly terrifying.
She had never imagined that an illusion "completely conforming to her ideal life" could turn into this kind of mess.
While she did indeed appreciate beautiful people, and indeed didn't want to give birth herself, preferably having a child delivered like a phone credit top-up... but how did things end up like this?
She could almost imagine Master Qiu standing before the monitoring screen right now, wearing a complex expression akin to the famous "Kim Kkobong" meme.
"Damn, this Jiang Ruoshui has some strange tastes."
No!
That's not it, I don't!
Master, you have to believe me!
Shu Fu silently wailed in her heart as she ran like a headless chicken, not slowing down until she had dashed half a mile, attempting to observe her surroundings.
However, the moment she turned around, she saw an exquisitely adorned beauty gracefully making her way along the mountain path, who looked up and gave her a dazzling, coquettish smile.
"Little sister, why are you in such a hurry? Where are you off to?"
The beauty's lovely eyes sparkled, filled with genuine concern. "I heard you recently slew a Demon Lord. Aren't you resting at home for a few days before rushing out to kill the next one?"
Shu Fu: "..."
It's you, beautiful Senior Brother.
Sorry, you got dragged into this nightmare of an illusion too.
Come to think of it, I seem pretty badass in this dream, taking out a minor Demon Lord with one strike.
"Um, you are...?"
Knowing there was no escape, Shu Fu leaned against a large tree, stopping to tentatively ask, "Senior Brother Liu?"
"Oh my, what 'senior brother'? Little sister, are you still muddled from sleep?"
The beauty with Liu Ruyi's face coquettishly chided, raising a delicate Suzhou embroidery round fan to tap Shu Fu's shoulder. "Silly girl, I'm your own elder sister!"
Shu Fu felt as if struck by lightning.
Senior Brother!
I never expected that in my dream, you couldn't even keep your... manhood!
I'm sorry, truly sorry!
You are clearly my senior brother, clearly... larger than the male lead, yet I've always subconsciously treated you as a sister.
Honestly, this is the first time I've realized this too.
"..."
Shu Fu was mentally exhausted; she felt she had used up a lifetime's worth of internal screaming in this illusion.
But a true warrior would not admit defeat so easily. After bidding farewell to the graceful "elder sister," she quickly found a hidden cave along the mountain path, tore down a curtain of ivy to cover the entrance, concealed herself thoroughly, and began pondering her situation.
Based on what she had seen and heard so far, this illusion indeed reflected part of a person's "ideals."
In Shu Fu's "ideal" or rather "delusion," she did want a secluded mountain villa, preferably with a gentle and considerate beauty by her side. Children wouldn't require a ten-month pregnancy; they'd grow like jade branches or jade rabbits from a tree, able to talk and run the moment they landed, with an IQ of 180, skipping the most headache-inducing early education phase in one go.
Of course, she also wished for understanding parents, inseparable sisters, hoped her cultivation would soar, becoming invincible, a generation's great hero who upheld justice and helped the weak, a crematorium for trash scum...
This ideal, while somewhat straightforward, somewhat akin to a male-oriented protagonist's fantasy, was still relatively normal.
So, how did things end up like this?
Shu Fu: There must be something wrong with my delusions.jpg
Upon closer examination, it was mostly due to her lack of imagination. The images of "beauty" and "sister" in her mind were too specific, causing the NPCs to take on the forms of acquaintances, each more realistic than the last, nearly making her die of embarrassment on the spot.
Given the circumstances, in this illusion so awkward it made her scalp tingle and toes curl, becoming obsessed was impossible, utterly impossible in this lifetime.
But the question was, how was she supposed to get out?
Shu Fu gazed into the distance at her mansion, recalling the husband who looked like her master, the sister who looked like her senior brother, and the daughter her master gave birth to... For the first time since transmigrating, she genuinely felt what despair meant.
To be honest, if she died of embarrassment in this illusion, could it count as a work-related injury?
"Wait, hold on."
Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck Shu Fu's mind. She sprang to her feet. "Since we're playing the awkward game, why not go all the way? Maybe we can use poison to fight poison!"
Outside the illusion, above the Xianyun Platform, the proctors Qi Yexin and Yun Ying looked down upon the candidates sprawled across the ground, their expressions ranging from struggle to rapture. They exchanged a glance, sharing a look of pity.
Poor souls.
Before entering the illusion, they knew nothing of its terror.
"I wonder how many will pass this illusion trial," Yun Ying broke the silence after a long while, initiating the conversation. "Senior Brother, what do you think?"
Qi Yexin answered with an indifferent expression, "Out of these nearly hundred people, if around thirty pass, that would already be considered good. You know Master's illusions."
Yun Ying understood, shaking her head slowly in resignation. "I know. The Sect Master's spiritual power is immense. Those with weak willpower forget their origins the moment they enter the illusion, wholeheartedly accepting it as reality."
Qi Yexin didn't respond, merely nodding without turning his head, indicating she was correct.
Even more frightening is that even if one initially resists the illusion and remains awake, it's only temporary.
Yun Ying still vividly remembered her own trial from years past. "The longer one stays in the illusion, the more memories fade, and the ability to distinguish illusion from reality gradually diminishes, ultimately leading to complete immersion. To break free, one can only..."
“Only proactively give up everything one possesses in the illusion, before losing oneself completely.”
Qi Yexin finished coldly. "However, faced with the scene one has always dreamed of, how many can decisively let go?"
"..."
Yun Ying composed her expression solemnly, turning to carefully examine Qi Yexin's face as she carefully worded her question. "I've always been curious, what exactly did you see in the illusion back then? The Sect Master said he accepted you as a disciple because of your firm Dao heart."
"Actually, it wasn't much. Master overpraised me."
Faced with this rather impolite question, not a ripple appeared on Qi Yexin's calm countenance as he answered without evasion:
"I saw the parents who sold me to the demonic cultivator black market caring for me attentively, doting on me excessively, just like ordinary parents in the world who love their children. I didn't escape by jumping into the water, and my parents didn't incur the black market's wrath and end up dead in the streets as a result. My family was complete, my childhood happy, my parents sent me all the way to the Jiuhua Sect... That was about it."
Qi Yexin's childhood experiences were no secret among the elders and familiar disciples, and he himself had no intention of hiding them.
He was born into an obscure minor family. Their ancestors had mismanaged affairs, leading to the family's decline. His father, due to a moment of poor judgment, strayed into the black market's gambling dens and ended up utterly destitute, forced to give his only son away to settle his debts.
Like all gamblers blinded by desperation, he would one moment weep bitterly, pleading, "Yexin, you must go. Your spiritual root is excellent. If I give you to them, your father will be saved."
The next moment, he would turn ferocious, threatening, "I gave you life and raised you. Every drop of blood in your body is mine. Today, you will go, whether you want to or not."
His mother also wept, saying, "No matter his countless faults, he is still your father after all."
Qi Yexin once fell into the tiger's mouth. But with his outstanding natural talent and quick-wittedness, he narrowly escaped with his life from the clutches of a few low-level demonic cultivators and was fortuitously rescued by Master Qiu.
At that time, filled with grief and indignation, he was determined to confront his parents and demand an explanation, only to find they had already met their end, killed in retaliation by the black market.
The youth fell silent for an entire night. When the morning sun rose again, his still-youthful face had become as calm as ice, and his head full of black hair had turned completely white.
Love and hate turned to ashes, his hair whitening overnight.
"I see."
Yun Ying seemed to have anticipated this, her expression grave but not surprised. "And then? How did you..."
Qi Yexin replied flatly, "In the illusion, I threw myself into the river again. After drowning, I returned."
A clean, straightforward answer.
As if to say that all the false happiness whitewashing peace, all the beautiful illusions of self-deception, were unnecessary to him.
The Chief Senior Brother of the Jiuhua Sect was like a green pine, like a sharp sword—he could be shattered to pieces, but could not be made to bow his head in submission.
"Truly worthy of being the Senior Brother."
Yun Ying's unruffled expression shifted slightly as she murmured to herself, "If it were me, perhaps I would be unable to let go of the hatred and kill my parents within the illusion."
"Unnecessary."
Qi Yexin's face remained utterly placid, as if discussing matters completely unrelated to himself. "My parents are already dead. What I owed them, what they owed me—it was all settled the moment they sold me to the black market and paid the price for it. I need neither to make amends nor to seek revenge."
His Dao heart was clear and bright, the mortal world far behind him. Right, wrong, gratitude, and grievance all turn to emptiness upon looking back; hair black at dawn turns white by dusk.
In the eyes of Qi Yexin, with his hair full of frost and snow, how much resentment and hatred had now transformed into mist and clouds, leaving only an impassive, emotionless "I don't care."
Faced with his heart of stone, Yun Ying could only respond with a sigh of admiration. "Senior Brother's state of mind is indeed extraordinary. It's just that this time, I wonder how many people will be able to see through things as clearly as you did, cutting cleanly when needed."
Meanwhile, within the illusion, Shu Fu...
"Husband, let's get a divorce—oh, no, I mean, let's separate peacefully. Here, please sign this separation agreement I drafted."
"What?"
Yes, this was her solution.
Faced with a flawless illusion, she decided to abandon roundabout methods and try the legendary frontal assault.
In fact, this move was more effective than she imagined. The NPC had clearly never encountered such a simple, unadorned operation. At a loss for words, he froze on the spot, utterly flustered.
Judging by his dumbfounded look, she might have triggered a bug.
When ordinary cultivators faced illusions, some, like Qi Yexin, decisively ended their own lives; some killed their spouses to prove their Dao; others fled far away, seeking the ends of the world. While the goal was to "renounce everything possessed within the illusion," the methods of cultivators were often dashing and violent. Very few seriously considered divorce.
Shu Fu's reasoning was also simple: Why on earth must we kill someone?
We just need to break the illusion's setting. Shouldn't divorce work too?
As a principled hero, she only wanted to clean up scum. She neither wanted to kill NPCs nor herself.
Before the NPC guy could react, Shu Fu had already pushed her hastily drafted "Separation Agreement" in front of him, rapidly reading out the terms:
"Take a look. Since I'm the one proposing the separation, and you've done nothing wrong, I'm willing to leave with nothing. The house, the family assets, I leave them all to you. I don't know how much there is, but it should be enough to ensure you a life free from want."
"Custody of our daughter goes to you as well. To be frank, I plan to wander the world next, so I'm afraid I won't be able to take proper care of a child. Besides, you gave birth to this child; she'll surely want to stay with you."
"Oh, right, and my older sister... I hope you can look after her—"
"Wait, hold on a moment!"
The NPC was dumbfounded by her words, taking a long time to reboot. He shook his head almost frantically. "Madam, what is the meaning of this? Have I done something wrong, failed to please you?"
"Well, that's..."
He was beautiful as a celestial being, refined and gentle, utterly devoted to her, and even willing to bear a child for her.
If this weren't an illusion, and if this NPC guy weren't sporting an awkwardly familiar Jiang Xuesheng face, Shu Fu might indeed feel a sense of "what more could one ask for?"
But unfortunately, even when it came to beauties, she still felt that the ones she pursued herself were more rewarding.
And when it came to Jiang Xuesheng, she still preferred the real one—the one who was a bit flirty, a bit unrestrained, and a little bit asking for a smack.
Holding this clear thought, she shoved the paper and brush into the NPC's hands and told him with utmost sincerity, "I'm sorry. I don't find you flirtatious enough."
NPC: "..."
In all his years of managing this illusion, this was the first time he had ever heard such a demand.
But as an NPC, even when the other party had started tearing down the stage, he still had to perform the play meticulously to the end. "But, Madam, if you abandon me and our child, leaving all this vast wealth to us... where will you go? The world is vast and wide. All alone, solitary and forlorn... I truly cannot rest easy."
"Me?"
Shu Fu beamed a radiant smile, her eyes clear and bright as morning stars without a trace of shadow. "Me? I want to go to the Jiuhua Sect to study and train. I feel... someone should be waiting for me there."
"But, Madam, you are already invincible under heaven—"
"Oh, that."
Shu Fu waved a hand dismissively. "Forgot to tell you. On the way back just now, I already abolished my own cultivation. Now I have nothing. You could say it's 'life in another world starting from zero.'"
"..."
The NPC's gaze went blank. Once again, he froze, speechless.
"What's wrong? Don't be sad, and don't feel it's a pity. I know someone will teach me again from the beginning."
Speaking to this point, Shu Fu felt a warmth in her heart, revealing a touch of genuine emotion for the first time.
She took the NPC's warm hands—identical to Jiang Xuesheng's—and shook them sincerely, offering him a smile:
"I'm sorry. Actually, I quite like your setup here. But the person I truly want to see, and the version of myself that I like, aren't in this world."
"I've thought it over. A kingdom I didn't conquer myself, a beauty I didn't pursue myself... they just don't seem very interesting. And if life isn't interesting, then what's the point?"
Then, still smiling cheerfully, she pulled the NPC's hand, dipped it in the bright red ink paste, and decisively pressed it onto the "Separation Agreement."
"Nice to meet you. Goodbye, I'm off now."
Meanwhile, in a secluded corner of the tranquil Yaoguang Peak valley.
Jiang Xuesheng, much like his mermaid disciple, was half-submerged in the cool, cold pond. A layer of sheer silver-white silk draped over his form, while his slightly damp, ink-black hair cascaded over his shoulders, wrapping around his slender back like lustrous brocade. The ends of his hair still held glistening droplets of water, as if he had been bathing.
Suddenly, his half-lowered eyelids trembled faintly.
Then, like ripples spreading across water, a subtle, almost imperceptible smile slowly diffused from the corners of his eyes and lips, gradually suffusing his entire jade-like countenance. It was like the first thaw of an icy river, clear and bright as spring sunlight.
"Heh. Such a solution... I doubt there's a second person in this world who would..."
When you said someone was waiting for you, it was probably just an offhand remark.
You don't know how dull this mortal world can be. For millennia, through the vicissitudes of mountains and valleys, one might not necessarily encounter a single 'you'.
"Welcome back. I've remembered everything you said."
Shu Fu was right; he had indeed been waiting for her.
Not just waiting for her to pass the trial here at Yaoguang Peak, but long before that, in a stretch of time so vast and distant he himself had nearly forgotten, he had been waiting.
What was he waiting for? Perhaps a bit of 'the unexpected'.
Now, he thought he had finally waited for it.
Shu Fu was that greatest unexpected variable, never playing by the rules, almost daily conjuring up some new surprise for him.
Especially this time—it was truly beyond unexpected, soaring straight to the realm of shocking one's ancestors for three generations.
Jiang Xuesheng considered himself well-versed in all realms, having seen through the ways of the human world, but such uniquely bizarre illusions and solutions, even he was witnessing for the first time.
Whether it was getting married and divorced at lightning speed, or someone declaring frankly, "I want to see him" and "He's waiting for me," abandoning an idealized, perfect life to return to him—these were things he had never experienced in his entire life. Even if he lived another eight hundred or a thousand years, he'd probably never encounter them a second time.
However...
Jiang Xuesheng gazed at his own peerlessly elegant reflection on the water's surface, raising a hand to gather his damp, raven hair. A trivial, unrelated thought suddenly popped into his mind.
His current appearance... was probably even more pleasing than she had imagined.
What else had she been thinking about...
Ah, right. Children.
Coincidentally, their clan was indeed unique. Either gender could contribute to the creation of offspring, their reproductive principles as abstract as those of the Jade Branch Rabbits, though they were constrained by heaven, making progeny difficult.
If one insisted on contending with fate, it wasn't entirely impossible.
Thinking of it this way, although Shu Fu's imagination was peculiar, she had actually made quite a realistic wish. If she learned of this, she'd probably show an expression even more spectacular than the one in the illusion.
A shame she can't be told. What a pity.
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