"Ah, damn! What kind of idiotic illusion was that? Scared the hell out of me!"
This was the first sentence spoken by Shu Fu, the first examinee among all present to awaken from the illusion.
Qi Yexin: "..."
Yun Ying: "..."
Forget it, let's just pretend we didn't hear that.
However, just as the two had resolved to do so, they saw Master Qiu's projection descend from the sky. Landing with an ethereal, immortal aura, he bent down towards Shu Fu with a smile and asked,
"Miss Jiang, may I ask what 'idiotic' means? Also, why would a young lady like you refer to herself as 'father'?"
Shu Fu: "..."
The world after waking up was still a nightmare.
Fortunately, Master Qiu didn't press the matter, merely making an offhand joke with this uniquely fresh and unconventional little disciple.
Having overseen the Illusion Trial for many years, he had seen plenty of iron-willed cultivators, with Qi Yexin being among the best. But someone like Shu Fu, bursting with energy and vitality, cursing the moment she awoke, was a first in hundreds of years. It wasn't something an ordinary person would do.
That little disciple of Tan Hua's truly was one of a kind.
Speaking of which, what exactly did she see in the illusion? And why did she say "idiotic"?
The Sect Master was very confused.
"My god, the aftereffects are really strong!"
Rubbing her throbbing, needle-prick-like forehead, Shu Fu staggered to her feet. Before she could even steady herself, she saw two figures pounce from left and right, nearly squishing her into a sandwich cookie.
"Junior Sister, are you alright?"
"Little Junior Sister, does your head hurt? Are you feeling unwell? Want some oysters? Or octopus?"
Shu Fu: "Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch! Gently, gently! You're going to smother me!"
Who would have thought she'd have a day like this, trapped front and back by two men, unable to move. Perhaps this was the legendary 'left and right are men,' a situation where every move is 'man'-aged.
Struggling in this 'left and right are men' predicament, Shu Fu managed to poke out half her head and one arm, thumping her merman senior brother's back: "Third Senior Brother, Third Senior Brother! Let me go! I'm not as flexible-limbed as an octopus; you'll crush me!"
Si Fei quickly released her, carefully stepping back two paces, his beautiful glass-like eyes blinking. "Little Junior Sister, are you really okay?"
"..."
Shu Fu scrutinized their expressions, a flicker of suspicion rising in her heart. "Do you think... I should be unwell?"
Although the illusion was terrifying, the real terror lay only in the awkwardness. It shouldn't warrant them acting as if facing a great enemy.
Could it be that her illusion seemed so idiotic not because of the illusion's design, but because of her?
Were the illusions of normal people actually not like this?
Shu Fu pondered briefly and decided it was better not to delve deeper. There are always some things in the world where ignorance is bliss.
But there was another question she absolutely had to get to the bottom of: "Could everyone see what happened in that illusion?"
Si Fei shook his head blankly. "No. The Sect Master's Illusion Trial has never been made public to anyone. He says it's to protect privacy."
"Indeed."
Liu Ruyi corrected him, then gently stroked the hair of Shu Fu and Si Fei like a kind older sister. "But in my opinion, you two little ones don't have any shameful desires in your minds. Even if someone saw, it wouldn't be a big deal."
Shu Fu: "..."
Sorry, Senior Brother. Before today, I didn't know my inner world was so... wild.
I am no longer pure. (jpg)
After Shu Fu, several other cultivators struggled to awaken from their illusions, all appearing dazed, lost in thought, with some even silently shedding tears.
Clearly, their illusions had nothing to do with awkwardness. The awkward one was her alone.
Shu Fu took it all in, but adhering to the principle of "plop the butt down, flip the legs up, worldly matters are none of my concern," she pretended not to see anything.
So what if it was awkward?
No one else saw it?
Then it never happened.
Oh yeah!
Soon, Bai Tian and Ye Shusheng also awoke one after another, sitting up groggily and rubbing their heads.
From their conversation, Shu Fu learned that one saw himself achieving great success, becoming a grandmaster of his generation; the other saw his mother living out her years in peace and comfort, while he himself had a legitimate Daoist partner, secured through proper courtship and marriage, who had been in a stable relationship with him for three years. This partner looked exactly like the fox demon he had parted ways with unhappily years ago, and the two were in perfect harmony, treating each other with respect and courtesy.
As for how they broke free...
Bai Tian: "Actually, in the illusion, seeing everyone praise and flatter me, I was very happy inside. But, I remembered my past mistakes and felt I didn't deserve it, so I retreated to live in seclusion in the mountains and forests alone."
Ye Shusheng: "I was almost deceived at first. But I remembered the fox demon splashing mud in my face. I asked her if she remembered, and she said, 'What nonsense? We've always had good feelings.' Then she wanted to... perform the rites of husband and wife with me. I realized something was wrong. In my panic, I shouted, 'You're not the one I'm looking for! Don't come any closer!' and then drew my sword and slit my own throat. By the way, how did I pass?"
Shu Fu: "..."
You are not only a gentleman but also a once-in-a-millennium paragon of chastity and fierce loyalty.
If the fox demon knew, she would probably be overjoyed.
An hour passed in the blink of an eye. Just as Qi Yexin had predicted, among the nearly hundred examinees, those who passed were as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns, barely over twenty including Shu Fu. Even that spirited and capable young woman, Yao Huang, remained trapped in her illusion with a troubled expression until the very last moment before she painfully opened her eyes.
Another person Shu Fu kept an eye on was Qi Yuxuan.
After three days of emergency treatment, Qi Yuxuan had arduously regained some basic self-care abilities—at least he could eat and use the toilet by himself without needing someone to undo his belt. However, his serious injuries were not yet healed. His face was unrecognizable, covered in charred, dead skin that hadn't shed, and his limbs were stiff as four wooden clubs. At first glance, he looked like a lightning-struck tree stump. For this trial, he had been helped up by his lackeys, including Fang Han.
Now, Fang Wanqing had fallen in the first test, his lackeys were all passed out like dead dogs, and only Qi Yuxuan was still putting up a desperate resistance.
Watching from afar, Shu Fu saw him frowning in pain one moment and smiling contentedly the next. She couldn't help but be curious: What kind of beautiful dream was this barbeque pork bun male lead having right now?
In fact, Qi Yuxuan was indeed having a beautiful dream.
What he saw in the illusion was none other than the original plot of "Weak Water Three Thousand."
In the original story, he was a heaven-defying Son of Destiny who dominated his era. Not only was he a rare, heaven-endowed genius with few rivals, but he was also loved by all and adored by flowers. Every day, a veritable regiment of female supporting characters would vie for his favor, creating a scene as lively as a harem drama.
Amidst this dazzling array of beauties, Fang Wanqing was his soulmate, the red rose who understood his heart, while Jiang Ruoshui was his love-hate rival, the white rose of bickering affection. Both were indispensable, a red rose and a white rose he couldn't do without.
Of course, in the illusion, Qi Yuxuan remained unaware of Fang Wanqing's malicious intentions and never fell out with her. Instead, he wavered between her and Jiang Ruoshui, trying to have his cake and eat it too, ultimately achieving a perfect "threesome" ending.
At the same time, he also inherited the mantle of his master, Master Jinghai, first taking charge of Tianji Peak, and then, with his master's support, smoothly ascended to become the next generation leader of the Jiuhua Sect.
Thus, if one were to line up everyone's fantasy worlds, Qi Yuxuan would probably proudly claim the top spot in the "You Must Be Dreaming" rankings.
For a period of time, he genuinely fell for the trick of this illusion, becoming deeply immersed and reluctant to leave, wholeheartedly believing this was his true life's journey.
However, just like Ye Shusheng, when the "Jiang Ruoshui" within the illusion gazed at him with tender affection, a powerful sense of dissonance suddenly arose in his heart.
He always felt that Jiang Ruoshui shouldn't look at him with that kind of gaze.
Jiang Ruoshui's gaze should be more disdainful, cold, and contemptuous, capable of chilling a person to the bone with a single glance, as if looking at trash...
Trash...
In that flash of insight, under the immense psychological shadow cast by Shu Fu, Qi Yuxuan abruptly regained his clarity—that's right, Jiang Ruoshui does see me as trash!
In that very instant, Qi Yuxuan felt as if enlightened, a tempest raging in his mind, the hazy mist instantly swept away.
The moment he realized he was in a dream and everything was merely an illusion, he drew his sword without the slightest hesitation, and then—
Swish, swish—with two strokes of his sword, he stabbed to death both the "Jiang Ruoshui" and the "Fang Wanqing" who had been fawning over him in every way.
Just like the original story where Master Qi slew the "seductress," he raised his sword and brought it down, the sharp blade piercing their hearts without a moment's pause or hesitation.
"......"
Then, Qi Yuxuan jolted awake from the illusion.
The moment he awoke, the pleasing and beautiful phantoms receded. Pain from every limb and joint, along with the cold, hard reality, surged into his heart like a tidal wave, instantly drowning the last flicker of lingering joy within his chest.
"It was... it was a dream."
Qi Yuxuan stared blankly, muttering to himself in a hoarse voice.
How could it be a dream?
In the dream, it was clearly him—it should have been him—who led the pack and came out on top in the entrance trial. Under the admiring and envious gazes of the crowd, he passed through the Path of Ascension, becoming Master Jinghai's personal disciple, a rising star in the cultivation world.
That should have been his first time distinguishing himself in the Jiuhua Sect, the beginning of his glorious future life.
So why was he now lying on the ground, wrapped in charred remains, wracked with pain, ignored by everyone, and even enduring scornful glances from all directions? Why did everyone look at him as if he were trash?
What on earth had happened during these three days he was unconscious?
Wanqing... Why had Wanqing failed the selection, and was almost disfigured? Why was she so secretive, just crying incessantly every day, refusing to tell him a single word?
Just as Qi Yuxuan was utterly perplexed and his head was splitting with pain, he heard a drawn-out "Time's up." The mist shrouding everyone's consciousness vanished instantly. Aside from those who had passed the trial, everyone else opened their eyes one after another in confusion.
"What? What's going on?"
"I... Who am I? Where did I come from, and where am I going?"
"The manual, my manual! My cultivation manual! Give it back! I found that at the bottom of a cliff!"
"My newly tamed ancient divine beast, a massive Bai Ze divine beast this big!"
"......"
Amidst the clamor and chaos, Qi Yuxuan saw clearly—
Shu Fu, her robes fluttering in the wind, a long sword strapped to her back, her demeanor heroic and free, bathed in the bright mountain-top sunlight and brilliant clouds, was the first to step onto that ladder of clouds symbolizing the path of immortality.
The entrance all examinees dreamed of—the Path of Ascension.
"Wait... Wait a second!"
For some reason, the moment he witnessed that scene, Qi Yuxuan felt a sharp pang in his chest and involuntarily cried out, "Why? Jiang Ruoshui, why is it you?"
It shouldn't be!
In the illusion, in his subconscious intuition, that should have been his position!
The admired pride of heaven, the dark horse who astonished everyone with a single brilliant feat—how could it have become Jiang Ruoshui, who begged pitifully for his favor?
"Hmm?"
Hearing the call, Shu Fu turned her head, a nearly gentle smile gracing her face. "Young Master Qi, you called me?"
Qi Yuxuan was momentarily stunned, involuntarily recalling the scene from the illusion. "Jiang Ruoshui, you... No, you shouldn't be like this..."
However, the next second, Shu Fu spoke up in a soft, gentle tone, "I say, Young Master Qi, still not sobered up? I told you earlier, if only you'd had a couple of peanuts to go with it, you wouldn't have gotten this drunk."
"Since you're awake now, open your dog eyes wide and see clearly—though you're pretty much blind already, you should still be able to make out this scene."
Beaming with satisfaction, she enunciated each word softly and deliberately:
"From one end of the street to the other, your daddy will always be your daddy."
"From now on, mind your own business, keep your whole family tucked away, and don't come trying to challenge me out of your league. Keys cost ten coppers to copy. Take a look at yourself—are you worth it?"
