CHAPTER 73: CHAPTER 72 THIS SCRIPT SEEMS... OFF TRACK

What’s this, a sudden chill down my spine?

Wu Wang glanced at Ling Xiaolan, then at Miao Cuijiao on his other side. Although he definitely sensed a slight stir in the emotions of the male cultivators in the hall, he didn’t think he was doing anything wrong. Ling Xiaolan is a good friend, and Miao Cuijiao is my subordinate. What’s wrong with them sitting beside me? Is it indecent or an eyesore? If they don’t like it, they can just suck it up. When Ji Mo arrives, he can sit with us too. We can all drink and chat together. Why bother with what others think?

「At this very moment, in a corner of the grand hall.」

The young master of the Ji Family, who had just arrived, glanced towards Wu Wang’s group. He silently covered his face with his hand and moved to an even more secluded spot, all the while transmitting his admiration to his two accompanying aunts, "Brother Xiong is truly a paragon for our generation, a true role model!"

The two Ji Family ladies, who had once visited the Women’s Country, exchanged a look. They laughed until they swayed like blossoming branches, even starting a voice-transmitted debate about whether Fairy Ling or the demoness Miao was a better match for Wu Wang.

Transmitting one’s voice discreetly was basic etiquette in public.

Wu Wang leaned back slightly, his hands resting on the soft cushion behind him.

Ling Xiaolan transmitted her voice, "Brother Xiong, what’s going on here?"

"Call me by my Daoist title," Wu Wang transmitted back with a smile. "The reasons are quite complicated. I’m now the Sect Master of this sect."

"Sect..." Ling Xiaolan’s almond-shaped eyes widened, her elegant brows furrowing ever deeper.

Suppressing the unease in her heart, she leaned as close to Wu Wang as possible, as if sharing a secret, and transmitted to him, "If you’re being coerced, just blink."

Wu Wang opened his eyes as wide as brass bells.

Ling Xiaolan continued, "As far as I know, there will be an Illusionary Realm trial after the meal. The younger generation will enter it. Let’s go in together, and we can talk in detail later."

"What’s wrong?" Wu Wang transmitted, reminding her, "You mustn’t harbor prejudices based on sect affiliations. In the Human Domain, the Immortal Dao and Demon Path merely differ in their acceptance of pure and impure energies. We are all Human Domain cultivators."

Ling Xiaolan frowned slightly but said no more, seemingly intending to wait until the Illusionary Realm trial to speak further.

Nearby, the Grand Elder glanced at Elder Miao, his eyes carrying a hint of sternness.

Miao Cuijiao shrugged her delicate shoulders, stood up, and swapped seats with a male disciple who had accompanied them.

The gazes focused on Wu Wang gradually dispersed.

「Just then!」

Suddenly, the sound of several drumbeats echoed, followed by waves of music. An elder in a blue robe with a portly, prosperous-looking face appeared at the hall entrance. He continuously cupped his hands in greeting to those around as he briskly walked to the high platform.

This elder announced his affiliation: he was the Pavilion Master of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion.

After just a few words, the Pavilion Master declared, "Fellow Daoists, esteemed colleagues! His Majesty the Human Emperor has decreed that today, before the grand banquet, we shall first allow the talented young cultivators from every family to enter the Illusionary Realm for a trial! This trial is simple. Participants only need to stay within the Illusionary Realm for a few hours. If anyone can find His Majesty the Human Emperor’s figure within the Illusionary Realm, they will receive a tremendous opportunity! There isn’t just one such opportunity; all you talented individuals should search diligently."

With that, the Pavilion Master of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion swirled his robes. Behind him on the high platform, a spiritual energy vortex, ten zhang in diameter, appeared. Within it, a White Jade Gate materialized.

The Pavilion Master of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion surveyed the hall with a smile and said, "To give the younger ones with lower cultivation more chances, let those with the lowest cultivation levels enter first."

As soon as he finished speaking, a number of young cultivators stood up. The minimum cultivation level was Golden Core Realm, and there were only four or five such individuals.

Wu Wang did not stand. He pondered for a moment and instantly made his decision. The various concealment magic treasures I’m wearing are mainly to hide the Yan Emperor Order, the Dao of Stars, and my Star God’s bloodline. There’s no need to lie about my superficial ’Immortal Dao’ cultivation level. There are at least a dozen Transcendent-rank masters and hundreds of Heavenly Immortal Realm experts present. Moreover, this Pavilion Master of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion is unfathomably profound. I simply lack the capability or circumstances to lie. I’ll just enter according to the precedence of a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator.

Wu Wang straightened his ’Sect Master’ robe, turned his head to whisper a few instructions, and then stood up simultaneously with two of his disciples.

Ling Xiaolan rose gracefully, calmly retrieved her rush cushion, and advised, "We’ll depart together shortly. If we get separated after entering, try to find each other as quickly as possible. This trial was ordered by His Majesty the Human Emperor. It can trap people but not harm them. Still, we should be careful."

Wu Wang nodded with a smile, though that was all he could do.

Could he tell her that the Illusionary Realm he was about to enter would likely be different from everyone else’s? What awaited the others would likely be a path paved with Spirit Pills, miraculous elixirs, treasure ores, and magic treasures. What awaited him, however, was probably a kind-looking old grandfather... and his long wooden staff. Hmph! Who’s afraid of whom? Men of the Northern Wilderness never fear close combat!

One by one, young cultivators entered the Illusionary Realm with impressive speed. Before long, Wu Wang and his companions also ascended the platform.

A cultivator in front couldn’t help muttering, "Could there be spies from the Ten Evils Hall here?"

His companion chuckled. "With His Majesty the Human Emperor and so many eminent figures present, does the Ten Evils Hall think they have too many aces up their sleeve that they want to come here and squander them?"

"You’re right. It seems I was overthinking."

Wu Wang, however, couldn’t help but ponder further. The Ten Evil Gods behind the Ten Evils Hall never truly regarded the humans who sided with them as actual people. Causing trouble on an occasion like this might seem like a pointless waste of resources, but the Ten Evil Gods behind them might not care about these underlings. Even if it caused no actual harm to the Human Domain, the insult could be maximized.

Wu Wang had now reached the White Jade Gate. He glanced at the affably smiling Pavilion Master of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion but said nothing more. He needn’t attract unnecessary attention.

Suddenly, a familiar voice called out from the side, "Big Brother! Fairy Ling!"

Wu Wang turned to see Ji Mo, dressed in a flamboyant white robe, waving vigorously. That fellow was thoughtful. To avoid exposing Wu Wang’s identity by calling him ’Brother Xiong,’ he directly called him ’Big Brother.’

Just as Wu Wang was about to respond, Ji Mo’s voice transmission reached him, "Once inside, look for the barrier! Follow it to the bottom-right corner to regroup! I’ve gathered some people on my end!"

Wu Wang gave a thumbs-up, and his figure stepped through the White Jade Gate. His ’Sect Master’ robe billowed, his long hair danced, and he leaped into the Illusionary Realm with a flourish...

WHOOSH!

Heaven and Earth spun! The familiar streams of light and illusory figures appeared once more!

In the next instant, Wu Wang found himself beside a quiet stream, his feet solid on the ground. There wasn’t a single sign of life anywhere nearby.

Before he could even speak, he heard a WHOOSH from behind. Reacting instantly, he ducked, spun around, and saw the old man raising a staff to strike. With a roar, Wu Wang charged.

"Old... Senior! You old schemer!"

"Today, I’ll vent my daughter’s frustrations on you!"

"You’re the one who wants to breach the Heaven Palace and subdue the Hundred Races! Don’t force the next generation to do what you yourself cannot achieve!"

"Damn it! First a demoness of the Demon Path, then a saintess of the Immortal Dao! Have you come to my Human Domain to pick out consorts, you old rascal?"

"We’re just ordinary friends and have a normal professional relationship! OUCH! You’re hitting so hard! Transform!"

Beside the stream, two figures engaged in a fierce battle. For a time, fists and feet flew, and dust filled the air.

A short while later, Wu Wang sat by the stream, covered in lumps, his face bruised and swollen, arms crossed, sulking. Just you wait until I can beat you, old man!

The old man calmly stroked his half-remaining beard. The faint bloody marks on his shoulder quickly faded, and his black robe had been replaced by a golden one.

"The matter of the Golden Dragon wasn’t meant to set you up, nor was it to make you a target for powerful enemies from beyond the domain," Shen Nong said calmly. "Human hearts are fickle, and the Human Domain is not entirely united. They were originally just waiting for an old codger like me to pass away. Now that I’ve succeeded in extending my lifespan, they’ve naturally retreated into the shadows, hiding their wicked intentions. Simply announcing that a Golden Dragon will emerge in the Human Domain isn’t enough to deter them. Only by having you reveal your transformed state during a crisis will enough experts step forward to ensure your safety."

"Nice words," Wu Wang said, baring his teeth and sucking in a sharp breath of cold air. "You can use me as a shield, but I want to see Jingwei!"

"Alright, have a look," Shen Nong replied. He raised his hand and gently tapped the stream. Within it, a spiritual pool appeared, and inside, an orb of spirit wrapped in Immortal Light could be seen.

"The spirit nurturing method?" Wu Wang looked up at the old senior. "Why not the rebirth method?"

Shen Nong smiled. "If she were reborn, would she still be *her*?"

Wu Wang’s eyes lit up. "With the spirit nurturing method, will her memories be intact?"

"Naturally, they’ll be intact," Shen Nong chuckled, stroking his beard. He casually tossed a dark green stone to Wu Wang. "Take this and study it. It’s a fragment of the Gate of the Netherworld, and a Great Dao is sealed upon it."

"What else could it be? The Dao of Reincarnation, at most." Wu Wang said casually, his gaze fixed on the water’s surface.

Beside him, Shen Nong frowned slightly. He took out another stone of similar texture, examining it closely and muttering the word ’reincarnation’ repeatedly.

Wu Wang asked hurriedly, "How many more years until she can reconstruct her body?"

"Ah, probably... three hundred years."

"Three hundred?" Wu Wang sucked in another breath of cold air, then stared at the water’s surface and chuckled a few times. "My lifespan has increased now. Three hundred years it is! You must ensure she’s well-guarded, and it’s best if the guards don’t know who or what they’re protecting!"

Shen Nong gestured with his hand, and the image on the water’s surface quietly vanished.

"Let me look a little longer."

"It’s just an orb condensed from a spiritual thought. What’s there to stare at?"

"My little sphere, so fair and pretty."

"Hmph," Shen Nong said coldly. "You still haven’t explained about those two women..."

"That peculiar affliction," Wu Wang said, spreading his hands. "I have that ’peculiar affliction,’ what are you worried about, Elder?"

Shen Nong’s expression instantly changed from cloudy to clear. He even grinned, his eyes crinkling as he chuckled. "Hmph, so those Innate Gods do manage to do something good occasionally."

Wu Wang: ...

I’ll endure it. She’s not my wife yet.

Shen Nong sighed softly, picked up the wooden staff beside him, and tapped the pebbles by the stream. Instantly, a series of images appeared in the water.

It was a tranquil forest, surrounded by distant mountains on all sides. From this perspective, one could see many figures moving about, including Ling Xiaolan and the two disciples from the Annihilation Sect.

Shen Nong smiled and asked, "Are you finding your role as Sect Master agreeable?"

"It’s alright. Everyone is quite amiable," Wu Wang sighed. "Especially after I revealed the Golden Dragon matter to several Heavenly Immortal Realm elders. I wonder if that will cause any hidden problems."

"Oh?" Shen Nong raised an eyebrow but said nothing more.

Wu Wang watched the scenes below for a while, then asked, "So this is the Illusionary Realm trial?"

"Naturally," Shen Nong smiled calmly. Finding the stream’s surface too narrow, he casually waved his hand, conjuring a cloud of mist that condensed into a Cloud Mirror, which then rapidly displayed numerous scenes.

He pointed to one scene, smiling proudly. "Look here, formations upon formations. If one can break through these formations, they can pick a thousand-year-old Spirit Grass. There are over a thousand such spots arranged within."

Wu Wang stroked his chin and watched for a moment. The ’fierce horns’ on his head were finally starting to shrink. He calmly stated, "Outdated."

"How is it outdated?" Shen Nong glared and retorted, "It tests their intelligence, their temperament, their understanding of formations, and their own strength, all without harming them! How can such a trial be outdated?"

Wu Wang said calmly, "Elder, think about it. What is your ultimate goal for this trial? Is it just to hand out some Spirit Grass and Spirit Pills to everyone?"

Shen Nong stroked his beard. "Naturally, I want to see if there’s anyone among them who can truly impress me."

"With this kind of trial, can you truly gauge the upper limits of their talent? Can you force out their hidden potential?" Wu Wang’s face was full of disdain, clearly retaliating for the earlier beating, twisting a metaphorical knife in the old senior’s heart. "No wonder you’ve searched for so long and still haven’t found a suitable successor for the Human Emperor. You don’t even try to innovate, just keep using these old-fashioned trial methods. Sigh, my heart aches for the Human Domain!"

Dark lines appeared on Shen Nong’s forehead. He gritted his teeth. "Fine, you do it! If you can’t come up with a solution today, I’ll seal you up for three hundred years, then dig you out to marry my daughter!"

Goosebumps rose all over Wu Wang’s body. He gave a forced laugh. "Marriage is definitely on the cards, but there’s no need to seal me up. Elder, could you perhaps create a simple tactical sand table... yes, just spread out some cloud mist to form a tabletop... like that. Perfect. Elder, take a look."

"Let’s see what tricks you can pull!"

"Actually, it’s quite simple," Wu Wang said. "Elder, look at this Illusionary Realm. Letting them stay inside for a few hours just to pick herbs and collect magic treasures is far too simple. Why don’t we place everyone into the same ’stand or fall’ trial, add certain conditions, and let them fight it out until a single winner emerges? This winner would be a combination of strength, luck, connections, wisdom, and other factors. Perhaps such a person could truly impress you, Elder."

"Then, how should this trial be designed? Are you suggesting they fight each other, stopping just short of serious injury?"

"A chaotic melee is the worst approach. The strongest individuals would be targeted first, preventing their true intelligence and resourcefulness from shining through." Wu Wang continued, "Isn’t this an Illusionary Realm? You can manipulate anything inside it."

He casually drew two circles on the cloud platform before him.

"We can suppress everyone’s cultivation to the Condensation Establishment Realm, seal their storage magic treasures, and prohibit them from flying or burrowing into the ground. Then, we scatter them evenly across the area and set a time limit. When the time is up, the barrier will begin to shrink inwards. Those who fail to reach the inner circle will be directly teleported out of the Illusionary Realm, considered eliminated. Those who reach the inner circle can continue to survive there, awaiting the next contraction of the barrier. The barrier’s contraction doesn’t need to be uniform. Its center should shift constantly and randomly. This process must be decided by the person controlling the barrier with their eyes closed, to prevent any favoritism. This continues until the barrier is only three feet in diameter. The last person standing within it wins the grand prize. Others can be ranked according to their survival time and given rewards of different tiers. This trial shall be named—the Great Wilderness Survival Game."

"Somewhat interesting." Shen Nong squinted, smiling as he looked at the scenario on the cloud platform, clucking his tongue in amazement. He then asked, "The barrier must shrink slowly, and participants should be informed in advance which area will be the next safe zone."

"Correct. There should also be various other rules, which will need to be detailed gradually," Wu Wang said. "Just pick a Pavilion Master to oversee it. When the time comes, they can just announce the rules."

"No, no, no, they can’t do it. Someone will definitely show favoritism." Suddenly, Shen Nong raised his hand and clapped Wu Wang on the shoulder. POOF! Wu Wang’s form transformed into that of a white-haired old man.

Then, Shen Nong produced an Eight Trigrams Disk and thrust it into Wu Wang’s arms.

"Wang, my boy, you will be in charge of this trial."

"Me?" Wu Wang asked quietly. "Senior, shouldn’t I also be a participant in this trial? Have you perhaps misunderstood something about my age?"

"Hah, what would you be competing with them for?" Shen Nong chided with a laugh. "The most important rewards this time are just three untransformed Yan Emperor Orders."

Wu Wang: ...

So the Yan Emperor Order that absorbed a sliver of Spirit Light from the Annihilation Sect’s old Sect Master really *was* a transformed one!

A mysterious smile touched the corners of Shen Nong’s mouth as he whispered, "If you manage this trial well, I’ll expend some of my power to have Jingwei be born a hundred years sooner."

"Consider it done!" Wu Wang gripped the Eight Trigrams Disk tightly, his eyes gleaming with keen interest as he looked at the cloud platform.

My apologies, fellow prodigies of this era! It’s just that... why do I always feel like something’s not quite right? I have this nagging feeling I’ve been tricked by the old senior again.