socalfunplaces Chapter 133 That damned, wondrous illusion dares to intimidate me!
Chapter 133 That damned, wondrous illusion dares to intimidate me!
Chapter 133 That damned, wondrous illusion dares to intimidate me!
As soon as Jin Kui finished speaking, streaks of light rushed into the teleportation array, disappearing into the array's radiance in the blink of an eye. They didn't even bother to say hello, as if listening to even half a word of nonsense was torture. Jin Kui was not annoyed by this, standing with his hands behind his back, his expression as calm as still water.
Which Nascent Soul cultivator doesn't have a temper? This time, having been tricked, it wouldn't be surprising if someone were to risk losing the Void Heaven Cauldron and tear off all pretenses to fight him.
Even if that were the case, he would not be afraid at all. As the Grand Elder of the Star Palace, he was only one step away from the late Nascent Soul stage. This confidence was enough for him to look down on everyone present.
After all the cultivators from both the righteous and demonic paths had disappeared into the teleportation array, he finally turned his gaze to Russell and the others who were still standing in the same spot.
"What advice does the Grand Elder have?" Russell turned to Jin Kui and spoke first.
Jin Kui stood with his hands behind his back and slowly said, "I dare not offer any guidance, but I have a word to give to Fellow Daoist Luo. Right now, the conflict between the righteous and the demonic forces has caused chaos in the Chaotic Star Sea. Neither side is benevolent. Fellow Daoist, you should sever ties with these traitors as soon as possible to avoid harming others and yourself, and also to prevent the Free and Unfettered Heavenly Palace from being plotted against."
Russell merely chuckled and replied, "There's no need for the Grand Elder to trouble himself with that. Compared to the battles between the righteous and demonic paths, I still think the Star Palace's schemes are more worthy of our attention. What do you think, Grand Elder?"
Upon hearing this, an elder from the Star Palace behind Jin Kui immediately changed his expression and stepped forward, shouting sternly, "How dare you! You brat!" Jin Kui raised his hand and interrupted the elder's cursing. The elder initially wanted to say something more, but when he met Jin Kui's indifferent gaze, he could only shut his mouth awkwardly, bowed, and took two steps back. However, his gaze toward Russell remained unfriendly.
Jin Kui withdrew his hand, his face still calm and composed: "Although the Star Palace's actions were driven by selfish motives and were not righteous, from a broader perspective, they were ultimately for the benefit of the entire Chaotic Star Sea. I'm sure Fellow Daoist Luo understands the reasoning behind this."
"The big picture—" Russell chewed on these two words, a half-smile curving his lips. Without saying anything more, he took the lead and stepped into the light of the teleportation array as his clothes fluttered. Han Li and the others followed closely behind and disappeared into the array in the blink of an eye, leaving only the gradually dissipating spiritual light shimmering in the air.
"Elder!" The Star Palace Elder finally couldn't hold back any longer and stepped forward, saying urgently, "This subordinate observes that this brat surnamed Luo doesn't take our Star Palace seriously at all, and now he's mingled with the demonic path. Who knows if he won't become a threat in the future! In my opinion, it's best to make plans as soon as possible."
"No rush." Jin Kui interrupted him again, his gaze still fixed on the gradually dissipating light of the teleportation array: "It's normal for someone so young to have advanced to the Nascent Soul stage to be a little arrogant. And there's the Free and Unfettered Heavenly Palace behind him. Let's see if we can win them over. If not, then we can deal with it later."
The Star Palace elder was taken aback, then his attitude immediately changed. He cupped his hands and bowed, saying, "It was my shallow thinking. The Grand Elder's insight is profound."
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[Chat Group Channel]
Russell: "Speaking of which, what's the workaholic's attitude towards the Star Palace?"
Because everyone was dispersed to different locations after entering the teleportation array, Russell had no choice but to ask from inside the teleportation array.
Xu Qi'an: "You probably want to ask about the model worker's attitude towards Ling Yuling, right?"
Having already passed through the passage and arrived in front of the Ancient Treasure Pavilion, Han Li smiled helplessly and said, "Ning Yan, please don't joke. I am not someone who is blinded by lust. As for the Star Palace, I am only interested in the Yuan Magnetic Divine Mountain."
He didn't really care that the Yuan Magnetic Divine Light could overcome all the Five Elements techniques in the world. Magnetic energy generates electricity, and as one of the four fundamental forces of the universe, he was determined to obtain it.
Han Li: "But there's no rush. Yuan Magnetic Divine Mountain is currently under the control of the two Heavenly Saints, and they only have a few hundred years of lifespan left. There's no need for Fellow Daoist Luo to fight them for this. Once their lifespan is over, I, Han, will go to the Star Palace to retrieve it."
Russell: "It's not too much trouble. Actually, I still need to find the Six Paths later. Finding one or three is the same as finding them."
This puzzled Han Li. How could Liu Dao have offended Russell? Could it be related to what happened in the Ice and Fire Path?
Han Li: "The Six Paths have also come to the Void Heaven Palace?"
Russell: "No, it's just that Mrs. Wen made a deal with me."
Han Li: "
Xiao Yan: "Lust makes you lose your mind, Russell."
Xu Qi'an: "Russell, you value romance over friendship!"
Lu Mingfei: "Brother Luo isn't planning to sweep up all the beauties of the mortal world, is he?"
Ye Fan: "Fei Zai's vision is still too limited. Brother Luo is going to become the man who stands at the top of the Hehuan Path."
Ye Fan: "@Russell, don't worry, I'll find you the Goddess Furnace to help you reach even greater heights."
Bertrand Russell:
After passing through the deep, mist-shrouded passage, an ordinary square exit appeared before Russell's eyes.
Looking through the exit, the sky was a dark yellow, devoid of sun, moon, stars, or clouds. Only a deathly, gloomy yellow enveloped everything. There was no sign of any living creature in this world; the silence was almost eerie.
A long white jade bridge, carved entirely from mutton-fat white jade, spans the void, connecting another space. The bridge is lustrous and radiant, appearing particularly striking in this desolate world.
Russell stepped onto the long bridge, the white jade beneath his feet warm and smooth, each step creating subtle ripples of spiritual light.
As you walk to the end of the bridge, a pavilion comes into view.
The pavilion floated in the void, carved entirely from beautiful jade. It had two stories and shimmered in the dim light of the sky, like a legendary celestial palace.
The eaves of the pavilion at its four corners let down wisps of spiritual light, and above the main entrance hangs a large golden plaque with the three ancient seal characters "Baoguang Pavilion".
We've ended up here.
Russell continued walking, pushing open the door and entering. The space inside the pavilion was much larger than it appeared from the outside. One after another, hemispherical pale white restrictions floated in mid-air, like transparent bubbles. Beneath each restriction, a magical artifact silently floated: a flying sword, a precious mirror, a bronze bell, a jade seal, each with a different shape and shimmering with precious light.
A rough count revealed that there were dozens of items.
Russell looked around with satisfaction. "Very good, they're all mine."
Although these magical treasures are not very useful to him, they are more than enough to give to Mu Wanqing and Kumārajīva.
According to the rules of the Void Heaven Palace, each person who enters the Treasure Light Pavilion can only unlock one restriction, take one magic treasure, and then be forcibly teleported away.
But Russell had read the original work.
One hour later.
Russell stood contentedly in the empty Baoguang Pavilion, patting the dust off his hands.
Yes, not a single item left, I'll pack them all up and take them all with me.
The next moment, the power of teleportation descended, forcibly sending him away. Light flowed before his eyes, and when his vision cleared again, Russell found himself on an open-air corridor.
This magnificent corridor stretches endlessly into the distance, its end unknown. Carved railings and jade steps, flying eaves and brackets, each pillar is adorned with lifelike carvings of mythical birds and beasts. Beyond the corridor, white clouds drift and cranes spread their wings, with jade pavilions and terraces faintly visible amidst the mist, resembling a celestial paradise.
This is the entrance to the Wonderful Illusionary Realm, which is also known as a simplified version of the Nascent Soul Heart Demon.
Looking into the distance, Russell couldn't help but feel a surge of interest. He really wanted to challenge his own weakness and see what his inner demons were.
Step out.
The corridor begins to transform.
Melodious music, seemingly from nowhere, rose up, melodious and captivating.
Amidst the churning white clouds, the cranes that had been flapping their wings suddenly flew down to both sides of the corridor and transformed into young girls dressed in various palace gowns.
These girls, in their late teens, had graceful and slender figures, and skin so fair and tender it seemed like you could squeeze water out of it.
Their eyes were filled with affection, their cherry lips were slightly parted, and they made all sorts of provocative gestures. The light gauze slipped off their shoulders, revealing their rounded shoulders, and their skirts swayed in the wind, vaguely revealing their slender legs. The main theme was to create an alluring and elusive effect.
Russell raised an eyebrow.
Hmm—how should I put it, this illusion is quite sophisticated.
With a spirit of learning and a critical attitude, he stood still and watched the entire dance from beginning to end, planning to have Wanqing learn it when he returned to Tianlong and then perform it for him.
After the dance ended, Russell continued his journey, completely satisfied.
After walking about ten zhang (approximately 33 meters), the scenery changed again.
This time, Russell was dazzled and overwhelmed by the sheer variety of the exhibits.
A variety of beauties, from plump to slender, young to old, appeared one after another.
Some were as pure as lotuses emerging from water, some as alluring as peonies in full bloom, some as aloof as plum blossoms in the snow, and some as charming as girls next door. They surrounded Russell, making all sorts of seductive gestures, singing or dancing, frowning or laughing. Every glance was captivating, and every movement was mesmerizing.
However, Russell was now completely unfazed. He strode across the distance, taking two steps at a time. Occasionally, when he caught a glimpse of a particularly beautiful figure, he would simply nod slightly in appreciation, without stopping his feet.
An hour later, Russell finally arrived at the end of the corridor.
Before me stood a flat-roofed, black hall, completely dark and devoid of any light, eerily and oppressively so. It stood silently at the end of the corridor, like a sleeping behemoth, its deep, dark eyes wide open, waiting for its prey to walk into its trap.
This is the final level of the wondrous illusion, directly addressing the deepest regrets of the challenger's past.
In the original story, Han Li saw his older self and his married younger sister here. He had neither the ambition of Han Li nor the concern of his parents and relatives, so he was very curious about what he would see next.
He stepped forward, and with each step, the scenery before him changed abruptly.
Everything disappeared, the darkness receded like the tide, and in its place was a bright and clean classroom.
Sunlight streamed through the glass windows, casting dappled shadows on the desks. The blackboard was covered with dense writing, and the teacher was lecturing with chalk on the podium. Familiar classmates were around him; some were listening attentively, some were secretly playing on their phones, some were quietly passing notes, and some were sleeping on their desks.
Russell looked down and realized he was wearing his school uniform and sitting in his old high school seat.
"Your mom—"
He was speechless for a moment.
Why is his fantasy like this? Where are his club models? Where are his fairy maidens in costume?
Although everyone says they miss high school life, who would actually want to go back to high school?
The endless exams, the never-ending homework, the suffocating atmosphere, the agony of waking up early every day—
"Russell, answer this question."
On the podium, the teacher's buzzing electronic voice came from the little buzzer hanging around his neck, and the next moment, all the students' eyes fell on him.
The voice was so familiar that Russell instinctively wanted to stand up.
He rubbed his temples.
【Word of Power: Monarch's Flame】
There is no wind-up animation; it's an instant burst.
The intense flames instantly filled the entire classroom, with raging flames, towering heat waves, shattered glass, burned desks and chairs, and melted walls!
The moment the explosion occurred, the entire school was blown into the sky.
Russell stood amidst the sea of fire, his school uniform reduced to ashes, and donned a new blue robe. He gazed at the collapsing illusion before him and exhaled a long breath.
comfortable.
Well, how can this not make up for his regret of never having bombed a school before?
After leaving the illusion, they hadn't gone far when a giant tower appeared before them.
This towering pagoda is enormous, reaching into the clouds. It is constructed entirely of massive blue stones and consists of five stories. The pagoda is enveloped in a pale white light, exuding an ancient and majestic aura.
Qing Yi and the other Nascent Soul cultivators were already sitting cross-legged in front of the tower, motionless. When they sensed Russell's arrival, they all opened their eyes slightly and nodded in acknowledgment.
Russell didn't say much, found an open space to sit down, and waited quietly.
After about two or three incense sticks' worth of time, Xiao Yan, Han Li, and Xu Qi'an all came out one after another. Except for Xiao Yan's strange expression, the other two didn't change much.
Given their cultivation and temperament, it's not surprising that Russell was able to pass through the wondrous illusion.
Why are Xiao Yan's expressions so varied?
Russell looked on with curiosity: "What did you see in the illusion?"
Xiao Yan's expression was extremely relaxed: "It's just about those three years when my Dou Qi disappeared, nothing serious."
"Then why do you have that expression?" Russell was even more puzzled. Shouldn't Xiao Yan have let go of this matter long ago?
Xiao Yan shrugged, didn't answer, and made a shushing gesture.
[Chat Group Channel]
[Russell and Xiao Yan's private chat room]
Xiao Yan: "It wasn't me, it was the teacher."
Russell: "Old Yao?"
Xiao Yan: "Yeah, it seems like my teacher and I are considered to be in the same hero unit, so we share the same environment."
Russell: "So? You saw the illusion created by the old apothecary?"
Xiao Yan: "BING0!"
Within minutes, Xiao Yan explained the whole story to Russell.
In the final stage of the wondrous illusion, Yao Lao and he arrived at the Fallen God Ice Plains of the Dou Qi Continent, where they learned about what happened when they devoured the Bone Spirit Cold Flame, such as Han Shanshan's sacrifice to obtain the Medicine Emperor's help, and how she has now become a part of the River of Time, with her soul imprinted in the Bone Spirit Cold Flame.
Russell suddenly realized that this was a story from "Battle Through the Heavens: The Legend of Yao Lao," but he hadn't read the book and had only seen these clips on Douyin, so he hadn't uploaded any related materials.
My apologies, I completely forgot about such an important matter.
Xiao Yan: "After we came out of the illusion, the teacher hasn't said a word."
It's normal; anyone who suddenly learns such a heartbreaking truth needs time to process it.
A while later, Zi Ling and Yuan Yao also emerged from the teleportation array. After they came out, a violent tremor suddenly came from the ground, and the huge stone door of the inner hall slowly rose, revealing the blue stone passage inside.
At the same moment, the teleportation array, which had been flashing a faint white light, suddenly lost its luster and became completely silent.
"Haha, good! Those guys from the Star Palace have pulled a lot of stunts, but it seems they really aren't coming to the inner palace." Seeing that Jin Kui hadn't appeared yet, the bearded man finally relaxed, looked at Wan Tianming to the side, and revealed his white teeth: "Wan, let's have a proper contest. The loser doesn't get into the inner palace, what do you say?"
"Not good at all." Wan Tianming sneered, "You barbarian, you're about to take the cauldron, why don't you save your energy? What does it matter if you can get into the inner hall or not? What's really important is whether you can take out the Void Heaven Cauldron."
Upon hearing this, the barbarian bearded man said no more. Over the past ten thousand years, countless Nascent Soul cultivators have coveted the Void Heaven Cauldron, but all have returned empty-handed.
Just as Wan Tianming said, with this strength, it would be better to keep it to retrieve the cauldron.
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