Chapter 56: Daoist Venerable Tianqing, A First-Class Bandit, Floor Tiles…
“I still believe there was something wrong with the scenes in the illusion array,” Yun Wuxiang said to the Tower Spirit.
“Since you can manage the illusions, you should know what I saw on the level of Gluttony and Lust.”
Wealth, Lust, Fame, Gluttony, and Sloth. Aside from Sloth, every illusion involving people should be somewhat standard. Why was his lust represented by a flock of cross-dressing Song Yilous, and his gluttony by poisonous insects mixed with chopped-up pieces of Song Yilou? Was this desire, or a horror movie?
Who would find their deepest desires to be nothing but terrifying and absurd?
【This One could have looked, but chose not to. There are many humans and demons who enter the tower, but very few question the illusion immediately after entering.】 The Tower Spirit stuck to its guns: 【There is no problem with the formation; the problem is you!】
Yun Wuxiang stopped arguing about this issue with the Spirit. “Do you know where the other array eyes are?”
【This One does not know what you are talking about.】
The Tower Spirit answered quickly—too quickly. It made Yun Wuxiang suspicious. The entire Secret Realm was constructed of formations, and this tower was packed with them. The Tower Spirit itself was an array eye; how could it know nothing?
“Then do you recognize Daoist Venerable Tianqing?” The original owner of this tower was a Daoist Venerable, and since Daoist Venerable Tianqing knew of this Secret Realm, the probability of them knowing each other was high. Even if they weren’t close, as fellow Daoist Venerables, they should know of one another.
The Tower Spirit indeed knew Daoist Venerable Tianqing, and the impression was deep: 【What is your relationship with that bandit?】
“Bandit?” What had Daoist Venerable Tianqing done to earn such a title?
【My new Master, does the tower look empty to you?】
The main body of the Tower Spirit was called the Seven Illusions Lightning Locking Tower.
With the Tower Spirit’s approval, Yun Wuxiang took control of the small tower very quickly. Or rather, the Tower Spirit actively opened the door to accept him.
The reason the Antler Demon had failed to refine the core tower for so long was that she hadn’t reached the end through the proper procedures. The Tower Spirit didn’t acknowledge her and refused to open the door. Her attempt to force her way in naturally resulted in slow progress.
After controlling the tower’s core, everything within naturally appeared in Yun Wuxiang’s perception.
“Inside the tower… the field of vision is wide,” Yun Wuxiang could only manage these words.
This was a euphemism. To put it nicely, it was spacious. To put it bluntly, it was bare walls… It really looked like a roughcast building where they ran out of money after the basic structure was done and gave up on decoration.
And listening to the Tower Spirit’s tone…
Yun Wuxiang asked, “Did Daoist Venerable Tianqing rob this place?”
【Heh heh heh heh…】 A string of sarcastic laughter explained everything. 【Look at the formations here again. Didn’t you find them extremely simple as you walked through?】
How were the formations? They were shocking.
Profound, exquisite, simple—all kinds of formations gathered together, blooming like a hundred flowers. It was like a massive museum of formations, housing top-tier arrays from ancient times to the present.
No matter how rough the tower looked, if these formations were revealed, it would instantly become resplendent and magnificent.
However, all these formations had a gap—a missing piece of the array pattern that prevented them from operating smoothly. Yet, they hadn’t dissipated or collapsed, remaining in this state for unknown years.
“How did Daoist Venerable Tianqing do this?” Yun Wuxiang couldn’t see through Tianqing’s technique. To damage just one corner so the formation’s power remained but couldn’t be triggered—could Daoist Venerable Tianqing also be a master of formations?
【She cheated! Relying on her high cultivation to act willfully. My Master was unparalleled in the way of formations. Even among fellow Daoist Venerables, no one could crack his formations head-on.】
【Originally, the tower was filled with rare treasures. Anyone who cracked a formation would receive a reward. But all of that was gone back in the ancient era. My new Master, do you know why?】
Because they were looted by Daoist Venerable Tianqing.
Yun Wuxiang: “Did your old master not fight with Daoist Venerable Tianqing?”
【No.】 The Tower Spirit’s voice dropped significantly. 【My old master was Daoist Venerable Mishu, the one with the best temper among the Venerables. That bastard Tianqing relied on my Master’s magnanimity and dislike of haggling with rascals to constantly come over and rob us.】
【But every time she robbed us, she would return even more treasures, and she would bring This One Hongmeng Water Jade. That was delicious. Seeing her sincerity, This One couldn’t help but forgive her.】
Yun Wuxiang seemed to hear the sound of slurping drool.
【But what she did the last time was too excessive! How could she dig up the wall tiles and floor tiles? As a dignified Daoist Venerable, was she lacking a floor tile? She did it on purpose!】
Yun Wuxiang looked down at his feet. The ground seemed cut from a single massive stone, without a seam in sight—and indeed, no floor tiles.
So Daoist Venerable Tianqing never returned after that heist, and Daoist Venerable Mishu likely didn’t either.
If either Tianqing or Mishu were still in this world, they wouldn’t have left this tower as a roughcast shell for so many years, nor left the formations unrestored.
【What exactly is your relationship with Daoist Venerable Tianqing? She still owes me a Chaos Water Jade the size of a millstone!】
Yun Wuxiang looked down at the small tower. “Actually, I only met Daoist Venerable Tianqing recently. The first time we met, she said she wanted to take me as her closed-door disciple, asked me to develop the Qingdi Temple into the number one sect in the Immortal Realm, and then threw me into this Secret Realm.”
He wasn’t close to Tianqing and refused to inherit any debts she owed.
【Unreasonable and incorrigible. You have definitely met her.】 A puff of blue-purple smoke rose from the small tower in his hand, forming into a small doll wearing a large blue-purple Daoist robe, tilting its head to look at Yun Wuxiang.
White hair, red eyes, quiet and ethereal like mist over an abyss, with dangerous red glints hidden within the fog.
The Tower Spirit had secretly observed Yun Wuxiang long ago. The first time it saw this new master, it almost mistook him for a Demon Lord like that Antler Sky Demon. It was relieved that a powerful demon had finally arrived, but upon closer inspection, it realized he was a True Demon.
The cultivation of a True Demon, but the aura of a Demon Lord. This was exactly the type Daoist Venerable Tianqing would like; she preferred those with a strong, intimidating presence.
But no matter how pleasing he was to the eye, he was still a demon!
“What madness is Daoist Venerable Tianqing up to now? Her Qingdi Record is an orthodox Immortal cultivation technique; demons can’t practice it at all. And how can you, a demon, become the Sect Master of the number one sect in the Immortal Realm?”
“I was originally cultivating the orthodox Qingdi Record. Daoist Venerable Tianqing threw me and the Qingdi Temple into this Secret Realm together, telling me not to leave until I cultivated to Tribulation Immortal. But this Secret Realm is full of demonic energy, and now it’s crawling with demons.”
Yun Wuxiang curled his lips into a cold sneer. “After I realized I was in the Demon Realm, I’ve always thought Daoist Venerable Tianqing probably just found me an eyesore and deliberately set me up.”
Tower Spirit: !
Daoist Venerable Tianqing, what have you done to your disciple?
“Cough, actually, six thousand years ago, this was a Secret Realm shared by Immortals and Demons. Although Daoist Venerable Tianqing acts willfully, she has always cared for her disciples. She wouldn’t joke with a disciple’s life and Dao path.”
Yun Wuxiang lifted his eyelids. “Is that so?”
The Tower Spirit nodded. “Yes, New Master, believe me. ‘Daoist Venerable’ is a general term. Whether Immortal Venerable, Demon Venerable, Yao Venerable, or Ghost Venerable, they are all called Daoist Venerables. Everyone built this Secret Realm together, so naturally, any race can cultivate here. Also, the Secret Realm should be in the Nine Mystic Heavens; how did it run off to the Demon Realm’s territory?”
Yun Wuxiang: “You don’t know how the Secret Realm got here?”
The Tower Spirit shook its head. “I don’t know. I only woke up when the Secret Realm opened for the first time six thousand years ago. When I woke up, the Secret Realm was already like this.”
“Can you tell me the locations of the other array eyes now?” Yun Wuxiang asked again.
This time, the Tower Spirit didn’t deny knowing. Instead, it asked, “Why do you ask this?”
Of course, it’s to gain absolute control of the Secret Realm and kill or expel the excess demons.
Sensing the Tower Spirit’s evasive attitude, Yun Wuxiang skirted the most direct answer and was a tad euphemistic: “I just hope the other array eyes aren’t like you, nearly refined by an unqualified demon. If the demons control this Secret Realm, my situation will become very dangerous.”
The Tower Spirit felt its face had been trampled on. It said in embarrassment and anger, “If Daoist Venerable Tianqing hadn’t destroyed the formations in the tower, how could This One have fallen so easily into the hands of a cheating little thief!”
“The other Inheritance Dao Artifacts didn’t go through Daoist Venerable Tianqing’s looting; they can’t be cheated!”
Yun Wuxiang asked a soul-searching question: “How do you know Daoist Venerable Tianqing didn’t rob the other inheritance sites?”
The little Tower Spirit froze.
“If Daoist Venerable Tianqing would rob you, she would rob other Dao Artifacts.”
The little Tower Spirit’s eyes widened. Bad news. The more it thought about it, the more it felt Tianqing was capable of such a thing!
“But, New Master, you are just a True Demon. Even if Daoist Venerable Tianqing really robbed them, what use is it for you to go? You can’t even retrieve This One’s floor tiles.”
Yun Wuxiang: “…”
“Just call me Temple Master. I’m more used to that title.”
The Tower Spirit immediately changed the address; it wasn’t used to calling him New Master anyway. “Temple Master, you need not worry too much. Apart from This One being relatively unlucky, there shouldn’t be any Inheritance Dao Artifacts more miserable than This One.”
It waved its hand, sighed deeply, and covered its face with its sleeve. “At least their floor tiles are still there.”
“My Master had a good temper and didn’t set up too many killing arrays, and those that were set up were dismantled by Tianqing. But the other Inheritance Dao Artifacts are much more formidable than This One.”
“Daoist Venerable Luchi’s [Slaughter Pool] artifact connects to the ancient battlefield with the heaviest baleful energy in the world. People who enter will frantically want to kill. In the end, they either master the True Meaning of Slaughter and step onto a path similar to Luchi’s, or they get controlled by the killing aura and become puppets that only know how to kill.”
“Daoist Venerable A-Yi’s artifact is terrifying. This One doesn’t know what’s inside, only heard Master say that of a batch of people who enter, only one can come out alive. And it’s unclear how long they can live after coming out.”
“These two places have no good stuff. Daoist Venerable Tianqing wouldn’t rob them.” The Tower Spirit became more certain as it spoke. “Daoist Venerable Luchi and Daoist Venerable A-Yi were the poorest. Their items couldn’t be used by just anyone, and they couldn’t even sell their names. They were never on Tianqing’s looting list.”
Temporarily ruling out two targets. Yun Wuxiang asked, “Who else might Tianqing rob?”
“Daoist Venerable Shenmu’s [Divine Wood] Myriad Spirit Tree, probably. A tree bearing ten thousand fruits. Tianqing would take her disciples to steal fruits every few days, only to be whipped by the Tree Spirit.” The Tower Spirit’s tone carried an inadvertent nostalgia.
“Daoist Venerable Shenmu has a bad temper, and the Myriad Spirit Tree is even pettier. It whips anyone who dares to pick its fruit to death. Shenmu’s artifact is likely that tree. Temple Master, before you reach the Tribulation Immortal realm, absolutely do not go there. It’s easy to get whipped to death in one shot.”
The Tower Spirit named two more Inheritance Dao Artifacts, described how dangerous they were, and ended with one sentence.
“Temple Master, before your cultivation reaches Tribulation Immortal, you must not go.”
Yun Wuxiang: “En, I won’t go.”
Tribulation Immortal was a major realm. Passing one Heavenly Tribulation made one a First Revolution Tribulation Immortal; two made a Second Revolution. The honorific for a Tribulation Immortal was Immortal Monarch.
According to the Tower Spirit, even an Immortal Monarch might not be able to get the array eye. The level of this Secret Realm was too high. The demons sent by the Demon Realm were at most Sky Demons. No wonder the Secret Realm had opened three times without a single demon obtaining an array eye.
What were the Demon Lords doing? Were they not tempted by such a mysterious Secret Realm?
Yun Wuxiang decided to find a demon to ask. He picked a True Demon confused by the illusion, knocked him out, and soul-searched him in one smooth motion.
Why didn’t the Demon Lords enter the Secret Realm? Because they were guarding their turf. Simply put, the Demon Realm was currently in a ‘Game of Thrones’ phase. Any Demon Lord who dared to leave their territory for a long time would see it turned into ruins by tomorrow.
A solo Demon Lord? Those didn’t exist. Having no forces meant they could be absorbed by other forces at any time. How could such a threat be allowed to remain?
Lone wolves either joined a faction, built one, or got schemed to death by other Demon Lords. Over the years, there hadn’t been a solo Demon Lord in the Demon Realm for a long time.
There was common knowledge circulating above the True Demon level: if you encounter a newly ascended Demon Lord without a faction, report it immediately. Any demon who delivered the message would receive a handsome reward.
Yun Wuxiang, who had just scared off a Sky Demon and was suspected of being a Demon Lord: “…”
Very well. Not a single demon in this tower who had seen him could be allowed to leave.
“Temple Master, what is this little thing? How can you let it stay on your hand?” A hand reached out from behind Yun Wuxiang, poking at the Tower Spirit’s forehead.
It missed. The Tower Spirit turned into a puff of smoke, drifted behind the tower, resolutely rematerialized, looked at the man who suddenly appeared behind Yun Wuxiang, and said to him, “Your Madame has arrived.”
“Madame?” Song Yilou tilted his head in front of Yun Wuxiang. “Temple Master, did you teach it to call me Madame?”
Yun Wuxiang looked at the face, which was a cold white akin to a ghost’s. “You died again?”
He didn’t know how Song Yilou operated. To curb the number of slices, a new Song Yilou would only appear beside him after the previous one died.
He had personally sent Song Yilou into the maze ruins. If a new one popped up here, it meant the previous one was dead.
“Yes, dead.” Song Yilou’s face moved closer and closer, the corners of his eyes drooping, putting on a weak and pitiful posture. “Can Husband seek justice for me?”
Yun Wuxiang’s hand trembled, suspecting he hadn’t left the illusion yet. But this time, no illusion shattered. Song Yilou’s face was still in front of him, smiling as he picked up the tower in Yun Wuxiang’s hand and threw it backward, his voice becoming even sweeter. “Husband~”
Even if this thick-skinned Ghost Gu called him husband, his eyes still held restless delusions, completely different from the docile face in the illusion.
It was real; they weren’t in an illusion.
Yun Wuxiang scrutinized the face before him. Why did so many Song Yilous appear in his illusion? His Gluttony was dismembered Song Yilous. He wasn’t a pervert; how could he have such heavy tastes?
Where exactly was the problem?
Yun Wuxiang frowned slightly, pinching Song Yilou’s chin and scrutinizing this person from head to toe again. The skinbag was okay, but aside from the skinbag, nothing else satisfied him.
“Sure enough, there is a problem with the illusion.”
The Tower Spirit, thrown to the side: “There is not!”
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