Chapter 15: Illusion's Trap

                                     

Led by Yao Jinqiu, the two went up to the deck and knelt on the deck cushions as instructed. Yao Jinqiu gave Hua Xiangwan and Xie Changji each a veil, instructing Hua Xiangwan, "Two Daoists, once the ship leaves the city, put your veils on. After the River God leads you to his palace and confirms the location, send us a message. Make sure you find our young lady before you act."

"Don't worry," Hua Xiangwan replied. "We will protect your young lady."

Yao Jinqiu thanked her repeatedly before leaving.

After Yao Jinqiu left, only Hua Xiangwan and Xie Changji remained on the deck. She sat cross-legged and discussed with Xie Changji, "We'll each take one later. Yao Guang is probably on my side. Kill the demon on your side and then come find me."

"Okay," Xie Changji replied.

At this moment, Hua Xiangwan suddenly realized that Xie Wushuang hadn't asked her how she knew there were two demons.

But after thinking about it, considering that two people were needed for the sacrifice and they had been given two veils, Xie Wushuang probably assumed there were two demons, so it wasn't surprising.

With that, the boat rowed out of the city, and the people along the way knelt down, shouting "May the River God be blessed!"

The two listened quietly to the rushing river, watching the boat sail out of the city's waterways. Once outside the city, the surroundings became increasingly quiet. Hua Xiangwan calculated the time, put on her veil, and urged Xie Wushuang, "You should put yours on too; the River God will be here soon."

Xie Wushuang didn't reply. He turned to look at Hua Xiangwan. After a moment, Hua Xiangwan felt something cold in her hand. She heard Xie Wushuang say, "I won't be here for a while; here's a sword for self-defense."

"I don't know how to use a sword."

Hearing this, Hua Xiangwan couldn't help but laugh. Xie Changji glanced at her hand—her wrist was slender, and the way she held the sword made her seem like a refined young lady who had never touched a sword before.

He withdrew his gaze and simply said, "Take it."

As he spoke, Hua Xiangwan heard the sound of sleeves rustling beside her, guessing that he had covered his head with a veil.

After the veil was on, the two waited for a while before the boat stopped.

The surroundings became unusually quiet, and after a moment, it seemed that many people had come aboard.

Hua Xiangwan used her divine sense to probe and found that they were all black shadows. They had spread out a red carpet, carried red lanterns, and knelt quietly on both sides. After a long time, someone stepped onto the red carpet and came to her.

"Wife."

A gentle male voice sounded. The distance was too close, and to avoid being discovered, Hua Xiangwan withdrew her divine sense. She saw the man extend a pale hand towards her. "I will take you back to the manor."

His voice was somewhat familiar. Hua Xiangwan felt she had heard it before, but she couldn't quite place it.

She didn't know if it was due to the influence of the secret realm or something else.

She obediently placed her hand in his palm and heard a woman's voice beside her. "Husband, I've come to fetch you."

That woman's voice was Tao Yao's voice from her memory, gentle yet tinged with a coldness.

She and Xie Changji rose together, led forward by the two people in wedding robes.

The river ahead surged and churned to both sides, as if cleaved in two, revealing water-formed steps leading downwards.

The two people led Hua Xiangwan and Xie Changji down, and upon reaching the bottom, they separated, each leading to a different room.

According to Hua Xiangwan's memory, Yaoguang was actually in this man's room.

If she killed this man and rescued Yaoguang, she would pass the Tribulation Realm. But was it really that simple?

A sense of unease flashed through her mind.

The man led her forward into the room, then had her sit down, speaking gently, "You must have had a difficult journey here."

Hua Xiangwan dared not reply casually, sitting silently, sensing her surroundings.

The other person immediately noticed her spiritual sense being projected outwards and gently reminded her, "Once I lift the veil, you can look around freely. I've waited so long for this day, Ah Wan, don't disturb me."

Hearing this, Hua Xiangwan's heart skipped a beat. Then she felt a jade ruyi slip beneath her bridal veil and slowly lift it.

With this movement, a familiar scent—a mixture of seawater and mimosa blossoms—wafted from not far away. She couldn't help but look up, following the other person's movement.

He wore a red wedding robe and a black mask adorned with golden lotus flowers. A smile played on his lips as he looked tenderly at Hua Xiangwan.

He was shrouded in deathly aura, with only a remnant of his soul remaining. Hua Xiangwan stared blankly at him, then heard him laugh. "Two hundred years have passed, don't you recognize me?"

"Yi... Chen?"

Hua Xiangwan was incredulous. The young man before her slowly nodded. "Back then, a wisp of my remnant soul fell into the Spirit Void Secret Realm with the demon spirit and has been nourished here for a long time. Now it has finally taken shape. I was very happy to sense your presence. In these two hundred years," he reached out and placed his hand on Hua Xiangwan's cheek, "you seem to have changed a lot."

It was an illusion.

Hua Xiangwan reminded herself that she had to kill him.

Only by killing him could she leave the Realm of Tribulation.

But looking at the person before her, sensing the faint trace of his soul, she simply couldn't bring herself to do it.

If it were true... if it were true?

How could she, how could she, personally slay Shen Yichen's soul?

She stared intently at the person before her, her breathing becoming rapid. Shen Yichen looked at her gently, then suddenly remembered something. "Oh, I forgot, there's another acquaintance here."

As he spoke, Shen Yichen turned to look at Yao Guang, who was suspended in mid-air by the Immortal-Locking Rope. Yao Guang was dripping blood, and Shen Yichen's gaze was cold. "A-Wan, I also brought a wisp of her soul in."

Hua Xiangwan couldn't speak. Shen Yichen stretched out his hand, and Yao Guang fell from above. She stumbled to Hua Xiangwan, knelt on the ground, and grabbed her sleeve tightly, crying out excitedly, "Wan Daojun, save me! You and Xie Daojun must save me!"

It was Yao Guang.

Hua Xiangwan clearly sensed that this was not an illusion. Yao Guang's soul was here!

"She's not dead? She... why did she die?"

Hua Xiangwan's memories became chaotic.

"Awan," Shen Yichen said, a knife appearing in his hand, gently resting on Yaoguang's neck. He tilted his head and spoke softly, "May I kill her?"

Hua Xiangwan dared not respond. She desperately chanted the Heart-Cleansing Mantra, trying to banish Shen Yichen's words.

However, Yaoguang's tearful eyes stared at her, and she felt goosebumps rise all over her body.

She loathed her, an emotion she couldn't control even after all these years.

The Crossing Calamity Realm amplifies all emotions. Whether love or hate, any emotion becomes nourishment for the Crossing Calamity Realm.

Shen Yichen approached her and placed the knife in Hua Xiangwan's hand.

"Come," he lowered his head, pressing the tip of the knife against his chest, "I'll give you the knife. Kill me, or her."

As he spoke, Shen Yichen's face transformed into her master, senior brother, Hu Mian...

Hua Xiangwan's hand trembled slightly. In that instant, Yao Guang suddenly burst forth, lunging towards Shen Yichen!

Hua Xiangwan barely hesitated, turning and severing Yao Guang's head with a single stroke.

Blood splattered, splashing onto her face, blurring her vision. A deafening roar filled the air, and she vaguely heard Xie Changji's roar: "Hua Xiangwan!!"

But Hua Xiangwan could no longer perceive anything. She only heard the roars of wild beasts, the sounds of battle, and the wind. The knife in her hand transformed into a broken flag. She turned to look at the person rushing towards her not far away.

Xie Changji had killed Tao Yao and arrived. The Transcending Calamity Realm had almost no effect on him. The moment Tao Yao lifted his veil, he directly severed her neck.

However, he had only gone halfway when he saw Hua Xiangwan in the room through the window, holding a long sword, with a man standing beside her. She raised her hand and slashed at Yao Guang!

The moment Yao Guang fell, the earth shook, and the scenery changed rapidly. By the time Xie Changji reached Hua Xiangwan, the original cave had vanished, replaced by a battlefield.

Hua Xiangwan stood not far away, looking at him with lifeless eyes. Behind her was the Hehuan Palace, glowing red from the fire, and at her feet lay corpses and blood. The flags on the city walls were broken. The only one still held was clutched in Hua Xiangwan's hand.

That blood-red flag, painted with acacia flowers, drooped heavily on the flagpole in the rain.

She held it as if a swordsman were wielding a sword intertwined with his own life.

She was trapped by the Crossing Calamity Realm.

Xie Changji was somewhat shocked. Hua Xiangwan held the Heart-Clearing Bell, and was usually resolute. Logically, he should be the one most easily trapped. How could it be Hua Xiangwan who was trapped?

Xie Changji was speechless.

Hua Xiangwan looked at him, then smiled, her voice soft, as if she had seen someone else. "Remember this," she said, raising her palace flag and pointing it at Xie Changji. Every word seemed to be stained with blood. "One day, I, Hua Xiangwan, will make you pay for your blood debts in blood!"

With that, a magic array suddenly bloomed from Hua Xiangwan's hand and rushed towards Xie Changji!

Xie Changji hurriedly dodged, but as soon as he landed, another beam of magic light followed!

Hua Xiangwan's strength at this moment was completely different from usual. Each magic array was incredibly exquisite, clearly the work of a peak Nascent Soul cultivator.

If it were Xie Wushuang herself, she would probably have already perished.

But even Xie Changji, after dodging a few times, felt exhausted.

This was, after all, Xie Wushuang's body. If he used power far beyond the body's capacity, he would be expelled from this body before he could even fight Hua Xiangwan to the death.

More importantly, he couldn't possibly fight Hua Xiangwan to the death.

He couldn't attack Hua Xiangwan, and her fighting style was clearly pushing her physical limits.

If this continued, Hua Xiangwan's half-shattered golden core would likely shatter completely, with no chance of recovery.

"Hua Xiangwan!"

Xie Changji unleashed a series of calming spells, but they seemed to have no effect on her.

She had been completely devoured by the Transcending Calamity Realm. Unless she died, she would forever be trapped in the illusion created by the Transcending Calamity Realm.

What to do?

Countless thoughts flashed through Xie Changji's mind. There were only two options: kill Hua Xiangwan and escape, or directly shatter the illusion.

But shattering the illusion was definitely beyond Xie Wushuang's body's capacity to withstand.

Once he used power almost equal to his own, he would be separated from Xie Wushuang's body for at least a night.

And could the Demon Spirit... wait for him for a night?

Xie Changji dodged and pondered, his gaze falling on the golden core within Hua Xiangwan's body, which was beginning to turn red.

Hua Xiangwan couldn't wait for him. In a few more moments, her golden core would shatter completely.

Xie Changji gritted his teeth and, as Hua Xiangwan's last magic array fell, grabbed her hand and quickly said, "Use the Soul-Locking Lamp to sense the demon spirit, go find it!"

With that, Xie Changji tossed Hua Xiangwan behind him, brandished his longsword, and slashed fiercely at the surroundings!

That sword strike was entirely imbued with the sword intent of the Tribulation Transcending stage, carrying the sound of a dragon's roar, like a great river cascading down, crashing violently into the sky above the secret realm.

A deafening boom resounded, and cracks appeared in the sky. Hua Xiangwan paused, feeling her senses slowly returning, but before she could fully grasp what was happening, she heard Xie Wushuang shout, "Go!"

With that, he grabbed Hua Xiangwan and soared upwards on his sword.

The surroundings swayed, the sky cracking open piece by piece, and Xie Changji pulled Hua Xiangwan through the falling rubble.

As he rushed forward, he instructed Hua Xiangwan, "Don't fight anyone before I return. Just find out who obtained the Demon Spirit. Protect yourself."

With that, he leaped from the cracked sky, heading towards a portal of light. Just as he crossed it, the surroundings suddenly became weightless.

Hua Xiangwan sensed something was wrong and quickly pulled out a talisman. Using her remaining spiritual energy, she activated the talisman, which instantly enlarged, catching both of them before slowly drifting down.

Having resolved the biggest crisis, Hua Xiangwan breathed a sigh of relief and turned to look at Xie Wushuang beside her.

Xie Wushuang had already fainted and was lying beside her, clutching her wrist.

Only then did she realize that his spiritual energy was disordered and his breath weak. He was likely seriously injured.

"Xie Wushuang?"

Hua Xiangwan reached out and patted his face. "Wake up?"

He didn't speak, seemingly completely unconscious.

Hua Xiangwan was momentarily at a loss. Several streaks of light flashed across the sky—other cultivators must have broken through other secret realms and entered the Spirit Core.

She needed to find a safe place to settle Xie Wushuang as soon as possible. As for Lu Ling...

Hua Xiangwan glanced at the dense forest below, thought for a moment, and then chased after the cultivators.

She would just follow them.

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