Zhenchuan Trial. This layer is an awkward modern environment.
Lin Shuang had already entered this place ahead of time through the transmission array, directly stepping into the copper mirror. She was actually completely unaware of what was happening outside.
Inside the copper mirror was a simple, quiet room with three bare walls and one side showing the outside world through the mirror. At the center stood a lotus throne in full bloom. In front of the lotus throne was a long zitan wooden table, on which sat a flat-mouthed red-gold bowl and a bamboo slip inscribed with the “rules” of this layer.
As soon as Lin Shuang entered, she found herself instantly seated on the lotus throne. She couldn’t leave. The moment she was transmitted here, she was in a cross-legged position, and each lotus petal tightly locked her legs in place. Far from the comfortable scene Zhao Keran and others saw outside.
Following the bamboo slip’s rules, Lin Shuang operated step by step, creating, or rather “manifesting,” the “apartment building” of this layer’s test area.
The reason it was called “manifesting” was because—
Through the mirror, Lin Shuang saw an elevator appearing directly inside one of the apartment rooms, which was actually a transmission array. Normally, elevators wouldn’t appear directly inside an apartment unit; that was a villa-level arrangement.
Inside this six-bedroom, one-living-room apartment, the wall-mounted television she wanted was actually a massive water curtain. In the shared bathroom, there was a wooden tub oddly combined with a door that opened directly into a natural stream. Each of the six bedrooms had its own window frame. Strangely, the windows on the shared walls between adjacent rooms did not show the neighboring room when opened; instead, they revealed natural scenes like hot springs, spirit fields, and the horizon…
All these unscientific phenomena proved—
This place wasn’t something she had built, but rather six existing cave dwellings inherent to this layer. They had merely been wrapped into the familiar form of an “apartment building” according to her imagination.
Therefore, this apartment building was only superficially real.
“Lin Shuang, you’re saying the opponent is at the third stage of Soul Refinement? On the back of your copper mirror?”
Meng Zi sat cross-legged in the middle of the ‘living room’ area of the six rooms, frowning. “The spiritual energy here is also very thin.”
Huangpu Yuan was opening one of the bedroom doors, standing still and looking at the bed inside.
“There’s a spirit-gathering formation on the bed.”
Lin Shuang twitched her lips. This was indeed cave dwelling design. Inside cave dwellings, disciples could exchange spiritual stones to obtain spirit-gathering formations placed on beds or meditation cushions. But few people would rent spirit-gathering formations outside cave dwellings, sharing them with neighboring “neighbor cultivators.” Therefore, these were definitely six independent cave dwellings that originally existed in this layer. Because of the golden bowl’s requirement, she had imagined a multi-occupant apartment, forcibly connecting the six cave dwellings into a six-bedroom, one-living-room layout.
Creak—
Huangpu Yuan closed the door, then opened it again shortly after. He walked in and soon came out with a strange expression—or rather, he suddenly appeared at the doorway.
“The room contains a transmission array.”
Opening the door transported one directly into the “room.”
The actual physical distance between these six cave dwellings must be very far apart, Lin Shuang thought.
Spiritual energy and magical treasures were consumables. Throughout the cultivation world, spiritual energy was conserved during certain periods. If too much was used extravagantly here, it would mean less spiritual energy available for other disciples. Therefore, in the Nine Thousand Trials, nothing was ever useless.
Without any designed rewards (like in the Queen’s Layer), this kind of “packaging” must have a purpose.
In other words, it was truly “disguising” something.
As soon as one entered, using the bamboo slip rules and the golden bowl, it borrowed one’s own imagination to disguise the original existence of the six cave dwellings, making her, Zhao Keran, and others mistakenly believe that this layer was appearing according to their inner thoughts?
Was this layer trying to make her let her guard down?
Making her wrongly believe she was the “master” of this world, wrongly believing she was in a safe, self-created environment?
Once this mentality arose, it would lead to arrogance and loss of the judgment she should have possessed.
Lin Shuang frowned.
Since returning to Qing Shui Sect, the voice of the Nine Thousand Trials calling her in her mind had disappeared. And today, upon entering, there had been no response at all.
She pressed her chin, watching Zhao Keran stick twenty-four one-way mirror talismans onto the back of the copper mirror.
“Senior apprentice sister, I’ve placed them according to the heavenly stems and earthly branches formation.”
Lin Shuang nodded.
Meng Zi had already boldly visited every room.
“Not even a single storage pouch, no bamboo slips, scrolls, or jade tablets.”
There was a three-seat sofa-style couch in the living room that Lin Shuang often used. Possibly to accommodate Bian Bo Cai’s ten-person bathtub, the living room was so spacious it could almost be used for playing basketball.
[Nightfall approaches. All disciples must return to their respective rooms.]
[Only during the time period when chosen magical items or spiritual energy are activated can one come to the ‘living room’ to search for cultivation techniques.]
[There are twelve seconds remaining. Countdown: eleven seconds…]
Lin Shuang spoke abruptly, “In the last few seconds, I’ll be brief.”
“In the 3900th layer’s fake clearance, we encountered a half-step Soul Refinement tiger demon painting. At the time, we were in groups of three.”
“And now we are six, so we should at least face a true Soul Refinement beginner.”
“We are now at the 5800th layer, so the difficulty should at least double, meaning Soul Refinement second stage or higher.”
As she said this, Huangpu Yuan narrowed his dark pupils.
“And that’s just the fake clearance level.”
For true clearance, Wang Jian’s cultivation level would be at least twice that of the tiger demon.
Lin Shuang nodded. “Yes, so I estimate this layer’s difficulty is at least Soul Refinement third stage, and that’s a conservative estimate.”
“Also, there are transmission arrays here.”
She looked at Meng Zi, who opened his mouth.
Huangpu Yuan nodded.
They all knew what the transmission array meant.
If it was created by that elder, there might be two layers of clearance—one fake, one real.
To achieve true clearance, one must not be deceived by the illusions seen here.
“Therefore, I deduce there’s an 80% chance of another clearance task.”
“Finding and learning the technique is at most fake clearance.” Lin Shuang raised her index finger.
Everyone understood.
They had all experienced Wang Jian’s layer.
This was the painful memory that Bai Hua Sect and Shan Hai Sect preferred not to mention.
Bian Bo Cai and Xiao Qi immediately became alert.
[!]
[Yes, what you see is an illusion, because this isn’t really the Ten Thousand Scroll Sea Layer!]
[Yes, the real task is to slay the evil cultivator! Don’t be deceived or tainted… or you will be possessed or directly killed!]
[All disciples return to your rooms. Countdown: three seconds, two seconds…]
“What do we do next!” Meng Zi shouted.
In the final second, Lin Shuang still raised her index finger toward them.
“When you return to your rooms, if you hear me, see me, or are asked by me to do strange things… remember, that might not be me.”
[!]
[She really discovered it. In the 6000th layer, disciples during the day go to the copper mirror to obtain magical items and techniques, which can be enchanted. But at night, when they hold the magical items and techniques, they might hear the evil cultivator’s temptation!]
[At night, disciples cultivate and meditate, their desire for breakthroughs far exceeding normal days.]
As soon as Lin Shuang finished speaking, everyone disappeared from the spot.
Meng Zi and the others were forcibly transmitted back to their respective rooms.
Night had fallen.
There was a day-night cycle.
This indeed resembled the Ten Thousand Scroll Library.
“That suggests there’s some difference between day and night.”
In the copper mirror, Lin Shuang took out a self-made sofa, lying on it and muttering to herself.
And with six rooms and seven people.
There was no room for her.
It meant she was special in this trial.
She took a sip of water from the golden bowl, pondering.
“The information is still unclear, but searching for the technique is correct—it will definitely trigger the next stage.
Whether it’s fake clearance or the trap this layer is trying to hide, searching for the technique is the overtly required task. Therefore, during the search, we will enter the next phase of this layer’s trial.”
Only entering the next phase would yield more information.
Lin Shuang was not in a hurry.
—Current Plan—
1. Achieve the true ending and obtain the layer’s master.
2. Obtain the technique (either the false ending or the trap reward).
Calm and composed, Lin Shuang wrote down her plan.
[! How bold! Lin Shuang is fearless, living up to her reputation.]
[She almost deduced that the evil cultivator is on the back of her copper mirror, yet she’s still… lying down.]
[Knowing there’s a trap, and that the techniques and magical items might be temptations, she still dares to try to kill the evil cultivator while taking the trap’s technique!]
[Respect.]
After finishing writing, Lin Shuang looked up at the sky. “Elder Chen Wu Shui, are you watching?”
“Did you really send me into the Ten Thousand Scroll Library Layer?”
“Or… something else.”
[!]
Lin Shuang sighed. “Forget it, pretend I didn’t ask. If it’s something else, I’ll still clear it.”
[…]
*
“Shui Qian Tan, you useless thing! You were supposed to guard Yue Zhi during his Ascension, yet you let his true body be rescued! Now only a clone remains here!”
Inside Shan Hai Sect.
Chen Wu Shui, the one addressed by Lin Shuang, was furious, sitting on the mouth of a blue-and-white porcelain vase in the form of a young girl!
In an instant, she lashed toward Shui Qian Tan, who was discussing matters in the Shan Hai Sect’s Discipline Hall, and the elders of various sects!
“Now, Yue Zhi used the transmission array to graft, forcibly dragging Lin Shuang and the others into the middle of the 6000th and 5000th layers of the Yuan He Nine Thousand Scroll Sea!”
The disciples mistakenly thought this was a stone layer for searching for techniques.
They didn’t know that this layer was grafted with the 6000th layer, which was meant to resist the temptation of evil cultivators, reject techniques and treasures, and kill him!
Chen Wu Shui was furious, her eighteen girl forms carrying the blue-and-white porcelain vase, lashing toward the puddle of water on the ground—Shui Qian Tan—causing ripples and splashing water.
The elders of various sects around her took steps back.
“Elder Chen Wu Shui… please don’t be angry. Lin Shuang has already discovered it.”
Chen Wu Shui, with a loud slap of the porcelain vase, sent the Elder of Yun Yang Sect flying.
“Damn it, I’m disciplining my own people. Who asked you to interfere!”
The elders of various sects quickly retreated.
Poor Elder Shui, no wonder he had a big argument every three years, a reconciliation every five, and ran away from home every ten…
Chen Wu Shui slammed the blue-and-white porcelain vase onto the ground, and the magical treasure wasn’t even damaged.
All the elders shuddered.
Chen Wu Shui was extremely angry.
Lin Shuang had no special connection with her, but among Qing Shui Sect’s current generation, Lin Shuang was the only junior disciple she truly approved of!
But just after she sent Lin Shuang to the technique layer, Yue Zhi used the transmission array to snatch her away from the Zhen Chuan Trial and dragged her into the Yuan He Nine Thousand of Shan Hai Sect!
And it was two different layers of trials, connected together!
This was a slap to Elder Chen, the Grand Elder of Qing Shui Sect.
If Lin Shuang encountered any mishap, not only would Qing Shui Sect suffer a loss, but she would also lose face and be unable to guide disciples in the future—she might as well follow her father’s example and shut herself in seclusion forever!
Chen Wu Shui huffed. “Shui Qian Tan, right now, you must get Lin Shuang out!”
On the ground, the puddle of water transformed into an old man—Shui Qian Tan.
He sighed.
“Once the trial begins, it cannot be stopped unless the disciple is transmitted out.”
“The entire Nine Thousand Trials can only accommodate one Ascension-stage elder maintaining the formations and puppets.”
“Yue Zhi has already entered with his true body…”
Shui Qian Tan shook his head.
They other Ascension elders couldn’t enter, or else the spiritual energy fluctuations would be too great, damaging the Nine Thousand Trials.
The trial’s small world would become unstable, and the disciples inside would die.
“The Nine Thousand Trials have iron laws left by the Ascended Ancestors. Even if Yue Zhi is inside, he must still abide by them.”
Shui Qian Tan said solemnly, “Even if Yue Zhi descends as the evil cultivator of the 6000th layer, his cultivation level will be suppressed to at most the Nascent Soul stage.”
“Nascent Soul? Can Lin Shuang, a cultivator at the Ning Yuan stage, even survive?” Chen Wushui looked at him as if he were an idiot.
“A cultivator’s opportunities are determined by Heaven, related to their own fortune.”
“She may be destined to face this tribulation.”
Elder Ming Zhong sighed.
“Now we can’t enter, and Lin Shuang’s communication stones have been blocked.”
“But it’s not a death sentence. If Yue Zhi truly descends as the evil cultivator of this layer, the Nine Thousand Trials will definitely experience about three seconds of turbulence. We can seize this gap, and all the elders can join forces. I will stop time, and I will cast a transmission array to help Lin Shuang and the others escape.”
Chen Wu Shui considered. “Today’s time manipulation quota has already been used up by me.”
“???”
She had aged from a child to a girl in front of Lin Shuang over centuries.
Indeed, it had been used up.
The elders around her twitched their lips.
Yu Elder of Bai Hua Sect stood up gravely. “I can do it, but I’m only here in my projection form. I need half a day to prepare.”
After all, stopping time throughout the entire Nine Thousand Trials.
There were countless disciples inside.
“Half a day is enough.”
Shui Qian Tan nodded.
“The unluckiest disciple in this 6000th layer also took a full day to release the evil cultivator.”
As he spoke, his expression suddenly stiffened.
Feeling something, he looked toward the projection of Lin Shuang and others.
[This round’s disciple who first discovers the technique and completes the trial: receives 80% of this layer’s reward.]
Twisted text appeared.
All the elders, including Shui Qian Tan, changed expressions.
[Isn’t this the rule of the 6000th layer? I remember the rewards were given based on individual performance.]
[Strange, could it be because the six entered together, causing a change in the rules?]
[The first person gets 80% of the reward, and the remaining six can only split the remaining 20%, each getting less than 3%?]
[Less than 3% reward… it’s practically like not entering this layer at all. No, it’s even worse. In the trial layer, consuming elixirs and using defensive magical artifacts must be shouldered by the disciples themselves, making it a total loss.]
[This is meant to break up the cooperation of the seven!]
[This is a major crisis. There’s still hope if the seven fight together against a fifth-stage Soul Refinement opponent, but if they scatter, it’s over.]
At this moment, the text change appeared before Meng Zi and the others in the projection—including Lin Shuang.
[Order to search for technique books in the ‘living room’:]
[1. Mug
2. Hot water bottle
3. Lotus seed head
4. Facial toner
5. Fish tank
6. Bathtub]
[Please have the disciples come to the ‘living room’ in the order the magical artifacts are activated, each search for the cultivation technique shall last the time of one incense stick.]
[During the search, communication may be made with the…adventurer of the treasure mirror.]
[There are six opportunities for communication in total.]
Lin Shuang raised her eyebrows. Six people, six chances—did that mean each person could only use it once, or that one person could use all six chances, leaving no communication chances for those who came out later?
What exactly did this level mean?
Her uneasiness grew stronger in her heart.
Creak—
As she was thinking, Meng Zi’s door opened, and he walked out holding a ‘mug’.
“What does ‘mug’ mean? What’s ‘Mark’ mean?”
As soon as he came out, Meng Zi couldn’t help but ask.
Lin Shuang often had all sorts of strange things in her mind, like roller skate talismans. He had to ask to know how to use them.
[Meng Zi uses one communication opportunity.]
[This night, there are five remaining communication opportunities with the…adventurer of the treasure mirror.]
Lin Shuang held her forehead.
Meng Zi gasped and stopped, “Wait, I haven’t even started yet! Let’s do it again, that one doesn’t count!”
He hadn’t even decided what to say to Lin Shuang yet.
Although it was important to figure out how to use this ‘mug’ magical item, previously Zhao Keran had asked Lin Shuang when they selected six different objects.
At that time, Lin Shuang hadn’t answered immediately.
Meng Zi already understood her well enough. There were only three possible reasons she might not answer.
The first was that she didn’t know;
The second was that she was too lazy to say—it would become clear eventually, so no need to answer;
The third was that it wasn’t important or urgent enough to answer at that moment.
“Oh no.”
Meng Zi took a step back, his face showing shock, as if to say, ‘When did I become so smart?’
He had actually started analyzing things.
In the bronze mirror, the sideways-lying Lin Shuang supported her forehead with her left hand, and used the water flowing from her right hand to wash some fruit, preparing to eat.
Seeing his expression, she showed surprise.
Senior Brother Meng had improved.
He realized he had asked the wrong question.
Lin Shuang was silent for a moment, but the text in front of her showing that they had five remaining communication opportunities did not disappear or change.
In other words, even if she didn’t answer, it still counted as one communication.
So here came the question: if she answered irrelevantly, would that count as a second communication?
The rules were unclear, so she could only try.
But trying would result in waste.
It might consume more than three communication opportunities tonight in an instant.
She had to convey the most important information to them during the testing process as efficiently as possible.
Thinking this, Lin Shuang looked at Meng Zi, still supporting her forehead, and gave a slight sigh.
Unfortunately, it was him who came out first.
Now she could only trust Senior Brother Meng’s intelligence.
She sat cross-legged, raised her left index finger to form the number one, and silently traced it downward from her forehead.
Meng Zi’s eyes widened. At first, he instinctively took a step back in alarm.
Lin Shuang: “?”
Meng Zi: “?”
[?]
[Ha ha ha.]
Meng Zi stared at her index finger, shaking his head violently.
What did that mean?
What did it mean? He didn’t understand.
He panicked.
Help, why did this level have to separate him from Senior Brother Huangpu?
If the fox spirit were here, she would definitely understand what was going on in Lin Shuang’s mind, because they both had similarly twisted thoughts.
Looking at Meng Zi’s completely confused and panicking head shake, Lin Shuang’s temple throbbed violently.
She then forcefully brought her left index finger down under her nose, secretly making the gesture again.
Then she spoke.
“No matter what, we must find the cultivation technique. Whether fake or real, we must pass. In this round, when you each occupy one of the six caves, you may not be able to communicate.”
“Everyone must rely on themselves and make the decision you believe is right at that moment.”
As she spoke, Lin Shuang emphasized the last two words with extra volume.
Then she made the gesture of the number one again.
“The magical treasures you hold determine the order in which you come out. At a certain time, they should become a medium through which you can communicate with me, or with others.”
She emphasized the words ‘others’ again.
[Lin Shuang has completed one response.]
[If Lin Shuang completes five more responses, one-third of the bronze mirror…adventurer’s seal will be lifted.]
Lin Shuang remained silent. It was the seal of the bronze mirror…adventurer that would be lifted, not her own seal.
She looked at Meng Zi, then shifted her gaze toward the water curtain ‘TV wall’ behind him.
Meng Zi followed her gaze.
He immediately understood, “You mean the cultivation technique is hidden in this water curtain?”
[Meng Zi initiates a second communication with Lin Shuang. Four remaining communications tonight.]
Meng Zi staggered backward a step.
Lin Shuang nodded.
It was okay; at least they had figured out the general rule.
Her gaze wasn’t counted as one communication.
The ‘trial judgment’ might either ‘not see’ or ‘not recognize’ it as communication.
She was more inclined to the former.
Lin Shuang touched the snow-white fur cloak she had been wearing since earlier, pulled the hood to cover part of her forehead, and lightly tapped her nose tip with her left index finger forming the number one.
From many angles, no one could see what she was doing.
Facing Meng Zi, Lin Shuang said,
“No matter what, we must find the cultivation technique. The flaws in my technique definitely exist in other elders of Qing Shui Sect as well. Remember, think in the direction of these elders who have crossed the Tribulation. If you face a choice, just choose what you are good at and can learn the fastest.”
[Lin Shuang completes the second communication.]
[One-sixth progress toward lifting the second bronze mirror seal (2/6).]
Seeing this line of text, Meng Zi sighed in relief.
Although one communication opportunity was wasted, at least there was progress.
He nodded, then covered his mouth and looked at the water curtain ‘TV’.
Afraid of accidentally triggering another meaningless communication.
But in the bronze mirror, Lin Shuang, seeing the progress of the seal being lifted, frowned deeply.
[…This trial has really been made too difficult.]
[If the seal is not lifted, Lin Shuang cannot come out, or else the evil cultivator will also come out.]
[To pass, Lin Shuang must fail her mission, leaving her trapped in the bronze mirror. If she is released, all seven will die; if not, Lin Shuang dies, six survive. There are only these two paths.]
[Yes, in this trial, Lin Shuang is the enemy on the other side of the six.]
[Obtaining the magical artifact granted by the ‘Evil Immortal’ and accepting the ‘evil gift’ will lift the first seal—this is the real answer to Meng Zi’s question about what the magical artifact is. Unfortunately, Lin Shuang didn’t realize it.]
[Asking the ‘Evil Immortal’ six times and completing the communication will lift the second seal. At night, Lin Shuang is the Evil Immortal.]
[But they are completely unaware of these hidden rules. The original intention of this trial is to say that there is no such thing as a free lunch. Don’t just accept sudden opportunities blindly.]
[Exactly, accepting gifts from strangers in this trial will summon the Evil Immortal to possess, descend, and take over your body.]
[As soon as they entered, while still confused, six strange magical artifacts were placed—again changed into the forms of magical items Lin Shuang imagined, thus deceiving the six of them and Lin Shuang into letting down their guard against these sudden gifts.]
[This trial is really despicable.]
[At the time, when one-third of the seal was lifted, the text on this level even tricked them, saying it was a reward for the six guessing ‘Ten-Perfection Fairy’ correctly. Actually, it was false. Accepting ‘her’ magical artifacts was the real key to lifting the seal.]
[Ah. What will Lin Shuang do now.]
In the bronze mirror, Lin Shuang looked at Meng Zi already watching the ‘TV’.
She lowered her gaze, dividing her spiritual sense to watch together while using another part to take out a brush and ink to deduce.
—At night, answering six questions lifts the second seal
—Lifting the first seal because Meng Zi and the others guessed ‘my identity in the mirror’ (completely different from the method of lifting the second seal—cross out and change to accepting the six magical artifacts? That would make more sense?)
[!]
[She noticed!]
[Ancestor…Qing Shui Sect, watching your nine thousand trials is really exciting.]
[Correction, watching Lin Shuang pass nine thousand trials.]
Unaware of the projected discussion text, Lin Shuang continued deducing.
Soon, her right index finger turned into water, making the previously written characters blur.
The ink brush also slipped from her hand and fell onto the table with a clatter, because her finger had disappeared.
[Too hard.]
[She must want Meng Zi and the others to find the cultivation technique as soon as possible.]
But soon, the projection showed Lin Shuang retracting her right hand and calmly writing with her left.
The handwriting remained unchanged.
Steady and fast.
1. The bronze mirror is good: breaking the seal is harmless (contradicts the voting stone where the front side represents me and the reverse side shows a ‘skull’, unrelated to the ‘boss above the Spiritual Transformation Third Layer’ which definitely exists in this level, thus the possibility decreases).
2. Bronze mirror is bad: must not be lifted (this conclusion increases to 70% probability)
She finished writing, and the characters disappeared.
But then she wrote new ones.
(Plan to pass without lifting the bronze mirror seal)
1. Without lifting the second seal for now, have Meng Zi and others find the cultivation technique—Book Sea Layer task (or fake task)
2. I find a self-rescue cultivation technique in the mirror—my personal task in the Book Sea Layer (or fake task…)
She paused here.
“Or perhaps it’s called another layer’s task.”
[!]
[…!]
“The fake pass and true ending in Wang Jian’s layer, firmly believing in Wang Jian’s good and bad as two opposing sides.”
“But in this layer, finding the cultivation technique and defeating an evil cultivator above Spiritual Transformation Third Layer are not opposing, and even unrelated, temporarily no causality.”
Lin Shuang looked at the table and the golden bowl.
The magical artifacts and clues given had nothing to do with the Book Sea Layer goal they needed to achieve.
This layer gave her a feeling of chaos.
Like…the ‘intercut question’ in ancient imperial exams.
The exam questions came from the Four Books. If a random sentence was taken out, it was easy to guess correctly.
To prevent students from accidentally getting the right answer, examiners formed intercut questions.
For example, combining two sentences from far apart in the Four Books, which had no relation, into one question.
This was called ‘intercut question without connection’.
—Requiring students to thoroughly understand the meaning of both unrelated sentences.
Lin Shuang raised her eyebrows.
“This layer is so chaotic.”
“There are many explanations, such as the questioner is Elder Qian Tan, who drank and randomly made questions while drunk.”
[…]
Water Projection outside: Elder Qian Tan: “!”
“Ha.” Chen Wu Shui, who had been serious, couldn’t help but laugh.
In the bronze mirror, Lin Shuang put down the ink brush, making the ink blur and disappear.
“If it’s not the elder being drunk, then this might be an intercut question.”
“Ah maybe, calling it ‘interlayer intercut question’ is more appropriate.”
Lin Shuang lowered her head, “We have entered two layers of trials at the same time, each in the Ten Thousand Volume Book Sea Layer and a higher unknown layer, taking half from each.”
“This also explains why there are six caves here.”
Zhen Chuan usually grouped three people together. The six caves, disguised as being together but actually very far apart, might have been to hide the truth that they originally belonged to different stone layers.
Three plus three, originally used to test two groups of disciples.
[!]
[…!]
[Exactly! They display that they are in the 5800th layer, the Ten Thousand Volume Book Sea, but the question set is from the 6000th layer, the Evil Immortal trial!]
[Is that true? They didn’t enter the wrong stone layer, but the Ten Thousand Volume Book Sea and the Evil Immortal trial layers are stuck together?]
[!]
“If so, we can achieve the achievements of both layers’ masters at the same time.”
Lin Shuang supported her forehead.
“As long as I come out of the bronze mirror at the same time when everyone finds and learns the cultivation technique, and perform a combined attack with their evolved selves, we can exactly kill the evil cultivator coming out of the mirror.”
Lin Shuang nodded satisfactorily, “Yes, I’ve already solved this intercut question.”
[!]
[…]
In the projection, everyone saw the black skeleton behind the bronze mirror humanely changing expressions, showing a toothache-like expression.
But soon, it bared its teeth, laughing sinisterly.
Meng Zi had already finished watching the ‘TV’ for one incense stick, and was forcibly sent back to his room.
“What the heck was that.”
“Made me watch a little kid boxing.”
After entering, he grumbled, clearly very confused.
Creak, the second hot water bottle holder, Huangpu Yuan, opened his room door and walked out.
[Damn, a new one comes out, and will talk to her again!]
[Communication will lift the seal counts. Even if Lin Shuang has deduced everything, wanting to delay until everyone learns the technique before lifting the seal, how can she precisely control it? Meng Zi and the six don’t know, they will all communicate with her!]
[Exactly! Even if Lin Shuang keeps silent, she can’t control their questions!]
[The key is, Lin Shuang has always been the strategist in the team, everyone knows, they will definitely ask her.]
[So, making the environment and magical artifacts of this layer into what Lin Shuang imagined, the purpose was to entice Meng Zi and the others to ask her.]
[This is tough.]
Behind the bronze mirror, a ferocious arm bone from the black skeleton had already positioned itself on the 24 one-way mirror talismans Zhao Keran had pasted.
At this moment, eight of them had already turned black, burned into ashes.
The second seal had already been lifted one-third, its power was rapidly recovering!
Now, it sneered and was about to burn the remaining one-way mirror talismans!
[Danger!]
[Silence, Huangpu Yuan!]
Huangpu Yuan, holding the puppy hot water bottle, had already raised his eyebrows and walked to the bronze mirror.
Looking at Lin Shuang, whose left index finger was raised, dragging downward from her forehead.
His phoenix eyes flickered, and even his black pupils showed a hint of amusement.
Lin Shuang: “…” What the hell are you laughing at.
Huangpu Yuan nodded, “Every word I say now is talking to myself, not to you. I won’t ask you any questions, nor will I answer any of your questions.”
“Lin Shuang.”
“Or should I call you ‘Lin Shuang. Ten-Perfection Fairy. Li Village Adventurer’…evil cultivator.”
The black skeleton in the bronze mirror: “!”
[!]
Lin Shuang coughed lightly, her eyes briefly showing an expression of being painfully embarrassed by such a cheesy name.
But soon she regained her composure.
This overly dramatic name belonged to that evil creature on the back of the bronze mirror; it had nothing to do with her.
Well done, Huangpu Yuan!
She knew it—he wouldn’t speak to her directly.
Only Meng Zi failed to understand her hand signal—it was “shush,” meaning be quiet and don’t speak.
Was that step he took backward at that time serious?
[Huangpu Yuan, tonight there are still four opportunities to communicate with the… adventurer through the bronze mirror.]
[By holding the hot water bag talisman, you may remain in the living room for the duration of one incense stick.]
[After one incense stick’s time, you must return to your room and may not come out again tonight to communicate with the… adventurer through the bronze mirror.]
Huangpu Yuan acted as if he hadn’t seen the message and soon walked to the water curtain ‘television’ in the living room, pulled out a lounge chair, sat down, brewed some spiritual tea, and began watching the ‘television’.
[!]
[Success.]
Lin Shuang felt relieved.
She pulled down her fuzzy hat brim.
She gripped the soft felt cloak.
“I will now begin searching for cultivation techniques.”
Huangpu Yuan’s voice echoed in her consciousness.
By holding the hair he had shed,
she could hear his voice.
Regardless of whether such a method might be detected by this layer’s rules, he had made clear immediately upon emerging that everything he said was merely talking to himself, not communicating with the bronze mirror.
This was also an attempt to test the extent to which the rules defined communication.
Lin Shuang’s expression instantly relaxed.
She leaned fully back against the lotus seat behind her, comfortably slumping down.
No longer needing to keep herself tense and alert.
With someone else sharing the pressure of progressing through the layer, she no longer had to think everything through alone.
As she thought this, a bright white light suddenly filled the room.
The home screen of the water curtain ‘television’ had been brought up by Huangpu Yuan.
Earlier, when Meng Zi turned on the ‘television,’ it had remained on the default single channel, and after three seconds of a black screen, it began playing automatically.
There had been no switching of channels.
But right now, Huangpu Yuan seemed to have found the remote control.
The water curtain instantly displayed six options:
—Children’s Channel
—Midday News
—Central Education
—Sweet Romance Theater
—Thriller Mystery
—Midnight Adult Films
“Midnight Adult Films?”
Huangpu Yuan’s puzzled voice echoed in Lin Shuang’s mind.
“Six short ones and one long one—choose the long one,” she had taught him.
Lin Shuang: “!”
No, wait—
Huangpu Yuan didn’t turn his head, “Don’t reply, the hidden observer in this layer has higher spiritual awareness than mine.”
Lin Shuang: “……”
Then why did you ask in the first place?
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage