[Zhengchuan Wubajie, Myriad Scroll Sea.]
[This time, I shall take but a single ladle from you.]
“Divided by nine leaves five, an assessment of comprehension.” Meng Zi stood in the middle of the transmission array.
Lin Shuang had already calculated it upon entry, nodding to herself.
Xiao Qi was greatly puzzled, “What does ‘divided by nine leaves five’ mean?”
But apart from him, no one else showed surprise.
Bian Bochai snapped shut his folding fan, his charming expression showing seriousness.
“I’ve studied it before; the Nine Thousand Flower Valley arranges its trials in a certain way. For this, I spent over 300,000 spirit stones and about three months, viewing all the battle projections below layer 2,500.”
“This is how I confirmed the secret of the Nine Thousand, which senior apprentices and apprentices never spoke of.”
Bian Bochai couldn’t help but look appreciatively at Meng Zi.
But soon his appreciative gaze shifted from Meng Zi to Huangpu Yuan and the treasure cauldron (Lin Shuang) behind him.
“Never thought you’d have noticed it too.”
“What do you mean, what do you mean?”
Meng Zi, carrying his blade, stepped left in displeasure, blocking his view backward.
“You’re clearly the one speaking, why won’t you look at me but look at them?”
“Can’t it be that I noticed it?”
Bian Bochai was silent for a moment, then unfolded his fan.
“Senior Apprentice Kong, I’ve told you before, the Clear Water Sect probably also noticed the secret of the Nine Thousand, yet you wouldn’t believe me.”
Kong Miaoke sighed, pulling out a deluxe wolf-hair brush and handing it to him, “I lost, Senior Brother Bian.”
These two… ignored him.
Meng Zi’s face fell into a pout.
“What rule are you talking about?”
Beside them, there was Xiao Qi, even more innocent and clueless.
Meng Zi immediately grinned, no worries anymore; he could handle it now.
There’s superiority when there’s comparison.
As for Xiao Qi’s question, Bian Bochai actually refused to answer, “Junior Brother Xiao, the sect’s high-level and Soul Cultivation battles are imminent. If it’s not self-realized, I’m afraid I can’t tell you.”
Xiao Qi, a man who loved swords above all else, didn’t care about other matters.
“Understood,” he said, not getting angry.
Bian Bochai, holding his folding fan, politely bowed to him.
Meng Zi snorted, “Your spending over 300,000 spirit stones on watching projections is pure waste, and you’re proud of it, not even ashamed.”
Bian Bochai was stunned.
Kong Miaoke turned to look at him too.
Meng Zi lifted his chin, shaking his head with a tsk, “Lin Xiaoshuang, why don’t you tell them how much spirit stones and time you spent discovering the secret of Zhengchuan Nine Thousand back then?”
The treasure cauldron where Lin Shuang was located was already covered with a carved rabbit lid.
All that answered him was silence.
“Asleep?” Xiao Qi asked with concern.
At this moment, they had already entered the transmission array of layer 5,800.
The surrounding spiritual energy was distorted, making it difficult to extend one’s divine sense outward to probe, and the surrounding environment could not be observed.
But the transmission array was operating, already at its final moment.
They felt the ground beneath their feet swaying, sensing the transformation of mountains and rivers.
Bian Bochai and Kong Miaoke couldn’t help but look toward the cauldron carried by flying knives, “Junior Sister Lin, you can wake up now; we’re about to arrive. This time we face the unknown, after all, this place is not layer 2,000 anymore, it’s already layer 5,000.”
If the Myriad Scroll Rooms below layer 3,000 had no danger at all, at most just experiencing forgetting.
Then layer 5,000, with its height doubled, would see a significant increase in difficulty, no longer just about forgetting.
But the cauldron remained silent.
Only Zhao Keran, walking beside the cauldron, placed a hand on it, raised one finger toward him, and shook it.
“My senior sister has already told you.”
Bian Bochai: “?”
[Hundred: ?]
[Hundred: Huh, suddenly my speech has a prefix, Hundred of Hundred Flowers Sect?]
[Mountain: Let me try.]
[Mountain: Wow, I have one too. So, what was Lin Shuang’s answer.]
[Clear: First, we need to figure out exactly what rule they’re talking about.]
[Clear: I know, but I won’t tell you. Don’t you know if you’re above Soul Cultivation?]
[Clear: …]
[Hundred: I’ll take a guess. Lin Shuang answered with silence. Combining ‘the character for talent on the door means closed’ from the team battle, she’s now sitting in the cauldron, meaning ‘one word equals nine cauldrons.’ I boldly bet she spent 90,000 spirit stones or discovered the secret after nine training stone layers.]
[Mountain: One word equals nine cauldrons, so that would be 19 times the training stone layer time?]
The words had just floated past when Zhao Keran shook his finger in front of Bian Bochai.
“Silence means no words.”
“No.”
Bian Bochai: “?”
Kong Miaoke: “?”
“Senior sister never spent any extra cost to discover the Nine Thousand rule.” Zhao Keran raised his head.
Meng Zi chuckled, essentially confirming.
Not a single coin was spent.
She discovered it within half a day of entering.
Bian Bochai: “Half a day?!”
Xiao Qi was wrapping his sword, upon hearing this, he comfortingly patted Bian Bochai’s shoulder, “It’s okay, you’ll get used to it.”
With Lin Shuang, no matter what speed, she was always fast.
“Then Junior Sister Lin, can you guess the trial content from the phrase ‘of the myriad waters I shall take but a single ladle’?”
Bian Bochai quickly recovered and became interested.
“From the literal meaning, it seems to speak of emotional fidelity, not being dazzled by other flowers.”
“Passing through myriad flowers, not a single leaf sticks to the robe.”
“It seems this round is the same as the Myriad Scroll Rooms below layer 3,000? Guarding one’s true self, seeing one’s true nature, not being dazzled by many techniques.”
Bian Bochai waved his fan.
As a man of literary flair, he naturally liked analyzing the words of the question.
In every past trial, he had done so, so the Hundred Flowers Sect’s speed in passing mid- to low-level battles was always second only to the Clear Water Sect.
But inside the cauldron, there was still silence.
Bian Bochai and the others were surprised and turned around.
Why was Lin Shuang so quiet?
Huangpu Yuan, who had been watching from the sidelines, pressed his hands on the silver-threaded furnace and finally lowered his eyes, glancing at them.
“You just noticed?”
“She’s not there anymore.”
“??”
“!”
[!]
Zhao Keran was surprised, quickly pulling out a small notebook from his spatial bag, “Senior sister’s schedule should be daydreaming.”
So she hadn’t dared to disturb her just now.
Bian Bochai: “?”
What you just said, ‘senior sister already answered you,’ was actually nonsense, just a daydreaming schedule!
But Zhao Keran quickly bent down, opened the cauldron lid held by the flying knives, looked inside, and was astonished.
Inside the cauldron was completely empty.
Lin Shuang was really gone.
“No way!” Meng Zi also leaned over to look.
Xiao Qi rubbed his chin, “Come to think of it, the sound of dripping water from her did indeed stop soon after entering the transmission array.”
Kong Miaoke took out her embroidery frame, “Let me check.”
Bian Bochai also turned solemn, green seeds flying from his sleeves.
But Zhao Keran soon frowned, checking every inch of the cauldron’s interior, her trembling hand feeling along each inner wall.
Then she exhaled a breath of relief.
“Found her?”
“Left a message?”
Zhao Keran shook her head, “No, senior sister is really gone, not a single trace left.”
“!”
Then why are you relieved? Isn’t it more terrifying!
Zhao Keran closed the cauldron lid, thinking, “If there was danger, senior sister would definitely try to leave some clues for help. Since there are none, it means she’s fine and doesn’t need help.”
As she spoke, the transmission array in front of them fully opened.
They had arrived.
Zhao Keran immediately took a step forward, “Senior sister must have gone ahead. Being the fastest learner, it’s not surprising she’s ahead of us. I need to find her.”
Meng Zi and Xiao Qi: “…”
Where does this confidence come from? No, she believes it.
[So much trust?]
[Three years of living together in the outer sect couldn’t cultivate such trust. Unless Lin Shuang is incredibly powerful in her eyes.]
[…Wake up, Lin Shuang is only at Foundation Building Seventh Layer?]
The shaking of the transmission array stopped, and suddenly Zhao Keran and the others’ vision cleared, revealing a strange seven-story tall building.
This was an architectural form none of them had ever seen.
It was square, standing straight on the ground.
Each floor had several square window frames, neatly arranged, like transparent crystal, reflecting sunlight.
The tall building had seven floors, each with several small platforms extending outward. Some featured floor-to-ceiling crystal windows that clearly revealed the interior layout, while others were semi-enclosed with walls incorporating crystal elements.
Many rods similar to black iron were horizontally placed on these small platforms protruding outward, hanging many clothes to dry in the sunlight, though some were empty.
“What is this for?”
Xiao Qi didn’t understand.
Cultivators could use basic spells to instantly dry clothes.
Zhao Keran looked up, her eyes full of surprise and admiration, “Could this be the apartment building Senior Sister once told me about?”
Bian, who considered himself knowledgeable, Bochai: “!?”
Kong Miaoke immediately lowered her head to look in her book, but couldn’t find the term.
Zhao Keran had already taken a step forward, looking at the wide road around this apartment building, with many red and green flashing lights on the road and yellow lines painted on the ground…
And in the sky, many poles with wires and ‘cultivators’ flying past.
She couldn’t help but feel excited and her eyes sparkled, “This is Senior Sister’s created world!”
As soon as she finished speaking, trial text was triggered.
[Correct. Welcome to Lin Shuang’s world.]
[!]
[Is it really her creation? An illusion formation?]
[Wait, she’s even a formation master capable of creating illusions?]
[Most likely it’s an ability granted by this trial layer’s stone.]
[This is my first time seeing it, what about you? Has any disciple reached this layer before?]
[Only a single ladle from the myriad waters, is this the kind of trial? Borrowing the thoughts of the disciples attempting the trial?]
[I’ve been to the Myriad Scroll Sea, but seeing this scene has already confused me.]
[?]
[I went to the Myriad Scroll Sea, but it was completely different. It was a boat rowing upstream against the current, only by comprehending techniques could one move forward. Could it be because I was thinking of boating on a lake at that time?]
[I also experienced the Myriad Scroll Sea as a boat rowing upstream.]
[…]
[Then it must be Lin Shuang’s issue.]
[…]
[Everyone, you will have twelve breaths to observe your surroundings, then choose a fourth-tier magical artifact.]
Trial prompt text appeared.
Then, in front of Zhao Keran and the six others, six objects rose into the air.
They were called artifacts, but they dazzled their eyes!
A fully transparent crystal fish tank with red koi swimming inside;
A snow-white strange large tub that could hold at least ten people lying down comfortably;
A lotus-pod-shaped object made of black iron with tubes;
A dog-shaped tea mat, but it seemed somewhat thick, with what seemed to be liquid flowing inside?
A straight cylindrical jade bottle with a yellowish lid.
A strange teacup with a round belly and a handle.
“What are these? Magical artifacts?”
Meng Zi curiously stepped forward.
He picked up the jade handle teacup, which was made from a single piece of jade, his fingers fitting perfectly into the handle.
He picked it up and made a drinking motion.
It felt a bit strange, but extremely convenient.
He then turned to that oversized tub, curious, so big, carved from a single piece of jade, it looked quite nice too.
“Wait a minute, Senior Brother Meng, we should first figure out why this layer is making us choose these.”
Zhao Keran, inheriting the fastest learning, planned before acting.
She got straight to the core issue.
“If we choose wrong, we probably can’t undo it.”
But she had already spoken too late; besides Meng Zi’s quick hands, Bian Bochai also headed toward the large water tub he was most curious about and wanted to plant grass on.
Huangpu Yuan picked up the dog-shaped water bag, while Xiao Qi immediately chose the lotus-pod-shaped water pipe that looked most like a sword…
Leaving only the suspicious large jade bottle with yellow liquid for Zhao Keran.
Zhao Keran held her forehead: “…”
Senior sister, she did her best.
She couldn’t carry them all.
She had just finished speaking when a line of text appeared on a strange ‘apartment building’ in front of them, rolling across a glowing screen of unknown material.
[This layer’s trial: I shall take but a single ladle from you.]
[This layer belongs to the Myriad Scroll Sea realm and has detected that each entering disciple has entered due to Lin Shuang’s ‘the sea is all water’ technique’s entrapment, and because she possesses the most Scroll Layer Ferry Leaves (quantity three).]
[Therefore, the trial requirement for this layer is: find a technique titled ‘you are water, I am the boat,’ which complements Lin Shuang’s ‘the sea is all water,’ and complete a combined move to pass the trial.]
Meng Zi coughed lightly, “Too wordy.”
Too many characters.
They had already mentally prepared for entering this layer.
It was all to find a way to counter Lin Shuang’s water transformation.
Elder Chen Wu Shui had said that how to stop water transformation, the answer had long been hidden by Elder Shui Qian Tan in the Myriad Scroll Room layer.
This requirement was as expected.
What was expected?
Bian Bochai was shocked, “Junior Sister Lin actually holds three Myriad Scroll Room Ferry Leaves?”
She had only recently entered Zhengchuan.
Yet in one successful attempt, she obtained three Ferry Leaves?
What kind of evaluation did that mean she received?
[If a disciple does not wish to collect the ‘you are water, I am the boat’ technique, they may exit within three breaths.]
[This layer is special; if exited within three breaths, it will not count as trial failure. Otherwise, failure will result in a retreat of 300 layers.]
No one moved.
Zhao Keran was determined to help her senior sister.
Meng Zi came to this layer precisely because he had a Ferry Leaf, and obtaining this Ferry Leaf was closely related to Lin Shuang.
At the time, without her directly pointing out the Nine Thousand Trial rules, choosing the Myriad Scroll Room, saying she gained a technique for free, and suggesting they enter, he would definitely have missed the ‘Thirteen Cuts of Mountains and Seas,’ a technique worth 90,000 spirit stones.
Therefore, today using the Ferry Leaf to come to this layer, gaining another technique for free, and helping Lin Shuang.
Meng Zi had no objections.
“Whether it’s a boat or water, let’s go!” Meng Zi said cheerfully, raising his blade.
Huangpu Yuan also did not withdraw.
Layer 5,800 was getting closer to the Nine Thousand layer he desired.
But Zhao Keran, holding her chin, pondered, “What’s the connection between these artifacts we’re asked to choose and the question of finding techniques and practicing combined moves? And why separate senior sister from us?”
Everyone was momentarily stunned.
Water lotus pods, water jars, handled teacups…
“Lin Shuang, Lin Xiaoshuang,” Meng Zi immediately put down his teacup, taking others’ magical artifacts one by one while exclaiming, “Are you there? Is it really you?”
“If you don’t answer, I’ll take it as a yes.”
“I’m going to smash you into the ground—”
[!]
[…!]
In an instant, a copper-framed, golden lotus-embroidered half-body mirror appeared before them.
Inside the mirror, there was a lotus seat.
On it sat a white-veiled woman whose only visible feature was her bright eyes.
Her left hand extended downward, her clean index finger forming a spell gesture, continuously letting water flow from her finger into a golden bowl placed on the ground.
Once partially filled, she used her right hand to lift the bowl, slightly lifting a corner of her veil to drink its contents.
Then, she placed the bowl back under the stream from her left finger to rinse it.
Meng Zi: “…”
Huangpu Yuan’s eye twitched.
Fully automatic water drinking and cleaning cycle.
Zhao Keran was suddenly inspired, “This ‘all water’ technique is really convenient.”
But in an instant, the veiled woman in the mirror, with water flowing from her fingers, seemed like a true immortal, as the water flowed through mountains and rivers, entering the large pots of households.
As if during the sweet dreams of these families, sweet dew descended from the sky, benefiting the people.
On her smooth, wide forehead, a line of small characters appeared.
[This is Shishuan Immortal, a celestial teacher from the heavenly realm, willing to instruct you six.]
[She is kind-hearted, and no one speaks ill of her.]
“Ha—”
Meng Zi covered his mouth.
He was nearly laughing so hard he would collapse.
“Shishuan? Like hitting ten birds with one arrow, Ten Carver Immortal, hahaha.”
“Spraying water while drinking, who else could do this! I’m dying of laughter.”
The bright-eyed woman in the mirror lowered her gaze: “…”
Suddenly, a powerful jet of water fell from the sky, directly hitting Meng Zi on the head.
[This is the multi-participant trial of the Three Sects. Others’ actions may affect your own progress.]
[Meng Zi of Qing Shui Sect insulted Shishuan Immortal, which may lead to undesirable consequences. Do the rest of you disciples approve of his behavior?]
Before Zhao Keran and the others, a flat stone suddenly appeared.
On its front side was the veiled Shishuan Immortal sitting on a lotus.
On the reverse, it was a terrifying, pitch-black skeleton.
[Front: Approve Meng Zi]
[Back: Disapprove]
[If you choose incorrectly, you may face punishment from Shishuan Immortal. The consequences are beyond what you can bear.]
[Please make your choice within three heartbeats. Three, two…]
Meng Zi was stunned, “How come there’s such a thing in this layer? It’s just like the teamwork test.”
[Clearly distinct from the questions about teamwork chemistry.]
[Choosing incorrectly can have serious consequences.]
[Three heartbeats are a reminder to think thrice before acting.]
[I’m confused, completely confused. I’ve been to this layer’s Myriad Scroll Library earlier this year, and it definitely wasn’t like this!]
[With this weird senior apprentice sister Lin Shuang entering, the Nine Thousand Trials never go normally. Don’t panic, it’s okay.]
[…]
When the three heartbeats ended, Zhao Keran and others all turned serious, tossing the stone pieces into the air from their hands.
Then they slapped them into their palms.
[Nervous, what happens if we answer wrong?]
[If it were me, I wouldn’t approve Meng Zi. The reason is simple: if the immortal in the mirror is Lin Shuang, even if we answer incorrectly, she wouldn’t be angry with them. But if it’s a real senior immortal, Meng Zi’s disrespect would lead to trouble. Zhen Chuan always says there will be punishment, and usually, it directly results in trial failure.]
[That makes sense.]
But in an instant, everyone removed their hands.
Five hands holding stones were placed together.
Zhao Keran, Huangpu Yuan, Bian Bo Cai, and Kong Miaoke all chose the front side, approving Meng Zi.
Only Xiao Qi chose the back side with the skeleton, opposing.
“This isn’t Lin Shuang, right? If it were, she would definitely give us a hint.”
But then, with a slap, a stone fist infused with the power of the Condensing Origin peak level burst forth from the stone, striking him squarely in the face!
With a bang, Xiao Qi was knocked to the ground.
[!]
[The four who approved Meng Zi’s claim that ‘Shishuan Immortal is Lin Shuang’ reached a consensus, overwhelming Xiao Qi’s disapproval and giving him a beating.]
Xiao Qi: “…”
[Congratulations, you have passed the ‘Just One Ladle of Yours’ branch task: locating Shishuan Immortal.]
[And you have unlocked one-third of Shishuan Immortal’s restrictions.]
In the half-body mirror, Lin Shuang’s veil dropped, revealing her original appearance.
The lotus beneath her seat instantly split, one-third of its petals opening.
Instantly changing from a cross-legged sitting posture, she stretched and then lounged lazily on the lotus treasure.
[?]
[Ha ha, the restriction is lifted. I thought she was going to walk out, but she just lay down.]
[Don’t ask, just assume it’s now time for a rest.]
She could now move her body slightly.
Lin Shuang nodded appreciatively at Meng Zi.
“Not bad.”
“You found me so quickly.”
“Senior apprentice sister!” Zhao Keran took a step forward, reaching toward the mirror, only to find that she couldn’t penetrate it with her spiritual energy.
Lin Shuang also reached out, but even the water flowing from her left hand couldn’t drip beyond the mirror’s surface.
“This should be a fifth-tier magical artifact; I can’t get out for now.”
“This layer’s Myriad Scroll Library has transformed into this form, so the trial has been divided into many small tasks. Completing some of them will allow you to release me from the mirror.”
As she spoke, Zhao Keran immediately began taking notes earnestly.
Then she turned around, quickly pointing at the six strange magical artifacts they held that needed selection, “Senior apprentice sister, what are these? Are they created by you in this world?”
Seeing this batch of peculiar items, Lin Shuang pressed her forehead.
A bathtub—large enough for ten people to swim in. Was this a public bathhouse?
A coffee mug had become a handled teacup, somewhat resembling a coffee cup.
A dog-shaped hot water bottle had been miniaturized to an extreme, almost like a Taobao product photo fraud.
…
Lin Shuang pressed her head, not wanting to admit these were her creations.
She couldn’t help but glance at the lines of text that had appeared before her.
[Immortal, renamed Shishuan Immortal.]
[Lin Shuang’s current layer tasks:
1. Personally find a way to counteract and compensate for water transformation: Not completed
2. Other disciples find techniques that complement yours to complete combined techniques: Not completed]
[Successfully completing the first task will clear this layer and unlock an ascent of 500 layers;
Successfully completing the second task will clear this layer for other disciples, ending the trial immediately. If you have not completed the first task at this time, it will be considered an immediate failure, dropping you back 300 layers.]
This meant she must complete the first task ‘personally,’ and others could not substitute for her.
If she couldn’t exit the mirror or complete the first task before Meng Zi and others found the techniques, she would face failure in this layer.
[Since this layer revolves around your technique issues, the world was created by you.]
[Pour the spiritual water you have condensed into the golden bowl before you, release spiritual energy to activate the bowl, and it will create everything you desire.]
[With no more than six fourth-tier magical artifacts, this layer will impartially recreate what you envision.]
Fraud.
This is called impartial recreation?
Lin Shuang looked at the 3.75-liter moisturizing bottle Zhao Keran was holding and pressed her forehead.
“Senior apprentice sister, is the soundproofing formation activated?”
“Can you hear me? What is this I’m holding for? It’s such a big bottle.”
Lin Shuang made a sound, how should she tell her senior apprentice sister that this 3.75-liter item was moisturizing toner.
It could probably cover ten faces.
“Cough.”
Lin Shuang didn’t want to answer this question.
The text prompt didn’t inform her where the created items would be used.
But this layer required finding a technique that matched ‘all water.’
Therefore, she came up with six fourth-tier magical artifacts, all related to water usage.
These were the most commonly used and quite important items in her mind.
Of course, she also considered the characteristics and preferences of Meng Zi and the others to some extent.
Without knowing their usage, she could only think from the most important and most suitable angles for these six people.
Lin Shuang looked at Zhao Keran hugging a tall moisturizing bottle, Huangpu Yuan holding the ultra-mini dog hot water bottle, Meng Zi holding what looked like an expensive ‘coffee cup,’ Kong Miaoke choosing a goldfish, Bian Bo Cai taking the ten-person bathtub, and Xiao Qi holding a lotus-shaped showerhead with a metal hose (possibly most resembling a sword).
Lin Shuang nodded thoughtfully.
She guessed correctly; indeed, they each had to choose one.
When choosing freely, people would instinctively pick something not too bad for themselves.
This was human nature to seek benefits and avoid harm.
She didn’t know the usage, but they would naturally avoid things they were unfamiliar with.
[Do you wish to reconsider and choose again?]
Zhao Keran and the five others again held stones with both sides.
The front side showed Lin Shuang with her veil removed.
The back side was again a grim skeleton.
“Okay.”
Zhao Keran and the five others quickly flipped to the front.
This time almost simultaneously.
[Six-person consensus achievement unlocked.]
[Congratulations, you have obtained the fourth-tier magical artifact bestowed by Shishuan Immortal centuries ago.]
Lin Shuang raised her eyebrow.
The ‘six-person consensus title’ reminded her of the ‘no matter east or west wind’ achievement rewards Xiao Ai gave to Bian Bo Cai in the team battle layer.
In the previous Nine Thousand Trials, she had never encountered the same term.
Until the team battle announcement by Xiao Ai?
Lin Shuang looked at this text prompt, somewhat lost in thought.
Had this question been recently modified?
But Elder Shui Qiantan was catching wolves in the Shanhai Sect and had no time to do this.
The modifier must have watched the entire team battle.
Was it Elder Chen Wu Shui?
Also, she perked up her ears but no longer heard the previous Nine Thousand Trials calling her in her consciousness.
Because she had entered this layer?
Lin Shuang, regarding temporarily unsolvable matters, never got stuck in a rut.
She had Xiao Ai record ‘layer modification—post team battle,’ then temporarily set aside this useless clue.
Meng Zi suspiciously held the coffee mug.
“This was left from centuries ago? This aesthetic… would be hard to sell at a high price.”
Lin Shuang’s mouth twitched, but like him, she was drawn to the word.
Centuries ago?
In this layer, she had become someone from centuries past?
Lin Shuang rested her cheek on her hand, watching Meng Zi, who wanted to laugh again.
The original Li Village, 1,300 layers, if considered the starting point, was Year One.
At 3,000 layers, during the spring competition, Elder Li mentioned it was ‘already ten years later.’
Now at 5,800 layers, Meng Zi was already a person from ‘a hundred years later.’
In this layer, only she had gained a special identity, being imprisoned within the mirror. If looking solely at Meng Zi, Huangpu Yuan, and other disciples who normally entered for the challenge, they were already in the ‘__ hundred years later’ era.
If this was a fill-in-the-blank question…
Lin Shuang couldn’t help narrowing her eyes.
Looking at the trial text prompt she had previously gained renaming rights for, becoming ‘Shishuan Immortal’ but receiving no hints or further information.
Suddenly, she reached out, picking up the golden bowl before her lotus seat.
She erased ‘Shishuan Immortal’ written on it and changed it to ‘Lin Shuang. Shishuan Immortal. Lifetime Honorary Adventurer of Li Village.’
Meng Zi: “!”
[!]
[What is she doing?]
Bian Bo Cai hissed, seemingly realizing something.
[Lin Shuang completed the branch task, clarifying her current location: Li Village!]
[Congratulations, Lin Shuang is rewarded with the ability to freely use one of the six disciples’ fourth-tier magical artifacts at any time.]
[!]
[Everyone, it’s time to enter the home of ‘Lin Shuang. Shishuan Immortal. Lifetime Honorary Adventurer of Li Village.’]
[Present the six magical artifacts created by adventurer Lin Shuang… to gain access to the corresponding room.]
[Each day, you may use the magical artifact in hand to ‘communicate’ once or multiple times with the adventurer in the mirror…]
[Each day, you may use the magical artifact in hand to search the corresponding room for techniques.]
[If the corresponding technique is found, you may communicate with the adventurer in the mirror using the magical artifact to complete the combined technique, thus passing the trial.]
Suddenly, a familiar puppet appeared at the entrance of the apartment building—none other than the village head of Li Village, Elder Li.
With a warm smile, he said, “Welcome home, everyone.”
[Li Village! This is the Li Village copy, but something’s off, not quite right.]
[What do you mean? Doesn’t the Qing Shui Sect have many Li Village instances?]
[Hey, don’t you remember, they entered the Myriad Scroll Library layer! A technique-learning trial layer, where would there be puppets? Have any of you ever entered a Myriad Scroll Library with puppets?]
[??]
[!]
[Right! How did this happen?]
[Heavens, Senior Apprentice Sister Lin Shuang of Qing Shui Sect really messed up the Nine Thousand Trials!]
[I feel like this layer resembles layer six thousand.]
[What?]
[Layer six thousand? Are you kidding? The display says layer five thousand eight hundred!]
[Layer six thousand, I went there this year, barely surviving! But no, layer six thousand’s task wasn’t about finding techniques; there was a fifth-stage soul cultivator puppet hiding behind a fake immortal!]
[???]
[…]
All the observing disciples fell silent in an instant.
Especially watching the scene of Meng Zi and others entering the ‘apartment building’ cave dwelling.
Zhao Keran, having the lowest cultivation and ranking last, conscientiously carried the bronze mirror with Lin Shuang inside, entering the apartment building last.
At the entrance of the apartment building, Elder Li revealed a barely perceptible faint smile.
Zhao Keran, carrying the bronze mirror with its surface facing herself, communicated with Lin Shuang inside as she walked.
Thus, the projection camera happened to capture the back of the carved bronze mirror.
As they entered the ‘apartment building’ cave dwelling gate, in the dim reflection on the back of the bronze mirror, a vague shadow of black mist appeared.
This black mist seemed to constantly want to expand, extending its claws in different directions across the mirror’s surface.
Occasionally, some of the mist would dissipate, revealing a third of a skeleton’s body, its bones stark and white!
It even seemed to have expressions, gnashing its teeth with a hideous grin.
The eerie, cold white bone arm was knocking on the back of the bronze mirror, producing a crackling sound with each strike.
It seemed to want to crawl out of the mirror, stretching and climbing onto Zhao Keran’s back.
[!]
[! This is a six-thousand-layer demonic cultivator puppet! Initially, he was imprisoned inside a towering pagoda, only capable of impersonating a master and bestowing magical artifacts upon disciples. Yet he was exceedingly feeble, with a Heart-Piercing Lock thrust through his back, confining him within the pagoda!]
By posing as their master and bestowing treasures, the treasures covertly carried fragments of his malevolent spirit. When the disciples accepted these gifts, they became ensnared. Through the disciples’ actions, the malevolent spirit absorbed spiritual energy from the surroundings, achieving partial freedom—the first third of the Heart-Piercing Lock’s seal was weakened!
[…I’ve been here before too, how come it turned into a round mirror…]
[Meng Zi and the others must destroy their fourth-tier treasures immediately! Otherwise, soon two-thirds or even the entire Heart-Piercing Lock restriction will be lifted! Once he manifests, he will be a fifth-stage Spirit-Refining puppet, capable of possessing the disciple’s body!]
[!]
[Quickly, someone inform the elders! Something’s wrong! Lin Shuang entered the wrong trial! Something terrible is about to happen!]
[Don’t release Lin Shuang! The front of the mirror is her, while the back is a fifth-stage soul-refining evil cultivator! If you let her out, we’ll all die!]
*
Zhenchuan, Yuanhe, Baihuagou, layer 6000.
A broad dark shadow fell upon the stone tablet displaying disciples who had passed the trials.
— Lin Shuang, Huangpu Yuan… Zhao Keran, Zhenchuan layer 5848, ‘Ten Thousand Volumes Sea of Books’
Soon it ended, the words transforming.
— Lin Shuang, Huangpu Yuan… Zhao Keran, entering Yuanhe layer 6000, ‘Dare You Look at My Back?’
—Danger! Danger! (All entering disciples are below this layer’s fifth-stage Divine Refinement, surpassing seven tiers of cultivation realms)
—Notice: Please have the monitoring elders prepare the elixirs at any moment!
—Notice: Immediately check the formations for sending injured disciples to healing caves!
—Warning: Disciples may die!
The dark shadow on the stone tablet covered it, soon vanishing.
“Yueshi, I’ll go in. As you said, I’ll become the Evil Immortal within the bronze mirror.”
“Can my power reach the peak of the Void Realm within?”
“Yes. As long as three layers of the Heart-Piercing Lock restriction are lifted.”
“Good, Lin Shuang, I’ll offer you to the Lord. As for the rest…haha, I’ll gladly accept.”
*
Sitting inside the copper mirror, Lin Shuang watched Meng Zi and others entering the ‘elevator’ of the apartment building.
This elevator was also created by her, imagined while holding the golden bowl.
A square, vertically moving box crafted from darksteel.
But now, her lips twitched as she looked at this ‘elevator’ that resembled a vampire’s coffin.
Was this floor’s elder deliberately doing this?
“This floor seems to bring bad luck, quite ominous.”
Just as Bian Bo had barely settled inside the coffin-like ‘elevator,’ the door slammed shut from the outside.
Zhao Keran and others each chose one.
Even Meng Zi couldn’t help muttering, “A perfectly good teleportation formation, why did Lin Shuang have to make it like this?”
Lin Shuang: “…”
It wasn’t her fault.
But in an instant, she straightened her posture on the lotus seat.
Teleportation formation?
“If passing requires going through a teleportation array or talisman, it’s most likely crafted by the elder of this floor, as a way to repay the Heavenly Dao. It has become his habit…”
Lin Shuang’s eyebrow twitched.
Elder Yueshi had already been imprisoned.
That shouldn’t be the case.
Yet…she looked at Zhao Keran and others’ completely distorted, unnaturally sized treasures, and the coffin-like ‘elevator’.
Even if the elder didn’t understand what modern objects looked like,
She usually hated redoing things, and when she pressed the golden bowl, she had already informed the ‘elder’ of the approximate dimensions.
Yet what was built was still so…unpleasant to look at.
What was the reason?
For example, during the team battle layer, when she couldn’t speak, she would write to tell Meng Zi and Huangpu Yuan which enemy to attack first.
If even writing wasn’t allowed, she would convey certain messages through objects.
Lin Shuang held her chin, “Could the abnormality and ominousness of these items be a warning from the elder who built this floor?”
“Or is it itself a hint of the trial?”
If it’s the latter, a hint inherent to the trial itself, what did it mean?
This was clearly the ‘Ten Thousand Volumes Sea of Books’ layer, where disciples learned techniques. Why would these treasures give ominous, distorted hints? Was it to indicate that the techniques they would encounter might harm the disciples, advising caution in learning?
Like selling tobacco and alcohol, with warnings saying minors shouldn’t consume them, or that they may cause lung cancer.
But why wasn’t this warning placed directly on the technique scrolls of this floor?
What connection was there between receiving treasures and learning techniques?
“This floor seems like the elder showing off his craftsmanship. I haven’t noticed any necessary connection between obtaining treasures and learning techniques.”
With the treasures ‘granted by me over a hundred years’, Meng Zi and others can 1 search for techniques once daily, 2 communicate with me.
If the distortion of the treasures is a warning, it might mean that one or both of the above functions could pose a fatal threat?
“This floor is also hinting that I must find a way to have my junior disciples release me from the copper mirror, or else I won’t be able to personally obtain the technique, failing my trial for this floor.”
Lin Shuang frowned, summarizing.
Looking at the dim yellow mirror surface before her.
Whether it was a warning from an elder or a hint inherent to the trial itself, it all pointed to one message…
“We’re here, Senior.”
Zhao Keran carefully placed the copper mirror inside the cave dwelling apartment—a six-bedroom, one-living room they reached directly via elevator.
Six rooms, but none for her?
Lin Shuang’s eye twitched as she stopped Zhao Keran from touching the mirror.
[Be careful, don’t touch.]
Any form of contact, communication, or agreement with the person in the mirror will hasten the邪修’s escape from the穿心锁.
(Note: “邪修” and “穿心锁” are left untranslated as they appear to be specific terms from a fantasy or supernatural context, possibly proper nouns or culturally unique concepts. If these terms have established translations in the given context, they should be replaced accordingly.)
[Oh no! They definitely want to release Lin Shuang in this floor!]
[One third has already been released. If they agree to any request from the Lin Shuang in the mirror, it will be considered as accepting the mirror’s condition. The邪修 (evil cultivator) is the opposite of Lin Shuang on this floor!]
“Junior sister, stop! Don’t touch the mirror!”
A loud shout abruptly echoed through the projection.
Zhao Keran was instantly startled, her hand freezing.
[Sigh in relief.]
[? I’m so powerful, one shout reached the nine-thousand-layer trial, warning the disciples inside?]
[???]
[!]
The words floated, but soon disciples from the three sects realized it wasn’t them who shouted in.
It was Lin Shuang from inside the mirror.
She looked at Zhao Keran solemnly, “Stay away from me. In this floor, I might not be a good thing for you.”
“Or rather, besides me, there’s another person inside this mirror.”
[!]
[??]
[!]
How did she find out!
All watching disciples wanted to scream.
*
“Bad! Quickly notify Elder Shui! The disciples mistakenly entered the teleportation formation, going from Zhenchuan 5000 to Yuanhe 6000!”
“Have him send a message to the disciples immediately!”
“Bad! Lin Shuang’s communication with them is down!”
Elder Shui, in the Shanhaisong assembly hall, upon hearing the commotion from thousands of miles away, instantly changed expression, vanishing into water.
“Ah, never mind, Lin Shuang seems to have noticed on her own.”
Elder Shui reappeared in water form: “…?”
Damn.
Faster than my water transformation.
*
Inside the apartment cave dwelling, everyone felt disbelief.
Looking at Lin Shuang inside the copper mirror.
They saw her expression turn strange, “You all search for techniques first. If my guess is right, there’s a hidden trial in this floor. It might involve defeating something inside the mirror.”
“At least above the third stage of refining the spirit.”
[!]
[Right! Fifth-stage Spirit Refinement! How did she know that!]
Just as the black shadow from the back of the mirror descended into the skeleton, stretching its hideous form in comfort,
It suddenly froze.
“To be safe, junior sister, stick the one-way mirror talisman and earphone talisman I gave you onto the back of the mirror.”
The evil cultivator who had just landed on the back of the mirror: “???”
[!]
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage