Chapter 56: Chapter 56 Ah Jing Breaks Heavenly Demon, Chief Disciple Transforms into White Feathers
Qiu Changtian proceeded cautiously along the stream.
The ground was everywhere covered with piled-up fallen leaves, which felt incredibly soft underfoot.
Qiu Changtian did not like this kind of environment because if a trap were hidden beneath the leaves somewhere, he would have no way to identify or investigate it.
However, since Luo Yan had said that this barrier was a test of one’s ability to “resist temptation,” then presumably…
…there shouldn’t be any strange design like “traps.”
After walking several tens of steps further, the river joined a lake.
In the middle of the lake, a faint, graceful figure seemed to be bathing in the water.
A faint, pleasing song drifted over:
“There are trees on the mountain with branches high, my heart is pleased with you, yet you don’t know why…”
Qiu Changtian’s gaze swept the lakeshore and spotted a neat pile of a woman’s dress on a large stone.
Well, all the elements are in place.
Do you think I’d pick up that dress with a twig and tease the bathing woman?
Unfortunately, I, Qiu Changtian, as an upright gentleman, love to say “no” to those who are self-righteous!
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Without a moment’s hesitation, Qiu Changtian turned and walked away, but after only a few steps, he saw a beautiful woman come around from behind a tree.
The dress she was wearing was identical to the one by the large stone at the lake.
Turning back to the lake, indeed both the figure and the singing had completely disappeared.
“Why does the young master spurn my affections so?” The beautiful woman seemed on the verge of tears, approaching him.
Qiu Changtian quickly retreated several steps, treating her as if she were some venomous snake or beast, and sternly said:
“Miss, please respect yourself!”
“Young master~” The beautiful woman began to pout.
The next second, the Jade Smoke Sword had pierced through her abdomen.
With his Daoist Heart Clarity, Qiu Changtian had been keenly aware from the moment he neared the lake that some kind of illusion was continuously attacking his mind.
Whether it was the shadow in the lake, the singing voice, or even the dress on the stone that emitted a “come steal me” intention, they were all part of the illusion attack.
Obviously, he wouldn’t explain to the opponent, “Sorry, I’m actually immune to illusion magic”; he simply remained cautious and on guard.
Seeing that he wasn’t fooled, the opponent stopped pretending and directly attempted a physical attack, forcing Qiu Changtian to counter.
When pierced by the Jade Smoke Sword, that beautiful woman immediately dissipated into dreamlike bubbles and shattered with a loud bang.
As Qiu Changtian continued along the side of the lake, enchantingly soft and lingering murmurs arose around him, almost enough to make one’s fists clench.
But since there were only voices without forms, he couldn’t resolve the situation as neatly as he had before, and could only listen.
Fortunately, with a high Synchronization Value from the Invincible Character Setting, Qiu Changtian fully activated his Daoist Heart Clarity, immunizing himself against the seductive effect of these bewitching sounds, choosing to ignore them completely.
Seeing that he remained unmoved, the seductive phrases of the demonic voices grew even more unrestrained and risqué.
Gradually, voices resembling Xu Yinglian, An Zhisu, and Shi Liuli appeared, with an endless stream of ambiguous “dear brother” and “kissy little brother” emerging.
Qiu Changtian sneered internally: This is it?
If I wanted to pursue them, I would have conquered the real ones by now!
Still completely unmoved by their attempts, the surrounding demonic voices fell silent for a moment, then further simulated the voices of the Kunlun Mirror and Green Duckweed Sword, subtly trying to entice Qiu Changtian.
Qiu Changtian frowned, finding it extremely awkward to imagine the mirror using such a delicate tone.
Inside his Sea of Consciousness, the Kunlun Mirror was already seething with rage.
“I am the mirror from the West Queen Mother’s palace atop Jade Pond Platform, when have I ever suffered such humiliation?”
“Mirror Flower Water Moon, Silent Photographic Void! Such vulgar illusions, break for me!”
Suddenly, as if the bottom of the sky clapped with thunder, the countless charming phantom sounds that were whining around just now screamed miserably for a moment and immediately disappeared without a trace.
Qiu Changtian: ?
“Ah Jing, what did you do?” he asked in astonishment, also on the alert internally.
This shattered mirror indeed had a trick up its sleeve! Just like that Green Duckweed Sword, it refused to yield unless squeezed hard!
“Nothing much,” the Kunlun Mirror said demurely. “This Illusion Domain was too noisy, so I helped you pass through more quickly.”
“Oh, is that so?” Qiu Changtian then laughed coldly, “Then next time we encounter danger, I hope Ah Jing won’t hesitate to help me.”
“Of course,” the Kunlun Mirror said insincerely, “You help me seek the Nuwa Stone to mend the heavens, and I assist you with Mirror Flower Water Moon to obtain peerless talent. Our relationship is supposed to be one of mutual assistance.”
“Naturally,” Qiu Changtian said with a chuckle.
As his voice faded, the world spun.
The Sixth Heavenly Demon Barrier had been breached, and Qiu Changtian was then transported by the Pavilion’s Prohibition to the next checkpoint.
However, here it was a world of blue sky and yellow earth, with a clear azure overhead and clouds stretching for miles. Far away, mountains layered upon each other, surrounded by lush trees, with streams running between, murmuring.
Birds chirped and insects buzzed, one after another; fish leaped, splashing water in all directions.
Qiu Changtian:
Glancing down at his reflection in the stream, he realized he had turned into a celestial crane with white feathers and a long neck, tall legs, and a dark crown.
“Ah Jing!” Qiu Changtian quickly called out in his mind, “Quick, help me undo this illusion!”
“This isn’t an illusion, it’s a formation,” the Kunlun Mirror said softly.
“Formation?” Qiu Changtian questioned with suspicion, “How come I have never seen such a formation?”
Subconsciously grooming his feathers with his beak, he then instinctively flapped his wings and took to the air.
Flying low around the woods, circling several times, Qiu Changtian confirmed the vicinity was just an ordinary mountain basin, with trees and water, nothing out of the ordinary.
There was no sign of any formation at all.
Suddenly, he descended in a clearing, only to see a three-eyed mongoose sprinting out of the forest.
The mongoose had golden fur, soft skin, long whiskers, and a pointed snout, but it could stand upright on its two hind legs, clearly also transformed from a human form.
“That’s Luo Yan.” the Kunlun Mirror reminded, “The future Kunlun Mirror is on him!”
“Li! Li!” Qiu Changtian called out.
“Gru! Gru!” Luo Yan replied.
Although the two were of different species and could not communicate directly, thankfully, the two mirrors of Kunlun and their intentions were interconnected and could exchange messages, so they began to translate for each other.
“He says,” the Kunlun Mirror relayed to Qiu Changtian, “this place simulates the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm, known as the Land of Three Types of Animals. The so-called three types of animals are fish, birds, and beasts.”
“The Land of Three Types of Animals tests the ability of ‘Daoist Magic as natural’. ”
“For this, we need to go to the place nearby where the spiritual energy is most abundant, and then imitate the demonic beasts to eat the wind and dew, absorbing the essence of the sun and the moon.”
Qiu Changtian was speechless after listening.
If the first three barriers had clear signs of guiding the trialists, then this Land of Three Types of Animals could be considered hellish from the start.
Upon entering, the trialists turn into animals with no one to communicate nearby nor any guidance for the barrier.
Without a guide, who could think of going to the place with the most spiritual energy? Wait, hold on…
The three-eyed mongoose cooed several times, then the Kunlun Mirror translated:
“That’s right, you’ve thought of it.”
“Ordinary people must spend at least twenty to thirty years of hard work to progress through the Qi Refining Rank, drawing in Qi into their bodies uninterrupted and refining it.”
“And this Land of Three Types of Animals is the key provided by the Pavilion Secret Realm to skip the Qi Refining Rank.”