Chapter 1722: The Embarrassment of the Illusion Sect

"He Lingchuan has eight hundred tricks up his sleeve," Dong Rui thought silently, seething inwardly. "That's not what you said before we entered the Upside-Down Sea!"

Elder Liu was startled. "Are you leaving already?"

"Spiritual Mountain only sent me to investigate why the Immortal Venerable went into seclusion," He Lingchuan replied with a smile. "Since I've found out, it's time for me to return. Even you immortal masters couldn't persuade the Immortal Venerable to appear, so what purpose would I serve by staying?"

Elder Liu considered this and realized it made sense. However, the last few visitors from Spiritual Mountain who entered the Upside-Down Sea were very persistent, insisting on trying to summon the Immortal Venerable themselves. He had assumed He Lingchuan and his companions would have the same intention. To his surprise, they were strictly business, unwilling to expend any extra effort.

"Well..." Elder Liu hesitated for a long time before saying, "It's not that we intend to stop you, but you can't leave just yet."

The three exchanged glances. He Lingchuan sneered inwardly. Just as he suspected. The old man was being evasive, not revealing the whole truth. Truly a disciple of the Mirage Demon.

"Why is that?"

"When the Immortal Venerable went into seclusion, he also used great divine power to seal off the entire Upside-Down Sea," Elder Liu sighed. "You can only enter, not leave. If you were to board a ship and sail from the coast right now, no matter how far or in what direction you went, you would eventually return to Silver Pearl Island." He paused. "We tried it ourselves right after the storm wall opened; it didn't work. That's why I said those people from the Heavenly Palace came here to die; they can't get out." The unspoken message: "And neither can you."

Dong Rui heard this and immediately objected: "Only enter, no exit? Wait, wait! What about you then?" In his urgency, he even dropped the honorifics.

Elder Liu cleared his throat, looking somewhat embarrassed. With just that expression, the three understood once more. In just two sentences, He Lingchuan had uncovered a terrifying truth: including Xiao Wencheng, no one from the Illusion Sect, from top to bottom, could leave the Upside-Down Sea!

Dong Rui's face twitched. "Didn't they say the Upside-Down Sea opens for ten days each period? It's been less than a day! Isn't this absurd? Can't you people respect the rules?"

"That was before, specifically before the Immortal Venerable went into seclusion." After the Immortal Venerable's seclusion, it became like this. What could Elder Liu do? Alas, he couldn't leave either, and he was quite helpless.

He Lingchuan and Dong Rui exchanged glances. What exactly had True Immortal Qianhuan done to the Upside-Down Sea? Madam Zhu, ever direct, spoke up again, "So, if we can't summon True Immortal Qianhuan within these ten days, the Upside-Down Sea will be sealed off for another five years?" The Upside-Down Sea was supposed to close anyway after the ten-day open period!

Elder Liu gave a bitter smile. "From the looks of it, yes."

"Damn it!" Dong Rui cursed inwardly. Qianhuan's actions had put even their own side in a passive position. "Why would the Immortal Venerable do this?"

"For him to truly control the Upside-Down Sea, it had to be this way," Elder Liu said, pointing to the Haoyuan Golden Mirror. "This mirror and the sand table on the desk can unleash world-shaking divine effects, all stemming from the Immortal Venerable's absolute control over the Upside-Down Sea! But no one expected his seclusion to extend for decades beyond schedule... not even the Immortal Venerable himself."

"The Reversed Heavenly Net Formation has been destroyed, and if the spiritual energy within the Upside-Down Sea is then absorbed by the Heavenly Palace's formations—" He Lingchuan said gravely, "How will you immortal masters manage in the future?" Immortals' demand for spiritual energy far exceeded that of ordinary cultivators. If the spiritual energy of the Upside-Down Sea couldn't be replenished from outside and was drained by the Heavenly Palace, the Illusion Sect immortals here would slowly wither and die, like countless others over the past three millennia. They, of course, realized the gravity of the situation.

"We were discussing this before the storm disappeared," Elder Liu said slowly. "We had originally planned to try waking the Immortal Venerable again, but then you and the Heavenly Palace arrived." No wonder the Illusion Sect initially had little reaction to Bai Ziqi's fleet's invasion; these people clearly had their own troubling matters to deal with.

He Lingchuan's eyes flickered. "Elder Liu, I have a suggestion."

Elder Liu raised an eyebrow, naturally not believing He Lingchuan could have any good ideas. The Illusion Sect had spent decades discussing strategies, losing several fellow disciples in attempts that failed. This young man, who seemed to know nothing, had just arrived and already wanted to give orders? Elder Liu was not usually so pleasant; if it weren't for the sake of Spiritual Mountain, he would have thrown these people into the sea long ago. Dong Rui noticed his sarcasm and immediately chimed in, "This fellow never fails to get things done; otherwise, Wang Xingyi wouldn't have specifically invited him to find True Immortal Qianhuan."

Just then, Xiao Wencheng, the Illusion Sect Master, pushed open the door and walked in. "What's happening?"

Elder Liu replied, "These gentlemen have a suggestion."

"Oh?" Xiao Wencheng said politely, willing to try anything, "I'd be glad to hear it."

He Lingchuan, instead, posed a question: "In the past, when the Illusion Sect immortals tried to summon Immortal Venerable Qianhuan, did they go one by one?"

"No," Elder Liu replied, as this was something he could reveal. "They went in one by one at first, and when they didn't return, the third attempt involved three going in together." More people meant more strength, and more immortals meant stronger divine powers. So, for the third time, the immortals went in as a group, but it still didn't work.

"'Enter'?" He Lingchuan seized on the key word. "So, it was 'entering' a certain place?"

"Uh," Elder Liu paused. The immortals were used to discussing this among themselves and hadn't thought much of the wording. He glanced at Xiao Wencheng, and seeing no objection, continued, "Yes, we wanted to enter the Immortal Venerable's seclusion grounds to directly request... to ask him to emerge from seclusion." Madam Zhu suddenly understood, "No wonder it was so perilous." Just as a caterpillar forms a cocoon to protect itself before transforming into a butterfly, immortals going into seclusion make extensive arrangements to ensure their safety. How powerful were Qianhuan's methods? The Illusion Sect disciples and Spiritual Mountain visitors who went in before might have accidentally triggered these restrictions, which is why they didn't return.

Dong Rui asked an impolite question: "Honored Immortals, how are you certain that Immortal Venerable Qianhuan is still alive and well?" Throughout history, countless immortals have died from cultivation deviation. Is a true immortal guaranteed not to suffer the same fate? His words were presumptuous but practical. The two immortals' expressions darkened. Elder Liu pointed to the Haoyuan Golden Mirror and said: "This is a supreme treasure from my master. It's still bound to him, which is why it can be deeply integrated with the Upside-Down Sea, and we can only borrow its power." This indicated that True Immortal Qianhuan was still alive. "Furthermore, there are occasional signs that also show the Immortal Venerable still influences this realm."

Dong Rui pointed at the mirror, using his imagination. "Could True Immortal Qianhuan be in seclusion inside this mirror? It looks like there's a space within it too."

Xiao Wencheng shook his head. "If only it were that simple."

"Before the Heavenly Palace group came in, you were discussing ways to invite the Immortal Venerable out," He Lingchuan asked Xiao Wencheng. "Did you make any progress?" Time was pressing. If these ten days were missed, the Illusion Sect would have to wait another five years, not to mention Bai Ziqi's current interference. Therefore, their desire to summon Qianhuan should be more urgent than anyone else's. However, their previous attempts had all failed, and they didn't want to go in and never return.