Chapter 1795: Sentinels and Camouflage

Elder Liu also smiled faintly. "Did you all hear that? I risked disobeying my master's orders to tell you this in advance. Hurry up and leave!"

This time, he didn't need to urge them; everyone hurried along.

A few words drifted from nearby, and Elder Liu happened to hear them:

"When truth becomes fiction, fiction becomes truth."

He turned around and saw He Xiao utter these words to his companions.

Since entering this world, Elder Liu had been in constant communication with Qinhuan, hearing the Immortal Venerable's instructions frequently, which told him what to do next.

But what insight did this Island Master He have?

In fact, Dong Rui had just patted He Lingchuan's arm and then gestured to him in sign language:

"This old man is being mysterious. Have we really returned to the real world?"

He Lingchuan then shared the advice from the little mirage demon by Zhu Erniang's side. When he took on the Spirit Mountain mission and consulted with the little mirage demon, it had solemnly given him this truth.

Illusionary arts were not simple tricks or sleights of hand. The little mirage demon couldn't possibly know the true level of ancient mirage immortals, but once mirage art reached a profound level, it couldn't escape those few fundamental principles.

Dong Rui rolled his eyes. "Don't mess with me."

"I'm not messing with you," He Lingchuan said with a smile. "True Lord Qinhuan was so sincere; he already gave you the answer back in Wenhua Pavilion."

"Huh?" Had he hallucinated it? "What answer? I don't remember anything about it."

"Don't you remember? He said back then that the boundary between reality and illusion, or rather, the criterion for judgment, lies in—"

Dong Rui racked his brain and finally recalled the word:

"Rules?"

"Exactly," He Lingchuan replied, glancing back towards Kidney Lake. "As long as the rules are in True Lord Qinhuan's hands, then, as Elder Liu said, 'this realm is completely under control. Whatever he deems real is real, and whatever he deems illusion is illusion.'"

After hearing He Lingchuan's explanation, Granny Zhu and Dong Rui re-evaluated Elder Liu's words, finding them even more profound.

"Ultimately, the one with the qualification, ability, and necessity to thoroughly investigate the distinction between reality and illusion here isn't us, but Miaozhantian." He Lingchuan was advising his companions not to worry needlessly. "Miaozhantian can only compete with True Lord Qinhuan by deciphering and counter-controlling the rules of this place."

He Lingchuan turned his head, his gaze meeting Elder Liu's, who was somewhat moved.

His own cultivators, fifty or sixty years old, only half-understood, yet this young man in his early twenties actually comprehended it—he truly understood!

Naturally, he didn't know that because of the Great Square Cauldron, He Lingchuan's thoughts, besides planning for Flashgold Plains, were mostly occupied with the mysteries between reality and illusion, the tangible and the intangible.

Moreover, daring to venture into True Lord Qinhuan's territory, shouldn't he have made some preparations beforehand?

Dong Rui frowned. "But there must be some difference between this realm and the previous illusionary realm, right?"

"Of course," He Lingchuan nodded. "The rules of this realm are clearly more subservient to True Lord Qinhuan; otherwise, He wouldn't have gone to such lengths to lure the Heavenly Palace in."

It was, of course, True Lord Qinhuan who suddenly transformed the ghost commoners into ghost soldiers!

With just a few calls of a soul-summoning horn, He erased the consciousness of all ghost commoners, arming them and turning them into tools against the invaders.

He could even distort the image of living people in the eyes of the ghost commoners.

What incredible control was this?

Heaven knew what other methods Qinhuan could employ in this world. He Lingchuan only knew that He was determined to confront Miaozhantian here.

"Alright," Dong Rui conceded, knowing he couldn't delve deeper into the topic. He changed direction, gesturing in sign language once more:

"Hey, why do you think Qinhuan would keep dead souls in this world?"

"Perhaps for deduction. Do you remember He obtained a treasure before his secluded cultivation that helped him comprehend the ultimate truths of the world?" He was referring to the Great Evolution Celestial Pearl. "Life and death are inherently part of a cycle."

He Lingchuan didn't know what the Heavenly Palace team looked like in the eyes of the ghost commoners; otherwise, he would have made further deductions.

Wanqiao Feng, who was behind them, suddenly remarked, "These people are truly pathetic. Whether alive or dead, they cannot escape this cycle."

From birth to death, they could not escape Qinhuan's control.

Granny Zhu, however, had a different view. "The cycle also exists between heaven and earth, yet I don't see you or I feeling pathetic about it."

Wanqiao Feng said, "At least when I die, I'll return to decay, and my soul won't be confined."

"That's not necessarily true," Dong Rui said, pursing his lips towards He Lingchuan. "You've forgotten what he does."

Wanqiao Feng remembered and subconsciously shivered.

Wanqiao Liang then asked, "By the way, why can these ghost commoners walk openly in broad daylight?"

Ghosts are most afraid of sunlight, usually perishing after only a few breaths of exposure. Only ghost immortals with profound cultivation can resist the intense damage of solar true fire. But in this world, ghost commoners basked in the sunlight just like living people, without any taboos.

"Perhaps that's just the rule of this realm," Dong Rui said, casually misusing the word "rule."

Granny Zhu mused, "Although they are called 'ghosts,' they do possess physical bodies, which allows them to withstand the damage from sunlight."

In the human world, people possessed by malevolent spirits can also travel during the day, though they dislike direct sunlight. "Qinhuan must have provided them with bodies."

At this point, it whispered, "The young man who guided us in the Companion Mountain Mine is also in this group."

"Luo Xie?"

He Lingchuan glanced in the direction Granny Zhu indicated and indeed saw that familiar face mixed in at the end of the group.

Considering Luo Xie's age and experience, his cultivation was decent, but he was still an outer disciple and not qualified to be at the front.

He was bruised and swollen, covered in injuries, with a persistent bump on his forehead, congealed bloodstains on his cheeks, and blood-splattered clothes. It was unclear what he had been through.

At that moment, he walked with his head slightly bowed, his expression solemn, not speaking to anyone.

Speaking of sunlight, they had just crossed a small clearing where bright sunlight shone unimpeded on everyone. He Lingchuan glanced at Elder Liu again and still didn't see the golden thread on him, feeling a slight relief.

Granny Zhu and Elder Liu had both been imprinted with "God's Gaze" in the illusionary realm, but it hadn't manifested in this realm. He Lingchuan was uneasy, so he specifically took Granny Zhu back to the illusionary realm to sever the golden thread. However, he couldn't easily remove the "God's Gaze" from Elder Liu.

From various indications, He Lingchuan judged that the golden thread on Elder Liu was likely either magically shielded by Qinhuan or incompatible with the rules of this realm, thus preventing its localization.

Elder Liu and the other immortals were unaware they had been struck by the opponent's tracking spell, but Qinhuan might not be deceived.

This meant their side was temporarily safe.

Just then, Elder Liu suddenly turned quickly, raised a hand, and emphatically shushed everyone. "Silence! The pursuing scouts are here!"

Everyone, who had been chatting and laughing, was startled by his words and quickly fell silent.

"Lower your heads, hold your breath! No talking, no extending your divine sense!"

The order was passed down through the ranks, and soon, all members of the Illusion Sect walked with downcast eyes, hurrying along.

The forest returned to its usual tranquility, with only the rustling sounds of everyone marching through the wilderness.

After about ten minutes, a buzzing sound suddenly came from behind.

Some Illusion Sect disciples, feeling nervous, subconsciously gripped their weapons. Elder Liu, however, turned back and gestured to them, indicating:

"Don't move!"

Soon, the buzzing grew louder and louder, causing a slight tingling sensation in everyone's chests.

Everyone continued forward without turning their heads. Only Granny Zhu transmitted a message to her companions: "Oh, so it's these things. I see them!"

It had twelve eyes, almost circling its entire head, providing a nearly 360-degree field of vision. So many powerful cultivators present dared not extend their divine sense, yet only Granny Zhu could easily look behind.

"Well, say it then!" Dong Rui complained inwardly. "Granny is truly learning all the wrong things, especially how He Lingchuan strings people along."

Wanqiao Feng and others nearby exchanged knowing glances, clearly thinking the same thing.

Fortunately, Granny Zhu didn't keep them in suspense for too long, as the buzzing sound soon grew closer, becoming so loud it made their scalps tingle.

"It's a Sphere Bee! We also call it a 'Steamed Bun Bee.'"

Sphere Bee? He Lingchuan searched his memory and finally recalled a book he had borrowed from the Shumin Academy in Panlong City, *Records of Strange Beasts in the Desolate Sea*, which described this unusual bee.

In an instant, he saw a live Sphere Bee.

It was no wonder they were given that name; these bees had round heads, round bodies, and round bellies, as large as coconuts, with black heads and white bodies. At first glance, they indeed resembled a risen white steamed bun.

However, being stung by such a large bee was no laughing matter. Granny Zhu's words confirmed what He Lingchuan had read in the book: "A sting from this bee causes swelling throughout the body within thirty breaths and death by suffocation within fifty breaths. If suffocation doesn't occur, the toxins will flow into the heart, causing fatal spasms. The victim, before dying, will twitch uncontrollably and foam at the mouth, enduring extreme torment."

Everyone exchanged glances in silence.

It sounded comparable to Granny's own toxins.

Furthermore, these venomous bees flew in groups of three, spaced about ten to twenty feet apart, darting left and right, occasionally circling leisurely. Everyone knew these were scouts dispatched by the Heavenly Palace, tracking the Illusion Sect's whereabouts and searching for the hiding place of Immortal Venerable Qinhuan.

The eyeball spiders on He Lingchuan and Dong Rui chirped softly and retracted into their collars, suppressing their vital energy to avoid detection.

"Keep walking; don't move around unnecessarily," Granny Zhu advised, her counsel mirroring Elder Liu's. The venomous bees then flew past them.

To the Sphere Bees, these were just masked native ghost commoners, no different from those they had seen earlier in other villages and towns. To be thorough, they cautiously approached and sniffed for scents.

Sphere Bees didn't collect nectar, but their sense of smell was still keener than a dog's.

It detected a slight smell of sweat and the sour odor of unwashed clothes.

This was the expected smell of ordinary farmers, even if they had suddenly transformed into ghost commoners.

The bees flew away regretfully; they also didn't dare get too close to the ghost commoners, lest they be swatted down.

No one dared to make a sound, and they continued forward.

Within fifteen minutes, two more groups of bees flew past, but neither detected any anomalies in the Illusion Sect's group.

After donning their masks, He Lingchuan and the Illusion Sect cultivators truly seemed to have become native inhabitants, not only in their attire and appearance but even in their scent.