Chapter 343: A New Use for Illusions

Translator: yikaii Editor: yikaii

With the help of the Invincible Core, Lu Yang successfully escaped from the puppet.

As Lu Yang stepped out of Heaven’s Gate Peak, the puppet stopped its pursuit, standing at a distance and watching him walk away.

“Thankfully, the puppet can’t leave the mountain,” Lu Yang sighed in relief. He had long noticed that the puppet had a limited range of activity and couldn’t leave Heaven’s Gate Peak.

“Senior Brother Lu, why were you running so fast? Is there something dangerous at Heaven’s Gate Peak?” Peach Blossom Leaf’s voice sounded from behind Lu Yang.

With Eldest Senior Sister at Heaven’s Gate Peak, how could there be any danger?

“N-no, it’s nothing. I just hadn’t gone for a run in a while and needed to stretch my legs.” Lu Yang couldn’t possibly admit that he was running away from a puppet chasing him. That would be embarrassing.

“Are you busy right now? I’ve been thinking about some new ideas for illusions and wanted to discuss them with you.”

Lu Yang thought for a moment and realized he had nothing pressing to do: “Sure, should we head to Dust-Free Peak?”

On the way to Dust-Free Peak, Lu Yang casually asked, “What new ideas do you have about illusions, Junior Sister?”

“It’s an idea that came to me after you, Senior Brother Meng, and Junior Brother Barbarian fused. You all voluntarily accepted my illusions, and I started wondering if illusions could be used outside of combat.”

“That’s an interesting thought. Go on.”

“The biggest challenge in casting illusions is making the target willingly immerse themselves in the illusion. So why not think of it the other way around? Are there situations where the target might voluntarily immerse themselves in an illusion?”

Lu Yang began to ponder this question, realizing that he might be grasping what Junior Sister Peach was trying to convey.

Following Peach Blossom Leaf’s line of thought, he said, “For someone to voluntarily immerse themselves in an illusion, two conditions must be met: one is safety, and the other is comfort.”

“Safety ensures that the illusion is not perceived as a combat technique, which is the most basic requirement. Comfort is the prerequisite for the target to willingly accept the illusion.”

“The nature of illusions is to create an immersive experience. If we can offer the target something they can’t enjoy in reality, they might willingly immerse themselves.”

“Are you suggesting, Junior Sister, that we show them something they wouldn’t normally be able to see, like…” Lu Yang looked at Peach Blossom Leaf incredulously, surprised that someone as innocent-looking as her would think of something typically associated with men.

Peach Blossom Leaf nodded enthusiastically, pleased that Senior Brother Lu, with his quick mind, understood her intentions so quickly.

“Exactly, like showing them scenes of cultivators battling!”

Lu Yang: “…”

I’m sorry, I misunderstood. I’ll reflect on that.

Peach Blossom Leaf continued excitedly, “I’m not talking about low-level cultivator battles, which are quite common. But battles between Golden Core Stage cultivators are rare, especially since Golden Core Stage cultivators can fly through the air and have far more spiritual power than those at the Foundation Building Stage. The variety of spells they can use is endless, making their battles highly entertaining!”

“Mortals and low-level cultivators rarely have the opportunity to witness battles between Golden Core Stage cultivators or higher. If we use illusions to show them such battles, they would definitely be thrilled!”

“Of course, I’m not doing this for charity. There will be a fee.”

She was also hoping to make some money from this.

“What I’m considering now is whether starting the illusion with a battle right away would feel too abrupt. Should we add some kind of storyline?”

The two of them arrived at the entrance of Peach Blossom Leaf’s cave dwelling on Dust-Free Peak.

Peach Blossom Leaf was visibly excited: “Let me give you a demonstration. Don’t resist.”

“Alright.”

Peach Blossom Leaf opened a red paper umbrella, using it to shield her body. She gently swayed it twice in front of Lu Yang, and he suddenly felt a moment of disorientation. When he regained his senses, he found himself amidst a vast, endless mountain range.

Feeling something, he looked up and saw two Daoist figures in the sky, dressed similarly, seemingly brothers from the same sect.

One of them was in tears, his voice trembling slightly: “Senior Brother, tell me, why did you kill our master, kill your most beloved Junior Sister, and slaughter the other senior brothers and sisters? Why?”

The other laughed maniacally, a sinister black aura emanating from his body: “Hahaha, why? You should ask Master! Ask yourself!”

“Ask myself?” The junior brother was stunned, not understanding his meaning.

“I was the first to enter the sect, diligently practicing every day, all with the goal of one day inheriting Master’s legacy. Even when more junior brothers and sisters joined later, I didn’t mind, for their talents were inferior to mine!”

“But your arrival changed everything. Master wanted to pass the position of Sect Leader to you!”

“I questioned Master, asking why, and he said I was too eager for success, too shortsighted, and that you were the one truly worthy of inheriting his legacy!”

“I was enraged. Did all my efforts over the years mean nothing to him, just because he saw them as a rush for success? In my anger, I killed him. It just so happened that Junior Sister witnessed it. She screamed in terror, drawing the attention of the others. To silence them, I had no choice but to kill them too!”

“Now that you know everything, you must die as well! Your cultivation level is far below mine, so surrender quietly!”

Golden mist began to rise from the junior brother’s body, and his aura gradually became comparable to that of his senior brother.

The senior brother was shocked: “How is this possible? You should only be at the early Golden Core stage! How can you be at the late Golden Core stage like me?”

The junior brother’s expression turned cold as he remembered the scene of corpses strewn across the sect when he arrived, the sight of his dying master transferring all his power to him, and the moment when his Junior Sister lost all signs of life in his arms.

The culprit behind all this must die!

The senior brother suddenly realized, his expression turning manic: “I understand now! That old man transferred all his cultivation to you! I knew he favored you!”

The junior brother, having inherited the sect’s legacy, wielded two magical artifacts. With a flick of the scissors in his hand, they transformed into two golden flood dragons, roaring and lunging at the senior brother.

A massive ghostly claw emerged from the senior brother’s back, pinning down the two golden flood dragons.

The junior brother opened a jade bottle, from which a torrent of yellow sand surged forth like a tsunami, overwhelming the senior brother. The senior brother shouted, drawing a broadsword from his waist, and with a swing, he split the sand tsunami in two.

The brothers engaged in an intense battle, with magical artifacts, spells, and strategies unfolding one after another, dazzling the viewer, making them wish they could join the fight themselves.

Suddenly, the scene turned into a landscape painting, then soaked in water, the ink dissolving and everything fading away. Lu Yang snapped back to reality, seeing Peach Blossom Leaf holding the red paper umbrella, smiling brightly at him.

“Senior Brother Lu, how was it? I tried adding a bit of storyline. Doesn’t it make the fight scenes more engaging?”

Lu Yang remained silent for a long time, with countless thoughts swirling in his mind, unsure where to even begin his commentary.

Isn’t this like watching a movie?

A full-fledged, holographic immersive movie!

The battle scenes were indistinguishable from reality, although the plot was a bit thin. But that didn’t matter; this was just the beginning, and the storyline could be fleshed out over time.

If something like this had existed in his previous life, it would have been unbeatable—no special effects could compare.

“That’s a great idea.”

Lu Yang was genuinely impressed. He believed that if this concept were refined and introduced to the public, it would undoubtedly be a huge success!

(End of the chapter)