Chapter 259: Bounty on Kuangdao Sanlang

At dawn, Seeing Qu Yanping stared at the old banyan tree in the courtyard, lost in thought.

Because it was on the mountain, the morning mist had not yet dispersed; looking up, he could still see the hazy moon in the sky, and the chirping of insects reached his ears clearly.

Seeing Qu Yanping had never intended to take part in this matter; when he saw that one-time flying sword dissolve into the air and the other's memories grow chaotic, he had already decided to back out.

What good were even the greatest opportunities if such strange things were involved? If your life is gone, what's left to discuss about the Dao?

According to Fang Zheng, that place was littered with opportunities, yet also wildly chaotic—seeming to be a patchwork of reflections from the real world and numerous Mystical Realms; Fang Zheng had stayed there for three years but still did not understand its full picture.

Many powerful beings, whether real or false, fought there for the Dao, and even immortals faced constant risk of death.

To explore such a place.

If not for Gu Yue Fang Yuan's method of allowing them to manifest a false dream-body in the Penglai Ruins, he might already have taken his leave.

"Good morning, Brother Qu." Gao Sheng opened the door and greeted Seeing Qu Yanping in the courtyard.

"Good morning." Seeing Qu Yanping offered a gentle smile.

"Brother Gao, have you confirmed things with your sect?" Seeing Qu Yanping asked, noticing Gao Sheng's poor demeanor: "You look like you didn't sleep at all."

Gao Sheng (Song Shuhang) thought: Isn't that the truth? I spent the whole afternoon rehearsing lines and then spent the entire night wandering the night market with Ah Shiyi.

"I was just about to mention this," Gao Sheng said, as Gu Yue Fang Yuan and Li Feiyu stepped out.

"This morning I received word that the sect says Master Kuangdao Sanlang took my junior brother out on an adventure, and now there's no trace of them."

"Fellow cultivators, I beg you all to allow me to notify the sect about the Penglai Ruins! Though our Kongyun Sect is no great power, we can still offer full assistance in this matter!"

As Gao Sheng spoke, his legs suddenly bent as if to kneel.

At that moment, Li Feiyu frowned and immediately used his spiritual power to lift Gao Sheng up.

"Brother Gao, you're worrying too much," Gu Yue Fang Yuan stepped forward and supported Gao Sheng: "Do you think all the cultivators who entered the Penglai Ruins had no sect, no close family or friends?"

"And yet now? Has anyone gone to look for them? Because of Fang Zheng's uniqueness, I still remember some things—half the Cultivation Realm mobilized at first, but now it's become nothing but mere exploration."

"All existences, all motives, will gradually be altered; the reality we now experience may become something entirely different one day."

"Among those children's relatives, I've already forgotten many of their names; I can't recall the descendants of those elders or those friends—so what use is it to tell them? You might forget your own master uncle and junior brother by tomorrow!"

Gao Sheng fell silent for a long while, until the morning sun dispersed the lingering haze, then slowly spoke:

"I understand. Thank you, Brother Gu Yue!"

"If you hadn't invited me to join this search, perhaps by tomorrow or the day after, I wouldn't even realize I'd lost someone important from my memory."

"Still, I don't know… sigh."

At this moment, Li Feiyu also spoke to comfort him:

"Brother Gao, don't worry—nothing is settled yet. Your junior brother and master uncle may not be in trouble at all. Today, as we enter the Penglai Ruins, if we can find their trail, it will at least be some reassurance."

Gao Sheng shook his head and said:

"As for my junior brother's safety, honestly, I'm not worried—he has extraordinarily thick fortune; generally speaking, no Mystical Realm or crisis can harm him."

"Oh?" Gu Yue Fang Yuan asked in confusion: "Is that possible?"

Upon hearing this, even Li Feiyu and Seeing Qu Yanping were startled—could such an elusive thing as fortune truly be a defining trait of this Gao Sheng's junior brother?

"He was originally an ordinary person; at age five, he wandered dazedly into our sect's grand array and entered Kongyun Sect without any effect whatsoever. My master said he had destiny and took him in." Gao Sheng smiled and said:

"At age seven, while playing in the back mountain, he found the sect's long-lost cultivation technique, earning great merit. That same year, a senior elder from Wuji Demon Sect exploded and tried to possess him—but was killed by the old man inside the ring he bought at a street stall."

"All his life's cultivation became my junior brother's."

"At age ten, he descended the mountain for the first time, was kidnapped by traffickers and sent to a black coal mine, where he then found a Heavenly Dao relic."

Under Gao Sheng's narration, the other three all drew a sharp breath.

After yesterday's cognition was beaten, this morning Seeing Qu Yanping's cognition took another punch—could such a protagonist from a mortal's tale truly exist?!

"Brother Gao, then why is there still such sorrow on your brow?" Li Feiyu asked.

Seeing Qu Yanping also realized: Right—if that's true, why did he look so troubled this morning?

"I'm worried about my master uncle," Gao Sheng chuckled bitterly: "In modern human terms, my junior brother has a passive skill: whenever danger arises and others are present, the danger always transfers to them. Back then, the old man in his ring actually died alongside the Wuji Demon Sect elder; when he entered the coal mine, the traffickers who kidnapped him were possessed by a sealed demonic entity."

These details left Seeing Qu Yanping stunned—he felt Gao Sheng's junior brother was even more fantastical than his own Heavenly Eye ability.

"Brother Gao, your Master Kuangdao Sanlang is also a powerful cultivator; don't worry too much," Seeing Qu Yanping thought for a moment and added, half-heartedly: "This might just be rumor—how could something so absurd be real?"

"Huh?" Gao Sheng froze in place, his expression going blank, and asked Seeing Qu Yanping: "My master uncle is called Kuangdao Sanlang?"

Huangshan Zhenjun, watching the broadcast footage of the group's exchange, suddenly paused, then asked the Beihe Sanren beside him:

"By the way, does the script include any scenes for Brother Kuangdao Sanlang?"

Beihe Sanren shook his head—if he remembered correctly, Kuangdao Sanlang had been sealed away by a joint effort into an absolute dead zone.

Su Shi Aqi coughed:

"Sorry, I didn't realize he had other Heavenly Dao relics—he piloted a giant robot and blew up Mount Everest, and now many cultivators are still repairing the damage."

Master Tunyun Master, looking worn out, said: "In the Penglai Ruins, everyone gains Immortal-level spiritual power and temporary max-level cultivation techniques. When Kuangdao Sanlang heard this, he begged me endlessly to add more scenes."

"We can enter in two days anyway—why is he in such a hurry?" Huangshan Zhenjun's brow twitched: "Has he done anything else recently?"

Kuang Dao Kuangdao Sanlang used to be limited in his recklessness by his mere Fifth-Rank Spirit Emperor power, but since entering this simulation universe, his false power has surged, his luck in dungeons has been absurdly good, and thus his recklessness has been supercharged.

That's also why so many cultivators chase him daily.

"Breaking news: the Immortal Court is offering a bounty for his capture—he tricked the Immortal Court's contestants and their support teams into attending Zao Hua Fa Wang's concert, then welded the door shut when they left," said Guo Da, holding today's 【Heavenly Dao Daily】:

"He also impersonated the contestant to fix a rigged match and redeemed his own soul blade that he'd lost."

The Destroying Phoenix Young Master dropped his fruit with a plop, stunned: "How dare he?!"

Huangshan Zhenjun felt a stomachache coming on; he asked Master Tunyun: "Does Elder Su know about this?"

"He knows," Master Tunyun nodded: "He said a little instability isn't bad—but don't ruin the plot."

Huangshan Zhenjun pulled out his phone and posted a message in the group:

"To all cultivators in the Penglai Ruins instance: If you encounter Kuangdao Sanlang, kill him on sight!! Come to my cave after leaving the simulation to claim your reward!"

Only a motionless Kuangdao Sanlang won't ruin the plot.

"?!" Seeing Qu Yanping widened his eyes; the other two around him stared at him with strange expressions.

"Brother Qu truly has ability," Gu Yue Fang Yuan raised his hand in praise: "There seems to be something special about you."

Li Feiyu looked at him deeply, nodded, and said: "Perhaps Brother Qu can become the key to breaking the deadlock."

Only then did Seeing Qu Yanping suddenly remember—after the flying sword in that man's hand vanished yesterday, he remembered it perfectly?!

"Perhaps…" Seeing Qu Yanping speculated it might be related to his divine ability.

"Follow me," Gu Yue Fang Yuan pulled from his storage pouch a crimson-gold vine wreathed in immortal qi.

Seeing Qu Yanping concealed his greed beneath his gaze—he had already learned that the other's heavenly dao artifact could seize the transformations of heaven and earth, overturn the flow of time, and ripen any spirit herb, even an immortal herb!

And this seemed but one of its functions; though not a heavenly dao artifact for combat, its value was incalculable!

'If there's a chance…'

Seeing Qu Yanping buried his thoughts deep and followed Gu Yue Fang Yuan into the parlor, intending to enter yesterday's psychiatric hospital.

"Xiao Nannan wants to go too!" A little girl with twin buns suddenly darted out from the stairwell corner.

Everyone present was a cultivator, yet not one sensed the girl's presence.

Seeing Qu Yanping felt only slight surprise, but didn't use his Heavenly Eye to inspect—after all, yesterday he had observed the child named Emperor Yufeng, whose inner power was stronger than certain immortals he'd seen at Dongtinghu; other children here also possessed their own marvels.

Born an immortal? Gu Yue Fang Yuan told him the child was born a sage, but their parents—Gu Yue Fang Yuan had already forgotten.

The child's parents had apparently gone to the Penglai Ruins; if children were this powerful, how strong must their parents be? Yet even such beings had vanished without a trace—this place's danger might rival the absolute dead zones he'd once heard of.

He guessed Gu Yue Fang Yuan had other secrets, but he had no desire to investigate—so long as there was benefit to be had.

"Xiao Nannan, good girl, where are you going?" Gu Yue Fang Yuan lifted the girl.

"Xiao Nannan wants to go with you to find Brother Ye!" Xiao Nannan blinked her eyes, speaking slowly and clearly.

"No," Gu Yue Fang Yuan set the girl down: "Stay home quietly. Once we find Brother Ye, we'll return."

"Fine," Xiao Nannan pouted, seeming slightly angry: "But Gu Yue brother must come back soon."

Gu Yue Fang Yuan set her down, smiled, then led everyone down the corridor into the door below.

Moments later.

Gu Yue Fang Zheng slept soundly; everyone stood beside his bed, each holding a cup of crimson liquid in their left hand and gripping a segment of the dreamlike vine in their right.

"The blood of the Dream Butterfly Cult can guide us into dreams, to Fang Zheng's dream realm; this Huangliang Vine will guide us to awaken at Fang Zheng's location—then, our physical bodies each consume a segment of Huangliang Vine to condense dream bodies."

"On the way to Fang Zheng's location, we will encounter a broken bronze gate in the dream realm—it seems to be the barrier separating the interior of the Penglai Ruins from its periphery; this gate exists across all dimensions, whether reality or dream."

"Brother Qu, when the time comes, please use the talisman you obtained from the Yuzhe Sect to repair the gate!"

Hearing this, Seeing Qu Yanping nodded—he would simply follow the other's instructions on this point.

Yet the dream body formed by the Huangliang Vine resembled a body double; unless subjected to massive damage, it could persist indefinitely, and its power could even increase.

Could this really be an immortal herb?

"Everyone, ready?" Gu Yue Fang Yuan asked.

"No problem." "Let's begin." "Ready."

After the group responded, Gu Yue Fang Yuan drank the crimson liquid first, simultaneously refining and absorbing the Huangliang Vine into his body, saying: "Follow me."

Seeing Qu Yanping hesitated slightly, then downed the liquid and refined the Huangliang Vine as the other had taught.

Instantly, he felt his entire body paralyzed—but within this paralysis, his ** and spirit seemed ready to be torn apart; gradually, a colorful vision appeared before his eyes.

Everything around him grew abstract; patches of color bloomed in the nearby space, like a painting.

This sensation resembled soul departure, yet was different.

Seeing Qu Yanping gazed ahead and saw a pure white-glowing butterfly flapping its wings; a phantom corridor stretched from the unknown, twisting through spacetime.

His Heavenly Eye automatically surfaced between his brows, yet the information it conveyed told him this was a space overlapping with reality.

'Interesting.'

Seeing Qu Yanping watched the butterfly ahead and the three silhouettes, then hurried after them.

It was a strange sense of dislocation—the dream body's perception stretched infinitely, while his **'s perception remained simultaneously present.

In the dream world, they walked for a long time, witnessing countless bizarre dreams filled with human joys, sorrows, anger, and happiness—dreams drawn from every living being.

In the cat's dream: fish, and shrunken humans.

In the dog's dream: bones, meat, and the events of the day.

In human dreams: deceased loved ones, beloved objects, pursued wealth, the ideal self.

"There's a saying in the mortal world: dreams are the continuation of reality; reality is the end of dreams," Gu Yue Fang Yuan's voice echoed through the space ahead: "What you cherish most deeply within your heart manifests in dreams. Without this Huangliang Vine, we wouldn't have dream bodies—and our deepest secrets would surface like these illusory bubbles."

"There's still some ** worth having between people," Seeing Qu Yanping laughed. His manner of speaking now matched this world's people almost perfectly: "But my gossiping curiosity is very curious about what secrets each of you hides—ha, just joking."

Ahead, Gu Yue Fang Yuan suddenly turned and glanced at Seeing Qu Yanping, then smiled: "Brother Qu, I guarantee—you won't want to know."

Those ink-deep eyes now sent a chill through Seeing Qu Yanping's entire body.

"Why haven't we seen Fang Zheng's dream?" Seeing Qu Yanping naturally changed the subject.

"Because he isn't asleep—he remains conscious within the Penglai Ruins," Gu Yue Fang Yuan turned back and said: "Actually, rather than calling this a dream world, it's better described as the collective unconscious ocean of all living beings. If the Dream Butterfly Cult required true sleep, I'd have to make Fang Zheng sleep over there first."

"I see," Seeing Qu Yanping nodded.

After roughly one minute of real-world time, the group finally reached the bronze gate.

In truth, this bronze gate was more like a wall.

In endless gray mist, a gate stretching from heaven to earth stood before them.

Carved upon it were flames, rivers, Dashan, and all things—countless races bowed in different postures toward the celestial palace above.

But the palace's position had been shattered by unknown force; several mountain-sized shards of bronze lay before them.

"Brother Qu," Gu Yue Fang Yuan said.

"I understand."

Seeing Qu Yanping pulled out the talisman; as mysterious three-dimensional patterns emerged upon it, he chanted the activation incantation:

"Yesterday!"

Time reversed; the bronze fragments flew into the air and snapped together at incredible speed, even microscopic shards converging into a river to fill the gaps above.

As ancient prayers sounded, the images on the bronze door began to move!

When the complete bronze door appeared before them, multicolored light blazed from the door's seams.

"Let's go." Gu Yue Fang Yuan stepped slowly into the dazzling light, "Fellow cultivators, let us go and see for ourselves what this so-called—"

"Penglai!"

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(End of Chapter)