Chapter 273: Please, Master Tunyun!

After a display of fraternal affection between Gao Sheng and Qu Yanping, the group learned of Gao Sheng's experiences over the past few years.

Gao Sheng had been in this world for several years; like Kuang Dao Sanlang, upon his resurrection, he entered this realm directly as an Immortal.

Confused and unsure of where to go, he one day encountered his master in the Divine City. Unlike the ordinary Immortal masters from the outside world, his master here had attained the Jin Xian realm, and Gao Sheng was taken back to the Kongyun Sect.

"But I have no memories of this world's past. Our Kongyun Sect is the only one in the entire world—so what else could this Ruins of Penglai be but an Illusory Realm?" Gao Sheng invited them to sit, speaking with clear disdain.

"Given how irresponsible my master is, and how he became an Immortal purely through connections, how could he possibly reach the Jin Xian realm?"

"The only thing I can't understand is why this Illusory Realm feels so real—some of the events and relationships within it differ greatly from the outside world, while others are identical."

"Have all Eastern cultivators who entered this place become Immortals?" Father 【Amon】 asked, frowning.

"As far as I know, everyone except Brother Qu has become an Immortal; those who were already Immortals before have seen their power surge dramatically." Gao Sheng glanced curiously at Qu Yanping, then suddenly remembered something and added quickly:

"By the way! I forgot to tell you—the Immortals from the Lime Immortal Court all became demons after entering here!"

"You wouldn't believe it—the Great Saint Who Subdues Demons's true form here is the Golden-Winged Great Peng, the very one from Journey to the West!"

According to Gao Sheng's account, they learned that in this Illusory Realm, Immortals, gods, Buddhas, demons, devils, heretics, dragons, magicians, superhumans, spirit clans, heavenly demons, angels, and countless other supernatural beings coexisted—not limited merely to this single surface world.

Setting aside smaller planes and cavern heavens, many factions occupied entire distinct worlds; the place they currently stood was merely a region within the fissure between the Immortal Realm, the Buddhist Realm, and the Demon Realm, and to facilitate communication, a great being had carved out a universe from the void.

Even so, information about many worlds remained incomplete: first, some worlds had yet to be discovered; second, some world's great beings had not established diplomatic ties with the three realms.

Two hours later.

Qu Yanping felt as if he had just undergone another childbirth spell—the things Gao Sheng described were even more absurd than fairy tales; no foolish mortal could have written such nonsense, for anyone who wrote this must have had a broken mind! If this were a cultivator, he must have overdosed on Illusion Ice Grass and suffered extreme hallucinations.

In the terms of this world, it was called "lost mind," "madman," "psychotic."

If he had not witnessed so many unimaginably powerful beings in this world, if he had not experienced so many bizarre events here, if this world itself were not utterly chaotic, he swore to the Dao that he would suspect himself of being the one who had gone mad.

Because based on the information he now possessed, Gao Sheng's view was actually wrong! This world was far more than just an Illusory Realm—Gao Sheng did not know that Eden and the Ruins of Penglai were linked, so he naturally assumed this place was unreal.

But.

If everything Gao Sheng described were true, then compared to this world, our Huan Yu Realm—

He could not imagine it, and dared not think of it, for it was a level beyond his reach—but he could be certain of one thing.

As long as one remained in this world and survived, even becoming an Immortal—once an unreachable dream—would merely be a starting point, a beginning.

6:00 a. m.

Weigong Shilang changed into his school uniform, pulled open the sliding door of his room, and stepped out.

At this time normally, he would be heading to work.

No—he would be doing morning training—but now, ordinary training had become useless.

He went to the kitchen; no matter how long he had spent in other worlds, he still remembered "yesterday" buying those vegetables and storing them in the fridge.

"Dada Liya, Sber, Tohsaka and Sakura say they won't come today; Sister Fujimura has to prepare lessons this morning, so that's four of us—plus Berserker."

After counting the number of people, he took four eggs, four mackerel, some yam, tofu, and miso from the fridge.

"Seems a bit insufficient."

Sber's appetite was actually quite large.

Although when exchanging cooking techniques with Luffy's chef Sanji, the latter had suggested mixing Soul-Abstaining Pills into meals for big eaters, both had ultimately rejected this inhumane approach—being able to enjoy food freely was a kind of happiness.

"Good mooooorning, Shilang~~~." A small figure sneaked up from behind and hugged Weigong Shilang around the waist.

Weigong Shilang naturally sensed who it was; without turning, he continued chopping ingredients and said:

"Good morning, Dada Liya. You're here early today."

"First, eat this. I bought these Holy Fruits, and some Divine Spring water from Ye Fan—drink them both."

The moment the Divine Spring and Holy Fruit were taken out, a dense surge of Qi erupted—but Weigong Shilang had prepared in advance; the barriers surrounding the room contained the Qi within.

"I told you not to worry about me!" Dada Liya glanced at the precious items on the table, her wine-red eyes flashing with irritation: "You should use them yourself—uh?!"

As Dada Liya spoke, Weigong Shilang smiled and directly shoved the golden fruit into her mouth.

Weigong Shilang clapped his hands and said: "There now, be good and take your medicine. Afterward, there's candy."

"Idiot! Don't treat me like a child!" Dada Liya's cheeks flushed, and she stood beside the stove helping Weigong Shilang prepare the meal.

Weigong Shilang's lips curled into a faint smile as he took out several plates and rinsed them: "Tonight, can you help me with something?"

"I know—it's about Sakura," Dada Liya said, placing the food Weigong Shilang had prepared onto plates, as if casually.

"I thought you'd leave again for a while, only returning once you thought you could handle it alone. Hmph, so you've decided to rely on your big sister after all~"

"What's Shilang's matter is my matter. Don't worry~."

"No, actually…" Weigong Shilang smiled apologetically. "I've already been away for a while—I'll leave again after breakfast."

"You promised you'd stay two days. What am I supposed to say to you?" Dada Liya sighed.

"I just feel uneasy about Sakura's situation," Weigong Shilang began, but Dada Liya immediately turned away.

"Berserker, go kill the old worm now." Dada Liya shouted into the air beside her, her tone clearly tinged with displeasure.

"Huh?!" Weigong Shilang blinked, stopping her: "Wait, Dada Liya—I still need to prepare some things."

"A wedding dress? Then I'll wait for you." Dada Liya picked up her chopsticks and walked toward the wooden tea table in the living room, grumbling: "Do you need rain for the scene? I can recreate it for you."

"Where did you get that idea?!" Weigong Shilang helplessly rubbed his hair.

【In ancient Greece, your behavior might have sparked a major dispute—like the Judgment of the Golden Apple.】

"Berserker, even you—"

Still, Weigong Shilang seemed to realize something and explained: "Kirei Kotomine's disappearance is a threat. If we don't deal with him soon, he'll stop at nothing for the Holy Grail. The Black Mud inside Sakura is the same—handling it sooner benefits both you and her."

"Is that so? Did you really need to explain so much to me?" Dada Liya stood with her back to Weigong Shilang, arranging the morning meal.

Indeed, he had once been emotionally obtuse—a "wooden man" type, as Dada Liya called him—a traditional Japanese male protagonist.

But when he had finished every story, completed every game—if he still failed to perceive the current situation, his emotional intelligence would be utterly ruined.

【What would Especially Especially Especially Xiao Yan do right now?】

【No… according to Su Lin's words, he's just a talker who never acts.】

"Should we apply for external assistance? No no no—the longer you stay silent at this point, the less your answer will meet expectations."

At this moment, Weigong Shilang suddenly missed the cultivators from Ye Fan's world; at least their styles were mostly straightforward and blunt, and they could solve many problems with the tools in their hands.

"I'm sorry for causing you trouble, Shilang," Dada Liya's voice trembled slightly; her white silk hair hung loosely over her shoulders, swaying with her trembling body:

"I'm sorry—I never intended to interfere with your feelings. You've been working hard outside, yet I acted like a child."

"Don't pay attention to me. After all, you've already helped me—there's no need to keep clinging."

Dada Liya turned her head to look at Weigong Shilang, her eyes slightly red from rubbing, forcing a smile.

"Then I'd become annoying, wouldn't I?"

"Don't worry—I'll always stand by your side, because"

"I'm your companion."

Crackling!

Weigong Shilang felt something inside him shatter—a wave of guilt and self-reproach crashed against his inner defenses, and in an instant, the overwhelming tide of remorse swallowed him whole.

Just as he was about to suffocate, he grasped a sliver of hope; his frozen mind spun rapidly.

"That's right—Dada Liya, I've been filming a movie lately. Would you like to come along?"

Change the subject! Now is the time to change the subject! Redirect the attention elsewhere!

"Where?" Dada Liya paused. "You're filming a movie?"

"At Su Lin's place—it's massive, with countless gods, demons, immortals, and powerful figures from many worlds participating," Weigong Shilang quickly outlined what he'd been doing recently. "After we finish breakfast, let's go together!"

"Won't I be a bother to you, Shilang?" Dada Liya hesitated.

"Not at all!" Weigong Shilang pulled the mackerel out of the oven. "Then I'll go call Sber for breakfast."

Weigong Shilang rushed out of the living room without seeing that, the instant he closed the door, a sly smile appeared on Dada Liya's lips.

Rank, sometimes, requires talent.

He'd even forgotten that the reason he'd put on his school uniform was to go to class.

"Sber, there you are," Weigong Shilang opened the dojo door and saw Sber seated upright on the floor, eyes half-closed. "Breakfast is ready."

"Shilang, we need to talk," Sber picked up a wooden training sword, stood up, and fixed her clear, sacred azure eyes on Weigong Shilang. "Your changes are immense."

Swish!

A piercing whistle followed—the elliptical tip of the sword shot straight toward Weigong Shilang's face.

The opponent struck suddenly, and Weigong Shilang, caught completely off guard, instinctively tilted his head to the side.

"As expected," Sber retracted her training sword. "In just a few days, you've grown into a competent warrior. No ordinary human could react this fast."

"Your aura is exceptionally controlled, your stance solid, your focus under sudden attack swift. When attacked, your body instinctively seeks to counter—at that moment, you were like a sword about to leave its sheath."

"This rate of growth is unheard of. And the mana you provide me is no longer nearly nonexistent, as it was at first—it's now remarkably stable."

"Shilang, what exactly has happened to you?"

Hearing her question, Weigong Shilang smiled helplessly—these things truly couldn't be hidden from her.

In truth, the changes in him had revealed far more than he'd realized.

Ordinary people might not notice, but Sber and Weigong Shilang shared a tight bond as Master and Servant. Since not long ago—specifically, the day after the Berserker's attack—Weigong Shilang had changed almost daily.

Part of this was because Weigong Shilang hadn't deliberately concealed it—he wanted to provide Sber with stable mana to restore herself—but who was she? Arthur, the legendary king of England, the Red Dragon of Britain, a mighty warrior who had endured countless battles.

To her, Weigong Shilang was like someone who'd hit fast-forward. Though a strong Master benefited her, she believed she had the right to understand what was happening.

"Shilang, I'm angry," Sber said sternly, pointing her sword at Weigong Shilang, "Pick up your sword. Let me see your current strength."

"Sorry, Sber," Weigong Shilang picked up a wooden training sword from the rack. "But please believe me—I didn't mean to hide anything from you. It's just—"

Weigong Shilang had thought about this before. It wasn't because he distrusted Sber that he hadn't told her everything. On the contrary, because he knew her wish, he had remained silent until now.

He didn't know how to say it. Could he just bluntly tell her: "Stop seeking the Holy Grail—I've seen its truth in another world's work. The Grail is corrupted. Even if it weren't, don't cling to your wish. Don't try to change the history of England's fall"?

He would never impose his own thoughts, his own ideas, upon Sber. That attitude was extremely arrogant!

Precisely because he respected this girl named Artoria, this girl knight named Sber, he wanted her to witness everything for herself. When all truths were finally revealed, then she would make her own choice.

But now it seemed this idea wasn't entirely correct.

Thud!

A crisp sound rang out—the dojo of the Weigong residence echoed with the clash of swords.

"This sword technique isn't something you can learn in a day or two!" Sber snapped. "Don't lose focus!"

Weigong Shilang cleared his thoughts. Now was the time to take this seriously.

His feet moved swiftly across the floor; the sharp scraping and the rapid drumming of wooden strikes grew denser. The training swords screamed as if unable to bear the inhuman force.

In the instant Weigong Shilang retracted his sword, Sber swept upward from below, knocking the wooden sword from his hand.

"I lost," Weigong Shilang grinned awkwardly and raised his hands.

Sber lowered her sword, but her expression didn't soften. She said:

"Dada Liya is still an enemy, Shilang. What truly angers me is that she clearly knows the reason for your changes—and yet you've concealed it from me."

"I am your sword. Our trust should be stronger than that between any other Master and Servant."

Weigong Shilang stared at the knight before him and said solemnly:

"I promise you, Sber."

"I fully trust you. But this story is long—please give me some time!"

"I see," Sber nodded. "I believe you, Shilang. Your sword never lies."

Weigong Shilang exhaled slightly and said: "And Dada Liya also—"

Knock knock knock!

A knocking sound came at the door.

"Breakfast is cold!"

Kleine: "Director, the worldbuilding has been implanted for days already—can we just start shooting?"

Especially Especially Especially Xiao Yan: "Bro, you're already Rank One, but we haven't advanced yet. Can you be our babysitter a few more days?"

Ye Fan: "True, it's a rare opportunity—we can use the temporal dislocation of the God of Space-Time to train properly."

Su Lin: "Actually, there's no conflict—finishing the movie first and then training is fine too. My foolish Oudoudou, hurry up and enter the instance."

Especially Especially Especially Xiao Yan: "I hope you add a scene where I stab you."

Song Shuhang: "@Su Lin, Senior, Master Tunny is already losing his eyebrows—are we adding more scenes again?"

Although Tunny and Gao Moumou were only responsible for structural rigor and the outline, the actual fleshing out was done collectively by numerous cultivators, but they couldn't withstand the constant rush into time-dilation chambers with ever-higher multipliers.

Su Lin: "What? I didn't know—when did this happen?"

Song Shuhang: "Huh?"

"Please!" Weigong Shilang bowed ninety degrees, earnestly saying, "Just a brief appearance is enough."

Tunny hesitated: "Weigong Shilang, I have no issue myself, but this script isn't something I can handle alone—Gao—"

Master Tunny fell silent. Weigong Shilang offered him something with both hands.

A few minutes later.

Su Lin, who had been reviewing today's progress and was about to step onto the set himself, watched as Tunny strode past not far away, one arm carrying a squirming sack, the other cradling several magical artifacts, his clean, round face beaming with clear delight, his steps light.

"I want to go home! I want to go home!!!"

The voice from the sack—was it an illusion?

(End of Chapter)