Chapter 278

"I'm even more powerful—I possessed a great demon who murdered his own family and spared no means." Gu Yue Fang Yuan glanced at Gao Sheng and Qu Yanping. "Does this count as ridding the world of evil?"

Gao Sheng, who had been emotionally stirred moments before, suddenly laughed: "Yes, Brother Fang Yuan is truly a pillar of the righteous path."

Only now did Qu Yanping understand: for cultivators like Gao Sheng, whether this world was real or not didn't matter at all—what mattered was their inability to accept that they had usurped another version of themselves' "life," or to accept an entirely different "life's" destiny.

Moreover, this world was far too strange: unlike themselves, they didn't possess Heavenly Eyes or Divine Vision; even with transcendent power, some subtle traces remained invisible.

But if both worlds were genuinely real, that would be strange—why did Earth's world and this world linked to countless realms share so many identical elements? And why, when cultivators from Earth entered here, did they replace another version of themselves?

Furthermore, Gu Yue Fang Zheng's situation was also a mystery.

Gu Yue Fang Yuan smiled and said:

"In the outside world, I was kind to others, my family lived in harmony, clan members helped each other, and I was Fang Zheng's most admired elder brother."

"But here, I used my own kin to forge gu, made enemies of all under heaven, and became the greatest demon in this realm—the one Fang Zheng hated most."

"Even if everything here is real, so what? To me, the outside world holds meaning. Once I find my scattered comrades, I'll find a way to take Fang Zheng and them away from this place—no supreme cultivation can compare to familial love."

"Indeed. Whether all this is true or false, even if it is real, forcing me to live as another person is too much to ask." Gao Sheng nodded. "At the very least, I cannot face the partner of this world's Gao Sheng."

Short-sighted.

Qu Yanping mentally labeled the two: both Gao Sheng and Gu Yue Fang Yuan were like this.

Familial love and romantic love were merely external things. With their current power, they still cared so deeply about such matters—in their hearts, they were nothing but flowers grown in a greenhouse.

"By the way, Brother Fang Yuan, have you heard any news about your little Xiao Nannan?" Qu Yanping smiled slightly, changing the subject. Thanks to that little girl, he had, in a sense, turned misfortune into fortune.

"Xiao Nannan?" Gu Yue Fang Yuan's ink-black eyes turned toward Qu Yanping, his voice tinged with confusion. "Who is Xiao Nannan?"

Qu Yanping's smile froze at the corner of his mouth, his pupils shrinking slightly: "Brother Gu Yue, don't joke—she's the little girl who interrupted us and caused our separation, the one you took in on behalf of her brother."

"Is there such a person?" Gao Sheng muttered, then fell into thought.

Seeing that neither was joking, Qu Yanping's smile vanished, and his hands resting on his knees clenched involuntarily.

Hadn't they already entered the Penglai Ruins?

Sword Tomb Theater

Though called a camp, it was in fact a vast city formed by countless starships and special artifacts fused together in the sky.

The city contained every conceivable facility and venue; to create entertainment and living spaces that felt both down-to-earth and befitting of powerful cultivators, over a hundred democratic assemblies were held before the "protagonist" arrived—each assembly accompanied by physical persuasion—until the current hundreds-of-li camp was finally established.

"Henghuo Zhenjun, calm down!!!"

Huang Shan Zhenjun and Ling Die Zunzhe held back Henghuo Zhenjun from behind; the three were tangled together in an extremely undignified posture.

"Calm down!? How am I supposed to calm down?!" Henghuo Zhenjun gazed from the solemn, magnificent hall at the camp's center—the ferry dock had just smuggled in a giant monkey. The moment the figure appeared, he wanted to rush forward and rip off its grotesque face to see who was underneath.

"Rather than jumping to conclusions, why not go directly ask Senior Su Lin what's going on? Charging at Kuang Dao Sanlang won't help!" Huang Shan Zhenjun strained every ounce of strength to grip Henghuo Zhenjun's arm—the man was a Confucian cultivator who, in the simulated universe, had become a body cultivator.

"Maybe it's just the effect of some special item? As an immortal, Senior Su Lin might naturally yearn to recreate the ancient Confucian Sage—wouldn't that make perfect sense?"

"I don't think even an immortal could achieve what Senior Su Lin has now," Ling Die glanced at Huang Shan Zhenjun. "Surely everyone has noticed: from the beginning until now, his displayed abilities have already surpassed what an immortal could possibly accomplish."

"The simulated universe—is this universe truly a simulated virtual realm?" an Xuan Saint from the Seven Lives Talisman Mansion asked.

"I feel like he didn't just simulate a universe—he created an entire universe as his amusement park."

"At first he claimed to be a Jie Xian. If he really were a Jie Xian, I'd let him use my head as a soccer ball."

"Who cares? As long as you're having fun." Another veteran Xuan Saint sipped tea calmly, sighing about peaceful times: "Next time, I'll bring my own Jie Xian elder here—I've wanted to beat him up for ages. I wonder if the entry fee for Jie Xians will be higher."

"Hey! Did your brains melt from last time's Mother Worm? Isn't the priority figuring out the connection between Kuang Dao Sanlang and the Confucian Sage?!" an Xuan Saint from the Battle Buddha Sect cursed, then clasped his hands: "Namo Amitabha Buddha, what a sin, what a sin—these bastards are driving me mad."

"Think about it: according to other cultivators' reports, Kuang Dao Sanlang held the 'Yesterday Repeated' talisman at the time. Could he be the reincarnation of the Confucian Sage—or at least a backup plan?"

His analysis wasn't without merit. In fact, everyone present thought the same—several senior figures had secretly joined the group, hoping to sneak in a surprise attack on Kuang Dao Sanlang.

His analysis was not without merit; in fact, everyone present thought the same, for several senior figures had mingled within the ranks, hoping to sneak in a kick against Kuang Dao Sanlang.

Maternal love is great.

"Hey, Henghuo, don't cry—it's actually great! Maybe Kuang Dao Sanlang really is the Sage's reincarnation—you Confucians might finally revive~~" someone teased.

Huang Shan Zhenjun silently shook his head inside. Henghuo Zhenjun was terrified the news would spread—he was desperate.

If Kuang Dao Sanlang truly were the Confucian Sage's reincarnation, the Confucian sect might collapse, but in the end, it would be like eating stinky tofu—smelly but delicious. But if cultivators here left the simulated universe and started spreading the word…

Then past enemies would come knocking, and Kuang Dao Sanlang's safety would be in jeopardy.

"I cannot accept this!!!" Henghuo Zhenjun stared at the giant monkey, naked and covered in grime, who had just smuggled ashore from a starship, slipped behind passing cultivators, and delivered a surprise blow—now stripping their clothes—his emotions unraveling.

"I can't accept this!!!" Huangshan Zhenjun stared at the giant monkey, its body **, who had stowed away from the starship, sneaked ashore, and was now beating a passing cultivator unconscious while stripping his clothes.

Did I overthink this?

Hummm—

A notification popped up near Huang Shan Zhenjun's personal status bar—it was a message from Senior Su Lin.

【System Notice】: Player Kuang Dao Sanlang has received the hidden bonus reward of the "Confucian Sage's Legacy," and during the simulated universe period, he may use the Heavenly Dao artifact "Didi Dada" to summon, with low probability, data projections left behind by the Confucian Sage in his youth within the simulated universe.

PS: Opportunity for the Confucian Sage's one-on-one homework tutoring (simulated universe only).

【Demon Lord Legend Quest: Sword Tomb Chapter (They Say Love Once Came)】 has been updated.

Henghuo Zhenjun: "Hey, it's me—listen up, all Confucian cultivators: from now on, Kuang Dao Sanlang is the reincarnation of the Confucian Sage. Go find him and ask for homework help!"

It wasn't over—Huang Shan Zhenjun's eyelid twitched as he saw Henghuo Zhenjun's forum post.

"@Mr. Guangming, can Confucians live permanently in the simulated universe? What's the annual rent?"

"@Mr. Light, can Confucianism reside permanently in the simulated universe? What's the annual rent?"

Ling Die Zunzhe: "..."

Time slipped by swiftly once more.

For Qu Yanping, these days passed without major upheaval. Since no longer facing the onslaught of the River of Time, his heart had grown calmer—he no longer had to deal with that "monster."

One thing was strange: though the Yuzhe Sect had reached this place, they still managed to obtain news from the Facing World.

They named everything here the "Inner World," thus making Earth the "Facing World."

They named everything in Penglai the Inner World, so the outside world's Earth became the Outer World.

According to them, numerous forces in the surface world are jointly opening the bronze gate of the Penglai ruins; the sect urges them to hurry, to investigate what's happening here, and ideally to find the bronze altar from the day the immortals and gods perished.

'But it has nothing to do with me.' Qu Yanping's lips curled slightly; with Gu Yue Fang Yuan's backing, his wariness toward the Yuzhe Sect had lessened somewhat, yet he still relied on their methods to balance the monster in the River of Time, so he couldn't afford to distance himself too much.

'Brother Gao, where are you rushing off to in such a hurry?'

Gao Sheng moved frantically but couldn't hide the joy in his brow; seeing Qu Yanping, his eyes lit up, and he cast a spell to teleport Qu Yanping toward the northwest.

Their destination was neither the Three Realms Alliance's encampment nor the Gu Xian Realm, but a Western-style floating island.

Thick, distinctive religious atmosphere dominated here; black and white stone bricks laid in golden ratio created stark contrast, and the cross pattern was the most common symbol.

'Do you remember the younger brother I told you about?' Gao Sheng and Qu Yanping arrived outside a vast, ancient church; the church had no door, only a latticed cross.

'Da Lingye?' Qu Yanping remembered the name—Gao Sheng's main reason for entering here was to find his junior brother.

'That's right. He returned from the world belonging to the Holy Light Sect. This kid ran all over the place—not just to Penglai, but also to the Sword Tomb. After arriving in the Sword Tomb, he took on a mission to escort something back to his own world for the Holy Light Sect.' Though Gao Sheng complained, a hint of pride crept into his voice:

'Only this kid has such tough luck; any other cultivator would've died dozens of times over.'

'Look, there he is.'

'Da Lingye!!!'

At Gao Sheng's call, a figure in pale blue dao robes turned around; long black hair fluttered with the motion.

In that moment.

Qu Yanping felt his heart instantly freeze; no great Dao, no immortality, nothing in heaven or earth could rival the allure of that face. Beautiful? No—that was not a human term to describe such appearance; the sun and moon, stars and constellations would dim.

His eyes held unmistakable detachment; it was precisely this detachment that made him seem peerless and solitary, severed from this world amid the throngs of people.

If it were for her, becoming a righteous cultivator would be no hardship.

Slap!

Qu Yanping touched his stinging cheek, staring in disbelief at Gao Sheng beside him: 'Brother Gao?'

'You stared at my junior brother for five minutes.' Gao Sheng awkwardly retracted his hand, then wore an expression of 'I knew it': 'Let me be clear, Brother Qu—he's male.'

'Male?!' Qu Yanping blurted out involuntarily: 'No?! Wait, I just—'

He had intended to deny it instinctively, but suddenly snapped awake, realizing the absurdity he had just displayed.

In terror, he stole a glance at the cultivator named Da Lingye—and saw that the man had already appeared before him, unseen.

Thud—

Qu Yanping felt his heart involuntarily skip a beat.

Male?! An inexplicable hatred toward fate sprouted in his chest.

No! No! No! Something's wrong! This person is deeply wrong!

In that instant, Qu Yanping understood why Gao Sheng had asked if he had any interest in men—could such an unnaturally mesmerizing being exist in this world?

If his previous worldview had shattered from being awed by this powerful, complex world, this time his worldview had shattered solely because of one man!

'Calm down, junior brother.' Gao Sheng turned his head away, unable to gaze at Da Lingye for long.

'Sorry, senior brother, I was distracted just now.' Da Lingye smiled apologetically, yet this time his aura of allure sharply diminished: 'Huh? Senior brother, why are you here?'

'Of course I came to find you!' Gao Sheng sighed helplessly: 'Why are you running around with Uncle Kuangdao Sanlang?! You know what kind of person he is!'

'Uncle Kuangdao Sanlang? Oh, you're the outside senior brother.' Da Lingye realized, then beamed: 'Senior brother, you came looking for me?!'

'Brother Qu, don't worry, come closer—it's fine.' Gao Sheng waved Qu Yanping over, then grumbled at Da Lingye: 'Didn't expect you'd run so far you didn't even return to the Kongyun Sect here, and went to other worlds!'

'Sorry, but at the center of the Sword Tomb lies an extremely powerful sword—I'm deeply interested, so I accepted the Holy Light Sect's mission.' Da Lingye pointed toward the church interior: 'The assembly has begun. Shall we go take a look together?'

'You…' Gao Sheng's face was full of resignation; he turned to Qu Yanping: 'Brother Qu, come along? Today's also the day all major forces discuss exploration plans.'

'Alright.' Qu Yanping kept his head down, staring at the black-and-white stone tiles, desperately avoiding eye contact with the cultivator named Da Lingye.

Gao Sheng, however, looked utterly unfazed—clearly, he'd seen too many such cases.

Qu Yanping inwardly grumbled: Could it be that Gao Sheng rejected his own world's consort precisely because of this junior brother?

The moment this bizarre thought arose, Qu Yanping was overcome by a chill.

But precisely because he kept his head down, a figure ahead, whose aura was suppressed to near nothingness, suddenly appeared in his path—by the time he saw the person, his shoulder had no time to dodge.

Thud

'Sorry!' Qu Yanping quickly looked up.

'I should be the one apologizing. My apologies, I was distracted just now.' A youthful voice spoke: 'Uh… this cultivator, is there something on my face?'

Qu Yanping froze, as if not hearing the question; his gaze locked on the figure, his mind flashing to the one who had turned his own flesh into the Sword Tomb, using all things as swords to sever time and space.

No—this face was far younger.

'Nothing. Sorry, I was lost in thought too.' Qu Yanping smiled, stepping aside to let the other pass.

Similar faces existed everywhere—but seeing this one here was genuinely startling; perhaps he'd overreacted.

'Shushan sword cultivator, Emiya Shirou—he's here too,' Gao Sheng remarked casually: 'Though I don't know if it's the one from the surface world or this Illusory Realm.'

Qu Yanping withdrew his gaze and followed Gao Sheng and Da Lingye into a folded space; aside from the area beneath the giant cross in the church, all other cultivators listened from folded spaces.

'Junior brother, by the way, why did you go to the world belonging to the Holy Light Sect?' Gao Sheng asked.

'I escorted the Holy Maiden.' Da Lingye replied: 'At the core of the Sword Tomb lies a sword. Its aura ten li away can instantly kill even a Jin Xian who draws near. Behind that sword stands a tree—likely tied to the Sword Tomb's secrets and opportunities. So they wanted to use the Holy Maiden's wish-granting ability to achieve their goal.'

As Da Lingye spoke these words, he stopped walking and sat down casually on a nearby spot.

Qu Yanping, now somewhat accustomed to Da Lingye, relaxed his caution and chose to sit beside Gao Sheng.

The three chatted briefly, mostly listening as Da Lingye recounted his experiences since entering this world.

Like falling off a cliff and meeting an old man who passed on his cultivation; his realm rising from Immortal to Tian Xian. Or picking up a damaged Da Luo relic on the roadside.

'Rude person!' A feminine cry rang out; all nearby cultivators turned their gazes toward the source.

On the latticed cross-shaped wall, the sun blazed from beyond; the cross, symbolizing the gate, glowed with pure white light.

At the entrance, the sword cultivator was rising from the ground, beneath him a woman in a white long dress—like an accidental collision.

'Sorry!' The sword cultivator hastily pushed himself up, but his motion froze halfway.

"Isn't that the Holy Maiden?" Da Lingye said beside him. "That girl has a terrible temper—this guy's in for trouble."

"What's this kid doing? Taking advantage of her?" Gao Sheng asked in confusion.

Finally, the sword cultivator moved again. As he rose from the ground, he took the Holy Maiden's hand and pulled her up. Unexpectedly, she neither scolded nor refused. After stumbling to their feet, they simply gazed at each other.

"We—"

Both spoke at almost the same moment.

"Have we met somewhere before?"

The sword cultivator had red hair and golden eyes; the Holy Maiden had white hair and red eyes—just as they had been eons ago.

No one knew this was a long-awaited reunion. Only Qu Yanping's mind conjured a figure—the red-haired youth, with a voice full of endless longing and hope, made a vow:

"May, after countless ages, we bloom a flower… alike."

(End of Chapter)