The subsequent developments had somehow spiraled out of its control like a runaway horse.
It watched the little Buddhist cultivators put their hearts into decorating its cave, even creating a mural that looked exactly like it.
That majesty, that dominance, that handsomeness—it was the spitting image of the fish itself.
Jue Sheng's mood instantly brightened.
Later, listening to the little Buddhist cultivators' thoughtful designs and their honest descriptions of it, Jue Sheng felt wonderful, as if it were floating from the seabed up to the clouds.
Out of this uncontrollable good mood, and a bit of guilt from the fear that the little Buddhist cultivators might complain to the big bald donkey, it gave them some local specialties from its new territory and even fulfilled their small wish to raise sea crabs.
Seeing the little Buddhist cultivators grinning from ear to ear, Jue Sheng felt a surge of pride.
The cultivators of the Ten Thousand Buddhas Sect valued tranquility and inaction; even their vegetarian meals were just the same few dishes over and over.
Jue Sheng was clearly far more generous and heroic than that big bald donkey.
With its mood improved, Jue Sheng felt broad-minded.
How could a fish as magnificent as itself let its grievances with the big bald donkey affect these little Buddhist cultivators?
Jue Sheng immediately decided to escort them back to the spirit ship.
Who could have expected that demon cultivators, who were usually active in other sea areas, would suddenly appear near its new territory?
They swarmed in like dogs scenting a bone.
Thinking of the four Qi Refining stage demon cultivators and one Foundation Establishment stage demon cultivator who had vanished along with the little Buddhist cultivators, Jue Sheng pushed its speed to the limit.
Why couldn't it control itself? Why did it have to provoke those little Buddhist cultivators again?
Now it had caused a huge disaster.
If it rushed back to Penglai to find the big bald donkey for reinforcements, it should still be in time, right?
Those little Buddhist cultivators had to hold on a bit longer and not be discovered by the Foundation Establishment demon cultivator.
The Buddhist scriptures said to observe oneself and guard one's true heart.
It truly didn't want anything to happen to those little Buddhist cultivators!
...
Gu Ningyun and her four companions, whom Jue Sheng was so worried about, had just emerged from the passage and quickly darted to the side.
Following them, four demon cultivators at Qi Refining level twelve and one early Foundation Establishment stage demon cultivator appeared in sequence.
The entrance to the passage vanished in an instant.
Five unmistakable waves of malice radiated from the demon cultivators' position.
Gu Ningyun stood with her companions, watching the demon cultivators' movements with high alert.
This was a greyish space, surrounded by illusory golden buildings.
The two groups stood in an open area between the structures, separated by only thirty meters.
Gu Ningyun wasn't particularly worried about the four Qi Refining demon cultivators.
As for the early Foundation Establishment stage demon cultivator, she could probably handle him using the toxins she had taken from the Cane Old Man and the Old Woman.
The only problem was that the toxins would be hard to manage once they spread after the demon cultivators were dealt with.
She had defensive magic tools like her hairband, the turtle shell, and array plates, plus her mysterious-rank top-grade spirit boat as a backup.
Wen Xuan and the others had their own methods as well.
She wondered if they could wear down this demon cultivator together.
The way he looked at them made her very uncomfortable.
Just as Gu Ningyun was considering how to kill this group of malicious demon cultivators, the leading early Foundation Establishment cultivator raised his dark eyes, his snake-like gaze scanning the five of them.
“If you don't want to die, stay where you are and don't move.”
His voice was cold and raspy, like worn parchment.
He didn't attack?
Gu Ningyun narrowed her almond eyes.
She could clearly feel the killing intent and malice coming from these demon cultivators.
Perhaps there were rules in this grey space that restricted them.
Treating the demon cultivators as if they were invisible, Gu Ningyun carefully observed the area.
She had already tried her Spirit-Attuning Jade Token and identity jade token; neither could send messages. This was likely a special place.
The illusory buildings were woven from countless golden lines, brilliant and complex.
Aside from these structures, there was only the grey expanse of the world.
Her spirit energy worked, and the talismans and array plates in her hands were stable and unrestricted.
She couldn't see any limitations for now.
The early Foundation Establishment demon cultivator was infuriated by her dismissive attitude. He gnashed his teeth and endured for a long time before finally suppressing the urge to strike.
Seeing that the five of them weren't moving, he flicked his sleeve. “Let's go.”
“Those demon cultivators have been causing trouble in the East Sea for so long; could it be that they were trying to find this place?”
Jiang Yao looked around thoroughly. “This doesn't look like a place related to demon cultivators.”
“Those demon cultivators must know something. Let's observe first,” Mu Chenze whispered via divine sense transmission, his left hand resting on Jiang Yao's shoulder.
After the demon cultivators left, they didn't wander aimlessly. Instead, each chose a building and began plucking at the golden threads with their fingers, as if studying something.
Wen Xuan's inquisitive gaze fell on the surrounding structures.
“Those threads look like ethereal illusions, yet they can be adjusted with a touch. Those demon cultivators told us not to move; are they worried we'll mess up the lines?”
The demon cultivators pulled at the threads, laying them one by one along the edges of the buildings.
They quickly organized dozens of them. When they had only finished two, the lines looked relatively clean with few intersections. But as more lines were grouped together, they began to cross each other, turning back into a chaotic mess.
“There's nothing in this space except these buildings made of threads. Whether it's the way out or what the demon cultivators are looking for, it's likely hidden within these lines.”
Gu Ningyun was the first to walk toward a building. “We'll know what secrets are hidden here once we take a look.”
The other four agreed and followed her.
Their movement was immediately noticed by the demon cultivators. Seeing Gu Ningyun about to touch a thread, the early Foundation Establishment cultivator cried out, “Stop!”
Gu Ningyun ignored him and reached out to touch a thread.
A voice, sounding like both metal and wood, echoed in her mind.
“Every line has two endpoints.”
“Four endpoints form two lines.”
“When two lines cross, there is an intersection.”
“This intersection may look like the lines are joined, but it is only a surface contact; they do not actually merge.”
“There are now countless endpoints, each extending into countless lines, which in turn connect to countless other endpoints.”
“Endpoints and endpoints are connected by lines, intertwining to construct a cluster of buildings.”
“There are five independent building clusters in total.”
“Adjust the positions of the threads so that no lines intersect.”
“For every building cluster completed, one inheritance token for the Puppet Thousand-Machine City will be awarded.”
“If multiple people unlock a cluster, the token goes to the one who organized the most lines.”
“Anyone can touch intersecting lines.”
“But once a line is organized so that it no longer intersects, only the person who organized it can touch it.”
“Each person can obtain at most one token.”
“This is a trial space for inheritance qualification. Those who fight or maliciously interfere will be obliterated.”
So that was it!
Gu Ningyun let go, an irrepressible smile curling at the corners of her lips.
Rate on N.U.
