Chapter 214: Returning to the Ancient Primordial Illusion Realm

“Ordinary mortals who encounter an Outer God, even within an illusionary realm, will have their self-awareness and will completely eroded, ultimately becoming puppets and servants. But what if they encounter a native deity of the Primordial Wilderness? Would they not suffer the same fate?”

Another question arose in Li Shun’s heart.

Zhao Cheng nodded firmly.

“Throughout the various Hundred Schools Gatherings, there have been more than twenty people who have seen gods, heaven, and the Dao. After personally witnessing these so-called deities, every single one of them was able to maintain their sanity. Without exception.”

“Not only did they face no danger of losing their will, but their comprehension of the Great Dao and divine abilities instead advanced by leaps and bounds. From that point onward, their cultivation paths became smooth and unhindered. That is precisely why our Hundred Schools have silently encouraged the continued organization of these gatherings all these years.”

“If seeing a deity truly drove people mad, the imperial court would have banned the Hundred Schools Gathering long ago.” Zhao Cheng gave a somewhat self-deprecating smile.

“However, matters concerning the Primordial Wilderness and Outer Gods are ultimately rather mysterious and elusive. If ordinary people were to learn the truth, it would only cause unnecessary panic. Thus, the imperial court issued a prohibition long ago, strictly forbidding the dissemination of anything related to these matters.”

Li Shun nodded in understanding.

“No wonder that scene just now, when the green light descended from the heavens, suddenly disappeared.”

“That was the work of the Celestial Phenomena cultivator from the School of Names, Lu Wanting. After all, that dark-green pillar of light shooting into the heavens was far too conspicuous. If it appeared only briefly, it could still be concealed under the explanation of a heavenly phenomenon. But if it remained hanging in the sky for an extended period, it would inevitably give rise to all sorts of rumors and unrest.”

As he spoke, Zhao Cheng could not help coughing again. A pallor spread across his face.

“The power of an Outer God is truly difficult to comprehend. What descended just now did not even count as the avatar of an Outer God. It was merely a servant that had absorbed a small portion of its power, yet it was already capable of resisting the combined strength of all of us. If an Outer God itself were truly to descend...”

Zhao Cheng did not finish his sentence, but the worry in his eyes remained.

Li Shun had originally intended to inquire further about the Outer God connected to that green light. However, he noticed that a new day was about to arrive.

The Hundred Schools Gathering could generally only be held once every twenty or thirty years. Once one missed the opportunity, entering again was virtually impossible.

Li Shun's luck could not be considered poor. On his very first entry, he had encountered the Tongtian Divine Mountain and successfully reached its summit.

Unfortunately, what he had encountered there was a terrifying and bizarre Outer God, the Formless Suspended Skull.

“The Primordial Wilderness Illusionary Realm contains both danger and opportunity.”

“It is worth activating Threefold Self-Reflection once, or even several times.”

“Not merely for the so-called opportunities and fortunes, but also to gain a more detailed understanding of the ancient Primordial Wilderness. That will be even more beneficial when I traverse other fragmented worlds in the future.”

“And perhaps even that strand of profound aura that caused the phantom of the Formless Suspended Skull to recoil...”

Li Shun's consciousness entered the Fangcun space, and his attention settled upon the Threefold Self-Reflection stone statue.

Earlier, during his confrontation with the phantom of the Formless Suspended Skull, both stone statues had suffered considerable damage.

Fortunately, the Threefold Self-Reflection stone statue was already incomplete to begin with, yet extraordinarily resilient.

Every time Threefold Self-Reflection was activated, its surface would become covered in cracks. But as long as it absorbed Lengshan Grass, it would quickly recover.

This time was no different.

While Li Shun was speaking with Zhao Cheng, the Threefold Self-Reflection stone statue had already returned to its original condition.

“Heaven, when it is about to entrust a great task to a man, first afflicts his mind and will, then exhausts his muscles and bones.”

“The words of the Sage truly do not deceive.”

As for the other stone statue, the Heavenly Being Codex, it was considerably more delicate.

It had also developed cracks during the confrontation, yet Lengshan Grass had no restorative effect on it.

Fortunately, the price of using the divine ability [Heavenly Being Authored a Codex] was enormous, and Li Shun would not use it frequently.

For now, he could leave it alone.

As the second day approached, Li Shun gathered his thoughts and activated the divine ability Threefold Self-Reflection.

When the Great Qian world returned to the previous day, the experience he had undergone during the First Reflection immediately surfaced in his mind.

“Threefold Self-Reflection only resets the Great Qian fragmented world.”

“Even the Martial Dao World was unaffected.”

“Let alone those Outer Gods. So, in a certain sense...”

“I have still encountered the Formless Suspended Skull once before.”

Li Shun narrowed his eyes slightly.

Having understood this, he naturally intended to keep a respectful distance from that Buxian Mountain.

“After receiving the baptism of the Formless Suspended Skull, the summit of Buxian Mountain returned to normal. At the time, when I looked around, I indeed saw several Tongtian Divine Mountains in the surrounding area.”

“The closest one should have been to the west of Buxian Mountain.”

“According to Zhao Cheng's deduction, that should be Mount Buzhou. But according to the myths and legends, wasn't Mount Buzhou already broken long ago?”

Li Shun was initially puzzled, but he soon understood.

The Primordial Wilderness Illusionary Realm did not recreate the Primordial Wilderness of any particular era.

Rather, it was an amalgamation of all the traces that the Primordial Wilderness had left behind throughout its existence.

Thus, people, events, and objects belonging to completely different points in time could all appear simultaneously within the illusionary realm.

“Mount Buzhou...”

Li Shun recalled the records concerning Mount Buzhou that he had once read in ancient texts.

“Beyond the Northwestern Sea, at the edge of the Great Wilderness, there is a mountain that does not meet. It is called Buzhou.”

“In ancient times, Gonggong and Zhuanxu fought for the throne. Enraged, Gonggong struck Mount Buzhou. The pillar supporting Heaven broke, and the cords binding the earth snapped. Heaven tilted toward the northwest, causing the sun, moon, and stars to shift in that direction. The earth was incomplete in the southeast, causing floodwaters and dust to gather there.”

Among the many famous divine mountains of the Primordial Wilderness, Mount Buzhou could unquestionably be ranked among the most renowned.

But its fame did not stem from how extraordinary the mountain itself was.

Rather, it was because an earth-shaking battle had once taken place there, plunging the entire Primordial Wilderness into turmoil.

“Gonggong and Zhuanxu. These two should be native deities of the Primordial Wilderness.”

“If Mount Buzhou has not yet been broken, then who will I encounter at its summit?”

Li Shun's thoughts surged, and for a long time, he found it difficult to calm himself.

Everything that happened before entering the Primordial Wilderness Illusionary Realm remained identical to the First Reflection.

Everyone once again ascended and constructed a magnificent illusion within the blank sea of consciousness of Jin Yutang.

But this time, as someone returning to this place, Li Shun keenly noticed that the sea of consciousness before him was not actually as empty as it appeared.

Within the illusion, Li Shun personally experienced the countless magnificent sights of the Primordial Wilderness.

Now, when he looked toward the blank edges of this sea of consciousness, he felt a faint sense of familiarity.

It seemed that a ruin existed there.

Or perhaps...

The entire Primordial Wilderness Illusionary Realm had been constructed upon the genuine ruins of the Primordial Wilderness from ancient times.

“Not merely Mount Dai.”

Li Shun seemed to have realized something.

Within the sea of consciousness, the clusters of consciousness belonging to the disciples of the Hundred Schools shimmered with different colors.

Li Shun's own fluctuations of consciousness were inconspicuous.

Very soon, the illusionary realm opened once again.

Li Shun returned to the Primordial Wilderness.

The location where he descended had not changed.

It was still that familiar, desolate wilderness.

“According to Zhao Cheng, if those participating in the gathering already know of the existence of Outer Gods beforehand, there is a greater possibility of triggering the descent of an Outer God.”

“But that isn't necessarily the case. After all, I once forced an Outer God to retreat with my own strength, even if I did rely on some tricks.”

Thinking this, Li Shun had no intention of cautiously exploring the area or wasting time where he had first arrived.

Instead, following his plan, he accelerated and flew rapidly toward the west.