It wasn’t entirely unfamiliar,
because Xu Yuan was still in the same rear chamber of the transmission hall as before, but now there was an additional silk screen embroidered with mountainous fairy palaces in front of him.
Bewildered, Xu Yuan looked around and saw that the previously shattered dome had been restored, and the traces of the years left on the bricks and tiles had also disappeared.
The jade-paved ground glimmered with a gentle light, as if shrouded in curling mist, and the eaves carved from sandalwood were adorned with phoenixes ready to soar, along with the floating windows and palace inner walls piled with jade and blue tiles.
Seeing this, Xu Yuan’s spirit condensed.
Linking the changes before his eyes with the body of the red-dressed woman, the Enchantress Divine Sakura Tree, Xu Yuan quickly realized that he seemed to have fallen into some kind of Illusionary Realm.
Information about Illusionary Realms recorded in some books flashed through his mind.
Formations, Elixir Medicine, Cultivation Techniques, medicinal materials, Will-spirit, and many other things could induce hallucinations. Some affect the senses, others the body, and there are even some that can directly act upon the Will-spirit.
From the low-level Dream Dispersal favored by sons of wealthy families in the marketplaces to the soul-bewitching maze in Cherry Leech Lake, to Su Meimo’s innate ability that previously made others uncontrollably fond of her.
The types of Illusionary Realms are extremely complicated, and their effects are also varied.
This information made Xu Yuan become slightly more vigilant.
Some Illusionary Realms could drown a person within a dream without their knowledge.
One could sink into it forever, until their body perished.
Since he still had consciousness, it should be a kind of "Self-I" Illusionary Realm, but this did not mean it was safe, as some Evil Cultivation Techniques used to create Illusionary Realms could even achieve "dream assassination."
One who died in the Illusionary Realm would be unaffected physically and Will-spirit-wise, but their consciousness would have dissipated.
In simple terms, the process of dying felt so real it made you think you had really died.
After a moment of contemplation, Xu Yuan tentatively introspected his own body’s condition.
he found that his Innate Taoist Body was gone.
In its place was an extremely bizarre constitution.
There were one hundred and twenty-seven meridians in the human body, and his current body had only one hundred and three running through, yet thirty-six of them were extremely wide and resilient, more than double the breadth of the Innate Taoist Body he had acquired at the risk of his life.
This must also be a special constitution.
However, compared to the change in constitution, Xu Yuan soon discovered that the gaseous Origin Qi inside his body had condensed into a liquid state, stretching like a tide unconsciously!
At least Third Grade to start with.
After a moment of silence, Xu Yuan took a sharp breath.
As someone who had lived through an era of information explosion, changes in Cultivation Techniques, realm, and constitution made Xu Yuan immediately realize what might have happened to him.
He... seemed to have become a character from ten thousand years ago in this Illusionary Realm.
After a moment of thought, Xu Yuan tried to operate the Blood Essence Meteoring Art using the Origin Qi within his body, but as soon as the Origin Qi was mobilized, he quickly stopped.
The Blood Essence Meteoring Art, whether it was used for cultivation, combat, or healing, required the use of all the meridians in the body. The current body with only one hundred and three open meridians would have gone awry if forced to operate and would lead to deviation.
After pondering for a short period, Xu Yuan once again guided the Origin Qi to circulate.
In an instant, a small blood-colored mirror appeared in front of him.
The Blood Mirror from the Blood Essence Meteoring Art.
This Cultivation Technique didn’t need the unopened meridians, so he was able to use it directly, and at his current realm, the mirror was as solid as reality.
Xu Yuan used the mirror to mirror himself, his eyes revealing a thoughtful look.
He still looked the same, only the cherry blossom mark at the center of his brow, which had been faint and indistinct, was now solidified.
The red-dressed woman had obviously regained her senses before her self-destruction, and that final relieved smile, along with the word "thank you," clearly carried goodwill towards him.
This goodwill was perhaps because of the bottle of flower-fermented wine, or perhaps because he chopped down the Enchantress Divine Sakura Tree, helping her to be freed from madness.
But in that case, was this Illusionary Realm her way of giving him an opportunity?
Xu Yuan pondered for a moment, then shook his head.
If it were simply an opportunity, why would she add a "sorry" after "thank you"?
It was still better to be cautious.
With his mind made up, Xu Yuan walked from the rear chamber toward the main hall of the transmission hall.
His footsteps were light, but they still echoed far in the empty and lonely great hall.
Turning a corner, Xu Yuan suddenly heard some light murmurs.
"Condense the spirit."
After a brief moment of contemplation, Xu Yuan quieted his steps and circled around the backstage to appear in the corner of the main hall.
The main hall of the Dome Palace’s transmission hall was still as majestic and magnificent, with hundreds of meditation cushions on the white jade floor, and at this moment, a girl was sitting cross-legged with closed eyes on one of them.
Dressed in a red gown, her little face flushed, she seemed to be sitting with her eyes closed, regulating her breath.
If not Tianyan, who else could that exquisitely beautiful face belong to?
After watching for a few breaths, Xu Yuan noticed something was off.
Could Tianyan still be operating the Yantian Art?
Xu Yuan’s brow gradually furrowed.
Indeed, he had seen Tianyan enveloped by the cherry blossoms before, so she should have also been affected by the Illusionary Realm.
However, this Illusionary Realm was clearly targeting the Will-spirit,
Does that mean the Enchantress Divine Sakura Tree’s Illusionary Realm allows for the connection of multiple peoples’ Will-spirits?
Or does it mean that the Tianyan before him is actually an "NPC" within the Illusionary Realm?
With some hesitation, Xu Yuan tentatively extended his Will-spirit.
The Chaotic Inheritance Formation inside this transmission hall was not activated, and his vast Will-spirit easily reached the surroundings of Tianyan.
However, Tianyan seemed to be unaware of his Will-spirit, continuing to murmur some Zhen Yan (true words) and regulate her breath.