Among everyone outside the city, as far as Director Wu knew, there was only one person who could be connected to the Fragmentation Stage.
Only one.
At this moment, Director Wu finally glanced at Li Yunxian’s appearance.
Hmm… exactly the same as in the photos and videos he received.
A faint twitch appeared at the corner of Director Wu’s mouth.
This really was no disguise at all, apart from cultivation level.
Director Wu’s eyes flickered with slight surprise.
He realized that he couldn’t detect any flaws in the cultivation disguise Li Yunxian had put up.
Li Yunxian felt Director Wu’s scrutiny and noticed the movement of Xiagu preparing to strike at him.
But she was completely unfazed.
After all, she had completed all the operations first.
“Rise.” The moment Director Wu caught the jade token, Li Yunxian spoke.
Just a simple word, but the entire Xiagu lair seemed to undergo a tremendous change.
The space shifted, and Director Wu felt as if he had stepped onto a platform.
Everything around was misty white, like an entirely unconstructed space.
Besides himself, only Li Yunxian’s figure was present.
Director Wu immediately realized this was due to the jade token Li Yunxian slipped him.
He dispelled his disguise and stood up, amazed. “Are we in an independent space, away from the Xiagu’s territory?”
Director Wu had thought the jade token was some kind of bound teleportation tool.
Coupled with a magic device that even mid-Golden Core practitioners couldn’t see through…
No wonder Li Yunxian dared to face these alien tribes alone.
“If I’d known, I would’ve killed Huang Dao before you even started,” Director Wu lamented.
Huang Dao was the title of that blade-wielding Hunter.
If he, at Great Perfection stage, acted recklessly, forcibly abducting a mid-Golden Core stage enemy was still quite possible.
“No.” Li Yunxian denied Director Wu’s guess. She raised her hand, and countless images appeared in the space.
The killing array was designed to include the underground Xiagu’s main body, with a diameter spanning one kilometer.
Within this range, any creature with cultivation at Golden Core stage or below would be trapped by the killing array.
Including Director Wu.
***
So, after realizing Director Wu was inside, Li Yunxian had to slip him a jade token given by Su Wenjing.
By borrowing the Fragmentation Stage aura, she pushed Director Wu out of the killing array’s effect range.
Otherwise, when the three Golden Core mid-stage aliens gathered, Li Yunxian could have activated the array immediately.
But since they risked their lives to rescue her, she didn’t want to say anything.
She genuinely didn’t think she needed help.
The contingencies Yu Anle mentioned were mainly to reassure the people inside Jin City.
“We’re still inside the Xiagu lair, but everyone’s minds are drawn into an Illusion Array.
“In the Illusion Array, they experience the most dangerous, unforgettable, and terrifying scenes they know.”
“If their mind dies during this experience, it’s the same as their spirit dying—their body outside will become an empty shell.”
Hearing this, Director Wu still thought it was some kind of platform device, but the brutality of this effect was far beyond what he knew about platforms.
He clicked his tongue inwardly and asked, “What if they don’t die?”
“Then they’ll be trapped in the Illusion Array forever.” Li Yunxian answered, “Only by breaking through the Illusion Array can one come out.”
“Whether by force or by their own heart’s nature.”
“All formations rely on mutual generation and overcoming. Whether killing arrays or illusion and trapping arrays, there will always be a path of life.”
“This is the immutable foundation of formations.”
Director Wu pondered inside. The brutal magic device Li Yunxian presented suddenly made the screens in front of him flicker like stars and vanish.
Before Director Wu could ask, Li Yunxian said bluntly, “They’re dead.”
Director Wu fell silent.
As a mid-Golden Core Great Perfection, even standing in the Xiagu lair, he couldn’t achieve such efficiency.
He couldn’t help but wonder what would happen if such a magic device fell into alien hands.
His thoughts returned to Li Yunxian’s words—“break through the Illusion Array.”
“How do you break it?” Director Wu asked.
Li Yunxian smiled slightly. “Overall, it can be said as having no fear and no dread, with a heart that embraces the Dao.”
Upon hearing this, Director Wu looked at the captured aliens shown on the magic device.
With this method of breaking the array, do any of these alien guys really have a chance?
Director Wu’s mouth twitched. Looking at Li Yunxian’s calm demeanor, he suddenly realized perhaps…
There was no need for him to come out and rescue anyone.
Director Wu rubbed his forehead. “Didn’t you say you’d wait a few days until the teachers from the Wenwu Academy arrive before blowing them up?”
Since he was here, Li Yunxian didn’t bother with tricks and spoke frankly, “Of course, I’m going to eliminate them all first.”
“Then, when everyone’s gathered, I’ll blow this place up so no one can figure out how I did it.”
“The unknown is the most effective weapon to instill fear.”
Hearing Li Yunxian’s plan to completely wipe out all evidence, Director Wu thought:
…Are students really this terrifying now?
As she spoke, the number of screens in the space decreased.
The remaining screens had enough room to expand and became larger and clearer.
Director Wu’s gaze scanned the images.
He had already noticed the screens showing Bird Demon and Huang Dao.
Both were fighting illusions of enemies within the Illusion Array.
Bird Demon’s opponent was a Great Perfection Snake Demon, which had not only cultivation advantage but also species superiority.
However, Bird Demon was experienced in combat, and the illusory beast appeared stiff, so it seemed the fight wouldn’t end anytime soon.
Huang Dao’s opponent was none other than himself.
Director Wu had fought Huang Dao before, and Huang Dao was soundly defeated.
Therefore, the terrifying and unforgettable scene Huang Dao was experiencing was this.
Director Wu was not surprised by these two.
What interested him more was the Xiagu, a figure so mysterious that even he, often dealing with alien tribes, felt uncertain.
Director Wu scanned around but didn’t see Xiagu in any of the screens. Instead…
“Luo Heng?!” Director Wu stared carefully at the image for a long time before confirming who the central figure was.
“What is he doing here?” Director Wu exclaimed.
But after saying this, he quickly came to a realization.
Besides him and Li Yunxian, the only other person who could appear here…
Was someone who had become a Hunter.
Hunters abandoned their past identities, and many frequently changed their appearances.
In this situation, it wasn’t strange for his true face to suddenly show.
Still, Director Wu couldn’t help but sigh.
Li Yunxian knew the sigh was directed at whom.
Xiagu? Luo Heng?
“Who is he?” Li Yunxian asked aloud.
Director Wu looked at the still youthful Luo Heng on the screen with a complex gaze and replied, “Luo Heng was the first student from Jin City Academy to enter the top four universities.
“At that time, Jin City was about the same as present-day Jin City.
“When they found out you could enter the top four universities, they were as happy and hopeful for you as he was for himself.”
Hearing this, Li Yunxian paused for a few seconds and interrupted, “At that time, the whole city was busy with medicinal baths, the gossip about Liu Wu’s downfall, and later Director Chen’s promotion to Golden Core.”
Director Wu was interrupted.
Why were there so many events more eye-catching than her entering the top four universities?!
But listening closely, aside from the private matter about Director Chen’s promotion—which Director Wu didn’t know—the rest sounded like things Li Yunxian had done.
Director Wu couldn’t help but recall all that had happened in the four or five days since Li Yunxian arrived in Jin City.
His eyes darkened as he thought about the truth in Yu Anle’s words that they were just out for fun.
Was she really not “up to no good” in Tian Tong?
Was she just tossed out for some excuse?
Facing Director Wu’s penetrating gaze, Li Yunxian coughed softly. “Please continue.”
Interrupted, Director Wu struggled to keep his train of thought, so he skipped unnecessary details and said directly.
“In terms of ability, he probably wasn’t as strong as you. His ranking then didn’t qualify him for the advanced selection.”
“But for the city at that time, he was already very good.”
“He was possibly the first Golden Core cultivator trained after Jin City was established.”
“However…”
“Three years after enrollment, he and some classmates took on a task and disappeared.”
“No one could find any trace of him.”
“After a year of fruitless searching, Tian Tong reported the situation to us.”
“This happened over two hundred years ago. I thought he was long dead.”
“But…
It would’ve been better if he was dead.
“He is the Xiagu.”
Director Wu sighed.
Although Luo Heng appeared to be at Qi Refining seventh layer on the screen, Director Wu could tell with careful observation that he actually possessed mid-Golden Core strength.
At that time, besides Bird Demon, only Xiagu was mid-Golden Core.
No wonder among the alien forces outside the city, Bird Demon and Huang Dao kept a close watch on Jin City, while Xiagu preferred to digest alien resources internally and rarely interacted with humans.
“Yes.” Li Yunxian confirmed.
Her gaze also fixed on the Xiagu’s scene. She said to Director Wu, “His companion’s weapon is a Black Box.”
That is, the box everyone always thought was the Xiagu’s true body.
Director Wu remained silent.
He had lived a long time and witnessed many fall into demonic paths.
There was nothing new under the sun.
Judging from the current situation, Director Wu guessed what Luo Heng’s most dangerous, unforgettable, and terrifying scene in his cognition would be.
Nothing but… murder and treasure theft.
And indeed, as Director Wu suspected, there was nothing novel.
The group went on a mission, and Luo Heng went with his closest friend from the academy.
Both fortunate and unfortunate, they encountered a mid-Foundation Establishment stage beast.
Luo Heng tried his best but could only pierce the beast’s armor.
***
Meanwhile, his companion opened the Black Box and transformed into a ghost-like figure, completely ignoring the beast’s defenses, slicing straight into its flesh.
In the end, the beast fell.
Luo Heng’s gaze was complicated as he looked at his companion restoring his true form.
There was no exchange of words, but even Li Yunxian and Director Wu watching outside could feel the jealousy and desire contained in that complex expression.
Why did I have to work so hard?
Why did I shed so much blood and tears?
And you just use a weapon to surpass me so easily?
It’s not fair.
Not fair!!