Shen Tanqi’s face darkened as he grabbed Yu Ce’s wrist, leading him towards the stone formation of illusions.
Yu Ce, being led by Shen Tanqi, was surprisingly obedient. He followed silently, letting Shen Tanqi push him into the illusion stone formation.
The elder walked beside them and advised, “This illusion is not too difficult. It’s designed to help disciples get familiar with the mechanics of illusions. According to the rules, only one person can enter at a time. However, if you encounter a crisis and can’t pull yourself out, the accompanying person can enter to wake you up.”
Shen Tanqi nodded, looking back at Yu Ce standing quietly within the stone formation. He suddenly felt like he was throwing him into the pit.
The formation hadn’t started yet, so he could still speak a few words.
Remembering how much Yu Ce despised illusions in the original story, Shen Tanqi felt a rare pang of guilt. He whispered, “I heard the scariest scenes will appear in there. If you get scared, I’ll come in and save you. Don’t worry.”
He vaguely sensed that Yu Ce’s fear of illusions stemmed from seeing things he didn’t want to see.
Upon hearing Shen Tanqi’s comforting words, Yu Ce slowly lowered his eyes to look at him, whispering, “You must come.”
It was rare for Yu Ce to rely on Shen Tanqi like this, which surprised him.
What kind of illusion would make Yu Ce say such a thing, asking for help?
He quickly responded, “Alright, don’t worry. I promise I won’t go anywhere. I’ll stay right here with you.” Shen Tanqi dragged a bamboo chair over, sitting beside Yu Ce’s illusion stone formation.
Hearing his promise, Yu Ce seemed slightly reassured. Before entering the illusion, his gaze lingered on the faintly visible mountain peaks shrouded in mist, letting out a low sigh.
He bent down and placed a freshly plucked half-bloomed peach blossom into Shen Tanqi’s palm, his eyes deep and earnest, “Hold this for me.”
Shen Tanqi held the peach blossom, momentarily stunned. He then saw the illusion stone formation in front of him start to tremble, a thick, obscuring mist rising slowly and swallowing Yu Ce bit by bit. Those dark eyes of his carried a faint smile as he stood with his hands behind his back, until even his white robes vanished into the fog.
A sharp snap in his palm brought Shen Tanqi back to his senses. He realized, in his nervousness, he had broken the peach blossom branch Yu Ce had given him.
Though the weather was clear today, it wasn’t exactly warm. Standing under the peach blossom tree for a long time, Shen Tanqi felt the wind seep into his bones.
Around him, many other disciples who had participated in the trial were already coming out. There was a brief break for rest around noon, so the number of disciples participating in the trial at this time was few and far between.
In the blink of an eye, even those who had entered after Yu Ce had already come out, packed up, and left. Yet, Yu Ce’s illusion stone formation remained completely still.
Unable to contain himself, Shen Tanqi looked up and asked the elder recording the results, “Elder, why hasn’t Yu Ce come out yet? Should I go in and check on him?”
The elder gave a faint smile and said, “Don’t worry, it hasn’t been the maximum time yet. It’s only been a while. If Yu Ce can stay in the illusion longer than others, it means his level is high and his endurance strong.”
Shen Tanqi had heard this explanation several times already, but the elder didn’t know about Yu Ce’s aversion to illusions. He was constantly worried that something might happen to Yu Ce inside.
Yu Ce wasn’t enduring because of strength; it was more about his ability to tolerate.
Finally, when the maximum time limit was reached and Yu Ce still hadn’t come out, Shen Tanqi couldn’t sit still any longer. He got up and reported to the elder, “Elder, I’m going in to see what’s going on.”
The elder pondered for a moment before saying, “You can help him this time, but during the big competition in the sect, no one will be there to assist him. Yu Ce will have to break through the illusion by himself.”
There was logic to the elder’s words.
Shen Tanqi, feeling somewhat dejected, sat back down on the chair, clutching the back of it, his eyes anxiously fixed on the illusion stone formation.
Seeing how worried he was, the elder couldn’t help but chuckle, “If you’re truly concerned, then go ahead. In the next couple of days, the illusion trial will still be open. You can come back then.”
With permission granted, Shen Tanqi’s eyes lit up. He quickly nodded, “Alright, thank you, Elder, for your guidance!”
He was just about to step into the illusion stone formation when the elder pulled him aside and whispered in his ear, “When you enter the illusion, you’ll become the version of you in his illusion. If it’s a pleasant illusion, that’s fine. But if it’s filled with hatred, be careful. He might hurt you. Although the harm isn’t real, the feelings in the illusion are exactly like in reality.”
Shen Tanqi paused, then looked at the illusion stone formation seriously and nodded, “Don’t worry, Elder, he won’t hurt me.”
Yu Ce wasn’t that kind of person. Even in an illusion, he shouldn’t do anything to harm him, right?
With this thought, Shen Tanqi cautiously stepped into the illusion stone formation. A thick mist slowly rose around his feet, the coolness seeping into his skin, making him shiver.
In a blink, the scene before him completely changed.
Contrary to his expectations, Yu Ce’s illusion was a simple, plain thatched cottage.
Shen Tanqi was puzzled. Yu Ce had grown up in Hidden Dragon Valley. From the children’s clothing, Hidden Dragon Valley didn’t seem like a humble or remote place. He had always imagined it to be like a paradise.
Was this not Hidden Dragon Valley? If not, then where could Yu Ce’s illusion be?
He slowly pushed open the gate of the cottage’s yard and walked down a cobblestone path into the courtyard.
Though it looked shabby from the outside, inside was entirely different from what he had imagined.
The courtyard was clean and tidy, obviously regularly maintained. There was a large bayberry tree, taller than the house itself. He looked up at it, then quickly lowered his gaze in shock.
Not just the bayberry tree, but further in, there were two vegetable gardens. Shen Tanqi moved closer, stretching out a finger to count carefully, “Shepherd’s purse, eggplant, pea shoots…”
These were all vegetables he liked to eat.
Shen Tanqi blinked. Was this really Yu Ce’s illusion and not his own?
A rope hung from the roof of the house, with freshly washed clothes hanging on it. They were all coarse clothes, varying in length and size, obviously a mix of clothes for two little ones.
He was momentarily stunned, forgetting why he had come.
After a while, there was suddenly a burst of children’s laughter from inside the thatched cottage. Shen Tanqi turned to look and saw Little Goldfish running out of the house, carrying a kite almost half his size.
Shen Tanqi exclaimed in surprise, “Goldfish?”
How did Little Goldfish appear in Yu Ce’s illusion?
No, that’s not right.
This is Goldfish in Yu Ce’s illusion.
“Daddy—” Little Goldfish in the illusion still enthusiastically rushed towards him, hugging his leg, giving him kisses, and showing him the big kite in his hand, “Daddy, look, this is the big kite father made for me and my little brother!”
Upon hearing the word ‘father,’ Shen Tanqi finally remembered the purpose of his visit.
Right, he came to wake Yu Ce up and take him back.
He regained his senses and rubbed the head of the little one in front of him, smiling, “Alright, Goldfish, play in the courtyard, okay? Don’t wander off too far.”
Even though it was an illusion, he still subconsciously wanted to take care of the children.
The two little ones nodded excitedly and began to study the kite string.
Shen Tanqi casually asked, “Taro Ball, is Father inside?”
Taro Ball looked up, smiling as he replied, “He’s inside, he’s been waiting for Daddy for a long time.”
Shen Tanqi widened his eyes, surprised, and stuttered, “W-waiting for me?”
That silly dragon is waiting inside for him to go in?
He had been anxiously waiting outside for so long. Shen Tanqi, feeling a bit angry, strode into the thatched cottage.
The place was small but cozy.
There was a room connected to the kitchen and another bedroom. The table was littered with candy wrappers left by Goldfish and Taro Ball, and a dewy bouquet was placed in a vase.
Passing through the kitchen’s outer room, he stood before the bedroom door, feeling a bit disgruntled, and pushed it open with a forceful shove.
Inside, Yu Ce was sitting on the bed, engrossed in a book—the very same one he had been reading before they entered the illusion trial.
Seeing Yu Ce so leisurely, Shen Tanqi’s anger surged. He climbed onto the bed and snatched the book from Yu Ce’s hands, demanding, “I’ve been waiting for you outside for so long, and you’re just in here reading this?”
He had thought Yu Ce was trapped in some painful memory or dire situation.
Turns out, he was just lost in a book!
Yu Ce’s eyebrows knitted slightly as his gaze slowly settled on Shen Tanqi. With a calm voice, he said, “Didn’t you say you were going to buy fish for dinner? Why are you waiting for me?”
Shen Tanqi was baffled by this unexpected question. “What are you talking about?”
Suddenly, Yu Ce reached out, pulling him into his arms. His cold hand slipped under Shen Tanqi’s collar without hesitation.
“What are you doing?”
Shen Tanqi looked at him in shock, instinctively trying to push away. Before he could react, Yu Ce pinned him down.
Face pressed against the bed, Shen Tanqi couldn’t see Yu Ce’s expression, feeling extremely uneasy.
——If he could see it, he would probably be even more astounded.
Yu Ce looked down at him, a mysterious smile playing on his lips, holding the struggling Shen Tanqi firmly as his fingers wandered inside his collar.
“Alright, isn’t this because we argued before you went out, and you got mad at me?”
Shen Tanqi was utterly confused, pressed down so tightly that he couldn’t even speak. Unable to see Yu Ce’s expression, he felt extremely insecure.
What argument, what going out, what getting mad?
What was Yu Ce talking about? Did he think he was the ‘Shen Tanqi’ in the illusion?
Right, before he entered the illusion, the elder had warned him.
‘When you enter the illusion, you will become the version of you in his illusion. If it’s a pleasant illusion, that’s fine. But if it’s filled with hatred—be careful, he might hurt you. Although the harm isn’t real, the feelings in the illusion are exactly like in reality.’
Exactly the same, exactly the same?!
Shen Tanqi lifted his head, just about to struggle, when his neck was firmly bitten.
He cried out in pain, his wrist suddenly grabbed and tightly held.
“Be good, the kids are outside.”
“Don’t make a sound.”
Hello, everyone ヾ(＾∇＾). I hope you enjoyed the story! If you’re feeling generous, please buy me a coffee, share/comment on my translated works! Check out the link below for early chapters. (๑>ᴗ<๑)
