On the vast land, above Ancient Moon Town, the sky's light and cloud shadows lingered in front of the dense fog but could never penetrate it.
The three of them stood within, feeling as though they had been forgotten by the world.
They could sense the passage of time but could not feel the changing of spaces.
During this time, whether they kept flying upwards or dug downwards, they felt no significant change.
No matter how they flew, the sky remained the same, and no matter how they dug, the slate remained slate.
Time lost its sense, and space yielded nothing.
"By now, I've confirmed one thing,"
When Liuli tried yet another distant technique from the Immortal Realm, still unable to stir the fog, she finally declared with certainty.
"What?"
Although he already knew the answer, Xu Yuan still played the role of a good audience.
"We... have fallen into an Illusory Realm."
Liuli looked up at the sky obscured by fog, her expression tranquil.
"Illusory Realm?"
Lin Qingque furrowed her brows and asked, "When did this happen?"
"I think, perhaps it's because Mr. Xu took the vegetables from the vendor's hands."
Liuli glanced towards Xu Yuan's empty right hand, her gaze mild yet suggestive.
"What?"
Xu Yuan raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"Is that related to the Illusory Realm?"
"How could it be?"
Lin Qingque instinctively wanted to defend him.
But what Liuli said seemed not entirely without reason.
After all, it was indeed after he took those vegetables that the fog suddenly appeared.
Could it really be that the senior brother inadvertently incurred disaster?
But, what of it?
Lin Qingque took a subtle step forward, covertly shielding Xu Yuan.
She detected Liuli's intention to sow discord.
"No..."
Noticing her step, Liuli suddenly shook her head and looked down at her feet.
"I misspoke. Actually, from the moment we stepped into this town, we had already fallen into the Illusory Realm."
"Oh?"
With these words, Xu Yuan also bowed his head, using it to mask the slight surprise in his heart.
Just now, Liuli's statement was clearly a test for both of them.
She had purposefully spoken ambiguously, partly to make Lin Qingque think he intentionally triggered the Illusory Realm to see if she would show hostility or suspicion.
Should there be any, a natural rift would form between the two of them.
The second reason was, she really did suspect that the trigger for the Illusory Realm might have been his doing, thus she spoke that way to trick him.
Unexpectedly, so quickly, she had begun to doubt herself again.
Was it his reckless act of taking those vegetables that caught her attention?
Should one say it's expected of someone who could reach the pinnacle of the Immortal Realm, the supreme empress? Her mind is still terribly meticulous, unpredictable in joy and anger, just last night the two were as close as Jade Foot and Jade Foot, and today she has started to doubt him again.
Fortunately, Lin Qingque's scheming isn't so vile; otherwise, paired with her Heart Voice ability, he might as well start over.
While Xu Yuan analyzed in his mind, he kept an eye on Lin Qingque, guarding against the possibility of her using Heart Voice at any time, and asked, "I see, Miss Liuli, do you mean that this entire town... is actually an Illusory Realm? The moment we stepped in, we entered into the Illusory Realm?"
"Exactly."
Liuli was about to speak further.
Suddenly, the clouds dispersed, and the fog cleared.
The fog that had enveloped the three like a sea of clouds abruptly began to flow, slithering and soaring away from around them.
As the mist cleared, the cries of hawkers, the sounds of haggling, and the noise of carriage wheels on the ground all flooded into the ears of the trio.
Was it another illusion?
Just as they were thinking this, the surrounding crowd suddenly erupted into a commotion.
Whether they were vendors or passersby, all showed expressions of uncertainty upon seeing them suddenly appear in the street.
"Fairy, fairy!?"
"Is it an Immortal Master? The Immortal Master has come to save us!"
Their astonishment was not unwarranted, for, although the three youths only possessed Foundation Establishment-level cultivation and had not yet shed their mortal bodies,
the young man was strikingly handsome; his demeanor gentle, scholarly, and spirited, meriting the title of an elegant gentleman of the avenues.
Standing beside the youth, one girl, aloof as a fairy, exuded a transcendent, ethereal aura. Her water-blue long dress embraced her slender waist, with tassels falling like fluff, fluttering lightly.
The other girl, dressed in red, had a strikingly cold and beautiful face, standing with her hands behind her back, her eyes and eyebrows exuding a commanding presence, likewise clearly not of ordinary origin.
"May I ask if the three of you are perhaps Immortal Masters from the Heavenly Dao Sect?"
Someone eagerly stepped forward to ask.
"Indeed,"
Xu Yuan nodded.
"Thank goodness! We're saved!"
"Heaven is merciful, the Immortal Masters have finally come; our half-month wait was not in vain."
Upon hearing his affirmative response, the crowd displayed expressions of excitement and joy, as if they had seen their savior.
Half a month?
Xu Yuan turned his head and whispered, "Junior Sister, could you please check if they are all genuine?"
"Senior Brother..."
Lin Qingque looked slightly surprised but soon understood his meaning and nodded subtly.
The next moment, spiritual light concentrated in her eyes, and a mysterious seal emerged from within.
Shortly after, Lin Qingque's complexion turned slightly pale, and she faltered slightly, her voice strained as she said, "Senior Brother, these people are indeed the villagers from Ancient Moon Town."
Clearly, reading the heart voices of most of the people in such a short time was somewhat overwhelming even for her, yet she persevered.
Xu Yuan supported her slightly and nodded, saying softly, "Thank you for your hard work, Junior Sister."
"It's nothing."
Receiving his care and praise, Lin Qingque's face brightened into a smile, no longer feeling the task to be laborious.
Meanwhile, Tian Liuli slightly closed her eyes.
Xu Yuan stepped forward and asked, "What exactly happened here?"
"Immortal Master, this is what happened!"
"Let me explain!"
...
As soon as he asked, an outburst of chirping voices responded, causing the two young women behind him to frown.
Xu Yuan sighed softly and said, "Please, quiet down."
His voice was gentle, yet it fell like a large stone into a lake, the splash silencing everyone's voices completely.
The surface of the lake was calm; everyone stopped speaking.
Xu Yuan casually looked at a little girl who was pushed to the front by the crowd, and asked her with a smile.
"Little girl, do you know what happened?"
"Yes, yes."
The girl's crisp voice revealed a bit of nervousness, as if unaccustomed to so much attention.
"Good, then you tell us."
He crouched down slightly, smiling kindly.
"Okay..."
Behind him, Lin Qingque watched this scene, her gaze slightly dazed as if it evoked some distant memory.
Tian Liuli frowned thoughtfully, her gaze deep and meaningful.