Chapter 8: Illusions During a Sunny Day
The scene unfolded like a picturesque dream, a beautiful school building standing amidst an orderly arrangement of trees, flowers, and pebbles. The warm sunlight cast a gentle glow over the entire scene, making it seem like a serene paradise. Under the shade of a tree, a young guy and a girl wearing school uniforms sat together, their faces filled with joy and laughter. The girl, the little dead charmer, held an envelope containing a love letter and handed it to the boy, Ryujin.
"Senior Ryujin, please accept this," the little dead charmer said, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "I like Senior Ryujin the most." Her voice trembled with nervousness as she awaited Ryujin's response.
A group of girls standing nearby whispered among themselves, their eyes fixed on Ryujin with admiration. "Senior Ryujin is being confessed to again. This has been happening all week," one of them said, her voice filled with envy.
One of the girls protested, "What!!! How dare you make a move on my beloved Senior Ryujin?" Her face turned red with anger, and her fists clenched at her sides.
Ryujin smiled wryly, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Sorry, my heart already belongs to someone else." His voice was calm and collected, but his words sent a pang of disappointment through the girls.
The girls looked at him with admiration, their faces filled with longing. "Why is Senior Ryujin so charming?" one of them exclaimed, her voice barely above a whisper.
Ryujin raised his hands and snapped his thumb and index fingers together, dispelling the illusion. The scene faded away, leaving behind only the faintest memory of its existence.
"Cut!!!! Next scene," the eye demon exclaimed, holding a clapper board. Ryujin had forgotten to bring the eye demon, who was skilled in creating illusions, when he visited the little dead charmer's cell.
The next scene unfolded with Ryujin sitting on a throne in a grand throne room, surrounded by three beauties. He wore a crown and a robe, exuding an air of majesty and power. The throne room was filled with opulent decorations, the walls adorned with intricate carvings and the floor covered with a plush, velvet carpet.
A guard rushed in, kneeling before Ryujin. "My Lord, the leaders of seven nations have surrounded us." His voice trembled with fear, and his eyes darted nervously around the room.
The guard's head touched the floor as he continued, "They all claim to want to marry you, my Lord." His words were laced with desperation, and his body shook with anxiety.
The door to the throne room opened again, and several beautiful ladies walked in, their beauty captivating. They were dressed in elegant gowns, their hair styled in intricate designs. "Oh no, my Lord, it seems they have already broken in," the kneeling guard reported, his voice barely above a whisper.
The ladies approached the throne, kneeling before Ryujin. "Today, you must marry me," they said in unison, their voices filled with determination. Their eyes sparkled with desire, and their faces flushed with excitement.
Ryujin looked smug, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "Why is everyone so enamored with my charm and beauty?" He smiled, his lips curling upwards in a sly grin.
He leaned back in his throne, steepling his fingers together. "No need for further fighting or dispute. We can all live together in harmony." His voice was calm and soothing, but his words sent a pang of disappointment through the ladies.
As Ryujin spoke, the scene began to fade away, the colors bleeding into each other like watercolors on wet paper. "My Lord... My Lord... My Lord..." the girls cried out, their voices echoing as they disappeared into nothingness.
Ryujin found himself back in the prison cell, lying on a bed while the little dead charmer massaged his legs. The gentle pressure of her fingers was soothing, and Ryujin felt his muscles relax. He sat up slightly, staring to his right, where the eye demon stood watching him.
"Hey, big-eyed guy, I was having quite the fun," Ryujin said, his voice tinged with disappointment. "Why did you have to dispel the illusion?" He had been enjoying the fantasy, and the eye demon's interruption was unwelcome.
The eye demon became scared, sweat dripping down his face as he trembled. "Big brother, it's time for your shift," he stammered, trying to deflect Ryujin's annoyance.
Ryujin got up, yawning, and patted the little dead charmer on the head gently. "Alright." He smiled, feeling a sense of affection for the little demon. He returned both demons to their cells, locking them securely, and prepared to leave.
As he exited the cellblock, Ryujin saw his coworker, Zhang Han, arriving to change shifts. Han was whistling a happy tune, his eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. "Pleasant moments are always fleeting," Ryujin thought, walking towards Han with a mix of curiosity and wariness.
Han sang a happy tune while smiling, his voice echoing off the cold stone walls. "The mountain road here has eighteen turns." He seemed carefree, but Ryujin sensed an undercurrent of tension.
Ryujin teased, "Why are you looking so happy today, Han? Did you step on dog poop on your way here?" He raised an eyebrow, trying to gauge Han's mood.
Han rushed over, holding Ryujin's shoulders and shaking him. "Something big happened in the Demon Dispel Bureau!" he exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with excitement. His grip on Ryujin's shoulders was tight, and Ryujin could sense the urgency emanating from him.
"I heard that Profound Rank Demon Hunter Yang and his team went on an expedition to the Withered Bone Forest to slay demons, but the entire army was wiped out," Han whispered, sharing the shocking news. His voice was barely audible, but Ryujin's ears picked up every word.
Ryujin raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Why are you so excited about the entire army being wiped out? Do you have some enemies there?" He asked, trying to understand Han's motivations.
Han shook his head, his expression serious. "You're not looking at the big picture, Ryujin. Think about it – the branch of the Wutong County Demon Dispel Bureau has always been fully staffed." He paused, letting the implications sink in.
Han used his hands to demonstrate, his fingers counting out the numbers. "Four Yellow Ranked Demon Hunters and one Profound Rank Demon Hunter have died. Now, there are quite a few vacancies." His eyes locked onto Ryujin's, and Ryujin sensed a spark of ambition igniting within Han.
Ryujin's eyes narrowed, understanding the implications. "Go on," he said, his voice low and even. He was intrigued, and he wanted to hear more.
Ryujin stared at Han for a while, his eyes narrowing in curiosity as he tried to understand the underlying implications. "Even if there are vacancies for four demon-ranked hunters, what does that have to do with you and me?" he asked, his voice laced with skepticism and a hint of disinterest.
Han smiled, his eyes sparkling with excitement as he leaned in, his voice taking on a conspiratorial tone. "I know, I know, I'm still only at the fourth heaven of the Qi Gathering Realm. But this time, they're directly promoting four inner Qi Gathering Realm disciple demon hunters to yellow-ranked demon hunters." Han paused, studying Ryujin's reaction before continuing. "They're also promoting one yellow-ranked demon hunter to fill Yang's position, so there's still one vacancy for a yellow-ranked demon hunter."
Ryujin's interest was piqued, his mind racing with the possibilities. "But all the Qi Gathering Realm apprentice demon hunters have already joined as regular members. What about the remaining vacancy?" he asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.
Han's grin widened, his face lighting up with enthusiasm. "Of course, according to tradition, we'll have a martial arts competition. Through the competition, we'll select a new person and encourage them to cultivate further." Han's eyes shone with excitement, his voice filled with anticipation.
Ryujin's eyes lit up, his interest in the competition growing. "Competition?" he repeated, his voice filled with a mix of curiosity and skepticism.
Han nodded vigorously, his head bobbing up and down. "Yes, the competition has been scheduled for three days from now. I just passed by, and I saw many people rushing to sign up. It was quite lively out there." Han's face was flushed with excitement, his eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.
Ryujin's mind was racing, his thoughts consumed by the possibilities. "Are only nine-heaven realm Qi Gathering disciples of demon hunters allowed to sign up for the competition, or is it open to all?" he asked, his voice filled with a mix of curiosity and determination.
Han thought for a moment, his brow furrowed in concentration. "There are no restrictions. Quite a few eight-heaven realm Qi Gathering cultivators have already signed up." Han's eyes locked onto Ryujin's, his gaze filled with a hint of challenge.
Ryujin's eyes gleamed with determination, his mind made up. This was a great opportunity, one that he couldn't afford to miss. If he could get promoted to a yellow-ranked demon hunter, he would gain the qualifications to enter and exit the second floor of the demon prison.
"I'll have more contact with demons and monsters, and I'll be able to cooperate with the system," Ryujin thought to himself, his mind racing with the possibilities. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity." Ryujin's eyes narrowed, his jaw set in determination. He would do whatever it took to succeed in the competition and achieve his goals.