Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Shadow of Intrusion

The Storm of the Clever Box

In this world, swept by violent storms and lush with green vegetation, everything was collapsing swiftly from the outside in, shrinking the giant cruise ship and everyone aboard into a single point in an instant.

Huasheng felt a dizzying confusion, as though being thrust from a cramped space into a vast expanse, sent tumbling across the ground. As he landed, cries of alarm echoed around him.

The brilliance before his eyes was so intense that he could barely open them. Huasheng rubbed them fiercely for a while before his eyelids lifted a little. Through the haze, he saw he was surrounded by hundreds of disciples clad in the robes of the Academy of Daoist Arts. Familiar buildings encircled him, with the Xuanwu Sacred Mountain not far off. He had returned to the Academy.

He staggered upright, noticing that Mieying was just opening her eyes, while further away stood Taishang Little Lord and Tianji Zi. Xuanwen lay motionless on the ground.

Then he heard the voice of Master Yuran, “What’s wrong with you all?”

Huasheng struggled to compose himself and replied, “There was a problem in the Tianmu Trial!”

“As I suspected! No wonder I couldn’t enter the immortal formation,” responded Master Yuran.

Huasheng pointed to Xuanwen lying on the ground, “Xuanwen is injured, please help him!”

Master Yuran hastily commanded nearby disciples to take Xuanwen for healing.

Turning, Huasheng grabbed Tianji Zi’s arm and said, “Tianji Zi, you must keep your word! You promised me—if I defeated you, you would not interfere with Weiyu’s freedom!”

Tianji Zi seemed about to protest, but bit back his words. He snorted, swept his sleeves, and strode away.

Huasheng wanted to follow, but was interrupted by Master Yuran’s question, “How did you all get out?”

“I obtained the Buddha’s Victory Token and ended the Clever Box Challenge,” Huasheng explained. At that moment, his left palm felt searing hot; looking down, he saw the Buddha’s Victory Token he had swallowed had transformed into a colorful image, painted upon his palm.

He raised his hand and shouted, “The Buddha’s Victory Token is right here!”

Silence fell. After a moment, whispers began to ripple through the hundreds of disciples.

“What! He actually got the Buddha’s Victory Token?!”

“That mortal? He’s just an ant!”

“This ant has become the first mortal in the history of the Tianmu Trial to claim victory? Impossible!”

Suddenly, someone in the crowd shouted, “A mortal! He’s one of us! He defeated Tianji Zi! He won the Tianmu Trial!”

Cheers erupted, spreading from the source of the shout, applause and cries rising and falling in waves.

“His name is Huasheng!”

“Huasheng?”

“Huasheng!”

“Huasheng!”

The disciples cheered, celebrating.

“He’s created new history for the Academy! How did he do it?”

“Tianji Zi lost? How could he possibly defeat Tianji Zi?”

“Huasheng! Huasheng! Huasheng!”

The chorus grew louder, the crowd surged forward, and Huasheng found himself swept into a sea of jubilation, the roar deafening, making his ears ache.

After what felt like an eternity of celebration, Huasheng finally extricated himself from the crowd. He couldn’t find anyone else at first. Three rounds of the Tianmu Trial had taken at least a day and night. His head throbbed, and after all the turmoil, he felt disoriented, unable to tell east from west.

“Huasheng!” A familiar voice called, stirring his heart.

Weiyu! His heartbeat quickened, Yes, it was Weiyu!

He turned to see Weiyu running toward him at full speed.

“Huasheng, you fool! Why go to the Tianmu Trial? You nearly lost your life!” With her unique fragrance wafting around her, Weiyu suddenly threw herself forward and hugged him tightly.

Huasheng’s face burned as if on fire.

Weiyu held him close and said, “I knew you would win!”

Huasheng took the opportunity to boast, “I always knew—even the luckiest immortal would fall before us.”

Weiyu blushed, “Don’t talk nonsense.”

“Little Ant! You! She!” Mieying was suddenly standing nearby, her face purple with rage, eyes blazing as if about to spit fire. “Isn’t she the deputy registrar of the Academy? What’s your relationship with her, Little Ant? Why are you speaking to her so intimately?”

Hearing Mieying’s words, Weiyu noticed the bloodshot-eyed girl beside her and retorted, “He’s not Little Ant. You must be mistaken.”

“My words are none of your business! Huasheng is my Little Ant!” Mieying replied.

Weiyu’s expression changed, “What do you mean by that?”

“Don’t think you can do as you please just because my elder sister favors you and you became the deputy registrar! Even Tianji Zi himself means nothing to me!”

“When did I ever do as I pleased?” Weiyu responded.

“Then why are you hugging my servant?”

“Who’s your servant?” Weiyu was taken aback, but quickly recovered, stepping back and coldly asking Huasheng, “What happened between you two? Why does she call you such a strange nickname?”

Seeing Weiyu’s attitude shift so suddenly, Huasheng panicked and hurried to explain, “Weiyu, don’t…”

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“Want to say don’t misunderstand? Did I say anything?” Weiyu’s expression chilled instantly. “Why are you so nervous?”

Huasheng quickly turned to Mieying, “Mieying, you need to clarify. We’re actually…”

Mieying interrupted, “You heartless wretch! If I hadn’t kindly persuaded my third sister, how could an ant like you ever have a chance to defeat Tianji Zi?”

Weiyu pointed at Mieying, asking Huasheng, “So you won with this girl’s help?”

“There was some… assistance…” Huasheng admitted, seeing no point in hiding it.

But to his surprise, Mieying glared at him and suddenly slapped his face, leaving him dizzy and seeing stars. She said, “After all I did to bandage your wounds, next time you break your limbs don’t come to me! You two-faced servant!”

“Ah?” Huasheng was stunned, his face stinging.

Mieying ignored him and strode away.

Huasheng grabbed her arm, “Don’t go yet! You need to explain!”

Mieying turned, now wearing oversized glasses, and shrank away from him, “What are you doing… grabbing a girl’s arm like that?”

Huasheng looked closely; the seventh sister was gone, Mieying had reverted to her youngest, ninth sister form. Black hair, large glasses.

“Where’s your seventh sister?”

“I don’t know…” Mieying adjusted her glasses, timidly whispering, “Why are you looking for her…”

Huasheng sighed; it seemed Mieying’s seventh sister had no intention of seeing him. “Forget it… Go on, then.”

Mieying darted away as if fleeing a plague.

Huasheng returned, dejected. Weiyu’s face was expressionless. The lack of emotion made him even more uneasy, and he desperately wanted to break the awkward silence.

“About just now…”

“No need to say more.”

“I still must explain,” Huasheng insisted.

“Fine, let me ask you one thing.” Weiyu said, “Why did she slap you just now?”

“How would I know! I’m the one who got slapped.”

“Very well. You don’t know.” Weiyu’s tone unsettled Huasheng.

“Of course I don’t know. I’m not a worm in Mieying’s stomach. Don’t be angry.”

“I’m not angry. I hope you’ll get along well with her sisters in the future!”

“What do you mean, get along well? We just happened to meet in the Tianmu Trial, I accidentally saved her, she… helped me too.”

“I understand. That’s your fate.”

“Weiyu, don’t be like this. I don’t even know what you’re implying!”

“It’s nothing. I have many things to do.” Weiyu turned, flicked her sleeves, and rose on a cloud, departing.

Huasheng tried to block her, but Weiyu vanished with a gust. Looking up, he saw her already far away, impossible to catch.

Huasheng sighed deeply, his mood plummeting.

A gentle pat on his back made him turn—Taishang Little Lord raised an eyebrow. “Looks like getting the Buddha’s Victory Token wasn’t easy for you. You’ve stirred up quite the trouble.”

“Don't mock me…”

“One’s the Academy’s deputy registrar, one’s the adopted daughter of the Fire Wheel Heavenly King—and together you’ve offended ten young ladies. What a mess you’ve made!”

“Wait! Don’t count all Mieying’s sisters as involved!”

“They always travel as a group, like a private sisterhood tour. Why not count them?” Taishang Little Lord was relentless.

“Sigh…” Huasheng lamented. “It’s my fault, muddled as I am—I don’t know how I offended Mieying. And Weiyu, too. Girls’ thoughts are a mystery.”

“Indeed, you seem entangled in something! Maybe because you defeated the supremely lucky Tianji Zi, you’ll have bad luck for a while. Want me to cast a spell to change your fate?”

“Would it help? Then draw me some talismans.”

“It might work for ordinary mortals, but for someone like Saint Pingning, whose immortal power is strong, I doubt it’ll help much…” Taishang Little Lord stuck out his tongue. “Both Weiyu and Mieying are tough cases. I wouldn’t want to provoke them. Huasheng, you’re on your own.”

Huasheng stared at the Buddha’s Victory Token in his palm, his feelings mixed.

“By the way, I couldn’t find you earlier. Master Yuran wants to ask you some questions about what happened,” Taishang Little Lord said.

Thus, at Master Yuran’s request, Huasheng hurried to the Hall of Immortals. Though it was his first visit, its design was no different from the Hall of Reverie, so he climbed the stairs with ease to the rooftop, where Master Yuran sat cross-legged behind a desk.

Seeing Huasheng, Master Yuran said, “You’ve been through much in the Tianmu Trial, but this matter is so important I must ask you some questions, though I won’t take too much of your time.”

Huasheng was about to sit, but Master Yuran said, “No need, come forward.”

Huasheng stepped forward, sitting opposite Master Yuran.

Master Yuran frowned deeply. “I am the supervisory immortal of the final Clever Box Challenge.”

Huasheng nodded; he had guessed as much when he returned to the Academy and saw Master Yuran.

Master Yuran continued, “In the Divine Heart Calculation, several trial participants entered the final Clever Box Challenge. But now, two are missing.”

“Do you mean Rongping and Qiguang, Master?”

“Exactly!”

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“You should know the Clever Box Challenge had some issues.”

“I did notice. In fact, when you all left the Divine Heart Calculation, I went into the Clever Box Challenge.”

“Oh? You entered the Clever Box Challenge?”

“Yes, but when I entered, there was not a single trial participant inside.”

“No one?”

“Precisely.”

“Was there a stone box, like a giant stone coffin?”

“No. I never placed such an object in the challenge.”

“What about the cruise ship?”

Master Yuran shook his head. “As I said, there was nothing of the sort. It was as if, after leaving the Divine Heart Calculation, you all vanished without a trace.”

“But now we’ve returned.”

“Exactly. You seem to have come back from a Clever Box Challenge that did not exist, transported by the immortal formation to the Academy.”

Huasheng then recounted everything that happened within the Clever Box Challenge.

Master Yuran listened, his brows furrowed, stroking his beard. “Perhaps, as you suspected, the Clever Box Challenge’s immortal formation was indeed invaded.”

“Yes. At the time, Tianji Zi said it might be because of me.” Huasheng described the strange mark on himself and the mysterious old woman.

Master Yuran examined Huasheng’s wounds. “Huasheng, just as with the Samadhi True Fire you displayed earlier, the Academy will conduct an investigation within three days. You must not leave during this period; we’ll summon you as needed.”

Huasheng bowed and left.

Master Yuran sat cross-legged, pondering for a long time before asking, “What are your thoughts on Huasheng’s account, fellow immortals?”

Two figures appeared at his sides: the Fire Thunder Immortal, who oversaw the Burning Battle, and the Pure Miao Immortal, supervisor of the Divine Heart Calculation.

Fire Thunder Immortal spoke first, stroking his beard, “This is no trivial matter. From Huasheng’s account, Tianji Zi’s insight is sharp. The formation being invaded is almost certain. If every word is true, then Huasheng cannot be separated from this pollution of the Tianmu Trial.”

“What does Pure Miao Immortal think?” Master Yuran asked.

Pure Miao replied, “Fire Thunder’s words are not without merit. I met Huasheng briefly in the Divine Heart Calculation. Aside from some perceptiveness and a bit of cleverness, he seemed quite ordinary—I'm afraid…”

Fire Thunder grew impatient, “Pure Miao, how can you judge from a brief encounter that this boy has nothing to do with the immortal formation’s pollution? And besides, what they saw in the Clever Box Challenge was all mundane; which of those disciples has ever left Saint Pingning?”

Pure Miao calmly answered, “No need to be hasty, Fire Thunder. I’m not saying Huasheng is entirely uninvolved, just that my view differs somewhat from Tianji Zi’s.”

Fire Thunder asked, “How so? Please enlighten us.”

Pure Miao replied, “While I don’t claim Huasheng is entirely innocent, I believe the main cause of the formation’s invasion isn’t Huasheng, since his cultivation of only a few months simply wouldn’t suffice.”

“Meaning…?” asked Master Yuran.

Pure Miao explained, “You both know the Academy was built atop the Xuanwu Spirit Turtle, forming a vast array. Though we three supervise the Tianmu Trial, the formation’s power isn’t dependent on us, but on the Xuanwu formation itself—the Academy’s source of immortal strength.”

Master Yuran nodded. “Exactly. The formation was laid by the Star Lord of Dao, harnessing Xuanwu’s power, making the Academy’s array exceedingly complex and powerful, of the Boundless level in terms of immortal arts.”

Pure Miao continued, “Indeed. While some spells in the Tianmu Trial were cast by us, the overall structure comes from the Xuanwu formation. The Burning Battle, Divine Heart Calculation, and Clever Box Challenge each differ; even if their core spells are below Boundless, they remain above the Lingxiao level.”

Master Yuran nodded lightly.

Pure Miao said, “You both know that invading an immortal formation is no easy task. If the Tianmu Trial was invaded, the opponent’s power may far surpass ours, possibly even wielding Boundless-class immortal arts. I suspect even the three of us could not withstand it.”

Fire Thunder slapped his thigh, “Pure Miao! Well said!”

“But I do believe Huasheng is somewhat involved,” Pure Miao added. “To use Huasheng’s analogy, if the Clever Box Challenge’s formation is a wooden building, and the reason for its change is a fire, then Huasheng is merely a fuse. For the formation to change so rapidly, the pollution must have been ongoing—aided by something flammable, as if lamp oil had been poured everywhere, and Huasheng was just the final spark.”

Fire Thunder was shocked, “Pure Miao, are you saying—”

Master Yuran was startled, “You believe the pollution didn’t just invade the Clever Box Challenge?”

“Yes. I suspect the issue is merely a symptom; the root lies in the Academy’s Xuanwu formation.”

Fire Thunder leapt up, “That means the Academy is in danger!”

Pure Miao replied, “Indeed, but fortunately the Xuanwu Festival is imminent. The Star Lord of Dao will soon emerge, and we can use the festival to repair the formation.”

Master Yuran said, “The Academy has endured many trials over the centuries, so this annual festival not only restores the formation, but also purges invaders and traces the source of trouble.”

Fire Thunder was impatient, “We must inform Jueguang Immortal right away so preparations can begin!”

Master Yuran said, “Fire Thunder, there’s another matter for you.”

“Speak freely, Master Yuran!”

“That disciple Huasheng—regarding his use of the Samadhi True Fire…”

“A mere mortal able to wield the Samadhi True Fire, it’s certainly odd!”

“So in two days, I and Jueguang Immortal will investigate the matter closely. Since you’re skilled in fire arts, I hope you’ll participate as well.”

“No trouble at all, Master Yuran! I’d like to see what this boy is capable of—to burn down our Hall of Reverie!”

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