Chapter 482: An Immortal's Descent in the Hua Republic!

One took a step back to move forward, the other feigned restraint to lure the prey. With both sides half-willing and half-resisting, Wang Sheng finally stood on the back of the golden roc.

He still appeared cautious, though, choosing to stand near the bird's hindquarters, keeping a safe distance from the three cultivators.

Their agreement had already been made clear. Once they found the treasure trove, Wang Sheng would go all out to assist them. Their loot would then be evenly divided instead of letting whoever found a treasure keep it.

In truth, Ziyun's terms were suspicious. Treasures were divided among cultivators based on ability, not equally. Nevertheless, Wang Sheng had to make it seem as if he believed her. He even showed a hint of initial trust toward her.

Currently, he was playing the role of Pi Kachew, a reclusive immortal who was traveling outside his sect for the first time. He had supposedly stumbled upon the glowing trail of a treasure and, torn between fear of being harmed and the desire for fortune, followed it into this realm.

It wasn't unbelievable for cultivators to behave in such a way if they were just starting to explore the endless starry skies.

Ziyun and her two companions had met many such cultivators before and had profited from them more than once, gaining considerable benefits. She even believed that Wang Sheng had fallen into their trap, oblivious to the fact that Wang Sheng actually had the initiative.

Wang Sheng was well aware that his actions were not exactly honorable, but he was far from strong enough to brandish his sword proudly. Since he couldn't cut devils and fiends in one swing yet, he had no choice but to engage in a battle of wits.

Now that he had boarded this "pirate ship," he had achieved his initial goal to some extent. It wasn't difficult to guess their plan. Once they found the treasure trove, they would push him into the danger first while they waited safely behind. If the treasure turned out to be real, they would use him and then get rid of him afterward.

If they failed to find anything, they would simply treat the Daoist's belongings as their reward. Their trip wouldn't be a waste either way.

The moment Wang Sheng stepped onto the roc's back, the three had subtly pried into his background, asking questions under the guise of friendly curiosity.

Relying on his lifetime of reading novels and watching dramas, Wang Sheng effortlessly fabricated an entire sect—the Lightning Marsh Sect. Its sect master, Daoist Master Rai Chew, was supposedly his martial uncle, a Heavenly Immortal skilled in the art of lightning.

When the conversation became lively, Wang Sheng even conjured arcs of lightning between his fingers, demonstrating his supposed mastery of lightning techniques.

To make his story convincing, he occasionally mentioned his beloved senior sister Bao Kemon. With affection, he even declared that once he finished his master's errand and returned, he would become her Daoist partner under the witness of his master, Ket Chum Zhenren.

Ziyun expressed envy, and the other two sighed with emotion.

After a while, the conversation waned, and they each began to cultivate in silence on the roc's back. Wang Sheng didn't dare let his guard down. Although the three appeared calm, they also remained wary of him.

The atmosphere between them was delicately tense.

Though they were near each other, any sudden move from one side would be met with an instant reaction from the other.

Wang Sheng had considerable room for maneuver. At the very least, he could accompany them to "discover" Earth, ensuring that he'd already be there to protect Earth and the Hua Republic when the time came.

If he played it right, he could even lure them into the trap array that Yaoyun had arranged on Earth some time ago. Should that fail, he could still attack first and take the golden roc down.

All of this required quick thinking. Wang Sheng's only concern now was how to keep the three immortals and the bird together with the least amount of sacrifice.

Under circumstances like this, some loss was acceptable.

Ziyun and her group were convinced that the star map engraved on the golden disk represented the planets of the solar system. From their discussion, Wang Sheng learned that "yang stars" were suns, while planets that held primal qi and could sustain life were called "qi stars." Planets with hostile environments, like Jupiter, were deemed "waste stars."

Wang Sheng tried to chat with them casually as the roc sped toward the fake Sun, probing for information about the outside realms without appearing ignorant. Since he couldn't ask those questions outright or risk seeming ignorant, he failed to get any valuable intel.

He barely learned anything, even after travelling with them for a month. Hence, he ended up considering the option to capture the weakest of the three if presented with the opportunity. He could then interrogate him about the outside world.

Two days before they reached the illusion array's inner boundary near Jupiter's orbit, Wang Sheng stopped asking questions and began acting slightly restless and impatient, fully immersed in his role. Ziyun often spoke to him, easing his boredom and pretending they had become close friends.

In the eyes of the three immortals, they already held complete control. They could either kill him for his treasures or befriend him to gain a connection with the Lightning Marsh Sect and earn the protection of Rai Chew, a Heavenly Immortal.

Either way, they wouldn't end up on a loss.

***

Two days later, the golden roc finally entered the illusion array.

Without warning, the Sun shrank and grew brighter. All four stood simultaneously, staring at it.

The man with twin sabers burst into laughter. "A world within a world! Truly a hidden paradise!"

"You're a genius, Senior Ziyun!" the weakest of the three exclaimed excitedly. "There has to be a treasure trove here! That three-hundred-

zhang

Buddha statue could have been a disguise, and so could this illusion. Perhaps this place has never been discovered before!"

Ziyun smiled faintly and turned to Wang Sheng, who was suppressing his excitement. Softly, she asked, "Brother Pi, do you still think I deceived you?"

"No." Wang Sheng sighed. "I feel quite ashamed for doubting you."

Ziyun shook her head gently, then transmitted her voice to her companions. The man with the twin sabers and the old cultivator, who had somehow forced his way into immortality, both quieted immediately.

Cautious by nature, Ziyun ordered the old man to turn the roc around and re-enter the illusion boundary several times.

After a few tests, she began to discern the structure of the great array.

"Ordinary immortals can never create an array this grand." Her eyes gleamed with excitement, but she swiftly calmed herself. "I'm afraid only the Taiyi Golden Immortals spoken of in rumors, or perhaps even the Da Luo Golden Immortals, could be powerful enough for this."

Rumors?

That part caught Wang Sheng's attention, for it revealed much about the trio's level of knowledge.

Ziyun turned back to him. "Brother Pi, what do you think this place is?"

Wang Sheng replied solemnly, "A cave dwelling."

Ziyun's eyes softened with approval. "Exactly! It could very well be the residence of some ancient, extremely powerful being."

The man with the twin sabers asked, "Senior Ziyun, how do we proceed with our search?"

"We conduct a sweep," Ziyun replied decisively. "This place probably has a lot of qi stars. The treasure trove we seek is surely in one of them."

Even the golden roc grew excited, crying out as it soared toward the Sun.

The first planet they found was Mercury. Its small orbit placed it right within the sun's glow. When the golden roc headed over to it, Mars was then exposed as well.

As the roc flew to Mars, they detected a faint trace of primal qi, greatly exciting Ziyun and her companions. Following the flow of primal qi, they charged straight toward its source.

Nineteen days after entering the illusion array, a blue planet came into view. Only then did Wang Sheng notice that as Earth traveled along its orbit, it left behind a faint trail of drifting primal qi, leaking continuously from the planet.

The old man solemnly exclaimed, "What a vibrant aura of living beings!"

"The primal qi here is incredibly dense, which means powerful beings could be in there." Ziyun's eyes shone strangely. "We shouldn't rush in blindly. Let's examine the nature of this world first. I sense no primal qi passages nearby, and the area is shrouded by two layers of arrays. It's probably hiding an astonishing secret."

"This could be the resting place of a Grand Dao Golden Immortal," the man with sabers laughed. "Considering it has immense qi and no active cultivator presence, this world probably got left behind when a great immortal perished."

"In any case, let's catch a few locals to question first," Ziyun softly instructed.

The three turned to the silent Wang Sheng, who was staring at the blue planet in awe. Their lips curled into faint smirks, though Ziyun quickly changed her expression into one of gentle warmth.

In truth, Wang Sheng wasn't marveling at the planet. What amazed him was how these three immortals could fabricate such a convincing explanation for it.

From here on, every step would be perilous.

Remaining cautious, he answered a few of their questions briefly. At Ziyun's suggestion, the golden roc then slowly descended toward Earth. After three days of observation, they located the area with the densest primal qi—the Hua Republic—and roughly mapped the qi distribution across the planet.

Wang Sheng was now deep behind enemy lines, conversing with the three and analyzing their logic. The three immortals believed that the Hua Republic, which qi veins had enveloped, housed a massive qi-gathering array, and within it was the cave dwelling of a Grand Dao Golden Immortal.

Failing to sense any immortal auras, they were finally convinced that powerful beings didn't inhabit the planet. They soon decided to land on the plains of Huizhou, where the flow of primal qi was at its weakest.

Wang Sheng was certain that Earth's cultivators had already noticed them and were closely watching their every move. Unlike him, though, the three immortals had no idea that satellites were tracking them.

Upon landing, the golden roc grew restless. The old man muttered a few words, and Ziyun nodded. "Go ahead."

Before Wang Sheng could react, the roc darted off and dove toward a nearby village on the grasslands.

With a single sweep of its massive beak, hundreds of unsuspecting villagers were annihilated.

Wang Sheng frowned. "Why do those people look so different from us?"

"Such humans are rare." Ziyun chuckled lightly. "Perhaps they're creations of that great immortal. Let us continue toward the qi-gathering array."

Satisfied with its slaughter, the golden roc returned and flew them to the Hua Republic.

Ziyun made a hand gesture, and the three immortals brought out their treasured artifacts. Wang Sheng expressionlessly took out Spiritless.

All illusions were gone. The battle ahead was inevitable.

Yaoyun had already told Wang Sheng the locations of the arrays hidden across Earth. Now, he only had to lure them into one.

Just then, Ziyun said, "I've searched the area with my immortal perception. I didn't find any immortals, only a few Rebirth Realm cultivators. Perhaps we should capture and question one, lest we offend any hidden experts."

"I'll go," Wang Sheng offered.

"We'd appreciate your help, Brother Pi."

Wang Sheng smiled calmly and straightened his back. "It's nothing."

Just as he leaped off the roc, a crooked figure on a paper crane flew toward them from the edge of the qi veins. The cultivator tilted his head toward them and, from a distance, winked exaggeratedly at Wang Sheng.

The man with twin sabers chuckled. "Well, that's convenient."

Wang Sheng nodded calmly. He flashed across the air, seized Shi Qianzhang, and dragged him back onto the roc with a tight hold.

On the way, Wang Sheng quickly transmitted to him, "Play along. They think this is a Grand Dao Golden Immortal's cave dwelling. Don't give anything away, and speak in an archaic tone."

Shi Qianzhang immediately put on a terrified expression. With his hands shaking as if stricken with tremors, he cried in a thick old dialect, "Spare me, Great Immortal!"

The three immortals fixed their sharp gazes on him. The pressure they emitted made him truly start trembling and swallowing repeatedly.

Strategist General Xiaomiao, why did you have to choose me for this task...

In a pure, ancient tone, Wang Sheng demanded, "Answer my questions truthfully. Lie, and my sword will show no mercy."

"Who are you people? Please don't kill me!"

"Do not fear, Friend," Ziyun said softly, playing the good cop to contrast Wang Sheng. "Let him down, Brother Pi. A cultivator below the Rebirth Realm wouldn't dare deceive us."

The man with twin sabers muttered, "Why not just use a soul-searching technique?"

Wang Sheng frowned. "There's no need for something that harsh. We seek treasure, not slaughter.

The man just snorted in response.

Wang Sheng set Shi Qianzhang down, causing the latter to drop onto the roc's back. He glanced nervously at the group.

Ziyun asked gently, "What's your name, Little Friend? My Daoist name is Ziyun. The one who brought you here is Daoist Master Pi Kachew of the Lightning Marsh Sect. We mean you no harm; we are merely passing through this realm."

Shi Qianzhang's face twitched violently. He pinched his thigh hard and forced tears to his eyes, holding back laughter through sheer will.

Ziyun continued, "Would you be willing to answer a few of our questions?"

"Y-yes," Shi Qianzhang stammered, "p-please ask away!"

Wang Sheng pressed a hand on his shoulder, pretending to restrain him while secretly transmitting to him the answers to the questions that Ziyun was likely to ask.

Cheating right under their noses was straight up impressive and bold.