Exploring Immortality Cultivation-Chapter 1031 - 115: The World of Chu Men
"In this world, the most unreliable thing is subjective judgment."
In the Central Divine Palace within Luofu Xuanqing Palace, Wang Qi said this to Zhen Chan.
"As long as the initial information you receive is incorrect, no matter how brilliant you are, you will only stray further and further into error."
Zhen Chan asked back, "Wouldn't that lead to despair? Especially if there's a Great Divine Power User deceiving freely."
"There's still a chance," Wang Qi said calmly, looking at the Ancient Method Practitioners in the illusion, "However, for now, they have no chance."
The main hall of Luofu Xuanqing Palace's Central Divine Palace in its heyday. With its nine palaces and twelve pavilions scattered across Luofu Immortal Mountain, it was a spectacular sight, inspiring poetry that extols the palace's extraordinary grandeur.
However, this scene is no longer visible in today's Shenzhou. In the great battle of the past, the Emperor's Extreme Split Sky Dao used the Incense Fire Power of the Three Emperors to consolidate their Dao field, destroying Luofu Xuanqing Palace's Mountain Protection Array. Later, the previous Master of Heaven Splitting Dao had his disciples set up the "Fire Transmission Mysterious Array," employing the torrent of Heart Intent to combat Zhen Chan's geographical advantage. In that battle, Luofu Mountain, having lost its protective arrays, was leveled by the residual power of combat between two Mahayana Cultivators.
Unfortunately, Luofu Mountain was a crucial location for Luofu Xuanqing Palace. Being the foremost sect in the land, it naturally couldn't allow the map of its territory to be leaked.
Those today who wish to admire the scenery of Luofu Mountain can only do so through a few surviving paintings.
And this "map" was able to be built so vividly because of Zhen Chan.
As the Sect Leader of Luofu Xuanqing Palace, Zhen Chan was extremely familiar with his sect. The professional experts of the Immortal Alliance used his memory as the blueprint, further researching every detail of the "Luofu Xuanqing Palace" with a meticulous spirit of investigation.
Seeing the familiar scene and listening to Wang Qi's judgment, Zhen Chan couldn't help but sigh, "Had I not known beforehand, I might have been deceived too... After all, you young rascal spared no effort in fabricating this illusion."
If an Earth person encounters someone claiming to be an alien selling an "anti-gravity fitness machine," their first reaction would definitely be, "Wow, I'm dealing with a scammer." But if that alien really takes out a spaceship and lets them experience "weightlessness," no matter how cautious that Earthling is or how absurd they find the situation, they wouldn't doubt its authenticity.
Because deep down, they know their own life, converted into resources, is not worth more than an engine of that spaceship. The cost of such a deception is too high, the benefits too little.
It's the same now. Those Ancient Method Practitioners do not doubt the "Reincarnation Realm Master," nor do they question the authenticity of this "instance world," because they understand that even for a Peak Level Cultivator, maintaining such an illusion is incredibly challenging. Besides, the Cultivation Techniques they receive are not nonsense, but genuine, cultivable technology. Orchestrating a scheme like "Reincarnation Realm Master" would demand an enormous cost.
And even if their lives were multiplied tenfold, it might not be worth that cost.
However, to Wang Qi, the situation is different. He has the backing of the entire Modern Immortal Path, able to gain support from this Immortal Dao Civilization. In such a scenario, the resources he can mobilize are beyond what those "powerful beings" could imagine.
The most obvious example is the Ten Thousand Immortals Illusion Realm. Most Ancient Method Practitioners believe it to be merely an illusion technique for freely transmitting messages to everyone; few realize that the true form of this Illusion Array has grown massive enough to cover the entire Sun System.
The enormous "illusion technique resources" derived from several hundred years of division of labor and social production by the civilization are remarkable.
On the other hand, Wang Qi's purpose in deceiving them is not to gain benefits from them. To Wang Qi, they're partly a source of data, while his true target is to scheme against the Holy Emperor Venerable.
If such a cost leads to the downfall of a Mahayana Banished Immortal, then it's definitely worthwhile.
Wang Qi shook his head, "This play is indeed convincingly done, but I'm reflecting on another aspect."
"Another aspect?"
"It's a story I've read before," Wang Qi said in a monotone, "In ancient times, there was a sect practicing the Ancient Method focused on distinguishing between truth and illusion, between divine qi and mundane qi. The inheritors of this cultivation had to discern the boundary between reality and illusion. Then one day, a patriarch of this sect had an idea, adopting a child with a high talent in illusion techniques, letting him live entirely within an illusion. Many high-ranking members of the sect disguised themselves as members of other sects, making the cultivator named 'Chu Men' believe he belonged to a different sect, with a different identity as a cultivator."
"That cultivator named Chu Men lived his whole life in an act. Everyone around him, essentially actors, wore skins to play roles," Zhen Chan chuckled, "Another one of your tall tales, perhaps. If such an incredible story existed, how could I not know?"
Luofu Xuanqing Palace collected Ancient Methods from across the world, meaning Wang Qi couldn't possibly know more of such tales than Zhen Chan. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖
Wang Qi did not answer Zhen Chan but continued, "For that surname 'Chu' cultivator, everything was fabricated, stacked with falsehood. The people around him, the principles he believed, all fiction. Those close to him were actors in masks. So, what does he truly count as? A false existence within a false world? Is the world he sees real for him? Is he a fictional character, or is his 'self' also a virtual role? Could it be he simply hasn't realized his 'true self'?"
As Zhen Chan pondered the story Wang Qi described, a chill ran down his spine.
"Human consciousness, human thought, originates from the Spirit Sense received from the outside world. Consciousness is merely an accumulation of Spirit Sense. When everything received is the result of someone else's conscious manipulation, deceiving someone becomes exceedingly easy..."
As Wang Qi spoke, there was a peculiar expression on his face. What exactly was peculiar, Zhen Chan couldn't quite pinpoint. He interjected, "Did the cultivator named Chu Men have any conclusion?"
"He went insane."
Zhen Chan nodded, "If he hadn't gone insane, he probably could have achieved the Dao... However, in our time, few could conceive of such a near-crazy method."
Imitating a virtual environment requires a lot of resources. This was very difficult to accomplish in the era of the Ancient Method—because all resources were used for cultivation.
"This also illustrates that false things are ultimately false. Even if it is a fictional environment, as long as it exists within the material world, it must follow the inherent logic of the material world. If the fabricated things contradict this 'logic,' it will reveal flaws, and the illusion won't be able to deceive people."
For Wang Qi, who strives for "rigor," the possibilities that "this world is an illusion" or "memories of Earth are false" cannot be excluded. However, he would not worry about such unprovable and irrefutable matters; he would only occasionally ponder them sparingly.
Learning logic and seeking the secrets of the universe for Wang Qi also carries the meaning of searching for "truth."
If this universe is indeed false, then when Wang Qi's knowledge surpasses that of the "fabricator," he will always discover the disharmonious and contradictory aspects of this universe.
——Not contradictions like relativity and quantum mechanics, Essence of Spirit Energy and laws of thermodynamics caused by inadequate theoretical levels, but contradictions of the world itself.
This sentence seemed somewhat unfounded to Zhen Chan, and the old man found it hard to respond.
However, Wang Qi soon turned around, revealing his usual teasing smile, "It's started, it's started! They've discovered it!"
Zhen Chan couldn't hide the pain on his face, "Alas... the legacy of my Luofu Xuanqing Palace... those are all genuine items."
Since the Heaven Splitting Dao had already obtained the inheritance items of the "Yin Yang Chaotic Hole Ling Xiao Record" and the "Red Tripod Upper Profound Three Cave Technique," to achieve a good deception effect, Wang Qi only planted many backdoors in the "Da Luo Chaos Heaven Scripture." Both the Yin Yang Chaotic Hole Ling Xiao Record and the Red Tripod Upper Profound Three Cave Technique were genuine.
Of course, the true intent of the Da Luo Chaos Heaven Scripture was not hidden in the Langhuan Pavilion, but carried by the successive sect leaders of Luofu Xuanqing Palace.
However, this fact was unknown to anyone. The final whereabouts of Zhen Chan's remains had long been buried in dust.
Thought of this, Zhen Chan looked towards those Ancient Method Practitioners with a few grim expressions, "You youngsters, you all must live well and spread that false inheritance..."
Wang Qi said lightly, "I arranged the most convenient way out for them, this time, quite a few should survive, right?"
...........................…
Upon hearing footsteps, all the Ancient Method Practitioners in the Langhuan Pavilion became nervous. Four Divine Separation Stage Cultivators had already formed hand mnemonics, ready to strike at the right moment. Then, the footsteps stopped at the entrance.
"Four Guest Elders, please relax," the voice stopped at the entrance, seemingly noticing the actions of the four Divine Separation Stage Cultivators inside, jesting yet faintly anxious, "The Heaven Splitting Dao hasn't attacked the Langhuan Pavilion yet. However, if you don't record these inheritances soon, those beasts from Heaven Splitting Dao will come storming in."
——What's going on?
——Did the Reincarnation Realm Master arrange identities for us?
Being able to cultivate to the Divine Separation Stage, most were astute individuals. Mrs. Huansha was especially adept at schemes, and quickly responded with a smile, "Heaven Splitting Dao is invading, and we, who are not disciples of the Immortal Palace and unfamiliar with its foundations, have been somewhat uneasy, making a spectacle for the esteemed emissary."
She quickly deduced that her assigned identity was that of a "Guest Elder." This was a system of recruiting external cultivators into a sect, often used by powerful sects to attract talented Loose Cultivators.
Based on the conversation before and after, the reason for their group's presence here became clear.
——Before the final battle, Luofu Xuanqing Palace, lacking absolute confidence, secretly arranged for the sect's recruited guest elders to protect a group of low-level disciples and escape with the sect's heritage.
This is indeed a reasonable action.
The person outside said, "You have a quarter of an hour left. After this time, I will secretly send you out, remember, don't be late."
The Ancient Method Practitioners looked at each other in dismay.
"This task seems... a bit too easy, doesn't it..."
