Chapter 221: The Strange Man

However, Sun Yigao observed the man's actions and felt that he was no ordinary tourist. His steps were steady, his stance firm, and his breath calm and powerful.

Mo Yuanjiao had once taken the time to teach everyone in Lingxian Sect how to distinguish between ordinary people, martial artists, and those with high martial prowess. Now, with a single glance, Sun Yigao could tell that this man was undoubtedly skilled in martial arts.

Moreover, judging by the way he walked, he was certainly not an amateur.

Most importantly, the man possessed some level of cultivation—though it was only at the first stage of Qi Refining.

Because of this strange discovery, Sun Yigao kept his spiritual sense focused on the man. He watched as the man lingered in front of the Path of Heart Examination, pretending to be mesmerized by the scenery. Once the sparse crowd of tourists dispersed, the man boldly stepped onto the path.

In recent days, people had come to realize that the Path of Heart Examination didn't harm anyone—it merely trapped them in a vivid, deeply immersive dream. As a result, more people dared to step onto it.

However, so far, those who entered the path either exited after their dream or chose not to ascend the mountain, believing it would be disrespectful to the immortals. They considered the dream itself to be a gift from the immortals and refrained from further intrusion.

But this man, Sun Yigao suspected, might choose to climb the mountain if he passed the path's test.

After pondering for a moment, Sun Yigao cast a simple illusion spell on his students to prevent them from noticing anything unusual. Then, he took out a communication talisman and sent a message to Liu Yunan.

Once that was done, Sun Yigao continued his lesson, though he kept part of his spiritual sense on the man's movements.

Meanwhile, Liu Yunan, who had been cultivating in the sect's training room, received Sun Yigao's message. He immediately went to the mountain path's entrance, beneath the Ten-Mile Peach Blossom Trees, and sat down to meditate, waiting to see if the man would ascend the mountain.

He sat there until the afternoon.

Wei San was a member of the emperor's imperial guard of the Pusi Kingdom. This time, he had been sent on a mission to investigate the rumored immortal sect in Shoushui Village.

He had already gathered a great deal of information about the Path of Heart Examination before arriving and was quite familiar with its effects. Knowing that passing its test would allow him to proceed unimpeded, he decided to walk the path himself.

However, he hadn't anticipated that the path would be so realistic, dredging up his deepest fears and constantly shaking his resolve. Of course, this realization only came after he awoke. In the dream, he had completely forgotten that he was in a dream, on a mountain path in Shoushui Village, and even that he had been entrusted with an imperial mission.

When Wei San finally broke free from the dream and found himself standing firmly on the path, untouched by its power, he gazed at the picturesque mountain trail before him and the towering peaks in the distance, filled with awe.

For a moment, he hesitated, wondering if he should dare to offend the immortals. But years of unwavering loyalty to the emperor overpowered his reverence, and he resolutely continued up the mountain.

As he approached the mountain path's entrance, just catching sight of the sturdy peach trees and the rustic thatched hut not far away, a voice suddenly boomed in his mind:

"This is the sacred ground of Lingxian Sect. Mortal, leave at once!"

Though the voice resounded in his head, Wei San wasn't particularly surprised. After all, he had lingered on the Path of Heart Examination for so long that the sun had begun to set. Yet, he still felt a hint of fear in his heart.

So there really are immortals here.

When the emperor had first received news of a possible new sect in the area, he hadn't fully believed it. He suspected it might just be remnants of some immortal's legacy. But then again, what if the county magistrate's report was true?

That was why he had sent Wei San to investigate quietly.

Remembering his mission, Wei San suppressed his fear, took a deep breath, and respectfully bowed toward the empty space in front of him.

"Please forgive my intrusion, Immortal. I am Wei San, a member of the emperor's imperial guard, sent here on imperial orders to discuss an important matter with you."

At that moment, Liu Yunan, who had been hiding nearby with Xiao Luan and Da Tao, observed the man closely. Seeing that Wei San showed no intention of leaving and claimed to be on an imperial mission, Liu Yunan pondered for a moment before letting the two beasts go off to play.

Then, he used the Cloud Ascending Technique to float out from his hiding spot.

To Wei San, it appeared as though Liu Yunan had materialized out of thin air, as he had been using a concealment technique earlier.

And the fact that this young man floated down to the ground only deepened Wei San's wariness.

Liu Yunan didn't lead Wei San into the sect but stood guard like a gatekeeper, pretending to be aloof as he asked, "What business do you have here?"

Wei San retrieved a scroll from his robes and respectfully presented it to Liu Yunan with his head bowed. "This is a decree personally written by the emperor. Please, Immortal, take a look."

Liu Yunan thought for a moment before deciding not to take it directly. Instead, he used the object manipulation technique he had practiced repeatedly to sow seeds more efficiently. With a gesture, he took the scroll from Wei San and stored it in his storage pouch.

"I will review this. You may leave now," Liu Yunan said calmly.

Seeing that Liu Yunan didn't open the scroll immediately, Wei San hesitated. "Immortal, about the reply..."

Liu Yunan waved his hand dismissively. "Three days from now, go to the tree in front of the village, and you will receive your reply."

As soon as he finished speaking, Wei San felt an overwhelming drowsiness wash over him. Within seconds, he had fallen into a deep sleep.

Having just used a sleep-inducing spell, Liu Yunan sighed as he looked down at the unconscious man.

Rolling up his sleeves, he hoisted Wei San onto his shoulder and carried him down the mountain.

It wasn't until late that night that Wei San awoke in a tall patch of grass near the entrance of Shoushui Village. Gazing up at the bright moon overhead and recalling his previous memories, he suddenly couldn't distinguish whether he was still dreaming or in the real world.

To test this, he pinched himself hard.

Feeling the pain in his hand, he still wasn't entirely convinced. After all, back on the Path of Heart Examination, he had cut himself multiple times and experienced excruciating pain, yet he had still believed it was reality, with no sign of awakening.

Even though he had only been in Shoushui Village for a day, he felt as though he had lived through countless years.

Standing in place, dazed for a long time, Wei San suddenly remembered his mission. Frantically searching his body, he found that the scroll given to him by the emperor was no longer there. Dazed and confused, Wei San finally made his way back to Cuifeng Town under the moonlight.