Chapter 1 The Beginning

“This kid was actually snatched away by the ghost marriage procession! The previous ghost marriage procession was a reflection of Xiahou Aotian’s inner demons, specifically coming to take him.”

Zhang Yuanqing stood before the mural, clicking his tongue in wonder.

The most terrifying and unshakeable illusions are always woven from the target's deepest fears.

That Xiahou Aotian with his thick brows and big eyes, actually has a psychological shadow regarding ghost marriages?

No, it’s not necessarily ghost marriages, but unhappy marriages, or wives as terrifying as ghosts.

Or perhaps his parents' unhappy marriage caused him to develop psychological trauma from a young age.

While he was lost in thought, the mural changed. Two paper figures stepped forward and held down the groom's head, forcing him to kowtow.

Another paper figure stepped forward, pressing down on the bride's shoulders to make her bow.

The bride's head rolled off from under the veil, rolling in front of the groom with a "gurgle." The head was severely decayed, and even with white powder, the festering flesh could not be concealed.

The bride's eyes were chillingly white, staring directly at the groom, with two lines of black bloody tears flowing from their sockets.

Inside the mural, the groom's eyes rolled back in fear, his body shaking like a sieve.

Not good, he's going to be scared out of his mind! Seeing this, Zhang Yuanqing quickly picked up his brush and painted streaks of lightning into the mural.

Bolts of silver-white lightning, filled with the aura of destruction, descended, evaporating the vengeful spirits and evil entities within the hall, leaving only the terrified groom, who looked around in fear, not knowing what had happened.

Suddenly, the doors of the hall swung open, and a group of paper figures dressed in scarlet wedding attire escorted the bride in.

The bride wore embroidered shoes, but her feet did not touch the ground; she floated as the wedding ceremony restarted.

"Forcibly interfering won't save Xiahou Aotian; at most, it will alleviate his fear in critical moments." Zhang Yuanqing stroked his chin, frowning in thought.

If the illusion continued to develop, Xiahou Aotian would either be scared to death by his inner fears or die at the hands of the ghost bride.

That's just how it is; although it's fake, it's just as deadly. Using the target's inner fears to weave an illusion, silently killing them within the illusion, is what Illusionists love to do most.

At times like this, it's impossible to expect Xiahou Aotian to overcome his shadow and conquer his fear himself.

If inner fears were so easily overcome, they wouldn't become shadows in the first place.

An idea struck Zhang Yuanqing, and drawing upon his experience from the previous mural, he used his brush to sketch a stick figure with a simple style.

The stick figure merged into the mural, transforming into a groom dressed in wedding attire.

Since he couldn't interrupt it, he would let the illusory groom complete the wedding ceremony in place of Xiahou Aotian.

However, as soon as the groom appeared, the paper figures in the hall froze, their necks twisting ninety degrees with a jerk. Their dull and sinister faces turned in unison to look at the fake groom.

The fake groom's body contorted, his appearance abruptly changing, turning into a paper figure, silently joining the procession.

"Refusing to let a fake groom replace him... not even a ghost bride is allowed to be possessed by a supporting character?"

As a top Illusionist, Zhang Yuanqing interpreted Xiahou Aotian's psychological changes and couldn't help but complain.

The core of weaving illusions is actually catering to the target, understanding the target, knowing the target, and then killing the target.

Things that completely contradict the target's personality, even if forcibly woven, will ultimately end in failure.

The mural was woven based on Xiahou Aotian's inner fears; he was the one who had to break the situation, not only dealing with the illusion but also dealing with Xiahou Aotian.

In the mural, the bride's head fell off again, rolling in front of the groom, Xiahou Aotian.

Zhang Yuanqing quickly added a stroke to the bride's head, conjuring a veil to cover the terrifying head, preventing the groom from seeing it and alleviating the most horrifying image.

No, he can't let him continue to be immersed in the ghost marriage illusion; he should try to defeat fear with fear.

"I remember Xiahou Aotian said that he borrowed materials from the family that he couldn't pay back in a hundred years." Zhang Yuanqing changed his thinking and began to outline something in the mural, creating a new stick figure. Once finished, it transformed into the appearance of the Xiahou family head in the mural.

He put down his brush with satisfaction, silently watching the development of the mural.

The Xiahou family head in the hall took out an account book from his bosom and said loudly, "Xiahou Aotian, you haven't paid back the money you borrowed from the family! Who allowed you to get married? Until you pay off your debts, don't even think about marrying and having children in this lifetime; obediently serve the Xiahou family as a beast of burden."

The groom, who had been filled with terror, suddenly turned ashen-faced upon hearing this. He no longer resisted the marriage and completed the kowtow with the ghost bride.

Uh, it seems like he has crushed the protagonist's desire to survive! Zhang Yuanqing was somewhat embarrassed.

"This is troublesome!"

Breaking illusions is a technical skill, like a swordsman's swordsmanship. A swordsman who diligently practices swordsmanship will be stronger than an ordinary swordsman.

The Lingjing (Spirit Realm) bestows the most basic talent, guaranteeing a lower limit. As for how high the ceiling is, it depends on individual cultivation.

Zhang Yuanqing was, after all, a latecomer, having only obtained the Illusion God's Heart for three or four months. In terms of pure technique, he was inferior to those experienced Nullifiers.

Of course, given repeated attempts, breaking the illusion would certainly not be difficult, but if he wasted too much time here with Xiahou Aotian, the safety of the others could not be guaranteed.

And if he chose to save the others, Xiahou Aotian, whose spirit body strength was the weakest, would most likely meet a disastrous end.

Zhang Yuanqing frowned and pondered for a few seconds before coming up with a solution. He opened his mouth and spat out a wisp of Taiyin Qi (Yin energy).

A figure condensed like black smoke, with only the head being real. Sixth Elder appeared, bowing respectfully. "Master!"

Zhang Yuanqing nodded with an air of authority, pointing to the mural in front of him. "My teammate is trapped in an illusion. The existence weaving the illusion has an extremely high level; I cannot forcibly bring him out. I need your help to break the illusion."

The beautiful Sixth Elder frowned and said, "Master, you possess supreme authority. If even you cannot break it, how could I?"

Zhang Yuanqing maintained his authoritative posture. "I just wanted to hear your opinion."

Sixth Elder immediately understood.

The Master had encountered a technical difficulty and needed her help.

She immediately turned her gaze to the mural.

At this moment, Xiahou Aotian had already completed the wedding ceremony and was being led by the paper figures toward the backyard.

The backyard was desolate, with one old grave and one new grave. The new grave had just been dug, and next to it was a black coffin. The coffin lid was open, empty inside. This coffin was obviously prepared for Xiahou Aotian.

Sixth Elder said in surprise, "Why isn't he resisting?"

An illusion woven with things he fears most... how can he be so calm, allowing the paper figures to do as they please?

Zhang Yuanqing kept a straight face. "Don't worry about the details."

Sixth Elder dared not ask more, speaking quickly. "His spirit body is deeply immersed in the illusion, firmly believing that he is being tormented by ghosts and monsters. In such a situation, it is necessary to give hints in the illusion to awaken his ego."

Zhang Yuanqing hurriedly asked, "How do I awaken the ego?"

Sixth Elder said, "It's like a real dream. The person in the dream has a single thought, and they won't think about how strong they really are, how the mere evil spirits can't do anything to them."

"So, we must make him remember who he really is, make him remember how powerful he is. Once self-awareness is restored, the illusion will collapse on its own."

"As for how to give hints, we must study his personality, habits, preferences, and so on."

Just now, the Xiahou family head that I conjured shouted the name "Xiahou Aotian," but it didn't work! I don't even know Xiahou Aotian's real name...

Common Lingjing IDs are useless, and it's even more impossible to wake him up with personal relationship information from reality.

"Based on preferences, habits, and personality..." Zhang Yuanqing's thoughts raced, deciding to take a gamble.

He took up his brush and sketched paper money on the wall, causing it to fill the desolate backyard, falling onto the ground, into the coffin, and onto Xiahou Aotian and the paper figures.

Each piece of paper money was written with some information.

At this moment, Xiahou Aotian had already been placed inside the coffin. A paper figure held up a wooden mallet and wooden nails, piercing them through his abdomen, nailing him firmly into the coffin.

The pain contorted Xiahou Aotian's face as he struggled desperately to escape, but the paper figures held him down tightly.

The falling paper money landed on his face, with the words "I am Xiahou Aotian, and I shall sweep away all enemies in the world."

His expression in the mural visibly froze, becoming dull.

More and more paper money rained down, each piece written with a line: "Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river, don't bully the young for being poor," "If heaven does not give birth to Xiahou Aotian, scholars will be like long nights for eternity," "Xiahou Aotian, the Dragon King, returns," "How the Protagonist is Made," "Even the Demigod Ancestor must submit to me," "I'm coming clean; I am Xiahou Aotian."

Xiahou Aotian stared blankly at the paper money, falling into confusion, into perplexity, into thought.

As the paper figures nailed down his limbs, preparing to hammer the last wooden nail into his chest, the confusion and perplexity in Xiahou Aotian's eyes completely receded.

The imprint of a pill furnace emerged between his eyebrows, and a dazzling flame erupted from his eyes. The surrounding paper figures were instantly ignited, and the three-colored flames spread like a tide, setting fire to the coffin, the wasteland, and the grave, setting fire to the old house.

A raging fire rose in the mural, and then, rippling like water, Xiahou Aotian stepped out of the wall. He held his head high and puffed out his chest, displaying an aura of domineering grandeur.

Zhang Yuanqing breathed a sigh of relief. When it came to personality, this was the only trick he could think of.

To make the conceited Xiahou Aotian realize that he was the protagonist. Since he was the protagonist, how could he fear a mere ghost marriage?

If this trick didn't work, Zhang Yuanqing would try to lift the partial seal on the Illusion God's Heart and forcibly break the illusion, but if he did that, perhaps the most terrifying thing in the dungeon wouldn't be the boss, but him.

"Oh, you actually got out of the illusion earlier than me. Well, you are, after all, a Night Watcher and a Nullifier dual-class." Xiahou Aotian raised his chin. "And although I'm not proficient in illusions, as the protagonist, how can a mere illusion do anything to me?"

Zhang Yuanqing said calmly, "I am Xiahou Aotian, and I shall sweep away all enemies in the world, right?"

Xiahou Aotian was stunned.

Zhang Yuanqing glanced at him and said, "If heaven does not give birth to Xiahou Aotian, scholars will be like long nights for eternity."

Xiahou Aotian lost his arrogance from just now, looking suspiciously. "How... how do you know?"

Zhang Yuanqing curled his lips. "I conjured them to save you!"

"What about the family head in the illusion?"

"I conjured him too. I originally wanted to use the huge debt to make you wake up and recognize reality, but someone directly gave up on survival."

Zhang Yuanqing's smile widened. "I forgot to tell you, you were the first to fall into the illusion, because your cultivation is the weakest."

Xiahou Aotian looked at him with a stiff expression, frozen in place. After a few seconds, he put down the protagonist's pride and revealed an ugly smile. "I'm so tired."

"Thanks to you. Even this protagonist needs the strong support of a supporting character sometimes. Uh, can we not talk about this?"

Zhang Yuanqing scrutinized him, teasingly saying, "You first tell me, why are you so afraid of marriage in your heart? Shouldn't a protagonist have three wives and four concubines?"

Xiahou Aotian's expression became extremely colorful, with a sense of shame that his inner secrets had been spied upon and he was being blackmailed...

Zhang Yuanqing didn't press the issue, deliberately leaving it blank, and instead said, "Let's go see the others. They should be more resilient than you, but we can't delay any longer."

He raised the golden flame in his palm, following along the wall. Xiahou Aotian had a constipated and uncomfortable look on his face, muttering, "Damn it, I was laughed at by Yuan Shi Tian Zun! And I was even blackmailed..."

From the iron ring on his left hand came the mental fluctuations of a Qin dynasty alchemist: "What made you have the illusion that you weren't a joke?"

Xiahou Aotian was too lazy to argue with him and quickly followed.

The two came to the third mural, which depicted a pitch-black night. In a prosperous suburban community, flames and thick smoke billowed upwards, and luxurious villas collapsed into ruins.

A group of villains with scarlet eyes and bulging muscles rampaged everywhere, and under their blades, one fresh life after another fell into pools of blood.

In a collapsed ruin, a little girl was curled up, trembling, using the ruins for cover, her little face covered in tears.

She was quickly found by a bald, burly man. His scarlet pupils were full of malice, and he revealed a ferocious smile toward the little girl.

Sensing the danger, the little girl ran, with the burly man chasing closely behind.

She managed to escape the pursuit and hid in another ruin.

"This is the scene when the Chu family was exterminated." Xiahou Aotian knew the background of the Stop Killing Palace Master. Xiahou Chi had once traveled to Songhai to try to kill the Stop Killing Palace Master to avenge his son.

Zhang Yuanqing sighed. The Chu family's extermination was his little aunt's greatest nightmare, leaving indelible scars on her young heart. She was both terrified and felt that she should have lived and died with her family back then.

She was trapped by her own obsession and fear.

If this continued, when the weariness and despair in her heart accumulated to a certain degree, and she lost her desire to survive, the little girl in the center of the illusion would be caught and killed.

"She will be caught sooner or later," Xiahou Aotian said.

Having had the previous experience, Zhang Yuanqing quickly came up with a way to break the illusion, using his brush to sketch a stick figure with random features. The stick figure merged into the mural, turning into the appearance of Yuan Shi Tian Zun.

He walked into the ruins, squatted down in front of the little girl, and said softly, "I'll take you away from here."

The little girl raised her tear-streaked face, staring blankly at him. She nodded, choking with sobs.

Zhang Yuanqing took her hand and walked out of the ruins together, strolling through the battlefield of fire and smoke.

The burly men with scarlet eyes surged forward one after another, but before they could get close, they were struck by lightning and turned into charcoal.

Zhang Yuanqing led the little girl out of the mural, getting closer and closer. The little girl's eyes became increasingly calm and profound.

The wall rippled, the Yuan Shi Tian Zun in the painting disappeared, and the Stop Killing Palace Master, wearing a red dress and a silver mask, walked out.

Because Xiahou Aotian was present, she only glanced at Zhang Yuanqing with gentle eyes, saying nothing.

If it were ordinary times, she would definitely take the opportunity to act coquettishly, asking for kisses and hugs.

At this time, the three had already reached the corner of the wall, where there were no more murals, so they turned back, passing the base and coming to the other side.

They stopped in front of the fourth mural. The main color of this mural was gray and dim, lacking color. A small Western-style house stood alone, surrounded by dug-up ground, collapsed walls, and piles of bricks.

A large excavator was parked in front of the house.

Inside the house were a family of three, a young couple and a little boy. The little boy's facial features were somewhat similar to those of the Demonic Eye Heavenly King.

The excavator's treads rolled, and the bucket smashed through the wall, destroying the load-bearing pillars. The small house collapsed amidst the shaking.

The family of three inside embraced each other.

Zhang Yuanqing hurriedly waved his brush, erasing the house and forcefully interrupting it.

A few seconds later, the house reappeared, repeating the previous scene.

"So, the Demonic Eye's parents died in a forced demolition. No wonder he hates the strong bullying the weak so much," Xiahou Aotian said.

He looked at Zhang Yuanqing and asked, "How do we save this one?"

"The Demonic Eye's situation is a bit like the Palace Master's; they both yearn to live and die with their parents." Zhang Yuanqing pondered for a few seconds and repeated his old trick, sketching a stick figure.

The stick figure transformed into his appearance and entered the house. "Demonic Eye Heavenly King, follow me to cleanse the world; don't waste your time here." Zhang Yuanqing said loudly.

The little boy only glanced at him faintly, shrinking into his mother's arms, showing no change.

"This doesn't work either?" Zhang Yuanqing frowned.

"This doesn't wake him up?" Xiahou Aotian said with emotion. Cleansing the world was the Demonic Eye's lifelong obsession. Zhang Yuanqing thought for a moment and said, "What the Demonic Eye Heavenly King wants most in this life isn't actually cleansing the world, but justice, justice, and still freaking justice. Because he couldn't get it, he chose to cleanse the world."

He gained inspiration from the Stop Killing Palace Master's illusion and planned to try a redemption route.

Zhang Yuanqing sketched out a law enforcement team in the mural, preventing the excavator's forced demolition in front of the family of three.

A disappointing scene occurred. The Demonic Eye Heavenly King, as before, hid in his mother's arms, clutching his mother's clothes, showing no reaction.

"He doesn't even want justice?" Zhang Yuanqing was first puzzled, then he understood.

The Demonic Eye Heavenly King subconsciously didn't believe in the law enforcement team or the authorities.

Just as Xiahou Aotian subconsciously wouldn't allow a supporting character to touch his ghost bride.

Zhang Yuanqing could only resolve the crisis in the mural while thinking of countermeasures. Xiahou Aotian and the Stop Killing Palace Master offered advice from the side, trying repeatedly, but they couldn't save the Demonic Eye.

"This guy deserves to be called a fanatic; his self-destructive tendencies are very serious, and he refuses to accept redemption," Xiahou Aotian commented.

"A smelly rock in the latrine," the Stop Killing Palace Master frowned, at a loss for what to do. At that moment, the Sixth Elder, who was following Zhang Yuanqing, said softly, "Master, the stronger the Demonic Eye Heavenly King's obsession with cleansing the world, the more profound the pain this memory brings him. Independent practitioners are different from the Orderly; the Demonic Eye Heavenly King doesn't need redemption, nor does he accept redemption."

"If he could so easily accept redemption, he would have reconciled with the world long ago."

Zhang Yuanqing had a flash of insight. "Right, what I need to do is awaken his self-awareness, not redeem him."

He had a line of thought. He raised his brush, pointed at the little boy, and pulled him out.

The little boy left the house and came outside. The excavator roared, raising its bucket and destroying the house, burying the young couple in the ruins.

The little boy stared blankly at the scene, losing all expression.

After an unknown amount of time, the little boy turned around and walked towards the depths of the mural, his back lonely, like a stray dog.

As the little boy walked further and further away, the mural disappeared.

Zhang Yuanqing sighed. "Awakening the Demonic Eye's self-awareness is actually very simple; all you need to do is let him watch his parents die in front of the Demonic Eye Heavenly King of that year."

The moment the house collapsed, that little boy died. What survived was the Demonic Eye Heavenly King, with the fires of revenge burning in his heart.

Just like that, the wall rippled, and the Demonic Eye Heavenly King, wearing a headband, walked out of the mural. He looked around at the crowd, finally looking at Zhang Yuanqing, and curled his lips. "Well done."

For the first time, Zhang Yuanqing saw the deeply buried pain and sorrow in those eyes.

He didn't respond to the Demonic Eye and said, "Let's go; we should go to Young Master Qian."

As soon as the words fell, Fu Qingyang's indifferent voice came from not far away: "I'm already out."

The golden flame in Zhang Yuanqing's hand flared up, illuminating a white-clothed figure ten steps away. He was handsome and imposing, with a straight posture, and was none other than Fu Qingyang.

"Boss, you're out?" Zhang Yuanqing said with joy.

Xiahou Aotian carefully scrutinized Young Master Qian from top to bottom, unwillingly asking, "How did you get out?"

Young Master Qian was expressionless, saying faintly, "It was just an illusion; not difficult."

"Not difficult?" Xiahou Aotian thought, You, you, you, if you keep acting like that, I'm going to get angry.

Fu Qingyang glanced at him, his tone calm: "I don't have anything I fear. Even if I did, I would have already cut it down in reality."

Xiahou Aotian was speechless.

Like that group of Fu family members who were the same age as you and were cut down one by one! Zhang Yuanqing thought.

Among his teammates, the one he was least worried about was Young Master Qian.

Fu Qingyang was someone who wouldn't compromise, not with the enemy, and even less with himself. If he had to choose between death and escape, he would unhesitatingly swing his sword at the enemy.

Just like when he chased after the members of his family who were the same age, swinging a wooden sword and throwing it at the elders who came out to intervene and demand severe punishment, asking them if they wanted to die.

Young Master Qian's life didn't have any psychological shadows, because all the shadows had been cut down by him.

Afterward, the group came to the last mural. The scene depicted an old woman, her face withered and emaciated, lying on the bed, about to breathe her last. The old woman was doing her best to stay awake, not daring to let herself "fall asleep."

"Who is this person? Princess Yinyao?" Xiahou Aotian almost couldn't recognize her.

While everyone else's illusions were full of ups and downs, dangerous and unpredictable, her illusion was just a room and a bed; that was all.

"My good-for-nothing disciple sister..." Zhang Yuanqing explained helplessly: "What Princess Yinyao fears most is dying of old age. In order to achieve immortality, she stole the coffin of the Three Dao Mountain Goddess and used secret methods to refine herself into a Yin corpse, slumbering in the coffin."

If he drew a Three Dao Mountain Goddess at this time, Princess Yinyao would probably be scared to death on the spot! He thought.

"In a way, it's quite similar to Xiahou Aotian," the Stop Killing Palace Master said jokingly.

Fu Qingyang observed for a moment and said, "Her fear is very simple: fear of death. You just need to give her some hints to remind her that she is a Yin corpse."

Just like giving hints to Xiahou Aotian, Zhang Yuanqing took up his brush and sketched three items in the mural: a ghost mirror, a Yin jade doll, and blood rouge.

The three items "clattered" onto the old woman's bed, attracting her attention.

The old woman raised her head with difficulty, looking at the three items, and then she was stunned.

Maintaining her raised head and stunned posture for a long time, she seemed to remember that she had long since become a Yin corpse, and with an agility that an old woman shouldn't have, she threw off the blanket and sprang up.

The mural automatically went out, and Princess Yinyao walked out of the mural. The crowd breathed a sigh of relief.

And at this moment, ink-style figures emerged on the wall, wielding swords and striking different poses, like a swordplay manual in a martial arts novel.

Zhang Yuanqing and the others only glanced at them and felt their eyeballs stinging, shedding hot tears, and they all lowered their heads.

Only Fu Qingyang raised his head, staring at the wall full of swordplay manuals, and said, "Very exquisite swordsmanship. The person who inscribed these swordplay manuals infused their will into them, and it hasn't dissipated after so many years."

Zhang Yuanqing, who had lowered his head, suddenly understood: "No wonder the murals were polluted. I was wondering, even if ordinary murals were nourished by Yin energy, they wouldn't possess such extraordinary qualities."

Fu Qingyang said, "Yuan Shi, take me for a walk around."

Zhang Yuanqing nodded slightly in agreement.

The two walked side by side around the wall, Fu Qingyang saying as he watched, "Properly study these sword skills; at least you can use them up to level eight."

"Boss, aren't you dedicated to cleaving, disdaining to learn sword skills?" Zhang Yuanqing asked.

Fu Qingyang said in a deep voice, "My cleaving has reached a bottleneck, and the new sword intent I comprehended comes at the cost of burning my life force. Unless absolutely necessary, I can't use it. If I want to go further, I have to broaden my horizons and assimilate the best of all schools."

As an level eight Ruler, Fu Qingyang had memorized the sword skills on the wall after seeing them once.

The group left the Hall of Righteousness and headed to the last floor of the South Garden.

The White Emperor's Crown could be found on the last level. Zhang Yuanqing silently prayed in his heart and then said, "Based on the dungeon's intensity, we might encounter an level nine Ruler on the last level."

Fu Qingyang shook his head: "The 'Fallen Monarch' dungeon's intensity was abnormal and can't be used as a reference."

He didn't believe he would be so unlucky as to encounter another Lingjing bug. As the two were talking, Xiahou Aotian took out a drone to scout ahead as usual.

Amidst the buzzing of propellers, the drones passed through an invisible film and entered the final floor.

Three seconds later, Xiahou Aotian opened his eyes, his face grave: "The drone was destroyed. I saw ghost lamps, green ghost lamps, everywhere. Besides that, there were no other gains."

"The drone was destroyed in an instant. I couldn't see the attacker," Xiahou Aotian said helplessly.

They were attacked as soon as they entered, without even being given a chance to explore.

The others exchanged glances, their already serious expressions becoming even more solemn.

Zhang Yuanqing took out Little Red Riding Hood and shook out a Yin corpse.

"I'll do it; Yin corpses have a higher survival rate than drones. Maybe I can see the enemy." He manipulated the Yin corpse to pass through the invisible film.

After about half a minute, Zhang Yuanqing's head suddenly jerked back, as if he had been struck in the face with a club. The eyeballs in his eye sockets burst, and two lines of scarlet blood flowed out.