"You're all willing to go to that damned Elysian Realm?"
"Of course, divine being. You came from there, do you have a way to go back?"
Wan Lei didn't answer them, but retorted, "For example, if I gave you another chance to return to your own reality tribe, or to enter the Elysian Realm, which would you choose?"
"Elysian Realm."
The crowd answered without hesitation.
"Alas, is it really that good there? Or have you simply been deceived and brainwashed by that artifact spirit?"
Wan Lei played with a wine cup in his hand, his tone leisurely.
"Divine being, the artifact spirit has never lied to us. It only speaks the truth."
"So... you've conjured up an illusion to deceive yourselves, to tell yourselves you're living well here, to tell yourselves you're still living like humans, not turned into beasts?"
"Divine being, I don't understand what you're saying."
"Then let me ask you, in the past thousands of years, many people from the Dengyan tribe have died. Where are their souls?"
"Divine being, the Dengyan tribe only entered the Great Wall fifty years ago."
"Then in these fifty years, the people who died, have they all entered this Fate Weaver Map? How many of them are there in total?"
"A total of one million, five hundred and thirty-nine thousand, two hundred and seventy-four people."
"Oh?"
Wan Lei stared at the patriarch for a long time, making him a little uneasy.
"Say the number you just gave me again."
"Yes... it's one million, five hundred and twenty-three thousand, two hundred and seventy-four people."
"You just said one million, five hundred and thirty-nine thousand, two hundred and seventy-four people, and now it's changed? That number was just something you made up, wasn't it?"
Wan Lei's lips held a faint, cold smile.
"No, no, no, it's just that the number is too long, and I misremembered for a moment."
"Is that so? Even if you misremembered, then... where did these over a million people go? Don't tell me this village with a few hundred houses can accommodate over a million people. Do you think I'm blind?"
Wan Lei's tone suddenly became sharp.
"They... they went to the Elysian Realm..."
The old patriarch grew more flustered.
"Is the probability that high? Over a million people went, and only a thousand of you didn't? How unlucky you must be."
Wan Lei stood up, tossing the wine cup onto the table.
"They... they're on this table, aren't they?"
As he spoke, Wan Lei's pupils suddenly transformed into double pupils, and the power of the array eye instantly erupted, dispelling the illusion in this area.
There was no more fine wine and delicacies, no more bustling crowds.
On the table lay only the severed limbs and dismembered bodies of human souls. The blood was green, the flesh was translucent, and it emanated a smell of decay.
The people around were no longer kind-faced, honest, and simple tribal folk, but monstrous demons with incomplete souls, sunken eyes, and blood dripping from their mouths.
Outside, it was no longer a busy, lush scene, but a barren land. On the ground, ghosts were tearing at each other, pinning their own kind to the ground, slaughtering and devouring them.
"The other Dengyan tribal ghosts were eaten by you, weren't they? It's hard to imagine that ghosts also need to supplement their energy. Even dogs don't eat their own kind, yet you eat your own kin just to survive. This time, thirty people from Dengyan went out for trade. What did they trade? Souls? Or were they plundering? Thirty people returned, and only twelve. You still lied to yourselves, saying they all returned. For your own beautiful delusion, knowing it's all fake, you're still willing to be trapped in it, even willing to lie to me."
Wan Lei sneered and stood up. He was sitting on a stool made of several soul heads.
"Divine being, now you know why we want to go to the Elysian Realm. This place... is truly hell."
The old patriarch's monstrous face was filled with a helpless, bitter smile.
Wan Lei remained silent. At this moment, he couldn't blame them any further. The Elysian Realm above was a place of no desires, no strife, where people lived like walking dead, but at least it was better than starving and killing each other below.
"I will find a way to save you. This Fate Weaver Map must be destroyed."
As soon as Wan Lei finished speaking, a powerful and majestic voice came from above.
"The quota for entering the Elysian Realm this year will be selected starting now."
The voice was cold and ruthless, but it instantly ignited the desires of all the ghosts within the Fate Weaver Map. People rushed out eagerly, looking up at the sky, where a ball of light hovered. It was presumably the artifact spirit of the Fate Weaver Map.
Thousands of light beams descended, each enveloping a soul. Those enveloped rejoiced and cried out in ecstasy. Those not chosen were as if their parents had died, frantically lunging upwards, trying to tear at those who had been chosen. They could not shake the light beams at all.
As Wan Lei and Fang Xiaoyu were carefully observing the ball of light, two light beams suddenly appeared on them. Wan Lei, without hesitation, punched upwards, shattering the two light beams.
"Divine being... divine being, this, this is such a good opportunity, why did you shatter it? Oh dear!"
The old patriarch and the others were furious, beating their chests and stomping their feet. They looked at Wan Lei as if he were someone who had won five million in the lottery and then torn up the ticket instead of cashing it.
The ball of light seemed to cast its gaze upon Wan Lei and Fang Xiaoyu.
"You have intruded into the Fate Weaver Space and mistakenly entered the Elysian Realm. I did not kill you, but spared your lives. Now, seeing that your strength is considerable, I grant you an opportunity. Accompany me into the Elysian Realm, become supreme 'Tu Nu' (Map Slaves), live forever, and serve the Fate Weaver Map. Are you willing?"
"Tu Nu? You still want... to make me your slave?"
Wan Lei laughed in anger. To be made into something like a walking dead was worse than killing him. Better to die than to live without freedom.
"Yes."
The artifact spirit's tone was always cold, devoid of any emotional fluctuation.
"Then answer me one question first."
"Speak."
"How can... this Fate Weaver Map be destroyed?"
"The Fate Weaver Map is supreme and indestructible. Those who enter the map can never leave."
"Then, you shall die."
Wan Lei snorted coldly, and the Thunder God's Hammer appeared in his hand. Fang Xiaoyu also took out her twin swords. The two of them jointly attacked the artifact spirit. The artifact spirit remained unmoved, allowing them to attack. Unsurprisingly, the lightning and sword energy they unleashed passed directly through the artifact spirit's ball of light. Wan Lei tried again, swinging the hammer directly at it. This time, his entire body passed through the artifact spirit.