Chapter Twenty: Consolation

  Changsu Town

  The sky was still dark, and the room was quiet. After tossing and turning for a while, Yang Yunqiu got up to open the console to repair Fu Ning's sword.

  The last time he had wielded the flying sword, he still found it somewhat difficult to control, but now he was already thoroughly familiar with it.

  The spiritual energy is running smoother than ever, and the divine consciousness has increased by more than double. The difference between 4th and 3rd grade is not a qualitative gap, but it's like the difference between domestic knockoffs and genuine goods.

  Originally expected to take two days, but as soon as the sky was slightly bright, the flying sword hummed and jumped on his fingertips, it actually came back to life.

  Yang Yunqiu smiled and took the flying sword to the next room.

  The Yang family's house was too small, and Fu Ning and Si Tu thought of borrowing a place to stay but there was no room. Fu Ning also wanted to repair his own 'Fei Rong' as soon as possible, so for the time being, the two people couldn't leave either. So they simply rented the courtyard next door.

  It was an ordinary small courtyard with green tiles and blue bricks, but after the two moved in, it became a humble abode that shone brightly. Yang Yunque didn't rush to knock on the door, instead carefully observing the talismans hanging on the wall and the gate.

  Several defensive formations are not unusual, most of them are to defend against gentlemen but not petty people. Only one 'Tongming Formation' has a bit of cleverness. In front of this formation, if you say your name with an innocent heart, the gate can be opened.

  Yang Yunqiu had just drawn a formation with her fingers and was watching the azure light dancing at her fingertips, unable to help but smile.

  The formations of this era are complex and beautiful, and when painted, the more dazzling and powerful they appear.

  The doll's formation of that era has already permeated every aspect of the world, and as a result, it has lost its mysterious feel. Even if the lines are intricate and difficult to draw, the formation exists silently and unobtrusively.

  The gate opened wide and Pei Ning had already walked out.

  He hadn't even left the gate when Yang Yunqiu's flying sword, which had been hidden in her sleeve, let out a soft hum. Pei Ning was taken aback and raised an eyebrow, reaching out to take it. "I thought I'd misjudged, but you've repaired it so quickly?"

  Fei Rong's hand trembled, and the familiar sword intent made Fu Ning's mood better than ever before. He raised his head to see Yang Yunqiu's face pale, thinking he hadn't slept all night for his own sword, and felt guilty, saying: "Young Master Yang should go back and rest, if because of me, you exhaust your spirit, it would be my fault."

  Yang Yunqiu smiled: "I'm not tired, nor do I want to sleep. How about inviting me for a drink instead?"

  Fu Ning never drinks, but this time he agreed, and with a refreshed complexion, he was also happy, as if reborn!

  Even if they are elite nurtured by Tian Xiu, after all, they are young and far from reaching the state of being unmoved in their hearts.

  Changsu Town has been very lively lately, not only have the number of outsiders coming and going increased, but also the annual Shanming Academy entrance examination is about to take place, filling the entire town with a crazy atmosphere.

  The guests who had been drinking all night were either sleeping or making a racket in the tavern, while Yang Yunqiu simply grabbed a jug of wine and walked out with Fu Ning, taking swigs as they went.

  Fu Ning was drinking for the first time and had never even held a wine jug before.

  Yang Yunqiu tilted her head to look at him holding the wine jug, hesitating left and right, still looking ethereal as a fairy to outsiders, couldn't help but want to laugh.

  The doll sat on Yang Yunqiu's shoulder and said, "I heard that 'Tianxiu' cultivates male disciples, all of whom are carefully selected for their excellent roots and qualifications. They let them undergo forty-nine trials in the fantasy realm, and finally select one out of a thousand to enter the sect."

  "Everyone must abide by the rules - no self-boasting, no self-conceit, no self-righteousness, cannot display desires, cannot be ugly and evil, cannot speak foul language, cannot harbor jealousy and hatred, cannot retreat in fear... Must become a person with a heart as bright as the sun and moon."

  "This is indeed a disciple of Tian Xiu."

  Yang Yunqiu listened to the doll still speaking with a few points of childishness, suddenly felt that fortunately Pei Ning's cultivation was not yet at the level of utmost goodness and beauty, otherwise where would he still be human?

  "They are beautiful flowers in bud, now picking is a bit early, need to water and fertilize frequently!"

  Yang Yunqiu's footsteps paused for a moment, and she secretly poked the doll once - it was still not right to let him run around on the internet.

  Turning around, Duan was indeed standing at the corner of the street wall, hanging his head, and emitting a gloomy aura all over his body.

  Yang Yunqiu was stunned, Doudou had always been Qi Shu's obedient daughter, how could she still be strolling around on the streets at this hour?

  "What?"

  "Big Brother Yang."

  As soon as she lifted her head, Yang Yunqiu was amused. The little girl cried like a small kitten, with eyes that were both red and swollen.

  Before he could ask, his sister came running over, her skirt fluttering, as lively as a butterfly dancing in a cluster of spring flowers.

  Yang Yunqiu sighed, Yang Yantian ran out before dawn, which was even more strange. She didn't mention that this little girl loved to sleep and was lazy, usually getting up from bed only when the sun was high, and she had also told her not to go out casually recently.

  It's just that now doesn't seem like the right time to be teaching your sister a lesson.

  Yang Yan ran to Duoduo's front, at a loss for words, and after a long while, she gritted her teeth and said: "Duoduo, don't be sad, that bastard Guo Yu, I'll beat him up for you. He stole your design, with his arrogant attitude, even if he entered Shanming Academy, he's only worthy of being in the ninth grade. We can design something better, we still have three days!"

  "Me, I'm the one who designed it... where can I find another magician who can turn my design into a fantasy in just three days..."

  Yang Yan was also speechless.

  Yang Yunqiu listened on one side and suddenly understood that it was for the exam of Shanming Academy.

  In fact, the examination of Shanming Academy is not difficult, and it rarely tests the magical powers of the cultivators. Most of the time, the first round of screening is done by the students themselves.

  Want to learn magic, take out a magic design, ask someone to design a simple magic array, submit it to the school for review. Want to become an instrument repairman, can provide your own work, or just draw a design drawing, ask other instrument masters to make it. Fa Xiu is more troublesome, if you don't know spells, don't know divine power, no qualifications, want to pass still a bit difficult, but there are also ways to take shortcuts, such as writing a valuable thesis article...

  All in all, it's just a small dish. Even if the school wants to test profound things, there is no way to test them, after all, most of those who come to study are not monks.

  This school has always been inclusive, as long as it's not the kind that looks bad at first glance and has no chance of becoming a monk, they will all be accepted. After entering the school, they are divided into grades according to their entrance exam scores.

  Duoduo knew that her natural talent was not high, so she might have thought of learning the relatively simple but difficult to master basic course of illusion magic. Therefore, she prepared the design of the illusion and asked Guo Yu to help her create a small-scale illusion array, which cost her a lot of money. Unfortunately, it ended up like this, no wonder she wanted to cry.

  Yang Yunqiu couldn't help but laugh, the kind of pre-designed and then made into an illusion array by an illusionist, forming an illusory realm, is the lowest level in illusions. A qualified illusionist, even if they haven't entered the door yet, can complete it very easily.

  Mid-level illusion, most of which are also designed in advance, but can interact with people and are less likely to be detected as flaws.

  Being able to get this far, the illusionist is quite good.

  Even more advanced, yet it is as if the real world, blending into reality, probing people's hearts, any cultivator who enters will never notice anything fake.

  There is another realm, whose subtlety is unknown to man, almost a completely real world. Practitioners in it will experience all the tribulations of their practice; if they cannot pass through, they can only fall.

  Illusion, only when the cultivator always thinks it is real can it exert its greatest power, and once it is recognized, it has no value.

  Nowadays, the major sects let their disciples temper their souls in the illusory realm, most of which are medium-grade, and only a few top-notch sects have high-grade ones. As for the most mysterious one, Tianxiu had one 300 years ago, but it has been damaged and cannot be used now.

  Duoduo and Yang Yan were frowning and looking worried, treating this matter as a huge problem.

  Yang Yunqiu and Fu Ning couldn't help but laugh, somewhat nostalgic, just like university students looking at primary school students struggling with their summer homework, besides feeling amused, they also missed their youthful days.

  Yang Yunqiu took out a square handkerchief and wiped Doudou's face, smiling: "A Yan is right, don't cry, there's still time."

  He thought for a moment and exchanged a glance with Fu Ning: "How about this, you design the illusion technique, I'll help you create the illusion array, take it to hand in the assignment, three days is definitely enough time."

  Duo Duo's eyes lit up instantly.

  "Brother is really great, too good!" Yang Yan was even more excited and jumped for joy.

  Yang Yunqiu shook her head silently.

  Not to mention Fu Ning, who is a genius, but even Yang Yunqiu, who spent three years in the wilderness, was exposed to things that were so profound he almost couldn't understand them. Now, however, he's helping a young girl with her "elementary school homework", and what's more, two girls are taking it very seriously. It feels quite strange.

  The low-level illusions currently used by various sects are not intended to harm people, but to temper the spirit and soul. The more concentrated the cultivator's mind is when entering the illusion, the more condensed their spirit and soul will be, and the greater the benefits they will gain. Therefore, the basic requirements for illusionists nowadays should indeed include having a rich imagination and being able to tell stories.

  Although Yang Yunqiu always felt that if the fantasy world could not change with people's hearts, it could not enter people's hearts directly, and it was not a real fantasy world at most, it was just an illusion. However, illusions are just illusions, and the primary school students of Shanming Academy can't take very difficult exams when they first start school.

  Although she looks young, she is actually very good at telling stories. The subject of her last design was a story about an immortal swordsman and a mortal, which was beautifully sad and fascinating, containing all the joys and sorrows of life. Although there were some minor flaws in the details, the story itself was good.

  Otherwise, her designs wouldn't be stolen by others.

  Yang Yunqiu said a few words and coaxed Doudou into stopping her tears and going back to redo her homework.

  As for Yang Yan, he was fiercely stared at and slunk away dejectedly.

  The sky is gradually brightening.

  Yang Yunqiu and Fu Ning each drank a pot of wine.

  All have some intoxicating charm.

  Feng Ning suddenly stopped in his tracks, turned around and asked: "By the way, I forgot to ask you, is there a good guide in Changsu Town? I'm going to make a trip to the Barbarian Forest."

  Yang Yunqiu suddenly stopped: "...... If you want to go to the outer circle, just find a hunter in the village to lead the way. If you want to go deeper... No one dares to go in winter."

  In other dense forests, winter is a relatively quiet season, but the winter of the barbarous forest is full of crises and traps. If one is not careful, even bones may not be left behind. When he was in the barbarous forest, every time it was winter, Fang Zhong didn't dare to go out casually.

  He had once seen the most common 'cold air' on a winter day, through the skylight of the base, for the first time witnessing the power of nature, ice and frost spreading, in almost the blink of an eye, three inches of solid ice formed in the forest.

  Wherever the cold air invades, all living things are exterminated, without a single survivor.

  Yang Yunqiu sometimes thought that it was no wonder that the barbaric forest had so many monks who liked it, just because of the spiritual flowers and grasses inside, which could survive in the cold winter, were already quite valuable.