After Failing to Find Immortality 182

Chapter 182: Dream Manipulation, A Chance Encounter

The bamboo house, shrouded in mist, crumbled into pieces, and the scenery around them shifted once again.

The Ninth Elder blinked, her eyes wide with confusion.

“Martial Aunt, are you awake now?”

A familiar voice brought her back to reality, and she looked around.

They were still in the bamboo house.

But the mist had vanished, and the intimate atmosphere was gone.

She was no longer lying on the bed, but sitting at the tea table, a teacup in her hand, as if nothing had happened.

The Ninth Elder was bewildered.

“I… what happened?”

“You were affected by the Yin techniques of this place, Martial Aunt.”

Lin Tianlu withdrew his hand from her shoulder and sat down opposite her. “Perhaps it’s part of the Moon Shadow Secret Art?”

“I… was affected by Yin techniques?”

The Ninth Elder touched her forehead, lost in thought.

But her expression gradually turned grim.

“I hadn’t even used the dream journey technique. Why did I enter a dream state?”

“It’s because of this environment.”

Lin Tianlu took a sip of tea. “Perhaps you were unknowingly affected when we passed through that tunnel.”

“I did have some… strange thoughts.”

The Ninth Elder bit her lip, her face pale.

Recalling her behavior, her heart trembled.

Lin Tianlu chuckled. “This sacred ground is quite strange.”

“No!”

The Ninth Elder shook her head. “This isn’t the Lunar Valley’s sacred ground.”

Lin Tianlu was startled. “Then what is it?”

“The Moon Soul Prison.”

As soon as she spoke, the bamboo house around them shattered.

It crumbled into pieces, revealing their true surroundings.

Lin Tianlu watched as his teacup vanished, and he stood up curiously, looking around.

They were now inside an ancient and dilapidated palace, its walls covered in moss.

The Ninth Elder’s eyes widened in realization. “I knew it!”

“What is this place, Martial Aunt?”

“The bamboo house and the night sky we saw… they were illusions, created from my memories, based on my perception of the sacred ground. This palace is the real ‘Moon Soul Prison.’”

The Ninth Elder explained in a low voice, “This Moon Soul Prison is a forbidden area of our Lunar Valley… no, it belonged to the Moon Soul Sacred Sect a thousand years ago. It’s been sealed for centuries.

It preys on the desires of those who enter, using ancient techniques to create realistic illusions, trapping them in a dream world. Even after years, they wouldn’t realize anything is wrong.”

Lin Tianlu stroked his chin. “Sounds dangerous.”

He was impressed by the Lunar Valley’s hidden power. They possessed such a unique treasure.

“It is dangerous. This prison was used to confine powerful enemies, to slowly break their will and spirit, until they were consumed by their own desires and became part of the Soul Moon.”

She pointed towards the ceiling.

Lin Tianlu looked up and saw a faint crescent moon glowing at the top of the palace.

“So the Valley Master wants to kill us?”

The Ninth Elder frowned, her mind racing.

But she shook her head. “I don’t think she intends to harm us.”

“Why not?”

“Although this Moon Soul Prison was used to imprison enemies, we’ve been living in seclusion for centuries, without any major conflicts. The Valley Master has modified it. It’s not as dangerous as it used to be. Even the Lunar Valley’s sacred ground was modeled after this place… But I’ve never been here before. I don’t know much about it.”

The Ninth Elder sighed, her expression complex. “I just don’t understand what the Valley Master is thinking. Why would she send us here?”

She had sensed something different about the Valley Master today, but she couldn’t pinpoint what it was.

And now, after being tricked, she was even more confused. Why would the Valley Master do such a pointless thing?

Did she truly want to eliminate her and Tianlu?

What had they done to provoke her?

And with her cultivation, she could have easily killed them directly. Why would she—

“There’s no need to worry, Martial Aunt.”

“Hmm?”

“The Valley Master doesn’t have any malicious intentions towards us. She’s not trying to harm us. In fact, she’s given us a gift, a chance to seek opportunities within a dream.”

Lin Tianlu smiled easily. “She’ll release us when the time is right.”

The Ninth Elder was surprised. “How can you be so sure?”

“Do you remember what happened just now?”

Her face flushed, and she stammered, “I-I remember…”

“The Valley Master mentioned the ‘Lunar Valley’s sacred ground’ before we left, to remind you of this place. And she controls the Moon Soul Prison. The bamboo house and the dream world we saw… they were created from your memories, your perception of the sacred ground.”

“She’s given us a chance to seek opportunities, a gift from an elder. And she’s also temporarily ‘confined’ us here, to avoid any unforeseen circumstances. It’s a win-win situation.”

Lin Tianlu chuckled. “This Moon Shadow Dream Journey technique is quite impressive. If I hadn’t disrupted the dream, perhaps we both could have found what we were looking for.”

“This…”

The Ninth Elder pondered his words.

With the mysterious power of the Moon Soul Prison, it was certainly possible.

“You anticipated this, Tianlu?”

“It was just a guess.”

Lin Tianlu shrugged. “If I knew her plans, I wouldn’t have walked into this trap so easily. But—”

He looked around the ancient and desolate palace, his eyes narrowed. “Turning illusions into reality, making dreams feel real. Using the Moon Shadow Dream Journey technique to explore possibilities, to seek opportunities…

I want to try it!”

As soon as he finished speaking, the crescent moon above them emitted a blinding light.

…

—The scenery around them shifted once again!

Mist swirled, spiritual energy pulsed, and a magnificent landscape, like an ink painting, unfolded before their eyes.

Towering mountains rose from the earth, their peaks piercing the sky. A vast mountain range, shrouded in mist and bathed in a golden light, stretched as far as the eye could see. Floating islands hovered in the air, and intricate formations covered the sky, as if reshaping the heavens and the earth.

The Ninth Elder’s eyes widened in shock as she felt the immense pressure bearing down on her.

Her centuries of cultivation felt insignificant in the face of this overwhelming power. She felt as if she would be crushed into dust at any moment.

Ethereal music echoed through the air, and a brilliant light descended from the sky, like a celestial gate opening amidst the stars. A staircase, shimmering with light, appeared before them, leading towards the heavens. All creatures bowed in worship, their collective will converging into a river of energy, flowing towards the celestial realm.

A golden plaque, its characters shining like stars, hung above the gate.

“Ah…”

The Ninth Elder’s face paled, her knees trembling under the immense pressure.

But the pressure quickly subsided, and she realized that Lin Tianlu was holding her hand, his warmth dispelling the fear that had gripped her heart.

“T-Tianlu, where are we…?”

“I just wanted to try something.”

Lin Tianlu looked up at the towering mountains and the celestial palace, his eyes filled with a deep longing. “To see this legendary immortal sect with my own eyes, to understand its secrets.”

He took the Ninth Elder’s hand and stepped onto the shimmering staircase. It felt as if they were walking on air, their bodies weightless, like immortals ascending to the heavens.

The Ninth Elder, still shaken, followed him closely.

But looking at the dreamlike scenery around them, she couldn’t help but feel a surge of curiosity.

What kind of past did her son-in-law have, to make the Moon Soul Prison conjure up such a magnificent vision? These towering mountains, this ethereal aura… it was almost identical to the legendary immortal sects…

Perhaps… this was the “legend” itself!

Hum!

A wave of energy pulsed, spreading through the air, and the gates of the celestial palace slowly opened. A torrent of spiritual energy surged out, bathing the surrounding area in a golden light. Ethereal music filled the air, grand and majestic.

The Ninth Elder stared at the plaque above the gate, her eyes wide with awe.

The name…

‘Wan Sheng Immortal Sect’

Crack!

A sudden cracking sound.

Before they could react, the dreamlike scenery around them shattered.

A moment later, the light faded, and they were back in the ancient palace.

“…”

Lin Tianlu looked up at the ceiling, his expression confused.

The crescent moon that had been shining brightly was now dim and lifeless.

He chuckled awkwardly. “Martial Aunt, is this thing broken?”

“…”

The Ninth Elder snapped out of her daze and stared at him, her expression strange.