Techniques and Dao

Chapter 38 Invasion Mystery
A clever box wins the game.

This bizarre world, filled with lush greenery and accompanied by a violent storm, is rapidly collapsing from the outside in, instantly shrinking the giant cruise ship and everyone inside into a single point.

Hua Sheng felt a sudden dizziness, as if he had been pushed from a narrow space into a wide open area and thrown out. When he hit the ground, he heard gasps from the crowd.

The light was so bright he could barely open his eyes. Hua Sheng rubbed them vigorously for a long time before his eyelids finally opened slightly. In his dazed state, he saw hundreds of disciples around him, all dressed in the robes of the Daoist Academy. The surrounding buildings were familiar, and in the distance was the Xuanwu Divine Mountain. Yes, he had returned to the Daoist Academy.

He staggered to his feet and saw that Mieying beside him had just opened his eyes, and further away were Taishang Xiaojun and Tianjizi. Xuanwen, on the other hand, lay motionless on the ground.

Then he heard Master Yu Ran's voice: "What's wrong with you guys!"

Hua Sheng tried hard to calm himself down and replied, "There's a problem with the Heavenly Eye Trial!"

"As expected! No wonder I couldn't enter the immortal formation."

Hua Sheng pointed at Xuan Wen lying on the ground and said, "Xuan Wen is injured, quickly save him!"

Immortal Master Yu Ran hurriedly instructed the disciples beside him to take Xuanwen to receive treatment.

Hua Sheng turned around and grabbed Tian Jizi, saying, "Tian Jizi, you must keep your word! You said it yourself, as long as I beat you, you must not interfere with Wei Yu's freedom!"

Tianjizi was about to say something, but he had to hold back.

He snorted, then flicked his long sleeves and turned to leave.

Hua Sheng wanted to go up, but then he heard Master Yu Ran ask him, "How did you get out?"

"The disciple obtained the Victorious Buddha's Road Pass and ended the game of the clever box."

As Hua Sheng finished speaking, he felt a burning sensation on the palm of his left hand. Upon closer inspection, he saw that the Sheng Fu Road Ink he had just swallowed had turned into a colorful picture and was painted on the palm of his left hand.

He raised his left hand and shouted, "The Buddha's travel permit is right here!"

Suddenly, the surroundings fell silent. After a while, the hundreds of disciples began to whisper among themselves.

"What! He actually obtained the Victorious Buddha's Road Pass?!"

"These mortals? They're nothing but mole ants!"

"This mole ant has become the first mortal to emerge victorious in the history of the Heavenly Eye Trial? No way!"

Suddenly someone in the crowd shouted, "A mortal! He is one of us mortals! He defeated Tianjizi! He won the Tianmu Trial!"

Immediately afterwards, cheers spread from the source of the shout in the crowd, with applause and cheers rising and falling.

"This person's name is Hua Sheng!"

"Flower Bloom?"

"Flowers in full bloom!"

"Flowers in full bloom!"

The disciples cheered!
"This guy has actually made history at the Academy of Arts and Sciences! How did he do it?"

"Tianjizi lost? How could he possibly beat Tianjizi?"

"Flowers in full bloom! Flowers in full bloom! Flowers in full bloom!"

More and more disciples cheered, and suddenly everyone rushed over. Hua Sheng was caught in a sea of ​​cheers, which were so loud that his eardrums hurt.

After a long period of celebration, Hua Sheng finally managed to break free from the crowd. He couldn't find anyone else for a while; the three consecutive rounds of the Heavenly Eye Trial had lasted at least a day and a night. Hua Sheng felt his head starting to throb, and the ordeal had left him swaying and disoriented.

"Hua Sheng!" A familiar voice called out, and Hua Sheng's heart skipped a beat.

Wei Yu! His heart pounded! It was Wei Yu!
He turned his head and saw Wei Yu running towards him at high speed!
"Hua Sheng, you idiot! Why did you go to the Tianmu Trial! You almost lost your life!" Accompanied by the unique fragrance of Wei Yu, Wei Yu suddenly rushed forward and hugged Hua Sheng.

Hua Sheng's face immediately burned like fire.

Wei Yu hugged Hua Sheng and said, "Wei Yu knew you would win!"

Hua Sheng seized the opportunity to say, "I also know that even the luckiest deity in the world would be defeated in front of us."

Wei Yu blushed: "Don't talk nonsense."

"You little ant! You! She!"

It turned out that Mieying had been standing to the side at some point, her face already turning a deep purplish-red, her eyes bulging as if they were about to spit fire. She said, "Is this the deputy registrar of the Xi Academy? Little Lou, what's your relationship with her! Why are you saying such mushy things to her?"

Upon hearing Mieying's words, Weiyu noticed a girl with bloodshot eyes standing next to her and asked, "His name isn't Xiaolou. Are you sure you haven't mistaken him for someone else?"

"What I say is none of your business! Hua Sheng is nothing but my little ant!"

Wei Yu's expression changed: "What...do you mean by this?"

"Don't think that just because my eldest sister favors you and you've become the deputy registrar, you can do whatever you want! Let me tell you, even if it's the registrar Tianjizi, I don't even put him in my eyes!"

"When have I ever done whatever I wanted?" Wei Yu asked.

"Then why are you hugging my servant!"

"Who is your servant?" Wei Yu was taken aback, but quickly realized what was happening. She immediately took a step back, her face darkening as she asked, "Hua Sheng, what happened between you two? Why did she give you such a strange nickname?"

Seeing Wei Yu's attitude undergo a complete 180-degree change, Hua Sheng immediately felt a chill and hurriedly explained, "Wei Yu, please don't..."

"You want to say don't misunderstand? Did I say anything?" Wei Yu's face instantly turned icy. "Why are you so nervous!"

Hua Sheng immediately turned to Mie Ying and said, "Mie Ying, you need to explain yourself. Actually, you and I..."

Mieying retorted, "You heartless wretch! If it weren't for my kindness in persuading Third Sister, would you, an ant, have any chance of defeating Tianjizi?"

Wei Yu pointed at Mie Ying and asked Hua Sheng, "So you won because of this girl?"

"It does offer some... help..." Hua Sheng realized he couldn't hide it any longer, and there was no need to conceal the fact that he had helpers.

But to everyone's surprise, Mieying glared at Hua Sheng and suddenly slapped him across the face, making Hua Sheng feel dizzy and see stars. Then Mieying said, "I'm the one who bandaged your wounds, but don't come looking for me if you break an arm or a leg! You little traitor!"

"Huh?" Hua Sheng was stunned, feeling a burning pain on his face.

Mieying ignored him and left without looking back.

Hua Sheng grabbed Mie Ying's arm: "Don't go! You need to explain yourself!"

Mie Ying turned around, his nose already perched with large glasses. Upon seeing Hua Sheng, he immediately backed away: "What are you doing? How dare you... grab a girl's arm like that?"

Hua Sheng looked closely and saw that the seventh sister was gone, and Mie Ying had transformed back into her youngest, ninth sister. She had black hair and wore large glasses.

Where is your seventh sister?

"I don't know..." Mieying adjusted his glasses and said timidly in a low voice, "What do you want with my seventh sister..."

Hua Sheng sighed. It seemed that Mieying Xiaoqi didn't intend to see him, so he could only say, "Never mind... sigh, you can go now."

Immediately, as if avoiding a plague, Mie Ying turned and ran away quickly.

Hua Sheng walked back dejectedly. Looking at Wei Yu again, her face was expressionless. But the more expressionless she was, the more terrifying Hua Sheng found her expression to be, and he wanted to break the awkward atmosphere as soon as possible.

"That just now..."

"You don't need to say anything more."

"I still have to say it." Hua Sheng felt that this matter could not be delayed and needed to be explained clearly.

“Okay, then I’ll ask you a question,” Wei Yu said. “Why did she hit you just now?”

"How should I know! I was the one who got hit."

“Very good. You don’t know.” Wei Yu’s tone made Hua Sheng uneasy.

"Of course I don't know. I'm not a mind reader. Don't be angry."

"I'm not angry. I hope you get along well with her sisters and cousins ​​in the future!"

"What do you mean by 'get along well'? What are you talking about? We just happened to meet during the Tianmu Trial. I accidentally saved her, and she... helped me too."

"I understand. Very good, that's your destiny."

"Wei Yu, don't be like this. I don't understand what you're talking about!" "It's nothing. I still have a lot to do." Wei Yu turned around, flicked her long sleeves, and a cloud of green rose beneath her feet as she rode away.

Hua Sheng rushed forward to block her way, but Wei Yu vanished with a whoosh. Hua Sheng looked around but couldn't find Wei Yu. When he looked up, he realized that Wei Yu had already flown far away and was no longer able to catch up.

Hua Sheng sighed deeply, feeling as if his mood had plummeted to rock bottom.

Then he felt a gentle pat on his back, and when he turned around, he saw it was Taishang Xiaojun.

Tai Shang Xiao Jun raised an eyebrow and said, "It seems that obtaining this Victorious Buddha's Path Pass was no easy feat. It has brought you so much trouble."

"Don't make fun of me..."

"One is the deputy registrar of the Daoist Arts Academy, and the other is the adopted daughter of the Fire Wheel Heavenly King. You've offended ten girls in total; you've really stirred up a huge mess!"

"Wait a minute! What are you saying? How can you include all of Shadow Extinction's sisters?"

“They always travel as a group, like a private sisters’ tour group. Why can’t they all be included?” Tai Shang Xiao Jun was clearly unyielding in his judgment.

"Sigh..." Hua Sheng sighed, "It's also my fault. I was so confused and didn't even know where I offended Mie Ying. Wei Yu was the same. I really don't understand this girl's thoughts."

"Indeed, you seem to be haunted by something! It's probably because you defeated the incredibly lucky Tianjizi, so you're going to have some bad luck for a while! Why don't you try performing a ritual to change your fate?"

"Will it work? Then hurry up and draw me a few talismans."

"It might work for ordinary people in the mortal realm, but for a girl like Sheng Pingning with slightly stronger immortal power, I think the effect might not be very noticeable..." Tai Shang Xiao Jun stuck out her tongue. "Anyway, Wei Yu and Mie Ying are not to be trifled with. I don't want to provoke them. Hua Sheng, you'd better pray for yourself."

Hua Sheng looked at the Victory Buddha Road Pass in his hand, and felt a mix of emotions.

"By the way, I couldn't find you earlier. Immortal Master Yu Ran wanted to ask you some questions to find out what happened," said Tai Shang Xiao Jun.

At Master Yu Ran's request, Hua Sheng hurried to Huixian Pavilion. This was his first time visiting Huixian Pavilion, but its design was no different from Sixian Pavilion. Hua Sheng quickly walked up the stairs to the top floor, where he saw Master Yu Ran already sitting cross-legged in front of his desk.

Upon seeing Hua Sheng, Master Yu Ran said, "You must be exhausted from participating in the Heavenly Eye Trial, but because it is of great importance, I must ask you some questions, but it won't take too long."

Just as Hua Sheng was about to sit down, Master Yu Ran said, "It's alright, come forward."

Hua Sheng then stepped forward and sat down on the opposite side of Master Yu Ran's desk.

Master Yu Ran frowned and said, "I am the supervising master who will seize the final opportunity in this game of cleverly seizing the box."

Hua Sheng nodded. He had already guessed something when he returned to the Daoist Academy from the Immortal Array and saw Immortal Master Yu Ran.

Master Yu Ran continued, "Previously, in the Divine Mind Calculation Game, several trial participants entered the final challenge of the Clever Box. But now two are missing."

"Immortal Master, are you referring to Rong Ping and Qi Guang?"

"Not bad!"

"You should know that there have been some problems with this clever box game."

“I have indeed discovered it. In fact, when you all left the Divine Calculation Bureau, I went to the Clever Box Game.”

"Oh? Immortal Master, you've been to the Clever Box Game?"

"Yes. But when I entered the puzzle box, I found that there wasn't a single participant inside."

"no one?"

"Exactly."

"Is there a stone box? You mean a box that looks like a giant stone coffin?"

"No. I have never placed this item in the game."

"What about the cruise ship?"

Master Yu Ran shook his head: "Just as I said, I didn't see you in the Clever Box Game. It's as if after you left the Divine Calculation Game, everyone disappeared without a trace."

"But we are indeed back now."

"That's right. You escaped from the non-existent puzzle box and returned to the Academy of Arts and Sciences through the teleportation of the immortal array."

Hua Sheng then told Master Yu Ran everything that had happened during the clever box game.

Upon hearing this, Master Yu Ran frowned and stroked his beard, saying, "Perhaps, as you have guessed, the Clever Box Seizing Immortal Array may indeed have been compromised."

“Yes. At the time, Tianjizi said it might be because of me.” Huasheng mentioned the strange pattern on his body and the witch who appeared out of nowhere.

Master Yu Ran examined the wounds on Hua Sheng's body and replied, "Hua Sheng, just as you used the Samadhi True Fire before, the Academy will conduct an investigation into you within three days. You must not leave this place for the next few days, and we will notify you to come at any time."

After bowing to Master Yu Ran, Hua Sheng withdrew.

Master Yu Ran sat cross-legged behind the desk, pondering for a long time, before suddenly asking, "What are your thoughts on what Hua Sheng just said, Masters?"

Behind and to the left and right of Immortal Master Yu Ran, two figures appeared: Immortal Master Huo Lei, who was in charge of monitoring the battle of the candle flames, and Immortal Master Qing Miao, who was in charge of monitoring the Divine Calculation Bureau.

The first to speak was Master Huo Lei. He stroked his beard and said, "This matter is of utmost importance. Judging from what Hua Sheng just said, the registrar Tian Jizi's insight is exceptionally sharp. The fact that the immortal array was invaded is undoubtedly true. If everything this person said is true, then the matter of polluting the Heavenly Eye Trial is naturally inseparable from him."

"What does Immortal Master Qingmiao think?" Immortal Master Yuran asked.

Qingmiao replied, "What Master Huolei said makes sense. But I met Huasheng once in the Divine Mind Calculation Bureau. Apart from his decent insight into things and some cleverness, he doesn't seem to have anything special about him. I'm afraid..."

Fire Thunder Immortal Master couldn't contain himself and said, "Qingmiao Immortal Master, how can you conclude from a short time that this kid is unrelated to the pollution of the immortal array? Besides, almost everything they saw in the Clever Box Game was from the mortal world. And which of the remaining trial disciples has ever left Holy Peace?"

Qingmiao replied calmly, "Immortal Master Huolei, please be patient. I am not saying that it is unrelated to the flourishing of flowers, but my opinion differs slightly from that of Tianjizi."

Huo Lei asked, "What's the difference? Please enlighten me, Immortal Master Qingmiao."

Qingmiao replied, "While it cannot be said that Huasheng is completely unrelated, the reason why I believe the main reason for the invasion of the immortal array is not Huasheng is because I think that with Huasheng's cultivation of only a few months, he simply could not have done this."

"What do you mean, Immortal Master Qingmiao?"

Qingmiao said, "As you two immortal masters probably know, the Academy of Arts and Sciences was originally built on a huge magic array on the Xuanwu Spirit Turtle. Although the three of us are the supervising immortal masters of the Heavenly Eye Trial, the immortal power that built the magic array does not actually rely on us. It is the Xuanwu Magic Array, which means that the immortal power comes from the Academy of Arts and Sciences."

Immortal Master Yu Ran said, "Immortal Master Qing Miao is absolutely right. This formation was set up by Dao Ling Xing Jun in the past, combining the power of Xuanwu. Therefore, the formation of the Daoist Academy is extremely complex and powerful. In terms of the level of immortal arts, it should be in the immeasurable range."

Qingmiao said, "Indeed, so although we used some of the immortal techniques in the Heavenly Eye Trial that we were monitoring this time, the overall structure came from the Xuanwu Formation. The three rounds of Candlelight Battle, Divine Mental Calculation, and Clever Box Snatching are different. Even if their core immortal techniques are lower than the Boundless level, they are still above the Lingxiao level in any case."

Master Yu Ran nodded slightly.

Qingmiao said, "The two immortal masters should know that invading an immortal array is no easy task. If the Heavenly Eye Trial is breached, the opponent's magical power may far surpass that of us immortal masters, and they may even possess immeasurable immortal techniques. I believe that even the three of us would find it difficult to resist."

Huo Lei slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "Qingmiao! What you said makes sense!"

“But I do believe that Hua Sheng is somewhat related to this matter,” Qingmiao said. “However, considering the analogy Hua Sheng just gave, if we compare the magic array that caused the change in the magic array to a wooden building, and the reason he caused the change in the magic array to fire, then he is at most just a spark. The reason that the magic array, this ‘wooden building,’ can change so quickly in such a short time is probably that the ‘contamination’ was not just temporary, but that it had already been coated with some kind of ‘fuel,’ just like lamp oil had been poured everywhere, and Hua Sheng was just the last spark that was lit.”

Huo Lei was taken aback: "Immortal Master Qingmiao, could it be that..."

Master Yu Ran was also quite surprised and asked, "Does Master Qing Miao think that this pollution has not only invaded the Clever Box Strategy?"

"Yes. I suspect that the problem with the clever box game is just a symptom, and the root cause is likely the Xuanwu formation of the Academy of Arts and Sciences."

Huo Lei jumped up and roared, "Does that mean the Magic Academy is in danger?"

Master Qingmiao replied, "Indeed, but fortunately the Xuanwu Festival is just around the corner. Firstly, Dao Ling Xingjun is about to emerge from seclusion, and secondly, we can use the Xuanwu Festival to repair the magic array of the Magic Academy."

Master Yu Ran said, "The Academy of Arts and Sciences has not been without its tribulations over the past thousand years. Therefore, this annual festival not only restores the immortal array, but also allows us to remove any intruding elements during the restoration process and find out where the culprit came from."

Huo Lei seemed impatient and said, "Then we should go and inform Immortal Master Jueguang first, so that we can start preparing as soon as possible!"

Immortal Master Yu Ran said, "Immortal Master Huo Lei, there is another matter I need to trouble you with."

"Please speak freely, Immortal Master Yu Ran!"

"That disciple Hua Sheng just now, regarding his use of Samadhi True Fire earlier..."

"This mere mortal is able to unleash the Samadhi True Fire; this is indeed strange!"

"Therefore, in a couple of days, Master Jueguang and I will carefully investigate the events of that day. Since you are proficient in the way of fire, we would also like to trouble Master Huolei to participate as well."

"Immortal Master Yu Ran, you're too kind. This is Huo Lei's duty! I'd also like to know, what abilities does this brat possess? How could he burn down our Si Xian Pavilion in the Daoist Arts Academy!"

(End of this chapter)