âBrat, donât you dare underestimate me!â Although Lord Tong He was initially terrified by Cai Hongâs attack that he did not see comingâmoreover, he was even wounded all over his body. Although it was superficial for someone as strong as him, it was still not something he could neglect.
It seemed like Cai Hong even held back.
âAmusing,â Yang Lujia instead replied. âIf youâre that adamant about fighting Cai Hong, I would gladly agree to your request. However, if you lose, you have to serve under me.â
Cai Hong was about to open his mouth but was stunned agape. He did not expect His Highness to reply to this lowly man before them. âYour Highness, why must we do this? We can just subdue him directly!â
His eyes showed ruthlessness as he said those words. Nonetheless, it didnât escape Yang Lujiaâs eyes, so he stared at Cai Hong with a discerning mind. It was as if he was stripping the other party.
Cai Hong, on the other hand, was somewhat baffled by His Highnessâ stare. âYour Highness, what might you be thinking about?â
âCai Hong, always remember this,â Yang Lujia said as he waved his hand. He then showed both Cai Hong and Lord Tong He two different scenarios. He simply used the rules of illusion to create such a scene.
He wanted them to realize something.
As for Cai Hong, the look on his face became one that was terrified. That was because His Highness suddenly disappeared and he was left alone in a space wherein there was only darkness.
âYour Highness!â he called out, but he soon found out that his voice was actually muffled. He could feel that he could speak, but no sound would come out of his mouthâor perhaps it was just his ears that were deafened.
âWhat sort of place is this? Why can I only see the dark? Why would His Highness send me here?â Cai Hong was skeptical. He then surveyed his surroundings, he actually could not find a single speck of light. There was only darkness.
Although the darkness was bearable for someone as strong as him, this extreme darkness was taking a toll on his mental powerâeven though he practiced his mental power the most.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
âYoung man, give me your treasures! Else, this old man will not only keep your treasures but will also end your life and the life of your companion!â an old voice echoed into Cai Hongâs ears.
He confirmed that it probably was his voice that was really muffled, not his ears being deafened. However, he was delighted to hear somebodyâs voice after an hour of staying in this place. He felt very tormented.
But he knew that His Highness might have a reason for doing this to him.
However, when he looked in that direction, he was shocked. Not only was the old man someone he had met before within the Void Ground, the two young men on the other side were actually him and His Highness!
âWhat kind of trick is this?â he asked.
âOld thing, you are the most despicable person I have ever metâwe have ever met! We have gained these treasures through our own abilitiesâbelonging to the younger generation. Why are you bullying someone like us?â the other Cai Hong in the projection argued with veins popping from his neck.
Yang Lujia, on the other hand, was just standing behind him. However, Yang Lujiaâs face was filled with fear like no other. It seemed like he really feared the old manâs appearance. Even the real Cai Hong, who was only spectating, was baffled.
âWhy would this sort of scene appear all of a sudden?â he asked another question.
HEH.
âBrat, who taught you to speak like that to someone of the older generation like me? Do you not know who I am? Just a single slap from me would equate to death to you! Moreover, itâs not that I want your treasures. I only want your treasures because, between us, I am clearly more capable of protecting them.
âBrat, this is a negotiation for you to keep your lives. Do not waste my time on these useless arguments!â
âShameless old man!â the other Cai Hong shouted and released his might. However, to the real Cai Hongâs surprise, it was simply weaker than a Saint King. In fact, in the projection, he was only someone who had just reached the Saint Realm.
Behind him was Yang Lujia, who even had a weaker cultivation realm at the God Emperor Realm!
However, as soon as the other Cai Hong released his might, the old man in the projection also did the same. This time, however, the old manâs might swept the entire area and the other two spat cold bloodâtheir faces turning pale.
The real Cai Hong who was watching this projection clenched his teeth in anger, especially when he saw the pitiful look of Yang Lujia. His Highness was simply mutilated as he had a weaker cultivation than him. Moreover, the other Cai Hong couldnât even protect himselfâmuch less when he extended some help to Yang Lujia.
âYour Highness!â The other Cai Hong rushed to Yang Lujiaâs body with tears glistening in his eyes. Although he was extremely weak himself, he disregarded all the physical pain and instead started treating Yang Lujiaâs severe injuries.
âWhy?! Why?!â the real Cai Hong shouted. He even forgot that this was only a projection made by Yang Lujia. He forgot that this was something His Highness had only forged for himâas to what purposeâhe had yet to know.
Seeing himself and especially Yang Lujia getting bullied by the projection of that Wind King Tribe old man, he was extremely displeased and pained. He truly felt helpless, as even moving in this dark space was simply impossible for him. He wanted to get near to the projection to try and at least save His Highnessâ lifeâbut he was simply restrained by something. He couldnât move, but his eyes and ears were as clear as a sunny sky.
On the other hand, Yang Lujia, in the outside world, was smiling as he saw Cai Hongâs reaction. He then broke the illusion and Cai Hong was brought back to reality.
âWhat was that?!â Cai Hong immediately realized that it was only an illusionâhowever, it was so powerful that he, as a peak Saint Emperor, who practiced his mental power all his life, was unable to determine which was reality and which wasnât.
Initially, he thought it was some sort of illusion. However, as that projection started to slowly show him that scene, he gradually forgot about it being an illusion. It was that powerfulâthe longer he lingered in that dark space, the more heâd forget that he was in an illusion.
âIâve had you enter that Illusion Space to make you witness something that you never thought wouldâve happened.â
Yang Lujiaâs voice snapped Cai Hongâs senses back to reality once more.
âIllusion Space? So, His Highness, was it really just an illusion?â
Yang Lujia nodded and said, âYes. In fact, it was a space I was able to create through the Dark Space Scripture I once chanced upon. However, this wasnât the main gist of what I let you experience. Instead, it was something else more important that you have to realize.â
Yang Lujiaâs gaze then changed to a serious one, nearly frightening Cai Hong to his heart. âCai Hong, always remember thisâ¦â
Cai Hong listened attentively with his face also turning solemn.
âAlways remember that using your superior strength to bully other people or to use them to make others submit to you is not a good sign of a cultivator. Although I know that this world is basically a world of the jungleâwhoever survives will be hailed the fittest, virtues in a cultivatorâs heart should also be observed.
âElse, it would make you feel the burden of making someone submit to you against their will. Once that burden accumulates and that person who you forced into submission might always have the intention to fight back, it would be your loss. That person might have surrendered, but that didnât mean he would not avenge himself or whoever he knew closely, you would also incur the hatred of a person.
âJust reflect on what happened in that illusion. That feeling of weakness, fragilityâit is extremely frustrating to always be looked down upon with your weak strength. It is always frustrating that even if you have the talent to cultivate faster than others, you will still be killed and not be allowed to grow because of othersâ envy.
âIâve heard stories about geniuses who were killed just because they chose not to submit to another person.
âIf we were in that position, how do you think we would feel? In this world where there are effects, there must be causes and vice versa. While you are superior to others now, you might be helpless in the face of experts stronger than us. What would you do, then?
âI am not a good person, but I know the consequences brought upon by our actionsâI simply canât explain it at allâit must be one of the rules of the universeâand I have yet to grasp these rules.â