Simulation becomes reality, have I ever looked down upon the eternity?

Chapter 540 Supreme Grandmaster, Lord of All Living Beings, I will give you an opportunity!

You focus your attention on your surroundings, but find only emptiness, causing you to furrow your brow slightly.

[The newcomer's cultivation level is high, likely above the Golden Core stage of the Great Dao. If you hadn't acted so quickly, using the "Three Mountains Purple Gold Light" to blast open the black mist and detect a ripple of primordial energy around us...]

It's likely that they won't realize this person is following them.

[You could perceive the aura of the peak master of Xiaoqing Peak, yet you couldn't discern even a trace of this person; his cultivation level must be even higher.]

However, you're not too worried. If the person who came is truly here, they wouldn't act this way; there must be limitations.

Moreover, it's clear that this person, like you, is an "outsider," not a local.

You ignored it and simply remained silent.

The voice then rang out again.

"I'm not happy that I hit the nail on the head. It seems you're not very tolerant."

You simply said, "You're not smart."

Upon hearing this, the newcomer was clearly taken aback, followed by a burst of laughter.

"No one has said that to me for many years."

"You're wrong, I've always been smart."

You finally recognized the voice; it was a young man's. Seeing that there was still movement around you, he said, "A wise person never hides their true intentions."

After the words were spoken, there was a moment of silence.

Suddenly, a wisp of black mist floated gently, and a figure slowly emerged.

He was a slender young man, dressed in an ancient-style long robe with a brocade overlay. He had fair skin, a few graying temples, and an ordinary face, except for a pair of almond-shaped eyes that were slightly curved, a half-smile playing on their lips, as if they were always squinting and observing the world.

After he stopped, he looked at you with great interest: "You... don't seem to recognize me?"

[You glanced at his simple attire and couldn't discern his cultivation level, making him seem like an ordinary mortal. Just as you suspected, this person's cultivation is unfathomable, another unfathomable individual besides the woman you met in Chen Kingdom.]

You asked in a flat tone, "Are you very famous?"

The man's smile deepened: "He's fairly well-known. That's not important."

The man said thoughtfully, "Now I think you're not the heretical Ant Immortal after all."

His gaze lingered on you, a hint of inquiry in his eyes: "However, this is truly the first time I've ever seen a true spirit with such pure blood."

You simply said, "Then you lack perspective."

The man was clearly taken aback again. "You're wrong. I've always had a good eye for things."

"Only those with limited vision claim to have great vision."

The young man was momentarily speechless, clearly having rarely encountered such a direct and frank conversation.

[You are doing this intentionally; your true spirit is naturally straightforward and disdains pretense.]

Moreover, given the enigmatic nature of this person, the best course of action is to escape as soon as possible.

[With a thought, a burst of purple light erupted from your body, slicing through the surrounding black mist like a sharp blade. Even as you were about to disappear, you remained focused on the man's reaction.]

Surprisingly, he didn't stop her, but simply said softly, "You're leaving already? You might regret it."

The voice was very soft, yet it inexplicably made one's heart tighten.

The man continued, "Besides, you can't get out either."

[You used "Three Mountains Purple Gold Light," but unexpectedly, the black mist that you could easily blast away just moments before can no longer be.]

The black mist gathers and disperses, difficult to separate.

[The man noticed the change in your expression, his almond-shaped eyes curving into crescents: "If you wanted to leave just now, you still had a chance. But now..."]

He shook his head slightly. "No one in this world can escape this."

You stopped and stood still, saying in a deep voice, "Is there truly no one who can leave?"

"Of course," the man said calmly. "If even I can't leave, who else in this world can?"

You frowned: "Who exactly are you?"

[Judging from their tone, they are definitely not from the heretical path, and their demeanor is also unlike that of someone from the righteous path. Could they be from the demonic path...?]

However, this person's entire demeanor was completely different from what one would expect of a demonic cultivator.

The man chuckled lightly, "Does it really matter who I am?"

【"who I am?"】

"My name is merely a label given to this body in this world, not the real me."

"Who am I? Am I the consciousness within this body?"

"If I don't have this body, do I still exist?"

The man smiled and gently raised his hand. "I've asked many people, but they either gave me perfunctory answers or their responses weren't satisfactory."

His voice gradually lowered, as if he were immersed in distant memories, like someone who hadn't spoken in a long time finally finding someone to confide in.

[But you ignored what he said and instead used your magic to probe your surroundings. Black mist filled the air, making it truly difficult to leave.]

The man laughed, "No one can leave this place before the appointed time."

You turned to look at him. This place was eerie. If you really wanted to try, you'd probably have to use the "Taiyuan Yiyang Sword," but even then, you might not be able to break through the black mist.

The man said, "How about this—I'll ask you three questions, and you answer truthfully. In exchange, I'll answer three questions for you."

"Do you like asking people questions?"

"It's alright, I only ask when I meet interesting people."

You look up at the sky, and see black mist churning like ink. Atop the city wall, visible within the mist, the red-haired demon statue still gapes its fanged maw, the vermilion gate appearing and disappearing between its throats, an eerie sight.

You asked, "Why can't we get out of here?"

The man said calmly, "This place is inside the mouth of this Ghost Devouring Child, which is also a type of true spirit. Its mouth does not belong to this realm."

"The Ghost Devouring Child, this kind of true spirit, is especially special. It's more like a vessel for the Ghost Kingdom. It has no consciousness or thoughts, yet it forms its own world."

"When it descended, this place became a forbidden zone, accessible only to the legendary Kunpeng, the soaring roc; otherwise, no one could escape."

[Upon hearing this, you were surprised. This "Ghost-Swallowing Child" should be the red-haired evil spirit, but you had never seen it in the Daoist scriptures. And the Soaring Kunpeng, you had never heard of it either.]

The man smiled and said, "I told you, I have a good eye for things."

"This isn't a problem, consider it a gift from me."

"Then it's my turn to ask you."

He asked a strange question, "Who am I?"

[You thought about it. If this person asked anyone else, they would definitely be considered a fool. But this person appeared here silently, which proves that this person is not "mentally challenged" and cannot be judged by common sense.]

Who am I, really?

"You've read tens of thousands of Daoist scriptures from Fangcun Mountain; you possess the innate talent of 'precocious wisdom in youth,'" he said slowly.

"Ten thousand times."

The man's gaze softened, and he slowly lowered his head. "What is meant by 'ten thousand self'?"

"This is the second question."

He casually replied, "Okay."

You continued, "I am formless, all things are part of me. What you accept disappears; what you resist exists."

"I am not who I see myself, nor am I who others see me."

You paused, then said, "The others I see are who I am; I am my true self."

The man's eyes shone even brighter. Suddenly, he clapped his hands and laughed, the sound shaking the black mist to its core: "Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful!" "All things are me, all is myself—this is the most satisfying answer I've ever heard."

You looked at him and asked, "Who are you? Why are you here?"

The man's fair and delicate face seemed to still be praising what he had just said, then a smile slowly spread across his face.

"The Dao Sea sits frozen in eternal cold, its course unbroken; the heavens rise and fall, eternally young; the two words 'common people' are my home."

Your expression remains calm, yet a turbulent storm rages within. These three lines of poetry refer to—the Demon Lord of All Living Beings.

[The leader of the Cang Sheng Demon Sect, the foremost of the Seven Demonic Sects, and the true mastermind behind the Demonic Sect.]

[The righteous path, the heretical path, the demonic sect—one of the three supreme grandmasters in this world, the "Heavenly Demon Lord."]

[Your eyes shimmer with a jade-like light, the Jade Emperor's Aura Observation Technique pushed to its limit. Yet the aura of the person before you is perfectly natural, revealing not a trace of their true nature.]

Suddenly, his pupils contracted slightly—within this seemingly vibrant body, there was neither a heartbeat nor the flow of blood. It was clearly an extremely mysterious puppet avatar.

You calmed yourself down. If it really was that supreme demonic being who had come in person, you were likely doomed here today.

[But then doubt arose: Why would the mighty Demon Lord, who governs all living beings, personally visit the small country beneath Fangcun Mountain?]

[Previously, there was no such sect as the Common People Demonic Sect within the Demonic Path. It was only after this person unified the Asura Demonic Sect that he renamed it the Common People Dao Sect, although the world still refers to it as the Common People Demonic Sect.]

The ordinary-looking young man before them was hardly someone who could be reconciled with a supreme being of the demonic path.

Moreover, he didn't believe that the leader of the demonic sect would dare to come alone and risk his life in such a righteous place.

Could it be for the sake of the treacherous kingdom, the so-called opportunity for ascension?

The man said with a half-smile, "As for my purpose, it's nothing more than to clean house."

He looked at you and said, "Is there one last question?"

You calmed yourself and asked, "How can I leave?"

"Nothing needs to be done. When the time comes, those who are not from the Ghost Kingdom will be naturally sent out."

"It's that simple."

"Yes, provided you survive, otherwise you'll only become a sacrifice to open the Ghost Kingdom."

The Lord of the Common People looked at you and asked, "The third question—where are we ultimately headed?"

After a long silence, you slowly shook your head: "I don't know."

Looking up at the distorted sky: "Perhaps time is not a long river, but a loop with one end connected to the other. We will eventually return to the starting point, repeating all the joys and sorrows."

The man seemed somewhat interested. "How so?"

"That's the next question."

The man nodded. "Then go ahead and ask?"

"What are your plans for coming here?"

The Demon Lord of All Beings said, "Take the treasure, kill the disciple, and leave."

[After listening, you pondered. It seems that the so-called "King of Xuanhuang Yingde Lunzhuan" here, who summoned many people from the Ghost Kingdom, is likely connected to this Demon Lord of All Living Beings, or perhaps to one of his disciples who betrayed his sect.]

Then you explained, "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again."

"If we observe the world from the perspective of a mayfly, which is but a fleeting moment, then perhaps the future exists within the ancient, and the ancient exists within the future."

The man pondered the matter carefully, then murmured with a sigh, "What is considered ancient is in the future, while what is in the future is already ancient."

He then asked leisurely, "Who is caught in this cycle of reincarnation? Who can escape it?"

He didn't ask you; instead, he gave you the answer himself.

"The strong reign supreme in the cycle of reincarnation!"

"The supreme being overlooks the world, establishing an unparalleled lineage and suppressing all ages."

A smile appeared on the man's face, a smile that seemed genuine and deeply moving, like admiring a flower in full bloom—a smile of selfless sincerity.

"This trip has been well worth it."

His gaze returned to you. "You are certainly worthy of being called a fellow Daoist."

He said calmly, "Fellow Daoist, it's not a true spirit."

"How do you know?"

The Demon Lord of All Living Beings laughed, "True spirits receive the favor of Heaven, yet they are also foolish. Only humans, who carry a child for ten months, drink dew and eat wind, are the most intelligent of all beings."

You said, "You're very smart."

The man laughed and said, "I told you, I've always been smart."

He spread his wide sleeves, as if embracing a gentle breeze and the bright moon, and bowed solemnly to you: "Fellow Daoist, if you do not mind, you may follow me on the path to sainthood. If you are more deserving of the position of Lord of the Common People than I am, I am willing to step down and yield the throne to a more worthy person."

"Joining hands, we will restore peace and order to all living beings."

You were taken aback, noticing that the man's expression seemed genuine and not feigned.

[They're trying to trick me into joining the Demonic Sect? Now they want me to switch to the Demonic Sect.]

[And what about "returning heaven and earth to all living beings"? Isn't this demonic sect in the Southern Frontier a bit too insane?]

Has the Demonic Sect gone astray in recent years?

You calmly replied, "Fellow Daoist, your kindness is appreciated."

The man, however, remained unhurried and said, "Then let's travel together here; our meeting is fate."

"Fellow Daoist, do me a small favor, and I'll grant you an extraordinary opportunity. How about it?"

【"help?"】

Faced with this situation, you decide...

1. I agree with this. (Hint: It may be beneficial in the future.)
2. Refuse this offer. (Hint: This may have repercussions in the future.)
3. Take your leave. (Hint: You may encounter danger.)
4. Predict the next possible scenario. (0/2)

5. Participate personally. (0/3)

The ancient cauldron resounded, revealing a radiant glow, and the inscription on it slowly froze.

Yu Ke looked at the five options above.

Without any hesitation, I made the choice directly.

1. I agree with this. (Hint: It may be beneficial in the future.)
You nodded. "Since it's a fellow Daoist's invitation, how can I refuse?"

The Lord of the Common People laughed heartily, "Fellow Daoist, you are indeed a straightforward person; we feel like old friends at first sight."

He seemed to recall something, "I misremembered earlier. If we don't leave this place by the appointed time, the Ghost-Eating Child will take us into the Ghost Kingdom, and we'll never be able to return to this world."

The man smiled and said, "Please... fellow Daoist, don't take offense."

You still had a friendly expression on your face, saying, "It's nothing, it's alright."

The man walked beside you and said, "Fellow Daoist, let's set off."

He said with a smile, "My good-for-nothing disciple seems to be getting impatient."

Before the words were finished, one by one, blue lamps rose from the black mist, flickering like phosphorescent lights guiding the way in the netherworld.

You two go to the command platform in the center of the city.

[At some point, after the young man appeared, the eerie, black thousand-armed statues, whose eyes had been open in a chilling manner, began to ooze thick tears of blood.]

The cracks started in the pupils and quickly spread across the entire statue.

~

(End of this chapter)