I was the Heavenly Emperor in ancient times

Chapter 18 Crossing Boundary Experiment
Li Jun walked step by step towards the light, stepping on the petals, like a mortal walking towards the blazing sun in the sky. Finally, he passed through the golden light and merged into the "sun".

"Not here?"

Li Jun stood quietly, gazing into the distance, his eyes seemingly filled with disappointment.

He did not see the giant peach tree that the priestess had transformed into, nor did he see the divine stone that he had anticipated.

There are only cement roads and brick buildings here, which are all parts of Taoshan Island town that were dragged in.

After tens of thousands of years, the divine stone seems to be no longer here. Of course, it is also possible that the place he arrived at is not the space he was in at that time.

Li Jun found a place to sit down, and after a long while, he made a decision.

"Completely seal off Taoshan Island and Muke outside."

He thought of the last time he saw the giant lily in ancient times, which disappeared into the past, and he also thought of the peach tree that the nun and the female priestess transformed into.

Whether it's the Divine Tree or the Bluebird, they are essentially demons. No matter how humans try to control them, they will inevitably pay a heavy price, a price that not everyone can bear.

He sat cross-legged under the peach tree and chanted the incantation that the ancient priestess had taught him, and light emanated from behind Li Jun.

Circle after circle.

Like a giant vortex, it spread outwards, distorting everything around it.

At this moment, Li Jun sat under the peach tree, just like the ancient Buddha Shakyamuni, contemplating the Great Dao.

As the incantation was chanted, the phantom of the priestess appeared behind Li Jun.

Finally, Li Jun brought the entire Taoshan Island into this space, blocking the source of this calamity in another void space.

Is this a mythical universe hidden in a sleeve or a Buddhist kingdom in the palm of your hand?

Although it was borrowed power, the feeling was real. Li Jun wondered if he could use this power to go anywhere he wanted if he mastered it.

Just as he thought of this, Li Jun sensed that there were other people in this space, and they were watching him.

"Who?"

Li Jun looked behind him, where there should have been a void.

At that moment, another figure appeared, speaking to him as if through an invisible wall.

"it's me."

Li Jun looked over and saw a familiar figure.

A handsome Taoist priest holding a whisk walked towards him step by step. It was Zhou Shentong, whom he knew. At this moment, the two seemed to be looking at each other across an invisible river.

Li Jun vaguely saw the hazy ghostly figure behind Zhou Shentong and roughly guessed how he had entered.

But he still asked, "How did you get in?"

Zhou Shentong also knew that this could not be concealed: "Since the peach tree has appeared in the human world, its power has entered the human world. You can use the power of the peach ghost, so I can naturally invite other peach ghosts to possess me."

"I have to thank you. If it weren't for the place you pointed out, how could my double pupils have discovered the secrets of these ancient gods and spirits?"

Li Jun's double pupils flickered, and he wanted to do something to Zhou Shentong.

but.

He found that his actions were largely meaningless, as his opponent seemed to be in a different space from him.

He recalled how he had tried to attack in many ways, and how the priestess behind him had shown even more power, but in the end, she couldn't capture him.

If Zhou Shentong had the intention to kill Li Jun, Li Jun's Azure Bird Divine Power would have been able to unleash even more possibilities and potential. However, the fact that Zhou Shentong was merely watching made it somewhat difficult for Li Jun to use his Azure Bird Divine Power.

Next.

Li Jun saw the scene behind Zhou Shentong becoming clearer and clearer. The ground beneath his feet kept materializing behind him, and then buildings appeared one after another.

Li Jun understood; yet another space had been dragged into this area.

That was some other piece of land, and there were two peach trees on it, standing on either side of the ground like two huge gateposts.

"what are you doing?"

Zhou Shentong laughed loudly, his double pupils also gleaming as he stared at Li Jun.

"You want to stop me, and you also want to stop everything here from spreading out, don't you?"

"I insist on connecting everything here with the human world, only in this way will the ancient immortals and Buddhas return sooner."

Suddenly.

The female priest behind Li Jun suddenly became more visible, reaching out towards the opposite side from behind him, extending her power through the void to Zhou Shentong's end.

However, Zhou Shentong's shadow suddenly receded, becoming farther and farther away from Li Jun, making it impossible for him to reach him.

"It's all in vain, utterly futile!"

"You can't kill the Peach Demon. They are one with this place. Unless you cut down the Peach Tree."

"Hahaha, this is something even immortals and Buddhas cannot do."

At this moment, he looked at Li Jun and said.

"One day, you will understand what double pupils represent; you and I are part of the ancient immortals and Buddhas."

"Just as a peach demon cannot kill another peach demon or cut down this peach tree, you cannot kill the part of yourself."

Zhou Shentong turned and left, disappearing step by step into the void high above.

It was as if they had ascended to heaven.
-
Lu Gang had no idea that there was an air-raid shelter behind the hospital. Now it had been renovated and many people had moved in.

He was constantly undergoing physical examinations, training, and familiarizing himself with various equipment and instruments, without a break every day, which made him realize that things were getting urgent.

Sure enough, Luo Zhen found him very quickly.

"The first boundary-crossing experiment is about to begin. Get ready!"

Lu Gang was practicing shooting. He took off his earmuffs and asked.

"When?"

Luo Zhen: "Tomorrow."

Lu Gang was startled: "So urgent?"

He added, "I'm fine, but I'm afraid the others aren't prepared."

Luo Zhen nodded: "It's a bit urgent. Something happened in the Kunlun Mountains, somewhat similar to what happened on Taoshan Island."

Lu Gang immediately thought of the Temple of Longevity: "What matter is related to the Temple of Longevity?"

Luo Zhen wasn't hiding it from Lu Gang, but telling Lu Gang at this time would be inappropriate, because he was about to carry out a very dangerous mission.

"Let's talk about it when you get back. I'm afraid it will distract you. Your mission this time is very important."

"The results of your operation this time will affect all our subsequent plans and arrangements."

the next day.

At this very moment, Lu Gang is leading a team of nine selected individuals, preparing for their first space-crossing operation.

The location was at the deepest part of the underground bunker behind the hospital.

On a temporarily isolated cement floor, various equipment and instruments that had been moved in were scattered around, and lights illuminated the area. In the center were rows of simple hospital beds.

Lu Gang had done fieldwork and carried out many operations before, but he had never done an operation while lying in a hospital bed like this.

His team members were selected from Taoshan Town, including auxiliary police officers, doctors, drivers, and other professions. They appeared somewhat nervous.

Although they had received brief training and were informed of the situation beforehand, what followed might still greatly exceed their expectations.

Before the mission began, the team members kept looking at Lu Gang.

Seeing his calm demeanor finally put my mind at ease, but I couldn't help asking him a question.

"Team Leader Lu, it's said that you're the one who rescued us."

"Not counting."

"How can it not count? We all know that you are the only one who came out of the depths of Taoshan Island on your own."

How much do you remember about Taoshan Island?

"I don't remember. I just remember that there was a lot of fog that morning, and then it felt like I was asleep."

“But we know the roads on Taoshan Island. I’m a local, and I know every single road there.”

"Then you should consider yourself an outsider. You probably don't recognize the roads there anymore."

Finally, Lu Gang gave everyone some instructions.

"Don't overthink it. Once we're inside, we'll try to get in touch. If we can't, remember your respective tasks."

"First, prioritize your own safety; second, complete your mission; third, contact others; if anything seems amiss, retreat immediately, understand?"

"understood!"

Have you written letters to your family?

"It's already written."

The brief exchange didn't last long before time was up.

Lu Gang and the others lay down on their sides fully equipped, and several medical staff walked to their side and injected them with medicine.

Although research on the so-called "Trojan virus" is still in its early stages, they have gained some understanding of it based on the information Lu Gang brought back and various video materials.

According to research, as long as the degree of parasitism on them is increased, Taoshan Island, which has disappeared from this world, will summon them to another space.

Similarly, as long as this parasitic depth is suppressed, the ordinary islanders of Taoshan Island will not be pulled into another world. As long as their parasitic degree does not reach a certain level, they can slowly leave that space and return.

This is also the biggest achievement that Lu Gang and his team have made in recent days.

However, Lu Gang still hadn't forgotten what Luo Zhen had told him.

"If we can't understand the Wood virus further, neither you nor the thousands of people rescued from Taoshan Island will be able to escape back into that hellhole. You know very well what will happen to them in the end."

How could Lu Gang not know? To this day, he still dreams of those ghost-like outlines and shadows on the wall, which send chills down his spine.

Moreover, he remembered what Luo Zhen had told him: something similar to what happened on Taoshan Island had occurred deep in the Kunlun Mountains.

Although Luo Zhen didn't elaborate, Lu Gang knew he was very anxious, so the matter must be serious.

When lying down.

The terrible disaster on Taoshan Island kept flashing before his eyes, along with the images of the survivors and his own daughter.

Lu Gang slowly closed his eyes, but his determination for this mission grew stronger.

In the eyes of outsiders.

Everyone watched in disbelief as something like mist emanated from Lu Gang and his companions. The mist was like countless tiny insects, and everything in its path vanished.

In the blink of an eye, Lu Gang and his ten companions vanished without a trace. No matter how many times you watch this scene, it remains unbelievable.

Some of the people present were seeing this scene for the first time, while others had seen it in video format before and were witnessing it in person for the first time.

However, although everyone here made different gestures and expressions, they all shared the same deep inner impact.

Some people felt their worldview had collapsed, some felt intense fear, and some even began to doubt the beliefs they had held firmly for decades.

"Disappeared."

"What force did this?"

"Is humanity truly capable of fighting against an entity possessing such power?"

"Since such scenes have appeared, is it true, as some online sources say, that the end of the world is really coming?"

However, some people are also very curious about the reasons behind it.

"The boundary crossing experiment begins."

"Record data..."
-
Taoshan Island remains shrouded in mist.

When Lu Gang opened his eyes, he found himself on a street on Taoshan Island.

Lu Gang looked around but didn't see anyone else. But then, a series of voices came from afar.

"Boom!"

"Dong dong dong dong..."

Looking up, even through the fog, they could see flashes of light in the distant sky—nine flashes in total, signal flares. Then, plumes of colorful smoke rose in the distance, like ancient beacon fires, only with vibrant, multicolored hues that were still clearly visible amidst the fog. These were the coordinates their team had agreed upon.

Lu Gang is much more experienced this time.

He popped a calming chewable tablet into his mouth, and a chill ran through his nostrils as if it were about to burst out through his eyes.

"Cough cough cough..."

His eyes welled up with tears from the rushing water, but he endured the sensation, remained clear-headed, and walked through the fog into the distance.

Lu Gang originally wanted to contact the other members, but as he walked towards the smoke, strange things began to happen.

The smoke was on the left, then it moved to the right, and then it moved to the back.

Finally, he could only contact the other party through communication equipment after reaching a certain distance, and then ask the other party to pass the message to another member nearby.

Although the signal was severely interfered with, it was still possible to make a barely acceptable conversation.

Lu Gang inquired about each person's situation and made some arrangements, but that was all he could do.

that's it.

Each of them carries out their mission while being able to see the approximate location of the other from a distance, but never being able to get close to the other.

"After you have completed your tasks, leave here immediately. Do not linger or ask me for permission."

"Finally, I hope everyone can make it back alive."

Then, Lu Gang heard an echo.

"Roger that!"

"Received... Received..."

After making arrangements for the other members, Lu Gang left the outer circle of Taoshan Island.

We headed straight for the deepest part, following the feeling we had when we walked through this eerie place last time.

The deeper you go, the more intense the feeling of ruins becomes.

Trees grew wildly, buildings were covered with greenery, and the dampness rapidly decayed everything man-made.

The sense of a town on Taoshan Island gradually faded, and ruins became its defining feature, adding an eerie and wild atmosphere and making it even more dangerous.

By this time, Lu Gang had been walking for about a whole day. He turned around and looked behind him, and the colorful smoke had disappeared.

"They should have gone back."

However, Lu Gang has not yet completed his most important task.

He continued deeper inside, scaling an irregularly shaped high stone wall, and ventured even further, reaching what could be considered the core area.

watch carefully.

This time, there were some other things in the fog.

Peach trees have sprung up along the original streets, some embedded in the walls, others growing directly from the buildings, tearing them apart.

If you look closely at the tree trunk, you can vaguely make out a human face.

Lu Gang originally wanted to take a closer look at the trees and reached out to touch them, but after seeing them clearly, he immediately withdrew his hand.

Lu Gang's face showed horror; he instantly understood what this thing was.

"This isn't a tree, it's a person!"

At least, I was once a human being.

But Lu Gang didn't touch the tree, yet the face on the tree opened its eyes and stared at Lu Gang.

Then all the surrounding trees opened their eyes at once, and countless gazes were fixed on Lu Gang.

Instantly, Lu Gang felt unable to move on his own.

He felt dizzy and disoriented, unable to distinguish his surroundings. He even felt his body contorting, and everything around him became blurry and upside down.

At that moment, various thoughts arose in Lu Gang's mind.

"Am I going to become one of those monstrous things too?"

"Turn into a tree?"

"What does it feel like to be completely unable to move?"

Before coming, Lu Gang had prepared for the worst, but when things came to this point, how could he not be afraid?

This is an ending even more terrifying than death.

Just as Lu was about to be completely alienated and become part of these inhuman things, a voice came from the depths of Taoshan Island.

"Come in!"

A beam of light shone from the depths.

For Lu Gang, the light was like a lifeline, and the sound was also very familiar to him.

"Li Jun?"

When the light shone on Lu Gang, he instantly felt a strong sense of weightlessness.

Lu Gang, already terrified from nearly turning into a monster, let out a panicked cry as he experienced the intense feeling of weightlessness.

"what!"

He felt himself falling from the mist, and when he came to his senses, Lu Gang was already standing deep in the peach grove.

The trees here are completely different from those outside. Their tall canopies completely cover everything overhead, and there is no trace of the town in sight. Everything is submerged in greenery and mist.

The mist was spreading beneath my feet, and at first glance, it felt like I was in the clouds rather than on the ground.

Lu Gang raised his head.

"Crash!"

The tall peach trees suddenly moved, swaying and making way for a path, and also removing their canopies that were blocking the sky.

The moment the sky was "opened up," Lu Gang first saw a hazy, illusory tree-shaped light and shadow filling the sky and earth in the distance, and a person was sitting under that tree.

This is no longer just a tree, but a mythical tree, which naturally makes people feel that the person under the tree is no ordinary person.

Lu Gang couldn't see the other person clearly, but he knew who it was.

Lu Gang finally met Li Jun, which proved that everything in his dream was real. He was excited and happy because he had really completed the mission.

At this moment.

Lu Gang felt the same way Li Jun did when he first arrived in this mystical space. Both of them thought that once they arrived here, they would surely find some answer and unravel the many mysteries.

As he walked uphill, he asked the question he was looking up at.

"Did you bring Taoshan Island here?"

The figure beneath the sacred tree said, "It is I."

Although Li Jun admitted it, Lu Gang's emotions were extremely complicated, and he even found it hard to believe.

Imagine the effect of completely removing such a large island from the human world. If a person possessed such power and applied it to the world of ordinary people, what would be the outcome?

Forget about airplanes and cannons, even nuclear bombs, could they really cause any harm to someone like him?

Lu Gang: "How did you do that?"

Actually, what Lu Gang really wanted to ask was...

"Li Jun, are you really still a human being?"

Li Jun said, "We paid a price, but we also borrowed some resources."

Lu Gang then remembered something else: "Is what happened over at Kunlun Mountain related to you?"

The other person replied, "That was done by that Taoist priest."

Lu Gang asked, "Zhou Shentong?"

Only then did the other person realize his name: "Oh, so his name is Zhou Shentong."

Lu Gang asked, "What does he want to do?"

At that moment, the person under the tree-shaped shadows moved and pointed behind them.

The road just kept getting higher and higher, like climbing a high mountain.

As one climbs higher and looks into the distance, the view naturally becomes more expansive. Following the direction Li Jun pointed, the mist dissipates, no longer obscuring the view.

Li Jun's finger was like a sage pointing the way, parting the clouds and dispelling the thick fog.

Lu Gang finally saw the view outside Taoshan Island, which was an endless void.

But at this moment.

In that endless void, something falls from the heights, while something else rises from the depths.

Lu Gang asked, "What is that?"

Li Jun said, "What sank down from above is somewhere in this world; you should know that better than I do."

"As for those that float upwards from below, I'm not too sure either."

Li Jun paused for a moment at this point.

"But that Taoist priest named Zhou Shentong said that everything in the ancient myths will return one by one."

Li Jun withdrew his hand from pointing the way and said calmly.

"I think it must be something from ancient times!"

Upon hearing this, Lu Gang instantly felt a chill run down his spine.

Lu Gang paused, gazing at the distant scenery as if he didn't even know which way to go.

Will everything from ancient mythology return?
What has returned?
Is it a high and mighty deity, or a mythical immortal or Buddha?

At this moment, the words spoken by the figure sitting cross-legged under the sacred tree interrupted Lu Gang's thoughts.

"This is about how to become a sorcerer. Using it comes at a price, which can be very heavy and uncontrollable, with unpredictable consequences."

"I thought sealing off Taoshan Island would solve the problem, but now it seems that this can only provide temporary relief."

"Next, you may encounter some problems that cannot be solved by ordinary means, and only its power can work."

"But before you use it, you need to make sure you understand it well enough and know what it will cause!"

After he finished speaking, the trees on the hillside moved without wind, their branches and roots shifting layer by layer, transferring something into Lu Gang's hands.

It was a cell phone.

Afterwards, Li Jun plucked two peach branches from two nearby peach trees and delivered them to Lu Gang in the same way.

Lu Gang, holding his phone and Tao Zhi, looked at Li Jun.

Aren't you coming back with me?

Li Jun said, "I sealed Taoshan Island here, and I have to pay the price."

Lu was initially confused, not understanding what the so-called price was.

He then walked closer and finally saw Li Jun's appearance clearly.

The divine tree behind Li Jun was illusory, but that illusory thing trapped Li Jun tightly, with its luminous roots locking him inside like a cage.

Behind Li Jun, Lu Gang also saw a blurry, ancient figure.

Just one glance.

It makes people feel its antiquity and vicissitudes, as if it were an existence that has traversed countless reincarnations.

Lu Gang only glanced at the ghostly figure, but he felt as if his soul had been frozen, and he couldn't help but make a sound.

"Who is this?"

Lu Gang's fear overflowed uncontrollably, much like the fear humans have of certain extremely dangerous animals, etched into their blood and instincts.

At this moment, Lu Gang's fear deepened. Since a certain era in ancient times, this fear and awe had been engraved deep in the souls of mortals.

(End of this chapter)