Junior Sister must ascend this time!

Jiang Mian remained motionless. Shi Nian said anxiously, "Be a good child, it'll be too late if we don't leave now. Father will soon realize something is wrong..."

"I won't leave."

Jiang Mian's eyes were resolute. "If he wants to kill me, then I'll kill him first."

Jiang Mian felt that he had become a bit arrogant after spending so much time with his junior sister, and actually dared to dream that a mere Golden Core cultivator could kill his maternal grandfather, whose cultivation level was impossible to discern.

But so what?

Shi Nian's hands trembled slightly as she looked into Jiang Mian's eyes, seemingly lost in thought.

Just then, the Illusionary King urged from outside the door, "Nian'er, aren't you done yet? You should take your medicine."

Shi Nian sighed, casually erased the array, and took out a token from her storage ring, handing it to Jiang Mian.

"He won't attack you before you participate in the Illusionary Realm Trial. You can think it over carefully before then, and come find me with this token when you're ready."

Jiang Mian looked down at the token for a while, then put it into her storage ring.

At the same time, the Illusionary King also pushed open the door and entered. He didn't even glance at Jiang Mian, but walked past him to Shi Nian. "Nian'er, you're too tired today. Take this medicine and rest."

After saying that, he took out a jade bottle, poured out two pills, and handed them to Shi Nian.

When Shi Nian saw the pill, she gave a self-deprecating smile, which was fleeting, but Jiang Mian saw it clearly.

"I understand, Father. You can leave it there for now. I'll eat it in a bit."

After saying that, she leaned against the bedside and gestured for the two of them to leave, "I want to rest for a while, you can leave now."

Perhaps fearing that the Phantom King might do something to Jiang Mian, she added, "Mian, remember to come and keep me company tomorrow. I'll feel much better with you here."

Upon hearing this, the Illusionary Spirit King glared fiercely at Jiang Mian, but due to the use of his incantation, he couldn't do anything for the time being.

Jiang Mian glared back expressionlessly. His junior sister had said that if there was a grudge, it should be settled on the spot.

After he came out of the hall, the Illusion King had already left with his men. He immediately spotted the two little mushrooms squatting at the door waiting.

Hearing Jiang Mian's footsteps, Yun Mushroom quickly turned around, "Fourth Senior Brother, you're out!"

Si Mushroom Mingche also wanted to stand up, but his legs were a little numb from squatting for so long. He shouted at Jiang Mian, "What are you looking at? Help me up!"

The three were then led by guards to a very secluded palace, and the King of Illusions' disdain was evident.

But the three of them didn't think much of it; this location was perfect for causing trouble!

Jiang Mian told the two of them what had happened at Shi Nian's place that day. Yun Qing put her hand on her chin, looking thoughtful. "No, something's not right. There's a 12 out of 10 something wrong with this."

Si Mingche echoed, "I also think this matter isn't that simple. If the Illusionary Spirit King wanted to kill you, with his cultivation level, he could have torn us to pieces on our first meeting. Why would he spare your life to let you see this so-called Grand Princess?"

"See?" Yun Qing clapped her hands and then spread them out. "Even Third Senior Brother has figured out the problem."

Si Mingche:? ? ? ?

"What do you mean, 'I all'? Is it strange that I can see the problem?"

Jiang Mian patted Si Mingche on the shoulder and looked at him with the eyes of someone looking at an idiot, the meaning of which was very clear.

Si Mingche: …I'll assassinate you all!!!

Seeing Si Mingche's sullen face, Jiang Mian's lips curled up, and she asked Yun Qing, "Junior Sister, what are your thoughts?"

Yun Qing glanced at the door and laughed, "Let's grab a local Phantom Spirit and ask them."

Si Mingche scratched his head. "Who?"

Yun Qing frantically pulled out the poison powder she had previously developed from her storage ring, and said without turning her head, "Our old acquaintance, Elder Meng."

"With his cultivation level... ten bottles of poison powder should be enough, right? Let's add two more..."

Si Mingche couldn't help but swallow hard. Was there any chance that Elder Meng was still alive?

Elder Meng, exhausted from a long day, was taking a bath in his residence. Although he had spent a lot of spirit stones and magical artifacts, he had at least completed the mission and hadn't lost his life.

Just as he was completely relaxed, three black lumps suddenly rushed in and threw a handful of poison powder at him without saying a word.

Whether it was from too much powder or the toxicity, Elder Meng was coughing up half his life.

After the three of them stood still, Jiang Mian spoke first, "Why are we dressed so dark? It's really ugly."

Yun Qing rinsed the poison powder off her hands with water. "I guess this is more professional."

Si Mingche swaggered up to Elder Meng, letting out a villainous laugh, "Hehehe, you're surrounded! Quickly confess the truth!"

Elder Meng frantically tried to cover her body, sobbing, "These people are so mean! Why did they have to break in when I'm so vulnerable? Don't they have any conscience at all?"

After Elder Meng finished dressing, the three heartless individuals used the demon-binding rope to tie him up like a caterpillar.

It's not that his cultivation level is just for show; with dozens of kinds of poison powder attacking at once, even a Nascent Soul cultivator wouldn't be able to resist at all.

Elder Meng shifted his body, "How did you know where I live? And how did you break through all those formations outside?"

Yun Qing kindly answered his questions one by one. She patted the storage bag Elder Meng had given her earlier, "Your aura is on this. Finding you with a tracking talisman won't be difficult."

"As for the formation..." Yun Qing's face showed a hint of disdain, "Your Illusionary Spirit Royal Clan's formations are too simplistic. I deciphered them in no time."

Elder Meng completely gave up, declaring, "No matter why you've come to me, I will not compromise!"

The three men's desire to conquer suddenly surged; the last time they encountered someone so stubborn was that kid Su Han.

After several rounds of brutal beatings, Elder Meng finally couldn't take it anymore. "Seriously, what do you want to ask me? Can you stop just hitting me? At least ask me a question or two!"

Yun Qing withdrew her fist embarrassedly. "Oh, I forgot about the important matter."

Elder Meng: ...If he had to do it again, he would rather die than go to Chengtian Sect.

After an hour-long question-and-answer session, the three of them finally figured out what had happened.

The Phantom King had few offspring, with only one son and one daughter, and his son, Shi Jin, was a good-for-nothing.

His daughter, Shi Nian, was far superior to her brother. She was intelligent and exceptionally talented from a young age, and the entire Huanling Clan believed that she would be the next Huanling King.

Unfortunately, during one of his trials, Shi Nian went missing, and when he was found again, he was not in good spirits.

Elder Meng continued rambling, "I don't believe that the eldest princess, with her strength at the time, could be ambushed. She was able to save me from a group of Nascent Soul stage experts; ordinary people couldn't even get close to her. So I've always suspected that it was someone close to her who did it, but I haven't had a chance to find out the truth."

"Besides, although the eldest princess was a little dazed when she first returned, she wasn't this weak. We all thought she would recover with some rest. The Phantom King has been taking care of her every day for years; she shouldn't be…"

Elder Meng suddenly realized something, and his open mouth remained closed for a long time.