NEBM Chapter 39: Illusion

The small pond suddenly became a deep ocean.

Yan Jin’s barrier held back the sea water, allowing them to easily look around. There were everything around, large and small schools of fish, and gorgeous coral groups. Shen Zhixian absentmindedly and indistinctly thought that he’d somehow entered an aquarium.

There was a path on the bottom of the sea, meandering into the distance. They walked forward cautiously, and after half an hour, the path disappeared on thin sand.

This was…the shore?

Stepping on the soft and fine sand, Shen Zhixian couldn’t help turning back to look at the sea. The pale blue sea was quiet and sparkling under the sun. No one could see that there was such a path at the bottom of the sea.

“I found you!” A slightly childish shout came out of nowhere. Shen Zhixian immediately pulled back his concentration. In the next moment, his eyes widened and, without hesitation, he ducked back behind Yan Jin—This scene, he seemed to have encountered it before.

A seven- or eight-year-old boy quickened his feet and rushed forward. But as he was just about to pull on Yan Jin’s clothes, he froze when he noticed Yan Jin’s cold eyes.

“Found, found…” The boy’s voice became smaller and smaller. He tilted his head and looked at Yan Jin carefully. The more he looked, the more confused he became. A faint disappointment appeared in his eyes. “Ah, not Little Nine.”

Shen Zhixian leaned out from behind Yan Jin and looked at the little guy. The little boy hesitated and asked, “Have you seen Little Nine?”

At the same time, Shen Zhixian also hesitantly asked, “Where is this?”

Three people looked at each other. Looking at me, looking at you, no one could answer anyone.

After a while, the little boy asked timidly, “So, then … have you seen Little Eight, Little Seven, Little Six…”

He counted it in a string, from nine to one, and as Shen Zhixian listened, his head spun in circles. Who broke this kid’s brain?

The little boy was still staring at him. Because he felt Yan Jin’s indifference and standoffishness, he subconsciously ignored him and asked Shen Zhixian instead.

However, Shen Zhixuan retreated behind Yan Jin again. The little boy took a careful peek at Yan Jin, and then he carefully moved two steps sideways until he stood in front of Shen Zhixian again, staring intently.

Shen Zhixian was helpless. He had a headache the moment he saw the child, and he subconsciously clutched Yan Jin’s sleeve as he asked, “These people you asked about, are they all children?”

The little boy nodded happily when he saw him answer. “Uh-huh! My name is Little Ten, and I’m going to find Little Nine, Little Eight, Little Seven….All of them!”

Shen Zhixian thought for a while and tried harder to question him. “But we just got here. We don’t know what this place is yet. Can you tell us where this is? If you tell us, we’ll find your friends for you. ”

He thought he’d spoken very gently and kindly, but Little Ten stared at him for a while. Then, he opened his small mouth and mechanically repeated. “Did you see Little Nine, Little Eight, Little Seven, Little Six… Where are they?” He mumbled, “We’re playing hide and seek, but I can’t find them.”

Little Ten’s expression gradually became confused, as if he’d encountered a big problem. He frowned, murmured for a while, and just like when he came, he spread his feet and ran away.

Shen Zhixian quietly breathed a sigh of relief. He saw some houses not far away and said, “Let’s go there and see if there’s an adult.”

“Mnn.” The sand was dense so Shen Zhixian carefully walked with one step at a time. Yan Jin took Shen Zhixian’s hand and walked forward steadily. He casually asked, “Sui Xian, do you dislike children?”

“I don’t dislike them. Children are still very cute. I’m just afraid they will cling to me and cry.” Shen Zhixian sighed, “When they cry, I’ll have a headache, and I can’t coax them.”

“Sui Xian, have you taken care of children before?”

“No,” Shen Zhixian answered firmly, “I try my best to avoid them. How can I take the initiative to take care of them?”

Yan Jin stopped talking, but Shen Zhixian didn’t pay him any mind. As they approached the house, Yan Jin suddenly stopped and asked, “What if … the child doesn’t cry. Would you like it?”

Shen Zhixian thought they were already done with the topic, so he was surprised that Yan Jin would suddenly ask such a sentence. After he recovered from his surprise, he said, “If the child doesn’t cry or make trouble … it’s okay. Who doesn’t like a good boy?”

Who doesn’t like it?

As Yan Jin lowered his eyes, an unknown emotion flashed through them. But, he didn’t ask any more questions.

There were many houses stationed in a row by the sea. In total, it seemed to be about twelve families. They knocked on the doors one by one, but there was no response from inside.

Yan Jin listened carefully for a moment, then finally opened the door decisively, only to find that the room was empty and there was no human figure in sight.

They opened four to five more houses, all of which were empty. There was furniture and other things, all covered with a layer of dirt. Obviously, no one had used them in a long time.

This place … Shen Zhixian had an ominous feeling in his heart. If this place was like this, then could it be that the child they’d met earlier was the only one left?

Oh, maybe there were Little Nine, Little Eight…A group of children left.

But where had the adults all gone?

They resignedly opened the door of another house. But, as soon as the door was opened, a movement immediately caught their eyes. Pleased, Shen Zhixian looked over with Yan Jin, only to be crushed at once when he discovered a childish face.

“Little Ten?” Shen Zhixian blurted out, looking at the face he’d just seen earlier. After he called out, he realized he was mistaken. The direction in which Little Ten had ran away was not in this direction. How could he turn back and sneak into this house without Yan Jin noticing him?

The child hiding under the table saw them, shyly scooted out a little, and whispered, “Have you seen Little Ten, Little Eight, Little Seven…”

Shen Zhixian helplessly rubbed his forehead. This kid with a face similar to that of Ten, could it be Nine?

It was indeed human nature to repeat and the world’s nature to copy!

Before Shen Zhixian could respond, Yan Jin’s grip on his hand tightened, then he whispered into Shen Zhixian’s ear, “He’s not a living person. He’s just a spirit.”

Surprised, Shen Zhixian turned to look at him.

Yan Jin motioned for him to look back at the little boy.

The little boy was still crouched under the table. Seeing that there was no response from them, his eyes became empty and gradually grew red. Big, teardrops rolled like beads down his cheeks, and he whispered to the ground. “I can’t find them. I can’t find them… I’m so useless. I can’t even play hide and seek…”

As his tears fell more fiercely, his body gradually blurred and the whole person began to look weak and empty. Even Shen Zhixian, who had no spiritual power, also noticed that something was wrong.

Shen Zhixian pointed at the little boy, and then pointed out the door: “Then, that one earlier…is also?”

Yan Jin clarified, “They’re all the same soul.”

Shen Zhixian, “…”

Ten children, Little Ten, Little Nine, Little Eight… All the way to Little One.

This situation made Shen Zhixian couldn’t help but think more. All people have three immortal souls and seven mortal bodies. These ten children were actually just one child whose three souls and seven bodies were broken into disorder!

Who would be so cruel as to break the soul of a child like this?!!

Was it the person who created this secret realm?

Many thoughts flashed through Shen Zhixian’s mind. Little Nine’s cries gradually weakened. He looked at the two of them for a while, then suddenly crawled out from underneath the table and, when Shen Zhixian didn’t notice, he rushed over.

Shen Zhixian saw him too late and quickly hid behind Yan Jin, but the child still managed to grab a handful of his sleeve.

Little Nine pulled his sleeves tightly and insisted, “Play hide and seek with us! Come and have fun with us so that Yuyu will laugh!”

Before, Shen Zhixian had a headache. But now, he was attracted by a new name: “Yuyu? Who is this?”

Little Nine’s eyes were empty and he turned a deaf ear to Shen Zhixian’s words. He repeatedly said, “Come and hide with us, hide and seek, hide and seek … ”

The repetitive chanting and crying noises made Shen Zhixian’s head spun. He hesitantly looked at Yan Jin.

Shen Zhixian’s silent cry for help was too obvious. Yan Jin thought it over and said coldly, “Be quiet.”

Whether it was because he was too cold or for some other reason, Little Nine was frightened and looked like he wanted to cry but dare not cry.

Although he didn’t dare cry, his words kept repeating, “Hide and seek hide and seek hide and seek hide and seek …”

Yan Jin said a few more cold words to him but Little Nine ignored him. He seemed to only think of himself, as if immersed in his own world.

Shen Zhixian had no choice but to ask in a low voice, “How do we play hide and seek?”

Maybe because the child was only one tenth of a person, but no matter how many times Yan Jin asked, he couldn’t get a response. But, as soon as Shen Zhixian asked this question, Little Nine stopped repeating his chant and turned his eyes over to look at him. “You want to play? You and I hide. Let him find us…”

Shen Zhixian told Yan Jin, “Maybe we need to play hide and seek to find the exit?”

Yan Jin’s eyebrows furrowed. “Too dangerous.”

“There are no living people in the vicinity, only these children can communicate … They’re just a few split souls. Maybe we can find out the situation if we help unite the souls.”

This was an unknown territory with unknown dangers. Of course, Shen Zhixian didn’t want to be separated from Yan Jin, but there was no alternative. At this moment, the only way might be to follow the child’s words.

Even as Shen Zhixian was whispering to Yan Jin and trying to persuade him, Little Nine continued his chant. Yan Jin’s mouth tightened, and his brows drew down even more. Finally, he reluctantly agreed. “Then, let’s try it.”

Little Nine finally got his wish. When Shen Zhixian was about to run away and hide, Yan Jin suddenly reached out and took Shen Zhixian’s wrist.

Shen Zhixian was pulled back.

Yan Jin’s eyes were very deep and he looked extremely serious, as he enunciated each word very clearly, saying, “I will find you.”

“I will.”

From the moment Little Nine pulled Shen Zhixian away, heading east, then west into the forest, he kept repeating Yan Jin’s words in his mind.

Find…find him!

Why had he said it like that… Shen Zhixian could hardly describe the feeling. Why did he have to say it…as if Shen Zhixian was a disloyal person who would sneak away, requiring retrieval?!

Shen Zhixian hid behind a tree and looked down at Little Nine, who said, “You hide here. I’ll go over there…”

“Okay, okay.” He nodded perfunctorily, watching as Little Nine took one step and three turns away. When he turned away, Shen Zhixian calmed down enough to carefully sense the spiritual force that Yan Jin had hurriedly given him in parting.

He didn’t understand Yan Jin’s meaning and assumed that he’d left behind this strand of spiritual power to ensure his safety. At this time, he felt the spiritual power and guided it slowly in his body, thinking about what to do now.

He didn’t know what the strand of spiritual power touched, but suddenly, there came a little heat from within the depths of his spiritual sea, burning Shen Zhixian back to his senses.

Ah?

What was that?

He felt the vague warm feeling again—Was that the contract he’d made with Yan Jin?

The warm sensation was faintly discernible. Shen Zhixuan paid close attention to that delicate sensation, but he could no longer feel it anymore. He thought about it and deliberately guided that strand of spirit power to poke at the contract.

It was effective. Shen Zhixian vaguely felt the contract started to get hot. He closed his eyes and carefully sensed it, turned to a certain direction, and suddenly opened his eyes.

—Yan Jin.

The contract was vaguely telling him that Yan Jin was in that direction.

So was Yan Jin able to sense his position like this before? This contract could be used in this way?

Shen Zhixian hesitated for a moment and looked in Yan Jin’s direction, wondering whether he should take the initiative to find him.

Little Nine had taken him east and west into the forest. Because the forest was foggy, he could not see far. He was turned around a few times so he couldn’t recall the direction. But, if the contract’s compass was correct…

He thought for a moment, and decided to give it a try. This ghostly place, the earlier it is reconciled, the better.

Having made a decision, Shen Zhixian moved forward.

The woods in the forest were lush and green, but not tall. The trees had pale pink flowers that looked a little bit like peach blossoms, emitting a faint scent that hid and drifted silently in the fog.

As Shen Zhixian walked, he instinctively felt that the scent was wrong. But, he’d already come this far. All four directions were obscured by the thick fog, and there was nowhere to retreat. The only thing he could do was deliberately calm his breath to reduce inhalation.

There were shadows in the fog ahead. Shen Zhixian stopped and stared for a while. Then, he slowly reached out and broke off a flowering branch on a dwarf tree next to him. He held it like a sword, tip pointing at the ground. His wrist lightly shook out and the fragile flowers on the branch trembled, unexpectedly emitting an dangerous aura.

The shadows emerged from the depths of the fog. In front of Shen Zhixian stood a few weak and small illusion ghosts, with gray and black semi-transparent bodies. They seemed a little hesitant to approach.

The small illusion ghosts, as its name suggested, were actually the most common and lowest living creatures in the mountains and forests. It was born in suffocation, liking to entangle innocent passersby and let them fall into an endless illusion.

The little illusion ghosts hesitated for a moment and finally couldn’t help but floated over to get tangled up with Shen Zhixian.

Shen Zhixian frowned and didn’t show mercy. He moved the spiritual power to the flowering branch and executed a few sword moves—He just lost his spiritual power, but not all his skills. His sword moves were still comparable.

The strand of spiritual power left by Yan Jin couldn’t do big things. However, it was more than enough to kill a few ghosts.

The breeze brushed across the flowers, and the flowers on the branch were scattered into many petals. They drifted off one after another, leaving only one flower standing upright, trembling in the might of his swordplay.

Shen Zhixian drew in a breath as he held the tip of the flowering branch pointing at an angle to the ground. He stared coldly at the illusion ghosts struggling to escape. But, they burst into a haze and dispersed with the wind.

It seemed that the voice of a child came from nearby, and Shen Zhixian walked forward slowly. The fog receded like a tide, gradually revealing an image.

It was a fine beach.

At first glance, it looked very similar to the scene when they first came ashore from the bottom of the sea. But, upon closer inspection, Shen Zhixian found a difference—the edges were blurry and lifeless, indicating that this was an illusion.

There seemed to be children’s laughter echoing all around. Shen Zhixian faintly saw many children chasing laughter at the edges of those vague illusions, but this liveliness had nothing to do with him, and it had nothing to do with the single child on the beach.

The waves repeatedly rushed to the shore, rolling up many small shells and crabs, and rolling up a beautiful little blue fish.

The child was squatting on the beach, staring blankly into the distance. After the little blue fish was rolled ashore, it jumped lazily forward, just to the point where the waves could no longer roll it back into the sea. After hopping to the side of the child, it laid still.

Its color was incredibly beautiful, like the charming blue at the junction of the horizon and the sea-level line. In the sun, people wouldn’t be able to open their eyes when they looked at it.

The child was attracted by it. He looked at it quietly for a moment, and then he carefully poked at the slightly white fish belly with his finger.

The little blue fish bulged his belly and continued to stay motionless.

The child smiled a silly smile. When he saw that the waves couldn’t rush up, he carefully picked up the fish, took a few steps forward, and put it back into the sea.

But after a while, the waves rolled the fish up again. The fish once again jumped a few times before laying motionless.

Fish will die without water.

The child bulged his cheeks. Although he was a fool, he understood this reasoning. This little blue fish was so beautiful. What should he do if the fish died?

He put the little blue fish back into the sea again.

He didn’t know what happened, but after a while, the little blue fish was once again rolled up.

The child was at a loss. He looked at the beautiful little blue fish, not knowing what to do— Maybe the fish needed to be released further out?

He picked up the little blue fish again. He decided to go a little further out into the water, so that the waves could not roll up the little blue fish.

But this time, the little blue fish was not as good as he wished.

A white light flashed in the child’s hands, and the child blinked, wanting to cover his eyes subconsciously. When he loosened his hands, the little blue fish fell down. When it was about to land, the white light suddenly extended and changed into a figure.

Long hair cascaded like a waterfall, hugging an androgynous face that was as beautiful as a sunset. His long and white finger gently poked at the child’s forehead. When he spoke, his voice was cold and leisurely. “I want to sleep in the sun. Don’t put me back now. ”

His eyes were a deep ice-blue, so beautiful the child was unable to look directly at them. Then, in the next moment, the figure turned back into a small blue fish. He fluttered on the fine sand, chose a comfortable position, and warmed himself, laying motionless while sunbathing.

The child stood dully in place. He was a well-known fool in this sea village. He couldn’t figure out what had happened.

He bowed his head and saw the little blue fish again, his beautiful fish scales covered with little sand.

The fish had no water—It would die.

Keeping this in mind, the child squatted down, very carefully held the little blue fish, and once again, put it in the water.

A wave rolled up and awakened the little blue fish.

It pricked its tail in the fine sand to keep it from being caught by the waves, and moved slightly, as if confused.

Outside of the illusion, even Shen Zhixian felt its suffocation and couldn’t help laughing.

Just look! The power of those little devils!