The Green Illusion dimension trials took place once every ten years, and involved the four sects and twenty-five clans of the seven cities.
There were a total of twenty-five clans in the seven cities that were similar with Black Cloud City. Those clans that had recently demonstrated their worthiness would be rewarded with slots by the four sects, and would choose their most talented juniors to enter the Green Illusion dimension together with the young and talented juniors from the four sects.
This Green Illusion dimension trial was imminent, hence the twenty-five clans of the seven cities had been getting ready and doing their best to pour their resources in the direction of those juniors who would participate in the trial.
Some of the juniors were gifted the highest level spiritual tools within the clan, while others were gifted with precious medicinal pills. Every one of them was prepared to display their talents in the Green Illusion dimension.
However, all Nie Donghai could give Nie Tian was concern and advice, due to the poor condition he had been in over the years.
The next day…
Early in the morning, Nie Donghai led Nie Tian to the front gate of the Nie clan, where they waited.
“Although An Shiyi is cruel and merciless, the woman has her principles,” Nie Donghai said calmly, “She has her bottom lines, so she definitely won’t lower herself to the level of harming you. I feel safe putting you in her hands. All you have to do is to be careful in the Green Illusion dimension and don’t expose your secrets.”
Nie Tian gently nodded. “Consider it done, grandpa. I’ll take good care of myself.”
“Okay.” Nie Donghai squinted his eyes and gazed into the direction where the An clan was located. “Yun Zhiguo’s son Yun Song is also going to attend this trial in the Green Illusion dimension. That shrew Yuan Qiuying hates your guts, so I’m afraid she’ll instruct Yun Song to lay murderous hands on you in the Green Illusion dimension.”
“Yun Song?” Nie Tian’s mouth twitched with disdain. “I managed to beat him until he puked blood when I was in the fourth level of Qi Refining. It’s only been several months. He should still be in the sixth level of Qi Refining. I, on the other hand, am now also in the sixth level of Qi Refining. Humph, he better pray not to bump into me in the Green Illusion dimension!”
Nie Donghai’s face turned grim. “It’s not him that I worry about. It’s Yuan Feng from the Yuan clan of Frost Stone City. He and Yuan Qiuying have always been close, and that kid is truly a fierce character. Yuan Feng broke through into the ninth level of Qi Refining a year ago and has already been officially accepted by the Grayvale sect. Moreover, he is regarded highly in the Grayvale sect, and was appointed as leader of the Grayvale sect in this trial!
“Yuan Feng is older than you, and his cultivation base is higher than yours. As leader of the Grayvale sect in this trial into the Green Illusion dimension, every Grayvale participant will take orders from him.
“Remember, you must always stay with the other participants from the Spiritual Treasure sect, and try not to get separated from their group.
“In case you accidentally stray, go find Nie Xian and team up with the participants from the Cloudsoaring sect, if possible. You will enter with the Spiritual Treasure sect, but after all, the Nie clan is subordinate to the Cloudsoaring sect, so their leader ought to admit you into their group.
“Teaming up with others is very important. Your individual power is extremely limited. Keep that in mind!”
Nie Tian listened attentively and kept nodding along, growing increasingly expectant regarding the Green Illusion dimension’s trial.
By his very nature, he enjoyed this kind of competition!
Looking at Nie Tian, who was full of fighting spirit, Nie Donghai secretly nodded his head, and had the sudden feeling that the Green Illusion dimension’s trial could possibly let Nie Tian shed away his old self and take on a new identity, truly understanding the cruelty and dangers of the Qi cultivation world.
He vaguely felt that Nie Tian would be able to adapt to the Green Illusion dimension.
An He, the An clan’s overweight old servant, came in a horse carriage from the silent morning roads and arrived in front of them. “Master Nie, our mistress has sent me here to take Nie Tian to the Green Illusion dimension.”
“Thank for going through all the trouble.” Nie Donghai said, then glanced at Nie Tian and said, “Come, greet uncle An.”
Nie Tian quickly bowed down. “Uncle An!”
An He nodded expressionlessly towards Nie Tian, then signalled for him to get in the carriage.
Nie Tian didn’t waste any time, and entered the carriage under Nie Donghai’s concerned gaze.
After Nie Tian was in, An He told Nie Donghai, “Master Nie, don’t you worry. With me escorting Nie Tian to participate in the Green Illusion dimension’s trial, we surely won’t be secretly attacked. That kind of dirty move is not something I will allow.”
An He thew a meaningful glance in the Yun clan’s direction.
“Many thanks!” Nie Donghai clasped his hands.
Clearly, he knew An He’s status and power in the An clan, therefore he seemed quite relieved.
“I’ll bring Nie Tian back safe and sound in half a year.” With these words, An He said no more. Snapping his whip, he sent the majestic black horse galloping forward with great force.
The sound of horse hooves clashing against ground rang out in the silent morning street. Before long, the carriage disappeared from Nie Donghai’s vision.
…
Three days later, in the desolate and uninhabited marshland outside of Thunder Clap City…
The marshland was completely covered by swaths of peat moss. By the side of a clear lake, An Shiyi, who was feeling hot and stuffy, cooled herself with a paper fan as she explained the rules of the Green Illusion dimension to fourteen well-dressed young boys and girls.
Those young boys and girls were from the Spiritual Treasure sect and the clans that clung to the Spiritual Treasure sect.
Most of them were in the seventh level or eighth level of Qi Refining, with only three in the ninth level of Qi Refining.
Those three were dressed in bright yellow robes, with the character “Treasure” conspicuously sewn to the chest, which made them stand out from the rest eleven youngsters.
They had already been admitted as disciples of the Spiritual Treasure sect.
Among the three of them, there were two boys and one girl, with the beautiful girl being their leader.
The girl resembled An Shiyi to some extent. As young as she was, she already had a delicate, curvaceous physique. The way she behaved was composed and relaxed. Apparently she was used to calling the shots.
The girl’s name was An Ying. Looking very impatient, she said, “Alright. Alright. You’ve said too much. Don’t you think you are being superfluous?! The sect elders have already given us the warnings and advice that you are giving us now. There is no need for you to repeat it again.”
“Then how come you’re the only one complaining?!” An Shiyi said with a glare.
An Ying chuckled, a sound as pleasant as bird singing. “You are my sister. What are you gonna do about it? Besides, they’re all cursing you inwardly. Since they don’t dare to say it out loud, I have to.”
Before An Shiyi could scold her, An Ying quickly said, “When will the kid from the Nie clan arrive? He’s not even from our sect, but has kept all of us waiting for him. He really thinks he is a big deal!”
An Ying’s cultivation base had reached the ninth level of Qi Refining and she had been a disciple of the Spiritual Treasure sect since long ago. Furthermore, she was the one who would lead the participants from the Spiritual Treasure sect in this trial.
Three days ago, when An Shiyi returned to the Spiritual Treasure sect, she specifically found her and told her that the An clan had given their only slot to a boy named Nie Tian from the Nie clan.
An Shiyi had instructed her to keep a close watch of Nie Tian in the Green Illusion dimension and pay attention to every single unusual thing about Nie Tian.
Actually the An clan had fought hard for that trial slot, and they originally had intended to let An Ying’s younger brother use it to enter the Green Illusion dimension’s trial.
Therefore, An Ying was very dissatisfied when An Shiyi gave the slot to Nie Tian.
Although she realized that An Shiyi must have arranged for Nie Tian to enter the Green Illusion dimension for a reason, An Ying was still rather upset about it.
Because of that, she hated Nie Tian before they even met, all for taking her brother’s slot.
The trial was about to begin soon, but Nie Tian still hadn’t shown up. The fact that he made all these people wait this long fueled her hatred towards him even further.
An Shiyi knew An Ying held a grudge against Nie Tian, so she didn’t argue with her. “Well, Black Cloud City is far away. I expected him to be a little late. Don’t worry. They should be here soon according to my calculations. Little Ying, although Nie Tian isn’t a member of our Spiritual Treasure sect, since I gave him the command medallion and invited him to enter the Green Illusion dimension, you should be more magnanimous and try not to give him a hard time.”
“Someone as broadminded as me wouldn’t stoop to his level.” An Ying let out a harrumph and glanced at the two boys in the ninth level of Qi Refining who were also from the Spiritual Treasure sect. “As for the others, I won’t be able to control their actions.”
Under An Ying’s gaze, those two youngsters both briefly raised their chins, their faces full of arrogance.
“You little rascal!” said An Shiyi.
She clearly knew those two boys from the Spiritual Treasure sect had always admired and followed An Ying’s orders.
As long as An Ying showed a smidgen of dissatisfaction towards Nie Tian, they would exert all means to give Nie Tian a hard time.
They were Zheng Rui and Pan Tao. Both of them were grandchildren of Spiritual Treasure sect elders, so even An Shiyi wouldn’t be able to control them.
“Since he dares to enter the Green Illusion dimension with the Spiritual Treasure sect’s command medallion, he should already be prepared to become a target…” Finally, An Shiyi gave up, knowing her persuasion wouldn’t work.
“Relax, sis,” An Ying said reassuringly, “I will ‘take good care of him’ in the Green Illusion dimension!”
At that moment, An Shiyi suddenly raised the end of her eyebrow and looked into the distance. “Here he comes.”
An He from the An clan was leading Nie Tian, as their figures slowly became clear on a distant muddy road, striding in An Shiyi’s direction.