Yang Kai withdrew his gaze and let out a soft breath.
The outcome of the great war between the two races was now clear to him — exactly as he had anticipated. The Barbarian Race had paid a staggering price, but ultimately prevailed, annihilating every last invader. As for the two Demon Saints who had fled, no matter how formidable their means, the vastness of heaven and earth left them nowhere to hide.
This trial had been, in many respects, a resounding success. Yang Kai himself had reaped tremendous gains, particularly in his understanding of ancient witchcraft — something no written record or scripture could ever hope to match.
The only flaw was Wu Niu's death. Yet given the circumstances, there had been no better way for Yang Kai — acting in Wu Niu's role — to counter the Great Demon God's strike across the void.
Now only one question remained...
Yang Kai turned his head and regarded the petite woman beside him, asking with a serious expression: "Who are you? How should I address you — or should I just call you by the name I used before... Die?"
Die smiled, as though she could sense the faint dissatisfaction in his heart, and replied gently: "I am a witness and a chronicler of history. What you experienced was nothing more than a drop in the ocean of what I have recorded."
"This illusion — you created it?" Yang Kai raised an eyebrow.
Die shook her head. "I am responsible only for witnessing and recording. What illusion one encounters upon entering this place is entirely the trial-taker's own choice."
Yang Kai frowned. "I don't remember making any choice."
After entering this place, he had woken up as Aniu of Cangnan Village. When had he ever been given a choice?
Die smiled. "Certain things within your body helped make the choice for you."
Yang Kai considered for a moment. "The Ancient Demon Qi?" That was the only thing he could think of that bore any connection to the vision of the great war between the two races.
The moment the words left his lips, a jolt of alarm shot through him. He suddenly remembered that he had undone the gold-and-silver seals in his dantian — he had long since fallen to demonkind, yet he felt remarkably little discomfort now. He wanted to inspect his current condition, but he had no physical body here; he existed in a state resembling a divine soul, conversing with Die, and thus had no way to examine himself.
Die seemed to sense his thoughts and spoke up: "Don't worry. Everything here is frozen in stasis. Once you leave, you can deal with your own troubles then."
Yang Kai nodded, then pondered briefly before asking: "You say you are a witness and a chronicler of history. Could I understand that you are this illusion itself?"
Die looked at him with bright, luminous eyes. "How clever. You're correct — I am the illusion itself."
Yang Kai said, "The illusion experienced by each person who comes here is different, isn't it? What I lived through was the Demon Race's invasion and the great war between the two races. If someone else had come, they might have experienced something entirely different."
"That's right." Die laughed softly, clearly enjoying the ease of conversation with a sharp mind. "And since this time you experienced the war between the two races, the next time you enter, you may experience something entirely different. All things are in flux, and every occurrence has its cause and consequence."
"This secret realm — does it have a name?" Yang Kai asked curiously.
"The Thousand Illusion Dreamscape!" Die answered. Then her petite body suddenly spun around and burst apart with a soft pop.
Yang Kai started in surprise, but quickly steadied himself, his gaze transfixed by the enormous butterfly that now occupied the space before him.
Where Die had been standing, a butterfly roughly the height of a person now spread its wings, resplendent in a kaleidoscope of dazzling colors that conveyed a beauty pushed to its absolute limit. It beat its wings gently, and a stream of luminescent light flowed across them, enough to leave any observer spellbound and dizzy with wonder.
Die's voice drifted over from the butterfly: "I am the Thousand Illusion Dream Butterfly — the sovereign of this secret realm!"
"So you're the key that opens this realm!" Yang Kai clicked his sudden realization into place.
Princess Lan Xun had once told him that among the myriad secret realms within the fifth level of the Five-Colored Pagoda, certain ones required a specific key to unlock. For example, the Taixu Illusion she had mentioned could only be opened with the Golden Armored Heavenly Scripture. Ever since Star Soul Palace Elder Tan Junhao had been killed by Yang Kai in Flowing Shadow City, the Golden Armored Heavenly Scripture had fallen into Yang Kai's hands — leaving some of Star Soul Palace's Disciples trapped inside the Taixu Illusion with no way to leave.
To reclaim the Golden Armored Scripture, Star Soul Palace had been forced to agree to Yang Kai's demand to enter the Five-Colored Pagoda for one month of cultivation.
The key to the Taixu Illusion was the Golden Armored Heavenly Scripture. The key to the Thousand Illusion Dreamscape that Yang Kai had experienced was Die — the very person who had now transformed into the Thousand Illusion Dream Butterfly.
Die let out a light laugh. "A key? I'm not merely a key. I told you just now — I am the illusion itself."
Yang Kai wasn't sure what difference that distinction made, but instinct told him that this Thousand Illusion Dream Butterfly was somehow more advanced than the Taixu Illusion Lan Xun had described. He nodded. "I think I have a general understanding now. But if you're the sovereign of this secret realm, why did you appear at my side as Die? Were you watching me?"
Die replied, "Everything that happens within the secret realm, I can observe effortlessly. There was no need for surveillance. As for why... I acted on a whim. I had been dormant for a great many years. This time, it was you who awakened me."
"Oh?" Yang Kai raised an eyebrow, a flicker of interest crossing his face. "So there's something special about me, is there? Could I take you with me?" He paused, then rephrased. "Would you be willing to come with me?"