Chapter 1031: This Is An Illusion

Wei Donghai's eyes widened in shock, and he froze in place.

Senior Yi had clearly left with the three extraterrestrial visitors several days ago. By now, he should be billions of miles away, perhaps even halfway across Cloud Star. How could he possibly be back in the village?

This couldn't be real!

Wei Donghai was filled with disbelief, his eyes bulging like copper bells. He quickly rubbed his eyes and looked again. Sure enough, Yi Feng was standing right there at the door!

Instantly, Wei Donghai was overwhelmed with awe. To return from billions of miles away so effortlessly, with such a calm and relaxed demeanor, it was clear that Senior Yi hadn't even exerted his full strength. Such cultivation and skill were beyond comprehension, defying all common sense. Even across the entire Cloud Star, there had never been anyone like him!

Could Senior Yi's realm be...?

The thought had just crossed his mind when Wei Donghai was struck dumb with fear. If this were true, then befriending Senior Yi wasn't just a stroke of luck—it was an immense honor!

Overwhelmed by this terrifying realization, Wei Donghai's mind went blank. He sprinted back into the courtyard, shouting without a care for his dignity.

"Senior Brother! Senior Brother! Senior Yi is back! I saw him with my own eyes!"

Despite having advanced to the level of a high-tier sage, Wei Donghai was shouting like a madman, stumbling into the courtyard, his words barely coherent.

Fortunately, Zui Wuyi had just finished his seclusion and was meditating. Otherwise, such a sudden outburst might have caused him to lose control of his cultivation.

Hearing the commotion, Zui Wuyi stepped outside and saw his junior brother in a state of panic, stammering and acting completely unlike a sage. Zui Wuyi's expression darkened, and he scolded him sternly.

"Nonsense! How many times have I told you? Now that your cultivation has advanced, you must also elevate your demeanor and composure. What kind of behavior is this, shouting and making a scene?"

Seeing that his senior brother didn't believe him, Wei Donghai was on the verge of tears.

"Senior Brother! I... I really saw Senior Yi! He's right outside Fu Nantian's door right now! If you don't believe me, come with me to see for yourself!"

Zui Wuyi frowned, his face darkening, but he reluctantly agreed.

"Fine! I'll go with you to see!"

The two old men hurried out of the courtyard and rushed toward Fu Nantian's residence.

At the same time, a streak of light shot out of the village.

By the time the two old men arrived at the door, everything was as usual. There was no sign of anyone, and the courtyard gate was tightly shut.

Zui Wuyi's expression grew even darker as he turned to question Wei Donghai.

"Where is he? You said Senior Yi was back, but there's no one here!"

Wei Donghai was dumbfounded. He looked around several times, scanning the area, but there was no trace of anyone. It was as if no one had returned at all.

But recalling what he had just seen, he insisted.

"But... I really saw Senior Yi! He was standing right here!"

As he spoke, Wei Donghai walked to the door and pointed at the ground, his expression a mix of frustration and stubbornness, as if he were telling the truth.

Seeing his junior brother's desperate insistence, Zui Wuyi sighed helplessly.

"Ah, junior brother, I know you're an honest man and that you want to repay Senior Yi. But with so many people around and the extraterrestrial visitors here, we couldn't just casually reveal Senior Yi's whereabouts. We had to keep it private.

"These past few days, you must have been thinking about him so much that you started seeing things. It's just an illusion."

Though his words were well-meaning, Wei Donghai only grew more frustrated.

He wasn't stupid. He knew what to say and what to do. Did he really need his senior brother to teach him about repaying kindness? The idea that it was just an illusion made Wei Donghai's face flush with embarrassment.

Gritting his teeth, the old man couldn't hold back his anger and snapped back.

"Senior Brother! What are you talking about? I'm a high-tier sage now! How can you still treat me like I don't know anything? I'm not a clueless kid anymore! How could a sage possibly have hallucinations?!"

Zui Wuyi was momentarily stunned by the retort, then chuckled helplessly.

"Haha, you're still too young.

"What does being a sage have to do with it? Sages are still human. The saying goes, 'What you think about during the day, you dream about at night.' I understand that you've been thinking about Senior Yi a lot, but it's easy to become so fixated that you start seeing things."

Wei Donghai was confused. He instinctively rubbed his eyes again.

"But... I really saw Senior Yi..."

Yet when he looked around, there was no one else in sight. The quiet village seemed to contain only him and his senior brother, who had returned early. The facts were undeniable.

Wei Donghai began to doubt himself, sinking into confusion.

Seeing that his junior brother was still clinging to his delusion, Zui Wuyi frowned.

"You've been acting strange lately. Last time, you said you saw Senior Yi, and when you left treasures for him, you were sneaking around like a thief. Have you been possessed or something?

"Could it be that the Dao power you absorbed has caused you to lose control of your cultivation?"

Realizing that his secret gift-giving might be exposed, Wei Donghai quickly changed the subject and argued back.

"Who's lost control of their cultivation?! You're the one who's lost control! I'm just thinking about Senior Yi and wanting to repay him as soon as possible! And don't act all high and mighty—you're always thinking about Senior Yi too!

"Don't think I don't know—you took out that precious box you've been hoarding for years. Were you planning to give it to Senior Yi when he returned, just to one-up me?"

The sudden accusation caught Zui Wuyi off guard, and he became flustered.

"Junior Brother! You're judging a gentleman with the heart of a petty man! How could I possibly want to one-up you? I'm your senior brother! How could you think so poorly of me? Your words are truly hurtful!"

In just a few sentences, the two competitive old men were at each other's throats. Within moments, their respectful titles for each other were replaced with insults, and the once-peaceful village was thrown into chaos.

...

In the boundless black domain.

The flying ship continued to move deeper into the black mist, its speed slowing slightly.

A man opened his eyes, his expression slightly displeased.

"That kid sneaked off the ship. He's reckless and might delay our mission. Should I go look for him?"

A woman sitting in meditation in front of him spoke without opening her eyes, her voice cold.

"No need.

"The black mist here is extremely dense. With his level of cultivation, he won't be able to go far.

"If he has any sense and doesn't seek his own death, he'll return soon enough."

The man bowed respectfully, his eyes filled with reverence.

"Your wisdom is unparalleled, my lady.

"We are already deep within the black domain, surrounded by thick black mist. Even I feel the pressure here.

"That kid is only a half-sage. He wouldn't dare to wander far."

Another person chimed in, his tone arrogant.

"Indeed. If he dares to stray from us, he's asking for trouble. Even if his cultivation is weak, he's not foolish enough to do that."

After a few quiet words, the three resumed their meditation.

Sure enough, within moments, Yi Feng appeared at the edge of the flying ship. As expected, the three lost interest in him. In their minds, someone as weak as Yi Feng wasn't worth their attention. Everything was under control.