"I need a way to neutralize the effects of this swamp!" Her expression darkened slightly as she leapt rapidly in place, dodging the barrage of incoming attacks while trying to devise a countermeasure.
Using the Lüqi Zither for defense proved futile—the music was instantly swallowed. There had to be a way to unleash its power.
Meanwhile, in the main hall of Biyi Palace, Shui Huanmeng observed Chen Jinshu through a water mirror. Every so often, she activated the token in her hand to intensify the illusion array.
"My disciple's reflexes are decent. But I'm curious how she'll counter the swamp's sound-devouring effects."
After fleeing in the opposite direction of the swamp for a full quarter-hour, Chen Jinshu discovered she couldn't shake it—the swamp clung to her like a shadow, following her no matter where she went.
"So this swamp must be the key obstacle."
"Master truly went to great lengths... this sound-swallowing swamp is no illusion—it's real!"
"But since Master set this up, there must be a way to break through. What can I do?"
Swish! Swish!
Before she could think of a plan, another wave of dense attacks surged toward her like a giant net, leaving her no room to breathe. If she couldn't find a way to suppress the swamp's power, failure was inevitable.
"If this swamp is real, then talismans should work, right? I wonder if it can still function after being frozen."
She quickly retrieved a Frost Talisman from her storage pouch. The talisman could freeze an area temporarily—but only briefly.
Given the swamp's size, she didn't have time to hesitate. She activated the talisman and flung it toward the marsh. In an instant, the swamp froze. But just as the ice formed, it began to melt.
"Master must've anticipated I'd use a Frost Talisman and set up a rapid-thawing ward beforehand."
She placed the Lüqi Zither before her and rapidly played 'Ode to Earth's Renewal.'
As the zither echoed, the incoming attacks seemed to slow, almost suspended in mid-air.
She immediately channeled the 'Ten Thousand Echoes Heart Manual', and with the song's assistance, thick vines—each as thick as an arm—burst forth from the ground.
These weren't mere illusions. Drawing on her Wood Spirit energy from her dantian and fusing it with Spirit Vine Technique and her musical art, she conjured the massive vines into existence.
Rustle!
They surged forth, sprawling over the swamp and covering it entirely—without leaving the tiniest gap. By then, the frozen surface had mostly melted.
"I wonder if these vines can block some of the swamp's sound-absorbing effect."
She immediately began to play Autumn Dance of the Frosted Leaves.
This time, her music was no longer completely muffled—though it still didn't sound as refined as in practice. Still, as long as her zither could function, she could press on through the trial.
Whirl!
A storm of frosted leaves swirled around her, forming a giant cocoon that shielded her from the scattered attacks.
Clang! Clang!
Two quarter-hours later, the barrage of attacks finally began to subside. But then a different sound emerged around her—like a weeping spring in a ghostly forest. She instinctively felt sorrow well up within her, threatening to overwhelm her with despair.
"This must be the test Master mentioned—the trial of the heart and mind. I must hold firm!"
She quickly shifted her thoughts and played The Cry of Cranes Among the Pines.
Enormous green pines erupted around her, intercepting every remaining attack. The cry of cranes lifted her from the abyss of grief. The rustle of pine needles gradually calmed her spirit.
Half a day passed.
By the time Chen Jinshu exited the illusion array, it was already dusk. Her gentle, delicate demeanor was gone—replaced by a sharp, resolute aura. She had endured countless illusion trials, transforming from slow reactions to someone who could instantly summon the right music in a crisis.
She also began to notice patterns: each trial was tailored by her Master to match her repertoire, with each challenge linked to a zither piece. Even the spiritual tools she possessed were all brought into use. After such intense training, she had finally achieved basic mastery over her gear—from the golden hair ribbon that bound her bun to the bell on her waist, each now usable on command.
It was all about building adaptive ability. She gazed around the Biyi Palace courtyard, finally allowing her tense mind to relax.
"You did well this time. But there's still much room for improvement. The Outer Sect Tournament is about a month away. If you wish to challenge the array again, I can arrange it."
"Thank you, Master, for your guidance! This special training has taught me so much." She cupped her hands in gratitude toward the voice from the main hall.
"Alright! The trial is over. Come in and have a seat. Try this Five Dragons Tea I just brewed."
Moments later, Chen Jinshu sat in the hall, sipping the tea. As the liquid coursed through her, her internal energy surged, healing the hidden wounds she had sustained during the trials.
"An illusion array... is always modeled after real environments. It can never fully escape reality. The illusions you faced were all real. The black swamp, on the other hand—was fake."
Shui Huanmeng smiled cryptically as she watched Chen Jinshu's astonished face, then chuckled softly.
"Fake? But it felt so real!"
"Just look at the water screen."
As she spoke, a water screen materialized before Chen Jinshu. To her surprise, the screen showed her standing inside a tiny room—barely the size of a small cabin. Mechanisms and devices filled the space. Other than that, the room was empty.
The sharp green maple leaves that had flown at her were real, blade-like weapons. And somehow, she had remained in the exact same spot, endlessly dodging incoming attacks from all sides. She had never actually moved at all.
Half an hour later.
Just as Chen Jinshu was leaving the Biyi Palace, her Master gave her a sudden new task: to head to the Spiritual Food Hall and assist Sixth Senior Brother with an incident there.
The Sixth Brother, Master Shui's most skilled spiritual botanist, regularly supplied produce to the Spirit Cuisine Hall.
But this time, his cultivation of a Spicy Golden-Scaled Pepper had caused a kitchen explosion, infecting many disciples with fire poison.
Overwhelmed, he had turned to the Master for help.
When Chen Jinshu arrived, she found many disciples lying on the ground, their faces flushed red with heat. She immediately distributed the Chilled Lotus Seed Porridge her Master had prepared, detoxifying the affected disciples. Within moments, their symptoms subsided.
"Thanks for coming, Junior Sister. Who knew the Golden-Scaled Pepper would be this powerful!"