In the true Dark Realm.
The Dark Emperor and the others were intently watching the massive bronze mirror, which displayed Gu Qingfeng's actions within the second layer of the Eternal Dream.
The Eternal Dream consisted of two layers.
The first layer primarily served to lull people into lowering their guard, while the second layer was the true test.
A true demonic infiltrator would have prepared themselves mentally for such trials. The first layer of the Eternal Dream might be bypassed by those with strong wills and thorough preparations.
This was why the second layer existed—as a failsafe.
Imagine this: you are an infiltrator attempting to blend into an organization. You’ve prepared extensively to face the test, and once you pass it, your tense nerves relax, and your guard drops. You believe the trial is over, unaware that the real challenge has only just begun.
This is the moment when one is most vulnerable to exposing flaws. Moreover, the second layer of the dream was designed to perfectly replicate the Dark Realm, with every detail and person copied from reality.
It was a flawless reconstruction.
The only difference was that the events unfolding were not real.
The more realistic the dream, the harder it became to distinguish illusion from reality.
Only by passing the second layer could one truly be considered to have overcome the trial.
The Dark Emperor and the others were deeply concerned about the safety of the Dark Realm, as it represented humanity’s last hope. Not a single traitor could be allowed within—one slip-up, and the Dark Realm’s location might be exposed, leading to utter ruin.
At this moment, the bronze mirror showed Gu Qingfeng picking up the divine sword. The Dark Emperor and the others watched closely, awaiting his choice.
Would he side with humanity or the demons?
Truthfully, the Dark Emperor and the others didn’t believe Gu Qingfeng was a spy. In the dream, they had deliberately fed him false information about the demon-slaying weapon and their strategic plans as a test.
An infiltrator who obtained critical intelligence would surely try to relay it.
Thus, the dream had deliberately left Gu Qingfeng alone in a secluded cave.
If he were a spy, he would have seized this perfect opportunity—yet he did nothing but sleep.
This greatly reduced the likelihood of him being a traitor.
Therefore, the most probable outcome was that Gu Qingfeng would take up the sword and fight for humanity.
"Shut the hell up, all of you!"
A thunderous roar erupted from the bronze mirror.
The Dark Emperor and the others froze. What was happening? What was this newcomer doing?
Their eyes remained fixed on the mirror as Gu Qingfeng pointed his sword at the crowd and began hurling insults.
The Dark Emperor and the others were utterly baffled.
"Why is this newcomer cursing at us too?" one divine realm expert muttered in confusion.
The others exchanged glances, unsure how to respond.
"I’ve lived for centuries, and this is the first time I’ve seen someone so bizarre. In this situation, there are only two choices—help humanity or the demons. But this guy? He curses both sides! Tell me, does this count as passing the trial?"
"Keep watching," the Dark Emperor interjected, silencing the discussion.
"Hey, lady! Take your people and get the hell out of the Dark Realm. Stop getting in my way."
The Dark Emperor: "???"
Everyone turned to look at the Dark Emperor with strange expressions.
Unfortunately, her face was hidden behind a mask, making her emotions unreadable. However, the faint trembling of her fair, delicate hands betrayed her inner turmoil.
After watching a while longer, someone suddenly exclaimed, "I get it! This kid is trying to save all of us! He’s driving us out of the Dark Realm so he can face the demons alone!"
"Fellow Daoist Jue Mingzi, it seems you’ve found an extraordinary newcomer. Though his words are crude, his heart is pure, and his actions are truly admirable."
Then, the Dark Emperor’s cool, composed voice emerged from behind the mask: "While his intentions may be noble, his approach is flawed. The correct course would be to unite everyone to slay the demons.
With his strength, a single strike from the divine sword could kill the Azure Demon Emperor, but many lesser demons would remain. Once his power is exhausted, how will he fight them? Instead of ensuring survival for all, he chooses to play the lone hero—this will only lead to tragedy."
The others exchanged glances. Though they agreed with her logic and her tone remained steady, they couldn’t shake the feeling that her criticism stemmed from being called "lady" earlier.
Truly, even the most composed women harbored a hint of pettiness.
"Fellow Daoist Jue Mingzi, let’s extract Gu Qingfeng from the dream. His actions prove he’s no spy—there’s no need to watch further," someone suggested.
Jue Mingzi nodded, about to comply—when suddenly, another person gasped.
"Look! What is he doing now?!"
Everyone turned back to the mirror—and froze in stunned silence.
"He... he actually gave the divine sword to the Azure Demon Emperor?!"
"Traitor! A traitor to humanity!" someone roared in fury.
Others were puzzled. "But if he truly wanted to betray us, why did he send the others away?"
"What’s there to question? Maybe he got cold feet and switched sides at the last moment!"
"Dark Emperor, his behavior suggests he isn’t a spy, but his cowardly betrayal means he must never be allowed into the Dark Realm. We implore you to—"
"Wait." The Dark Emperor raised a hand, cutting them off. Her brow furrowed as she stared at the mirror, captivated by Gu Qingfeng’s next move.
The others followed her gaze—and were dumbfounded again.
Wait, wasn’t he surrendering? Why is he charging at the demons now?!
"What—what is he doing?! Why is he fighting them again?!"
"Just like in the first layer, where he single-handedly surrounded a horde of demons! Now he’s doing it again in the second layer?!"
"How does this newcomer’s mind work? Why isn’t he afraid of those powerful demons? Does he have some deep-seated vendetta?"
"I don’t care if he’s afraid or not—what I don’t understand is, if he hates demons so much, why didn’t he just use the divine sword? Why throw it away and fight bare-handed?!"
Countless questions swirled in the minds of the divine realm experts. Gu Qingfeng’s baffling actions left them utterly perplexed, and silence fell over the group.
After a long pause, someone finally spoke up.
"So... does this mean he passed?"
"He didn’t side with the demons, he helped humanity escape, and then he single-handedly fought tens of thousands of demons. Based on those three points alone, he not only passed—he excelled. By all accounts, he’s a hero of humanity."
But setting aside these three points, his behavior was so bizarre it hardly seemed human.
+【Epic Battles!】 "Your Highness, they say Linxi Temple is miraculous. Won’t you make a wish?" "A wish? It should be making wishes to me." "That may be so, but since you’re already here..." "..." "Fine. Then grant this princess a consort to play with." "He must be obedient, devoted, and utterly infatuated with my body—so much so that he’d kneel and kiss my feet." "Your Highness, that’s not a consort. That’s a dog." "Then add clever, witty, heroic, ambitious yet pragmatic..." "Hmm, that’s enough for now. I’ll add more later." After tossing out these words half in jest, Princess Anle departed the temple—only to catch a fleeting glimpse of the Bodhisattva statue smiling at her. Meanwhile, Yang An, fresh out of university, was having a very bad day. Good news: He’d transmigrated into another world with a cheat granting tenfold combat power. Bad news: He’d immediately fallen into the clutches of a certain villainess. Good news: Said villainess possessed peerless beauty and royal status. Bad news: She was absolutely monstrous!!! In the frozen wilderness, Yang An knelt beneath Qin Guo’er’s feet, drenched in sweat despite the cold. Desperately clutching her porcelain-perfect foot—the very one poised to crush his throat—he could only think: How do I survive this?! Need answers NOW!
d intelligence to keep the plot moving, and sometimes even the protagonists are forced into absurdly dumb decisions. Why does the A-list celebrity heroine in urban romance novels ditch the top-tier movie star and become a lovestruck fool for a pockmarked male lead? Why do the leads in historical tragedy novels keep dancing between love and death, only for the blind healer to end up suffering the most? And Gu Wei never expected that after finally landing a villain role to stir up trouble, she’d pick the wrong gender! No choice now—she’ll just have to crush the protagonists as a girl!
ine. During your journey, you save an abandoned baby girl and become her elder brother】 【You rely on each other, becoming each other's support】 【At the end of the simulation, you shield the now-grown girl with your life, sacrificing yourself to block numerous demonic cultivators. You die, and the light in the girl's eyes fades】 …… 【Second Simulation: You are transported to a world where steam and magic coexist】 【You immerse yourself in the study of magic, obsessed with its research. One day, while out, you encounter a half-blooded demon girl wandering the streets. You take her in as your student】 【You teach the demoness what it means to be human, show her the beauty of the world, and nurture her into a miracle that surpasses even the gods】 【At the end of the simulation, you die of old age in front of the nearly immortal demoness due to your mortal lifespan】 …… One simulation after another, one encounter after another. Xu Xi suddenly felt something was off: "Wait, you said you're coming to the real world to find me?"
u Chenyuan transmigrated into a female-oriented novel about a real and fake heiress, becoming the CEO elder brother of both. Unfortunately, the entire Lu family—including himself, the CEO—were mere cannon fodder in the story. Determined to save himself, Lu Chenyuan took action. The spoiled, attention-seeking fake heiress? Thrown into the harsh realities of the working class to learn humility. The love-struck real heiress? Pushed toward academic excellence, so lofty goals would blind her to trivial romances. As for the betrayed, vengeful arranged marriage wife… the plot hadn’t even begun yet. There was still time—if he couldn’t handle her, he could at least avoid her. "CEO Lu, are you avoiding me?" Mo Qingli fixed her gaze on Lu Chenyuan. For the first time, the shrewd and calculating Lu Chenyuan felt a flicker of unease.
