That's the Gaze of Like-Minded Souls

As the Dreamflower fully bloomed, the previously flickering and resisting Yanshen Taiqing Sword suddenly fell silent.

Facing the Dreamflower, whose nature was not entirely clear and somewhat sinister, Wang Lin had already spared no expense, deploying every protective treasure he carried, not even hesitating to use costly disposable artifacts.

Whether they were useful or not, the more layers of protection he had, the more at ease he felt.

Li Xingtian stayed close to Wang Lin’s side, also benefiting from the layers of shields.

It had to be said… being wealthy was truly advantageous. No wonder the Eighteen Immortal Sects were known for their extravagance—who wouldn’t be lavish with resources like these?

At the very least, Li Xingtian also felt much more reassured.

Wang Lin’s expression remained calm. He didn’t question why the intelligence had been inaccurate—after all, how many things in this world were ever completely reliable?

Deviations were normal; the important thing was to minimize the impending losses.

As long as people were unharmed, that was what mattered most.

“Brother Li, the situation has changed. We need to adjust our mission priorities. First, we’ll search for my two teammates, then wait for reinforcements from the sect,” Wang Lin said, his gaze fixed on the Dreamflower as he continued speaking to Li Xingtian beside him.

“We have backup. As long as we can hold out, time is on our side.”

Li Xingtian nodded in agreement. “That’s the right approach. Caution is key.”

Wang Lin gave a slight nod. As long as the other wasn’t reckless or impulsive, communication would be smooth.

Li Xingtian frowned as he observed the illusory form of the Dreamflower ahead. “Though the Dreamflower carries the word ‘dream,’ it actually has a physical form. It shouldn’t feel this intangible.”

Wang Lin caught on. “Are you saying its current state isn’t its complete form?”

Li Xingtian’s eyes shifted to the approaching Dreamflower and the purple domain it was forming, into which they were about to step:

“If I’m not mistaken, yes. We’re about to enter its area of influence. I don’t know if it can affect you, but if you’re pulled into a dream, as a Nascent Soul cultivator, you can rely on your Nascent Soul to…”

Wang Lin cut him off. “Noted. What about you?”

“I have my own methods,” Li Xingtian replied casually.

Shielded by multiple barriers, the two of them stepped into the domain together.

Li Xingtian’s expression tightened as he took in the scene—colorful petals drifting freely through the sky, an endless expanse of flowers covering the ground, and in the distance, a towering tree adorned with blossoms that seemed to pierce the heavens.

There was no sun, yet a strange, warm glow suffused the air.

Compared to the previous nightmarish realm drenched in blood, this place was almost too serene to believe.

But sometimes, the sweeter it seemed, the more dangerous it was.

Li Xingtian could usually rely on his control over his own blood qi to discern reality from illusion.

But this time, something felt off.

Was this a dream… or an illusion?

He glanced at Wang Lin beside him and saw the same gravity in his expression.

“The intelligence might still be flawed… My Nascent Soul senses that this isn’t a dream,” Wang Lin said, turning to Li Xingtian. “Could it be an illusion instead?”

Li Xingtian reached out and lightly touched the barrier formed by their artifacts. The spiritual energy feedback was normal.

After a brief hesitation, he extended his hand beyond the barrier. A strange surge of spiritual energy brushed against his fingertips, subtly attempting to influence his blood qi.

Li Xingtian couldn’t help but feel a twinge of exasperation:

“It might be an illusion. The spiritual energy outside is behaving oddly, but your protective treasures are too powerful. At most, they can only affect our vision—maybe our spiritual sense a little—but that’s probably the extent of it.”

This was the first time Li Xingtian had ever felt the sheer luxury of having wealth… even if it was borrowed.

Wang Lin let out a quiet sigh of relief. “That’s good news. My teammates have similar protective artifacts. If they’ve activated theirs, we should be able to spot them.”

With that, the danger seemed manageable.

At the very least, their strategy of waiting for reinforcements was still viable.

Li Xingtian’s gaze shifted to the breathtakingly beautiful tree ahead. Even he had to admit… it was stunning.

Flowers of every hue stretched across its branches, yet the colors didn’t clash—instead, they blended together in near-perfect harmony.

A faint breeze stirred, sending a flurry of petals dancing through the air.

Beautiful… and dangerous.

But there was no doubt—that tree was the core of the illusion. If they were to find the missing Tianyan Sect disciples, they’d likely have to head in that direction.

After all, what kind of opponent would deploy an illusion only to miss their target entirely?

Li Xingtian exchanged a glance with Wang Lin, and in that moment, they silently agreed on their next move.

Without a word, they flew straight toward the flowering tree.

With their spiritual senses potentially compromised, their eyes were now their best tool.

The tree was massive, its branches sprawling in all directions.

Li Xingtian remained vigilant, scanning their surroundings.

But the drifting petals kept obscuring much of their view.

Beautiful, yes—but right now, annoyingly so.

The tree wasn’t far, and soon they were at its side. Yet both stopped short, unspoken understanding between them.

With the intelligence unreliable, charging blindly into the heart of the illusion wouldn’t be a rescue—it’d be walking straight into a trap.

After observing for a while, they found no trace of the Tianyan Sect disciples.

Wang Lin’s expression remained composed as he summoned his spiritual sword and turned to Li Xingtian.

“What do you think about me taking a swing at this tree first?”

Li Xingtian gave a slight nod. “Try it. If that doesn’t work, we’ll burn it.”

Wang Lin arched a brow, mildly surprised. Though this was their first time working together, they seemed to share the same instincts.

Just as Wang Lin was about to strike, a clear, melodious voice rang out from deep within the tree.

“Are you two here to fight as well?”

Wang Lin paused, his gaze locking onto the source of the voice.

A branch slowly extended toward them, petals gathering and coalescing into a humanoid figure.

A woman with fair skin and delicate features materialized, clad in a flowing, pale-red gown. Her expression held a hint of curiosity.

Her figure was alluring, her tone disarmingly gentle—a strange blend of enchantment and youthful innocence, much like the illusion surrounding them.

She was the kind of beauty that could captivate a man’s heart.

But…

Li Xingtian’s brows furrowed instantly, his disgust unconcealed—she carried the same loathsome aura as that demonic woman from his past life.

Wang Lin’s expression didn’t waver either. What use was beauty? Could it grant him enlightenment or guide him to the Great Dao?

If the Tianyan Sect disciples wanted beautiful female cultivators, they could find plenty.

And honestly, what allure could compare to the truth of the supreme Dao?

Right now, Wang Lin still very much wanted to swing his sword and cleave through both the demonic woman and the tree behind her, just to test the waters.

But… since she was willing to talk, buying time for Li Xingtian to assess the situation further wasn’t a bad idea.

“Of course not. We’re not here to fight,” Wang Lin said, feigning awkwardness, as if flustered by the presence of a stunning woman.

At the same time, he shot a glance at Li Xingtian.

And in that glance, Li Xingtian recognized the same thought—they were on the exact same page.

It was the gaze of comrades who shared the same disdain for feminine charms, united in purpose.

Well done!

The Tianyan Sect truly lives up to its reputation as one of the Eighteen Immortal Sects!