Chapter 116: Don’t Cry, Friend

Li Si did not rush to enter the city. He was considering how to deal with the Strange Tribe members inside.

Thanks to his vast knowledge reserves, he knew about the existence of the Strange Tribe—well, mainly because the Phantom Bride’s explanations were thorough enough.

A thousand years ago in the Cultivation world, the Human Race dominated alone, but there was still some space for other races.

For example, the Demon Tribe, and the Strange Tribe.

It seemed that among the Twelve World-Quelling True Immortals, there was one big shot who came from the Demon Tribe. The Strange Tribe had no True Immortals, but they lived quite comfortably after the Evil God’s invasion.

Unlike the Demon Tribe, the Strange Tribe never had any interest in competing with the Human Race or the Demon Tribe for any so-called race destiny. What was that?

It was as if all their talent points went into having no presence.

Well, that was all he knew.

In the end, Li Si gave up on using force, mainly because he could not be sure it would work. The Devil-Sealing Curse, Iron Prison Discipline, and Soul-Searching Curse might not be able to trap the Strange Tribe members.

So he just walked straight in, hoping that the Strange Tribe would see he was alone and try to bully him. That way, his Steadfast Mountain Seal could actively counterattack and temporarily lock onto the other party.

As a result, even though he saw through Thousand-Eyes Little Brat at least several hundred Strange Tribe members happily absorbing human vitality and the aura of human activity in various houses and courty, the moment he passed by, the surroundings immediately became extremely quiet, with nothing visible.

“The Strange Tribe are naturally masters of concealment. Their presence can naturally hide in any environment, and they absolutely never disturb anyone actively—whether you are a Cultivator, a demon cultivator, or even the most ordinary mortal, even a dying old man, they won’t disturb them.”

“So this scene often appears: in a remote mountain village, most houses and courty feel cold and eerie, like haunted houses, but the few remaining households are full of life, quiet and harmonious. Even if the residents are decrepit, weak old people, there’s nothing wrong.”

“Even if it was originally a cold, deserted house, if someone moved in and lived there for ten days or half a month, that cold, eerie feeling would quickly disappear. This was because the Strange Tribe automatically left.”

“This is the normal state of harmonious coexistence between the Strange Tribe and the Human Race.”

Thousand-Eyes Little Brat was enthusiastically explaining again, as if afraid Li Si wouldn’t stay long in the small town.

Li Si sneered inwardly but deliberately asked, “Then if I want to trade with them, how do I make contact?”

“There’s no way. The Strange Tribe are very cautious, their escape skills are the best in the world. Even if caught, they would quickly perish. However, if you really want to contact them, there is a method that’s not really a method, and it might not work.”

“Hmm, tell me.” Li Si looked very interested. This was exactly the feeling he wanted. You little thing, act, keep acting!

“Well… alright.” Thousand-Eyes Little Brat seemed rather reluctant. “The Strange Tribe really like the fire and smoke of the human world, the human vitality. But this vitality isn’t what humans use to sustain themselves; it’s more like a flavor. Sometimes, in a deserted village, under the twilight glow, in a dilapidated courtyard, the Strange Tribe would replay the once lively scenes that happened in this small yard.”

“Some would turn into children playing in the yard, some would become old men or Old Madams sitting by the wall watching the sunset, busy adult men, a big yellow dog. Cooking smoke would rise softly, the aroma of food drifting inside and outside the yard…”

“When night fell, everything would return to peace again. Weeds filled the yard, crickets sang in the collapsed house, only the old willow tree rustled softly in the breeze.”

“So, you can communicate with the Strange Tribe this way. When a very quiet, very peaceful memory scene reappears, the Strange Tribe will come too. Everyone talks inside the illusion. Of course, I only said there’s a certain chance they’ll come.”

“You can set up such an illusion?” Li Si’s interest was indeed piqued.

“Just so-so. I’ve harmed quite a few people, so simulating those quiet scenes from their lives is easy for me.”

So Li Si took off the Thousand-Eyes Mask and threw it into a small courtyard. Then he sat on a stool, ready to watch the show, to watch it seriously.

Thousand-Eyes Little Brat did have some skills. In just a moment, a trace of sunlight actually appeared in the originally dark small yard—like the early morning sun just rising. Tender green leaves outside the wall were illuminated by the sunlight, casting mottled shadows on the ground.

A big red rooster held its head high and crowed. An old dog dozed under the shade of a tree.

With a creak, the door opened, and a woman’s soft, pleasant voice came out,

“Husband, time to eat.”

Wait, who are you calling?

Li Si looked left and right but didn’t see a second man in the illusion.

The woman inside called out again, but Li Si couldn’t see her full appearance, only one-third of her back view, seeming busy setting the table. It looked very warm and cozy.

Also at this moment, Li Si saw a chubby round fellow rise on the opposite side of the small yard. It had a nose, eyes, and a mouth—just too fat. It blinked desperately at Li Si. Was this a greeting?

This method really was good.

So Li Si blinked back and happily walked into the room…

But the next moment, what should have been a warm, romantic scene was replaced the instant he stepped into the room by a hellish scene of blood, darkness, gloom, despair, and brutality.

Countless bloody eyeballs stared down from all directions, from every angle, not even sparing below—perverted!

Li Si froze for a second, then felt itchy all over his body. Following that, eyeballs started drilling out from his skin and then back in, like rewinding.

Because his Heart Cleansing Curse, Calamity-Dispelling Curse, Heart-Interrogation Mantra, and Spirit Stabilization Curse exempted him from all this.

At the same time, he unleashed his Soul-Searching Curse, Evil-Warding Curse, and Devil-Sealing Curse without holding back, but they were immediately exempted by even more eyeballs.

Then, he heard a ‘pfft’ sound, as if something had spat at him.

In fact, it was some kind of sticky liquid. The moment this liquid covered him, Li Si panicked a little because his Magic Power was sealed!

Whether it was Heart Cleansing Curse, Soul-Searching Curse, or Divine Heaven Thunder Control Technique, all were sealed, unable to be released.

“Stinky little junior, are you satisfied now? This isn’t your Pure Land area, and you can’t summon the Hundred-League Law Seal to save you. Tell me, how should big sister eat you? From head to toe, or from bottom to top?”

Countless eyeballs seemed to burst out from a big hole in the void, filling the entire space like bouncy balls.

“Oh, I forgot to tell you, this is the Illusory Realm, my territory, haha! Didn’t expect that, did you? Actually, I didn’t expect it either. Why did you suddenly become so stupid, so obsessed with finding the Strange Tribe?”

“I suggest you lick your way while eating.”

With all his methods sealed, Li Si only panicked for a while before returning to normal, only a glimmer of expectation remaining in his eyes.

“You still think you can turn this around? Hahaha, no hurry. I want that Hundred-League Law Seal. I want it so badly I’m going crazy…”

“Don’t cry, bear with it.”

Li Si muttered to himself. Four Soul Lamps instantly appeared, bursting forth with dazzling, brilliant light in that instant, like four blazing suns, sweeping through every corner around.

Eyeballs, sticky liquid, the terrifying hell—all turned to gray ashes before the four Soul Lamps.

The main body of the Thousand-Eyed Evil Spirit didn’t even have time to scream before it was gone, leaving no last words.

So weak.

“Slayed the main body of the Thousand-Eyed Evil Spirit. Obtained 1000 bundles of White Fate Firewood.”

“Due to the four Soul Lamps, you did not suffer any corruption.”

—

Two messages lazily floated up. Li Si smiled slightly. That idiot Thousand-Eyes actually thought that once he left the Hundred-League Law Seal’s control zone, it could make him surrender?

So pitiful. Honestly, if it weren’t for these 1000 bundles of White Fate Firewood, he wouldn’t have bothered acting along. No choice, everyone’s got to make a living. Firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, ‘tea’—expenses are high.

As for the four Soul Lamps, their true power actually lay in illuminating the Illusory Realm, not just that each lamp could imprint one Divine Ability.

Otherwise, why would those True Immortals eagerly send their proud disciples into the Palace Ruins Secret Realm?

Did they really think having four more Divine Abilities was enough?

The real power was right here.

Li Si only found out after obtaining the fourth Soul Lamp. Soul Lamps light the way, travel freely through the illusory void—this wasn’t just an advertising slogan.

How far the Soul Lamps could illuminate determined how powerful they were. Well, the premise was within the Illusory Realm.

Anyway, the Thousand-Eyed Evil Spirit died very unjustly, because Li Si had a Divination Misdirection on him. Its ability to spy on others’ secrets just failed, and then it died just like that.

He didn’t linger in the Illusory Realm. Li Si followed the Mortal Realm coordinates left by the Thousand-Eyes Mask and returned.

Yes, what Thousand-Eyes Little Brat called setting up an illusion was actually activating the coordinates of the Thousand-Eyed Evil Spirit’s main body, similar to a Wishing Stone, allowing connection between the Illusory Void and the Mortal Realm.

And now, the Thousand-Eyed Evil Spirit was dead, but Li Si’s Thousand-Eyes Little Brat was still there.

In the small courtyard, the illusion had disappeared. That Thousand-Eyes Mask lay on the ground, trembling, shaking, leaving a puddle of black liquid.

“Don’t cry, friend. We’re on the same side. I can accept a little joking. Be good!”

Li Si stroked the Thousand-Eyes Mask, his mind peaceful, very much like a great benefactor over nine lifetimes.

In the distance, on the Blackwater River, a line of fire dragons approached quickly—it was Cheng Tianhao’s fleet, already nearing the small town. Then, they were all astonished. They thought they were going to fight a fierce battle, but it turned out they were just going to be transport team leaders.

Oh well, no need to say anything. Load the ship, load the ship.

A sleepless night.

By the next morning, even Xu Shen, who had just become a god not long ago, came. There really were too many supplies here; they had to transport everything back.

Struck it rich, struck it rich.

As for Li Si, after casting a Track-Finding and Trace-Erasing Curse, he stood on the city wall and sang “Don’t Cry, Friend,” bidding farewell to his old friend Thousand-Eyes.

It truly moved those who heard it to sadness, brought tears to listeners’ eyes.

He even attracted a few Strange Tribe members, including the one who blinked at him last night.

“Sing another one, and I’ll give you a treasure.”

Li Si righteously refused. Damn it, I didn’t cross over into the urban channel; I absolutely won’t sing for money!

Wait, big bro, don’t go! What treasure?