Wait, How Did My Digital Girlfriend Become a Sword Immortal?

Chapter 858: A Blend of Reality and Illusion

...Cangyun Realm, Upper Realm.

Where clouds are deep and the place unknown, a pavilion stands with wing-like eaves.

White Sword holds the white stones, Tu Shan Yue holds the black stones.

On the Go board, black and white are locked in a deadly struggle, mirroring the tangled karma of all the heavens and myriad worlds.

"How has that lower corpse been recently?"

White Sword placed a stone, his voice cool and detached, as if asking casually, without a trace of worldly concern.

Beside him, a fist-sized golden eyeball floated.

There was no flesh or blood around the eyeball, only layers of fine golden electric arcs dancing.

If one were to meet the gaze of that Thunder Eye, one might vaguely see countless scriptures of the Great Dao within. Those with profound cultivation might immerse themselves and gain enlightenment; while those with shallow cultivation would have their soul and mind instantly sucked in, becoming nourishment for the Great Dao.

The Heavenly Dao's Eye trembled slightly, seemingly connecting to some distant signal.

A moment later, a light screen unfolded before White Sword.

In the scene, Earth Star was bathed in gentle winds and bright sunshine.

The man named "Chen Huaian" was lying on a cruise ship, a wine bottle in his left hand, a selfie stick in his right, with several beauties of different skin tones beside him. He was clearly relying on his unfathomable cultivation to travel and enjoy himself in the mortal world, having a grand old time.

The scene was quite realistic. Even White Sword couldn't spot any issues.

Or rather, in his understanding, Chen Huaian was exactly this kind of person.

"Hah."

A mocking, cold smile curled at the corner of White Sword's mouth.

"The lower corpse is ultimately the lower corpse. After severing the Three Corpses, only the base instincts of pleasure-seeking and sloth remain."

"Li Qingran has only just entered the miniature world, and he can't hold himself back already? Pathetic!"

"However, this is also fine." White Sword rubbed the Go stone with his fingertip. "Fatten it up a bit more, and when it's time to devour it later, there will be no worry of inner demons causing trouble!"

Tu Shan Yue looked at White Sword's cold, handsome profile, a flicker of infatuation in her eyes.

She didn't understand anything about lower corpses or upper corpses. She only knew that the man before her was her heaven.

"White Sword brother, what are you muttering about? You're not even focusing on the game!"

Tu Shan Yue rested her fragrant cheek on her hand, her tone chiding, but there wasn't a trace of impatience in her eyes.

The man she liked, even if he played Go absentmindedly, was still handsome.

"Something unimportant."

White Sword didn't elaborate, his eyes beneath the silver mask as still as an ancient well.

"Let's continue the game."

He asked again, "How is the progress of the two realms' fusion?"

The golden Thunder Eye projected again.

The scene flowed.

First, in the Hundred Thousand Mountains of the Cangyun Realm, mirages of Earth Star's skyscrapers abruptly appeared, causing countless demonic beasts to be startled and suspicious. Then, the scene shifted. At the summit of Mount Tai on Earth Star, the ruins of ancient sects from the Cangyun Realm faintly materialized.

Space was overlapping. The barriers were gradually dissolving.

"Good." White Sword nodded slightly, a hint of joy flashing in his eyes. "The great momentum has formed. Once the two realms are completely connected, my plan can proceed smoothly. At that time..."

He didn't say more, but the fanaticism in his eyes was clear to see.

Immediately, he asked again, "What about the Ascension Platform?"

The scene changed again, finally settling on the Moon Shadow Sect.

A massive high platform, cast entirely from white jade and inscribed with countless complex formation patterns, was already towering amidst the clouds.

"Good, good, good! Since it's already built, then let it begin!"

White Sword gave the Heavenly Dao's Eye a look.

"Send the task. Have that lower corpse return."

"To preside over—the Ascension Assembly."

...

Earth Star, Upper Realm, South Heaven Gate.

This place had just experienced a great catastrophe.

The once majestic South Heaven Gate, the Gate of Heaven regarded as a symbol of faith by countless Ascenders, was now nothing but a pile of charred rubble.

Chen Huaian stood atop the ruins.

His clothes were tattered, his half-demon, half-immortal body still flowing with golden Immortal Blood.

The sword in his hand, condensed from the rules of the tribulation lightning, emitted a low hum.

Right at that moment.

The phone in his pocket suddenly vibrated.

Chen Huaian was silent for a few seconds.

He took out the phone. It could no longer be called a phone; it was more like a lump of carbon.

This lump of carbon should have turned to ashes in the heavenly tribulation, but under some inexplicable influence, it had been preserved.

Only, the screen was unusable now.

The Electronic Girlfriend System projected directly onto his retina.

Just as Chen Huaian had always suspected, the phone was merely a carrier chosen by the Electronic Girlfriend System.

If this system wanted, it could appear directly in his mind.

A pink, cute dialog box materialized before Chen Huaian's eyes.

First came the dense, countless entries from the [Electronic Girlfriend Log] where his little disciple Li Qingran expressed her longing for him.

Then came a huge pile of records of Li Qingran's experiences within the Canglan miniature world.

For him, it had only been a few days.

But Li Qingran had already left the Battle Soul Academy to participate in the Continent's Elite Soul Master Battle Tournament, going through match after match, her strength already raised to a level 49 Battle Soul Ancestor.

Heaven's Might was descending.

The suppression of the power of heaven and earth made it hard for Chen Huaian to breathe.

But at this moment, looking at the countless 'Missing Master' entries in the [Electronic Girlfriend Log], his heart inexplicably relaxed.

All the exhaustion and pain seemed to become insignificant.

[Dear player, a new task has arrived~]

[Main Quest Name: Ascension Guide]

[Quest Description: The Ascension Platform in the Cangyun Realm has been completed. Please return to the Cangyun Realm immediately to preside over the First Ascension Assembly and screen candidates for ascension.]

[Quest Reward: Sword Intent Comprehension Pill (Heaven-rank, Celestial-grade)]

Chen Huaian glanced at the reward.

A Heaven-rank pill?

He looked again at the divine sword in his hand, the one that had just cleaved open the Gate of Heaven and devoured the Heavenly Dao's rules.

"Hah."

Chen Huaian sneered.

"The version is too old."

"Trash like this, even dogs would find it too hard to chew."

This trash system clearly hadn't realized to what extent its host had grown.

But he couldn't go back.

The Gate of Heaven had just been opened. Those old dogs within the Lingxiao Palace were watching him like tigers eyeing their prey.

If he left, this path he had worked so hard to cleave open would likely be blocked again.

But not accepting the task didn't seem wise either.

Just as Chen Huaian was agonizing over what to do.

The light screen flashed, popping up three options.

[Detected that the host is currently in a force majeure environment. Activating emergency plan:]

[Option One: Abandon the current battle and return to the Cangyun Realm to preside over the assembly. (Recommendation Index: ★)]

[Option Two: Reject the quest. Consequences unknown. (Danger Index: ★★★★★)]

[Option Three: System Hosting. Separate a wisp of the host's will and inject it into the Cangyun Realm avatar. The avatar will act as proxy, perfectly performing the "presiding duties." (Recommendation Index: ★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★) (Price: 1 top-grade spirit jade)]

So many stars?

Chen Huaian raised an eyebrow.

Avatar hosting...

And only 1 top-grade spirit jade?

"That's really... cheap labor."

Chen Huaian casually fished out a spirit jade from his storage space and chose option three.

"Go."

...

Cangyun Realm, Moon Shadow Sect, Ascension Platform.

Clouds and mist swirled.

Thanks to Su Qinian's advance notice.

The area before the Ascension Platform was now packed with people.

Hundreds of thousands of Cangyun Realm cultivators had gathered below the platform, their expressions solemn, their eyes full of curiosity and anticipation for the Ascension Platform.

And this was only the number gathered on the first day.

Even more cultivators were rushing towards the Ascension Platform from all over the Cangyun Realm.

Within the Moon Shadow Sect.

A figure materialized straight out of thin air in the ancestor's cave dwelling.

'Chen Huaian's' vacant eyes suddenly snapped open.

In that instant, a vast, immeasurably profound Great Ascension Stage pressure erupted, sweeping across the entire Moon Shadow Sect.

"Chen Huaian" slowly stood up.

His movements were initially somewhat stiff, like a marionette, but after just a moment, that stiffness vanished without a trace.

Replacing it was an air of lofty superiority, tinged with a bit of laziness and disdain.

He clasped his hands behind his back, took a single step, and was already standing before the Ascension Platform, his gaze sweeping over the cultivators below.

His eyes were lively, a smile playing on his lips.

Even the small mannerism of stroking the sword hilt was identical to his true body.

"Esteemed guests."

"Chen Huaian" spoke, his voice clear and bright, carrying across the nine heavens.

"The path to immortality is long, paved with dry bones."

"This Venerable One, comprehending the Heavenly Dao, has established this Ascension Platform here, using the rhythms of heaven and earth as its steps!"

"This Venerable One's action is not inviting guests to a feast, nor is it bestowing opportunities as charity."

Before his words faded.

He slowly raised his right hand towards the sky above the heads of the countless thousands of cultivators, his five fingers suddenly clenching.

"Rise."

Just a single word.

BOOM——!!!

The flowing sea of clouds instantly solidified, then shattered with a thunderous crash.

Tens of millions of golden spiritual energy threads erupted from between "Chen Huaian's" fingers like a torrential downpour.

They intertwined, darted through, and outlined in the void, weaving in the blink of an eye into a vast net covering a hundred miles in radius.

Formation born from void, drawing boundaries to create a prison.

Such was the might of the Great Ascension Stage.

The originally clear sky, under the control of that palm, instantly transformed into a terrifying hell.

The sky darkened, and a sinister wind howled.

Those cultivators yearning for immortality didn't even have time to blink before the auspicious clouds and radiant energy before their eyes dissipated.

Replacing them were mountains of corpses and seas of blood, countless inner demons and fierce ghosts crawling out from the earth, and a terrifying pressure sufficient to grind their divine souls into dust.

—[Heart-Refining Demon-Slaying Formation].

This was the Great Ascension Stage.

Turning his hand, he summoned clouds; flipping his hand, he brought rain.

"Pfft—!"

The formation had just taken shape, the pressure descended upon their bodies.

Hundreds of cultivators with slightly weaker cultivation below the platform instantly turned deathly pale, simultaneously spitting out a mouthful of blood, collapsing to the ground, unable to even scream.

"Ascension Assembly, first trial."

"Chen Huaian" stood with his hands clasped behind his back, a faint smile on his face against the backdrop of wailing ghosts and howling wolves.

He looked at those so-called genius cultivators below who were swaying on their feet, his gaze regarding them as mere grass and weeds.

"One stick of incense."

"Those who do not perish in the formation, those who do not go mad."

"Only those who can still stand..."

"are qualified to speak of cultivating immortality."

...

Earth Star, Upper Realm, South Heaven Gate ruins.

Chen Huaian's true body paused slightly.

A memory not belonging to this body, traversing endless void, flooded into his mind.

It was the scene of his avatar in the Cangyun Realm activating the Heart-Questioning Grand Formation, deceiving with a killing array, and coldly watching the cultivators struggle.

Truly worthy of being an avatar controlled by a wisp of his will. The movements and demeanor were almost identical to his own, just lacking a bit of worldly flavor.

"Good acting."

Chen Huaian withdrew his thoughts.

The avatar was already helping preside over the Ascension Assembly. Everything was seamless.

Since there were no worries at all...

Chen Huaian slowly raised his head.

The divine sword in his hand seemed to sense his killing intent, emitting a sword cry thirsting for blood.

Ahead.

From deep within the layered immortal clouds came the muffled sound of war drums.

*Boom! Boom! Boom!*

The various immortals of Lingxiao were furious.

The auspicious clouds split apart, releasing ten thousand golden rays.

Thirty-six Thunder Ministry divine generals clad in heavy armor, wielding wind and thunder magical instruments, riding Thunder Beasts, surged forth like a steel tide, blocking all of Chen Huaian's paths of advance and retreat.

And behind those thirty-six Thunder Generals.

Four terrifying figures, a hundred *zhang* tall, with solemn Law Manifestations, slowly stepped forward.

Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Guardian of the East, strumming a jasper lute, demonic notes piercing the ears.

Virūḍhaka, Guardian of the South, holding the Azure Cloud Sword, its edge fully exposed.

Virūpākṣa, Guardian of the West, with the Purple-Gold Flower-Fox Marten coiled around his arm, his eyes shooting divine light.

Vaiśravaṇa, Guardian of the North, holding aloft the Primordial Chaos Pearl Umbrella, blotting out the sky and covering the sun.

—The Four Heavenly Kings of the Celestial Court.

This lineup, compared to the twelve Yuanchen of the Lower Realm, was stronger by more than a hundredfold!

"Lower Realm demon spawn, how dare you destroy our Gate of Heaven!"

Virūḍhaka, Mo Li Qing, took a step forward, pointing the Azure Cloud Sword at Chen Huaian, his voice like a thunderclap:

"Will you not surrender and come willingly to take a walk upon the Immortal-Slaying Platform?!"

Chen Huaian stood atop the mountain of corpses and sea of blood.

He looked at these myriad gods and buddhas, at this terrifying force sufficient to crush an entire realm.

He did not retreat.

He didn't show the slightest trace of fear.

He simply gently raised the sword in his hand.

On that half-demon, half-immortal face, an extremely dangerous smile appeared.

"Immortal-Slaying Platform?"

"Hah... have you asked the Slay the Immortal sword in this Venerable One's hand?!"

...