107: Ultimately, it was just a matter of insufficient fate.

Cao Bu emerged from the thousand illusions exquisite pagoda, and not long after he returned to his room, a knock came from the door, followed by a familiar female voice: "Steward Cao."

Cao Bu's brow furrowed slightly.

Even if Tang Shuying were to come, she should have waited until nightfall.

Coming now, she wasn't afraid of being discovered.

Although Su Li was here and no one would dare risk their lives to probe with Divine Sense, it was always better to be cautious.

He rose and walked toward the door, pausing for a moment to scan the room before casually placing a shadow-recording stone in an inconspicuous corner.

This item would be of great use later, so he had to prepare it in advance.

After opening the door.

Cao Bu looked at Tang Shuying, his tone carrying a hint of mockery: "Empress, it's not even dark yet; aren't you being a bit too impatient?"

Tang Shuying was stunned for a moment before she reacted, her cheeks instantly flushing red as she couldn't help but glare at Cao Bu with a coy pout.

"This Palace is here to ask you, why haven't you done the job after accepting our gift?"

Cao Bu said frankly, "I did do it, how could I not have?"

"You did?" Tang Shuying's face was full of doubt. "What did you do? Today's test clearly didn't have any slack!"

Cao Bu explained, "Empress, I never promised to go easy on all three stages."

"Besides, the price you paid was only enough for me to go easy on one stage."

"In the first stage, the Life and Death Choice, I already went easy. You all saw that with your own eyes; I am absolutely not someone who takes gifts and doesn't do the work."

Tang Shuying said angrily, "What was agreed upon back then..."

"What was agreed upon?" Cao Bu interrupted her directly. "When did I ever promise that I would definitely help Chu Hao pass all three stages?"

"I only said I would look after him. Wasn't my attitude in the first stage obvious enough?"

He shook his head. "Your whole family is truly difficult to serve."

"You..." Tang Shuying's face showed anger as she flicked her sleeve in fury, not expecting Cao Bu to be so despicable and shameless.

Seeing this, Cao Bu immediately issued an order to leave: "If the Empress has nothing else, please return."

Tang Shuying refused to leave and pressed further, "This Palace asks you again, what is tomorrow's test?"

"Want to know?" Cao Bu raised an eyebrow.

"Nonsense!" Tang Shuying bit her lip, her tone carrying a bit of grievance and reproach. "You've slept with me twice, and you can't even reveal this little bit of information?"

A flicker of amusement flashed in Cao Bu's eyes as he stepped aside to make room. "Fine, then come in and we'll discuss it in detail."

Tang Shuying didn't think twice and walked straight in.

Cao Bu's gaze swept over her perky, tender buttocks before he raised his hand and closed the door.

Four hours later, the sky had completely darkened.

Tang Shuying opened the door, looked left and right to confirm no one was there, and then hurriedly left with a limp.

Early the next morning, inside Tianyuan Hall.

Emperor Xuan looked at Chu Hao, his tone carrying a bit of certainty: "Hao'er, your mother used her silver tongue for four hours yesterday and finally managed to get the contents of the final stage's test out of Cao Bu."

As he spoke, he took out a Medicinal Pill from his storage ring and handed it to Chu Hao: "The test in a moment is the Opportunity for Immortal Ascension. This is the mirror heart pill; take it now."

"It can make your heart like a clear mirror, untainted by dust, reflecting reality and leaving illusions with nowhere to hide."

"This pill's effect lasts for one day, which is enough for you to pass the test."

Chu Hao took the pill and examined it carefully: "Father, you said before that the pagoda is an Emperor Weapon. Can this single pill really work?"

Emperor Xuan sighed, his tone carrying a bit of helplessness: "I can't say for sure, but this pill is a 9th Grade Medicinal Pill; it should be of some help to you after all."

"Originally, I planned to ask a Quasi-Pill Emperor to refine an 11th Grade mirror heart pill, but there really wasn't enough time. I can only use this 9th Grade one for now, treating it as a last-ditch effort."

His tone shifted, and his expression became serious: "Remember, you must give the Opportunity for Immortal Ascension to Gu Yin later."

"Only by doing so can everything that happened in the illusion yesterday be completely resolved."

Chu Hao gripped the mirror heart pill in his hand and nodded solemnly: "Don't worry, I know what to do."

After saying that, he swallowed the pill. Instantly, he felt his mind clear as all distracting thoughts were washed away.

This way, I should be able to distinguish between reality and illusion, right?

The corners of Chu Hao's mouth curled up slightly, his face full of confidence.

"They are here," Emperor Xuan suddenly spoke to remind him.

The three of them looked toward the sound and saw Cao Bu leading Su Li, Gu Feng, and the others as they slowly walked into the hall.

Both sides still exchanged a few polite pleasantries before Cao Bu got straight to the point: "Everyone, today's final stage test: the Opportunity for Immortal Ascension."

As his voice fell, he turned to Su Li and said respectfully, "Adoptive Mother, please take action."

Su Li's movements were no different from the previous two times.

Soon, Chu Hao, Gu Feng, Yun Shang, and Gu Yin entered the thousand illusions exquisite pagoda together.

Two light screens then appeared in the hall, clearly showing the scenes of the four people inside the pagoda.

One hour later.

The four people in the light screens had already spent five hundred thousand years within the Plot Illusion.

During these five hundred thousand years, they spent almost all their time in secluded Cultivation, and their appearances changed from youthful youths to white-haired elders.

Their cultivations had all reached Great Emperor Peak, only one step away from Immortal Ascension.

At this moment, they finally reached the final moment of the Plot Illusion.

Inside the Immortal Palace Legacy Ground.

Gu Feng and Yun Shang passed through numerous obstacles and finally stood before the Legacy.

The two of them looked at the manifesting Ye Linglong in front of them and bowed respectfully: "Greetings, Senior."

Ye Linglong spoke with feigned solemnity: "I am the Immortal Palace Spirit. This object is the Immortal Ascension Legacy; you only need to refine it to ascend to immortality."

Her gaze swept over the two of them, and a meaningful smile curled at the corners of her mouth: "However, this Legacy can only be given to one person."

"As for the other person... they must die."

Gu Feng and Yun Shang glanced at each other. Their surfaces were calm and rippleless, but an undercurrent was already surging in their eyes.

During the five hundred thousand years in the illusion, because of the plot arrangements, the feelings between the two had long become negligible.

Now, facing the Opportunity for Immortal Ascension, the two of them had almost no hesitation as they simultaneously struck at each other.

Seeing this scene, a flash of interest appeared in Ye Linglong's eyes.

On the other side, Chu Hao and Gu Yin also drew their swords against each other and began to fight.

Outside the pagoda.

Emperor Xuan looked at the light screen and couldn't help but speak out in exasperation: "Steward Cao, Fellow Daoist Su, this is clearly mixing the first stage and the third stage together!"

"With you arranging it like this, what meaning does the first stage even have?"

He would rather this stage be a pure test of the Opportunity for Immortal Ascension than see this current situation mixed with a life-and-death choice.

Cao Bu waved his hand, his tone carrying a bit of helplessness: "Your Majesty Emperor Xuan, I didn't want it to be like this either."

"But before my Adoptive Father ascended, he specifically instructed me, as the eldest brother, to keep my eyes peeled and make sure to help my younger sisters find good husbands."

"As an Adopted Son, I cannot go against my Adoptive Father's instructions."

"Please bear with me, both of you. After all, there was already a lesson before; if another mistake occurs, my Gu Clan will truly have no face to stand in the Spirit Realm."

"Of course, I'm not saying Crown Prince Chu Hao's character is poor, it's just that between him and Little Sister Yin, after all, the fate is lacking."

"Since the fate isn't enough, why force it?"

His tone shifted as he said casually, "If Your Majesty Emperor Xuan has plans to join my Gu Clan, after this Steward returns this time, I will certainly report it to Mother Leng. I'm sure the other members of the Gu Clan would also welcome Your Majesty's joining."