Scarlet Pupil blinked in slight confusion. For some reason, after having brought the topic of death up, the mister in front of him suddenly became very active.

What did Mister mean when he said that nobody among his peers is more experienced in death than he is? I keep on getting the feeling that something doesn't sound right... Why does it sound like Mister dies quite often?

"Speaking of death, I cannot not mention my first experience with death. That was also when I died the most times over a short period of time. Although it wasn't that long ago, it feels like it's been ages since then," Song Shuhang said while reminiscing. 

"!!!" Scarlet Pupil. 

First experience? Is there even a second experience when it comes to something like death?

Song Shuhang described the scene back when the liquid metal ball had descended in the scholarly faction. "The first time I faced death, I faced a powerful and invincible enemy. The big shot merely needed to stretch out a single finger to crush me and my seniors from the scholarly faction to death. That feeling of despair is something that I still haven't forgotten. At that time, I watched as my body got crushed to death like an ant, getting crushed again and again, completely unable to resist. The taste of death is that of pain and bitterness, it's as if one were thrown into nothingness. One finds themselves at the bottom of an abyss from where they are unable to struggle out. Confusion pervades one's mind, while blood continues to flow out in huge quantities." Song Shuhang could no longer remember exactly how many times he had died and revived back then, for there were simply too many to count.

What was worse than death? Two tragic deaths.

What was worse than two tragic deaths? An endless loop of death...

Song Shuhang's consciousness fell into the memory.

When he recalled his death, the spiritual energy around him seemed to be drawn over, following Song Shuhang's 'memories' as they constructed an embryonic form of a series of tragic deaths in the 'world of the golden lotus'.

Scarlet Heaven Sword slightly rose up, and then moved back a certain distance while suppressing his own aura. He did not want to disturb Song Shuhang, and also wanted to avoid getting involved—the image that had arisen around Song Shuhang was a prototype of the Seventh Stage Venerables' [Illusory Reality].

When Seventh Stage Venerables were in seclusion, a single thought could encompass the entire universe.

All kinds of illusions would be formed into vivid and lifelike images. With the Seventh Stage Venerable at the center, a world of dreams and illusions could form out of nowhere.

It was said that back during the ancient spiritual qi was abundant, there was a powerful Venerable who had undergone seclusion underground for thousands of years, his thoughts forming a huge city aboveground. What was surprising was that the city had residents who lived and thrived in it, just like real people!

Inside the 'Illusory Reality', all illusions would have real lethality. If you were struck by a saber, you would be injured by that saber; and if you were struck by lightning, you would similarly be injured by that lightning. An example was Senior White's desert.

Besides Seventh Stage Venerables, there were some Sixth Stage True Monarchs who were bursting with luck that would have the opportunity to experience forming an 'Illusory Reality' in advance under the premise that they had the right opportunity, the right time, the right place, the right people, and the right emotions.

Song Shuhang's luck today was pretty good.

Although he was still at the Fifth Stage Realm, his overall being had already reached the Sixth Stage Realm.

And inadvertently, he had managed to form a connection with the energy of heaven and earth, which allowed him to project a prototype of 'Illusory Reality'.

Song Shuhang himself hadn't noticed the changes taking place across his whole body.

The level of his 'Illusory Reality' was extremely small, covering only an area of ​​about five meters around Song Shuhang's primordial soul.

But even so, Scarlet Pupil happened to be in its range.

With that, he got to experience the 'tragedy of the scholarly faction's world of the golden lotus' from a perspective somewhere in between that of a bystander and that of someone who experienced it themself.

Scarlet Pupil felt like his entire person had been divided into two halves.

Half of himself stood outside, watching the bloody massacre in the world of the golden lotus, while the other half fell into the world of the golden lotus, and was crushed repeatedly by that metal finger.

The feeling of death... The despair, the desire to seek help, as if falling into a bottomless abyss. The confusion, the feeling of weakness, and the intense pain. He experienced it all together.

So this is how "death" feels?

However, what Song Shuhang projected could not be regarded as a proper 'Illusory Reality'. At the very least, it did not carry real lethality.

After the tragedy of the world of the golden lotus ended, Scarlet Pupil was sweating all over.

He didn't scream at all during the entire process. The screams seemed to be sealed in his throat, never spilling out even in the slightest.

❄️❄️❄️

"Then came my second official death. I had indeed died many times in the scholarly factions' world of the golden lotus, but that can all be considered having been a single experience. The second time I died, I did so in a much more unjust manner. It's actually quite embarrassing because that death was rather inexplicable where my body had been refined into a treasure. It's really painful to have your body refined into a magical treasure."

As Song Shuhang slowly said this, Scarlet Pupil experienced another 'way of dying', this time by way of being refined into a treasure.

"The third death... Actually, I'm not sure if I really did die at that time. Back then, my body was in a 'smoke' state, neither alive nor dead. But to be on the safe side, I still used a resurrection magical treasure, yet to this day, I don't know if I hadn't simply wasted it. Fortunately, I acquired the 'smoke talent' later on, which was a small compensation for that event. I will skip this because there is basically nothing to be gained from this."

"The following death was a lot more impactful. The fourth death was one where I imploded and died. My whole body exploded into a mist of blood, a tragic scenario that ordinary people would not be able to comprehend or understand. My entire body had become a mist... However, the emotions this time did not have as much depth. This is because for this death, I died in my sleep. It's a lot easier to take when one dies while asleep."

Song Shuhang said, "Afterward, for my next death, in order to protect me, one of my seniors instantly beheaded me and sent me into a state of resurrection. That time I was instantly beheaded and cut into small and neat pieces. Due to the exquisite sword technique of my senior, the whole process did not bring me much pain. However, when faced with the sword technique of this senior, the pressure at that instant, as well as the feeling of being faced with death, was not discounted. That kind of 'death' would similarly be ingrained in one's mind."

As he recalled his experience of death, a prototype of 'Illusory Reality' emerged behind him, compressed into layers. Each layer contained Song Shuhang's experiences and impressions of death.

Song Shuhang solemnly said, "The last time I died was 10 days ago. I died under the heavenly tribulation, the terrifying lightning sending me to death immediately. The irresistible power made a huge impression on me. Even after I activated all of my defenses, I still couldn't resist it. This was the first time I died under the heavenly tribulation... However, that will also be the last time I die under the heavenly tribulation."

As Song Shuhang stopped reminiscing, his consciousness returned to himself.

The moment he stopped recalling his memories, the layers behind him were compressed, and the hellish [Illusory Reality] instantly collapsed and disappeared.

In front of him, Scarlet Pupil was sweating, his thin body looking like it would fall down at any time.

Song Shuhang curiously said, "Eh? Is what I said so scary?"

Senior Scarlet Heaven Sword in the sky ranted in its mind. Nonsense, this kid being able to persist until now already shows how strong his nerves are. Perhaps pure fools like this kid tend to have relatively stronger endurance.

Scarlet Pupil trembled, and said, "Mister, you are so amazing."

Mister's experiences are simply unbearable.

Scarlet Pupil couldn't even begin to imagine how strong Song Shuhang's will was. He was amazed as even after having died in such terrifying ways so many times, Song Shuhang could still talk and laugh so carefreely.

Song Shuhang smiled slightly. "Now then, have you gotten a better understanding of 'death'?"

"Yeah." Scarlet Pupil nodded.

He had both watched and experienced Song Shuhang's experiences of death, and he had felt the despair and helplessness when faced with death.

"What are your thoughts?" Song Shuhang asked—he purely asked this out of habit because when he was a child, his teachers always liked asking students what they thought about each text.

Song Shuhang simply asked this in passing.

Scarlet Pupil pondered for a good while, and then suddenly said, "Mister, I want to die once."

Song Shuhang almost spewed out blood when he heard this.

What?

After listening to my description of 'death', this guy wants to die?

Scarlet Pupil touched his chest, and seriously said, "Mister, if I can survive death, then I want to try to dying once. When facing death, I feel my heart jumping out, and there's this feeling of longing in my heart."

"Not just anyone can survive death..." Song Shuhang sighed emotionally, and said, "Resurrection is not that easy. There are some people who go about their entire lives never even touching materials for 'resurrection'. If one doesn't have a means of resurrection, then when they die, they die for real."

Scarlet Pupil heard this, and nodded slightly.

If someone were to die without a means of resurrection, then they truly died.

He still wanted to become a combat mage, and then go on an adventure with his brother.

Scarlet Heaven Sword whispered, "The boy's mental state isn't right."

Why would someone long to experience death right after experiencing Song Shuhang's Illusory Reality, which allowed one to experience several terrifying deaths?

Could it be because Song Shuhang's experience had become negative teaching material, causing Scarlet Pupil to have the erroneous notion of 'you can just revive anyway'?

Senior Scarlet Heaven Sword transmitted using the secret sound transmission technique. [Shuhang, ask him why exactly he wants to die?]

Song Shuhang asked, [Senior also feels that something is wrong?]

He also felt that there was something wrong with Scarlet Pupil after hearing his reply.

At the same time, Song Shuhang couldn't help but think of the results of the appraisal he got of Scarlet Pupil.

[It is recommended to re-register an account].

How does a person re-register their own life?

Was he supposed to put Scarlet Pupil back into his mother's body? Or was it hinting for him to reincarnate?

Song Shuhang asked, "Scarlet Pupil, can you describe this 'longing' you feel more clearly?"

Scarlet Pupil honestly replied, "Mm-hmm, my heart beats faster, and I don't feel afraid of death. Moreover, when I recall the scenes of your death, Mister, I get the urge to die with you."

Song Shuhang said, "Apologies, I don't want to die the same year, the same month, or the same day as you."

"..." Scarlet Pupil. 

Song Shuhang stretched out his hand, and laid it on Scarlet Pupil's head before urging the secret appraisal technique.

The results he obtained were the exact same as what he got previously.

It's a pity, my Resurrection Gold Coins are still on my main body. Otherwise, we could've tried having Scarlet Pupil die once. Song Shuhang's mind suddenly jumped to this thought.

Wait, WTF!

He immediately shook his head. Had he recently become addicted to killing his teammates?

This might be another disease that needed to be treated.