The three projections clapped their hands in delight the moment he entered the bright room.
Unlike the previous, it felt like stepping into a playground with the multicolored painted walls. They represented personified clouds and smiling suns overlooking gentle magical beasts.
He glimpsed at the soft mattress beneath his feet, noticing old toys and dolls, further solidifying his impression.
Then, he frowned at the projections as their limbs shortened and their cheeks became fatter until three kids his age stood before him.
"See? I told you we’ll find someone to play with!" One of the kids raised his fist, his red eyes sparkling.
"We’re lucky we scam..." The second scratched his fiery hair and corrected himself. "Convinced a clueless kid... Ah, I missed those simpler times."
"Humph," the third snorted. "That’s why Father said we’ll never grow up, even if we’re two thousand years old already."
Adam rolled his eyes as they argued about whose fault it was.
"Guys!" He clapped his hands to catch their attention. "Can you share the trial’s rules and start it?"
"Oh, right! Let’s play!" The first grinned at the others before he turned toward Adam. "There’s nothing much to add about the rules, to be honest. You win if you find the three of us."
The second shoved him aside, continuing. "We’ll give you a little bonus since you’re younger than us. You can point at three fake copies before you’re out."
Xie Lian shuddered at the bonus implications. Her pleadings reverberated from the doorway the next second.
"Leave before the game starts, Adam. The only time a cultivator gives an advantage to another is when they’re convinced about their overwhelming superiority!"
Upon hearing the urgency, the third one gazed at the immobile guardian and snapped his head in her direction, the order clear: kill this troublesome woman.
"Wait. You know how big sisters always worry about the slightest things." Adam raised his palm and shook his head. "Just ignore her and start."
He clicked his tongue as the projections cancelled their order since he still wanted to play. But seriously, Xie Lian’s genuine concerns annoyed him. The worst part was he couldn’t blame her too much without feeling heartless.
With a shake of his head, he chased those thoughts to focus on the three kids and the transforming room.
The mattress turned into soft soil permeating the air with a musty scent. Lush leaves cast refreshing shadows onto his face as their mischievous voices echoed in unison.
"This is the first technique our father taught us. He always found us until we finally beat him once! But..." Their voices cracked. "Even if he praised us, he said we should invest our time perfecting our battle techniques and never played again."
A dejected silence lingered for a second as thousands of lifelike copies formed on the branches. Some leaned against trunks, sat on roots, or scrambled to hide.
"We want to return to that time even if it’s through a single game. Find us like he used to... please."
Adam’s lips quivered slightly. "I will."
He didn’t need more words, nor did he want to rush this trial. Although they were kids in appearance only, their wish carried more weight than a mountain but also made him wonder what had truly happened to this blessed land.
Despite his curiosity, he shook his head. He’d get answers after collecting enough clues to locate the emperor.
His sky-blue eyes glowed as he strolled through the forest. Each time he scrutinised a copy, chuckles and tempting words filled the air.
"Do you want to choose this one? It might be one of us, and you still have three chances!"
"Only three, you mean?"
"But he can’t know without trying."
He smiled softly and shook his head each time until his eyes narrowed on a branch. Slowly, he climbed on the tree to let the projection appreciate the suspense of his approach until he patted it on the shoulder.
The projection’s eyes widened. He had thought Adam would inspect him and shake his head like for the others.
"W-Why are you so sure?"
"Mhh." Adam tucked his fingers around his chin, a mischievous glint flashing in his eyes. "We can’t spoil my method to your brothers, right?"
The red-haired boy nodded. "Alright, but you have to tell me afterwards."
Adam nodded, then leapt down from the tree and resumed his search.
Playing the game, but more importantly, giving them what they truly longed for, he found the second projection leaning with fifty identical ones against a tree.
After thirty minutes, he ended the game by tapping on the third one’s shoulder, who hid behind a thick root amidst a sea of fakes to cover him.
The forest faded, giving way to the room as everyone observed him in a mix of shock, excitement, and curiosity.
"Tell us how you found us now!" The first projection jumped on his shoulders and raised his fist.
Adam chuckled. "I don’t know if I should break the mystery."
The kids’ lips twisted before Xie Lian’s voice echoed from the door.
"No! You have to tell us how you found them without a single mistake, or even I won’t sleep well tonight!"
"Why don’t you enter the room and play with them, then?" He helped the first one down from his shoulders and pointed at his eyes. "Your illusions might fool most, but my eyes are special. I can see Qi tendrils swirl out of your mouth with your every breath, for example."
"Wow! It’s the first time we hear about such sharp natural observation." The second projection studied him curiously as they reverted to their twenty-year-old forms.
"Our first brother has special eyes, too, but they’re of the offensive kind." The first nodded, retrieving a parchment from his sleeve. "You won fair and square. Thank you for letting us have fun when you could have ended the game in a few minutes."
"Yeah. It means a lot to us." The second smiled. "It was like when our dad mysteriously found us."
"You have our benediction, little brother. Go and get this blessed land!" The third one chuckled as he pushed Adam out of the room and closed the door before he could answer.
Left alone, he turned to the others and burst into laughter, tears trailing down his cheeks. "Brothers, I-I..."
The others rushed to hug him and chuckled as a breeze ruffled their multicolored clothes. "No need to speak. After an eternity, the void palaces thirty to thirty-third princes are finally free from this curse."
Their foreheads met as their bodies began to fade, but not without leaving a final sentence behind them. "You were the best brothers I could have ever asked for. Let’s continue to play on the other side."