Chapter 381: Stage and Untouchable Storm

"What?!""The Twilight Society?!""Red Heart Six?!""He? He's Red Heart Six, the most wanted criminal? He's actually here in our Mortal Realm Domain?!"

Upon hearing Elder Crane's words, the other two immediately blanched.

"A red opera robe, face-changing, resurrection, an unpredictable modus operandi... these details align perfectly. It must be him." Elder Crane glanced at the two. "Now, do you still dare to underestimate him?"

The other two immediately shook their heads.

A third-rank Thespian God is a completely different concept from Red Heart Six of the Twilight Society. No one dared to underestimate such a terrifying entity who, by himself, once nearly destroyed an entire domain.

Elder Crane leaned on his staff, his gaze fixed on the slowly moving black clouds in the distance. A fierce wind, carrying raindrops, whipped their hair around. He tapped his staff, and slowly began:

"Let's go...""Today, we eliminate Red Heart Six."

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh— Torrential rain poured down on Willow Town, and a hurricane swept through, sending willow branches on both banks flying chaotically. Dense ripples spread across the water, creating fragmented red reflections. He walked slowly along the bank, holding a plain oil-paper umbrella that pattered under the relentless rain.

"It should be just up ahead..." Chen Ling murmured to himself, gazing at the misty wilderness before him.

Having learned from Lin Xi's previous experience, Chen Ling had specifically chosen a plain umbrella this time and remained constantly vigilant. He had no idea when the enemy would arrive in Willow Town, or from where they might suddenly appear to deliver a fatal blow.

Perhaps due to the storm, the road was devoid of other people. Chen Ling walked alone on the bluestone path, the silence so profound it felt as though he was the only person left in the world.

He headed east, gradually moving away from the town. As houses became scarcer, his hand in his pocket began to feel a distinct warmth rising. Chen Ling pulled out his hand, realizing the heat was coming from the invitation. The four characters 'Actor Nameless' in the signature were glowing faintly.

"It seems this is the key to entering the performance venue... Is it some kind of forbidden artifact, or is it due to the lettering itself?" Chen Ling pondered.

Clutching the invitation, Chen Ling continued his trek across the desolate land.

Finally, with one step, ripples spread through the air, as if an invisible curtain had been subtly drawn aside by his presence. Chen Ling suddenly halted. Heavy rain cascaded from the edge of his oil-paper umbrella. Through the mist, Chen Ling watched the faint, invisible curtain wavering before him. Countless raindrops fell upon it, yet passed through as if it were not there.

"This is..."

Chen Ling tentatively reached out his hand. As his fingertips brushed against it, a corner of the invisible curtain was pulled aside. Simultaneously, the invitation in Chen Ling's hand became intensely hot, as if someone were calling to him from beyond the curtain.

"Only with an invitation can one pass beyond this curtain..."

Standing under his umbrella before the rippling spatial curtain, Chen Ling seemed to make up his mind. He took a deep breath and strode forward. The invisible curtain brushed against his shoulder, and his figure vanished into thin air, as if he had stepped into another world entirely.

The figure in red vanished into the rain. Ten minutes later, a figure in green also approached from a distance.

Li Qingshan held an umbrella, his clothes already soaked by the wind and rain. He shielded the invitation with his sleeve, his rain-blurred eyes struggling to survey his surroundings. As he advanced, the invitation in his hand began to glow and warm, eventually guiding him to the invisible curtain.

"This..." As Li Qingshan saw the ethereal, fluttering curtain before him, his eyes widened in surprise. "It's... real? This invitation is actually real?"

This was Li Qingshan's first time encountering such a mysterious phenomenon up close. Both curious and apprehensive, he prodded the curtain for a moment. After confirming no one else was around, he plunged inside.

As Li Qingshan entered, the invisible curtain gradually vanished into the rain, as if it had never been there.

A foot stepped into a puddle, sending droplets of water scattering into the air.

Li Qingshan stood holding his umbrella, looking around in bewilderment. After passing through the invisible curtain, he was still in the wilderness of Willow Town. Even when he looked back, the path he had taken was perfectly clear, as if the curtain had merely been an illusion. Yet, Li Qingshan knew it was no illusion. The relentless rain seemed to pass right through him, leaving no trace, as if he didn't exist at all. No... rather than him not existing, it was more like he and the raindrops were no longer in the same world. Li Qingshan could see raindrops striking his umbrella and passing through his body, yet they left no dampness on him. It was as if he were a holographic projection—there in appearance, but not truly present. Even with the downpour, the ground before him remained dry.

Witnessing such a miraculous sight, Li Qingshan's bewilderment only deepened. He folded his umbrella and cautiously proceeded forward.

In the wilderness before him, stood a simple wooden stage. From its appearance, it was almost the most dilapidated stage Li Qingshan had ever seen. A few wooden stakes served as its foundation, driven into the earth. The stage's wooden surface was worn and faded. On the few solitary poles supporting the structure, large red curtains swayed gently in the wind. Through the gaps in the curtains, one could even glimpse the drafty, open-air backstage beyond.

Li Qingshan's expression was subtle. He lowered his head to reconfirm the invitation's contents—

"The Ancient Repository of Theatrical Arts cordially invites you to witness the Domain Performance Site in New Calendar Year 380."

When he first read this, Li Qingshan instinctively imagined a grand and solemn performance, something at least a hundred times better than the Huadu Troupe, considering it was the legendary 'Ancient Repository of Theatrical Arts.' But when he saw the dilapidated stage, his illusions shattered. It was the most decrepit stage Li Qingshan had ever laid eyes on.

Li Qingshan's gaze continued around the surroundings. Before the simple stage stood two rows of equally crude wooden chairs, presumably for the audience, totaling only about a dozen seats.

A rudimentary stage, empty seats... Amidst the pervasive, untouchable wind and rain, a lone red figure sat quietly and solitary in the very front row.

Seeing that figure, a flicker of surprise appeared in Li Qingshan's eyes. He cautiously spoke:

"Brother Lin...?"