Chapter 412: Terrifying Illusion Realm

“That’s Mu Jie from Dieyi Manor, one of the top contenders for the championship! If we kill him, we can win! Attack!”

One of the men recognized him and let out a great roar. He charged forward with a shriek, sword light flashing in all directions. A powerful surge of True Qi Power instantly created a Spatial Lock, forming a peculiar Array.

“The law of the jungle applies everywhere.”

Seeing them charge at him, Nie Yun shook his head. With a swift kick for each, he sent them flying one by one into a nearby Array.

A brilliant light flared as the Array activated. Countless Killing Arrays surged forth, grinding the men to dust in the blink of an eye.

In the eyes of others, these men would have been considered experts, but to Nie Yun, it was mere child’s play. He hadn’t killed them directly because he wanted to test the power of the Arrays.

When he saw that these Ultimate Venerable Powerhouses, who were comparable to those on the Secret Realm Potential List, couldn’t even last two breaths inside the Array, a chill ran down Nie Yun’s spine and his expression turned grave.

The power of these Arrays was beyond imagination; they couldn’t possibly have been laid by an ordinary Secret Realm Powerhouse. The vast Array Space and its infinite Killing Arrays filled Nie Yun with curiosity about the Creator of the Lingxi Celestial Palace.

When the men were killed by the Array, the auras representing their potential didn’t flow into Nie Yun. Instead, they flew off into the distance and quickly vanished.

‘It seems I can only absorb their potential if I kill them myself. Otherwise, it just flies away.’

Upon seeing this, Nie Yun understood.

‘Now that I’m inside the Lingxi Celestial Palace, I’ll try communicating with the Spirit Rhinoceros Spring and see what it has to say.’

He walked a little further, then something occurred to him. With a flick of his wrist, a single drop of Spirit Rhinoceros Spring Water appeared in his palm, shimmering with a crystalline light.

The moment the water appeared, it seemed to return to its source. A feeling of pure, leaping joy emanated from its depths, as if this place was its true home.

‘Beast Taming Qi… communicate!’

With a mental command, he channeled his Beast Taming Qi into the drop of water.

“You’ve come? Hurry and find me!”

The moment he made contact with the water, the same archaic voice he’d heard before rang out again, its tone laced with urgency.

“Where are you?” Nie Yun asked.

“I am directly ahead of you. Just follow the path I give you, and you will find me. Come quickly! I will grant you my entire inheritance, allow you to achieve perfect compatibility with me, and make you the Sovereign of the Ancient City in a single stroke!”

The voice was filled with a low, magnetic temptation that made one’s head swim, compelling them to walk forward unknowingly.

‘Hm? Something’s not right!’

Nie Yun had only taken two steps before he snapped out of it.

‘If it weren’t for my Celestial Eye Talent allowing me to see the path ahead, I would have walked right into an Array. While it might not have ground me to dust, it certainly wouldn’t have been a pleasant experience.’

‘That voice carries the power of Enchantment… It seems this Spirit Rhinoceros Spring is no good, either…’

Nie Yun grew wary.

If not for his powerful soul and quick wits, that mistake would have cost him dearly, even if it didn’t kill him. And it had happened precisely because he’d listened to the Spirit Rhinoceros Spring.

This proved that the Spirit Rhinoceros Spring was up to no good.

When he thought about it, it all made sense. If it were a benevolent entity, why would it use a Secret Technique to siphon off nine-tenths of a person’s potential for itself?

From Nie Yun’s perspective, the source of the spring had likely absorbed all those auras of potential.

“Hurry up! Why have you stopped walking?” the archaic voice urged, sounding a little anxious when it noticed Nie Yun had paused.

“There’s an Array in front of me. Are you trying to lead me into it?” Nie Yun snorted coldly.

“Heh heh, you saw through it. Excellent. You have passed my test! My chosen successor must be intelligent, wise, and not blinded by greed. The fact that you saw through my ruse so quickly proves your will is firm. You are indeed qualified to receive my inheritance!”

Hearing Nie Yun’s accusation, the archaic voice chuckled. Its tone became frank and open, and the sinister quality from before vanished instantly, as if he were listening to a completely different person.

“Where are you really? And how do I find you?”

Nie Yun ignored the shift in tone and asked with a soft chuckle.

“Here is a map to find me. Follow the route, and you will face no danger!”

RUMBLE!

Immediately after, Nie Yun felt a consciousness enter his mind. It was, indeed, a map. The route marked within it was completely identical to the one Mu Ruo had given him, with no difference whatsoever.

“You have passed the test, so this map is real. Follow the marked path and come to me!”

After speaking, the archaic voice fell silent once more.

Though he didn’t know if the voice was telling the truth or what its intentions were, Nie Yun gritted his teeth and followed the path forward.

After walking for some time and bypassing numerous Restrictions, he saw a massive palace standing directly ahead.

The palace was tall and majestic, shimmering with the glow of Spiritual Qi. A faint halo surrounded it, making it look like an Immortal Realm—a true Celestial Palace.

‘So this must be the Lingxi Celestial Palace!’

The sight of the breathtakingly powerful palace confirmed to Nie Yun that he had arrived at his destination. He activated his Celestial Eye Talent, remaining on high alert.

Neither Mu Ruo nor the archaic voice had given him a map of the palace’s interior. Regardless of the danger, it was safer to keep his Celestial Eye active.

“Who dares trespass in the Lingxi Celestial Palace? Kill them!”

Just as he arrived before the palace, he heard a thunderous roar. The palace doors swung open, and a group of Golden Armored Soldiers charged out.

Each of these soldiers had a calm gaze, and a thick, bloody aura rose from their bodies. A single glance was enough to tell they were veterans hardened by countless battles.

Men like this obeyed orders without question and showed no fear of death. As a group, their combined combat strength surpassed that of many Arrays.

‘Why is there a group of soldiers here?’ Nie Yun’s expression tensed as he focused his Celestial Eye on them.

SIZZLE!

Under the gaze of his Celestial Eye, the Golden Armored Soldiers transformed into skeletons. Their bony frames swayed as they slowly advanced toward him.

‘An Illusion Realm? What a powerful one!’

Seeing this, Nie Yun knew the Golden Armored Soldiers before him were all part of an Illusion Realm. And yet, he could clearly feel their murderous intent and bloody auras; he could even perceive the energy fluctuations within their bodies. For an Illusion Realm to reach such a level of realism was terrifying!

‘Go!’

Knowing the Golden Armored Soldiers were an illusion, Nie Yun didn’t bother to fight. His body transformed into a streak of Flowing Light as he shot forward.

SHATTER!

He charged into the ranks of the soldiers. With a series of crisp cracks, the skeletons shattered. He passed through the palace gates without even needing to fight.

“Excellent. You have passed the trial of the Illusion Realm. Illusions are meant to beguile the mind, but you were able to see through to the truth. This proves your willpower is firm!”

The moment he entered the palace, the archaic voice slowly rang out once more.

‘Firm willpower?’ Nie Yun scoffed.

‘My ability to break the illusion had nothing to do with willpower. It was because my Celestial Eye Talent saw through the trick, allowing me to pass.’

The walls of the palace corridor were lined with all sorts of murals, each one seven or eight times the height of a man. They depicted the blood-stirring exploits of a general on the battlefield. As he walked, a faint fragrance filled the air, seeming to pull him back to an age of clashing armies.

His heart began to pound like a war drum. In a daze, Nie Yun felt as if he had become a great general on the field of battle, spear in hand and astride his warhorse, unstoppable before an army of thousands.

Charge!

He surged forward a few steps before the Blood Pupil Elixir Field inside him suddenly jolted. His vision cleared in an instant.

‘I was caught in an illusion again?’

Remembering his strange behavior, Nie Yun felt cold sweat bead on his brow.

‘My mind is strong, and my soul has reached the Mid-Stage Spirit Level, which should be powerful enough. Yet I’ve been in this Lingxi Celestial Palace for less than an hour and have already fallen into two traps, nearly losing myself completely. This is terrifying!’

‘If my Blood Pupil Talent couldn’t break through all Demon Techniques and illusions, I might have died without ever knowing how!’

‘Nine Nether Cold Pearl, empower me! Blood Pupil Qi, surround me!’

Taking a deep breath, Nie Yun took out the Nine Nether Cold Pearl and held it against his chest. He then circulated his Blood Pupil Qi, forming a defensive barrier around his body.

The Nine Nether Cold Pearl could dispel a thousand evils, break through all techniques, and render one Immune to All Poisons. It was a supreme treasure for exorcising demonic forces. By taking it out, he could increase his resistance to all kinds of illusions.

Blood Pupil Qi, the unique aura of a Blood Pupil Master, could enhance both his Soul Defense and offensive capabilities.

With the power of both combined, Nie Yun’s mind instantly felt much clearer. When he looked at the murals again, the drowsy feeling was gone.

CLANG! CLANG!

“This is mine! You dare to fight me for it? I’ll kill you!”

“It’s you or me! We settle this today!”

“You all take your time fighting… I’ll just help myself…”

Several vicious shouts, accompanied by the clang of steel on steel, rang out from the end of the corridor. Nie Yun hurried forward a few steps and saw several young men fighting fiercely in the middle of a spacious hall, locked in a desperate struggle over something.

All of the youths were at the Early-Stage Secret Realm and wore the uniforms of the Five Great Manors. It was obvious they were the chosen contenders from each manor. Looking closer, Nie Yun saw that Mu Shang was indeed among them.

Mu Shang’s eyes were currently crimson, as if he were trapped in some kind of Illusion Realm. He knew only how to kill. The twin blades in his hands were both Spiritual Soldiers, and with every slash, a powerful Qi Force howled.

The exhilarating aura of the Lingxi Celestial Palace was even thicker here. When the core disciples of the Ancient City fought in this place, their power was amplified!

“Mu Shang, you dare to attack me! You must die today, no one can save you!”

With another eunuch-like shriek, the young man opposite Mu Shang formed a Dharma Seal with his palms. He traded blows with him relentlessly, unleashing wave after wave of power, revealing the terrifying extent of his Mana.

‘What are they fighting over?’

Seeing that they were all so consumed by bloodlust that they hadn’t even noticed his arrival, Nie Yun looked curiously toward the center of the fray. The moment he saw what they were fighting over, his fists clenched, and his own eyes turned crimson.

Directly ahead of them was something like a Treasure Vault. Its shelves were filled with all kinds of Elixirs. The Spiritual Qi emanating from them was as vast as a sea, their auras as powerful as dragons. Forget the others—even Nie Yun felt that if he swallowed just one, he could instantly break through to the next Realm and attempt to reach the Heaven-Seizing Creation Secret Realm!

Spirit Level Elixirs!

They were all Spirit Level Elixirs!