Chapter 465: Illusion Array (Four)
“Ziying, please tell me just where the cave is located.” Jian Chen could barely restrain the emotions flowing through to his face as he moved about impatiently.
“Master, it is located fifty meters on the wall behind you.” Ziying spoke.
Hearing that, Jian Chen whirled around and walked to the location Ziying spoke of. There was a precipice where several weeds could be seen. From the outside, it looked rather normal and there was no cave that was visible. At the very least, Jian Chen couldn’t sense anything strange from it.
“Master, there is an illusion array concealing the cave. If you attack the area and destroy the array, you’ll be able to see the cave,” Ziying told him.
Jian Chen looked at the seemingly ordinary looking wall with a curious expression. He couldn’t believe that an illusion array would have such an amazing effect. Even with his eyes, he wasn’t able to detect any abnormalities even with his omnipresence combing over it.
Jian Chen swiped at the sky, causing the fire element in the world to gather and form a boiling hot fire sword. Shooting forward with his hand, Jian Chen struck the fire sword on the cliff wall.
“Bang!” Following an extremely loud bang, the fire sword exploded against the cliff wall and filled the area with a burning hot heatwave. The temperature in the air soared as the flames evaporated the mist. Parts of the cliff had even broke off and splashed into the water below.
After some time, the area cleared up and a single three meter hole became visible right in front of Jian Chen. However, nothing could be seen within it.
“Could it be that this is the Saint Ruler’s cave?” Jian Chen muttered. Using his omnipresence, he began to spread it inside the cave in an attempt to look inside. When his presence reached five meters in the cave, an unknown energy blocked it, preventing him from going any further.
“Master, there’s still an illusion array guarding it.” Ziying spoke to Jian Chen.
“The preventions put in place are quite strict.” Jian Chen sighed. Back during the Gathering of Mercenaries, he had come across the cave of a Saint Ruler. However, that cave didn’t have any protections as difficult as this one. It only had an unusually sturdy stone door blocking its path.
The Saint Ruler’s cave had provided an undeniable sense of enticement to Jian Chen. So without hesitation, he flew inside the jet-black cave and began to walk deeper in.
Quickly, Jian Chen arrived at the illusion array that had blocked his omnipresence. Clutching his hand, the fire sword materialized in his hand once more. What left Jian Chen tongue-tied was the fact that when the sword drew close to the illusion array, it suddenly vanished without a trace.
“Master, this illusion array is borrowing the power of a Space Gate. Aside from attacks that are strong enough to bring the illusion array to its breaking point, it will not be destroyed.” A feminine voice could be heard within his head, this time, it was Qingsuo that spoke.
“Then what should I do?” Jian Chen asked the Sword Spirit. This was the very first time he had come across an illusion array. He had never heard of such a thing before, so the existence of one was a complete mystery to him. He had no idea how to deal with it, causing him feel helpless.
“This illusion array borrows power from what a Space Gate is formed from. With the assistance of the world’s power, the area within fluctuates and changes at will. It is also able to produce an endless amount of illusions to puzzle the eyes. But, it cannot attack. So, unless one comes across a Saint Ruler, this illusion array will cause anyone that enters it to be completely isolated from the world.” Qingsuo spoke.
Jian Chen hesitated for a moment before asking, “Qingsuo, then do you have a method for dealing with this illusion array?”
“Master, although Ziying and Qingsuo have used up most of our energy to break the illusion array, we can still see through it. As long as master follows what we say, we will be able to pass through the illusion array.” Qingsuo almost looked proud as she replied.
“That’s fine. I will listen to your instructions.” Since things had gotten to such a stage, Jian Chen placed all his hopes on the two Sword Spirits.
“Master, first walk into the illusion array.” Qingsuo started Jian Chen off.
Jian Chen felt completely at ease with Ziying and Qingsuo and had no qualms of harm befalling him. So without hesitation, he walked into the illusion array that would be able to isolate him and his omnipresence.
As soon as he stepped across, it was as if he had crossed worlds. Jian Chen felt the scenery around him begin to distort as he discovered that he was now standing in a dessert. The sun was beating down on him heavily with its harsh rays and the fine sand beneath him had started to bake his feet. It was as if he was standing on a burning red piece of metal.
“Master, this is all an illusion. The person behind this illusion had to rely on the power of the world to create it. Know that it’s not real. Continue to walk forward slowly.” Qingsuo explained.
Obeying her words, Jian Chen took a single step forward. Another step. Then, a third step. Finally, on his fourth step, the sands beneath his feet began to swirl around before forming a vortex that threatened to devour him whole.
“Quicksand!” Jian Chen started. He subconsciously thought about using the energy of the world to force his way out before Qingsuo and Ziyig suddenly cried out to him.
“Master, don’t fight it! Otherwise, you’ll be transported to the outside by the power of the Space Gate.” Ziying and Qingsuo spoke at the same time.
Hearing this, Jian Chen gave up any idea of resisting and allowed for the sand to submerge his body.
It was pitch-black underneath to the point where even Jian Chen couldn’t tell east from west. He was better off with his eyes closed, since he wasn’t able to distinguish anything. When he tried to use his omnipresence, he came to the realization that it was being forcibly suppressed, meaning he couldn’t use it.
Not too long after, Jian Chen felt himself finally stop descending through the ground. At the same time, his body was being pressed by something heavy. From this feeling, Jian Chen truly felt as if it were sand that was crushing him.
“Master, take a step to your left or right.”
Jian Chen closed his eyes and turned himself at an angle before walking one step forward.
This single step seemed as if it had taken him thousands of kilometers to a completely different place. Even with his eyes closed, Jian Chen could clearly feel a stinging light radiating from the sky and the fragrant smell of flowers wafting through the air.
Opening his eyes, Jian Chen realized he was now in a spectacular garden that was almost impossible to describe with words. It was almost like a paradise with all sorts of sweet smelling thing and a pool not too far away. The water in the lake was clear, and many fish could be seen swimming in it.
“Master, walk forward.”
Jian Chen began to walk forward before finally stopping by the side of the lake.
“Master, this is all fake. The things you are seeing are not real; there is no water in front of you, continue to move forward.”
“What a magical illusion array, it seems completely real.” Jian Chen sighed as he admired the illusion array’s effects. Then, taking a step forward, he began to walk into the pool of water.
When Jia Chen’s foot touched the surface of the water, his body did not sink. It was almost as if he was floating. Jian Chen felt as if he were stepping on a thin piece of glass.
Still following the Sword Spirit’s instructions, Jian Chen continued to walk across the water until he arrived at the very center of the lake. Suddenly, the scenery around him began to spin and spin before the garden disappeared almost instantaneously, only to be replaced with a bottomless abyss right in front of Jian Chen’s eyes.
The world began to grow dim, there was no sun, and at the same time, there was no moonlight. It was as if he had stepped into the lands of Hell, standing on the tip of the precipice. Right in front of him was an abyss with no bottom to be seen. Yet, a grotesque sound could be heard faintly, originating from down below. It was not unsimilar to a devil howling in a way that would terrify any listener.
“Continue to walk forward” Qingsuo spoke inside Jian Chen’s mind.
After hearing him, Jian Chen continued to listen to the Sword Spirit’s instructions through all the different types of worlds the illusion array threw at him. From time to time, he would walk forward through the areas, backward, or even having to move left or right. After being tormented endlessly for an hour, Jian Chen finally walked through the completely mysterious illusion array.
After exiting the illusion array, Jian Chen found himself within the dark belly of the mountain. It was spacious all around him with only a single wooden house to be seen in the desolate area.
“Ziying, Qingsuo, there shouldn’t be anymore illusions, correct?” Jian Chen asked the Sword Spirits. The illusions had felt all too real to him to the point where Jian Chen could no longer distinguish between reality and delusions. This caused Jian Chen to doubt whether or not he was in reality.
“Master, we’ve exited from the illusion array. Whatever you see in front of you is real.” Ziying spoke.
Ziying’s reply caused Jian Chen to relax and immediately revealed a smile on his face. After being thrown side to side for so long, he had finally arrived at his final destination.
Quelling his excitement, Jian Chen stepped closer and closer to the wooden house in front of him.
Just as Jian Chen exited from the illusion array, in the valley overhead, five bright lights could be seen flying toward the valley at an extremely fast speed. Finally, they came to a stop above the valley and looked down below.
Among the five, there were four elders and a middle-aged man. Each one wore a different color robe and had serious expressions on their faces. They also had a strong amount of power flicker off of their bodies.
“According to what that Heaven Saint Master from the Qiangan Kingdom said, the Saint Ruler’s cave should be located here. Fifty meters away from a precipice in a valley. This is the place.” The middle-aged man spoke as he looked down.
“There’s no differences between this place and the information we heard, this must be it. Let’s go down and hope that the Heaven Saint Master wasn’t lying to us.” The elder spoke calmly.
“Haha, Elder Feng, you think too much. That Heaven Saint Master holds a special position within the Qiangan Kingdom and was the king of the previous times. He wouldn’t dare lie to us, otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to handle the consequences. Besides, he did not tell our Huang family this secret without conditions.” Another elder laughed.