276: Chapter 276: The Soul Barrier

At the end of the stone steps of the first stage, the light gradually dimmed.

Xiao Ran stood there, looking back at the path he had come from.

He was the first Cultivator to pass the first stage.

The long stone steps were hidden in the mist, with neither the beginning nor the end in sight.

The stone-carved Sword Cultivators on the steps had returned to their original state, motionless, as if nothing had happened.

But Xiao Ran could feel that they were watching every person who stepped onto the stone steps.

He took a deep breath and turned to face the second stage.

Ahead lay an expanse of grey-black mist.

The mist surged endlessly, like a sleeping giant beast breathing.

Ghostly shadows flickered faintly within the mist, and occasionally, shrill cries, low roars, and indistinct whispers could be heard.

The sounds did not come from the outside, but rang directly in his mind.

It was as if something was gnawing at his Divine Soul.

"Illusion Demon Realm."

Xiao Ran softly read the words on the stone tablet.

"Those who enter the illusion must slay the Heart Demon within; those who succumb shall die."

Just hearing this passage made it clear that this stage was far stronger than the previous one.

Once caught in the illusion, one wouldn't even know how they died.

Xiao Ran stood at the edge of the mist, not rushing to enter.

The yellow spring banner was tucked at his waist, the ten thousand poison bead was hidden in his sleeve, and the thirty Void Refinement Stage Yellow Spring Army were waiting for orders inside the banner.

But he knew that these physical defenses might be useless against the illusion.

The Illusion Demon Realm attacked the Divine Soul, not the physical body.

He took a jade talisman from his bosom.

It was a protective talisman gifted by Old City Lord Li Cang, Heaven Rank Low Grade, capable of blocking a full-force strike from a Void Refinement Peak expert, and could also teleport him a hundred miles in a critical moment.

But he did not know if this item was useful against Divine Soul attacks.

"Can't worry about so much now."

Xiao Ran gripped the protective talisman in his hand and stepped into the mist.

The moment he stepped into the mist, the world before his eyes changed completely.

The grey-black mist vanished, replaced by a blood-red sky.

There was no sun in the sky, only a dark red moon hanging low overhead.

The moonlight shone upon the earth, dyeing everything in the color of blood.

Beneath his feet was a wasteland.

The wasteland was barren, with nothing but countless broken weapons and scattered bones.

Some bones belonged to the Human Race, some to the Yao Race, and others were indistinguishable as to which race they belonged.

The air was filled with a thick smell of blood; a single breath made one's throat tighten.

"Illusion."

Xiao Ran whispered.

He knew this was an illusion, but he discovered that his Divine Sense was suppressed and he couldn't perceive the outside world at all.

His body was still in the mist, but his consciousness had been dragged into this blood-red world.

If he couldn't get out of here, his consciousness would be trapped, and he would never wake up.

"A bit tricky."

Xiao Ran gripped the protective talisman tightly and walked toward the depths of the wasteland.

After walking for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, a massive palace appeared ahead.

The palace was entirely pitch black, with two rows of stone statues standing in front of the gate.

The stone statues were in the likeness of the Human Race, wearing ancient battle armor and holding Long Halberds.

But their faces were not those of the Human Race; they were twisted, rotting, and hideous ghost faces.

Their eyes were blood-red, and they were staring straight at Xiao Ran.

"Those who trespass into the Yellow Springs Palace shall die!"

The stone statues spoke in unison, their voices hoarse like metal grinding.

Xiao Ran narrowed his eyes.

Yellow Springs Palace?

He recalled the Legacy of Venerable Huangquan; that place was also called the Yellow Springs Palace.

But the Yellow Springs Palace before him was different from the one he had visited before.

The Death Qi here was thicker, the resentment heavier, and the air was filled with an indescribable, decaying aura.

He ignored the stone statues and walked straight toward the palace.

The stone statues moved.

They raised their Long Halberds and thrust them toward Xiao Ran.

The Long Halberds were wrapped in black Death Qi, and within the Death Qi, ghostly faces could be faintly heard roaring.

Xiao Ran struck out with his palm, and the Guixu Vortex spun, swallowing both the Death Qi and the Long Halberds.

The stone statues were shattered, turning into piles of rubble.

But more Death Qi surged from the rubble, rushing toward Xiao Ran.

Xiao Ran frowned, operating the Guixu Vortex at full power to consume all the Death Qi.

As the Death Qi entered his body, his Divine Soul trembled slightly.

This Death Qi was not ordinary energy, but the resentment of the dead, capable of eroding the Divine Soul.

"No wonder they say the Illusion Demon Realm is dangerous."

Xiao Ran remained vigilant and continued walking forward.

Entering the palace, the main hall was empty.

There was only a stone chair.

Sitting on the stone chair was a person wearing a black robe.

His face was obscured by shadows, making it impossible to see his features, but he radiated a familiar aura.

"Who are you?"

Xiao Ran asked.

The black-robed person raised his head, revealing his face.

It was a face identical to Xiao Ran's.

"I am you."

The black-robed person spoke, his voice also identical to Xiao Ran's.

Xiao Ran sneered.

"Trying this trick again? I've already seen it once in the Legacy of Venerable Huangquan; you can't fool me."

The black-robed person shook his head.

"That was not an illusion; that was a trial."

"And I am your Heart Demon."

"The things you have always deliberately ignored, the things you have never dared to face, are all here with me."

Xiao Ran narrowed his eyes: "What do I not dare to face?"

The black-robed person stood up and walked in front of Xiao Ran.

His eyes were black, with a vortex rotating in his pupils, identical to Xiao Ran's Guixu Vortex.

"There are many things you don't dare to face."

"For instance, you dare not face your own evil, you dare not face reality, you dare not face Su Qinghan..."

The black-robed person said indifferently.

"You have avoided her for so long, not because you were busy, but because you were afraid."

Xiao Ran was silent.

The black-robed person continued: "You also dare not face Bai Linger; she has waited for you for so long, are you just going to dismiss her with a casual remark?"

"This is not your character."

Xiao Ran remained silent.

The black-robed person spoke again.

"You dare not face Xiao Yating even more; you and she Dual Cultivation..."

Xiao Ran finally spoke: "Enough."

The black-robed person shook his head.

"Not enough; you still have to face yourself."

"You don't seem to belong to this world. What do you want?"

Xiao Ran was stunned.

What did he want? To dominate the Cultivation World?

The black-robed person laughed.

"See? You don't even know what you want; your Dao Heart is not firm enough."

Xiao Ran took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart.

He knew the black-robed person was right, but this was not the time to ponder life.

He had to get out.

"Are you done?" Xiao Ran looked at the black-robed person.

"Done, now it's my turn."

The black-robed person raised an eyebrow.

Xiao Ran punched toward the black-robed person, with the Guixu Vortex rotating on his fist.

"I don't care who you are; those who block my path shall die!"

On his fist, the Guixu Vortex exploded, engulfing the black-robed person.

The black-robed person did not resist, merely smiling, and said one sentence before vanishing.

"You can shatter me, but you cannot shatter the Heart Demon within you; we will meet again."

The black-robed person turned into black smoke and dissipated.

The palace began to collapse, the blood-red sky cracked, and the dark red moon fell.

Xiao Ran felt his body lighten, and his consciousness returned.

He opened his eyes and found that he was still standing in the mist.

But his clothes were soaked with cold sweat, and his back was chilled.

His Divine Soul was much weaker, as if something had taken a bite out of it.

The protective talisman was still in his hand, but its light had dimmed significantly.