Li Fan successfully broke through the illusion! Wasn't this formation a bit too powerful?

"What?!"

"He's trapped inside?!"

As Lin Xiyue's exclamation fell, the expressions of everyone present changed instantly.

Gu Zhiyun's mouth hung slightly open, her face full of disbelief: "How could this happen?"

"Little Brother Li is a genuine Sword Cultivator!"

"A Sword Cultivator primarily cultivates an unyielding Sword Heart; their Heart-Nature is much tougher than most Cultivators!"

"If even he is trapped and can't get out..."

"Then just how terrifying is this Heavenly Demon Heart-Questioning Array?!"

She looked at the red light flickering within the mist and couldn't help but shudder.

This wasn't a test; this was practically the Gates of Hell!

"Hehe, now you know how powerful it is?"

Compared to everyone's tension, the culprit, Liu Qingyu, looked relaxed, with a smug, playful grin even hanging on the corner of her mouth.

"I told you before, the Heavenly Demon Heart-Questioning Array strikes directly at the human heart!"

"Even for a Sword Cultivator, as long as there's an obsession or a flaw in their heart, they absolutely cannot escape!"

"Alright, Sister Yu, look at the time! Stop gloating!"

Lin Xiyue glared at her irritably and urged anxiously:

"Since you're the one who modified this grand Formation, you should be able to control it, right?"

"Quick! Save Little Brother Li immediately!"

"If something really happens, how are we going to explain it to my brother?"

"Oh, don't worry, Sister Yue!"

Facing Lin Xiyue's urging, Liu Qingyu remained unhurried, even waving her hand very calmly.

"I know what I'm doing."

She explained solemnly:

"Although Little Brother Li's situation looks dangerous, his consciousness is actually far from reaching its limit."

"As the saying goes, one must break to build. For him, this is a rare trial."

"If he can break through this grand Formation on his own and defeat his Heart Demon, it would be a heaven-sent Opportunity for him!"

"Of course..."

Liu Qingyu changed her tone and spread her hands:

"If Sister Yue is truly worried, I can pull him out right now with a flick of my finger."

"But if I do that, this Opportunity will be gone~"

"Ah, this..."

Hearing this explanation, Lin Xiyue immediately fell into a dilemma.

She was both worried about Li Fan's safety and unwilling to ruin his Opportunity due to her own recklessness.

"But... I see Little Brother Li's aura fluctuating; he really isn't far from Qi Deviation!"

"What if he can't break through this grand Formation?"

"Then wouldn't he..."

Just as Lin Xiyue was hesitating, unsure whether she should step in to save him.

An ancient and ethereal voice suddenly rang in everyone's ears, instantly putting them at ease.

"No need to panic."

"With this old man watching, nothing will happen to him!"

"Let him stay in this Illusion Formation for now; I have confidence in him!"

The one speaking was precisely Elder Jian.

Although his Soul Body was still nourishing within the iron sword and had not appeared, the certainty in his voice acted like a reassuring pill.

"Oh!"

Lin Xiyue slapped her forehead as she suddenly realized.

"That's right! I almost forgot that Old Grandfather is by Little Brother Li's side!"

"Since Old Grandfather has spoken, there's definitely no problem!"

"Phew... now we don't have to worry blindly!"

Lin Xiyue let out a long breath, sat back down on the stone bench, and began to wait patiently... inside the illusion.

Li Fan's eyes were as red as blood, the iron sword in his hand swinging wildly; he had already killed countless people.

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

"I will kill you all!!"

Endless killing intent surged in his chest, nearly burning away his reason.

He seemed no longer the youth pursuing the path of the sword, but a beast that knew only revenge.

Just as his mind was about to completely collapse and fall into madness.

Clang!

A clear and resonant sword hum exploded without warning deep within his Chaos Sea of Consciousness!

The sword hum wasn't loud, yet it was like a morning bell or an evening drum, instantly dispersing the blood-colored mist before his eyes.

"This is..."

Li Fan's movements came to a sudden halt, a trace of clarity returning to his blood-red eyes.

He looked at the hideous men in black around him, and at his parents' tragic corpses on the ground.

Everything was so real, so full of despair.

But... that sword hum was like a light, illuminating the deepest corner of his heart.

"No..."

"This isn't right!"

"My parents... passed away many years ago..."

"This place... isn't real!"

Li Fan murmured to himself, the clarity in his eyes growing stronger and stronger.

He slowly closed his eyes, no longer looking at the tragic scenes around him, and instead submerged his entire mind into the sword in his hand.

"All appearances are illusory."

"Only the sword in my hand, only the Dao in my heart, is real!"

"Break... for me!!"

Li Fan snapped his eyes open. There was no longer the slightest trace of confusion or killing intent in them, replaced by a sword light that was purer and sharper than before!

He slashed out gently with his sword toward the Void Realm.

Ssh!

This strike didn't have an earth-shattering presence, yet it severed some invisible shackle.

The realistic scenes around him shattered inch by inch like a reflection in water, vanishing without a trace.

As the illusion broke, a mysterious change occurred in the aura on Li Fan's body.

His originally sharp and slightly immature Sword Intent had become more restrained and mellow after this baptism by the Heart Demon.

From twenty percent... it advanced to twenty-five percent!

Though it was only a five percent increase, for a Concept, it was already a qualitative leap!

"Phew..."

Slowly withdrawing that even more powerful Sword Intent into his body, Li Fan's expression returned to calm as he strode down from the stone steps still shrouded in mist.

"Ah! Little Brother Li! You're finally out!"

Lin Xiyue, who had been waiting outside, had her eyes light up and was the first to greet him.

"Xiao Fan, are you alright?"

"Nothing happened, right?"

Li Zhanjun also looked concerned as he stepped forward quickly, sizing Li Fan up carefully.

He even reached out to pat his slightly thin shoulders, only feeling relieved after confirming he was truly fine.

"Don't worry, Elder Li, I'm fine."

"I'm sorry for making everyone worry."

Looking at everyone's sincere and concerned gazes, a warm current welled up in Li Fan's heart.

This feeling of being genuinely cared for... he hadn't felt it for a very, very long time since that bloody night when his family was destroyed.

He didn't expect that now, in this strange land and among this group of friends he had just met,

he would once again feel such long-lost human warmth.

"Father, Mother..."

"Do you see?"

"I am doing very well now."

"I have a Revered Master who teaches me diligently, a trustworthy big brother, and this group of like-minded Fellow Daoists."

"Your spirits in heaven can rest easy now."

Li Fan said silently in his heart.

At this moment, his state of mind felt unprecedentedly peaceful and clear.

"Little Brother Li, you almost suffered Qi Deviation just now, you really scared us to death!"

At this time, Gu Zhiyun leaned over and asked curiously: "What exactly did you experience in the Heavenly Demon Heart-Questioning Array?"

"How did it get so dangerous?"

"..."

Hearing this, Li Fan's expression darkened slightly. After a moment of silence, he slowly spoke:

"It was... the scene of my family's destruction..."

"I saw my parents, they..."

"Eh, stop, stop!!"

"Hold it right there!!"

Before he could finish, Gu Zhiyun acted as if her tail had been stepped on; her face changed drastically as she waved her hands frantically to interrupt him.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

"I didn't know it would be like that!"

"Apologies, I won't ask anymore! You don't have to say another word!"

Gu Zhiyun looked panicked.

Although she was usually carefree and loved gossip, she wasn't the kind of heartless or ignorant person.

This was clearly the deepest scar in someone's heart, a painful memory.

If she were to keep prying just to satisfy her curiosity, would she even be human?

She couldn't keep stabbing at someone's heart like that!

"Sigh... it seems Little Brother Li also has a tragic past!"

Lin Xiyue sighed, stepped forward, patted Li Fan's shoulder gently, and said softly:

"It's okay."

"The past is in the past."

"If you don't mind in the future, you can think of us as family!"

"Hahaha, Girl Yue is right!"

Li Zhanjun also laughed heartily, his voice loud and powerful.

"Xiao Fan, since you've come, you're a part of our Great Xia!"

"I hope this home called Great Xia can help you find that long-lost warmth!"

"Thank you..."

"Truly, thank you everyone!"

Looking at everyone's sincere smiles, Li Fan felt his nose tingle and hurriedly nodded heavily.

The trace of loneliness caused by leaving his hometown completely vanished at this moment!

...The warm atmosphere lasted for a moment.

Lin Guohui, who had been standing to the side, suddenly frowned and broke the silence.

"Hiss..."

"Looking at it this way, the intensity of this modified Heavenly Demon Heart-Questioning Array isn't just high!"

He looked at the mist-shrouded stone steps, his tone filled with deep concern.

"Think about it, Xiao Fan is a Sword Cultivator with a firm mind, yet even he almost got trapped and couldn't get out..."

"If we replace him with those new students who have just stepped into cultivation and haven't tempered their Heart-Nature much..."

"Wouldn't they be wiped out entirely? Or maybe... suffer Qi Deviation as a whole?"

As soon as these words were spoken.

The smiles of the group, who were still immersed in the warm atmosphere, instantly froze.

That's right!

This Formation is powerful, indeed,

but it seems... it's a bit too intense!