75: Chapter 75 Overcoming Inner Demons and Breaking Through Illusions, Preparing for the Seventh Floor of the Bone Tower

Just as Li Siwen's shout and the light of the Dongxu Spirit Eye Technique pierced into the illusion like a sharp sword...

Xiao Xiner, who was deeply mired in the immense grief and despair of her Sect's destruction, her father's death in battle, and her own powerlessness to turn the tide, suddenly trembled.

The two words, "Wake up!", seemingly from the distant horizon yet carrying a hint of familiarity, exploded like thunder in her mind, which was almost devoured by despair!

"This voice is... Junior Sister Li?"

A faint flicker of clarity, like a struggling candle flame in the darkness, suddenly ignited.

In the illusion, the scene of "father" being pierced by a black chain seemed to... freeze for an instant?

At the edges of the tidal wave of approaching enemies, there seemed to be extremely subtle distortions and fluctuations?

No!

This isn't real!

The Xuanjian Sect is a hegemon, its Sect-protecting grand formation is infinitely powerful, and father is a Late Stage Tianyuan Realm expert. How could it be breached so easily? Although these enemies are strange, there's no way they could have silently destroyed the Sect to this extent!

It's an illusion!

That's right, this place is a Secret Realm remnant, and just now I was still in the Bone Tower!

The strong sense of incongruity and the instinct for survival made her cling desperately to that sliver of clarity!

"A clear mind like water, clear water is the mind! No wind, no ripples!"

The Xuanjian Sect's secret Clear Mind and Tranquil Spirit Art incantation rapidly circulated in her mind as if by instinct!

A refreshing sensation rose from her Dantian, forcefully suppressing her surging Qi and blood and her almost collapsed mind.

She abruptly closed her eyes, no longer looking at the heartbreaking illusions, and immersed her entire mind into the state of Sword Heart Translucence!

"Outer demons disperse! My heart is like a sword!"

She let out a clear shout, her yuehua longsword not striking at the enemies in the illusion, but rather drawing a cold arc in front of her!

Where the sword light passed, there was no killing intent, but a clear Sword Intent that cleansed the dust of the heart!

Buzz!

The turbulent Origin Qi around her suddenly converged!

The resentful power illusion that was eroding her mind rippled violently, like water into which a stone had been thrown!

When she opened her eyes again, they had regained their clarity and sharpness!

The scorched earth purgatory and the sky full of ghostly figures in front of her shattered inch by inch like a broken painting, quickly dissipating!

The illusion broke!

She gasped for breath, cold sweat trickling down her forehead, her pretty face still pale, lingering fear in her heart.

Looking up, she saw Li Siwen's concerned gaze, and Yue Li, who had just broken free from her chains and whose Soul body was trembling slightly, not far away.

...

On the other side, Yue Li's Soul body was already wrapped layer upon layer by the runic chains condensed from resentful power. The cold, evil corrosive force almost completely overwhelmed her consciousness, twisting her attachment to her master into absolute obedience to that black shadow.

"Obey... destroy... kill..." Cold thoughts continuously impacted her core.

"No, this isn't right..."

Just as her consciousness was about to completely sink, a resistance and repulsion, originating from the deepest part of her Soul, from her most primal instinct, suddenly erupted!

"Master, won't... don't want Li'er..."

"Master... needs Li'er..."

"Things... shouldn't be like this!"

The cold commands instilled by the black shadow were completely different from her master's gentle instructions, trusting gaze, and the connection that made her feel warm and safe in her memories!

This fundamental contradiction caused a violent rejection reaction in her Soul core!

At the moment this rejection reaction reached its peak—

Buzz!

A faint but incredibly firm and warm connection, like sunlight piercing through layers of dark clouds, suddenly shone clearly into the depths of her Soul, breaking through the illusion's obstruction!

It was the contract! The Origin contract connection between her and her master!

Although greatly weakened by the illusion, at this moment, due to Li Siwen's active call and the impact of the Dongxu Spirit Eye Technique, this connection became clearer than ever before!

"Master!" Yue Li's almost dissipated consciousness instantly condensed!

All her struggles now had a clear direction! All her power had a target to pour into!

"Roar—!"

She let out a clear cry that was not human-like but filled with absolute determination!

The purification power, suppressed for a long time within her Soul body, erupted!

Grayish-white light burst out from within her Soul body like an explosion!

The runic chains formed by resentful power, upon contact with this pure light, made a "hissing" sound like ice and snow meeting scorching sun, rapidly melting and breaking!

The Illusionary Altar vibrated violently, and the black shadow let out an unwilling roar before dissipating!

Crack!

The restraints were gone! Yue Li's figure became solid again, but her light was slightly dim, clearly indicating immense consumption.

She immediately looked around in a panic, and only after seeing Li Siwen's figure did she let out a huge sigh of relief.

Almost instinctively, she instantly moved to Li Siwen's side, clinging tightly to him, her beautiful face full of lingering fear and dependence, her Soul body trembling slightly like a frightened little beast.

"It's alright now!" Li Siwen gently comforted her, also sighing in relief in his heart.

The three exchanged glances, all seeing the tremor of having survived a great calamity in each other's eyes.

"What a powerful illusion!" Xiao Xiner said with lingering fear, her voice still a little hoarse. "It directly targeted the weaknesses of the heart. A slight oversight would lead to eternal damnation. If not for Junior Sister, you waking me up in time..."

She looked at Li Siwen, her eyes filled with gratitude.

If not for that shout containing a strange power to break illusions, she might have truly succumbed to the desperate illusion of her Sect's destruction, exhausting her mind and dying.

Li Siwen shook his head, his expression solemn: "The resentful power accumulated here for countless years, and the illusions it creates are indeed terrifying. The next few floors will probably still be extremely dangerous. We must guard our minds tightly and not relax in the slightest."

His gaze swept over the steps leading to the fifth floor. The Dongxu Spirit Eye Technique flickered slightly: "Just now we were caught off guard. Next, since we know it's an illusion, we have a way to deal with it."

Yue Li clung tightly to Li Siwen, nodding vigorously, her Soul Power fluctuations conveying a resolute thought: "Master, Yue Li will not be confused again!"

After a brief rest to readjust their state to optimal, the three became twelve times more vigilant and once again stepped onto the stairs.

Indeed, as soon as they stepped onto the fifth floor, that familiar feeling of mental erosion and sensory confusion assailed them again, and the surrounding scenery began to twist and change.

But this time, the three were well prepared!

"Guard your true heart! All is illusion!"

Li Siwen let out a low shout, activating the Dongxu Spirit Eye Technique at full power. Clear light flowed in his eyes, like two bright lamps, instantly illuminating the nascent illusions attempting to form around them, revealing the grim bone walls and surging resentful power hidden behind them!

Xiao Xiner immediately activated the Clear Mind and Tranquil Spirit Art, her Sword Heart Translucence, and her yuehua Sword Qi protected her body, completely eradicating and purifying the invading resentful power.

Yue Li, meanwhile, clung tightly to Li Siwen, the purification power within her Soul body circulating naturally, isolating the resentful power attempting to affect her.

The illusion on the fifth floor, before it could fully unfold, fluctuated violently a few times like rootless duckweed under the trio's vigilant defense, and then dispersed on its own, unable to form an effective delusion again.

The three continued without stopping, heading straight for the sixth floor.

The resentful power on the sixth floor was even denser and purer, and the illusion's corrosive power was stronger, even attempting to simulate more complex sounds and scents to interfere with judgment.

But under the continuous illumination and guidance of Li Siwen's Dongxu Spirit Eye Technique, Xiao Xiner and Yue Li precisely severed all threads of resentful power attempting to approach. The trio's steps were firm, their minds as one, unshaken like a bedrock.

The illusion on the sixth floor also failed to truly trap them. After struggling for a moment, it reluctantly retreated.

Two consecutive floors were passed without major incident.

Standing before the steps leading to the seventh floor, the three stopped.

Although they had broken through two floors consecutively, they could feel that the resentful power above had not weakened; instead, it had become more condensed and profound, as if brewing something even more terrifying.

"The seventh floor... probably won't be so simple!" Li Siwen gazed upwards, the light of his Dongxu Spirit Eye Technique also seemed to encounter some obstruction, unable to fully see through.

"When soldiers come, generals will block them!" Xiao Xiner gripped her longsword. After continuous tempering, her eyes were sharper and more resolute.

Yue Li also nodded gently, the light of her Soul body becoming stable again, guarding closely by Li Siwen's side.

The three adjusted their breathing and once again stepped upwards.