55: Chapter 55 The Illusory Maze, A Test of Mental State

Before the lingering echoes of the morning bell had faded, 150,000 players stood in solemn Formation on the mountain gate plaza of the Yaoguang Holy Land.

On a high platform in the center of the plaza, seven figures stood in mid-air. The leader was an old man with the complexion of a child and hair like a crane's, wearing a purple Daoist robe embroidered with the big dipper. His Aura was unfathomable, like an abyss or a vast ocean. As his gaze swept over the crowd below, he did not use any pressure, yet everyone couldn't help but hold their breath.

I am the current Holy Master of the Yaoguang Holy Land, True Man of the Big Dipper.

The voice was not loud, yet it clearly entered everyone's ears, as if it were ringing directly in their minds.

Today, the Yaoguang Holy Land is opening its trials to the public to recruit talents. Regardless of background or past, as long as you pass the trial, you will be a Disciple of the Holy Land.

The Holy Master had come out in person! This made everyone's spirits lift, but also made them more nervous.

True Man of the Big Dipper continued: The trial is divided into three rounds. The first round, Path of Questioning the Heart, tests Heart-Nature and willpower. The second round, Sea of Illusory Realms, tests wisdom and adaptability. The third round, Ascending Heavenly Ladder, tests strength and potential. There will be eliminations in every round, and only one hundred people will be selected in the end.

Now, begin the first round.

He waved his sleeve, and countless runes suddenly lit up on the plaza floor. The runes spread and intertwined, forming a giant Formation that covered the entire plaza. White light surged from the Formation, enveloping all 150,000 people.

The Path of Questioning the Heart is actually an Illusory Realm Labyrinth. You will each enter an independent illusory realm to face the deepest desires, fears, and obsessions in your hearts. Those who get lost are eliminated; those who remain clear-headed pass. The time limit is two hours. Now—begin!

As his voice fell, the white light swallowed everything.

Lin Ye felt the surrounding scene blur instantly, as if he had fallen into deep water. When he opened his eyes again, he was already in a completely unfamiliar environment.

This was a corridor with no end in sight. On both sides were towering stone walls, and carved upon them were countless lifelike reliefs: Immortals flying, demons dancing, love and hate, life and death. Each relief was slowly changing, as if it had come alive.

There was a faint fragrance in the air, which made one's mind relax and involuntarily want to indulge in it.

[System Prompt: You have entered the Illusory Realm Labyrinth · Path of Questioning the Heart]

[Current Status: Independent Illusory Realm]

[Task: Maintain your original intention and walk out of the labyrinth]

[Warning: Death in the illusory realm will not result in actual death, but will lead to direct elimination]

[Prompt: Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body trait All Laws Immune activated, illusory realm effects weakened by 90%]

All Laws Immune!

Lin Ye could clearly feel that the illusory forces trying to invade his mind were melting away like ice meeting fire when they touched the Chaos energy emitted by his Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body. Although those reliefs were still changing, in his eyes, they were just ordinary stone carvings and could not stir any emotions in him.

So this is the advantage of the Chaos Body... Lin Ye understood in his heart.

In his past life, when he participated in the trial, he suffered a huge loss in the first round, the Illusory Realm Labyrinth. Those illusions struck directly at his inner weaknesses, and he almost got lost in the obsession of Rebirth. In this life, with the Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body, he could almost ignore the effects of the illusory realm.

But he did not act immediately.

The Illusory Realm Labyrinth tested not only resistance but also Heart-Nature. If he relied purely on his Physique to resist, although he could pass, his evaluation would not be very high. The observers of the Holy Land wanted to see the performance and growth of the participants in the illusory realm.

Then let's see what tricks this illusory realm can play.

Lin Ye stepped forward.

The corridor seemed straight, but it actually hid spatial distortions. After walking about a hundred steps, a fork appeared in front: the left path was shining with golden light, with faint glimpses of gold mountains and silver seas, piled high with jewelry; the right path was dark and deep, with wafts of tempting fragrance and a woman's soft laughter.

Wealth and lust, the most basic tests of desire.

Lin Ye did not look sideways and went straight ahead—he chose neither path and continued to walk in a straight line.

Just as he was about to hit the wall, the wall rippled like water, revealing the true passage. The illusion was seen through.

Tricks.

He continued forward. After walking a few dozen more steps, the scene changed abruptly.

It was no longer a corridor, but a familiar room—it was his rented apartment in reality. There was instant noodles on the table, the computer screen was still on, displaying the login interface of covering the heavens era. Outside the window was the familiar city night view.

Little Ye, it's time to eat.

A gentle voice sounded. Lin Ye turned his head and saw his mother walking out of the kitchen with dishes, a kind smile on her face. His father was sitting on the sofa reading a newspaper, and his younger brother was playing with his phone—everything was exactly the same as before the disaster descended in his past life.

Family, kinship, this was the softest part of Lin Ye's heart. His greatest regret in his past life was not being able to let his family live a better life before the disaster descended.

The illusory realm captured this obsession.

Mom... Lin Ye spoke softly.

What's wrong? Hurry up and wash your hands to eat. I made your favorite braised pork today. Mother smiled and greeted him.

Father put down the newspaper: I heard you're doing well in the game recently? Don't push yourself too hard, take care of your health.

His younger brother also leaned over: Brother, is your Heavenly Court guild still recruiting? Take me with you!

Warm, real, making it almost impossible to distinguish between illusion and reality.

Lin Ye closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

When he opened them again, his eyes had returned to clarity.

Very realistic... but unfortunately, I know this is fake.

He took a step forward and reached out to touch his mother. The moment his fingers passed through, his mother, father, younger brother, and the room all shattered like bubbles, returning to the scene of the corridor.

I will protect my family in reality. No matter how beautiful the illusion is, it is still just an illusion.

His Heart-Nature remained unperturbed.

He continued forward.

The subsequent tests became increasingly tricky.

Sometimes it was a replay of memories from his past life: the ambush by the assassins of the Blood Fiend Alliance, the conspiracies of the Overlord Pavilion, the strong oppression of Olympus... Those scenes that once made him angry, unwilling, and desperate were reproduced one by one.

Sometimes it was the temptation of the future: he saw himself standing at the pinnacle of the world, with ten thousand races submitting, Su Qingyue by his side, and the Heavenly Court shaking the heavens. Just a nod, and all this seemed to come true.

Sometimes it was inner fear: the Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body being stolen, the memories of Rebirth disappearing, all efforts going to waste, and eventually dying powerlessly in the disaster.

The seven emotions and six desires, greed, anger, ignorance, and delusion, all took turns.

But Lin Ye's heart was always as calm as still water.

The Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body not only weakened the effects of the illusory realm but also allowed him to maintain absolute rationality. He clearly knew this was a trial and that all the illusions were fake. More importantly, the experience of living two lives had already honed his Heart-Nature far beyond his peers.

Those temptations and fears that could crush ordinary people were, in his eyes, nothing more than flowers in a mirror and the moon in the water.

After walking for about a quarter of an hour, a light appeared ahead.

The exit.

Lin Ye stepped into the light.

[System Prompt: Congratulations on passing the Illusory Realm Labyrinth · Path of Questioning the Heart]

[Clearance Time: 00:09:47]

[Heart-Nature Evaluation: Perfection (No fluctuations throughout the illusory realm, seen through all delusions)]

[Reward: Heart-Nature Insight +1, Divine Sense +100]

[Current Ranking: 1/150327]

Less than ten minutes, first place!

And the Heart-Nature evaluation was Perfection! This was the highest evaluation, meaning there was no wavering in the illusory realm.

Lin Ye appeared on a white jade platform. The platform was suspended in mid-air, with a sea of clouds below and seven mountain peaks above. This must be the transit area for the trial.

There were already some people on the platform, all of whom had cleared the level in advance. A rough look showed about three hundred people—out of 150,000, more than 99.8% were eliminated in the first round!

Brother Ye! Chen Hao's voice came. He also passed, and his time ranking was in the two-hundreds.

Then, Su Qingyue, Shi Potian, and Zhang Meng appeared one after another. All fifty members of the Heavenly Court passed the first round, with no one eliminated. This result was definitely top-tier among the major forces.

How are you guys? Lin Ye asked.

Almost fell for it. Chen Hao had lingering fears, I met my grandfather... He loved me the most before he passed away. In the illusion, he told me not to be a Cultivator and to go back to inherit the family's martial arts gym. If I hadn't remembered what my grandfather said before he died, 'A man's ambition lies in the four directions,' I might have agreed.

I met an enemy from my childhood. Shi Potian's face was gloomy, That bastard was kneeling and begging for mercy in the illusion, and I slashed him to death with one blade... Now that I think about it, it wasn't necessary; it's all in the past.

Su Qingyue said softly: My illusion was about you, Lin Ye.

Me? Lin Ye was stunned.

Yes. In the illusion, you were seriously injured to save me, and your life was hanging by a thread. The only antidote was in my hands, but after taking it, my Vast Cold Spirit Body would be permanently damaged... Su Qingyue did not continue, but her eyes had already explained everything.

How did you choose?

I gave you the medicine. Su Qingyue said calmly, The Spirit Body can be repaired if it is damaged, but if a person dies, there is nothing left. And I know that if it were really you, you would definitely find a way to help me recover after waking up.

Lin Ye felt a warmth in his heart: Thank you.

Don't thank me, I just made the right choice. Su Qingyue turned to look at the center of the platform, It's you, you cleared it so fast. Less than ten minutes, I heard many people talking about you when I came out.

Indeed, many people on the platform had their eyes focused on Lin Ye. Ten minutes to clear the Illusory Realm Labyrinth, this speed was too astonishing. You know, the second-place clearance time was twenty-five minutes, more than twice as slow as him.

That's Lin Ye? Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body?

I heard his spiritual power purity is 92%, and now he cleared the illusory realm in ten minutes... Monster.

Heavenly Court is going to stand out this time.

Hmph, it's just a special Physique, true strength is not necessarily that good.

Amidst the discussions, one unkind gaze was particularly obvious.

Lin Ye turned his head and saw the Alliance Master of Henghe Alliance staring at him coldly. Three hundred people from the Zongheng Alliance signed up, and at this moment, only eighty-something people appeared on the platform, an elimination rate of over 70%. Although this result was not bad, compared to the Heavenly Court's full-member pass, it looked ugly.

Lin Ye, don't be too proud too soon. The Alliance Master of Henghe Alliance walked up to him and lowered his voice, The Illusory Realm Labyrinth is just an appetizer, the next two rounds are the main event. At that time, I will let you know what despair is.

I'll wait. Lin Ye responded calmly.

While the two were confronting each other, people appeared on the platform one after another. Among them, several had particularly powerful Auras, which caught Lin Ye's attention.

A tall, blonde, blue-eyed man, wearing golden battle armor with phantom wings on his back—Ares of Olympus. His clearance time ranked third, twenty-nine minutes.

A woman in green clothes, holding an ancient zither, with a cold temperament—the Green Robe Tower Master, Qingluan. Ranked fifth, thirty-one minutes.

A thin figure shrouded in a black robe, whose face could not be seen, but whose Aura was as cold as a venomous snake—a surviving assassin of the Shadow Kill Tower. Ranked eighth, thirty-five minutes.

Another person who caught Lin Ye's attention was a young man wearing a strange silver bodysuit, fiddling with a metal sphere in his hand.

The energy fluctuations on him were completely different from a Cultivator; they were more like... the energy of a technological creation.

Eternal Star Domain Exploration Team.

The man noticed Lin Ye's gaze, turned his head to look over, and curled his lips into a peculiar smile. He then raised the metal sphere in his hand, and a string of symbols that Lin Ye could not understand flashed across the surface of the sphere.

"He is scanning me." Lin Ye was instantly alert. He slightly unfolded his Chaos Domain, cutting off the scanning fluctuations.

A flash of surprise passed through the eyes of the silver-clad man, but he quickly returned to calm and shifted his gaze away.

"People from the Eternal Star Domain... truly are strange." Lin Ye noted in his heart.

Time passed, and the two-hour limit was about to end. The number of people who passed the first stage on the platform finally settled at around three thousand one hundred—out of one hundred and fifty thousand, one hundred and forty-seven thousand were eliminated, leaving only a fraction.

A cruel screening.

When the last person stumbled out of the teleportation beam of light, the voice of the Holy Lord, True Man of the Big Dipper, came again from the high sky:

"The first stage, 'Path of Heart Inquiry', has ended. There are three thousand one hundred and twenty-three people who have passed."

"Those who did not pass have all been teleported out of the Holy Land. Their trial tokens will be automatically destroyed, and from now on, they will have no connection to Yaoguang Holy Land."

The voice was calm, yet it made everyone on the platform shiver. This was the attitude of the Holy Land—if you aren't good enough, you're eliminated; there are no second chances.

"The second stage, 'Sea of Illusions', will begin in one hour. During this time, you may rest, communicate, and prepare here."

As soon as the voice fell, dozens of stone platforms rose from the edge of the platform, with fresh water, fruits, and some simple food placed on them. At the same time, a huge jade wall appeared in the center of the platform, displaying the names of the top one thousand in the current ranking.

Lin Ye's name topped the list.

[First Place: Lin Ye (Heavenly Court), Clearance Time: 00:09:47, Heart-Nature Evaluation: Perfection]

[Second Place: Murong Xue (Lone Player), Clearance Time: 00:25:13, Heart-Nature Evaluation: Excellent]

[Third Place: Ares (Olympus), Clearance Time: 00:29:07, Heart-Nature Evaluation: Good]

[Fourth Place: Ji Mingyue (Yaoguang Holy Land · Observer), Clearance Time: 00:30:45, Heart-Nature Evaluation: Excellent]

[Fifth Place: Qingluan (Green Robe Tower), Clearance Time: 00:31:22, Heart-Nature Evaluation: Good]

[Eighteenth Place: Su Qingyue (Heavenly Court), Clearance Time: 00:41:08, Heart-Nature Evaluation: Excellent]

[Two Hundred Thirty-Seventh Place: Chen Hao (Heavenly Court), Clearance Time: 01:12:33, Heart-Nature Evaluation: Good]

[Five Hundred Sixty-Fourth Place: Shi Potian (Heavenly Court), Clearance Time: 01:45:21, Heart-Nature Evaluation: Qualified]

On the list, eleven people from Heavenly Court entered the top one thousand, with Lin Ye in first place and Su Qingyue in eighteenth; the results were dazzling.

"Who is that Murong Xue?" Chen Hao pointed to the second place, "A lone player, actually ranked ahead of Ares."

Lin Ye looked at the list. Murong Xue—he had no impression of this name in his previous life; she might be a new Genius who appeared in this life. Being able to rank second among one hundred and fifty thousand players was definitely not simple.

"She should be the successor of some hidden master, or she has a special Opportunity," Lin Ye guessed. "Don't worry about others; we should focus on ourselves."

Everyone rested and ate. The atmosphere on the platform gradually became lively, and the major factions began to contact and test each other. Around major factions like Olympus, Zongheng Alliance, and Green Robe Tower, many lone players who wanted to join them gathered.

On the Heavenly Court side, many people also came to show goodwill. The performance in the first stage allowed many to see the potential of the Heavenly Court.

"Alliance Master Lin, I am the leader of the 'Iron Palm Gang', we have met in the capital before..."

"Brother Lin, I am the young master of 'Hundred Herbs Hall'. Your Heavenly Court Chamber of Commerce's Medicinal Pill business is doing well; any chance for cooperation?"

"Boss Lin, are you recruiting underlings? I am at the seventh level of the Wheel Sea, I can cook and warm the bed..."

Lin Ye responded politely to each one, but did not make promises easily. For the current Heavenly Court, it was better to have no one than to have the wrong ones.

When half of the rest time had passed, an unexpected person came to visit. It was Ji Mingyue.

She had changed out of her Saintess ceremonial robes and was wearing a simple white Daoist robe, looking like an ordinary Disciple. However, that otherworldly temperament still allowed people to recognize her identity at a glance.

"Lin Ye, congratulations." She walked up to Lin Ye and smiled slightly, "Passing the first stage with Perfection—you are the first in ten years."

"Saintess, you flatter me." Lin Ye cupped his hands.

"It is not flattery, it is a fact." Ji Mingyue said seriously, "The highest evaluation for the Illusion Maze is 'Perfection', which means there was not a trace of wavering throughout the entire process. Ordinary Geniuses can at most achieve 'Excellent'; those who can obtain 'Perfection' have a firmness of Heart-Nature that is one in ten thousand."

She paused and lowered her voice: "Several observers have a very high opinion of you. Especially Elder Xuanwei; he said that your Chaos Body seems to have found the correct direction for Cultivation, which is rare."

"I must thank Elder Xuanwei for his guidance." Lin Ye said.

"For the second stage, 'Sea of Illusions', you must be careful." Ji Mingyue warned, "This stage is no longer about fighting alone, but about team cooperation. You fifty members of the Heavenly Court will be assigned to the same illusion and need to work together to solve problems in order to pass. But at the same time, people from other factions may also enter the same illusion..."

She looked at Lin Ye meaningfully: "In the illusion, 'competition' is allowed. That is to say, you can attack, interfere with, and rob each other. Although you won't actually die, those who are defeated will be directly eliminated."

A team illusion that allows competition! This meant that the second stage was not just a test of wisdom, but also an early collision between factions!

"I understand, thank you for the reminder, Saintess." Lin Ye said solemnly.

"Prepare well." After saying that, Ji Mingyue turned and left.

As soon as she left, the Heavenly Court members immediately gathered around.

"Brother Ye, can we fight in the second stage?" Chen Hao rubbed his hands, "Perfect, let's let those grandsons from the Zongheng Alliance taste our power!"

"Do not underestimate the enemy." Lin Ye shook his head, "Since competition is allowed, Olympus, Green Robe Tower, and Shadow Kill Tower could all become enemies. Moreover, the people from the Eternal Star Domain have strange methods, so be especially careful."

He looked at everyone: "The key to the second stage is 'cooperation'. We fifty must be united and cannot be divided. Now, let's formulate a few simple and effective tactics and signals for emergencies."

For the next half hour, the fifty members of the Heavenly Court sat in a circle, and Lin Ye quickly arranged the tactics.

Core principles: With Lin Ye and Su Qingyue as the command core, Chen Hao's Azure Dragon Hall is responsible for frontal combat and defense, Shi Potian's White Tiger Hall is responsible for reconnaissance and assassination, and Zhang Meng's Black Tortoise Hall is responsible for protecting the mages and healers of the Vermilion Bird Hall.

Signal System: Use simple gestures and short whistles to convey information to avoid being eavesdropped on.

Emergency plans: How to regroup if separated; how to retreat if encountering an irresistible enemy; how to adjust the Formation if someone is eliminated...

Time flew by, and one hour passed quickly. The jade wall in the center of the platform suddenly shone brightly, and the Holy Lord's voice sounded again:

"The second stage, 'Sea of Illusions', begins now."

"All those who have passed will enter the same illusion by faction. Each illusion can accommodate at most five factions and at least two."

"The illusion mission is randomly generated. After completion, all members can pass. If the mission fails or all members are eliminated, the entire team is out."

"During the mission, competition, interference, and attacks are allowed. However, it is forbidden to use one-time forbidden artifacts, it is forbidden to intentionally torture or kill, and it is forbidden to threaten with real-life identities—violators will be personally dealt with by the Holy Land's Law Enforcement Team."

"Now, teleportation begins!"

The three thousand plus people on the platform were simultaneously shrouded in white light.

Lin Ye felt his body lighten and entered the teleportation state again. This time was longer; after about three breaths, his feet landed on the ground.

Before him was a vast forest. Ancient trees towered, vines intertwined, and the air was filled with the scent of damp soil and faint floral fragrance. Sunlight shone through the gaps in the leaves, forming mottled light and shadows.

The fifty members of the Heavenly Court were all present, not one missing, all by his side.

"Everyone, check your status." Lin Ye ordered.

Everyone quickly checked their equipment, Medicinal Pills, and Divine Power. Everything was normal.

"Brother Ye, there are people over there." Shi Potian pointed to the left, a hundred zhang away.

Lin Ye looked over and saw a group of female players wearing green dresses, about forty people; it was the Green Robe Tower. The leader, Qingluan, also looked over. The two sides looked at each other and nodded slightly, not immediately becoming hostile.

Two hundred zhang away to the right was a group of players in black, about thirty people, with a cold, sinister Aura—the remnants of the Shadow Kill Tower.

"Five factions..." Lin Ye looked around and found that two other factions had not yet appeared.

Just then, heavy footsteps and the sound of metal friction came from the depths of the forest.

A group of players wearing golden armor walked out of the dense forest, fifty in number, in neat Formation, with a murderous Aura. The leader was none other than Ares; he held a golden spear, the tip pointing to the sky.

Olympus!

The last faction also appeared—more than twenty players wearing miscellaneous equipment, looking like a lone player alliance, led by a burly man carrying a giant axe.

Thus, the five factions gathered: Heavenly Court (50 people), Green Robe Tower (40 people), Shadow Kill Tower (30 people), Olympus (50 people), and the Lone Player Alliance (20 people), totaling 190 people.

Everyone was sizing each other up, and the atmosphere was tense.

Suddenly, a line of golden text appeared above the forest:

[Illusion Mission: Heart of the Ancient Tree]

[Mission Description: There is a ten-thousand-year-old ancient tree in the center of the forest, and a 'Life Crystal' is gestating in the heart of the tree. Obtain the Life Crystal and hand it to the 'Forest Guardian' on the east side of the forest to pass.]

[Mission Restrictions: The Life Crystal can only be held by one person, the holder's movement speed is -50%, and it will continuously attract attacks from the Yao Beasts in the forest.]

[Special Rule: If the Life Crystal is held for more than a quarter of an hour, the entire faction will pass.]

[Mission Time: Three hours]

[Failure Condition: The crystal is not delivered when the time ends, or all participants die.]

The mission was issued, and the golden text dissipated.

The forest fell into a brief silence.

Then, almost simultaneously, all the factions moved!

The goal was clear—the center of the forest, the ten-thousand-year-old ancient tree!

A melee involving five factions and one hundred and ninety people was about to erupt in this illusion forest.

And Lin Ye knew that the real test of this second stage had only just begun.