Chapter 104: Chapter 104: Mental Realm Test
Faced with a thick fog, Lin Yun couldn’t see what was inside at all. As time went on, the people who had passed the first trial also began to gather at the fog’s edge.
After a brief wait, a small group of people tentatively stepped into the fog.
"Let’s wait and see. It’s just as well to let them scout ahead." Watching the others enter, neither Lin Yun nor Li Tian showed any sign of panic. The fog was bizarre, so it was best to let others investigate it first.
Two to three hundred people entered the fog, but just fifteen minutes later, miserable screams rang out from within.
The screams didn’t sound like they were from an attack, but more like wails of anguish, as many of them were punctuated by choked sobs.
"This is no ordinary fog," Lin Yun remarked calmly.
As he spoke, Lin Yun turned to Li Tian, signaling for him to use his True Illusory Eyes to see if he could spot anything unusual.
Li Tian understood. As he unleashed his True Illusory Eyes, his eyes rapidly turned pure white. His black pupils were completely engulfed by the whites of his eyes, vanishing from sight.
After staring at the fog for a long time, Li Tian’s eyes slowly returned to normal. His face was pale, a clear sign of the immense toll that using the True Illusory Eyes had taken on him.
"This fog is an Array. To break through it, one can only rely on oneself," Li Tian explained, gasping for breath.
Hearing this, Lin Yun frowned slightly. Qin Feng spoke up, asking, "What do you mean, ’only rely on oneself’? You can’t break this Array?"
After catching his breath, Li Tian heard Qin Feng’s question and began to explain in detail. "This Array isn’t an Illusion Array, nor is it a Trapping Array, and it’s definitely not a Killing Array. It’s a type of Array that tests a Martial Artist’s Mental Realm. To get through it, you must rely solely on the strength of your own Mental Realm."
Hearing this, Lin Yun was instantly filled with confidence. ’So the second trial is a test of one’s Mental Realm. I’ve already been through the thousand-year trial in the Thunder God Hall; my Mental Realm is as solid as a rock. I have nothing to fear from an Array that doesn’t even have an Array Spirit.’
However, while Lin Yun was fearless, Qin Feng was another story. His Mental Realm was still lacking. Lin Yun wasn’t worried about Li Tian; the one he was most concerned about was Qin Feng.
"Qin Feng, once you enter the Array, no matter what you see, it’s all an illusion. You must guard your mind, or you could die in here," Lin Yun warned earnestly.
Understanding the gravity of the situation, Qin Feng nodded firmly. "I know, Brother Lin. Trust me. I’ll definitely make it through."
Now that they knew how to pass through the Array, the three of them waited for Li Tian to fully recover before stepping into it together, side by side.
The Array only affected humans, so Little Ape felt no discomfort upon entering. It was currently sleeping soundly in Lin Yun’s arms.
The dense fog completely enveloped Lin Yun, so thick he couldn’t see his own hand in front of his face. The three of them, who had been walking together, were separated the moment they entered the Array.
The Array was strange, capable of blocking all perception. Someone could be standing right beside him, yet he would be completely unable to sense their presence.
Not overly surprised, Lin Yun walked straight ahead at a steady pace, each step resolute.
"Yun’Er..." As he continued to walk, the figure of Lin Xiaotian suddenly materialized in the fog. Clad in his Golden Armor, he looked just as he had in the Divine Realm.
Paying it no mind, Lin Yun continued forward. When he reached Lin Xiaotian’s position, he passed right through the figure, which then dissipated into nothingness.
"Haha, Lin Yun! You’re the only coward from the War God Lineage still shamefully clinging to life. Watch as I exterminate you today and reunite you with your parents!" Before he could take two more steps, another figure appeared—it was the Divine Emperor from the Divine Realm.
At the sight of the Divine Emperor’s figure, a ripple disturbed the calm of Lin Yun’s heart, and boundless hatred began to emanate from him.
As if sensing the shift in Lin Yun’s Mental Realm, the Array seemed to gain a life of its own. Figures appeared one after another, and then, a new scene materialized before his eyes: his mother, Zhang Jingxiang, taking her own life beside the Divine Pool.
"No...! Mom...!" Lin Yun roared. Even though he knew it was an Illusion Realm, everything was so real. Once again, Zhang Jingxiang died right in front of him.
On the verge of losing his sanity, Lin Yun roared and lunged at the illusory image of the Divine Emperor. "I will kill you! I will wipe out the entire Divine Realm! I will annihilate your Divine Emperor lineage...!"
Lin Yun roared, but every time his attack landed on the Divine Emperor, the figure would dissipate, only to reappear in another spot.
"Haha, Lin Yun! Open your eyes and watch closely. This is exactly how I killed your father!" With a loud laugh, the Divine Emperor once again conjured the image of Lin Xiaotian before him.
The Divine Emperor brandished a Longsword and plunged it directly through Lin Xiaotian’s heart.
Lin Xiaotian looked at Lin Yun, a faint smile on his face. The smile seemed to tell Lin Yun that he had to live on, no matter what happened.
"AHHH... Divine Emperor... Divine Realm... KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL...!" Lin Yun’s eyes were completely bloodshot, and the killing intent radiating from him was so thick it was almost tangible. The fluctuations of his Elemental Power erupted without restraint.
"Haha, Lin Yun, you can’t fight me! The entire Divine Realm is mine! The whole world is mine! I killed your parents, and one day, I’ll kill you too!" the Divine Emperor cackled.
Just as Lin Yun was on the verge of completely losing his mind, the Demon Emperor Technique inside him spontaneously activated. Wisps of blood-red Elemental Power surged into his mind.
As the Demon Emperor Technique poured into his mind, his psyche, which had been on the brink of shattering, instantly became clear again.
When he looked at the Divine Emperor again, the rage in his eyes was gone, replaced by calm. ’I’ve just discovered another miraculous property of the Demon Emperor Technique.’ It had saved his life.
’It can even safeguard one’s mind...’ he marveled internally. His astonishment regarding the Demon Emperor Technique only grew. This was truly a Cultivation Technique in no way inferior to the War God Technique.
"Divine Emperor, one day, I, Lin Yun, will return to the Divine Realm," he declared, his gaze calm and his voice firm. With that, he walked straight through the Divine Emperor’s illusory form.
From then on, Lin Yun walked with unwavering resolve, paying no heed to whatever appeared before him.
"Lin Yun, save me! Save me...!" An illusory image of Lu Bingning appeared.
"Haha, Lin Yun! I’m going to defile her right in front of your eyes! What are you going to do about it? Haha!" An illusory image of Tang Wushuang appeared.
"Lin Yun, save me...!"
"Haha, Lin Yun, you’re nothing but a coward! Your own woman is being defiled, and you don’t even dare make a peep. A true coward! Haha! Lu Bingning is mine!"
Regardless of how Lu Bingning and Tang Wushuang cried out, Lin Yun remained completely unmoved, continuing forward one step at a time. When he finally walked through their illusory forms, the surrounding fog dissipated, revealing a vast, endless plain before him.
He looked around and saw no one else; he was the first one out. Turning to look back at the fog, Lin Yun muttered with concern, "Li Tian, Qin Feng... you two had better be okay."
