Chapter 293: Chapter 293: The Fake Lu Chao Is the Strongest
Taking the enemy commander’s head from amidst a mighty army was the key.
Otherwise, as the number of soldiers grew, a requirement to slaughter every last one would be far too unreasonable. If the thirty-six Soldier Dao Battle Arrays from the 6th Floor awaited at the end and also had to be completely wiped out...
It would be simply impossible to pass.
Unless the illusionary soldiers grew weaker, but that was impossible.
In any case, Lu Chao began his attempt. Before long, he had slain the four illusionary Commanders within their four Soldier Dao Battle Arrays.
Just as he’d thought... BUZZ!
The moment all four Commanders were eliminated, the four Battle Arrays vanished from the Illusion Realm.
In their place appeared the nine Soldier Dao Battle Arrays of the 3rd Floor. Lu Chao’s next task was to slay nine Commanders.
’After this comes the 4th Floor’s sixteen Battle Arrays, the 5th Floor’s twenty-five, and the 6th Floor’s thirty-six.’
’This Illusion Realm’s trial is still insane.’
Despite his words, Lu Chao charged back into the fray. No matter how insane it was, he had to pass. Otherwise, he would never get out.
He also discovered that injuries sustained within this Illusion Realm felt real.
Just as the weak Tiger Flame expert had said, you could actually die in here. Therefore, Lu Chao had to make sure he remained unscathed.
KILL! KILL! KILL!
An unknown amount of time passed before the thirty-six Battle Arrays finally appeared before Lu Chao.
He couldn’t help but mutter to himself...
’I’m afraid Elder Sun won’t be able to pass. Even if he faced illusionary soldiers at the same cultivation level as the ones I’m fighting, it would be incredibly difficult.’
’This trial requires a combination of the Soldier Dao and the Martial Dao.’
’Anyone who doesn’t understand the Soldier Dao would be immediately surrounded by the thirty-six Battle Arrays and defeated...’
’Elder Sun, I hope you don’t try to force your way through.’
With these thoughts, Lu Chao resumed his frenzied assault, constantly breaking through the encirclement of the thirty-six Battle Arrays.
He had cracked these thirty-six Battle Arrays before, so they couldn’t contain him.
One after another, the Commanders fell to Lu Chao’s blade. It was by no means easy for him, and as a result, he was constantly improving. His skill at facing down a mighty army was advancing by leaps and bounds during this trial.
Dealing with these thirty-six Battle Arrays took him a full day to finally complete.
All thirty-six illusionary Commanders had finally been slain.
And just as Lu Chao slew the final Commander...
With a BUZZ, he finally broke free of the Illusion Realm. He gasped for breath, looking at his surroundings. "I’m... out."
That was right. His surroundings were no longer the space between the 6th and 7th Floors. There were no skeletons in sight.
He had returned to the space between the 5th and 6th Floors.
Without pausing to observe, Lu Chao turned and stepped back into the 6th Floor’s Illusion Realm. He would have to crack it all over again... However, after his first experience and the recent trial of commanding the battlefield alone...
...the 6th Floor had become much easier.
While Lu Chao was working on cracking the 6th Floor again...
Back in the space before the 6th Floor, the Tiger Flame expert was still sitting among the piles of bones. "Stop hoping," he said, his voice incredibly weak. "That kid’s been in the Illusion Realm for two days. He’s dead for sure."
It was true. Lu Chao had spent a day slaying the thirty-six Commanders, and dealing with the previous twenty-five and all the others before them had taken another full day... In other words, two whole days had passed.
The Tiger Flame expert had grown even weaker. The person he was speaking to was, of course, Sun Shijin.
The Elder’s face was also pale.
He had emerged half a day ago. After persisting inside the Illusion Realm for a day and a half, he finally couldn’t hold on any longer and had been forced to sever his connection, getting spat back out.
Hearing the Tiger Flame expert’s words, Sun Shijin’s expression soured further.
He knew all too well how terrifyingly difficult the so-called "Martial Arts Illusion Realm" was. It was nearly impossible to pass.
But they absolutely could not be trapped here...
’It doesn’t matter if I die, but nothing can happen to Lu Chao. The Dragon Flame Academy and our vast army are waiting outside. If Lu Chao dies, the entire Dragon Flame Academy is doomed.’
’Countless lives now depend on him.’
’And as before, Tiger Flame, the other Great Flame Countries, the Saint Bone Zheng Family... they have likely already moved their forces against our Beast Flame Academy.’
’The war might have already begun.’
"No," Sun Shijin said through gritted teeth. "Lu Chao will be fine. He can definitely pass."
The Tiger Flame expert shrugged and chuckled. "So he’s the Fake Lu Chao... Forget a fake one, even if the real Great Wu Lu Chao came here, he’d still die in the Martial Arts Illusion Realm."
He said it with absolute certainty. But the moment the words left his mouth... BUZZ!
The Barrier of the Illusion Realm hummed, and a figure passed through from within. It was, of course, Lu Chao.
The Tiger Flame expert froze instantly.
Sun Shijin, on the other hand, was overjoyed. He rushed over, asking repeatedly, "Lu Chao, are you all right?"
"Don’t worry, I’m fine."
Seeing that Elder Sun seemed to be in good spirits, Lu Chao also breathed a sigh of relief. His gaze then shifted toward the Illusion Realm of the 7th Floor.
He asked urgently, "Elder Sun, two days have passed. Has Marshal Fan come out yet?"
Now that he had figured out how to enter and exit the 6th Floor, it was time to ask about Fan Changcun.
Sun Shijin shook his head. "No, Marshal Fan still hasn’t emerged."
Hearing this, Lu Chao’s expression darkened slightly. He strode toward the Barrier of the 7th Floor.
"We’ve been in this Forbidden Land for over two days. Who knows what the situation is like outside..."
"Elder Sun, I’m going to test the 7th Floor now. If I can’t crack it, we’ll have to leave immediately."
As Lu Chao spoke...
The weak Tiger Flame expert suddenly cried out, "Leave? Are you dreaming?"
’Even if the Fake Lu Chao managed to escape the Martial Arts Illusion Realm, there’s no way he can just leave. He must be just like me and Sun Shijin—defeated and spat back out by the realm.’
Hearing this, Lu Chao, who was still walking, glanced at him briefly. "Elder Sun," he said, "I’ve already broken the Illusion Realm required for leaving. I should be able to use the same method we used to get in to lead you all out."
The method was simple: since the one who cracked the realm could bring people in, they could also lead them out.
As he spoke, Lu Chao gestured toward the Tiger Flame expert. "Elder Sun, please heal his wounds. Then we’ll have one more Tiger Flame captive."
As his words faded...
Lu Chao had already reached the Illusion Realm’s Barrier on the 7th Floor. He reached out, touched it, and his entire body passed right through.
Watching Lu Chao disappear into the Barrier...
After a moment of stunned silence, Sun Shijin was overcome with ecstasy. ’Lu Chao actually broke the Martial Arts Illusion Realm!’
The Tiger Flame expert was also stunned, but he immediately shrieked, "Impossible! I don’t believe it!"
But Sun Shijin was already chuckling. "Just because the real Lu Chao couldn’t do it doesn’t mean the Fake Lu Chao can’t. Now, hurry and let me heal you, you lucky Tiger Flame captive."
As he spoke, Sun Shijin wondered to himself, ’Lu Chao... how in the world did you pass that insane trial?’
Of course, he already knew that the real and Fake Lu Chao were one and the same. He was saying it on purpose to show off in front of the Tiger Flame expert and provoke him. ’Our Fake Lu Chao is the strongest of all.’
