Chapter 32: Chapter 29: Breaking the Illusion_1
Whoosh!
Suddenly, a gust of strong wind came rushing towards Lu Yan, he instinctively retreated to avoid it.
It was a member of the Wu Family’s Wind Patrol. At this moment, his eyes were blood red, his attacks haphazard and lacked any technique or strategy.
Not only this man but everyone from the Liu and Wu Families who had entered the area had gone mad, recklessly stirring their Qi-blood and launching futile attacks on thin air.
"Is this a result of a bewildered mind, or are they trapped in some illusionary realm?"
"Illusion! Yes, it’s an illusion. This place is the reality."
With that, Lu Yan’s gaze grew firm.
He quickly understood the reason behind what was happening.
Most likely that Martial Spirit was able to create illusions, causing everyone to fall into an imaginary world. The scene of the illusion was a projection of the subconscious.
However, the Dao Book was extraordinary. The Martial Spirit was not capable of controlling the Dao Book, not even able to project the Dao Book within the illusion.
Therefore, Lu Yan had no recollection of the Dao Book within his illusion.
The Dao Book was probably what helped him break free from the illusion at last.
"Is it because of this white fog?"
Lu Yan found that the white fog drifting around him was growing thicker.
"I should get out of here first."
Lu Yan headed for the village entrance.
However, as he neared the gate, he stopped cautiously.
There were two corpses lying near the gate.
They were the two members of the Red Sleeve Army who had brought them here.
There was a bloody hole in the forehead of each of them, as though they had been pierced by a sharp weapon.
"The others, including him, were instantly trapped in the illusion, but these two actually managed to escape this far before they were killed by something. There’s something fishy."
Lu Yan quickly realized the problem. He remembered that all the bandits within the village were gathered around the altar, and only those two members of the Red Sleeve Army had managed to escape.
These two were able to resist the illusion.
Was it because of their physiological condition or some external aid?
Lu Yan immediately went to search through their bodies.
Eventually, he found a pendant around each of their necks, containing a piece of jade with no patterns or images. It was very primitive.
When Lu Yan held the two pieces of jade in his hand, he suddenly felt more clear-headed. It seemed like an invisible force separated the fog from his skin when the fog neared him.
"So it was because of these two pieces of jade."
Lu Yan was pleasantly surprised.
The two members of the Red Sleeve Army had somehow acquired jade pendants that were able to counter the Martial Spirit illusion.
Unfortunately, the Dao Book didn’t respond in any way. It wasn’t a ’Dao Food’.
After stowing away the jade pieces, Lu Yan cautiously examined his surroundings. After confirming that nothing was amiss, he slowly approached the village gate.
But at that moment, a low growl came from beneath the altar, followed by the emergence of a sinister black energy and a bright red blood energy near the gate.
The two energies coalesced into a silhouette.
The features of this silhouette were not clear, but the figure eerily resembled the Martial Spirit Lu Yan had seen in Kaoshan Village.
Whoosh!
The silhouette charged towards Lu Yan. In a swing of its hand, a mix of red and black energy fired towards Lu Yan like an arrow.
Lu Yan dodged away, but the figure was already close enough to lunge at him, reaching out a claw to grab him.
The silhouette was created by the coalescence of blood-red and sinister black energies. Despite this, the power of its attack was formidable, creating strong winds that raced through the air, terrifyingly real like an actual physical form.
Lu Yan’s expression turned grave, he could not afford to be careless. He mustered up strength from his legs, spiralling it upward and channelling it into his fists, throwing a punch.
Bang!
The two conflicting forces collided. Lu Yan felt a cold and sharp energy tearing through the layers of his Qi-blood.
Lu Yan was forced to retreat several steps, his palm was numb.
The silhouette was surprisingly powerful.
After repelling Lu Yan with one move, the figure lunged at him again, launching a barrage of ruthless attacks. Despite exerting his full power, Lu Yan could barely defend himself. After a few exchanges, he was forced back more than ten steps, moving further away from the village gate.
Strangely enough, once Lu Yan was at a certain distance from the gate, the silhouette stopped its attacks and did not continue.
"Is it just obstructing me and not intending to kill me? Is it trying to keep me here to help it complete the ’Demonizing Ceremony’?"
Lu Yan furrowed his brows.
With the silhouette blocking his way, there was no way he could leave.
What to do?
Lu Yan’s thoughts moved as he glanced at the hysterical Liu Family and Wu Family people, perhaps, he could rely on outside help.
Among them, Liu Xingren and Wu Chaokong were the strongest. If one of them could regain consciousness, perhaps they could escape.
Decisively, Lu Yan rushed towards Liu Xingren, taking out a jade stone, intending to place it at Liu Xingren’s chest.
However, Liu Xingren was trapped in the illusion, attacking blindly. As Lu Yan approached, Liu Xingren slapped towards him.
Lu Yan dodged nimbly, looking for a gap to approach again, but Liu Xingren struck another slap.
Lu Yan frowned. A martial artist of this calibre had strong subconscious defense, even when trapped in an illusion. If someone approached they would instinctively counterattacked.
Lu Yan spurred his Qi-blood, his arm muscles bulging with power, watching Liu Xingren closely for an opening, and then attacked suddenly.
Whoosh!
Liu Xingren struck with a palm, Lu Yan blocked with a punch, while his left hand took the opportunity to throw the jade stone.
Clang!
After exchanging a move, Lu Yan retreated violently, feeling his hand bones stabbing in pain, nearly breaking.
Fortunately, the jade stone successfully landed in Liu Xingren’s chest.
The jade stone worked quickly, Liu Xingren stopped his wild attacks, looking bewildered.
He then glanced around, and his gaze fell on Lu Yan.
"Young Master Liu, everyone is trapped in an illusion. We are fortunate to have this jade stone to escape the illusion," Lu Yan said, also holding a jade stone in his hand.
"You put the jade stone into my chest?" Liu Xingren took out the jade stone from his chest and asked.
"Yes," with no third person around, Lu Yan could only nod.
"How did you get this jade stone?" Liu Xingren asked.
"This jade stone belonged to the two Red Sleeve Army members. I was fortunate. After being trapped in the illusion, I accidentally found their jade stones and revived," Lu Yan pointed to two nearby Red Sleeve Army corpses.
Before reviving Liu Xingren, Lu Yan was well-prepared, dragging the bodies of the two Red Sleeve Army members nearby.
"No wonder these two were able to escape earlier."
Liu Xingren nodded in approval, "You’ve done well, when we return to Changfeng City, you will be well rewarded. Come with me."
As he said this, Liu Xingren charged towards the door of the stronghold.
As he approached the door, the same figure re-emerged, attacking Liu Xingren.
But Liu Xingren, as the current leading figure of the noble Liu Family, was too powerful. He took the upper hand, causing the figure to continuously retreat.
Roar Roar...
Just then, the altar below had continuous roars, anxious and brutal.
The strange black energy surged, and pungent blood filled the air, interweaving together, once again conjuring two figures.
Three figures surrounded Liu Xingren front and back.
In the end, Liu Xingren couldn’t resist it. Despite his efforts, he couldn’t break through.
"The strength of this Martial Spirit is truly unfathomable."
Lu Yan looked worried.
He didn’t intervene; there was no need to anymore.
With three figures, even if he revealed his true strength, they couldn’t escape.
Liu Xingren quickly withdrew, narrowly avoiding injury.
"This Martial Spirit is indeed tricky. Before it has even demonized, it can manifest into these forms."
Liu Xingren’s brows furrowed in thought, considering a solution.
But when his gaze fell on Lu Yan, his eyes lit up, "With this Martial Spirit’s cultivation level, turning to physical form three times already is its limit. If I revive Wu Chaokong and we combine our strength, we can certainly break through."
In fact, he didn’t want to revive Wu Chaokong; Wu Chaokong’s death here suited his intentions best.
But for his own life, he had no other choice.
Although there were other high-level experts who had reached limit-breaking five times, only he and Wu Chaokong practiced first-rate martial arts.
Without first-rate martial arts, even breaking the limit five times wouldn’t help him much.
"So..."
Liu Xingren stared at Lu Yan and said, "Give me the jade stone in your hand."
