Chapter 104: The True and False Illusions

As everyone stepped out of the Tianyi Pavilion, the treasure house vanished before their eyes. The group felt both excitement and trepidation; to their right lay an impenetrable fog, carrying an indistinct, oppressive weight.

"Everyone," Huang Yan said, "the guardians of this immortal mansion must be hiding within this mist. Let us enter together. With the power of the top-grade spirit artifacts in our hands, we will surely be able to retreat unscathed!"

"Indeed," agreed the old Daoist Yuan Qianzi, who seemed to have regained his transcendent bearing, now outfitted in the five-colored cloud-patterned robe he had just acquired. "The puppet warriors on Yuanling Island could not withstand our combined strength earlier. With these top-grade spirit artifacts to assist us, have no fear."

The others nodded in succession, but Che Ba let out a wild laugh. "Cowards! Watch me go in and break through!"

In terms of cultivation, Che Ba was indeed the strongest among them. As a Diamond Ape by nature, he possessed not only violent strength but also immense physical durability. Coupled with his top-grade spirit artifact, the Dragon-Subduing Staff, his power was second to none in the group.

Che Ba’s solo entry into the mist caught everyone’s attention. If he could make it through, the rest of them, by joining forces, would certainly be able to clear this stage. However, half an incense stick of time passed, and not a single sound of combat drifted from within.

"Do not wait any longer!" Duan Chen said coldly. "Perhaps Che Ba has already succeeded and is choosing treasures on the other side!"

"Let’s go! Together!" Yuan Qianzi sneered as he stepped into the mist.

The others followed closely, but as soon as they entered the fog, they could no longer see anyone else—only themselves. More unexpectedly, the mist suddenly dissipated, revealing a scene of small bridges, flowing water, pavilions, and towers—a truly pleasant landscape.

"Oh no, this is an illusion!" Lin Feng felt a jolt of alarm, but a moment later, he smiled. "This is fine. I don't have to worry about others seeing my techniques; I can display them to my heart's content."

Gripping the Moyan Sword in his right hand and the Prison Fire Wind-Chasing Fan in his left, Lin Feng slowly moved forward.

Suddenly, a beautiful figure blocked his path. Lin Feng’s heart skipped a beat. "How can it be her?"

Leng Linglan appeared dozens of yards away, standing on her White Snow Sword, holding an antique-style mirror. She looked cold and expressionless, not saying a word.

"Miss... Miss Leng, why have you come for me?" Looking at her icy face, Lin Feng felt a trace of trepidation, but reminding himself that this was likely an illusion, he relaxed.

"Lin Feng, if you can defeat me, you may pass. Otherwise, leave your life here to restore my honor!" Leng Linglan’s lips were like ice. As she spoke, she raised her hand and unleashed a beam of sword light.

"This isn't an illusion? How is that possible!" Shaken, Lin Feng hurriedly dodged the strike. *Boom!* A loud crash echoed as the sword qi sliced into a distant pavilion pillar, sending stones flying and causing the entire structure to collapse. *Zheng—* another flash of snow-white sword light struck toward him.

"Let's talk this over, don't attack!" In his haste, he was forced to swing his sword in defense. A thunderous roar erupted as their sword energies collided, devastating the surrounding flowers and trees into a shower of falling petals.

Leng Linglan’s expression remained cold as frost. She gestured with a spell, and her sword qi lashed out three more times. These casual strikes forced Lin Feng to use his full strength just to barely block them.

"This is wrong. It is an illusion! Even if she isn't using her full strength, I shouldn't be able to block her sword qi repeatedly!" After the exchange, Lin Feng suddenly realized the truth. Leng Linglan was in the Golden Core stage; she could easily kill a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator in seconds. Back at the Plum Valley of the Little Sparrow Terrace, she had killed two Chishan Sword Sect cultivators with a single strike. Had she not shown mercy, he and Li Jianren would have surely perished under her White Snow Sword.

*Boom!* Just as his thoughts raced, a beam of snow-white sword light surged into the sky. Snow began to fall, and the air turned bitingly cold.

"What is happening!" Lin Feng was shocked. Under the blinding light, Leng Linglan’s robes fluttered, and her face looked breathtakingly beautiful.

"Ice-Sealing Snow!" Like a spring thunderstorm, the sword glow exploded. Countless frost and snowflakes converged with the sword qi, freezing together.

The sword moved like lightning, the ice and snow like a tide. Amidst the sharp, whistling wind, the elements churned as if in the depths of a winter valley. Leng Linglan’s gaze flickered, and she sent her White Snow Sword flying. The roaring, icy sword qi rushed toward him like a furious, raging sea.

In a daze, Lin Feng felt like a lonely sapling in the world, unable to block the onslaught of ice and sword energy. The next moment, he snapped back to reality: this was the Yinque Palace; it was an illusion!

"Hurricane Raging Wave!" It was too late to swing his sword, so Lin Feng suddenly shifted his aura. He threw his body against the icy frost, unleashing a power he had never displayed before. *Boom!* A violent explosion occurred, sending earth flying and obscuring all figures in a haze of ice and dust.

"Cough, cough... I actually blocked her strike. Good, now it’s my turn!" Before the icy mist could dissipate, a thunderous roar erupted from the ground. A raging cyan-white flame surged forth, instantly engulfing Leng Linglan.

He looked at the Prison Fire Wind-Chasing Fan in his hand, his face devoid of a smile, filled instead with confusion. It was expected that Yun Xingyi could block a strike from Leng Linglan, but it made no sense that she could withstand the Prison Fire Wind-Chasing Fan.

*Poof!* While he hesitated, the rolling flames suddenly shattered in all directions. A blue-framed antique mirror hung above the cold, beautiful girl, casting down a white light that shielded her securely.

A defensive spirit treasure! Lin Feng felt a headache coming on. Even as a top-grade spirit artifact, the Prison Fire Wind-Chasing Fan could not break the mirror's protective barrier. Was he destined to be slaughtered? At this moment, he was certain: this was merely an illusion, a puppet opponent conjured by the immortal mansion's master with great divine power.

"Die!" Leng Linglan shouted. Her White Snow Sword suddenly grew dozens of times in size, striking directly at Lin Feng. In the light of the blade, he could clearly see the snowflake patterns tempered into the steel—cold and pure white.

"Sever the Azure Clouds!" The third move of the Immortal-Severing Sword Technique erupted with ferocity! His target was not Leng Linglan, but her treasure, the White Snow Sword!

*Crack!* This counter-attacking move was fierce and unyielding, slicing the White Snow Sword into two pieces!

"Ah—" Leng Linglan’s face turned pale instantly, her body trembling as her spirit suffered a massive shock.

"Now!" With the Moyan Sword still hanging in the air, Lin Feng sprang up, driving the sword to pierce toward Leng Linglan’s chest with extreme speed.

*Pfft!* The jagged tip of the sword pierced through the mirror's glow, tore through her white clothes, and struck deep into the girl's chest. Instantly, the figure dissipated, the pavilions vanished, and he found himself standing back in the mist.

"What a formidable illusion. This should count as clearing the stage, right?" He sheathed the Moyan Sword, carefully noting that there was no blood on the blade.

After walking less than a mile, the mist finally cleared. A massive palace stood before him, with golden light radiating from its halls. Inlaid with jade and carved with auspicious patterns, this was the true treasury of the immortals.

Three people were already waiting in front of the palace: Che Ba, Leng Linglan, and Chen Yuxi.

"Haha, Brother Lin Feng, well done!" Che Ba walked over, beaming with pride.

"Many thanks, Brother Che. So, only the three of you made it out of the mist?" Lin Feng swept his gaze over them, feeling quite surprised.

Chen Yuxi smiled slightly. "Daoist Che arrived first; he knows best."

Leng Linglan remained cold as frost, but a strange glint flickered in her eyes. She glanced at Lin Feng before turning her gaze back toward the misty illusions.

Che Ba held his head high, patting his chest. "That's right. I suspect few of the others will make it out alive. Who did you encounter in the illusion?"

Lin Feng’s expression grew stiff. As he stole a glance at Leng Linglan, he noticed a strange look in her eyes as well. Their gazes met, and they pulled away as if electrocuted. Lin Feng felt a blush rise to his cheeks, and he fidgeted, unsure of what to do.

Fortunately, Che Ba did not notice his anomaly and laughed heartily. "Think about it, Brother Lin Feng. With their low cultivation and dull minds, even with top-grade spirit artifacts, they likely couldn't overcome their opponents in the illusion. They probably died inside. I smashed that old Daoist to pieces with one strike of my staff—hehe, so satisfying."

"Oh, is that so? You are truly formidable, Brother Che." Lin Feng hurriedly composed himself. Suddenly, he noticed the silence around them. Looking over, he saw Yuan Qianzi limping out of the mist, his clothes in tatters, looking every bit the beggar.

Following him, Duan Chen emerged from the illusion, wearing a sinister sneer, his chest covered in a large patch of blood, appearing quite heavily injured.

What surprised everyone most was that Zang You, a disciple of the Ten Thousand Devils Heaven, also walked out. He cast a cold, disdainful glance at Duan Chen.

"That mangy old Daoist didn't die!" Che Ba’s eyes widened, filled with disbelief.

"Haha, I did not expect seven people to clear the stage. It truly exceeds my expectations." The voice of the Immortal Gongshu echoed. "What you encountered were the inner demons hidden deep within your hearts upon entering my mansion. I merely tinkered with them, suppressing their cultivation to match yours. How was it? Dealing with the enemies or lovers you imagined—how did it feel?"

As soon as the Immortal finished speaking, the group’s expressions varied—bewilderment, resentment, cold sneers, and... nervous confusion.

"Lovers? Who?" Che Ba laughed, staring at everyone’s faces, not wanting to miss a single secret.

Lin Feng forced himself to stay calm, though he kept asking himself: "Who is he talking about? That’s impossible... How could it be me and Leng Linglan?"

Meanwhile, Leng Linglan’s face remained as calm as ever, showing no sign of fluctuation.

The seven were gathered, but Shui Yu and Huang Yan, who had decent strength, had not emerged from the mist, which left everyone feeling a bit somber.

"Alright, the Yinque Palace is open. You may enter and choose your treasures at will. If you wish to leave, simply return to the Illusion Mist Formation now," the Immortal's voice rang out again.

Leave? Having made it this far alive, who would want to leave? No one moved; everyone waited for the master of the mansion to continue.

"Haha, good! You have spirit. In that case, enter my Gongshu Immortal Mansion."

Amidst his proud laughter, the doors of the magnificent palace slowly creaked open. Before they could even take a step, a burst of golden light flashed, whisking all seven of them inside.