Chapter 1024: The Illusion Realm

Very few could pass through the Mystic Ice Plains as easily as Qin Sang did. The cultivators present, even if uninjured, had exhausted a great deal of their true essence resisting the bitter cold.

Qin Sang silently memorized each of their faces. When the time came to contend for the Soul-Cleansing Liquid, these people might all become his opponents. Then, his gaze shifted toward the two pavilions ahead.

Inside each pavilion rested a teleportation array. One led outside the hall, while the other connected to the third trial.

Without hesitation, and under a few surprised stares, Qin Sang walked straight into one of the pavilions and entered the next trial. When he came to his senses, he found himself in what appeared to be a canyon.

Thick, dense mist blanketed the surroundings, so heavy it seemed tangible. It interfered with his spiritual consciousness and carried a faint chill, though far warmer than the Mystic Ice Plains.

In the distance, faint shadows loomed, perhaps cliffs, perhaps mountain ranges. What startled him most was that these shadows seemed alive, shifting at times, disappearing altogether at others.

From deep within the fog came the occasional roars of ferocious beasts. Qin Sang could not tell whether someone had entered before him and disturbed the beasts, or whether this realm itself teemed with ferocious beasts roaming freely.

He dared not relax his guard. Without a moment’s pause, he activated the Heavenly Demon Transformation and summoned the ebony sword to shield his body. Then he called forth the Sky-Eyed Butterfly.

As Qin Sang studied the scenery through the mist, a vague understanding surfaced in his mind.

The butterfly fluttered to his shoulder, brushing gently beneath his chin before spreading its wings. The eyes upon its wings came alive, turning lightly with an eerie gleam.

Through its Sky Eyes, Qin Sang peered past the mist, focusing on one of the mountain shadows in the distance until the truth revealed itself.

"So it’s an illusion realm," he murmured.

He remembered now. Within the trial realm, there was indeed a trial famed for its illusion arrays, known as the Thousand-Mountain Array.

It was said that the complete Thousand-Mountain Array was an ancient, top-tier illusion array, weaving countless peaks into a vast chessboard. Once trapped inside, one would face endless transformations, never finding the way out.

Of course, the trial realm could not possibly contain a complete version, only a fragment. But even a remnant of such an array was formidable.

The Thousand-Mountain Array was unpredictable, and among all the known trials within this realm, it ranked among the most perilous.

Their luck was poor to encounter it. Yet Qin Sang felt no panic. The Sky-Eyed Butterfly’s ability happened to counter such illusions. As long as no top-level ferocious beasts appeared, escaping the illusion would not be too difficult.

He remained still for a while, channeling the butterfly’s divine ability to observe his surroundings.

In an illusion array, the most vital thing was to maintain a calm mind. Panic would only lead one astray. That, at least, was not something Qin Sang worried about. After standing quietly for a moment, he took his first step.

The mist parted to both sides. The canyon appeared peaceful; apart from the occasional beastly roar, silence reigned. Qin Sang could even hear the faint flow of the mist itself.

After several steps, the Sky-Eyed Butterfly saw through what had once looked like mountain shadows.

There were no mountains at all. Everything had been conjured by the illusion array. Its vanishing and shifting were nothing more than tricks.

After some exploration, Qin Sang roughly discerned the illusion’s workings and quickened his pace. Soon, he reached the mouth of the canyon.

Suddenly, the mist ahead rippled violently. A ferocious beast resembling a wolf materialized out of nowhere and lunged at him with bared fangs.

"Illusion!" Qin Sang sneered. The Sky-Eyed Butterfly had already seen through its false nature.

He struck with his sword, and as expected, the blade sliced through empty air. The beast’s illusion shattered instantly. But the next moment, identical beasts pounced at him from all sides, above, below, left, and right.

"So, one real among three false." Qin Sang’s eyes flashed in surprise. The one leaping from above was real.

He was certain it had not been there before; it had appeared from nothing. The Thousand-Mountain Array not only conjured illusions but could also transfer living beasts from elsewhere.

True and false intertwined, impossible to guard against. Fortunately, within the sight of the Sky Eyes, none of these deceptions could hide.

Staying composed, Qin Sang’s true essence surged as he released a circular wave of force that shattered the remaining illusions, then struck with his fingers toward the real beast.

Bang!

The ferocious beast died instantly, its corpse crashing to the ground, blood scent thick and pungent.

Qin Sang swiftly flicked a flame to incinerate both corpse and scent before scanning his surroundings again.

Past the canyon, three mountain shadows stood side by side, and three narrow paths extended toward them. Each looked identical to the naked eye.

"These must also be mixed with illusion. I’ll have to find the real path. If one were well-versed in illusion arrays, perhaps it could be deduced by analyzing the array’s changes. Otherwise, there’s no choice but to try them one by one. The rumors weren’t wrong; this place truly blurs truth and falsehood, and it’s indeed dangerous."

Muttering to himself, Qin Sang commanded the Sky-Eyed Butterfly to fully activate its Sky Eyes. Soon, the butterfly dismissed the mountain on the left. The end of that path was an illusion. Yet to Qin Sang’s surprise, the remaining two appeared equally real, showing no flaws.

"So the Thousand-Mountain Array has more than one exit, and I must choose between the two real ones?" He knew too little about this place to be certain.

Seven-Kill Hall opened only once every three centuries, and the Thousand-Mountain Array appeared even less frequently. There were hardly any records to reference. He would have to rely on his own judgment.

After some thought, Qin Sang stepped toward the mountain in the middle. He advanced slowly, letting the Sky-Eyed Butterfly observe all around as the ebony sword cleared the path.

He reached the mountain’s base without encountering danger. Pausing briefly, he lifted his gaze toward the summit, waited a moment, and then stepped onto the first stair. Just then, his eyes flickered. He abruptly swung his sword toward the empty space on his right.

Bang!

A ferocious beast had not even revealed itself before the ebony sword struck it flying. It let out a faint whimper and died on the spot. At the same time, ripples appeared on the right side.

"Illusion!" Qin Sang waved his hand indifferently, sending out a stream of spiritual power.

Unexpectedly, the spiritual power struck something solid and was instantly shattered.

Crack!

Awoooo!

A wolf-like howl followed. The beast that should have been an illusion opened its bloodstained jaws and lunged fiercely at him. A stench of blood and wind rushed toward his face.

Qin Sang’s expression changed. There was no way the Sky Eyes had seen wrongly.

The Thousand-Mountain Array was indeed strange. It could shift illusion into reality, transferring a real beast into place at the very moment of contact. A careless cultivator could easily suffer serious injury.

Fortunately, this ferocious beast was not strong. It was likely only an appetizer meant to warn intruders.

Qin Sang turned his body slightly and commanded the ebony sword to cut down the beast.

He stood still for a moment, and seeing no further changes within the illusion array, continued his ascent.

Every certain distance, another beast would attack—sometimes real, sometimes false—and they would even switch between the two, endlessly troublesome. Even when facing illusions, he dared not relax for an instant.

Gradually, Qin Sang’s pace grew faster as he climbed, until he finally reached the mountaintop.