Chapter 225: The Star Dou Forest Hundreds of Thousands of Years Ago
"Have you truly made up your mind? Once you form a contract with the Divine Stone, there will be no turning back."
Gu Yuena's tone was solemn. The gravity of this decision could not be overstated.
"Yes, my lady. I am ready."
Brigitte nodded firmly, her emerald eyes filled with resolution.
"Very well. I hope you can safely pass through the illusion," Gu Yuena sighed, gently handing the radiant stone to her.
Brigitte accepted the Divine Stone and, recalling the instructions from the Star Auction Pavilion, sliced her fingertip, letting a drop of blood fall onto its shimmering surface.
In an instant, the colors on the stone dimmed before bursting forth in a brilliant explosion of light.
A seven-colored spatial gate materialized before them, radiating immense power.
"So this is the entrance to the illusion created by the Divine Stone," Gu Yuena murmured, astonished by the purity of the energy flowing from it.
She could feel how completely the gate severed all life force and divine perception. That realization eased her worry.
It appeared the Star Auction Pavilion's claims were true—through this artifact, one could become divine without the God Realm's interference.
Gu Yuena waved her hand, releasing a multicolored stream of light that merged into Brigitte's body.
"This is my power. If you face danger within the illusion, it will shield you."
"Thank you, my lady."
With a graceful bow, Brigitte turned and stepped boldly through the radiant gate.
The moment her body crossed the threshold, the energy Gu Yuena had infused was suddenly expelled, scattering into the air.
Everyone's faces darkened instantly.
"This illusion… it truly rejects all external forces," Gu Yuena said quietly. "It seems everything now depends on Brigitte alone."
She knew there was nothing else they could do—whatever happened within that illusion was beyond their reach. All they could do now was hope.
Di Tian and the other fierce beasts felt their hearts tighten. After hundreds of thousands of years together, she was family to them, and the thought of losing her was unbearable.
"Bear Lord, Ten Thousand Demon King," Gu Yuena commanded coldly. "You will guard this illusion. Let no human or beast disturb it."
"As for me, I'll begin seclusion to heal my wounds using the Nine-Yao Divine Lotus. Di Tian, you will stand guard."
She wasted no time in arranging everything. Once healed, she would no longer have to cower beneath the gods' gaze.
"Yes, my lady," Di Tian and the others replied in unison, their voices deep and resolute.
Gu Yuena then descended to the space beneath the Lake of Life, Di Tian following close behind.
Upon reaching her crystalline palace, she activated the Barrier Talisman according to the Pavilion's instructions.
Instantly, an invisible shield enveloped the entire silver palace.
"Incredible…" she whispered as golden light shimmered across its surface. The barrier resisted even her divine perception; not a trace of energy could penetrate it.
Di Tian marveled silently—it was an exquisite form of protection.
With that, Gu Yuena retrieved the Nine-Yao Divine Lotus and began absorbing its divine vitality, focusing entirely on recovery while Di Tian stood sentry beside her.
When Brigitte stepped through the gate, her vision blurred—and then solidified into a vast, boundless forest.
Her breath caught in her throat.
"This... this is the Star Dou Forest?" she whispered in disbelief.
But as she inhaled the aura of the land, realization struck her harder than ever.
"No… this is the Star Dou Forest from hundreds of thousands of years ago!"
The energy in the air felt ancient, untouched by time. Her soul power circulated naturally, just as it would in reality.
Even absorbing the ambient energy increased her strength. Everything felt real—too real.
Could this truly be an illusion?
A group of ten-thousand-year soul beasts appeared, gathering near her to bask in her life force.
"They can see me?" she murmured uneasily. "Have I really gone back in time… or is this still the illusion?"
She tested her power again and again, but every sense told her this place was genuine. The forest, the air, even the ground beneath her feet—all were indistinguishable from reality.
Brigitte forced herself to remain calm. "No, this must be the illusion created by the Divine Stone. I can't lose myself here… or I'll be trapped forever."
She wandered through the great forest, determined to uncover what inner desire this illusion sought to test.
Years blurred into decades—then centuries.
A thousand years seemed to pass in an instant.
Throughout this time, Brigitte lived much as she had in the real Star Dou Forest—cultivating quietly, healing wounded beasts, and growing steadily stronger.
But as time stretched endlessly forward, confusion began to gnaw at her heart.
If this truly was the illusion, why did nothing change? Why had no trial appeared?
Then she realized—perhaps the test itself was hidden within the normalcy, within the peace she now longed to protect.
There was just one discrepancy—the forest lacked all the powerful figures she knew.
Di Tian, the Bear Lord, the Ten Thousand Demon King… even her lady, Gu Yuena—their presences were nowhere to be found.
That absence alone told her the truth: this was the illusion. She had to remember that.
Suddenly, a thunderous explosion shattered the calm.
From the skies above, a gaping rift tore open, exuding a storm of raw spatial force.
A colossal beam of sword energy descended, slicing through heaven and earth.
Soul beasts across the forest disintegrated instantly, their bodies turning to ash without a scream.
The Star Dou Forest became a living hell, the air drenched in the coppery scent of blood.
"No!"
Brigitte's voice trembled with anguish.
She watched in horror as thousands of beasts perished, even mighty hundred-thousand-year creatures crumbling before the apocalyptic force.
Desperation flared in her eyes as she unleashed her vast power, flooding the forest with life energy in an attempt to heal the fallen.
She clashed against the sword light head-on—but her efforts were futile. The residual energy struck her like a hammer blow, sending her tumbling hundreds of meters before she crashed to the ground, blood spilling from her lips.
Even knowing this was an illusion, pity filled her heart. She refused to stand by as her kin perished.
Again and again she pushed her life force outward, refusing to stop, even as her soul power and life essence drained away.
Her skin paled, her body trembling, yet she kept fighting.
"Am I truly going to watch the Star Dou Forest be destroyed again?"
Her breath came shallow, her power flickering. Still, she poured every drop of her origin into saving what lives she could.
But how could one woman's power restore an entire world?
"Perhaps this is why less than one percent ever pass the illusion," she thought bitterly. "Even after a thousand years, I still can't sense the trial's essence. Maybe… I really can't escape this place."
Pain coursed through her body, but she refused to stop. Even if this world was false, the lives within it felt real to her.
Then, without warning, the corpses of the fallen beasts began to glow. Their spirit rings floated upward—countless lights drifting toward her.
Each ring merged into her body one by one.
Her origin and soul power surged like a tide.
(END CHAPTER)
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 30 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Kira1997