The members of Shrek Academy were jolted awake from the immense shock and pressure brought by Marco by Liu Erlong's stern and vehement scolding. Indeed, the competition wasn't over yet. So what if their opponents were powerful? The greatest disgrace was to fear defeat before even fighting! Guided by Liu Erlong's roars and the Grandmaster's calm yet resolute gaze, they reignited their fighting spirit and returned to the academy to devote themselves to even more rigorous training. However, Marco's invincible figure—overpowering Huyan Li enhanced by a Soul Bone without even releasing his Martial Soul—had been branded deeply into the hearts of every young Soul Master, becoming a colossal mountain they must eventually conquer.
Meanwhile, Marco, the one who had stirred up this storm, had quietly left the bustling and roaring Great Spirit Arena.
Walking along the crowded streets of Heaven Dou City, surrounded by the lively scene of bustling traffic and noisy crowds, he found a stark contrast to the fervor within the arena. The warm sunlight bathed his body, and the gentle breeze carried the earthy scent of everyday life. Marco took a deep breath, savoring this rare moment of leisure. He had achieved a victory sufficient to shock the entire Soul Master Realm, yet not a trace of excitement or pride could be seen on his face. He remained as calm as if he had merely completed some trivial task.
"It's been a long time since I've strolled through Heaven Dou City with a peaceful mind," Marco thought to himself. Since arriving in this world, his time had been consumed by cultivation, planning, or dealing with various challenges. Truly carefree moments like this, simply wandering the streets, were indeed rare. Seizing this opportunity to witness the capital's prosperity and soak in the vibrancy of mortal life wasn't so bad.
He walked aimlessly, merging into the endless stream of people. Passing by food stalls wafting enticing aromas, hearing the vigorous shouts of vendors, watching children chase and play, his mind gradually relaxed. However, just as he turned a relatively quiet street corner, a sudden change occurred!
An extremely subtle mental fluctuation, carrying a cold and distorted aura, silently enveloped the space around him like an invisible spider web. The bustling scene around him began to warp and fade subtly, as if viewed through frosted glass, creating an unreal sense of isolation. Simultaneously, faint illusions filled with negative emotions attempted to invade his mind, whispering of failure, fear, and despair.
"Hmm?" Marco's steps paused slightly. A flicker of surprise passed through his eyes, quickly replaced by understanding. "No wonder I felt like something familiar was missing from this tournament. So it's this old schemer, Shinian." He immediately recognized this familiar mental field—the signature technique of Shinian of the Lingering Dream.
Around his eye sockets, an almost imperceptible ripple appeared. Deep within his pupils, a faint double image flashed for an instant as his External Spirit Bone, the Double Pupils, quietly activated. The illusions before him instantly melted away like ice and snow, and the real world around him became clearly visible to his "eyes," leaving the mental barrier nowhere to hide. However, he did not immediately shatter the illusion. Instead, he reined in his own aura, even swiftly concealing the anomaly of his Double Pupils. A perfectly appropriate expression of "dazed confusion" and "struggle" appeared on his face, as if he were striving to resist the erosion of the illusion.
"Hah, it seems defeating Canghui Academy's Seven-in-One formation during the opening ceremony has completely humiliated this old man and his academy. Now he's holding a grudge and seeking revenge against me." Marco sneered inwardly. "Had I not been mindful of the occasion back then and merely released a slight mental counter-shock, that crude mental power of Canghui Academy would have turned them all into idiots. This old fool shows no gratitude for my mercy, yet dares to stalk me in secret and employ such despicable methods. He's truly courting death."
His thoughts raced, already understanding Shinian's intention. The man merely wanted to use illusions to lure him to a secluded spot, either to interrogate him for secrets or directly eliminate him. Since that was the case, he might as well play along.
Thus, under the subtle guidance of Shinian's Mental Power, Marco wore a "dazed" expression and walked with slightly "unsteady" steps, seemingly unconsciously changing direction toward the outskirts of Heaven Dou City. He moved slowly, occasionally pausing, perfectly portraying a Soul Master trapped in mental distress.
Passing through bustling markets and quieter urban districts, Marco "cooperated" with Shinian's guidance all the way to a dense forest outside Heaven Dou City. This remote location, where few ever ventured, was exceptionally tranquil with only the rustling of leaves in the wind and occasional birdsong—a perfect spot for murder and robbery.
The moment Marco stepped deep into the forest, the intensity of the mental illusion enveloping him skyrocketed! The previous subtle distortions and whispers instantly transformed into overwhelming waves. Bizarre scenes flooded his vision—mountains of corpses, loved ones dying tragically, his soul path severed... terrifying illusions targeting psychological weaknesses surged like tides, while a powerful hypnotic intent like countless fine needles madly pierced toward his mental core, attempting to make his consciousness sink into complete slumber.
"More vigorous than I expected," Marco assessed inwardly. The illusion's intensity could easily fluster an ordinary Soul Saint and even cause minor trouble for a Soul Douluo caught off guard. Shinian had indeed gone all out, holding nothing back to deal with him.
Facing this sudden intensified assault, Marco went with the flow. He let out a remarkably realistic grunt, his face showing "pain" and "struggle," his body swaying several times before finally "succumbing." His eyes closed, and he fell forward stiffly, hitting the ground with a thud that kicked up some dust. Then he lay completely still, his breath growing faint, perfectly mimicking someone whose spirit had been severely damaged and fallen into deep coma.
Dead silence enveloped the forest, broken only by the wind through leaves. After roughly the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, confirming Marco showed no movement, a blurred figure emerged ghost-like beside his "unconscious" body.
The newcomer wore gray robes, stood tall and thin, with a sinister face and eyes gleaming with cunning and cruelty—this was Lingering Dream Shinian. He looked down at Marco lying motionless on the ground, first showing a trace of caution as he carefully probed several times with his Mental Power. Only after confirming Marco's weak breathing and dormant mental fluctuations—as if truly having his consciousness utterly destroyed by the Lingering Dream illusion—did he finally relax completely.
"Heh heh... heh heh heh..." Shinian let out a series of uncontrollable, low chuckles filled with smugness and venom, his voice hoarse and unpleasant as it echoed through the silent forest. "The continent's number one genius? Hah! Nothing special! Still fell for this old man's trap!"
He crouched down and poked Marco's cheek with his icy fingers. Seeing no reaction, his grin turned even more grotesque. "I thought you were so capable, to have gained Bishop Salas' high regard and made this old man lose all face during the opening ceremony! I painstakingly trained those good-for-nothings from Canghui Academy for so many years, finally mastering the Seven-in-One Fusion Technique, and you broke it so effortlessly! Truly impressive!"
Shinian's tone dripped with jealousy and resentment as he stared fixedly at Marco's young, handsome face, his eyes filled with twisted satisfaction. "What I hate most are you so-called geniuses! Relying on natural talent, you look down on others' years of hard work! What a pity, what a pity. No matter how great your talent or potential, you're now nothing but fish on the chopping block! A dead genius is no genius at all! Heh heh heh..."
Marco remained completely unperturbed, even feeling somewhat amused: "Villains die from talking too much—truly an eternal truth. This old man's resentment really runs deep."
After laughing for a while, Shinian seemed to have vented enough. A greedy glint flashed in his eyes as he stretched out his withered hand, slowly pressing it toward Marco's forehead. "But before you die, let this old man see what secrets lie behind your rapid cultivation progress. Did you obtain some heaven-defying method? Or perhaps... you're hiding a precious Soul Bone?"
He licked his lips, his Mental Power extending like tentacles, preparing to forcibly invade Marco's Sea of Consciousness to plunder his memories and uncover his secrets.