Chapter 85: Illusion!
Jiang Yun's actions caught the attention of Zi Yan and the other two. They immediately looked in the direction Jiang Yun was staring, but all they saw were stone walls.
Confused, Zi Yan looked at Jiang Yun and asked, "Xiao Yun, what are you talking about? All the treasures here have already been taken!"
"At first, I thought so too, but now, that might not be the case!" Jiang Yun replied with an inexplicable tone.
Under their questioning gazes, Jiang Yun raised his hand and took out three yellowed parchments from his storage ring—they were the fragmented maps of the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame.
There were a total of four fragmented maps of the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame, and Jiang Yun had already gathered three, faintly revealing a complete lotus image.
Of course, at this moment, in Jiang Yun's perception, the fragmented maps had a peculiar fluctuation, emitting an inexplicable vibration together with a certain spatial node in the cave.
The remnant soul of the Purifying Demonic Lotus Saint slumbered within the fragmented demon flame maps. Such a figure, his Hun Realm had already reached the Emperor Soul Realm during his lifetime, touched by an immortal aura.
Even with just a wisp of a remnant soul, if conditions allowed, he could even return against the heavens.
These old monsters were all formidable. With just a wisp of a remnant soul, the Purifying Demonic Lotus Saint could, in the demon flame space, use Xiao Yan's body and his two-star Dou Saint strength to control the Ancient Sky Refining Formation, manipulating the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame, which possessed seven-star Dou Saint strength.
At this moment, in Jiang Yun's perception, there was a strange power around him, attracting the remnant soul in the fragmented maps.
Following his perception, he arrived at a spatial node. Jiang Yun reached out with both hands and suddenly tore.
Immediately, a strange fluctuation came from within the space!
In everyone's eyes, the surrounding space suddenly shattered. The next moment, the surrounding space expanded, as if an already existing space suddenly merged with the original space around it.
The stone chamber was still the same stone chamber, but it was now several times larger. However, no one felt it was strange, as if it had always been this way.
"Nightmare Sky Mist?" Noticing the anomaly, Jiang Yun murmured softly. These Half-Emperors on the continent were all formidable figures.
What appeared before them was an ancient altar.
The altar was extremely grand, built entirely from massive green stones, but with the passage of time, the altar inevitably bore the marks of age.
Jiang Yun's gaze fell on the top of the altar. At the center of the altar, a stone tablet imprinted with a lotus stood solitary, emitting an ancient aura, as if it had existed forever.
"Xiao Yun, what is this?" Zi Yan came closer at this moment, staring at the distant altar.
"This must be the Purifying Demonic Lotus Saint's inheritance. For some unknown reason, it ended up here. Otherwise, the inheritance of a Half-Emperor would surely cause the entire continent, except for those few Emperor Clans, to stir!"
Jiang Yun explained in a low voice, extremely calm, completely disregarding the commotion his words would cause if they were spread.
The inheritance of the Purifying Demonic Lotus Saint! He was hailed as the closest existence to a Dou Di ten thousand years ago!
Moreover, it might also involve the existence of the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame. One must know that for so many years, who among the Emperor Clan members didn't desire to obtain this third-ranked heavenly flame?
Even Gu Yuan and Hun Tiandi would be moved. At their level of strength, ordinary methods could no longer improve them. Only heaven and earth oddities like the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame, Nihility Devouring Flame, and Nine Profound Golden Lightning could enhance their power.
With such a great temptation, who wouldn't be tempted? Even the Emperor Clan might not be able to sit still, right?
"Is it that lotus man?" Hearing Jiang Yun's words, Zi Yan exclaimed without thinking, clearly, the Purifying Demonic Lotus Saint had left a deep impression on her.
"..."
After a moment of silence, a dark flame suddenly rose in Jiang Yun's eyes. The flame flickered slowly, sweeping over everyone present. After finding no abnormalities and receiving confirmation from Qing Ming in his heart that no one had fallen into the Nightmare Sky Mist, Jiang Yun finally relaxed.
"Zi Yan, protect Qing Lin and Xiao Yi Xian. I'll go see if I can obtain his inheritance!"
If it were the Yellow Spring Demon Saint's inheritance, Jiang Yun wouldn't be interested. However, he was somewhat interested in the Purifying Demonic Lotus Saint's inheritance. His Ancient Sky Refining Formation, if not the peak of the Dou Qi Continent's array path, was at least a top-tier existence.
It would be very helpful for Jiang Yun's array path deductions!
Jiang Yun turned to Zi Yan and instructed. Zi Yan nodded solemnly, her expression much more serious, and earnestly admonished, "Xiao Yun, you must also be careful. That lotus man doesn't look like a good person."
Jiang Yun nodded silently, his gaze solemn as he looked at the stone tablet. On it, he felt an extremely strange fluctuation. When his soul perception approached, it felt like sinking into a quagmire, receiving no feedback at all.
"Brother Jiang Yun, be careful! Qing Lin believes you will definitely succeed!"
"You can do it."
Qing Lin and Xiao Yi Xian's voices came from both sides. Jiang Yun nodded lightly, and with a movement of his body, he appeared on a stone pier directly in front of the stone tablet. He slowly sat down cross-legged. Suddenly, a strange fluctuation came from the stone tablet. The next moment, Jiang Yun fell into a deep sleep.
In an instant, darkness engulfed him, and Jiang Yun's soul perception was sealed within his body. The sudden sealing startled Jiang Yun slightly, but he didn't panic too much. After a brief contemplation, he gradually relaxed.
Not long after Jiang Yun's body relaxed, the darkness quietly receded. Streaks of light once again pierced through the darkness, shining upon Jiang Yun, accompanied by the rumble of thunder.
"Rumble!"
Above the ancient-looking sky, thunder roared like angry True Dragons, its immense sound shaking the heavens and earth violently.
What greeted his eyes was an endless silver ocean, where lightning surged. Giant bolts of lightning, like angry True Dragons, swam within it.
This was an ocean made of lightning!
"Is this the space inside the stone tablet? Or… the Nightmare Sky Mist?"
Jiang Yun's body floated in mid-air like a Dou Zong, looking at the space before him, a hint of vigilance flashing in his eyes. The Purifying Demonic Lotus Saint's famous Dou Technique was simply too deeply ingrained in people's minds.
With caution, Jiang Yun stepped through the void, slowly moving deeper into the space. As Jiang Yun moved, the surrounding lightning surged towards him. Instantly, intense pain erupted from his foot.
Seeing this, Jiang Yun activated his soul power, and a purple barrier appeared. Any lightning that entered within ten zhang of his body would be devoured by the black flames hidden within it.
Boom!
Above the sea of lightning, a dazzling bolt of lightning, like an angry True Dragon, tore through the sky, then fiercely struck the sea of lightning, immediately stirring up monstrous waves.
Jiang Yun walked unhurriedly with his usual expression. He didn't know how long he had been walking, but the sea of lightning seemed endless, with no discernible end.
Gazing into the distance at the still dazzling silver sea of lightning, Jiang Yun's brows furrowed slightly.
"The Purifying Demonic Lotus Saint is indeed formidable. Even though I knew your methods beforehand, I didn't expect to still be forcibly pulled into an illusion by you, but…"
"However, you also underestimated my methods!"
"Evil Spirit Purple Light!"
Accompanied by Jiang Yun's low shout, a towering purple light suddenly erupted, instantly tearing the entire sky apart. Jiang Yun only felt his vision go dark, and the familiar sensation enveloped him once more.
Snow fell from the sky, and cold winds howled. This was a world of pure white, an endless white snowfield with no discernible end.
A black figure slowly walked through the surrounding snow. Suddenly, a fiery red volcano appeared ahead, adding a vibrant red color to this snowy world. The figure abruptly stopped.
"A volcano? What trick are you playing now?"
Jiang Yun murmured softly, a cold smile playing on his lips. He was absolutely certain that he had not yet escaped the Purifying Demonic Lotus Saint's Nightmare Sky Mist. However, he was no longer worried, because according to his judgment, beyond this layer of illusion lay his destination.
Provided he broke through this layer of illusion!
The volcano wasn't tall, less than five hundred meters, yet on its slopes grew fiery red lotuses. Both petals and leaves were red, each as large as a basin. From a distance, the mountainside of swaying lotuses was like a dream.
Jiang Yun's eyesight was excellent. At the peak of the mountain, there was an even larger fire lotus. It was a meter in diameter, with twelve blooming petals, standing alone at the summit, emitting a refreshing fragrance. Its vitality was so strong that it seemed to bring the entire world to life.
"Dream Divine Fire Lotus!" Jiang Yun exclaimed, stating the name of the fire lotus. This was a medicinal herb that existed in ancient texts, long extinct. Like the Soul Infant Fruit, it had the effect of replenishing the soul's origin and enhancing the soul.
Moreover, with it as the main ingredient, one could refine a Ninth-Grade precious pill: the Fire Spirit Pill. As the name suggests, this pill could enhance the user's affinity for fire attribute, allowing them to instantly possess top-tier fire attribute talent, like a fire spirit.
"Too bad, it's fake!" Jiang Yun observed for a moment, then shook his head with some regret. He lifted his foot and walked towards the mountain peak.
As Jiang Yun stepped onto the volcano, a strange fluctuation suddenly swept over his body. In an instant, goosebumps appeared on his skin, making him extremely uncomfortable.
Jiang Yun's face was solemn, his soul power constantly scanning his surroundings. This world was a little too quiet, so quiet that it made one's heart pound, as if entering a land of death.
"Buzz—"
Suddenly, under Jiang Yun's cautious gaze, the swaying Dream Divine Fire Lotus rippled. The movement was extremely subtle, like a pebble dropped into a calm lake, causing the entire world to ripple along with it.
The next moment, an endless red light mysteriously appeared above the fire lotus. To Jiang Yun's surprise, the red light slowly condensed into a blurry humanoid figure and walked towards him.
It was a young man with an indistinct face. Dressed in red, he was tall and slender, like a small sun, radiating scorching light that seemed to incinerate all darkness in the world.
This aura was too powerful. The opponent seemed to be the master of this world, surpassing all enemies Jiang Yun had encountered so far, making him feel an unprecedented sense of suppression.
"Roar—"
Before Jiang Yun could react, the red-clothed youth moved abruptly, as swift as lightning, as agile as a True Dragon.
The sky-filling red flames transformed into a fierce crimson tiger, pouncing towards him with the force of Mount Tai pressing down.
"White Tiger Seal!!!" The familiar fluctuation stirred memories in Jiang Yun's heart, causing him to exclaim in surprise. However, Jiang Yun did not hold back at this moment.
Extremely powerful gusts of wind tore through the heavens and earth. The surrounding world energy transformed into a gigantic, pitch-black finger, pressing down fiercely on the white tiger.
"Bang—"
The two collided, and the space rippled slightly, without any energy explosion. Both shattered and annihilated each other the moment they made contact.
"Boom—"
As soon as the Soul Severing Finger shattered, Jiang Yun didn't stop. He slammed out a palm. The space suddenly exploded, and a giant hand burning with black flames shot out like lightning, carrying an indescribable power of annihilation, and slapped towards the opponent.
Even so, the opponent was no pushover. The youth raised his palm, where purple radiance permeated, and dangerous fluctuations constantly emanated, as if a heaven-shattering sharpness was about to burst forth.
"Boom—"
The next moment, a purple stream of light spear appeared, shooting towards Jiang Yun with a terrifying sharpness that seemed to pierce through the void.
"Rumble!"
The power of annihilation spread, and the entire world was covered by purple and black light. The dazzling radiance and terrifying destructive aura covered a distance of a thousand li.
"Damn it—"
"This is my mirror image—"
"What a Purifying Demonic Lotus Saint—"
Amidst the roar, Jiang Yun's curses could be heard. At this point, he had confirmed the opponent's origin. It was a mirror image created by the Purifying Demonic Lotus Saint through some unknown means, possessing all of his abilities? Jiang Yun even suspected that the opponent also had the Purifying Demonic Lotus Saint's combat experience.
A Half-Emperor acting as a proxy?
This kind of opponent was the most difficult to deal with, because only you knew your own weaknesses! Not to mention an enhanced version!
"In that case, let's have a hearty battle!"
After an initial burst of anger, Jiang Yun quickly calmed down. This might not be an opportunity. Not everyone had such an encounter. Fighting himself, as long as he defeated the opponent, the gains would definitely be unprecedented.
Jiang Yun's thoughts raced, but his offensive did not stop. He pressed his palm down, and the Void Hand Seal descended from the sky. At the same time, he raised his hand, and strange, eerie chains whistled towards the opponent.
This was definitely the most terrifying enemy he had encountered since his debut!
"Rumble—"
Jiang Yun raised his palm, and the opponent didn't stop either, quickly forming familiar hand seals. The next moment, a giant Black Tortoise stepped through the air.
"Bang—"
Jiang Yun's attack landed fiercely on the opponent, creating layers of ripples. Terrifying energy ripples spread in all directions, causing storms to rage through the area and the ground to constantly collapse.
"Damn it, this turtle shell!"
Looking at the unharmed Black Tortoise, Jiang Yun cursed under his breath. Why hadn't he noticed how annoying this divine art was before?
"Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise..."
"Four Spirits Starry Sky Seal!"
Oh no, my laptop is broken. It will take one or two days to fix, and my limited saved drafts are running out! I wonder if I can hold on!