Lin Yan immediately understood that he had stepped into the illusion range of the Thousand Wishes Tree, exactly as described in the original novel.
He did not feel fear. Even Fang Yuan in his first life had been able to break through this illusion, which meant its strength was limited. Moreover, Lin Yan had his own advantage. He had already developed two Dream Path killer moves, and one of them was especially suited for this kind of situation.
Killer Move · [Clear Dream]
In the next moment, he activated the killer move. Inside his aperture, the Dream Derivation Gu, Soul Travel Gu, and Clear Mind Gu trembled at the same time, linking together in a subtle resonance. Three different streams of light rose and merged, then surged straight into his mind.
A faint mist spread across Lin Yan's golden eyes, like a hazy mountain glow. His vision slowed drastically, as if time itself had been stretched. Every grain of sand, every trace of movement became clear, sharp, and fully visible.
This was the effect of his self-created killer move. Using Soul Travel Gu, a portion of his thoughts and will entered a dream state, while Clear Mind Gu maintained the connection to his main body. This allowed him to move within a dream-like perception while remaining conscious.
With both Gu working together, his thought processing speed became twenty times faster than normal. In battle, this meant he could easily see through an opponent's movements, grasp weaknesses instantly, and react before attacks even fully formed.
Moreover, illusions themselves relied on interfering with a Gu Master's thoughts and will to confuse their senses.
Under the effect of the Clear Dream killer move, Lin Yan's thoughts had already shifted into a dream state and were no longer affected by external interference. This made illusions almost useless against him. Not only illusions, but also Soul Path, Wisdom Path, and Enslavement Path methods would have little effect unless they specifically targeted the dream realm.
This was the strength of Dream Path. It was a completely new field, separate from the existing paths. Without understanding it or developing methods to deal with it, most techniques simply could not affect it.
Lin Yan only had two Dream Path killer moves, but that was already enough. He focused on precision rather than quantity, ensuring each move had a clear purpose and strong effect.
Without hesitation, he activated Treading Fire Gu and rushed toward the center of the illusion, where the massive golden sand hill stood. Flames burst beneath his feet, forming lotus-like patterns with every step as he moved at high speed.
After several hours, he finally climbed to the peak of the ten-thousand-foot golden sand hill. At the top, he saw a small tree about eight feet tall. It looked like a dwarf tree, with thin, short, twisted branches stretching outward like ugly claws, giving off a strange and unpleasant appearance.
But behind it, a beam of light rose into the sky. This beam of light was enormous, fifty to sixty feet tall, like a sacred tree formed from radiance. Its branches were pure white like snow, covered with pink flowers like cherry blossoms. Among the flowers and leaves hung clusters of small fruits, still unripe, each showing different colors.
This was the true form of the Thousand Wishes Tree. It grew for three hundred years, bloomed for six hundred years, and bore fruit for nine hundred years, producing exactly one thousand fruits, no more, no less.
Once the fruits ripened, anyone who made a wish beneath it could directly give birth to Gu. In the original novel, Han Li used most of these fruits to refine Immortal Gu. Any remaining fruit could still produce Rank 4 or Rank 5 Gu, making them extremely valuable.
Lin Yan also knew that as a Human Path Desolate Plant, the Thousand Wishes Tree should grow in places full of people—busy streets, crowded markets, areas rich in human presence. But because its ability was too powerful, it attracted the attention of Heaven's Will. Over time, the surroundings were suppressed and turned into a barren desert, with fewer and fewer people.
To survive, the Thousand Wishes Tree had no choice but to adapt, developing resistance to heat and drought. This was something Fang Yuan only realized in his second life after obtaining it.
In truth, the Thousand Wishes Tree did not need such long cycles to bloom and bear fruit. As long as there was enough human presence, it could bloom and produce fruit every single day.
Lin Yan gently touched the small, twisted tree and let out a quiet sigh. "Help me now, and after I achieve Immortal Ascension, I'll take you out of this desert."