Chapter 1334: Damaged Ancient Illusion Array

Similar scenes frequently occurred in the Ziwei Palace. One Nascent Soul cultivator from the desert had an experience much like Qin Sang's. He didn't notice it immediately, took a wrong step, and walked right into it. His figure vanished without a trace, leaving no ripples, and it was unknown if he was dead or alive.

The lake water was clear, and the bamboo forest was fragrant. Qin Sang took a deep breath, but even amidst the tranquility, he felt a hint of unease. He carefully retreated, circled the small lake, and then increased his pace by a third. This Ziwei Palace was no longer the same Ziwei Palace; Nascent Soul cultivators would probably find it impossible to move freely here in the future.

After bypassing the ancient herb garden, Qin Sang hurried on for a while and then saw a familiar place: the Sword Path Hall, where the teleportation array was located. This place was no exception; it was completely unrecognizable. The sight before him left Qin Sang momentarily stunned. Standing on the ground, he tilted his head high, barely able to see the entrance to the Sword Path Hall from deep within the five-colored auspicious clouds.

Originally, this mountain was not prominent among the surrounding peaks. Yet, it had surprisingly grown out of the ground like a living creature, its majestic form resembling a sharp sword piercing the clouds, no less impressive than Mount Tian. While some surrounding peaks also showed similar changes, none were as pronounced. Surrounded by mountains, it stood out as a solitary marvel.

The Ebony Sword pulsed intermittently. A familiar fluctuation indicated that the restrictions of the Sword Path Hall remained unchanged, meaning the ancient teleportation array should still be there. The good news was that the entrance to the Sword Path Hall still appeared as an ordinary cliff face, showing no unusual signs; otherwise, this passage connecting the two realms would have been exposed.

"Has the Seven Kills Hall been affected, or has only the Ziwei Palace undergone changes? Time is short; I'll check the other side after this is over," Qin Sang thought. His thoughts raced as he moved without stopping, heading straight for Sword Mark Mountain.

Traversing countless secret realms, both Qin Sang and the Sky-Eye Butterfly were on high alert, and after an eventful but ultimately safe journey, they finally reached Sword Mark Mountain. From a distance, they could see thick clouds engulfing Sword Mark Mountain, covering the surrounding mountain range. Upon closer inspection, as expected, the entire mountain range was affected by an illusion array.

Qin Sang dared not act rashly. He circled the edge of the illusion array, reaching the spot closest to the sword mark. After a thorough examination, he breathed a sigh of relief. The sword mark was astonishing, and its sword qi endured. The escaping sword qi continuously impacted the illusion array, yet it was also suppressed by it. They were in constant conflict. This ancient illusion array was indeed severely damaged and full of flaws. Although far more dangerous than before, it was not without opportunity.

There was no one else around. The Sky-Eye Butterfly flew out of his qi sea and landed on Qin Sang's shoulder, gently flapping its wings. Lightning shimmered within the sky-eyes on its wings, making them increasingly vibrant and intelligent. The sky-eyes were profound, as if containing a boundless, pure sky within them. Qin Sang tilted his head, observing the illusion array while communicating with the Sky-Eye Butterfly, silently activating the Witch Clan's secret art to help the butterfly unleash its innate divine ability.

From the chaotic illusions, Qin Sang found a path, but he could only discern the initial segment, meaning he had to proceed one step at a time and adapt as necessary. For caution, Qin Sang also summoned his Nascent Soul talisman puppet and ordered it to go ahead and scout the path. Man and puppet walked up the mountain.

The moment they stepped into the illusion array, the surrounding scenery abruptly changed. The palace on Sword Mark Mountain had vanished. In its place was a wide river of lava, flowing with a fiery aura that assailed him, feeling incredibly real. Splashing waves emanated fluctuations with power that startled Qin Sang. However, not far upstream of the lava river was a discontinuity, as if two worlds were stacked together, clashing.

With the help of the Sky-Eye Butterfly, Qin Sang easily found these flaws and navigated through the illusion array. Everything went smoothly, and Qin Sang silently calculated the distance. He should have already ascended Sword Mark Mountain; barring any unforeseen circumstances, he would soon reach the alchemy room where the Southern Bright Lihuo was located.

Just then, an unexpected change occurred: the Nascent Soul talisman puppet in front of him suddenly stopped in place, the crimson in its eyes visibly fading, leaving them hollow. At the same time, the Sky-Eye Butterfly's wings suddenly stiffened. Qin Sang only received a faint, blurry consciousness from the Sky-Eye Butterfly before losing all connection. Looking down, he saw the Sky-Eye Butterfly as if it had fallen asleep.

He was greatly alarmed. If the Southern Bright Lihuo caused harm to the Sky-Eye Butterfly and the Nascent Soul talisman puppet, it would be a significant loss. He calmed himself, scanned his surroundings to confirm nothing was amiss, then began to examine himself. He found nothing unusual with himself. Looking at the Sky-Eye Butterfly and the Nascent Soul talisman puppet again, their connection to him hadn't broken, but they had both fallen into a deep slumber. At that moment, the Nascent Soul talisman puppet's eyes slightly shifted, seemingly struggling and resisting something.

"The Jade Buddha again!" Qin Sang roughly guessed the reason: it seemed the illusion array also had the effect of confusing the mind. The most insidious part was that the change came without any warning, causing one to unknowingly fall into a deep sleep and become lost. The Jade Buddha had saved him again. Even the ancient illusion array couldn't affect him. Qin Sang breathed a sigh of relief, realizing more and more that the higher his cultivation, the more techniques he encountered that targeted the soul, and thus the greater the role of the Jade Buddha would become.

He would have to rely on himself from now on. Qin Sang put away the talisman puppet and the Sky-Eye Butterfly, his vigilance increasing. He passed through an area with pavilions and waterside platforms. Suddenly, a rustling sound came from ahead, as if something was moving through the jungle.

"Someone?" Qin Sang was startled. On second thought, besides Old Demon Ye, no one could have arrived here faster than him. Why would Old Demon Ye come here instead of Mount Tian?

Qin Sang thought it unlikely. He concealed his aura, walked forward for a while, hid in the shadows, and waited. Soon, he saw several red foxes appear at the edge of the dense forest, playing and frolicking; they were the source of the noise. He hadn't expected to encounter living creatures here. Qin Sang knew these red foxes couldn't be real; otherwise, Cloud Wanderer would have discovered them long ago. He channeled his true essence into his eyes and stared for a moment, indeed making a discovery.

These red foxes appeared lifelike, but strange fluctuations occasionally appeared in their bodies, revealing their illusory nature. They were indeed spirit beasts conjured by the ancient illusion array, and because the array was damaged, they were also weakened. The red foxes were incredibly lively and vivid. The creator of the array must have made these spirit beasts for a specific purpose. Even if the array was damaged, Qin Sang didn't want to test the red foxes' abilities. But this was the only way to the stone hall.

As Qin Sang was deep in thought, he suddenly noticed one of the red foxes stop playing. Its pointed ears twitched slightly, as if it had sensed something. Qin Sang's expression changed slightly, and he quickly retreated. The spirit foxes' senses were too keen; if the illusion array's power hadn't been significantly weakened, he would have been discovered long ago.

He frowned deeply, pondered for a moment, and then turned his gaze to the other side. The sword mark was in that direction, and even from his current position, he could feel the sharp edge of the sword qi. The origin of the red foxes was unknown, so there was no need to force his way through. Luring them towards the sword mark, using the terrain, and letting the sword qi eliminate them would be a viable and more energy-efficient option.