Chapter 504: Chapter 502: Terrifying Illusion Technique, Heaven-Sent Opportunity

Such a violent commotion filled Xu Yang with suspicion and unease.

Though it might be extremely dangerous, he still couldn’t help but stealthily sneak in the direction of the sound.

About the time it takes to drink a cup of tea passed.

Xu Yang saw massive herds of beasts surging towards a gigantic crevice in the mountainside.

In the dimness, it was impossible to see what was inside the crack.

But this sight, connected with the earlier scene of attracted beasts, made Xu Yang inhale sharply in shock.

Could it be that some supreme treasure is about to appear inside?

If not, how could it entice all these beasts like this?

Hesitating for a moment, Xu Yang slowly drew closer.

As he got near, a manic aura emanated from the gaping fissure, shaking the ground beneath his feet.

Just these beasts alone were enough to make one’s scalp crawl.

Yet at this moment, all seemed utterly mesmerized, oblivious to the outside world.

"Eh?" 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Xu Yang suddenly caught a whiff of something strange, instantly becoming more alert, his form quietly rising, barely noticeable like a shadow in the gloom.

He cautiously peered into the depths of the crack.

"Eh?"

A startled, low exclamation abruptly echoed from within.

Xu Yang’s face changed drastically, his pupils contracting: "It’s her?"

Without hesitation, he spun around and took off like lightning.

"So it’s you."

"What a coincidence."

Accompanied by a bell-like, silvery laugh, a mystifying ripple of energy suddenly descended from above without warning.

Xu Yang shuddered all over, his vision blurring and distorting before him.

"An illusion?"

Those slain beast bodies and Martial Artist corpses from earlier?

Xu Yang’s mind reeled, his Minghuo flickering, but in a flash he forced himself awake, instantly recalling the odd corpse he’d seen on the road ahead.

So, all of this was the work of that mysterious woman.

She was exactly the one Xu Yang had encountered upon entering the Fallen Lands.

"Hmph!"

Xu Yang snorted coldly, broke free from the illusion’s hold, and dashed forward at full speed.

"Hehe."

The laughter came again, laced with mocking derision.

Swoosh!

An even stronger surge of mysterious energy erupted from the depths of the crevice like smoke, several times mightier than before.

As soon as it appeared, it resembled dense, black Wuo Yun, masking the sky and blotting out the sun.

Within it flickered faint strands of purple spiritual radiance.

Boom!

Xu Yang felt the world before him twist crazily, as if his mind was being dragged into an abyss, plunging ever deeper into an indescribable state.

Another illusion!

And this one was as vast and powerful as a world unto itself—a crushing Illusion Technique!

Xu Yang’s heart froze, forcing his Minghuo to its limits to remain conscious.

Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind.

That mysterious woman’s earlier attack—even if she hadn’t used her full strength—her power, though great, wasn’t much beyond Xu Yang’s own.

To lure so many beasts, she must be up to something!

Using illusions against beasts? Easy enough!

She might even have used some treasure.

But I possess Minghuo and the Celestial Refining Divine Tripod—these Illusion Techniques are nothing to fear!

All these thoughts swept past in a single instant.

And Xu Yang immediately made up his mind.

He let out a muffled grunt, his body trembling, his face contorting in a painful struggle until, finally, he appeared to lose control, his expression vacant.

At last—

Xu Yang stood there like a statue, then slowly turned, his eyes bloodshot, burning as he fixed his gaze on the crevice.

Suddenly he charged forward just like the rest of the beasts, lunging toward the crack.

The other beasts treated him as if he were invisible!

Deep within the crack, a ledge jutted from the mountainside.

Upon it, a woman sat cross-legged.

It was the very same mysterious woman Xu Yang had first met.

Seeing Xu Yang flood in with the beast horde, a smug smile curled beneath the mysterious woman’s veil, red lips twisting as her gaze swept the scene with practiced ease.

"A bit of ability, but not much!"

She was supremely confident, with no concern that Xu Yang might try any tricks.

Because below her, a bizarre altar was unmistakably laid out.

The altar’s base was pitch black, as if drenched in ink, while the top was ringed with purple.

Beasts rushed in, howling as, lost in the illusion, they slaughtered each other in a frenzy and finally fell dead.

Then, an unseen force from the altar siphoned the essence from every beast, drawing it into the altar’s pinnacle.

The sheer strangeness of it all was enough to make one’s skin crawl!

Upon witnessing all this, Xu Yang’s heart shuddered.

He’d guessed right—the mysterious woman must have used some unique artifact to achieve this.

Even so, such an Illusion Technique was truly terrifying.

Watching beast after beast throw themselves to their doom, their life force devoured by the altar, the purple glow atop it growing ever more uncanny, Xu Yang couldn’t help but covet what he saw.

So much beast essence was being absorbed—how fearsome must the accumulated power within be?

If I could seize it for myself...

The thought vanished as quickly as it came. Xu Yang quickly composed himself and kept up the facade of being mentally enslaved.

Approaching the edge of the altar with the beasts, watching their merciless slaughter, Xu Yang’s facial muscles twitched slightly.

He dared not look at the mysterious woman, for fear of exposing himself.

What now?

Following the beasts inside was the right gamble—

But next, must I slaughter with the rest like a mindless beast?

In an instant—

Xu Yang let out a furious roar, his eyes turning even bloodier as he charged at the beasts, behaving like a savage beast himself.

Boom!

Both fists pummeled out, displaying dominating might.

In the blink of an eye, he went stark raving mad.

Even as his knuckles were torn and bloody, he paid them no mind at all.

Now, he appeared even more bestial than the beasts themselves!

Boom!

As two High-tier True Monarch beasts were slain, the seated mysterious woman’s eyes flashed in shock: "This one’s even stronger than I anticipated."

"And he can shake off illusions cast personally by me. If it weren’t for the altar, subduing him wouldn’t be so easy!"

"Tsk."

A strange purple gleam welled up in her eyes as she licked her lips and murmured, "This just got much more interesting."

"With all these beasts, first Zuo Guangchen, and now another no weaker than Zuo Guangchen. With these two as the foundation, once the refinement is complete, my Soul Device will be even more astonishing!"

Below—

Xu Yang had no idea what plots churned within the mysterious woman’s mind.

With the altar growing ever closer in his peripheral vision, his resolve only deepened!

Roar!

A violent gale suddenly slammed in from the side.

Xu Yang’s eyes twitched madly.

Damn, it’s a True Monarch Perfection-level beast!

Few beasts of this tier had forced their way into the crevice—only a handful at most.

Clearly, even with such overwhelming Illusion Techniques, the mysterious woman couldn’t easily lure beasts of this caliber.

And now, a True Monarch Perfection beast was charging straight at him.

Savage, vicious—utterly terrifying!

Gritting his teeth, Xu Yang met the beast’s murderous howl head-on, leaping forward without flinching.

Boom!

A heavy impact sent Xu Yang flying instantly.

He felt as if countless bones had been shattered, blood spraying from his lips as he crashed beneath the altar in a miserable heap.

The beast dug in its claws, lunging after him again.

But a flicker of wild joy flashed in Xu Yang’s eyes.

Then, twisting, he lunged straight for the top of the altar.

He could sense that, within the apex of the altar, lay a space akin to a secret realm.

Swish!

Xu Yang darted in headlong. A ray of purple flashed, vanishing at once into silence.

Above, the mysterious woman stared in stunned disbelief.

Xu Yang’s move at the last moment was nothing like someone under illusionary control.

"Damn it!"

"How dare you toy with me!"

The mysterious woman trembled all over, rage blazing in her eyes.

She sprang to her feet, purple light surging atop the altar as the frenzy below grew bloodier still among the beasts.

Several breaths passed.

The fire in her eyes slowly faded, replaced by cold and sticky indifference: "Even if my Soul Device isn’t fully forged yet, its Illusion Technique has still grown several times more potent; and you, even while maintaining your wits, managed to avoid it. I never thought a random stranger would have such skill."

"But, entering the altar’s Soul Realm on your own—no matter what methods you possess, you’ve brought death upon yourself!"

A trace of ridicule flickered in the woman’s eyes.