Chapter 2361: Tests of Illusions
Jian Chen slowly opened his eyes. He stood up from the ground, and after gathering his concentration, he continued onwards to a higher step.
However, he now possessed a sense of natural elegance, an immortal bearing. His every action seemed to abide by some kind of supreme mystery in the laws of the world.
This was a transformation in presence from having a foot planted in the Sword Immortal realm. Jian Chen was still unable to control it completely, struggling to maintain a state where he had returned to the basics, so he always demonstrated it accidentally.
As a result, he seemed very extraordinary.
Afterwards, Jian Chen continued to climb the Path of Swords, making it further and further up.
Now, he approached the top of the Path of Swords. He was getting closer and closer to completing the tests.
However, at the same time, the resistance Jian Chen encountered became greater and greater, taking up more and more time.
The final segment of the path did not test simple things like a person’s talent for the Way of the Sword and affinity for comprehension. It also included battle experience, the ability to counterattack in dire situations, and even his temperament.
Jian Chen had gone through countless battles where his life was on the line from the Tian Yuan Continent to the Saints’ World, so his battle experience was extremely rich. However, it was still extremely difficult for him to make it through the various tests the Celestial Sword Saint had set down.
“Jian Chen, it has been so many years. I’ve finally found you…”
When Jian Chen set foot on the next step, the landscape around him suddenly changed. He had arrived in a world of natural beauty.
A great beauty stood before him. Her beauty seemed to gather all the colour in the world, making the surroundings pale in comparison.
She was Shangguan Mu’er.
“Mu’er…” Jian Chen was surprised. He looked at the beauty in a daze as the softest, weakest heartstring seemed to be tugged firmly.
“Jian Chen, you’ve roamed the Saints’ World for the sake of greater strength such that we’re almost always separated. You even have to bear the potential pain of becoming separated forever. Jian Chen, just give up on the pursuit of strength. Give up on the Way of the Sword. We can step away from the world and live a peaceful life. How good would that be…” Tears flowed down Shangguan Mu’ers eyes as she looked at him hopefully.
Her pitiful look could melt even the toughest hearts. It was very difficult for anyone to turn her down.
Jian Chen’s mind immediately shook. His will wavered. In that instance, he was almost tempted to agree to Shangguan Mu’er’s request, giving up on his pursuit of strength to retire and settle down for a peaceful life with Shangguan Mu’er.
“Peace isn’t that easy to achieve.” Jian Chen shook his head, “In this world, the strong have always preyed on the weak. Strength is the only thing you can rely on to survive. Without enough strength, living a life of peace is merely wishful thinking.”
“I won’t give up on the Way of the Sword, nor will I give up on the pursuit of strength, as that is what I rely on to survive,” Jian Chen said firmly.
With that, the scene before him shattered. Shangguan Mu’er vanished and so did that wonderful world. He had returned to the white, hazy Path of Swords.
Jian Chen sucked in a deep breath. Determination flooded his eyes, and he took a step forwards boldly, climbing up to the next step.
Afterwards, Jian Chen experienced illusion after illusion. Without any exception, the illusions showed the people he was the closest with. All of them either betrayed Jian Chen, or they were slain in front of him. It was mental torture through various means.
These illusions all touched the softest spots in Jian Chen’s hearts. It was his achilles heel, so he endured unimaginable mental torture as he went through these tests of illusions. His mind had almost collapsed.
The illusions were just too realistic. It was impossible to tell the real from the fake for those who became submerged in them, so Jian Chen was heavily affected. There were several times that he became confused.
“Inner demons. These are all my inner demons…” Jian Chen shut his eyes and felt powerless.
Inner demons were the demons of the mind. They referred to the emotions and desires of a person, the weakest embodiment of a person’s mind.
Jian Chen was no enlightened saint. He had his emotions and desires as well. He had his feelings. All of this would give birth to inner demons.
“The last tests of the Path of Swords are truly brutal. They’ve triggered the demons in the depths of my heart. If my mind wasn’t determined enough, it would have collapsed long ago, and I would have been driven to insanity,” thought Jian Chen. Cold sweat gradually appeared on his forehead.
However, in the next moment, his gaze became determined. He thought, “These are all tests that I must go through along the path to becoming strong. Since I want to reach a higher level of cultivation, I can’t be defeated by my inner demons.”
“My family and friends are indeed my soft side. But that’s all because I’m not powerful enough to protect them. However, when I become a Grand Exalt one day and stand as the sovereign at the very apex of the world, will there still be anyone who dares to threaten me with my friends and family? Once these restraints are gone, the demons in my heart will collapse on their own.” Very soon, Jian Chen became determined, and he continued to climb upwards.
When he reached the next step, the landscape around him changed again. He was brought to a battlefield in outer space.
It was a war between the Saints’ World and the Immortals’ World. Outer space was packed with people. Jian Chen happened to be standing with Tie Ta, Ming Dong, Shangguan Mu’er, Changyang Mingyue, and everyone else he was familiar with, leading the experts of the Tian Yuan clan to war against the Immortals’ World.
He had already become a peak expert of the Saints’ World now.
“It’s the people from the Sword Sect of Violet Heavens. Jian Chen, let’s kill them together,” Tie Ta’s voice rang out from beside Jian Chen.
“The Sword Sect of Violet Heavens!” Jian Chen became dazed and lost.
He had obtained the twin swords, so logically speaking, he belonged to the Sword Sect of Violet Heavens. He belonged to the Immortals’ World, yet at this moment, he was assisting the Saints’ World in dealing with them.
“Retreat!” Jian Chen waved his hand. He did not come into conflict with the people of the Sword Sect of Violet Heavens.
“Jian Chen, what are you doing?” Tie Ta bellowed furiously. Jian Chen was a figure of deterrence on the battlefield. Once he retreated, danger would immediately befall the God clan. They would be completely surrounded by the experts of the Sword Sect of Violet Heavens.
“Kill the War God of the God clan!” Several experts struck out at the same time from the side of the Sword Sect of Violet Heavens in an attempt to kill Tie Ta.
Within the illusion. Tie Ta was not as powerful as Jian Chen had imagined him to be. As a result, he immediately became heavily injured and endangered when he was surrounded by several experts from the Sword Sect of Violet Heavens.
Moreover, even Ming Dong, Shangguan Mu’er, Changyang Mingyue, and so on faced danger.
Jian Chen finally took action at that critical moment, repelling all the experts of the Sword Sect of Violet Heavens.
“Jian Chen, hurry up and kill the experts of the Sword Sect of Violet Heavens. Kill the people of the Immortals’ World. Once they die, the Immortals’ World will suffer great losses, and they’ll no longer be our Saints’ World’s opponent.” Ming Dong and everyone else’s voices rang out nearby.
However, Jian Chen hesitate. He faced a painful dilemma.