Another Illusion?

Zhang Baichi did not even have time to read the system's second message and could only remember the information that this experience would be even worse compared to accessing the information within Spiritual Jades.

The moment he touched the Demonic Treasure, his vision went white, and his mind went blank.

It was like he had forgotten everything around him in that instant, as the Demonic Treasure once again tried to take over his mind and body.

An eternity passed in an instant and Zhang Baichi opened his eyes in an utterly confused state; He did not know what happened before him, nor where he was, or even what he was doing here.

The only thing he could remember were thousands upon thousands of dead people and their terror-stricken expressions.

Each person's face flashed before his mind's eye like a memory, and with each passing, he felt bloodlust and extasy course through his mind and body.

He felt an exhilaration that he could not even describe with words. Something like this had never happened to him before.

Still, there was nothing around him other than these feelings.

A short while later, Zhang Baichi seemed to come to, and looked shocked. Once again, he remembered things that weren't his own memories.

It suddenly struck him, that he was still in front of the Demonic Treasure within the Beastwilds Mystic Realm.

Surprisingly, though, there was no pain like the system had warned him about. In fact, he was feeling oddly well. Like he had just woken up for a few hours of relaxing sleep, a calming and relaxing satisfaction.

He glanced around to assess his situation; The Demonic Treasure was in his hands. Its weird, disgusting little skulls rattling with each movement.

The altar with symbols inscribed into it was still there as well, and Zhang Baichi still stood atop a literal mountain of skeletal remains and dried blood.

Nothing had changed, and it seems that the Demonic Treasure had not influenced him in the slightest. Nor was he injured, or subjected to immense pain, or anything of the likes.

However, Zhang Baichi could not shake off the feeling that something was wrong. After all, this was the first time, that the system had made a false prediction about something.

'System, what happened? And how long was I out for?', he questioned, not daring to relax.

[You have successfully subdued the Demonic Treasure. Three hours have passed since you first touched it.]

'…I subdued it?', Zhang Baichi frowned. A time of three hours was fine, but why could he not remember what had happened before?

[A confrontation between a cultivator and a spiritual treasure happens within a deep spiritual connection. It is impossible to know what happened from the outside if there are not physical responses.]

Zhang Baichi could imagine what was meant by that. In his past life, he had read many stories about cultivators being influenced by powerful objects. It was often described how their bodies would shake, or some aura would be emitted by them.

If there were observers, then these happenings were the only way for them to tell what the cultivator in contact with the object was going through.

'I see… Well, it does not matter. I managed to subdue the Demonic Treasure, so the danger of losing my vital blood essence is gone. Then, what should I do next? There's still no exit.', Zhang Baichi spoke in his mind.

[With the danger gone, the easiest way to escape the Dragon God Sacred Realm is to wait for the remaining time until the next opening or closing of the Sacred Realm to pass. Any person not native to the Sacred Realm will then be transported outside by the Laws governing the Sacred Realm, including all of their possessions.]

Before entering the Beastwilds Mystic Realm, Jian Wubai, the Sect Master of the Fleeting Storm Sword Sect and Zhang Baichi's Master, had told their group that an expedition into the Mystic Realm would always last one month.

After that month, everyone would be transported outside, may they be dead or alive. Even if they had been eaten by some Demonbeasts, their remains would still be transported out.

No one from the three great sects could explain how this was happening, but anything that was not native to the Mystic Realm would always be expelled after exactly one month. There have never been any exceptions.

'In that case, I'll just have to stay here for about two weeks, huh?', Zhang Baichi thought. This situation wasn't good for him.

He did not know what had happened to Yu Hao or Lu Zheng, nor did he know how the rest of the disciples of their sect were doing.

If worse came to worse, they would be in danger in a fight against Xiao Xueling and the members of the Willow Tree Pavilion.

Zhang Baichi could only hope that they would remain still within the underground chamber; That way they would at least not have to worry about any Demonbeasts.

'System, what happened to Lu Zheng and Yu Hao?', Zhang Baichi asked, part absentmindedly, and part concerned.

[The teleportation formations entered by Lu Zheng and Yu Hao did not lead to the same place. Their whereabouts are currently unknown.]

Zhang Baichi frowned again. From the looks of it, these teleportation formations were not meant to grant someone any great opportunity but were rather used as prisons to lock dangerous things, or maybe even being, away.

Thus, Yu Hao and Lu Zheng could be in life threatening danger. Zhang Baichi looked around; There had to be something he could do. 'System, is there anything, or anyone close to me?'

[There is no one in the vicinity.]

This answer was expected since there was nothing as far as Zhang Baichi could see. However, it was also a fact that Zhang Baichi could not see an end to this place.

He could not tell how far out the bones and blood were going, and how many there must be.

'System, what is this place, actually? I was teleported here, but since it's still within the Mystic Realm, there must be an end to this place. Is it possible to destroy the outer walls?', Zhang Baichi questioned in a flat tone while glancing around.

The situation he was in was not very good, especially since he was seemingly trapped. Moreover, something about the whole Mystic Realm was making him feel suspicious.

Before, he thought it was a trap that only Body Forging Cultivators could enter the Mystic Realm, but now that he had seen the Demonic Treasure for himself, it was more likely to be a prison than a trap.

Why was there a restriction, then?

[The three sealed chambers are separate, interspatial rooms within the Dragon God Sacred Realm. They are not designed to ever be left once one has entered. The only way to escape is for the Laws governing the Sacred Realm to transport one out.]

Zhang Baichi read the system's comment and stretched his back. "I see… But I can't stand being able to do nothing. If I have to wait for another two weeks, I might as well try to find a way out myself."

Without waiting for another reply, Zhang Baichi began walking down the mountain of blood and bones and wandered into a random direction away from it.

There was nothing more for him to ask from the system, especially where there was no clear answer.

For a long while, Zhang Baichi heard nothing but the crunching sound of bones being crushed under his feet.

"Zhang Baichi…"

He had wandered for hundreds of miles in the same direction without ever finding anything, when he suddenly heard someone called out his name.

Startled, Zhang Baichi looked around, but was unable to make out any source for the sound he heard.

A few seconds later, he heard someone call out his name once again, and once again, he was unable to make out the source.

'System, what's going on? Is it another illusion?' Zhang Baichi face was calm, but cautious.

[There is something that is trying to disturb your mind. Do not listen to it!]

The system warned him, but Zhang Baichi's expression only grew colder. "Is that so?"

He looked down to the bracelet made of skulls in his hand and spoke in a cold voice. "Do you know what I hate the most?"

There was no answer, but Zhang Baichi continued, nonetheless. "Whenever I ask the system something, the first thing I hear is that obnoxious 'Ding!'. Every, single, time. It's quite funny, actually; You managed to read my mind, and even copied the way it communicates with me, but you couldn't copy that 'Ding!'."

Even before his voice fell, an unbelievably dark aura of pure evil exploded out of the Demonic Treasure, trying to drown Zhang Baichi in its might.

The pressure weighed down on Zhang Baichi like a mountain, crushing the bones and ground beneath his feet and sending chips of bone and dried blood flying everyone.

Yet, even under this pressure, Zhang Baichi grit his teeth and smiled viciously. "You f*cking piece of junk think… that you can control me… just like this?!"

The bracelet in his hand had already wound around his arm and up to his shoulder, even coiling around his neck.

"Zhang Baichi!" Two voices called out at once, with relief and eagerness.

Zhang Baichi's right hand now held his old steel sword, while the left side of his body was entangled in the skull bracelet.

There were wounds all over his body, and Zhang Baichi's face twisted in pain as he grabbed the beaded skulls around his neck with his left hand, pulling them down and to the side.

In front of him stood Yu Hao and Lu Zheng, both of them also covered in injuries of varying degrees and looking exhausted.

Obviously, the wounds on their bodies came from a sword, as did the wounds covering Zhang Baichi's body.

[Ding! Host has successfully escaped an illusion of the Spiritual Ascension Realm for the second time.]

[Ding! Congratulations, Host, for surviving an encounter with the Demonic Treasure.]