CHAPTER 679: SIX HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-NINE, WHERE THE HEART LIES, NIGHTMARES SHALL SHATTER!

"Stop!"

Just as Yun Xiao was sinking into despair, unable to make the slightest move, a cold and clear voice suddenly came from somewhere. A jade hand then swiftly reached out and surprisingly grabbed hold of the long whip that was about to strike Shang Li’s face.

"Is this... Shen Xingmou?"

From that previous voice, Yun Xiao felt an incredible sense of familiarity. As he followed the long whip back to its source, he saw a familiar silhouette. Though her face was still veiled by a thin scarf, he recognized her at first glance as the talented beauty from Star-picking Tower, with whom he had once had skin-to-skin contact: Shen Xingmou!

"Miss Shen Xingmou!"

Seeing this black-clad figure appear, Xue Qi’s expression showed some change, while the tall, thin elder quickly stepped forward, bowing respectfully to Shen Xingmou with exceedingly respectful words.

However, Shen Xingmou did not pay the slightest heed to these two people. As her gaze shifted, those eyes, as cold as the wintry stars, suddenly focused on a certain direction, and she whispered softly, "Don’t worry, with me here, from this day forward, she will suffer no more pain!"

Whoosh!

Even Yun Xiao himself had no idea where he was, but right after Shen Xingmou’s words fell, the scene before him shattered in an instant. Everything, in the end, turned out to be nothing more than an Illusion Realm.

Suddenly coming to his senses, Yun Xiao was momentarily stunned on the spot. The scene just now had been so lifelike that, aside from being unable to move, whether it was his mother, Xue Qi, or even Shen Xingmou and the tall, thin elder, all felt incredibly real.

"It’s another illusion!"

It wasn’t until a long while later that Yun Xiao slowly came back to reality, realizing that the scene just now was nothing but a special Illusion Realm created by Nightmare Hall in response to the deepest obsessions in his heart.

"Could it be that my mother is really in Star-picking Tower?"

Recalling the previous scene, coupled with Shen Xingmou’s last words, Yun Xiao was now unable to discern whether what he had perceived passing through the void was reality, or if it had just been an illusion conjured by Nightmare Hall.

If it was truly an illusory realm, why would Shen Xingmou say that last sentence to him? But if it was seen through the void, Shen Xingmou shouldn’t have been able to see him, right?

All of this made Yun Xiao feel an intense sense of danger towards Nightmare Hall, and his confidence in easily passing through the Nightmare Hall due to his strong Soul Power was completely shaken.

His earlier ease in swiftly passing through Thunder Pool had made Yun Xiao somewhat complacent, but after these two realistic Illusion Realms, he realized he had still underestimated Nightmare Hall.

Jade Pot Sect, his mother, and Shen Xingmou were all pivotal figures in Yun Xiao’s life that he couldn’t let go of in this lifetime. It seemed that Nightmare Hall could peer into the depths of the aspirants’ hearts, selecting a highly realistic Illusion Realm from those clinging obsessions, causing them to lose themselves involuntarily.

Swoosh!

As these thoughts flashed through Yun Xiao’s mind, the previously pitch-black hall changed once again. This time, in front of him stood a domineering man holding a long spear.

"Emperor Canglong!"

To Yun Xiao, this man was anything but a stranger. It was none other than the ruler of the Nine-layered Dragon Cloud, Emperor Canglong, who had slain his previous incarnation, Long Xiao Battle God!

Thinking of a possibility, Yun Xiao’s eyes, which seemed to be peering into the void, turned to a spot not far from him. There, a captivating figure whose beauty was etched into his very bones was slowly materializing.

"Qinwan!"

This was the late Long Xiao Battle God’s wife in his previous life. Unfortunately, at this moment, from Qinwan’s eyes, Yun Xiao could no longer see a trace of affection for him. Instead, there was a strong look of disdain.

"This is... an Illusion Realm!"

For some reason, as Yun Xiao caught sight of Qinwan and Emperor Canglong, a faint and ethereal voice escaped from his lips.

"Die!"

However, Yun Xiao’s voice was not heard by Emperor Canglong and Qinwan within the Illusion Realm. The overbearing ruler of the Nine-layered Dragon Cloud thrust his spear viciously forward, aiming to pierce Yun Xiao’s chest just as before.

"Shatter for me!"

Watching the spear coming closer and closer, Yun Xiao’s eyes were devoid of any ripples, and from his mouth, he simply uttered three words.

Whoosh!

The extremely lifelike Illusion Realm fractured in an instant, and even the figures of Emperor Canglong and Qinwan, as well as the spear thrusting towards him, dispersed into nothing amidst the fragments.

In front of Yun Xiao, darkness returned, clearly indicating that he was back in reality. But he remained motionless for a long time, lost in his thoughts.

"Emperor Canglong, Qinwan, one day, I will level the Emperor Canglong Palace, to seek justice for the former Long Xiao Battle God!"

After some time, Yun Xiao’s throat slightly moved as he spoke these resolute words. Yet, he knew very well that with his current power, Emperor Canglong could probably blow him away with a single breath, couldn’t he?

Yun Xiao knew the principle that a meal should be eaten one bite at a time; at least, the current him would no longer be easily affected by the illusions created by Emperor Canglong and Qinwan.

Or perhaps it could be said that within Yun Xiao’s subconscious, the grudges and urgent sentiments from his past life had been deeply buried, and the relatives and friends of this lifetime were what he cared about most.

Before his strength had reached the level required to avenge his past life, Yun Xiao would never reveal the secret of his soul’s transmigration. He was well aware of how influential Emperor Canglong was within the Nine-layered Dragon Cloud and even throughout the entire Nine Dragons Continent.

At the very least, setting aside the higher Plane of Li Yuan Realm, Emperor Canglong could almost be called the ruler of the Nine Dragons Continent. With just one command, countless top cultivators would sell their lives to serve him.

Moreover, Emperor Canglong’s act of killing a friend to abduct his wife had never been known to outsiders. Years had passed, and even Yun Xiao was unclear about the actual truth of that incident. How had Emperor Canglong distorted it?

"With true heart as your guide, nightmares shatter; congratulations on passing the test of the Nightmare Hall!"

Just as Yun Xiao was immersed in a myriad of feelings, waiting for the next illusion to appear, this voice suddenly emanated from the void within the dark hall, causing him to be taken aback.

"Is that... it? I’ve passed?"

Yun Xiao muttered, but in the next moment, he understood something. It seemed that if the Nightmare Tower ended the illusions, then it wouldn’t count as passing. Only by seeing through the illusion and breaking free from it to regain clarity would there be no further tests.

Whoosh!

The scene shifted like a fleeting star, and Yun Xiao’s eyes brightened. He was no longer in the dark space of the Nightmare Hall, and in front of him, a two-story pavilion appeared quietly and naturally.

"What test is this?"

Due to the seven previous tests each having their unique wonders, even under such a tranquil scene, Yun Xiao did not let his guard down at all, especially since in some cases, the more calm a place, the greater the danger.

For instance, the calm before a storm, or the territories of powerful Vein Demons, weren’t they all quiet at the beginning, followed by lethal danger?

However, this time there were no high walls to either side or behind Yun Xiao, which seemed to indicate that he did not necessarily have to enter the two-story pavilion.

Yet, a pavilion appearing in this place – if he didn’t explore it, it would be a great torment to Yun Xiao’s curiosity.

So in the next moment, Yun Xiao moved forward without much hesitation and directly walked towards the two-story pavilion. Arriving at the entrance, he saw no sign bearing the name of the pavilion.

Creak!

As Yun Xiao pushed open the door, he caught sight of the interior and suddenly felt a sense of familiarity, and his heart chilled as he seemed to understand something.

"Could I still be within the illusions of the Nightmare Tower?"

A thought flashed through Yun Xiao’s mind, because the furnishings he saw were strikingly similar to those in his mother Shang Li’s home when he was in the Shang Family.

Knowing that they were in the Boundary Tower, how could it be possible to encounter decorations identical to the Shang Family? This led Yun Xiao to speculate whether this was a special illusion of the Nightmare Tower.

"Mother..."

Walking past, Yun Xiao touched the familiar tables, chairs, and corners, and a tide of memories surged within him. The yearning for his mother had reached an unparalleled intensity.

After reflecting on his feelings, Yun Xiao was extremely curious about the second floor of the pavilion. He knew that in the courtyard they once lived in, there was only ever one story, never a second.

Tap, tap, tap!

Yun Xiao arrived at the bottom of the stairs, took a deep breath, and then ascended. Just as he stepped onto the second floor, his vision blurred, and his heart tightened.

For there, within Yun Xiao’s line of sight, was the tall silhouette of a person standing with their back to him, and Yun Xiao was certain he had never seen this figure before.

"Could it not be an illusion?"

Seeing the unfamiliar figure, Yun Xiao’s initial suspicions about the illusion began to waver because the previous illusions had all been reflections from his innermost depths.

Using a person he had never seen before to impact him would not likely have any effect. At that moment, Yun Xiao became extremely curious about the appearance of this gaunt figure.

"Yun Xiao, you’ve finally arrived!"

Just as Yun Xiao took a few steps forward, intending to circle in front of the person, the latter slowly turned around, revealing a gaunt face. The words from their mouth were as if they had long known Yun Xiao.

"You... you... who are you..."

For some reason, upon seeing this unfamiliar face, Yun Xiao felt as though his heart had been struck by a heavy hammer, because from that face, he seemed to see a hint of himself.

"Could it be..."

A flash of incredible thought rose from the depths of Yun Xiao’s heart, particularly when sensing the connection emanating from their bloodline. His speculation became even more firmly believed.