I just became the Pirate King, and you're telling me I also time-traveled at the same time.

Chapter 633 Illusory Mind Realm

At the command of Daoist Duobao, all the disciples sat cross-legged, closed their eyes, and entered a state of spiritual tranquility.

Then everyone took out the receiver and immersed their will into it.

Taiyi Zhenren and Yuding Zhenren also pretended to close their eyes, but secretly released their primordial spirit power to carefully explore the surrounding situation.

Instead of entering the Dao Realm immediately, they observed it for the time being. In any case, there was no requirement to enter immediately at this stage, so it wouldn't matter if they entered a little later!

The Illusory Realm, as the name suggests, is a world full of illusions.

Here, the disciples will encounter all sorts of trials, which may include wealth and honor, stunning beauty, or overwhelming power.

Only by staying true to oneself and not being misled by these illusions can one successfully pass the test.

It's also possible that some future events will occur within the illusion, which is then depicted in advance.

Taiyi Zhenren and Yuding Zhenren, like two lurking venomous snakes, coldly observed the reactions of the other disciples after they entered the Illusionary Mind Realm.

Instead of rushing in, they observed with great interest, trying to glean some secrets of the Illusory Mind Realm from the changes in the disciples' expressions.

"Senior brother, look! Qiongxiao's face has turned green with anger. Could it be that someone stole her opportunity in the illusion?"

Taiyi Zhenren winked and transmitted his voice, his tone carrying a hint of schadenfreude.

Master Yu Ding frowned slightly and said in a deep voice, "Don't talk nonsense. Qiong Xiao's strength is not bad. However, this Illusionary Mind Realm is indeed strange. Look at that bear demon, he's actually laughing like a fool..."

They noticed that the disciples who entered the Illusionary Mind Realm had different expressions on their faces, showing joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness, as if they were experiencing all aspects of life.

Some people looked blissfully ecstatic, as if they were in a paradise of pleasure; others looked distressed, as if they were in trouble; still others even wept bitterly, as if they had experienced a life-or-death separation.

"It seems that this illusion is likely created based on what each person desires deepest in their heart."

Master Yu Ding analyzed, "To pass the test, one must adhere to one's true nature and not be misled by these illusions."

"This illusionary state is very strange. Why don't we have one of us go in and explore first, while the other observes from the outside? That way, we can keep each other company."

Taiyi Zhenren transmitted his voice, his tone tinged with caution.

Master Yuding pondered for a moment, then nodded: "Very well, you may go in first. Remember, be careful in everything you do."

Taiyi Zhenren responded and condensed his primordial spirit power into a thin thread, probing into the receiver.

In an instant, he felt everything go black before his eyes, and then he found himself in a state of chaos.

Surrounded by clouds and mist, the scenery was ever-changing and unpredictable.

Soon, the clouds and mist dissipated, and a magnificent golden palace appeared before him.

He was dressed in the emperor's dragon robe, sitting upright in the Golden Palace, receiving the thunderous homage of civil and military officials.

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

Taiyi Zhenren's heart was filled with alarm bells; he knew this was an illusion.

Despite the uncanny realism of the illusion, even the air itself seemed to reek of power, he remained clear-headed.

"Hmph, a mere trick!"

Taiyi Zhenren sneered inwardly, sat cross-legged, and silently recited the Three Pure Ones' Heart-Cleansing Mantra.

The imperial palace, the dragon robes, the officials—all gradually distorted, like melting wax figures, until finally vanished into nothingness.

Immediately afterwards, he was tested by a honey trap.

A multitude of beauties, some plump and some slender, surrounded him, their voices soft and their eyes alluring.

These are no ordinary beauties; each one is a fairy or celestial being skilled in the art of seduction. Even a Great Luo Golden Immortal might not be able to resist their allure!

Taiyi Zhenren remained unmoved, silently reciting Taoist scriptures to dispel these temptations one by one.

Subsequently, he also experienced the test of family ties.

He saw himself surrounded by his children and grandchildren, enjoying the bliss of family life.

However, Taiyi Zhenren remained unmoved, knowing that it was all just an illusion.

As the illusion progresses through different layers, the difficulty increases.

He even saw his former close friends and fellow disciples now turned against each other, swords drawn.

Among them were Cihang Daoren and Wenshu Daoren, who betrayed the Jie Sect at a crucial moment.

Taiyi Zhenren felt a slight tremor in his heart, but quickly regained his composure. He understood that the purpose of this illusion was to disturb his mind and cause him to lose himself.

He took a deep breath, suppressed all his emotions, and continued forward.

After an unknown amount of time, Taiyi Zhenren arrived at a desolate desert.

Under the blazing sun, amidst a sky full of yellow sand, the heat was unbearable.

Just then, he saw an oasis appear ahead.

In the oasis, springs gurgle, trees are lush, birds sing and flowers bloom, it is like a fairyland.

Taiyi Zhenren was overjoyed and hurried towards the oasis.

However, just as he was about to step into the oasis, he suddenly stopped.

Because he saw a figure sitting cross-legged in the center of the oasis.

The figure, dressed in a Taoist robe, with white hair and a youthful face, exuding an air of otherworldly grace, was none other than his master—Yuanshi Tianzun.

"Disciple pays respects to Master!" Taiyi Zhenren immediately knelt down and bowed respectfully.

Yuanshi Tianzun nodded slightly and said, "Taiyi, you have done very well. You have passed the test of the Illusionary Mind Realm."

"Get up." The voice was gentle and kind, exactly the same as the voice of Master Taiyi in his memory.

Master Taiyi was so moved that he almost shed tears.

He suppressed his doubts and respectfully asked, "Master, how can I leave this Illusory Realm?"

"Now that you have passed the test, you may leave."

The "Primordial Celestial Venerable" smiled, a glint of cunning flashing in his eyes. "However... there is another opportunity. Are you willing to accept it?"

Master Taiyi's doubts deepened. An opportunity?

How could there be any opportunity in this illusory state of mind?

Just as he was about to ask more questions, he saw the "Primordial Celestial Venerable" in front of him suddenly change his appearance and transform into the powerful demon race who had long since perished in the primordial world—Donghuang Taiyi!

The figure of Donghuang Taiyi was even more majestic and domineering than before, his eyes burning with a fierce fire of hatred. He laughed maniacally, "Taiyi! You are a disciple of the Three Pure Ones! Back then, when my demon race fought against the witch race, it was because of the sage's scheme! Today, I will make you pay with your life!"

Before he finished speaking, Donghuang Taiyi raised the Donghuang Bell high and slammed it down hard on Taiyi Zhenren!

This sudden turn of events was something even the Great Master Taiyi had not anticipated.

The image of "Yuanshi Tianzun" was so realistic that it was almost exactly the same as his master in his memory, which made him lower his guard.

"boom!"

The Eastern Emperor Bell crashed down with earth-shattering force. Taiyi Zhenren was unable to dodge in time and was struck hard. He immediately spat out blood and flew backward like a kite with a broken string.

Donghuang Taiyi was a demon emperor, a quasi-saint at the peak of his power. How could Taiyi Zhenren be his opponent?

"Cough cough..."

Taiyi Zhenren struggled to his feet, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, his heart filled with shock and anger.

He never imagined that such a dangerous killing intent was hidden within this illusionary mind realm!

Donghuang Taiyi sneered and raised the Donghuang Bell again, preparing to deliver a fatal blow to Taiyi Zhenren.

"You want to kill me? Not so easy!" Taiyi Zhenren roared, summoning the Nine Dragons Divine Fire Cover, which transformed into a wall of fire in front of him.

The Eastern Emperor Bell slammed down hard onto the Nine Dragons Divine Fire Cover, producing a deafening roar.

The Nine Dragons Divine Fire Cover trembled violently, its flames flickering, and it nearly shattered.

Taiyi Zhenren was pale. He knew he was no match for Donghuang Taiyi and had to find a way to escape.

Although the Nine Dragons Divine Fire Cover was the prized magic weapon of the Taiyi Zhenren, it was still as fragile as paper in front of the Donghuang Zhong, a supreme innate treasure.

Each impact caused Taiyi Zhenren's blood and qi to surge, disrupting the immortal power within his body.

"Am I destined to perish here today?"

Taiyi Zhenren felt a bitter taste in his mouth. He was a disciple of the Sage and one of the Twelve Golden Immortals of the Chan Sect. Now he was going to fall into this illusion.

Just then, Donghuang Taiyi let out a deafening roar, and the Donghuang Bell in his hand shone brightly once more, smashing down on Taiyi Zhenren!

Taiyi Zhenren closed his eyes in despair, awaiting death.

However, the expected excruciating pain did not come.

Master Taiyi opened his eyes in confusion, only to see the Eastern Emperor Bell hovering in mid-air, no more than three inches above his head, yet strangely still.

Moreover, Master Taiyi also noticed that the light on the Eastern Emperor Bell seemed to have dimmed considerably compared to before.

The figure of Donghuang Taiyi also became somewhat illusory, as if it might disappear at any moment.

"Something's wrong! There's something wrong with this Donghuang Taiyi!"

Taiyi Zhenren was, after all, a powerful expert at the level of a Great Luo Golden Immortal, with extremely rich combat experience, and he instantly noticed the abnormality.

He suddenly looked up, staring intently at Donghuang Taiyi, his eyes flashing with a sharp light: "You are not the real Donghuang Taiyi! Tell me, what exactly are you?!"

The figure of Donghuang Taiyi swayed slightly, as if Taiyi Zhenren had seen through his true form. A hint of panic flashed in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure and sneered, "Taiyi, don't spout nonsense! I am Donghuang Taiyi, and today I will avenge my demon race!"

Before he finished speaking, Donghuang Taiyi once again activated the Donghuang Bell and smashed it down towards Taiyi Zhenren.

However, this time, the power of the Eastern Emperor Bell was significantly weaker than before, even less so than in the previous attacks.

Taiyi Zhenren became even more certain of his guess: this Donghuang Taiyi was definitely a fake!

"Hmph! Playing tricks!" Taiyi Zhenren snorted coldly, no longer dodging, but instead took the initiative to rush towards Donghuang Zhong.

"Break!" Taiyi Zhenren roared, his immortal power surging wildly within him, and he unleashed a punch that slammed heavily onto the Donghuang Bell.

"boom!"

With a loud bang, the Eastern Emperor Bell trembled violently, and cracks appeared on the seemingly indestructible bell wall!

"How is this possible?!" Donghuang Taiyi exclaimed in surprise, his eyes filled with disbelief.

Although Taiyi Zhenren's punch seemed reckless, it contained his ultimate control over power and precise timing. In addition, since this Donghuang Taiyi was not his true form, his strength was greatly reduced, which is why Taiyi Zhenren was able to break through his defenses in one fell swoop.

"Break!" Taiyi Zhenren pressed his advantage, unleashing another punch that struck the wall of the Eastern Emperor Bell.

"Snap!"

The Eastern Emperor Bell finally succumbed to the attack of the Taiyi Zhenren and shattered into countless fragments that dissipated into the air.

"puff!"

The figure of Donghuang Taiyi also disappeared along with it.

The moment Donghuang Taiyi shattered, the world seemed like a crumpled piece of silk, twisted and folded, then suddenly flattened. Taiyi Zhenren felt a dizzying sensation, and when he opened his eyes again, he was already in the square in front of Biyou Palace on Jin'ao Island.

The surrounding area was bustling with noise as a group of disciples of the Jie Sect sat together, discussing their experiences in the Illusionary Mind Realm.

A disciple, beaming with excitement, gesticulated wildly, spitting as he spoke: "Senior brother, I've broken through! I spent three thousand years in the illusion, experiencing countless life-or-death situations, only to be instantly killed by a mysterious attack during the Investiture of the Gods! I need to cultivate quickly now; I have a feeling I'll break through soon!!"

Another disciple patted his chest with lingering fear: "You're really lucky, kid! I almost succumbed to it. If I hadn't improved my resolve at the last moment, I probably would have been trapped in that inner demon forever and gone mad!"

The other disciples also recounted their extraordinary encounters. Many disciples quickly sat cross-legged to cultivate, while others embraced each other with tears in their eyes, as if they had experienced life and death during this illusionary experience.

Of course, some disciples were directly entangled by their inner demons, and if it weren't for Chu Yang's rescue, they...

However, the disciples who were entangled by their inner demons were sent back to their caves directly after Chu Yang pushed them out of the Illusionary Mind Realm, which meant that they lost their qualification to continue participating in the competition.

Master Taiyi rubbed his temples, recalling his own experiences, and didn't think these disciples were exaggerating at all.

He has indeed been through a lot.

Moreover, in the illusion, he also calculated that more than three hundred years had passed. Apart from those experiences, he had been cultivating continuously for the past three hundred years, and to his delight, his strength had also increased to a certain extent!

Just then, a familiar voice rang in his ear: "Junior Brother Taiyi, how are you? What exactly happened inside?"

The one who spoke was Master Yuding. He looked at Master Taiyi with concern and a hint of worry in his eyes.

"How long did I stay inside this time?" Taiyi Zhenren did not answer directly, but asked in return.

"It took less than six hours in total," Master Yuding replied.

"Six hours... but within the illusion, I experienced three hundred years!"

Taiyi Zhenren frowned and muttered to himself.

"Junior brother, what's wrong?" Master Yu Ding asked, noticing that he hadn't answered but instead looked at him with concern. Upon closer inspection, he also noticed something amiss: "Eh? Your cultivation seems to have improved?"

As fellow disciples, Master Yuding was quite familiar with Taiyi's situation, and was somewhat surprised to see that Master Taiyi's aura seemed to have become stronger.

Taiyi Zhenren did not hide anything and briefly told Yuding Zhenren about his encounter with the illusion of Donghuang Taiyi in the illusion, as well as how he saw through the illusion and destroyed it.

Upon hearing this, Master Yuding couldn't help but exclaim, "Junior Brother is indeed remarkable; he was actually able to see through the illusion of the Illusionary Mind Realm!"

Taiyi Zhenren waved his hand and said, "Senior brother, you flatter me. I was just lucky. Although this illusion is realistic, it is ultimately an illusion. As long as we maintain our true nature and are not deceived by it, we can find the flaw."

"Alright, senior brother, you don't need to wait any longer. Go in and take a look!"

"Alright, then I'll leave this place to you, Junior Brother!" (End of Chapter)