Chapter 300: Illusory Space (Part 2)

“Here, kid, take this. If you don’t reach the Yin Huang realm this time, don’t even think about coming back to see us old men!” Seeing that things on Andrews’ end had been settled and Rod was about to enter the Illusory Space, the Ninth Elder spoke up. He made sure to remind Rod not to forget giving this item—otherwise, not only would he have no explanation when they met again, but these old folks here would never spare him!
Smiling, he tossed a jade box to Rod. The Ninth Elder truly liked this young guy from the bottom of his heart.
Of course, Rod also had a good impression of him—honest and straightforward, unlike those outside who were petty and hid their true intentions, ready to stab you in the back at any moment. Such people were exactly the kind Rod tried to avoid at all costs.
“This isn’t an ordinary Li Xuan Dan. Even two ordinary Li Xuan Dans can’t compare to just one of these! Cherish it well. Try to reach the Yin Huang realm, and then head to the Scorpion King clan. Someone there will guide you on what to do!” The Sixth Elder, who usually spoke little, spoke in a deep voice, his eyes filled with a hint of reluctance and fondness.
Seeing his expression, Rod guessed this item must be related to the Sixth Elder—otherwise, why such a sorrowful look? Could it be that it originally belonged to him and was now forced upon Rod? Anyway, it was still a gain for him. Judging from the Sixth Elder’s reaction, this was no ordinary item. Could anything that caught his attention be simple?
“Alright, time is running out. Hurry in!” The attendant beside them reminded them at this moment. It was the first time the attendant had spoken, his voice dull and carrying a hint of coldness, making Rod glance at the elderly man a few more times.
After learning Rod’s identity and understanding the situation, these people treated him with respect, though some seemed aloof—probably just because they didn’t know how to express themselves.
Nodding, Rod carefully stored the jade box. The pills inside were extraordinary. Since two Li Xuan Dans couldn’t compare to just one, their value was evident. Such pills must be extremely rare even in the Netherworld. They needed to be kept carefully and not wasted unless it was absolutely necessary—that was Rod’s thought.

He cast one last deep glance at the core of the Netherworld, then glanced at the dark town once more before taking a deep breath and resolutely stepping through the door that appeared out of thin air. It seemed effortless, but in truth, Rod didn’t know what to say. Though he had only been here for a short time, he had learned so much and experienced so much that his mindset had changed—he had come to regard this place as his own home, a haven after years of wandering. Leaving now was inevitably bittersweet.

As soon as he stepped through, Rod disappeared into the Netherworld. Everything around him continued to twist and change, and the entire door vanished. Silence returned to the world, as if nothing had happened, as if Rod had never been there at all—profoundly mysterious.

“I hope this kid won’t disappoint us!” Andrew sighed as he stared in the direction Rod had disappeared. Rod, the hope of the troll race—he could only pray for him in his heart.

“He’s Emerson’s son! The Solomon clan will never disappoint the troll race!” said the Sixth Elder softly. Clearly, his words were met with agreement from the others, who all nodded. Speaking of Emerson, his expression became somewhat unnatural, as if recalling something or being wary of something, prompting speculation.

“Well, it’s time for us old folks to go back and get ready. The time for our troll race to rise again is approaching. Hehe, the Source of Darkness, the continent—wait for our return!” Waving his hand to signal everyone to leave, Andrew instructed them that staying here would be useless. What they needed to do now was go back and make all the preparations. Once Rod’s task was completed, it would be their turn to reappear before the world. There was much to do and prepare!

“Come with me, kid. Don’t worry—your master won’t die, and I won’t eat you. What are you, a soul entity, afraid of? Hurry up and follow!” Andrew then turned to Fen Tian, who was complaining unhappily, as if Fen Tian had lost his wisdom since Rod left. He stared blankly at the entrance to the illusory space, lost in thought.

Hearing Andrew’s call, though reluctant, Fen Tian had no choice but to follow.

The next moment, the group slowly walked forward, leaving the core area of the dark town.

On the other side, as Rod stepped through that gate, he felt the world around him constantly changing. It was as if he had been drawn into a vortex—everything spun wildly, leaving him dizzy and disoriented, with all surroundings blurred as if moving backward at high speed!
He didn’t know how much time passed. Just when Rod was about to give up, everything finally stopped. Only then did he exhale in relief. His whole body still felt weightless, as if he were a piece of paper suspended in midair.
In just one day, he had to obtain what he wanted. He couldn’t waste this opportunity, nor could he let the people of the Netherworld or his father be disappointed in him. During those one month inside, his most basic goal was to reach the Yin Yellow Realm; beyond that, how much he could achieve depended on himself.
Once everything stabilized, Rod looked around. What he saw sent shockwaves through his mind.
This was the Illusory Space? Indeed, it was utterly illusory. The scenery around him couldn’t even be called real scenes—it was all fictional. Nothing seemed to be genuine!
Though there were mountains, waters, green trees, birds, white clouds, gentle breezes, and even the roars of wild beasts, which sounded very real, upon closer inspection, everything turned out to be illusory.
Take those mountains, for example. At first glance, they seemed utterly real, but upon closer look, they were mere illusions—how could they be real? A gentle breeze would cause them to sway, like reflections, dissipating with just a puff of wind.
As for the waters, they too were fake. They looked real, but when Rod crouched down and put his hand in, he found he was touching air, even though his hand seemed to be truly submerged in water.
And those trees—when the wind blew, they twisted, like phantoms shifting with the wind. Phantoms… Yes, could all of this be phantoms? This was the Illusory World.
Thinking of this, Rod’s eyes filled with disbelief. It was too exaggerated. It far exceeded his imagination. Truly, it lived up to its name—Illusory Space.

Rod quietly sensed everything around him. He knew that the purpose of this virtual space was not for others to practice, but to allow them to experience everything here, to gain insights. Once they reached the advanced perfected stage of the divine realm, mere training and stimulation would no longer be enough to help them break through. To reach the next level, they needed insights and understanding.

To understand life, to comprehend all things, to experience everything in the world—only by doing so could the soul be deepened and refined.

The biggest difference between entering the Yin Huang realm and reaching the divine realm was the strength of the soul and the elevation of one’s state of mind, achieving a transcendent level—this was the most obvious sign. Undoubtedly, Rod’s soul had reached a terrifying level after enduring the thunder calamity, fully meeting the requirements of the Yin Huang realm’s soul. This indirectly made his breakthrough easier. What he needed now was the refinement of his mind; once his mind reached that level, everything would fall into place naturally.

The effect of this virtual space was undoubtedly to help one gain insights and understanding. With this in mind, Rod calmed his heart, silently reciting “Meditating on the Mind” to maintain an extremely peaceful state of mind. Then, with an appreciative gaze, he observed everything around him, noting their changes and inner mysteries.

As a result, Rod became unhurried. He walked slowly forward, enjoying the virtual space as if on a leisurely journey.

The landscapes were enchanting—lush trees, fragrant flowers, and the songs of birds. If this were a real world, it would drive countless people crazy, Rod thought to himself as he looked around.

……

Green mountains and clear waters, a cloudless sky—on such a perfect day, on a lush green grassland, a figure walked slowly along the riverbank. He didn’t walk fast, but he exuded a sense of detachment from the mundane world. His calm face revealed nothing of his thoughts, and it was unclear what he was thinking, yet those who saw his face couldn’t help but be drawn to it. Transcendent, elegant—these words seemed fitting to describe his face, especially his presence. If one hadn’t seen him, it would be impossible to imagine such presence even with eyes closed.

Although he appeared somewhat disheveled, all of that was overshadowed by his aura, allowing people to overlook it.

“Which day is it now? Hehe, how nice it would be if things could stay like this!” Suddenly, that voice stopped by the bank of the stream, lying on the grass and murmuring to himself as he gazed at the beautiful sky.
This person was Rod, the one who had entered the Illusory Space. He was still inside that space, and he no longer knew how many days had passed. Since entering, Rod had wandered around with the intention of exploring the surroundings.
Along the way, he had passed through primeval forests, towering mountains, reached the sea, and even deserts. Now he had arrived at a grassland—a truly beautiful place! Having traveled through so many places, he had undergone tremendous changes without even realizing it. Yet he wasn’t aware of any of this at all; everything seemed to have become completely normal over time.
At this moment, Rod’s overall aura had also changed drastically. If he were to stand in front of acquaintances again, even if they couldn’t see his face, they would never guess that he was Rod.