Chapter 660: Illusory Reality
Chapter 660: Illusory Reality
As Chen Chuan released his hand, he felt himself immersed in a thick, dark sea of water. He stood on a resilient and solid surface, with undulating hills beneath his feet. Looking down, he noticed the same wrinkled, bulging terrain.
He was standing on the body of this mysterious creature.
It was an entity almost entirely hidden by the dark sea, with only the part where he stood emitting a faint glow due to their contact.
At that moment, his second self appeared, seemingly under attack.
Chen Chuan could tell that the attack was being endured by his second self, but he didn't withdraw from this scene, indicating that it wasn't a simulated domain like those in the academy, but a pure connection between minds.
At this moment, he was merely in contact with the object through the medium of a lost item.
This entity might be illusory or real; he couldn't comprehend it yet, but he knew it couldn't be measured by the standards and logic of reality.
Just as he was thinking this, a shadow silently approached him from the dark sea without any warning. In this environment, his senses seemed to fail him until it was too close, and he felt its presence. It had already collided with him.
In that instant, his horizontal strength was unleashed, and a powerful force pushed him sideways. But in the same moment, he perceived the general shape and the path of the oncoming force through their contact.
His body, following the force, tilted slightly, and he braced his elbow. Then, with his other hand, he slashed upward with the Snow Lady Sword, hearing a 'zhee' sound as the blade seemed to slice through a resilient body, and a flash of light appeared before his eyes.
He looked up and saw himself in a slashing stance, not immersed in the thick sea but standing properly inside the tent.
It seemed that with that slash, he had severed the connection with the entity, breaking the mental link.
He pondered for a moment. It didn't seem too challenging. According to Taru, the difficulty should increase based on the combat power he displayed.
But his purpose this time wasn't to train.
He straightened his body, holding the Snow Lady Sword. In that instant of slashing, he did feel something being absorbed by the sword, but it was too subtle for him to notice without paying close attention.
However, proving the method's effectiveness was enough.
He continued, swinging the long sword and returning to the long bone, pressing his hand against it again.
This second attempt was similar to the first, but the entity appeared in multiple places simultaneously, which wasn't a problem for him. With the experience from the first contact, he understood its attack patterns and characteristics and was prepared, making it easier to handle than the previous encounter.
After disconnecting mentally, he clearly felt that the Snow Lady Sword had absorbed more than before.
Moreover, the sword trembled slightly, responding to his conscious inquiry and expressing its eagerness for this object.
With this confirmation, he decided to continue.
Over the next hour, he made over ten attempts. The initially scarce entities became a group, then hundreds, and finally thousands.
This was a different challenge from the first, on a completely different level of difficulty. He estimated that Taru must have retreated at this stage.
Engaging with this entity for an extended period would yield significant benefits, not just in combat experience but also in refining his techniques and strength.
With each kill, the Snow Lady Sword absorbed something, and over time, its spirit and transformed organisms became more active.
However, after a few more attempts, Chen Chuan encountered a new entity. If the previous ones were like fish in the sea, these were unrecognizable monsters with claws and feet, moving swiftly and coordinating with each other, making them more challenging than the previous entities.
But this wasn't his limit; he could still handle them calmly. After another kill, he noticed something on the tent floor—numerous scattered scales.
It seemed that the entity he had just encountered was indeed real, not just a mental projection.
He couldn't help but consider a possibility: if he were killed during mental communication, would he die in reality as well?
He had already sensed that each time he entered and exited, the feeling of the other side became more real, as if he had truly gone there and made contact with those entities. He could also sense a hint of danger.
Taru hadn't mentioned this because no one had ever reached this stage before.
He raised the Snow Lady Sword and examined it. There was a difference here, as the single-lineage elders probably didn't have a weapon like the Snow Lady Sword that could absorb something from that place.
Chen Chuan's suspicions were confirmed; it seemed that the Xue Jun Sword had indeed absorbed something, leading to this unexpected outcome. He decided to proceed with caution if he were to attempt this again.
To his surprise, the sword seemed to have gained significant benefits from the process. Intrigued, he decided to give it another try, curious to see if it would yield any results.
Closing his eyes, he focused his mind for a moment. Then, with a swift motion, he unsheathed the sword and slashed outward, creating a bright gash in the empty space. A dazzling light poured out from within, illuminating the area.
Chen Chuan thrust the sword into the ground and sat down, channeling his mental energy to absorb the essence from the opposite side.
This time, after only ten minutes, he felt something approaching. It then flew out through the rift.
He glanced over and recognized the strange insects he had seen before. With a slight flash in his eyes, they began to fall from above, landing with a series of loud thuds on the ground.
Reaching into his bag, he took out a potted plant, a pest-repelling plant produced by Lu Yuan Ecosystem Company. These plants were effective in keeping those insects at bay.
The plant was a complimentary gift when he purchased this tent. These insects were particularly prevalent in Central City, almost everywhere, making such items a necessity for travel.
With no further interruptions, an hour passed quickly. Compared to the previous attempt, the rift remained open and only gradually closed after another twenty minutes or so.
Chen Chuan realized that besides the Xue Jun Sword's self-improvement, the absorption of those insects must have played a role.
Seeing the positive results, he decided to continue the experiment, despite the perceived danger. He believed it was manageable.
After a thorough review, he sheathed the Xue Jun Sword and collected the insect remains into a bag. He packed up the tent and placed it in the car, then drove back towards the city.
During the drive, he contemplated the sensitivity of the rift. For safety, it would be best to change locations each time he attempted to cut through it. Perhaps the next attempt could be made at sea?
However, the nearby coastal area was either occupied by various companies' experimental fields or infested with combat creatures underwater. To travel far enough, the round trip would be too time-consuming.
Suddenly, an idea came to him, a solution that could avoid many complications and be more convenient and discreet.
The sky.
Renting a small airship and practicing in the sky would allow him to travel far enough in a short time, and the rift he created would be less likely to be discovered.
Chen Chuan remembered that Pan Xiaode's family owned an airship company. He could inquire about it with him.
After considering this, he contacted Pan Xiaode once he was back within the Central City's field range.
The connection was established quickly, and Pan Xiaode's enthusiastic voice came through, "Chen, is that you? No, I should call you Teacher Chen now! What can I do for you? I'm at your service!"
Chen Chuan smiled and explained that he needed a small airship.
"A small airship? Of course! You want to rent one? That's too much trouble. I have one ready to go. It originally belonged to my brother, but he joined the military and left it to me. I later ordered a new one, so this old one has been sitting idle.
If you don't mind, you can just take it and use it as long as you like. I have the crew ready to go."
Chen Chuan was pleased with this arrangement and thanked Pan Xiaode.
"Don't mention it," Pan Xiaode replied. "I'll make the arrangements right away. If you're free tomorrow, come to this address..." He sent an address to Chen Chuan.
Chen Chuan checked the address and agreed to come the next day.
After the agreement, he returned to Xuan Gong Tower and reviewed the incoming information. There were no messages from the academy or any students. He browsed through the fringe channels, keeping an eye on the arena tournament's progress, and then rested before heading to the training ground for his cultivation.
The next morning, Chen Chuan drove his Gadder Car to the southwest of Central City, where Pan Xiaode was waiting for him at an airship warehouse.
Pan Xiaode greeted him enthusiastically and led him inside, where a thirty-meter-long silver airship was docked, with a spacious landing tower nearby.
...
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(End of Chapter)
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