Chapter 598 - 357: The Deepest Place

Chapter 598: Chapter 357: The Deepest Place

But if he ended the preview now,

it would mean wasting his last chance for a preview today. Lu Luwei’s situation would be delayed by several hours.

A few hours probably wouldn’t make a big difference.

However, Lu Cang was more concerned about just how profound his opponent’s methods were.

The Moon Sea surged, the bright moon reflected on its surface. In the distance, the giant eyeball dangled down, suspended by black, sinewy nerve-threads.

Lu Cang felt his Spirituality seemingly return with the change in scenery.

He once again looked inside his Sea of Consciousness.

"You’ve finally woken up. I thought you wouldn’t."

Lu Cang asked, "An Su, what’s the situation right now?"

"Heh... A little over an hour ago, all of you fell into a deep sleep."

"It seems to be the work of that fellow in the distance."

"A domain has already formed here. Any creature that enters it will likely fall into an inescapable illusion."

"Still, I didn’t expect you to actually awaken on your own."

Lu Cang paused for a moment.

Then he asked, "An Su, do you think I’ve truly awakened?"

Asked such a question, An Su simply shook its head. "Are you planning to discuss the world’s most profound philosophical question with me?"

"Are we living in a dream, or are we truly real?"

"I can only tell you this: if you were truly in a perfect Illusion Realm, it would be impossible to distinguish reality from falsehood, no matter what method you used..."

"However, a perfect Illusion Realm, one indistinguishable from the real world, is the ultimate goal of an Illusionist. The vast majority of such realms can’t achieve this."

"And any imperfect Illusion Realm is bound to have flaws."

Lu Cang glanced around at the unconscious Leng Qingying and Lu Luwei. "Can I wake them up?"

An Su replied, "You can try."

Lu Cang placed his hand on Lu Luwei’s head and used the Magic, Guidance of the Dying.

WHOOSH—

Faint specks of light began to glow within Lu Luwei’s Sea of Consciousness.

Lu Luwei’s Sea of Consciousness was still... uncontaminated.

’That’s right... as I am right now.’

Lu Cang felt the activation status of his Talents.

The Heaven-Ascending Realm of Perfection’s activation timer had just started.

And he had four uses of Divine Level Future Projection. ’Can I still use Future Preview?’

’If that’s the case...’

Lu Cang slowly closed his eyes.

’Divine Level Future Projection.’

When he opened his eyes again, Lu Cang felt he was already in a state of Future Preview.

Normally, one couldn’t use a preview within another preview.

But now... Lu Cang felt as if he were running two Future Previews simultaneously.

Then...

"My wish is to be in the real world."

Lu Cang made his second wish.

DING—

He felt the wish register.

But it wasn’t granted.

’It seems I’m in an Illusion Realm right now.’

’I’m not sure if I should be glad this wish wasn’t granted.’

’Because if the wish *had* been granted, that too could have been part of the illusion.’

’Instead, the fact that the wish wasn’t granted proves, one way or another, that I’m not in the real world.’

’Just as I thought...’

’I still haven’t escaped.’

’In other words, the effect of this Future Preview is fake.’

"An Su, if you encountered an Illusion Realm where you couldn’t tell what’s real from what’s fake, what would you do?"

An Su replied, "Me? Heh... I would simply enjoy it."

"After all, life is but an experience. If there’s an Illusion Realm so real, what does it matter if you can’t tell the difference?"

This was genuinely what An Su thought.

’Do I still have to deal with it first?’

Date of Death: Year 4095.

This was the Date of Death his eyes currently saw for the entity.

Unsolvable Mystery was constantly in effect.

But strangely, Unsolvable Mystery didn’t seem to have much of an effect on these illusions.

Lu Cang shook his head.

He didn’t act rashly, but sat cross-legged on the deck.

"An Su."

"How much do you know about Illusion Technique? And how much do you know about the Deep Land?"

"What preparations are needed to drag someone into an Illusion Realm? What information is required?"

’I can’t afford to be hasty anymore.’

’Brute force alone won’t be enough to break this stalemate.’

’I need to think.’

’If I only use brute force, I might not be able to break free even when this preview ends...’

"Illusion Technique."

"There are many types of Illusion Technique. Some create afterimages and clones, while others trap people in illusory dreams they can’t escape..."

Lu Cang sat cross-legged just like that.

Meanwhile, An Su explained everything it knew about Illusion Technique.

Most illusion techniques that trap people require some form of guidance...

Generally speaking, a skilled Illusionist will guide the Illusion Realm, gathering key information about the enemy in advance, and gradually lead the target into the Illusion Realm without them noticing.

But the existence of his Talent, Unsolvable Mystery, should theoretically counter Illusion Technique to some extent.

Because it prevents others from probing his information.

According to An Su’s theory, most Illusion Techniques, when used on him, should show numerous flaws.

But... Lu Cang felt that the situation he was in was different from a normal Illusion Technique.

’Then again, Illusion Realms are always meant to be confusing. The information An Su is giving me could also be false.’

’Even if I can see its thoughts and know it’s telling the truth... there’s no guarantee the Illusion Realm itself isn’t entirely fabricated.’

An Su was also deep in thought. "If Illusion Technique is connected to the Deep Land..."

"Heh." ℴℴ𝘮

"If that’s the case, then perhaps... during my Reincarnation cycle, research into the Deep Land has progressed."

"Kid, you said you’ve already encountered two different Illusion Realms."

"How do you think those two Illusion Realms compared to the real world?"

Lu Cang replied, "They felt... very real."

"As far as the world itself, the sensation was authentic."

"But in terms of logic, they were somewhat lacking."

An Su spoke again. "But what if I told you..."

"...that everything that has happened is just your own wishful thinking?"

"Perhaps... no one has ever attacked you."

"You’ve also never met any enemy."

"Perhaps, you simply haven’t found your way out yet."

As An Su finished speaking, Lu Cang’s mind seemed to explode. A new answer presented itself, as if a new door had just been opened.

’I’ve... never been attacked?’

’It’s all in my head?’

’All these Illusion Realms... are just things I imagined?’

WHOOSH—

In that instant, memories flooded his mind like a tidal wave!

The memories from entering the Deep Land during his first preview—memories he shouldn’t have possessed—now surfaced in his mind.

The memories of his Spirituality being corrupted after the first preview, even though they had been erased, resurfaced as well.

In addition, there were the memories of his second exploration of the Deep Land, and the subsequent memories of corruption and erasure that followed.

Now, they all surfaced one by one.

’Was everything... fake?’

SKREEE—

Lu Cang felt the noise around him suddenly intensify. Everything before his eyes blurred. ’Am I falling into an even deeper layer?’

’Or...’

The ringing in his ears gradually subsided, and the scene before his eyes sharpened from a blur into focus.

"The Deep Land is a place that should not exist."

"A place that doesn’t exist, yet does... isn’t that rather strange?"

"It seems you’ve finally woken up."

A voice, like a murmur in a dream, echoed in his mind.

You can see a door opening. It is finally tangible. Go and gaze upon the long-forbidden knowledge.

"Congratulations, you have seen the true face of the Deep Land."

"I am Xin Qianhuan, the guide of the Deep Land. The fact that you see me means you are no longer trapped within your own fantasies."