The Post Sky Tipping Era
Chapter 91 - 76: Seeing The True Self (Alliance Leader Bonus: alpina)

Chapter 91: Chapter 76: Seeing The True Self (Alliance Leader Bonus: alpina)

Zhang Zhixiong raised his voice to stop Li Yi, fearing that this young man might give in to the tender land of delusion until death. Although he didn’t know Li Yi personally, Li Yi was also from the investigation agency; he had to save him when necessary and could not just stand by and watch Li Yi march towards his death.

His voice also awakened others, and many Skull People nearby turned to look over in unison.

"I’m not going to kill myself, I think I’ve figured out a way that might help us break free from this illusion." Li Yi stopped, then turned back and said earnestly.

"Really?"

Zhang Zhixiong was startled for a moment, "What way have you thought of? Quick, tell us."

At this moment, not just him, but the team leader Zhang Lei nearby also opened his hollow eyes slightly and glanced over in their direction.

Li Yi explained, "I recognize the mural on this wall, it’s called the White Bone Temple, and the appearance of this illusion is not to kill us but a test. As long as we pass the test, we will be able to escape the illusion and return to reality. Of course, if we cannot pass the test within a certain time, we will end up like those before us, our flesh decaying, leaving only bones."

"Similarly, in reality, our consciousness will dissipate, and we’ll become nothing but dead bodies."

"White Bone Temple? Li Yi, continue, how do we pass the test?" Zhang Lei immediately asked.

Li Yi said, "The first method is to see the beauty as bones, and bones as the beauty, achieving a state of desirelessness and fearlessness. If we can do this, we can instantly leave the illusion."

"See beauty as bones, and bones as the beauty, desireless and fearless?"

The crowd murmured Li Yi’s words, feeling the simplicity of the statement belied an ultimate wisdom that deserved deep reflection.

"So that’s how it is, I understand now."

Suddenly, Master Pete from Sanqing Mountain came forward and said, "This illusion is testing our mental fortitude. When faced with the beauties within the illusion, we cannot avoid them. They represent our inner desires, and we need to confront these desires until they completely disappear."

"Similarly, the skulls in the illusion represent fear, the fear of death. We need to overcome this fear of death to achieve a state of desirelessness and fearlessness."

"Overcome inner desires and fear? Master Pete, what you’re saying makes sense. It’s exactly because we’ve reduced the fear of death that the decay of our flesh has slowed down. If we can completely overcome it, we may indeed be able to escape the illusion," Zhang Zhixiong said, immediately awakened and urged on.

"Desireless and fearless, huh?" Zhang Lei appeared thoughtful, his expression slightly somber.

That’s going to be difficult.

He had also experienced that kind of deep illusion where beauties tempt the heart, causing one to sink into desire. The idea of seeing the beauty as bones, and overcoming inner desires seemed virtually impossible.

But with Li Yi’s reminder and Master Pete’s explanation, at least they now had a plan of action.

"No matter what, we have to try, it’s better than sitting here waiting to die," another Cultivator from the investigation bureau gritted his teeth and said.

"Don’t be rash. If you get trapped and can’t overcome desire and fear, you will die," Zhang Lei glanced over.

At this moment, Li Yi said, "I know this method is indeed very difficult, but I have another trickier approach that I haven’t tried yet. I need to test it out to see if it works, and if it does, I’ll share it with everyone to help us all escape the illusion. If it’s ineffective, everyone should still try to practice the first method."

"There’s a second method?" Master Pete was astonished.

"Alright, there’s no time to lose, I have to start now; every minute we delay adds another minute of danger."

Without further explanation, Li Yi immediately sat down in front of the Bone Mural, his hands forming the Treasure Seal, appearing serene and peaceful like a Buddha.

"Li Yi, be careful, and if you need any help during the process, just say the word. Don’t be polite," Zhang Lei said solemnly at this moment, offering encouragement and support to the newcomer.

"Okay."

Li Yi responded, then once again looked at the mural before him, locking eyes with the empty sockets of the skeleton.

Gradually, that strange sensation arose once again.

All the surrounding objects began to vanish, turning into a vast whiteness, leaving nothing but the wall before him, and soon, the wall also disappeared, leaving only a skeleton seated on a Lotus Platform, forming the Treasure Seal.

The skeleton sat motionless until a wisp of silk fabric appeared out of nowhere, marking the beginning of transformation.

Flesh started to grow on the skeleton, morphing into a visage that could change according to the deepest desires of one’s heart, making it irresistible, a willing descent into depravity.

"The Bone-to-Meat Technique."

Li Yi seized the opportunity, visualizing the skeleton before him as himself in order to break free from desire and fear.

This method indeed made the task much easier.

It had to be said, the resentful spirit residing in the Incomplete Coin was quite learned, actually knowing of such a method.

Li Yi unified thought, entering into his own domain of visualization.

Quickly.

There was an effect,

Normally, the bones would transform into a sensuous, tempting beauty, but now his interference prevented this; the bones were simply clothed in a hideous layer of flesh, resembling an Evil Ghost from hell, and not turning into a beauty at all. Meanwhile, at this moment, Li Yi’s own flesh started to vanish at a pace visible to the naked eye.

Watching bones grow flesh, while the bones watched Li Yi’s flesh turn to bone.

Such a shortcut method also came with corresponding risks.

"Wow, trying to outdo me in imaginary time? Could I possibly be afraid of you?" Li Yi then increased the intensity of his imagination.

The bones continued to grow flesh, gradually developing skin and taking on the form of a living person, but the facial features remained indistinct and unrecognizable. However, it was certain that the figure was not that of a woman but of a body without any distinct male or female characteristics. The figure fluctuated between masculine and feminine, at times voluptuous and enticing, at times strong and towering.

Li Yi’s flesh and blood were still dissipating.

To win, he had to envision the bones before him in his own likeness before he was completely reduced to a skeleton, otherwise, he might suffer a terrible death.

Within the illusion, Li Yi’s thoughts were incredibly powerful.

After a brief struggle, the skeleton seated on the Lotus Platform began to retreat, no longer able to transform into the figure of a woman to bewitch him, but instead was wholly influenced by Li Yi, starting to take on the appearance of a man with facial features that, although not perfect, now had his likeness discernible.

The bones had become Li Yi.

Li Yi was gradually turning into bones.

It was as if they were exchanging places.

Moreover, as time passed, the bones that had become Li Yi looked even more like him than he did, and the figure approached perfection, whether it was the facial features, the limbs, or the body, all achieving an innate state of flawlessness. And all of this was not under Li Yi’s own control, as if it were a natural evolution.

Li Yi, now almost completely reduced to a skeleton, looked at his own figure on the Lotus Platform and felt somewhat stunned.

The Li Yi on the Lotus Platform, now forming the Treasure Seal with his hands, eyes closed, had a serene demeanor, smiling as if he were an enlightened immortal or a Buddha who had achieved awakening, seemingly having reached the ultimate state of supreme goodness and beauty, no longer a mortal being.

At that moment, Li Yi felt that the person on the Lotus Platform was the real him, and he was not himself anymore.

To see the true self and yet not awaken?

But just then, a loud shout echoed in his mind, jolting him as if struck by a sudden revelation.

Suddenly.

Li Yi, with not a trace of flesh on his body, seemed to reach a limit; his skeletal frame immediately collapsed into a pile of dry bones, while the flesh-and-blood, perfect-formed Li Yi seated on the Lotus Platform abruptly opened his eyes.

At the same time.

The real Li Yi also immediately opened his eyes.

He had successfully escaped the illusion.

"I’m back."

Li Yi could hardly believe it; he looked at his own hands, no longer skeletal but flesh and blood once more.

He looked to the side.

He saw that Liu Yue, Wang Jian, and Chen Hao were still standing motionlessly in their original spot, as if soulless, obviously, their consciousness was still trapped within the illusion and had not escaped.

"How long was I trapped?" He checked the time, then estimated briefly.

Only a dozen or so minutes had passed since he was pulled into the illusion.

Luckily nothing dangerous had happened nearby, or else it would have been terrible.

"Li Yi, you’re awake."

Suddenly, a joyous voice sounded from outside the building as Zheng Gong walked over excitedly.

"Stop, don’t come close to this building."

Li Yi quickly stopped Zheng Gong’s reckless behavior.

Because in his vision, a hazy halo enveloped the entire building and had even spread more than five meters outside the building.

That hazy halo seemed like the energy field of a Mysterious Object, but Li Yi had the intuition that it should be the influence range of the Bone Mural.

And he saw that as time went by, the scope of the hazy halo continued to expand outwardly.

This was very strange.

Could the range of the mural’s illusionary effects actually grow?

Though puzzled, Zheng Gong quickly stopped in his tracks, not daring to approach further.

"Back up a little more, the danger zone around this building is expanding, and it’s almost reached your feet now," Li Yi said again.

"What? Why can’t I see anything?"

Zheng Gong’s face changed, and he stepped back again.

His words suddenly reminded Li Yi.

Since when could his eyes see the influence range of the Bone Mural?

"My strength hasn’t improved, yet my Spirit Medium’s vision has grown so much... Is it related to my experiences in the illusion? Or did some kind of mutation occur after I escaped the illusion?"

Li Yi’s eyes flickered, and a speculation surfaced in his mind.