Immortality Starts With Investment

Chapter 158: Bewildering Forest

The Bewildering Forest was indeed perilous. The illusions it conjured were drawn from the deepest desires within a cultivatorʼs mind. Anyone with less-than-steadfast will who lingered on these visions would soon become muddled and utterly immersed in them.

Initially aware that these were just illusions, one could quickly become addicted, losing control over their body. At that moment, the blood-colored vines would entwine around the victim, draining them dry. Moreover, these vines were extremely tough, not so easily dealt with.

However, Ye Chen, with his Heavy Pupils, was immune to these effects. He stood in place, watching the illusions unfold, only occasionally clearing away the encroaching vines.

After observing the illusion of his master, Ye Chen moved on and then encountered an illusion of Elder An Miaoli from the Divine Will Sect. Dressed in flowing white robes and seated atop a lotus flower, a red mole between her brows twinkled with light. She appeared ethereal, far surpassing An Yuyi in demeanor.

After critiquing this illusion for a while, Ye Chen changed locations again. This time, the illusion depicted Su Yuxuan, the little witch, her tiny feet twinkling with luminescence.

Following Su Yuxuan, the illusion didnʼt switch to his senior sister Yao Xi but to the head of the External Affairs Hall, a mature and beautiful woman already bonded to a Dao companion...

Ye Chen immediately felt displeased. Was he this sort of person? Devoted to the path of cultivation, how could he possibly covet anotherʼs Dao companion? He wasnʼt inclined towards such desires at all. These illusions were truly unreliable.

After glaring at the scene for a while, Ye Chen, annoyed, chopped down the surrounding vines completely, venting his dissatisfaction. Then he moved to another spot...

...

The exit of the Bewildering Forest was a sight of relief and desperation.

Pei Ling emerged disheveled and wounded, a testament to the malevolent nature of the Boundless Demon Sectʼs forest. Despite knowing the visions were illusions, a mere prolonged gaze could slow oneʼs brain response and stiffen their body, making escape challenging without prior preparation.

Pei Ling, spotting the unharmed An Yuyi who had exited early, praised her preparedness.

An Yuyi nodded, her brow furrowing slightly, ”Brother Fang is the strongest among us; logically, he should have been the first to emerge. Why hasnʼt he arrived yet?”

”Itʼs already been four hours,” she added. The forest was expansive, but four hours should have been more than sufficient.

Pei Ling, popping a healing pill, suggested with a chuckle, ”Perhaps that Ye Chen is too weak, holding Brother Fang back.”

An Yuyi frowned, dissatisfied with Ye Chenʼs capabilities. If it werenʼt for the necessity of his skills later, she would have preferred not to wait at all.

Time passed, and two more hours slipped by. The forest quaked slightly.

Then, Fang Xi stumbled out, bloodier and more disheveled than Pei Ling, which widened their eyes in shock. Notably, Ye Chen was not behind him.

An Yuyiʼs frown deepened, ”Brother Fang, where is Ye Chen?”

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Fang Xiʼs face was grim. He had initially left Ye Chen behind, thinking to scare him a bit before returning to coerce him into alchemy. But when he went back, Ye Chen was nowhere to be found.

Ye Chenʼs importance was clear; they had to find him.

Wandering aimlessly in the Bewildering Forest was especially dangerous, and the longer one stayed, the more susceptible they were to its corrupting influence, which explained Fang Xiʼs significant injuries.

”I told him to hold onto the rope, but not long after, I realized he had let go of it,” Fang Xi explained, his face darkening. ”I tried to go back for him, but he was already lost.”

”People from lower sects really lack resolve,” he commented, somewhat dismissively. ”But he is at least at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment; he should be able to find his way out on his own.”

An Miaoli was visibly upset, but what could be done? Ye Chen had let go of the rope himself; it wasnʼt Fang Xiʼs fault. They could only wait. But as another two hours passed without any sign of Ye Chen emerging, An Miaoli became restless.

”If we canʼt find Ye Chen, we might have to retreat,” she declared, agitation clear in her voice. ”The entrance to the Lotus Pond has been opened. It could be discovered at any moment. Everyone understands the importance of the Blood Sea Lotus Seeds. If someone else gets there first, all our efforts will be for naught! So, we need to go back and search for him immediately.”

Having spoken, An Yuyiʼs form once again radiated a soft luminescence as she re-entered the Bewildering Forest.

Fang Xi and Pei Ling exchanged glances, their reluctance palpable. To traverse the Bewildering Forest in reverse posed even greater dangers. Yet, the allure of the Blood Sea Lotus Seeds was too strong to forsake, compelling them to turn back in search...

...

”Wow...” Ye Chen murmured as he wandered through the forest.

This time, he envisioned himself as an Immortal Emperor, founding the heavenly court. The entire court was populated by female cultivators.

The Western Mother of the Immortals stood at his right, gazing at him with eyes brimming with affection, as they all unanimously hailed him as Emperor Ye.

Just as he was about to scrutinize the appearances of the fairies and ascertain his masterʼs position, ”Ye Chen, wake up!” a loud shout jolted him.

Turning, he saw An Yuyi approaching with a troubled expression. That An Yuyi could find him in the midst of the Bewildering Forest was no small feat.

However, now was not the time for such considerations. Ye Chen merely wished to inquire how one might shut down the illusion. The illusions of the Bewildering Forest were not mere mental images but were crafted by a peculiar force that materialized them right before the cultivatorsʼ eyes.

In the illusion, he was caught in a hearty laugh, his presence so formidable it could shatter stars—a sight he found quite exhilarating. Yet, being observed in such a moment could prove rather embarrassing.

An Yuyi had already rushed over, initially fearing that Ye Chen had been drained by the blood vines. To her surprise, she found Ye Chen completely unscathed, which left her slightly taken aback. Now was not the moment to focus on that, however. The artifact her aunt had given her was nearly depleted.

”Letʼs go quickly...”

An Yuyi grasped Ye Chenʼs hand and began to lead him out. This was precisely what Ye Chen desired.

”Quickly, letʼs hurry...”

But before they left, An Yuyi glanced at the illusion Ye Chen had been viewing. The scene within the illusion had shifted again.

A figure, resembling Ye Chen, was holding a grand assembly with countless indistinguishable celestial maidens above the Milky Way...

An Yuyi instantly looked at Ye Chen with a mix of shock and disdain.

”Is this what youʼve been watching all this time?”

Initially, An Yuyi had been holding Ye Chenʼs hand to lead him out urgently, but now she abruptly switched to tugging at his sleeve.

Ye Chen offered no resistance, his expression one of resigned despair. Did the Bewildering Forest have no sense of privacy? Damn it, he would just set fire to it all on the way back.

Forcing An Yuyi and the others to come find him had been quite satisfying until it spectacularly backfired on him. But really, letting An Yuyi see that illusion wasnʼt much of an issue. After all, it wasnʼt the segment about her aunt. No major harm done.

Most importantly, this scene reminded Ye Chen of a lingering concern from when he first crossed over. Before his transmigration, he hadnʼt erased his browser history, media player records, or that 12TB hard drive... If his parents, police, colleagues, or boss ever found out... Damn...

Ye Chen had once thought about returning to Earth after reaching the pinnacle of the cultivation world. How could he possibly go back now?

Feeling somewhat introverted, Ye Chen allowed himself to be dragged out of the Bewildering Forest...