I cultivate the Chaos Technique

As the light from the portal gradually dimmed, Zhang Yifan and the others from the Lingyun Sword Sect entered a completely new space.

The fourth floor of the Heavenly Tower was no longer as scorching and oppressive as before; instead, the surrounding scenery appeared hazy and tranquil.

This place seemed to be an endless forest, with dense trees and sprawling vines covering every corner, and thick fog permeating the surroundings, with visibility limited to only a few meters.

"The atmosphere here... is so strange."

Lin Qingzhu looked around, her brows furrowing slightly. There was no intense spiritual energy fluctuation in the air; instead, there was a sense of tranquility that was hard to grasp.

Zhang Yifan noticed this as well. He sensed that although the spiritual energy in the air was thin, there was an indescribable eeriness to it, as if an invisible hand was manipulating this space. He took a deep breath, trying to remain calm, and quickly scanned his surroundings, but found nothing.

"Everyone, be on your guard. This level is very likely an illusion," Ling Yunfeng said in a deep voice. He was wary of the tranquil environment. "Illusion trials often aim to confuse the mind. Don't be fooled by what you see."

Zhang Yifan nodded, secretly on guard. He knew that illusions were an extremely difficult test, especially for cultivators with weak minds; if they were not careful, they could fall into them and never be able to escape.

Just as they waited anxiously, a faint whisper came from the thick fog.

The sounds were like the soft rustling of a breeze, or perhaps whispers in one's ear, intermittent and difficult to hear clearly. Yet, these whispers inexplicably stirred a sense of unease within, as if some repressed emotion had been amplified invisibly.

“These sounds…”

Zhang Yifan frowned slightly, trying to concentrate and block out the sounds, but the more he concentrated, the clearer the whispers became, as if they were trying to drill into his mind and distort his thoughts.

"Keep your mind focused and don't let the noise distract you!"

Ling Yunfeng shouted a reminder, his voice echoing in the air with a steady strength that made everyone refocus their attention.

Zhang Yifan closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and banished all the distracting thoughts from his mind. As he gradually calmed down, the whispers faded away, and silence returned to the surroundings.

Suddenly, a blurry figure emerged from the mist. The figure was indistinct, seemingly walking towards them. Zhang Yifan opened his eyes, watching the figure warily.

“Who’s there?” he shouted, his voice carrying through the fog, but there was no response.

The figure gradually became clearer, and Zhang Yifan's gaze focused. Then, his pupils suddenly contracted. What he saw was an extremely familiar figure—his senior sister, Li Mengyao.

"Senior Sister Mengyao?" Zhang Yifan exclaimed in disbelief. Zhao Ling'er was clearly cultivating at the Lingyun Sword Sect, so how could she be here? Moreover, her expression was somewhat dazed, her eyes empty and lifeless, as if she were unconscious, as she slowly walked towards him.

"No, this is definitely an illusion!" Zhang Yifan instantly realized that something was wrong with the scene before him. Li Mengyao could not possibly be in the Heavenly Tower. This must be an illusion created by the illusion.

"Junior brother...why didn't you save me..." Zhao Ling'er's voice drifted over softly, filled with sorrow and grief. Tears welled up in her eyes, as if she were blaming Zhang Yifan for his indifference.

Zhang Yifan felt a sudden pang of pain in his heart. The illusion seemed to amplify some emotion within him, plunging him into an indescribable struggle. His mind began to waver, and for a moment he couldn't distinguish between illusion and reality.

"No! This isn't real!" Zhang Yifan gritted his teeth and gripped the longsword tightly, trying to use the pain to clear his mind. The illusion was trying to exploit his weakness to deceive him; he couldn't be defeated.

Meanwhile, the other disciples also faced their own illusions. Some saw their long-deceased relatives, while others confronted their past failures and setbacks. Lin Qingzhu even saw her parents before her eyes, their loving faces almost bringing her to tears.

"This is an illusion! Wake up!" Ling Yunfeng roared, his sword energy surging forth and creating ripples in the air. The ripples seemed to shatter some kind of barrier, causing the surrounding illusions to pause slightly before becoming even more illusory.

"Don't be fooled! Illusions are meant to disturb our minds. As long as our spirits are firm, we can break through them!" Ling Yunfeng's voice boomed like a bell, shaking everyone's hearts.

Zhang Yifan took another deep breath, completely dispelling the distracting thoughts in his mind. His sword light instantly sharpened, heading straight for Zhao Ling'er in the illusion. The longsword pierced through her figure, and the illusion instantly dissipated, turning into countless points of light that disappeared into the air.

The moment the illusion shattered, Zhang Yifan's mind finally returned to calm. His vision cleared, and the whispers in his ears disappeared. The surrounding fog was still thick, but he knew he had broken free from the illusion's grasp.

“This illusion is extremely powerful. It has exploited our mental weaknesses and is trying to trap us within it,” Zhang Yifan said softly, glancing at his fellow disciples who were still struggling.

Ling Yunfeng nodded and continued to unleash powerful sword energy, attempting to help the others escape from the illusion.

The emotional fluctuations created by the illusion were extremely realistic, and it would be difficult for ordinary people to remain calm in such a world. But Ling Yunfeng's steadfastness and decisiveness became their greatest support.

"Everyone must remember, whatever you see is an illusion! As long as you have no fear in your heart, the illusion cannot harm you!"

Ling Yunfeng's voice carried an invisible power, gradually taking root and sprouting in everyone's heart.

Encouraged by him, the disciples gradually awoke from the illusion, and the illusions dissipated like smoke, turning into countless points of light.

Soon, everyone was freed from the illusion and regained their senses.

“We can’t be fooled by this illusion any longer,” Zhang Yifan said in a deep voice. “We must be even more careful from now on. This trial is not just an illusion; it may also hide a deeper trap.”

Just as everyone regrouped, preparing to continue their exploration, a strange voice suddenly came from the surrounding mist. The voice was deep and mysterious, carrying an unfathomable mockery:

"To be able to break free from the illusion so quickly, you truly deserve to be disciples of the Lingyun Sword Sect... But do you really think this is the end?"

As the sound faded, countless shadows suddenly emerged from the thick fog. These shadows moved swiftly through the fog, sometimes approaching, sometimes moving away, as if they were some kind of ghostly existence.

Zhang Yifan gripped his longsword tightly, watching the moving shadows warily.

"What are these?" Lin Qingzhu asked nervously.

"Whatever they are, we cannot let our guard down," Ling Yunfeng said coldly, his longsword flashing with dazzling light. "Everyone, prepare for battle."

The next moment, the mist suddenly surged, and the dark figures transformed into sharp blades, rushing towards Zhang Yifan and the others! Sharp whistling sounds filled the air, like the howls of thousands of ghosts.

"Come on! Let's see who can pass this fourth level of trial!" Zhang Yifan roared, brandishing his longsword and unleashing a sweeping sword aura that struck the incoming black shadows.

As the battle erupted, the entire illusion descended into chaos. The mist churned and the shadowy figures surged in like a tidal wave, threatening to engulf them completely.

However, under Ling Yunfeng's command, the disciples of the Lingyun Sword Sect cooperated closely and formed an unbreakable defensive line, gradually defeating the shadowy figure's offensive.

The battle raged on for a long time. As the fog gradually dissipated, the dark figures finally turned into countless specks of dust and vanished into the air. With the disappearance of the last dark figure, the deep voice echoed once more in the air:

"You've passed the Illusionary Maze."

The light shone again, and the portal to the fifth floor slowly appeared, waiting for them to continue their journey.