Bachelor [EN]: Chapter 254

Thud!

Shortly after, a collision echoed, and a crimson impact marked the right wall. Han Li, who had just materialized there, nearly stumbled.

He had merely attempted a basic levitation technique, not even using his full power, yet he had moved so fast that he crashed into the wall instantly.

In disbelief, he tried a few more times, only to be thrown around with such speed that his head spun and his stomach churned, making it impossible to control his body.

It seemed that while wearing this cloak allowed him to move at an astonishing speed, he couldn’t control that speed.

Han Li stood still for a long while, speechless.

‘This is too bizarre!’

Judging by the speed at which he shot out like a beam of light, it was clear that this would be a lifeline in a moment of crisis. With this speed, he was confident that even if a Nascent Soul cultivator [a powerful cultivator in the Nascent Soul stage] were to chase him, he wouldn’t be caught for a while.

However, the drawbacks were considerable. The high consumption of spiritual power was a given, and it was as uncontrollable as a wild, untamed horse. Well, it was probably because of these flaws that such a top-grade treasure was found in an outer area. In any case, there was nothing better for escaping.

With a complicated heart, Han Li retracted the Blood Cloak and sat cross-legged on the spot, closing his eyes to recover. Although it was a short time, the loss of magical power due to the treasure was significant, making him reluctant to leave the stone chamber immediately.

Once he closed his eyes, half a day passed. Having sufficiently replenished his magical power, he calmly rose and walked towards the square passage. He fiddled with the Paraju bracelet on his arm, operating the Great Development Technique [a cultivation technique] as he entered the passage.

The first thing he noticed was that the passage was very short.

As soon as he turned the corner, he immediately exited the passage. His eyes brightened, and unexpectedly, a corridor that cut through the sky appeared. The corridor was beautiful and stretched endlessly, with no end in sight.

Beside the corridor, white clouds floated, and the scenery was so beautiful that it seemed like an immortal realm. Taking in this sight, Han Li sneered and strode forward.

This trial also had a restriction that prevented flying, and he had to walk.

He turned his gaze to the outside of the corridor.

The scenery, which looked like something from an immortal realm, felt even more intense. Han Li scoffed at the singing that echoed from various places.

‘Tsk!’

Clicking his tongue, he simply walked forward calmly. He looked as leisurely as if he were strolling through his own garden.

The further he went, the more magnificent the scenery became, and the beautiful melodies that rang in his ears also penetrated his mind. At the same time, a flock of white cranes soared through the clouds, making it easy to be distracted.

Han Li glanced at everything and walked on without paying any attention.

The further he moved, the louder the songs became, and the flock of cranes that had been dancing and soaring flew to both sides of the corridor.

After a while, the white cranes distorted and transformed into young girls dressed in various palace attire. All of them had beautiful faces, barely fifteen or sixteen years old, and were full of vitality. They approached Han Li with gentle steps.

Their ardent gazes and actions made it seem as if they regarded Han Li as their husband.

Suddenly, the songs gradually slowed down, and the surroundings changed into a serene night with a full moon. It was a background that was stimulating to the senses just by looking at it.

Han Li ignored the girls who were saying something on both sides and maintained a blank expression. After walking for dozens of steps, the voices in his ears changed again, becoming more mournful and resentful.

The girls changed their expressions and glared with resentment, now acting as if they were facing an irreconcilable enemy.

‘Interesting.’

Han Li simply smiled and enjoyed the girls’ expressions. It was like watching a funny play.

He also knew that there was a reason why this trial, where illusions continued, appeared after the Ghost Mist and Ice Flower Trials. There would probably be other dangerous things prepared besides these minor illusions.

As he strode forward without hesitation, the scenery changed again, and the girls instantly aged, growing into seductive and curvaceous women.

The stunning beauties stared at him with heated eyes and provocatively took off their clothes. Their fair, voluptuous bodies were a temptation that any man would be drawn to. Moreover, the seductive whispers they murmured were almost unbearable to listen to.

Han Li paused for a moment, then activated the Great Development Technique and returned to his original expression. It was indeed a powerful charm technique, but he was not one to be affected by such things.

The women lined up on both sides of the corridor became even bolder, shaking their bodies at him and becoming extremely presumptuous.

“Hmm…”

Han Li, who was completely protected from the charm technique by the Great Development Technique, merely enjoyed watching them as if he were watching a good show.

After that, the women changed their appearances again, transforming into various beauties. From haughty noblewomen to passionate courtesans and innocent young girls, it was as if all the beauties in the world had been poured out.

Han Li still had a smile on his face, but his eyes were cold, showing no signs of being swayed. After enjoying the beauties visually to his heart’s content, he finally reached the end of the corridor.

Then, a palace appeared before him, with a large gate and black walls surrounding it.

The gate was over ten yards high, and even when he looked inside, it was dark and gloomy, making it a place he was very reluctant to enter.

As he looked at the great hall, the surroundings of the corridor also instantly reversed, returning to its original appearance with white clouds floating by.

Han Li did not pay attention to the changes in the corridor and focused on the gate. The closer he got, the more intense the stench of blood became.

He narrowed his brows and enhanced his vision.

Then, he could see that not only was there black energy inside the palace, but also red energy mixed in. A sinister aura was overflowing.

Han Li, with his arms crossed, stopped in front of the gate and fell into thought.

Although he had not heard the details from others, just by looking at its appearance, it was clear that the inside of the palace was a place that tested human fear and terror. It was a much more difficult place for him than the temptation he had just faced.

He knew himself best.

He was not a fearless hero, nor was he a saint who had grasped the truths of the world. He was just a mortal cultivator who had survived until now by using his good mind. If he were to face a truly unimaginable horror, his mind could turn blank, and he could suffer a disaster.

It seemed that it was time to rely on the Paraju’s help.

Having made up his mind, Han Li fiddled with the bracelet on his hand and walked forward.

‘It’s too dark!’

He had only just entered the palace, but a suffocating darkness had already descended. He didn’t know what kind of restriction had been set up, but Han Li’s vision could only barely see a distance of three yards.

Of course, it was also impossible to spread his consciousness to explore. It was somewhat better when it was bright, but walking through the darkness in silence made him a little nervous.

Without realizing it, he moistened his dry lips and released a fire charm from his hand.

Fwoosh.

However, the moment the flame ignited, it extinguished itself. Unhappy with this, Han Li then took out a moonstone from his storage pouch.

However, the moonstone also lost its light as soon as it left the storage pouch, turning into an ordinary stone. Since this was the case, he had no choice but to move forward.

Not long after, a sobbing sound began to ring in his ears. It sounded distant, but it was like the crying of a young woman.

Han Li sneered and simply quickened his pace. However, no matter how much he tried to get away, the crying became louder and clearer, as if it were chasing after him.

“Haa!”

Han Li, perhaps feeling disturbed, sighed, and suddenly the crying disappeared. Satisfied with this result, he tried to pass through the palace even faster.

Before he had gone a few yards, the sobbing from before reappeared, and a hazy shadow appeared in front of him. The woman, who was sitting on the floor, seemed to be wearing mourning clothes.

The mournful and sorrowful crying was coming from her. Han Li looked at her back with cold eyes and tried to pass by without slowing down at all.

He knew that if this illusion was caused by the palace’s restriction, it was best to face it head-on rather than turn back or avoid it.

The distance between him and the woman was only about seven yards.

Just as he was about to shout for the woman to move aside, he suddenly realized that the crying sounded familiar, and he thought he had heard that voice somewhere before.

Han Li was startled and heightened his vigilance. He had no intention of being affected by the restriction’s illusion.

However, the closer the woman in white mourning clothes got, the more someone lingered in his mind, but he couldn’t remember who it was.

Han Li stopped without realizing it. A frightened, thin voice called out to him.

“Fourth Brother…”

At that sound, his mind went blank, and he felt as if blood wasn’t flowing to his brain. Beyond his will, his mouth was already moving.

“Could it be you! Could it be…”

The woman in white raised her head and looked up at him with clear eyes full of sadness. The familiar face, the sharp nose, and the eyes that seemed to be speaking were too similar to his younger sister.

“Brother, can’t you recognize me? It’s me…”

“Sister!”

Looking at the woman with trembling eyes, he pulled out a memory that had been buried for a long time.

“Fourth Brother, what happened to me? I clearly died of a serious illness a few years ago. I’m so scared…”

The woman trembled all over and approached him with a pale face. She looked as pitiful as a baby bird soaked in rain.

At this moment, a strange expression appeared on Han Li’s face. However, the woman who resembled his younger sister was already right in front of him.

A cold glint flashed in Han Li’s eyes, and a blue sword flew silently, piercing the woman’s forehead.

“Aaaah!”

A scream erupted, and the woman turned into black energy and disappeared. Han Li watched the black energy dissipate and murmured leisurely.

“The appearance is the same, but how would my sister, whom I parted with when we were young, recognize me? It’s clear that she would have completely forgotten not only my current appearance but also my appearance from when we were young.”

He lowered his head and looked at the Paraju on his wrist.

Although he had spoken confidently, the Paraju had become hot when the illusion disguised as his sister approached. It was that signal that made Han Li, who had hesitated for a moment, able to decisively strike. In fact, even when the sword pierced her forehead, he still felt uneasy.

Even though he knew that the opponent was an illusion, he still had a lingering desire to see his sister’s face for a little longer. Feeling a slight sense of loss, Han Li walked alone through the darkness.

* * *

A day later, a dozen people were sitting in front of a huge structure, meditating and regulating their breathing.

The structure was so tall that it seemed to pierce the clouds, and it was entirely made of blue-tinged megaliths. From a distance, it looked like five stories, but it narrowed as it went up. The distance between each floor was about a hundred yards, which showed how tall the building was.

Compared to the building covered in a white protective barrier, the cultivators, who were as small as ants, were sitting with their eyes closed. And in the middle of them was a teleportation array emitting a white light.

Among them were demonic and righteous Nascent Soul old monsters such as Extreme Yin and Mancheonmyeong, as well as Ochuk, Hyungol, and other late-stage Core Formation cultivators [cultivators in the Core Formation stage].

Han Li, Won-yo, the elders of the Star Palace, and another late-stage Core Formation cultivator had not yet passed through the teleportation array.

The Extreme Yin old monster had a calm face on the outside, but inside, he was becoming increasingly anxious. Judging by the normal speed of passage, Han Li and Ochuk should have been teleported at a similar time.

He couldn’t help but feel restless now.

At this moment, the teleportation array lit up, and someone walked out. The person who made Manhoja and the others look disappointed at the same time was Won-yo, who was wearing a mask.

The woman felt as if her heart was sinking under the gazes of the Nascent Soul old monsters, but she pretended not to notice and walked silently. Coincidentally, as soon as she came out, the teleportation array lit up again, and Han Li appeared.