The air inside the ancient illusion realm felt different today—heavier, sharper, like the world itself had teeth. Yun felt it the moment he opened his eyes. His breath came out in fog even though the ground under his feet was burning sand. The place was strange, unstable, as if two different seasons were fighting over who owned the land.

"Layer Nine," Shen Yu said beside him, voice unusually tired. "This is one of the hardest ones. Don't get careless, Yun."

Yun rubbed his wrists, feeling the faint silver glow pulsing there again. "Careless? Me? I haven't even— okay, maybe last time I did almost punch myself in the face… but still."

Shen Yu stared at him with that blank face of his. "You punched a tree, Yun. Not yourself."

"That tree looked suspicious… anyway let's go."

The illusion shifted around them, the sky tearing open like cracked glass, revealing hundreds of flickering images—memories, visions, possibilities—floating like broken stars. Yun felt dizzy when one of them drifted too close and touched the back of his mind.

He saw himself.

Not the Yun he was now… but a grown version, with silver hair and eyes like calm storms. He stood atop a battlefield of shattered planets, holding a spear shaped from starfire. Around him, countless beings from different races bowed.

Then the vision snapped.

Yun stumbled, grabbing Shen Yu's sleeve. "I—I saw me… I think I did. Older. Strong. Like… scary strong."

Shen Yu didn't respond right away, but Yun noticed his fingers twitch. "The illusions are showing you potential timelines. Not all of them will become truth. Some are lies hidden inside truth."

"So basically… confusing?" Yun asked.

"Yes."

"…Good to know."

Illusion Breakdown – Layer Nine: The Decision of Faces

The world shifted again, turning into a massive circular plaza floating above a starry sea. Yun and Shen Yu stood at the center while dozens of figures appeared around them—different versions of Yun.

A timid one with shaking knees.

A cold one with emotionless eyes.

A ruthless one with blood-soaked hands.

A heroic one shining like a little sun.

A cunning one smirking with sharp intelligence.

All of them stared at Yun.

"Wh—what is this? A Yun meeting?" Yun whispered, voice cracking slightly.

The emotionless Yun stepped forward first. "We are the faces you can choose."

The timid Yun hid behind his sleeves. "Please don't pick me I don't wanna fight anything!"

The ruthless Yun laughed, too sharp. "Pick me, boy. I'll burn your enemies to dust. No hesitation."

The cunning Yun tilted his head. "Or choose me. I win without fighting."

Yun swallowed hard. His heart thumped in weird painful beats. Shen Yu stayed silent, watching him, not interfering.

This was Yun's trial.

Not his fists.

Not his bloodline.

Not even his strength.

But his identity.

The real him.

Or the him he will become.

Yun looked at each version, feeling each tugging at something inside his chest. "I… don't want to be a monster," he muttered. "But I don't want to be scared all the time either."

He took a step forward.

The illusions watched.

The cosmic wind howled like a warning.

"I think… I want to be someone who protects people. But also someone who can think before punching. Someone brave but not cold. Someone smart but not heartless."

The illusions shimmered.

Then two versions stepped forward together:

—The heroic Yun

—The cunning Yun

They merged into one glowing silhouette.

A voice boomed across the illusion realm:

"Choice accepted."

The plaza shattered.

Yun dropped to one knee, gasping as energy surged into him—sharp, cold, bright, hot, everything at once. His bloodline trembled like a sleeping beast waking from a nap.

Shen Yu caught him before he collapsed. "Good. You made the right choice."

"Right? I'm dizzy… I feel like I swallowed a lightning storm…"

"That is normal," Shen Yu said calmly, though his hand was still holding Yun's shoulder. "Mostly normal."

"Mostly?!"

Cosmic Cut – His Parents Again

Far away in the Celestial Sky, Yun's parents felt the surge.

Empress Yueran gasped, clutching her chest. "His soul just stabilized into its future shape."

Emperor Lianxing smirked, though his eyes were grim. "Good. He's growing faster than I did at his age."

"Faster than both of us," Yueran corrected softly.

But the smile faded from both their faces when a dark ripple moved across the cosmic screen.

A spear of black light stabbed through a distant nebula.

The Hunters had moved again.

And this time… toward Celestial Sky.

Yueran whispered, "He won't be ready."

Lianxing clenched his fist so hard stars shook. "He doesn't need to be ready. We only need him alive."

They didn't say the rest:

Because one day, everybody else will depend on him.

Back to the Illusion Realm

The next layer opened before Yun—this time a calm forest with mist so thick it looked painted.

But Yun didn't step forward immediately.

He looked at Shen Yu and said, "I'm ready. Whatever this illusion throws at me… I'll face it."

Shen Yu nodded slowly. "Good. You are finally starting to change. This personality—strong, stable, cautious, and cunning will keep you alive."

Yun smirked slightly. "And maybe get revenge on the illusions for making me talk to weird versions of myself."

Shen Yu sighed. "Do not fight the forest."

"I wasn't planning to!" Yun paused. "Probably."

He stepped into the mist.

Inside, a figure waited.

A girl.

Around his age, maybe slightly older, with bright eyes and clothes from a world Yun had never seen. She stood calmly with a wooden staff, her aura faint but steady.

"You finally arrived," she said with a small smile. "My name is—"

The illusion trembled violently, cutting her words.

Shen Yu's voice echoed faintly: "Yun! Be careful! This one is not an illusion—she is real!"

Yun's eyes widened.

"What?!"

The girl lifted her staff, glowing with soft blue runes.

"I've been waiting for you, Yun," she said softly. "Let's survive this place together."

Yun gulped.

"…Huh? I just started chapter 42 and now someone wants to team up with me?" Let's see how this goes hmm yun

The forest around them shook, roots twisting like serpents.

The next trial had begun.

And Yun wasn't facing it alone anymore.

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