The grand palace before him towers into the clouds. If on Earth, Luo Feng could see half the planet from space, yet he could not even fully discern the majesty of this towering temple—Huanjing Hall.
Mysterious currents of mist swirl around the Huanjing Hall.
Inside the 101st floor hall, the atmosphere is dim and hazy. Luo Feng strained his eyes, desperately trying to see Hong within the hall, but all efforts were in vain. He wasn’t the only one watching—numerous female members of the Chimai Clan and disciples of Huanling King also gazed toward the hall, all eager to know whether Hong could pass through the Eighteen Desire Illusions.
“Boom!”
A tremor echoed through the 101st floor hall, and suddenly the haze cleared.
Hong stood at the center of the hall, smiling as he gazed toward the distant staircase. He flew straight toward it and swiftly ascended toward the 102nd floor hall.
“He’s passed the First Desire Illusion,” Luo Feng exhaled in relief.
Whoosh!
A stream of people followed the outer corridor’s staircase, rushing up to the 102nd floor hall. Huanling King led the way, with Luo Feng, the black-winged man, and other disciples of Huanling King closely following. The many female members of the Chimai Clan trailed behind.
…
The second and third Desire Illusions took longer for Hong to break through.
“What should we do?” Luo Feng watched helplessly as Hong climbed the stairs to attempt the Fourth Desire Illusion, his anxiety growing. “These illusions were set by Huanling King herself. My elder brother is only at the Cosmic level—what if he stumbles and fails? If that happens, would I really stand by and watch him commit suicide at some branch outpost of the Galactic Mercenary Alliance?”
“But—”
“I can’t persuade my elder brother otherwise, and this is a challenge between him and Huanling King. Even our master wouldn’t interfere easily,” Luo Feng thought, growing more anxious.
Powerless to help, he could only watch helplessly as events unfolded.
It was all because of strength—or the lack of it! If he had the might of a Cosmic Emperor, he could easily overpower Huanling King. There would be no need for this ordeal. As a mere prodigy, he was still just a junior in Huanling King’s eyes, not yet fully grown.
…
“You elder brother has a strong will. He actually passed the Fifth Desire Illusion.”
Outside the 105th floor hall, Huanling King, dressed in colorful robes, softly chuckled.
“Senior Huanling King, please show mercy,” Luo Feng respectfully bowed beside her.
“There’s no need for you to beg me,” Huanling King’s mesmerizing violet eyes glanced at Luo Feng. “I’m merely testing him through the Eighteen Desire Illusions. The test is solely about the desire of love. If he truly remains unshaken by all its temptations and sees through the essence of love, then he may yet survive.”
“Love and desire?” Luo Feng furrowed his brows.
“Human,” Huanling King smiled softly, “or rather, life itself. As long as one is alive, there will always be desires.”
“Do you wish for immortality and eternal existence? Do you desire power to control the lives of thousands? Do you long for a beautiful spouse? Do you hope your loved ones live well? Do you seek fame and fortune? Do you want to become a true powerhouse?” Huanling King continued. “All of these are different forms of desire.”
“Desire!”
“It is the source of life’s progress,” Huanling King smiled. “Even the most ascetic individuals have desires; their aspirations are simply different and more unique than those of ordinary people.”
Luo Feng was momentarily stunned.
Desire?
Indeed.
Whether it was the path of strength, the path of cultivation, indulgence in pleasures, or the pursuit of taste and comfort—life itself was filled with desires.
Even beasts and ferocious creatures had instinctual desires—mating, having more female companions, or simply eating more and better food…
“Desire is endless,” Huanling King said softly. “It is neither good nor evil in itself. The difference lies in whether one is controlled by desire or learns to control it.”
“Love and desire is one form of desire, and a very complex one at that. Even some immensely powerful immortal gods may not fully comprehend it,” Huanling King continued with a gentle smile. “I have created these Eighteen Desire Illusions, encompassing every possible form of love and desire. Even deities may fall into their traps.”
“And he—”
“If he is deeply entangled in love, then love and desire will be an especially difficult trial for him,” Huanling King smiled. “Only by passing through all Eighteen Desire Illusions will he earn the right to be with my disciple.”
Luo Feng inhaled sharply, shocked by the words of the breathtakingly beautiful Huanling King.
Desire?
As someone frequently guided by his elder and second brothers, Luo Feng deeply understood how difficult it was to define desire. Ancient Earthly sayings like “Even heroes cannot pass the beauty test” held truth. Even revered sages had their own dreams and aspirations.
Dreams like governing the nation and bringing peace to the world were, in essence, forms of desire.
To transcend desire?
Impossible!
“No wonder Huanling King, who only passed the 19th level of the Celestial Bridge, possesses such terrifying influence, rivaling even Tianyu King and my master, Zhenyan King,” Luo Feng mused. “No wonder she can command two immortal servants of Royal Rank. Huanling King… truly fearsome.”
“Elder brother!”
“These Eighteen Illusions are all based on love and desire. Can you truly pass them?” Luo Feng stared at the hazy hall ahead, his heart filled with anxiety.
Though he had faith in his elder brother, he dared not underestimate the mighty and eternal beings of the universe.
Earth’s cultivation of the heart might have its own unique strengths, but those who had roamed the cosmos for countless eons—those who had built vast cosmic empires and ruled over them—were no less formidable in heart than Luo Feng, Leishen, or Hong.
Never underestimate these eternal beings!
“Sanzi.”
“Sanzi.”
“How did your talk with your elder brother go?”
A message appeared on the screen of Luo Feng’s gauntlet. It was from his second brother, Leishen, who had been informed about Luo Feng and Hong’s meeting with Huanling King.
“Second brother,” Luo Feng’s mind sent out a series of words, which automatically formed into a message on the screen and was sent to Leishen.
“Eighteen Desire Illusions? Your elder brother’s heart cultivation is extremely high. He will definitely pass. I believe in him,” Leishen replied.
“Second brother, this is the Eighteen Desire Illusions personally set by Huanling King, a terrifying existence in the universe. Her age surpasses even the ancient Chinese civilization. She must not be underestimated,” Luo Feng responded.
“How far has your elder brother gone?”
“The Ninth Illusion! And the time he takes to break through each illusion keeps increasing.”
…
Luo Feng quickly exchanged messages with Leishen while continuing to anxiously watch his elder brother’s progress through the Eighteen Desire Illusions.
…
Time passed. Huanling King, her disciples, and the many female members of the Chimai Clan all felt the pressure. They followed Huanling King floor by floor, watching Hong’s journey through the Eighteen Desire Illusions.
The first illusion was the easiest, and each subsequent one became more difficult.
The Tenth Desire Illusion…
The Eleventh Desire Illusion…
The Twelfth Desire Illusion…
Hong struggled more and more with each illusion, yet his determination never wavered.
“Come on, elder brother, you must succeed! You must!” Luo Feng silently prayed, watching from outside each hall.
“He actually made it to the Fourteenth Desire Illusion!”
“This elder brother of Luo Feng is quite impressive. Making it to the Fourteenth Desire Illusion proves his willpower is extraordinary.”
“Truly unbelievable.”
“I didn’t expect that.”
The female members of the Chimai Clan whispered among themselves.
Huanling King, who had started off calm, now frowned after Hong emerged from the Fourteenth Illusion.
“I refuse to believe that someone so deeply entangled in love can break through all Eighteen Desire Illusions,” Huanling King’s eyes flashed with intensity, a hint of fury in her expression as she stared into the hall on the 105th floor.
…
Inside the quiet pavilion.
The short-haired woman stood silently by the window, gazing toward the direction of the Huanjing Hall. From her vantage point, the hall pierced the clouds, shrouded in mist, invisible to the naked eye.
“Princess Qing, Princess Qing! Hong has passed the Fifteenth Desire Illusion!”
“He actually made it! He truly passed the Fifteenth Desire Illusion!”
Two young Chimai women rushed to the door of the pavilion, shouting.
The short-haired woman looked up, her eyes filled with worry and anxiety. She whispered, “Hong elder brother, you must make it through. you must!”
…
“It must be done,” Luo Feng stood at the entrance of the 117th floor hall, eyes locked on the interior.
Outside the 117th floor hall, countless Chimai women gathered, holding their breath. Huanling King’s expression had darkened, her eyes unblinking as she stared into the hall. Everyone felt the pressure mounting—the deeper the illusions, the more extreme their difficulty.
At last!
Boom!
The haze inside the 117th floor hall shattered, revealing Hong, his face slightly pale.
“One last level!”
Hong lifted his head.
Without even glancing at the crowd outside, he ascended the internal staircase toward the final level—the 118th floor hall—for the Eighteenth and final Desire Illusion.
Like flowing water, the crowd followed to the entrance of the 118th floor hall.
“He must succeed! He must succeed!” Luo Feng stared intently, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
Before him, Huanling King’s eyes remained fixed on the hall.
She refused to believe it!
She refused to believe that someone so deeply entangled in love could break through the Eighteen Desire Illusions. One so ensnared by love should be easily trapped by desire.
“Impossible!” Huanling King’s eyes flashed with icy coldness.
Boom!
A violent tremor shook the 118th floor hall, then all became still. A black-haired, black-robed man emerged, his face bearing a faint smile, though he looked somewhat disheveled.
“Senior Huanling King,” the man bowed respectfully. “I have successfully passed the Eighteen Desire Illusions.”
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