A Bewitching Illusion
All around was boundless darkness, with no sense of up, down, left, or right, and time seemed to stand still. Lowell floated in this void, his brows slightly furrowed, but his consciousness was exceptionally clear.
"Hmm... Mental Magic? Directly affecting the depths of consciousness, that's quite something. It seems we've encountered Great Demons of the 'Seven Sages of Destruction,' or rather, it is one of the Seven Sages of Destruction."
He muttered to himself, his fingertips unconsciously twirling as if sensing the invisible, intangible spatial barrier, "My magical defenses have never faltered. It seems this guy's mastery of Mental Magic is indeed a notch above mine."
He tried to mobilize the vast, ocean-like magical power within him, like the surging tide beneath a calm sea, attempting to use force to break through skill and forcibly tear apart this illusion. However, the surging magical power was like a mud ox entering the sea, failing to stir up even the slightest ripple, and the pitch-black void remained as stable as ever.
"Tsk," Lowell let out a soft, ambiguous sigh, ceasing his futile assault. "It seems this isn't a problem that can be solved by brute force alone. This level of Mental Magic is more like guidance and immersion than a rigid confinement."
In the original work, Frieren said, "I can't sense anything unusual. It seems that this is the consequence of over-reliance on magical perception. It's the same for both humans and Demons."... That's really true. At times like this, we need those guys who don't have strong magical perception but have honed their senses to the extreme. But speaking of which, the one who could make me fall into an illusion should be that miracle or something, the Seven Sages of Destruction.
His mind raced. "To maintain such a wide-ranging, high-intensity illusion, the caster must be unable to focus on anything else. If my body were to receive a sufficiently powerful external impact at this moment, I might be able to forcibly awaken my consciousness... That guy Heiter should be immune thanks to 'Goddess's Blessing,' but his attack power... isn't enough to produce that effect. Besides, he might not know how to break it."
Thinking of Frieren and the others, a barely perceptible hint of anxiety flashed in Lowell's eyes. "No, we can't delay."
Whether he is immersed in illusion or sealed away, he is not afraid, and he has also taken some precautions for others. However, in the current situation, his safety cannot be fully guaranteed.
Since forcibly breaking through is impossible, only one other method remains—facing the illusion itself.
"Since it's an illusion designed to lure and corrupt, it must have created a scene most tempting to those who succumb. Therefore, the key to breaking free might lie in recognizing and shattering this 'temptation.'" Lowell took a deep breath, not to strengthen his defenses, but instead to actively withdraw his mental barriers, allowing his consciousness to more deeply "integrate" into this illusion. "Come, let me see what kind of 'beautiful dream' you've prepared for me."
Sure enough, as his consciousness relaxed, the darkness before him quickly dissipated like the receding tide, and the surrounding scenery instantly distorted and rearranged.
The next moment, he found himself in a magnificent palace. Its carved beams and painted rafters exuded an ancient, oriental charm. A middle-aged man, dressed in a dragon robe and wearing a crown, with a somewhat roguish yet still dignified air, stood atop the high steps, arms outstretched, head held high, singing in a voice as resounding as a bell. "The wind rises, the clouds fly! My might extends across the land, I return to my homeland! Where can I find brave warriors to guard the four corners of the earth—!"
The song is desolate yet heroic, carrying the grand ambition of sweeping away all enemies and ruling the world, as if it can stir up boundless pride in the hearts of the listeners.
Lowell was taken aback at first, then an uncontrollable upward curve appeared on his lips, revealing a smile that mixed with absurdity and "That's it?" as he muttered under his breath:
"This whole thing? What's going on... to recreate my deepest longing for 'power' or 'homeland'? Using Liu Bang's 'Great Wind Song'? This illusion is quite... culturally sophisticated? Oh, maybe it's my subconscious, but isn't it a bit too outdated?"
He looked at the phantom of Liu Bang trying to display his kingly demeanor and recruit "brave warriors," and felt nothing but amusement and disbelief. He had once harbored some longing for the so-called imperial ambitions, but...
"It's just an illusion, let it go." Lowell waved his hand listlessly, and an invisible blade swept past. The singing "Liu Bang" figure twisted and contorted, like a shattered reflection in a mirror, and was instantly cut in two, then turned into specks of light and disappeared.
"Looks like it's not that difficult..." Before he could finish speaking, the surrounding scene changed drastically once again, like a palette that had been overturned.
The palace scene faded, replaced by a simple yet tidy thatched hut. The air was filled with the faint scent of books and tea. A young scholar, with a feather fan and a turban, handsome features, and eyes that revealed wisdom and detachment, sat opposite him, holding black and white chess pieces, playing a game of chess with him in its final stages. Outside the window, the bamboo grove swayed, and a gentle breeze blew in.
Just then, a thunderous shout rang out from outside, "Hey! You idiot Zhuge! My elder brother Liu Bei Liu Xuande, Liu Xuande, whose benevolence is known throughout the land, has come to your thatched hut for the third time to invite you! If you dare to make excuses again and put on your haughty airs, believe me, I, Old Zhang, will set this dilapidated hut on fire today!"
Immediately afterwards, a gentle yet reprimanding voice rang out. "Third brother, how dare you be so rude! Master Kongming is a reclusive sage; how can you be allowed to make such a racket!"
Meanwhile, the "Zhuge Liang" on the opposite side gently put down his chess piece, raised his insightful eyes to look at Lowell, and spoke slowly with a calm tone but a hint of barely perceptible expectation:
"The world, after a long period of division, tends to unite; after a long period of unity, tends to divide. Now, the Han Dynasty is in decline, treacherous officials have usurped power, and the emperor is in distress. I, Liang, though lacking in virtue and ability, wish to uphold righteousness throughout the land, but my wisdom and strategies are limited, and I have yet to achieve anything. Now, Liu Bei's benevolence is renowned throughout the land, he commands heroes, and thirsts for virtuous men. You, sir, possess great talent and profound wisdom. I have decided to leave my seclusion to assist Lord Liu, hoping to uphold righteousness throughout the land. I wonder if you... are willing to join me in restoring the Han Dynasty and achieving great things?"
This illusion is a direct replica of the scene where Zhuge Liang invited his fellow scholars to join him after his three visits to Zhuge Liang's thatched cottage! Moreover, it places Lowell in the position of a hermit who is "comparable to Zhuge Liang".
Lowell looked at the lifelike "Zhuge Liang" before him, whose tone and mannerisms were so perfectly Imitation, and at the faint sounds of Liu Bei and Zhang Fei coming from outside, and shook his head slightly.
"Tsk... Is this still not over? Jumping from imperial ambitions to the fate of rulers and ministers, working together to support the nation? These human obsessions... are indeed hard to resist, but for an old man like me who has lived too long, they mean nothing." He flashed through his mind the image of Frieren possibly being trapped in another illusion, and his eyes sharpened.
"How many layers does this illusion have? If I were alone, I could play around with you for a while, but there are people waiting for me outside... I'm sorry, after all, you're just an illusion, Lord Marquis Wu..."
He raised his hand, magic gathering at his fingertips, preparing to forcefully break through the illusion. "I need to speed things up... Frieren, don't oversleep in some weird illusion, wait for me!"