Creations of Imagination

A gray band of light emerged from the horizon, filling the entire Illusionary Realm.

Gray storms churned within it.

The school, the students, the monsters, and the torrential rain.

All turned into gray currents beneath the storm. The entire space became chaotic and disordered, leaving only Lin Yan and Wen Zhi'an standing there.

And the gloomy Black Cloud above the heavens.

"Ah—ah—ah—"

The sound came from nowhere, as though it were the voice of the world itself, pouring out the world's pain.

The Black Cloud roiled violently.

At times it surged like towering waves; at times it fell still like an abyss.

At last, it condensed into a towering giant of black mist, its back like a mountain, its bent arms like dragons, its eyes like the reflected sun, its hair like coiling serpents.

It stood upon the void, shattered chaos with its body, and swept in all directions with the immense black staff in its hand.

The staff came crashing down!

It blotted out the sky and sun in Lin Yan's eyes.

Boom!

Black mist and translucent points of light exploded, creating a magnificent spectacle!

A transparent wall of light stood before them.

The black mist giant kept swinging its staff, but Lin Yan remained unmoved. The wall of light seemed to divide two worlds, rendering the giant's attacks utterly useless.

"Have you had enough?"

He said coldly, "If you have, then it's my turn."

Within this Illusionary Realm, Lin Yan's Mind Palace had fully unfolded. He felt like a god, able to alter the sun and moon at will and transform all things with a thought.

Streams of golden light gathered behind him. This gold was entirely different from the Black Cat's Golden Eyes, carrying a nobility that seemed to originate from the soul itself. One glance alone inspired fear of profaning a divine countenance.

The radiant golden light formed the vague outline of a human figure. Clad in golden armor, it radiated majestic bearing.

Ancient war drums seemed to echo faintly in his ears.

He took up a bow and drew an arrow.

The golden-armored God of War nocked a feathered arrow, drawing the bow into the shape of a full moon. It seemed as though all the spiritual essence of heaven and earth had gathered upon that single arrow.

The black mist giant felt immense pressure. Where the arrow pointed, it felt as though it could scarcely breathe.

Its black staff whirled like a trapped beast in despair.

Heh, it should have considered itself honored.

Yi slew Chisel-Tooth in the Chouhua Wilds, killed Nine Infants above the Fierce River, shot down Great Wind in the marshes of Green Hill, shot down the ten suns above and killed Yayu below, severed Xiushu at Dongting, and captured Fengxi in the Mulberry Forest.

Even if this was merely a creation born from Lin Yan's imagination, how could it possibly be worthy of this arrow?

Twang—

The feathered arrow left the string.

At that instant, his brilliant golden phantom seemed to merge with the blazing sun, dazzling beyond measure as it froze within that eternal legend.

I'm screwed.

I overdid it.

A person really couldn't let their ego get too inflated!

When the Virtual Hall had unfolded just now, Lin Yan had felt like a deity within this Illusionary Realm, capable of covering the sky with one hand and creating worlds with a single thought.

Create my ass.

He had merely imagined a mythological figure and pulled off a round of "Go out, Sun," yet now he could barely stand. Even his legs were trembling.

Wen Zhi'an supported him and asked with concern, "Lin Yan, what's wrong?"

What's wrong with me?

I'm perfectly fine!

I can shoot another arrow!

Lin Yan's masculine pride forced him to conceal his weakness. "Nothing. I'm just a little exhausted."

At this point, the Illusionary Realm would shatter with a mere thought from him, but he did not hurry to do so.

Their figures suddenly flashed to the side of the fallen black mist giant. A snow-white feathered arrow had pierced its brow, its shaft wreathed in white vapor.

The black mist giant scattered apart and turned back into a black cat, a bloody mark visible between its brows.

The snow-white feathered arrow also dissolved into points of light.

Lin Yan knew that the black cat's soul had been shattered by that arrow. It would soon die completely.

This was the fate it deserved.

During this beast tide, countless soldiers had died in battle. How innocent they had been. And when these creatures had roamed the North District, how many people had been left without even bones to bury?

Grinding them to dust and scattering their ashes would not be excessive.

Before it drew its last breath, Lin Yan wanted to see what secrets it held.

Under his gaze, the black cat became illusory in his eyes.

Hmm?

What was that?

He discovered a strange mental imprint carved into the black cat's spiritual body.

Lin Yan observed it carefully and ultimately concluded that this was likely a method used by Mental Masters to control beasts.

He frowned in thought. As far as he knew, Mental Masters generally controlled beasts through "telepathic communication." This mental imprint might be some sort of special inheritance.

He lacked knowledge in this area and had no idea what specific effect it possessed.

After some thought, Lin Yan decided to test it. The mental imprint was triggered, and the black cat's body convulsed as it emitted a pained, blower-like whimper.

The Illusionary Realm shattered.

Lin Yan's consciousness returned to reality. He was half-kneeling on the ground, propped up by his sword, with blood seeming to flow from both his nose and mouth.

Wen Zhi'an had collapsed as well. She got to her feet and immediately ran to Lin Yan's side, gently wiping away the blood. Her pretty face was filled with worry. "Are you hurt?"

Lin Yan checked himself. His blood and energy were merely churning in his chest, while his mind was so fatigued that he could barely keep his eyes open. "It's nothing serious. I just used too much mental energy and need to rest for a while."

He forced himself to stay alert and glanced at the dead black cat on the ground. Its body was twisted, and its death was gruesome. It looked as though it had suffered tremendous pain.

Lin Yan knew this was because the mental imprint had been triggered.

Is this how the mastermind controls monsters?

Lin Yan merely glanced at it before walking past the monster toward the door leading to the emergency passage.

He tried to open it, but it would not budge.

Damn it!

This door was also mixed with Kro Alloy. Locked as it was, there was no way he could open it with his current ability.

I'm so tired.

His eyelids could not help drooping.

The backlash from exhausting all his mental power washed over him. He could no longer hold on and had to rest.

"The emergency passage is blocked."

"Go into the storage room."

"Wait for me to wake up."

He spoke those words slowly through his exhaustion, then collapsed. As his consciousness sank into sleep, he felt himself fall into a warm, soft embrace.

Inside the laboratory.

The metal cage holding the Gray Gorilla had already been opened. Professor Wu removed the tubes connected to its body and injected medicine into its arm.

"Wake up, my brother."

His voice was hoarse, as if his throat had been scorched by flames, completely different from Professor Wu's voice.

The Gray Gorilla's hand twitched, then it slowly opened its eyes.

A human in a lab coat came into view.

Its blood-red eyes locked tightly onto him. It bared its sharp fangs, its body already tensed, ready to bite through the human's throat the next second.

"It's me."

Professor Wu spoke, and the familiar voice made the Gray Gorilla freeze for a moment.

Then the human skin on Professor Wu's face split apart. No blood was revealed beneath it, only a layer of smooth grayish-white membrane.

No eyes, no nose, no mouth.

It was an utterly horrifying sight!

Yet the Gray Gorilla immediately became agitated. Its large, coarse hand grasped Professor Wu's hand and pressed it against its own face as it began to cry like a child.

Professor Wu's face returned to normal once more. He lovingly stroked the Gray Gorilla's head and comforted it.

"It's all right."

"Don't cry. Don't cry."

His voice was mournful, like a cold wind from the depths of hell. "Everyone who bullied us must die!"