The four flew along the tree trunk for a long time, but still couldn't find their destination. Meanwhile, the fog grew thicker and thicker, to the point where they could hardly see their own hand in front of their face.
"Be careful, the fog here is very abnormal; it's probably the work of the Illusion Demon Tree," Zhang Junbao warned.
However, it was too late. His warning went unanswered. Not long ago, he could still see Luo Feng and the other two, but now, the three people, who were only a few dozen meters away, had completely disappeared.
Luo Feng!
flood!
"Thunder God!" Zhang Junbao called out several times, but received no response.
" Babata, where are they?" Zhang Junbao asked.
"My intelligent Clone show they've been following you the whole time, not far away," Babata replied, even he hadn't noticed when Luo Feng and the others disappeared.
"What? This fog doesn't block sound. If it were really near me, there shouldn't be no response at all."
"Can you receive the information from the intelligent Clone? Guide me there and tell Luo Feng to stay put and not move," Zhang Junbao said.
There was no feedback from the fog, creating an extremely terrifying psychological pressure. There was no response to any sound, no reaction to any movement, and even one's own body was becoming unclear, with only a vast expanse of white.
"The environment created by this mist is actually somewhat similar to Deathly Silence, so it must be the trunk of the Illusion Demon Tree."
Babata, why haven't I seen Luo Feng yet?
Zhang Junbao arrived at Luo Feng's original spot, but it was deserted. Normally, a Star Level expert should have excellent hearing, able to detect sounds even from thousands of meters away if they focused. However, according to Babata's information, the two should be less than a meter apart, yet Zhang Junbao couldn't find any trace of Luo Feng.
"The fog interfered with the communication, and I lost contact with my intelligent Clone. The location information I obtained in the Virtual Universe Network is correct; the error cannot exceed 1 centimeter," Babata said, also puzzled.
"Hmm? It seems the Illusion Demon Tree still has some unknown methods. We were already cautious enough, but we still got separated."
However, since the Illusion Demon Tree's ultimate method is illusion, Luo Feng, Hong, and Thunder God will not be defeated so easily.
"Now we can only try to find the real body of the Illusion Demon Tree. Only by obtaining the tree fruit can we break the illusion here." Zhang Junbao had not expected that this Lost Secret Realm would be so strange, separating everyone silently.
Meanwhile, Luo Feng, Hong, and Thunder God Shen also realized that they had become separated from the others. Although they could contact each other through the Virtual Universe Network, everything around them had become undetectable, and they had no idea where they were.
"Be careful and explore on your own. Although the Illusion Demon Tree is Universe Level, it's only at the First Order the cosmic realm, not enough to kill us instantly. Most importantly, don't fall into its illusions."
Zhang Junbao said this via the Virtual Universe Network.
"Understood. Stay focused. This illusion might not be able to defeat us. But don't forget, there are hundreds of thousands of geniuses trapped here, and some of them might be controlled by the Illusion Demon Tree. Be careful of their attacks," Hong also reminded them. His mental cultivation was second only to Zhang Junbao, and he was confident that this illusion wouldn't be able to trap him. But that didn't mean others could either.
"We understand!" Thunder God and Luo Feng replied.
Especially Luo Feng, whose mental cultivation was the weakest among them, making him the most susceptible to being controlled by illusions. However, Luo Feng had the Golden Horned Beast, so to deceive Luo Feng with illusions, it was actually necessary to make the Golden Horned Beast fall into an illusion as well.
Having devoured a large amount of optimally proportioned combined metals, Luo Feng's Golden Horned Beast has reached the Star Level Ninth Stage. Even if it were to directly confront Universe Level First Stage Illusion Demon Tree, it would have no worries whatsoever.
Moreover, the Golden Horned Beast possesses a strong will and an intense killing intent, making it extremely difficult to create an illusion that could trap it within.
"Everyone, just now, my Golden Horned Beast detected a trace of spatial fluctuation. We may have unknowingly experienced spatial distortion or teleportation," Luo Feng said.
"Spatial distortion teleportation? That's certainly possible, otherwise there's no way to explain why it suddenly disappeared. This is probably not the ability of the Illusion Demon Tree itself; even Universe Level Illusion Demon Tree cannot perform forced Space Teleportation."
"The reason this Illusion Demon Tree chose to take root here may be related to the unique spatial characteristics of this area," Babata said.
"Special spatial characteristics? What do you mean?" Zhang Junbao asked.
"Feel it carefully; the space here is unstable, with many distorted spaces and short-distance spatial travel points."
"Um?"
Zhang Junbao opened his domain and finally discovered the special features of this secret realm. His domain was particularly sensitive to space, and under its coverage, the distorted and deformed spacetime nodes had nowhere to hide.
"Some of the secret realms in the universe were originally fragments of broken World Lord World or Immortal God Kingdom. After drifting for a long time, these fragments may have been stabilized by certain metals or life forms with spatial properties and slowly evolved into secret realms."
The connection point between this Lost Secret Realm and the Original Universe should be inside the large tree you entered from earlier. This Illusion Demon Tree forms its hunting ground precisely because of the unique nature of this realm.
However, the Virtual Universe Company has turned this hunting ground of the Illusion Demon Tree into a Trial Space. Such boldness truly befits the top power in the universe.
Countless geniuses have ventured into the Lost Secret Realm, hoping to gain immense strength by overcoming the Illusion Demon Tree's hunting tactics. However, failure would be tantamount to feeding the Illusion Demon Tree.
Whenever the Illusion Demon Tree absorbs enough nutrients, it will condense a tree fruit. The Illusion Demon Tree's tree fruit is usually located near its main body, as only there are enough nutrients to condense into a tree fruit.
"In preparation for the Universe Genius Battle, the Black Dragon Mountain Branch must have sent quite a few geniuses here. This Bewitching Demon Tree likely has accumulated a lot of fruit, otherwise they wouldn't have let you in to collect them," Babata explained.
"Using countless geniuses as food for the Illusion Demon Tree, tsk tsk, only Virtual Universe Company could pull off something so extravagant."
The relationship between this Illusion Demon Tree and the Virtual Universe Company is somewhat like a symbiotic relationship between animals, each getting what they need.
"Babata, where do you think the true form of the Illusion Demon Tree is?"
Zhang Junbao wasn't going to play hide-and-seek with it. If he wanted to obtain the fruit of the Illusion Demon Tree, he would have to get close to the Illusion Demon Tree itself.
Facing the Universe Level Illusion Demon Tree Illusion Demon Tree is forcing the geniuses here to clash with it.
No wonder the Virtual Universe Company uses this secret realm as a life-or-death training ground. Aside from top geniuses, how many can actually fight beyond their level?
" The Illusion Demon Tree is so cunning; its true form must be in the thickest part of the mist. The mist here is so thick, it shouldn't be far from its true form!" Babata said.
"But everything here looks the same. Which way should I go?" Zhang Junbao asked, puzzled.
His past experience proved far too limited in the Cosmic Secret Realm, leaving him no choice but to rely on Babata, a seasoned veteran of cosmic adventures, for guidance.
"You humans naturally find it difficult to distinguish, but don't forget, the Cloud-Touching Vine on your body is also a rare plant life form in the universe. There's an old saying on your Earth: 'Two tigers cannot share one mountain.'"
The same applies to plant life. Although your Cloud-Touching Vine is only at the Stellar Level Seven, its rarity is no less than that of the Illusion Demon Tree. They have a special connection with each other and can sense each other's presence as long as they are within a certain range.
"If the Cloud-Touching Vine could devour the Illusion Demon Tree's true form, it could definitely evolve into Universe Level being," Babata said with a smile.
"Doesn't that mean the Illusion Demon Tree also sensed the presence of the Cloud-Touching Vine?"
"That's right, but the Illusion Demon Tree can't move. It can only find the Cloud-Touching Vine through its trunk. The Cloud-Touching Vine, however, can reside in your body and move with you."
"I think the Illusion Demon Tree will soon come knocking on my door," Babata said.
"Didn't Luo Feng also have the Cloud-Touching Vine on him?" Zhang Junbao thought of the Cloud-Touching Vine that had brought Luo Feng to his death.
"That's right, so the Illusion Demon Tree's target is the two of you. If Luo Feng encounters it first, given the Golden Horned Beast's combat strength, there shouldn't be any problem."
Although there are quite a few humans in this secret realm, the fog is so thick that the Golden Horned Beast is unlikely to be discovered if it's careful. The Illusion Demon Tree has practically dug itself a hole," Babata said with a laugh.
At the same time, he also informed Luo Feng of the situation through the Virtual Universe Network, telling him to be on guard.
" Moyun, can you sense the location of the Illusion Demon Tree?" Zhang Junbao asked.
Soon, the Cloud-Touching Vine told Zhang Junbao everything it had sensed through the mental connection.
" Moyun told me that about 10,000 kilometers away, it sensed a longing from the Life Gene Level, and there was something it longed to obtain there."
This should be the location of the Illusion Demon Tree.
Having confirmed the location, Zhang Junbao acted swiftly.
But as he got closer, he discovered that the surrounding fog was actually starting to thin out.
"Um?
"Isn't it said that the mist gets thicker the closer you get to the Illusion Demon Tree's true form? According to Moyun's guidance, I shouldn't have even left yet."
"Call out"
Zhang Junbao sensed a dangerous aura and suddenly summoned his Arc Blade Disc, blocking the unexpected attack.
As the fog thinned, Zhang Junbao vaguely saw a figure approaching him rapidly in the distance, making no attempt to conceal the intense killing intent emanating from the figure.
"Die! You damned Alien Race! You destroyed my homeland! I will avenge my people! Die!"
The figure burst out of the mist, Zhang Junbao looked closely and saw a burly man with four arms and a body as strong as steel.
The burly man wielded a massive War Blade in each of his four arms, hacking wildly at Zhang Junbao as if he were the enemy who had Destruction his hometown.
Zhang Junbao dodged, and this frenzied slashing posed little threat to him.
But Zhang Junbao discovered that the other party seemed to have completely lost their mind and was utterly tireless.
"His eyes are off, filled with confusion. He must be trapped in the illusion of the Illusion Demon Tree. He actually controlled even Star Level Ninth Stage being so easily, but this Star Level Ninth Stage being seems somewhat weak!"
Zhang Junbao didn't stand on ceremony. Although the burly man with four arms in front of him might be a genius from the Virtual Universe Company who had previously entered the secret realm, what did that have to do with him?
At this moment, this four-armed strongman was his enemy.
He kept shouting that his hometown had been invaded by Alien Race, but whether this actually happened or was just an illusion created by the Illusion Demon Tree after he fell into a dream world, making him see Zhang Junbao as an enemy, remains unknown.
Zhang Junbao's figure suddenly disappeared, and dozens of figures appeared in his place.
The next moment, the head of the four-armed strongman flew off, and his body fell limply to the ground.
" The Cosmic Energy within his body has been completely drained, leaving only an empty shell. He possesses the aura of Star Level Ninth Stage being, but his actual strength is far from reaching its peak."
This four-armed giant must have been trapped in the Lost Secret Realm for a long time.
Was my hometown invaded by foreign tribes?
It's truly pathetic that this race in the universe possesses immense fighting power, yet lacks the corresponding mental fortitude. The deep-seated flaws within them were exploited by the Illusion Demon Tree, which completely controlled them.
I heard from the woman in black that there are many geniuses here who are controlled by the Illusion Demon Tree and unable to escape; this must be one of them.
Zhang Junbao spread his Spiritual Force and found himself surrounded.
In order for the genius under its control to discover Zhang Junbao, the Illusion Demon Tree reduced the concentration of the mist, but this also allowed Zhang Junbao's Spiritual Force to take effect.
"It seems the Illusion Demon Tree has already begun its operation. A total of 1321 geniuses, almost all of them are at the Star Level Eighth Stage. They really think highly of me!"
After surveying the surrounding area, Zhang Junbao smiled.
Since the Illusion Demon Tree wants to test his strength, let it watch.
The 36 Half Moon blades formed by the Arc Blade Disc were arranged in the Heavenly Dipper Thirty-Six Transformations Array of the Heavenly Gang, surrounding Zhang Junbao's body. He used himself as the array's core to set up a killing formation, instantly striking towards the thousand geniuses of the universe.