In the clash between divine power and ghostly energy, faint wailing sounds began to echo through the air. Sometimes it was like an old man’s sigh, sometimes like a woman’s sobs, and sometimes like the laughter of a child.

The sounds were strange and chaotic, as though all emotions were tangled together.

Outside, the sky had turned completely dark. Sand and stones flew, and fierce winds howled.

The bones of the White Bone Tree rattled violently, stark and pale against the darkness.

The wind slammed against the windows, bang, bang, bang, as if they could burst open at any moment.

Then, through the lattice window, Xu Zimo saw a figure appear in the courtyard.

It was one of the students from the Celestial Sage Academy.

His eyes were blank, his expression a twisted mix of laughter and tears, as he walked stiffly into the darkness.

“That guy opened the door,” Xu Zimo murmured softly.

As the student’s figure vanished into the blackness, everything grew quiet again.

The eerie wind stopped, and the air fell still.

The night sky was void of stars or moon, just endless darkness.

But the chaotic mix of divine and ghostly energy still lingered faintly in the void.

Xu Zimo didn’t sleep that night. He stayed awake in silence, and he suspected that many others couldn’t sleep either.

By dawn, Lan Canyin appeared, and only then did everyone dare to step outside.

“So, everyone,” Lan Canyin asked with a smile, “how did you sleep last night?”

Jiang Mozhi was fine, after all, he had lived in the Ghost God Heaven before.

But the students were trembling with fear.

“Zhang Yang is missing,” one whispered.

“I saw him walk into the darkness last night… and then he was gone,” another said.

“I told you not to open the door,” Jiang Mozhi sighed. “Those who go out… never come back.”

“Miss Lan,” Xu Zimo asked, looking up, “did you come here for something?”

“I brought you Spotted Jades,” Lan Canyin said. “You’ll need them if you want to live in this world.”

With a flick of her wrist, several black stones appeared in her palm.

They were oval-shaped, covered in mysterious markings, and at this moment they glowed with a bright white light, dazzling in the gloom.

“Thank you, Miss Lan,” Jiang Mozhi said, accepting them gratefully and handing one to each of the others.

“The matter of the Celestial Sage Academy will be judged by the Collegium today,” Lan Canyin continued, clearly aware of inside news. “Someone will come for you later.”

Then she turned her gaze to Xu Zimo and warned, “You’re currently everyone’s enemy in the academy. Be careful.”

“Everyone’s enemy?” Xu Zimo asked in surprise. “I haven’t offended that many people, have I?”

“You’ve offended Lord Nocturne, and on top of that, you killed Kong Ming, one of the Four Symbols, right after arriving,” Lan Canyin said with a faint smile. “Many see it as a direct provocation against the Ghost God Collegium.”

Just as she finished speaking, the sound of footsteps echoed from outside.

A middle-aged man in a white robe strode in quickly. When he saw Lan Canyin, he removed a token from his belt and tossed it to her.

“It’s a summon order,” Lan Canyin said softly. “Looks like they wants to see you.”

“Jiang Mozhi, come with me,” the middle-aged man said evenly. “The Chancellor wishes to know the details about the Evil Spirit.”

Jiang Mozhi nodded hurriedly and followed him out.

When they were gone, Lan Canyin turned back to Xu Zimo, smiling. “Can you teach me?”

“Teach you what?” Xu Zimo asked, puzzled.

“I want to defeat someone,” she said. “And I think you might be able to help me.”

“I’ll teach you, if you can find me a detailed map of the Ghost God Heaven,” Xu Zimo replied.

“Fine,” Lan Canyin said. “But first, I want to see if you’re qualified to teach me.”

She slowly extended her right hand, and a single orchid bloomed in her palm.

It was elegant and pure, its violet petals surrounding a delicate pistil that gave off a light fragrance.

The orchid, called one of the Four Gentlemen of flowers, was a symbol of nobility and grace.

But Lan Canyin’s orchid was strange, for it was incomplete.

Though only half of the flower remained, the power within it was awe-inspiring and unsettling.

From the orchid’s petals, streams of violet spirit power rose and gathered into a phantom figure above her hand.

It was the image of a woman with the body of a human and the tail of a fish.

Yet she had no head, only overlapping scales covering her entire body, making her appear eerie and unnatural.

The fish tail stirred gently, and as it did, the world seemed to empty itself, all surrounding spirit power converged toward that single movement.

With a flick of her tail, a massive surge of energy roared toward Xu Zimo.

Xu Zimo waved his hand, and the torrent shattered instantly.

The exploding current turned into countless flower petals, floating down softly.

They fell around him, and from the ground, orchids began to bloom endlessly, spreading out in all directions until the courtyard was covered in them.

“Orchid Heart Illusion Realm!” Lan Canyin called out sharply.

Xu Zimo suddenly felt the world around him change.

He was standing in a sea of orchids. Ahead of him was a colossal orchid, its bud just beginning to open.

Petals unfurled one by one, cascading down like thousands of strands of silk.

When the flower fully bloomed, a woman appeared in its heart.

She was unclothed, her body seemingly sculpted by heaven itself, flawless in every detail.

Her eyes gleamed like autumn water, her fingers delicate as jade.

She stepped barefoot across the petals, her movements fluid and hypnotic as she walked toward Xu Zimo.

A misty aura filled the air, intoxicating and dreamlike.

Xu Zimo’s eyes opened wide, he felt his consciousness slipping away. No matter how he tried, he couldn’t tear his gaze from her.

If his spiritual will weren’t so strong, he might have been completely lost in the illusion.

Slowly, Xu Zimo closed his eyes.

Between his brows, an eye began to open, the Infinite-Samsara God-Eye.

Or rather, it was no longer the true Infinite-Samsara God-Eye, for after being nourished by demonic energy for so long, it had become the Infinite-Samsara Demon-Eye.

The moment that eye opened, all illusions and falsehoods shattered.

In an instant, time itself seemed to freeze.

The illusion vanished, and Xu Zimo stood once more in the courtyard, or rather, he had never left it at all.

“Not bad,” Xu Zimo said with a hint of admiration.

If not for his Infinite-Samsara Demon-Eye, even he might have needed effort to break free.

“What was that just now?” Lan Canyin asked, pale-faced and shaken as she retracted her half-orchid.

“You don’t need to know,” Xu Zimo said calmly. “Illusions have no effect on me.”

“That’s quite the boast,” Lan Canyin replied, unwilling to concede.

“The Lan Clan has studied illusion arts for generations. One day, our name will be known across the realms. You may look down on illusions, but have you ever heard of the Ten God-King Physiques?”