Shi Yan remained oblivious to Ban Yu’s growing unease, wholly engrossed in the profundities of his realm comprehension, entirely detached from the shifting dynamics around him.
He had grasped a novel permutation of spatial profoundness, a subtlety even Belor, in the second heaven of the Prime God realm, had failed to master: the marvelous convergence of multiple spaces, making the very fabric of space refract myriad illusions like polished mirrors—a truly exquisite application of spatial principles.
His main body’s eyes were tightly shut, the Soul Altar spinning in wondrous patterns, while the myriad versions of himself situated within those overlapping spaces exhibited every conceivable state: some laughing heartily, others shaking their heads contemplatively, and still others bowed in deep thought.
These were like external avatars, each bearing the indelible mark of his life’s consciousness, existing as genuine entities.
"Huh?"
"How bizarre!"
"What in the blazes is going on here?"
Finally, other martial artists noticed the anomaly and couldn’t help but cry out in alarm, their gazes immediately locking onto the warship sandwiched between them, and then onto Shi Yan, whose eyes remained resolutely closed.
In nearby, distinct spatial pockets, these varied forms of Shi Yan were palpably different from the illusions generated within their own perceptions, sending a profound shockwave through their minds, chilling them to the bone with a distinct sense of the uncanny.
"All of you, shut your mouths!" Ban Yu snapped with a cold snort.
The expressions of those present shifted, and they quickly fell silent, though their eyes continued to dart toward Shi Yan with persistent curiosity.
In their view, Shi Yan was impossibly mysterious and strange, as if he could traverse space at will, stirring deep, hidden fear within them.
A moment later, the bizarre transformation occurred again!
Those dozens of Shi Yans, scattered across different spatial layers, seemed to respond to an inner summons. One by one, they drifted back toward the main body of Shi Yan, their appearances varied—some grinning widely, others possessing a placid demeanor, and still others stroking their chins in reflection—yet all converged upon the core Shi Yan.
These spectral figures had actually traversed the overlapping barriers of the void, gathering as if emerging sequentially from distinct spaces.
Ban Yu’s face drained of color in sheer horror.
More martial artists gaped, utterly dumbfounded by what was unfolding.
The Shi Yans, each imbued with living consciousness, pierced through the different spatial layers and completely dissolved back into the main body of Shi Yan; the scattered spiritual souls had returned to their origin.
Suddenly, those dozens of Shi Yans vanished. The onlookers peered intently at their surroundings and realized that within the Illusionary Domain, capable of birthing endless phantoms, not a single illusion belonging to Shi Yan remained.
Nearby, rows of warships still floated in their shuttle-like formation. On those ships, numerous martial artists stared in terror at the same single direction they were looking now.
But in that direction, the space was empty; not a trace of the entity they sought could be found.
—Shi Yan had never been part of that scene at all.
It was akin to them standing within an expanse of tall, vertical mirrors that reflected their images all around them, yet Shi Yan, who stood shoulder-to-shoulder with them, never appeared within those reflections.
This scenario was, naturally, deeply unsettling.
"So that's how it is." On the warship, Shi Yan opened his eyes, a light of profound realization gleaming within them.
Crack!
A Phantom Space Ring he wore on his finger suddenly shattered into fragments. The numerous rare weapons, potent treasures, and divine crystals stored within the ring shook loose and streamed toward his brow, vanishing into his body.
Inside the Soul Altar, within the star-dusted expanse of his Prime Realm, he carved out a new domain. He gathered the materials and resources that had once resided in the Phantom Space Ring, utilizing his mastery over overlapping spatial mysteries to designate a specific, empty locus within his Prime Realm solely for storage.
Henceforth, his Prime Realm would serve as his Phantom Space Ring, capable of containing all things.
With a mere thought, a crystal materialized in his palm, drawn directly from his Prime Realm. His intention shifted again, and the crystal was drawn back into the Prime Realm.
He smiled faintly, understanding that this new comprehension of spatial profoundness allowed him to forge a bridge between the real and the illusory worlds, creating an unprecedented Phantom Space Ring capable of holding billions of materials.
Closing his eyes, he sensed for a long moment. He nodded toward Ban Yu, having lost further curiosity about the Illusionary Domain. Returning to the quarters arranged for him by Ban Yu, he began to savor the sensation. He suddenly felt that the breakthrough to the second heaven of the Prime God realm was now remarkably close.
He required time to fully digest the essence of this discovery.
The warships of the Giant Wave Merchant Guild sailed through the Illusionary Domain in a specific direction. Ban Yu had visited many times and was intimately familiar with the terrain.
Even so, he still needed to maintain covert contact with the Thousand Illusions Sect, receiving continuous updates on their trajectory, which required them to constantly adjust their course.
"In half an hour ahead of you, a few people will also arrive at Illusion Star. You will give them a ride on your way. They are from the Shattered Hall, invited by our Thousand Illusions Sect. They encountered some trouble en route, and their warship was destroyed. Navigating the Illusionary Domain is inconvenient for them now, so we ask you to assist."
One day, after Ban Yu communicated with a contact in the Thousand Illusions Sect and received the new directional coordinates via a sound stone, the contact suddenly relayed this request.
Ban Yu was unsurprised and immediately agreed, assuring them he would certainly take the group along.
Having traveled to Illusion Star many times, he had encountered similar situations. Those entering the Illusionary Domain for the first time, without a familiar guide, often suffered disorientation, leading to the very act of destroying their own ships and engaging in combat with their own illusions.
Sometimes, the Thousand Illusions Sect would instruct them to pick up those who had successfully established contact with Illusion Star and ferry them there, saving the Sect the trouble of dispatching personnel from the star itself.
"Everyone, stay alert. We are picking up a few people shortly; they should appear in half an hour," Ban Yu commanded.
The martial artists on the other warships nodded, but they still kept casting surreptitious glances toward Ban Yu’s location—the closed room where Shi Yan resided—wondering internally how he had achieved what he did.
They remained intensely curious about the mysteriously appearing Shi Yan because Ban Yu was notoriously obstinate, sticking rigidly to rules.
Conveying someone unauthorized by Illusion Star was a clear violation of protocol. Over the years, Ban Yu had rejected many lucrative opportunities for the Giant Wave Merchant Guild simply because he was inflexible.
Yet, this time, Ban Yu had actually breached his agreement with the Thousand Illusions Sect to bring an unknown individual aboard, leaving them utterly baffled.
Half an hour later.
Ahead, through layers of illusionary scenery, a trio of martial artists was reflected by the Illusionary Domain in numerous illusory projections, as if caught within a hall of mirrors.
Two elderly martial artists from the Shattered Hall, escorting a veiled woman, waited silently ahead.
The martial artists of the Giant Wave Merchant Guild glanced over from a distance, and their eyes immediately brightened. They couldn't help but look at the woman. Although her face was veiled, she exuded a striking sense of beauty.
The woman wore a plain white dress, its hem adorned with shimmering ornaments shaped like stars and moons that glittered like tiny celestial bodies. On her snow-white wrists, she wore a pair of dark, bluish-black shackles, around which serpentine bolts of lightning crackled, accompanied by the low rumble of thunder.
The woman was clearly restrained by the Shattered Hall. A swath of white veil covered her cheeks, revealing only a pair of eyes as clear and bright as the harvest moon—a single glance was enough to intoxicate the spirit.
The two elders from the Shattered Hall, one at the first heaven and the other at the second heaven of the Prime God realm, guarded her closely with solemn expressions. Only when they noticed the Giant Wave Merchant Guild's warship materializing did they turn their heads toward them.
"This way is the real one!"
The warrior at the first heaven of the Prime God realm shouted, waving his hand in greeting. However, with his call and gesture, countless overlapping voices echoed from the surroundings; the surrounding illusions mimicked his actions and bearing perfectly.
This only made distinguishing the real from the fabricated even harder.
Ban Yu frowned, gazing deeply at the three figures ahead. A faint, somber blue light emanated from his pupils, and a peculiar crystal in his palm pulsed with strange energy. This crystal, refined by the Thousand Illusions Sect, was specifically provided to the Giant Wave Merchant Guild to allow them to navigate and discern truth from illusion within the domain.
Gripping the crystal to confirm the bearing, Ban Yu pointed in one direction. "That way."
The merchant ship altered course and flew in that direction.
Three minutes later, the ship halted in front of the trio. Ban Yu’s expression turned serious, and he called out loudly, "As entrusted by the Thousand Illusions Sect, we will take you to Illusion Star on our way. Please board quickly."
The two elders of the Shattered Hall exchanged a look and nodded, flying over with the woman toward Ban Yu's merchant vessel.
Ban Yu frowned, subtly glancing toward Shi Yan's closed room, and quickly added, "You can alight on the first merchant ship ahead. Mine is transporting numerous materials for the Thousand Illusions Sect and likely doesn't have space for you."
"There is clearly someone in your quarters. How can you not have space? Stop trying to fool us." The elder from the Shattered Hall at the first heaven of the Prime God realm snorted, ignoring Ban Yu’s protest, and forcefully landed right beside Ban Yu’s ship.
He eyed the room occupied by Shi Yan and frowned. "There are two empty rooms next to it; we only need one. We don't require extensive hospitality."
With that, the two elders of the Shattered Hall, escorting the woman in pure white, proceeded to forcibly enter one of the unoccupied rooms.
"I require solitude," a cold, hard voice suddenly emerged from the occupied room.
The faces of the two elders of the Shattered Hall stiffened. They both looked toward Ban Yu. The elder who had reached the second heaven of the Prime God realm let out a cynical laugh. "That person is likely not one of yours from the Giant Wave Merchant Guild, are they? Previously, our Shattered Hall, along with the Thousand Illusions Sect and the Heavenly Water Palace, all had agreements with your Giant Wave Merchant Guild. I am aware of your protocol with the Thousand Illusions Sect—absolutely no strangers are permitted onto Illusion Star. You are violating the agreement, aren't you?"
As soon as he arrived, he sensed someone inside Ban Yu's cabin comprehending profound mysteries. This person, keenly aware of the Giant Wave Merchant Guild's numerous secret rules, immediately surmised that Shi Yan was not affiliated with the Guild and insisted on investigating to confirm the matter.
Once he voiced his suspicion, Ban Yu’s face darkened, and he coldly retorted, "The affairs of my Giant Wave Merchant Guild are not for others to question, not even the Shattered Hall!"
Seeing Ban Yu’s aggressive stance, the two elders of the Shattered Hall also knitted their brows, sensing trouble.
They were well aware of the mysterious power of the Giant Wave Merchant Guild; even the God Clan held them in deep apprehension. Their Shattered Hall certainly dared not openly provoke the Guild.
They had initially intended to merely embarrass Ban Yu, but upon encountering his resolute defiance, they found themselves unable to press the issue.
They failed to notice that following the cold, harsh rebuke from Shi Yan inside the room, the woman they had restrained—whose body and speech were imprisoned—had a sudden, exceptionally strange gleam shoot from her clear, bright eyes.
"Huh?"
Simultaneously, Shi Yan inside the room let out a low exclamation, as if detecting something peculiar.
In the next instant, the tightly closed door of the room abruptly swung open.