Invincible Soul Emperor

The Ancient Honored One witnessed how Ye Qingchen navigated strategies amidst the storm, how he utilized the terrain and natural resources, gradually mastering the means to counter the tempest.

This resilience had already inspired admiration within the Ancient Honored One.

However, what amazed the Ancient Honored One even more was the change in Ye Qingchen’s Spiritual Power during the storm.

Whenever the torrential winds and rains struck Ye Qingchen, an extraordinary energy surged within him, causing his Spiritual Power to continuously strengthen.

The Ancient Honored One could see that this was not just the pain brought by the storm, but a unique form of tempering.

He witnessed firsthand how Ye Qingchen was tempered in the storm, how he pushed his body and Spiritual Power to their limits again and again, and then broke through himself at those limits.

When Ye Qingchen finally emerged from Storm Gorge, the Ancient Honored One couldn’t help but look at this young man in a new light.

At this moment, the Ancient Honored One saw Ye Qingchen sitting cross-legged, quickly entering a meditative state, trying to suppress the rampant Spiritual Power within him.

He nodded secretly, thinking to himself, "This boy is not only brave but extremely smart to discover and utilize the energy in the storm to enhance himself in such a short time; he truly is remarkable."

The Ancient Honored One sensed the ever-growing power within Ye Qingchen and slightly raised his eyebrow, feeling even more astonished: "To have suddenly increased his Cultivation in such a short time, Storm Gorge for him is simply a transformative opportunity."

He continued observing, watching how Ye Qingchen calmly controlled his Spiritual Power within, gradually taming the rampant energy, guiding it to flow smoothly.

Every action and every breath of Ye Qingchen displayed an exceptionally high aptitude for cultivation.

When Ye Qingchen’s Spiritual Power surged out, a trace of appreciation flashed in the Ancient Honored One’s eyes.

He couldn’t help but secretly admire in his heart: "To increase Spiritual Power so much under such conditions, this boy’s potential is indeed extraordinary."

The Ancient Honored One stood in the shadows, his gaze filled with contemplation.

Ye Qingchen’s future is filled with endless possibilities.

Storm Gorge is merely a beginning; this young man will surely go further and higher on the path of cultivation.

He secretly decided in his heart to continue observing this lad, to see what heights he could reach in the trials of the Ancient Temple.

"Interesting, truly interesting," the Ancient Honored One murmured to himself, his eyes glowing with wisdom, "perhaps the future of the entire continent really depends on this boy."

On the other side.

After a period of rest and meditation, the Spiritual Power within Ye Qingchen had completely stabilized.

He stood up and continued forward to face the Third Level of the Ancient Temple—the Mirror of Illusion.

When Ye Qingchen stepped into the entrance of the Third Level, the sight before him made him pause.

The landscape of the Mirror of Illusion resembled an Immortal Realm, yet felt like a dream. The entire space was covered by an endless expanse of lake water, the surface as calm as a mirror, without a single ripple, reflecting the cloud formations above.

All around, the light was soft and mysterious, as if the entire space was enveloped in a thin layer of mist, blurring the line between reality and illusion.

The lake water was crystal clear, reflecting the beautiful underwater plants and fish, like a flowing painting.

Occasionally, a gentle breeze ripples the lake surface, shimmering like scattered stars.

More peculiarly, numerous gigantic water mirrors floated on the lake surface, each one crystal clear, like natural mirrors.

The water mirrors were arranged in a graceful pattern—some standing upright, some tilted floating, others suspended mid-air.

Each mirror reflected different scenes—some were reflections of the lake water, while others were illusory images, and even included Ye Qingchen’s own image.

These mirrored images intertwined, as if countless parallel spaces converged here, making it difficult to distinguish between reality and illusion.

Standing by the lake, Ye Qingchen couldn’t help but marvel: "This kind of trial is truly unprecedented."

He had experienced countless perilous trials, but a setting so beautiful and filled with illusions was a first for him.

This mirror illusory realm is indeed ingeniously designed!

Ye Qingchen took a deep breath, calmed his mind, and meticulously observed his surroundings.

Though the scenery was enchanting, he knew this illusionary realm surely hid numerous tests.

He cautiously stepped onto a large rock by the lake, using its stable surface to gradually approach the floating mirrors.

As he neared a water mirror, his image was reflected in it, as if another self was gazing back.

This image not only had his identical appearance but also displayed a mysterious smile.

Ye Qingchen was momentarily stunned, unable to help reaching out to touch the mirror.

As his fingertips just touched the surface, the image suddenly vanished, turning into a rippling water surface.

Immediately after, a deep path appeared on the mirror surface, leading to a small island at the heart of the lake.

Ye Qingchen felt a momentary daze but quickly regained composure, thinking to himself: "It seems these water mirrors are not just simple mirrors but are key guides and tests."

He stepped onto the path projected by the water mirrors, feeling each step beneath his feet exceptionally real, yet seemingly ready to fall into illusion at any moment.

Ye Qingchen walked into the mirror of illusion; the initial scenes were akin to an Immortal Realm, with tranquil lake surface and intertwined light and shadow, as if everything was harmonious and beautiful.

However, as he delved deeper, he quickly discovered the great danger lurking beneath this beautiful surface.

First, he felt an invisible pressure. This pressure seemed to surge from all directions, gradually increasing, pressing on his body and nerves, making his steps heavy and breathing difficult.

Each step required him to concentrate all his energy to resist this invisible pressure.

The feeling was as if gripped by countless invisible hands, unable to break free, forcing him to move forward with difficulty with each step.

As he approached a water mirror, the mirror once again reflected a figure identical to himself.

This mirrored image was not just a reflection, but a tangible phantom.

This phantom gave him a strange smile, then stepped out from the mirror and wielded Spiritual Power to attack Ye Qingchen.

Every move and technique of the phantom seemed like Ye Qingchen’s own shadow fighting, with the power and skills of the opponent completely matching him.

Ye Qingchen’s heart tightened; it was the first time he encountered something like this.

The attacks from the phantom were fierce and precise, each move targeting Ye Qingchen’s vital points.

He had to give his all to respond, his Spiritual Power surging, rapidly making moves to engage. Their fight seemed like a duel with oneself, every move, every flaw keenly captured by the opponent.

Ye Qingchen felt as if he was competing against another self, with a chill creeping in his heart.

After defeating the first phantom, Ye Qingchen continued forward.

But soon, he noticed the surrounding water mirrors began frequently spawning more phantoms. These phantoms came in various forms; some transformed into his family and friends, some became his former enemies, and others embodied his deepest fears and desires. These phantoms relentlessly attacked him, leaving him struggling to cope.