572: Chapter 406 572: Chapter 406 While Jiang Tang was secretly observing, the number of people who had hesitated earlier to enter the mountains to hunt for treasure was increasing, both on the ground and descending from the sky.
He could see from his hiding place that the mountain, which originally had only a few demonic beasts, suddenly began teeming with people.
They faced dangers even within the Illusion Realm.
Some unfortunate souls, caught up in the illusions manufactured by their own minds, walked in darkness and were constantly startled by the sounds of demonic beasts.
Even more unlucky were those who actually encountered a demonic beast.
Those with weaker abilities simply couldn’t escape the beasts’ attacks and were killed.
The Illusion Realm that Jiang Tang created was different for everybody; though they were indeed within an illusion, its dangers and the demonic beasts were very real.
The demonic beasts on the mountain were also part of the Illusion Realm; sensing an intrusion on their territory, they wouldn’t hesitate to kill the invaders.
Some people, stronger, would kill the beasts they encountered, regardless of whether they had come across the most powerful ones.
Yet others encountered no beasts, merely the night’s wild wind and flying sand and rocks, as if they had entered a desert.
Could it be that they had stumbled into a secret realm within the treasure mountain?
Others found themselves in an endless ocean, and if they could swim, it was no problem at all—unless, of course, they were unlucky enough to encounter fierce fish, known to us as sharks.
The capable beings had no issue with sharks and could swim freely.
They thought that perhaps the emergence of the Golden Dragon on the mountain signaled that they had entered the sea, and possibly the Dragon Palace, which might indeed contain the treasures they sought.
Various people entered different environments.
Some faced no trouble at all; their high combat power allowed them to react to every danger they encountered.
Others were unlucky and died as soon as they entered the mountain.
It wasn’t necessarily that they were too weak; it could be that their propensity for slaughter was too great, and, engulfed by their illusions, they relentlessly wielded their swords and spears, striking down nonexistent foes until they collapsed from exhaustion, or worse, killed themselves.
Jiang Tang set up this formation to test its power, not to cause the death of so many people.
He couldn’t understand why people entering the Illusion Realm would self-destruct.
Helplessly, Jiang Tang couldn’t just watch people die; he was no devil.
When many appeared to be on the brink of death, suddenly they would be safe.
Jiang Tang noted the cultivators descending from the sky to the mountain, knowing they were neither his subordinates nor those who had ridden on his arrows, nor from the three families that followed him.
Using his avatar, Jiang Tang instructed those who were moving around to stop while he was elsewhere acting.
Jiang Tang had wondered if those family members would disobey and seek treasure here in secret.
As more and more cultivators arrived without his men among them, he chose not to interfere.
His formation’s trial required many participants.
Of course, sacrifices were inevitable.
At first, Jiang Tang didn’t understand why people died in the Illusion Realm he created.
Later, knowing the mountain harbored demonic beasts, he realized those unlucky enough to meet them had lost their lives in their quest for treasure.
But why were some people frantically fighting to the death?
Curious, Jiang Tang took particular notice and saw many cloaked in black robes, their faces covered.
He hadn’t expected foreigners.
Jiang Tang noted the sabers they used were unlike the precious sabers or mana sabers of the Cultivation World.
Their strange sabers swung wildly, and their techniques differed from those of the Cultivation World.
Especially those with swords—their moves resembled those from a Foreign Country.
These people’s body shapes were similar to the people from his own country despite the masks, but their behaviors were odd.
Eventually, Jiang Tang spotted a black man using a musket, and it dawned on him why they engaged in such frenzied suicidal actions.
He saw a musketeer shooting incessantly, as if enemies were beckoning him to a murderous frenzy not far away.
Jiang Tang knew the person in the Illusion Realm couldn’t see anyone else; only their inner thoughts could conjure up different illusions.
Was this man imagining himself on a battlefield?
Jiang Tang was reminded of a terrifying event that had occurred a month prior and the madness of the rats half a month ago, both instigated by terrorists from a Foreign Country.
Then he heard the man utter something and listened carefully:
“Baka, dead, dead!”
Finally, Jiang Tang understood why there were so many bent on self-destruction at the foot of the mountain—they faced greater dangers than those fighting for the Golden Dragon at the summit.
It turned out they were dwarfs!
Jiang Tang, though never a war hero in either of his lifetimes, nor a patriot nor soldier, was a person who appreciated peace.
The presence of these people ignited his fury, reminding him of past generations who had fought for the hard-won peace.
Regardless of whether these people were from the same Foreign Country as those in his previous life, their actions were equally detestable.
Jiang Tang refused to take action against them.
Instead, he allowed them to bring about their own demise.
The more devils they had in their hearts, the sooner they would fall and descend to Hell.