Chapter 75

"Li Yi, you were in great danger just now, do you know that? Merely glancing at that mural, you froze in place like the others, trapped in a deep illusion—your flesh and blood vanished rapidly. If you hadn’t suddenly awakened, you’d already be dead."

Zhang Lei spoke solemnly: "Four such people have died here, one of whom was an external operative of the Spiritual Insight realm."

Li Yi, now awake, his expression shifting, said: "Just now, I saw the skeleton in the mural come to life, transform into a beautiful woman luring me—like a legendary spirit or phantom. I nearly lost control."

"You’re not the only one with a similar experience. I had the same thing happen."

Suddenly, another skeleton beside them spoke: "My fate wasn’t any better—I fell in at a glance. Only Battalion Commander Zhang Lei and a Daoist from Three Pure Mountains managed to resist the temptation through sheer willpower and escaped the illusion of lust."

Li Yi stared at him, hesitating: "Who are you?"

"I’m Zhang Zhixiong, also an investigator. Wang Jian should know me," the skeleton said. "You’re too reckless—knowing this place is dangerous, you still rushed in. You should’ve investigated first. Now you’re trapped with us."

Zhang Zhixiong added seriously: "I think the best way to escape is for those outside to destroy this skeleton mural—it’s the source of our illusions. Only by shattering it can our consciousness break free and awaken in reality."

"This mural carries mysterious power—it’s likely a rare artifact. Destroying it is difficult. If we use heavy explosives, our physical bodies outside the illusion will be damaged. Even if our consciousness returns, we might still die," Zhang Lei said gravely. "So your suggestion isn’t viable."

"If we can pinpoint its location, a sniper rifle fired from a distance could shatter the mural—safely resolving the issue."

Suddenly, a man in Daoist robes approached. His condition was slightly better than Zhang Lei’s—he still had much flesh on his body, his face retaining a normal appearance.

But his features were unusual—he was a foreigner with golden hair and blue eyes.

A foreign Daoist?

Li Yi couldn’t help but glance at him several times.

"Peter Daoist’s point is valid," someone nodded in agreement, "but we can’t notify our teammates outside—that’s another problem."

"But if we find a way to escape the illusion, we won’t need to destroy this wall," Zhang Zhixiong shook his head.

The situation fell into deadlock again.

"I have a question," Li Yi, who had been observing silently, spoke up. "Why is it that everyone who entered here appears as a skeleton, and why does the speed of flesh loss vary? Some still retain human form, while others have become complete skeletons?"

Zhang Lei, as Battalion Commander, replied: "This was first noticed by Peter Daoist. We concluded that the greater one’s fear of death upon entering the illusion, the faster their flesh vanishes. If one stabilizes the mind and sits still, flesh loss slows dramatically."

"Knowing this is why we’ve held out this long. But even so, the terror of life and death is too much for everyone to overcome—some teammates still fell within the illusion."

At this, Zhang Lei’s face darkened with anger.

A group of investigators—alive, flesh-and-blood, burdened with duty—had been dragged into this hellish place, one after another dying. He couldn’t bear it.

Even death in battle against criminals or ferocious beasts would be more honorable.

What kind of death is this?

Did they scare themselves to death? Or stumble blindly into a trap, fall into an illusion, and kill themselves?

If that’s what the death reports say, wouldn’t they be mocked?

"So that’s how it is."

Li Yi now understood why his flesh had vanished quickly at first, then slowed here—it was because seeing Zhang Lei, Zhang Zhixiong, and others had lessened his fear.

But even so, how long could he sustain this state?

Pessimism once again enveloped them all; they fell silent.

They weren’t willing to surrender passively—they’d tried every possible method, yet found no way to break the deadlock.

Li Yi, newly arrived, refused to give up. He found a corner and began thinking, observing the mural, searching for flaws. But remembering his earlier mistake, he dared not stare directly at the skeletal figures.

It seemed that as long as he avoided direct eye contact, the illusion’s control wouldn’t take hold.

"Good."

Suddenly, the vanished voice echoed again in Li Yi’s mind.

"Huh?" Li Yi’s expression flickered: "You?"

The lingering consciousness within the broken coin reappeared.

"What’s good?" Li Yi pressed.

"Your curse is impressive. Though it affects your mind, it grants benefits—this illusion, capable of shifting between reality and illusion, cannot take you. Truly, you’re a born evil Earth Prisoner," the voice said, revealing faint admiration—though the praise felt odd.

Li Yi said: "You’re the one with a broken mind. Don’t keep calling me ‘born evil.’ That white-skeleton mural is far more evil than I am—it’s trying to trap and kill so many people. If you have any good ideas, speak now—before everyone’s dead."

"You’re impatient again," the voice said.

"This is life or death—how can I not be impatient?" Li Yi retorted.

The voice continued: "Actually, escaping this illusion is simple: from within, pass its trial, and the illusion will release you voluntarily."

"Trial? This is a trial? Trials don’t kill people!" Li Yi exclaimed.

"Precisely—it is a trial," the voice said, sensing his confusion, speaking slowly. "Have you heard of the White Bone Contemplation?"

White Bone Contemplation?

Li Yi immediately shook his head: "Never heard of it. What is White Bone Contemplation?"

"Strip away the skin and flesh—there are only two hundred and six bones. Dress them in garments, and they take on eighteen thousand forms."

Li Yi's spirits lifted instantly: "You're right! Just now, the mysterious mural deceived me—the skeleton put on a sheer veil, transformed into a bewitching beauty who lured me in and trapped me, then suddenly reverted to a withered skeleton, terrifying me."

"Heh. That’s White Bone Contemplation. You must contemplate beauty as a skeleton—this frees you from desire. Then contemplate the skeleton as beauty—this frees you from fear. Without desire, without fear—the illusion breaks."

"Contemplate beauty as a skeleton. Contemplate a skeleton as beauty?"

Li Yi frowned: "Impossible. When that beauty walks toward me, how can I see her as a skeleton? I’m no enlightened monk with such insight or discipline. This method won’t work. Do you have another?"

He tried recalling what had happened—but immediately stopped.

That temptation—how could a young man like him resist?

If it happened again, his bones would turn to jelly.

The voice fell silent for a moment, then spoke again: "There’s a clever trick to break the White Bone Contemplation illusion."

"What trick?" Li Yi asked again.

"The Method of Flesh Growing from Bone."

The voice said calmly: "Sit facing the skeleton on the mural. It forms a mudra—you form the same mudra. It contemplates your flesh turning to bone; you contemplate its bone regenerating flesh. As one fades and the other grows, you perceive your true self. When your true self appears, the illusion breaks."

"I get part of it, but not much. I’m not well-educated—can you explain it simply?" Li Yi scratched his head.

"."

"In plain terms: enter the fantasy. It imagines you as a skeleton sunk in lust—imagine it as flesh-and-blood. You wouldn’t lust after yourself, would you?" the voice added. "You’re a stupid pig, useless except for being born evil."

"Enter the fantasy? I’m good at that. I get it," Li Yi immediately understood.

He couldn’t stand flowery, confusing language—why not just say it plainly?

Li Yi stood up and walked toward the wall carved with the white-skeleton relief.

He didn’t believe the coin’s lingering consciousness would betray him now. If it wanted him dead, it could simply stay silent. He trusted this method.

"Li Yi, what are you doing? Going back to see the beauty? Step back—don’t be an idiot!"

Seeing Li Yi approach the mural, investigator Zhang Zhixiong immediately shouted.

He thought Li Yi, weak-willed and despairing, wanted to die painlessly in that tender embrace.

Other teammates had entertained such thoughts before.