[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-divine-path-system":3,"chapter-divine-path-system-divine-path-system-chapter-562":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Divine Path System",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1563934,2028,"Chapter 562 Lake Of Illusions [1]: Hunt For The Key","divine-path-system-chapter-562",562,"\u003Cp>Lake of Illusions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of the many, many explored locations in the Trian Ruins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From all the possible options, this was the one most suitable for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Varian took a breath and looked at the lake in front of him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It started at his feet and ended at the horizon. He had to turn around to see how wide it stretched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lake's blue water glittered like pearls under the sunlight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Varian focused his sight on the lake and tried to find anything unusual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>None.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was perfectly still, peaceful and beautiful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that was a mere illusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were definitely awakeners on the lake and they were fighting fiercely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Varian could feel the heat waves, violent winds, and space fluctuations even at the edge of the lake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While he couldn't see them, he knew what they were fighting for.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even with everyone else being invisible, the thing at the center wasn't blocked by the lake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It shone with dreamy silvery light and looked like a precious jewel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The key.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'I have to get it, but.' Varian looked up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just a few hundred meters above the lake, a plain red surface was floating, stretching several miles both in length and width.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His space sense spread out and Varian saw the whole 'thing'.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A giant red monster. It looked like a snake but had giant wings that resembled those of an eagle. Its face was similar to that of a lion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was currently sleeping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But with each exhale, it created a fire tornado that danced in the vast desert Varian was currently in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to the scientists, this place wasn't a desert previously. It was in fact a very fertile plain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But once this creature 'slept' here for a century, a desert was born. The only thing saved was this lake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Varian turned his gaze back to the lake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His space sense spread into the lake, but it disappeared without a trace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"As expected, I can't find the situation inside. But the biggest opponent would only be peak level 7.\" He was sure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn't that level 8s and level 9s didn't want to come here, but they couldn't.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hrrr!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the red creature snored, another fire tornado brewed into existence in the distance and scorched the desert.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the level 8 and level 9 awakeners even enter the 'range' of this huge creature, it'd wake up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was tested and proven countless times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And each time, the creature took the lives of those that woke it up. Even level 9s weren't spared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But level 7s and below were ignored by it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When asked 'why?', the experts gave this answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'It treats level 9s like annoying trouble, level 8s like flies.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Then level 7?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Like bacteria.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Varian covered his face. 'Level 7 and still bacteria.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shaking his head, he stepped towards the lake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were low-level 7s, mid-level 7s, high-level 7s, and even peak-level 7s here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is the best location for me. I must get the key.\" He jumped onto the lake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead of drowning, Varian stood on the water. This was a special quality of the lake. People couldn't drown in it even if they wanted to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he could appreciate the novel experience, a white fog engulfed him before disappearing abruptly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Varian was still on the lake's edge and nothing seemed to have changed. But he knew that he was currently under the 'illusion' of the lake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked around to check out the awakeners. But he could only see for a hundred meters. But he did catch a glimpse of an awakener's back before it disappeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not just that, he couldn't even hear anything beyond his hundred-meter bubble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Senses are being tampered with.' Varian dashed forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As an explored area, Illusion lake was well known to everyone. Besides the illusion, there was one more dange—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Roar!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A human surfaced from the lake in front of Varian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No. It wasn't exactly human. While the face was that of a middle-aged man, its whole body was covered in blue-scaled armor. It emitted an aura that said, \"I'm fishy, literally.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a full-armored merman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Urgh.\" Varian wasn't surprised at this merman's appearance. He raised his hand and slapped the creature's head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Roar!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The merman quickly created a water shield, but it broke upon contact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The creature's head exploded, spilling out blue brain matter. Varian winced and decided to not do this again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I need to keep going.\" He moved three hundred meters without encountering any human.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he did find two more mermen. They were slightly stronger than the previous one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, they were still low-level 7.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zap! Zap!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lightning bolts fried them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he moved further and further, Varian's kills turned more and more efficient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lake's radius was almost fifty miles and Varian was barely even 1% in. So, he increased his speed and rushed towards the center.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the lake was too big and they had their senses restricted, Varian didn't encounter any other humans for almost two miles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most likely, he just passed by them without noticing them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the strength of mermen kept increasing. They were still low-level 7, and were thus one-shotted. However, they started to appear more frequently and started group attacks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shuaa!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This fucking merman breeding lake.\" As he severed the head of the fifth and final merman of the group, Varian muttered in disgust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As an explored area, Illusion lake's characteristics were well known.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The kill count of mermen would be counted every 24 hours. The one with the most kills would get a reward that would help them with water, fire, and mind paths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Out of the forty-five days, the ruins remained open, there were also grand tests for the cumulative kill of 15 days, 30 days, and 45 days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The longer the period, the more precious the gifts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shuaa! Shuaa! Shuaa!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Varian was three miles in and was yet to encounter any human. But he kept swinging his sword at the mermen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a few more minutes, Varian crossed the sixth-mile mark.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And encountered his first human.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh boy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1014,"2026-06-06T07:58:24.533Z",1,"novelbin.me","ceb78d7cb494982c3089b420d3a7243c40bbc67f2944e6af0d51f75af427490d","divine-path-system-chapter-563","divine-path-system-chapter-561",1773,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fdivine-path-system-cover.jpg"]