Chapter 279: Hallucination

Lin Yifan heard that and looked up at the winding upward flesh spiral staircase.

The steps' surface was sticky and slick, faint dark‑red veins writhing beneath the flesh walls, as if the whole staircase were breathing.

But he felt that a challenge twice as hard as the first level could not be overcome merely by conquering a mental shadow; climbing this staircase would not be that simple.

After thinking, he turned to Yin Mian and asked, "What were the rules for clearing the second stage before? It can't be just climbing to the top, can it?"

"I really don't know that!" Yin Mian chuckled wryly. "I told you before I came here looking for something."

"All the information I have about this tower comes from ancient texts, but the tower dates back three thousand years; the passage of time makes accurate data hard to find."

"You're right; the second stage can't be that easy. Everyone should stay cautious, after all!"

Lacking concrete data, Lin Yifan felt uncertain but had no other choice; he took a deep breath and suddenly spoke:

"Now that it's come to this, we can only bite the bullet and forge ahead!"

He gripped his Great Axe, his voice low, "Is everyone ready? If so, then let's go!"

Ai Ruili Ya drew a slender sword, its tip shimmering with a pale green light: "The power of nature will guide us."

Yin Mian was the first to step onto the first step. As his boot touched the flesh staircase, the entire spiral trembled violently.

Countless tiny fissures opened in the flesh wall, spewing a foul, fishy mist.

Seeing the mist, Yin Mian immediately warned, "Careful! This toxin causes paralysis. If you have water‑based skills, you can neutralize it easily; if not, just douse yourselves with water."

He himself quickly pulled a silver badge from his chest, which flared with a blinding light, forming a transparent shield around the group.

The toxic mist struck the shield, emitting a sizzling, corrosive sound.

However, the shield was small, covering only a few people including Lin Yifan.

Nevertheless, his warning spread quickly; everyone had water in abundance, so they all splashed water on themselves and queued up the steps.

But Lin Yifan's foot, as soon as it touched a step, made him frown.

He found that when his foot stepped onto the flesh‑forged stairs, it sank deeply.

Pulling it out required considerable effort, feeling like a farmer's foot stuck in mud.

Occasionally experiencing it can be called interesting.

But walking in this condition for long would quickly exhaust anyone to death.

At this moment, each step Lin Yifan took consumed more Physical Stamina than trudging through mud.

Of course, the others noticed as well and immediately began cursing and complaining:

"What a crappy thing, so hard to walk, it's killing me!"

"Don't even mention you; every step I take now is torment. If I keep going, I feel I'll die of exhaustion!"

"It's over, I can't move either! Yet the staircase seems endless; it's like no way out!"

"What do we do! I know surviving this path is hard, but I still don't want to die now!"

…

Lin Yifan listened to the chatter, his expression solemn.

At that moment, Ruan Qingtan, who was beside him, asked curiously:

"Strange, why can't I understand what they're saying? 'Can't move'? Isn't this easy to walk?"

Lin Yifan was startled, glanced at her feet, and saw that her legs were enveloped in a white aura, causing her to hover above the flesh steps without sinking.

From her words it was clear she could not see everyone's condition.

This left Lin Yifan puzzled, and he asked with a frown:

"Are you wearing some special equipment shoes on your feet?"

"Equipment shoes? No!" Ruan Qingtan shook her head, more confused:

"Captain, what exactly are you all talking about?"

"Can you see everyone's legs?" Lin Yifan asked.

Ruan Qingtan shook her head: "I can't see them! I only see two clumps of blood‑red light tangled around everyone's feet, looking rather odd."

Lin Yifan's brow furrowed deeper; everyone was climbing the stairs, so why was Ruan Qingtan an exception?

And what exactly was that white aura on her feet?

If it were something everyone could obtain, this stage would be easier!

Just as Lin Yifan was about to ask, Yin Mian, who had been watching the surroundings, had somehow moved to his side.

Hearing Ruan Qingtan, he looked at her with astonishment and said:

"It's a Holy Light Body, Lin Yifan. The people around you truly have extraordinary talent!"

"What is a Holy Light Body? Is it some special constitution?" Lin Yifan asked curiously.

"Yes, a very rare special constitution; legend says one appears every hundred years. If the Dawnlight Holy Court discovers it, they'll try to make the bearer a saintess!"

"Holy Light Body? Where does it exist? Who is the Holy Light…?" Ai Ruili Ya, who had been resting elsewhere, heard the words, rushed over, and exclaimed excitedly:

"Tell me quickly, who actually has the Holy Light Body? It's the chosen one for cultivating Holy Light Magic; join the Dawnlight Alliance and you can become a saintess directly."

Lin Yifan, subconsciously not wanting Ruan Qingtan to have a Holy Light Body, found Ai Ruili Ya aware and casually replied:

"There is no Holy Light Body here."

"But I clearly heard it!" Ai Ruili Ya frowned.

"You misheard!" Yin Mian, reaching out to pat Lin Yifan's shoulder, said coldly:

"I was just explaining the Holy Light Body to Lin Yifan; in this contaminated land, only the Holy Light Body's aura can shield everyone from the pollution's effects."

"Unfortunately there is no Holy Light Body here, so everyone must figure out how to climb the stairs on their own!"

"Is that so?" Ai Ruili Ya still seemed unconvinced, scanning the surroundings, while Ruan Qingtan had quietly slipped behind Lin Yifan, evading her gaze.

Ai Ruili Ya swept the area once, found nothing, then, still eager, pressed onward.

Probably because she was stronger, she reached the front while others stumbled up the stairs.