Chapter 394

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Chapter 394: Broken Paradise and Trial of Courage

Broken Paradise.

One of the fragments of Supreme Heaven.

The fragment’s world is also a part of the world, much like a torn page from a canvas. It is incomplete, yet still retains some of the characteristics of the original canvas, such as its paint and texture. These elements are real, not imaginary.

Paradise is the ultimate realm of beauty, ruled by the Supreme Will. It is its incarnation and a part of it. Similar to the concept of “Pure Land” in Buddhism, entering this realm allows one to abandon all sadness and pain, attaining instant enlightenment. It is a place where everyone experiences the utmost joy.

Supreme Heaven is an equivalent concept.

After death, the souls of the guilty fall into hell, while the souls of the innocent ascend to heaven. Heaven represents the ultimate beauty, where souls no longer suffer. Hell, on the other hand, signifies the ultimate torment, where countless demons eagerly await to feast on the souls of the sinners.

As Bai Wei had previously experienced in the illusions, this is a natural filtering mechanism. Heaven, in its essence, represents beauty, and thus, it selects the deepest longings and desires for happiness within Bai Wei’s heart, presenting them before his eyes. If he were to indulge in this, he would fail the screening and become lost in illusions, unable to distinguish reality from fantasy.

It is like looking through a kaleidoscope.

Unfortunately, there is no one here to guide him.

Bai Wei glanced around, observing the fragments of paradise. From his perspective, it seemed like a mountain or, rather, an island. At the center of this island stood a pure white mountain, surrounded by scattered pearls and white crystals. The ground was barren, with no vegetation—only hard rocks instead of soil.

He stood on the beach, with the vast ocean behind him. The tide crashed against the shore, and pearls were scattered across the ground. Bai Wei picked up one at random—a round gemstone, the size of a pebble. It emitted a faint light, brimming with immense energy.

Casually, he tossed it onto the ground. The gemstone exploded, releasing a brilliant flash of white light, like a flashbang.

After the explosion, a figure suddenly fell from the sky and landed on the ground. It was a middle-aged man, sleeping soundly without stirring.

Bai Wei realized what this white stone was.

It was not just a pearl, but the very dream of paradise that entrapped everyone—a cocoon each person wove for themselves. One can forcefully break it open, but even then, the person trapped within the dream may still refuse to awaken.

They aren’t greedy; it’s simply human nature to desire ultimate happiness. After all, many Buddhist believers hope to reach the Pure Land, and countless Christians pray for God’s blessing to ascend to heaven after death and find rest.

Bai Wei glanced at the middle-aged man, choosing not to wake him. The man, though asleep, wore a genuine smile, and tears streamed down his face. Had it not been for his own greed for eternal happiness, Bai Wei too might have become lost in the world of illusions, unable to free himself.

[Event triggered]

[You have arrived at the Broken Paradise]

[Enter the core of the Broken Paradise and obtain the fragment of paradise to leave]

[Remaining time until the Gray Tide recedes: 10:44:22]

The instructions were clear: leave the Broken Paradise before the tide recedes. But there was little time left—less than twelve hours. Once the tide starts to recede, the gate will be sealed, and leaving will become impossible. They would have to wait for the next high tide to break through the boundary.

This place was not the real world, and there was no food here. Anyone who remained would starve to death.

But what about the people trapped in the dream? Would they gradually waste away and perish, or would they remain locked in the dream, unaware of their fate?

Time in paradise flowed differently from reality. Perhaps, by the time their bodies perished, those in the dream would have lived an entire lifetime.

Bai Wei walked away from the beach, heading toward the center of the broken paradise. Though the power of the Golden Power in the divine realm was suppressed, it didn’t pose a problem. He still had his sword with him.

The Crouching Tiger Sword was a true veteran. When real danger struck, the veterans had to come to the rescue.

Bai Wei walked for only a few hundred meters when he suddenly heard a buzzing sound.

A knight statue appeared before him, with shining wings on its armor, resembling the Archangel from the game Dark Destruction.

“You have disturbed the holy paradise!”

“Accept my trial, or perish!”

The eyes of the massive statue lit up with deep blue light. Ancient words flowed from its skull, entering Bai Wei’s mind and reaching his very soul.

Bai Wei realized that this would not be as easy as he initially thought. The island of paradise was home to a vast number of angels—creations and messengers of the Supreme Will. There may even be remnants of something else here.

“Trial,” Bai Wei replied.

“A wise choice,” the angel statue said, standing still without drawing its massive sword. “I need to test your virtues.”

Seven virtues?

I wonder which one it will be.

Bai Wei asked, “Which virtue?”

“Courage!” the angel declared solemnly. “You will confront the person you fear the most within yourself. Embrace the trial!”

The statue melted into a pool of silver liquid and then reformed into a figure, standing upright.

The trial was about courage. Bai Wei was to face the person he feared the most within himself. But who could that be? Fear was not a common emotion for him, and he was curious to see who this fear might be.

Suddenly, the statue solidified into a graceful woman. She radiated coldness and wielded a sharp celestial sword.

Bai Wei: “…?”

He took a deep breath, “Is that it?”

The figure was none other than Yun Chuyou, a fairy from the Ming Country.

The statue, now transformed into Yun Chuyou, raised her sword and was about to strike. But Bai Wei was faster, swinging his sword. The Crouching Tiger Sword met her blade, sending a shockwave through the air. The two swords clashed, and Bai Wei’s sword thrust forward, severing her shoulder. With a swift spin, Bai Wei swung his sword horizontally, and the arc of the blade swept across the space, decapitating her.

The puppet collapsed, motionless.

“You have passed the trial…” The puppet exploded into countless dots of light. “Please accept the reward for completing the trial.”

As the light faded, Bai Wei found the spoils of the trial: a feather.

Feather of Courage.

Holding the feather, Bai Wei felt his confidence surge. He was a little braver now. It was like gaining the courage to try eating insect dishes—even if he had to pinch his nose.

Bai Wei put the feather away and continued his journey. This was his first time in paradise, and there was still much he didn’t understand. He kept his eyes on the distant mountains, hurrying forward. He hoped for a miracle, but deep down, he knew the journey was long—at least dozens of kilometers.

After three kilometers, Bai Wei encountered another trial. It was another angel statue. When asked what the trial was, the answer came: courage.

“I won’t take the challenge,” Bai Wei declared.

The angel statue responded, “You brought this upon yourself,” before leaping down to strike with a mighty sword.

After three rounds, Bai Wei defeated the statue. Before it died, it said, “To defeat me is truly admirable courage.”

It sounded almost like a final declaration of no regrets, before it exploded into another feather of bravery.

So, it didn’t matter which path he chose—either way, there was a battle to fight. The feather shattered into two pieces, and as Bai Wei held them, he felt a surge of boldness—he could even argue with his high school principal now.

Bravery surged within him, but too much of it could be reckless. He shook off the excess and continued forward.

Suddenly, a figure appeared in his path. Bai Wei narrowed his eyes. The dreamy paradise could trap most people, but those with strong determination could easily see through the illusion. However, escaping from Broken Paradise was not a safe path.

He had originally planned to leave quietly, but the other person noticed him and immediately called out.

“Hello! Hello! Please, help!”

The voice belonged to a young man speaking European languages.

Europe?

The gray tide had eroded vast lands, and perhaps this paradise now housed people from all over the world.

Bai Wei halted and turned to face the young man, saying nothing.

“I have a very tricky problem. Can you please help?” the young man asked earnestly. From his appearance, he seemed to be a magician, though not pureblood. He had a vertical pupil on his forehead—a mark of the Three-Eyed Clan. Known for their intelligence and keen observational skills, some claimed they could read minds, though that wasn’t exactly true. Their observational powers gave them an advantage in cold reading techniques.

Bai Wei stopped and asked, “What kind of help?”

Before the young man could answer, a sudden black and red light enveloped them. A jarring voice echoed as a pitch-black cage surrounded them.

“Gather two people together, starting now, the game begins~”