Chapter 186: Level Records, Adapting to the Trial Environment!

The giant gate was over twenty meters tall and more than ten meters wide, shaped like a hexagon.

In front of this giant gate, many soldiers in navy blue military uniforms were stationed. They were the garrison troops of the Chaos Sea Prefecture.

They were responsible for guarding this Soul Illusion Realm.

Below, about forty to fifty students looked excited and thrilled.

They were probably all very much looking forward to this trial.

Soon, staff members brought Wang Che down.

After presenting documents and confirming his identity, a soldier escorted Wang Che to the group of students.

Some of these students were unfamiliar to him, while others were very familiar.

The familiarity came from seeing them at the Rising Cup.

For example, Cui Ao, a Soul Pact Master who owned a Flame Sparrow.

Zhao Yixia, whom Wang Che also knew well, had a Timid Lizard that nearly evolved during battle back then.

Yang Xiaoshan, whose Soul Pet was a Mountain-Hugging Bamboo Bear, a powerful Soul Pet that surpassed the Green Caterpillar in physical strength during the Rising Cup.

Lei Yunfeng, a talented Soul Pact Master with two Soul Pets, Burst Thunder Fang and Wind Thunder Dark Crow.

He was also the first opponent defeated by the Magnetic Sword.

Chen Fei, Bai Youyou, and Cheng Cheng, these three players made it to the third round but lost in the Top Thirty-Two and Top Sixteen.

Basically, all the players from the third round of the Rising Cup were here.

As a trial, it naturally couldn’t be for just one person.

Opening this kind of Soul Illusion Realm was not simple.

Some people, like Lin Xi, He Zhenfeng, and Feng Xiao, weren’t seen by Wang Che.

Presumably, they went to other beginner Soul Illusion Realms.

There were also some who weren’t Wang Che’s opponents but still ranked in the Top Thirty-Two, Top Sixteen, or even Top Eight of the Rising Cup.

The unfamiliar faces might be students from other prefectures.

But at the moment, they were all excitedly chatting with each other.

Then, a soldier stepped forward and said in a loud voice:

“Students, please wait for half an hour. The Soul Illusion Realm will open in half an hour.”

“Let me briefly explain some rules of the Soul Illusion Realm. You might go to higher-level Soul Illusion Realm trials in the future, but you must follow these rules.”

“First, if you fail the trial, immediately return to the starting point and wait for rescue. Once you fail, both you and your Soul Pet will be in a weakened state and cannot proceed!”

“Second, the beginner Soul Illusion Realm trial has six levels. In these six levels, you and your Soul Pet will face different illusion tests. As long as you pass, your Spiritual Power and that of your Soul Pet will definitely improve. Don’t ask why. You’ll know once you pass.”

“Third, if you encounter rare treasures in the trial’s illusion levels, you can take them; no need to hand them over. But remember one condition: do not take everything.”

“Fourth, similarly, there is a competition in the trial. The time taken to pass each level will be recorded on the special Communicator we gave you. At the same time, each of the six levels has its own record. If you break a record, you will gain more benefits.”

“Fifth, you are all students now. If you find the early stages too difficult, it’s recommended to wait until after studying at a university and having the trial qualification next time before attempting the later levels. Do not force your way through, as it carries certain dangers.”

“Sixth, in the Soul Illusion Realm, some Soul Guiding Devices for Soul Pets will not work. It is recommended you leave them outside.”

“Seventh, the trial is individual; you cannot form teams. Otherwise, the difficulty of the levels will increase sharply, which would be very dangerous for you. Do not try to disrupt others’ trials either, because the Communicator will detect any such actions. We will record this behavior in your student files, and you will lose the qualification to enter any Soul Illusion Realm trials in the future. Moreover, according to the Soul Illusion Realm Protection Law, you will face legal consequences.”

“Eighth…”

The soldier spoke for nearly half an hour.

He input the precautions and general information about the trial levels into the special Communicators distributed.

Any questions could be checked in this Communicator.

Their personal Communicators were collected and left outside.

In this kind of illusion realm, most modern technology would not work.

Many Soul Guiding Devices would also fail.

Basically, any Soul Guiding Device related to Soul Power would not work.

It was more troublesome than the Soul Land; at least in the Soul Land, you could bring Soul Guiding Devices.

So, relying on Soul Guiding Devices to pass the trial levels was not realistic.

You had to rely on your own strength.

Then,

With a soft, strange sound,

The spiral giant gate began to rotate, and ancient patterns lit up around the frame.

It started to glow.

As if it had been activated.

The gate opened!

The students’ eyes lit up.

The Soul Illusion Realm was a true alternate dimension.

Although the Soul Land was special, it wasn’t an alternate dimension—just a very unique terrain.

There was a fundamental difference.

“Enter one by one!”

The soldier shouted.

The students entered in turn.

Wang Che was at the back. He looked at the giant gate with some curiosity.

This thing was a bit like a teleportation gate.

But not entirely.

Teleportation gates, also called teleportation arrays, were a type of formation.

But the threshold of this giant gate didn’t contain a Soul Guiding Diagram; it wasn’t a formation.

It was more like a rare Spatial Soul Guiding Device.

“Student, stop staring and hurry inside!”

The soldier reminded him.

Wang Che nodded and immediately walked in.

Seeing all the students enter one after another,

The soldier shook his head slightly.

Not long after, a middle-aged man wearing a special blue-and-white military combat suit walked over and asked:

“How’s the situation?”

“All the students have safely entered,” the soldier immediately saluted and said. “The system is recording their level clearance times.”

“Hmm.” The middle-aged man nodded slightly. “There are some promising talents in this batch. Breaking records might be difficult, but passing two or three levels shouldn’t be a problem.”

“At this stage, clearing two levels is already very impressive,” the soldier said with a smile. “And it would likely require a Psychic-Type Spirit Pet… Also, just adapting to the illusion environment in the first step is quite challenging for them…”

“Wow, so this is the Soul Illusion Realm? Feels more like a battlefield to me.”

“So dark and gloomy. Is this our first challenge?”

“No, no. This is the environmental test of the Soul Illusion Realm. The real first challenge is up ahead. Let me check… the Bridge of Forgotten Souls.”

…

The moment Wang Che stepped through the spiral gate, his body didn’t feel torn apart. Definitely not a teleportation array—just a space tunnel.

He opened his eyes and looked up at the sky. Dark clouds shrouded the heavens. With every careful look, streaks of bloody light flickered inside them.

All around stretched an endless plain. Scattered everywhere were skeletons, decaying bodies, and broken weapons of all kinds. Remains of Soul Beasts, human corpses, and unidentifiable figures were piled up like hills.

A chilly wind blew past, making dozens of students shiver.

Wang Che could tell at a glance everything here was fake. Because the bones and remains had absolutely no lingering energy whatsoever—just mere background decoration meant to terrify those present.

For students who’d only witnessed scenes like this on TV or in movies, though, it felt chillingly real. So real that most couldn’t tell the difference.

Since childhood, these students had all been rule-abiding and well-behaved. Many had never even slaughtered a chicken or cow in their lives. Seeing something like this for the first time made it hard to endure, even knowing it was fake.

Many hadn’t experienced life-or-death trials. They had barely fought battles that broke Soul Pet Battle rules. As for adventures in Soul Lands, they’d only explored lower-level ones with ordinary dangers. When they faced an unbeatable foe, they simply fled—Rescue Teams could always bail them out if needed.

Now, the students and their Soul Pets alike were overwhelmed. Their faces turned deathly white. The Soul Pets’ state was even worse.

Wang Che understood: “Most of their Soul Pets were born barely six months ago. Their Spiritual Intelligence is low, and mental endurance is weaker than their Soul Pact Masters’. Seeing corpses of Soul Beasts frightens them on instinct, stirring panic and fear.”

He figured out the Soul Illusion Realm’s purpose. It was to expose these students to slightly grimmer sights. Those choosing to become Soul Pact Masters needed sturdier souls. Mastering Soul Pet Battles wasn’t enough—if someone lost morale before a real fight, their strength would be useless.

The War Zone valued Soul Pact Masters and Soul Pet Battles but paid even greater attention to those future masters’ mental endurance. Universities expected fiercer conflicts. Bright talents dazzling in high school often crashed upon college entry precisely because they lacked mental resilience.

“Makes sense this trial falls just before university,” nodded Wang Che. At least this way, every student’s mental fortitude would grow somewhat.

The students had grown quiet, summoning their Soul Pets but not daring to advance. Because the pets themselves wouldn’t move—they were frozen in fear. Especially as some remains belonged to their own kind. A collective shock gripped them.

Slowly, each student recovered themselves and began reassuring their pets. Wang Che summoned Green Caterpillar and Magnetic Sword. “Let’s go. To our first challenge.”

Such an environment held zero threat for Green Caterpillar and Magnetic Sword.

Meanwhile…

“Can you walk, little eagle?” Chen Fei coaxed his Swift Thunder War Eagle. The Fierce Thunder Warhawk simply shook its head—no way, I won’t move.

Chen Fei scanned the other students with a sinking feeling. This Soul Illusion Realm trial was this hard? Trapped before even reaching the starting line? The trial ended after one day—any longer here risked mental harm from its oppressive atmosphere. Though Chen Fei could accept knowing it was fake, his Soul Pet couldn’t bear it.

“Chen Fei, how’s it going?” Bai Youyou and Cheng Cheng approached nearby, both looking helpless.

“We can’t leave anytime soon,” sighed Chen Fei. “Others are the same. Getting used to this will take hours…”

“I spotted two Psychic-Type Soul Pets,” said Cheng Cheng. “Their owners will likely leave soon.”

“Shouldn’t every Soul Pet struggle here?” Bai Youyou looked around. Cui Ao’s Flame Sparrow gripped his ankles tightly with its wings, refusing to move. Lei Yunfeng’s Burst Thunder Fang and Wind Thunder Dark Crow simply lay on the ground, unwilling to budge. Even Lei Yunfeng stayed tucked between those two pets—seeming more terrified than his Soul Pets were—until slowly rising up later.

Yang Xiaoshan’s Mountain-Hugging Bamboo Bear was doing better. With strong mental fortitude, though initially scared, it slowly calmed down with Yang Xiaoshan’s reassurance.

Zhao Yixia’s Flying Frenzied Lizard fared similarly to the Mountain-Hugging Bamboo Bear. Previously aggressive and fearless, that lizard now acted timid too—though still braver than others.

The best performers were those with Psychic-Type Soul Pets. One resembled Wisdom Pea Ding—a ball-shaped little creature sporting blue-white fur, a top hat, scarf, and patterned symbols upon it. Adorable with its stubby limbs.

The other was named a Praying Moon Monk—an infant-sized humanoid Soul Pet that floated like a practicing monk. A soft glow often enveloped it as it chanted toward the sky.

Psychic-Type Soul Pets were rare. Few chose them early due to difficult cultivation and the complex Life Soul Pact bonding process.

“Just those with Psychic-Type Soul Pets can set out soon,” Bai Youyou remarked, glancing at Wisdom Pea Ding’s owner. “Huh. That Wisdom Pea Ding belongs to a real beauty. Seems like she’s not from Xiyue Continent.”

Psychic-Types truly outperformed others under this illusion.

“Where’s Wang Che?” Chen Fei scanned around but failed to spot him. “Wonder how his little worm’s doing?” Bai Youyou and Cheng Cheng hadn’t seen him either.

A voice spoke up: “Ahead,” said Lei Yunfeng, now standing. “He’s already gone.” They looked and froze. Far away, Wang Che walked leisurely forward. Behind him followed one Green Caterpillar and one Magnetic Sword.

Especially that Green Caterpillar… its expression looked like it was touring some resort—strolling forward and humming a tune…