Pov: Vik
Then another wave of thoughts started flooding my mind, and I finally understood the core purpose of this technique. The word Maya means reality but also refers to something false. This insight revealed every incorrect state of reality, showing me the truth. That is just one of its functions, but for now, I didn't need to explore further. This was enough.
I closed my eyes and reflected on what I learned from this experience.
"My words are truth."
"My body is not."
"My story may end."
"But this world is false."
"This world is false."
As I opened my eyes, my words echoed around me. I found myself back in my world, still facing those stunned ancestors. I smiled, knowing at least one truth about this world, or at least about myself. It was time to deal with the current situation. With that in mind, I began to circulate the Maya manifestation technique again, but this time I used it partially for something different.
Seeing me in silence, the ancestors grew impatient. The leader among them said, "We can't wait any longer. I have a bad feeling about this snake. I'm going to kill him now, and you all better keep quiet and don't stop me this time."
Another ancestor started to speak, but the leader shot him a glare, and he fell silent. The leader then gathered energy for another attack. This time, he formed a large ball of thunder, which soon transformed into thousands of thunder spears as big as trucks. These could easily decimate the entire Azure Mountains, but not on my watch.
Taking a deep breath, I used the Maya manifestation technique and said, "All things return to their origin."
"All beings back to origin."
"The world is false."
"Your strength is false."
As if reacting to my words, heaven and earth shifted, and suddenly those thousands of thunder spears vanished from the air. The ancestors who were flying also fell to the ground. Despite their strong cultivation, they couldn't stop their fall, creating a crater where they landed.
They were not the only ones affected. My disciples faced the same situation, and I even transformed back into my snake form. This was just like what we experienced in the Heaven Suppressing Realm. Standing in the crater, the ancestors looked at me with frowns and asked, "How? How can you use the power of the Heaven Suppressing Bead?"
But in my snake form, I couldn't answer because I couldn't speak. Yet, Lin Yang, who was still performing a ritual, said, "This isn't the power of the Heaven Suppressing Bead. It must be some leftover power from the Heaven Suppressing Realm. He somehow made everyone move away from him. This power must have a limited area of effect."
Everyone from the Lin Family took her advice and stepped back 500 meters from my location. As Lin Yang said, they regained their cultivation since my power had a limited effect. Now back in the air, the ancestors tried to attack me again, out of my range. But when they attempted to use their spiritual energy, they found themselves empty, confused about how to do it.
In my snake form, I couldn't instruct my disciples on what to do next. I wrote words on the ground to tell them I would return in a few minutes. Then I crawled back toward the gate of the catacomb because I sensed a mysterious power coming from it during my strange state in the Maya manifestation.
There was another reason for my urgency. The situation where I copied the powers of the Heaven Suppressing Zone wouldn't last long. I hadn't truly replicated the effects of the Heaven Suppressing Zone, which is impossible without the Heaven Suppressing Bead. Instead, I created something new with the Maya manifestation technique. I made everyone believe that this place was now the Heaven Suppressing Zone.
The suppression existed in their consciousness, not externally. It's like when someone forgets the password to their phone but manages to unlock it. The same kind of illusion was at play here. However, this effect is limited and will wear off soon.
This new ability of the Maya manifestation technique is what I call "The Words of the Saint." It acts like the legends of ancient saints who can summon rain with just their words. Its effect is similar but fundamentally different; it creates an illusion.
I crawled quickly toward that gate of the catacombs, eager to uncover the power behind it. I had seen my fate in that white space and knew how to overcome my enemies, but that knowledge wouldn't help me now, as I had deviated from that path. I refused to become a puppet of fate.
Moreover, the Azure Mountains are far from ordinary compared to the future I have glimpsed. Even a world-ending catastrophe could not destroy this mountain. I sensed there was something more powerful than the Heaven Suppressing Bead. I could feel it, even from that white space. It was something that could block the all-seeing power of the Maya manifestation technique.
Soon, I reached the damaged gate of the catacombs. Slipping through the cracks, I found nothing but a simple pedestal and a small shrine made of rocks and bricks, which looked ready to collapse at any moment. As I entered the shrine, I found it empty. I was about to explore further when I noticed something white in the corner. I moved toward it and discovered some bones—an entire skeleton. From the shape, I realized it belonged to a bird. But why would a bird's skeleton be worshipped by the people of this place?
Meanwhile, outside, Lin Yang had almost finished her ritual. She took out the same dagger she used on Lin Chen and stabbed it into his stomach. He screamed in pain, but she didn't stop. She removed both the Heavenly Bead and the Heaven Suppressing Bead, combining them.
Golden energy began seeping from Lin Chen, absorbed by the combined bead. As if foretelling something catastrophic, the quiet sky filled with thunder, and the environment turned apocalyptic. Yet Lin Yang and the Lin Family smiled. Lin Yang looked up at the sky and declared, "The ritual is complete."