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"Escape the illusion?"
Recalling everything she had experienced within that false reality, Anna couldn't help but feel a lingering sense of dread. She scrambled to sit up, her eyes fixed tightly on Davis.
"Brother Davis, tell me... how exactly am I supposed to walk out of that illusion?"
"That..." Davis shook his head slowly. He knew that Anna's heart was still far too fragile. If he simply handed her the solution, it would be no different than "pulling up seedlings to help them grow"—a shortcut that would ultimately do more harm than good. She had to discover the path herself for the lesson to truly take root.
Thinking of this, Davis smiled and shook his head again. "I can't tell you that. You have to find it on your own. However, I can give you a hint: Only when you have passed through seven levels of loneliness can you become a truly powerful person! And once you become strong, the world will change because of you. Nana, you must keep these words etched into your heart."
Having said his piece, Davis glanced up at the sky. The sun was already sinking behind the western mountains, and the light was fading.
"Alright, it's getting late. You're exhausted, Nana. Go and get some rest. Tomorrow morning, we continue your special training!"
"Eh? Again? Please, no!" Anna cried out. Thinking back to the suffering in the illusion, she didn't want to experience it a second time. But Davis wasn't about to let her off so easily. He merely flashed a mischievous, slightly wicked grin.
"Hehe, Nana, this isn't up to you. Just be prepared. Your big brother is going to 'take very good care' of you! Jie jie jie..."
With a villainous chuckle, Davis left to have dinner. Time blurred, and the next day arrived exactly as scheduled. Anna looked bleary-eyed and groggy; it was clear that yesterday's session had taken a massive toll on her.
Though she hadn't engaged in any strenuous physical exercise, her spirit had endured immense torture. It was only natural for her to be this drained.
Davis, however, showed no mercy. He immediately activated his Spirit Fusion Skill, followed by Ring Fusion, and finally unleashed the Nether Spring Fall soul skill. Without hesitation, he dragged Anna back into the abyss of her nightmares!
Davis's mental strength was already far superior to Anna's, and now, bolstered by the support of Zhu Zhuyun and Zhu Zhuqing, the three of them combined left Anna with no power to resist. Her consciousness was pulled directly into the dreamscape.
Under the heavy influence of Davis's mental energy, Anna's memories became hazy. She couldn't quite remember the specifics of what had happened the day before, only the faint, echoing remnants of the words Davis had spoken to her.
---
"Ah... my head hurts so much! What's happening to me? I remember Brother Davis was going to give me special training, but this place is..."
"You little brat, quit sleeping!"
At that moment, her mother's familiar, harsh voice rang out again. Looking at her surroundings, Anna's mind felt like it had been struck by a thunderbolt.
"Right! I remember now! This is the illusion. I have to find a way to break it and return to reality. But... what am I supposed to do?"
When you have passed through seven levels of loneliness, you can become a truly powerful person! And once you become strong, the world will change because of you!
These words reverberated through her mind continuously. Anna began to focus, pondering the true meaning behind the riddle.
"Seven levels of loneliness... what is that? Even if I don't fully understand it, there's no doubt that Brother Davis wants me to become stronger! Right... currently, my Spirit Power is only Rank 9, and my mental strength is no different from an ordinary person's. If I can just become stronger, I can raise not only my Spirit Power but my mental capacity as well. Once my mind is strong enough, I might be able to spot the flaws in this illusion!"
With this realization, Anna stopped desperately searching for Davis. Instead, she turned her focus entirely inward, contemplating how to cultivate and increase her own strength.
Ultimately, the "plot" of the illusion proceeded: Anna was sold to an auction house by her parents and locked in a cell. However, this time, she did not give up on herself.
From the moment she stepped onto the auction house carriage, she began training. While the Mysterious Heaven Skill and the White Tiger Meditation Method couldn't help her increase Spirit Power within the confines of the illusion, she could still push her physical limits. She did everything in her power to make her body stronger.
Whether she was in the cramped carriage or the cold cell, she never stopped exercising. No matter how bitter the days were or how poor the food was, she persisted.
Seeing Anna constantly training her physique, and wanting to prevent their "merchandise" from starving to death, the captors were forced to provide her with fresh steamed buns and stir-fried dishes. After all, Anna possessed a Rank 9 Innate Spirit Power—she was a top-tier seed who could fetch a high price. The auction house managers weren't about to let such a "fat piece of meat" die on their watch.
With better food, Anna trained even harder. Before long, she had gained noticeable muscle, and her physical strength increased significantly.
The fact that a slave waiting to be auctioned was training so desperately caught the attention of the Auction House President. Sensing that Anna was a diamond in the rough, the President went to the dungeon to inspect her personally.
After testing her Martial Soul and Spirit Power, the President gave her a high evaluation. He decided she had great utility value. Although the "Hundred Grasses" Martial Soul seemed like a "trash" soul in his eyes, the combination of Rank 9 Innate Spirit Power and Anna's unshakable will to grow stronger made him think a miracle might just happen.
Merchants were driven by profit. The moment he saw Anna, the President knew she was worth cultivating. If he could produce a Spirit Douluo, it would be an astronomical return on his investment.
Thus, the President invited Anna to work for them. He promised that if she served the auction house, she would receive formal training, become a Spirit Master, and have meat with every meal. Anna had no reason to refuse such conditions; she joined the auction house and received a meditation method provided by the President.
After just two months of focused cultivation, Anna's Spirit Power reached Rank 10. The Spirit Masters loyal to the auction house then took her to obtain her first Spirit Ring. Ultimately, Anna hunted a century-old Bloodthirsty Vine, absorbing it effortlessly. Her Spirit Power successfully rose to Rank 12.
The moment Anna obtained that first Spirit Ring, the world around her began to blur. Finally, like a mirror dropped onto a hard floor, the reality shattered into countless fragments!
Everything except for her own being disintegrated. Anna felt a sudden sense of enlightenment. She remembered the failure of her first trial the day before, and only now did she truly understand Davis's words.
"I understand now! As long as I possess the heart of a powerhouse, everything in the world will change because of me!"
In yesterday's training, Anna had been too dependent on Davis. She had spent all her energy trying to find him, neglecting her own growth, and eventually "died" miserably in the snow.
But this time, she chose not to rely on anyone. By relying on herself to become stronger, she won the favor of the Auction House President. In just two months, she had gained her first ring. One could imagine that in this version of the future, her prospects would be limitless!
This was the lesson: choice determines the future! Choices change the world! Whatever choice you make, the world will shift to accommodate it.
This was exactly what Davis wanted to teach her. Even without him, even without Zhu Zhuyun, even without anyone else, Anna had the power within herself to become a Spirit Master—perhaps even a Titled Douluo!
Soon, Anna's consciousness returned to reality. It was only noon. While a year had passed in the illusion, only a single hour had ticked by in the outside world.
Having walked out of Davis's illusion in such a short time, Davis nodded in satisfaction.
"Nana, congratulations on completing the second stage of your special training. Next... it's time for the third stage!"
(End of Chapter)