The Cosmos as a Chessboard, Stars as Pieces

The trial of illusions had undoubtedly been a humbling experience for Jiang Chengxuan and his companions.

After regaining their composure, they continued their journey with renewed determination.

This time, the long winding path presented no further anomalies, and they proceeded with a light step, walking steadfastly among the swirling mists.

For several days, they encountered only minor mechanisms and illusions, which, while intriguing, lacked the terrifying intensity of the earlier trials.

It was as if the path was playing a more gentle kind of game with them, manifesting bizarre illusions such as suddenly turning into birds to fly over mountains, dodging the pursuit of divine eagles, or shrinking a hundredfold to navigate canyons and battle gigantic worms.

These illusions were undoubtedly more benign than the monotonous road they had traversed earlier, offering a form of respite.