Then can I infer that the reason those bizarre scenes felt so incredibly real is because the power bypassed my ordinary senses and acted directly upon my soul?
Transcending ordinary illusions, striking directly at the soul...
As Li Fan contemplated, a sharp sword suddenly materialized.
The cold gleam of the blade flashed, cleanly severing the Intent Horse's right index finger at the joint.
The excruciating pain made Li Fan gasp sharply.
Looking at his own right hand, sure enough, his index finger had vanished. Blood spurted without end.
Li Fan raised his maimed hand to his eyes, examining it closely.
Is this real... or fake?
Reason told Li Fan that everything happening to him was the effect of the Intent Horse’s power on his soul. All of it was illusory.
Yet the persistent burning pain made him doubt his own judgment.
If all this is illusory, then none of it matters. But what if my judgment is wrong, and these wounds are real?
If I sit back and allow these changes to continue, wouldn't that mean I'm waiting to die?
A sudden thought occurred to him.
To determine truth from falsehood, perhaps I should have someone else examine me.
With this in mind, Li Fan left the Tianxuan Mirror.
When he walked in front of other cultivators while sporting a horse's face, yet they didn't even spare him a glance, he finally confirmed that this was an illusion brought on by the Intent Horse.
But...
“Tsssk!” Li Fan touched his chest, where another deep wound had appeared.
During his brief excursion outside to verify his theory, eight wounds had now accumulated on his body.
They're appearing faster and getting more severe.
At this level, even knowing that these are illusions, the distinction between real and fake no longer matters.
Then, if things continue developing like this, will I actually die?
Before his transmigration, Li Fan had heard of a certain torture method.
A prisoner’s eyes would be covered, and a blade would be drawn across their arm.
Water droplets would then fall, imitating the sound of blood dripping, while whispered voices continuously described their blood loss.
In reality, the wound would have long since coagulated, making death by bleeding impossible. Yet some prisoners truly did die, convinced by relentless suggestion that they were bleeding to death.
When you believe you have died, you truly die.
Li Fan suspected the Intent Horse operated on similar principles.
Since the illusions were almost no different from reality, doing nothing and allowing the scene to progress meant that when the Intent Horse’s corpse received a fatal wound—say, its head exploding—Li Fan would likely be struck by the reflected damage as well. He would genuinely believe he had suffered that injury himself, and then die without understanding why.
This was the influence of self-perception on the body.
To evade this fate, the only way was...
Li Fan opened Return to Truth’s panel, looking intently at the charging progress.
As long as Return to Truth's automatic protection mechanism hasn't been triggered, no matter how real the sensations feel, there is no true danger to my life.
With this thought, Li Fan's heart grew steadier.
The dread within him gradually faded away.