Yin & Yang Pleasures of Cultivation

Darcel had one thought in mind he believed just might work. It was a bit crazy sounding on his part, but he believed that if he treated these trees as if they didn't exist, they simply wouldn't stop him.

It wasn't the most sane-sounding logic, but it wasn't like Darcel had a plethora of other choices. 

With a plan in action in his mind, Darcel didn't even glance towards the tree anymore.

His face was indifferent as he simply pushed his hand forward as if he didn't expect to meet any resistance. And when he had shoved his hand forward for a few meters, he truly didn't meet any resistance.

His hand simply passed through the air. 

A smirk curved up Darcel's face as had then trailed his eyes over towards the tree. Like he was expecting, half of his arm was going through the seemingly hollow tree.

'Hm….so this has to be the secret.' Darcel could never possibly guess the sheer power of the person who managed to create these trees.

But these trees were really a matter of an illusion on the mind. Darcel was assured that these trees don't exist at all.

While his hand was through the tree, Darcel began to briefly contemplate just what kind of powerful person can do an illusion trick like this. 

Though Masami says her bloodline can achieve similar feats, he didn't think it could extend to this point. Otherwise, she too wouldn't be so confuddled at this tree illusion. 

So Darcel's only other guess was those mysterious Mages. Just from what he saw and experienced from Magical Power, Darcel didn't put it out of the realm of possibility.

Although, the person who had the power to create a whole independent realm that expanded for countless miles would probably consider a trick like this as child's play

It was a curious thought, but one for another time. 

Darcel had then taken his arm out from the 'illusion' trees and turned his gaze back over to Aniela and Masami. His eyebrows quirked, seeing how they were attempting to solve this puzzle.

Aniela had both of her palms coated in Light energy and had placed them upon the hollows trees. Her expression was inquisitive as she was feeling out every inch of the tree trunk. 

"I can't believe it….still nothing. Someone sure was crafty." She quietly uttered under her breath. 

Though her Light energy practically saved all of them before, it was absolutely useless here.

No matter where she felt, Aniela couldn't trace any energy source in the tree she was touching. And even when she had spread her energy sense to other trees, she still felt no other energies source inside them.

While Aniela was attempting to trace to little avail, Darcel had then turned his sights on Masami. He felt a little bit more amused at her actions. 

Some frustration had plastered on Masami's face as she had coated her palms in fox flames and placed them on the tree.

But, contrary to her expectations, her mighty powerful flames couldn't even leave a scratch on these hollow trees. "Tch….don't tell me whoever made this place also had immunity against fire. Or maybe….haah…."

Realizing all of her efforts would be futile, Masami leaked a sigh filled with complex emotions. She never took her eyes off the tree as if doing so, the tree would suddenly change in a snap of a second.

Darcel didn't doubt that the girls could eventually find the answer on their own. But he rather had things done sooner as he wouldn't want anything dangerously unexpected to happen.

Darcel called out to the girls, telling them, "Aniela, Masami. Hold off on what you're doing. I had just found out the secret to this place." 

Aniela and Masami didn't delay at all towards Darcel's call, immediately whipping their attention over to him.

They both raised a curious brow as they didn't see anything different about Darcel's state. Aniela and Masami had sense and heard him using Spirit Qi, but they had just assumed it ended up in failure like they were doing.

Still, Aniela always had immense faith in whatever Darcel does and showed it as she simply said, "Oh? So quickly, Darcy? What did you come up with then?" 

Masami had a slight smirk as she said in a joking tone, "That wondrous brain of yours never slows down, huh?" 

Masami's faith in Darcel was nearly as high as Aniela. Especially after experiencing those traumatic events, her faith in him increased even more.

Darcel didn't give a verbal response. He only smiled at the girl's curious gazes and had then repeated the same process as before. Treating the tree as if it simply didn't exist, Darcel strutted his hand right through the tree like it was entirely intangible. 

"Eh?? How??" 

Both Aniela and Masami immediately raised questions as their eyes blinked in mild shock. Unless Darcel had suddenly gained the ability to go invisible, this shouldn't be possible!

Darcel felt even more bemused at the girl's actions. It was quite cute seeing their beautiful faces morph into shock. He plainly told the girls, 

"It's simple….really simple, actually. Just firmly believe these trees aren't here, and you will phase right through them."

Aniela and Masami gave a slight ludicrous look at each other and then at those hollow trees. 

Just believing hard enough is the answer? 

Out of everything they experienced, the girls didn't expect it would be so brain-dead simple like that. However, Darcel's demonstration was undeniable proof. 

With no other options, Aniela and Masami sealed the small doubts in their minds, tossing away any denials about their situation.

They had then focused up their minds on one thought. These hollow trees aren't real. Every single one of them must be….no, they are all illusions! 

With their mindset rock solidly firm, Aniela and Masami didn't glance at the trees as they strut their hands towards it.

And almost immediately, their eyes widened while doing so. Like Darcel said, they simply weren't touching against anything! Snapping their heads back on the trees, Aniela and Masami was only a bit surprised to see their hands going through it.

Aniela had taken her hand out of the tree and immediately shoved it right back inside. Once again, her hand phased through the tree without any obstruction. 

"Ok….this is kind of cool. But also, kind of freaky. It's like we're ghosts or something." Aniela spoke with a strange expression encompassing her face. 

"Huh…." Masami grunted a bit and took her hand out of the tree. She looked down at her palm, clenching it in slight disbelief. "Well….I guess we got our ticket out of here. But….now what? We still don't know an exact pathway to go on." 

As Masami raised that issue up, Darcel tossed his gaze around the trees.

Now that his perception of them changed, the trees had also taken a slight change in appearance. There were specific details on them that he didn't notice before. 

And on one particular tree, its detail was more noticeable than the rest.

He narrowed his eyes as this tree was in a far lighter shade than the other ones. 

"This tree is far lighter than the others. Since following white or light things seemed to be the answer, let's go to this tree." Darcel pointed at the lighter shade tree for the girls and explained his reasoning. 

Aniela and Masami held no agreement and nodded towards him. 

The trio began to slowly walk up to the lighter shade tree. Of course, they knew better than just to rush in blindly and were still ever vigilant of their surroundings.

As they walked up to the lighter shade tree, Darcel, Aniela and Masami didn't need to worry about getting blocked by the other trees. Just like with their arms, their whole bodies simply phased through the trees.

It admittedly was a strange experience to just go through seemingly solid objects. But the more they walked through the trees, the more natural it came to them. 

And eventually, the trio made it within a few feet from the lighter shaded tree.

Nothing dangerous jumped out of them so far. And it seemed like things would go all smoothly for them. But, when they had taken only a single step again, they froze in complete dread.

They all had abruptly sensed something more dangerous than even when the white leaf combusted in front of their faces! 

In an instant, Darcel, Aniela, and Masami jumped back, intending to go far away.

But, when they had reached five feet back, the light shaded tree burst in a radiant white Light glow! 

'Chi!' 

Immense energy exploded from the tree, wildly spraying its power to a wide range.

The tree's explosion had even caught up to Darcel, Aniela, and Masami, slightly surpassing their speeds. 

"Tch!" At the same time, Darcel, Aniela, and Masami erupted with their bloodline powers as they forcefully tanked the powerful blast.

The three of them got sent flying like a bullet while powerful energy travels through their bodies. Before they shot off far, Darcel, Aniela, and Masami forcefully stopped their momentum by dragging their hands through the ground, splitting deep lines within the dirt.

The trio had only stopped once they skidded at least thirty feet back. 

"Haaah…." 

The trio sighed as the energy attempting to shred their bodies got destroyed by their bloodline powers.

Though they all could still feel their arms shaking from the aftershock of the explosion. If they were just a second slower, then their injuries would've been far heavier than the light ones they received.

Masami huffed a bit as she slowly stood up, "Well damn! Now we have to carefully pick and choose." As her eyes looked around the scenery now, she noticed after the explosion, numerous other trees had vanished because of it.

Darcel and Aniela as well stood up, their eyes gazing all around the other trees that were caught in the explosion. 

There wasn't any other noticeable difference that had just jumped out to Darcel.  Although, his eyes squinted a bit as he had noticed some trees had a darker shade in direct contrast to the lighter shaded trees.