Versatile Mage Chapter 3163 The Hidden Heaven

Resistance was futile since there was no route for escape.

Mo Fan clenched his teeth in frustration. The emergence of the Divine Wood Well was both bizarre and incomprehensible. As the leader of the human group, he felt a responsibility to eliminate such a mysterious threat.

Mo Fan shut his eyes as the Divine Wood Well continued its expansion.

Unlike Mo Fan, the sandstorm spirits were far from composed. This phenomenon was entirely new to them. Despite their usual lack of fear, they sensed a lethal threat emanating from the Divine Wood Well and attempted to flee.

Their efforts were in vain, however. Lacking experience, the sandstorm spirits failed to realize what Mo Fan had already accepted—that staying still and waiting for the end was the only option.

The seconds ticked by heavily.

When Mo Fan eventually opened his eyes, the shrieks of the sandstorm spirits had ceased. He couldn't tell if they had been obliterated or simply scattered across various unknown dimensions.

A forced smile crossed Mo Fan's face as he encountered those familiar "faces" once more.

He doubted whether a friendly greeting would have any effect here.

Though he projected an aura of calm, experience, and bravery, Mo Fan felt like a terrified child forced to spend a night in a graveyard. He was compelled to move forward despite his deep unease.

His heart hammered against his ribs, betraying his determined expression.

Mo Fan came to the realization that his increased power did nothing to diminish the terror the Divine Wood Well inspired.

It was a common saying that fear was merely a byproduct of insufficient strength.

Mo Fan had once subscribed to that theory, believing his current Cultivation level would shield him from such dread. However, facing the haunting aura of the Divine Wood Well again, he understood that his vast power was useless in this place.

It felt as though even the most advanced magic spells and weapons were rendered completely ineffective.

"Hee hee…"

Laughter reached Mo Fan’s ears. It seemed to originate from white leaves that looked like twisted, smiling faces. Even though no actual sound was produced, the sensation of them laughing was vivid.

"You've returned. This time, your stay is eternal."

These vines, flowers, and grasses possessed a strange consciousness. Most unsettling was the fact that they were actually communicating with him.

"Pardon me. Could you tell me who I am speaking with? I’ve only stumbled in here by accident and mean no harm," Mo Fan replied with forced politeness.

He figured that if one saw an old woman smiling in a cemetery, being polite was the safest course of action.

"We are waiting for you."

The voice echoed in his mind again.

What did they mean by "waiting" for him?

Were they anticipating his demise?

The eerie atmosphere was truly suffocating, and Mo Fan struggled to suppress the growing restlessness in his soul.

Taking a deep breath, he fought to maintain his composure.

He tried to convince himself that these were merely illusions, no different than the hallucinations caused by eating toxic mushrooms.

"Everyone is waiting for you.

"Relax…"

Mo Fan gave a nod. Indeed, there was no point in being anxious.

If one has never tasted death, how can they be sure that life isn't the greater burden?

This morbid thought surfaced suddenly in his mind. A moment later, he snapped back to his senses, feeling a wave of cold shock.

What was that?!

How could he even think such a thing?!

Was the Divine Wood Well capable of mental manipulation?

Mo Fan struck his own head hard.

He refused to let his mind be swayed!

He had to remain true to his own path!

Mo Fan was aware that the ghostly forest was merely the inner wall of the well.

Water lay beneath him.

It resembled a lake topped with a thin, crystal-like layer of ice. Yet the water under that surface was active, capable of rising like a predatory creature to consume anything in its path.

That was the miserable end Zhao Jing met—a helpless and pathetic death. Struggles were meaningless in the face of it.

"Mo Fan, you've arrived.

"We have expected you for a long time."

Suddenly, a tall figure materialized above the murky water. Mo Fan recognized that sharp face instantly—it was Chief Military Instructor Zhan Kong, the hero he had always looked up to!

Standing at the edge of the well, Mo Fan was stunned by the sight.

"Chief Military Instructor…"

Mo Fan recalled seeing Zhan Kong frozen like a wax statue beneath the water. But here he was, standing upon the surface and offering Mo Fan a kind greeting.

Had he transitioned to this strange realm instead of dying?

While this world lacked a heaven, hell certainly existed.

However, this was just Mo Fan's theory. What if a heaven actually existed?

Could the Divine Wood Well, which collected the echoes of the deceased, actually be heaven?

Perhaps it wasn't a demonic snare, but a garden belonging to the gods!

Mo Fan began walking toward the water.

He felt as though he was finally seeing the true essence of the Divine Wood Well. The water no longer felt frigid; it was as warm as a thermal spring. Mo Fan started to think he had been too cynical, failing to see the kindness the Divine Wood Well showed to humanity.

It functioned like a museum, preserving the remnants of human civilization to validate their existence.

By gathering the shadows of the dead, the Divine Wood Well sought to pass on the will for life to endure.

"The album of the gods."

Previously, Mo Fan’s perspective on the Divine Wood Well had been limited. He had been too naive to understand why so many corpses in various states were gathered beneath the waves.

Now, his understanding was deepening.

"Come closer. Look deeper. Confront everything without fear and study their faces," the Chief Military Instructor urged him.

Standing on the water, Mo Fan peered down once more.

Countless layers of bodies remained. Some faces were familiar, while others were complete strangers.

"Look more closely, especially at the ones you don't recognize," the Chief Military Instructor prompted.

Mo Fan had no desire to look at the corpses of people he knew. Furthermore, he knew the well could project his own death.

He focused his attention on the unknown faces.

"I think… I recognize this person," Mo Fan whispered.

"Search your memories."

"It was back in Seal City. While we were on the mission to save Xinxia, I saw her begging for help. Because I had a mission and lacked the power to save everyone, I stayed back and watched her get killed," Mo Fan remembered. He was shocked by how clear the memory had become.

"Who else?"

"This man looks familiar too. He was one of the officers Lu Nian used to trap me in the deserted city," Mo Fan said.

"And the others?"

"I feel like I've encountered most of them at least once. They are people I've crossed paths with, even if I didn't remember them at the time," Mo Fan replied.

Mo Fan was filled with astonishment.

During his first visit, he had only noticed people he knew personally.

It had been unbearable to see his loved ones looking like lifeless wax figures. But the realization that these strangers with horrific deaths were people he had actually met was even more jarring.

He had crossed paths with many who were fated for tragic ends. His mind had simply discarded them, so their fates had never mattered to him until now.

"I know you were afraid of this place. Your previous visit made you feel as though you had found hell," the Chief Military Instructor remarked.

"I was wrong. I'm sorry," Mo Fan said, feeling a sense of shame.

"What do you believe this place is now?" the Chief Military Instructor questioned.

"It is the heaven I never believed in. Heaven isn't just beauty; it’s the ability to reflect on life, face the end with dignity, and accept eternal existence like this," Mo Fan said with sincerity.

"Excellent. Now, look into the water again. Look at yourself," the Chief Military Instructor commanded.

Mo Fan obeyed.

The water acted as a perfect mirror, reflecting his image.

However, instead of a reflection, he saw a "wax figure" of himself.

He remembered the agonizing fear he felt the first time he saw his own corpse. He had been like a terrified child back then.

This time, his body lay peacefully beneath the surface. He looked tranquil, his hands resting on his chest as if embracing a loved one. There was no sign of regret, only acceptance.

"Why the change?"

"You used to fear the passage of time and the end of life. Thus, the Divine Wood Well showed you your demise," the Chief Military Instructor explained.

"And now?"

"Now, you accept it all. You have challenged fate and cherished your life. You realize that even the most powerful rulers cannot outrun time in their search for immortality, which often leads to great evil. Ultimately, their end is no different than what you see here," the Chief Military Instructor said.

"I understand." Mo Fan nodded.

The terrifying image of his death he saw before wasn't a sign of failure. It was the result of him begging for more time. That was a trap most powerful people fell into.

As the years pass, who wouldn't feel like a helpless child? Who wouldn't want to fight against the inevitable?

He had died of old age.

Where he once fought against time, he now embraced it calmly.

"What about you?" Mo Fan asked suddenly.

"Me? Are you asking if I died in peace or if I was forced out?" the Chief Military Instructor asked back.

"Yes. I need to know why you chose that path at the Holy City. You had the power to change everything," Mo Fan said.

"Because I saw this place before you did and understood its purpose. I didn't leave; I chose to let my soul return here," the Chief Military Instructor answered.

"Is the Divine Wood Well a secret heaven?" Mo Fan asked.

The Chief Military Instructor gave a nod of confirmation.

"I see. This place transcends everything. But Chief, I have one more question," Mo Fan stated.

The Chief Military Instructor waited with a patient smile.

"As your student, did I ever let you down?" Mo Fan asked.

The Chief Military Instructor looked surprised for a moment before smiling again. "Never."

"Thank you." Mo Fan finally had his answer. He opened his arms, prepared to sink into the water filled with the shadows of the departed.

The Chief Military Instructor watched in silence, waiting for the final transition.

Time slowed as Mo Fan seemed to drift through his own memories.

He stayed in that pose for a long time, balanced on the edge of falling without actually doing so.

Just as the Chief Military Instructor was about to speak, Mo Fan’s eyes snapped open. His confusion had vanished, replaced by a cold, steady resolve.

"Thank you. Even though I know you aren't real, I'm grateful for the scene you created for me," Mo Fan told the figure.

The Chief Military Instructor smiled but remained silent.

"But if you continue to impersonate the man I respect most, I'm going to get angry." Mo Fan’s eyes began to radiate a golden brilliance.

The figure of the Chief Military Instructor flickered, sometimes clear and sometimes fading into the gloom.

After a moment, the figure grinned darkly. "Are you certain you wish to see what I really am?"

"I have a good idea already," Mo Fan replied.

"Tell me then."

"I would call you the divine eye of the world," Mo Fan said.

"You are mistaken."

"Oh? Then what are you?"

"They are merely portions of me," the Divine Wood Well declared.

The figure of the Chief Military Instructor dissolved into a mist that drifted across the lake.

Mo Fan looked up. His view had been narrow before, but as the water in the well receded, his perspective widened.

Mo Fan could feel it—the true nature of the Divine Wood Well was finally being revealed!