Chapter 1885 — 1885: Leaving the Confinement Chambers

After absorbing the Heaven Refining Crystal, Yuan collapsed from sheer exhaustion, sinking into a deep sleep. He had no way of knowing how much time had passed—weeks, maybe even months had passed.

When he finally woke up, he took a moment to assess himself. His body didn't feel any stronger on the surface, but deep within, there was a distinct shift—something new and unfathomable had appeared.

However, despite having consumed the Heaven Refining Crystal, Yuan wasn't certain it would actually have any effect. After all, he was inside an artificial world. No matter how powerful the Founder of the Immortal Monastery was, Yuan found it hard to believe that he could replicate something as extraordinary as the Heaven Refining Crystal.

"No… this world is much more than it appears…" Yuan eventually came to this conclusion.

After all, for the Heaven Refining Crystal to exist in this world, the Founder would have needed prior knowledge of its existence. Yet, as far as Yuan knew, he was the only one who had ever possessed it in his past life. No one else should have even been aware of its presence.

Yuan had concluded that the City of Radiance was a mere imitation, missing key details that should have been present—gaps that existed simply because its creator lacked complete knowledge. However, this artificial world felt different. There was an uncanny realism to it, a depth that blurred the line between illusion and reality. It reminded Yuan of the first time he had stepped into Cultivation Online years ago when everything had felt astonishingly real.

"This world can't be real, right? Even a Cultivation God would not have the capability to create a world like this…" Yuan muttered.

Despite his doubts about the nature of this world, Yuan chose not to dwell on it for now. There were too many uncertainties, and overanalyzing it would only further complicate things. For the moment, he would focus on what lay ahead.

Yuan wanted to test his Heaven Refining Physique, but there was nothing inside the chambers to test it with, and the Immortal Monastery confiscated his belongings before tossing him into seclusion.

In the end, Yuan continued his mental training.

Time passed in the blink of an eye, and before Yuan realized, his two-year confinement had come to an end.

The day before Yuan's release from the confinement chambers, Elder Bai arrived outside the cave where Yuan had been confined. Without a word, he settled himself before the entrance with a cold and serious expression on his face, looking like he was preparing for war.

It wasn't just Elder Bai—one by one, disciples began gathering outside Yuan's confinement cave, forming a growing crowd.

Despite the passage of two years, Bai Zhan's death remained a scar on the sect, one that time had failed to heal. Rather than fading, the disciple's resentment toward Yuan had only grown. In Bai Zhan's absence, they had come to realize just how much his presence had shaped the sect, how his charisma and strength had been a guiding light. Without him, the sect felt emptier, duller—an absence that only deepened their hatred for the one responsible for his death.

"Do you think Elder Bai will kill him the moment he comes out?"

The disciples began mumbling to each other.

"Probably. I would if I were in his shoes."

"Elder Bai's demeanor has changed drastically since Senior apprentice-brother Bai's death. He used to be gentle and approachable. Now? I can't even look at him without shivering in fear."

"I don't think I have seen him smile once, either."

Meanwhile, Lan Yingying and the others were also in the crowd. They knew how much the disciples hated Yuan and that his release from confinement would be dramatic, but none of them could've anticipated how many people would show up.

"Practically every Outer Court disciple is here, and there are even many Inner Court disciples," Xi Meili mumbled in a nervous voice.

"I hope he'll be fine…" Lan Yingying sighed.

The following day, Yuan stopped his mental training when he noticed the boulder that sealed the cave was being moved.

"Has it been two years already?" Yuan muttered as he rose to his feet. Without hesitation, he stepped forward, walking toward the light.

As he emerged from the cave, the warmth of the sunlight washed over him, a sensation he hadn't felt in what seemed like an eternity. The gentle touch of the breeze, the scent of the open air—it all felt almost foreign after so long in isolation. However, his brief moment of reprieve was quickly overshadowed by the heavy atmosphere surrounding him.

The sight of the gathered crowd, their piercing gazes filled with hostility, and the oppressive silence that hung in the air immediately drew his attention.

However, despite the thick tension in the air and the overwhelming killing intent directed at him, Yuan met their gazes with an unwavering calm. His expression remained composed, devoid of fear or hostility, as if the hatred surrounding him was nothing more than a passing breeze.

After a brief silence, a cold and imposing voice shattered the stillness.

"Are you the one who killed my grandson?"

Yuan's gaze shifted toward the speaker—an elderly man standing at the forefront of the crowd, his presence radiating an oppressive aura. With each slow step he took forward, the air itself seemed to constrict, growing heavier with an unseen force that pressed upon everyone present. The sheer weight of his presence was suffocating, yet Yuan remained still, his expression unreadable as he faced the old man's piercing gaze.

"Sorry, I think you have the wrong guy."

To everyone's surprise, Yuan blatantly lied before Elder Bai's face.

"So you're telling me that you're not Xiao Yang and that you didn't kill Bai Zhan?" Elder Bai's voice trembled with barely restrained fury, his entire body quivering as he struggled to contain the emotions surging within him like an uncontrollable storm. His clenched fists shook at his sides, his breathing uneven. The air around him crackled with his suppressed rage, ready to erupt at any moment.