Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
In a Black Void, I unexpectedly saw another version of myself, the one who had just been killing relentlessly. Clearly, she was vastly different from me, drenched in blood red.
"Who are you?" I asked lightly. She didn't respond, her expression cold as she approached me.
"If it weren't for me, you would have died long ago." She looked at me with pride, her gaze filled with disdain. "You are me, and I am you."
"I don't know who you are, but I am definitely not you. I am not as brutal as you." As I looked at her, I seemed to notice some subtle issues.
She appeared taken aback by my response, then laughed loudly: "If it weren't for me just now, do you think you could have walked away alive?"
"So what? Tell me, who exactly are you and how did you end up inside me?" Indeed, she was not a simple existence. I had long suspected that no matter how many different versions of myself emerged, it was impossible for such a cruel version of me to exist. This was also the reason my great-grandfather chose me: Benevolence. However, surviving here truly required someone like her; that was why I had brought her out.
"I am indeed not you, but I won't harm you. As for who I am, you'll find out sooner or later. Until you discover me, I will remain inside you to help. You have no choice; otherwise, your only fate is to Explode in Death."
"Fine, I agree. But it seems you couldn't control what happened just now." Although I hadn't manifested physically, I was very clear about what had occurred; I almost attacked my companion.
"Heh heh, well, there has to be an adjustment period; I'm still getting used to this." She said somewhat sheepishly.
"It better be that way; otherwise, I'll disappear along with you."
"Okay, I promise you."
I slowly woke up and opened my eyes to see Flower Tears. We had spent quite some time together, but she seemed rather indifferent in the team, always staying close to White Soul.
"You're awake," she said softly to Silver Moon and the others. I sat up; it seemed like we were in a cave.
"How do you feel?" Silver Moon asked as he sat beside me, looking at me with concern. I shook my head, "It won't happen again. I'm fine."
"You say that, but what exactly happened? If it weren't for White Soul, you—" Tiantian continued my thought.
I smiled at him, "What happened to me? I just went a little crazy." Wait, when Tiantian mentioned White Soul, could it be that he was the one speaking? Was that his voice before I fainted?
"You’re still smiling? Do you know how dangerous it was just now? If you—then you would never be able to go back," Silver Moon said, somewhat angrily.
"Alright, I'm sorry for worrying you. Didn't I say it wouldn't happen again?"
"Since you're fine now, hurry up and swallow the inner core," Yegui suddenly said. I looked at him in confusion, what inner core?
"After the five ghosts from He Family died, the inner cores naturally belong to us," Silver Moon explained briefly.
"How do we divide it? There are five of them, right?" I asked.
"I don't need any; it won't have any effect on me," Flower Tears said flatly. She was becoming more intriguing to me. During the earlier battle, I clearly saw that He Lao San never attacked Flower Tears, while White Soul stood there motionless yet suppressed He Lao San. It seemed she and White Soul had many secrets. But I didn't have time to think too much; this place wasn't safe, and it was better to quickly absorb the inner core.
He Lao Wu's inner core was at the level of the Lord of the Underworld, so I couldn't absorb it all at once. I had to swallow it and let it merge with my body gradually. This was the best way without having to train hard, yet it didn't feel like forcing growth. However, obtaining an inner core wasn't easy; many demons and ghosts would choose to self-destruct their inner cores when facing death, which was an extremely desperate choice. This time, I played a significant role in preventing those ghosts from committing suicide.
Swallowing the inner core was also not easy, especially one from an opponent much stronger than you; they often resisted strongly. As I placed the inner core in my mouth, strangely enough, I felt nothing—not even a hint of discomfort—just like usual. In an instant, I clearly saw that the inner core disappeared as it approached my own inner core. There were no changes in me; my strength didn't increase at all, like a stone thrown into a lake without causing any ripples. It was too strange; I couldn't explain what was happening now. After observing for a long time, there was still no sign of progress. Could it be that my body couldn't absorb it? Was I fundamentally different from ghosts?
Opening my eyes in resignation, I noticed that Silver Moon and the others were still absorbing. Judging by their expressions, it was not as easy as I had imagined. Standing outside the cave, Flower Tears looked at me in surprise as I woke up. I smiled at her and got to my feet. She gestured for me to come out.
"I didn't expect you to absorb it so quickly," she said with a smile.
"I didn't, actually. It seems like I didn't absorb anything; the inner core just disappeared into my body without any sensation," I replied with a bitter smile.
Flower Tears pondered for a moment and then said, "It's nothing. Maybe your body is rejecting foreign objects. I've encountered similar situations before. With your high talent, it's fine to cultivate on your own; don't think too much about it."
We exchanged smiles, and I found myself lost in thought as I looked at her. From the first time I saw her, I deeply felt her sadness—not just an emotional feeling, but a sorrow emanating from her soul that made me think of the word "fate." Perhaps I was too entranced, as I didn't realize how long I had been staring at her.
"You are a sensitive girl," Flower Tears suddenly said, interrupting my thoughts. I awkwardly turned away and looked into the distance.
"Hey, you looked a bit sorrowful when you were watching me. Did you feel it?" she asked. I looked at her but couldn't find the words to respond.
"Actually, all of this is our destiny. I still have White Soul; no one can escape."
"Indeed, fate is truly a mysterious thing," I sighed. If it weren't for fate, I wouldn't have come here or met them; I would have continued my ordinary life as Xi Meng, repeating the same daily routine—so simple.
"Ah, by the way, where are Thunder and the others?" I asked, realizing I hadn't seen them since waking up.
"They went to scout the surroundings. We did suffer significant losses in that last battle; this is just the beginning."
"Are there many injuries?"
"Four dragons are dead, and six are seriously injured at Elder Hui's location."
I felt a lot of pressure; this was the location of the Life Stone I had suggested. It was just a feeling, but I wasn't very confident. If my intuition was wrong, then everything would have been in vain, and their sacrifices would be for nothing. I couldn't see the end of this path.
"Don't worry, to succeed, death is the most basic cost." Flower Tears' words made me feel even colder.
The towering peaks before me looked so out of place in this desolate area. Suddenly, Qingfeng's voice came through.
"What's going on? Are Young Master and the others not ready yet?" Qingfeng sounded urgent, looking disheveled and barely holding on.
"Not yet; the level difference is quite significant, we need to wait a bit longer," Flower Tears replied.
"We don't have time. Just a thousand meters ahead, we spotted a Twin-Tailed Red Chain Scorpion. It might have caught our scent and is heading this way. My brother and the others can't hold on much longer; let me go back and cover your retreat."
"What should we do? Absorbing the inner core cannot be interrupted midway; otherwise, it could lead to a backlash. How much longer can Thunder hold on?" I asked.
"About a minute. That scorpion is one of the greatest Water's Nemesis we have here in the Demon Dragon Clan. It should have reached mid-level Lord of the Underworld; my brother and I can barely scratch it, only the elders can manage to hold it off."
"I'll go." This was the path I chose; I couldn't let any more lives be lost because of my decision.
"No way, Xi Meng, you can't go," Flower Tears immediately opposed.
"Listen. I've already regained my Soul Power. If I don't go, everyone will just wait to die. I'll try to buy some time; Qingfeng, you go back and find the elders for help, and Flower Tears, you stay here."
"I will go with you," Flower Tears said.
"This is not the time for loyalty. You stay here to take care of them, just in case something happens, you can hold them off." After I finished speaking, Flower Tears glanced at White Soul still in the cave and eventually nodded.
Although Flower Tears appeared fragile, she was a very calm and rational spirit. Moreover, she couldn't leave White Soul behind.
"Alright, it has to be this way. I will hurry," Qingfeng could only agree to this plan.
"Xi Meng, you must come back," Flower Tears said firmly. She had always given me the impression of being delicate, neither warm nor cold, quietly staying by White Soul's side at all times. But at this moment, the emotions she displayed were not strong yet so sincere. This was the true Flower Tears; she had feelings. Not just her, since we decided to search for the Life Stone together, we were partners, comrades, and family. I smiled and nodded heavily.
"Little Pink, come out!"
"Coming up, Master." Without my explanation, Little Pink already understood my intention. Although it hadn't transformed into a butterfly yet, I needed its help to fly over there.
"Can you hold on for a bit, Little Pink?"
"I can. I will always stand by Master’s side." Sitting on the overloaded Little Pink, I felt empowered at that moment. I still had no confidence, but I was not afraid.
I got closer and saw Thunder and the others in the distance. A Giant Scorpion about a hundred meters long was crawling on the ground, and there were shadows of three dragons in the sky. The scorpion had two chain-like tails tightly binding the two dragons in midair. Although Thunder wasn't restrained, he was severely injured by the flames from the scorpion's mouth and barely stayed afloat.
"Go, Water Shield." The divine power of Bone Flute still had some effect on this Twin-Tailed Red Chain Scorpion; it initially didn't notice me as the flames were quickly extinguished. The two dragons bound by its tails took the opportunity to escape. My attack clearly angered it; soon, it locked its fierce little eyes on me. A surge of flames shot towards me in midair. At that moment, using Golden Garment for defense was utterly ineffective; it was too far off to block it. Little Pink moved gracefully and dodged this attack. While I had some advantage in the air, it wasn't a long-term solution; Little Pink couldn't hold out for too long.
It seemed that I could only summon another version of myself again. I put away Bone Flute and began to hum softly. "See? You can only rely on me each time." In that instant of exchange, she smiled somewhat arrogantly.
"Don't be too arrogant, Little Pink can't hold on for long. I'm leaving it to you." I had to admit, I needed her help.
In an instant, the mysterious Dark Aura surged within me again, filling my body with power. A mass of black energy gradually enveloped the Giant Scorpion. Just when I thought I had succeeded, it suddenly broke through the attack of Dark Song. It was far too strong; its power exceeded that of the members of the Herlai Family, and right now, I had no allies.
"You're too weak, your body is too weak!" It seemed that she also felt the pressure; her words were directed at me. The backlash from the mental attack was even more terrifying, as if my soul was being torn apart. This kind of pain was something I had never experienced before.
"This is bad!" The Giant Scorpion spewed flames at us again. Little Pink could no longer hold on; this time, we barely managed to dodge. If the Elders didn't arrive soon, were we going to die?
"Bang!" We were hit, and Little Pink and I fell rapidly.
..."From today on, I am your Guardian Deity." "You've done well." "I will come to get you."... My mind was filled with the voice of Qiu, but unfortunately, I would never see him again. Qiu! That figure always surrounded by a melancholic aura, that lonely figure, that unreachable figure.
"Remember, don't get emotionally attached to Qiu." The advice from Snow Spirit. Emotionally attached... Did I really start to like him? But it was too late; I was going to die.
"Master, I'm sorry, I can't hold on any longer!" The weak voice of Little Pink rang out.
"Little Pink, I'm sorry; if you hadn't become my beast, you should have had a better future."
"No, Master, I never regret!"
Then let us bravely face the final blow! I held onto Little Pink, waiting for death.
The Giant Scorpion howled wildly as it charged toward us, opening its massive jaws to swallow us whole.
"Looking for death!" A roar from the distance announced the arrival of the Elders!
The ones who came were Elder Bai, Jade Elder, and Elder Xiang. The Three Elders had transformed into dragon forms, fiercely attacking the Giant Scorpion.
"Scorpion, spit out that girl from earlier!" Jade Elder commanded.
"Hmph, how dare you three old fools come to provoke me!" The Giant Scorpion boasted confidently, but deep down, it felt a twinge of fear. After all, they were three dragons at the level of Saints of the Underworld. Even though this place suppressed them, it was uncertain how things would turn out if it came to a life-and-death struggle.
"This is your last chance. Will you release her or not?!" Jade Elder pressed urgently. If they didn't act quickly, Xi Meng would be completely dissolved. Although they weren't afraid of the scorpion, it would still take some time; even killing the scorpion would be meaningless.
After hesitating for a moment, the Giant Scorpion chose to relent. After all, reaching its current level of cultivation was not easy. In a situation where victory was uncertain, preserving its life was paramount. Once it became stronger, it could swallow them one by one—hmph.
The Giant Scorpion's small eyes darted around. At this level, creatures possessed a certain level of intelligence. It calculated an escape route in case the opponents did not keep their promise; it needed to ensure its own survival. Suddenly, it spat out a breath towards the Three Elders and shrank down to the size of a fist before fleeing into the ground.
Looking at the Three Elders beside me, I realized I was still alive.
"Miss Xi Dream, how are you?" Jade Elder's gentle voice rang out. Instantly, I sighed in relief; it seemed I truly had not died.
"Little Pink, where are you?" I called hoarsely for Little Pink.
"I'm fine, Master. I just need some time to rest and I'll recover," Little Pink replied.
That's great! This narrow escape has made me deeply aware that strength is the only means to survive. There is no need for mercy here; only by being powerful can one protect their friends.
"Thank you, Elders."
"Don't mention it, Miss Xi Dream. We should be thanking you; otherwise, we might never see Young Master again."
"By the way, what about Nitian and the others?"
"They have already awakened. Elder Hong and Elder Fire didn't dare to tell them about your situation here and have escorted them back. I am truly sorry, Miss Xi Dream," Jade Elder said apologetically as he looked at me.
"Since I chose to do this, I was prepared for the worst outcome. If it were me, I would have done the same as the Elders, after all, Nitian and the others are still quite weak." I knew that if they found out, they would definitely rush over, and it would probably become much more complicated then. Fortunately, Flower Tears didn't mention anything.
"Then let's head back. Miss, you have been contaminated with the scorpion's venom. Although you are out now, the corrosive poison still lingers in your body. Once we return, the five of us will think of a way."
No wonder I had been feeling dizzy; however, I had only felt a bit lightheaded and hadn't sensed the venom's corrosion.
"Let's go." Jade Elder led me back to Black Horn Hall.
Inside Black Horn Hall, Yin Yue, Ye Gui, Nitian, and White Soul had successfully absorbed their inner cores. Breaking through to the next level was just a matter of time.
"Flower Tears, didn't you say that Jade Elder took Xi Meng back first? Why haven't we seen her?" Nitian asked while sitting on the sofa.
"Well... I'm not sure either," Flower Tears replied hesitantly, fearing that if they learned the truth, they would rush out.
Yin Yue noticed that Flower Tears was acting strangely; she wasn't usually like this. "What exactly happened?"
Flower Tears was at a loss when Qingfeng entered the inner hall and suddenly knelt down, saying, "Please punish me, Young Master. I failed to protect them!" In truth, she was suffering even more inside, not knowing the fate of her brother and Xi Meng.
"Speak, what happened!" Heaven-Defying immediately sensed something was wrong.
"I... I..." Qingfeng didn't know how to start.
"Just say it!" Silver Moon also grew anxious.
"Forget it, I'll speak. Qingfeng, you can get up; this isn't your fault." Flower Tears sighed and then recounted what had happened.
"What! You mean Xi Meng..." Just as everyone was in shock, a figure rushed out quickly.
"Where are you going, Wild Ghost?!" Heaven-Defying called out.
The Wild Ghost paused but did not respond. "Jade Elder has already gone. With our strength, we would only be walking to our deaths. Besides, the elders will need to focus on protecting you," Heaven-Defying said. At that moment, Silver Moon understood the Wild Ghost's thoughts. Although he had never spoken much about Xi Meng, he had always cared for her; Silver Moon had never seen the Wild Ghost like this before. In fact, his silence now spoke volumes about his feelings.
"Yes, Wild Ghost, what Xi Meng did was to protect us. Going now would be meaningless," Flower Tears added.
The Wild Ghost's body instantly radiated Killing Intent, his back trembling as he stubbornly halted outside the hall, gazing into the distance.
At this moment, the atmosphere in the Dark Corner was chillingly calm.
Comment 0 Comment Count