sbdcsierra Chapter 114 What am I?
Chapter 114 What am I?
Zhuang Yu was shocked by this sudden turn of events, but remained outwardly calm.
He squinted, carefully examining the spirit floating in mid-air.
The spirit's form was ethereal, yet its imposing aura was like a mountain, and its body radiated a sacred light that made people dare not look directly at it.
The surrounding air seemed to freeze, and an invisible pressure enveloped everyone, making it almost impossible to breathe.
Even the originally imposing guardians of the barrier were now frozen in place, as if submitting to this powerful force.
Zhuang Yu felt a stinging pain on his skin, as if countless fine needles were piercing it. This was the pressure of powerful spiritual energy on his body.
But he suppressed his discomfort, and even had a faint smile on his lips.
He knew that it was precisely in moments like these that he needed to remain calm.
The spirit looked down at the crowd from its high position, its voice deep and majestic: "What do you intend to do?" Its voice was like a great bell, making everyone's eardrums buzz.
Master Zixiao and Li Ming were both pale-faced. Under this powerful pressure, even moving their bodies was extremely difficult.
Wang Yao's face turned deathly pale, and she gripped Zhuang Yu's sleeve tightly, her fingertips turning white.
The artifact spirit thought Zhuang Yu would be intimidated by its power or launch an immediate attack, but Zhuang Yu unexpectedly bowed to it, speaking in a neither humble nor arrogant tone: "Junior Zhuang Yu has no ill intentions, but merely admires the power of the divine artifact and wishes to witness its splendor."
This action slightly surprised the artifact spirit. It did not expect that this seemingly weak early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator could remain so composed under its pressure.
Even Master Zixiao and Li Ming, who were watching from the sidelines, were stunned. They had no idea what Zhuang Yu was up to.
The spirit remained silent for a moment, seemingly deep in thought.
Its eyes, as bright as stars, were fixed on Zhuang Yu, as if trying to see through his inner thoughts.
After a long pause, it spoke: "Oh? To catch a glimpse of its splendor?..."
The spirit's voice echoed in the empty space, carrying a hint of inquiry, "...You are quite interesting. When ordinary cultivators see me, which one doesn't tremble with fear and wish they could immediately kneel down and beg for mercy? Yet you are so calm and composed."
Zhuang Yu smiled slightly. Although the artifact spirit was strong, it was still an artifact spirit after all. Its intelligence was not absolutely smooth and worldly. It preferred to communicate directly, and he happened to be good at this.
His tone was calm, with just the right amount of respect, "Senior's divine power is unparalleled, and I am too grateful to be afraid of you. However, I am very curious about your origins and the secrets of this divine artifact."
The spirit's eyes flickered, its tone less intimidating and more curious, "You're quite an interesting kid. Fine, since you're somewhat agreeable, I'll chat with you for a bit. Do you know what I am?"
Zhuang Yu's heart stirred, but he maintained a humble smile on his face. "This junior is unaware and hopes that the senior can enlighten me."
The spirit's voice carried a hint of pride, "I am the spirit of this divine artifact, born alongside it, and wielding its power."
Zhuang Yu feigned sudden realization, a hint of reverence in his eyes, "So that's how it is! Senior is indeed incredibly powerful."
The artifact spirit seemed to appreciate Zhuang Yu's praise, and its tone softened considerably. It chatted with Zhuang Yu casually, from the materials used to forge the artifact to its various functions. Thanks to his knowledge from his previous life and his understanding of the cultivation world after his transmigration, Zhuang Yu was able to answer the artifact spirit's questions fluently.
He would sometimes ask seemingly naive yet thought-provoking questions, and sometimes offer just the right amount of praise. Unbeknownst to him, the spirit's attitude towards him gradually changed from wariness to friendliness.
Master Zixiao and Li Ming, who were standing nearby, were so shocked by what they saw that their jaws nearly dropped.
They couldn't believe that this guy, whom they had previously regarded as an ant, could actually chat and laugh with the spirit of the divine artifact!
Jealousy and resentment spread like wildfire in my heart.
The greed in Master Zixiao's eyes was almost overflowing. He roared and could no longer suppress the anger in his heart. He condensed his magic seal again, and a purple lightning bolt, with a destructive aura, fiercely attacked Zhuang Yu's back!
Zhuang Yu sensed the murderous intent behind him, and a surge of anger welled up in his heart.
That old guy is like a persistent ghost!
He sneered, a mocking smile curving his lips.
Zhuang Yu did not turn around.
Zhuang Yu didn't even turn around. A flash of spiritual light appeared around him, and a semi-transparent spiritual energy shield instantly unfolded, just enough to block the purple lightning bolt from Master Zixiao, which was carrying an aura of destruction.
With a deafening boom, lightning struck the shield, unleashing a violent surge of spiritual energy.
The shield trembled slightly but did not break, steadily protecting Zhuang Yu.
Zhuang Yu's lips curled into a mocking smile. He seemed completely unaware of the sneak attack from behind, and continued to talk to the artifact spirit calmly. His voice was clear and magnetic, and every word seemed to be mocking the incompetence of Master Zixiao.
This scene filled Master Zixiao with immense humiliation, and the rage in his heart nearly consumed him.
"You brat, how dare you disregard this old man like this!" Master Zixiao roared, his face contorted with rage and his eyes bloodshot.
He had never been so humiliated. At this moment, he wished he could tear Zhuang Yu to pieces to vent his hatred.
He sternly shouted at his disciple Li Ming beside him, "Li Ming, what are you standing there for? Hurry up and join me in taking down this arrogant little thief!"
Li Ming had long been unable to contain his anger. Upon hearing his master's command, he immediately responded, his hands flashing with magic seals, and a series of sharp sword energies rained down on Zhuang Yu.
In an instant, purple lightning and sword energy intertwined, enveloping the entire space in a violent spiritual energy.
Zhuang Yu glanced around out of the corner of his eye and felt the gusts of wind coming from behind him.
He smiled slightly, but showed no panic. He continued to talk to the spirit of the artifact at a leisurely pace, as if the attacks were nothing more than tickles and posed no threat to him.
His figure moved like a ghost, weaving through the dense attacks, narrowly avoiding the offensives of Master Zixiao and Li Ming each time.
His figure was elusive, like willow catkins in the wind, making him difficult to grasp.
Those attacks, though seemingly fierce, couldn't even touch the hem of Zhuang Yu's clothes.
The surrounding air exploded with bursts of sound due to the violent collision of spiritual energy, and the ear-piercing whistling sound was like the howling of ghosts and wolves, making people's scalps tingle.
Zhuang Yu, however, strolled leisurely through the storm as if taking a leisurely walk. Every movement he made was full of rhythm and beauty, as if he were performing a magnificent dance.
In his eyes, the attacks of Master Zixiao and Li Ming were as ridiculous and laughable as clowns. The more desperately they attacked, the more powerless they seemed. They felt as if their attacks were stuck in the quagmire, all in vain.
For a moment, the entire space was filled with the roars of Master Zixiao and Li Ming, the explosions of colliding spiritual energy, and Zhuang Yu's calm and composed voice. The scene was like a farce, leaving onlookers amazed by Zhuang Yu's superb skills.
Wang Yao watched Zhuang Yu quietly from the side, her eyes filled with admiration.
Wang Yao's gaze remained fixed on Zhuang Yu's figure, her eyes sparkling with admiration.
She could feel the tense atmosphere in the air and the suffocating spiritual pressure, but she didn't feel fear; instead, she felt a strange sense of peace.
She knew that Zhuang Yu would definitely be able to turn the danger into safety.
She gripped the hem of her clothes tightly, her fingertips turning slightly white, silently praying for Zhuang Yu's safety.
Zhuang Yu felt a warm current surge in his heart as he felt Wang Yao's gaze.
He knew that no matter what happened, Wang Yao would always be there to support him.
This strengthened his resolve; no matter what challenges he faced, he would not back down.
A slight upturn of his lips revealed a confident smile, as if everything was under his control.
The spirit watched the farce with great interest. It did not stop Master Zixiao and Li Ming's attack, but rather seemed to be enjoying a performance.
Its gaze would occasionally sweep over Zhuang Yu; it could sense Zhuang Yu's power and his indomitable spirit.
The conversation with Zhuang Yu brought the spirit a sense of joy; it hadn't had such a conversation with a human in a long time.
It discovered that this young monk was not only powerful, but also knowledgeable and eloquent.
It became increasingly interested in Zhuang Yu, and even had the idea of taking him as its disciple.
"Alright, let's end this farce here." The spirit's voice suddenly rang out, carrying a hint of authority.
With a gentle wave of its hand, an invisible force instantly sent Master Zixiao and Li Ming flying, crashing heavily to the ground, spitting blood and looking utterly disheveled.
Master Zixiao and Li Ming were filled with fear, knowing that they were no match for the spirit of the artifact.
They struggled to get up, but found themselves powerless and could only lie on the ground, watching helplessly as Zhuang Yu talked with the spirit of the artifact.
The spirit turned its gaze to Zhuang Yu, "I admire your courage and wisdom."
Now, I'm giving you a chance, a chance to prove yourself.
"
Zhuang Yu felt a chill run down his spine and took a deep breath.
The spirit extended a finger and pointed to the void ahead, saying, "There is a restriction there. Only by passing through this restriction can you gain my approval."
Zhuang Yu looked in the direction the artifact spirit was pointing and saw a golden light flashing in the void ahead.
The restriction exuded a powerful aura, inspiring awe and fear.
"This restriction is called 'Inner Demon Illusion.' It will amplify your deepest fears and desires infinitely. If you cannot overcome your inner demons, you will be forever lost in this illusion." The spirit's voice was deep and authoritative. "Boy, do you dare to accept my test?"
Zhuang Yu did not hesitate at all, "This junior is willing to give it a try."
"Alright!" the spirit replied.
Zhuang Yu took a deep breath and stepped towards the golden restriction.
His figure gradually disappeared into the light, leaving only the artifact spirit's meaningful gaze.
"An interesting little fellow, I hope you can bring me some surprises," the spirit murmured to itself, its eyes filled with anticipation...