Free Web NovelTen thousand... how many times was it again?
It doesn’t matter, it’s already over five thousand times anyway.
As the number of attempts to condense the Spirit Seal continuously increased, the number seemed to have lost its meaning. Staring at the nascent crimson flame in her hand, an unprecedented sense of exhaustion enveloped Lu Yibei.
Goddess Ba was once the most formidable Calamity from countless ages ago, a former Destroyer, a deity who dispelled wind and rain, bringing forth a thousand-mile scorched earth, a symbol of great drought and the wilting of life...
When her authority was fully displayed, ordinary people with insufficient Spiritual Energy couldn’t even glimpse her figure under normal circumstances. All they would see were natural phenomena like scorching winds, blazing suns, mountain fires, and barren lands.
It was as if, where Ju Meng stayed, ordinary people would only see a flock of Magpies, loving couples, healthy offspring, and... “Top up another hundred million.” To truly see the Smelly Girl, she had to be willing to show herself.
But in fact, being unable to glimpse Goddess Ba’s figure was, from a certain perspective, actually a stroke of luck.
For low-level Psychic and urban legend with weak Spiritual Energy, directly looking at Goddess Ba when her authority was fully displayed usually meant death... Their vision would be scorched by an unnamed high temperature, their Spiritual Energy and authority would wither like tender grass in the scorching sun, and the blood flowing in their bodies would dry up like a river losing its source.
Lu Yibei was able to visualize Goddess Ba’s figure and attempt to condense a Spirit Seal from it, not only because she had the foundation of an A-level Spirit Ability User, but also because she controlled the Qingyi Tiannv authority, which shared the same origin as Goddess Ba. Yet, even so, after numerous attempts, she still felt exhausted.
Although she was currently in her consciousness space, free from the constraints of a physical body, that exhaustion was directly accumulated in her consciousness during the continuous visualization of Goddess Ba’s figure, slowly rising from within.
It was somewhat similar to metal fatigue, where metal gradually accumulates permanent damage in invisible places under cyclic stress or strain, eventually leading to fracture.
“If this continues, I won’t be able to hold on...” Lu Yibei murmured.
Although she was extremely patient in order to seize that minuscule opportunity, at most, after two or three hundred more attempts, her consciousness would completely fall into “fatigue,” no longer able to support her continuation.
Of course, with Lu Yibei’s personality, she would only try fifty more times at most; the remaining attempts would be reserved for the “original” Goddess Ba Spirit Seal.
One always needs to leave a way out for oneself.
At worst, it’ll be the “Ancient God’s Visage”!
It’s not like it’s unusable...
It was only at this moment that Lu Yibei realized that attempting to replace the appearance of the Goddess Ba Spirit Seal with her own had a bit of a death-seeking flavor to it.
In fact, as early as around the five thousand five hundredth attempt, she had the opportunity to successfully condense the “improved version” of the Spirit Seal, but it was also then that she encountered a terrifying unexpected situation—there was no suitable “blueprint.”
As is well known, the Lu family has always lacked any artistic talent. It was impossible for Lu Yibei to condense the appearance of the Goddess Ba Spirit Seal on her own. In desperation, she could only refer to how others saw “herself,” and this reference led to a huge problem!
Lu Yibei in Ju Meng’s eyes, Lu Yibei in Jiang Li’s eyes, the Disaster Witch in the eyes of the Little Freaks of Hua City, and also Wang Bu Liu Xing, the Bloody Demoness Gu Qianqian, Jue Jue Zi, Lu Qingyi...
A chaotic jumble of aliases and images surged forth simultaneously, almost causing the Goddess Ba Spirit Seal to become a monster with a dozen heads, and the power feedback from the nascent Spirit Seal nearly tore her consciousness apart.
It was just like a program with chaotic underlying code insisting on running, and naturally, problems arose.
At that instant, brutal pressure ravaged her consciousness, as if several invisible forces brutally twisted her consciousness, instantly stirring up a terrifying storm in the consciousness space.
All sorts of thoughts were noisy, chaotic, contradictory, and fiercely tearing at her, as if wishing to break her into countless pieces to complete different tasks.
The immense pain that followed was like a torturer’s whip, questioning her, “Speak! Are you Lu Yibei, Disaster, Wang Bu Liu Xing, or Gu Qianqian?”
Facts proved that whether it was Jiang Li, Ju Meng, Nanling Yaohua, or the Little Freaks of Hua City, as well as the Psychic and urban legend chasing “Gu Qianqian,” their perceptions of “Lu Yibei” differed, and in some details, were even completely contradictory. Using their perceptions to condense a Spirit Seal was bound to cause problems sooner or later.
Lu Yibei felt that in such a situation, even if she forcibly condensed the Spirit Seal, the “dismemberment” at the consciousness level would turn her into a severe schizophrenic.
Therefore, trying to steal the power of gods often appears calm, but a slight misstep will immediately lead to an abyss of eternal damnation.
What’s more, Lu Yibei’s “theft” was different from more common forms of “theft.”
It was like sneaking into a temple, smashing the idol, putting on a divine robe, and sitting in the middle of the altar, insisting that she was the idol herself, with no difference whatsoever.
The nature was extremely egregious!
Additionally...
Having too many aliases is not always a good thing. Playing too many roles makes it extremely difficult to find “yourself” when necessary.
Therefore, after forcibly interrupting the Spirit Seal condensation that time, Lu Yibei became even «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» more cautious. Every step that had previously been attempted thousands of times was re-divided into dozens of smaller steps.
If her previous process of condensing the Spirit Seal was a pencil sketch, now she was drawing with a dotting tool, slowly advancing point by point.
“...”
Finally, it was once again the critical moment to condense the Spirit Seal. Lu Yibei stared at the flame in her hand, falling into a brief hesitation.
With my own level, I don’t know if I can successfully condense it before completely falling into a “fatigued state.” If only there was a highly objective blueprint to reference... she thought, and suddenly, as if hallucinating, a sound rang in her ears.
A “sizzling” sound, like paper being torn.
Upon hearing this sound, a flash of lightning streaked across Lu Yibei’s mind.
Right, the portrait Shen Baiwei drew earlier!
She hadn’t tried using that portrait as a blueprint yet...
How about... giving it a try?
Thinking this, Lu Yibei lowered her head to look at the flame in her hand, her gaze sharpening.
——————
“Could you put this in for me too?” Shen Baiwei, dressed in coarse cloth, said, handing the sketch of Lu Yibei she had torn from her small notebook to Dragon Tang.
Dragon Tang took the portrait with both hands, placed it very solemnly into the iron box in front of him, and after a moment of contemplation, frowned, “Miss Shen, are you sure? I always feel that your Sister still has a chance to wake up.”
This iron box was the one Li Tieniu had escorted back, containing the tokens of the Longxiang Army Armored Soldiers, all of which could be considered relics.
Although the elder Miss Shen had been unconscious for over a hundred days, she wasn’t completely devoid of life and should still be considered alive. Dragon Tang felt that placing a living person’s portrait with a whole box of relics was ultimately a bit inauspicious, even if these relics belonged to the soldiers who bravely sacrificed themselves to protect Yumen Pass.
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Shen Baiwei turned her head to look at Lu Yibei, who had been unconscious for a long time, a hint of sadness in her brows. “Put it in first. It’s been so long, she might already be in a vegetative state. If she really wakes up in the future... just consider it a memento.”
She knew, of course, that Lu Yibei would wake up. As a urban legend, as long as she wasn’t completely dead, she always had a chance to awaken over time.
However, Dragon Tang and the people within Yumen Pass didn’t know that the Divine Kingdom Jade Gate would be sealed for a thousand years, but she did.
She was a little worried that if Lu Yibei only woke up hundreds of years later, she wouldn’t live to see that day.
“...” Dragon Tang opened his mouth, hesitating several times, before finally nodding, “Alright, as Miss Shen says.”
Having said that, he re-covered the iron box and activated the seal on it with Spiritual Energy.
More than a hundred days had passed since the Nangling Commander and the Longxiang Army Armored Soldiers sacrificed themselves. During these hundred days, Dragon Tang and the young armored soldiers remaining in the city had sent out all the tokens they could, but a small portion still remained.
The Longxiang Army Armored Soldiers, besides those who followed Dragon Xiang from Xiaoxiang City to this place, also included the three thousand armored soldiers bestowed by the Saint when Guasha was recovered. Their hometowns were not in Yumen Pass; their tokens could only be returned after the Divine Kingdom Jade Gate reopened.
But...
Who knew when the Divine Kingdom Jade Gate would reopen?
Although Dragon Xiang had instructed in the brocade pouch left for Dragon Tang that the Divine Kingdom Jade Gate would reopen once the Saint’s reinforcements arrived, he also stated that it would take anywhere from ten days to several years for the reinforcements to arrive.
Before the reinforcements arrived, to be safe, Dragon Tang planned to send this iron box, sealed with the relics of the deceased soldiers, to the depths of the Lords Manor for safekeeping, because Yumen Pass was a bit restless...
Although Dragon Xiang had given Dragon Tang half a token symbolizing the Nangling Commander’s identity before leaving, Dragon Tang was not his brother after all, and even with the token in hand, it was difficult to awe everyone.
In this situation, storing the iron box in the depths of the Lords Manor was the safest, as there were disciples of Hong Bian Monk guarding it, making it difficult for ordinary people to approach.
Especially in recent days, the once harmonious neighbors often quarreled and fought over inexplicable minor issues, and incidents of theft and robbery had increased several times compared to before. Even the well-trained Longxiang Army Armored Soldiers had several conflicts for no reason.
It was as if everyone was becoming increasingly abnormal: either they felt the whole world was against them over a small matter, or they felt utterly useless after a slight setback, crying uncontrollably in low spirits, or experiencing inexplicable euphoria, singing loudly late at night and irritating others...
To this, Shen Baiwei explained, “People tend to become irritable after staying in a confined environment for a long time. With abundant supplies now, it’s still somewhat better. When supplies become scarce, they might become even stranger.”
Dragon Tang listened, then asked in confusion, “How does Miss Shen know this?”
“I was...” Shen Baiwei faltered for a moment, then pouted, “When I was in my hometown, I was forced to stay home for over three months due to a plague.” frёeωebɳovel.com
Dragon Tang responded to Shen Baiwei’s answer with silence.
...
After re-sealing the portrait and the other tokens, Dragon Tang slung the iron box onto his back. When he stood up and turned to look at Shen Baiwei, his pupils trembled slightly.
“Ah? Miss Shen, what... what happened to you?”
“I...” Shen Baiwei opened her mouth, and it was a long time before she squeezed out half a sentence, “I’m a little tired, it’s like...”
Her words were cut short by a sudden dizziness, sealing the remaining half of her sentence, “It’s like my Spiritual Energy has been depleted,” in her throat.
————
Within the chaotic consciousness space.
Crimson firelight silently diffused, spreading out in countless threads, intertwining with each other, stirring up rapid currents around Lu Yibei, whose eyes were tightly shut. The Spiritual Energy, carrying astonishing high temperatures, made the surroundings viscous, as if soaked in sugar water, then permeated her limbs, bones, and even every cell from the outside in.
The flame had ignited, and the authority originating from Goddess Ba had quietly undergone some unknown transformation, revealing a faint golden hue.
The firelight, with the color of gold and iron, spread between Lu Yibei’s fingers. Surging Spiritual Energy, the figure of Goddess Ba, and the portrait drawn by Shen Baiwei in her memory, all followed her guidance and control, as if a furnace had been set up and casting materials were continuously added, being thrown into the fire by her. freёweɓnovel.com
Then, the fusion began. Her ten fingers closed, gripping everything tightly!
In an instant, surging, dancing flames burst forth from between her fingers, stirring up monstrous waves that swept through the consciousness space.
The core of the Mythical urban legend body seemed to be cheering, vibrating violently and gushing out vast Spiritual Energy. The core of the Demoness Seed body and the White Wolf Spirit Seal seemed to avoid that power, their operations briefly stagnating.
A high temperature that melted the soul surged from her palms into her body. Her body and blood seemed to be ignited.
It’s coming... Lu Yibei silently thought in her heart.
Previously, when she tried to alter the appearance of the Spirit Seal by referencing how others saw “herself,” that was where the mistake occurred in this step.
The next moment, excruciating pain struck, and her consciousness immediately became hazy. After a brief haze, an unprecedented clarity descended, before the pain had even dissipated...
That feeling was like undergoing a segmental bone deactivation surgery without any anesthesia, but instead, being given a refreshing and invigorating drug.
It’s over, there’s going to be a problem again! This thought flashed through Lu Yibei’s mind, but immediately after, the scene before her eyes became clear.
Goddess Ba’s unstoppable posture when she expelled the Wind Earl and Rain Master, her lonely back heading north after being expelled, her sorrowful gaze southward while standing alone north of Chishui, and that bitter smile just before she finally transformed into a monster under accumulating malice...
All of it, in a flash of lightning, was presented before Lu Yibei’s eyes.
Then, she felt exhausted.
An unprecedented exhaustion.
It was as if the exhaustion that should have only arrived after two or three hundred attempts suddenly erupted at this moment.
For a moment, she felt as if she had become a wild blade of grass on a barren plain, gradually withering away in endless drought.
She felt like she was about to die, but... her consciousness, under the intense pain, fatigue, and decay, remained unprecedentedly clear.
Goddess Ba’s face in her vision gradually blurred, like ink that hadn’t dried yet, smudged by water.
The next instant, a surge of Spiritual Energy from an unknown source suddenly swept through.
Goddess Ba’s already blurred face violently contracted at that moment, then rapidly converged, as if an invisible paintbrush was swiftly outlining it, condensing Lu Yibei’s face...
