Free Web NovelChapter 228: Chapter 228, Lei Bao
Lei Bao let out a series of delighted crackles, brighter and more rapid than before, a sound akin to effervescent glee. His form bobbed excitedly in the air.
"Excellent," he exclaimed, his bombastic tone returning with renewed vigor. "That is precisely the correct attitude, little one! It is the mindset of one destined for true greatness, for it embraces the inherent chaos of the path while remaining steadfast in personal conviction. This is the spirit I sought!"
Lin Yi picked up the blade, turning it slowly in his hands, inspecting the razor-sharp edge with a practiced eye, testing its balance and feel. He felt a distinct shift in the spirit’s enthusiasm, a genuine investment that went beyond mere function.
"You seem very invested in my success, Lei Bao," he observed, raising an eyebrow, a hint of curiosity in his voice. "More so than a mere companion spirit might typically be."
"I am," Lei Bao said bluntly, his voice direct and devoid of its usual flourish, acknowledging the truth without hesitation. "Your success, your rapid ascent, is currently the most efficient, indeed, the only viable route to the fulfillment of my own deeply held ambitions. Our paths are intertwined, our destinies, for now, inextricably linked. It is a mutually beneficial arrangement, one I intend to fully capitalize on."
"And what ambitions are those, exactly?" Lin Yi inquired, genuinely intrigued by the spirit’s declaration. He knew Lei Bao was ancient, but the scope of a spirit’s desires could be vast and unexpected.
Lei Bao, perhaps seizing the opportunity to impress, rose higher in the room, his crackling sphere of light expanding noticeably. His voice, once again, swelled with a profound sense of grandeur, resonating with a deep, almost ancient power that filled the space. He articulated his desires with the solemnity of an orator proclaiming eternal truths.
"To witness the Middle Domain in all its unfathomable splendor," he declared, his light pulsing with vibrant intensity. "To experience its sheer breadth and depth, to observe the true pinnacles of cultivation and the vastness of its knowledge. To see cities suspended effortlessly in the heavens, defying gravity and logic, constructed by powers that dwarf anything you or I have yet encountered. To mock noble spirits far older than even myself, whose pride and arrogance have calcified over millennia, reminding them of their stagnant existence and my own renewed vitality. To absorb thunderstorms of a superior quality, rich with potent celestial energy, far beyond the meager electrical discharges of these lesser realms, thereby refining my very essence to an unprecedented degree. And, ultimately, to become known, not merely as a powerful weapon spirit, but as the most distinguished, the most revered, and the most utterly unique sword spirit across all three realms—a name whispered with both awe and a touch of fear, a legacy etched into the very fabric of existence."
Lin Yi stared at him, a flicker of genuine astonishment in his eyes. He had expected ambition, but not one quite so comprehensive, nor quite so... specific.
"You have thought about this in remarkable detail," Lin Yi finally managed to say, a slow smile spreading across his face. "Every facet, every aspiration, meticulously considered."
"I have had time," Lei Bao stated simply, as if the answer should have been obvious. "Many centuries, as I have mentioned. When one is confined, observation and contemplation become the primary pastimes. One cultivates patience, and one cultivates desire."
"That last goal," Lin Yi mused, a touch of dry humor in his voice, "the one about mocking other noble spirits... that sounds especially petty, for an ancient, dignified consciousness."
"It is not petty," Lei Bao said, his crackling intensifying slightly, a defensive edge to his voice. He took immediate offense at the suggestion. "It is legacy. It is the assertion of one’s rightful place in the cosmic hierarchy, a declaration that one has surpassed those who once believed themselves untouchable. It is an essential component of establishing absolute distinction."
Lin Yi laughed again, a fuller, more open sound than before, the sound echoing lightly in the spacious room. The sheer audacity and self-awareness of the ancient spirit were endlessly entertaining.
Then he set the blade carefully aside on the wooden table, the metallic clink soft in the quiet room, and stretched his shoulders, feeling the tension ease from his muscles. The conversation, for all its lightheartedness, had brought a deeper focus to his mind.
"Tell me honestly, Lei Bao," Lin Yi said, his voice dropping to a more serious tone, his gaze turning towards the faint, distant outline of the mountains visible through the window. "How difficult is the mountain? Not with bravado or grand pronouncements, but with the cold, unvarnished truth you’ve gleaned from your centuries of observation."
Lei Bao quieted, his vibrant crackling softening to a faint, steady hum. The playful, bombastic persona receded, replaced by a more sober, ancient wisdom. The light within him seemed to dim just slightly, reflecting the gravity of the question.
When he spoke again, the humor remained, but it was gentler now, laced with a profound understanding of the challenges ahead, a somber realism that only immense age could impart. He painted a picture of daunting odds, not to discourage, but to prepare.
"Difficult enough," Lei Bao began, his voice surprisingly steady, "that confidence alone, no matter how unwavering, will utterly fail, crumbling like sand before an unstoppable tide. Difficult enough that sheer talent alone, even the most prodigious and innate abilities, will prove insufficient, like a single spark trying to ignite an ocean. Difficult enough, little one, that countless individuals who possessed both, a formidable combination of unshakeable self-belief and extraordinary natural gifts, still ultimately became nothing more than tragic stories. They became cautionary tales that people, for generations, will use to warn the next aspiring generation against hubris, against underestimating the true magnitude of the trials that await them on such a path. Their ambition, their potential, swallowed whole by the unforgiving nature of the mountain."
Lin Yi listened in silence, his expression unreadable, absorbing every word, letting the weight of the spirit’s warning settle deep within him. He did not flinch, did not interrupt, but simply absorbed the stark reality being laid out before him.
"But," Lei Bao continued, his light brightening again, a flicker of its usual ebullience returning, a subtle shift in his tone that carried a clear note of fervent belief, "those people, for all their confidence and talent, those who became the cautionary tales... those people were not you. They lacked something intrinsic, something beyond mere skill or belief, a core tenacity, a particular blend of cunning and resilience that you possess. That, little one, is the distinction."
"That," Lin Yi replied, a small, wry smile gracing his lips, "is either pure, unadulterated encouragement, designed to bolster my morale, or a rather masterful piece of manipulation, intended to guide me down a specific path." He paused, weighing the possibilities.
"It is both," Lei Bao declared with a triumphant crackle, utterly unashamed, his light pulsing with satisfaction at his own cleverness. "The finest persuasion, the most effective form of influence, always combines the two. It speaks to both the conscious mind and the unconscious drive, weaving truth with strategic impetus."
Lin Yi shook his head slowly, a genuine chuckle escaping him. The spirit’s blunt honesty, even in his cunning, was almost admirable.
"You truly are shameless, Lei Bao," he said, a note of affection mixed with his exasperation.
"I learned from cultivators," Lei Bao retorted instantly, a mischievous crackle in his voice. "You mortals, with your intricate schemes and your boundless self-interest, have provided me with an education richer than any ancient text. I merely apply the lessons I have absorbed."
He stood, pushing away from the window frame, and walked toward the window again, looking out at the distant, imposing silhouette of the mountains beyond the estate, a formidable barrier against the pale, starlit sky. Their peaks seemed to pierce the heavens, beckoning with both challenge and promise.
Tomorrow would come quickly, ushered in by the first rays of dawn, bringing with it the relentless march of time and an unyielding continuation of his journey. freēwebnovel.com
Levels remained to gain, each one a step closer to his true strength, each requiring immense effort and testing his limits.
Secrets remained hidden, veiled by ancient forces and powerful individuals, waiting to be uncovered, their revelations holding the key to his path forward.
Enemies remained alive, their ambitions clashing with his own, their presence a constant threat that demanded vigilance and decisive action. The path was clear, yet fraught with peril.
Behind him, Lei Bao drifted lazily through the spacious room, a benevolent, albeit occasionally irritating, guardian, his crackles soft against the pervasive silence. He seemed to be observing the room, the night, and perhaps Lin Yi himself, with a relaxed, almost contented air.
"Little one," the spirit said suddenly, his voice taking on a slightly different cadence, a conspiratorial whisper almost, as if sharing a profound secret that had just occurred to him. "I have another important observation, one that escaped my initial, more focused analytical endeavors but has now presented itself with undeniable clarity."
"I am almost afraid to ask, Lei Bao," Lin Yi responded, a sigh already forming in his chest, anticipating another one of the spirit’s less-than-critical insights. He braced himself for something utterly trivial, yet delivered with great pomp.
"The white-haired female," Lei Bao announced, his voice dropping to a theatrical hush, filled with a sudden, profound seriousness that was entirely at odds with the subject matter. "She is, unequivocally, attractive. Her features are harmonious, her demeanor captivating, and her presence quite aesthetically pleasing. A notable specimen, indeed."
Lin Yi closed his eyes for one long, slow breath, pinching the bridge of his nose, feeling a wave of exasperation wash over him. He counted to three silently.
"You emerged from my sword, in the dead of midnight, through a dramatic display of lightning and thunder, merely to tell me this piece of utterly superfluous information?" he asked, his voice strained with disbelief, wondering if the spirit truly grasped the concept of urgency.
"It seemed strategically relevant," Lei Bao insisted, his crackles taking on a defensive, yet confident, tone. "A warrior must be aware of all potential factors in his environment, including those that might subtly influence social dynamics or create unforeseen complications. Her attractiveness is a variable."
"It is not," Lin Yi stated flatly, his patience wearing thin. "It is entirely irrelevant to my current strategic objectives."
"It may become relevant later," Lei Bao countered, his form wobbling slightly in the air, a sign of his unwavering conviction. "Circumstances shift. Human interactions are fluid. It is prudent to log all potential data points, however minor they may appear at first glance."
Lin Yi turned back with a long-suffering expression, a look that spoke of a man pushed to the very brink of his tolerance, the kind of look one reserves for a beloved, yet endlessly annoying, pet. His shoulders slumped ever so slightly.
"Lei Bao," he warned, his voice low and dangerous, though a hint of his earlier amusement still lingered, "if you continue speaking like this, about such matters, I may just take you and throw you into the nearest lake. Perhaps a prolonged dunk in cold water will clear your circuits."
Lei Bao crackled wildly with laughter, a bright, joyous cacophony of electrical discharge that filled the room, utterly unfazed by the threat. He knew Lin Yi too well.
"You would retrieve me in minutes, little one!" he declared, his form bouncing with glee. "You know you would! I am far too valuable, and far too entertaining, to be abandoned to the depths for long!"
Lin Yi gave a reluctant, almost begrudging smile, a testament to the strange bond he shared with the ancient spirit. He ran a hand through his hair, a faint tremor of suppressed mirth shaking him.
"Yes," he admitted, a quiet sigh escaping him. "Probably. To my eternal regret, probably."
