Chapter Thirty-Five: The Space Within the Ring

After Han Tianyue carried Mao Xuanzi into the cave, he fed him the pill given by Boca, but Mao Xuanzi remained unconscious.

“He’s not going to be in trouble, is he?” Qingfeng asked with concern.

“Relax, that kid has nine lives, he won’t die,” Feng Shang replied.

Looking at Mao Xuanzi lying on the ground, Han Tianyue, the leader of the group, felt deeply guilty for failing to protect his companion, especially since Mao Xuanzi was the younger brother of Prince Mao.

“I need to become stronger, much stronger!” he thought, but he had no idea how to achieve that. Gazing into the depths of the cave, Han Tianyue walked in alone.

The carvings on the stone walls were still there. Han Tianyue reached out to touch them. “If what Jin Di said is true, then what greater power exists in this world? We can’t even find the entrance—what does it mean to become stronger?”

It felt as if an invisible blade had stabbed deep into Han Tianyue’s heart.

As he approached the carvings of the three adults, something in his pocket began to bounce wildly. Han Tianyue took it out—it was the ring given to him by Gusu’s little sister. He’d promised to help her return it to her man, and this ring would guide him to find him.

“Can this ring really lead me to her man?” Han Tianyue stared at it. The ring quivered as if trying to say something, but it was only a ring. Han Tianyue sighed. “It won’t tell me anything.”

He put the ring away and turned back to join Fang Zhe and the others.

Everyone sat quietly, watching Mao Xuanzi, who still had not awakened. No one spoke; nobody knew what to say, nor what to do next.

They lay down in silence, and one by one, fell asleep.

But Han Tianyue could not sleep. He kept sensing something calling to him, though he didn’t know what it was.

He reached into his pocket and gripped the ring tightly. Suddenly, it felt as if he had shrunk by countless times, and before him appeared an enormous celestial palace.

“What is this place?” Han Tianyue was perplexed.

He approached the palace, but could see nothing around him except mist. The path to the palace was made of nine hundred and ninety-nine steps. Han Tianyue arrived at the silver gate, covered in dragon carvings. Nine dragons, vivid and lifelike.

Han Tianyue reached out and touched the claw of the nearest dragon. Instantly, the dragon seemed to come alive, flying out from the door and circling him. It looked at him and said, “Mediocre aptitude, mediocre spirit, single attribute of ice—one word: inferior.”

Han Tianyue knew well enough that he was indeed lacking. His abilities were only thanks to the ice core within him; without it, even casting a few ice balls would be difficult.

“Inferior isn’t the worst—but the most dangerous thing is a single attribute!” The dragon continued to circle him. “Those who become gods are all capable of everything—they cannot be single-attribute. So you cannot become a god!”

The words struck Han Tianyue like thunder, but he quickly composed himself. “Isn’t everyone in this world single-attribute?” All the people he knew had only one attribute.

The dragon replied bluntly, “That’s why they are merely ordinary cultivators!”

That was true enough. Han Tianyue nodded and pointed at the palace gate. “What’s behind this door?”

At his question, the dragon’s expression changed at once. “If you want to enter, you must defeat me and my eight brothers!” With a flick of its tail, Han Tianyue was sent flying several meters away.

The dragon sneered, “I doubt you’ll defeat me in ten years!”

“What secrets lie within, guarded by nine dragons?” Han Tianyue seized a moment while the dragon was distracted and rushed forward to push the door.

The dragon coiled around him and threw him to the ground.

“It won’t be so easy to get past me!” the dragon laughed.

Though Han Tianyue was thrown down, he was unhurt. This was merely an illusory space; even if he were battered and bruised here, it wouldn’t matter.

“Ice ball!” Han Tianyue spat out an ice ball at the dragon.

The pitifully small ice ball struck the enormous dragon, merely tickling it. The dragon mocked, “It seems I overestimated you. I doubt you’ll be my match in a hundred years!”

“What?” Han Tianyue’s face changed. He summoned his mutated ice blade and charged at the dragon, shouting, “Die!”

The ice blade was still insignificant compared to the mighty dragon, but now the dragon spoke seriously, “Hmm, not bad. Mediocre aptitude and spirit, yet you managed to use this ice blade. Clearly you’ve put in much effort. With your persistence, I believe you’ll defeat me in less than two years!”

“I want to defeat you now!” Han Tianyue shouted.

“That’s a bit arrogant!” The dragon extended its claw to meet Han Tianyue’s ice blade. In an instant, the blade dissipated, and Han Tianyue was pinned to the ground.

“Let me go!” Han Tianyue struggled.

“There’s blackness in your ice blade. It means your ice soul is mutating. Although black isn’t a sign of good fortune, if you break through your single attribute, it’s something to celebrate!” The dragon released Han Tianyue, flew back to the door, and finally transformed into a carving, saying, “Next time, we’ll play again. Someone’s looking for you!”

“Hey, hey, hey!”

Han Tianyue opened his eyes to see Fang Zhe approaching. “Han Tianyue, wake up! Mao Xuanzi’s body seems to be changing!”

Han Tianyue hurried over. Mao Xuanzi’s face was darkening, his lips purple. Han Tianyue exclaimed, “What’s happening?”

“It’s the breath of death!” Qingfeng stepped forward. As an elf, nothing escaped her notice. She said, “We must extract the breath of death—only then can he be saved!”

“Then hurry up!” urged Feng Shang.

“But—” Qingfeng hesitated.

“But what?” Feng Shang was impatient.

Han Tianyue could guess from Qingfeng’s expression what might happen, but he had no time to care. He opened his mouth, pressed his lips to Mao Xuanzi’s, and began to draw out the breath of death.

“But what?” Fang Zhe looked at Han Tianyue and finally asked.

“Anyone who extracts the breath of death, if their will isn’t strong enough, could be consumed by it and die!” Qingfeng looked at Han Tianyue.

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