Chapter 884: Chapter 690: Who Is Obsessed With Becoming Stronger? (2)
The pool water was icy cold, piercing to the bone, as the two embraced and sank deeper, the black hair like clouds intertwined with the moonlit silver hair, inseparable, reluctant to part.
Shen Tang had once taken the Water-Repelling Pearl given to her by Jia Lan, and now she could breathe freely underwater like an Aquatic Beastman.
However, the black fog snakes around Xue Yansi grew more frenzied.
They seemed to sense the threat from the female in front of them, and lunged to bite at her.
Shen Tang’s expression turned cold. The spiritual power in her palm instantly transformed into a Light Blade, and she raised her hand to slash at the attacking black snakes!
The snake’s body was directly split in half, and with a thunderous crash, it dispersed into mist and disappeared.
Immediately after, she quickly severed several surrounding fog snakes, finally finding an opening to strike.
Light appeared on her forehead, a thread of pure white silk extracted from it, piercing into Xue Yansi’s forehead, forcing entry into his Spiritual Illusion Realm.
This was her second time in Xue Yansi, more accurately, Xue Yinzhou’s Spiritual Illusion Realm, so she was relatively familiar with it.
After spending some time, she successfully found his spirit body.
It was a dim cave, so black that almost nothing could be seen. Above, a difficult-to-describe cacophony echoed, accompanied by the sound of large airflows blistering, as if something carrying a stench swept by from above.
When Shen Tang reached the cave center, a crack above cast dim, weak moonlight, barely illuminating this spacious, towering cave.
And at the very center of the cave, hung a "Black Cocoon" as tall as two people.
The black cocoon seemed to be formed from dense fog, nearly solidified.
Xue Yinzhou’s spirit body was enclosed within this black cocoon, its shape completely obscured.
Countless strands of black silk floated in the air, continuously winding towards the center, causing the cocoon to grow larger.
These black mist strands are the Devouring Power.
If Xue Yansi could resolutely sever these black strands, actively breaking the connection to the Devouring Power, he could recover.
Although he would lose considerable strength, it was the best option at the moment, far better than being fatally backlashed.
As the owner of the Bone of Devouring, he should know this.
Yet he chose to abandon resistance, allowing the Devouring Power to spread unchecked.
Shen Tang’s vision was almost completely obscured by the surging mist.
She braced against the strong wind, her hand shielding her forehead, barely maintaining her stance, struggling greatly even to take a half-step forward.
Step by step, she struggled towards the center of the cave, gazing at the cocoon suspended in the void, she shouted angrily and anxiously, "Are you courting death! Hurry and sever these Devouring Powers!"
She knew Xue Yansi should still have awareness at this moment, should be able to hear her words.
Externally purging the Devouring Power was too difficult, unless he willingly severed the connection.
However, nothing changed.
Black fog continued to wrap the giant cocoon unrestrainedly.
The System too spoke anxiously, "The Devouring Power is inherently domineering and chaotic, extremely demanding on cultivators, requiring a long time to cultivate."
"How long has he cultivated to reach this stage, consuming a brother equally matched in power, it’s too hasty, it’s no wonder he’s gone astray."
Shen Tang’s eyes gradually reddened, her angry voice tinged with sobs, "Xue Yansi... do you really want to become strong this much? Even if it means sacrificing your life?"
Inside the Black Cocoon, chaos and disorder filled the energy.
The silver-haired man trapped within, his consciousness already blurred.
He was unaware of who had intruded, couldn’t hear the external sounds.
Only vaguely grasping a questioning voice.
...
Indeed, why is that?
Even Xue Yansi himself didn’t know why he was so obsessed with strength, as if an idea in the void became his unbreakable fixation.
He must become strong, must become the strongest.
He must become the strongest person in the world.
Only then can he...can do what?
He almost crazily chased strength, even willing to sever all useless affections, yet suddenly forgot his original reason for pursuing might.
He only felt a dense, inexplicable stabbing pain coming from his heart.
As if...
Regret?
Because he wasn’t strong enough, he couldn’t protect something very important.
He too had been abandoned.
That sense of powerlessness, grief to the extreme, he never wanted to experience a second time in his life.
So he loathed his former weak self, detested that powerlessness then, even hated everything from the past, even himself.
If he had been strong enough back then, strong enough to have no enemies, he could have protected her.
He wouldn’t have been left behind.
Because in the Spiritual World, everything is transformed by spiritual power, filled with the master’s thoughts.
So when the black fog brushed past Shen Tang’s fingertips, she heard Xue Yansi’s inner voice—
Heard his self-loathing painful obsession.
Felt the sorrow, regret, unwillingness, and sadness.
Even if memories were altered, some traces in the subconscious remain indelible.
On hearing these inner voices, Shen Tang was stunned too.
The time Xue Yansi vanished, his crazy pursuit of power became almost the entire meaning of his existence.
Perhaps...it was because during the Star Gate war years ago, he failed to protect her?
That war was incredibly fierce.
Even though Xue Yinzhou was a strong Primordial Beast Tier at the time, facing the grand arrival from the sky of Alien Beastmen, faced with overwhelmingly powerful opponents, he ultimately was just a drop in the ocean.
He alone could not change the outcome.
He was even helpless against her departure, could only watch as his beloved died before him.
Thus, he so urgently wanted strength, to amend that pain, despair, and regret, to avenge her, even at the cost of losing his emotions.
Shen Tang seemed to sense his despair at that time, feeling a sour and bitter tightness in her heart.
Within her body rose a tremendous force, she relentlessly parted the black mist, step by step walking towards him.
Finally, she reached the Black Cocoon, broke through the thick, substance-like mist, and saw Xue Yansi trapped within.
He was naked, his lower half a winding silver-white serpent tail, silver hair flowing like moonlight, draped over broad, muscular shoulders and back, his skin cold white, so pale it was nearly translucent.
Black fog wrapped around his limbs and body, suspending him in mid-air.
His eyes were closed, consciousness lost.
Shen Tang stepped forward, gently cradling his face with both hands, tears falling uncontrollably.
"Yin Zhou..."
This time, she called his true name.
Her forehead pressed against his, she softly said, "I’m here, right beside you, I never left, never."
"I don’t need you to become a soulless monster; I just want you to be well, to stay by my side."
"You’ve done enough for me, you’ve been great."
"I don’t care how strong you are; I just want you to live."
"Come back... I’ve been waiting for you."
She held him in her embrace.
All around, the black fog seemed reluctant to disturb this tender moment, gradually dispersing.
...
Upon reopening eyes, the two were still slowly sinking in the deep pool. Below, the water region had transformed into a deep, bottomless darkness, like an abyssal maw, about to engulf them.
Xue Yansi had meanwhile fainted in Shen Tang’s arms.
His arm still wrapped around her waist, she too held his waist and back, regardless of everything else, this moment was indescribably beautiful.
Gratifyingly, the Devouring Power around Xue Yansi finally calmed down.
Shen Tang supported his waist, taking him upward, returning to the shore, and then left the forbidden zone with him.
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