Chapter 189: Deep Realm Curse

Chapter 189: Deep Realm Curse

Time slipped by like flowing water, silent and unceasing.

When the Bloodline Altar’s activation arrived in just a few days, the atmosphere shifted.

Luo En stood at the entrance of the Simulation Combat Device, but his mood was completely different from last time.

This wasn’t the nervous anticipation of facing the unknown—it was the eager expectation of returning to battle.

His previous duel with Tiger Race Artifact Forging Master Aksa had been incredibly rewarding.

Not only had he achieved a breakthrough in swordsmanship mastery, but he’d also gained deeper insights into combat itself.

This time, he came with a clear goal.

“Luo En apprentice!” a familiar voice called from the Control Room.

Luo En turned to see a middle-aged alchemist in a long robe waving at him.

“Mentor Ge Lisen,” Luo En greeted with a respectful bow.

Ge Lisen was a seasoned alchemist responsible for maintaining the Simulation Combat Device, and also an acquaintance introduced by Thompson.

“I heard your ranking in the Backup Mage Sequence has risen significantly?”

Ge Lisen strolled over with a grin, patting Luo En’s shoulder. “No wonder you’re the Academy’s newest prodigy among Potion Masters.”

“Thank you for your praise,” Luo En replied humbly, though his eyes gleamed with determination.

“Today, I’d like to challenge Tiger Race Artifact Forging Master again.”

Ge Lisen arched a brow. “Aksa? That’s a ‘difficult’-level opponent. The last record shows you fought him to a draw—it truly surprised me.”

“This time, I’ll charge you less,” he lowered his voice, “Thompson messaged me. Since you’ll be using the simulator long-term, I’ll only take five Mana Shard Fragments.”

“Thank you, Mentor.” Luo En handed over the five Mana Shard Fragments, inwardly pleased.

As his status in the Backup Mage Sequence rose, so had his access to resources and connections.

This subtle transformation, though barely perceptible, was real and tangible.

“I’ve already calibrated the device,” Ge Lisen said as he walked. “Since you’ve got one successful combat record, Aksa’s data model has already linked to your spirit. Theoretically, this fight will be smoother.”

Luo En nodded—he already understood the Simulation Combat Device’s basic principles.

The device didn’t simply generate an opponent; it extracted information from the user’s spirit to create a combat environment perfectly tailored to them.

“Good luck,” Ge Lisen stopped at the control panel, gesturing toward the entrance.

Taking a deep breath, Luo En stepped into the familiar heavy iron door.

Darkness enveloped him, followed by the familiar sensation of spiritual energy scanning his body.

It felt as though countless tiny tendrils brushed over him, collecting his condition.

When light returned, Luo En found himself in an arena vastly different from last time.

This battlefield was more expansive, surrounded by ancient stone pillars, its ground covered in coarse sand and gravel.

The distant horizon glowed with an eerie crimson hue, like an eternal dusk.

“This place…” Luo En surveyed his surroundings. Unlike last time, he recognized it instantly.

“It resembles the third layer of the Abyss—Black Sand Wasteland—mentioned in ancient records.”

“Keen observation, young apprentice,” a deep, familiar voice rumbled from behind him.

Luo En turned to see Aksa’s towering, muscular figure standing about ten paces away.

The tiger warrior held his greatsword, appearing even more imposing than before.

“Long time no see, Master Aksa,” Luo En nodded slightly, his eyes softening with warmth.

“A few months at most.”

Aksa’s amber eyes sparkled with battle-lust. “But your aura has changed completely. I can feel it—you’ve grown stronger, young man.”

Luo En didn’t deny it. He drew his sword with a fluid motion.

“I hope to give you a better opponent this time,” he smiled, slowly assuming his stance.

Aksa nodded. His greatsword slashed through the air in an arc. “Show me your progress!”

Before his words faded, the tiger warrior lunged!

Compared to their previous fight, Aksa’s assault was even fiercer.

The greatsword’s swings whipped up gusts that kicked up a thin mist of sand and gravel.

But to Luo En’s surprise, he now handled these attacks with ease.

Clashing swords rang out with crisp metallic impacts.

Luo En’s body instinctively remembered the optimal counter-movements. As the greatsword surged toward him, his body naturally reacted with perfect timing.

The sensation felt both familiar and alien—the rhythm of battle was familiar, but this calm, effortless control was new.

Last time, he could barely keep up with Aksa’s tempo.

Now, he could even spare attention to observe the tiger warrior’s subtle facial shifts mid-fight.

“Remarkable progress!” Aksa growled in admiration, suddenly changing tactics. His greatsword abruptly shifted to a horizontal sweep aimed at Luo En’s waist.

Instead of retreating, Luo En leaned backward, his sword flashing forward to pierce Aksa’s right arm.

Blazing fast, pinpoint accurate!

Aksa had to interrupt his strike, swinging his greatsword back to parry.

The collision rang out with a dull boom, like thunder cracking.

A flicker of surprise crossed Aksa’s eyes.

Luo En’s lips curled. With mastery-level swordsmanship, each strike carried the Bared Sharpness trait—pinpointing weaknesses and accelerating speed.

More importantly, since his bloodline awakening reached proficient rank, his physique had continuously improved.

Combined with various potions, his physical capabilities were now vastly superior.

Blade against blade, the duel intensified.

After ten full exchanges, neither gained an advantage.

Aksa’s strength and speed remained formidable, each strike carrying explosive power.

Luo En, however, used his refined swordsmanship and nimble footwork to hold his ground.

“I’ll need to get serious.”

In the eleventh exchange, Aksa abruptly stepped back, his gaze sharpening.

A sudden surge of rampaging mana erupted from his body, twisting the air.

“Monarch’s Blessing!”

Aksa roared a beastkin incantation. His muscles swelled, fur thickened and gleamed golden-red.

Luo En felt a crushing pressure wash over him, narrowing his eyes.

“It’s my turn!” Luo En showed no fear, only eager anticipation.

Closing his eyes, he summoned the surging bloodline power within.

—Life Eruption: Boiling Blood

With a low exhale, a faint crimson aura enveloped Luo En.

His eyes burned brighter, veins glowing faintly beneath his skin as energy surged through them.

As a Bloodline Knight, Life Eruption was one of his most foundational—yet practical—abilities.

Activating the bloodline’s latent potential, it sharply enhanced physical capabilities for a short time.

When he opened his eyes again, his entire aura had transformed—razor-sharp, unshakable, imposing.

Aksa’s eyes flickered with surprise, soon replaced by battle-lust. “Come, young warrior!”

With a thunderous war cry, the tiger warrior charged like a golden-red lightning bolt.

Luo En met him head-on, sprinting at equal speed.

They collided at the arena’s center. The moment their blades met, a visible shockwave exploded outward, scattering sand and gravel. A three-meter hollow circle formed where nothing remained.

The battle turned ferocious.

Aksa’s strikes carried enough force to shatter boulders.

Luo En, enhanced by Boiling Blood’s accelerated reflexes and physical prowess, dodged and parried while seeking counterattacks.

By the twentieth exchange, their duel reached a fever pitch.

Aksa’s assault remained relentless, but Luo En now matched his rhythm completely. At times, he even launched counterattacks that forced Aksa onto the defensive.

Watching this young warrior nearly equal to him, Aksa’s eyes gleamed with respect.

“Never thought you’d grow this strong in mere months.”

The Tigerman Artifact Forging Master leaped backward after their blades clashed, his tone laced with admiration.

Luo En inhaled deeply, his lips curling into a faint smile. "That’s all thanks to our last duel. It gave me a deeper understanding of swordsmanship."

"Then show me your full strength!"

Aksa suddenly raised his greatsword high, every muscle in his body tensing to the breaking point.

A terrifyingly powerful aura erupted from the Tigerman’s body, igniting the surrounding air and forming a visible ring of heatwaves.

Luo En knew—Aksa meant to decide the outcome here and now.

"Fine!" He showed no fear, his fighting spirit burning even hotter.

In recent weeks, his Boiling Blood technique had advanced significantly. He could now precisely control the surge and flow of his bloodline power.

—Bloodlineresonance.Crimson Dragon!

Luo En roared, his fully integrated Crimson Blood Sky Dragonline flaring to life as it perfectly resonated with his own bloodline.

A torrent of vitality exploded from his body. His muscles hardened instantly, and faint, ghostly scales of deep crimson shimmered across his skin.

This was a new bloodline technique he’d recently mastered. By resonating with a specific bloodline, he could temporarily unleash far greater power.

"Clang!"

Both men moved simultaneously, their blades colliding in the arena’s center with a deafening metallic crash.

Almost in the same breath, they both leaped backward several steps, then charged forward like lightning.

The arena erupted with flashes of swordlight and blurred shadows, the crisp clangs of clashing steel ringing out.

Their speed grew beyond the eye’s ability to track, leaving only lingering afterimages locked in combat at the arena’s heart.

In this furious exchange, Luo En fought with growing ferocity.

Under the Boiling Blood state, his reflexes and perception had reached unparalleled sharpness. He could clearly sense every subtle tension in Aksa’s muscles before an attack, every slight shift in his breathing as he changed tactics.

Amplified by the Bared Sharpness trait, his grasp of Aksa’s weaknesses grew increasingly precise.

—Now!

Luo En seized a tiny opening after Aksa’s sweeping strike. He shot forward like an arrow, his blade striking from an eerie angle.

The strike was inconceivably fast, breathtakingly precise!

Aksa’s expression changed. He raised his greatsword in a desperate block—but it was too late.

"Clang!"

The swords met, but the force behind Luo En’s strike surpassed Aksa’s expectations.

The greatsword flew from his grip, spinning through the air before burying itself deep into the ground over ten meters away.

The arena fell briefly silent.

Aksa stood frozen, staring at his empty hands before lifting his gaze to Luo En.

"I lost."

The Artifact Forging Master accepted defeat calmly, a faint smile of relief on his face.

"Never thought this day would come so soon."

Luo En sheathed his sword and bowed slightly. "I feel honored to have defeated you."

"Don’t be modest, young one."

Approaching with his fierce, upturned tiger eyes, Aksa’s expression softened.

"Your progress has far exceeded my expectations. The last time we fought, you were merely competent. Now, you’ve already stepped onto the threshold of true strength."

A surge of indescribable accomplishment rose in Luo En’s chest.

Not long ago, Aksa had been an existence capable of annihilating him effortlessly. Now, he’d defeated him using swordsmanship alone.

"Actually, there was something I didn’t get to tell you last time." Aksa’s tone turned grave.

Luo En scratched his arm. After staying longer than before, an itching sensation had begun spreading across his skin, as if scales were trying to emerge.

Seems the Simulation Combat Device even replicated the Deep Realm Curse from the Abyss’s third layer.

Suppressing the involuntary itch, he turned to face the Tigerman Master.

"I’m not a real living being. Just a wisp of soul sealed within this simulation device."

Aksa’s voice was low and steady, his eyes distant, as if recalling a forgotten era.

Though he’d suspected as much, hearing it confirmed still struck Luo En. "Were you once a real Artifact Forging Master?"

The Tigerman nodded.

"Once, I was the Leopard Clan’s chief warrior. In a war against a rival tribe, we were defeated and captured by the mages who conquered this region."

His gaze seemed to pierce through time, staring into the distant past.

"Most of my kin were used as experimental material. I, for my exceptional skills, was chosen to be sealed here to provide mages with realistic combat training."

"This happened… many years ago, I suppose?" Luo En asked softly.

"One hundred and thirty-seven years and eight months."

Aksa answered precisely, a faint bitter smile on his face.

"For a residual soul trapped in a simulation, time is the easiest thing to count."

A complex mix of emotions welled in Luo En’s heart—sympathy, admiration, and renewed awareness of the mage world’s cruelty.

"But I haven’t found it too boring." Aksa continued, his tone leveling.

"As an Artifact Forging Master, endlessly facing strong opponents and witnessing the growth of each new generation of prodigies—it’s a unique kind of meaning."

He looked at Luo En, his eyes flickering with appreciation.

"Especially someone like you, progressing at such a rate and challenging me with pure martial techniques. In over a century, I’ve met only a handful like you."

Luo En bowed again. "It’s a great honor to receive your guidance."

"Heh, no, I should be the one bowing to a future powerhouse like you."

Aksa chuckled, waving his hand.

"By the way, besides testing your progress, did you come here for another reason?"

Luo En hesitated, then chose honesty.

"Besides sparring with you, I’d also like to learn more about Abyssal Creatures’ fighting styles, especially the multi-armed serpent demon."

He’d learned that the Bloodline Altar contained many mutated beings corrupted by the Abyss.

And defeating the multi-armed serpent demon’s Simulation Combat "Abyss Difficulty" supposedly offered a unique reward…

"Multi-armed serpent demon?"

Aksa raised an eyebrow. "That’s no easy opponent. Even the hybrid variants possess near-full mage-level combat power."

"How much do you know about them?" Luo En asked.

"If you want to understand them…" Aksa paused. "Why not experience them directly in the Simulation Combat?"

"Then, thank you for your guidance today, Master Akesa."

Luo En said sincerely. "I hope to surprise you even more next time."

Aksa’s lips curved into a warm smile. "I believe that day won’t be far off."

As his words faded, the environment began to twist and distort.

The Tigerman’s towering figure blurred, then vanished into the writhing space.

When clarity returned, Luo En found himself in an entirely new setting.

A vast cavern stretched before him, its walls glowing with pale blue phosphorescence.

The air was damp, tinged with sulfur. The ground was slick and jagged, as if eroded by corrosive liquids.

"Is this the Abyss’s fourth layer?"

Dizziness gripped him, his vision blurring slightly.

He silently activated the Basic Meditation Manual, alleviating the discomfort before scanning his surroundings warily.

His duel with Aksa had felt like a pure martial exchange. Now, he could feel the air itself thrumming with latent danger and hostility.

A faint scraping sound echoed from the cavern’s depths—like some creature slithering across rock.

Luo En immediately entered a battle stance, sword in hand, senses sharpened.

The noise grew louder, closer.

Suddenly, a voice slithered through the cavern—cold, piercing, like nails scraping against steel:

"I smell warm blood… fresh souls."

Luo En’s hair stood on end as primal instinct screamed through his body.

This wasn’t the noble, straightforward aura of a warrior like Aksa. This was pure, unmasked evil.

In the darkness, six glowing eyes ignited, arranged in two rows, slowly advancing toward him.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end