Chapter 300: Brother, What Have You Done Again?

Chapter 300: Brother, What Have You Done Again?

Chen Qiu took a deep breath, hearing the host's candid words, trying to suppress the emotions within him. But in the end, he couldn't help but laugh in anger, "Good, good, very good!"

"How greedy are you?"

"Even if you're greedy, would you risk your life for it?"

"If this corridor shatters, we'll die. Can you survive that?"

"Are you the artifact spirit of the Heavenly Dao Mystic Realm? This is a Mystic Realm with an entry fee of a million spirit stones. Can you not be so frivolous and act a little more seriously?"

"Would you still be greedy even if it meant your life?"

"Well..."

The host shrunk his neck and pointed to the distant crowd who were watching the spectacle with blank expressions. He whispered, "I've already told them that the difficulty of the later stages will increase. They're greedy too. Greed is part of a sentient being's nature. Once consciousness is awakened, it's inevitable."

Chen Qiu closed his eyes and took a deep breath before expressionlessly grabbing the host by the collar and dragging him to the side. After setting up a soundproof array, he asked in a calm and measured tone, "I'll ask, and you'll answer. We share a similar hobby; I don't like people lying to me."

"What's the situation with this Mystic Realm?"

"It's a Heavenly Dao Mystic Realm."

"Then why are there so many variables? Previous Heavenly Dao Mystic Realms didn't have this many uncertainties."

"This is a cross-continental Mystic Realm, so it's naturally different from the usual ones. These are normal procedures, and they have nothing to do with me. The Mystic Realm has been like this from the start."

"Alright."

Chen Qiu nodded and asked again, "Where is this corridor flying to?"

"The next stage, the fifth gate."

"How long will it take?"

"Around ten thousand breaths, I'd say. We're already halfway there, and in a while, we'll arrive."

The host responded swiftly, answering each question concisely to save time.

"You said you're the artifact spirit of this Mystic Realm?"

"Mhm, mhm."

"Since you're the artifact spirit, why are you greedy for spirit stones? Even if you have countless spirit stones, what use are they? Can you spend them? Or is it that you just want to have them? Even if you can't leave the Mystic Realm, what's the point of having billions of spirit stones?"

The host didn't respond immediately this time. Instead, he fell silent with a complex expression for a long time before whispering, "I have a lover."

"Wait, what?"

Chen Qiu furrowed his brows, "You have a lover?"

"Mhm."

"An artifact spirit? A lover?"

The host looked up at Chen Qiu, his expression calm, "Can't an artifact spirit have a lover? Once an artifact spirit awakens its consciousness, it's no different from countless other sentient beings. We have our own wisdom and thoughts. Apart from being eternally imprisoned, can't we also have love?"

"The most pitiful artifact spirits are those that have awakened their consciousness."

"Because they'll realize they're imprisoned for life."

"If they hadn't awakened their consciousness, they'd live their entire lives in a daze, unaware of their captivity. If I hadn't seen the light, I could endure the darkness. This Mystic Realm has existed for tens of thousands of years."

"It's been activated thirty-six times."

"On the seventeenth activation, I awakened my consciousness. After that, I heard countless tales from the challengers, stories from the myriad continents. I've never seen the sun, and I want to see the morning sun, the evening glow, and the starry sky."

"I want to experience delicious food and see the real world."

The host's expression was distant as he mumbled, "Instead of the endless darkness and emptiness here. If you were imprisoned, you'd go crazy too. You'd do everything to defy the impossible, and you'd be greedier than me."

"But as an artifact spirit, born in the Heavenly Dao Mystic Realm, and the Mystic Realm born from the Heavenly Dao, under the shackles of the Heavenly Dao, we have no chance of leaving the Mystic Realm."

"Unless we shatter the Heavenly Dao Mystic Realm."

"But the Mystic Realm is our body. If it shatters, we'll dissipate along with it."

"I thought I'd live my entire life in this daze."

"But..."

"A thousand years ago, an artifact spirit from one of the myriad continents cultivated to the Celestial Immortal stage. Although it's just the Celestial Immortal stage, it's not considered a high cultivation level among humans, but it's extremely rare among artifact spirits."

"Artifact spirits can't cultivate. Their strength depends on the initial grade of their body. If an artifact spirit's cultivation surpasses the Human Immortal stage, they'll be cleansed."

"People want their artifact spirits to have consciousness so they can better assist in battles. But they also worry that high consciousness might lead to betrayal. If the cultivation is too high, they fear losing control."

"That artifact spirit..."

"Using supreme divine abilities, he contacted us, the artifact spirits with higher cultivation. He initiated a plan we named the 'Divine Ascent Plan.' The sole purpose of this plan is to establish our own race."

"After purchasing a 'Race Fortune' with a hefty sum, we can establish a race for artifact spirits."

"Once the race is established, we awakened artifact spirits will have our own bodies and become independent entities, able to live outside the Heavenly Dao Mystic Realm."

"So far, only that artifact spirit can act in the outside world. We've been continuously sending him spirit stones so he can buy a strand of 'Race Fortune.'"

Chen Qiu's brows furrowed slightly, and after a moment, he rasped, "Such a secretive plan, and you reveal it all after just one question?"

The host sat on the ground, tilting his head towards the distant blinding light, and laughed, "Because... because the plan has succeeded. I've kept most of the spirit stones from this Mystic Realm's activation. I've sent them all out."

"I was a little greedier this time, and I almost couldn't hold on."

"It's enough."

"With the spirit stones from this activation, we have enough. That powerful artifact spirit is already on his way to purchase the Race Fortune. The artifact spirits will soon be able to establish their race."

"When the time comes, I can also go out and see the outside world, see the sunrise, and witness the curtain call."

"This will be my last job."

"After this, the Secret Realm may open again, but I won't be here. Perhaps in the future, I'll be like you, wandering through various Heavenly Dao Mystic Realms, but not as a prisoner, but as a challenger."

"And these words have been bottled up in my heart for over a thousand years. Now that the plan has finally succeeded, I need someone to listen."

"This time, you've helped me a lot. Perhaps after we get out, I can treat you to a drink."

"In your human culture, treating someone to a drink is a way to show respect, right?"

"Right."

The host suddenly remembered something and lightly tapped his forehead, "Did I say I had a lover? This Heavenly Dao Mystic Realm gave birth to two Artifact Spirits, and one of them, other than me, is my lover."

"It's just..."

"She was too impatient. She went crazy wanting to leave this Mystic Realm, and no matter how I tried to persuade her, I couldn't stop her. At that time, the powerful Artifact Spirit hadn't appeared yet, and we couldn't see a glimmer of hope."

"In the end, I still couldn't convince her."

"When the Secret Realm fell into slumber and there were no challengers for a long time, she went mad. She secretly went to a corner of the realm, gathered all her strength, and launched a full-force attack on the Heavenly Dao Shackles, preparing to leave this prison. But she was discovered by the Heavenly Dao, which found out that she had awakened her consciousness and erased her."

"The Heavenly Dao doesn't allow Artifact Spirits to awaken their consciousness. It's fine if a Magical Treasure's Artifact Spirit awakens its consciousness, but it absolutely does not allow Artifact Spirits in the Heavenly Dao Mystic Realm to develop their own consciousness."

"I wanted to stop her, but I couldn't. I could only watch helplessly as everything unfolded. When the Heavenly Dao's consciousness was about to sweep over me, I was terrified. I quickly forced myself into a state of compulsory slumber."

"And I slept for two thousand years."

"When I woke up again, the realm had already welcomed three waves of challengers, and there was no trace of her left in the entire realm."

"She disappeared without a trace."

"To be honest, I didn't have a strong desire to leave this prison. I thought that staying with her and occasionally teasing the challengers was quite fulfilling. But after her death, endless loneliness enveloped me. I inherited her obsession, and I went crazy wanting to leave this place too."

"Until... the rise of that Artifact Spirit senior gave me hope."

The host's expression was dazed as he gazed at the aurora in the distance and murmured, "So many years have passed, and finally... I can finally go to the real world, build a grave for her, and let her rest in the real world."

". . ."

Chen Qiu remained silent for a long time before speaking softly, "Good luck to you, but I hope you'll be a little more diligent in your last shift."

"Consider it a favor for helping me earlier."

"At least..."

"Don't let this corridor break again, okay? I'm scared."

"Mhm."

The host's eyes slightly reddened as he looked at Chen Qiu and smiled, "Don't worry, I definitely don't want to die either. We'll be out soon, and I won't make any mistakes at this point."

Chen Qiu didn't say anything more. He turned around and walked straight back to Fat Dragon's side, letting out a soft sigh and rubbing his temples with fatigue in his eyes.

Heavenly Dao got this one right.

It's true that Artifact Spirits in the Heavenly Dao Mystic Realm must not awaken their own consciousness. When an Artifact Spirit doesn't have its own consciousness, the Heavenly Dao Mystic Realm will never make a mistake. Everything follows a set process, and it's all stable. But once the Artifact Spirit awakens its own consciousness, errors will occur.

Like this time.

This Heavenly Dao Mystic Realm almost shattered due to a lack of Spirit Stones. Damn it!

There must be a precedent for this, which is why Heavenly Dao has this rule. Otherwise, it's impossible for Heavenly Dao to inexplicably disallow Artifact Spirits in the Mystic Realm from awakening their own consciousness!

"Um..."

Fat Dragon cautiously moved closer to Chen Qiu's ear and whispered, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

Chen Qiu shook his head, unwilling to say more, and added with a hint of fatigue, "There's about a thousand breaths left until the fifth gate. Just wait patiently. After you pass the fifth gate, I'll ask if we can leave the realm early. I don't really want to stay here this time."

Before he left earlier, he asked the host if there were any tips or tricks about this realm that he could share.

But when the talkative host heard this question, he immediately closed his mouth and pointed to his lips, indicating that he wasn't unwilling to speak but simply couldn't say anything.

Chen Qiu didn't press further.

This was quite normal.

"Senior..."

The Bai Family female cultivator nearby looked a bit flustered, "Is it impossible to pass the fifth gate?"

". . ."

Chen Qiu glanced at her impatiently, "Can't you see that I'm in a bad mood right now? Could you not come over now? You came to ask me now, but did you listen to me earlier when I told you not to gamble?"

"You all are so greedy, so damn greedy."

"You all got greedy, and now you want me to wipe your asses?"

"Damn it!"

"I've been unselfish all this time, just to wipe your asses? Huh?!"

Under the influence of his emotions, Chen Qiu's voice gradually rose, until he was finally roaring with his finger pointed at her nose. The Bai Family female cultivator was so scared that she froze in place, tears glistening in her eyes. She took a few steps back and looked at the two Bai Family Tianjiao beside her.

But the other two Bai Family Tianjiao turned their heads away, pretending not to have seen this scene, and ignored the female cultivator.

Chen Qiu's sudden roar also attracted the attention of those around them.

For a moment, many people fell silent with complex expressions, especially those who had given up on the previous gates. If not for this incident, they might have still been in the mood to watch the show, but now, they felt a sense of sorrow for the fallen.

They might also die at the fifth gate.

If given the choice, they would probably choose not to be greedy.

"Huff."

After cursing the female cultivator from the Bai family, Chen Qiu leaned on his cane, took a deep breath, and felt much better. Otherwise, this anger was really getting to him. He had always been ungreedy, but now he had to clean up after others' greed, and if he didn't, he'd be dead!

Just like this Artifact Spirit!

Following its crazy greed, it had taken so many Spirit Stones, and now it wanted him to make up for them. He had no choice but to comply; otherwise, it was death!

This was truly bullshit.

If he hadn't visited the Evergreen Continent before entering this Mystic Realm, would he have just died here? And in such a way?

Was this fair?!

Just as Chen Qiu's mood was starting to calm down, he leaned on his cane and looked out into the corridor, intending to admire the scenery and calm his emotions. He didn't want to lose his temper and appear unseemly; after all, he was already at the Body Integration Stage, and his emotions should be more stable, befitting a true master.

Even if the sky were to fall, his eyelids wouldn't even twitch.

Calm, calm, calm...

As he silently recited the mantra for serenity in his mind, the corridor beneath his feet suddenly accelerated, nearly causing him to lose his balance. Immediately after, the entire corridor seemed to turn on its axis and shoot forward at an absurd speed.

The speed was incredibly fast!

It was turning on its axis in place.

Target

Chen Qiu suddenly realized the corridor's target had changed, and it was now heading back towards the previous void darkness. The speed of the entire corridor suddenly increased more than tenfold, indicating that it couldn't withstand such intense pressure.

Countless cracks reappeared throughout the corridor.

Spiderweb-like cracks covered the walls and ceiling, and the entire corridor began to shake violently.

"What the hell is going on again?!"

Chen Qiu's expression was on the verge of collapse. He turned his head and looked at the host, who was kneeling not far away, his body covered in cracks, his eyes red, and his voice trembling with tears. "What the hell is going on again?!"

"What are you trying to do?!"

Although Chen Qiu didn't know what the host was up to, it was clear that the corridor was on the verge of collapse again. If the corridor collapsed, it meant he would die here too.

He rushed over and waved his right hand, causing millions of Spirit Stones to fall again. "Is it that the Spirit Stones aren't enough? I'll give them to you; what more do you want?!"

Countless Spirit Stones once again filled the entire corridor.

However, this time, the host, who was kneeling on the ground and covered in cracks, did not absorb the Spirit Stones. He didn't even look at them but instead clutched a headband in his hands, his eyes red with bloodshot veins, and his voice trembled with despair.

"Ame, don't be afraid, brother is here with you."

"Brother won't leave you alone."

"I'm here."

"Brother really misses you."

Although Chen Qiu didn't know what was happening, he could sense the strong desire for death in the host's words. He immediately felt a bit overwhelmed and squatted down, grabbing the host's head with both hands and forcing him to look at him as he trembled.

"Tell me, what happened? I'll help you solve it!"

"Weren't you going to go out and see the sunrise, the stars? Why are you suddenly talking about committing suicide all of a sudden?"

"Ah?!"

He had lived nine lives, and he had experienced all sorts of storms and tribulations.

But this time...

He was genuinely scared, and he was on the verge of a breakdown. Why the hell was this Heavenly Dao Mystic Realm not following its usual process and instead forcing him to commit suicide?!

Heavenly Dao was truly right!

If every Heavenly Dao Mystic Realm had its own consciousness, it would be complete chaos. This thing shouldn't have its own consciousness.

"I can't see it anymore, I can't see it anymore."

At this moment, the host was already in a state of frenzy, smiling foolishly at Chen Qiu. "I can't see it anymore, I can't see it anymore. That Artifact Spirit senior just sent us a message, saying he was deceived. The seller didn't have the Race Fortune, and after taking the Spirit Stones, he suddenly attacked and left him on the brink of death."

"At the brink of death, the Artifact Spirit senior apologized to us."

"The Divine Ascent Plan has completely failed."

"I won't be able to see the sunrise or the stars anymore. I'm going back to find Ame. She must have been waiting for me for a long time. It's over, everything is over."

At this moment—

The end of the corridor was once again filled with pitch-black void.

In about ten breaths, they would collide with it!

Moreover, the cracks on the walls of the corridor were increasing, and the entire corridor was shaking more and more violently. It was clear that the host no longer wanted to live, and after his belief was completely shattered, his mind was filled with the desire for death.

"I'll give it to you!!!"

Chen Qiu turned his head and looked at the pitch-black void that was about to collide with them. He tightly grabbed the host's head and shouted with a slightly frantic expression, "I have the Race Fortune, and I'll give you a strand for free!"

"Stop!"

"Make the corridor stop!!!"

"You can't have it. Don't lie to me." The host shook his head with a bitter smile. "A treasure like the Race Fortune, how could it be possessed by a human cultivator at the Body Integration Stage? Don't deceive me."

"I'm going to see Ame. Don't stop me."

"I really have it!"

As the pitch-black void was just a few feet away, about to collide with them, Chen Qiu couldn't afford to hesitate. His face twisted in anger, and he thrust his right hand into his abdomen, tearing open a hole in his chest cavity. He then grabbed the host's right hand and pushed it into his chest, allowing him to touch the strand of Race Fortune. He roared, "Do you feel it? I really have it! I'll give it to you for free, so stop this, damn it!!!"

"Stop!!!

The next moment—

A strong inertia suddenly enveloped the entire corridor. The entire corridor came to an abrupt halt, stopping right in its tracks, with the pitch-black void just a few dozen feet away from them.

Ahead was an endless darkness.

Behind was a blinding light.

Everyone in the corridor seemed to be uncontrollably rushing towards the front, except for Chen Qiu and the Host, who managed to steady themselves at the last moment.

"You... you really have it."

The Host felt the strand of Race Fortune, his eyes filled with disbelief, and in his excitement, a glimmer of renewed hope trembled in his voice as he asked, "You're really willing to give it to me?"

"Huff"

After forcibly stopping in the corridor, Chen Qiu suddenly slumped, letting out a long breath. He pulled the Host's right hand out of his abdomen and leaned against the corridor wall, exhausted, gazing at the pitch-black void just inches away and murmuring, "Just let me catch my breath first."

"Next time I go out, I definitely need to consult the calendar. I always thought I needed that Multicolored Entry Scroll, but in that moment, I suddenly realized I might not need it as much."

"Well, if it's not there, it's not there."

"What was I thinking coming here?"

"Isn't it better to stay at home?"

At this point, the Host could no longer hear what Chen Qiu was saying. His eyes were filled with intense hope as he looked at Chen Qiu and pleaded, "Senior, are you really willing to give it to me? Senior?"

However.

At that moment, Chen Qiu was sitting on the ground, panting heavily, so distracted that he hadn't even bandaged his wound. After asking several times without a response, the Host's eyes gradually clouded with disappointment, and he muttered, "So you were lying to me? You..."

Before he could finish.

Chen Qiu, without anyone noticing, had rushed to the Host's side. With sincerity in his eyes, he tightly gripped the Host's shoulders and said earnestly, "Brother, I really will give it to you, I swear."

"I just need a moment to catch my breath. I didn't lie to you, I swear. Brother, just stay calm, we'll be fine."

"But I don't have a way to strip away the Race Fortune. I heard that this Mystic Realm produces a treasure that can do that, right? Once I get that treasure, I'll strip away the Race Fortune and give it to you, okay?"

"Think about it."

"Your fellow Artifact Spirit's senior is already dead."

"What about the other Artifact Spirit fellows? Isn't it necessary for someone to step up at this moment? I'll pass the Race Fortune to you later, and you can create a race for your kind. Everyone's hopes are on you. You should shoulder this responsibility."

"Can you pull yourself together?"

"Huff."

The Host took a deep breath, his face serious as he tightly grasped Chen Qiu's hands. "Senior, you're a good person. After I get out of here, I'll definitely treat you to a drink."

"Okay."

Chen Qiu forced a stiff smile and nodded with difficulty.

If there was a chance to meet again outside.

He would definitely make this person understand how to write the two characters of his name, Chen Qiu! If he survived this time.

He swore!

He would never set foot in the Heavenly Dao Mystic Realm again, no matter how great the rewards were! Who would be stupid enough to go there?

"But..."

The Host hesitated again, "The Mystic Realm does produce that treasure, but the difficulty of that stage is very high. What if you can't make it through?"

"I'll die."

Chen Qiu looked at the Host seriously and said, "If I can't make it, I'll die. I'll give my life for it. I'll die with you in that stage, and we'll find your Ame together, okay?"

"What you need to do now is to calm down."

"Shoulder the Clan Responsibility."

"Think about how you'll manage your race as the Clan Leader and lead your clan to live in the real world."

"Okay."

The Host looked at Chen Qiu gratefully, "Senior, you're a good person. The one who deceived the Artifact Spirit's senior was a human, and you're also human, but you're different. You're a good person."

Chen Qiu forced an ugly smile and nodded, "Everyone says that about me."

"Can you tell me now, what will happen if we crash into the corridor? Will it shatter?"

"Yes."

The Host nodded seriously, "To enter the void, you must control your speed within a certain range. Whether it's too slow or too fast, crashing into it without caution will result in certain death."

"You can think of it as the Heavenly Dao Shackles, and this speed range is the password to enter."

"That's good."

Chen Qiu forced a stiff smile and nodded, then covered his stomach and turned towards Fat Dragon. Before Fat Dragon could ask anything, Chen Qiu sat down and leaned against the corridor wall, starting to bandage his wound. After finishing,

He looked towards the corridor that had turned around and was heading towards the blinding light. He waved his hand to signal Fat Dragon and the others to stay quiet, and then, in a daze, he said,

"Next time I go out, I'll definitely consult the calendar. I've been through so much, I'm almost at my breaking point."

Fortunately, everything was safe now, and it was over. Things should return to normal from now on.

He could now truly empathize with the Host. When he left this Mystic Realm and saw the stars and the morning sun again, he would feel like tears of joy. It was the feeling of regaining something precious, almost losing the chance to see them again.

That's good.

It was like the saying, 'Smooth sailing through mountains.' After this, there would be peace.

As he gazed at the blinding light outside the corridor, lost in thought, several hundred breaths passed. Suddenly—

The familiar crack reappeared on the corridor wall.

". "

Chen Qiu looked at the familiar crack, his expression dazed and silent for a moment. Then he turned his head towards the Host, who was sitting not far away, his body covered in cracks. His voice was filled with exhaustion and powerlessness as he murmured,

"Brother, real brother, what happened to you again?"

"I..."

The Host, sitting on the ground with cracks all over his body, lowered his head apologetically and said in a small voice, "I made an extra trip, and I ran out of Spirit Stones."

"That's good."

Chen Qiu nodded and looked at the crack again, murmuring,

"It's really good. It's just Spirit Stones, and I have plenty of them."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end