Chapter 338 (1/2)
Chapter 338: Instant World
Translator: Radiant Translations Editor: Radiant Translations
Deep in her heart, the green-haired woman, Xi Wei, was biased toward a certain way of thinking. She knew that the Meishan Clan Master had managed to reach the fifth vine leaf world after having cultivated for a long period of time, so the probability of him crossing the impassable stage was higher. Nonetheless, she was still more biased toward Xue Ying, since his innate talent and potential were much higher. As for the Meishan Clan Master? Back during the time when the sacred master was still alive, he would become a mere honorary disciple. Meanwhile, Xue Ying would have been qualified to receive better training.
She briefly explained the rules to the Meishan Clan Master, and he quickly descended toward the fifth vine leaf world, where he sat cross-legged.
…
Day after day passed.
In that state of absolute isolation, Xue Ying could eventually no longer stop himself from becoming fidgety. Despite having deduced, both from the relapses of his hex poison and his heart rate, that two years had already passed, the seclusion was still so much worse than even the hundred years’ worth of torture inflicted by the Six Ghosts Resentment. Even under the torturous pain of the hex poison, he could still see the sunlight, feel the wind, watch the night sky, enjoy the occasional piping-hot bun, or travel all over the world with Jing Qiu.
But now, he was surrounded by nothingness!
Soon… Two and a half years have already passed. It won’t be long until the three years time limit, Xue Ying thought to himself. His facial expression could no longer hide his distress. Frowns would often surface, and even a savage look appeared from time to time.
The trial of this fifth vine leaf world is also known as the Impassable Stage.
That’s especially because of that last instant before the three year period is up. As long as I hold on to myself through that instant, I get to live. Otherwise, I’ll die, Xue Ying resolved.
******
Xi Wei watched him from a distance, paying attention to the time all the while. The instant before the three year period is up…it’s that final instant that determines everything.
Atop the enormous fifth vine leaf world.
Xue Ying’s current expression seeped with savageness and agony. He was clearly starting to go mad, though he still forced himself to not let that wanton frenzy overcome him and control him into attacking his surroundings.
Weng!
Suddenly, a fluctuation descended.
Xue Ying’s expression became serene.
“It’s here.” Xi Wei watched on.
…
Weng. As the fluctuation enveloped the consciousness of his soul, Xue Ying immediately understood. The final stage? I must endure it.
His soul consciousness was dragged directly into an illusory world.
This illusory world was also known as an Instant World, according to the records. Someone taken inside might feel like they spent a long time in this illusory world, but only a single instant would pass outside! The Instant World confused the memory of the one inside, causing them to forget even their original identity and combat power; everything would be forgotten! Losing all of one’s memories essentially represented them starting a new life.
If one could not struggle free from the Instant World before they grew old in that new life, their soul would crumble apart in both the real world and the illusory world.
Therefore, this final Impassable Stage actually included this Instant World in addition to those three years of isolation.
After three years of absolute isolation, even those peak Transcendents, who were able to endure, would be in an unstable state of heart. Their soul consciousness would then be pulled into that illusory world under those conditions. It was actually very difficult for one to awaken from this state before dying of old age.
…
The world had an emperor of extremely high status, countless aristocratic noble clans, and an innumerable amount of cities.
Instead of those clans and cities, however, Xue Ying was born and orphaned in a poor village. He managed to keep himself alive by going up the mountain to chop firewood and through hunting.
Somewhere on the mountain that Xue Ying climbed, the cry of a girl resounded,. “Ah! Help! Please help me…”
Wearing a fur coat and carrying the wild chickens and rabbits he had just hunted, Xue Ying felt his ears twitch. While he prepared to rush towards the source of that voice, he quickly shouted, “Little White, follow me.” In response, a snowy-white hunting dog began running right beside him.
The pair—one human and one dog—hurried along the mountain paths before coming upon a girl laid down amidst the weeds; her leg was broken, and her clothes were tattered.
“Help me! Help!” Seeing someone approach, the girl began screaming even louder.
Before coming to her help, however, Xue Ying found himself looking at the girl in a daze. He glimpsed her fair skin peeking through her tattered garb. The most beautiful girl he had even seen, as he grew up in that poor village, was the second daughter of the village head. But even she, compared to this girl in front of him, would be considered ordinary. The girl’s skin was soft and had the allure of white jade. She was simply beautiful, like a Deity who had descended from the heavens.
“What are you staring at?” The girl felt embarrassed once she discovered that her tattered clothes truly did reveal various parts of her body.
“Oh, oh, oh.” Xue Ying recklessly rushed over to help as he could.
“Ah. Your leg is broken.”
“I can’t move by myself, so you should just carry me. Rest assured, though, that I’ll certainly return this favor. I‘ll build a big house for you, or even help you find a beautiful girl for yourself.”
“Alright.” A simple and honest boy, Xue Ying might have been overcome with shyness and excitement, but he still carried the lass on his back.
“What are you called?”
“I am Xue Ying.”
“Your family name is Xue? That’s quite rare.”
“I am an orphan, so I don’t know much about that. Since people in the village call me Xue Ying, I am just Xue Ying.”
“Oh… By the way, why were you up the mountain? Me, I actually fell down from the cliff.”
“Woah, you fell off that cliff? How did you survive after falling for more than five kilometers?”
“I have a protection seal, but you wouldn’t know about it! Let’s just say I survived regardless. Are we going to the city once we’re off the mountain?”
“That would be troublesome. This mountain is really big, and there’s no main road passing through it. You would also have to pass through the many big mountains littered with tigers and wolves…”
“Just tell me how to get off this mountain. No need to make it sound so complicated.”
“I have never left the mountain before, so I don’t know.”
“You’ve never left? You’re this age, and yet you’ve actually never left the mountain?”
“Mn.”
“But I want to go home.”
“Oh… I’ll try asking the village head. Rest assured, I’ll definitely help you. Right, what are you called?”
“You can just call me… Fairy.”
“Fairy?”
…
Xue Ying took care of the girl until her leg recovered, and then he brought her to the village head to find a map of the area. He wanted to take her out of the mountain.
“Ah, Xue Ying. You must know that it is very difficult to leave the mountain from within. It would be better if you don’t even attempt it. Why not turn back? Go on and find a girl; father some children here, in the village. If you still choose to leave, I have to let you know that even the strongest hunters of our village have a chance of dying on the road.”
“Thank you, village head, but I still want to go out and have a look.”
Thus, Xue Ying brought along the girl called Fairy to leave the mountain.