From a loser to an immortal sage

Chapter 94 Dawn Appears, Danger Remains

Wen Chen supported me, anxiously calling my name, but I felt as if I were trapped in a closed box. I could hear his voice, but I couldn't respond. Every bone in my body ached as if it were shattering, and my meridians felt like they were being scorched by fire. I struggled to open my eyes, but the world before me was blurry. Only the狰狞 (zhengning - ferocious/hideous) face of Pavilion Master Lu flickered before my eyes, and the black dagger in his hand reflected a chilling light.

“It’s over…” His chilling voice rang out again, like a death knell.

Am I going to die here? I refuse! I still have so much to do; I need to find my way home; I need to…

At that critical moment, a warm power surged into my body, repairing my broken meridians and soothing my parched dantian. I felt my consciousness gradually clear and my body slowly regain sensation.

I turned my head with difficulty and saw Wen Chen continuously transferring his spiritual energy to me. His face was pale, and his forehead was covered with sweat, but he clenched his teeth tightly, his gaze firm yet gentle.

"Hold on, Xiao Yao!" His deep voice seemed to possess a magical power, giving me boundless strength.

I tried my best to circulate the remaining spiritual energy in my body, and with the help of Wen Chen's spiritual energy, I repaired my damaged body little by little.

At the same time, I felt the agitation within the magical artifact gradually subside. The originally violent power became docile, like a gentle stream, slowly merging together under my guidance.

A surge of joy filled my heart; the first glimmer of hope appeared!

Master Yan also showed a surprised expression. He stroked his beard, a hint of relief flashing in his eyes, but then he frowned again. He knew that the danger was not completely over.

"Xiao Yao, calm your mind and continue guiding!" Master Yan's voice was stern, but full of concern.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my excited emotions, and continued to carefully guide the fusion of the magical artifacts. I knew that the slightest mistake would undo all my efforts, or even lead to greater danger.

Time ticked by, and I remained highly focused, not daring to slacken my pace even slightly. Sweat soaked my clothes, and my body trembled slightly from the prolonged tension.

Finally, the agitation inside the magic weapon completely subsided, and a powerful force emanated from it. This force was no longer violent, but instead full of vitality and life.

I made it!

I slowly opened my eyes and saw that everything around me was bathed in a soft light. The dagger in Pavilion Master Lu's hand fell to the ground with a crisp sound. He looked at me in horror, his eyes filled with disbelief.

I forced myself to stand up, feeling the surge of power within me, and a slight smile appeared on my lips.

"It's not over yet..." I looked at Pavilion Master Lu, my voice weak but full of determination.

I saw Leng Shuang standing in the distance; her face had turned very pale…

Leng Shuang's face was grim as she stared intently at me, as if trying to bore a hole through me. I could feel the intense hostility emanating from her, like a venomous snake, lurking and ready to strike. She certainly hadn't expected that I could turn the tables in such a desperate situation. Her meticulously planned trap had ultimately become my stepping stone. I smiled slightly, a smile that, in her eyes, might have been a provocation, or perhaps a mockery.

Pavilion Master Lu's expression was far more complex. A flicker of surprise flashed in his eyes, but it quickly returned to calm, even carrying a barely perceptible hint of…greed? What was he thinking? My method of fusing magical artifacts was indeed unprecedented, and the risks involved were beyond even my own full comprehension. Could he be after this method? Or…did he have ulterior motives from the very beginning, intending to steal my achievements?

I forced myself to overcome my weakness and slowly walked to Wen Chen's side. He was still pale, but seeing that I was safe and sound, his tense nerves finally relaxed, and a relieved smile appeared on his face. "It's good that you're alright," he said softly, his voice trembling slightly.

I held his hand, feeling the warmth of his palm, and a warm feeling welled up inside me. I nodded to indicate that I was alright. "Thank you, Wen Chen."

Master Yan walked up to me, carefully examined my physical condition, and then stroked his beard, saying, "Xiao Yao, you are really lucky this time. However, although the fusion of this magic weapon was successful, it will still take some time to stabilize. During this period, you must be careful and cautious, and you must not be careless."

I nodded solemnly, knowing that Master Yan's concerns were not unfounded. Although the fusion of this magical artifact was successful, the power it contained was too great for me to fully control. If I was not careful, I could fall into danger again.

Just then, Pavilion Master Lu walked over with a fake smile on his face and said, "Xiao Yao, congratulations on successfully fusing the magic weapon. This is a groundbreaking achievement in the world of weapon crafting! On behalf of the Magic Weapon Pavilion, I congratulate you."

I glanced at him indifferently and didn't say anything. I could see through his hypocrisy at a glance.

Pavilion Master Lu didn't seem to mind my coldness. He continued, "Xiao Yao, your fusion method is truly amazing. I wonder if you would be willing to share it so that more people can benefit from it?"

His words sent alarm bells ringing in my mind. Sure enough, he was after my fusion method! I sneered and said, "Sect Master Lu, my method is still far from perfect and needs further research and improvement. When the time is right, I will naturally make it public."

The smile on Pavilion Master Lu's face froze, a shadow of gloom flashing in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure. He chuckled dryly twice and said, "In that case, I'll await good news." With that, he turned and left, his departing figure appearing somewhat forlorn.

I watched his departing figure, a cold smile playing on my lips. He thinks he can steal my work? Not so easy!

I turned to look at Master Yan, who was looking at me with admiration in his eyes. I knew he understood what I meant.

Suddenly, I sensed an unusual presence. I turned my head sharply and looked towards a corner of the crowd. There stood a man in black, his entire body shrouded in a black robe, obscuring his face, but his cold, sinister eyes sent a chill down my spine.

Mo Laoguai!

He's here too! What's he doing here? Could it be...?

My heart sank, and a sense of foreboding washed over me. I sensed that a greater crisis was quietly approaching…

“He…” I pointed in the direction of Old Monster Mo, about to speak up to warn him, when suddenly I felt dizzy and my vision went black, and I lost consciousness.

When I woke up again, I found myself lying in Wen Chen's arms. He held me tightly, and I could feel his rapid heartbeat and trembling breath. There was a lot of noise around me. I struggled to open my eyes and saw Master Yan, Madam Qin, Leng Shuang, and Pavilion Master Lu all around me, their faces filled with worry.

"Xiao Yao, you're finally awake!" Madam Qin breathed a sigh of relief, but she still looked at me with concern. I knew she understood that I was not completely out of danger.

"What's wrong with me?" I struggled to sit up, feeling weak all over and with a splitting headache.

“You suddenly fainted,” Wen Chen said, supporting me, his voice tinged with lingering fear. “Fortunately, Master Yan intervened in time and stabilized your condition.”

I turned to look at Master Yan, who stroked his beard with a grave expression: "The power fluctuations within your body are unusually intense, which should be a side effect of fusing with the magic weapon. You need to rest well and absolutely must not use your spiritual power again."

I nodded, but my mind was filled with doubt. While fusing with magical artifacts was dangerous, it shouldn't have caused me to suddenly faint. Could it be... Old Monster Mo?

I looked around, but I couldn't see Old Monster Mo anywhere. Had he already left?

"Where is Old Monster Mo?" I asked.

Everyone's expression changed, and Madam Qin said in a deep voice, "He left while you were unconscious."

My heart sank. Mo Laoguai's appearance was no accident; he was definitely after me. What exactly did he want?

I tried to recall the events before I lost consciousness, and suddenly remembered that strange aura. Could it be... that he did something to me in secret?

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to endure the discomfort, and began to examine my body. Sure enough, I discovered a cold, sinister aura circulating within me. This aura was incompatible with my own spiritual power and was constantly eroding my meridians.

It's Old Monster Mo! He actually left a hidden weapon inside my body!

My heart was filled with anger and fear. This chilling aura was extremely strange, and I couldn't get rid of it. If left unchecked, it would eventually devour my spiritual power and even endanger my life.

"Xiao Yao, what's wrong?" Wen Chen noticed my unusual behavior and asked with concern.

I shook my head, not wanting him to worry: "I'm fine, I'm just a little tired."

I must find a way to dispel this chilling aura as soon as possible, or the consequences will be unimaginable. However, I am currently too weak to use my spiritual power.

I glanced furtively at the people around me; they were all watching my situation. I couldn't let them know about my predicament, otherwise it would only make them worry.

I must face this challenge alone.

I closed my eyes and began trying to control the spiritual energy within my body with my divine sense, attempting to force out that chilling aura. However, the aura was exceptionally stubborn, and my efforts were in vain.

Time ticked by, and my condition worsened. I felt my body growing colder and colder, and my consciousness began to fade.

Just when I was about to give up, I suddenly felt a powerful force surging out of my body. This force was warm and peaceful, completely different from that cold and gloomy aura.

This power... is Wen Chen!

He sensed my predicament and was using his spiritual power to help me suppress that cold aura!

I was deeply moved, but also felt incredibly guilty. I didn't want him to take the risk for me, but I had no other choice now.

I held Wen Chen's hand tightly, feeling the warmth of his palm, and my heart was filled with hope.

However, at that moment, I sensed another, even more malevolent force approaching, a force far stronger and more terrifying than Old Monster Mo's chilling aura...

“Wen Chen…” I grabbed his hand weakly, my voice trembling, “Be careful…”

Suddenly, Wen Chen's expression changed drastically. He shoved me away violently, and then...

Wen Chen shoved me away abruptly, spitting out a mouthful of blood that stained my clothes. I stared in horror, trying to reach out to help him, but found myself completely powerless, unable to even move a finger.

"Wen Chen!" I cried out his name with all my might, but my voice felt as if it were blocked by something, hoarse and weak.

He lay on the ground, his face as pale as paper, the blood at the corner of his mouth a horrifying sight. I struggled to crawl over, but my vision blurred, and my body felt completely drained, terrifyingly weak.

Just then, an extremely cold aura enveloped the entire Refining Valley, like a chilling wind from hell, the biting cold making me shiver involuntarily. I struggled to lift my head and saw Old Monster Mo's figure appear in mid-air, a sinister smile on his face, his eyes flashing with a chilling light that sent shivers down my spine.

"Xiao Yao, do you really think you can escape my control?" Mo Laoguai's voice was like a vengeful ghost from the deepest hell, full of resentment and killing intent.

I saw that he held a jet-black dagger in his hand, emanating a suffocatingly evil aura. My heart sank. I knew that was Mo Laoguai's natal magic weapon—the Soul-Devouring Dagger.

This dagger is said to be able to devour the soul of a cultivator, condemning them to eternal damnation.

Old Monster Mo walked towards me step by step, each step feeling like it was stomping on my heart, filling me with a suffocating fear. I knew that I had very little strength left and was no match for his attacks.

“Wen Chen…” I murmured his name weakly, my heart filled with despair.

Just then, I felt the cold, dark energy within my body suddenly become restless, as if stimulated by something, and began to frantically devour my spiritual power. I curled up in pain, feeling my life force slowly draining away.

However, just as I was about to lose consciousness, I saw a faint light. That light came from the jade pendant on my chest.

That was a token of love given to me by Wen Chen, and also a defensive magic weapon.

The jade pendant emitted a soft light, enveloping me and forming a protective barrier. I felt the pain within my body lessen, and the chilling aura was temporarily suppressed.

A glimmer of hope ignited in my heart; I knew this was my last chance.

I saw a glimmer of hope for the fusion of magical artifacts. As long as I can survive this ordeal, I will be able to completely control this powerful artifact and possess the power to contend with Old Monster Mo.

However, Mo Laoguai's attack was already upon me. I saw him raise the Soul-Devouring Dagger high, its black light like the scythe of death, carrying the power to destroy everything, as it slashed down fiercely at me.

"Xiao Yao, prepare to die!" Old Monster Mo's maniacal laughter echoed throughout the entire Refining Valley.

I took a deep breath, forcing my weakened body to summon the last of my spiritual energy… The jade pendant's light suddenly intensified, and I heard Wen Chen's weak voice in my ear: "Yao'er… hold on…"