Chapter 594 - 353: A Bewildered Voice

Chapter 594: Chapter 353: A Bewildered Voice

SPLASH—

Waves churned in his Sea of Consciousness as it was gradually stained a faint black.

His heart utterly still, Lu Cang met the frontal strike from Chi Cheng’s Heavy Sword, his body fluttering backward like a butterfly—

He could hear Chi Cheng’s roars and shouts.

But the sounds seemed so very far away.

At the same time, he saw the crimson figure give chase like a phantom as he flew back.

’This should be an incredibly exciting battle.’

’So why is my heart as calm as stagnant water?’

His broken body was repairing itself, but Lu Cang also felt a sense of being stripped away, of annihilation.

His recovery Speed had slowed.

Reality around him was being peeled away, layer by layer.

His mind was still calculating how to respond in battle, and his body still moved on instinct, yet he felt as if everything was happening at a great distance.

BOOM—

A crimson strike collided with the War Spear he had formed.

But Lu Cang’s body felt light and airy.

It was as if he had lost his sense of touch, unable to feel anything tangible.

CLANG— CLANG CLANG CLANG CLANG—

SPLAT!

The immense force tore Lu Cang’s limbs asunder. Under normal circumstances, would he have been amazed, moved, or shocked?

In frozen Time.

Lu Cang watched Chi Cheng, who had been right in front of him a moment ago, yet in the next instant, had already appeared behind him.

In his heart, he felt barely a ripple.

He didn’t even feel anything when he thought of Iz in the distance.

"What’s wrong?"

"Not having fun?"

Time flowed once more. As Lu Cang dealt with Chi Cheng’s attacks, a four-colored Light began to rise around Iz in the distance!

But then, Lu Luwei’s voice echoed in his mind.

"Isn’t this what you wanted?"

"To fight, get stronger, fight, get stronger."

"Are you bored of it already?"

...

"Die!"

BOOM!

At some point, Chi Cheng’s face had become a blur, like that of a red-faced demon. Every strike contained a power that felt... liberated!

A single blow blasted through Lu Cang’s chest!

Of course, it was fully restored in an instant.

He could faintly sense a Rule of Destruction suppressing his body’s regeneration.

But...

Lu Cang’s body was now so resilient that even if he wanted to die, it would no longer be a simple matter.

’I should study Chi Cheng’s fighting style.’

’I need to figure out why he’s so strong.’

Lu Cang thought to himself.

But a wave of weariness soon washed over him. It was completely different from the pure feeling he got after being corrupted; this was the exact opposite.

’What’s the point of any of this?’

’If I had stayed on Earth back then, if I had never encountered this vast world, would I have become a failure...?’

’Getting stronger was just to protect myself from threats, to live as I pleased.’

’But... what if I already had a way to find true happiness?’

It was as if someone were whispering in his ear, and also as if it were his own inner voice.

Chi Cheng’s fury was right before his eyes.

And yet, it felt incredibly distant.

In the distance, Iz just stood with his Magic Staff raised. He had originally gathered a great deal of offensive Magic, but for some reason, he had suddenly stopped.

He was just watching Chi Cheng attack him.

GLUG—

It felt as if his consciousness was sinking into the deep sea.

’So annoying... It’s another Spiritual Attack.’

Lu Cang knew he was under a Spiritual Attack.

He crushed a few pills in his mouth, and their effects flowed into his stomach. His Spirit stirred for a moment... but there was no real improvement.

"Do you still think this is an attack?"

"I’ve never attacked you."

"You’re the one attacking yourself..." Lu Luwei’s voice continued to echo in his mind.

Under Chi Cheng’s relentless assault, Lu Cang’s body fluctuated between shattering and being perfectly intact.

BANG!

A flash of crimson light exploded around his body!

Chi Cheng was also getting stronger.

His power was increasing with every second. Lu Cang could sense it, as if his opponent possessed a strength that could grow infinitely.

But Lu Cang couldn’t muster the interest to ponder which of Chi Cheng’s abilities this was.

’Is it his Talent, or another hidden trump card?’

WHOOSH—

He only felt his body being blasted through. As he was sent flying backward, his eyes gazed up at the deep black night sky.

But in his vision, he seemed to see thousands upon thousands of versions of himself at once.

"My life is so hard."

"No matter where I go, I’m always running into danger. It seems there’s no peace to be found in my Destiny."

"My home is gone."

"And I don’t know if my parents can ever be restored."

...

"Going into the Deep Land... that’s not a bad option, really."

It was like his own innermost voice, and also like Lu Luwei’s. The two sounds merged into one.

"What you think is an attack is actually the call of thousands upon thousands of ’you’s."

"They’re watching you from a world of happiness."

"Calling out to you... telling you not to keep going on so tiredly."

Suddenly, An Su’s voice surfaced in his mind. "So what if you get stronger?"

"No matter how strong you are, there will always be things you cannot do."

"The History that has occurred cannot be changed. No matter how many times you simulate the past, what has happened will never change."

"Things that are impossible will remain impossible, no matter how strong you become."

"Impossible things simply exist in this world."

WHOOSH—

Lu Cang’s eyes were hollow.

He parried Chi Cheng’s attacks almost purely on instinct.

’I have a strong Talent, but that’s just because I got ridiculously lucky.’

’I just happened to get a natural-born ability like a cheat from a web novel... but I’m just an ordinary person myself.’

’I can’t even compare to a true genius like Iz.’

’Isn’t this a Spiritual Attack? It’s making me have so many negative thoughts...’

Lu Cang was clearly aware of what he was thinking.

But he couldn’t control the voice in his mind, which sounded so much like his own, as it echoed.

Lu Cang looked inward at his own Sea of Consciousness.

Right now, his Sea of Consciousness was a riot of garish colors. All the misfortunes he had ever experienced, and all the misfortunes he might yet experience, were gradually taking form.

’If I hadn’t been so cautious, walking on thin ice all this time, I would have died countless times by now.’

’If I hadn’t met Iz, if my luck hadn’t been a little better.’

’My life could have been incredibly difficult.’

’Who knows what will happen tomorrow, or next year? Am I supposed to keep gambling on luck, living on edge like this?’

Lu Cang wasn’t actually thinking these things, but the echoes resounded in his heart.

It was as if a thought had taken the place of his own.

CRACKLE—

Before him, Chi Cheng, who was relentlessly slashing at him, wavered and transformed into an illusion that looked just like Leng Qingying.

A huge, bloody hole gaped in her chest, blood pouring out.

Blood also trickled from the corner of her mouth. Her Dagger angrily slashed across his skin, and his tough hide was torn as easily as paper.

"If you keep holding on, you’ll only lose more."

"Yuna is long gone, Lu Luwei was corrupted and killed by you, and Leng Qingying broke ties with you."

"Perhaps one day, you’ll hear terrible news about Iz and the others."

"What else are you planning to face in this world? Wouldn’t you be happy with simple happiness?"

"This is the greatest Ritual, you know."

"A Ritual that can grant perfect happiness to everyone in the world. This chance to enter the Deep Land is being offered to you, and only you, just this once."

"Not only will you find happiness, but you’ll also gain a different kind of eternal life in the Deep Land."

"If you give up this chance, you will never be allowed to go there again."

"Are you really going to give up this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?"

SWOOSH—

The creature before him, half Chi Cheng and half Leng Qingying, came to a sudden halt. The entire world seemed to freeze, as if someone had pressed pause.