Chapter Ninety-Three: The Scarlet Serpent Spirit Appears Once More

The treasury was utterly silent, so quiet that one might have mistaken it for a place devoid of life. Yet the moment one gently opened the door and stepped inside, it would become clear that the hall was indeed crowded to the brim; and yet, for reasons no one could explain, not a trace of human warmth could be found among them. They stood all around like statues, motionless, their eyes fixed intently on the two figures at the center, a faint tension revealing itself in their gazes.

A perilous aura spread to every corner of the treasury, an unmistakable omen of a dreadful storm of blood and slaughter soon to come. Everyone within felt a heavy pressure in their hearts. They sensed that too many things had been woven into this contest, so many that all of them had gathered at the very center of their chests; if they did not vent them out with all their might, they feared they would sooner or later suffocate.

Thus, the coming contest was not merely to decide victory or defeat, but also to release the long-suppressed knots of resentment between them. Perhaps, in the end, it would matter far less who won and who lost, for this would mark the end of all dissatisfaction in their hearts. There would be no more estrangement over anything; what remained would be only deep affection, and the resolve to journey through the world side by side.

But before that, Feather Mourning had to stop Little Shadow from doing something so dangerous, while Little Shadow would force Feather Mourning to plant Soul Fright, just to ensure complete safety. Their contest existed solely for the sake of the other, each wanting the other to suffer no harm. Such devotion was truly enviable, truly something to yearn for. As for what the final outcome would be, that remained unknown for now; we might as well watch quietly and await good news.

The two soon-to-collide opponents faced one another, neither making the first move, merely looking at each other and smiling lightly, as though lost in thought. It seemed they were not in haste to begin at all, but were instead admiring each other’s bearing. If an outsider were to enter at that moment, they would never imagine that these two were about to fight with ferocious intensity, giving no quarter and exerting every ounce of strength.

Yet the storm hidden behind such calm would not dissipate so easily. It was only because its arrival had been so silent, so restrained and gentle, that no one felt its crushing pressure. But what cannot be felt does not necessarily not exist. It was like Little Shadow’s own explosive force: silent until the very instant it erupts with startling brilliance.

At that moment, Little Shadow took a light step forward and closed his eyes. Then, all over his body, a crimson radiance bloomed, dazzling as fresh-spilled blood. After that terrifying glow burst forth with ever greater force, Little Shadow was no more in the treasury, replaced instead by the imposing Blood Scarlet Serpent Spirit. True to its name, its entire body was a vivid, blood-red hue that no pair of eyes could possibly ignore.

Upon seeing it, the crowd felt as though they were beholding a river of blood in motion, a sight so shocking it made the scalp tingle. Perhaps this was one reason why, once a person had seen the Blood Scarlet Serpent Spirit even once, they could never erase it from memory. The sharp fangs in its gaping maw shimmered with a horrifying light, as though mocking its opponent: in the next moment, you will be my meal, so stop struggling and surrender obediently.

On its massive body were many beautiful yet strange patterns. No one could quite say what they were meant to signify, only that their beauty was impossible to overlook or forget, as if one more glance would be enough to draw a person in beyond escape. These patterns continuously radiated crimson light outward; wherever it passed, the surroundings would be stained with a blood-red hue, sending shivers through all who saw it.

Red ought to be the symbol of passion and warmth, but when such scarlet appeared upon the Blood Scarlet Serpent Spirit, it took on an entirely different essence. It made people afraid to draw near, lest they offend this terrifying being. It made people afraid to look too boldly, lest they fall into a sea of blood. It made people afraid to ignore it, lest a single careless moment cost them their lives.

In short, the Blood Scarlet Serpent Spirit was born with an overwhelmingly domineering presence and a chilling, intimidating force. This left everyone staring in stunned silence. Little Shadow, who had moments ago worn the face of a hooligan, had in the blink of an eye become the awe-inspiring Blood Scarlet Serpent Spirit. Though everyone already knew Little Shadow’s true form, seeing it so suddenly still brought more than a little surprise.

"The Blood Scarlet Serpent Spirit truly lives up to its name. It has already shaken the four directions before even making a move. What I did not expect, however, is that once Little Shadow became the Blood Scarlet Serpent Spirit, it was as though he had become a completely different being, with not the slightest trace of that repellent air left behind. It seems I underestimated him far too much before. With his strength, there is absolutely nothing to fear," Xu Mishu said softly as he looked at the Blood Scarlet Serpent Spirit, admiration burning in his eyes.

"I had only ever heard of it before. To see it with my own eyes today is truly a satisfaction for a lifetime! The bearing of a true powerhouse is displayed in Little Shadow, no, in the Blood Scarlet Serpent Spirit, in every possible way. It is as though this phrase was made for him alone. Just a moment ago I was still worried he might not last even a single exchange and lose, but the facts prove I was indeed overthinking," Lan Bingxian could not help but sigh as well. It was truly an eye-opening sight.

"Seeing him now, Little Shadow and the serpent spirit in the mural within the secret passage are practically identical. I cannot find the slightest difference. Could it be that the mural truly depicts him? But what meaning would there be in painting Little Shadow there?" Leng Huaiyi was clearly not focused on the contest itself, but rather had remembered that strange mural in the hidden passage. It seemed that matter had stirred up quite a bit of his curiosity.

"Perhaps it was an impulse, perhaps it was deliberate. In any case, anything is possible, so why make such a fuss over it? In this world, all things grow for their own necessity. Perhaps there are indeed matters we cannot solve, or perhaps the truth will only be uncovered once we no longer care. Senior Brother, you had best not think too much. It is bad for the mind and the body," said Meng Youyuan, whose words today were strangely profound yet also deeply melancholic.

"Exactly. If you keep thinking about it, you will miss the show," Yu Xiaoran teased softly. At the moment, he had no interest in anything else; he only wanted to watch this unprecedented contest with all his heart, to fill the loneliness and emptiness within him. Though he always seemed ravenous and indiscriminate in appearance, there were in truth very few things that could truly awaken his interest.

"Right now I do not care about anything. All I know is that I am about to have my clothes torn to pieces!" Yan Xuesu said helplessly. Good heavens, who would come rescue her quickly? She truly could not endure such torment. The others then turned their eyes toward her, and there beside Yan Xuesu stood a pale-faced woman, clutching tightly at her clothes, looking utterly frightened.

At once, everyone realized that the woman was none other than Lan Wu. But why was she in such a state? Only when they followed Lan Wu’s gaze did they understand: she was in terror of Little Shadow’s true form, the Blood Scarlet Serpent Spirit. It could hardly be blamed on her that she had become like this; in all the world, what woman is born with an interest in such frightening things?

It seemed that even if she had accepted the fact that the true form of the man she loved was the Blood Scarlet Serpent Spirit, she still could not accept seeing that true form roaming unrestrained before her eyes. Yet Lan Wu had done quite well indeed. From the very beginning, she had been frightened into defeat by Little Shadow’s true form, and later, knowing full well that the creature she feared so much was Little Shadow’s original self, she still accepted him. In the end, she even forced herself to suppress that panic for his sake.

Even now, though she sometimes threw small tantrums, she still cherished Little Shadow deeply in her heart. For a woman to reach such a point, what more could one ask of her? Yes, even now she still feared Little Shadow’s true form, but she was also trying to slowly accept it. After all, love and fear are but two sides of the same coin; letting the two coexist is not necessarily a bad thing.

As long as one can be sure they are truly giving themselves to one another, truly caring for one another, that is enough. Everyone has things they fear, everyone has a side they cannot overcome, but none of that is truly important. So long as it does not affect one’s life with the person one loves, that is fine. As for fear, one can simply grow accustomed to it little by little; there is no need to force oneself into doing what cannot be done.

Looking again, Feather Mourning remained as composed and unafraid as ever. Holding his Vast Soul Saber, he cast a cold gaze at his opponent. Though a strange, inscrutable smile curved his lips, it could not conceal the chill and steadfastness radiating from his whole being. In this instant, he was merciless; even if his opponent was a brother once as close as another half of his soul, he could not bring himself to show leniency or deliberately yield.

For the moment his Vast Soul Saber was in hand, it meant one side must suffer utter defeat, and he would never allow that side to be his own. Therefore, he would not spare even a shred of feeling for his opponent. A contest is a contest; only when both sides reveal their true strength, and the winner and loser are forged through such fierce competition, does the result carry meaning, and only then can those who take part truly feel a heart-stirring release.

In the eyes of the crowd, Feather Mourning now seemed like a king who kept others at a great distance, utterly unlike his usual approachable self. The dignity radiating from him made him impossible to draw near. It was clear that Feather Mourning was no longer Feather Mourning; he had become someone else, a man born for battle.

And yet Little Shadow was no longer Little Shadow either. Having revealed his true form, he had become the Blood Scarlet Serpent Spirit, a terrifying existence that made the world tremble and hungered for blood like a fiend. This contest was one without feeling, a contest in which there would be no mercy. But stepping outside the contest revealed the meaning contained within it. Perhaps it had not moved the bystanders, but it had moved the two of them.

"You youngsters, how about making a wager with this old man?" The long-silent dean suddenly spoke with great interest, addressing the crowd, who were watching without blinking.

"Master, at a time like this, you still have the leisure to make such pointless bets with us?" Yan Boxuan, having already offended that old fellow beyond concern for consequences, blurted out the words with evident impatience. It was as if he were telling the dean not to disturb them while they watched the contest; if he wanted to play, he should go amuse himself somewhere else.

"You little brat, is your skin itching again? Do you want your master to cure you properly? Besides, how is this a pointless bet? If you win, I will agree to one condition of yours. No matter how outrageous it may be, I will accept it. But if you lose, then you will do as I command!" The dean said with a broad smile, looking very pleased, as though he had not the slightest regret over speaking so boldly. On the contrary, he seemed convinced he would never lose this wager.

"Any kind of condition will do? Why is it that I just cannot believe you could be this kind-hearted?" Yu Xiaoran asked skeptically, looking at the old fellow with clear disbelief. This old fellow had always only ever taken advantage of them—how could he suddenly turn over a new leaf and let them take advantage of him? There had to be a trap. They would need to be careful.