Chapter 1725: Playing your cards right!
Chapter 1725: Playing your cards right!
Translator: La0o9
After the transaction was completed, the carriage lot's owner provided him with some accommodations right away.
——the place was a small building in the corner of the streets, a relatively reclusive place without any other tenants.
This was just what Gu Qing Shan wanted as well.
After all, a room to himself was already the bare minimum level of protection.
In this world, without a proper reason, people wouldn't be able to suddenly barge into another's room.
And the monsters that had targeted him wouldn't be able to immediately barge in to pick a fight.
The night went by.
Early morning.
Gu Qing Shan opened his eyes and stopped his meditation.
After one full night of rest, his spirit had been refreshed.
This room wasn't too bad either——
Just as he thought that, the sound of weak banging could be heard from the corner of the room.
Gu Qing Shan sighed helplessly.
As soon as he entered the room the night before, several bloody heads had popped out in an attempt to scare him.
But hadn't Gu Qing Shan already seen enough bloody heads in his life?
So he simply tied them all up with some chains and casually tossed them on the floor.
But by the middle of the night, they were moaning and clanging around so much that Gu Qing Shan couldn't even get some proper rest.
In his anger, Gu Qing Shan went to get a long wooden stick.
He used that stick to skewer all the heads together through their mouths and placed them in a corner of the room.
Only then did he get some peace and quiet.
And now, it was morning.
"Hah—-"
Stretching his back, Gu Qing Shan went to the bathroom and took a morning shower.
Other than some boring things occasionally occurring, this small building was great all-around.
As he was thinking that, he started washing his face, not noticing that a shadow had slowly manifested within the mirror above the sink.
——it was a female ghost whose body exuded a frigid presence.
The female ghost stuck her face close to the mirror, staring intensely at Gu Qing Shan.
Seemingly noticing that, Gu Qing Shan suddenly looked up and noticed her.
"What's the matter?" he casually asked as he wiped his face.
The female ghost grinned: 『 Pitiful mortal, today will be your death—- 』
"Don't block the mirror, I'm washing my face" Gu Qing Shan said in irritation.
The female ghost froze.
Fwoom!
A burst of flame erupted from the female ghost's body as she solemnly spoke: 『 No living person could possibly escape the Palace of Fear. You might be unfazed right now, but it's impossible for you to never feel fear! 』
The female ghost reached her hand out through the mirror.
While floating, her hand and arm were both reduced to bones as it gave off intense heat.
『 Like this flame that will burn you to nothingness—- both your flesh and soul! 』
Gu Qing Shan thought for a few moments before suddenly placing a cup into the female ghost's hand.
The female ghost was stunned.
『 What do you mean by that? 』she questioned him.
As she asked, Gu Qing Shan quickly took the cup back.
Looking at the steaming water in the cup, he answered with a pleased tone: "Making some hot water for myself"
The female ghost completely froze up.
Gu Qing Shan cleanly wiped his face before leaving with the cup of water.
Only the female ghost remained in the bathroom.
Suddenly——
Gu Qing Shan came back in.
"—-What's the weather going to be like today?" he asked.
The female ghost remained completely silent before suddenly vanishing from the mirror.
Being ignored, Gu Qing Shan shook his head and returned to the living room.
——if one held any hint of fear or nervousness in one's heart in this world, they would immediately fall into a bottomless pit of no return.
But on the other hand, one would remain fine as long as they remain without fear.
—-unless they ran into malicious monsters.
While standing by the window sill, Gu Qing Shan's eyes suddenly became focused.
Everyone on the streets held an expression of wariness as if they were in a hurry to disembark, even the stores on both sides of the street were quickly closing up.
In just a few minutes.
The street had become completely empty.
All the stores were completely closed, no longer open for business.
The dim sunlight illuminated the empty street, highlighting a sense of ridiculous horror.
Gu Qing Shan frowned.
—-my spirit sense is flaring, something is about to happen.
Dong! Dong! Dong!
Heavy noises echoed from outside the village.
From the window a gigantic shadow could be seen entering the village.
This shadow was the darkness that had surrounded the village this entire time, and only after it had manifested a proper form that the scenery outside the village gradually returned to normal.
Gu Qing Shan didn't know what this monster was.
——but from the villagers' reaction, its ferocity could be assumed without much trouble.
So it's finally here!
Gu Qing Shan was feeling relief instead of panic.
—-an Apocalypse that could be imprisoned within the 'Tomb of Myriad Beasts' Great Tomb for several ten thousand years without being eradicated, as well as enduring the reset of the Samsara, couldn't possibly be so docile.
—-it surely has means to directly eliminate living beings.
That female ghost in the mirror mentioned earlier that today would be my death.
I currently have no powers.
The only thing I have with me are the fragments of the Samsara Delimitation Divine Sword.
No money.
The weapons I have are a blade and a bow—— both mundane weapons.
I don't even have any spirit energy.
If the approaching monster is too powerful, how would I defend or win against it?
Gu Qing Shan narrowed his eyes and took out a bag.
This was the bag that Ye Fei Li gave me before he left, which was filled with canned energy drinks.
After the one-day limit was over, Ye Fei Li had already returned and only left these canned drinks here.
Gu Qing Shan opened the bag and glanced at them, then carefully secured the bag on his back.
In combat, these items will be relatively instrumental.
—-that's right!
Since Ye Fei Li had already returned, perhaps I should summon another helper!
Gu Qing Shan took out the Samsara Gloom Orchid again without hesitation.
[Moon Invitation] had been activated!
From the void of space, thin red threads manifested in front of him and manifested into a large gate that opened with a bang.
Gu Qing Shan silently prayed.
The very first thing he saw was a bald head.
"Amitabha, benefactor Gu"
Zhao Xiao Sheng appeared.
Gu Qing Shan looked at him with a greatly surprised expression.
Zhao Xiao Sheng was Lady Fusi's disciple, her student belonging to the cultivation world, it was truly a surprise that he had been summoned instead of anyone else.
Gu Qing Shan greeted him: "So it was you, Xiao Sheng, and here I thought I'd summon Ye Fei Li again——"
Glancing at the void of space, he saw more glowing lines of text:
[Moon Invitation's summoning target is currently random]
[Attention: Due to a shared Title between you and a certain slumbering individual, your chances of summoning him has been increased]
[Through the name of the 'Pure Love Gang', you've discovered another male who had kept himself pristine, having the potential to join the 'Pure Love Gang']
So that was why!
Gu Qing Shan was a bit speechless.
His ideals were to become a monk, but if you try to twist the intention and meaning behind 'pure love', then he would indeed fit the criteria, just barely.
However, being the one who watched over the Kunlun world for so many years, as well as someone who is considered a talented individual by Lady Fusi, it's clear that Zhao Xiao Sheng possesses a certain level of ability!
Gu Qing Shan quickly realized this and asked: "Xiao Sheng, you can only retain one of your powers in this world—- what did you retain?"
Zhao Xiao Sheng smiled and said: "Benefactor Gu, do you still remember? I have the ability to make an individual's time move forward or backwards a short amount, so I naturally retained that temporal ability"
Gu Qing Shan clenched his fist tightly and declared loudly: "I knew it!"
——a temporal ability!
Knowing that he would be supported by this kind of ability, Gu Qing Shan felt a bit more confident.
Thump!
Thump!
Thump!
The sky outside gradually became dark, the earth started trembling increasingly more intensely.
The monster was very clearly approaching Gu Qing Shan.
Gu Qing Shan quickly explained: "Xiao Sheng, listen to me, our current situation is like this..."
As he solemnly explained, Zhao Xiao Sheng earnestly listened.
A few moments later.
"Amitabha, who would have thought that things would have gotten so dire" Zhao Xiao Sheng sighed.
"With you here, I feel a lot more confident now, let's split up and act" Gu Qing Shan said.
"Take care of yourself, you need to endure up until I'm finished on my side" Zhao Xiao Sheng solemnly told him.
"Hm, you can leave from the backdoor, I'll stall that monster" Gu Qing Shan said.
"Got it" Zhao Xiao Sheng replied.
It suddenly became immensely dim outside the room.
A sharp shriek resounded that caused the entire building to shake.
Ash and dust floated down from the ceiling.
Gu Qing Shan opened the window and climbed onto the roof, turning his gaze towards the horizon.
—-he saw the monster.
The monster's entire body was soaking wet, almost like a soft-bodied organism, its eyes were grim and appeared almost human-like at a glance.
Its two giant bone claws were continuously pulling it forward on the ground.
Thump!
The monster stopped at one end of the street.
[Subjects of fear, dedicate your everything to me] the monster declared in a harrowing voice.
Very quickly, the streets began to fill with people.
People emerged from every direction, all of them staggering towards the soft-bodied monster bit by bit.
They seemed to have lost their rationality as they climbed up the bone claws of the monsters before integrating themselves into the monster's body.
As each person entered the monster's body, its nauseating slimy exterior would manifest a face.
There were so many people that they had filled the streets.
They carried expressions of frenzy as they rushed towards the monster with reckless abandon.
The monster suddenly turned its head towards Gu Qing Shan.
[Why are you not coming?] the monster asked.
Gu Qing Shan shrugged and asked: "Why should I?"
[Because becoming one with me is the only chance for survival within this Apocalypse] the monster answered.
Goopy liquid fell down from its body one by one, once again manifesting into human forms.
These people stood up from where they manifested and all looked towards Gu Qing Shan.
[Join us]
[Join us]
[Join us!!!]
They chanted in unison.
Gu Qing Shan didn't say a single thing and simply pulled out an arrow from his back.
Pah——-
Like a shadow, the arrow flew across the sky and shot straight into the monster's body.
[This is how strong you are?] the monster mocked.
A long feeler emerged from inside its body to pull the arrow back out before casually breaking and throwing it on the ground.
[Become one with my body! That is your only chance to survive!]
The monster ferociously howled.
"I refuse" Gu Qing Shan replied.
[For what reason!? Do you want to be plunged into eternal destruction?] the monster questioned.
"I don't want destruction, but you're too unpleasant to look at" Gu Qing Shan scowled and answered.
The monster scoffed: [Do you think you still have a choice? Swarm him!]
All the people on both sides of the street all roared in unison.
They started running like they were mad, even resorting to running on all fours when they fell down in order to rush towards Gu Qing Shan's little building.
Gu Qing Shan shrugged: "When it comes to fleeing, none of you can even hold a candle to me"
Sharp lightning sparks suddenly erupted from his body.
——[Lightning Wraith]!
"See you later" Gu Qing Shan declared.
He turned around and prepared to leave the main square.
The monster silently observed this and suddenly spoke up: [Did you think you can still escape?]
Gu Qing Shan suddenly froze on the spot, even the lightning sparks around him started disappearing.
His expression changed and asked: "What did you do? Why can't I move?"
The monster laughed and said: [I've been observing you from the very beginning, just to eradicate your soul and obtain your body——- if I hadn't been injured earlier, you would have already been dead!]
It then wiggled its claw like a finger and whispered: [Come here on your own]
Gu Qing Shan looked down to see his legs starting to approach the monster while he couldn't control his body at all.
"What exactly is going on? Why can you control my body?" Gu Qing Shan asked with a heavy tone.
The monster chuckled with a pleased tone and boasted: [I split a small part of my soul and placed it into your body, as long as you're still alive, I will eventually have a chance to control your body]
Gu Qing Shan slowly approached the monster.
Blobs of sticky liquid had already detached from the monster, condensing into bigger blobs as they fell on the ground.
The monster had already made its preparations.
—-preparations to devour Gu Qing Shan.
Gu Qing Shan silently observed this as it happened and asked: "What exactly is going on here? Before I die, I want to understand everything"
[No, I'd rather you just die as a clueless ghost] the monster replied.
It reached out a feeler and began to control the sticky blob on the ground to fly towards Gu Qing Shan.
Gu Qing Shan paused briefly.
—-this guy is quite unimaginably careful.
But Zhao Xiao Sheng doesn't seem to have finished with all the preparations yet.
I need to buy him a bit more time!
Gu Qing Shan sighed and began to speak: "Samsara War General, I actually know already, you must have pulled some strings in the back when you formed that contract earlier"
The monster's feeler stopped.
—-how could he have known!
Such an insignificant mortal actually saw through my means!
How is that possible!
[Go on] the monster grumbled heavily.
Gu Qing Shan continued: "I've already noticed a certain fact as soon as I came to this world—- the location I appeared in was on a side road, while your tomb was right behind me——- your tomb was the biggest within the entire graveyard so it's quite a landmark, isn't it?"
[...So you realized then?] the monster said.
"I only guessed, but when you said that you can control my body as well as having been injured earlier, I knew right away"
Gu Qing Shan continued: "As for how you were injured, most likely you used some sort of ability to attack yourself and cancel out my Dragon Hex, then purposely let me go, showing me the long path as well as the pregnant female ghost—- I really must say, that was indeed very misdirecting, it almost caused me to think that I've actually left"
[And in truth?] the monster asked.
"In truth, everything right now is nothing but an illusion. I'm still right next to your tomb, most likely being affected by one of your techniques" Gu Qing Shan answered.
[But how do you explain this world of fear?] the monster asked again.
"Mister General, I've seen a Phase Realm before" Gu Qing Shan replied.
The monster stayed silent, then suddenly laughed: [Indeed, it's been a great many years since I last saw someone of your caliber, but unfortunately, you are still going to——-]
Gu Qing Shan abruptly shouted: "NOW!"
Before the monster finished its words, a voice echoed: "[Time Reversal], activate!"
A blinding golden light emerged from far above the sky and struck Gu Qing Shan's body.
Countless golden runes continuously circled around his body, exuding an intense pressure that forced the monster as well as the people around him to become stalled.
Gu Qing Shan suddenly regained his freedom.
In an intense, sparks of lightning erupted from his body before he turned into a thin blue line of light that directly vanished from where he stood.
[Lightning Wraith]!
The monster finally realized what happened and shouted: [Trying to run? Don't count on it!]
At that moment, Gu Qing Shan had already run quite a distance away, standing at the very end of the main street.
Bam!
The carriage lot's gates were destroyed.
A horse carriage ran out with Zhao Xiao Sheng being the coachman, who called out to Gu Qing Shan: "Hurry!"
Gu Qing Shan quickly jumped onto the carriage before falling limp motionlessly.
He then suddenly stood up on the back of the carriage.
—-from the looks of it, he was about to jump down from the carriage.
The monster had used some sort of unknown means to take control of his body once again, trying to bring him back.
"Are you ok? Should I use [Time Reversal] on you again?"
Zhao Xiao Sheng hurriedly asked.
—-[Time Reversal] was able to revert the state of Gu Qing Shan's body up to one minute prior.
Gu Qing Shan casually replied: "No need, just drive in the direction I told you before. From this moment onwards, he no longer has a way to control me"
Oooo——-
A series of sharp fragments flew out of his body giving off a solemn howl.
[Govern Spirit]!
Gu Qing Shan closed his eyes and instantly fell back down onto the back of the horse carriage.
He was now dead.
His body could no longer move.