Chapter 2243 , Strange Space
Translator: Silavin & Raikov
Translation Checker: PewPewLazerGun
Editor and Proofreader: Leo of Zion Mountain & Dhael Ligerkeys
“Let go of your obsession, Grandma. If you don’t let go, then you’ll be stuck where you are for the rest of your life,” Wen Zi Shan advised her earnestly. “Cultivators like us, we can only forge ahead when our goals are clear. Grandma, you are still immersed in the defeat of a past battle and blinded by hatred. How can you rise up to a higher Martial Dao if you are so intent on wanting me dead?”
“Are you lecturing me, brat?” Grandma You glared at Wen Zi Shan.
The latter shrugged his shoulders and said, “I’m just speaking the truth, and it’s not like you don’t understand it either, Grandma. You just don’t want to admit it.”
He sighed and went on, “Yang Boy and Little Xue Ting may think that this face of yours is your true appearance, and that the beautiful woman you appeared as inside the Divine Ascension Mirror is just an illusion you created, but only you and I know that… your appearance inside the Divine Ascension Mirror is your true appearance. The current you is just a twisted form brought about by your hatred. Grandma is also a woman, so why make things so difficult for yourself?”
“What are you saying all this for?” Grandma You’s tone of voice had calmed down a lot for some reason.
“I just want to say, Grandma, that your aptitude may not be lower than mine. If you can overcome your Heart Demon, then you may be able to become a Great Emperor one day.”
At these words, Grandma You shuddered and looked sharply at Wen Zi Shan, growling, “Are you speaking from your heart?”
Wen Zi Shan smiled and said, “To be honest, I’m not the one who said this.”
“Then who said it?”
“Just a casual and carefree old man,” Wen Zi Shan seemed extremely reluctant to mention that person’s name.
Even though he did not say the person’s name, Grandma You’s eyes were brightly lit as if she understood something.
“I can’t hold up Azure Sun Temple alone, Grandma. Would you be willing to help me?” Wen Zi Shan looked earnestly at Grandma You and asked.
Grandma You stared at him for a moment and suddenly burst out laughing, sneering as she did, “This Old Lady killed so many of your elite disciples already, do you not hold any grudges towards this Old Lady at all?”
“The Heavenly Way is constant, but destiny is impermanent. If they could not cross that hurdle, then that means their cultivation was not enough!”
Grandma You’s face changed and she went silent. After a while, she suddenly bellowed, “Scram! Get out of here!”
Wen Zi Shan smiled and said, “Think about it, Grandma.”
With these words, he gradually disappeared from the space as if he had never appeared there before.
Grandma You was left alone with a cold and fluctuating expression.
…..
Since Yang Kai arrived at the cave mansion in Gao Xue Ting’s Purple Bamboo Peak, a month had passed.
During this time, he had remained indoors, refining the Insect Enslavement Bracelet.
In the beginning, the Insect Enslavement Bracelet was unresponsive, but Yang Kai was patient and kept using his power to attack the Insect Enslavement Bracelet’s barrier. And, as time passed, the Emperor Artifact gradually changed.
It slowly began to accept Yang Kai’s Spiritual Energy and Source Qi.
The refinement process was like reeling silk from cocoons. Yang Kai put in a lot of hard work, but only when all the obstructing forces were eliminated would Yang Kai have a chance to refine the Insect Enslavement Bracelet and engrave his own Soul Imprint inside.
On this day, Yang Kai continued as usual.
At a certain moment, a strange buzzing sound came, followed by a slight burst of air in the room. At the same time, Yang Kai felt heat from his hands, as if the Insect Enslavement Bracelet was burning.
Yang Kai was not shocked when he felt this, but happy. He knew that this was a sign that his refining had successfully broken the protective barrier. Immediately, he spared no effort to circulate his energy, pouring it madly into the Insect Enslavement Bracelet.
The burning sensation on his hands grew clearer and clearer as the Insect Enslavement bracelet seemed to have come to life again, constantly bouncing around in Yang Kai’s grasp, wanting to escape from his control.
But Yang Kai was not about to let it achieve this, grabbing hold of it for dear life.
Slowly, the burning sensation changed, and it now felt like Yang Kai’s palm was being gnawed on by a million ants. The tingling sensation spread from his palm down into each part of his body before reaching deep into his Soul, making him feel extremely uncomfortable.
The tingling gradually turned into pain, not only on his body but his Soul as well, like it was being sheared by thousands of dull knives.
Yang Kai could not help but hiss in agony.
Gritting his teeth, he endured the unimaginable torment as he pushed his Spiritual Energy and Source Qi even more ferociously.
After two days of this, Yang Kai’s body suddenly felt lighter, and all the abnormal sensations disappeared in a flash.
At the same time, a light suddenly burst forth from the Insect Enslavement Bracelet. Tiny flickering runes appeared on the small bracelet’s surface like fireflies, lighting up the entire room in a beautiful display.
The runes were extremely complicated and mysterious, seemingly having a life of their own, constantly evolving and changing.
The ordinary-looking Insect Enslavement Bracelet was also releasing an obvious Emperor Aura and Emperor Intent now.
Yang Kai was not the least bit pleased with this situation, however, and instead, his face turned grave.
A short while later, the complicated runes converged into the Insect Enslavement Bracelet and Yang Kai could hear a crack, as if something had broken. Then, his Spiritual Energy and Source Qi drove straight in, pouring into the Insect Enslavement Bracelet without obstruction.
That sound from his mind was undoubtedly the sound of him breaking through the final barrier of the Insect Enslavement Bracelet.
This also meant that the refinement process was mostly complete.
However… Since the Insect Enslavement Bracelet was not a new artifact and had a previous owner, the biggest test began now.
As he poured his Spiritual Energy in, Yang Kai soon sensed a pure force from inside the Insect Enslavement Bracelet fighting back against him.
This force was not powerful per se, but it was extremely pure and intense.
This was the Soul Imprint left inside the Insect Enslavement Bracelet by the Insect Emperor!
Only when this Imprint was completely erased would Yang Kai be able to leave his own Imprint.
The true cultivation of the Insect Emperor was at least Third-Order Emperor Realm, but unfortunately, he was defeated and killed during his fight with Yang Yan and had no choice but to preserve his Soul through some special method, then rely on seizing another’s body to be reborn.
As for his past glory and cultivation, almost all of it had been lost.
After some ten thousand years, the Soul Imprint in the Insect Enslavement Bracelet had long weakened beyond recognition.
If not for this, Yang Kai would never have had the chance to refine the Insect Enslavement Bracelet, that is, unless Wen Zi Shan helped him remove this Imprint.
But now, despite its purity, this Imprint was only barely as strong as a First-Order Emperor’s, which was basically the same strength as Yang Kai’s Soul.
This Imprint was fighting him head-on, wanting to stop Yang Kai’s next move, but Yang Kai would not back down. He was undaunted and mobilized his Spiritual Energy to meet it directly.
*Hong…*
A noise erupted as Yang Kai’s body swayed slightly and he felt a little dizzy.
This was a direct clash of Souls, one where only strength and endurance mattered.
During this clash, neither Yang Kai nor the original Imprint had the upper hand. They were on par with each other.
After taking a moment to catch his breath, Yang Kai mobilized his Spiritual Energy once more and crashed into the Insect Enslavement Bracelet.
With another bang, Yang Kai’s face turned slightly pale as blood spilled from his nose and mouth.
However, during this collision, Yang Kai’s Spiritual Energy clearly gained the upper hand while the Insect Emperor’s Imprint had been weakened considerably.
Yang Kai did not stop there, however, mobilizing his Spiritual Energy for a third assault.
*Hong…*
There was a flash of light from the Insect Enslavement Bracelet, as if something had been broken and opened up.
Yang Kai’s Spiritual Energy passed into it now without any obstruction.
At this point, the Insect Emperor’s Imprint had been completely destroyed.
Yang Kai poured his Spiritual Energy into it, enduring the discomfort in his head to quickly engrave his own Soul Imprint into the Insect Enslavement Bracelet.
Only after he was done did he grin and collapse to the ground, not even wanting to move another inch.
Right now, the Insect Enslavement Bracelet was an Emperor Artifact under his possession. Only, the uses of the Insect Enslavement Bracelet were still something that he had to test and develop later.
This silent fight drained a lot of Yang Kai’s mental and physical strength. He also had to give credit to his Soul Warming Lotus, since he would never have dared to use such a violent and direct method to erase the Insect Emperor’s Imprint without it.
But with the Soul Warming Lotus’s nourishment and protection, Yang Kai was not worried about having any fundamental damage done to his Soul. He had the capital to use such brute force methods in this regard.
After resting for half a day, Yang Kai sat up again, feeling much better than before, and began taking a closer look at this Insect Enslavement Bracelet in front of him.
After being refined, the Insect Enslavement Bracelet did not change, other than the fact that it could be put away and taken out of his body at will now.
Yang Kai’s Divine Sense surged and poured into the Insect Enslavement Bracelet, trying to find out what wonders lay inside this artifact and how he could use it to restrain the Soul Devouring Insects.
But something unexpected occurred.
As soon as he poured his Divine Sense into the Insect Enslavement Bracelet, Yang Kai actually discovered that there was a strange space inside the bracelet.
This space was unlike the Sealed World Bead’s internal space, which was not freely accessible.
Instead, it was similar to the spaces inside Space Rings, but with a few subtle differences.
Yang Kai could feel a strange energy surging inside this space that was neither beneficial nor harmful to the Soul. He had no idea what it was for.
Yang Kai’s eyes were soon drawn to the differently-sized and shaped jars inside the space.
Under his curiosity, Yang Kai swept his Divine Sense over them to inspect them.
But soon, he paled and he forcefully withdrew his Divine Sense from these jars.
Because he perceived that many of these jars were full. Only a few were empty. As for what things were inside there, he had no idea. He could only hear some writhing and buzzing noises from inside, though some were silent.
But each of the things contained in these jars gave off a dangerous feeling to Yang Kai.
Even though he was now the owner of the Insect Enslavement Bracelet, he did not dare to open the jars casually to find out what lay inside.
Amidst his uncertainty, he discovered that words had suddenly appeared on the surface of those jars, and he quickly adjusted his eyes to see them.