Chapter 68: The Option of Seeking Death
“Didn’t you think you could be stronger than me?” Xia Guanghan gazed at Chu Mu, as a devilish smile appeared on his face. “Ten years ago, I survived there for three years…...”
Xia Guanghan’s words were, as always, said lightly, but it still set off huge waves in Chu Mu’s heart…...
One man out of three thousand. It was such a cruel competition, and even disregarding the battle between each other, one still had to face countless savage soul pets.
Seeing Chu Mu’s surprised emotions, Xia Guanghan simply lifted the corner of his mouth and pointed at the mysterious girl gazing out towards the open sea on the railing, saying, “She signed a contract with the White Nightmare when she was thirteen, and has fed that White Nightmare until now. Her White Nightmare is already at the fourth phase.”
“You’re a fourth remembrance spirit soldier, but you only have two soul pets. Though I don’t know what’s wrong with your body, I’d imagine that even if your body was normal, you would still be easily defeated by her.”
Shock!!!
After hearing this sentence, Chu Mu’s heart was even more shocked, as his eyes immediately locked onto the mysterious girl!!
This girl gave Chu Mu a feeling of gorgeousness and indifference. Her entire being was emanating both grace and royalty. She didn’t deliberately place herself high up, but others still got the same impression anyways.
However, Chu Mu would never have thought that such a seemingly delicate and noble princess-like girl had also signed a soul pact with a White Nightmare. On top of this, she had even fed it to fourth phase with her own power!
The White Nightmare was already a scary enough devil. Chu Mu personally knew the pain that accompanied signing a soul pact with a White Nightmare all too well. Even if one constantly had enough soul power, when the White Nightmare improved its strength, one’s soul would still have to withstand the pain of being attacked.
Chu Mu currently had only fed his White Nightmare to the second phase, but he had already fully experienced the suffering both in his body and in his soul. The feeling of constantly being chased by death, being coerced by death, was almost worse than death itself.
Yet, this girl of similar age to himself could withstand this unimaginable torture and still feed her White Nightmare to Fourth Phase. Chu Mu found this hard to believe!
“You can say, if you kept living in your clan, even within twenty years, all your soul pets added together wouldn’t compare to a single one of her secondary pets.”
Xia Guanghan disparaged without any restraint.
Chu Mu stopped talking. Having a fourth phase White Nightmare at this age was almost outside of Chu Mu’s knowledge range. Especially because the person in question was a seemingly frail girl- this was a huge blow to his confidence.
“Your clan is waning. Nowadays, it has already left the list of the top four clans in Gang Luo City. In fact, they may be disqualified to elect positions for the Battle of the Realm. You should know perfectly well what losing this power means……”
Hearing this, Chu Mu’s heart immediately sank. The Chu Clan had indeed been declining constantly in the past few years, so getting removed from the top four clans was expected, but Chu Mu didn’t think that it’d come about this quick.
A centennial family could thrive and deteriorate in just a few rises and falls of the sun. This feeling must not feel well. Chu Mu could imagine his father and ancestors’ decrepit and sentimental looks after hearing this news.
Xia Guanghan had asked before the reason Chu Mu wasn’t willing to give up his pitiful life. The reason was that the declining clan and his father who was every busy for clan business.
Chu Mu understood the clan situation. According to Chu Mu’s estimate, the clan should still be able to maintain its current position for two or three years.
But now, within half a year, the clan had already completely exited the top four clan list. What could cause this sort of change could only be the disappearance of him.
Chu Mu couldn’t make sure what his father and the clan did after his disappearance, but to think that he caused the entire clan to decline two or three years earlier as a result, Chu Mu couldn’t help but feel a pang of grief.
Seeing Chu Mu emotionally affected, Xia Guanghan simply lifted the corner of his mouth and looked at the girl who always liked to gaze into the distance alone and said, “Little princess told me to give you a way to survive…...”
Xia Guanghan paused and continued, “The orders of the little princess I cannot disobey. I can leave you a way to survive- you can return to your clan right now…...”
Chu Mu looked on unexpectedly. Only after a moment did he abruptly direct his eyes towards the girl mysteriously shrouded within a veil!
The girl remained standing there, bearing a trace of melancholy that no outsider could decipher. Her enchanting body and unique manner unknowingly depicted a captivating image when contrasted with the depths of the sea and the blues of the sky…...
Chu Mu was very astonished. From his understanding, this Nightmare Palace girl should be just like the other Nightmare Palace members, cold and ruthless. In fact, during the inadvertent times they made eye contact, Chu Mu could feel the pride within her eyes. But it was this girl that Chu Mu thought was indifferent and aloof that ended up helping him without a reason.
“She…...Why would she help me…...” Chu Mu looked at this peculiar girl as this girl’s image in his mind drastically changed yet again.
“Maybe she pities you…...” Xia Guanghai laughed indifferently and continued.
“In reality, so what if I give you a path to survive? Your clan can no longer provide you with strong support. If someone wanted to kill you, they could still hire someone like me to get rid of you. You, the future hope of your clan, in the eyes of others, are nothing more than an ant that could be squashed at any time.”
Facing Xia Guanghan’s sardonic comments, Chu Mu didn’t have any rebuttal. In reality, Xia Guanghan wasn’t wrong. The clan has already dilapidated. The moment he went back, they would face a new wave of attacks. Chu Mu would only be able to grow behind the constant protection of his elders.
It could be said that Chu Mu’s return would only bring a greater burden to his clan…...
“Now, you have two roads to choose from. The first, return to your clan. If you choose to do so, I will retract your White Nightmare and you can live an easy and comfortable life. But, I imagine that your achievements would end there. You won’t be able to surpass me for the rest of your life, nevertheless people like the little princess.”
Xia Guanghan’s word were unimaginably heavy, so heavy that Chu Mu found it hard to breathe. The matters of the clan was like a mountain on Chu Mu’s body, the sole reason Chu Mu could live strongly until now. But Chu Mu clearly recognized that he, in his current state, couldn’t possibly revive the clan, and even further, couldn’t possibly walk out of the clan and become a truly top tier soul pet trainer.
“The White Nightmare is undoubtedly a devil, but it can also continuously force out your greatest potential, forcing you to pursue power with no time to rest.”
“The second path is the path I gave you: I don’t need to say it, you should know what this path means. If you can walk out of this alive, this unusually talented White Nightmare will be yours, and we will accept you as a member of our Nightmare Palace. You will receive a position of power and, as long as you keep on progressing as a trainer, what you can get from the Nightmare Palace is definitely not something your clan can provide……” Xia Guanghan said.
“These are two different paths. The first path may let you struggle but live on with your pitifully declining clan. The second path, as long as you walk upon it and survive, you will have the qualifications to become a god among men!”
Xia Guanghan’s words were like daggers, piercing straight into Chu Mu’s heart!!
Chu Mu looked at the haughty Xia Guanghan, and his emotions once again started violently fluctuating!
In a short time, Chu Mu’s emotions had already fluctuated several times.
Without Xia Guanghan saying, Chu Mu understood the path Xia Guanghan planned out for him.
Only one person lives in three thousand people, the race against death within Prison Island!
If it were a day ago, of the paths Xia Guanghan gave him, Chu Mu would’ve unhesitatingly chosen the first path. The past half year caused Chu Mu to feel unusually tired. Only returning home could mend this wound…...
But, at this moment, Chu Mu didn’t have the courage to choose the path with a predictable ending…...
Xia Guanghan’s power, the girl’s surprising strength, the clan’s decline and humiliation, the other clans’ overbearance and neglect…...
Just as Xia Guanghan said, he was still very weak. So what if he could return to his clan? He would only be able to witness the continuous and gradual decline of the clan…...
Additionally, Chu Mu could be sure that once the clan had fully fallen, the other clans would never give the youths of the Chu Clan a chance to get strong again. They would be constantly pressured and constantly restricted, creating a vicious loop.
“Hualala!”
Seawater bubbled around the boat, one wave after the other, and Chu Mu’s heart was just like these waves- restless every moment.
This was a choice, a choice that could change his entire life!
Xia Guanghan smiled while staring at Chu Mu, waiting for his decision without any sign of impatience.
At this moment, Chu Mu thought of many things…...
“Hualala”
An agitated wave abruptly clapped, sending water everywhere and spraying Chu Mu. His body was instantly frigid. This feeling brought all his thoughts back to reality.
Chu Mu’s chest kept on inflating and deflating. He looked at Xia Guanghan and asked, “Was the person who hired you to kill me Yang Luobin?!”
“I can’t say if it is him specifically, but it is someone from the Yang Clan. The Yang clan did not give me what I wanted, so I’ll deal with them eventually. Of course, without the hiring of the Yang clan, you are but a pure stranger to me. The reason I’m tell you this is simply because I admire your potential and I believe that you can become a strong individual……” Xia Guanghan said.
Chu Mu nodded. At this moment, he already had a decision in mind.
Chu Mu watched Xia Guanghan high above and said with a firm tone, “I choose the second path!”
Hearing Chu Mu’s reply, Xia Guanghan laughed. His laugh was very demonic, and chilling to the ear.
“Are you sure you choose the second path? Prison Island is a place where even “nine deaths and one alive” is an understatement……”
“I’m sure.” Chu Mu nodded. This time Chu Mu had no hesitation, his eyes full of unwavering determination!
“Very well, it seems like I won’t even have to release you in front of the little princess and then secretly assassinate you.” Xia Guanghan suddenly laughed.
Chu Mu anticipated that Xia Guanghan wouldn’t let him off easily, so he wasn’t very surprised at Xia Guanghan’s words.
“This is what you planned on sending out right?” Xia Guanghan said. As he said this, a letter suddenly appeared in his hands.
Chu Mu’s expression slightly changed. The letter in Xia Guanghan’s hand was from when Chu Mu wrote it in Heng City. Alhough he didn’t expect the clan to save him, he still wanted to send them the message that he was alive and that they had no need to worry about him.
But, Chu Mu didn’t imagine that Xia Guanghan was this powerful. A letter which he gave to a random person also landed back in his hands.
“This letter does not need to be sent. They think you’re dead already. In three years, if you survive, you can go and tell your clan that you are still alive. If you can’t, then there’s no need to give them false hope and let them wait painstakingly for three years.” Xia Guanghan offhandedly threw the letter into the ocean.
Seeing the letter flutter in the gale, Chu Mu also tightened his fist and was even more determined.
Three years! In three years time, if he has to walk out of Prison Island alive, he could stand at a height able to carry the entire clan, and able to firmly stamp on the other clans!
“Tomorrow I will send my soul pet to deliver you to Prison Island. Three years later, regardless of whether you are alive or death, this soul pet of mine will fly past the island once more……” Xia Guanghan said.
Chu Mu nodded and said, “What if within two years, I become the only one left?”
“Then you will live by yourself with the fierce soul pets on Prison Island for a year. Soul pet resources on Prison Island are very plentiful. If you utilize them well, it could still change your entire life.”
“Oh, by the way, I’ve already thrown Cao Yi onto the island. Whether you can kill him or not will depend on your luck.”
Xia Guanghan finished speaking and turned around, leaving the deck that welcomed the approaching sea winds and returned to his room.
After Xia Guanghan left, Chu Mu’s inner emotions remained in turmoil for long.
The path has been chosen. Chu Mu didn’t regret it. It was just battling and killing. If Xia Guanghan could do it, then so could he!
……
The sea breeze mellowed in the night, gently stirring the long hair of the girl by the rails. Her clothes fluttered with the wind, gorgeous and splendid…...
The girl had already stood there for a long time, silent and careless of others’ glances, simply calmly gazing on.
“Wuwuwu”
A tender murmur sounded. The delicate and lovable little Mo Xie lept onto the rails. Holding a piece of paper in her mouth, she used her pair of beautiful eyes to watch the unique girl.
The girl snapped back to reality and saw little Mo Xie suddenly appear. A hint of astonishment flashed through her eyes, but in a moment her gaze again became incomparably gentle, unable to resist the urge to extend a hand and pet Mo Xie’s clean and silver fur…...
The girl very quickly discovered the little piece of paper that Mo Xie was biting. Taking it, she opened the slip, holding some suspicion.
“Thank you.”
There were only two simple words on the paper, but the girl still understood very quickly, turning around to find Chu Mu’s figure, but she didn’t see him. She remembered that in the past Chu Mu would always sit on the deck and practice incantations…...
Unable to find Chu Mu, the girl ceased searching and rather extended her hand to pick up the delicate Mo Xie and asked with a clear voice, “Little guy, can you stay with me to watch the ocean?”
“Wuwuwu~~”
Mo Xie didn’t resist and just peacefully laid down on the girl’s lap, her eyes also gazing into the ocean…...
In another place, Chu Mu stood at the back of the boat path, distantly watching the girl who held Mo Xie. WIthout knowing why, he had a strange feeling lingering within him, propelling him to chat with the girl, to lift up her mysterious and hazy veil, to understand that glimmer of melancholy deep within her heart…...
White seagulls pursued the ocean spray as grey clouds chased the sea breeze. An azure sky, a deep blue sea- these tranquil yet beautiful surfaces brought each other out to create the most enchanting blue world…...
“Oh, is that so, he chose himself?” The girl with the veil questioned, her eyes watching the gradually disappearing black Ice Winged Tiger.
"Yes, he chose himself." Xia Guanghan nodded, also glancing at his soul pet who was sending Chu Mu away.
The girl went silent as an image of the boy sitting on the edge of the boat hugging his Moonlight Fox floated into her mind. In this half month of sea voyaging, she could always see the boy with his Moonlight Fox. The boy was stern and indifferent, but when he talked with the Moonlight Fox, his eyes always changed a bit. These scenes should be very uncommon…...
“Do you think that after three years, he can walk out of the place alive?” the girl asked.
“Maybe not, but this was his choice…...” Xia Guanghan said.
The girl once again looked at the leaving Chu Mu and didn’t say much more. Maybe, after three years, she would forget about this entirely.
In the sky, sitting on a magnificent Ice Winged Tiger’s broad back, Chu Mu turned around and looked at the boat, his eyes revealing complicated emotions…...
The girl wouldn’t mind such a normal event, but Chu Mu would always remember the melancholic and mysterious girl within the extremely evil Nightmare Palace.
She was both a target for Chu Mu to surpass, as well as a unique lily within Chu Mu’s dark and gloomy inner world, wavering around in the gusts of his mind.
However, three years was the minimum before Chu Mu felt like he could stand at the same stage as her…...