vrcanaries Chapter 738 Victory in the first battle
Chapter 738 Victory in the first battle
Those images seemed to be covered by a thick curtain, and no matter how hard he tried, he could not reach them.
"Okay." Doctor Zhang sighed, "Maybe this is for the best."
Chen Yile frowned: "What do you mean?"
Doctor Zhang didn't answer, but handed him the bowl of medicine: "Drink it first. Your body needs to recover."
Chen Yile took the bowl of medicine, hesitated for a moment, and drank it.
The medicine tasted bitter, but he could feel a warm current flowing down his throat, gradually dispelling the coldness in his body.
"Tell me the truth." Chen Yile put down the medicine bowl. "What on earth have I been through? Why do I feel like I've experienced death so many times?"
Doctor Zhang was silent for a moment, then finally spoke: "Do you remember things from your childhood? Like how you always fed your mother medicine?"
Chen Yile nodded: "Of course I remember. She always said it was to make me healthier."
"Actually..." Doctor Zhang's voice suddenly became low. "Those medicines are mixed with a special powder. It's rust powder scraped from bronze artifacts, and it can give people some special abilities."
Chen Yile's eyes widened: "What ability?"
"The ability of reincarnation." Doctor Zhang looked him straight in the eye. "Three thousand years ago, your mother—no, the high priestess—voluntarily accepted divine punishment in order to save the common people."
"She sealed the curse in her own bloodline, passing it down from generation to generation. And you are the heir of this curse."
Chen Yile felt dizzy and grabbed the headboard to avoid falling. "What are you talking about? I don't believe this nonsense!"
"You don't believe me?" Doctor Zhang sneered. "Then tell me, why did you keep shouting 'I will take my body and bear the curse of heaven' while you were unconscious? Why did you see countless reflections of yourself in your dreams? Why did you feel like something was gnawing at your back?"
Chen Yile opened his mouth, but no words came out. Those images suddenly flooded into his mind.
The bronze coffin in the underground palace, his mother's tears, the star markings on the soul-calming bell, and the insect eggs that crawled out of his back.
"Is this all true?" he muttered to himself. "Did I really go through all that?"
"Yes." Doctor Zhang stood up. "But fortunately, you finally broke the curse. The power of the Soul-Calming Bell helped you break the seal, and those baby spirits and the sacrificial offerings were purified."
Chen Yile closed his eyes, feeling the peace in his heart. He didn't know whether it was true or not, but he was sure of one thing: those nightmares were finally over.
A month later, Chen Yile returned to his home. The sunlight shone through the window onto his face, bringing a long-lost warmth.
He stood in front of the mirror and looked at himself. He looked no different from before, but he felt more relaxed than ever before.
"It's all over," he whispered.
After returning home, Chen Yile opened a drawer and took out the Soul-Calming Bell. It lay quietly in his palm, its surface no longer glowing. He knew that the bell had fulfilled its mission.
He returned the soul-calming bell to its place and walked toward the window. The sun was still warm, and the breeze gently caressed his face. At this moment, he finally felt true peace.
At this moment, Chen Yile in the illusion suddenly had a splitting headache, as if he was trying to escape from something.
When Chen Yile's consciousness was pulled out of the illusion, it was as if he woke up from a long nightmare.
He lay in a dark and damp space, surrounded by the smell of decay.
He tried to recall what he had just experienced, but the images quickly dissipated like smoke.
"What is this place?" he asked in a low voice.
He stood up and looked around. It was a dilapidated temple, the walls full of cracks, and broken Buddha statues leaning in the corners.
The moonlight filtered through the broken roof, casting mottled shadows on the ground.
Chen Yile stood up. The wound on his back had disappeared, replaced by a strange feeling of numbness.
He touched his body and found that everything was intact.
"Everything just now... was just an illusion?" he muttered to himself.
Just then, a cold wind suddenly blew in from the temple gate.
Chen Yile shuddered subconsciously and looked up, only to see a blurry figure standing at the door.
"You're awake." said a hoarse voice.
Chen Yile's heartbeat suddenly quickened. He recognized the voice; it was the man who had claimed to be the messenger of Hades before entering the illusion.
"This is the first of the 108 levels of the underworld. It seems you are quite capable. You will emerge from this illusion in a short while."
"A little while? Have you been waiting here for me to wake up? How did I get here?"
The man glanced at Chen Yile and said, "You entered the illusion through a spatial crack. Only when you successfully solve the problem in the illusion will your body randomly appear somewhere in the underworld. It took me a while to find you here."
"Now that you're awake, come with me."
"Where?"
The man turned and walked towards the temple gate.
"To the next spatial rift. Let's go, time is running out."
the man urged.
Chen Yile hesitated for a moment, but eventually followed him out of the ruined temple. The night wind blew across his face, bringing a hint of coolness.
After leaving the dilapidated temple, Chen Yile discovered that the outside world was completely different from the underworld he had imagined. The streets were brightly lit, and pedestrians came and went, like a bustling market. However, upon closer inspection, the faces of those pedestrians were blurry, as if they were just illusions.
"This is the marketplace of the underworld." The man walked ahead and said without looking back, "The rules here are simple - the strong are respected."
Chen Yile followed behind, scanning the surroundings with vigilance. He could sense a strange aura in the air, as if danger could arise at any moment.
"Do you know where the space crack is?" Chen Yile asked.
"I think so." The man stopped and turned around. "We need to find a special door hidden in a corner of the underworld. Opening it will lead us to the next level."
The two walked through the streets and finally stopped in front of an old wooden door. Hanging on the door was a tattered lock, covered with traces of time.
"Here it is," the man said, pointing to the door lock. "Drop your blood on this lock, and the door will open."
Chen Yile was stunned: "My blood?"
"Indeed." The man nodded. "Your blood carries some special power. It is the key to opening this door."
Chen Yile hesitated for a moment, but finally bit his finger and dripped blood onto the padlock.
The blood quickly coagulated, emitting a faint glow. At this moment, the wooden door suddenly vibrated, making a creaking sound. Chen Yile took a few steps back, nervously watching the wooden door slowly open. A thick, sinister aura poured out from the crack.