Chapter 248 : Are You Real?
"Where am I? This place—why is it so dark? I can't see anything around me," Chen Tian thought to himself as he reached out his hand, desperately trying to find something to hold onto.
After using the fire crystal, his body couldn't handle the aftereffects, and he lost consciousness.
When he finally regained consciousness, Chen Tian found himself in a dark space with no light. He felt a sense of confusion, but he didn't panic and instead tried to search for any signs of his surroundings.
He carefully explored the space around him, using his spiritual sense, hoping to find a wall or object that could provide some orientation.
However, to his surprise, his senses didn't work; the darkness seemed impenetrable. Not only that, Chen Tian lost connection to his dantian and spiritual Qi, leaving him anxious for the first time.
"What is this place? How could I be completely cut off from my senses and Dantian?" Chen Tian wondered aloud.
The absence of his Dantian made him question whether he was dreaming or not.
With each passing moment, his anxiety grew, and he realized that his calm approach was no longer enough.
"Are you real?" A voice echoed in the darkness.
Startled, Chen Tian tried to locate the source of the voice, but it seemed to come from all directions at once.
"Who's there?" He called out, his voice slightly raised.
As if in response, a dim light flickered into existence, revealing a figure standing before him.
Seeing the figure suddenly appear in front of him, Chen Tian froze.
The figure was cloaked in shadows, its face obscured by darkness, making it impossible to discern whether it was a man or a woman.
A tingling sensation crawled up his spine, the hairs on his neck standing on end as he readied himself for combat.
His hand instinctively reached for the hilt of his sword, but there was nothing. There was no storage ring on his hand!
The absence of his storage ring also took him by surprise.
"I said, Who are you?" Chen Tian repeated, his voice firm despite the tremor in his heart.
The figure stayed silent and continued to gaze at Chen Tian, its eyes piercing through the darkness.
Chen Tian felt a wave of unease wash over him, unsure of what this mysterious figure's intentions were.
His instinct told him that the person in front of him was someone he couldn't face.
A being that possessed otherworldly power and was beyond his comprehension. Every fiber of his being urged him to run—something that had never happened before.
Even when many cultivators in the Nine Heavens ambushed him and his life was in danger, Chen Tian had never felt the need to flee. But this figure, with its intense presence and unfathomable aura, was different.
Chen Tian knew that any attempt to challenge it would only lead to his demise.
He could sense an air of danger emanating from this figure, causing his heart to race even faster.
With each passing second, the silence grew more deafening, heightening the tension in the air. Chen Tian knew he had to act quickly and gather his wits about him before facing whatever awaited him.
"Are you real?" A question escaped the figure's lips, its voice cold and emotionless.
"Huh… W-What?" Chen Tian didn't expect a response from the figure, let alone a question.
He hesitated, unsure of how to respond. The figure's piercing gaze made him feel vulnerable and exposed.
Chen Tian gathered his courage and replied cautiously, "Yes, I am real. Who are you?" The figure remained silent; its eyes still focused on Chen Tian within the darkness.
The tension in the air became almost unbearable, and Chen Tian could feel his palms getting sweaty with nervousness.
"Real, huh…" The figure chuckled softly, the sound echoing in the darkness. Chen Tian's heart raced at the eerie laughter, unsure of its meaning.
The figure finally spoke again, its voice filled with a hint of amusement. "After all this time, finally you're real." The words sent a shiver down Chen Tian's spine as he struggled to make sense of them. "What do you mean, 'finally'?" he stammered.
The figure didn't respond to Chen Tian's question immediately.
Instead, it took a step closer, causing Chen Tian to take a step back in response. The figure's features were still obscured in the darkness, making it impossible for Chen Tian to make out any details.
The air grew heavier with anticipation as the figure continued to mumble unintelligibly to itself.
Chen Tian's anxiety intensified.
"Strength is not good enough." Chen Tian's heart raced at the figure's words. What did they mean by his strength not being good enough?
"You should go back."
"…Even if you're real, you can't do anything." Chen Tian's confusion deepened as he tried to decipher the figure's unclear remark.
The words echoed in his mind: "go back." "Go back." "Go back." "Go back."
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The darkness began to recede slowly, as if being pushed back by an unseen force. Rays of light started to pierce through the gloom, illuminating the surroundings.
Chen Tian squinted his eyes, trying to adjust to the sudden brightness.
As the light filled the room, to his surprise, he still couldn't see the figure standing in front of him.
Before Chen Tian could react, a blinding light enveloped the entire space, rendering him temporarily blind.
"Um!" Chen Tian opened his eyes and found himself lying on a bed. The room was unfamiliar.
Confusion washed over him as he tried to recall how he ended up here.
His head throbbed with pain, making it difficult to think clearly. Slowly, he sat up and looked around, searching for any clues as to his whereabouts.
"Ugh!, My body still aches from opening the fire crystal," he muttered to himself, realizing that there was still pain coming from his body.
"Who was that person?" Chen Tian wondered, his memory still hazy.
For the first time, Chen Tian felt small in front of someone; even against all immortals and higher beings, Chen Tian wouldn't feel this kind of feeling, but that person gave Chen Tian a weird sensation.
Chen Tian was so deep in thought that he didn't notice someone approaching. As he continued to ponder the mysterious person, a sudden voice from behind startled Chen Tian.
"Oh, you're awake."