Chapter Fifteen: Ascending to Slay the Spirit Beast!

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Yufan’s hand pressed gently against his chest, where his restless heartbeat seemed to stand in stark contrast to the surrounding stillness. He slowly propped himself up, eyes scanning the surroundings. He found himself lying on a colossal circular platform, its edges smooth and mirror-like, reflecting a faint and eerie glow. Beyond the platform stretched an endless abyss, so profound it seemed capable of swallowing all light and sound. Only the occasional gust stirred the air, carrying with it a chilling echo.

Clutching his chest, Yufan struggled to stand, each step feeling like a battle against an unseen force. Staggering toward the platform’s edge, every footfall sent subtle tremors through the space, as if the very fabric of this realm responded to his movements. At last, he halted, gripping the platform’s rim tightly, icy cold seeping through his fingertips deep into his core. Summoning his courage, he peered down into the bottomless chasm.

Beneath lay a chaotic sea woven from darkness and confusion—no stars, no moonlight, only sporadic flickers of ghostly light, like the eyes of ancient lost souls watching silently from the void. The wind howled through the abyss, turning into mournful wails that pierced Yufan’s very soul, causing involuntary shivers.

Yet what unsettled him most was the faint outline of some immense, unknown presence stirring deep within the darkness, slowly writhing as if awakening from eternal slumber.

Drawing a steady breath, Yufan withdrew his gaze with resolve, silently telling himself, “This place is no place to linger; I must leave this delicate realm quickly.” He closed his eyes, hands gradually opening as spiritual energy surged within, converging in his palms.

A soft hum arose as translucent blue spiritual rings radiated outward from his hands, like the first rays of dawn breaking through the gloom, their brilliance stark against the dim surroundings.

The rings expanded swiftly.

Yufan fixed his gaze on the pale blue circles, a wave of determination swelling within. Suddenly lifting his head, his eyes pierced the seemingly boundless darkness above. Inwardly, he calculated, “If there is no path upward, then I must plunge deeper into this unknown abyss—perhaps a glimmer of hope awaits.”

He inhaled deeply, then thrust his feet forcefully off the platform, launching himself like an arrow into the unfathomable black abyss.

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The spiritual rings surrounding him blazed even brighter as he sped through the darkness, serving as his solitary beacon in this pitch-black world. The wind roared past like sharpened blades, slicing through the silence but failing to slow him in the slightest.

Yufan moved like lightning, weaving through the shadows of the abyss, narrowly evading sudden threats. All around him, countless jagged stone spikes seemed driven by invisible forces, firing out from the darkness with piercing whooshes aimed straight at his vital points.

His movements were swift and precise, as if he and this space had become one. Every twist, every leap was perfectly timed to evade the deadly assaults.

Just as Yufan focused intently on dodging, the previously dim spikes suddenly burst with strange light—first flickering points, then spreading rapidly as if awakened by some force. The abyss’s depths began to glow with these luminous spots.

Yufan’s pupils contracted sharply. The once-quiet lights quickly coalesced into bizarre beasts of varied shapes, each surrounded by a ghostly aura.

Some were fierce and menacing, others oddly uncanny, all with piercing gazes locked unerringly on Yufan. Though their jaws remained shut, a palpable ferocity radiated from them. At a low, unified roar, as if responding to a silent command, they surged into attack.

A thick sense of danger filled the air. The glowing beasts swept toward Yufan like a dark tidal wave whipped up by a storm.

Some soared, beating their wings and sending visible ripples through the air; others skidded close to the ground, limbs flashing like lightning, leaving scorched marks on the abyss floor. The pale blue spiritual rings encircling Yufan shone ever brighter under this fierce onslaught, yet they trembled precariously.

Facing the overwhelming horde, Yufan’s eyes flickered with resolute calm. He swiftly summoned his remaining spiritual power, forming hand seals. Instantly, the blue rings flared brilliantly, erecting an unbreakable barrier of light around him.

The glowing beasts, seemingly drawn by invisible force, slammed against the barrier with shrill metallic clashes, sparks flying, but failing to breach it.

Among them, the largest beast, radiating the brightest eerie light, tilted its head back and howled, its roar shaking the surrounding space. It leapt with claws gleaming coldly, slicing through the air toward Yufan’s vital spots.

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Yufan twisted his body just in time to narrowly evade, simultaneously thrusting his palm forward. A concentrated blue beam shot out like an arrow, striking the giant beast’s abdomen.

The beast howled in pain and rolled away, yet its fury ignited a frenzy among the other beasts.

Under the glow of the light, the giant’s massive form blurred and then dissolved into a wisp of pure spiritual energy, condensing into a high-grade spirit token emitting a faint ethereal glow, which slowly drifted into the abyssal darkness. Yufan, still panting heavily, fixed his gaze on the token, but a chill gripped his heart. The beasts did not retreat despite their leader’s disappearance; freed from restraint, they grew even more frenzied, their eyes burning with bloodthirsty madness.

Yufan knew he was gravely wounded and nearly drained of spiritual power. To continue resisting was certain death. Gritting his teeth, determination flickered in his eyes as he resolved to risk everything.

He drew a deep breath, his entire being ignited by this desperate will, instantly erupting in a dazzling radiance that tore a rift through the surrounding darkness. He surged upward like a meteor streaking across the night sky, racing toward the breach. Each step thundered with spiritual energy, as if he were racing against time itself.

His heart pounded like a drum, sweat mingling with blood blurring his vision, yet his eyes remained resolute. Abruptly, he halted midair, feet planted firmly as if he were an indomitable war god. The lead spirit beast, eyes glowing red, clenched a gathering orb of spiritual energy in its mouth, brighter than the stars, a force of destruction slicing through the air toward Yufan.

Drawing a steadying breath, Yufan’s residual spiritual power surged with the urgency of life and death. His hands moved swiftly through seals, each gesture precise and resolute, as though performing an ancient, solemn rite. The pale blue spiritual rings trembled violently around him, threatening to shatter, yet in this dire moment, they miraculously merged into a brilliant pillar of light shooting skyward from his palms, aimed straight at the deadly orb.