Eternal Swordmaster
Chapter 138 - 133: Taking a Disciple Part 1

Chapter 138: Chapter 133: Taking a Disciple Part 1

"Interesting,"

As he looked at the booklet in his hands, he paused slightly before continuing to flip through the pages.

The next page didn’t have any text but instead depicted a painting of a circle, a black ring that resembled a dark sun, surrounded by burning crimson flames.

For some reason, upon seeing this circle, Lin Xin felt an inexplicable sensation creeping over his heart. He frowned and continued to the next page.

’Once you enter the dark mansion, you can’t leave without killing.’

Below this sentence was a pattern of a figure drenched in blood, holding a Square Sky Halberd, surrounded by countless Demons and ghosts in bizarre human shapes.

He continued to flip to the next page.

’Kill, and illusions arise.’

Beneath the text was a turbid vortex of black and white, with an eye at its center, full of blood vessels.

"Illusions..." Lin Xin felt a chill in his heart and hurriedly flipped to the next page.

’Eternally fall into Hell.’

This was the last page, which contained only a field of blood red, with no pattern at all.

He picked up the booklet and only then did he realize that some pages had been added to the back, seemingly glued on with paper.

Continuing to the next section, the pages were just ordinary records, apparently written by someone named Kai.

’Power... such immense power... My cultivation is increasing too fast. I am indeed the protagonist of legend! Hahaha!! Rising to greatness is just around the corner, Yu Hua, wait for me!’

’April 14th, I killed my uncle inadvertently... I didn’t know... I really didn’t know... I thought he was a demon...’

’No one knows, thankfully. I buried the body behind the ruined temple on the back hill.’

’September 12th... I’ve already gone in fourteen times... It seems killing can suppress the illusions...’

’November 3rd, it’s becoming more difficult, I feel so tired... But if I don’t go, the illusions will intensify... If my cultivation can’t keep up...’

’Ha... hahaha....’ There were no more words after that, only some faint bloodstains.

Lin Xin took a deep breath and continued flipping. There were more glued pages, and the handwriting changed, seeming to belong to another person who had gotten hold of the booklet and continued writing.

’January 3rd, Summary: The dark mansion is infinitely large, yet it is divided into many small segments, each segment inaccessible on its own. I’ve tried several times and failed to find a boundary.’

’March 8th, Summary: Objects can be freely brought into the dark mansion, but things brought out can only be placed in the dark dwelling upon leaving. Whether it is summoning the sedan or maintaining the dark dwelling, it will consume Demon Talisman Seed.’

’April 16th, Summary: Unexpectedly, there are formidable figures among the wild outsiders. Having been in Core Formation for over a century, this is my first taste of defeat. Not bad, not bad!’

’September 22nd, Summary: Made friends inside, raised glasses, and spoke merrily. Upon hearing of this matter, all were astounded. They call us "strangers."’

’The following year, January 3rd. Summary: The wine was poisoned, and in my disappointment, I killed three hundred people and withdrew.’

’Three years later, on March 5th, upon re-entry, Summary: As one ages, illusions appear, which can be suppressed by cultivation, but cannot be eradicated, only sealed, and they will inexplicably grow stronger.’

’Three years later, Summary: Entering the dark mansion, slaughter quenches thirst as poison does.’

’Five years later, Summary: Going to battle this time, I don’t know if I can return. There might be regrets, but...’

The handwriting after that became sloppy, as if the writer was agitated.

"From the beginning composure to the eventual exhaustion from illusions, even a Golden Core Stage cultivator cannot escape?" Lin Xin’s heart grew colder.

"Let me summarize: the place I’m going to is called the dark mansion, which could be entered using a Demon Talisman Seed, but that would consume the Demon Talisman Seed. The Demon Talisman Seed must be continuously obtained by killing enemies inside. And once entered, one must kill to exit; otherwise, they cannot leave."

He recalled his first entry, where he seemed to have exploded a Talisman Sword to kill a noodle person, indeed so.

"Then, once killing begins, the illusions start and grow stronger over time. One must rapidly increase their cultivation to suppress them, but the speed of cultivation enhancement is far less than the pace at which the illusions intensify, so it’s necessary to keep killing in the dark mansion to accelerate cultivation."

"However, the dark mansion also continuously increases the difficulty, and once one encounters an insurmountable difficulty and cannot continue, they fall into stagnation in their cultivation until they are completely consumed by the illusions."

He closed his eyes to ponder.

"So, what happens to those who are overwhelmed by their own illusions?"

"Have they gone mad? Or did they die?"

The booklet also had many tiny annotations, written by another person.

Lin Xin looked at them and realized they were observations on specific details.

For instance, regarding the dark dwelling mentioned, it should refer to the environment he currently found himself in.

An environment that overlaps with reality yet contains no one else but himself.

These details were of great help in giving Lin Xin a fuller understanding and he also learned that the dark dwelling’s existence would last longer the more he entered the dark mansion, but in the outside world, it would always only be for one night. It was the best place to meditate on Cultivation Techniques.

After reading these annotations, Lin Xin felt a turmoil stirring within him. He noticed something: all the records and comments only mentioned that the Demon Talisman Seed was a tool for entering and exiting the dark mansion and maintaining the dark dwelling, but no one mentioned the eerie carriage and that the Demon Talisman Seed could be absorbed for self-strengthening.

"Moreover, the first time I came here, I didn’t have any Demon Talisman Seed..." Lin Xin faintly felt that he was different from them, yet he didn’t understand why.