Light Fortress
Chapter 779 - 20: Eternal Golden Spike Flowers (Requesting Monthly Tickets!)

Chapter 779: Chapter 20: Eternal Golden Spike Flowers (Requesting Monthly Tickets!)

"My King... until today, I have finally awaited Your arrival."

My King?

Gu Shen was momentarily stunned, then realized he was being addressed.

No... more precisely, he was speaking with the strand of "Netherworld King’s Fire" located between his eyebrows.

Since the Divine War at the cemetery, the breath of the Netherworld King’s Spark had merged with the "Chi Huo" between his eyebrows. After the fusion, although Gu Shen still couldn’t refine the fire... in every movement, he could already display a faint Divine’s pressure.

This was why Chi Huo could directly overwhelm the Ghost Veil!

This is the unignited fire of the Netherworld King—

Though now its momentum is weak.

But one day... it will become a raging inferno!

After the Big Snake finished speaking, it maintained a posture of bowing respectfully.

Gu Shen touched his forehead.

He frowned and slowly looked toward the maze.

Twenty-one years?

This Big Snake, was it a "pet beast" left behind by the previous Netherworld King?

Lin Lin kept a dog with the ability of Mental Hypnosis, so it seems reasonable that the Netherworld King kept such a snake with awakening abilities... only, this snake was much too large.

Is it because we are in a Dream?

"Dispel the Dream, let me see what you look like in the real world."

Gu Shen issued his first command.

The surroundings did not change.

"My King... what you see now is my true form," the Big Snake respectfully spoke.

Gu Shen’s pupils slightly constricted.

"I walk between reality and illusion... I am the Spirit of Ferry in the ’Pure Land’."

The golden slender Snake Eyes fixed on Gu Shen, the Big Snake slowly flicking its tongue, its voice delicate: "You were grievously injured, settled me here, saying it was to wait for our next meeting in the cycle of fate."

"So, all this..."

Gu Shen looked at the blood all over the ground.

"If you do not mind... these Transcendents can be extracted to become souls in the ’Pure Land’," the Big Snake softly said: "Over the years, I have prepared many souls for the king, buried under this canyon, sparkling with brilliant soul fire, your Netherworld Fire can feast at will."

"Extract?"

Upon hearing this, Gu Shen’s Chi Huo actually really responded.

Chi Huo covered his field of vision.

He seemed to truly see through this Dream... members of the Investigation Corps Second Team, these Transcendents had not died in battle, but had fallen into this Dream, their spirits had entered into Silent Annihilation, and their bodies were frozen by the heavy snow!

So... that’s the oddity in the book of life and death!

This Big Snake, following the will of the previous Netherworld King, remained here, collecting the souls of the "explorers"...

And what was terrifying was.

Yuan Yuan, Li Chen, Su He... the souls of these individuals were like faint glimmers of light, and with a single thought of his own, he could decide whether to extinguish them or rekindle them.

This kindling was not about directly awakening them.

It was about igniting the soul in an "alternative" way...

These Transcendents entrapped within the spiritual world of the Big Snake, once summoned by Chi Huo in this manner to "resurrect," they would become soldiers of the Netherworld King!

"This... is extraction!"

This thought... merely flashed for a moment before Gu Shen abandoned it.

"I do not want extraction."

Gu Shen said coldly, "I want them all ’revived’."

Big Snake was slightly startled, speaking softly, "My king... actually, they are not dead, but their spirits have fallen into ’oblivion’. These were your commands back then. Without your token and entrustment, they must not be released."

The previous Netherworld King had left such commands?

Gu Shen narrowed his eyes slightly.

"The spirits of these Transcendents can be revived, but the ones before..." Big Snake coiled atop the rocky mountain.

Gu Shen turned back to look; in the piercing wind, a dim soul fire flickered faintly.

That was the soul of the past.

The winding labyrinth, at this moment, no longer concealed itself, countless pathways extending outward; the barriers now seemed like air... Within this Snow Mountain Maze, Gu Shen saw countless wanderers.

Not only the Transcendents of the Investigation Corps... but also some exploratory troops from other continents, those who had previously reached the maze, many were buried beneath the snow.

Big Snake had preserved their souls, waiting for the Netherworld King’s extraction.

And their bodies had already eternally stilled in the ice.

These people’s bodies had suffered severe erosion... and could no longer be revived.

Gu Shen said softly, "I understand, revive these people before you."

One had to say, seeing that multitude of emerging soul fires genuinely startled Gu Shen.

These, all are spirits that I could "extract"?

But... even the methods of the former Netherworld King, no matter how powerful, could not revive a ruined body.

"Carefully as you wish."

Big Snake bowed its head slightly, flicking its thin tongue, a burst of golden mist spewed out, and eleven soul fires from Investigation Corps Second Team gently dissipated within the gold mist... the previous battle had actually erupted in a dream, and the participants of the second team hadn’t suffered real injuries.

If there were any.

It was some spiritual damage.

In that recent battle, Big Snake saw the "Monarch" after a separation of twenty-one years, mistaking Gu Shen’s observant gaze for an inspecting stare, hence it unleashed its strongest fighting power without reservation...

The elite squad of the Investigation Corps Second Team had never experienced such a fierce battle.

Despite their utmost efforts, in perfect coordination, the entire battle situation was still an utterly devastating sweep.

Utterly defeated!

"The survivor" to the end, Li Chen, even thought it was merely a pointless game for Big Snake.

In fact.

Big Snake didn’t have such a time-wasting penchant; it was merely demonstrating its power to Gu Shen.

Watching these eleven soul fires slowly fading from his Netherworld King’s perception.

Gu Shen felt much relief in his heart.

He looked at Big Snake, frowning as he asked, "How many years... have you followed me?"

"..."

Big Snake’s golden eyes slightly narrowed.

It seemed to be pondering.

And after a long silence.

It slowly spoke, "My king, since birth, we have only met once..."

This was an answer that took Gu Shen by surprise.

He had been somewhat worried, this being a creature nurtured by the previous Netherworld King—would it recognize his true identity... From the recent sensations, it seemed to recognize its master through the aura of the "Netherworld King’s Fire."

"Twenty-one years... You’ve only grown for twenty-one years?"

Gu Shen was somewhat astonished.

This Big Snake, even in the real world, was a hundred meters in size, and judging from the combat power it had just displayed, it was likely capable of directly destroying a city. Without the cooperation of two Titled individuals, it was almost impossible to stop it...

If one were to classify it according to the danger level of missions assigned by Deep Sea.

It was definitely an "S-Class" mission!

The Big Snake bowed its head, closed its eyes, and assumed a serene pose of contemplation, as a dim black flame slowly emerged from between its brows.

Gu Shen’s Chi Huo once again stirred with that familiar sense of resonance.

"So that’s how it is..."

The previous Netherworld King had actually split off a strand of fire, leaving it to the young snake twenty-one years ago.

No wonder.

It could survive in the Old World, such a snake spirit, devouring Extraordinary Essence and the spirit of the deceased, nurtured under the "Netherworld King’s Fire" and grown in twenty-one years into such power... It made sense.

Gu Shen spoke again, "About those twenty-one years, how much do you remember?"

This was a question he cared about deeply.

Mr. Gu Changzhi had told him... After he explored the Old World, he fought a great battle with the Netherworld King and put an end to it.

And at that time, the Netherworld King had gone mad.

Completely out of control!

Calculating the time, twenty-one years ago was almost the point when the Netherworld King lost control. He had placed this snake spirit in the maze of the Old World, perhaps related to that ominous loss of control?

The Big Snake slowly shook its head.

"At that time... my spiritual wisdom had not awakened." It hissed, "I only remember, this strand of fire nurtured me in the Pure Land, I will follow you until the Pure Land collapses, the world shatters."

This Big Snake was birthed from the Pure Land of the former Netherworld King...

Gu Shen narrowed his eyes.

Because of the fire of the same origin, he felt increasingly close to this Big Snake... He reached out a palm, and the Big Snake slowly brought its head closer, as Gu Shen had stepped into the Big Snake’s Dream earlier, the sparks clinging to the cold snow rock, he had faintly felt something was unusual.

The body temperature of this Big Snake was colder than snow.

But because of the "Fire" and the "Netherworld King’s Power," even the cold-blooded creature had awakened human emotions.

The moment the palm touched.

Gu Shen felt an ultimate rule binding him and the Big Snake together.

Just like extracting the soul fire of the deceased.

He could reclaim his own "Power of Fire" at any time.

But after reclaiming the power... the Big Snake’s strength would greatly diminish.

If it continued to linger in the Old World, there was only one outcome, death.

Gu Shen did not do so.

He looked at the Big Snake, his gaze piercing through its soul.

After thinking for a moment, Gu Shen spoke softly, "Actually... I am not the person who nurtured you here twenty-one years ago."

The Big Snake looked up in confusion.

Its golden snake eyes filled with perplexity.

"But I have inherited that strand of fire..."

Gu Shen said calmly, "You can choose to follow me, and I will grant you a longer life, or you can choose freedom, and I will not reclaim that strand of fire."

"My king..."

The Big Snake was silent for a moment, still using that title.

It spoke softly, "For twenty-one years, I was born from the Pure Land, placed here, my soul a chaos, only remembering one voice..."

"That voice told me, follow that strand of fire, the fire is my king."

And twenty-one years later.

It saw very clearly.

Gu Shen... was that strand of fire.

Gu Shen, was that king!

"So..."

The Big Snake respectfully said, "My king, I choose to follow you, not for a longer life, but for the true freedom I deeply long for."

"Very well."

Gu Shen nodded, he did not say much more, but asked, "Do you have a name?"

"A name..."

The Big Snake once again looked bewildered.

It shook its head.

Since being born from the Pure Land, it had never had a name.

Gu Shen smiled and said, "Let me see your entirety... your whole self."

As the voice fell.

The booming sound of shattering echoed continuously in his ears, and within this realm of dreams, the Big Snake unabashedly revealed its "power," its huge snake body turned out to be the final exit of the maze, the mountains collapsed, the snow shattered.

A long body connecting the clouds and the Heavenly Curtain raised up in front of him.

The Big Snake vigorously shook itself, emitting a melodious hiss.

Each black scale opened and shut, emitting a crisp vibration!

The golden color of its snake eyes overflowed.

Its scales, which transformed from black to a dazzling golden color, were like diamond-shaped petals, emitting a pleasant colliding sound.

In that moment, Gu Shen also unfolded his own "Dream."

The Pure Land, directly descended!

The upright Big Snake, stared at this scene before its eyes...

The Pure Land of its memories.

It was a chaotic appearance.

But now, it was completely different. In the distant sky, a Sky-reaching Tree hung boundless greenery, and beyond that, vibrant life was abundant in all directions.

There were golden petals swirling around itself.

These petals, reflecting the color of its own scales, shimmered brilliantly.

"This, is what the Pure Land looks like now."

Gu Shen plucked a golden spike flower, held it up to his face, looking at the Big Snake.

He slowly said, "This is the golden spike flower, a symbol of eternity in the Pure Land, the same color as your scales. From now on, your name... shall be Golden Spike Flower."