Chapter 14098 Too weak
Chapter 14098 Too weak
Ling Xiao, however, seemed oblivious, sitting there quietly, motionless, like a stone statue frozen in time.
A full hour passed, and he remained in the same position, staring blankly ahead, as if lost in endless contemplation.
Only the bulging veins on his clenched fists, like winding earthworms, and the churning waves in his eyes, revealed the turbulent storm deep within his heart.
He secretly vowed to recover his strength as soon as possible, to trample all those who had hurt or hindered him under his feet, and to lead the Batian Empire to a more glorious future under his rule.
That unprecedented feeling of weakness, like the surging and icy waters of a starry sea, rushed in from all directions and instantly overwhelmed him completely.
He felt as if he were in an endless abyss, his body as heavy as if it were being crushed by thousands of mountains, every inch of his skin and every bone groaning in pain.
In a daze, his thoughts drifted back to the void, and the scene of facing the giant tortoise kept replaying in his mind like a nightmare.
The giant tortoise was as large as a moving mountain, and its shell was covered with mysterious and ancient patterns, as if it contained the deepest secrets of the universe.
Each of its low growls was like a thunderbolt, causing ripples to spread across the surrounding void; each of its movements stirred up the sea of stars, dimming the stars themselves.
Before that giant tortoise, he was like an insignificant ant, as insignificant as dust.
All the spells and attacks he unleashed with all his might were like tickling the giant tortoise's impenetrable defense, having no effect whatsoever.
That profound sense of powerlessness, like a burning brand, seared his soul, causing him unbearable pain.
"Tsk..."
Just then, a soft sneer filled with strong disdain rang in his ear.
Ling Xiao slowly opened his heavy eyelids and saw Green Spirit standing in front of his bed with her arms crossed and a disdainful look on her face.
Her bright eyes swept over Ling Xiao, her gaze filled with mockery and disdain, as if she were watching a huge joke.
"What, did that giant tortoise crush your Dao heart? Do you feel like a slug in the starry sea, weak, incompetent, and disgusting?"
Green Spirit curled her lip and said mercilessly, her voice sharp as a blade, piercing straight into Ling Xiao's heart.
Ling Xiao did not deny it, but moved his chapped lips slightly and squeezed out a single word from deep in his throat: "...Mm."
The sound was as faint as a candle flickering in the wind, as if it might be extinguished at any moment.
Green Spirit rolled her eyes so wide they almost reached the sky, and bluntly retorted, "I also think you're incredibly weak! So weak that I'm embarrassed for you! Back in the day, you were so full of vigor and so arrogant, but now you've ended up in such a miserable state. It's laughable!"
As she spoke, she pointed with her finger to the area hovering above Lingxiao, as if to emphasize his disheveled and miserable state.
"Listen! If you want to live, squeeze every last bit of strength out of your bones! Don't just lie here half-dead, like a coward!"
Green Spirit's tone was firm and resolute, leaving no room for negotiation.
Ling Xiao slowly raised his eyes, his gaze as still as dead water, without a ripple.
His eyes revealed endless weariness and despair, as if he had lost all hope for everything.
Seeing this, Green Spirit spoke rapidly, her words carrying an undeniable determination: "Strength... strength... strength... In this dog-eat-dog world, the only thing you need to do is desperately increase your strength! Only with great strength can you protect yourself, protect those you care about, and gain a foothold in this vast sea of stars!"
Ling Xiao swallowed with difficulty, a sharp pain shooting through his throat.
His voice was hoarse, like rusty iron scraping against each other, as he slowly said, "Cultivation... haste makes waste... My body is so weak right now, if I force myself to increase my strength, I'm afraid it will backfire..."
Green Spirit ignored his explanation, put her hands on her hips, and shouted, "What kind of time is this? What kind of high-sounding principles are you spouting to me now? This is not the time for you to slowly recuperate. If you don't want to die, if you don't want to become someone else's prisoner, then pull yourself together and do everything in your power to improve your strength! Even if there is only a sliver of hope, you cannot give up!"
"Haste makes waste?"
As if she had heard the most absurd and laughable joke in the world, Green Spirit suddenly placed her hands on her slender yet powerful waist, a mocking sneer curling at the corner of her mouth.
Her body shimmered violently with inner turmoil, the light flickering like a star about to explode, ready to unleash boundless fury at any moment. "Is waiting to die really 'enlightened'? You just plan to wait like this, waiting for an even more ruthless and terrifying being to emerge from behind that spatial tunnel like locusts, crushing you and this ruined city into dust like an insignificant ant, and that's 'enlightened'?"
Her voice was sharp and piercing, like a blade slicing through the silent night sky, echoing in Ling Xiao's ears.
"If a powerful figure from the Heavenly Abyss Sanctuary arrives, filled with murderous intent and boundless greed, and slaughters all those you value, spilling their blood across the city and turning it into a ghost town, is that all it takes to 'achieve'? Sometimes, you have to be quick! Time waits for no one, and neither do your enemies. Every second you hesitate brings you one step closer to death!"
Ling Xiao fell silent.
His gaze was fixed blankly on the distance, where the dark vortex suspended above the Tianyuan Dynasty stared at him like a cold, evil eye, as if it wanted to devour his soul.
The terrifying aura emanating from the vortex filled him with a deep sense of despair, a despair that clung to him like a bone-deep infection, making it impossible for him to break free.
After a long while, Ling Xiao seemed to suddenly awaken from endless contemplation, his eyes becoming fierce and resolute.
He slammed his fist on the edge of the bed. The hard jade bed frame was instantly covered with spiderweb-like cracks under his angry blow, as if it would shatter at any moment.
His growl, like that of a wounded beast, was filled with anger and resentment: "Damn it! I killed one, and a whole bunch of them come! It's never going to end! Do they all think I'm a piece of meat that anyone can take a bite out of?! I'm not a lamb to be slaughtered. Anyone who dares to come here, I'll make sure they don't leave alive!"
Green Spirit delivered the final blow with a cool, icy tone, her voice as chilling as a winter wind.
"Could it be... that you weren't? You used to have the Demon King backing you up. The Demon King's powerful aura made those with ill intentions tremble with fear."
But now, the Demon King's avatars have all vanished. It's like a once invincible mountain suddenly collapsing. You've lost your strongest support. In this cruel world, what resources do you have left to fight against others?
