No allies, no hope, no victory in sight. Just endlessly fighting and killing in a hopeless war that never seems to end... That was, until Ben Li appeared above their heads.
The souls damned by the war stopped where they stood and craned their heads. And as if they were blinded yet vividly seeing his presence, like he was the Heavenly light of hope they sought for so long that was piercing the gaps of the gates of heaven, they all gladly kowtowed before him.
Some prostrated like loyal soldiers, some did their greatest salutations of their honorable lives and some raised their weapons and roared a victorious cry that shook the entire world.
And as if the world of hell was resonating with their grand welcoming, a strange and otherworldly Arora began to fill the skies with the lustrous colors depicting a beautiful world of endless peace.
And as if the world of hell had detected the presence of Ben Li, the Arora began to manifest into his background and magnified his blinding image into an inviolable void of colors housing only him. His presence as a venerable individual was even more distinguishable than ever before.
"This?" Ben Li was greatly bewildered by this. He could feel the colorful Arora was dazzling around him and his Soul inside his mindscape was also changing unnoticeably. He didn't know what just happened as he didn't feel any different but it seems it's a good thing since his fans all cheered... Right?
But enough of about that.
"Silence!" Ben Li gestured in command and the crowed seized cheering. The silence amplified the voice beckoning him and soon enough, Ben Li managed to locate where the voice was coming from.
He flew for a bit of time until he finally stopped in place and looked downwards. There, a pitch-black Great Sword was imbedded into the hard ground. He could also see that there were papers written with talismanic runes wrapping up each and every part of the blade while a string tied with papers talismanic runes was also wrapped around its hilt.
As Ben Li took a good look at this great sword and analyzed its structure, how could he not realize that it was Ran Ranxu's Great Sword that kicked his ass hours ago?
Ben Li fell into thought as he was confused by all this. Don't tell me the sword actually brought me here?
Now thinking about it, the last thing he could remember back in the physical world was that he had gripped on the sword and blacked out all of a sudden.
But why did it bring me here? The question was begging to be answered. And then the sword abruptly responded to him.
Use me...
"..." Ben Li.
I knew this going to be cliché! He couldn't help but retort!
Losing consciousness. Going to a place of hell. A sword stuck on a rock with a sign that says: Pull this and become a hero!
All signs were hinting so much and it was so predictable. A cliché plot was unfolding and he knew first hand as an author that cliché plots are always bad development for the story. A lesson in which he learned in the most painful way.
But what the hell was this shit!
This had got to be the most over used method of plot developing since the times when the great fictions of King Arthur were first heard.
What's next, defeat an evil dragon and save the princess? Screw that!
... Sigh... clichés...
But enough about that.
After having a deep sigh, Ben Li once more analyzed the sword below him and fell into contemplating.
These papers written with scribbled symbols, what are they?
Ben Li had never seen something like papers written with scribbles before even after analyzing Wang Xie's knowledge and memories or even after cross referencing it from his written novel.
But somehow, he seems to be quite familiar with these bunch of papers.
Wait... Are these talismans? Like those bunch of magic papers demon exorcists use to vanquish demons in myths and anime?
But... What are talismans doing in this novel world? Because as far as Ben Li had written in his first novel, he doesn't remember writing something about the existence of talismans.
Is it possible that there are other things existing besides what he has written in this novel world? Ben Li fell deeper into thought before shaking his head and disperse the thoughts away.
He realized he wasn't focusing on the sword anymore thus, he analyzed it again and found out it was actually restricted by the talismans.
Well, that was kind of obvious since he had seen what supernatural anime had offered him. But the more he analyzed it, the more he realized that he couldn't find out anything else about it unless...
Ben Li frowned and hesitated for a moment. Eventually, he sucked in a deep breath and prepared himself. He propped down and extended his hand. Reaching out to the hilt of the sword and grabbed it.
It wasn't until Ben Li lightly pulled it did he realized his surroundings change completely from the hell is battlefield filled with prostrating souls to a regal hallway decorated in royalty.
"Huh?!" Ben Li was bewildered greatly as he swept his gaze everywhere. And he also noticed that he was surrounded by people wearing aristocratic attires and beautiful dresses with friendly smiles plastered on their faces and looked as if the crowd was trying to fawn over him.
"What the..." Ben Li was even more confused by the situation before finally noticing the soft sensation enveloping his right arm.
Looking right, he saw with his eyes a gorgeous young lady wearing blue diamond tradition dress had embraced his right arm with her bosom. Pressing the soft yet seductive sensation of her breast as she squeezed herself against him.
Now, Ben Li didn't know what to think and his visage turned blank.
The young lady seemed to have noticed his peculiar expression and lifted her face up to look at him. And Ben Li was instantly charmed by her sapphire eyes reflecting his visage. The eyes that seemed so lovely and pure to behold and protect. Instantly, Ben Li's expression turned warm-hearted looking back at this young lady pressing her breast against him.
Noticing warm-hearted gaze the man before her was making, she giggled softly and said to him. "Darling, what's wrong? You've been out of it lately."
"Darling?!" Ben Li was taken aback by how this young lady was addressing him and his face fell into shock.
Then all of a sudden, a splitting headache suddenly attacked him brain without prior warning. He held his head as he groaned in pain and endured the agony of ten hammers banging his brain until he died of concussion. Eventually, the pain stopped and he shook his head and rubbed his glabella.
He looked at the young lady as realization struck him while the young lady tilted her head at him with a perplexed look. Then he said with a smile. "Oh, nothing. I just suddenly realized that I forgot to tell master that I was going to propose to you this evening's party."
"Humph! Propose what?" she pouted her lips at him and pushed him off. "Sir Ming Jian Ming, don't you dare embarrass me tonight's annual royal party. Do you understand?"
She whispered to him closely as to not let anyone else hear. "If you dare, as so much harass my dignity in front of the public. So, help me, I'm going to flip your whole training grounds upside down. You hear me? Flip!" after that, she left and went into the crowd and disappeared before him.
Ben Li felt kind of awkward being left standing alone and the crowd who happened to saw them conversing were murmuring under their breathes and began to build romantic rumors with their wild imaginations. He then walked away, acting like nothing ever happened and went to where the restroom was located.
Entering the restroom, Ben Li immediately arrived before the huge mirror on the wall and took a good look at reflection. Only then was Ben Li so shock that he felt like screaming from the sheer shock he was having.
He didn't know what else he should react as he was too shock to think. His heart palpitated so fast that it felt like it was going to explode inside his chest. Eventually, he mange to calm down after a while and analyzed his new-found visage.