Chereads / Ultimate Magus in Cultivation World / Chapter 8 - Remnant Will

Chapter 8 - Remnant Will

"Finally… someone is here," it spoke, its voice raspy but filled with a chilling clarity. The words seemed to reverberate off the cave walls, sending a shiver down Tian Lei's spine.

Yuyan's expression hardened as she took a step back, her hand instinctively reaching for her sword. "What are you?" she demanded, her voice sharp with authority.

The skeleton let out a low, hollow laugh, its form shifting ever so slightly within the chains that bound it. "A mere ghost of what I once was," it said, its voice filled with ancient sorrow. "Trapped in this form for eternity... until you arrived."

Tian Lei tightened his grip on his sword, his heart racing. He could feel the power emanating from the skeletal figure, a chilling aura that suggested it had once been a cultivator of immense strength. This isn't just some mindless corpse. It has a consciousness... a soul. But who—or what—was it? Enemy or just a poor soul?

Yuyan's eyes narrowed, but she stayed calm, her posture ready for anything. "What do you want?" she asked, though she suspected the answer might not be something she wanted to hear.

The skeleton's black-and-white eyes flickered as it stared at them. "Freedom," it rasped. "I've been bound for so long, chained to this place. But with your arrival, I can finally break free."

The skeleton suddenly glowed brightly, and a beam of light shot out from it, streaking toward Yuyan. She dodged in time, but her face turned grim as she realized the beam wasn't aimed at her. It was heading straight for Tian Lei, who was just behind her.

"Move, Tian Lei!" she shouted, activating her movement technique at full strength, but despite her speed, she couldn't reach him in time. Tian Lei, caught off guard, was just a moment too late in activating his own movement technique.

The beam pierced into him.

"Argh! What was that?!" Tian Lei shouted, clutching his chest as he staggered back, his body trembling from the impact. Before he could process what had happened, he noticed Yuyan standing in front of him, her sword drawn and pointed at him.

"I'm sorry, Tian Lei," she said, her voice heavy with guilt, her eyes filled with a mix of regret and determination.

Tian Lei stumbled back, panic rising in his chest. "W-What do you mean, Senior Sister?" he stammered, his heart pounding as he felt her killing intent pressing down on him.

Yuyan's grip on her sword tightened as she explained, her voice laced with urgency. "That light... it wasn't just energy. It carried a fragment of the skeleton's soul. You might be—no, you are—possessed!"

Tian Lei's eyes widened in disbelief. "Possessed? That's impossible! I'm still me!" he protested, but then he felt it—a foreign presence stirring deep within him, cold and oppressive. His body tensed as an unfamiliar energy began to spread through his veins, making his own spirit energy falter.

"Don't move," Yuyan warned, her tone resolute. "If it takes over completely, you won't be you anymore. I'll have to stop you before that happens."

Tian Lei gritted his teeth, fear and anger swirling within him. "No! I'm still in control!" he shouted, his voice desperate as he clutched at his chest. I can fight this. I won't let it win!

"Fine, I will wait, but the moment you show signs of being possessed, I will kill you," Yuyan said coldly, her sword steady and her gaze unwavering.

Tian Lei nodded, determination flashing in his eyes. "I will be me. No other soul could ever take over my body," he declared.

With that, he sat cross-legged and began to meditate. As he focused on calming his mind, he suddenly felt a strange pull within him. It wasn't painful or threatening—it was more like a seal being broken, as if something hidden deep inside was slowly awakening. Trusting his instincts, Tian Lei decided not to resist and let it unfold.

Moments later, his consciousness shifted. He found himself in a vast expanse filled with golden light. Clouds floated lazily above a shimmering sea of gold, and the air felt divine and oppressive at the same time. He glanced around, realizing he was suspended in this mysterious plane.

"What is this place?" Tian Lei muttered, his voice echoing in the boundless space.

Arghh..

Suddenly, a sharp shriek pierced the air, startling him. He turned around and stumbled back, his breath catching in his throat. There, in the middle of the glowing expanse, stood a breathtakingly beautiful woman. Her figure radiated elegance, her flowing hair shimmering like molten gold, not to mention her white gold lined clothes, making her appear like an goddess, but she was bound in chains that hummed with an ancient, oppressive power. Above her hovered the golden orb that he recognized—the same one that had appeared before his reincarnation into this world.

"Wait... isn't this the same thing those people were fighting for?" Tian Lei asked aloud, his voice laced with confusion and alarm. His gaze darted between the woman and the orb as his mind raced to make sense of the situation.

As he pondered whether this orb was somehow linked to his reincarnation, the woman's soft voice cut through the air. "Help me," she pleaded, her tone filled with desperation.

Tian Lei's eyes narrowed as he looked at her coldly. "Weren't you about to take over my body? Why should I help you?" he demanded, suspicion clear in his voice.

"Are you an idiot?" the woman snapped, her irritation breaking through her previous tone. "Why would I take over a man's body? If I wanted to possess someone, I would have invaded that girl with you earlier, not you!" she said, exasperated.

"Then why are you inside me?" Tian Lei frowned, crossing his arms.

The woman sighed. "Because I needed shelter, and your soul was unusually strong, even for someone like me. I had no choice but to enter you. I underestimated the strength of your soul, though, and now I'm stuck. The instant I decided to rest within you, the treasure you carry absorbed a fragment of my soul and used it to awaken your Sea of Consciousness," she said, her voice tinged with bitterness.

"This is my Sea of Consciousness? But how can I have one? I heard only above the Core Condensation cultivators awaken their Sea of Consciousness," Tian Lei asked, astonished.