The Ascension of Contracted Spirits

Chapter 68 - 67: Battle of the Turtle-like Creatures_1

Perhaps it was the attainment of the special power as a Disciple that had shattered Su Mei’s previous understanding.

She was just a bit taken aback, slowly recovering her senses.

"So, Master Han, who is the same age as me and rightly tagged as a ’new Patron,’ has become an assistant at Canghai Pavilion?"

"This, this, this..."

"It’s too incredible! If I’m not mistaken, this should set a precedent at the academy!"

Su Mei, sitting on the back of the pink ostrich, held onto the creature’s neck with both hands.

She could not decide whether there was more admiration or shock in her eyes.

"No wonder, no wonder I instinctively considered you a classmate when we first met..."

"In our second meeting, the presence of Pill Master and Master Si, coupled with your knowledge and composure, didn’t seem pretentious at all."

"Both I and the students from the previous class, after subconsciously recognizing this, had no doubt about your identity."

"Moreover, your adaptability is extremely strong. Pill Master and Master Si were clearly unable to solve the issue of the poisoned pig, yet you easily dealt with it."

"The students should have a very deep impression of this. If you have the right to teach freely, I believe everyone would be eager to sign up..."

Su Mei finished speaking in one breath, her chest slightly heaving.

She felt incredibly lucky; the once-in-a-millennium opportunity as in the legends had suddenly befallen her.

Having such a knowledgeable and unknowable master.

As long as she didn’t slack off or become arrogant, the future would surely hold endless possibilities.

However, after the joy coursed through her body like electricity, deep-seated trepidation surfaced.

Su Mei remembered what Master Han had said at the beginning:

Behind opportunity... lies risk!

The greater the opportunity, the greater the risk!

"Hoo--"

Su Mei managed to suppress her fluctuating emotions and jumbled thoughts.

Having made the decision, there’s no looking back; just keep moving forward!

After all, isn’t it unrealistic to have your cake and eat it too?

After coming to this realization, Su Mei’s gaze gradually cleared.

"Master Han, the Desert Witch was the Grey Flash who could only be kept in the rescue center for recovery."

"Perhaps others may speculate and fail to understand why she became your Contracted Spirit."

"But I think you must have your reasons, and I won’t presume to ask."

Su Mei gently bowed first towards Ye Hanjun, then towards Huazhu.

Then, she summoned her Protective Armor and the Shotgun corresponding to her second active ability, readying herself.

The Desert Witch... was always ready for battle!

There’s no murderous intent in her eyes, nor is her aura particularly strong. She’s far from posing a threat to life.

However... she radiates the spirit of combat!

Apart from the obvious vigilance, the witch exuded a subtle sense of combat readiness.

As a knight, one should remember the basic spirit of knighthood, be it the "standard" of the past or the "superior" of the present:

Humility, bravery, justice, honesty, fairness, selflessness, loyalty, honor, mercy, and tolerance.

And... not to fear powerful enemies! Not to fear sacrifice!

No matter how strong or weak the witch may be, she deserves the utmost respect once she becomes an opponent.

"Master, what should we do?" Huazhu asked in Witch language.

The pause in the last few dozens of seconds was enough for her to assess the situation.

Su Mei, riding the pink ostrich, posed no threat to the master. She was a friend rather than an enemy, and this should not be mistaken.

However, together, they exerted more pressure on her than the Shield Armor Turtle.

Large-bodied Spirits typically embody the characteristics of wild beasts.

The most important trait of a wild beast is strong limbs and a simple mind.

The bird-like form and those exceptionally long legs, which were twice her height, could almost confirm that this colourful creature had tremendous explosive power.

This type of opponent, even if it is at a lower level, Huazhu wouldn’t have any advantage in a fight.

Especially when the combat environment isn’t open, but rather a semi-confined restricted area.

Running away was futile.

Delaying would only be temporary.

Without strong offensive abilities, even if her Clamp and Tail Sting managed to break defenses, it wouldn’t matter much given the Pink Ostrich’s impressive vitality.

Huazhu’s defeat was only a matter of time.

"Hmm, it seems that Su has some hints of regular training."

"Although it doesn’t seem very practical, it’s undeniable that you would struggle to win in a friendly contest."

Ye Hanjun shook his head and said:

"Unless it’s a ruthless, life-or-death struggle."

"Following the rule of the Patron and Contracted Spirit being each other’s weakness, you might find an opportunity to turn the tables."

A few casual words, and the palpable tension inadvertently dissolves.

The sandy aura around Huazhu stilled, and Su Mei turned to look, slightly bewildered and confused.

"Help her test out her new ability, that is, the function of the shotgun."

"Su, control the Ostrich. Some scrapes and minor bleeding are completely normal."

"Oh, yes." Ye Hanjun, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, reminded her: "Don’t forget the Gate of Life and Death."

"There’s still a turtle waiting for you inside. Use it now to start the cooldown early, and it’s a good opportunity for your Ostrich to experience the thrill of a near-death situation."

"Oh..." Su Mei nodded hesitantly, suddenly feeling like a lab rat.

"Gah!" The large ostrich tilted its head back, letting out a loud call.

Of all the living beings present, all were inscrutable, save for the bipedal beast whose mere glance recalled former fears.

The newly enacted Desert Witch, Tuotuo didn’t take into notice.

To put it accurately, it wouldn’t think too much, and it didn’t have the brain capacity to think too much.

All it knew by instinct was that the witch posed no threat.

Further, the fact that its master was restraining it also enabled the large ostrich to stand tall and confident, its posture even more exemplary than that of a parade soldier.

"Gah!"

In all of five minutes, the newly discovered Ability of the Superior Knight was dissected thoroughly and named "Damage Reduction Shotgun".

After experimentation, the Shotgun existed for a duration and any physical attacks, whether they hit Su Mei or the Pink Ostrich, were partially deflected onto Protective Armor.

Even though the proportion of the diverted wasn’t exaggerated and fluctuated somewhat,

Such an effect was quite rare, so much so that even Ye Hanjun would give Su Mei a higher appraisal.

"Next, the only Active Ability of the disciple... Death Challenge?"

With a mix of expectations and unease, Su Mei followed the guidance of her Spirits. Above her eyebrows appeared a pale grey, waning moon.

As she lightly touched it and drew it out, the grey moon shed its light.

An ancient key, suspended between reality and illusion, all of three inches in length, appeared steadily between her fingers.

"Whoosh~~~~"

The grey light burst forth and a scaled-down Stone door, identical in size to Ye Hanjun, seemed to be projected from the depths of nothingness.

It was more obscure, more illusory. Only the intimacy, deep-seated and from genesis to eternity, lingered around the heartstrings.

"Click——"

Su Mei inserted the Key of the Grey Moon into the hole.

Suddenly, she lost the ability to move.

Along with that, the bright-eyed pink ostrich nearby rapidly lost its vitality.

In less than half a second, to Ye Hanjun and the Desert Witch, Su Mei and the Ostrich were left as mere empty shells.

"The Gate of Life and Death that was summoned, is a projection, not a Dharma Form."

"And the disciple’s active ability, Death Challenge, essentially replicates my Ability, but it seems... not quite the same?"

Ye Hanjun knitted his brows.

Just at the instant Su Mei opened the gate, a tremor ran through his forehead. The Sea of Souls faintly flickered in grey.

A section of his spirit seemed to be informing him that a living being had entered the Gate of Life and Death.

And, during that moment of entry, the others had no choice.

She was confined directly inside the grey, hemispherical barrier, and directly had to face the process of her battle avatar materialization.

"Let’s go and see inside."

Ye Hanjun took out the Key of the Gray Sun.

He tried to insert his key into the projection of the Gate of Life and Death summoned by Su Mei, only to find it unsuccessful.

It seemed like the keys and the gates were matched individually.

Did this mean that disciples possessed independence?

Could it be that in the future, even when not by his side, Su Mei would still be able to open the Death Challenge related to her Contracted Spirit Fond Spirits, as long as she had cooled down?

While his thoughts were whirling, Ye Hanjun opened the door.

This time, the only soul being sucked by the Gate of Life and Death was his.

It seemed because 24 hours weren’t yet up, Huazhu did not have a horcrux, she wouldn’t be able to return to the world within the Gate.

But as the ruler of his Ability, Ye Hanjun could.

Thus, above the Gray Sun, before the towering Stone Gate.

Ye Hanjun floated in the air, like a deity.

His gaze fell down, bypassing thousands or tens of thousands of kilometers, focusing on the steadily revolving grey spherical barrier, wherein all was transparent as firelight.

Su Mei vs Shield Armor Turtle!

As a disciple, she couldn’t spectate; she had to fight together with her Contracted Spirit.

Could it be, they would both experience death?

Then, if one of them died before the other, would the remaining one bear some backlash injuries, mirroring the external world?

Countless thoughts flashed through Ye Hanjun’s mind, along with some regret.

Even if this wasn’t true death and couldn’t perfectly replicate the powerlessness, suffocation, and despair,

He still wanted to join the battle with Huazhu, experiencing it by himself while enhancing their mutual understanding.

It was a shame that as something akin to the ruler of this land, that was the only thing he couldn’t do.

At most, he could give verbal instructions, but couldn’t intervene.

"Gah! Gah, gah!!"

The great battle of the Tortoise and the Ostrich had officially begun.

Both the Pink Ostrich and the Shield Armor Turtle were of Small Achievement in clay body.

One had been trained by their owner for half a year, the other was even braver in battle under the influence of the Gate of Life and Death.

The critical variable was Su Mei.

Her simulated body, although it wore the clothes she had on when opening the gate, including the Ant Guard Bracelet and the Protective Talisman, these magical tools were no more than decorations.

However, Su Mei’s Abilities were not affected.

With the influence of Riding the Wind, the pink ostrich ran even faster.

Upon successfully summoning the Protective Armor, it almost covered her entire torso, the vital organs getting extra protection.

"Roar!!"

The Shield Armor Turtle roared and charged.