From a loser to an immortal sage

Chapter 538 The Cage of My Past Life

The lingering echo of the bell seemed to still resonate in our ears when the staircase formed by billowing black mist appeared out of thin air before us, leading eerily down to the bottomless depths of the altar.

The mist was not inanimate; it writhed slowly like living tentacles, emanating a chill more piercing than ice, as if each breath would freeze one's soul a little.

I did not hesitate at all.

Whether it's a dragon's den or a tiger's lair, now that we've come this far, there's no reason to turn back.

Moreover, the words of that man in black robes, "You can't escape," were like a poisonous thorn, deeply embedded in my heart.

I need to know who I really am, and what I'm running away from.

The moment I stepped onto the black mist steps, a strange sensation came over me.

It was not nothingness, but rather like stepping on some soft yet resilient entity; the icy aura quickly spread from the soles of my feet throughout my body, sending shivers down my spine.

I clenched my fists instinctively, my nails digging deep into my palms, using the pain to stay awake.

Seeing that I went first, the others immediately followed.

Ziling stood close to me, her face a little pale, but her eyes were very determined.

The ethereal immortal, however, wore a solemn expression as he continuously observed the structure of the surrounding mist.

Wen Chen walked to my side and walked alongside me. His warm breath dispelled some of the chill, and his deep, clear voice rang in my ear: "No matter what lies below, I will stay with you to the very end."

I didn't turn around, I just gave a soft "hmm".

Yet a warm current flowed through my heart.

On this road leading to an unknown destiny, to have someone stand by my side without reservation is perhaps the only thing I can be grateful for in my endless cycle of reincarnation.

The stairs spiral downwards, seemingly without end.

The surrounding light grew dimmer and dimmer until only the faint glow emitted by our own magical artifacts and the occasional eerie red light flashing in the black mist remained.

The air grew increasingly thick, and each breath carried a rusty smell, a mixture of ancient dust and blood.

This place is like a giant tomb forgotten by time.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, I finally felt a solid surface under my feet.

At the end of the stairs was a huge bronze double door, several meters high, completely blocking the way ahead.

There was no door knocker or keyhole on the door, only dense, intricate ancient runes. Each stroke seemed to contain some mysterious and powerful force, making one dizzy just by looking at them.

“This is… an ancient sealing technique.” The ethereal immortal stepped forward, tracing the runes in the air with his fingers, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper. “The core of the runes points to ‘fate’ and ‘soul.’ I’ve seen this gate recorded in a rare, incomplete scroll, called the ‘Soul Sealing Gate.’” He paused, looking at me with a complex expression. “The book says that this gate cannot be opened by human power or magic treasures; it is only for specific people. Only… only those with dual fates can have their soul fluctuations resonate with the runes, thus opening it.”

All eyes immediately turned to me.

My dual destiny, the "curse" that has accompanied me since birth, the source of all the criticism and misfortune I have suffered, has at this moment become the only key.

How ironic is the way fate works.

I took a deep breath, nodded slowly, and walked to the door.

The cold bronze door exuded a chilling aura that kept people at a distance.

I reached out my hand, no longer thinking about whether it was a curse or a key, and calmly placed my palm on the center of the door.

The instant my palm touched the door, all the runes on it seemed to come alive, bursting forth with dazzling golden light.

A vast yet gentle power surged from inside the door, passing through my palm and resonating wonderfully with the spiritual energy within my body.

I could feel something deep within my soul being touched, like a long-sealed lock finally finding its matching key.

"Rumble--"

With a heavy, muffled sound, the massive bronze door slowly opened inward, stirring up a wave of air that had been sealed for thousands of years.

The sight behind the door made everyone hold their breath.

It was a magnificent, breathtaking underground palace.

The dome is inlaid with countless luminous crystals, like a sky full of stars, illuminating the entire palace as bright as day.

The hall was completely empty, except for the thing that floated in mid-air at the very center.

It was a huge round bronze mirror, ten feet in diameter, with a smooth surface like water, but it did not reflect our current image.

The light and shadow shifted in the mirror, and countless fragmented images flashed by rapidly, like a bizarre and fantastical dream.

I can see myself, clad in tattered armor, lying amidst mountains of corpses and seas of blood; I can see myself pierced by a thousand arrows, falling from towering city walls; I can see my most trusted friend stabbing me in the back, my eyes filled with disbelief; I can even see myself thrown into an alchemy furnace, screaming in agony amidst the flames, ultimately turning to ashes…

Scene after scene, event after event, are all my experiences.

Different eras, different identities, different faces, but the resentment and despair in their eyes are exactly the same.

Images of battle, betrayal, and death flooded my mind like a tidal wave, bringing waves of excruciating pain.

I staggered, almost losing my balance, and my face turned deathly pale.

"Yao Yao!" Wen Chen caught me quickly.

I waved my hand, braced myself against his arm, and forced myself to stand firm.

So that's how it is; that's the truth.

I finally understood why the man in the black robe said I "couldn't escape."

Because this isn't the first time I've experienced all of this; I'm just repeating the cycle of failure and death over and over again.

I am not an independent individual; I am merely a pawn programmed with a predetermined path, repeatedly heading towards a predetermined end.

An unprecedented surge of anger and sorrow welled up from the bottom of my heart, almost threatening to engulf me.

"Sister Xiao Yao, look! Look at that thing next to the mirror!" Just as I was feeling excited, Zi Ling's clear voice suddenly rang out, with a hint of urgency.

I looked in the direction she was pointing and then I noticed something floating quietly to the lower left of the huge bronze mirror.

It was a sandalwood box that was mostly broken, with an antique style and covered in cracks.

Through the broken box, you can see that there seems to be something inside.

The ethereal immortal flicked his sleeve, and a gentle breeze swept by, pulling the wooden box down from the air.

As the wooden box drew nearer, an even more desolate and ancient aura wafted over.

The moment the box fell into the hands of the ethereal immortal, it could no longer withstand the erosion of time and shattered completely with a "crack," turning into dust on the ground.

An ancient bone ring rolled out from the debris, making a crisp sound.

The ring was made entirely of an unknown animal bone, giving it a warm, ivory-white color, and it still retained a very faint trace of spiritual energy.

As if possessed, I bent down and picked it up, turned it over, and in the light from the dome, I could clearly see two words engraved in ancient script on the inside of the ring—

Master and apprentice.

These two words were like two invisible mountains, crashing down on my heart and making it hard for me to breathe.

Master and apprentice?

Did I ever have a master?

who is it?

Is that the person in the mirror who stabbed me in the back?

Or……

Wen Chen's gaze fell on the ring, his expression turning extremely grave. He said in a low voice, "This isn't an ordinary ring; it bears the marks of a 'death pact.' It seems that in your past life, not only were your memories sealed, but your soul also entered into a life-or-death pact with someone." He raised his head, looking deeply into my eyes, his gaze filled with worry. "Xiao Yao, this is far more complicated than we imagined. You... what do you intend to do?"

How should we deal with this?

I looked at the cold ring in my hand, then looked up at the bronze mirror that continued to replay my tragic fate.

Anger, resentment, confusion, sorrow... countless emotions churned within me, but in the end, they all transformed into a resolute flame.

Chess piece? Reincarnation? Death pact?

Why should my life be written by others?

Why should my fate be manipulated time and time again?

I clenched my fist tightly, gripping the bone ring firmly in my palm, the sharp edges of the bone digging painfully into me.

I raised my head, my gaze sharp as a knife, staring directly at the enormous bronze mirror, and said, word by word, "No matter who set up this scheme, and no matter what contracts I made with anyone in my past life, from this moment on, I will end it all with my own hands. I will break these damned shackles myself. I, Xiao Yao, will never again be anyone's pawn!"

The words had barely left his lips when it seemed as if he had touched upon some taboo.

The entire palace began to shake violently without warning!

"boom--"

A familiar yet mocking voice seemed to come from all directions, or even directly from the depths of my soul, echoing throughout the collapsed space: "Very good, you have backbone. Then let's... start over."

I suddenly looked up at the fake starry sky made of crystals, all emotions faded from my eyes, leaving only a burning fighting spirit.

“Come on,” I hissed, my voice drowning out the crashing sound of the palace collapsing, “this time, I will win!”

My vow was like a thunderclap, detonating a pre-buried trap in this deathly silent space.

That bronze mirror, which had reflected my countless deaths, was no longer content to be just a spectator at this moment.