Dashing Student Chapter 1509 1473: Gluttonous Artifact Spirit (Part 2)

No matter how fast he moved, no matter how exquisite his movement technique was, the blade still accurately pierced into his body.

The familiar agony surged through him, forcing him to curl up on the ground, his body tensed up. It was a long time before the pain dissipated, and his cultivation emerged again like a glowing speck.

His realm continued to plummet, dropping directly to the Golden Core Realm Fifth Layer Perfection. Memories of his cultivation still played in his mind when he touched the glowing sphere.

"What on earth is happening? Must I really disperse all my cultivation here?"

As more blades pierced into him, his cultivation kept falling, finally dropping to the Mortal Purity Realm, leaving him void of any cultivation within.

"No! I cannot lose my cultivation. I still have grievances to avenge, people to meet, and many unfinished matters!"

Without cultivation, his state turned somewhat manic, and his eyes gradually turned crimson, his heart filled with resentment.

"Let it go, you have lost all your cultivation, live again purely and cleanly."

A voice echoed in the void, seeming to entice him. Ahead, a spatial passage appeared, leading to a charming house from which a woman's moaning could be heard, filled with poignance. A man anxiously paced at the door.

"Push, it's almost out!"

This appeared to be a scene of childbirth for the woman.

Chen Nan suddenly had an epiphany; if he were to cross the spatial passage, he would be reborn into that family, living a new life, this time able to remedy all past regrets.

His feet moved forward involuntarily, and intense emotions surged within his heart, urging him to step into the passage.

But just as he began to step across it, a cool sensation appeared at the center of his brow, clearing his mind.

"No, I can't do this!"

Chen Nan quickly pulled back his foot, panting heavily—a mere moment from restarting anew. Fortunately, he had left Taiyin at his brow when entering the Bronze Gate, a trick that proved faultless in reincarnation.

However, restarting was not his desire; there were matters he had to see through.

"Even if I reincarnate, I cannot freely abandon the cultivation I've acquired; even regrets are part of my journey."

"To discard that cultivation and memory is to deny myself!"

Chen Nan's gaze gradually became steadfast. He looked back at the spatial passage, then astonishingly sat cross-legged in the endless void.

"Since you stripped me of my cultivation, I'll cultivate it once more!"

Resolved, he genuinely began to cultivate anew.

The voice in the void continued its alluring pitch, promising a wholly new life post-reincarnation, fresh memories, starting afresh.

He could even retain his memories, becoming a heaven-born prodigy, with accomplishments far surpassing this lifetime.

Yet regardless of the voice's temptations, Chen Nan turned a deaf ear, relentlessly cultivating.

Finally, a sphere of cultivation was drawn back to him, absorbing into his body, transforming into his cultivation again.

Once back to Foundation Establishment Realm First Layer Early Stage, he continued to cultivate, now able to mobilize the Taiyin Spirit Root, prompting the ample flow of Taiyin within him.

The rate of absorption suddenly increased, with spheres of cultivation assimilating into his body, soon restoring his cultivation as before!

This time, the clarity of memory during cultivation refined his foundation, solidifying it further.

Chen Nan attained a realization, slowly rising to his feet, reaching out to grab as the spatial passage vanished.

"It seems this trial is a test of Dao Heart—steadfastness naturally unaffected, even bringing blessings through adversity, refining the foundation."

"An unstable Dao Heart is susceptible to enticements, leading to complete dissipation."

With Taiyin circulating within, cultivation restored, this cycle of reincarnation was passed. A Bronze Gate appeared ahead; crossing it would conclude this cycle of reincarnation.

Yet he didn't immediately proceed, for he faintly felt something attracting him, directing him in another direction.

He walked without pause, sensing he had traveled far, yet continued to wander the boundless void, unable to discern direction—almost as if he still stood still.

But the attraction in his heart persisted, so he never stopped his steps.

Finally, a peculiar glimmer appeared in the void, prompting Chen Nan to approach swiftly, discovering a compass ahead.

The hexagonal compass was divided into six fan-shaped segments, resembling the compass that Divine Calculator frequently held, with dense runes engraved on the edges, emanating an ancient aura.

During entry to the Secret Realm, the entrance's door was similarly engraved with this compass.

"Could this be the core of the Six Paths of Reincarnation?"

Chen Nan furrowed his brow, attempting to step forward, but an invisible barrier obstructed his path.

The treasure lay before him, yet tantalizingly unreachable, causing discomfort; he directly summoned the Sword Chenyuan, pointing it forward.

"Go!"

The longsword whirled, mana swirling on the blade, transforming into a golden radiance, thrusting toward the invisible barrier with a clang, the barrier deflected the longsword.

"Ah, break it for me!"

Chen Nan roared in fury, abruptly stomping forward, the golden glow upon the sword blade exploded magnificently, with astounding power, yet remained unbroken.

Retrieving the Sword Chenyuan, his expression turned very grim: "Must I resort to the final measure?"

He hesitated; leaving behind the treasure seemed such a pity.

Deliberating for long, he decided to try another method: Taiyin.

After entering the Moon God Temple's Secret Realm, Chen Nan discovered possessing Taiyin allowed free passage through the Six Paths of Reincarnation; Taiyin was essentially the Secret Realm's key.

Even Taiyin could resolve all trials within the Secret Realm—maybe opening the barrier would work too!

Chen Nan's eyes lit up with the seemingly correct answer as his hand instinctively released a torrent of Taiyin, forming a long blade under his control.

He swung the blade viciously toward the barrier, shocking him as the Taiyin-conjured long blade actually cleaved open the barrier with a single strike.

"Haha, indeed it's effective!"

Exploiting the open barrier, Chen Nan rushed inside toward the compass, but before he could act, the long blade made from Taiyin was pulled by some kind of force, exiting his hand directly.

The long blade was absorbed straight into the compass, seemingly devoured.

"What? What's going on?"

Chen Nan could still sense emotions emanating from the compass, a sensation of "yearning," as it craved more Taiyin!

Driven by curiosity, he formed another batch of Taiyin: "You can consume all you want, but can you help me?"

His intent was experimental, given the plethora of Nascent Soul Realm ancient ghosts outside—a slip could mean death among their hands.

Yet the compass appeared extraordinary, even exuding human-like emotions, almost a sentient being.

"Could it be, are you an Artifact Spirit? No, Artifact Spirits usually reside within Secret Treasures—but how can you be here...wait!"

A chilling realization dawned upon Chen Nan.

If the compass before him truly is an Artifact Spirit, it signified his current location was inside a Secret Treasure!

Moreover, all cultivators outside were situated within this Secret Treasure!

As Chen Nan marveled at his chilling realization, the Taiyin he formed was absorbed by the compass again, continuing to exude yearning.

"No, you cannot just consume without working!"

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