Ch 540: Can You Get Me Out Of Here?
After such a long time, the Netherworld Barrier saw its first human, and a conscious one at that. It was worth all the trouble they went to, moving the unconscious human from outside the mountain cave.
One sleeping Spiritual Artifact after another was awakened. To slow the depletion of their life force, they usually enter a dormant state; at least they can maintain self-awareness, hoping that someday they might leave this place.
Though the possibility is minuscule, they all cling to this almost impossible “hope” to survive.
Jiang Nanyu became their “hope.”
A living human not only appeared in this chaotic world, a gap between the Netherworld ruins and the mortal realm, but was also unaffected by the miasma, her consciousness perfectly clear.
Jiang Nanyu counted; only eight Spiritual Artifacts could still communicate clearly before her, yet this narrow mountain cave held nearly a hundred Magical Artifacts.
And the Feather told her that this was only one of hundreds of mountain caves in the Netherworld Barrier, and it was only a small one; there were also medium-sized and large caves.
Any Divine Tool or Magical Artifact lost between the Yin and Yang realms might be found here.
And so, Jiang Nanyu sat in the mountain cave and told these isolated Spiritual Artifacts about the outside world, about the eras and figures erased from history…
Jiang Nanyu also finally confirmed that Xingxing, the one who spoke haltingly, was one of her targets in this Netherworld Barrier search: the Sword Spirit of the Seven Star Sword.
“Y-y-y-you…”
Perhaps overwhelmed, Xingxing was too flustered to utter a complete sentence.
Jiang Nanyu poked its chubby Sword Spirit form, smiling gently. “While I’m not your sword’s owner, I’ve been entrusted with this task. As long as I can get out, I’ll take you with me, back to the Seven Star Sword.”
The other Spiritual Artifacts all turned, seeming to cast envious glances at Xingxing.
Jiang Nanyu then looked at the other Spiritual Artifacts—various Magical Artifacts, many of which she had only seen in Ancient Texts. Unfortunately, most were nearing the end of their lifespan, especially the Dharma Rope. It was almost incredibly fragile; the other Spiritual Artifacts carefully avoided it.
“Good, good, good…” The Dharma Rope sighed three times, slowly moving toward the cave entrance.
Jiang Nanyu wanted to say something, but a Feather Duster wrapped around her wrist, whispering, “Let it go.”
After being stopped, Jiang Nanyu watched the rope slowly move to the cave mouth. Shortly after, grayish-green flames ignited on it.
A soft murmur finally disappeared into the air along with the burning flames.
The atmosphere in the mountain cave turned somber. These Magical Artifacts stared blankly at the cave entrance, watching their companions, their close friends, approach death.
They had experienced too many similar events. No one could be sure if they would be next.
When the flames on the Dharma Rope finally died down, the rope remained on the ground, but the old voice was gone.
A gust of wind blew, and the rope instantly turned to ash, scattering in the air.
“Y-you r-really c-can…”
The chubby Xingxing poked Jiang Nanyu’s palm, its voice full of anticipation.
“As long as I get out, you get out,” Jiang Nanyu scratched it. “The Zhou Clan and I have a good relationship. I promised them that if I found you, I’d definitely bring you out.”
Xingxing tilted its sword hilt. “B-but you c-can’t…”
“I already have a Spirit Tool; it’s called the Demon-Slaying Sword. It’s very possessive. If it knew I was getting close to other Spiritual Artifacts, who knows how it would react?” Jiang Nanyu thought of her Venerable Ancestor at home and chuckled, teasing it. “But don’t worry, the Zhou family are good people; they’ve carefully looked after your True Form for hundreds of years. After you get out, choose a good Owner, and you’ll slowly recover.”
Xingxing was a little disheartened. Spirit Tools choose their Owners; they naturally prefer the strongest and most suitable one. Jiang Nanyu’s ability to come to the Netherworld Barrier alone proved her prowess; the Seven Star Sword, as an ancient Magical Artifact, naturally wished to follow such an Owner.
“Can you take me out?” A timid voice appeared.
It was the Incense Burner from before.
The Incense Burner was small, no bigger than a palm, and covered in verdigris. Although it had no expression, its tone was extremely cautious. “I am my True Form. My Spiritual Artifact is trapped inside. If you can take me out, I will repay you well.”
After the Incense Burner spoke, the other Magical Artifacts began chattering, introducing themselves—
“And me, I’m my True Form too. I’m very light; I can hide in your hair. Can you take me out too?”
“I-I don’t have a True Form, but I know where it is. Take me out, and I’ll serve you!”
“And me, I…”
Jiang Nanyu soothed them one by one. “Alright, as long as I get out, I’ll take you all with me!”
“Great!”
“I can leave this Accursed Place!”
“Waaaaah, even if I die, I’ll be satisfied to die outside this place…”
Among these Spiritual Artifacts, Jiang Nanyu quickly discovered an “oddity.”
It was a Wooden Staff, about the same thickness as a rolling pin she used for noodles, but much longer, about an arm’s length. Since being awakened, it hadn’t spoken. If it weren’t for occasional small movements proving it was still conscious, Jiang Nanyu would have mistaken it for an ordinary stick.
But now, all the Magical Artifacts were begging Jiang Nanyu to take them out, yet only it remained silent, even silently moving back a few steps, silently returning to a pile of Magical Artifacts that had already lost their Life Force and lying down.
Jiang Nanyu held the Feather and softly inquired about the Wooden Staff’s situation.
The Feather hesitated for a moment, then said, “It hasn’t spoken much. We don’t know much about it, only that it has an Owner. It has only been here for a little over a hundred years. We heard that it’s a very powerful Old Bald Head…”
