Chapter 335 - 296: Artifact Spirit Avatar

Chapter 335: Chapter 296: Artifact Spirit Avatar

One person, impatient upon seeing how miraculous the Wenqu Pavilion was, immediately rushed ahead, flying toward it on his Magical Artifact.

At first, the man flew steadily.

But just as he was about to touch the White Jade Steps circling the Wenqu Pavilion, the steps glowed faintly, and a soft light rippled across them.

THUD—!

Suddenly, a dull impact was accompanied by a pained scream.

The crew member lost control of his Magical Artifact. Like a kite with its string cut, he plummeted from the sky and crashed hard onto the solid ground.

Fortunately, he hadn’t been flying very high. Although he landed in a miserable heap and writhed on the ground in agony, he wasn’t killed.

He just looked pathetic, moaning incessantly.

’No wonder those guys were walking. So there’s a no-fly Restriction here.’

Jiang Xu witnessed the whole thing, secretly glad he hadn’t acted rashly.

He understood why Master Fatty and the others had chosen to walk instead of flying directly to the Wenqu Pavilion.

It turned out there was an invisible Restriction around the Wenqu Pavilion, prohibiting outsiders from flying in directly.

If he hadn’t been more careful, he might have been the one sprawled on the ground.

"You must approach knowledge with reverence. I deliberately said nothing because I wanted to teach you a lesson."

"This was a light punishment. If any of you continue to be so disrespectful after entering the Wenqu Pavilion..."

"...then what awaits you won’t be nearly this simple."

Before entering the Wenqu Pavilion, Master Fatty turned and spoke to Jiang Xu and the others in a cold voice, then walked straight inside and vanished.

Jiang Xu saw that Master Fatty and his group had successfully ascended the White Jade Steps and entered the Wenqu Pavilion without any issues, but he couldn’t glean any more useful information from their actions.

He knew he was on his own for the rest of the exploration.

So, Jiang Xu stepped forward, heading straight for the White Jade Steps.

The staircase had nine hundred and ninety-nine steps, symbolizing the long and arduous path of cultivation.

Only after climbing them all could one enter the main gate on the lowest level.

Each step was as white as snow, with a soft, warm luster.

Jiang Xu didn’t rush to climb them. Instead, he studied the steps, looking up their length, trying to discern some mystery from the seemingly ordinary staircase.

But after a long search, he found nothing special apart from their simple, unadorned beauty.

Finally, Jiang Xu stopped hesitating and decided to try for himself.

He lifted his foot and gently stepped onto the first of the White Jade Steps. He felt nothing unusual—just the solid, cold surface beneath his foot, no different from a normal step.

Jiang Xu continued forward, climbing steadily, one step at a time.

He didn’t dare skip any steps.

’Who knows what other strange taboo I might break, only to get thrashed for it?’

’It probably wouldn’t be life-threatening.’

’But it would definitely be humiliating.’

’Not worth it.’

Jiang Xu ascended with deliberate, steady steps, crossing nine hundred and ninety-eight of the White Jade Steps until he finally reached the last one before the Wenqu Pavilion.

Standing on this final step, his gaze naturally fell upon the open vermilion gate before him.

Although the gate was wide open, the scene within was shrouded in an invisible fog, making it impossible to see clearly.

He narrowed his eyes and used his Spiritual Eye Technique, trying to pierce the blurry barrier, but it was futile.

The scene inside was like looking through a flowing curtain of water, with mottled light and shadow, where reality and illusion intertwined.

No matter how hard he stared, he could only make out vague outlines and shifting patterns of light, unable to perceive its true appearance.

This strange phenomenon filled Jiang Xu with surprise and confusion. He couldn’t help but slow down, standing on the final step to carefully examine the seemingly ordinary gate.

The vermilion doorframe was vibrant and solid. The bronze studs embedded in it glinted in the sunlight, exuding an ancient and solemn air.

Ancient inscriptions were carved onto the lintel, their powerful strokes imbued with profound Daoist rhythm.

Despite his slight hesitation, Jiang Xu didn’t stop. He took a deep breath and decisively stepped over the threshold and through the gate.

He felt nothing as he stepped through, just like taking a normal step.

But in reality, the scene before his eyes changed in an instant.

When he found himself inside the first floor of the Wenqu Pavilion, he was immediately, deeply shocked by what he saw.

The interior of the pavilion was spacious and bright. Sunlight streamed through the windows, illuminating the ancient wooden structure and neat rows of bookshelves, creating a solemn and serene atmosphere.

The faint scent of ink hung in the air, a testament to the age of the Ancient Texts.

Looking around, Jiang Xu saw endless books.

They were arranged in orderly rows on towering shelves by category and era, stretching from floor to ceiling as if they went on forever.

Jiang Xu was immersed in this atmosphere, about to step deeper to explore.

But when he subconsciously glanced back, he was instantly dumbfounded by the sight.

"The door?!" Jiang Xu blurted out, his voice filled with disbelief.

Jiang Xu clearly remembered having just stepped through that vermilion gate.

But now, the gate had vanished without a trace, as if it had evaporated.

In its place were countless bookshelves that blended seamlessly with the surroundings. They were packed densely together, like a fortress of knowledge, trapping him within.

Jiang Xu frantically looked around, trying to find any sign of the door.

But no matter which direction he looked, all he could see were towering bookshelves piled high with all sorts of ancient tomes and records.

Jiang Xu tried to find another exit.

But no matter how quickly he moved between the shelves, his view was always filled with endless books.

It was as if he had fallen into a labyrinth built of books, with no way out.

Even stranger, Master Fatty and the others who had entered the Wenqu Pavilion just before him had also vanished without a trace.

The once-bustling scene was now empty save for Jiang Xu, who stood alone in this vast sea of books.

All Jiang Xu could hear was his own ragged breathing and his footsteps echoing in the empty pavilion. The sudden silence and solitude sent a chill through his heart.

"Hello, it’s a pleasure to meet you!"

A voice suddenly rang out beside Jiang Xu’s ear, making him jump in fright!

Jiang Xu almost unleashed all his Magic but stopped himself just in time.

Because he saw a strange Jade Token floating in front of him.

"Hello, it’s a pleasure to meet you!" When Jiang Xu didn’t answer, the voice came from the Jade Token again.

"...Are you talking to me?" Jiang Xu asked cautiously.

"Is there anyone else here besides me?" The Jade Token spun around as if looking around.

"No, I mean, who are you?" Jiang Xu was a little baffled.

"I am the Artifact Spirit of the Wenqu Pavilion. However, what you see before you is merely an Artifact Spirit Avatar."

’An Artifact Spirit?’

’And this is just an Avatar?’

Although Jiang Xu was still completely confused, he was starting to get a rough idea of things.

"Then what are you doing here?"

"So, no one told you about what it’s like inside the Wenqu Pavilion? Perfect, I’ll fill you in."

The Artifact Spirit Avatar then told Jiang Xu a lot about itself.

This Wenqu Pavilion was actually a Magical Treasure of a very high grade, a relic from Ancient Times. According to the Artifact Spirit Avatar, it was a supreme treasure lost by the Wenqu Star Monarch.

Jiang Xu didn’t know if that was true. ’It’s probably just singing its own praises.’

The true controller of the Wenqu Pavilion now was its own Artifact Spirit, named Elder Wen.

As for the so-called Pavilion Master of the Wenqu Pavilion, he didn’t actually control it. He just had very high authority within it, second only to Elder Wen.

If someone could later obtain authority exceeding that of the so-called Pavilion Master, they could naturally take the title for themselves.

However, according to the Artifact Spirit Avatar, this was very difficult.

Because that Pavilion Master had already reached a very high floor within the Wenqu Pavilion—one that even ordinary Golden Core Cultivators couldn’t hope to match.

As for why the Artifact Spirit Avatar had appeared before Jiang Xu...

...it explained that as well.

In fact, there were countless separate, non-interacting spaces within the Wenqu Pavilion.

Every Cultivator who entered the Wenqu Pavilion would be randomly sent to one of these spaces, and they would be the only person in it.