Chapter Eleven: Time Constraints

Chapter Eleven: Time Limit

The serpent’s shadow is wounded now. If I wield the curse technique of the Crocodile Dragon Mountain River Pearl, I could surely break its hold. Yet, if I act, I risk exposing the cursed artifact in my possession, and moreover, I dare not harm the true body of the foe. Reckless action would only alert it. But where, indeed, does its true body reside?

Chu Youcai struggled painfully, his gaze sweeping across the great hall. He took note of the inscriptions on the columns, the sandalwood table within the City God Temple, and the massive statue dominating the room.

At this moment, the serpent’s shadow had completely bound Chu Youcai, yet it failed to notice his right hand gripping a dagger, angled so that the blade pressed against the shadow itself. The tighter the shadow constricted, the deeper the dagger sank.

Suddenly, as if blood welled forth from the wound, the serpent’s shadow cried out in pain and recoiled several steps, its form growing ever more indistinct.

Seizing the opportunity, Chu Youcai sprang up, plunging the dagger forcefully into the shadow’s head and then hurtling toward the center of the hall. The serpent’s shadow recovered and gave chase, but Chu Youcai, clutching the Crocodile Dragon Mountain River Pearl in his left hand, unleashed the Crocodile Dragon Palm technique. The pearl’s energy surged forth, striking the headless statue of the City God.

Chu Youcai had noticed the statue’s missing head upon entering, finding it peculiar. The serpent had called itself the “head of the shadow,” hinting it had devoured the statue’s head, so its true form likely resided there.

Now, with his hand—along with the Crocodile Dragon Mountain River Pearl—pressed against the statue, countless beams of light blazed forth, branching and intertwining, striking the statue with tremendous force. The statue trembled, nearly bursting apart.

The serpent’s shadow shrieked in agony, furious and lunging at Chu Youcai. Yet he kept the pearl pressed to the statue with his left hand, while his right hand pummeled the shadow with thunderous blows. With each punch, the shadow faded further. Writhing in pain, the shadow roared and clawed at the earth, gouging a pit, but Chu Youcai raised his fist once more and drove the shadow straight into the pit.

He struck dozens of times, exhausting the strength of the Crocodile Dragon Palm with every blow. Within moments, he was nearly spent, yet seeing the shadow still lingering, he seized the fallen dagger and brought it down with renewed fury.

Gradually, the serpent’s shadow ceased struggling. Chu Youcai could not tell whether it was truly dead, so he continued hacking and slashing.

By now, nearly ten blinks had passed since Chu Youcai activated the Crocodile Dragon Mountain River Pearl. Suddenly, he sensed his strength draining away, as if his lifespan itself was being siphoned, his body aging rapidly.

He realized that if he did not withdraw the pearl, he would soon be utterly depleted, his life drained to nothing. Hastily, he ceased the Crocodile Dragon technique and hung the pearl on the jade pendant at his chest. The feeling of impending death vanished.

The Crocodile Dragon Mountain River Pearl clearly has a time limit for its activation—about ten breaths. I must have lost a year of my life just now. If I’d kept going, it might have cost me two years.

At this point, Chu Youcai had only a single year of lifespan left. Further depletion would mean instant death.

Was the serpent’s shadow truly slain?

Chu Youcai turned and saw nothing in the pit. Suddenly, a shed snake skin tumbled from the City God statue, its body shattered and mottled—clearly dead.

Chu Youcai finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He had at last slain the accursed creature.

Suddenly, he sensed a powerful energy condensing from the snake’s remains, which was then absorbed into the Crocodile Dragon Mountain River Pearl.

This energy was invisible, barely perceptible as a faint mist, but it made him feel his own lifespan increase noticeably.

In that instant, he examined himself internally, entering the inner world of the Crocodile Dragon Mountain River Pearl. Above the vast ocean, the inscription upon the stone tablet now read: Chu Youcai, four years of lifespan.

Before using the cursed artifact, he’d only had two years left—how had it increased so much? Had he absorbed three inches of vital energy? Did the serpent’s shadow have thirty years of demonic cultivation?

Just then, as if to answer his doubts, the stone tablet over the ocean shimmered, revealing more words: “The serpent demon you absorbed possessed twenty years of cultivation. Ten years of demonic energy equate to one inch of lifespan. After ten years, the strength and concentration double, so twenty years of demonic energy become three inches, thirty years become six inches, forty years become ten, and so on.”

At once, Chu Youcai understood.

Born in the Prince’s Manor, he had read many books since childhood and knew that cultivation was exceedingly difficult. One had to strive daily, shaking stone and metal to solidify even a day’s progress. Every decade brought a bottleneck; failing to break through, even after twenty or thirty years, meant remaining stuck at the ten-year realm—a common outcome.

To reach twenty years of cultivation was already arduous; thirty years of demonic energy was even more rare.

As cultivation deepened, vital energy became more refined and pure, yielding greater replenishment.

A demon of thirty years’ cultivation could summon wind and rain, easily slaughtering a mortal even while gravely wounded—never would it fall so easily to him.

Chu Youcai recalled the moment he had activated the Crocodile Dragon Mountain River Pearl and asked, “When using the pearl, is the time limit ten breaths, beyond which more vital energy is consumed?”

The stone tablet was silent for a moment before words appeared: “Originally, such secrets were not revealed, but since you have guessed, I will tell you. You are correct. Exceeding ten breaths doubles the energy cost; at twenty breaths, three inches must be paid.”

“Is using the pearl for one breath the same as for ten breaths?” Chu Youcai pressed his question.

“Indeed, ten breaths constitute one cycle,” the stone tablet replied quickly.

Now Chu Youcai understood the gist.

He had learned that the cursed artifact could be used three times per day, but each use likely had a cooldown period. Otherwise, he could simply use it for ten breaths, withdraw it, and immediately use it again. In the crucial instant between uses, his enemy would hardly have time to kill him.

“Does the Crocodile Dragon Mountain River Pearl only affect the enemy’s true body? Is it useless against mere yin energy?” Chu Youcai asked again.

He remembered that activating the pearl had not harmed the serpent’s shadow, but touching the statue’s true body had finally slain it. Thus, he voiced his question.

The inscription on the stone tablet now carried a note of indifference: “Mortal, I have told you enough.”

Chu Youcai fell into deep thought. He felt his judgment was correct: had he used the pearl from the start, it would have merely dispersed the shadow, unable to harm the true body, and the activation would have been wasted.

It seemed the cursed artifact had many limitations.

Just then, Chu Youcai sensed something odd outside and withdrew his consciousness from the pearl’s inner world.

Though he had spent much time within, only two or three blinks had passed in the outside world.

Chu Youcai watched as the serpent’s demonic energy was absorbed, and a white soul emerged from the snake’s body. Its face no longer twisted in malice, but exuded holiness and inviolable dignity. The soul pressed its palms together and bowed three times to Chu Youcai, then rose and drifted skyward, as if Chu Youcai had granted it ultimate release.

Chu Youcai was startled: Does the Crocodile Dragon Mountain River Pearl automatically grant liberation to the foe?

As the soul vanished, dense yin energy gathered around Chu Youcai, encircling him from afar—twenty or thirty strands, tightly packed, as if poised to devour him entirely.

Seeing this, Chu Youcai’s heart surged with alarm.