I'm bound to the World-Destroying Witch

Chapter 27. The Spiritual Artifact Space
There was no special feeling when the soul passed through the gate of the world.

With a blink of an eye, he found himself on a high platform formed by an array. Looking up, he saw the long-lost World Tree with its canopy blocking out the sun.

The pale dragon, now only a skeleton, held its majestic head high, its bony body embedded in the center of the tree trunk. Amidst the ever-burning azure flames, the dragon maiden in a star-patterned dress with soft, cloud-gray hair remained half-closed, slumbering on her divine throne.

"Gudong-"

Xia Feng subconsciously swallowed, his long-extinguished hunger rising again.

[Remaining activity: 5 days and 6 hours]

A first-tier spirit master's single consumption limit is seven days. After seven days, they will feel full and can no longer eat. The cooldown time is one day, meaning they can eat once every other day.

Swah——

Noticing the commotion, the black crow atop the branch suddenly opened its eyes, its beak emitting a soft, mature, and slightly amused voice.

"Hey human brat, I didn't expect you to get here so quickly~"

Thump! Thump thump! His rapidly beating heart was like a wild horse galloping freely. Xia Feng clutched his chest, staring at the woman on the throne, his breathing slightly rapid.

It seems that after tasting the delicious food once, he became even more craving it, and had developed a taste for it.

Thinking about it, he took a step forward.

Seeing Xia Feng's excitement, Black Crow said helplessly, "It seems you really crave the unsealing of your spiritual energy. Very well, come forward and I will teach you how to communicate with spiritual energy."

Xia Feng stopped in his tracks, forcibly shifting his gaze away from Miss Evil Dragon, and looked up at Black Crow, his eyes twitching slightly.

This is ridiculous. Can't you let me eat my fill before I start studying?

Out of consideration for not revealing too much of his desire for Evil, he suppressed his urges and nodded helplessly, deciding to seek spiritual liberation first.

Spiritual liberation, also known as soul unsealing or psychic energy unsealing.

This refers to the fact that everyone's soul contains mysterious spiritual energy, which can only be used by releasing it through special methods and gathering it into a "spiritual artifact".

Therefore, even ordinary people may awaken a spiritual artifact, although the probability is relatively low.

If an ordinary person could truly awaken a spiritual weapon, and if the weapon worked well, they might be able to directly defeat an apprentice spiritual master, or even a first-level spiritual master!
Therefore, spirit artifacts are very important to a spirit master, as they are an excellent way to improve combat power without having to study spirit particle structures diligently.

Of course, just as spirit garments are divided into different grades, spirit weapons also naturally have different grades.

Like the Spirit Robes, they are divided into six levels from low to high: N, D, C, B, A, and S.

N-level is the worst, but it can be very strong in certain areas.

For example, the 'Chef's Gloves'—any food made with these gloves, even if it's poop, will taste like chocolate.

It is said that this culinary master first appeared on a variety show, and became a popular internet celebrity with his famous dish "preserved original flavor pig intestines".

For example, "sleep-proof glasses" can keep you awake forever and keep you alert, while "slimming belts" can prevent you from gaining weight and only help you lose weight.
At Rank D, some magical artifacts will appear that are useful in battle, but they are only useful and still cannot determine the outcome of the battle.

Only spirit artifacts of grade C or higher can produce strange artifacts that can directly overturn the battle, allowing lower-level spirit masters to kill higher-level spirit masters.

"Under normal circumstances, there are two situations in which a spiritual artifact can be awakened."

Black Crow, perched on a branch, explained, "First, when emotions are running high; second, at the moment of death. In both of these situations, it's possible to sense the 'spiritual artifact' and extract its essence, but it all depends heavily on luck."

Some ordinary people can awaken a C-grade spiritual weapon, while some spiritual masters who have reached the third or even higher rank cannot sense their own spiritual weapon.

"Ms. Black Crow, I understand everything you're saying. Can you just get to the conclusion? Why did you say before that you could help me achieve 100% success in spiritual liberation?"

Black Crow chuckled, "Naturally, it's because of my spiritual artifact—'Spiritual Artifact Space'—which helps people awaken the spiritual energy hidden deep within their true selves."

"Ah this."

Using a magical artifact to awaken another magical artifact—this is absolutely a divine artifact!

"May I ask what level your spiritual weapon is?"

"A-level."

A glint appeared in Xia Feng's eyes: "Is awakening an A-rank easy?"

"What do you think?" Black Crow rolled his eyes in a very human-like manner.

"Human brat, I advise you not to get your hopes up too high. Based on my experience of helping so many humans awaken their spiritual artifacts, even if you have the luckiest luck, you'll only get C-grade at most. B-grade is a pipe dream, and as for A-grade, don't even think about it!"

"Does this have to be so discouraging?" Xia Feng muttered, then boldly asked, "What about S-rank?"

"?" A question mark seemed to light up on Black Crow's forehead, and his bewildered eyes seemed to say, "Are you kidding me? How dare you think that?"

"Let me put it this way: I have helped countless humans and even other races, and there have indeed been a few A-level individuals, but there are still zero S-level individuals."

"All right."

Xia Feng roughly understood that A-rank is equivalent to SSR card in card games, while S-rank is equivalent to UR card. There are only a few UR cards in the entire game, and it would probably take hundreds of thousands of years of lifespan to get one.

Based on his unlucky past of never being able to draw an SSR card in games, he only hoped to awaken a B-grade spirit weapon.
Hmm, no, C-grade! Xia Feng clasped his hands together in prayer: "A C-grade spiritual weapon will do!"

"You all understand now, right? If you do, look up and into my eyes."

Xia Feng looked up as instructed and saw that Lady Black Crow's deep gray eyes were sparkling with golden light, and her beak was slightly open.

"After entering the spirit artifact space, defeat your spirit artifact avatar, and you will gain spiritual power."

"Huh?" Xia Feng was startled and dumbfounded. "Wasn't it supposed to help me awaken my powers 100%?"

Lady Black Raven's gray eyes seemed to be smiling: "If you can't defeat the artifact avatar, you can't leave the artifact space. But if you win, you'll naturally be 100% awakened~"

"Hiss!! Why didn't you say so earlier, you stinky crow—" The voice abruptly stopped.

"Heh~~~" The mature woman's laughter seemed to carry a hint of smug satisfaction at having successfully tricked him.

As the world spun around him, Xia Feng felt her teasing voice fading into the distance. "Don't worry, you'll be resurrected if you die in the Spirit Artifact Space. Also, ten hours in the Spirit Artifact Space is only one hour outside. Go on, although the trials for different people's Spirit Artifact incarnations are different, I believe you won't be stuck without awakening your Spirit Artifact for hundreds of years. Good luck!"

Swah——

A blinding light rushed into his pupils and then quickly faded away, and Xia Feng squinted.

The world was a vast expanse of white.

There was only a thin layer of clear water, less than a finger's width deep, stretching endlessly in all directions.

Pat pat pat——

Xia Feng took a few steps forward through the water, and the clear reflection of himself on the water surface twisted and dissipated.

He looked around; this magical artifact space seemed boundless and eerily silent.

Lady Black Crow, that stinky crow, says she'll defeat the artifact avatar, but where is the avatar?

"Hey, is anyone there?" he shouted.

As he finished speaking, ripples suddenly appeared on the water beneath his feet. Xia Feng sensed something was wrong and subconsciously took a step back, only to find that his reflection underwater remained fixed in place and did not move with him.

Before he could react, the two-square-meter water surface flipped up ninety degrees, like a super clear water mirror formed by clear water flow, standing quietly in front of Xia Feng.

Xia Feng frowned as he stared at his reflection in the mirror, their eyes meeting.

In the vast expanse of heaven and earth, Xia Feng stared at himself for a full three minutes. Suddenly, a strange smile appeared on his lips in the mirror: "You're really interesting~"

Xia Feng blinked and nodded in satisfaction: "Right? I think so too."

"Yeah, you're not only funny, you're also handsome~"

"Mmm-hmm!" Xia Feng nodded repeatedly, giving a thumbs up. "As expected of me, you have excellent taste!"

The person in the mirror paused for a moment, then gave a thumbs up and grinned: "That's so me, so narcissistic~"

"Who are you cursing?" Xia Feng frowned.

"I'm insulting myself, what's wrong with that?" The person in the mirror raised their chin, looking arrogant and smug. "I'm just an idiot!"

"You son of a bitch—" Xia Feng suddenly drew his sword and assumed a stance, three terrifying waves of blood rushing straight towards the face of the person in the mirror, bang!
The mirror shattered, turning into water droplets that splashed out and created countless ripples on the water's surface.

"Is this really me? I have no sense of martial ethics at all."

A cold snort came from behind. Xia Feng turned around and saw another water mirror standing five meters away. "Is this me? You really have no martial ethics."

With another cold snort, Xia Feng turned around again, and another water mirror stood five meters away.

"Is this really me? I have no sense of martial ethics at all."

right.

"Don't talk about martial ethics."

left.

"Don't talk about martial ethics."

"Don't talk about martial ethics!"

"No martial ethics!!" More and more water mirrors rose up from all directions, stretching endlessly into the distance in a staggered pattern. Xia Feng in the mirrors made the same punchable expression and said the same words.

"No martial ethics, no martial ethics, no martial ethics!"

Their chattering never seemed to be in unison, swirling around Xia Feng like a chanting monk. Xia Feng's eyes twitched slightly; he felt numb.

He never thought he could be so annoying.

Xia Feng sighed and said helplessly, "Alright, hurry up, is killing you all the solution?"

They finally stopped chanting, and after a moment of silence, their voices became remarkably unified, booming like thunder: "We are you, and you are us. Why are you killing yourself?"

"What's it to you? I can kill whenever I want!" Xia Feng raised his knife again; he didn't want to listen to these idiots' nonsense.

Snapped--

He suddenly stomped on the water.

Xia Feng, carrying his broadsword, charged towards the water mirror directly in front of him.

But the water mirror suddenly rippled, and the person in the mirror, carrying a large sword, stepped out of the mirror!

Two figures dressed in white martial arts uniforms shot out like two arrows released from a bow.

Clang—the blades clashed and rang on the water's surface, striking each other for half a second before flying backward in the same manner.

The two figures vanished the instant they landed.

Where did they go?

Where did they go?

"Where did you go? Where did you go? Where did you go?"

The water mirrors surrounding them emitted a noisy, chanting sound once more.

But less than five seconds later, three terrifying waves of blood suddenly appeared from the left and right sides of the battlefield, bang bang bang!! The shockwaves from the collisions blasted the clear water surface into the sky, causing a torrential downpour.

Two semi-transparent figures were faintly visible under the rain, standing on one foot above two water mirrors, only twenty meters apart.

Xia Feng brandished his sword, emerged from his concealed state, and stared at himself opposite him with a furrowed brow.

"Now you understand, right?" Xia Feng on the other side also exited his stealth mode and said seriously, "I am you, and you are me, so even if you are the best in the world, you cannot defeat yourself."

Xia Feng frowned even more deeply.

The stinky crow said that as long as you defeat the spirit artifact avatar, you will clear the game and your spiritual energy will be unsealed.

The stinky crow also said that the trials for different people's spiritual artifact incarnations are different.

Clearly, his spiritual artifact test was extremely bizarre and outrageous.

Defeating yourself?

Yes, who in this world can defeat themselves?
"So, if you understand, then give up."

"Yeah, give up."

"give up."

The people in the mirror started babbling again.

"Give up?" Xia Feng rolled his eyes. "Then how am I supposed to leave this godforsaken place?"

"leave?"

Why leave?

"Yeah, isn't it good to have so many people to talk to?"

"What a load of nonsense!" Xia Feng sighed, rubbing his forehead. He didn't want to talk.

Seeing Xia Feng remain silent, the person in the mirror simultaneously showed an expression of sudden realization, as if they had understood something.

"understood."

"Yes, we understand!"

As they finished speaking, Xia Feng's vision blurred, and the surrounding scenery distorted and changed. He found himself lying on a large bed.

Looking around, the dressing table, wardrobe, and bedside table resemble a married couple's bedroom.

The large TV screen directly in front of me was playing a popular suspense drama. On the blankets covering me was a folding table with fruit, snacks, and sugary drinks on it.

Just as he was wondering, a woman wearing a silk nightgown walked in from outside.

The woman's face was blurry; she held a basin of water in her hands and placed it beside the bed.

But as Xia Feng looked closer, the woman's face gradually transformed into Mu Qingtong's cool, smiling expression. She raised her beautiful eyes, her eyebrows curving upwards, and said softly, "Husband, let me wash your feet~"

Xia Feng: "."

Seeing that he seemed a little dazed, Mu Qingtong frowned slightly and asked worriedly, "What's wrong, honey? Are you tired from sitting?" As she spoke, she immediately climbed onto the bed behind Xia Feng, biting her lip and whispering, "Let me give you a massage~"

Feeling the gentle massage of her slender, white hands on his shoulders and neck, and hearing Mu Qingtong's unprecedentedly soft whispers in his ear, Xia Feng was momentarily dazed. Two words expressing his shock and bewilderment escaped his lips: "Holy crap—"

"Huh? Now?" Mu Qingtong paused, her ears turning slightly red as she turned her face away. "It's...it's not even evening yet~"

Xia Feng's eye twitched slightly as he was about to say something.

Bang! !

On the television screen, a bus exploded on a bridge spanning the river. Xia Feng's attention was drawn to the scene. In a moment of distraction, he subconsciously picked up a bag of potato chips from the table, tore it open, and was about to start eating while watching the show.

"Honey, how can you do this yourself? Let me do it!" Mu Qingtong snatched the bag, picked up a potato chip, and held it to Xia Feng's lips. "Ah~~"

In a daze, Xia Feng ate some potato chips and then felt a little thirsty, so he picked up a can of cola and was about to open it.

"Honey! I've told you so many times, how can you do this kind of thing?"

Mu Qingtong snatched the cola, twisted it open, and carefully held the bottle to Xia Feng's lips, "Ah~~~~"

Xia Feng opened his mouth, his dark eyes looking blankly at the bus exploding again on the TV screen. This was a suspense drama about the protagonist being reborn repeatedly on a bus and changing the bus's inevitable fate of exploding.

The protagonist seems unable to stop the explosions or escape the cycle. Xia Feng leans against Mu Qingtong's chest, his mouth automatically agape as he intently watches the show.

He can never kill himself, and he can never leave the magical artifact space.

Perhaps, it would be nice to just lie here like this, with clothes and food provided, the blankets warm and the back soft.

Well, pretty good.

very good
"No way!" Xia Feng jolted awake and stood up abruptly.

"Hey honey, what are you doing—"

Xia Feng conjured a large sword from who-knows-where, and with a backhand slash, a beautiful head flew into the air, blood splattering all over the white bed.

The headless, delicate body slowly collapsed.

(End of this chapter)