Tavern of the Spear: Desire for Pleasure

At the same time, Cheng Yu's condition in the spiritual world is not too bad. Perhaps it's only not too bad in the spiritual world, but outside, his body is about to be completely devoured by the tentacles.

At this moment, Cheng Yu, in his spiritual world which resembled the surface of water, looked around in confusion. His other self had disappeared, so what should he do next?

In his mind, shouldn't he be able to leave this place after eliminating his other self? So why is he still here?

At this moment, standing on this boundless ocean of the spirit, he appeared so lonely. The only thing that could accompany him now was the reflection of himself on the water at his feet.

Cheng Yu stared intently at the water's surface, and his white reflection mirrored his gaze. This reflection, though bearing the same face, exuded a completely different aura. Cheng Yu's fur was a warm yellow, symbolizing vitality and hope, while the reflection's white fur conveyed a sense of coolness and mystery, as if harboring endless unknowns.

"Who...who are you?" Cheng Yu asked softly, his voice echoing in the empty mental world. The reflection on the water did not answer, but simply watched him silently, a complex emotion seemingly flashing in its eyes.

Cheng Yu reached out, trying to touch the reflection, but his fingertips only touched the cold lake water. A strange sense of unease welled up inside him. He couldn't understand why, even though he had already defeated his other self, he still couldn't leave this awful place.

"Could it be... that there's still some problem I haven't solved?" Cheng Yu murmured to himself, as he began to carefully recall everything that had happened before. From entering this spiritual world to the battle with his other self, every detail flashed through his mind.

Suddenly, Cheng Yu's gaze fell upon a statue reflected on the water's surface. That statue was the very same mysterious statue he had encountered in the real world. The statue's image was blurry, yet it emanated a powerful energy that sent a chill down Cheng Yu's spine.

"This statue... could it be related to my power?" Cheng Yu's heart stirred. He vaguely sensed that this statue might be the key to unraveling all the mysteries.

He crouched down again, carefully observing the statue on the water's surface. This time, he noticed that the statue's eyes seemed to gleam faintly, as if they were staring back at him. Cheng Yu's heart began to race; he had a premonition that he was about to uncover a shocking secret.

Just then, the water surface suddenly rippled violently, and the statue's reflection became distorted and blurry. Cheng Yu abruptly raised his head and saw that the surrounding space began to tremble violently, as if something was about to burst out of the water.

"What's going on?" Cheng Yu shouted in horror. He stared intently at the water's surface and saw a huge whirlpool forming in the center, with a massive figure writhing within it.

"Roar!" A deafening roar came from the whirlpool, and then a huge tentacle suddenly stretched out of the water and attacked Cheng Yu.

Cheng Yu was terrified and hurriedly retreated, but the tentacles were incredibly fast, reaching him in an instant. With nowhere to dodge, and about to be struck, at the critical moment, a powerful force suddenly surged from his chest, transforming into a golden light that deflected the tentacles.

"This is..." Cheng Yu was stunned. He looked down at his chest, where a warm light was emanating. He felt that this power seemed to resonate with some kind of power within him, making him feel incredibly strong.

After being repelled, the tentacle seemed even more enraged, flailing wildly in the air and emitting piercing roars. Then, even more tentacles emerged from the water, swarming towards Cheng Yu in a dense mass.

Cheng Yu took a deep breath. He knew this was not the time to be afraid. He had to fight, for himself and for Bai Yu. He closed his eyes, focused his mind, and felt the powerful force within him.

"Come on!" Cheng Yu suddenly opened his eyes, golden light flashing in them, and a powerful aura burst forth from him.

He faced the tentacles head-on, golden light condensing into a lightsaber in his hand. He wielded the lightsaber and engaged in a fierce battle with the tentacles.

Wherever the lightsaber went, the tentacles snapped off, turning into black liquid and dissipating into the air. Cheng Yu fought with increasing ferocity, feeling the power within him growing stronger and stronger, as if it were inexhaustible.

"Roar!" The tentacles let out a painful roar, as if they sensed Cheng Yu's power and began to fear him.

"It's over!" Cheng Yu shouted. He leaped high into the air, his lightsaber bursting with dazzling light, and then slashed fiercely at the water.

Boom! With a deafening roar, a massive crack was cleaved open in the water's surface, emanating a blinding light. Immediately afterward, the entire spiritual world began to crumble, dissipating into countless fragments that vanished into the air.

Cheng Yu felt a sudden dizziness, and then he abruptly opened his eyes.

He found himself lying on a soft grassy field, surrounded by a dense forest, the air filled with the fresh scent of earth and grass.

"Where...where am I now??" Cheng Yu muttered to himself. He sat up, looked around, and found Bai Yu standing not far away, looking at him with a worried expression.

"Cheng Yu! You're finally awake!" Bai Yu strode over and helped Cheng Yu up. "Are you alright?"

Cheng Yu shook his head. He felt somewhat weak, but his mind was unusually clear. He looked down at his hands and found that they were emitting a faint golden light.

"My power..." Cheng Yu murmured to himself. He felt that he had become stronger than before, but at the same time, he also felt that a part of his memory seemed to be missing.

"Who...who am I?" Cheng Yu raised his head and looked at Bai Yu blankly.

Bai Yu's helplessness was evident, as if he were complaining about the sudden amnesia plot, which was so clichéd it was almost unbearable. "Waking up and then losing his memory, this trope is just too..." he muttered to himself, yet he had no choice but to patiently face Cheng Yu's clear but bewildered eyes. Perhaps, he really had amnesia. Bai Yu sighed, a worried expression creeping onto his face.

"Sigh, never mind." He sat down next to Cheng Yu and gently patted his shoulder. "Your name is Cheng Yu, and mine is Bai Yu. Although... well, anyway, I'll help you regain your memories." Cheng Yu nodded, seemingly understanding, then fell silent, as if trying to remember every word Bai Yu said, or perhaps pondering some deeper question. Bai Yu looked at him, sighed again, got up, and walked to the nearby fire, continuing to stir up the pot of soup that had repeatedly failed. "First failure, second failure, it's all normal," he consoled himself.

However, just as Bai Yu was intently working on the pot of soup, a barely perceptible glint of shrewdness flashed in Cheng Yu's eyes. He quietly pulled a camera from his pocket and took a picture of the surrounding environment. The photo was empty; Bai Yu was nowhere to be seen. "So...it was all fake after all?" Cheng Yu sighed, a hint of sadness in his eyes. The Bai Yu before him was so real, so warm, but in the end, it was all just an illusion.

He pulled a photograph from his pocket and clutched it tightly in his hand. In an instant, the photograph transformed into a pistol, and Cheng Yu, without hesitation, fired several shots into the back of "Bai Yu's" head. "Bang! Bang! Bang!" The gunshots echoed through the empty forest, and everything around him began to crack like a mirror. "It seems this illusion is about to end," Cheng Yu thought. Sure enough, in less than three seconds, the entire world collapsed completely, and Cheng Yu returned to the mental world formed by the water.

This time, he sank below the surface, while standing on the surface was his white-haired self. White-haired Cheng Yu looked down at Cheng Yu in the water, his eyes filled with complex and unfathomable emotions. "Do you... still want to struggle?" White-haired Cheng Yu spoke, his voice deep and magnetic, echoing in the empty mental world, carrying a strange sense of pressure.

Cheng Yu in the water didn't answer, only silently watching him. He knew this battle in the mental world wasn't over yet; he had to find a real way out to return to the real world. "I...won't give up," Cheng Yu silently told himself. He began to struggle upwards, trying to break free from the water's confinement.

“It’s no use.” White-haired Cheng Yu shook his head. “You can never leave here unless… you accept your true self, which is to say, you accept that I am you.” His voice carried a hint of temptation, as if guiding Cheng Yu in another direction. “My true self?” Cheng Yu struggled in the water, feeling his consciousness begin to blur. White-haired Cheng Yu’s words echoed in his mind like a spell.

"Give up resistance, Cheng Yu." The voice of the white-haired Cheng Yu grew closer and closer. "Accept your power, accept your destiny, and you will gain eternal peace." The water began to ripple violently, as if something was about to surge out of the water. Cheng Yu felt a sense of suffocation. He struggled desperately, but his body grew heavier and heavier, and his consciousness became increasingly blurred.

"No... I can't give up..." Cheng Yu cried out in his heart. He thought of his master, his comrades who fought alongside him, and the mission he bore. "I... still have unfinished business..." With his last bit of strength, he reached out his hand towards the water, as if trying to grasp at the last straw.

Just then, a golden light burst forth from his chest once more, instantly illuminating his entire spiritual world. The golden light dispelled the darkness, dispelled the confusion, and also dispelled the temptation of the white-haired Cheng Yu. Cheng Yu felt a powerful force surging within him; he suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze filled with determination and hope.

"I...I am Cheng Yu!" he shouted, his voice echoing in the spiritual world, filled with boundless strength and determination. "I will not succumb to fate, nor will I abandon my comrades! I will...return to the real world to fulfill my mission!"

With his shout, the water shattered completely, and his entire mental world collapsed once more. Cheng Yu felt a dizzying sensation, and then he opened his eyes again.

Sinking, sinking ever deeper. Cheng Yu's body drifted helplessly in the water, his consciousness fading. He struggled to flap his arms, trying to swim upwards, but the icy current was like an invisible hand, pulling him relentlessly towards the abyss. "Am I... going to die?" A thought flashed through his mind, tinged with despair and resentment.

Just then, countless black tentacles materialized from the white-haired Cheng Yu's body on the water's surface. These tentacles, like vengeful ghosts, quickly disappeared into the water and attacked Cheng Yu. "Still trying to struggle? It's useless." The white-haired Cheng Yu's voice echoed in the water, carrying a hint of mockery and coldness.

Tentacles quickly wrapped around Cheng Yu's arm, the cold, sticky sensation making him nauseous. He struggled with all his might, but the tentacles were too strong for him to break free. His body began to sink uncontrollably, the feeling of suffocation growing stronger. "No... I can't die here..." Cheng Yu gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with resentment.

At this critical moment, countless photographs suddenly fell from Cheng Yu's pocket. These photographs floated in the water, as if they had a life of their own, and automatically flew towards the surface. Once on the surface, the photographs emitted a dazzling golden light, like tiny suns illuminating the dark waters.

The next moment, Cheng Yu, who had been underwater, suddenly appeared on the surface. He gasped for breath, looking with lingering fear at the tentacles still thrashing wildly in the water. "Thank goodness, I still have a trick up my sleeve!" Cheng Yu looked at the gleaming golden photos with a sense of pride.

He swiftly seized one of the photos, which shimmered with golden light, and in an instant, it transformed into a sharp longsword. At the same time, the other photos began to react, spinning and deforming in the air, eventually transforming into a gleaming suit of armor that was donned by Cheng Yu.

"You stinky white-haired brat! Look at your grandpa, what's the difference between you and me? Let me tell you, I've got a cheat code! Hahaha..." Cheng Yu felt the powerful energy emanating from his armor, his heart filled with confidence. At the same time, he vaguely sensed that these photos seemed to resonate with the power he had just gained, making him even stronger.

However, before Cheng Yu could even feel happy, an enormous tentacle suddenly burst forth from beneath the water, slamming down on him with tremendous force. Cheng Yu had no time to dodge and was struck directly by the tentacle, his body flying out like a cannonball.

"Pfft!" Cheng Yu's body bounced on the water's surface more than a dozen times before finally stopping. He suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, staining the water beneath him red. The intense pain almost made him faint; he felt as if his internal organs had shifted and several bones were broken.

"Cough cough... What... what the hell is this thing..." Cheng Yu struggled to stand up, but his body wouldn't obey him. He lay helplessly on the water, looking at the huge tentacle that was still swaggering in the air, his heart filled with despair.

"You...can't beat me..." Cheng Yu's voice rang out again, tinged with smugness and cruelty. "Give up, Cheng Yu, accept your fate, become a part of me, and you will gain eternal power."

“Eternal power…? I… don’t need it…” Cheng Yu said with difficulty, his eyes filled with defiance and anger. “I… have my own path to walk, I… want to return to the real world, to… to protect my… companions…”

"Partners? Hahahaha!" White-haired Cheng Yu laughed loudly. "You think you still have partners? They're all dead, killed by your ignorance and arrogance!"

"No...you're lying!" Cheng Yu roared, his eyes bloodshot. "They...they're still alive, I...I can feel it..."

"Is that so? Then open your eyes wide and see clearly where your companions are!" Bai Mao Chengyu's voice suddenly turned cold. With a wave of his hand, countless images suddenly appeared on the water.

The scene showed Cheng Yu's former comrades, all covered in blood, lying on the ground, their fates unknown. "No... this can't be..." Cheng Yu stared at the scene, his pupils suddenly contracting; he couldn't believe his eyes.

"See? This is the consequence of your arrogance!" The white-haired Cheng Yu's voice, like a demon's whisper, echoed in Cheng Yu's ears. "You can't protect anyone; you only bring disaster and death!"

“No…it’s not like that…” Cheng Yu shook his head in anguish, tears streaming down his face. “I…I can definitely…save them…”

"Save? What can you save? With your broken body?" Bai Mao Cheng Yu's voice was full of sarcasm. "Give up, Cheng Yu, accept reality, you... can't do anything."

"No...I...I still have hope..." Cheng Yu murmured to himself, his eyes gradually hardening. "As long as...as long as I haven't given up, there...there's still hope..."

He struggled to stand up, but his body felt as heavy as lead. He gritted his teeth and used all his strength to slowly climb out of the water.

"Oh? Still not giving up?" White-haired Cheng Yu looked at Cheng Yu's actions, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. "You're really tenacious, but do you think you can defeat me like this? How naive!"

He waved his hand again, and the enormous tentacle attacked Cheng Yu once more. This time, the tentacle was faster and more powerful, carrying an aura of world-destroying force.

Cheng Yu looked at the approaching tentacles, his eyes showing no fear, only determination and resolve. He raised his longsword, channeling all his strength into it.

"Come on!" Cheng Yu roared, and he took the initiative to meet the huge tentacle. The long sword in his hand shone with a dazzling golden light, as if he wanted to cleave everything in two.

"Even if... even if there's only a sliver of hope... I... I will... fight to the very end!" Cheng Yu's voice echoed in his mental world, filled with boundless courage and determination.

The longsword and the tentacles collided violently, unleashing a deafening roar. Golden light and black liquid intertwined, creating a spectacular yet gruesome scene.

"Roar!" The tentacle let out a painful roar as if it had a mind of its own. It seemed that it did not expect that Cheng Yu could unleash such powerful strength.

However, the outcome was the same for Cheng Yu; he was once again sent flying, only this time he coughed up even more blood than before.