Artifact Chapter 77: I Am Yours

Chapter 77: I Am Yours

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

 

Lu Ming spoke to himself, “I am from another world. To explain it in terms of this world, I am the original He Qingci, whose body was taken over by me.”

Sang Wusheng suddenly turned around, his eyes a little red. He trembled as he asked, “When?”

Lu Ming answered, “Twenty-eight years ago, when He Qingci was only fourteen.”

Sang Wusheng breathed a sigh of relief. Twenty-eight years ago—that was the year he had first met his brother. He looked at Lu Ming and said softly, “What does that matter? The heavens brought you to my side, and that is the greatest blessing of this life.”

Lu Ming patted his head, thinking how this child always came up with exaggerated, overly dramatic love confessions. He couldn’t help but laugh and explain, “It’s not that simple. In fact, this world was supposed to be different. Do you know why I recognized that jade pendant? Because it originally belonged to you.”

“My thing?” Sang Wusheng repeated quietly, searching through his memories, confused. “I don’t have anything like that.”

Lu Ming replied indifferently, “Or rather, it was something you were meant to have. Because of my arrival, this world changed. What was supposed to appear disappeared, which makes sense. But now, in this illusion, the thing that should have disappeared has suddenly reappeared, which is highly abnormal.”

Sang Wusheng became more and more confused by Lu Ming’s words. Lu Ming sighed softly and began to tell him the truth, starting from the day he first entered this world.

What was this world supposed to be like? He Qingci and Sang Wusheng had been enemies. They had never gotten along and had ended up in a fight to the death. On Sleepless Mountain, Sang Wusheng and He Qingci had their final battle, and He Qingci died under Sang Wusheng’s Qing Li Shen sword, his soul scattered. Sang Wusheng inherited all the powers of the Demon Tribe, ruling the entire Cultivation World. He became the Immortal Emperor Demon King, the only one of his kind in millennia. He gained all wealth and power, controlling the world, supreme and unmatched.

But in this life, because of Lu Ming’s arrival, Sang Wusheng no longer had the same overwhelming ambition as in his previous life. Many things he had once desired—fame and power—now seemed like nothing more than fleeting illusions. In his heart, he had only his brother. His brother had become the meaning of everything in his life.

Because of a series of butterfly effects, Yun Luan, who should have lived in the previous life, died out of guilt before Ming Duo’s eyes. Ming Duo, due to Lu Ming, left the place where he had been trapped for hundreds of years and followed Lu Ming to Kunlai Mountain. Later, after absorbing Yun Luan’s power, Ming Duo became the ultimate villain.

Ming Duo obtained the Heavenly Province God Artifact and foresaw everything that was going to happen in the future, learning the truth of this world. The jade pendant, which should have appeared in the previous life, now appeared intact before their eyes—it was undeniable proof. Ming Duo disappeared as soon as he entered the cave. If everyone was unable to use spiritual energy, how did Ming Duo vanish under their very noses? He had once said his goal was to reset the world, to return it to its original form. His intention must have been to bring the original Sang Wusheng back.

Sang Wusheng was the protagonist of this world. No matter which direction the world changed, it had to be based on his choices to trigger various changes. Ming Duo understood this truth, so his purpose was clear: by changing Sang Wusheng, he could change the world.

Lu Ming spent about half an hour explaining everything. Sang Wusheng’s heart felt as if a heavy stone were pressing down on it. So this was the essence of the world. The truth was so hard to bear. If Ming Duo could really make him into the person he had been in his past life, did that mean he would treat his brother as an enemy again, and that his brother would die by his Qing Li Shen sword?

Sang Wusheng’s breath grew rapid. He gripped Lu Ming’s hand tightly and whispered, “Brother, I won’t let that happen.”

Lu Ming sighed and patted his head, offering comfort. “We’re lovers. No matter what happens, we’ll face it together.”

Sang Wusheng looked up, staring at Lu Ming with eyes full of disbelief, mixed with overwhelming happiness.

Lu Ming stood up, smiling slightly. “Let’s go. We can’t stay in this space forever.”

Sang Wusheng nodded. Lu Ming released his spiritual energy and pulled Sang Wusheng out of the space.

Outside the space, the tension was still palpable, like the draw of a sword, ready to strike.

Wang Yu couldn’t hold back his anger and yelled, “Where did this reckless kid come from? How dare you speak such nonsense!”

Ming Duo glanced at him indifferently and said, “Daoist Wang, you’re in my domain now. You could die at any moment, so it’s better to keep quiet.”

Wang Yu, furious, raised his sword. Ming Duo’s gaze turned cold, and he swept his hand, sending a gust of wind that pushed Wang Yu’s body back several meters. Wang Yu was highly skilled, but in front of Ming Duo, he was clearly no match. The two exchanged dozens of moves, with Wang Yu quickly out of breath and forced to retreat a few steps, barely managing to steady himself.

Seeing Wang Yu unable to fight back, the others were both afraid and intimidated. They instinctively took a few steps back to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.

Sang Wusheng and Lu Ming, realizing none of the others were reliable, exchanged a look and drew their long swords, flying forward to join the fight.

Ming Duo practiced ghostly techniques, his movements ethereal and his methods extremely deceptive. Even with their combined efforts, Sang Wusheng and Lu Ming struggled. After several exchanges, neither side gained the upper hand.

Ming Duo looked at Sang Wusheng and smiled. “You still haven’t shown your true power, have you?”

Sang Wusheng remained silent, his expression calm. Ming Duo sighed and shook his head. “Why bother? If you return to the original world, no one could ever defeat you.”

Ming Duo pointed at Lu Ming and said mercilessly, “It’s because of him that you’ve been held back.”

Sang Wusheng replied calmly, “I don’t want anything but him. I’ll give up everything else.”

Ming Duo’s expression twisted at these words. He sneered and said, “Since that’s the case, I won’t hold back. Don’t blame me for not giving you a chance.”

As soon as Ming Duo finished speaking, his power surged dramatically. The jade pendant was suddenly in his hand, and as he infused it with his spiritual energy, it began to emit a blinding glow, nearly blinding everyone.

Ming Duo looked at the dazzling light and suddenly smiled. “I’ve been searching for this jade pendant for a long time, and I finally found it. You may not know, but the Heavenly Province God Artifact has another function. If we find something that connects these two worlds, we can use it as a medium to return the world to its original state. The patterns on the wooden box were originally a forbidden curse I set. Since Sang Wusheng saw those patterns, this world has already started to change.”

Lu Ming’s heart tightened at Ming Duo’s words. Ignoring the pain in his eyes, he quickly glanced at Sang Wusheng.

Under the light, Sang Wusheng’s eyes grew dazed, and the strange patterns on his face deepened, gradually covering half his face.

He looked in pain, clutching his head with both hands, groaning in agony. Lu Ming rushed to him, trying to reach him.

Ming Duo raised his hand and formed a strong barrier, blocking Lu Ming from approaching. Desperately, Lu Ming swung his sword at the barrier, but it remained unshaken.

Lu Ming gazed helplessly at the person before him. He suddenly stopped his movements, falling into a long silence. After a while, he tried to transmit his voice. “Don’t become that Sang Wusheng. We’ve finally been together. I won’t accept this kind of ending.”

When Lu Ming finished speaking, he took several deep breaths, and his gaze suddenly became resolute. A surge of spiritual energy slowly flowed out from his body. Instantly, a powerful oppressive force swept across the surroundings. The earth trembled violently, and the sun was shrouded by thick clouds, plunging the land into darkness as if it were night.

The crowd’s expressions changed dramatically. “This is bad! Could it be that the young master of the He family has gone mad? Is he really daring enough to release all his spiritual energy to summon thunderclouds and force a breakthrough?!”

“No, breaking through at such a critical moment would only throw him into further danger. Wait… is he planning to use the power of lightning to drag Ming Duo into the tribulation and kill him?!”

Admittedly, this was a swift and effective strategy, but such a “harm the enemy, harm yourself” approach left everyone gasping in shock. However, nobody cared about the young master’s reckless actions anymore. Their priority was escaping to avoid getting caught in the tribulation.

Sang Huai glanced coldly at Sang Wusheng, who had already lost his sanity, and smirked cruelly. “His life or death has nothing to do with me. It’s better if he dies here.” With that thought, Sang Huai shot him one last look and flew away without hesitation.

Ming Duo quickly understood Lu Ming’s intent, his face darkened. “You think I can’t escape?”

Lu Ming, pale but smiling, replied, “I won’t give you that chance.”

Before Ming Duo could react, sharp pain suddenly shot through his limbs. He looked down in alarm to see thorny vines tightly binding his arms and legs, sprouting from the ground beneath him.

Ming Duo froze briefly, then sneered. “Using spiritual energy to grow demon clan’s bloodvine? Qingci, I underestimated you. So, you’ve delved into the demonic arts as well.”

Lu Ming scoffed. “I learned this to deal with scum like you. Fortunately, it wasn’t a waste. Now, stay put and wait for the tribulation lightning to strike you down with me.”

Ming Duo laughed mockingly. “I’m already in the great ascension stage. Do you think mere separation stage tribulation lightning can harm me?”

Lu Ming’s lips curled into a cold smile. “Oh? Is that so? The separation stage requires enduring 18 lightning strikes to enter the early great ascension stage. Have you endured them before? Even if you absorbed Yun Luan’s power, it’s not truly yours. One day, that false strength will only destroy you.”

“That may be true,” Ming Duo replied indifferently. “But that day is not today.”

As soon as he finished, Ming Duo curved his fingers into an eerie arc. A stream of black ghostly energy shot toward the bloodvine. Upon contact, the vine emitted a sizzling sound and began to decay, exuding a nauseating stench.

Lu Ming coldly watched the vine wither but did nothing to stop it. Ming Duo cursed inwardly and prepared to counter, but a wave of sharp itching and pain suddenly swept through his body. It felt as though countless insects were gnawing at him. Looking down, he saw red bumps rapidly spreading across his skin.

“You planned this?” Ming Duo growled.

Lu Ming’s expression remained blank. “The bloodvine is highly toxic. Being so close to the stench, poisoning was inevitable.”

Ming Duo felt his spiritual energy weakening and his face paled further. Above, dark thunderclouds had already gathered, pressing lower and dimming the land. A bolt of lightning flashed like daylight, followed by a deafening thunderclap that shook the mountain violently.

Lu Ming braced himself against the first strike, his body wracked with unbearable pain, as if axes had split him apart. He fell to one knee, groaning in agony.

Eighteen strikes of separation stage tribulation lightning—each more powerful than the last. Lu Ming barely endured the initial strikes with sheer willpower, using spiritual energy to block the middle ones, and relying on top-tier magical artifacts for the final onslaught.

Both Lu Ming and Ming Duo were in dire straits. Ming Duo, drained of spiritual energy and poisoned, struggled to survive the lightning’s residual force. Lu Ming, scorched and battered, felt as though his entire body had been roasted. His once indestructible clothing was reduced to shreds.

By the final lightning strike, Lu Ming collapsed, one cheek pressed against the ground. His vision blurred, as if a fog obscured everything. He couldn’t clearly see the anguished figure nearby, nor could he move to awaken him.

“Did I bet wrong?” Lu Ming thought bitterly.

Ming Duo groaned faintly and stirred. Lu Ming’s heart sank. Had he survived after all? Despite being charred inside and out, he still clung to life.

Lu Ming clenched his teeth. He couldn’t afford to die now—not with Fu Shu and Shao Ji waiting for spiritual plants, not with Sang Wusheng still needing rescue. He had too much left undone.

Ming Duo, gasping for breath, pulled out a spirit pill and swallowed it. Despite his efforts to rise, his limbs were too weak to move. Lu Ming, gritting his teeth against the pain, slowly pushed himself up, trembling.

His vision swam, his head pounding like it would split open. Dragging his battered body, he inched closer to Sang Wusheng.

“Hold… on,” Lu Ming rasped, his voice hoarse and broken.

Sang Wusheng, in the midst of chaos, briefly focused on the figure approaching him. “Brother,” he muttered faintly before slipping back into turmoil.

Every step Lu Ming took felt like his joints were being torn apart. Though he endured all 18 strikes, his spiritual energy hadn’t recovered, nor had he gained the power of the great ascension stage. Had he overlooked something?

“Qingci, don’t panic. Sit cross-legged, reverse the flow of spiritual energy, and smooth it out,” a familiar yet distant voice suddenly came from behind him.

That voice, as gentle and clear as falling jade beads, froze Lu Ming in place. Turning with the last of his strength, his eyes burned as he saw the speaker clearly.

“Yun Luan!”

When Yun Luan reappeared, he looked just as he had at the moment of his death—dressed in flowing white robes, his black hair swaying gently in the breeze. A long sword hung at his waist, giving him the aura of an immortal, his features refined and otherworldly.

A faint smile lingered on his lips as he gazed at Lu Ming from a distance. After a long pause, he sighed softly and said, “I thought I’d never need to appear again. Yet here I am.”

Lu Ming had countless questions for his master, but he couldn’t form a single word. Yun Luan’s expression grew serious as he spoke again. “Your spiritual energy is blocked. If it isn’t cleared soon, your body could rupture.”

Panicked, Lu Ming took several deep breaths, suppressed the pain, and followed Yun Luan’s instructions. Sitting cross-legged, he began circulating his sparse spiritual energy. At first, every cell in his body screamed in pain, but the agony gradually subsided. The lost energy within him slowly returned, and the stabbing pain in his body faded away. Astonishingly, his capacity for spiritual energy surged, filling him to eighty percent, far beyond his previous limits. Feeling the vitality and purity of the energy coursing through him, Lu Ming was stunned, then overjoyed—he had forcefully broken through to the early stage of the Great Ascension!

Yun Luan smiled warmly at his astonished disciple. “Qingci,” he teased, “you might be the boldest person in the history of the cultivation world, pulling off such a dangerous feat.”

Opening his eyes, Lu Ming glanced at his restored, now even smoother skin. He smirked at Yun Luan. “Who could compare to my master’s boldness? You committed suicide without hesitation.”

Yun Luan was briefly at a loss for words before offering a wry smile. “The karma I sowed must be reaped by me. But it seems my death was in vain—it wasn’t my karma after all. Even in death, I couldn’t stop Xiao Duo.”

Lu Ming felt exasperated. How had this man, who seemed dumber than a pig, become the head of Kunlai Mountain? His gaze must have conveyed his disdain, as Yun Luan awkwardly rubbed his nose. “Technically, I didn’t exactly die,” he explained. “After my death, I left a fragment of my soul in Xiao Duo’s body. I accidentally fell into a deep slumber and couldn’t awaken to stop him. If things had come to the worst, I could’ve forcefully emerged and taken Xiao Duo down with me in an explosion. Thankfully, you injured him to this extent, so another death won’t be necessary.”

Yun Luan glanced at the fallen Ming Duo, who visibly trembled at his presence. Sighing softly, Yun Luan knelt beside him, gently cradling his body. Placing his fingers on Ming Duo’s forehead, he released a soft white glow that slowly healed Ming Duo’s burned skin. Despite this, Ming Duo refused to open his eyes, his lashes trembling, his teeth biting his lip to stifle any sound, clearly unwilling to face Yun Luan.

Standing, Yun Luan scooped Ming Duo into his arms and gave Lu Ming a smile. “Qingci, I’ll take this fool back and discipline him properly. With most of the trouble resolved, saving Sang Wusheng is now up to you. I lack a physical body and won’t be of much help.”

Lu Ming nodded and immediately flew toward Sang Wusheng, not daring to delay a second.

Sang Wusheng’s eyes glowed crimson, his face nearly consumed by black demonic markings, his mind seemingly overtaken by demonic energy. As Lu Ming approached, a powerful force pushed him back, making it almost impossible to get closer. In desperation, he called out softly, “Sang Wusheng, if you dare become someone else, I’ll leave and make sure you never find me again!”

Trapped in madness, Sang Wusheng struggled against the storm of past and present memories. The scene of him personally killing his elder brother replayed endlessly in his mind—a haunting memory of the dark, malevolent Sleepless Mountain. There, wielding the Qing Li Shen sword, he had severed his brother’s soul. His brother hadn’t even struggled, only lying there, his gaze devoid of warmth, filled with emptiness.

The image of his brother’s body turning to ash under the Qing Li Shen sword haunted Sang Wusheng, suffocating him. He dropped to his knees, trembling as his mind fractured under the weight of guilt. “Brother, don’t leave me. It’s my fault—I wronged you. Please, kill me instead!” he sobbed, terrified of Lu Ming’s departure but equally fearful of hurting him.

Lu Ming’s chest ached. Ignoring the pain from the demonic energy invading his body, he rushed forward and held Sang Wusheng tightly, channeling his abundant spiritual energy into him. The turbulent energy within Sang Wusheng began to stabilize, and Lu Ming finally sighed in relief. Leaning close, he whispered shakily, “Idiot, I’m still alive, and so are you. I told you—we have a lifetime together. After all these years, will you let past memories control you and become someone else? Don’t you want me anymore?”

The familiar voice shattered Sang Wusheng’s haze of despair. He clung to every word, and his heart raced uncontrollably. Was his brother worried about him not wanting him? If so, there could only be one answer!

Vivid memories of their intimate moments flooded Sang Wusheng’s mind, overwhelming him with longing. He licked his lips, his breathing growing heavier as his fingers brushed against Lu Ming’s skin, igniting a primal desire. Rationality abandoned him as he fiercely embraced Lu Ming, claiming his lips in a searing kiss.

Caught off guard, Lu Ming froze. Wasn’t this man just consumed by past memories? How had things escalated to this?

Unmoved by Lu Ming’s hesitation, Sang Wusheng bit his lip in frustration, drawing a yelp of pain. Seizing the opportunity, he deepened the kiss, tasting the tang of blood that only heightened his demonic instincts. His burning gaze roamed over Lu Ming’s torn robes, and with a sharp tug, he ripped them apart.

Blushing fiercely, Lu Ming quickly whisked them into a private space to avoid being seen. They landed amidst soft grass, and before Lu Ming could react, Sang Wusheng pinned him down, pressing fiery kisses along his lips.

Lu Ming sighed inwardly. How many times had this space turned into their battlefield for passion? Moreover, how had Sang Wusheng gone from spiraling into madness to this? Wasn’t this scientifically impossible?

Resigned to his fate, Lu Ming let out a helpless groan and gave in. Sang Wusheng rewarded his surrender with a scorching kiss, his crimson eyes blazing with desire and possessiveness.

“Brother,” Sang Wusheng murmured, his voice husky and resolute, “you can never escape. You’re mine.”

Meeting Sang Wusheng’s intense gaze, Lu Ming’s lips curled into a soft smile. Leaning close, he whispered with solemnity, “I’m yours. Forever.”

 

 

 

 

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