Chapter 422: Continuing the Struggle
This can't go on any longer. This is supposed to be Houyi's memory space, so why would such a ferocious beast exist here?
Clearly, some things aren't as simple as they seem. He had assumed that with his strength, he could defeat the Qilin Beast. However, it was now evident that brute force alone wouldn't work—he needed skill and strategy. If he kept fighting recklessly, it would all be in vain.
"Forget it. I'll leave for now."
Ye Tian decided to turn around and leave, but at that moment, the Qilin Beast spoke.
"You think you can just leave? Now that you're here, you won't be leaving so easily."
"You think you can force me to stay?"
"Of course. If you had never come, that would be one thing. But now that you have, you must stay."
A pagoda-shaped artifact suddenly appeared before Ye Tian and was hurled toward him. He was startled—what kind of treasure was this? Though it emitted no magical fluctuations, it instilled an inexplicable fear in him.
It was a fear unlike any he had felt before—subtle yet profound, as if it stemmed from the depths of his very soul, impossible to suppress.
"The Samsara Pagoda—your fate is to undergo endless reincarnation within it!"
"What—?"
In an instant, Ye Tian was enveloped by the Samsara Pagoda. A terrible realization struck him—this pagoda was no ordinary artifact. His consciousness momentarily blanked out, and when he came to, he found himself on the first level of the Samsara Pagoda.
"If you want to leave, you must complete the challenges within. But let me tell you, this isn't something just anyone can overcome."
"Is that so?"
A sense of unease crept into Ye Tian's heart. The Qilin Beast's voice faded, leaving him alone with one pressing task—finding a way out.
But the Samsara Pagoda was far sturdier than he had anticipated. He tried to break through by force but found himself powerless to do so.
Was there no choice but to accept the challenges within?
Fine. Since he was already here, he might as well face it.
Before long, a group of strange creatures appeared ahead. They were small monsters with green hair, each wielding a dagger, shambling toward him.
What kind of creatures were these? They looked almost cartoonish.
Were they dangerous? Ye Tian didn't dwell on it. He had no time to find out—his priority was to eliminate them before they could pose a threat. He couldn't afford to be careless; sometimes, underestimating the enemy could lead to disastrous consequences.
With a sweeping motion, he unleashed a wave of energy, instantly annihilating the small monsters.
"That was… surprisingly easy?"
Then, the Qilin Beast's voice echoed again.
"Don't get too excited just because you passed the first challenge. There are many more waiting for you ahead."
"Is that so?"
Ye Tian grew even more uneasy. Everything seemed too simple so far. And if things were too simple… something was bound to be wrong.
The pagoda was called the Samsara Pagoda, so there had to be more than one level. Steeling himself, he pressed on to the second floor.
As expected, new enemies awaited him. This time, they had red eyes and green skin—visibly stronger than the previous monsters.
They lunged at him without hesitation.
Ye Tian was speechless. Why was he being forced to deal with these low-level creatures? He needed to find a way out quickly—if this dragged on, who knew how long he'd be stuck here?
"Out of my way!"
With a wave of his hand, he wiped out most of the creatures. Yet, after dealing with them, he hesitated.
Should he continue to the third floor?
After a brief moment of thought, he realized he had no other choice. He had to keep going.
As he ascended, his suspicions were confirmed—more monsters awaited him.
This was getting unbearable. If this continued, what was he supposed to do?
But there was no turning back. He had to push forward.
After clearing several more levels, Ye Tian felt no closer to escape. The cycle seemed endless—like a bottomless abyss, swallowing his efforts whole. The more he fought, the more futile it felt.
If he kept pushing forward like this, would there even be a way out? The Samsara Pagoda was beginning to feel like a curse. Should he keep going?
"...Forget it. I'll rest for now."
The repeated battles had drained his strength. While none of the fights were particularly difficult, the sheer repetition was exhausting.
It was like performing an endless, monotonous task—no matter how hard he worked, there was always more waiting for him.
—
Meanwhile, in the real world, Meng Po stood beside Houyi, watching as the light above his head dimmed slightly.
She frowned. "This isn't good. Ye Tian is in trouble. He's trapped and can't break free. His condition is deteriorating."
"What should we do?" Houyi asked.
"If I don't intervene, he might never escape from your memory space. I have to go in and help him."
"You're going in?"
"Yes."
"But what if you get trapped too? Then both of you would—"
"Some things must be faced. If I don't go, no one else can help him. Don't worry about me—I'm going in now."
Houyi looked at Meng Po. Her determination was unmistakable.
After a moment of silence, he nodded. "Then… if you don't return after some time, what should I do?"
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