From a loser to an immortal sage

Chapter 229 Initial Mastery of the Secret Manual: Xiao Yao's Foundation is Solid

I gripped the manual tightly, my knuckles turning white.

The air inside the library seemed to freeze, pressing heavily on my chest.

The gazes around me, like the spitting tongues of venomous snakes, greedily licked the secret manual in my hand, while also piercing me with undisguised hostility.

I could even feel their rapid breathing and smell the tension in the air.

Master Ziyang sneered, breaking the suffocating silence.

"Xiao Yao, you're a piece of trash without spiritual roots, how dare you possess such a treasure?" He approached me step by step, each step feeling like it was stepping on my heart, bringing waves of oppression.

As he approached, the other competitors also surrounded him, forming an impenetrable encirclement.

Fairy Feiyu glanced at me disdainfully, her eyes full of contempt; Ling Feng's lips curled into a sly smile as he toyed with a gleaming dagger in his hand; Youmeng, as always, remained mysterious, hidden in the shadows, making her impossible to fathom.

Inside the library, a powerful aura surged in like a tidal wave, almost engulfing me.

I felt like prey trapped in a spider web, surrounded by predators.

"This secret manual isn't something anyone can just take." Ling Feng's sinister voice rang in my ears, like the hiss of a venomous snake, sending chills down my spine.

Elder Moyun stood aside, watching all this with a complicated expression, but did not intervene.

He just sighed deeply, as if he felt sorry for me.

I took a deep breath and tried to stay calm.

I know that saying anything now is useless; only by relying on my own strength can I break through the encirclement.

I pressed the manual tightly against my chest, feeling its warm, comforting aroma; it felt like my only refuge.

Suddenly, Fairy Feiyu raised her hand, and a dazzling light condensed at her fingertips.

"Hand over the secret manual!"

The dazzling light shot towards me like an arrow released from a bow. I instinctively jumped back and barely dodged the attack.

I clutched the manual tightly to my chest, but my heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was going to jump out of my throat.

The power of this light should not be underestimated; if one were to be struck, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Before I could even catch my breath, Ling Feng's insidious sneak attack followed.

A magic circle suddenly appeared beneath my feet, and my legs felt as heavy as lead, almost causing me to fall.

Damn!

I cursed under my breath, enduring the numbness in my body and trying to steady myself.

These despicable people actually resorted to such underhanded tactics!

Seeing that her attack had missed, Fairy Feiyu snorted coldly, "You won't listen to reason, so you'll have to suffer the consequences!" Her light transformed into countless sharp blades, sweeping towards me from all directions.

I gritted my teeth, dodging attacks while protecting the manual.

Inside the library, energy fluctuations were intense, as if it could collapse at any moment.

I feel like a small boat in a storm, which could be swallowed by the giant waves at any moment.

"Xiao Yao, give up. You can't possibly keep the secret manual." Master Ziyang sneered from the side, his voice full of schadenfreude.

I glared at him fiercely, ignoring his provocation.

I will never give up!

This manual is something I obtained with all my might; no one can take it away from me!

As I dodged the attacks, I felt a strange force eroding my mind, and everything before my eyes began to blur.

My head felt heavier and heavier, and my consciousness gradually became muddled.

not good!

This is……

Illusion!

I shook my head violently, trying to break free from the control of this force, but found it was all in vain.

The surrounding scenery began to distort and deform, and those originally ferocious faces became incredibly gentle, as if whispering comfort to me.

"Give up..." A sweet voice rang in my ears, like a gentle trap, luring me toward the abyss.

I……

Are you going to give up?

Consciousness struggles on the edge of chaos, and images of past lives float before my eyes: the loving smiles of my parents, the concerned eyes of my friends, and the hustle and bustle of the city...

These once incredibly familiar scenes now seem as distant as if shrouded in a thin mist.

A sharp pain shot through my chest, as if I were being gripped tightly by an invisible hand, making it almost impossible for me to breathe.

The surrounding sounds grew increasingly faint, only that sweet voice echoed in my ears like a spell: "Give up... give up..."

give up?

Do not!

I bit my tongue hard, and the intense pain instantly brought me back to my senses.

I can't give up!

I cannot be defeated by this mere illusion!

I clutched the manual tightly, feeling its warm aura. It was like my only lighthouse in the darkness, guiding me in the right direction.

I closed my eyes and tried hard to recall the words on the manual. Those obscure and difficult-to-understand runes seemed to come alive at this moment, dancing in my mind and flashing with dazzling light.

I felt a powerful force surge into my body from the manual, flowing through my limbs and dispelling the fear and confusion in my heart.

My consciousness gradually cleared, the illusions before my eyes began to dissipate, and everything around me became real again.

I opened my eyes, my gaze firm and confident. My competitors around me were stunned; the surprised expressions on their faces were my greatest victory at that moment.

The tense atmosphere inside the library eased slightly.

I slowly raised my hand, a cold smile curling at the corner of my mouth.

"You think you can make me submit with such trivial skills?" I held the manual high, and a powerful energy wave emanated from my body, illuminating the entire scripture pavilion.

“Now…” My voice was clear and firm, carrying an undeniable authority, “it’s my turn to fight back!”

The golden light on the manual flowed in my hand. I silently recited the incantation, and a powerful energy surged from my dantian, quickly spreading throughout my body.

An unprecedented sense of power filled my body, as if I could control everything.

I gave a soft shout, and the runes on the manual seemed to be summoned, soaring into the air and intertwining and swirling around me, forming a golden light shield that firmly protected me and the manual within.

"Overestimating yourself!" Upon seeing this, Master Ziyang sneered disdainfully, condensing a sharp sword aura in his hand and slashing fiercely at the light barrier.

With a loud "bang," the sword energy struck the light shield, creating a dazzling burst of light.

However, the light shield remained completely still, and Master Ziyang was forced back several steps by the powerful recoil, his face turning pale instantly.

Fairy Feiyu, Lingfeng, and Youmeng also made their moves, unleashing a barrage of spells and hidden weapons, all of which were deflected by the light barrier.

They fell to the ground in a sorry state.

I stood proudly within the light barrier, watching their disheveled state, and a tremendous sense of accomplishment welled up inside me.

That's the power of a secret manual!

This is my power!

Inside the library, the mocking and contemptuous gazes that had been directed at them had now turned into awe and fear.

Elder Mo Yun watched this scene and slowly spoke, his voice deep and resonant: "Congratulations, Xiao Yao, you have successfully passed the first round of tests."

I was overjoyed and was about to speak when he interrupted me with his next words.

“But,” he paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone present, “this is just the beginning. The real test is only just beginning.”

My heart sank suddenly and an ominous premonition came over me.

Elder Moyun raised his hand, and a golden light shot towards the dome of the Scripture Pavilion, where a huge magic array slowly appeared.

“Next, you will enter a special space where you will face even greater challenges.” His voice, like the tolling of an ancient bell, echoed throughout the library. “Only those who pass the final test will truly possess this immortal manual.”

I took a deep breath and tried to stay calm.

A new test?

A special space?

I clutched the manual tightly, my heart filled with unknown fear, yet also with a hint of excitement and anticipation.

Elder Moyun's gaze fell on me, and a meaningful smile appeared on his lips.

"Are you ready, Xiao Yao?"

I met his gaze and nodded firmly. "Ready."

"Then..." His voice trailed off, and a golden light flashed in his hand...