From a loser to an immortal sage

Chapter 4 The darkness before dawn

My heart was pounding like a deafening drumbeat, and I could clearly feel a surge of power coursing through my veins. I knew the moment I had been waiting for was about to arrive, and I would finally have the chance to shed the label of "good-for-nothing."

However, just then, a series of hurried footsteps interrupted my thoughts. I abruptly opened my eyes, and what came into view was Wang Fugui's twisted, resentful face. He led several disciples, barging aggressively into my room, his eyes flashing with malice.

"Xiao Yao, you never thought you'd end up like this, did you!" Wang Fugui said through gritted teeth, each word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth.

I stared at him coldly, without fear, only mockery: "What, are you afraid that after I, this 'good-for-nothing,' awaken my spiritual root, I'll steal your pitiful resources?"

"You!" Wang Fugui, enraged and humiliated, pointed at my nose and cursed, "You arrogant and ignorant wretch, who do you think you are? No spiritual root is no spiritual root, you'll be a useless piece of trash for life!"

"Wang Fugui, watch your words!" A stern voice came from outside the door. I turned my head and saw Elder Li walk in with a grim expression. His gaze towards me was complex and unreadable, seemingly carrying a hint of pity, yet also a barely perceptible killing intent.

"Elder Li, what brings you here?" Wang Fugui quickly put on a fawning smile and asked, bowing and scraping.

Elder Li ignored him and walked straight up to me, looking me up and down before slowly saying, "Xiao Yao, do you know your crime?"

A chill ran through me, and an ominous premonition washed over me. I forced myself to remain calm and asked, "This disciple does not know, please enlighten me, Elder."

Elder Li sneered and said, "You are a piece of trash without any spiritual roots, yet you dare to attempt to awaken them and disrupt the sect's order. Do you know your mistake?"

I immediately realized that Wang Fugui was behind all of this! He must have told Elder Li about my awakening of my spiritual root and incited him to believe that I was going to threaten his position.

"If you want to find fault, you can always find a pretext!" I looked coldly at Elder Li and said, word by word, "Whether I am a piece of trash or not is not for you to decide. Whether I am qualified to awaken my spiritual root is also not for you to decide!"

"Insolence!" Elder Li roared in fury, and a powerful pressure swept over me. I immediately felt short of breath, as if a huge rock was pressing on my chest.

Seeing this, Wang Fugui's face lit up with a smug smile. He leaned close to Elder Li's ear and whispered, "Elder, this girl is stubborn and unruly, perhaps..."

Elder Li nodded slightly, a ruthless glint flashing in his eyes. He slowly raised his right hand, and a powerful spiritual energy began to gather in his palm. My heart sank; I knew that today was likely my doom…

"How dare you!" Just then, a furious roar came from outside the door...

Elder Li's hand hovered in mid-air, his expression suddenly changing. He abruptly turned to look at the door and shouted sharply, "Who is it?!" Wang Fugui was also startled by the sudden voice and retreated in a panic.

A glimmer of hope ignited in my heart. Could it be Sister Zhao Ling'er? Or...?

However, before I could react, a powerful force suddenly descended, enveloping the entire room. I felt dizzy, and the power within my body began to surge uncontrollably, as if it were tearing me apart.

"Oh no! It's a spirit-sealing formation!" Elder Li exclaimed, his face turning extremely pale.

A spirit-sealing array? What is that? My heart was filled with doubt and fear. I only felt my consciousness gradually fading, and my body growing heavier and heavier, as if I were being dragged into an abyss...

"Xiao Yao, hold on!" In my dazed state, I heard Wang Fugui's voice tinged with panic and fear, "Once you die, your spiritual root will disappear, and then no one will be able to stop me!"

He's going to kill me?!

I tried desperately to open my eyes and see everything clearly, but my eyelids felt like they were filled with lead, and I couldn't open them no matter what I did.

"Hahaha..." Elder Li laughed maniacally, "Wang Fugui, you did a great job! As long as we kill this girl, we can obtain the mysterious power within her, and then..."

Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by a loud bang. I felt the entire room shaking violently, as if it were about to collapse at any moment.

"Who is it?! How dare you trespass on the forbidden grounds of my Wang family!" Wang Fugui's voice was filled with anger and fear.

"Wang Fugui, Elder Li, you two despicable villains, stop right now!" A familiar voice came from outside the door, carrying a hint of anxiety and anger.

It's Sister Zhao Ling'er! My heart leaped with joy, as if I had grasped the last straw.

"Oh no, it's Zhao Ling'er and Pharmacist Sun!" Wang Fugui exclaimed, his voice filled with fear. "How could they..."

His voice abruptly stopped, replaced by the sounds of intense fighting and... screams...

Consciousness struggled in the darkness, my body felt as if it were being torn to pieces, waves of excruciating pain washing over me. The frantic shouts of Wang Fugui and Elder Li echoed in my ears like a call from hell, stimulating every nerve. Sister Zhao Ling'er's voice faded into the distance; could it be that even she…

No! I can't give up!

I still have things I must do. I still need to find my parents. I still need to stand at the pinnacle of this world!

I crave power, the power to control my own destiny!

As if sensing my resolve, a warm current welled up from the bottom of my heart and flowed through my limbs. The originally violent power seemed to also sense my will and gradually calmed down, like a docile cat, flowing slowly under my guidance.

"Break!" I used all my strength, concentrated that power into one point, and rushed outwards.

"boom!"

A loud bang echoed in my mind, and I felt myself break free from some kind of restraint; the pressure around me suddenly lessened. I struggled to open my heavy eyelids, and everything before me gradually became clear.

Wang Fugui and Elder Li were staring at me in horror. They were both injured, clearly having fought with Sister Zhao Ling'er.

“Xiao Yao, you… how could you…” Wang Fugui pointed at me, his voice trembling, his eyes filled with disbelief.

I ignored him and struggled to stand up, but found that my body was still weak and powerless.

"Don't waste your energy, Xiao Yao." Elder Li's sinister voice rang out. "Do you think you can escape? Today, you are destined to die here!"

It was then that I noticed that Sister Zhao Ling'er and an old man with an air of otherworldly wisdom were trapped in a golden light barrier, which was none other than Pharmacist Sun. They kept attacking the light barrier, but could not budge it in the slightest.

"Sister Ling'er!" I called out anxiously, wanting to rush over, but Elder Li blocked my way.

"Your opponent is me!" Elder Li grinned maliciously, conjuring a black energy ball in his hand and attacking me.

I was powerless to dodge and could only watch helplessly as the ball of energy hurtled towards me. Was I really going to die here today?

No! I can't die yet!

I closed my eyes in despair, my heart filled with resentment and anger.

Just then, I felt that power within me surge again, stronger and more violent than before. It was like an enraged beast, rampaging through my body, trying to break through all obstacles.

I felt my blood boiling, and an unprecedented power surged from the bottom of my heart, filling my entire body.

"Ah!" I couldn't help but roar, clenching my fists and blasting them towards the black energy ball!

A blinding white light flashed, and I felt as if I had been struck by lightning, and my whole body was sent flying...

"Xiao Yao!" Zhao Ling'er's heart-wrenching cry came from afar, but I could no longer hear it. My consciousness gradually faded, and all I could see was darkness...

"How could this be..." I heard Elder Li's incredulous mutterings in my ear, and then I lost consciousness.

I felt like a fallen leaf, swept up by a gale and then crashing heavily to the ground. My internal organs seemed to have shifted, and the intense pain made me cough up blood.

"Xiao Yao!" I heard Zhao Ling'er's anxious call in my ear. I tried to open my eyes, but found that my eyelids were as heavy as if they were filled with lead.

"How could this be..." Elder Li's voice trembled, filled with disbelief, "This power... how is this possible..."

I felt the power within me still surging, even more violent than before, as if it were about to tear me apart. I tried desperately to control it, but it was like an ant trying to shake a tree—utterly futile.

"She's about to awaken! Stop her!" Wang Fugui's shrill voice was filled with fear. He seemed to realize something and frantically urged Elder Li.

Elder Li disregarded everything else, rapidly forming hand seals and chanting incantations. A powerful pressure surged towards me, attempting to suppress the raging power within me.

"Ah!" I groaned in pain, feeling like a small boat trapped in a storm, about to be swallowed by the giant waves at any moment.

"Xiao Yao, hold on!" Sister Zhao Ling'er's voice was full of worry and encouragement, but she and Pharmacist Sun were trapped in the formation and could not get close to me at all.

I gritted my teeth, desperately trying to grasp the power within me; it was my hope, my only chance of survival.

Just then, Elder Li suddenly moved. He transformed into a blur and appeared in front of me, a ball of black energy condensing in his hand. Without hesitation, he struck at my chest.

"Xiao Yao!" Sister Zhao Ling'er's exclamation echoed through the sky, but I had no time to dodge and could only watch helplessly as the black energy ball approached me...

With a loud bang, I felt as if I had been struck by a giant hammer. I was sent flying and crashed heavily into the light barrier of the array before sliding helplessly to the ground.

"Cough cough cough..." I coughed up another mouthful of blood, my vision went black, and my consciousness gradually blurred.

"It's over, Xiao Yao." Elder Li's voice was cold and ruthless, like a judgment from hell.

I closed my eyes helplessly. Was I really going to die here?

I'm not reconciled... I'm really not reconciled...

Just as my consciousness was about to fade into darkness, I felt a warm force envelop me, and the violent power gradually subsided, as if it were soothing me or guiding me...

I tried hard to open my eyes, but all I saw was a blinding white light...

"This is……"