novelSeeing Ruby Once More
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Chapter 1999 - Seeing Ruby Once More
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Within the Akashic Dream Universe, many places were under the suppression of the Laws; the Akashic Dream Battlefield was such a place. Every martial artist that entered the Akashic Dream Battlefield would have their cultivation suppressed to the Divine Lord realm, a realm equivalent to the Soul Lord realm amongst the spiritas. As for those who had yet to reach that level, their cultivation would be forcefully increased.
Although everyone was suppressed to the same cultivation realm, one's comprehension of Laws and one's cultivation methods were still maintained. In other words, Empyrean powerhouses in the Akashic Dream Battlefield could still instantly wipe out the lives of several hundred Soul Lord juniors in a single attack.
In the past when Lin Ming entered the Akashic Dream Battlefield, he was one of those protected by the Laws. He utilized these Laws to strike down Empyrean Myriad Ghost, whose cultivation had been limited.
But now, Lin Ming was the one who was being limited by the Laws.
Although his cultivation had been lowered, when one considered his comprehension of Laws, his cultivation methods, and his bloodlines, he was likely the most terrifying Divine Lord powerhouse to ever appear in the history of trial challengers that entered the Akashic Dream Battlefield.
The Akashic Dream Battlefield was extremely broad. In such a vast land, it was hard to find a single little girl.
However, Lin Ming actually knew just where Ruby frequently liked to go.
He launched his movement technique had started flying towards a place from his memories.
Soon, he saw a great canyon before him. Many martial artists had gathered in this canyon.
Seeing this, Lin Ming smiled.
Lin Ming was familiar with this canyon. The first time Lin Ming entered the Akashic Dream Battlefield, this was where he found Ruby.
This place was called the Soul Cave, and it was Ruby's home.
This was an incredibly deep cave. Within were countless soul beasts formed from the spiritual energy of the Akashic Dream Universe. There were also many other dangers like gates of gods and ghosts, or even wild soul storms.
At this time, more and more martial artists were gathering at the entrance of the Soul Cave. These were disciples who came from large influences all over the Soul World. Generally speaking, disciples of small influences didn't dare to enter the Soul Cave.
These people were waiting until they gathered enough manpower to forcefully open the soul force field that blocked the entrance of the Soul Cave.
Entering the Soul Cave carried with it a considerable risk, but they had to do this in order to seek out precious medicines that were bred within the Soul Cave by the source soul force within.
To the spiritas, these spirit medicines were supreme treasures.
But outside the Soul Cave's entrance, a mass of purple fog shrouded the area. This purple fog was a sort of force field, and if one wished to enter, they had to break past this purple fog force field. This required an extremely formidable strength.
In less than an hour, the trial challengers managed to gather enough strength. They arranged a battle array, preparing to puncture through the force field with everything they had.
But suddenly, the purple fog outside the Soul Cave gently trembled. This feeling was like a plume of smoke being pierced through by a swallow, and a part of that smoke being carried away.
The trial challengers were startled for some time. What was going on?
They weren't sure whether or not someone had entered. But thinking about it, just who was able to instantly pass through this force field, so fast that they couldn't even see their shadow?
Thus, the trial challengers continue to revolve and gather their energy, intending to open a path through the force field.
By now Lin Ming had already entered the Soul Cave. He instantly crossed several miles in a single step, passing through the Soul Cave's gate of ghosts and gods, bypassing the soul storms, and avoiding the dreadful soul beasts. In truth, these horrifying soul beasts didn't pose any threat to Lin Ming. Or, it could be more accurate to say that they never felt Lin Ming pass by them to begin with.
As Lin Ming arrived in the deepest parts of the Soul Cave, he suddenly slowed down. By this time, his figure began to slowly condense into reality, like a bunch of remnant shadows that were being gathered up.
In the deepest depths of the Soul Cave, there were beautiful underground mountains and rivers. Because of the rich soul force here, it had condensed into soul springs that flowed down these mountains, fascinating to the extreme.
In front of these beautiful mountains and rivers was a gorilla-like soul beast. This soul beast was gold in color and its body was towering and large, its physique thickly corded with vigorous muscles. It was the master of this land. In normal times, it would be the absolute nightmare of any trial challengers who entered the Soul Cave. Even a peak Great World King was extremely likely to be torn to shreds if they faced this terrifying Soul Beast while being suppressed by the Laws.
After Lin Ming appeared, the golden gorilla was shocked. Then shock turned to anger. It tried to attack Lin Ming, but Lin Ming only kept his back to the soul beast, not even sparing it a glance. Lin Ming's eyes were focused on a place high above the mountains, as if he were looking at something. He had a focused look in his eyes.
This disregard was undoubtedly a great challenge and provocation against the authority of the golden gorilla. But for some unknown reason this originally eager-to-battle golden gorilla could feel a soul aura from this tiny human that made its heart quake.
This aura caused it to slowly retreat. Then, it turned and ran.
Lin Ming didn't care about this. He continued to look up 60 degrees into the air. The end of his vision was a section of rock that bulged out from the mountain. On this rock was a spirit medicine. A small amount of soul force-condensed spring water was gently falling down over this spirit medicine and sprinkling it, causing it to emit a faint medicinal fragrance.
After an incense stick of time, a light red glow of energy slowly gathered behind this spirit medicine. Then, like a thick fog being blown away to reveal red flowers, a red-clothed little girl appeared.
She sat on that rock outcropping. Her bare feet and her small calves rocked back and forth in rhythm. Her toes dipped into a spirit spring, causing small circles to ripple outwards.
This little girl was Ruby.
She was exactly the same as when Lin Ming first saw her. Even though over 6000 years had passed, she still hadn't grown up, not even in the least.
She still seemed like a porcelain doll with a cute and baby-like face. A timid look hung on her face, mixed with some vigilance and confusion as she looked at Lin Ming.
"Y-y-you... f-f-found me?"
This little girl was confused for a moment before she suddenly asked Lin Ming a question. Because she was shy with strangers, she stuttered a little as she spoke.
However, just as she spoke, her tiny nose twitched. Her large black eyes blinked as she stared at Lin Ming's stomach.
Lin Ming knew she had sensed the Magic Cube.
Ruby was the condensed soul energy of a supreme elder, likely Immortal Sovereign, which had been condensed through the Laws of the Magic Cube. She was a mystical Law life form who had been evolved through innumerable years.
Her rank was far, far lower than the Magic Cube's. But, she had countless inexplicable links to the Magic Cube, as if she were a part of it.
In fact, as Lin Ming approached the depths of the Soul Cave, he had to rely on his soul force that had been greatly enhanced in his sixth reincarnation as well as his increasing control of the Magic Cube to catch scent of Ruby's aura. Thus, he was able to sense something about that rock outcropping. Otherwise, if Ruby intentionally wanted to hide away, even Sheng Mei or the Soul Emperor would be unable to find a trace of her.
"Eh? You are..."
As Ruby saw Lin Ming, she felt a strangely binding familiarity with him. Thus, there was a hint of confusion in her eyes. And the more she looked, the more intense this familiar feeling became. Within Lin Ming's nice smell that emanated from his body, she suddenly started to remember who this middle-aged looking man was. This was the big brother she had met a long time ago in the Akashic Dream Battlefield.
The truth was that there were no appearance changing techniques that could fool Ruby. But, after Lin Ming underwent six reincarnations, his own soul aura had slightly changed. This made it so that Ruby didn't immediately recognize him.
Ruby's response left Lin Ming satisfied in his appearance changing technique. The reason he didn't purposefully announce his own identity was to allow Ruby to find out on herself just who he was.
As a result, even Ruby hesitated. If so, then even a True Divinity like Soaring Feather God King wouldn't be able to recognize him at all.
"Big Brother Lin, it's you! You came back!"
Ruby giddily shouted. She leapt down from the rock outcropping.
Lin Ming and Ruby hadn't spent too much time together, nor did they undergo any life or death trials at each other's side. By any reasoning, their relationship shouldn't be deep, but the truth was that Lin Ming had left a profound impression on Ruby, and this was because of the Magic Cube's existence.
Ruby had an innate attachment to Lin Ming. This was a type of instinct.
When Lin Ming left the Akashic Dream Universe and parted ways with Ruby, Ruby had been listless for several days. This sort of feeling was like a cat being left behind by its master.
"Mm, I've returned!"
Lin Ming could see the sincere happiness in Ruby's eyes, a true excitement that could never be faked. He was also touched by her.
For so many years, he had been concealing his identity. Today was the first time that someone he knew had recognized him. This sort of feeling left him warm.
"Big Brother Lin, are you leaving soon?"
"I am. This isn't my world, and there are many things I have to do."
As Lin Ming said this, Ruby was suddenly sad. Her small head fell down as she muttered, "... Oh..."
Although she was shy, she didn't know how to conceal her feelings. Everything she felt was written across her expression.
Lin Ming smiled. He patted Ruby's head and said, "Ruby, would you be willing to leave with me? To see the outside world?"
"Huh?" Ruby was stunned.
"Leave... with Big Brother Lin?"
Ever since she gained consciousness, she seemed to have always existed in this strange world. She had never left to take a look at what was outside, and in fact she never thought that there was another world outside.
As if this too was part of her instinct.
It was only today that Lin Ming's words caused an inexplicable stirring in her heart.
"The world outside is larger, and even more interesting. But... it is also much more dangerous." As Lin Ming spoke these words, he was bewildered by what he said. In a way, he felt he sounded like an uncle trying to abduct a little girl. But, since he came to look for Ruby, he already had the confidence that he could protect her and resist the great calamity.
At the same time, he also believed that if Ruby followed him, he could help her grow even more in the Magic Cube.
Ruby was silent for a long time. She tilted her head and looked at Lin Ming, seeming to read all sorts of things from his expression and eyes.
She bit her lips and forcefully nodded. Then, she softly and firmly said, "I will."
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