novelraw Chapter 169, The Celestial Slave Mark (2)
Chapter 169, The Celestial Slave Mark (2)
[Ding!]
[Celestial Slave Mark — Binding Initiated]
[Do you wish to be bound to the Player
[ YES ] [ NO ]
Lin Yi looked at it.
He reflected on the NO. He considered everything that NO had brought about. Cang Yutian, the sword, the Buddha Step, the overwhelming spiritual pressure that had slammed him face-first onto the stone floor. The result of their confrontation had become painfully clear in every detail. Even the briefest strike he managed to land on the watcher’s armor hadn’t been enough to alter how things unfolded. None of his efforts had made a meaningful difference.
For him, saying NO was essentially accepting death on this island.
His eyes then shifted toward YES.
"If I agree," he said. "The terms."
"You generate experience for my level," Cang Yutian said. "Not for yours. Your own level does not advance under the mark. In the remaining time this event provides, you hunt, and whatever you produce goes to me." He paused. "If, during that remaining time, my level reaches 250, I release the mark and spare your life. You return to your world with the event’s conclusion."
"And if it doesn’t reach 250 before the event ends?" Lin Yi said.
"Then the agreement is void," Cang Yutian said, "and the original consequence applies."
Lin Yi looked at the system prompt.
If I refuse, I die now. If I agree and fail to push him to level 250 in the remaining time, I die at the event’s end. If I agree and succeed, I survive.
The only path that has survival at the end of it is agreement followed by success.
And the experience generation mechanics under the mark route everything to him, which means the 10,000x amplification applies to his level gain.
Which means the question is not whether I can generate sufficient experience in the remaining time. At 10,000x amplification applied to a level 230 hunter’s combat output in the Allheaven Expanse’s upper and mid-tier monster populations, the question is whether the level 240 to 250 thresholds can be consumed in approximately one month of sustained hunting.
The answer was yes for my own levels until the curve became steep enough to slow the pace. For his levels, starting at 240, the thresholds will be extraordinary. But 10,000x applied to the kind of combat output the expanse’s highest-tier populations produce is a different calculation from what standard hunter experience generation provides.
It is survivable. Barely. If everything works.
Lin Yi pressed YES.
---
[Binding Accepted]
[Celestial Slave Mark — Active]
[Experience generation redirected to: Cang Yutian]
[Your own level advancement is suspended for the duration of binding]
---
The mark settled onto his forehead. Though he couldn’t see it, he was aware of it—a subtle warmth that seeped into his skin and then simply existed there. It wasn’t intrusive or painful; rather, it carried the deliberate absence of discomfort that one might expect from a binding meant to last indefinitely. After all, causing distress would defeat the purpose of a permanent bond.
"You understand the terms," Cang Yutian said.
Lin Yi nodded. "Yes."
"The agreement is simple. Reach level 250 before the event ends, and the mark will release. You survive. Fail and the contract becomes void."
Lin Yi’s reply was steady. "I understand."
Throughout the exchange, Cang Yutian’s gaze remained fixed on him. The ten Buddha wheels rotated steadily, while the dragon eyes observed with unblinking scrutiny.
"Then go," the watcher commanded. "There’s still time. Don’t waste it."
Lin Yi rose carefully. His left leg was mending, just enough now to bear weight if managed cautiously. He gripped the Celestial Lord Blade firmly.
His eyes met the watcher’s for a moment. "One month," he said.
"Approximately," Cang Yutian confirmed.
Without hesitation, Lin Yi activated Heaven Step and moved forward.
...
Lin Yi touched down on the first island within the mid-atmospheric cluster zone with meticulous control. Every aspect of his descent had been carefully managed—the angle at which he entered the airspace, how the forces acted upon him, and the precise moment his feet met the ground. The landing was remarkably silent, as if the island itself had quietly accepted him rather than feeling his impact. The residual energy from his motion dissipated evenly through his stance, leaving no trace of disruption.
Once steady, Lin Yi smoothly drew the Celestial Lord Blade in a single, practiced motion. The weapon appeared in his hand as if it were a natural extension of himself, familiarity born from countless battles.
The mark on his forehead remained.
It did not trouble him. There was no pain, no distracting pulse, no heat or sensation that interfered with his awareness or movements. It simply lingered there, an indelible imprint etched onto his very essence. The subtle warmth he first noticed when the binding activated still rested just beneath his skin, unchanged—neither growing stronger nor fading. It was a constant whisper at the edge of his consciousness, always present but never demanding focus. This quiet presence reminded him of something important, though it never needed to announce itself.
He made no move to touch it.
It was unnecessary.
He was fully aware it was there.
His breath stayed steady as he adjusted how he held the blade. The familiar weight reassured him and anchored him firmly in the moment. Around him, the air carried the thick, spiritual pressure typical of the mid-atmospheric layer. Energy currents drifted slowly between the island clusters, brushing past his senses with no resistance, calm and predictable. This environment could be measured and understood.
But the mark was different.
Calmly, Lin Yi lifted his gaze, focusing on what lay ahead. His awareness spread across the island’s surface, filtering out the subtle hum of energy flows and tuning in to any sign of movement. He identified patterns and steadily locked onto a presence that stood before him with sharp clarity.
Without hesitation, he fixed his eyes on the first monster.
---
[Void Stalker ×14 | Level 148 — Elite Pack]
HP: 86,400 / 86,400 each
---
He released Celestial Sword Qi in wide arc mode, the strike expanding outward in a clean sweep that encompassed all fourteen targets within its range without exception.
The system notification appeared immediately.
---
[Void Stalker ×14 Defeated]
[EXP Gained: +25,200 × 14 = +352,800]
[Reward Amplification Triggered — ×10,000]
[New EXP Gained: +3,528,000,000]
[Experience Redirected — Celestial Slave Mark Active]
[EXP Transferred to: Cang Yutian]
[Your level: 230 — No change]
---
He looked at the notification for exactly one second, long enough to read every line, long enough to confirm what he already knew.
No change.