School Transmigration: I, Chosen as the Saint by Dragons at the Start-Chapter 211 --The Dragon Emperor of Human Race

Owen couldn’t help but ask, "Who are these two individuals?"

"One is the Martial Emperor, and the other was also a figure from the Sanctuary a millennium ago, whose name has since been lost to history."

"Then, is it possible for you to leave the Illusion Cave?"

"I cannot." Promi said, "Facing something ancient like the Illusion Cave, left behind by the ancients, I do not possess the confidence to emerge unscathed."

"If even you cannot, then do I possess the capability to find a way out?"

"Possibly, yet possibly not."

"What does that mean?" Owen was completely puzzled.

"If you enter from the right, I estimate that there’s a nine in ten chance you won’t make it out."

"But entering from the left might hold some hope."

"Why is that?" Promi paused for a moment before explaining, "Because the Martial Emperor, a thousand years ago, successfully navigated through the Illusion Cave from the left entrance. It took me a long time to discover that the Martial Emperor was not human, but rather belonged to the dragons. This is a very secretive matter, and you must not divulge it."

"Dragons!"

The emperor of humanity was a dragon?

Owen suddenly understood.

No wonder the Sanctuary was so powerful.

"Before he left the Illusion Cave, he placed a restriction within. Should anyone of his same bloodline find themselves trapped within, this restriction would activate, forcibly ejecting them from the Illusion Cave. However, this restriction only works on the path that the Martial Emperor himself traversed."

"Wait a moment..." Owen interjected, confused, "The same bloodline? Even if I am a saint of dragons, that doesn’t relate me to that Martial Emperor."

"No, it does," Promi stated emphatically, with certainty.

Owen was utterly baffled.

Promi continued to explain, "As long as you enter from the left, even if you cannot pass the trials of this illusion, your life should not be in jeopardy."

Owen believed that Promi wouldn’t harm him and, after carefully considering for a while, decided to proceed.

"If that’s the case, then I shall enter."

"Are you certain?"

"Yes, I am certain."

...

Owen approached the entrance on the left, his gaze transfixed by the streaming lights at the doorway, feeling a sense of enchantment.

Extending his left hand, he let the shimmering lights weave through his fingers, feeling an immense relaxation wash over him.

This tranquility lasted but a few seconds before a sudden dizziness overwhelmed him, and he found himself being drawn into the Illusion Cave.

Inside, the cave was filled with flowing lights.

Looking back, Owen could no longer see the entrance; looking forward, there was no end in sight.

He began to walk slowly forward, the scenery around him unchanging.

It seemed as if he was on an eternal path filled with streaming lights.

He walked for what felt like an eternity, yet the exit remained elusive.

Suddenly, the light within the cave dimmed, and turning back, Owen saw an immense darkness emerging behind him.

This darkness, greedily devouring the light, advanced towards him. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Owen, typically fearless, felt a surge of fear and started to run forward, but the darkness chased him with even greater speed.

In desperation, Owen broke into a sweat, realizing no matter how fast he ran, the encroaching darkness was faster.

He attempted to draw the Ice sword given to him by Promi, but the streaming lights entwined around the hilt and blade, preventing him from drawing it no matter how hard he tried.

In his panic, Owen remembered the jade stone.

He grasped it with his right hand.

In that instant, the stone cracked and then crumbled into dust, dispersing into the air.

The lights within the cave dimmed further, and the terrifying darkness that had been pursuing him gradually vanished.

Feeling dizzy, Owen sensed the space around him compressing.

With his eyes closed, he knelt on one knee, leaning on the Ice sword, breathing heavily.

After a moment, Owen regained his composure, taking a deep breath to steady himself.

Opening his eyes, he surveyed his surroundings.

The Illusion Cave now appeared no different from an ordinary mountain cavern.

He stood less than a meter from the entrance, with the cave walls around him made of solid earth and stone.

Looking out from the entrance, he could see nothing; the streaming lights formed a white barrier, obscuring his vision completely.

Rising to his feet, Owen continued to move forward.

After covering a few meters, he encountered a wooden wall at a bend in the cave, blocking his path.

Touching the wall, he then tapped it with the scabbard of his Ice sword.

The wooden wall slowly began to change, with complex patterns spreading outward from the center.

Once the patterns had fully spread, the wall emitted a blinding golden light.

Instinctively, Owen shielded his eyes.

As the golden light faded, a wooden door appeared in the wall.

Hesitating for a moment, Owen pushed open the door and stepped through to the other side.

After a brief moment of darkness, his vision returned.

The cave ahead was monotonous, turning right again, and to his surprise, another wooden wall stood in front of him.

Owen traced the wooden wall with his sword scabbard, and once again, complex patterns emerged.

Spreading from the center to the edges, the wall emitted a dazzling golden light upon completion of the pattern spread.

Shielding his eyes instinctively, he waited for the light to dissipate, revealing another wooden door.

After a moment’s hesitation, Owen pushed open this door too, disappearing to its other side.

Following another brief period of darkness, his vision slowly returned.

He stood motionless, finding the cave ahead unchanged from before.

Owen turned to look behind him, finding the entrance of the Illusion Cave only a little more than a meter away; he hadn’t moved forward at all.

Was all of this merely an illusion?

A wave of unease surged within him as he quickened his pace forward, turning the corner only to be faced with that wooden wall again.

Owen reached out to touch the wooden wall once more.

By now, he had realized he was trapped in a loop, but still harbored a sliver of hope as he touched the wall with the scabbard of his Ice sword.

The same patterns spread from the center to the edges, culminating in the familiar blinding golden light.

As the light vanished, the wooden door appeared once again.

Almost crashing through, Owen rolled into the darkness beyond the door with his eyes closed.

When he opened them, no miracle had occurred; the cave’s interior lay before him as usual.

Looking back, he was still at the entrance.

Owen rested for a while, calming his emotions before approaching the wooden wall again.

Time and again, he couldn’t recall how many times he repeated this process, each attempt ending with him passing through the darkness and returning to the cave’s entrance.

He tried everything conceivable.

Drawing his Ice sword to confront the wooden wall had no effect; the wall remained unyielding.

Striking the stone walls with his sword only produced a few sparks.

Punching the door, entering a few minutes later, pouring arcanergy against the stone walls...

He employed every method he could think of, yet nothing changed the outcome.

Eventually, his frustration boiled over, and he even executed the sword moves he had just learned in a pure act of desperation, to no avail.

Each effort was merely an outlet for his frustration, utterly ineffective in altering his predicament.

After returning to the cave’s entrance once more, Owen found himself teetering on the edge of collapse.

He moved stiffly towards the entrance, a notion of surrender budding in his heart.

To his dismay, he couldn’t push through the flowing light at the cave’s mouth.

No matter how much force he applied, the barrier-like light repelled him.

He unleashed countless sword auras at the flowing light, only for this eerie illumination to absorb them all.

Even when employing the Gale Blade technique, he couldn’t make the slightest dent in the light.

It was then that an unprovoked laughter echoed through the cave.

Owen stood up and searched around, yet not a single shadow was to be found.

"You mere ant, better to give up," said the owner of the laughter.

"This place isn’t meant for mediocrities like you. Sever your own feet, and I shall let you leave."

Owen retorted with anger, "Who are you? Who do you think you are?"

"Ha ha ha, I am your ancestor!"

"Nonsense! I will get through this Illusion Cave just to prove you wrong." Owen was seething with rage.

"Hmph! Better to save your breath. Remember, at any time you choose to destroy your own feet, I will send you out."

After these words, the voice completely vanished.

No matter how Owen cursed, there was no response.

He began to challenge the Illusion Cave with renewed frenzy, repeatedly opening the wooden door and returning to the entrance, over and over.

Until once, after opening the wooden door, he collapsed into darkness.

...

The ground was damp and uncomfortable.

He rolled over and opened his eyes.

A thick fog filled the sky, and taking a deep breath, he found the mist sweet and exhilarating.

Springing to his feet, he glanced at the treasured sword belted at his waist.

"This is Ice..."

"But who am I, exactly?"

He unsheathed Ice and executed a few moves, yet his identity remained elusive.

"The young master truly is the foremost expert in the world, your moves are extraordinary."

He turned to see a short figure that had appeared beside him, asking, "Do you know me?"

The figure, with a coquettish tone, said, "I’m your maid, Rose. What’s happened to you, young master?"

"A girl? Why do you look like a boy?"

"Owen, you’re so mean! I knew you were going to be naughty! Here, feel for yourself. Even if they’re small, they’re there, unlike a man’s!"

Rose, her face puffed up with indignation, moved closer to him.

"Oh, right."

"I am called Owen."

He reached out to touch Rose’s chest, laughing as he did, "Hehe, indeed, a woman."

Rose blushed but still threw herself into Owen’s arms.

Though Owen felt somewhat out of place, as if such frivolity was unlike him, he still held Rose.

"Ha ha ha," he heard himself laughing foolishly.

"Stop laughing like a fool.

Let’s hurry east to the magic tower," she urged.

"Didn’t you say you wanted to marry that witch who’s holding the contest? It’s a seven-day ride from here, and we’ll be late if we don’t hurry."