Ch. 1851..1855: The Secretly Rich Man Chapter 1851-1855
Chapter 1851
Gerald Crawford: The Secretly or invisible Rich Man Chapter 1851
Upon returning to the real world, Gerald was instantly swept by feelings of relaxation as his mind acquired newfound understanding. As it turned out, returning from that white dimension was the final step for him to gain this understanding.
Looking at the soul bamboo before him, Gerald then lifted his hand… and with a swift strike using the side of his hand, he sliced the soul bamboo clean in half!
Pleased to have snapped his first soul bamboo, Gerald was now a hundred percent sure of what the first soul bamboo meant.
Essentially, one couldn’t just expect to see instant benefits. Things needed to be done in proper order, and only then would success come… After all, while Gerald did lose the first two Go games, after learning the rules a bit better and observing how things went on the board, step-by-step, he was eventually able to win against that old man.
Regardless, upon seeing that the soul bamboo had been snapped, Tomie—who had been watching over Gerald this entire time—couldn’t help but smile as he said, “Congratulations on breaking your first soul bamboo, Gerald!”
Smiling in response, Gerald then headed over to the next soul bamboo before placing his hand on it again. The sooner he got all this done with, the better.
Soon enough, Gerald found himself transported to yet another dimension. Compared to the previous white space, however, Gerald was greeted by the sight of several quickly alternating beautiful scenes…
Shortly after, another old man made his appearance before smiling warmly as he said, “Good day, mister. Tell me… What do you think these scenes symbolize…?”
Surprised by the sudden presence of the old man, Gerald quickly shook his shock off before asking, “… Before that, how should I address you, sir?”
Chuckling in response, the old man replied, “Well, I’m a psychic spirit, so you can call me that if you’d like!”
“I see… It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir. Regardless, about your question… I can see that the scenes alternate endlessly among the four seasons. Spring, summer, autumn, and winter…” said Gerald in a respectful tone.
Nodding in response, the psychic spirit then replied, “Well, you’re not wrong there. While the scenes do depict the usual seasons, there’s another message to be found in all this… Why not try calming yourself to see if your heart can sense it?”
Upon hearing that, Gerald nodded before doing as the psychic spirit had told…
After a while, Gerald realized something and he opened his eyes again before saying, “…I think I understand now, sir. Essentially, not only do the scenes depict the four seasons, but they also symbolize the different experiences one undergoes in life.”
“The spring scene displays a sprout which I’m assuming symbolizes the moment one is born. The summer scene, on the other hand, shows how hot it can get.
From what I can gather, it’s a way of saying how hardships and distresses are normal experiences as one grows older.
Moving on to the autumn scene, it depicts the harvest season, which should be when an individual feels the most accomplished they’ve ever felt in their life.
Finally, winter, the period of reminiscing. For me, winter symbolizes the moment when one nears the end of their life cycle…” explained Gerald.
The second his explanation ended, the psychic spirit instantly began clapping as he declared, “Not bad at all, mister! As you’ve said, the four seasons do indeed symbolize a person’s life.
I have to say, you truly are extraordinary to be able to have such a deep understanding of life! You really are different from the others! Regardless, you’ve completed my test so you can leave now!”
And just as before, Gerald’s consciousness was quickly transmitted back to reality…
Upon seeing the second soul bamboo before him again, Gerald immediately repeated the slicing action on it!
Chapter 1852
Gerald Crawford: The Secretly or invisible Rich Man Chapter 1852
As expected, this bamboo broke instantly as well, and by conquering it, Gerald now understood the meaning of life.
Essentially, one’s life was like the four seasons since everyone experienced birth, sicknesses, and eventually death. It was simply according to the seasonal cycle. While one would definitely experience other things as well, nobody would truly be able to change their fate in the seasonal cycle of life.
Regardless, Torme himself was now smiling widely after watching Gerald successfully break the second soul bamboo. This youth wasn’t disappointing him in the least!
Whatever the case was, Gerald didn’t even wait for Torme to say anything before moving on to touch the third soul bamboo.
While Gerald was already used to having his consciousness getting transferred, he still found himself slightly stunned when he realized that standing before him, was a doppelganger!
“…And you are?” asked Gerald.
“Heh! I’m just you!” replied the other Gerald as he revealed a subtle smile.
“What? If you’re me, then who am I?” said Gerald.
“You’re me, and I’m you. There’s nothing technical about that! We’re simply the same person! Even so, we’re different from the way we view things!” explained the other Gerald.
“…Different views? Elaborate,” replied Gerald.
Chuckling in response, the other Gerald then said, “To put it in layman terms, I’m your dark side! A fancier name would make me your inner demon!”
As it turned out, the lookalike was a manifestation of his inner demons! This must be the third soul bamboo’s test!
With that in mind, Gerald had a hunch that as long as he managed to defeat the demon, he would be able to fully understand this soul bamboo.
“Whatever the case is, you’re an idiot, Gerald. Why the hell didn’t you just pick Rey in exchange for the key to the large entrance of the Phangrottom Clan territory? Picking yourself… You could’ve died you know?” added the other Gerald in a gloomy tone.
Upon hearing that, Gerald stared at his inner demon for a while before retorting, “As if I’d ever use my friends as bargaining chips! I’ll never sacrifice them!”
“You utter buffoon! That Rey? He’s just a prick and you know it! You could’ve easily gotten rid of him for good! How stupid do you have to be for me to spell it out for you?!” scowled the inner demon as he glared at Gerald.
“Shut it! You’re just my inner demon! In the end, I’m the one who decides on what I think!” growled Gerald who was getting fed up with his inner self.
Upon hearing that, the inner demon instantly roared in laughter as everything around them turned pitch black. The scene was nothing short of terrifying…
“Talk big, will you? Look, I can easily just swallow you up, you know? Once that happens, you’ll be beneath me your entire life!” scoffed the inner demon as he smiled wickedly while staring at the youth.
Before Gerald could even reply, his eyes widened as his other self summoned an incredibly familiar- looking sword…
“…The Astrabyss Sword?!” yelled Gerald, feeling slightly stunned that the demon could also wield the legendary weapon.
“Things could have gone much differently, Gerald! But due to how idiotic you are, you only have yourself to blame! I’m vanquishing you for good so that I’ll be the rightful owner of your body and mind!”
Chapter 1853
Gerald Crawford: The Secretly or invisible Rich Man Chapter 1853
After saying that, his inner demon began charging toward Gerald!
Since the inner demon was an exact replica of Gerald, he shared the same strength and capabilities as Gerald. Naturally, Gerald noticed this, and he immediately began retreating as he dodged the onslaught of attacks!
Unfortunately, since their skills were on par, Gerald’s neck ended up getting slightly cut by the sharp blade.
The Astrabyss Sword’s tip had merely brushed across Gerald’s skin, yet it was already bleeding… Gerald didn’t even want to imagine what would happen if the sword struck him for real…
Whatever the case was, he couldn’t allow this inner demon to get rid of him. After all, if he lost this battle, he would lose control over his body forever!
With that in mind, once he was at a safe distance, Gerald drew out his own Astrabyss Sword.
“Hah! Thinking of launching a counterattack?” sneered the inner demon.
“You won’t have your way! I’m burying you deep in my heart so that you’ll never be able to resurface again!” declared Gerald in a righteous tone.
“Let’s see if you can win against me first!” yelled the inner demon as both he and Gerald bolted toward each other!
Since both of them were equally fast, their blades met even before a split second passed!
With a massive ‘clang’ the impact of the two legendary blades caused both of them to take a few steps backward!
“I hope you haven’t forgotten that I’m your dark side, Gerald! I don’t have anything weighing me down! With that in mind, I’m way stronger than you!” scoffed the inner demon in a smug tone before he immediately began chanting a spell…
Within seconds, Gerald watched as all sorts of knife brandishing ghosts began appearing! The inner demon had summoned them from the Astrabyss Sword to deal with Gerald!
Though the spirits immediately began rushing toward Gerald, the youth remained calm and simply took out the spirits, one by one…
However, no matter how many spirits he slew, more would just appear… That b*stard of an inner demon was simply summoning no end to them!
Laughing maniacally as Gerald got surrounded by yet another group of spirits, the inner demon then smugly proposed, “Gerald, listen. Wouldn’t it be great if we just cooperated? With your intellect and my strength, we’d surely be an unstoppable force!”
Naturally, Gerald wasn’t going to agree to that anytime soon.
While the inner demon may have thought that Gerald’s loss was already determined, Gerald knew that his other self was merely a temporary manifestation of his worst aspects. With that in mind, there was no way Gerald was going to let that nobody surpass him!
As he thought about that, an idea suddenly came to Gerald. Understanding that it was now or never, Gerald immediately began projecting his immense will and psychokinetic powers around him.
The second he started doing so, his inner demon immediately began suffering a severe headache!
Slowly kneeling, the inner demon held on to his aching head as he asked, “You… The hell have you done…?!”
“Remember, you’re just a momentary manifestation of my inner demons. With that in mind, you won’t be able to defeat me in a million years! My true power will always be stronger than yours!” scoffed Gerald as he walked over to his other self and grabbed it by the neck.
Glaring at his inner demon fine final time, Gerald then increased the force of his grip while yelling, “Exterminate!”
And just like that, the inner demon vanished, sending Gerald’s consciousness back to reality…
Chapter 1854
Gerald Crawford: The Secretly or invisible Rich Man Chapter 1854
With that, Gerald successfully made it past his third soul bamboo, and with a swift attack, he instantly split it clean in half!
Walking up to Gerald, Torme then smiled as he said, “Congratulations for defeating your inner demon, Gerald!”
Slightly stunned that Torme knew about his battle, Gerald was prompted to say, “Sir… You… Knew?”
“Indeed. I saw all that happened in each of the soul bamboos. I also know what each soul bamboo here stands for. Regardless, had you failed to defeat your inner demon, you’d have ended up getting swallowed by him.
If that came to be, I’m sure you’re aware that not only would your consciousness get sealed deep within your heart forever, but that inner demon of yours?
He’d take your place! Thankfully, you managed to defeat him! I must say, you haven’t disappointed me at all!” declared Torme as he looked at Gerald with a satisfied expression.
Watching as Gerald nodded, Torme then added in a serious tone, “Inner demons are dark manifestations that exist in everyone’s hearts. Sadly, not many are actually capable of truly vanquishing them.
While I’ve come across many people who’ve attempted to defeat their inner demons, they always ended up getting swallowed by their inner demons, resulting in them becoming their worst nightmares… With that in mind, since you’ve managed to make it past your demons, I have to say I greatly admire you, Gerald!”
“I appreciate the compliment, sir! Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll proceed with the next soul bamboo!” replied Gerald in a gratuitous tone before walking toward his fourth soul bamboo.
However, before he was able to touch it, Torme suddenly shouted, “Wait!”
Turning around, Gerald raised a slight brow as he asked, “Is… something the matter, sir…?”
“There’s no need to go through the fourth soul bamboo. You’ve passed the test!” replied Torme, astonishing Gerald quite a bit.
Before Gerald could even reply, he watched as Torme waved his hand… and just like that, both of them were back in the tower.
“Have… I really passed everything, sir?” asked the confused Gerald.
“Indeed! You’re the most outstanding cultivator I’ve ever met! With that in mind, you have every right to head to the Phangrottom Clan’s territory! As promised, I’ll also be handing you the key to the large entrance of that territory! While I’m sure you’re on some extraordinary mission, do remember that in the end, whether you’ll be able to obtain what you want ultimately depends on fate…” said Torme.
Gerald himself was currently too pleasantly surprised and excited to feel down by that statement. To think that he had managed to pass the test without needing to fully complete it! Torme was even giving him the key to the large entrance of the Phangrottom Clan’s territory!
The youth’s train of thought was cut short when Torme revealed a rectangular wooden box before handing it to Gerald as he said, “The box contains the key I promised. It’s yours to take now!”
Taking the box, Gerald then slowly opened it… and inside, was an iron key with the Phangrottom Rune on it.
Glad to have finally obtained it, Gerald immediately replied, “Thank you, sir!”
“You’re very welcome, though honestly, you deserve the key. Regardless, a bit of advice before you head off. The Phangrottoms are a spiritual clan that rules over all souls… With that in mind, I’m sure you can imagine that they’re not ones who are easy to persuade. What I’m saying is please make sure that you’re mentally ready to face everything, and that includes quite a bit of pain. It’s not a stretch to claim that your real test will begin once you arrive there!” advised Torme.
“Got it. I’ll keep that in mind!” replied Gerald in a respectful tone.
“I’m sure you will. Now head off! The passing permit is already hanging on your waist!” said Torme as he waved his hand at Gerald.
Upon hearing that, Gerald instantly looked at his waist area… as true to Torme’s words, a passing permit was hanging there! When had Torme even done the deed…?
Chapter 1855
Gerald Crawford: The Secretly or invisible Rich Man Chapter 1855
Whatever the case was, Gerald simply nodded before walking out of the tower…
Upon exiting, he saw that Rey was taking a nap with his back leaning against the tower’s walls!
Squatting down, Gerald then patted Rey’s face a few times while saying, “Hey, I wasn’t in for that long… Are you seriously sleeping here?”
Quickly waking up, the shocked Rey couldn’t help but exclaim, “A-ah! Mr. Crawford! You’re finally out? I’ve been waiting for ages!”
“…Ages? I’m pretty sure I’ve been in there for half an hour at most,” replied Gerald as he raised a slight brow.
Then again, Rey wasn’t one to lie. Could the time in the tower move differently compared to the time in the outside world…? After all, as they said, ‘a day in heaven was equivalent to a year in the human world’. With that in mind, who’s to say that the tower didn’t function following those rules? While it wasn’t completely out of the question, it still seemed rather magical to Gerald.
“…Regardless, I’ve managed to obtain the passing permit, so let’s go!” added Gerald, not wanting to bother about something that trivial. After all, the more crucial thing to do now was to enter the Phantom City…
Soon after, the duo arrived at the city’s gates again, and upon showing the passing permit to the phantom officer, they were finally granted access into the place…
“…Say… What exactly did you have to do to obtain the passing permit, Mr. Crawford…?” asked Rey in a curious tone.
“Let’s just say I had to go through some tests of life,” replied Gerald, knowing that his answer was the truth despite how vague it sounded.
As Gerald recalled all the principles and experiences of life that he had been tested on back in the tower, he couldn’t help but feel pleased that after all that, he managed to obtain the key to the large entrance of the Phangrottom Clan’s territory as well.
Whatever the case was, Rey naturally didn’t know what Gerald was going on about, prompting him to say, “…Huh? Come again…?”
Shaking his head, Gerald then leaned closer to Rey before whispering, “Forget about that for the moment. I actually have some good news to share! See, I’ve managed to obtain the key to the large entrance of the Phangrottom Clan’s territory!”
Upon hearing the good news, Rey immediately grew excited as he exclaimed, “Really?”
“Hush! Aren’t you worried at all that others may learn of this?” replied Gerald as he glared at Rey while gesturing for him to keep it down.
Upon hearing that, Rey instantly calmed down, making sure to cover a hand over his mouth to ensure no further noise came out from him…
After walking for a while longer, the duo came across a town within Phantom City. While it looked no different from human settlements, the ghosts here had their own lifestyles that were evidently different compared to how humans lived.
As the duo watched hordes of ghosts wandering along the streets of the town, it wasn’t long before a few phantom soldiers—riding phantom horses—encircled Gerald and Rey!
“Both of you, come with us!” ordered one of the soldiers in a frigid tone.