Chapter 1045: Soul Tempering Through Lightning

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"It's fine..."

Zhang Xuan struggled to his feet, but his entire body still felt limp and weak.

He had actually tried to make an expert like Ancient Sage Qiu Wu acknowledge him as his teacher. It was fortunate that no one else knew, or else Wu shi and the others might just have pummeled him to death!

"Just a moment ago, I sensed a powerful fragmented soul that harnessed an ancient aura in the area, so I hurriedly left the expedition team to rush over. However, it abruptly vanished before I could reach here. It turns out that it was Ancient Sage Qiu Wu. Have you mastered his Unbounded Voyager yet?" Luo Ruoxin asked.

"I haven't learned it yet..." Zhang Xuan shook his head.

"You haven't learned it? Well, I have read some records regarding the Unbounded Voyager, and it appears that the movement technique is highly demanding on one's physical body and zhenqi. It is not something that can be mastered easily, so there's no need for you to rush into it." Noting the crestfallen look on Zhang Xuan's face, Luo Ruoxin thought that he was feeling down because he hadn't managed to master it, so she attempted to console him.

"Un." Knowing that there was no way he could explain the matter either, Zhang Xuan nodded with a bitter smile.

Luo Ruoxin continued. "The Unbounded Voyager can definitely be ranked within the top three movement techniques on the Master Teacher Continent, so you must take caution when using it publicly. Otherwise, if others were to notice it, you might end up bringing trouble upon yourself."

While master teachers were bound by rules, sometimes, in face of an unparalleled treasure, greed could become a sufficiently powerful force for them to cast aside their morals.

Using the current Zhang Xuan as an example, it was not that there wasn't anyone who was tempted to obtain his cultivation technique and battle techniques, considering the incredible fighting prowess he wielded. The only reason no one had done so thus far was due to their fear of 'Yang shi' and the Master Teacher Pavilion!

Had it not been for 'Yang shi's' occasional appearances reminding everyone that he had the backing of a fearsomely powerful teacher, he could have already been taken down long ago and forced to spill all of the secrets he had.

Such was the case for the Unbounded Voyager, too.

Not only was it powerful, it was also a part of the legendary Ancient Sage Qiu Wu's heritage. Once news that Zhang Xuan was in possession of it spread... perhaps master teachers might still hold themselves back, in consideration of their standing, but the same couldn't be said about the other unaffiliated cultivators or those from other occupations. It was for this very reason that Zhang Xuan had been so fixated on the idea of maintaining a low profile.

As the old adage goes, better safe than sorry.

"Thank you for your reminder, I will take note of it!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

"Un. Since Ancient Sage Qiu Wu has appeared once, it is very likely that we will have many more opportunities to meet him later on. For the time being, let's hurry back to where Wu shi and the others are. If the Stoneleaf King you spoke of goes back to them, they will be in grave danger," Luo Ruoxin said.

"Yes, you're right. We will still have plenty of chances to meet him in the future. Alright, let's go!"

Zhang Xuan was still feeling deeply guilty over the words that he had spoken. Upon hearing that Ancient Sage Qiu Wu would very likely appear again in the future, he heaved a sigh of relief.

Indeed, the elder whose dissipation he had induced was just a fragmented soul. They were bound to meet more as they travel through the ancient domain. At the very most, he would just have to apologize to him later on.

The urgent matter at hand wasn't for him to be conflicted over such trivialities but to advance deeper into the ancient domain, find the old principal, and foil the plans of the Otherworldly Demons. He would only be truly letting down Ancient Sage Qiu Wu if he allowed the Otherworldly Demons' ploys in the ancient domain to succeed.

Without any hesitation, the duo began heading toward the field of lightning.

Hong long long!

Before they could even come close to the field of lightning, they could already hear the domineering thunder roaring in the distance, as if some kind of powerful force was trying to rip the world into two.

Soon, arriving before the field of lightning, Zhang Xuan's eyes narrowed.

The field of lightning had been plenty frightening when he first arrived as well, but the sight before him at that moment was a true catastrophe.

To make a comparison, the field of lightning had intensified from a drizzle into a heavy downpour.

Countless streaks of lightning assaulted the land relentlessly with frightening concentration, turning the ground pitch black. It was as if someone had carried out an entire stretch of hell and shifted it here, leaving others to keep a distance away from it fearfully.

What happened? Why did the lightning suddenly run amok? Zhang Xuan was deeply anxious and worried.

Wu shi and the others hadn't recovered from their injuries yet! In face of such a powerful lightning storm, they could very well be in danger!

Just what could have happened for the relatively calmer field of lightning to abruptly go berserk?

"How do we enter?" Zhang Xuan frowned in vexation.

When the lightning had been sparser, he had still been able to evade them easily using his soul. But with the lightning becoming so frighteningly concentrated, drowning the entire area, no matter how fast his reaction speed was, there was no way he could avoid every single one of the lightning! He would be reduced to cinders before he could even get in!

"The lightning is far too concentrated; it won't be feasible for us to charge in forcefully." Luo Ruoxin's eyebrows were also knitted together.

She was also unable to think of a workable solution to get into the field of lightning at the moment.

Zhang Xuan pondered for a moment before turning to Luo Ruoxin and saying, "You should enter the Myriad Anthive Nest for the moment. I will try to think of a way to get through the field of lightning."

She had been with him when the Myriad Anthive Queen consumed the folded space at the Saint Ascension Platform, so it was no secret to her.

After slight hesitation, Luo Ruoxin nodded. "Alright then. You have to be careful."

"Un."

After having Luo Ruoxin enter the Myriad Anthive Nest, Zhang Xuan attempted the same ploy he had utilized before. He drew his soul out from his body and charged in.

Before such violent lightning, it wouldn't take long for even his Saint low-tier physical body to be reduced to a lump of meat. It would be far safer for him to enter in his soul form.

Due to the intangible nature of souls, it could ward off most of the energy from the lightning, thus minimizing the danger that one would face from it.

Hong long!

As soon as Zhang Xuan entered, several bolts of lightning immediately fell from the sky and struck his soul squarely. In an instant, his soul stiffened entirely, and a piercing pain threatened to tear him apart.

"Yowch..." Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth forcefully to endure the excruciating pain his soul was put under.

It was fortunate that he cultivated the Heaven's Path Soul Art, so his soul was devoid of the yin attribute. Otherwise, considering the vulnerability of the yin attribute to lightning, his soul might have just dissipated then and there.

Nevertheless, as if he had been sentenced to death by a thousand cuts 1 , he felt like innumerable steel needles were piercing into his soul. The sheer pain he was put under pushed his mind to its very limit, and he felt as if he could faint on the spot.

At this rate, I think that I will die of pain before I can persevere up to where Wu shi and the others are, Zhang Xuan thought grimly.

He had strong mental resilience, granting him great tolerance to pain. Nevertheless, the excruciating pain from the lightning striking down on him relentlessly still left him feeling as if he would faint at any moment.

He was still a distance away from the ancient city where Wu shi and the others were. He really couldn't imagine himself moving his soul over under such circumstances.

I don't have a choice at the moment. I will have to deal with the pain no matter how unbearable it is. If I am already in such a state despite my soul form, Wu shi and the others must be in an even worse position than I am.] Zhang Xuan clenched his jaws tightly.

Wu shi and the others were currently located at the very heart of the field of lightning, and there was no doubt that there were in grave danger at the moment. He had to save them as quickly as possible.

Thus, fueled by determination, he continued trudging forward.

Pilipala!

Despite the intangible nature of souls, the lightning that fell from the sky was simply too concentrated, making it impossible for him to avoid it altogether. He had advanced less than a hundred meters into the field of lightning thus far, but his soul had already been struck at least five hundred times by the lightning.

Gradually, Zhang Xuan found his mind withering away under the immense pain. Knowing that it was impossible for him to force a path ahead, he was just about to give up and leave for the time being to decide on another course of action when he suddenly noticed something, and his eyes widened in astonishment.

T-this...

Overwhelming agitation struck Zhang Xuan abruptly, causing even his soul to distort from the sheer intensity of his emotions.

The Innate Fetal Poison actually fears the Power of Lightning! It is being forced to congregate at one location, Zhang Xuan thought in shock as he looked inwardly at the current state of his soul.

That incomparably haughty Innate Fetal Poison, which had wreaked havoc in his soul previously, was currently gathered together, seemingly apprehensive of the Power of Lightning that had gathered around his soul. It was shaking fearfully by the corner, not daring to move in the least.

The amalgamation of his soul essence with Wei Ruyan's had granted his soul properties reminiscent of the Poison Soul Constitution, and that had helped him to suppress the Innate Fetal Poison considerably, forcing the latter to lie low for the time being. However, he knew that this was only a temporary measure. Given sufficient time, the Innate Fetal Poison would still find an opportunity to strike back.

But... at this moment, the Innate Fetal Poison was so frightened by the Power of Lightning that it had withdrawn entirely from the other portions of his soul, congregating together in just one location. If that was the case... was it possible for him to use the Power of Lightning to destroy the Innate Fetal Poison once and for all?

If he were to succeed, he could permanently rid himself of the ticking time bomb within him, and long gone would be the days where he lived fearfully for his life!

Since you are frightened of lightning, let me absorb some more and give you a good treat!

With that thought in mind, Zhang Xuan forcefully suppressed the vertigo he was experiencing to calm his mind.

After which, he began to actively absorb the lightning that he had been trying so hard to ward off a moment ago.

Since I am able to absorb even the heat of the lava, the same should apply for lightning as well.

If the heat contained within the lava could be used to refine his soul, perhaps lightning could have the same effects as well...

Gathering his concentration, he opened up all of the acupoints throughout his body and began driving the Heaven's Path Soul Art.

Even though he still didn't possess the Half-Saint Heaven's Path Soul Art yet, the Transcendent Mortal 9-dan Heaven's Path Soul Art was still sufficient for him to utilize the surrounding lightning to refine his soul, making it even more condensed and heavier.

Tzzzzzzzzzzz!

Drawn in by Zhang Xuan, the Power of Lightning gathered around his soul in the form of innumerable little lightning snakes.

It had only been a stabbing pain before, but at that moment, he felt as if someone had plunged his soul into a wok of boiling oil; there was not a single portion of his soul that wasn't hurting.

" Ahh! "

Feeling as if a devastating force was ripping through his body, Zhang Xuan let loose a deafening bellow.

If it had been anyone else, they would have long succumbed. However, as a practitioner of the Heaven's Path cultivation techniques, his physical body and soul carried the inviolable disposition of the heavens, granting him superior resilience to the forces of nature. On top of that, his transcendental state of mind also helped his mind to remain composed and rational before the immense pain, thus allowing him to forcefully retain his consciousness.

Geji! Geji!

Driving the little lightning snakes through the meridians of his soul via the Heaven's Path Soul Art, Zhang Xuan soon realized, to his delight, that despite the unbearable pain he was suffering, the Innate Fetal Poison had been forced to congregate closer and closer together, seemingly being backed into a corner, and the size of his soul was also compressed further as well.

With just a single circulation of the little lightning snakes, the height of his soul had been reduced from 8 meters to 7.9 meters.

Not only so, after absorbing the Power of Lightning, he realized that his resistance to lightning had also been boosted significantly. The penetrating pain he felt seemed to feel a little less unbearable compared to before.

Continue!

Zhang Xuan knew that, if he couldn't withstand the lightning, it was very likely that he would pass out first before he could save Wu shi and the others. Thus, he decided to cultivate his soul first.

Hu hu hu!

The raging lightning continuously seeped into his soul, condensing his soul further and further.

It was still unbearable at the start, but as his soul absorbed the Power of Lightning and grew stronger, the excruciating pain caused by the lightning also began to dull.

Hong long!

After some time, with a furious roar, his soul advanced from Half-Saint to Nascent Saint, and its height also reduced from eight meters to seven meters.

Alright, I should head over to save Wu shi now!

Zhang Xuan knew that the lightning from the surroundings couldn't knock him out anymore, and he heaved a sigh of relief. He hurriedly got to his feet and flew into the distance.

He could still cultivate his soul further by tapping into the Power of Lightning, but the urgent matter at hand was to save Wu shi and the others. If he were to waste any more time, they could very well have lost their lives before he even arrived.

Fazed by the immense power of the lightning no longer, Zhang Xuan was able to travel extremely swiftly. Within just a few dozen breaths, he arrived at the area where he had met Wu shi and the others before. After a look at the area, he couldn't help but frown.

The entire area had been devastated by some kind of powerful force, and Wu shi and the others, who had still been recuperating a moment ago, had vanished from sight.

Zhang Xuan's complexion darkened. Could it be that... the Stoneleaf King has returned for them?