by Translator: Pokka; Author: 我本纯洁 (I Am Pure); Licensed From: Migu
Zang Yuan's final wish was to have his sarira delivered back to the Righteous Buddhist Sect. His wish was to be returned to his roots.
Xiang Shaoyun immediately agreed to the request as he said, "Don't worry, master. I will definitely bring your sarira back to the Righteous Buddhist Sect."
Zang Yuan had a grateful look as he thanked, "Thank you, young benefactor. Allow me to teach you a unique battle technique, the Flux Finger Sword Technique. This is the only battle technique capable of fully utilizing the flux goldthorn energy. I will also teach you a body refining technique, the Limit Stimulation Technique. This is an ancient secret technique, capable of tempering your body to perfection. Doing so, one would be able to stimulate one's potential and increase one's combat strength. Unfortunately, I only have half of the technique's mantra. Even that much was enough to forge me an extreme physique that made me almost undefeatable among my peers."
When Xiang Shaoyun learned that, he immediately realized that both were amazing techniques. His eyes burned with passion. He quickly regained his calm and asked, "Lord, are you not worried that you would mistrust a person with your final wish? Don't forget that few people can resist the urge to pocket the sarira for themselves."
Zang Yuan replied solemnly, "I am confident in my judgment. I am also confident in your character. If I really am entrusting this to the wrong person, it must be the will of fate that I can't return to my roots, and it would be proof that I have not earned Lord Buddha's recognition. If so, I might as well scatter with the wind. This stubbornness of mine is in itself a violation of the teachings of Buddha. Where in this world can't I rest? My heart is always with Buddha, the merciful Buddha. Amitabha."
A look of respect covered Xiang Shaoyun's face as he listened. He said, "Don't worry, master. I, Xiang Shaoyun, may not be a good person, but I am one to always keep my words."
"Good. The sarira might be valuable, but one without the Buddhist aura and the Buddhist root will not be able to inherit it. In fact, if one tries to inherit it forcefully, one will suffer the backlash for it," said Zang Yuan.
Xiang Shaoyun felt a chill creep up his spine. He thought, Good thing I wasn't aiming for this thing at all, or I would've suffered.
Zang Yuan then passed on the two techniques' mantras to Xiang Shaoyun. By the time he was done, his figure had turned incredibly transparent, and he was slowly fading away from existence.
At his last moments, he gave a warning, "Do not disturb the slumbering lord at the massive palace."
"Do not disturb the slumbering lord at the massive palace?" Xiang Shaoyun muttered blankly.
When he first entered the secret space, he heard something similar about some lord from the evil spirit possessing the corpse of a whitebone snake. With the high monk saying the same thing, it was obvious there was a powerful big shot residing there.
"Forget it. It's pointless to think too much about it. For now, I need to cultivate the Limit Stimulation Technique and Flux Finger Sword Technique. Also, I need to refine a piece of goldblood stone," Xiang Shaoyun muttered to himself. He decided to start cultivating his newly gained techniques.
Unfortunately, after putting Zang Yuan's sarira and remains away, he saw a massive shadow heading toward the cave. Clearly, either the gold-scaled dragon turtle or the goldmark toad was returning.
He paled as he exclaimed, "Shit! If they find me here, I'm dead!"
It was a good thing Xiang Shaoyun had many tricks up his sleeve. He turned invisible and completely vanished from view. He then stayed still, trying not to make any sort of sound. Soon, the gold-scaled dragon turtle's head appeared at the cave entrance. The head peeked into the cave, scanning the cave with a pair of massive eyes.
"Weird, why has the flux goldthorn energy gone missing? I can still smell that kid. He should still be here," muttered the gold-scaled dragon turtle doubtfully. His body turned small, and he swam into the cave.
Xiang Shaoyun was feeling great pressure. The gold-scaled dragon turtle was a top-tier Demon Sovereign. A random breath from this turtle was enough to kill him. He hadn't even recovered from his injuries.
He prayed inwardly, Please don't notice me.
Although he was confident in his invisibility, nobody knew if the gold-scaled dragon turtle had a special ability capable of detecting him. Fortunately, after taking a casual look around, the turtle left the cave. Xiang Shaoyun heaved a breath of relief.
Suddenly, the turtle returned. His crafty eyes were filled with doubt as though he was having a hard time believing there was nobody in the cave.
"How weird. I can obviously still smell that kid. No movement in this lake can be hidden from me. How can I not detect him? Something is not right," muttered the gold-scaled dragon turtle.
He then decided not to leave and started absorbing the remnant flux goldthorn energy in the surroundings. Xiang Shaoyun's mood sank. He was far stronger than before, and his trait of invisibility had also grown in duration. But if the gold-scaled dragon turtle insisted on staying here, he would be exposed sooner or later. What should he do now?
Numerous thoughts went past Xiang Shaoyun's brain. He had the urge to sneak near the gold-scaled dragon turtle before unleashing a bombardment of flux goldthorn energy on the turtle. He was confident the energy was powerful enough to kill him.
But he erased the thought as fast as it came. Attacking with the energy would be his last option. If he tried it and failed, he himself would be in great danger. Fortunately, the goldmark toad soon showed up.
Chapter 951: My Spotless Reputation
The goldmark toad had not been killed by the gold-scaled dragon turtle. He had merely retreated for not being the turtle's match. He had come after sensing something off about the cave. Xiang Shaoyun thought that the toad and the turtle would be engaged in another intense battle, but he was mistaken. Instead of fighting, the two started chatting like a pair of old friends.
"Old turtle, what's going on here? Where's the flux goldthorn energy?" asked the goldmark toad.
"How am I supposed to know?" grumbled the turtle.
"Is it that human thief? His smell is here. Why isn't he here?"
"I was here before you, but I can't find him at all. He has probably fled long ago."
"Impossible. With our strength, nothing in this lake can escape our senses. If neither of us noticed him leaving, he is definitely still somewhere in the lake," said the goldmark toad confidently.
"You're right. Humans have a lot of tricks up their sleeves. That kid might be capable of invisibility. If we can't find him, it is what it is," said the gold-scaled dragon turtle helplessly.
"Hmph. He wants to leave after stealing our flux goldthorn energy? No way. We need to find him even if we have to turn the entire lake upside down," said the goldmark toad coldly.
The gold-scaled dragon turtle was in no mood to stay around, so he left the cave and started searching the lake for Xiang Shaoyun. The flux goldthorn energy was extremely important to them because they were relying on it to enter the Demon Saint realm. They wouldn't let Xiang Shaoyun take it away so easily.
Xiang Shaoyun heard their entire conversation, and he broke out in cold sweat. Inwardly, he thought, Holy shit, these two fellows are getting angry for real. Things are troublesome now.
He was becoming worried that even after escaping the lake, the two would still hunt him down.
This won't do. I need to enter the eighth stage as soon as possible and increase my combat strength, thought Xiang Shaoyun.
He silently left the cave and started heading for the lake's surface. His trait of invisibility was amazing. Without unique pupils, one would probably not be able to see him no matter how strong one was.
The moment he left the lake, he fled in a certain direction. About four hours later, he arrived at a secluded location with numerous boulders. With the boulders as shelter, it was an excellent hiding place.
Many disciples had searched through this place early on and had found nothing. Thus, people had stopped coming.
Xiang Shaoyun was planning to hide here and recover from his injuries before breaking through into the eighth stage.
But when he arrived, he found that someone was actually hiding amid the boulders. That person had hidden herself well, but she couldn't escape the Nether Soul Domain's senses.
Just who is hiding amid the boulders? thought Xiang Shaoyun. He pushed his senses to the maximum, and the scene amid the boulders was presented before him.
When he saw what was going on down there, his expression shifted massively, as though he had seen something he couldn't handle. What did he see? Amid the boulders, a woman with half her face masked was undressing. She was the True Martial Academy's Devil Concubine.
She was the most popular woman in her academy. She was practically dripping with charm. Not only did she look good, but her body was also flawless. She was undressing herself, a sight that would drive any man crazy.
Half her face was masked, revealing the other half of her face that was as beautiful as an angel. Her enchanting eyes gave one an urge to protect and cherish her. She took off her thin robe, revealing her innerwear and exposing her tender neck, delicate collarbones, plump bosom, and slim waist. This was a sight that would fill any man with lust. On her chest was a terrifying wound, a blemish on this otherwise perfect human.
Pale, she was rubbing some spring water on her wound. Evidently, she was hiding among the boulders to heal after someone had seriously injured her. As a cultivator who spent a lot of time in numerous combat situations, one would inevitably suffer some injuries. Thus, it was normal for a cultivator to have scars, and female cultivators weren't an exception.
She was a top disciple in the True Martial Academy and was a peak Dragon Ascension Realm cultivator. The moment she formed her soul foundation, she would be able to enter the Sovereign Realm.
She was strong enough to fight even a Sovereign. So who was it that had injured her to this extent? Watching her as she healed herself, Xiang Shaoyun saw the entirety of her body. He swore that he wasn't intentionally peeping on her and all this was a coincidence.
If the True Martial Academy disciples found out what Xiang Shaoyun saw today, the entirety of the academy would probably start hunting for him. After all, their beloved goddess just had her entire body seen.
"Um, ah," Devil Concubine started groaning when the medicinal power started working on her body. It was a sound that made one's imagination run wild.
"Gulp," Xiang Shaoyun couldn't help but swallow.
The moment he gulped, Devil Concubine sensed him. She draped a black robe around herself and shouted, "Who is it?"
After wrapping the robe around herself, Devil Concubine charged out. Like a bird startled by the twang of a bow, Xiang Shaoyun started fleeing. But it was at this moment that his invisibility reached the end of its active duration.
He felt like crying. There goes my spotless reputation, he grieved inwardly. What was he to do if he was known as a pervert from now on?
"Bastard! Stand right there!" Devil Concubine roared and flung several throwing knives at him.
Xiang Shaoyun sensed the danger, and his body instantly shifted about and dodged the knives, giving Devil Concubine the opportunity to arrive right behind him and send out a palm attack.
The palm attack did not look strong, but it carried an indescribable power. Xiang Shaoyun's escape path was completely sealed, and a powerful pressure was wrapped around him, making escape impossible.
Chapter 952: A Real Man Doesn't Fight With Womenfolk
Xiang Shaoyun did not know what technique Devil Concubine was using, but he knew she was fearsomely strong. Facing her was basically the same as facing a Sovereign. He did not dare to hold back, and he used the Phantom Shift to move away and avoid the palm attack while shouting, "Beauty, this is a misunderstanding."
No matter what, Xiang Shaoyun was the one at fault. Therefore, he did not strike back and tried explaining himself instead. Devil Concubine was unwilling to listen and sent a rain of palm attacks at him. Each attack was powerful enough to destroy a mountain.
The palm attacks exploded loudly, and a unique corrosive power hard to defend against spread in the air. Xiang Shaoyun kept dodging the attacks like a slippery eel. The attacks brushing past around him were extremely dangerous. If it wasn't for his speed, he would have already been killed.
More importantly, since Devil Concubine could fully lock on to him, it was clear that her soul was also as strong as a Sovereign's and was the reason she could suppress him with her presence.
Any other disciple in his position might have already died. When Devil Concubine failed to land a single hit, she stopped holding back. A clump of dreadful black mist erupted from her body and instantly enveloped the area in darkness.
The Specter Devours The Moon!
In this pitch-black environment, those not cultivating the power of darkness would be greatly suppressed. This technique was one of Devil Concubine's trump cards. She wanted to use it to disrupt Xiang Shaoyun's vision before killing him off.
This move had never failed her before, and she was confident it would continue to work. Like a black serpent, she hid amid the darkness before pouncing at him from an unexpected angle. Her attack was sharp and ruthless, her palm reaching for the back of Xiang Shaoyun's head. Evidently, she was aiming to kill him with one hit.
When Xiang Shaoyun sensed Devil Concubine's killing intent, he became somewhat angered. Both his arms lashed out at her, his attacks accurately finding her as though the darkness around him did not exist.
Dragonscale Arm!
Numerous energy dragons flew out, roaring. The energy dragons were filled with vicious gold energy with traces of flux goldthorn energy, which greatly increased the technique's might. His arms collided with Devil Concubine's palm, blocking the attack. Even so, he was still sent flying away.
Xiang Shaoyun could only use one star for each power, so he was disadvantaged in the exchange, as Devil Concubine cultivated only a single power. Furthermore, her cultivation level was two stages higher. Just blocking her attack was already an amazing feat considering his circumstances.
Devil Concubine was astonished, but she did not stop attacking. Rather, she increased the intensity of her attacks, sending a curtain of palm attacks forward.
Xiang Shaoyun activated his gift of instincts and saw through the incoming barrage. His arms lashed out wildly like machines of destruction, displaying the true might of the Dragonscale Arm. This was a sovereign-grade technique, a technique Xiang Shaoyun had mastered enough to unleash its full power.
But no matter how hard he tried, before absolute strength, he was forced to retreat. Abruptly, Devil Concubine's attacks grew greatly stronger. A ball of light appeared in her palm as she aimed it at Xiang Shaoyun's chest where his heart was at.
The attack was abrupt, swift, and hard to guard against. In the critical moment, Xiang Shaoyun crossed his arms before his chest to block the ball of light. It sent him shooting away, and an intense pain drilled into his arms as though both arms had been broken.
Devil Concubine still didn't stop. She quickly caught up to him like a shadow and sent out more palm attacks. This time, each palm she sent out carried a black ball of light that blasted against Xiang Shaoyun's body like a rain of bombs.
Even with his defenses pushed to the maximum, he was still badly beaten, and his damaged saint armor was probably the only thing keeping him alive. He sensed an enhanced corrosive power invading his body and exhausting his life force.
Shit, there's something weird about this woman's energy, thought Xiang Shaoyun in alarm. He no longer held back and activated the power of flame and lightning in his body. Countless lightning bolts rained down, and clumps of fire blasted the area like meteors.
Lightning Calamity Fiery Star!
Only after using this technique did Xiang Shaoyun's situation ease up. He escaped Devil Concubine's lockdown and flew far away. As he flung his aching arms around, he said, "A real man doesn't fight with womenfolk. I will sp
are you for now. If you continue pushing it, I will execute you right where you stand!"
Finally, Xiang Shaoyun got the chance to witness the strength of a True Martial Academy disciple. This woman was definitely no weaker than Zhan Wushuang. In fact, she might even be slightly stronger. If she wasn't already injured, she would be even scarier.
Devil Concubine did not say anything. A black halberd appeared in her hands as she nimbly moved forward and swung the halberd at him. Boundless black energy burst out and assumed the form of a nine-tailed fox.
The nine tails spread apart and covered the area, akin to a black curtain covering the sky. Not even a housefly could escape or enter the zone surrounded by the tails. At the same time the tails spread out, the fox clawed at Xiang Shaoyun, attempting to rip him apart.
The might of this attack was far beyond the level of ordinary Sovereigns. It was comparable to the attack of a fifth-stage Sovereign and was Devil Concubine's true strength. She was strong enough to fight a group of genius disciples alone and still emerge victorious.
Xiang Shaoyun was greatly pressured, and he had the urge to send his clone soul out. However, he changed his mind after some hesitation.
Instead, his battle intent surged as he said, "Very well. Let me experience the strength of a top disciple from the True Martial Academy."
He then pulled out some primal inception energy from his astral cosmos sea. Both his fists started shining like a pair of bright stars as he threw them out.
Turning the Big Dipper, Moving the Stars, Reversing the Heaven and Earth!
This was Xiang Shaoyun's ultimate technique, the Cosmos Dao Destroying Fist. Powered by the primal inception energy and thick battle intent, it was strong enough to punch a hole in the sky.
Chapter 953: Entering Eighth-Stage Dragon Ascension Realm