Volume 5 Chapter 50
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Volume 5 Chapter 50: Progress (Part 1)
"Do you still want to take revenge on me?"
When Zhang Xusheng saw that "Zhang Yi" was not destroyed by his "Art of Searching Souls," he was initially shocked. But then, as if realizing something, he continued smiling gently while observing "Zhang Yi" and suddenly asked.
"Zhang Yi’s" body was trapped, unable to move or speak, but the hatred in his eyes and his constant struggling to attack Zhang Xusheng told everything.
Zhang Xusheng had a look of admiration on his face as he quietly said, "There have always been warriors throughout history, but most warriors’ courage is merely impulsive. After experiencing death once and feeling its emptiness, they become more afraid of dying than anyone. Yet, someone like you, who has faced death and still remains fearless, is truly rare."
As he spoke, Zhang Xusheng flung his sleeve, and a green slip appeared in his hand. He tossed it in front of "Zhang Yi" with a smiling face and said, "This green slip, which I retrieved from your family master after I killed him, contains all the cultivation methods he practiced over the years, including the advanced ‘Art of Annihilation’ and ‘Puppet Technique.’ I am returning it to you."
After speaking, Zhang Xusheng turned and started walking into the distance. Beside him, "Xuan" silently watched Zhang Xusheng with a serene smile and then followed him.
When Zhang Xusheng dropped the green slip, "Zhang Yi" was stunned. It seemed as if Zhang Xusheng was encouraging her to seek revenge. Watching Zhang Xusheng walk away, "Zhang Yi" slowly lifted her head, her eyes filled with hatred but also touched with a hint of confusion.
As Zhang Xusheng and "Xuan" gradually faded from "Zhang Yi’s" sight, Zhang Xusheng’s voice was heard once again.
"The binding spell will be lifted in an hour. Then, take care of yourself. Remember, the stronger the hatred in your heart, the faster your power will grow. The hatred in your heart isn’t strong enough yet. Enduring my ‘Art of Searching Souls’ torture shows you have potential. Even though my expectations for you aren’t as high as for Feng Qingtian and others, you still hold some promise."
"As for the ‘World Defying Sword’, it does have the power to break my Immortal Body. However, I have set my sights on this sword. Of course, if you find it before me, I certainly won’t try to take it from you."
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"Feng Qingtian was like this, the Zhong family was like this, and now this ‘Zhang Yi’ is the same. Huang, why do you always give your opponents time to grow, even helping them grow?"
"Didn’t I just say? I’m a madman."
"Huang, you’re making me think all your actions are intended to ensure these people can eventually kill you… Are you seeking suicide or liberation in another way? Is that it?"
"…Maybe…" Zhang Xusheng said, changing the subject again. "I will help you find that ‘World Defying Sword’. You won’t need to urge me this time, especially since I’m quite interested in this person called Xu Fan."
Zhang Xusheng’s words were met with Xuan’s silence.
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Meanwhile, outside Jiuhua Mountain, the forces of good and evil were searching all over the Shenzhou Continent for the so-called "Southern Wasteland rogue cultivator Xu Fan." Some sought him for the Zhong family’s sacred relic, others for the "World Defying Sword," or to uncover the mystery of the disappearance of Layman Nanshan and others. Both sides clashed several times in the Southern Wasteland, suffering losses and victories. Eventually, Righteous Alliance deployed a master-level expert, forcing the evil forces’ cultivators to retreat.
The chaos in the Southern Wasteland lasted for over a year.
Rumor had it that the Righteous Alliance sent not one but two Mahayana Stage experts. They not only fought against a Mahayana Stage expert from the evil faction but also forced them to retreat, causing the evil cultivators to disperse.
It was said that in those clashes between good and evil, dozens of highly skilled Condensed Core Stage experts perished.
Rumors circulated that the Righteous Alliance encountered a large number of Corpse Refining zombies and Corpse King in the Southern Wasteland, whose strength far exceeded that of the zombies created by the Zhong family.
Suddenly, under the pressure of the Righteous Alliance, the cultivation world, which had barely regained its peace, plunged into chaos once more. There was talk that the legendary catastrophe had come early. Many sects and cultivators went into hiding.
At that point, only five short years remained until the predicted catastrophe was supposed to occur, and just ten years until Jiuhua Shut Down would end.
Time was becoming increasingly urgent.
Of course, Xu Qingfan, who was in secluded cultivation in the back mountains of Jiuhua, knew nothing of these rumors or events. He was unaware that his disappearance was the cause of the chaos.
At this moment, the so-called "Southern Wasteland rogue cultivator Xu Fan," was indeed in seclusion for intense training, just as he had previously informed Layman Nanshan, Venerable Xuan Yuan, and Master Guanghui. However, the location was not the chaotic Southern Wasteland, but rather the secluded Jiuhua.
By the time all chaos in the Southern Wasteland finally settled, Xu Qingfan had already been in seclusion for a full two years. Before this period began, Xu Qingfan had set five goals for himself to achieve during the seclusion: reaching the late stage of the Real Golden Core Stage, perfecting the "Formula of Life and Death," using it to improve his aptitude and body, refining his first magical power "Wind of Desolation," and combining puppet techniques with his second magical power "External Incarnation."
Among these five goals, after much consideration, Xu Qingfan decided to start by using the "Formula of Life and Death" to improve his body and aptitude once in seclusion.
Xu Qingfan had a reason for this choice. First, using the "Formula of Life and Death" to enhance his body and aptitude would allow him to progress faster and more efficiently in future cultivation. Secondly, while using the formula, he could carefully perceive the subtleties within the "Flourish Qi" and "Withered Qi," preparing him for further perfection of the formula. Additionally, continuously improving his body with it would make it easier for Xu Qingfan to utilize his third magical power "Way of Life and Death" in the future. Lastly, this would set the stage for further improvement of the "Wind of Desolation."
Two years had passed since Xu Qingfan began using the "Formula of Life and Death" for body enhancement, and now he was making his final attempt.
Xu Qingfan was seated cross-legged on his bed, with black and white light constantly flickering around him, enveloping his entire body in these two colors.
Within the light, Xu Qingfan’s expression was extremely pained, his face twisted from the intense agony coursing through his body. Blood slowly trickled from his eyes, mouth, nostrils, and ears, yet Xu Qingfan remained oblivious. More crucially, whenever the black aura around him intensified, his flesh and veins seemed to dissolve as if corroded by acid, exposing stark white bones beneath. But whenever the white light gleamed, the damaged flesh immediately regenerated, restoring Xu Qingfan to his original appearance in an instant.
The scene was bizarre and extraordinarily terrifying.
Xu Qingfan’s use of the "Formula of Life and Death" to enhance his aptitude and body was inspired by his earlier experience with a secret technique. At that time, a destructive energy continuously damaged his body, while a life-giving energy constantly healed the damage.
In the process of repeated destruction and healing, Xu Qingfan’s body was essentially being reshaped. Through this reshaping, he acquired better abilities.
The "Withered Qi" that Xu Qingfan cultivated was incredibly destructive to the body, and "Flourish Qi" was originally his "Wood-type Qi," which absorbed the Holy Spirit Qi from the "Holy Spirit Stone." After years of persistent cultivation, it had become as strong as the "Withered Qi."
These two strands of Spirit Qi could effectively replace the two energies used when casting the secret technique, reshaping Xu Qingfan’s body.
However, this reshaping was based on the premise of repeated destruction of the body, and the pain experienced was unimaginable to ordinary people. When Xu Qingfan had undergone the secret technique transformation years ago, he nearly collapsed from the unbearable pain.
At this moment, seeing Xu Qingfan’s twisted expression, his trembling body, and the blood flowing from his seven orifices, it was clear that the pain from using the "Formula of Life and Death" to transform his body was not much less than that of the secret technique transformation.
Xu Qingfan endured this transformation for two full years, spending that entire time in agony, showing his unwavering determination to increase his strength, despite his calm demeanor before seclusion.
Finally, after an unknown amount of time, with the sun and moon cycling countless times outside, the black and white light on Xu Qingfan’s body gradually gathered back inside him.
