The clear moon radiance, like a thin veil, shrouded the massive pit that looked as if it had been cleaved by a god's great axe. At the center of the pit, the three exhausted youngsters stood in silence, with only their heavy breathing audible in the quiet night wind.
Although Yu Yuanchen still had the strength to stand, his internal condition was far from optimistic. His thunder true essence was nearly dried up, his meridians ached from overexertion, and the recoil from resisting two ultimate moves had left his internal organs shaken.
He was the first to sit cross-legged, taking out a healing pill made by his family to consume. At the same time, he circulated the faint but persistent thunder true essence within him, guiding the medicinal power to soothe his damaged meridians and organs. His physique, tempered multiple times, now showed its great advantage; his qi and blood circulated slowly on their own, like the most loyal guards, repairing the damage to his body.
He did not fully immerse himself in healing, instead diverting a sliver of his mind to monitor the conditions of Tang Chen and Qian Daoliu. After all, this was the Savage Beast Hills; although the intense battle meant soul beasts would not dare approach in the short term, one could never be too careful.
Tang Chen's situation was the worst. The backlash from his explode ring was extremely severe, with multiple meridians damaged and his qi and blood in chaos. Combined with the external injuries from their head-on collision, he was nearly at the point of being exhausted. He struggled to sit up, his complexion like pale gold, his hands trembling violently as he tried to retrieve a pill.
Qian Daoliu was slightly better off; his state was primarily due to the mental fatigue and soul power depletion caused by the divine descent. His physical injuries were relatively lighter, yet he was still weak to the extreme. He barely maintained his composure, taking out an exquisite jade bottle and pouring out two pills that emitted a soft white glow. He took one himself and flicked the other toward Tang Chen.
"Brother Tang, this is the 'sacred soul pill' secretly made by our Martial Soul Hall. It has miraculous effects on stabilizing soul power and repairing meridians," Qian Daoliu said, his voice raspy with fatigue.
Tang Chen did not stand on ceremony. He caught it, pulled the bottle cap, and poured the pill into his mouth, saying indistinctly, "Thanks! I feel like every bone in my body has fallen apart; the kickback from that explode ring is truly hellish!" As the pill entered his stomach, a gentle medicinal power dissolved, rapidly nourishing his severely damaged meridians and making his complexion look slightly better.
Yu Yuanchen also received and consumed a pill but did not immediately regulate his breath. He looked up at the starry sky, his mind replaying every detail of that final strike.
Tang Chen's hammer strike, which contained the artistic conception of "earth-splitting" and was delivered with effortless grace; Qian Daoliu's annihilation slash, which seemed to strip away rules and carried a divine judgment; and his own annihilation tribulation spear, which fused five elements destruction and invoked the power of a heavenly tribulation... The scene where three distinct powers, all touching the edge of certain rules, collided and annihilated each other, was etched deeply into his divine soul.
"Rules... artistic conception... divinity..." he muttered to himself. This battle had clearly shown him the path for his future. The power of ultimate thunder was indeed strong, but the key lay in how to dig deeper into its potential, how to better fuse the various artistic conceptions he had grasped, and even that trace of thunder god bloodline and the self-condensed law imprint, to unleash power closer to the world origin.
In particular, the sublimation of Tang Chen's hammer technique at the end gave him great inspiration. Power was not just about brute force; the combination of hardness and softness, meticulous control, and even imbuing it with artistic conceptions like "creation" and "termination" was the path to a higher level. His five thunders orthodox law should perhaps not be limited to the switching and fusion of five-element properties, but should delve deeper into the "dao" and "reason" represented by each property.
Just as he was deep in thought, several powerful auras suddenly appeared on the distant horizon, rapidly approaching.
Yu Yuanchen's brows furrowed slightly, and his spiritual power spread out quietly. Soon, his expression softened, and he said softly, "It's the people from my Yu family and Martial Soul Hall."
A moment later, several figures landed on the edge of the pit. Leading them was Yu Yuanchen's father, Yu Mingfeng, along with two family elders. Sensing the terrifying energy fluctuations remaining at the scene and Yu Yuanchen's faint but familiar aura, they had rushed over to provide support. On the other side were two cardinals in Martial Soul Hall attire, clearly drawn by the powerful divinity fluctuation Qian Daoliu had triggered during his divine descent.
Both sides were shocked by the scene in the pit, especially when they felt the lingering energy traces that made even them feel a sense of palpitation. When their gazes fell upon the disheveled but unharmed Yu Yuanchen, and the clearly severely injured Tang Chen and Qian Daoliu, their shock deepened.
Yu Mingfeng flashed to Yu Yuanchen's side and asked with concern, "Chen'er, are you alright? This place..." He scanned the surroundings and gasped, "Was the commotion just now caused by the three of you?"
Yu Yuanchen nodded and explained simply, "I was sparring with Brother Tang and Brother Qian. We couldn't hold back for a moment, disturbing you and the elders."
On the other side, the two cardinals quickly reached Qian Daoliu's side to respectfully act as his guardians, their eyes filled with unbelievable fear as they looked at Yu Yuanchen. They knew the strength of their own holy son, especially Qian Daoliu in his divine descent state, who was enough to rival an ordinary titled douluo. Yet, looking at it now, he had actually lost? To what terrifying level had Yu Yuanchen's strength reached?
Tang Chen was alone; he was a loner by nature and had not brought any followers on this training trip.
Soon, Qian Daoliu temporarily suppressed his injuries, stood up, and gave a few instructions to the two cardinals. He then looked at Yu Yuanchen and Tang Chen and said calmly, "Brother Yuanchen, Brother Tang, since matters here are concluded, I must return to Martial Soul Hall for seclusion. Let us part ways here. I look forward to our next meeting." With that, escorted by the two bishops, he turned into a streak of light and left.
Tang Chen also struggled to stand, grinning at Yu Yuanchen, "Kid, you win this time! I need to find a place to heal properly and figure out how to break that turtle-shell-like thunder technique of yours! I'm off!" His personality was forthright; a loss was a loss, and without any hesitation, he strode away into the night.
Under the protection of his family elders, Yu Yuanchen also embarked on the journey back to Dragon City. Along the way, he spent most of his time with his eyes closed, regulating his breath and digesting the gains from the battle. The life and death battle against two of the strongest at his level had elevated his power usage and understanding of rules to a new level. He faintly felt that the bottleneck for breaking through to level seventy-six had loosened; with a little consolidation, it would happen naturally.
A few days later, the group returned safely to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family.
The news of Yu Yuanchen's return had already spread, especially the record of him defeating the combined efforts of Qian Daoliu and Tang Chen, which swept through the family high council like a whirlwind, causing immense shock and joy. Yu Yuanchen's reputation had reached an unprecedented peak within the family.
However, he did not immerse himself in these empty titles. Upon returning, he went directly into deep seclusion, on one hand to heal and consolidate his cultivation, and on the other, to focus on the insights gained from the battle, especially the evolution of his five thunders orthodox law.
Half a month later, Yu Yuanchen's injuries were fully healed, and his soul power had successfully broken through to level seventy-six, his aura becoming even more deep and restrained.
After coming out of seclusion, he handled some necessary family affairs, and his thoughts involuntarily drifted to that gentle figure—Ye Zhilan.
He strolled to the family garden, only to see the young girl in a water blue dress sitting in the pavilion, head bowed as she tended to a few herbs emitting a faint glow. Her silhouette looked exceptionally peaceful and beautiful in the sunlight. Seeming to sense his arrival, Ye Zhilan looked up, and upon seeing Yu Yuanchen, her eyes lit up with surprise, and she stood up quickly.
"Brother Yuanchen, you've finished your seclusion? Are your injuries all better?" She hurried over, her voice filled with undisguised concern.
Yu Yuanchen looked at the worry in the girl's clear eyes, feeling a warmth in his heart as he nodded and smiled gently, "I am fine, thank you for your concern, Zhilan."
Ye Zhilan examined him carefully, confirming that his aura was steady and his complexion rosy, before she breathed a sigh of relief and patted her chest, "That's good. I heard you were injured in a spar a few days ago, and I... I was very worried." As she spoke, her voice lowered, and a blush crept onto her cheeks.
Yu Yuanchen's heart stirred. Looking at the shy appearance of the girl, he couldn't help but think of his father's previous suggestion regarding a "lifelong matter," as well as the bits and pieces of his interaction with Ye Zhilan over the past half year. Her gentleness, goodness, wisdom, and that silent concern for him were indeed like a trickle, quietly moistening his heart, which had grown somewhat cold and hard due to years of cultivation and killing.
The two sat down in the pavilion, and Ye Zhilan carefully brewed him a cup of calming herbal tea. During their chat, Yu Yuanchen did not detail the dangers of the battle, only mentioning that he had sparred with friends and both had gained something. Ye Zhilan was sensible enough not to ask further, instead steering the conversation elsewhere.
"Brother Yuanchen, I've had some new experiences with the soul power control method you taught me last time," Ye Zhilan shared with joy, then extended her slender jade hands. As she released a bit of soul power, a trace of emerald green light condensed at her fingertips. Although still faint, it was much more solid than before, and its form was more stable.
Yu Yuanchen sensed it carefully and nodded in approval, "You've improved quickly; your control over life force is more meticulous. It seems your spiritual power talent is indeed extraordinary."
Receiving his praise, Ye Zhilan's face bloomed like a flower, as if she had received the greatest reward. She hesitated for a moment before saying softly, "Brother Yuanchen, thank you... not only for teaching me these things but also for... for being willing to listen to these trivial matters."
Yu Yuanchen looked at her sincere gaze, and the strange feeling in his heart grew clearer. He was silent for a moment before suddenly speaking, "Zhilan, do you think... on the path of cultivation, is it better to be lonely, or is it better to have someone by your side?"
Ye Zhilan was slightly startled by his words, then understood the deep meaning behind them. A red glow flew to her cheeks, and she lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes, her voice as soft as a mosquito, "I... I think that if it's a like-minded person, someone to offer mutual support and mutual understanding, perhaps... perhaps the long path of cultivation wouldn't be so dry and hard to end..."
Her voice was soft, yet it reached Yu Yuanchen's ears clearly. Looking at this delicate orchid that needed careful protection, and thinking of the path of the strong that was destined to be full of challenges and dangers, Yu Yuanchen thought seriously about the meaning of "dao companion" for the first time.
Perhaps, having such an understanding flower by his side wouldn't be bad at all.
He did not express anything directly, but the atmosphere between them quietly changed during this exchange. A hazy affection, like early spring vines, began to grow silently in their hearts.
However, the peaceful days did not last long. That day, while Yu Yuanchen was guiding Ye Zhilan in her initial attempt at soul power nature change, a family elder hurried over, handing him a secret letter with a grave expression.
"Yuanchen, the Sect Master wants you to go to the council hall immediately. Something big has happened with the Elephant Armored Sect!"
Yu Yuanchen took the secret letter and scanned it quickly, his eyes instantly turning sharp.
The letter mentioned that the friction between the Elephant Armored Sect and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had escalated sharply, with constant border conflicts. More notably, the Elephant Armored Sect, located within the Heaven Dou Empire and possessing the top-tier defensive martial soul diamond mammoth, was acting unusually frequently. Its sect master, Huyan Kuang, had even publicly declared his intention to integrate the power of the Elephant Armored Sect and the Tuoba family's white armored earth dragon to seek greater benefits in the upcoming continental upheaval.
And the Elephant Armored Sect and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family had an old grudge! Not to mention that they had been hired by the Long family to assassinate Yu Yuanchen.
Yu Yuanchen put away the secret letter and gave Ye Zhilan an apologetic look. Although reluctant, Ye Zhilan nodded sensibly, "Brother Yuanchen, official business comes first."
"Elephant Armored Sect, hmph, if it weren't for the fact that your sphere of influence doesn't border ours, and that I still need time to digest the foundation of the Long family, I would have wiped you out along with them. To think you'd dare to jump out and act up when you aren't even being honest... It seems I can't swallow the Elephant Armored Sect whole; I'll have to share the spoils with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect," Yu Yuanchen thought, a flash of coldness in his eyes as he turned away, followed by a hint of regret.
Just kidding, was he, Yu Yuanchen, a very magnanimous person? He was quite vengeful; the Elephant Armored Sect had provoked him twice—why would he leave them alive instead of wiping them out?
They didn't have the strength to make him wary, even if they dragged the white armored earth dragon along as a cushion. In fact, dragging the Tuoba family along was just like giving the Yu family another big gift!
Watching Yu Yuanchen's tall, straight back as he hurried away, a trace of worry flashed in Ye Zhilan's eyes, but more than that, it was a sense of firmness. She knew her strength was low and she couldn't help him directly, but she would work hard to cultivate, at least... so she wouldn't become a burden to him.
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Translated by: randomtranslator.com
Proofread by: GodKun-Chan