190 - 195
Chapter 190: It Must Be Junior Sister!
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
"The Relocation Rune in Lake of Colors Tribe was drawn based on the four dimensional layer Relocation Art. The Rune was given by the Elder of Lake of Colors once she fully explored its structures and gave it to the left preceptor. The frame is placed in two locations. We've tried it numerous times before, there shouldn't be anything wrong with it…" the woman from among the three people said languidly. Her voice had a gentle tone, but she was frowning, similarly not understanding what went wrong.
"We'll know if we go and take a look. If it's because of Lake of Colors Tribe, then we must tell the head preceptor that the Relocation Rune still can't be used widely in the Land of South Morning. Leader Liu, what do you say?"
The man with the extraordinarily good looks looked at the silent old man by his side with a respectful face.
The woman too, immediately turned towards the old man and bowed as a sign of respect.
"The both of you are acting as the school's envoys in Han Mountain City this time. I am only going there to meet my friends. You are free to make your own decisions," the old man said calmly, smiling faintly.
The man nodded and obeyed respectfully. He looked the woman in the eye, and just as he was about to speak, the old man suddenly frowned. He took a scrutinizing look into the distance, and a grave expression appeared on his face.
"Wait…"
"Before you left for Han Mountain City, the left preceptor only gave one position and told you to receive Yan Fei of Lake of Colors Tribe into the school, is that so?"
The old man's expression became even more solemn as he spoke slowly.
The man and the woman were both stunned. The woman quickly nodded, but there was uneasiness on her face. Before she came, she had not regarded this task with much importance, simply thinking it was just a small task of taking away a disciple where no unexpected events would happen. It might have been decided that Han Fei Zi was someone close to attaining completion in the Blood Solidification Realm, but she was joining Freezing Sky Clan on her own free will, the issue of having to force her to join was non-existent.
However, when her junior fellow disciple was about to be Relocated, the old man before them suddenly approached them and activated the Relocation Rune with them.
This was not something they could refuse, neither did they have the right to refuse, much less dare to do so. The old man's family name was Liu. In Freezing Sky Clan, his post may not be as high as the left preceptor, but he had high seniority. He was usually rather eccentric, but lived alone in a mountain. He might be one of the people in Freezing Sky Clan, but in truth, he did not bother with anything within Freezing Sky Clan. It was almost as if he was temporarily living in the school.
Sometimes, he would be very gentle, but there were also times when he would be terrifyingly sullen.
Even the left preceptor in Freezing Sky Clan had to wrap his fist in his palm and call this old man Sept Granduncle.
There were some rumors regarding this old man within Freezing Sky Clan. All of these rumors would make those who heard them feel shaken and not dare to act rashly before this old man.
However, oddly enough, the old man's level of cultivation remained at the Bone Sacrifice Realm and seemed to not have changed at all over the years.
When the old man asked the question, not only was the woman uneasy, the man beside her also became worried. They did not know the meaning behind the old man's sudden words.
"What is the lass' power?" the old man asked once again.
"Leader Liu, by the indications from the left preceptor, the woman's power is near completion of the Blood Solidification Realm. Once we take her into the school, the left preceptor will take her in as his disciple…" the man immediately said respectfully.
"Taking her in as his disciple? Your left preceptor has discovered a real gem this time…"
The old man seemed to have felt something as he looked into the distance.
"If I'm correct, then the Relocation was offset because the deity statue of Transcendence has appeared in Han Mountain City!"
A strange light appeared in the old man's eyes. The moment his words appeared, the man and the woman's expressions instantly changed, and they whipped their heads towards the direction of Han Mountain City.
"The deity statue of Transcendence?!"
The woman took in a sharp breath and felt shaken. She knew clearly of the implications behind the appearance of the deity statue of Transcendence. Even within Freezing Sky Clan, Berserkers who could summon the deity statue when they Transcended were still a rare sight.
"No wonder the Lord Left Preceptor regards this woman so highly. She managed to summon the deity statue of Transcendence before she even joined Freezing Sky Clan. Once she joins the school, her status will definitely be different!"
The man was shocked, and thoughts of becoming acquainted with Yan Fei appeared in his mind.
"Unless there is another Berserker who attained completion of the Blood Solidification Realm in Han Mountain City right now, then the lass you are about to receive has just reached a breakthrough."
The old man shook his head and seemed to be rather moved by what was happening as he walked forward.
"There's no way two Berserkers who attained completion of the Blood Solidification Realm would appear in Han Mountain City so coincidentally. Junior sister Han Fei Zi must have summoned the deity statue of Transcendence."
A faint smile appeared on the man's face as he followed behind the old man.
"Once junior sister Han Fei Zi joins the school, she will definitely shine like a jewel and shock Freezing Sky. I'm very curious about her. Once we meet her, I'll have to get to know her."
A beautiful smile appeared on the woman's face as she spoke softly.
The old man did not speak. The three of them turned into long arcs and charged forward. As they got closer to Han Mountain City, they gradually sensed the domineering presence coming from the sky. The clouds tumbled, and it looked as if there was a vague deity statue materializing rapidly within clouds.
The pressure fell upon them the strongest when the three of them were 5,000 li away from Han Mountain City.
"What great might, the deity statue that junior sister Han Fei Zi summoned… seems to be slightly different from the statues that the others summoned within the school when they Transcended," the man mused, though he was incredibly relaxed.
"That's right. I've seen the deity statue of Transcendence appear four times, this is the fifth time, but the pressure I feel this time is the strongest. We're not even close, and we already feel this way when we're 5,000 li away…"
The woman also gasped in admiration. Just like the man, the thought of befriending Han Fei Zi within her heart became clearer.
However, the two of them did not realize that a strange light appeared in the old man's eyes as they got closer, and his expression became more solemn. Eventually, he suddenly came to a halt and stared at the sky, gradually overcome with amazement and shock.
"You said before that the lass is close to attaining completion of the Blood Solidification Realm?" the old man suddenly asked.
The man and woman also stopped as he did so. They were slightly confused by the old man's words, but they still replied respectfully.
"Leader Liu, junior sister Han Fei Zi was appraised by the Lord Left Preceptor personally in the past."
The old man fell silent for a moment before he asked again, "How long ago was that?"
"The left preceptor came here once about half a year ago," the extraordinarily good looking man quickly replied.
He was afraid the old man would want to take her in as a disciple, that was why he mentioned the left preceptor again in his words.
"The Lord Left Preceptor is placing a lot of importance on junior sister Han Fei Zi. I heard that he already wanted to take her in as a disciple a few years ago. He did not take in any other disciple during these few years because he wanted to focus all his attention on our junior sister."
The girl by his side spoke softly with a respectful tone.
"Half a year ago?"
A bright light appeared in the old man's eyes.
"Yes. Junior sister Han Fei Zi does indeed have shocking talent. To be able to attain completion of the Blood Solidification Realm within half a year… I can't compare to her."
The man sighed deeply.
The old man remained silent for a while before he sad slowly, "Is this just completion of the Blood Solidification Realm? Take a closer look. This deity statue of Transcendence would not appear for a Berserker who attained completion of the Blood Solidification Realm. This is clearly the true form of Transcendence that will only appear for a Berserker who attains the great completion of the Blood Solidification Realm!"
The moment he spoke, the man and woman's expressions drastically changed.
"Great completion of the Blood Solidification Realm?! Junior sister attained great completion of the Blood Solidification Realm within half a year?! This is… This is…"
The man was completely stunned. His eyes widened in disbelieving shock.
"Transcending during great completion… if the Lord Left Preceptor knew about this, he'd have definitely come personally!"
The woman trembled and looked towards Han Mountain City.
At that moment in Han Mountain City, as the deity statue of Transcendence materialized in the sky, its might descended upon them, causing the earth to start shaking faintly. All those within the Blood Solidification Realm could no longer stand on their feet. They fell to the ground on their knees. Even some of the Transcended Berserkers found that they could not withstand the pressure. Before long, they would also be forced to fall to their knees and worship the statue.
Su Ming could feel the urge to Transcend within him reaching its limit, but 986 blood veins still could not make him satisfied.
He stood on the Chain and took a huge step forward, instantly closing up the 1,000 feet worth of distance between him and Puqiang Mountain. When there was only 700 feet between them, a booming sound rang out within Su Ming's body once again, and as the heavens and earth trembled, another blood vein manifested!
987 blood veins!
The moment the 987th blood vein manifested, the clouds in the sky tumbled furiously. An amorphous, gigantic deity statue appeared in the mist!
That statue seemed to look exactly the same as the deity statue of Transcendence that appeared a few months ago, but if people took a closer look, thy would see that there were some differences. For starters, the pressure it exuded far surpassed the pressure they felt a few months ago. The liveliness and intelligence of the statue from a few months ago too could not compare with this statue. If the deity statue from a few months ago seemed to possess the spirit of a human, then the statue now seemed to contain the spirit of a deity!
"I order thee… Transcend!"
The voice traveled to the entire region and turned into a sound that drowned out the sounds of thunder. The voice droned as it descended from the sky, and as it came, the weather changed, the earth shook, and rocks fell from mountains. When the voice fell upon them, it caused all those who were in the Blood Solidification Realm to fall to their knees worshipping and feel shaken to the core. A buzzing sound filled their minds and turned them blank.
The Transcended Berserkers could no longer stand on their feet. Nan Tian and the others were forced onto their knees as well, and their bodies trembled. In the entire region around Han Mountain, only the Elders of the three tribes and Yan Luan could remain standing.
The Elder of Lake of Colors may seem frail, but the fact that she could remain standing in the face of the deity statue of Transcendence was a testament that her power was definitely not as rumored!
The moment Su Ming heard the voice, his Qi erupted forth from within his body. Many ripples also formed on the giant that was formed by his blood veins above him, looking as if it was about to break down and reassemble. The 987 blood veins on the giant's body started trembling.
Three people charged through the sky, still 4,000 li away from Han Mountain City. However, as they got closer to the city, the pressure increased, causing their speed to decrease.
Nonetheless, although they were thousands of lis away, the majestic voice that traveled out from Han Mountain still rang clearly in their ears!
The old man looked calm, the only change on him was that his pupils shrank slightly. However, the man and woman were so badly shaken that they could barely stand. Conflict and eagerness appeared on their faces.
"Junior sister Han Fei Zi has Transcended…"
"She Transcended during the great completion of the Blood Solidification Realm. Once she's done, her power…"
Chapter 191: Refining He Feng!
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Su Ming lifted his head and stared at the indistinct, gigantic figure within the tumbling mist in the sky. The figure could not be seen clearly, and most of its body was concealed by the mist. The people could only see vaguely that the deity statue was built in the shape of a person sitting cross-legged in the sky.
It was covered in black armor that exuded a vicious aura, as if there was an innumerable amount of wronged souls sealed within the armor. A black wisp of air that eventually turned into the tumbling black mist in the sky surrounded the deity statue.
The voice was still echoing in the sky. It sounded as if the might of the heavens itself was reverberating in the air. If anyone heard it, their wills would break due to this sound. They would obey the voice despite themselves and act on the desire to Transcend, even though that will was practically imposed on them.
A bright flash appeared in Su Ming's eyes. He was only 700 feet away from Puqiang Mountain. As the first order of Transcendence echoed in the air, he took huge steps forward, shortening the distance from 700 feet to 400 feet!
At the same time, booming sounds reverberated through his body. As if it was on the verge of breaking down, a change suddenly occurred on the giant and another blood vein formed on its body. The moment the blood vein appeared, the giant trembled, looking as if it wanted to lift its head and rage against the sky.
988 blood veins!
Su Ming did not hesitate, he moved forward like a shooting star. As he walked forth, the distance between him and Puqiang Mountain decreased once again. When he was only 100 feet away from the mountain, the majestic voice came from the sky once again!
"I order thee… Transcend!"
The moment the voice came, the giant above Su Ming broke down. Yet at the same time it shattered, the 989th blood vein manifested on Su Ming's body!
The additional blood vein shone with a brilliant red light that illuminated the sky, causing the collapsing giant to reform from its collapsing state to whole once again, the shattered parts starting to gather together.
This scene of Su Ming obviously wrestling control from the deity made all those who saw it to fall into a state where they could no longer describe what they were feeling. The Elder of Puqiang Tribe trembled, and as he stared at Su Ming standing 100 feet away, he fell to his knees and bowed deeply.
"Sir, we respectfully welcome you to Puqiang Tribe…"
The Elder of Puqiang Tribe was originally the only one standing on the mountain. The moment he fell to his knees, Su Ming took another step and arrived on Puqiang Mountain from the ninth section of the Chain!
He had completed the challenge of the Chains of Han Mountain. From Han Mountain, he moved along the Chain and arrived at Puqiang Mountain!
The moment his feet landed on the mountain, another blood vein manifested on his body with a boom, and once the 990th blood vein appeared, the giant above him seemed to finally posses enough strength, and it let out a roar towards the deity statue of Transcendence in the sky.
The clouds reeled to the side and the weather changed. The roar made it seem as if the giant wanted to go up against the deity statue of Transcendence clad in black armor. A cold and indifferent glare appeared in the black armored figure's eyes. For the first time since it appeared, it lifted its right hand slowly.
As it lifted its hand, an indescribable pressure descended upon everyone abruptly. Unable to withstand it, the Elder of Tranquil East Tribe fell to his knees, and his actions were followed by Yan Luan, who also knelt down trembling.
The final one who knelt down was Lake of Colors Tribe's Elder!
At that moment, besides Su Ming, all those in the entire region around Han Mountain were on their knees prostrating on the ground.
"Puqiang Elder, allow me to loan the aura of death stored in your tribe. Hurry up and activate all the aura of death you have in store!"
Su Ming stood on Puqiang Mountain and looked at the prostrating Elder of Puqiang Tribe before him calmly. His voice was not loud, but in this situation, there was an inexplicable pressure in them.
The Elder of Puqiang Tribe trembled and closed his eyes before he lifted his arms and slammed them onto the ground by his sides.
The moment he pressed his palms on the ground, a surge of power traveled from his body into the mountain.
"With the blood of the Elder of Puqiang Tribe, I now activate the force of death of Puqiang, calling out to all the aura of death buried deep in the earth throughout the ages. Come forth!" the Elder of Puqiang Tribe mumbled and bit his tongue, coughing out a mouthful of blood. His blood turned black the moment it appeared, and once it spilled on the ground, the entire Puqiang Mountain started trembling furiously.
A thick surge of aura of death erupted forth from the depths of the earth under the mountain. It spread out abruptly along veins within the mountain, causing it to be enveloped by the aura of death in an instant!
In the midst of the endless aura of death were shrill cries. Everyone could see countless innocent souls within the aura of death that had erupted forth from the ground, and those souls filled the entire area.
A glint appeared in Su Ming's eyes as he stared at the large amount of aura of death surging forth. This was the critical moment, and he did not want to waste even a single instant. Almost at the same time the aura of death appeared, he slammed his right hand on the storage bag in his bosom, and immediately, a corpse covered by herbs appeared before him.
The corpse was entirely shrouded by herbs. It was impossible to see its face, yet the moment the corpse appeared, the aura of death around surged towards the corpse like a contained flood that suddenly found an exit.
It was as if the corpse had turned into a gigantic whirlpool that could make all the aura of death gravitate towards it. The wronged souls within the aura of death fell over one another as they rushed forth, letting out piercing howls. In an instant, they enveloped the corpse and rushed into its body madly.
This strange sight made Puqiang Tribe's Elder and tribe leader shocked. They had been training using the aura of death for all their life and activated their Berserker Arts with the aura of death, but they had never seen anything like this before.
"What… What is this Berserker Art?!"
Su Ming's breathing quickened. He had been waiting for this day for far too long.
'Spirit Plunder… Whether I can make this pill into my Origin Transcendence Vessel all lies in this moment!'
Su Ming swung his right hand forward and the bones, along with the herbs growing on them, appeared in his hands. Once he crushed all of them, the herbs and broken bones fused into the corpse in a strange fashion.
A shocking presence burst forth from the corpse. The thick aura of death within that presence spread all around.
The urge to Transcend within Su Ming was already very difficult to suppress. Once the giant above him let out that roar, it broke down rapidly. Before long, it would completely shatter, and that would be the time Su Ming Transcended.
In the sky, the figure clad in black armor, the true form of the deity statue of Transcendence, was also lifting its right hand slowly. As it did so, the pressure also became stronger. Once it completely raised its hand, a great catastrophe would befall the entire land.
Su Ming's face was grave with a hint of nervousness. Then, with the method to create Spirit Plunder ingrained in his head, he wrapped his entire body around He Feng's corpse and beat it repeatedly. Every single time his palm landed on the corpse, the place he struck would sink down and a lot of aura of death would surge into the spot before it would swell up once again.
"What's he doing?!"
"He's not Transcending, but is filling a corpse with the aura of death! Just… what is he doing?!"
At that moment, that was the most dominant thought in the minds of the powerful Transcended Berserkers who were still conscious.
Time passed by slowly. After a moment, a boom echoed in the sky, and the giant above Su Ming broke down completely. The moment it fell apart was also the same instant the true form of the deity statue in the sky lowered its right hand and pointed towards Su Ming with one finger.
"I order thee… Transcend!!"
The moment it pointed downwards, a presence of Transcendence burst forth from Su Ming's body. Amidst that presence, the 990 blood veins within his body instantly showed signs of melting.
The melting of blood veins to form the Berserker Mark. That was the symbol of Transcendence!
Almost at the same moment, Su Ming's right hand fell on top of He Feng's skull. He slammed his palm down on the spot signaling the final step of creating the pill in his memories!
The instant he slammed his right hand down, He Feng's body abruptly swelled up and his eyes opened up. His pupils were grey.
Those eyes seemed like they had been revived, and they were looking at the sky with a gaze that did not belong to He Feng. The first thing that entered their vision was the true form of the deity statue of Transcendence in the sky. The grey hue in the eyes flickered, and the herb covered body floated into the air, slowly crossing its legs to arrange itself in the same fashion as the true form of the deity statue of Transcendence.
This was something not even Su Ming had predicted. He was momentarily stunned, but did not have time to think much into it. This was a critical period for him. His blood veins were melting rapidly within his body. The desire to Transcend had reached its peak.
"I'm going to Transcend…" Su Ming mumbled.
He no longer cared about He Feng's corpse by his side. He might not understand its strange behavior, but he personally created this pill and no outsider had a hand in it during the entire procedure. From his memories regarding the method to create this pill, he could also feel surges of herbal aura flowing within He Feng's body, and they were quickly gathering at the corpse's brains. Once they gathered together and condensed into the pill, Spirit Plunder would be formed!
"Elder, I'm about to Transcend…"
Su Ming sat down cross-legged and closed his eyes. The moment he did so, muffled sounds of thunder suddenly came from within the clouds that were torn apart in the sky. At the same time, in the sky much higher above the true form of the deity statue of Transcendence, some clouds started gathering together when thunder started rumbling.
This did not make sense. Under the might of the true form of the deity statue of Transcendence, the clouds could only be torn apart and replaced by mist. It was impossible for them to gather together once again. However, now, the clouds had gathered!
The moment the clouds converged, a bolt of blue lightning suddenly descended from among the clouds. The bolt of lightning was about the breadth of the rim of a water pail. It crackled past the deity statue of Transcendence and charged towards the earth, descending upon He Feng's corpse in a straight line.
Su Ming was shaken. He opened his eyes and saw the bolt of blue lightning suddenly falling on He Feng's corpse clearly. It caused the swelled up corpse to rapidly wither as numerous electric arcs swam around it.
The herbs on the body also turned into powder in an instant, but the herbal aura within He Feng's body seemed to have received great nourishment and came together even faster. It had already turned into a fuzzy orb that was rapidly spinning in He Feng's brain.
The two strange sights in the sky stirred up incredible panic within Han Mountain City. The people who had lost consciousness due to the true form of the deity statue of Transcendence had woken up.
The deity statue of Transcendence in the sky shuddered. Due to the sudden appearance of the clouds and the bolt of lightning, some of the mighty pressure coming from its body was forcefully dissipated.
Because of that, the urge to Transcend within Su Ming eased up for a moment.
At that moment, a glint appeared in Su Ming's eyes. During the moment the speed of his blood veins melting slowed down, another blood vein increased!
991 blood veins!
Su Ming closed his eyes. A memory that was buried by time surfaced in his head.
"I don't have any sense of propriety. I don't have parents. In your eyes, I have neither any right nor status… But, my elder once told me that you only see one part of the rain in the world. You will never know how much rain there is when it stops…
"You can only see the surface of the muddy water on the ground and never the bottom… This year, I am only 16 years old…"
In his memory, a teenager had his head lowered as he spoke his mind with calm resolution before the Elder of Dark Dragon Tribe!
Chapter 192: Blooming Thought!
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
As the land in Han Mountain City trembled furiously, no one made a sound, no matter what their level of cultivation was. At that moment, all those who were conscious waited with bated breath as they watched the sky and the person filled with the presence of Transcendence sitting cross-legged on Puqiang Mountain.
Three long arcs charged through the sky thousands of lis away from Han Mountain City. They wanted to get closer, but they were already struggling forward when the area was just filled the pressure from the true form of the deity statue of Transcendence. When the clouds way above merged together and the blue bolt of lightning fell with a rumble, the pressure that filled the air seemed to become even stronger.
The man and woman were already pale and gasping for breath as they looked dumbly towards the direction of Han Mountain City. Their minds were blank, and the only thing left within them was awe born in the depths of their hearts towards their junior fellow disciple Han Fei Zi.
Only the old man was looking towards the direction of Han Mountain City with twinkling eyes. He did not speak, but there was shock in his heart.
'The true form of the deity statue of Transcendence appeared and gave the order to Transcend three times. This can only mean that the person who is Transcending is suppressing his blood veins… This person is ambitious. Not only does he have extraordinary will, he also has a method to increase his blood veins!
'Is this person truly that lass, Han Fei Zi..? If it is, then Zhou Shan has gotten himself a good disciple. If he trains her well, then she might even have the chance to compete against Si Ma's youngest for the Edge!
'But that's not the most shocking thing. Those clouds actually managed to merge together even under the might of the true form of the deity statue of Transcendence. And the blue bolt of lightning that descended… Why… did that lightning fall?'
The old man's eyes sparkled, and he sighed. He did not abandon the people by his side to investigate on his own; that would just make his intentions too obvious. Instead, once he sighed, he calmed down and maintained the same speed as the man and woman as they flew towards the city slowly.
At that moment, the sky above Han Mountain City rumbled. The instant the 991st vein appeared on Su Ming's body, the clouds above the true form of the deity statue of Transcendence clad in black armor glowed with a piercing shade of blue light once again. A bolt of blue lightning thicker than the one previously descended abruptly.
That bolt of lightning caused the space between the sky and earth to twist. Under the gaze of all the people in the region around Han Mountain who almost passed out with the lack of breathing, they saw the bolt of lightning coming down in a straight line with a crash, charging down towards He Feng who was beside Su Ming!
The herbal aura was rapidly gathering within He Feng's head. The fuzzy orb that was formed was spinning quickly inside, as if it wanted to absorb all the herbal aura within and materialize into a pill!
The bolt of lightning came with a boom. It crackled past the true form of the deity statue of Transcendence towards He Feng. In an instant, it crashed into He Feng's body. A shocking boom reverberated through the sky, and He Feng's body was shrouded in blue light. Cracking sounds spread throughout the area, and many electrical arcs swam around his body. Some of them even fell on Puqiang Mountain's ground before they spread outwards. There were even some that spread to Su Ming.
Su Ming jolted and opened his eyes. A strange light appeared in them. A faint hint of hesitation and inconceivability
The moment he opened his eyes, Su Ming immediately saw He Feng's limbs shattering under the blue bolt of lightning and dissipating once it turned into black mist. Even a large portion of his body disappeared without a trace under the bolt of lightning's relentless attack.
As of then, in Su Ming's eyes, there was only a small portion of He Feng's body left, including his head. Lightning traveled through his body and gradually fused into him. At the same time, the herbal aura within He Feng's body that had withstood two lightning calamities was merging at even faster, shocking pace within that fuzzy orb in He Feng's head. At that moment, a pill about the size of a fingernail had appeared within the fuzzy orb. Before long, the pill would be complete.
Due to the two bolts of lightning, the mighty pressure from the true form of the deity statue of Transcendence in the sky weakened largely, causing Su Ming's desire to Transcend to disappear rapidly as well.
This was the chance of a lifetime for Su Ming!
This was out of his expectations. He had never expected such an incredible chance to appear when the lightning calamity was drawn out by his refining of Spirit Plunder occurred at the same time as he Transcended!
Originally, he could only manifest 990 blood veins. This was his body's limit. There was no way he could suppress the urge to Transcend within him either. His only choice was to Transcend!
He had thought it was a pity when he chose to Transcend, but he no longer thought about increasing his blood veins. The giant above him had shattered, his blood veins had melted. His entire person was enveloped by the presence of Transcendence. From that moment onwards, he lost all right to increase his blood veins.
He had to Transcend. It was especially so when the presence of Transcendence surged into his body, causing him to be unable to turn the tides. However… the appearance of two lightning calamities had opened up a path for him as if they had just blasted out a crack in a frozen river. The crack was not thin either. It appeared as if the ice was ripped apart.
The people who looked like they were moments away from suffocating suddenly looked as if they had just sucked in a breath of fresh air.
A brilliant flash appeared in Su Ming's eyes. The hesitance in them had been due to this!
Yet the hesitance did not last long before Su Ming made his decision. Once the 991st blood vein manifested, he used the presence of Transcendence to largely melt that Berserker Bone!
As it melted and the process of Su Ming's Transcendence had come to an abrupt halt, his blood veins increased once again!
992!
993!
994!
The increase of three blood veins made booming sounds echo in Su Ming's body. The power of the blood veins crashed against the presence of Transcendence as they could not tolerate each other in his body. However, the light in Su Ming's eyes just became brighter.
He could feel that with his condition, each extra blood vein made him become stronger by several fold. He could feel his strength increasing with an explosive might along with his blood veins!
At that moment, the true form of the deity statue of Transcendence trembled in the sky. A blue electrical arc appeared once again strangely outside its body and traveled all around it. It was as if it was connected to He Feng's body, as if there was some sort of natural law contained within the act of He Feng's body manipulating himself to be in the exact same sitting position as the statue, which established some sort of connection between them, causing the deity statue of Transcendence to replace He Feng's body in taking the brunt of the lightning's force as if it was helping him.
As the lightning traveled through its body, a merciless glare appeared in the eyes of the true form of the deity statue of Transcendence. Gradually, it moved its body, as if it was about to stand up!
At the same moment, as the clouds high above the sky merged together, a large amount of blue light appeared for the third time. This time, the intensity of the blue light had clearly surpassed the previous two times. Even the entire cloud turned blue in that instant!
Lightning that was formed due to the rain from the other parts of the sky around the area sped towards that blue cloud and fused into it, turning into a strong amount of pressure that fell upon everyone.
Eventually, that bolt of lightning in that blue cloud reached a point where people would be aghast just by casting a glance at it. All of them could tell that the bolt of lightning in the cloud was much stronger than the previous two times. In fact… the previous two bolts could not begin to compare with this!
The Elder and tribe leader of Puqiang Tribe were completely stunned as they prostrated themselves on the ground trembling.
It was the same on Tranquil East Mountain. Even Han Cang Zi was also pale. As she looked at the sky, reverence appeared on her face.
On Lake of Colors Mountain, even though Yan Luan might be in the middle stage of Transcendence, the strange phenomenon in the sky made her feel miniscule and weak. The power of the bolts of lightning shocked her.
The old woman knelt on the ground with her eyes closed. Her expression was calm, but she was reflexively clenching and unclenching her hand, which showed that what she felt within her heart was definitely not what she showed on her face.
There was deathly stillness within Han Mountain City. No one caused a ruckus. No one initiated any discussions. All the people seemed to have lost all process of thought in the midst of their nervousness and shock.
That included Nan Tian, Ke Jiu Si, Leng Ying, and Xuan Lun, who was also kneeling down somewhere in the distance.
Even the man and woman among the three figures charging towards the city from thousands of lis away let out cries of surprise before they came to an abrupt halt. They were aghast as they looked at the clouds, unable to understand what was happening.
The old man who was leading the team looked at the blue cloud in the distance in silence. He, too, sucked in a deep breath.
Su Ming sat on Puqiang Mountain. The 994 blood veins within his body were strained to the absolute limit he could endure. Blood trickled down the corners of his lips. He gritted his teeth and melted the Berserker Bone within his body once again, but no matter how much he tried to melt it and how much he tried to endure it, his blood veins stayed at only 994 and refused to increase!
As the blue cloud gathered in the sky and the bolt of lightning seemed to be on the verge of striking down, as the true form of the deity statue of Transcendence clad in black armor was gradually standing up, Su Ming knew that his time was short. He lifted his head and looked at the blue cloud. The hesitation in his eyes before had been due to the blood veins, but besides hesitation, there was also inconceivability.
That inconceivability was not due to blood veins, neither was it due to Transcendence, but… was due to the electrical arcs that shocked him when the second bolt of lightning struck He Feng.
The electrical arcs fused into his body and made him jolt. They might have already dissipated, but they had stayed for an instant in his body.
It was during that one instant when it stayed that made a thought bloom in Su Ming's mind, one that made him think that it was slightly startling and unimaginable. He had never even heard of it before, and had no idea whether it was possible.
That thought was bold and reckless. It could even be said to be ridiculous.
Yet now, even if Su Ming himself thought that the idea itself was a fantasy, he still could not help but mull over it with excitement.
'I only have one chance. This is the only time where I'll know whether this is just a fantasy of mine, or that it can become reality… I want to try it!
Su Ming stared at the blue cloud in the sky, and calm madness appeared in his eyes.
'Spirit Plunder might be able to become my Origin Transcendence Vessel because it has substance… and it's not incorporeal. The Origin Vessel seems to require a concrete body…
'But… this powerful blue bolt of lightning stayed in my body for a moment. Does this mean that during that instant it was a physical entity? But after a moment, it'll become incorporeal again…'
Chapter 193: Awakening!
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
"What is the meaning of lightning calamity?" Su Ming mumbled.
The words 'lightning calamity' were mentioned in the method to create Spirit Plunder stored in his head.
In his memories, the lightning calamity only appeared due to Spirit Plunder. The laws of nature did not allow the use of humans for cauldrons to create medicinal pills, much less creating it using the aura of death. That was why celestial lightning turned into a calamity that fell on him. The purpose of this bolt of lightning was to destroy the medicinal pill, but as the medicinal pill was shielded by the corpse, the power of lightning once it struck down would diminish. When the corpse was eventually destroyed, the medicinal pill would be created!
Su Ming had never truly mulled over this description of the pill in detail. Based on his understanding, this was something that he could not possibly understand. However, at that moment, as his heart raced and the thought that made him excited bloomed in his head, the pill's description appeared in his mind.
'What is the meaning of lightning calamity? If we take off the word 'calamity', we are only left with lightning!'
Su Ming's mind raced. He was not unfamiliar with lightning. When he initially came to the Land of South Morning, he saw lightning striking trees.
At that time, he already analyzed it and believed that it was because the trunks were too moist, that was why lightning was drawn to them, causing the trees to be set ablaze instantly, until all that was eventually left were the materials he needed to create his medicinal pills.
However, there seemed to be some inaccuracies in his previous theory.
'There are a lot of trees in the rainforest, so why did the taller trees attract lightning..? Perhaps it's because the humidity on those trees was greater, or it could be because there's another reason for it.
'Lightning can strike trees, then this time, why did He Feng's body draw in all the bolts of lightning from the lightning calamity? The description in my memories is too cryptic, it doesn't seem like it's the correct explanation for this.��
Su Ming could not understand this phenomenon.
In fact, there was a feeling within him telling him that it was only natural for lightning to fall. As for why it happened and the source for why it was happening was something he could not figure out.
Yet at that moment, if he wanted to bring that mad thought of his to fruition, he must understand all these completely!
Why does lightning exist?! What is lightning?!
'If I can't understand the causes for lightning, then I won't be able to keep it inside my body and turn it… into my Origin Vessel!'
This was Su Ming's idea, the insane, inconceivable, but exciting idea.
However, after some quick thinking, Su Ming had to give up on it. He could not understand what lightning was and where it came from. He had no confidence in making lightning stay in his body.
Those thoughts eventually turned into a sigh. Su Ming knew he was short on time. The deity statue of Awakening was slowly standing up and the bolt of lightning in the sky was rapidly converging before it would strike down. No matter how hard he melted the Berserker Bone in his body, he could not increase anymore blood veins. It was not something that he could accomplish by just gritting his teeth to persevere and endure through it.
His current condition was of a stone bottle that was full. Even if he poured more water in it, he could not add more water into the bottle. It would only spill out.
If he wanted to manifest more blood veins, his only method was to make that stone bottle bigger!
In truth, once the 990th blood vein manifested on Su Ming's body, he was already filled like the stone bottle in his analogy. He could only manifest four more blood veins due to the presence of Awakening fusing into his body, which in a way transformed his body, as if his body was the stone bottle, and it had become bigger. It allowed him to better complete the transition to become a powerful Awakened Berserker in a situation where it was impossible for him to do anything to increase his blood veins.
However, the unexpected appearance of the bolts of lightning broke this irreversible situation, giving Su Ming the chance of a lifetime. It allowed him to make the impossible possible – increasing four more blood veins.
Yet now, he was at his limit once again.
There was no way he could change anything to make the stone bottle contain more water and to make another blood vein appear on his body. This was something Su Ming understood fully. He knew that even the burning of blood could not help him with this.
'I don't know how the Ancients managed to manifest 1,000 blood veins. Perhaps there are people born who truly possess such astonishing potential that they can contain 1,000 blood veins in their bodies, but I'm not them…
'I don't know how they did it, but if I want to increase more blood veins… This… is the only way!'
A glint appeared in Su Ming's eyes. He swiftly stood up and stomped on the ground to launch himself into the air. When he was in midair, he spread his arms wide open.
'My body is filled. I can't add anymore blood veins. The only way I can think of is to break my own body, just like breaking the stone bottle. The instant it cracks, the amount of water it can contain will increase!
'Even if my body breaks, if I can seize the precise moment and Awaken, it's not impossible!'
Su Ming's eyes shone with calmness and madness.
His madness stemmed from his idea, and his calmness came from every single planned action of his!
Su Ming could not stay too long in midair. Before long, he would fall
Right now, he had his arms spread wide, and loud banging sounds instantly came from his body. As the sounds reverberated in the air, the 994 blood veins in his body scattered as if they had just broken down and were set ablaze.
'If I break my body and make myself to be no longer contained in a bottle, there's no way I won't be able to obtain more blood veins!' Su Ming shouted out in his heart.
As roars came from within his body, blood trickled out from Su Ming's mouth. Blood also flowed out from his eyes, ears, and nose.
The roaring coming from his body arrived at its loudest point. His blood veins erupted in his body. As they did so, the first to be affected was his body. It was just as he thought it would be - the stone bottle broke!
Thin cracks appeared on Su Ming's body. It was as if his body had been split apart. Once the cracks spread out, he would be torn to shreds!
Red light shone from the thin cracks and scattered out of them, even showing signs of spreading further.
An indescribable pain spread to every corner of Su Ming's body. It was a pain as if he was about to self-destruct, a pain that a common person would not be able to endure. Su Ming, too, was unable to withstand it. His expression twisted, but as his body continued breaking apart, his blood veins abruptly increased once again.
995!!
In a spot no one could see on Su Ming's right leg, the 995th blood vein appeared!
The additional blood vein increased the speed of Su Ming's body breaking down. More cracks appeared A feeling as if he was about to be destroyed and die filled his entire being.
Yet a smile appeared on Su Ming's lips, which was hidden under the hood. That smile was cruel. This cruelty was not directed to others, but towards himself. He always remembered what his elder had once said.
If he wanted to obtain something, he must give up something in return.
The more he wanted to obtain something, the more he would have to sacrifice. Only he could determine whether the sacrifice was equivalent to the reward and whether it was worth it, not anyone else.
'I've already taken this step and obtained the 995th blood vein. If I don't pour everything I have and fight for it, I… won't be satisfied!'
Su Ming's body started falling from the air. During the process, his body started rapidly breaking apart.
The roars echoed in the air, and as Su Ming fell, another blood vein appeared with an explosive might on his left leg!
996!
That additional blood vein made Su Ming's body reach its breaking point. Blood mist gushed out of his body, and his vision blurred. A feeling of death filled his entire body.
All these were seen by the people around him, and they were filled with shock and deep reverence.
At that moment, all those who were still conscious could see what Su Ming was trying to do. From his actions alone, they could feel his madness and desire to increase his blood veins.
As Su Ming fell, he looked at the true form of the deity statue of Awakening clad in black armor that had now stood up completely. When the deity statue stood up, it looked like a giant that reached the sky. The black armor it wore exuded an endless amount of vicious aura.
It looked at Su Ming coldly and lifted its right hand to point at Su Ming.
"This is the final time… I order thee… Awaken!"
The moment its voice reverberated in the air, even the blue cloud in the sky stopped for an instant. Su Ming lifted his head and let out a low growl towards the sky.
"Blood veins!"
His body broke apart. The stone bottle completely shattered, his robes exploding in the process. The blood mist enveloping the area outside his body completely covered his face and his torn body so that no one could see his face.
The moment his body broke, Su Ming's blood veins started increasing madly with a shocking speed, as if the limits on his body had been lifted!
997!
998!
999!!
999 blood veins covered every corner of Su Ming's broken body. It seemed that there was no longer any space to take in the 1,000th blood vein!
The only spot left… was underneath his eyes under his crumbling face hidden away by the mist – the scar left behind when the broken shard from the destroyed Dark Mountain statue of the God of Berserkers slashed his face.
It was a normal scar, but to Su Ming, this was the only mark left of Dark Mountain on his body.
If the 1,000th blood vein appeared, the scar on Su Ming's face would disappear and be replaced. The instant the only mark he had left of Dark Mountain was about to disappear, conflict appeared in Su Ming's eyes.
To Awaken with 1,000 blood veins, a sight that was rare even during the age of the Ancients, and wipe away the only trace left of Dark Mountain on his body, or to retain this scar and give up on the 1,000th blood vein? that was the question.
"If you want to obtain something, then you have to give up something in return… Only you can decide whether it is worth the cost…"
The elder's words echoed in Su Ming's head. He felt as if he had seen his elder, Dark Mountain, and the moment Dark Mountain Tribe's statue of the God of Berserkers shattered.
Eventually, in Su Ming's eyes, he recalled the sight he saw using Han Kong's power, where he saw himself tied up in chains in the void. That Su Ming had no scar on his face, but once he said something, the scar appeared on his face.
"I… refuse…" Su Ming mumbled.
The moment these words were spoken, the 1,000th blood vein dissipated. At the same time, the vast presence of Awakening enveloped Su Ming's whole body. His broken body mended itself in that instant, and the blood mist that had spread out tumbled back into his body. Even the torn clothes pieced themselves together and appeared on his body, as if time had just reversed.
The world roared. The presence that only belonged to those who Awakened erupted from Su Ming's body! The might of that presence was so incredible it caused all the Berserkers in the Blood Solidification Realm in the area to tremble. Even Nan Tian and the other powerful Awakened Berserkers felt shocked. They could clearly feel an incredibly mighty pressure coming from Su Ming's body.
Awakening!
Chapter 194: Awarded the Title of Divine General!
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The might of the pressure far surpassed that of an ordinary Berserker who had Transcended, but it was still not stable. That presence filled Su Ming's entire body. Even so, the moment the pressure dissipated, it made all those around him feel shaken to the core.
This was the first time in their lives that they had seen the full process of a Berserker who attained great completion of the Blood Solidification Realm Transcending. This shocked them so greatly it could even affect their entire lives.
The Elder of Puqiang Tribe trembled as he prostrated himself on the ground. His level of cultivation may be at the middle stage of Transcendence, but there was only an indescribable reverence in him towards Su Ming. It was one that stemmed from his soul, and one that appeared due to the might coming from Su Ming's body.
This intimidating pressure made the Elder of Puqiang Tribe gasp for breath.
If he was already in this condition, then it was much more so for the man who looked like a mountain of flesh beside him. The tribe leader of Puqiang Tribe looked at Su Ming with incredible reverence
The 999 blood veins in Su Ming's body instantly melted. When his falling body was 100 feet away from the summit of Puqiang Mountain, for the first time ever, with his own strength, Su Ming floated and stood in air!
He had Transcended!
At that moment, the true form of the deity statue of Transcendence clad in armor in the sky looked at Su Ming with a hint of gentleness that was barely noticeable in his cold and aloof eyes.
"Breaking thy body to obtain Transcendence… that is in accordance to the second law laid by the first God of Berserkers… I grant thee… South Asunder Sword… Come forth to Great Yu to retrieve thy sword, and thou shalt be awarded the title Divine General of Transcendence!"
The true form of the deity statue of Transcendence's magnificent voice echoed in the air. It cast a profound look at Su Ming before it swung its right hand down and charged towards Su Ming. In an instant, it appeared before Su Ming and touched the top of his skull.
Su Ming did not dodge. He had no blood veins in his body at that moment, but there was a power that far surpassed the power of 999 blood veins by several fold contained within him.
Besides, the deity statue of Transcendence in the sky gave him a strange feeling, as if there was some sort of mysterious connection between them. It made him feel that it was not a cold and detached being, but there was a sense of familiarity coming from it.
When the deity statue of Transcendence's right index finger touched the top of Su Ming's skull, his body trembled. He could clearly feel a special energy traveling from its finger into his body, causing his body to tremble and rumble once again. A feeling that grew increasingly stronger enveloped him entirely.
Eventually, that special presence spread out within Su Ming. When it surrounded his entire body, it turned into a black bundle of mist that surrounded Su Ming from head to toe before it turned into black armor!
That armor was slightly different from the armor the true form of the deity statue of Transcendence wore. It was clearly much simpler in design, but the incredible power from it spread out abruptly!
However, Su Ming's armor was a mere illusion. It was not real.
"Come… to Great Yu…"
The true form of the deity statue of Transcendence in the sky retracted its right hand. Its body gradually faded out, and after a moment, it completely disappeared from the sky. No traces of it could be found thereafter.
At that moment, the only thing left in the sky was the mighty blue cloud that was still gathering lightning. The lightning calamity would fall upon him at any moment now.
"I… finally Transcended…"
Su Ming floated in midair. The black mist armor surrounding his body gave him a vicious and freezing air. He stood in the air and looked at the sky in the distance. An indescribable feeling spread through his heart.
"Elder, I Transcended… Bai Ling, did you know? I Transcended…"
Su Ming felt anguish blossoming in his heart. Transcending should have been a joyous occasion, but for a reason he did not know, he felt no excitement. He simply missed Dark Mountain.
Even if he now possessed strength where his limits were unknown to even himself, even if he now lived up to his name and became the most powerful Berserker in Han Mountain, even if all those within sight in the area did not pose much of a threat to him, he… still did not have the excitement and thrill that he should have had after he Transcended.
The blue cloud in the sky rumbled. However, that rumbling sound could not stifle the uproar from Han Mountain and the three tribes. That sound was like a wave that rose to a shocking volume.
"He Transcended in the great completion of the Blood Solidification Realm! And he was rewarded the South Asunder Sword and given the title of Divine General of Transcendence!"
"South Asunder Sword… I've never read about this sword from any ancient scrolls, but if the sword was given by the deity statue of Transcendence, then it must be extraordinary!"
"Is this the serendipity for a Berserker who attains great completion of the Blood Solidification Realm Transcends? They'll be rewarded with a treasure! And they'll be given the title of Divine General of Transcendence as well! What is the Divine General of Transcendence though?"
"The strongest of Han Mountain City…" Nan Tian looked at Su Ming standing in midair and mumbled.
"Divine General of Transcendence… why did this never appear the previous time I saw the deity statue of Transcendence appear…?"
Ke Jiu Si's heart raced against his chest and deep reverence appeared in his eyes.
Xuan Lun was completely stunned. All emotions in his heart were replaced by bafflement. He looked at Su Ming and a feeling of powerlessness blossomed within him.
"Divine General of Transcendence… He was awarded the title Divine General of Transcendence!"
Han Fei Zi trembled and disbelief appeared in her eyes. She was one of the few who knew the meaning of the title Divine General of Transcendence. In fact, she was suppressing her blood veins to become the Divine General of Transcendence as well!
"Divine General of Transcendence is an acknowledgement bestowed upon the Transcended Berserkers who truly obtained the quintessence of the Berserker Tribe. It is an emblem of Berserk… and it's something that normal Transcended Berserkers cannot compare…" the old woman mumbled on Lake of Colors Tribe.
The Elder of Tranquil East Tribe was on his knees with a respectful expression on his face on Tranquil East Mountain. "I can't believe a Divine General of Transcendence appeared in Han Mountain… I wonder which deity statue's armor he'll receive once he goes to Great Yu…"
After a short uproar, two figures flew out from Lake of Colors Mountain. It was the old woman and Yan Luan. The latter's face was filled with deep respect. Along with the old woman, she bowed towards Su Ming in midair.
"Lake of Colors Tribe congratulates Lord Divine General on Transcending!"
At the same time, the Elder of Tranquil East Tribe flew up from Tranquil East Mountain as well, and along with Fang Shen, who stood on the mountain, their words traveled forth.
"Tranquil East Tribe congratulates Lord Divine General on Transcending!"
"Puqiang Tribe congratulates Lord Divine General on Transcending!"
Their sounds reverberated in the air, and they were followed by congratulatory words rising and falling from the entire Han Mountain City. Their voices echoed in the air as they commended Su Ming.
Besides the old man from the three people from Freezing Sky Clan who were thousands of li away from Han Mountain City, the man and the woman were both filled with shock as they looked at the distance.
"Junior sister Han Fei Zi was awarded the title of Divine General?!"
"We must report this to the left preceptor as soon as possible! Junior sister Han Fei Zi's name is definitely going to resound through the entire Freezing Clan!"
Su Ming stood in midair and suppressed his thoughts. He lifted his head and looked at the blue cloud in the sky. He knew that this was not the time to feel moved. He was only halfway through Transcendence. It was not over.
'I have to quickly choose my Origin Vessel and assimilate it into my body, then I have to leave and find a quiet place to draw my Berserker Mark in meditation.'
Only when he had finished drawing his Berserker Mark could he be considered to have completed the process of Transcendence, and only then could his power stabilize, instead of fluctuating and spreading out like this.
'It's a pity that I don't know what lightning is made of and neither do I know how it came to be, so it's hard for me to keep it within me and make it my Origin Vessel… I can only choose to use Spirit Plunder.'
Su Ming stood in the middle of the air in silence and looked at the blue cloud in the sky. There was a look of regret in his eyes as he waited for the moment that bolt of lightning struck and the medicinal pill appeared.
Yet at that moment, a shred of lightning suddenly came off the converging bolts of lightning in the blue cloud in the sky. As the light in the clouds flickered, it charged towards the ground and landed on a mountain in the distance as if it was guided by something.
When he saw this, a rumble suddenly appeared in Su Ming's head. He stared fixedly at the blue cloud in the sky and lowered his head to look at the land along with what little was left of He Feng's body floating in the air.
'Lightning strikes trees… Lightning was drawn in when I created Spirit Plunder… Lightning fell and struck the top of the mountain… This is… There's…'
Su Ming seemed to have understood something, but that thought was not clear in his head. Still, he had a feeling that he had latched onto something.
At that moment, the blue cloud rumbled. A lot of lightning gathered together, looking as if it was about to explode, causing some of the thin threads of lightning that were wandering about in the cloud to fall towards the land all around the area. They fell on the mountains around them. Some of them even fell on the mountains where people had gathered to watch. They broke into commotion and quickly dodged the bolts.
'Activation… Activation… I get it!'
A brilliant flash appeared in Su Ming's eyes. He had understood it somewhat.
'Lightning originally doesn't fall from the sky. It's not out of its will that it struck the trees. Perhaps it's more accurate to say that lightning doesn't have a will, it's just attracted to the trees in midair…
'It's the same for the mountains in the area. They attracted the lightning in the sky…
'It's the same for the people in the area!
'He Feng is also the same. It's not that the lightning is attacking him, it's just that there's something on him that's attracting lightning to him. This thing exists in the mountains, the trees, and many other places…
'Then… what is it?!'
Su Ming whipped his head around to look at He Feng.
'He Feng absorbed the aura of death for refinement. Could it be the aura of death? But there's no aura of death in the ground, neither is there any in the mountains. It's not the aura of death, but something else.
'What is attracting the lightning?!'
Su Ming understood a little of the concept, but along with it came even more confusion. However, he did not have time to think.
Just as his mind worked furiously, the sky rumbled with an intensity that shook the sky and earth. The blue cloud had finally charged up enough lightning. The blue light pierced into people's eyes. Lightning was about to fall.
Yet at that very moment, Su Ming's mind rumbled as he activated the Branding Art. With the activation of the Branding Art, he trembled and saw something vaguely on the land. The instant thunder rumbled, there was a barely noticeable, faint glow of lightning that would have been easily missed unless he had been searching for it. It was on the ground, on the mountains, and on the crowd like a tide. It was a lightning glow that could not be seen with the naked eye. It was that thing that attracted the lightning in the sky. The bolts longed to touch it!
The lightning glow that could not be seen with the naked eye traveled on the ground and was all absorbed by He Feng's body. Once a large amount of it surged into his body, it gathered inside him. As it nourished the medicinal pill in his body, it also made He Feng's body into the spot where the most lightning glow from the ground had gathered.
Su Ming seemed to have heard a faint sound calling out to him, as if it was just a figment of his imagination. A rumble appeared in his head. He… understood!
At the same time, the cloud shrank, as if it was entirely absorbed by the bolt of lightning. Finally, only a blue bolt of lightning about ten feet in breadth was left behind, and it charged down towards the ground and He Feng's body, which was calling out to him.
Chapter 195: The Treasure of Awakening!
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The bolt of lightning shone with a blue light, dyeing the entire land in blue. It shone in the eyes of all those who were watching, and even those pairs of eyes were reflecting off a shade of blue.
The blue bolt of lightning that was the breadth of ten feet charged towards He Feng with a boom through the air. It was so quick that it arrived in an instant. But the moment it closed in, Su Ming took a step forward.
He did not take a step towards He Feng's side, where that bolt of lightning was going. He went instead to the summit of Puqiang Mountain. The moment his foot landed, rumbles reverberated through the air, and the blue bolt of lightning crashed in to He Feng's body. What little remained of his body instantly turned into ashes, and only his head was left.
He still had his eyes open, and there was a strange shade of grey in his eyes. In his head, the fuzzy orb formed from the herbal aura was rapidly spinning and quickly transitioning from aura to medicinal pill.
The attack from the lightning was not over. It continued crashing downwards with a rumble, as if it wanted to turn what was left of He Feng - his head, into dust before it would stop.
It was also at that moment that Su Ming stepped onto the mountain rock on the summit of Puqiang Mountain. He did not stop for even a moment. The instant he landed, while he might not have Qi in his body, an even stronger power erupted from his body and traveled into Puqiang Mountain from his feet.
A tremor abruptly shook the mountain, and muffled rumbles traveled out, but the rumbles were drowned out by the lightning and no one could hear them.
As the mountain trembled, shock spread through the people of Puqiang Tribe. They did not dare move from their kneeling positions. This scene was akin to the earth moving and mountain shaking. It was as if the mountain itself was about to crumble under Su Ming's power.
Right after that, the mountain trembling furiously, a lot of aura of death was forced out of the bottom of the mountain, tumbling upwards.
Shrill cries came from the wronged souls. They spread out from the mountain as they swarmed forth with the aura of death.
Time was running out. Su Ming did not have the luxury and method to think through all of this carefully. However, with the Branding Art, he could see that lightning fell from the sky because there were faint lightning sparks that the eye could not see covering the land like a flood. These lightning sparks looked as if they possessed life. They longed to come into contact with lighting, and that bolt of lightning had the same desire.
That was why as the lightning sparks that covered the land and could not be seen with the naked eye followed after the cloud like a shadow, lightning would be drawn towards the mountains and the tall trees.
Due to some unknown reason, He Feng's body had caused the lightning sparks that could not be seen with the naked to surge towards him, going into his body and covering him with it, causing him to be the most attractive object on the entire land during that one instant!
Su Ming did not know the reason behind it, but he knew that before He Feng had absorbed the aura of death, his corpse had not possessed this quality. The only hope and clue he had managed to capture was that He Feng could draw in the bolts of lightning and cause the lightning sparks that could not be seen with the naked eye to surge into his body was due to the existence of the aura of death!
Su Ming did not know what laws of nature were in this, but the moment the large amount of aura of death surged forth from under Puqiang Mountain, he lifted his right foot and stomped on the mountain once again.
The moment his foot landed, the mountain rumbled and shook once again. The Elder, tribe leader, and all the people of Puqiang Tribe by their side were all pale, but they did not dare try to stop him.
No one dared to stop Su Ming, because in their eyes, Su Ming's entire body was enveloped in that black mist armor, his hair was floating even without the presence of wind. An incredible pressure and mighty presence exuded from his body.
He was no longer the same unknown entity as before he had challenged the Chains of Han Mountain. At this moment, he was one of the Divine Generals of Awakening of the Berserker Tribe who obtained the acknowledgement of the deity statue of Awakening!
"What is Lord Divine General doing..?"
"The Lord has already Awakened. He needs to refine his Origin Vessel. Could he be doing all this for his Origin Vessel?"
"I wonder what is Lord Divine General's Origin Vessel… How would it look like?!"
The people in Han Mountain City whispered amongst themselves. Their gazes as they looked towards Puqiang Mountain were filled with deep reverence and eagerness.
They longed to know how Su Ming's Origin Vessel would look like and yearned to learn how his Berserker Mark would appear like!
"Lord Divine General Mo Su's Origin Vessel would definitely be extraordinary!" the Elder of Tranquil East Tribe mumbled while looking respectfully towards Su Ming standing on the mountain in the distance from Tranquil East Tribe.
Fang Shen did not speak. His face was illuminated by the blue light from the bolt of lightning. Excitement filled his face. He was still absorbed in the moment Su Ming Awakened and found it hard to recover from that scene.
"Si Ma Xin's Origin Awakening Vessel was a strange seven colored mountain in the world. This treasure is incredibly famous in Freezing Sky Clan and is known to be a supreme Awakening treasure… I wonder what Mo Su's Awakening treasure is…"
Han Cang Zi bit her bottom lip and her heart started to race uncontrollably.
The same question appeared on Lake of Colors Mountain. Yan Luan did not know that Su Ming she had to look at respectfully now was someone she had met before in the isolation grounds of Han Mountain's ancestor. She had fought against him for a short while, and had even considered taking him as her mate.
If she knew of all these, her terror would be incredibly great…
"Could his Origin Vessel be like…"
The old woman by Yan Luan's side frowned with uncertainty. Her eyes fell on the blue bolt of lightning still crashing down by Su Ming's side. Gradually, disbelief and inconceivability gradually appeared in her eyes.
"Could it be..? This… This is rather impossible…" the old woman mumbled.
As Su Ming took a step forward, Puqiang Mountain trembled furiously and an even greater amount of aura of death surged forth from the bottom of the mountain. The auragathered together, and the shrill cries coming from the wronged souls could be heard from within.
Su Ming lifted his head. The black mist armor that covered his body made him look like a fiend. He lifted his right hand and grabbed at the air. A strong absorption force spread out from inside his body. That absorption happened because there were no longer any blood veins in him, but he had the power of Awakening's Qi within him. That power turned into a vortex that continued spinning incessantly as Su Ming manipulated it with fine control.
The vortex was inside his body. As Su Ming grabbed at the air with his right hand, the aura of death swimming around the area charged towards him. In an instant, it surrounded his body. Some of it even crawled into his body and fused with him.
Before he Awakened, even if Su Ming could do this, his body would not be able to withstand so much aura of death unless he had practiced related Berserker Arts, else he would simply turn into a corpse.
Yet right now, Su Ming had Awakened. There were no blood veins in his body. His Qi gushed out from all parts of his body. There was a difference of power of two different Realms within him. Even if some of the aura of death was not absorbed, he could still instantly make it scatter.
Right at the moment the aura of death enveloped Su Ming's body, he saw with the Branding Art that some of the lightning sparks that could not be seen with the naked eye rushing towards He Feng's head had suddenly stopped and changed direction. They charged towards him.
The moment he saw this, Su Ming's eyes brightened up.
'I was right!'
It was just as he had expected. The lightning sparks that could not be seen with the naked eye were attracted by the aura of death.
In an instant, some of the lightning sparks that could not be seen by the naked eye closed in on Su Ming. Some of them covered his body, while others fused into him, just like what the aura of death had done.
It was also at that moment, before Su Ming even had time to observe it carefully, that two lightning arcs split off from the blue bolt of lightning descending down towards He Feng. They looked as if they were attracted by something and abruptly broke off from the bolt of lightning that was ten feet in breadth and charged towards Su Ming.
The two blue lightning arcs followed one after another, and in the blink of an eye, the first lightning arc closed in and crashed into Su Ming's body. He trembled and, without any hesitation, moved backwards.
His body felt a little numb. Tiny lightning arcs swam across his entire body, but his eyes grew brighter. The second lightning arc was already close and was about to hit him. Su Ming moved back at full speed.
His heart raced against his chest. During that instant, he saw some parts governing the rules of lightning falling clearly, but the other parts remained clouded. As he retreated, a glint appeared in his eyes, and he immediately came to a stop. At that moment, the second lighting arc closed in and crashed into his body.
He trembled. His Qi rocked within his body, and the numbness made him feel as if he had lost all sense of pain. There was a powerful force in the bolts of lightning, forcing Su Ming to stagger a few hundred feet back.
However, his eyes only became brighter. He fully understood it now!
He saw a lot of aura of death disappearing once it had drawn the lightning sparks that could not be seen with the naked eye surging into his body and around him. At the same time, he saw another lightning glow that he had overlooked previously.
Compared with the lightning glow that covered the land, this was a different lightning spark. It may have looked the same, but Su Ming could sense that they were clearly different.
'One of them comes from the ground, so I'll call them Earthen Lightning. The other comes from the void, so I'll call them Void Lightning!'
He could not explain it, all of this was just a vague feeling he had. He clearly saw that when his body was enveloped by the lightning sparks from the earth, the second Void Lightning from the sky that was similarly not visible to the naked eye and could only be seen vaguely if he observed it carefully using the Branding Art came charging towards him.
With his body as the center, when the Earthen Lightning and Void Lightning crashed into each other, Su Ming's entire body became numb. It was also during that time that the second lightning arc crashed into him.
'I understand now! This is lightning! I only noticed a part of it before, but the true reason as to why lightning attacks is due to Earthen Lightning and Void Lightning coming into contact. When these two lightning sparks that can't be seen with the naked eye touch, then we will see the bolts of lightning that shake the world appear!
'If I can create this cycle within my body and make these lightning sparks, then I'm confident I'll be able to fuse lightning into my body with the Awakening Qi I have now and refine my Origin Awakening Vessel!
'If I'm successful… then my Origin Vessel will continue to become stronger, and lightning will be my enchanted Vessel!'
Desire appeared in Su Ming's eyes.
Chapter 195: The Power of Lightning
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Su Ming lifted his right hand and seized the large amount of aura of death that surrounded Puqiang Mountain. The vortex within his body appeared once again. In an instant, the aura of death charged towards him with a loud boom.
The lightning sparks that covered the earth swiftly changed their direction and charged towards Su Ming.
The light in his eyes flickered. He left his original spot. The moment his body left the ground, the air twisted on the spot he was standing, but no lightning appeared.
'Once Earthen Lightning and Void Lightning come into contact, it'll form lightning. I can't evade or dodge it, because the lightning I see is just an illusion. In truth, the moment Earthen Lightning and Void Lightning come into contact, the power of lightning has already formed.'
Su Ming's mind became clearer. Once he understood the concept, many branches stemmed out of the concept like a tree, and he managed to branch out his thoughts into many different areas. As he moved, he never stopped, but with every single step he took, a lot of Earthen Lightning that was not visible to the naked eye would surge forth and cover his entire body before seeping inside.
'Before I absorb enough Earthen Lightning, I absolutely cannot let Void Lightning touch me…'
The thing Su Ming was dodging was the vague Void Lightning that he could only see with the Branding Art.
All of this could not be seen by others. In the eyes of the crowd, Su Ming was running around the place erratically, but strangely and shockingly, the space behind him continued distorting. It was as if every single spot that he went to would distort in a manner that would even block their vision for an instant. The distortions in the air spread out like ripples.
The strange sight made all those who saw it baffled. In their disbelief, they became more respectful and mystified by Su Ming.
Su Ming became faster, but even though his speed was quick, the Void Lightning that seemed to have filled the entire sky was also traveling at incredible speeds. It charged towards Su Ming from all around him as if there was something on him that attracted it, a substance that drew it mad.
In fact, the gigantic blue bolt of lightning that was attacking He Feng's head, causing it to continue dissipating and revealing the Spirit Plunder contained within, also started to become agitated. Distortions appeared all around the area, as if it was going to change directions at any moment.
It may seem simple, but only Su Ming himself understood the underlying dangers. He was focused. As he continued moving all around the area to avoid the Void Lightning as much as possible, there were still some shortcomings. Sometimes lightning would appear and fall on him.
'It's still not enough…'
Su Ming charged towards the Chain of Han Mountain connected to Puqiang Mountain. He saw a large amount of Earthen Lightning on the Chain. If it were not because of He Feng drawing in Void Lightning to himself, the Chain might have been attacked by countless bolts of lightning by now.
The moment Su Ming landed on the Chain at full speed, the Earthen Lightning attached to the Chain charged towards Su Ming and surged in to and around his body.
At that moment, rumbling sounds echoed in the air and numerous bolts of lightning appeared at the same time, crashing into Su Ming. He jolted and flew into the air, charging towards the sky.
'I have enough Earthen Lightning. Now, I'll need a similar amount of Void Lightning. The moment they come into contact, my body might not be able to withstand it, but… if I want to turn lightning into my Origin Vessel, then this is the only way!'
'The longer I can persevere, the higher my chances of success!'
At that moment, the aura of death within Su Ming's body had completely dissipated. The only thing left was the large amount of Earthen Lightning that could not be seen with the naked eye. It stayed within and around his body, causing him to appear even more appealing for lightning than He Feng, becoming the sole object to draw in lightning!
'Only physical objects can be refined and turned into Origin Vessels… Lightning is abstract, so only if I produce it relentlessly in my body can I make it belong to me!
'Only then will I be considered to have taken control of lightning. All the other methods of taking lightning and fusing it into the body are just fake rumors, because the appearance of lightning is an illusion. The true force comes from the moment Earthen Lightning and Void Lightning crash into lightning! This is the true refinement of lightning!'
Su Ming charged towards the top of the sky. He could sense that there was a large amount of Void Lightning high up in the sky!
The moment his body reached that place, the world rumbled, and numerous bolts of lightning appeared out of nowhere. They charged towards Su Ming from all around him. Loud rumbling sounds echoed in the air. The people could no longer see Su Ming. The only thing they saw were the bolts of lightning that spread through the endless mass of sky.
At that moment, the blue bolt of lightning that was still incessantly attacking He Feng's head suddenly changed direction and charged towards Su Ming, who was hidden away by lightning.
The moment the blue bolt of lightning charged out, the world trembled in a manner as if it was creating an abnormality of its own!
At the same time, in an area of 1,000 li in the sky above Han Mountain, bolts of lightning broke through the sky and whistled through the air towards Su Ming. The many lightning bolts illuminated the earth. The rumbling sounds deafened ears, causing all the people on land to be left gasping in amazement and shock. Their minds became blank.
The sky was filled with lightning!
In the midst of the rumbling sounds, Su Ming coughed out blood as he was shrouded by lightning sparks. Lightning sparks could even be seen swimming in his blood before the blood instantly turned into a small mass of blood mist.
Su Ming was pale, but his eyes were incredibly bright. Within his body, Earthen Lightning and Void Lightning relentlessly crashed into each other, turning into the power of lightning that grew increasingly stronger within him. At the same time, his Transcendence Qi was absorbing that power of lightning in a shocking manner. It continued to take that power in to refine it into Su Ming's Origin Vessel!
Su Ming could instantly refine a lot of materials into his Origin Vessel with the sort of refinement he was conducting, but since ancient times, it was almost unheard of for anyone to refine lightning into their Origin Vessel. Even for Berserkers who Transcended with 999 blood veins, this slow speed was enough for them to be killed before they succeeded.
'My body can't take it anymore… do I really have to give up now?!'
Conflict appeared on Su Ming's face. He had not managed to complete the refinement. The Earthen Lightning and Void Lightning within him were crashing against each other incessantly. Every single time they crashed, the power of lightning that was created would become stronger, causing Su Ming to be unable to withstand it for a long period of time even if he had Transcended.
'I can only last for at most ten breaths before I die!'
Su Ming jolted. A shade of blue had appeared in the sky.
'Do I give up and make Spirit Plunder into my Origin Transcendence Vessel… or do I continue..?
'But if I continue, I won't be able to succeed. Yet if I have to give up… I'll regret it!!
'It would have been fine if I didn't have the chance, but now that I have and saw how lightning is produced, if I could just have enough time to persevere through it, then I'm absolutely certain that I could turn lightning into my Origin Vessel!
'But…'
With a loud crash, Su Ming trembled and coughed out blood once again. His face was pale. Lightning surrounded him. He could also sense that there was lightning filling up the sky further in the distance.
'There's still one more way… I still have one more way!'
In this critical moment, an idea appeared in Su Ming's head, but he did not have time to think whether he would be successful. He hastily descended. The sky rumbled. He might have been falling at incredible speeds, but lightning continued assaulting him, causing him to cough out a lot of blood.
Eventually, when his body descended above Han Mountain City, the black mist armor on his body dissipated with a boom, revealing the black robes he wore underneath. They turned into ashes in an instant.
Fortunately, the light from the lightning was blinding, hence it was still difficult for others to see him. They could only see a ball of lightning descending upon Han Mountain City at shocking speed and charging towards the stone gate separating the third and second layers of Han Mountain City – where Han Mountain Bell was!
Su Ming landed on Han Mountain Bell then quickly sat down cross-legged. He was refining the power of lightning at maddening speeds within him. The bolts of lightning crashed into him with huge rumbles, but the moment they landed on him, they covered Han Mountain Bell.
The bell trembled and bell chimes rang out. As they echoed in the area, a large amount of lightning appeared in the sky, covering 2,000, 3,000, 4,000 li area. With Su Ming acting as the center, they charged right there
The bell tolls became louder, exuding a mighty and majestic presence that seemed to be echoing through the entire world.
At that moment, besides the old man from the three people from Freezing Sky Clan that were 2,000 li away from Han Mountain City who still remained calm, shock completely replaced all other emotions within the man and woman. They looked at the shocking bolts of lightning in the sky and trembled.
"What… is junior sister Han Fei Zi doing?!"
"She's refining thunder!"
The one who answered them was the calm old man. He might look calm, but the shock and eagerness in his eyes revealed the torrent of emotions in his heart.
'That lass Yan Fei is bold, she actually dared to use lightning as her Origin Transcendence Vessel. As expected of a Divine General… Since ancient times, very few prodigies dared to refine celestial lightning… this was originally something only the immortals in other worlds could do. We rarely hear anyone succeeding amongst the Berserker Tribe.'
Praise and admiration appeared on the old man's face.
'It's a pity that junior Zhou Shan was a step ahead… and she's a lass. It's not suitable for her to receive my inheritance… a pity, such pity…'
The old man sighed deeply, and he felt a little depressed.
'It's so hard trying to look for a suitable disciple!'
It was also during this time, at the foot of the seven colored mountain located far into the distance, that the girl exuding wild beauty let out a light chuckle before standing up and rearranging the chessboard. She then personally poured a cup of wine for the handsome man in white. Her face was slightly red due to shyness, but she still winked at him and held up her cup.
"Big brother Si Ma, allow me to toast you. I will talk to my father about letting you into Freezing Sky Cave."
The man in white smiled faintly and looked at the beautiful girl before him gently. He took the cup, but the moment he did so, the man suddenly jolted. A large amount of lightning sparks appeared out of nowhere and swam through his entire body. As the girl cried out in surprise, his right hand trembled. The wine cup shattered with a bang.
For the first time, the man's expression drastically changed and he swiftly stood up before glaring at the horizon in the distance. His breathing quickened, a rare sight to be seen.
"The power of lighting? Han Mountain Bell only belongs to me, Si Ma Xin!"