Shi Yan sat atop the Ghost Fang, his body trembling with increasing violence, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth as dark energy swirled around him.
Yang Mu, Yang Xue, Li Feng'er, and the others watched Shi Yan with evident astonishment, their expressions thoughtful.
“The backlash is indeed terrifying,” Yang Ke murmured after a moment’s pause. “Only our Yang family’s Undying Martial Soul could withstand such a backlash. Judging by the speed of the damage inside Xiao Yan’s body, it’s quite rapid, but his physical recovery rate is equally impressive.”
“For a martial skill to elevate his power to the level where he can challenge a Ground Rank warrior, the backlash naturally won’t be weak,” Yang Mu nodded. “It’s like Xia Xinyan; once she activates her Reincarnation Martial Soul, she can instantly enter the Heaven Rank. However, once that reincarnation power fades, she’ll be knocked back to her original state, possibly unable to fight for several months. Any power that doesn't inherently belong to you, if used rashly, will always be constrained by the rules of heaven and earth…”
“Right, can the Heaven Mending Pill help him?” Yang Xue’s expression shifted. “I still have two Heaven Mending Pills.”
“It’s useless,” Yang Mu shook his head. “Xiao Yan’s backlash is different from others; his backlash carries very strong soul-like fluctuations. This isn’t purely physical damage. Well, the Heaven Mending Pill can only work once he wakes up, but since he possesses our Yang family’s Undying Martial Soul, the pill might be redundant then anyway.”
“That’s true,” Yang Xue paused before nodding.
The crowd fell silent, continuing to observe Shi Yan.
Before long, Shi Yan seemed unable to endure the agony of the backlash any longer, gnashing his teeth and roaring, his expression turning savage.
He was about to lose his sanity.
“Watch over him carefully; this is the crucial moment,” Yang Mu said solemnly, slowly moving closer to Shi Yan, fearing that Shi Yan might succumb to the piercing pain at this critical juncture.
Yang Ke and the others also cautiously edged a few steps nearer.
Shi Yan howled like a maddened beast, letting out incessant, sharp cries beneath the tranquil sky.
The shrieks were piercing, traveling far and seeming to catch the attention of many warriors in the Azure Sea region. Warriors on numerous islands looked up at the sky, wondering what was happening.
However, when they realized that soaring beneath the white clouds were a Twin-Headed Flood Dragon and a Green Blood Demon Bat, these warriors, who did not belong to the Penglai Holy Land, immediately grew alarmed but dared not show the slightest dissatisfaction.
The Yang family warriors had once stirred up a reign of terror across the Azure Sea region, and many warriors there knew that the Twin-Headed Flood Dragon and the Green Blood Demon Bat were demonic beasts tamed by the Yang family. These warriors were unaware of the sudden upheaval within the Yang family and assumed the Yang family contingent was once again causing trouble in the Azure Sea.
Yang Mu and the others looked grim, unwilling to relax even slightly, carefully on guard lest any warriors from the Penglai Holy Land should appear.
As Shi Yan roared, the Ghost Fang became subtly excited. The nether energy and demonic energy on its body churned, and waves of powerful aura condensed around its form. Viewed from the islands below, the Ghost Fang seemed to ride the clouds amidst thick dark clouds, creating a deeply shocking spectacle.
They didn't know how long the roaring continued, but just as Yang Mu and the others were at their most tense, Shi Yan suddenly quieted down.
The aura of evil energy vanished without a trace in an instant. Shi Yan seemed utterly spent, collapsing limply onto the Ghost Fang, seemingly having fainted.
Yang Mu stepped forward.
“It’s fine; he’s only temporarily unconscious. But his body’s Undying Martial Soul has begun repairing his physical form,” Yang Mu secretly breathed a sigh of relief after a quick check. “He’ll be fine; his Undying Martial Soul has reached the third stage.”
“What?”
Yang Xue, Yang Ke, and Li Feng’er all cried out in disbelief, staring at Yang Mu with expressions that questioned his sanity.
“It is indeed in the third stage,” Yang Mu smiled casually. “I know you find this baffling, as the third stage of the Undying Martial Soul is supposed to require reaching the Ground Rank. Yes, I was also skeptical before, finding it incredible, but this fellow is genuinely an anomaly; his Undying Martial Soul is truly at the third stage.”
Prompted by Yang Mu, the three stared blankly at Shi Yan.
Under their gaze, the lacerations on Shi Yan’s body were visibly mending at a rapid rate. By that speed, it was undoubtedly the third stage of the Undying Martial Soul.
“How is this possible?” Li Feng’er’s beautiful eyes were wide with wonder. “How many secrets does this guy hold? I never knew a warrior at the Hundred Tribulations Realm could reach the third stage of the Undying Martial Soul. Could it be that he really is an exception?”
“Grandpa must value him so highly precisely because of his uniqueness,” Yang Mu smiled, and everyone nodded in agreement.
The cold night sky was dotted with sparse stars adorning the darkness.
The five demonic beasts flew swiftly under the night sky, with the Ghost Fang leading. Shi Yan lay limp upon its back, having been unconscious for most of the day.
During this time, all his visible wounds had healed completely.
Later that night.
Shi Yan exhaled softly and slowly awoke. Upon opening his eyes, he ignored everyone else, immediately sitting cross-legged and closing his eyes to resume diligent cultivation.
Yang Mu watched him.
They sensed a strange energy fluctuation emanating from him, an unusual wave that flowed rapidly within his body, seemingly strengthening his essence at an alarming pace.
They all felt that Shi Yan’s essence, spirit, and vitality were undergoing a marvelous transformation.
Time slipped away quickly.
Before dawn broke, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth near the sea quietly gathered toward Shi Yan, surging into his body.
A stream of cool starlight seemed to pour down from the highest heavens, injecting itself into Shi Yan’s frame.
When the sun rose, Shi Yan finally opened his eyes again. His pupils resembled scattered stars, and two strange beams of light suddenly shot out from his eyes, extending three feet before quickly retracting back into their sockets.
“Lightning erupting from the eyes! Peak Hundred Tribulations!”
Li Feng’er shrieked.
Yang Mu and the others were also startled, looking at Shi Yan with extreme astonishment on their faces.
Essence surging into the brain and condensing in the eyes to form divine light—this was the unmistakable sign of the peak of the Hundred Tribulations Realm.
Now, the moment Shi Yan awoke, electric light was already flickering from his eyes; he had clearly ascended to the peak of the Third Heaven of the Hundred Tribulations Realm.
In just one night, he had jumped from the Second Heaven of the Hundred Tribulations Realm straight to the peak of the Third Heaven—a cultivation speed faster than a flying sword!
Shi Yan smiled faintly and nodded. “Yes, I’ve entered the Third Heaven of the Hundred Tribulations Realm.”
“That’s utterly monstrous,” Yang Ke said, looking completely defeated. “Didn’t you just suffer a backlash? Shouldn’t you be severely injured? Why are you not only fine now but also advancing by leaps and bounds? How many secrets are you hiding?”
“Luck,” Shi Yan smiled, offering no further explanation.
“Alright, stop asking,” Yang Mu recovered from his surprise, realizing Shi Yan likely had secrets he didn’t wish to share. He didn’t press the issue, merely chuckling. “Xiao Yanzi is indeed monstrous—no wonder Grandpa values him so. This fellow’s potential is limitless. Perhaps after this trip to the Abyss Battlefield, you can advance further and reach the Ground Rank.”
Everyone’s eyes lit up.
Shi Yan smiled. “I will strive for it. Yes, I also vaguely sense that I might reach the Ground Rank soon.”
The essence Shi Yan absorbed on that Divine Boat was incredibly dense, and the resulting strange power surpassed his expectations, propelling him straight to the peak of the Third Heaven of the Hundred Tribulations Realm, seemingly leaving him only one step away from the Ground Rank.
It felt as if, as soon as he grasped some crucial insight, he could naturally step across the threshold into the Ground Rank.
The crowd was dumbfounded once more.
“Madman, you are truly a cultivation fanatic,” Li Feng’er sighed, shaking her head. “I thought Yang Mu and Yang Ke were monsters before, but now I realize there are monsters among the monsters!”
Everyone seemed to strongly agree with Li Feng’er’s statement, nodding in affirmation.
Two days later.
Shi Yan and his group, riding the five demonic beasts, finally landed on Gourd Island.
This island was immensely vast; viewed from above, it resembled a giant gourd formed by two massive landmasses connected together. The larger island held the continuous Heavenly Demon Mountain Range, where demonic beasts roamed without restraint.
Even from several miles away, Shi Yan could hear the roars of the beasts emanating from that direction.
The Ghost Fang grew subtly excited.
Its sinister green eyes gazed far toward the Heavenly Demon Mountain Range, and listening to the roars rising from within, it seemed unable to resist the temptation of delicious prey, stirring restlessly.
The slightly smaller section of the island was a vast marshland, shrouded in poisonous mist and filled with an atmosphere of absolute stillness.
“The Heavenly Gate leading to the Abyss Battlefield is in that marsh. Well, there shouldn’t be much danger nearby. In the past, the Penglai Holy Land used to guard this Heavenly Gate, treating the entrance to the Abyss Battlefield as a treasure trove. However, as more and more people died inside and most survivors returned empty-handed, the Penglai Holy Land gradually stopped placing much importance on it. Now, no one guards that area; anyone can enter,” Li Feng’er called out loudly.
The five demonic beasts slowly descended and stopped in a patch of green marsh. Within the swamp, a green light shimmered, and a Heavenly Gate floated silently above the mire, a desolate, ancient aura quietly drifting out from within it.
“That is the Heavenly Gate,” Li Feng’er pointed calmly. “There’s nothing unusual here, but once you step through, it’s two different worlds. In the Abyss Battlefield, danger lurks everywhere. We may not find any secret treasures; just surviving is achieving our goal.”
“Mm, survive,” Yang Mu nodded. “We need to stay inside for at least three years. In three years, we can accomplish many things.”
“You go over there; I will find you after a while,” Shi Yan patted the Ghost Fang, pointing toward the Heavenly Demon Mountain Range. “There are plenty of demonic beasts there; that is your paradise.”
The Ghost Fang let out a long cry, soaring into the sky, its massive form shrinking to a black dot as it flew farther away.
“Let’s go,” Yang Mu instructed the other beasts, and they finally stepped toward the Heavenly Gate leading to the Abyss Battlefield.
Shi Yan calmly followed them.
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