1 Week Later, Heavenly Dragon Sect, Eastern Continent
1st April, Year 15 of the Great Emperor Era
The Heavenly Dragon Sect was particularly lively today. Countless young men were gathered here and there, as it was time for the selection of new disciples.
The Heavenly Dragon Sect accepts disciples from all over the continent. It is well known that although spiritual imprints and talent depend on bloodlines, commoners often have a higher chance of possessing top-notch talent and spiritual imprints due to their larger population.
Among the crowd, a young man stood in an unremarkable area. He looked neither special nor shabby.
He glanced at everyone and murmured inwardly, "I must secure the first rank and rise to a higher position as soon as possible. Only then will I be able to have contact with the saintess!"
As he thought this, he recalled his master's words.
"Ye Fan, I have taught you many things and also given you a high-rank cultivation technique. Now, I will give you some advice. Go to the Heavenly Dragon Sect and get close to the saintess named Wang Xiaoyan. She possesses a Crystal Clear spiritual imprint, which will be very helpful for you in the future. Revenge is a double-edged sword; she might become a shield for you!"
He continued, "Don't forget to keep cultivating the Ten Thousand Venom Manual, especially the Eternal Nightshade mentioned in the last section! Even I have never been able to create Eternal Nightshade. It has the capability to kill even me!"
In this era, many young talents are emerging, and no one knows where hidden gems might be found. Ye Fan kept looking around and glancing at everyone. After studying for 15 years under the young man named Timeless, he had matured significantly and become much more cautious. He wouldn't underestimate his opponents, and thus he is keeping an eye on any possible candidate who could threaten him!
Northern Part of the Cloudy Plains, Western Continent
A black-robed man appeared out of thin air in front of He Fan. He bowed and then said slowly, "Leader, the preparation of the dead bodies is complete!"
Su Mei, who was nearby, asked, "Husband, what will you do with these hundred thousand dead bodies?"
He Fan smiled—a cold, calculating smile that barely reached his eyes. "These hundred thousand dead bodies belonged to warriors with at least Rank 3 cultivation. Their journey has ended, but their essence still remains, waiting to be harvested. There is a formation called the Heavenly Ascension Formation, a powerful formation that requires the aid of three Rank 7 warriors to set up. It sacrifices dead bodies, converting the latent potential left in their bloodlines to increase the blood power within us."
He paused, his gaze distant as if looking beyond the present moment. "Talent is nothing more than the reflection of the harmony between soul and body. The blood flowing within a warrior possesses a special essence that interacts with their spiritual imprint, strengthening the connection between body and soul and thus enhancing talent. This Heavenly Ascension Formation sacrifices the dead bodies to refine this essence and transfer it to the person in the formation. It will amplify their blood essence and, consequently, their talent."
As He Fan spoke, Su Mei sensed something deeper, something unspoken yet unmistakable in the space between them. There was more to his plan than he revealed.
He Fan murmured inwardly, "When I was a child, I sacrificed my natural talent and spiritual imprint to boost my archery skills using a forbidden technique. I shattered the natural order, breaking the balance between body and soul for power. This Heavenly Ascension Formation will allow me to reclaim what I lost. I will regain my talent. Yet, once I regain my true talent, I will sacrifice it again to restore my original spiritual imprint. The cycle will continue... an endless pursuit of power. For that, I will need more dead bodies to fuel this unending hunger."
The Heavenly Ascension Formation is a formation that defies natural laws. It was created by the Renascence Soul Emperor and represents the ultimate expression of his belief that power must be won at all costs, even at the expense of others' lives and his own soul. In his journey, the Renascence Soul Emperor had become like a relentless tide, a force that swept away everything in its path to rise to greater heights, only to be trapped in an unending cycle of consumption and renewal. He was the Emperor who had the deepest understanding of the soul and talent. He was also the holder of the Soul Order!
Jade Harbor City, Southern Continent
Jade Harbor City appeared to have been fully restored. Countless warriors were present, and many survivors who had left earlier had returned. The city itself occupied a very large area.
The Southern Continent has three major cities: Heavenly Terrace, Phoenix Ridge, and Jade Harbor City. Heavenly Terrace covers an area as large as the Shu Dynasty, while Jade Harbor and Phoenix Ridge are as large as the Wei Dynasty of the Northern Continent. They are called cities because when they were first established, they were quite small. People have become accustomed to calling them cities or referring to the sect that occupies them!
Now, there is only one power in Jade Harbor City: the Shadow Sect. They have made the Spirit Dragon Sect their main palace.
In the main hall, a young man with a dark complexion was present. Suddenly, a black-robed man appeared from the shadows. He first bowed and then said slowly,
"Sect Leader, they have been collecting dead bodies during this time! They were very secretive, and we only learned about it after they started working on some kind of weird formation. They must be planning to use these dead bodies in the formation!"
The young man nodded and motioned for him to leave.
His eyes were deep as he murmured inwardly, "As expected, you truly have reincarnated. I was only suspicious until now, but I am sure it is you! We should start preparing! I have an advantage in this situation since I have already made my move on the Wanderer!"
He stood up, and his face turned serious. "It will still be dangerous! Our abilities are evenly matched, and I am also part of your arrangements; after all, I reincarnated using your technique! Even though I am grateful to you, I must obtain the Grand Inheritance of Ascendance!"
As he said that, he glanced at the moon in the dark night, his gaze sharp and resolute, as if preparing to face a formidable rival.
Golden Crow Kingdom, Northern Continent
A few hundred miles away from the Storm Cloud Region, in the northeastern direction, there lay a small lake surrounded by green forests and tall mountains. The sky glowed softly with warm colors, reflecting light on the still water. A small cabin among the trees had a bit of smoke rising from its chimney. The scene felt peaceful and quiet, illuminated only by natural light.
A beautiful woman with long black hair sat on the back porch of the cabin, her legs touching the top of the lake. Her raven-black hair was adorned with jade pins. She wore a soft silk robe with gold flowers. Her eyes were calm and deep, shining with light. Her beauty was unrivaled, as if the moon itself had borrowed charm from her to glow in the night sky.
Her almond-shaped eyes gazed at the calm lake, the fish occasionally splashing out, and the gentle ripples spreading across the water, reflecting the soft light around her.
Jin Huang said slowly, "You are?"
A young man's voice came from behind her. He stood in front of the cabin and said, "Is there anyone here? I'm sorry, I lost my way and arrived here. Can you tell me the way to the capital?"
Jin Huang frowned inwardly. She said, "You can come in!"
The young man entered and found no one inside. He entered deeper and heard the sound of water splashing outside. He glanced at the back door and stepped out.
When he saw the woman sitting by the side of the lake, his eyes were instantly filled with infatuation.
He said hurriedly, "Hello, I'm Lu Zheng. I'm a businessman, and due to a beast attack, I lost my cargo. I was on my way to the capital, but without a map, I'm lost! Could you help me, young lady?"
Jin Huang glanced at the young man and was momentarily entranced. Though he looked ordinary, she felt an inexplicable charm from him, as if she had finally found someone worthy!
However, she maintained her graceful and ethereal demeanor. She didn't lose her composure.
She smiled lightly. "You can drop the act now, Demon King of the South! I suppose that's what people call you these days? Or should I call you by your other alias, Ren Ying? You have been using this name for quite a while in Wei Dynasty. This should also be your fake name. I have never heard of your real name, so forgive me for being unable to recall!"
The young man moved toward Jin Huang and sat beside her. He said calmly, "Li Gang."
As he said that, all the infatuation in his eyes vanished and it became as deep as abyss.