Chapter 3
Chapter 3 – Talent Returns
Translator: Mr Voltaire
Editor: Master Shadow
This attack created a sonic boom, indicating to Xiao Yun that this was a demonic python that had reached the Sixth Layer of Body Tempering!
Boom!
Under threat of being hit by the ferocious attack, Xiao Yun tilted his body and lost his balance, falling towards the chasm of fire.
"The flames down there are so fierce. If I fall, I’ll definitely be burnt to a crisp." Xiao Yun couldn’t control his body at all as he fell. However, he continued to grip the Fire Soul Flower, unwilling to let go.
"Martial Spirit!" As the flames rushed towards him, Xiao Yun calmed himself down as he tried to use his Martial Spirit to stab into the cliff and stop his descent.
Under the guidance from Xiao Yun’s thoughts, a jade-green branch stretched out from within his palm. Just as he was about to stab the Martial Spirit into the cliff, the jade-green branch trembled, then gave a happy buzz as it then receded and exited from his forehead with a flash.
"This…" At this sudden, strange reaction, Xiao Yun felt quite shocked. Was his Martial Spirit completely leaving his body?
In order for one’s Martial Spirit to leave their body, they needed to awaken their source energy and completely fuse with their Martial Spirit!
As for awakening their source energy, only an Essence Core realm cultivator could do that.
Even if a True Essence realm cultivator could do so, they would only be able to barely form an illusory Martial Spirit outside their body. The Martial Spirit would not be able to truly leave their body.
After the Martial Spirit left his body, it glowed with a bright jade-green light, dying its surroundings the same colour. The light seemed to be filled with a strange vitality. The Martial Spirit then rooted itself in Xiao Yun’s forehead, releasing mystical symbols that covered his entire body. By now, Xiao Yun had completely fallen into the chasm.
"G.o.ddamit, what are you trying to do?" Seeing that the Martial Spirit wasn’t following his commands, a bitter expression appeared on Xiao Yun’s face. "You already stole so much Essence Qi from me; are you going to steal my life as well?! Why did I awaken a Martial Spirit like you?"
The jade-green light completely covered Xiao Yun as he fell. Before long, the flames from below completely engulfed him and the ma.s.sive impact knocked Xiao Yun unconscious.
However, while Xiao Yun was knocked unconscious, the heartless Martial Spirit became incredibly excited.
After completely covering Xiao Yun with the glowing symbols, the jade-green branch extended outwards, stabbing deep into the flames and lava as it started to absorb the dense Fire Essence Qi.
As the dense Fire Essence Qi was absorbed by the jade-green branch, the sea of flames nearby gradually calmed down. No longer was it like a berserk beast, but rather like an obedient lamb, as if it was face-to-face with its predator.
Time gradually pa.s.sed and soon, night fell. The night sky twinkled with stars as the evening breeze blew.
Within the chasm, the bright jade-green light was incredibly eye-catching.
The branch that had stabbed into the flames and lava had become noticeably thicker, and now had a sub-branch stemming out of it. After absorbing so much Fire Essence Qi, Xiao Yun’s Martial Spirit had greatly benefitted.
As time continued to flow, the sky began to brighten as the warm sunlight began to cover the earth. Within the jade-green light, Xiao Yun slowly woke up. After he opened his eyes, he was completely dumbfounded.
"I’m still alive?" Xiao Yun looked around him with an expression of dismay on his face.
His entire body was covered by a jade-green light and the Martial Spirit was still rooted to his forehead. He could still feel his body, and was certain that he was still alive. However, he found that he was still within the chasm of fire, which was incredibly shocking.
"How could I still be alive?" Xiao Yun muttered. He looked at the jade-green branch that was still stabbed into the lava and a surprised look appeared on his face. "This Martial Spirit’s absorbing the Fire Essence Qi?"
This scene caused Xiao Yun to become incredibly excited.
"My Martial Spirit can absorb little sis’ Chilling Qi, neutralise poisons and absorb Fire Essence Qi. Could it be that it can also absorb all Heaven and Earth Essence
If this was the case, it wouldn’t be difficult at all to upgrade his Martial Spirit.
Xiao Yun took a closer look at his Martial Spirit and found that there was a crimson-red leaf on the sub-branch, which made his heart beat even faster. This change confirmed his suspicions!
"This new leaf contains dense Fire Essence Qi." After taking a closer look, he found that the leaf on the sub-branch was flame-red.
After discovering this, the fear within Xiao Yun’s heart completely disappeared and started to check his body.
Xiao Yun found that he hadn’t been injured at all. Instead, both his mind and body felt stronger.
After looking around, he found that he could see incredibly small objects that he couldn’t previously see – it seemed that his senses had been sharpened as well.
"Are these all benefits brought by the Martial Spirit being upgraded?" Xiao Yun muttered to himself in shock and delight.
Although he hadn’t awakened his source energy and completely fused with his Martial Spirit, it was as if they were one.
Now that the Martial Spirit had been upgraded, he had received many benefits as well.
Xiao Yun no longer felt scared, and allowed the Martial Spirit to continue absorbing the nearby Fire Essence Qi.
Two hours later, the dense Fire Essence Qi within the chasm had mostly been depleted. It was no longer as hot, and even the lava began to cool due to the lack of Fire Essence Qi.
Within a day, the chasm of fire had completely been changed.
All of these changes had happened because of Xiao Yun.
Only when the lava had finally completely cooled did Xiao Yun pull out the Martial Spirit. The Martial Spirit flashed with light then returned to the chaotic world within his sea of consciousness.
Xiao Yun looked around in disbelief.
Yesterday, this place had been filled with flames and lava, and now it had become like this. It others found out about this, it would cause a great commotion.
After the Martial Spirit returned to Xiao Yun’s sea of consciousness, his body suddenly trembled, as if some of his meridians had been connected. A thick stream of Essence Qi entered his dantian and a long-missed feeling of strength spread throughout his body. In fact, it felt even stronger than the strength of the Sixth Layer of Body Tempering.
"This is…" Xiao Yun was flabbergasted. Somehow, he had broken through to the Seventh Layer of Body Tempering. After 8 years, he had finally broken through.
"Could it be that the Martial Spirit absorbed so much of the Fire Essence Qi that it doesn’t need my Essence Qi anymore?" In order to test this theory, Xiao Yun began to absorb Heaven and Earth Essence Qi.
Indeed, now that the Martial Spirit had been upgraded, he absorbed Heaven and Earth Essence Qi 10 times faster.
Previously, he had only been able to absorb threads of Essence Qi, but now it rushed towards him like fog, clothing him in a haze.
In just 2 hours, Xiao Yun felt that he had already reached the peak of the Seventh Layer of Body Tempering.
Now, he stopped his cultivation and instead waited to see if there would be any reaction from the Martial Spirit.
Every time he gathered enough Essence Qi, it would be absorbed by his Martial Spirit.
After waiting for a while, the Martial Spirit did not react at all, as if it was disinterested in his Essence Qi.
"It really doesn’t want the Essence Qi anymore?" Xiao Yun felt delirious with joy, but also felt quite strange. He had been waiting for this day for a long time, but now that it had finally come, he couldn’t believe it was actually happening.
After a while, there was still no reaction, so Xiao Yun sent his mind into his sea of consciousness to investigate the Martial Spirit.
"You really don’t want this Essence Qi?" Although the Martial Spirit resided in his body, he hadn’t awakened his source energy and completely fused with it yet, so he could only ask it like this.
The Martial Spirit gave a buzz, as if it was answering Xiao Yun.
When he heard this, Xiao Yun was finally able to relax.
Many years ago, he had guessed that one day, he would regain his talent when the Martial Spirit stopped absorbing his Essence Qi. For this, he had waited 8 years and had painstakingly trained and cultivated every day. And now, that moment had finally arrived.
Xiao Yun felt overjoyed and couldn’t stop himself from screaming in joy.
He seemed to be announcing his return to the heavens, and venting all of the humiliation and depression he had endured all these years.
Because of the Martial Spirit absorbing his Essence Qi, Xiao Yun had endured being humiliated and mocked for 8 years.
Even an ordinary adult wouldn’t be able to endure such a thing, much less a child.
And now that this humiliation was gone, how could he not be overjoyed?
After releasing much of his pent-up emotions, Xiao Yun calmed himself down. Seeing that he was still holding the Fire Soul Flower, he grinned and said to himself, "Luckily, the Fire Soul Flower wasn’t destroyed; looks like I gained an abundant harvest this time."
After putting the Fire Soul Flower into his sack, Xiao Yun looked up and started to climb back up the cliff.
When he neared the top, he became incredibly alert.
Ssssssssss!
The Fire Python that had ambushed Xiao Yun the previous day appeared, and once again swept its tail towards him.
"Hmph, I nearly died because of you yesterday; are you trying the same thing today?" Xiao Yun’s gaze focused on the Fire Python, and he did not panic at all. He grabbed onto a rock with one hand as he backhanded the Fire Python’s tail with the other.
The backhand palm was vigorous and caused a vicious gale, in addition to cracking the nearby rocks.
Bang!!
A m.u.f.fled explosion sounded out as the Fire Python was sent flying and crashed into the cliff.
"I’m going to take you back to cook as soup. You’ll be good nutrition for lil sis." After killing the Fire Python in a single hit, Xiao Yun climbed over with the dexterity of a monkey as his hands formed claws and ripped the Fire Python apart.
"The Peak Seventh Layer of Body Tempering is indeed quite powerful; even this Fire Python wasn’t able to defend itself against me." Xiao Yun was quite satisfied with this power. After securing the Fire Python that was as thick as his thighs, he climbed back out of the chasm.
His harvest had been extremely bountiful this time.
However, the most important thing was that Xiao Yun had discovered that the Martial Spirit could be upgraded through absorbing Essence Qi.
As such, it wouldn’t get in the way of his cultivation.
"As long as I can cultivate normally, I won’t be inferior to anyone else." The youth stood at the summit of the mountain as he balled his hands into fists and stared up into the sky. A look of determination appeared on his face as hope flashed in his eyes.