Cosmic Divine Light

"Roar, roar, roar!" The Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear froze for a moment before letting out an earth-shaking roar. Dark golden light burst from its body.

The powerful sound waves swept through everything around it like a violent gale.

To the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear, its pair of powerful dreadclaws were its most treasured possessions, yet Tang Chenfeng had broken them. It had been thoroughly enraged.

Yet Tang Chenfeng remained exceptionally calm in the face of the even more terrifying, enraged Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear. He merely stood there, but he carried an air of supreme dominance.

Amid the waves of force stirred up by the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear, Tang Chenfeng raised his right hand. Two Black Soul Rings slowly rose from his body, circled around his right arm, and instantly merged into it.

The azure flames that had previously covered Tang Chenfeng's right fist suddenly flared fiercely as if exploding. They rapidly spread across his entire arm, and the dazzling blue light filled the area around him with brilliant color.

If Ling Wei had been there to take a closer look at Tang Chenfeng, she would have noticed that his aura had changed. It was as though he had become an entirely different person, carrying an air of supremacy over heaven and earth.

Looking at the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear, Tang Chenfeng spoke in a voice only he himself could hear. "Watch carefully, child. This is how Cosmic Divine Light is used."

The Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear moved, charging at Tang Chenfeng like a small mountain. At the same time, it swung its other Dark Gold Dreadclaw. A five-meter-long dark golden claw projection descended from the sky, slamming toward Tang Chenfeng's head.

As the Dark Gold Dreadclaw fell, Tang Chenfeng merely took a sideways sliding step and dodged it with an incredibly fluid movement. His footwork was light and smooth, so seamless that it almost seemed unnatural.

Tang Chenfeng practically brushed past the Dark Gold Dreadclaw. Strangely, however, it did not look as if Tang Chenfeng had dodged the claw. Instead, it looked more like the Dark Gold Dreadclaw had deliberately avoided him. Yet it all seemed perfectly natural.

The Dark Gold Dreadclaw struck the ground, raising nothing more than a cloud of dust. At that moment, a figure leaped out of the smoke and landed directly on the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear's thick arm, racing up it toward its head.

Before the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear could react, Tang Chenfeng's heavy fist was already swinging toward its face.

"Boom!" The Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear's face gradually distorted beneath Tang Chenfeng's punch. Its massive body was violently smashed to the ground, along with several bear teeth.

"Roar—" The Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear climbed back to its feet, but compared to before, its momentum had weakened drastically. It even took half a step back. It had clearly been frightened by that sudden attack. This was likely the first time it had encountered a human capable of matching it in strength.

"Roar—!" Yet at that moment, the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear suddenly erupted again. As a king among Soul Beasts, it absolutely refused to believe that it would fall at the hands of a tiny human.

The Dark Gold Dreadclaw descended once more. It believed that with its defense and attack combined, it could never lose to a human.

Tang Chenfeng had already assumed his stance. The shattered Star God Armor reassembled into the Star God Hammer in his hands at a visible speed. The flames that had covered his arm had transferred onto the Star God Hammer, making it appear much larger. It was now a true War Hammer.

Facing the Dark Gold Dreadclaw, Tang Chenfeng merely said coldly, "Before my Cosmic Divine Light, your defense is worthless."

"Clang!" As the Dark Gold Dreadclaw collided with the Star God Battle Hammer, the previously indestructible claw crumbled like a stone the instant it touched the hammer.

Yet the Star God Battle Hammer in Tang Chenfeng's hand did not stop. Like when he used the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer, it carried his body through a full turn before swinging out again. This time, the hammerhead slammed solidly into the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear's jaw. Amid the crack of shattering bones, the tremendous force sent its massive body reeling backward—but it was not over yet.

Tang Chenfeng leaped again. As though he had completely forgotten about his fractured left hand, he gripped the hammer with both hands, raised the Star God Battle Hammer over his head, and smashed it viciously down onto the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear's skull. Its face distorted once again as it slowly collapsed. This time, however, it would never rise again.

After the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear fell, Tang Chenfeng landed steadily as well.

Looking at the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear gradually dissolving into motes of light, Tang Chenfeng murmured, "This battle is over. The plan must enter its next stage as well." Then, as the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear vanished, Tang Chenfeng's body also dispersed into motes of light.

After an unknown amount of time, Tang Chenfeng's consciousness gradually awakened within the darkness.

Tang Chenfeng felt strange. He could sense that his consciousness was awake, but aside from that, he could not feel anything at all.

"Could this mean I'm in the Sea of Consciousness? But why has it become completely dark? And why do I feel as if I've forgotten something?" Tang Chenfeng muttered.

In truth, his memories stopped at the moment he struggled to stand up. Everything after that had vanished into unconsciousness.

Suddenly, a light seemed to appear ahead in the darkness. It grew closer and closer, and Tang Chenfeng felt warmth spreading around him. The Sea of Stars within his Sea of Consciousness began to flicker again. He could feel his body once more.

A familiar figure appeared within the light. That figure was already extremely familiar to Tang Chenfeng. He saw her in his dreams almost every night: Sister Bai Xing, who taught him how to control his energy.

However, as her figure drew closer, Tang Chenfeng realized that Bai Xing seemed different this time. In his memories, Bai Xing had only been a somewhat blurry humanoid Light and Shadow, but now, she no longer seemed to be merely a mass of light. She seemed to possess a real, tangible body.

Seeing Tang Chenfeng staring blankly at her, Bai Xing said cheerfully, "What's wrong? You look like you've just seen an incomparable beauty."

There was obvious teasing and self-praise in her words. Bai Xing learned about the outside world through Tang Chenfeng's eyes, and judging from the way she spoke now, she was almost no different from an ordinary person. If anything, she was a little too cheerful.

Still, calling herself an incomparable beauty was no exaggeration. Before, Tang Chenfeng could only make out the vague outline of her face, but now he could see her clearly.

Bai Xing's beauty was like the stars in the heavens—dazzling, elegant, and noble, inspiring reverence in those who saw her.

"It's nothing, Sister Bai Xing. What happened to me just now? I remember I was still in the Spirit Platform, where I encountered the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear, and then I passed out?"

Bai Xing said, "That's exactly why I came to find you." As she spoke, streaks of Light and Shadow appeared in her hand.

"This is what happened while you were unconscious. Take your time watching." With that, the Light and Shadow flew into Tang Chenfeng's hands, and he began watching its contents.

Very quickly, Tang Chenfeng finished watching everything. The expression on his face became increasingly shocked.

"I advanced to Two Rings, and the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear... was killed by me in two hits?!" Tang Chenfeng exclaimed in shock.

"Yes, that's right," Bai Xing said calmly.

"Then why don't I remember any of it? And what was that flame-like power I used?"

Bai Xing explained, "Do you remember when I told you there would be a surprise once you reached Two Rings?"

"Of course I remember," Tang Chenfeng said. "You also said I might need to risk my life as a catalyst in order to break through. Was that surprise those azure flames? What exactly are they?"

Bai Xing said, "That is your true innate ability. Your Body Martial Soul can only be considered an incomplete auxiliary ability. Once you begin to awaken, it will unleash its true power. Its name is Cosmic Divine Light."

Bai Xing continued, "As its name suggests, Cosmic Divine Light is a source power originating from the universe. It was originally my power, and since you are my child, you naturally inherited it. This ability possesses limitless possibilities, but you must discover those possibilities yourself. It will awaken its traits according to your thoughts and determination."

"For example, during that battle, the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear did not make you afraid. Instead, it stirred your fighting spirit and awakened this ability. I speculate that your first ability is Unstoppable Offense. That was why you could shatter the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear's claws with one punch. In other words, no matter what kind of defense stands before you, you can break it. To you, there will be no defense in this world that cannot be broken."

The more Tang Chenfeng listened, the more excited he became. "I actually gained such an incredible ability! Doesn't that mean every defense before me is meaningless?"

As he said this, Tang Chenfeng even looked a little smug.

However, Bai Xing poured cold water on him from the side. "But honestly, I'm still a little disappointed. I originally thought you would awaken an ability that could completely ignore defense, rather than break through it. There's still a big difference between the two."

Tang Chenfeng pulled a long face. "Sister Bai Xing, can't you stop pouring cold water on me?"

Bai Xing said, "Don't worry. There's an even bigger bucket of cold water coming."

"Ah..."

"A bigger bucket of cold water? What do you mean?" Tang Chenfeng asked in confusion.

Bai Xing said seriously, "Do you know why I chose to temporarily take control of your body instead of letting you fight directly? It was because I was afraid you would get carried away and overfight. Cosmic Divine Light drains you heavily. With your current total Soul Power, you can only maintain it for two minutes at most."

Tang Chenfeng asked, "So after two minutes, I won't be able to use it because my Soul Power will be exhausted?"

"Not exactly."

Bai Xing said, "Even if your Soul Power is completely exhausted, you can continue using it, but..."

"But what?" Tang Chenfeng pressed.

"But after your Soul Power is exhausted, if you still want to maintain Cosmic Divine Light, you must burn your own life force to keep using it. Although its power will surge at that time, it absolutely isn't worth it. So you must be careful when using it in the future."

Tang Chenfeng was greatly shocked. He had never imagined that this ability carried such a serious side effect. If he ever truly got carried away and overused it in battle, he might genuinely lose his life. It seemed he would have to be extremely careful whenever he used it in the future.

Tang Chenfeng was lowering his head in thought when he suddenly came back to his senses. The moment he looked up, he discovered that Bai Xing's face had somehow moved right in front of his.

It gave him such a fright that he staggered back two steps.

"Sister Bai Xing, what are you doing? You scared me!"

Bai Xing merely chuckled. "Nothing. I just feel that you're becoming more and more like me."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Tang Chenfeng did not understand.

Bai Xing said, "We can talk about what comes next later. The people outside seem very worried about you, so go back first."

After saying that, Bai Xing snapped her fingers. Tang Chenfeng immediately felt the world spin around him before everything plunged into darkness. Then, he seemed to hear someone calling his name.

Tang Chenfeng opened his eyes and saw several familiar faces.

"That's wonderful, that's wonderful! Mom, come take a look, Brother is awake!" The moment Ye Hongling saw Tang Chenfeng awaken, she immediately turned and ran toward Ling Wei.

Tang Chenfeng looked around and found himself lying in an infirmary. Judging from the decorations, he was still inside the Spirit Pagoda.

"That's great, Boss. You finally woke up." The second person to come check on him was Ze Ping.

"Chenfeng, don't move yet. Your Sea of Consciousness may have been damaged. Do you feel anything wrong?" Ling Wei quickly walked over and asked Tang Chenfeng.

Two hours had passed since Tang Chenfeng defeated the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear in the Spirit Platform. During that time, the Spirit Pagoda staff had carried him out of the Spirit Platform. When they found that he was unconscious, they sent him to the infirmary first.

Tang Chenfeng sat up and said that he did not seem to have any problems. If there was anything at all, he only felt rather tired.

"Boss, are you really okay? Don't force yourself. You have no idea how much you've changed."

Ze Ping's words caught Tang Chenfeng's attention.

Tang Chenfeng asked, "Changed? What could have changed about me?"

Ye Hongling somehow produced a mirror from beside her and said, "Brother, I think you should take a look for yourself."

Tang Chenfeng looked at himself in the mirror. The moment he saw his reflection, his whole body stiffened. The person in the mirror was indeed him, but his face shape and features seemed to have been carefully sculpted. He had become more handsome and more heroic than before. There were other changes as well. His hair had turned an extremely rare sky blue, and even his eyes had become sky blue.

Ling Wei said from the side, "You were already like this when we carried you out of the Spirit Platform. But don't worry, I examined you carefully. It hasn't had any harmful effects on your body. On the contrary, all of your bodily functions have become much stronger."

Tang Chenfeng suddenly understood. So this was what Bai Xing had meant when she said he was becoming more and more like her. Bai Xing also had long sky-blue hair and sky-blue eyes. Judging from those two traits alone, they really were becoming more alike.

"See? See? Wasn't I right?"

Hm? That voice was...

Suddenly, a familiar voice sounded directly in Tang Chenfeng's mind. But that voice should not have appeared here.

"Sister Bai Xing, is that you?" Tang Chenfeng thought.

"That's right. As your cultivation rises, it will become easier and easier for me to communicate with you. There are some other things as well, but we can discuss them after we return. Deal with what's in front of you first."

"Boss? Boss? What are you spacing out about again?"

"Ah, it's nothing. By the way, Ze Ping, did you pick the Spirit Soul you wanted?"

At this, a smug expression appeared on Ze Ping's face. He then took out a small sphere. Tang Chenfeng recognized it—it was a temporary storage device for holding a Spirit Soul. As long as the user wished it, they could absorb the Spirit Soul inside.

When Tang Chenfeng saw the Spirit Soul inside, he was even more surprised. It was a small bear covered entirely in dark gold. Its most eye-catching features were its thick arms and claws. Wasn't this the very Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear Tang Chenfeng had killed earlier?

"The deputy tower master gave it to me, and he gave me a huge discount too. It was probably compensation, so I accepted it. It just happens to be perfect as my Spirit Soul," Ze Ping said with a grin.

Tang Chenfeng said from the side, "Are you sure you want to absorb it? The Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear is such a violent Soul Beast. Absorbing its Spirit Soul is very risky."

Ze Ping said, "The bigger the storm, the more valuable the fish. Wealth is found amid danger. If I don't try, how will I know? Just like you, Boss—even when facing the invincible Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear, you still defeated it."

This left Tang Chenfeng unable to refute him. He could only remind Ze Ping to be careful when absorbing it.

In the end, Tang Chenfeng's physical examination showed that he was unharmed and had even grown considerably stronger. Ze Ping had also obtained the Hundred-Year Soul Spirit he wanted. With all their goals achieved, the two families finally bid each other farewell in front of the Spirit Pagoda.

After everything that had happened in Haitian City, Tang Chenfeng and the others finally set out on the road home.