Yu Xiaoheng's Decision: I Have Struggled to Come This Far—How Could I Give Up?

The disappointment and worry of the clansmen around the Thunder Pool were swept away, replaced by unparalleled excitement and pride.

Cheers and cries of celebration merged into a tidal wave of sound that soared into the heavens.

Yet amid this sea of jubilation, one corner stood utterly out of place.

Even in their wild delight, quite a few clansmen could not help glancing toward Yu Xiaogang.

Their gazes were filled with ridicule and mockery, as though they were watching a clown who had just put on a vigorous performance, only to botch it completely.

Yu Xiaogang noticed none of it.

He merely stood there blankly, as if struck by lightning, his entire body frozen in place.

The glee on his face had long since solidified and shattered, leaving behind only bewilderment and emptiness.

Failed?

No, Yu Xiaoheng had succeeded.

Then the one who failed... was me?

His mind was in complete chaos as the scenes that had baffled him earlier replayed over and over.

The Martial Soul... swallowed the herbs...

Why...

Suddenly, a flash of insight split through the fog in his mind like lightning!

No, it was not my theory that was wrong!

Only those unwilling to make progress could be wrong—not knowledge itself!!

Split Body Spirits were an entirely new field!

The Golden Holy Dragon was Yu Xiaoheng's Split Body Spirit!

A Split Body Spirit could leave the main body, could... consume external objects and strengthen itself?!

This was Martial Soul knowledge from an entirely new field!

And...

Yu Xiaogang's pupils abruptly contracted, and even his breathing stopped.

My Luo San Pao...

It is also a Split Body Spirit!

Then I... can do the same, can't I?!

The gazes the clansmen cast at him, mixed with mockery and anger, suddenly seemed utterly insignificant to Yu Xiaogang.

It did not matter.

Another scene surfaced in Yu Xiaogang's mind.

It was from several years ago, when his twin brother, Yu Xiaoheng, had taken out those colorful Candies and those Soaps that gave off strange fragrances, and the expressions on the clansmen's faces.

"Neglecting proper duties!"

"A Soul Master should focus on cultivation. Why waste time on these petty tricks!"

Yu Xiaoheng had endured doubts and attacks as well...

But he had proven himself with facts.

We are brothers.

I, Yu Xiaogang, will not be inferior to him!

The cheers around the Thunder Pool gradually subsided.

The lightning within the pool did not weaken because of Yu Xiaoheng's breakthrough. Instead, it became increasingly violent.

Silver-blue electric serpents gathered and entwined, transforming into thick thunder pythons that rolled and roared at the center of the pool, giving off terrifying crackling sounds.

On the viewing platform, the smile on Yu Yuanzhen's face had long vanished, his brows tightly furrowed.

"Why has he not come out yet?"

Ning Zhenyuan said gravely, "The power of the Thunder Pool is still rising. Xiao Heng's body... has likely reached its limit."

Tang Wei's expression was solemn. "Second Stage Body Refining is already unprecedented. If he remains inside any longer, something may happen!"

Everyone's hearts tightened as their eyes locked onto the figure in the center of the Thunder Pool.

Deep within the lightning.

Yu Xiaoheng sat cross-legged, his entire body shrouded in a faint golden glow.

He could feel that, tempered by the lightning, the Soul Power inside him circulated with ever-greater ease, while his control over lightning had improved by more than one level.

But he knew even more clearly that this was not enough.

Far from enough.

Body refinement greatly boosted Soul Power, but the strengthening of the physique itself had an upper limit.

With his current physique and Soul Power protecting his body, absorbing a thousand-year Soul Ring would perhaps be more than manageable.

But the Soul Ring he was determined to obtain was One Thousand Four Hundred Year.

To claim it without any risk, he had to reach the Third Stage Body Refining Realm—Solidified Thunder Bones.

Only then could his physique undergo a true qualitative transformation and withstand the violent power of that Soul Ring.

What should he do?

The shouts from outside the pool reached him intermittently through the violent lightning.

"Xiao Heng! Come out quickly!"

"Enough! Do not take any more risks!"

Yu Xiaoheng turned a deaf ear.

He continued frantically absorbing the power of lightning, trying to break through that invisible barrier.

Boom!

A thunder python as thick as a water barrel slammed fiercely into his back.

The golden light flickered violently.

"Ptui—"

A mouthful of blood sprayed out, staining the silver-blue lightning with a dazzling scarlet streak.

His body had reached its limit.

The protection of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect only weakened the Thunder Pool's damage; it could not block it completely.

Give up?

Yu Xiaoheng's consciousness was becoming somewhat hazy.

He had already gained enough this time. Second Stage Body Refining, Soul Power at the peak of Level 10, and a smooth road ahead—there was no need to risk his life here for a single Soul Ring.

He even thought calmly that even if Liu Erlong's foundation was damaged because of this, it would only affect the future strength of their Martial Soul Fusion Skill. It would not affect his use of this opportunity to make his Martial Soul fully adapt to the Golden Holy Dragon's form...

The moment that thought arose, Yu Xiaoheng's face darkened.

He slowly opened his eyes. A trace of struggle flashed through his golden pupils before it finally...

Turned into resolve.

He could not continue any longer.

He had struggled so hard to reach this point, struggled so hard... to escape his original fate.

He could not gamble with his life.

I still...

I still have to grow stronger!

Transcend!

Until... I no longer suffer the pain of being crushed beneath powerful figures like Qian Xunji!

He prepared to rise.

Just then, Yu Yuanzhen on the viewing platform frowned tightly. Seeing that the clansmen's persuasion was useless, he turned to the frail figure at his side.

"Erlong, go persuade him!"

Liu Erlong's little face was pale as she hurried toward the edge of the Thunder Pool.

"Brother Xiaoheng! Come back quickly!"

Liu Erlong's pale face was streaked with tears.

"I... I'm fine! Really!"

At the center of the pool, Yu Xiaoheng slowly raised his head.

Scarlet blood slid down from the corner of his mouth, sharply contrasting with the faint golden dragon scales emerging over his body.

His gaze passed through the violent silver-blue thunder pythons and landed on the slender figure at the pool's edge.

Erlong's eyes were filled with fear and pleading.

He was silent for a moment.

"Then what will happen to you?"

The moment the words left his mouth, Yu Xiaoheng felt a surge of self-mockery.

What a hypocritical question.

He had clearly already decided to give up, yet he insisted on asking this question now.

It was no different from throwing the entire dilemma onto her and making her choose for him.

He could even clearly foresee Liu Erlong's answer.

Sure enough.

Liu Erlong shook her head forcefully, tears scattering from her eyes.

"I don't care!"

"As long as Brother Xiaoheng is safe, I don't care what happens to me!"

She did not care...

The struggle in Yu Xiaoheng's eyes...

Vanished in an instant.

That was all it took.

At the edge of the Thunder Pool, the waves of sound fell silent.

The wild joy faded from the clansmen's faces.

They were not fools. Naturally, they understood what Liu Erlong's "I don't care" meant.

A damaged foundation, a bleak future.

But so what?

Using an outsider girl to secure the Martial Soul of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's Young Sect Master was an exceedingly worthwhile bargain.

On the viewing platform, Yu Yuanzhen's tightly furrowed brows did not relax in the slightest. In the end, they only turned into a long sigh.

Amid this oppressive atmosphere, an enraged shout suddenly exploded like thunder.