Forcibly Tempering His Body, Charging into the Third Heaven!

"Yu Xiaoheng!!"

Everyone turned around in shock.

A middle-aged man in luxurious robes strode through the crowd. His features somewhat resembled Yu Yuanzhen's, though his expression was far more gloomy. His eyes were bloodshot as he stared fixedly at the center of the Thunder Pool.

Dust still clung to his robes. He had clearly just rushed back from afar.

"It's the Second Sect Master!"

"Yu Luomian? Wasn't he stationed outside, guarding the family's businesses? Why has he returned?"

Yu Luomian ignored everyone's astonishment. He crossed the distance in a few strides, rushed to the edge of the Thunder Pool, grabbed Liu Erlong's arm, and pulled her protectively behind him.

His gaze was like a blade as it stabbed toward Yu Xiaoheng.

"You despicable, shameless brat! What do you take Erlong for?!"

"Your cultivation tool?!"

"And you still dare ask her what she wants to do?!"

He pointed at Yu Xiaoheng, his finger trembling slightly from the force he exerted.

"Yu Xiaoheng, what a scheme! What methods!"

"You were never asking her. You were forcing her!"

"With the entire sect watching, would Erlong dare tell you to take a risk?!"

"You asked what to do?"

"Simple. Today, I'm taking Erlong away!"

Every word pierced the heart!

The entire area immediately erupted into an uproar.

The people from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and the Clear Sky Sect all looked at their noses and then their hearts, doing their best to reduce their presence.

The Blue Lightning members also fell silent as cicadas in winter.

If anyone else had said those words, it would have been utter insubordination. Were they trying to destroy the sect's hope?

But when Yu Luomian said it, it was only natural.

What fault was there in a father protecting his daughter?

Yu Yuanzhen's expression darkened, yet he did not know how to respond.

Yu Xiaoheng could feel countless gazes gathering upon him.

He...

Slowly closed his eyes.

My mind is made up.

So what if Yu Luomian has returned?

At worst, I'll just get cursed at by one more person.

It's just...

"Father!"

Liu Erlong broke free from Yu Luomian's grip and stepped forward again.

Tears welled in her eyes, yet they never fell.

"This has nothing to do with Brother Xiaoheng!"

"I chose all of this myself!"

Yu Luomian roared, "You chose it? Erlong, have you lost your mind?! He's been using you from the very beginning!"

"Yes!"

Liu Erlong's voice was not loud, but it was extraordinarily firm.

"Even if Brother Xiaoheng has been using me, I'm willing!"

"When I was at my lowest and most helpless, Brother Xiaoheng brought me back to the sect and gave me a home."

"I watched with my own eyes as he endured countless mockeries to become stronger, shed so much blood and sweat, and suffered through so many nights because of the medicine... None of you saw that!"

"Now that I finally have the ability to help him..."

"Even if I can only be a stepping stone beneath his feet, I'm willing!"

"I, Liu Erlong, have no regrets!"

Within the Thunder Pool.

Lightning danced wildly, and thunder serpents roared.

Yet all of it seemed to have drifted far away from Yu Xiaoheng.

All that remained in his ears was Liu Erlong's sentence: "I'm willing."

Having lived two lives, and possibly awakening a worthless Martial Soul, he had long grown accustomed to schemes, to fighting for every advantage, to...

Moving forward!

Moving forward by any means necessary.

He could calmly handle the pressure from the sect.

He could dismiss the mockery of his clansmen with indifference.

He could grit his teeth and persevere through Yu Yuanzhen's disappointment.

Attacks, doubts, incomprehension, ridicule... Those negative things could instead become fuel for his progress, making him tougher and colder.

Persevering had always been easy.

With a clear goal, all he needed was to use whatever means were necessary.

But now...

He... wavered.

So perseverance could become this difficult too...

Yu Xiaoheng slowly closed his eyes.

The surging golden light around him gradually withdrew. The violent power of lightning still ravaged his body, leaving behind streak after streak of charred black marks.

Yet he seemed completely unaware of it.

He merely sat cross-legged, letting the lightning wash over him as he sank into profound silence.

Liu Erlong, are you insane?!

Have you gone crazy?!

It's not like no one in the sect likes you!

Why?

Why are you so blindly loyal to me??

What I...

What I put into you was only enough to get a Martial Soul Fusion Skill out of it.

You say you have no regrets...

Do you know that it'll make me feel like I'll... deeply regret things in the future!

A fire burned within Yu Xiaoheng's heart.

He was extremely irritated.

So he decided...

To blow it all up!!

To blow up this whole world!!

You sent me to a fantasy world and didn't even give me a cheat, huh?!

Then I'll... have some fun with you.

I won't give up on my Martial Soul, and I won't let myself regret this!

Brilliant golden light flashed through Yu Xiaoheng's eyes.

Within the Thunder Pool, golden light suddenly erupted!

It was not restraint, nor contraction, but an eruption after compression taken to the absolute extreme!

"Boom—!"

A muffled explosion came not from the sky, but from the bottom of the Thunder Pool.

The dozens of Thunder Guiding Stones embedded at the bottom of the pool, used to guide and stabilize the lightning's power, all exploded at that instant!

Freed from their restraints, the energy of the entire Thunder Pool transformed into the most primitive, most violent torrent of lightning. Like countless rivers flowing into the sea, it all surged toward the figure at the center of the pool!

"Crackle—!!"

The silver-blue lightning became so dense that it turned tangible, completely swallowing Yu Xiaoheng.

"Pfft!"

A mist of blood burst from within the lightning.

Golden dragon scales shattered inch by inch, exposing flesh and blood.

That was no longer tempering.

That was destruction!

"Xiaoheng!!!"

On the viewing platform, Yu Yuanzhen's eyes nearly split apart.

Ning Zhenyuan's expression changed drastically, and he could no longer care about anything else.

"Seven Treasures Turn, Glazed Brilliance!"

He shouted sharply. The dazzling Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda behind him abruptly expanded, growing several zhang tall!

Martial Soul Avatar!

"First: Strength! Second: Speed! Third: Soul! Fourth: Defense..."

Ning Zhenyuan activated every soul skill in a single breath. Streams of flowing light in various colors shot toward the center of the Thunder Pool as though they cost nothing, trying to stabilize Yu Xiaoheng's body as it neared collapse.

However, it was futile.

The enhancing streams of light vanished the moment they touched the violent web of lightning, like mud cows sinking into the sea.

The power of the Thunder Pool had already exceeded the limit of his support!

"Madman! You've gone mad!!"

Yu Yuanzhen looked utterly crazed. His eyes were bloodshot as he suddenly turned toward Yu Luomian.

"It's all because of you! If you hadn't forced him, how could it have come to this?!"

"Take him down!"

At the Sect Master's command, several elders and disciples of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan lit up their soul rings and charged toward Yu Luomian with roars.

"Stop! Xiaoheng, stop already!"

"Young Sect Master, enough! This is truly enough!"

Even more clansmen rushed to the edge of the Thunder Pool, desperately trying to persuade him.

Facing the siege, Yu Luomian merely snorted. Soul Power surged around him and sent everyone flying back.

He looked at the nearly unrecognizable figure within the Thunder Pool, his gaze complicated.

"Hmph. At least he's still a man."

"Father!" Liu Erlong's scream tore through the sky. "Brother Xiaoheng! No!!"

She tried to rush into the Thunder Pool like a madwoman, but Yu Luomian tightly gripped her arm, leaving her unable to move.

"Let me go! Let me go!"

Tears blurred her vision. The world was all but swallowed by that destructive silver-blue light.