Petrifying Martial Soul

A giant ancient tree appeared in Luo Hao's line of sight. The ancient tree was so large it would take ten people to embrace it, reaching dozens of meters high with branches and leaves that blotted out the sky.

Luo Hao stopped abruptly, releasing Mu Yu Die. He gazed at the ancient tree with a heavy expression, his face shifting between grim and uncertain, as if he were about to make a significant decision.

Zhao Xin, Di Ya Lan, and Hu Long arrived before the ancient tree, their expressions also changing slightly, as if they all knew there was something unusual about this place.

Shi Yan frowned, staring at the giant Sky Gazing Tree, remaining silent.

Luo Hao took a deep breath, turned to face everyone, and said in a deep voice, "The path to the right of the Sky Gazing Tree has very few Yao Beasts. The vast majority of merchant caravans and Martial Artists who pass through the Gloomy Forest choose this path. It's very safe; even if they encounter Yao Beasts, they're usually only low-level ones like Level 1 or 2. This path is also closer to the Merchant Alliance, only about ten days' journey."

Zhao Xin and the other two nodded lightly, clearly aware of the situation.

After a pause, Luo Hao's expression turned solemn, and he continued, "But the path to the left of the Sky Gazing Tree is completely different! Not only is the journey much longer, but it's overrun with Yao Beasts, and there are many reckless Martial Artists and mercenaries. Those who dare to take this path are no pushovers. In their long-term struggles, they act without any scruples or restraint. If we take this path, we'll not only have to constantly watch out for Yao Beasts but also for those frenzied Martial Artists and mercenaries, especially since we have two beautiful young ladies in our group..."

"Hmph! Anyone who dares to lay a hand on this old lady will have their thoughts severed!" Di Ya Lan made a cutting motion in the air with her left hand, her beautiful eyes flashing with cold light.

"Uncle Luo, what do you mean?" Zhao Xin asked cautiously.

"If we take the safe route to the right, in at most one day, the people from 'Dark Nether' will catch up to us again, and we'll inevitably face another tough battle," Luo Hao said with a grim expression, looking helpless. "We can't guarantee we'll be as lucky next time. Moreover, their reinforcements might have arrived. If we encounter them again, we might be in grave danger..."

"What about going left?" Hu Long interjected.

"The left path is infested with Yao Beasts and cunning Martial Artists and mercenaries. Taking the left path means facing Yao Beasts and possibly being attacked by those Martial Artists on the verge of madness under pressure. However, the crisis we'll face, the people from 'Dark Nether' will also encounter. 'Dark Nether' has a bad reputation, and perhaps few people in the Blazing Fire Empire dare to oppose them, but in that area, there will surely be many looking for trouble. If they happen to encounter high-level Yao Beasts, they could be wiped out entirely..."

Luo Hao spoke slowly, explaining the situation before stating his opinion, "If we go right, we won't be attacked by Yao Beasts or other Martial Artists, but we'll face the significant threat of 'Dark Nether.' If we go left, we'll be attacked by Yao Beasts and Martial Artists, but 'Dark Nether' might fare even worse. For us, the left path might offer a better chance of survival."

"Let's go left!" Mu Yu Die decisively made the call.

"Alright." Luo Hao immediately nodded, casting one last glance at Shi Yan. "Young brother, you can still leave now. If you don't go now... it will be too late to leave later."

"I'll go with you," Shi Yan had already made up his mind. There was a wild side to his personality; otherwise, he wouldn't have spent ten years indulging in extreme sports, a game of death.

When Luo Hao spoke of the dangers on the left, he couldn't help but feel excited.

Nodding, Luo Hao waved his hand. "Very well, let's go. From now on, everyone be doubly cautious!"

An hour later.

Mo Chao Ge and the Mo Family Martial Artists also stopped before the Sky Gazing Tree.

"Second Uncle, which path will they choose?" Mo Yan Yu asked.

"I'll pursue them from the right. If I don't return in two hours, you follow. If I haven't caught up to them in two hours, they should have taken the left path," Mo Chao Ge said after some thought. He ordered everyone to wait there and then flew off alone towards the left.

An hour and a half later, Mo Chao Ge returned with a grim expression. "There wasn't even a shadow of them. These people actually dared to go left. Everyone be careful! That left path is overrun with Yao Beasts and lunatics, don't be careless. Remember, don't easily make enemies with those Martial Artists and mercenaries. Those who make a living by preying on Yao Beasts are suicidal maniacs. Don't provoke them."

"Yes!"

"Let's go!"

Three Sabertooth Rhinos ambled slowly by the stream. Sabertooth Rhinos were Level 3 Yao Beasts. Their backs shimmered with silver light, their fangs were like swords, and their fist-sized brown eyes were filled with ferocity. Their hides were covered in mud, which formed a natural armor, so hard that ordinary swords couldn't cut through it.

The three Sabertooth Rhinos occasionally took sips of stream water, their fierce eyes scanning their surroundings as if searching for prey.

In the bushes not far from the three Sabertooth Rhinos, Luo Hao made a gesture, signaling everyone to be quiet.

Only after the three Sabertooth Rhinos slowly moved away did Luo Hao breathe a sigh of relief. "Sabertooth Rhinos are Level 3 Yao Beasts, equivalent to Martial Artists at the Human Position realm. These Yao Beasts are swift and their fangs are extremely sharp. Low-level Martial Artists who are hit by one will be crippled or killed!"

Shi Yan's cold eyes drifted over the slowly disappearing Sabertooth Rhinos, revealing an expression of keen interest in a fight.

"Our goal on this trip is to protect Little Die, not to hunt the Yao Beasts here. I hope everyone remembers this and doesn't cause unnecessary trouble," Luo Hao said casually, seemingly having seen through Shi Yan's thoughts.

Shi Yan grinned and nodded, indicating he understood.

"Let's go. We need to be careful here. We can't rush our journey, and we must pay attention to our surroundings. Try to avoid encountering Yao Beasts and Martial Artists to minimize unnecessary trouble," Luo Hao reminded them again before leading the way forward.

Night quietly fell.

Beside a large, leafy tree by the stream, Zhao Xin and the other two spread out, vigilantly watching their surroundings to ensure no Yao Beasts suddenly appeared.

Shi Yan sat cross-legged on the damp ground, his expression solemn.

A surge of bloodlust coiled in his heart like smoke, giving him an urge to release it. The essence he had obtained from the two Underworld Star Envoys was reaching a critical point of purification, making him somewhat restless.

Luo Hao stood by Mu Yu Die's side, his brow furrowed as he watched Shi Yan, fearing Shi Yan might exhibit any abnormal behavior.

Mu Yu Die's expression was indifferent. She watched Shi Yan for a while, and seeing his expression grow increasingly ferocious, she slowly sat down, placed her zither on her beautiful, bent legs, and began to play.

As the zither music started, the restless thoughts rising in Shi Yan's heart seemed to be dissolved by a cool, foreign force, slowly receding from the depths of his heart.

Holding his breath and concentrating, Shi Yan circulated his essence, cultivating through the heavenly cycle.

An hour later, a warm current flowed out from the acupoints all over his body.

Shi Yan trembled suddenly.

Shi Yan felt as if his body was extremely thirsty. The strange power that had emerged from his acupoints was absorbed by his muscle cells and bones before it could even gather in his dantian. Those warm currents flowed into the flesh and bones of his body, taking root within his flesh, bones, and blood.

In just a few breaths, the strange warm currents that emerged from his acupoints dispersed throughout his flesh and bones, leaving him astonished.

With a thought, Shi Yan tried to sense the warm currents in his flesh and bones.

"Boom!"

A roar echoed in his mind, and the next moment, Shi Yan suddenly found his body undergoing a wondrous change.

Pale with shock, he abruptly opened his eyes and was horrified to discover that his exposed arm was actually slowly transforming into a stone-gray color.

Petrification!

Shi Yan stared in disbelief. He quickly stopped thinking about the abnormality in his body and withdrew his consciousness from it.

As his thoughts shifted, his body, which was about to "petrify," rapidly returned to normal, regaining its usual flesh and blood color.

Quietly focusing his gaze forward, Shi Yan saw Luo Hao and Mu Yu Die whispering to each other from behind a nearby tree, not noticing him.

Breathing a sigh of relief, a joyous glint flickered in Shi Yan's eyes, and he chuckled inwardly.

The sign of his body "petrifying" clearly indicated that the Shi family's "Petrifying Martial Soul" had awakened!

This Martial Soul was unique to the Shi family. As one's realm improved, this "Petrifying Martial Soul" would become increasingly formidable, eventually rendering him impervious to blades and spears and immune to the surge of Essence.

Previously, Shi Yan had assumed he was born without this Martial Soul. He never expected it to suddenly awaken after he broke through to the Innate Realm. He was ecstatic.

This "Petrifying" Martial Soul was extremely useful in combat. After "petrifying," his body would be as hard as stone yet retain its agility, significantly boosting his strength.

Besides "petrifying," he had already confirmed that his body possessed another Martial Soul, an "Undying Martial Soul" capable of self-regeneration. The two Martial Souls complemented each other. He couldn't even imagine what miraculous state his body could achieve if he cultivated them to their peak.

"Something's not right!" Shi Yan frowned, pondering inwardly. "Don't Martial Souls usually manifest not long after birth? I'm already seventeen, and my Martial Soul is awakening. This is too strange, isn't it? Could it be related to the strange energy overflowing from the Acupoints in my body?"

Vaguely, he realized that the awakening of the petrifying and undying Martial Souls within him might be connected to the blood from the blood pool and the changes in his Acupoints.

Shi Yan felt that the strange warm current overflowing from his Acupoints seemed capable of stimulating the "Martial Soul" within the human body. The thought of this possibility made his heart race, and he almost wanted to shout out loud to express his excitement.

"Martial Souls" were innate. Generally, they only grew stronger as one's realm improved. Apart from that, there were almost no other ways for "Martial Souls" to grow.

"Martial Souls" were a Martial Artist's greatest pride and a key determinant of their strength. Martial Artists cultivated diligently and sought breakthroughs precisely to achieve growth in their "Martial Souls." However, even with realm advancement, the growth of "Martial Souls" was limited and subject to various restrictions.

On the Divine Grace Continent, even legendary God Grade Alchemists could barely refine pills effective for common "Martial Souls." Those pills were the rarest and most precious divine items on the Divine Grace Continent, existing only in legends.

However, even those pills had limited effects on enhancing "Martial Souls." "Martial Souls" were innate talents; they couldn't be easily changed.

Yet, the strange warm current overflowing from Shi Yan's Acupoints seemed to defy the natural order of the world, as if it could truly catalyze "Martial Souls" and enhance this innate ability!