Yang Zhen and Princess Changyang went somewhere secluded, and she quickly taught him how to cultivate the body-tempering technique.
"Although this Cultivation Method can be practiced amid lightning, I advise you not to try it lightly until you've cultivated it to a certain level."
Princess Changyang gave Yang Zhen the warning with a grave expression. Seeing the unconcerned look on his face, she said irritably:
"Don't brush this aside. Your talent may be decent, but my imperial father found this Cultivation Method in the Sea of Sin Thunder Marsh years ago. Even though it's only a fragment, it's enough to kill you if you cultivate it improperly."
Yang Zhen immediately put on an attentive expression and nodded. "Don't worry. I'm more afraid of dying than anything, so I won't gamble with my life."
Princess Changyang nodded. "In that case, cultivate diligently. Ghost's Sorrow is rich in lightning True Essence, so you can get twice the results with half the effort. I look forward to seeing you master it."
Yang Zhen glanced at the celestial phenomenon in the direction of Ghost's Sorrow and muttered to himself, "I wonder if cultivating in there would be even better. Should I try the lightning pool?"
Princess Changyang was startled and hurriedly said, "Don't do anything reckless. This is no child's play. Even Golden Core Realm experts don't dare enter that lightning phenomenon lightly. With your current strength, going in there would be no different from courting death."
Yang Zhen smiled and said, "Don't worry. Since you care so much about me, I won't rush in recklessly."
"Who cares about you?" Princess Changyang shot him a glare and said with a wry smile, "Now I'm beginning to wonder whether giving you the Ancient Elephant Lightning Defense Body fragment will make you or ruin you."
The spirit-grade body-tempering fragment Princess Changyang had given Yang Zhen was called the Ancient Elephant Lightning Defense Body. It was said that once this ancient physique was cultivated to its peak, one could move freely through lightning, and ordinary heavenly lightning could do no harm at all.
Although it was only a fragment, mastering it would be enough to nearly triple Yang Zhen's physical strength.
The Youzhou Grand Assembly continued. Beyond Ghost's Sorrow, there were still countless heavenly materials and earthly treasures in the mountain range waiting to be gathered.
It was said that the major sects were watching the performance of the disciples taking part in the assembly's trials. Anyone who gained an insight from the Dao Comprehension Stele might even be taken directly as a disciple.
Although Yang Zhen had been somewhat shameless, everyone had seen his performance over the past few days. As a result, he was among the most closely watched of the ordinary minor-sect disciples and Rogue Cultivators.
Of course, he was also the one who gave everyone the biggest headache.
When Yang Zhen and Princess Changyang returned to Ghost's Sorrow, most cultivators looked at him with envy, jealousy and resentment.
Princess Changyang had surely already given Yang Zhen the spirit-grade body-tempering fragment, but even the fact that he had spent so long alone with her was enough to drive most men mad with envy.
Everyone thought Yang Zhen would strike while the iron was hot and shine at the Youzhou Grand Assembly, taking the opportunity to grow closer to Princess Changyang. They even thought he would find a way to gain an insight before the Dao Comprehension Stele and be taken as a disciple by a major sect.
But Yang Zhen's wild, unbridled thinking once again took everyone by surprise. He actually stopped moving forward and decided to stay behind to cultivate the body-tempering technique.
Zhang Zongjin and the others sneered repeatedly. Yang Zhen had stopped going forward because he clearly didn't want to lose face in front of the many chosen. No matter how many tricks he had, he would be mercilessly crushed on the road ahead.
Leaving aside the fact that disciples of major sects like Zhang Zongjin were knowledgeable and well-traveled, able to identify heavenly materials and earthly treasures not merely by sight but even by smell, they could also obtain ten times or even more than disciples of ordinary sects along the way.
Yang Zhen, as a disciple of a minor sect, had no advantage whatsoever in such a contest. Having also offended many people, whether he could even reach the Dao Comprehension Stele alive was uncertain.
"Yang Zhen was smart to stop and cultivate. Otherwise, with his current strength, he might not even know how he died."
"How could he not know? Between here and the Dao Comprehension Stele, Yang Zhen might die ten times or more. Without Princess Changyang protecting him, what tricks could he possibly pull?"
"True enough. The Youzhou Grand Assembly ends here-no, I should say Yang Zhen's Youzhou Grand Assembly ends here."
The crowd buzzed with discussion. Some felt sorry for Yang Zhen, but more thought it was only natural. Not only would he gain nothing by continuing, he might even lose his life here. He was better off stopping to focus on cultivating the body-tempering technique.
Only one path lay before Yang Zhen now: wait until he had made enough progress in cultivation, then try his luck before the Dao Comprehension Stele. But the chances of that were far too slim.
Yang Zhen had little time left to begin with. In such a short time, even cultivating the body-tempering technique would yield little result, much less leave him time to hurry to the Dao Comprehension Stele and comprehend the Dao.
As the crowd continued deeper into the mountains, the shock Yang Zhen had given them seemed to have been left behind as well.
In the crowd, Su Qingyu looked back at Yang Zhen, then glanced at Princess Changyang, deep in thought.
"What's this? Qingyu, do you think Yang Zhen might still catch up?" The young man beside her gave a derisive laugh and glanced disdainfully at Yang Zhen, who had sat down where he was.
Su Qingyu shook her head without speaking. Instead, she turned and followed the crowd farther in.
A flash of satisfaction passed through the young man's eyes, and he hurried after her.
"They've finally all gone!"
Yang Zhen stood up and stretched, smiling as he watched the crowd disappear into the distance. Then he turned his gaze to the lightning marsh, that strange phenomenon of heaven and earth.
"Ancient Elephant Lightning Defense Body. This Cultivation Method sounds incredible. I wonder if, after cultivating it, I'll be able to unleash the full power of all my other martial techniques."
Muttering to himself, Yang Zhen walked toward the lightning marsh, one step at a time.
Deep within Ghost's Sorrow, a young woman in a long black dress shuddered and said in horror, "That madman!"
Had Yang Zhen been there, he would surely have recognized the strangely alluring young woman as Zhen Ping'er, who had mistaken him for Duan Langcai.
A flicker of anger flashed in Zhen Ping'er's eyes as she muttered, "That bastard. Since he's courting death himself, he's saved me the trouble of doing it. What a madman! Even Golden Core Realm experts don't dare set foot in the lightning marsh lightly. Isn't he courting death by going in like that?"
Yang Zhen naturally had no idea that a pair of bright eyes was watching him from so far away. The moment he took his first step into the lightning marsh, it felt as though millions of ants were biting and tearing at him with all their might, leaving his whole body unbearably numb and painful.
Wave after wave of terrifying Lightning Essence surged into his body. Yang Zhen was nearly torn to pieces in an instant, and he let out a muffled groan.
Yang Zhen did not dare be careless. He hurriedly circulated the Ancient Elephant Lightning Defense Body, and a peculiar True Essence immediately formed in his meridians. With a boom, heaven and earth within his body rumbled.
A sound like a great river surging forth came from within him. The eruption of True Essence in Yang Zhen's body drew a response from the Lightning Essence outside, and the two echoed each other from afar, merging wildly.
Boom!
The celestial phenomenon changed once more. The lightning filling the sky seemed to have been ignited, churning and surging wildly like countless lightning dragons rushing forth.
Zhen Ping'er, who had been about to turn and leave, suddenly shuddered. She turned around, her eyes abruptly going wide.
"How is that possible?"
P.S. Thanks to "Faded Memory" for the 100 tip, "Please Guide Me for the Rest of My Life" for the 588 tip, "Can't Repair Air Conditioners" for the 100 tip, and "No Reason Why" for the 2 tip. Love you all!
(End of chapter)