Anyone would be terrified if a sapling suddenly popped into their head, let alone someone as afraid of death as Yang Zhen. He immediately panicked and lay down on the ground to examine it carefully.
Hmm, it looks delicious!
Yang Zhen had never seen such a lush green plant before. He stared wide-eyed and could see the veins on the leaves and the traces of the flowing divine soul power.
The veins on the almost transparent leaves exuded a mysterious aura. Upon closer inspection, Yang Zhen felt a surge of spiritual energy emanating from them, as if the sapling had not grown recently but had existed there since time immemorial.
Yang Zhen was puzzled. How could a tree suddenly pop out of his head? Luckily, it wasn't growing on his head, or what would that look like?
Suddenly, Yang Zhen remembered the seed he had obtained from the altar. His eyes widened in disbelief. Could it be that the seed had burrowed into his head, taken root, sprouted, and grown into a small tree?
This... something of unknown origin, won't it cause trouble?
Just as Yang Zhen was lost in thought, a deafening roar erupted from the heavens and earth, accompanied by a buzzing sound. Amidst the flashes of lightning and thunder, the violent celestial phenomena stirred up turbulent waves in Yang Zhen's Spirit Sea, yet Yang Zhen remained completely unaffected.
The terrifying thunder rumbled through the heavens and earth, separating the swirling, Desolation Qi that formed towering, uneven mountains and swamps in the distance, while the air above cleared.
Yang Zhen wanted to take another look at the sapling, but suddenly everything went black. When he opened his eyes again, he was already in front of the formation.
His clothes were soaked through. Yang Zhen was breathing heavily. You didn't even need to look to know that he was in extremely bad condition. His face was pale, weak, and powerless. He was even half-lying on the ground.
This feeling is like being drained of all your energy by countless women. You don't want to move at all, yet you feel incredibly energetic. All the subtle energies of the world are transmitted to your mind with extreme clarity. Things you couldn't feel before are now crystal clear.
Is this the benefit of breaking through in spiritual power?
Yang Zhen didn't know what level his soul power had broken through to, but the feeling of turning adversity into fortune was indeed wonderful.
" Yang Zhen, are you alright?"
A worried voice came from the side. Yang Zhen turned his head and said with a strange expression, "Why are you out again?"
Lan Fangyue glared at Yang Zhen, not answering Yang Zhen question, "You're too impulsive. Even I dare not cultivate the Soul-Tempering Scripture. The dangers within can easily lead to annihilation, yet you don't care at all. Aren't you afraid of death?"
"I'm scared!" Yang Zhen answered honestly, "Of course I'm scared!"
Everyone was stunned to see Yang Zhen wake up. Heaven-Piercing Pestle not far away came Yun Jie's teasing voice. " To Cultivation Method to this extent, this humble monk has truly broadened his horizons this time."
Did Yang Zhen succeed?
"Success? Are you kidding me? Have you ever seen someone Cultivation Method to the point of being half-dead?"
"It doesn't seem so. That's terrifying. The body was trembling so badly it was like a sieve, shaking so violently it could sift through chaff."
"At least he didn't die outright; Yang Zhen's life is truly extraordinary."
On the Cloud Terrace, the Ku Toutuo and the middle-aged scholar exchanged a glance, revealing a hint of disappointment, as if they were quite sorry that Yang Zhen hadn't died. Then they smiled indifferently.
Hua Youyue breathed a sigh of relief, a hint of worry flashing in her eyes, before looking up at the direction of the Heaven-Piercing Pestle.
Yun Jie and Zeng Bishu truly deserve to be called the strongest among the younger generation of the Great Jiang Kingdom. They have actually stabilized within the eighth level. Although they cannot move freely while sitting in it, it is still astonishing.
Even Liang Qiushui of the Ten Thousand Flowers Valley was stuck at the seventh level, unable to take another step. She glanced at Yun Jie and Zeng Bishu with some resentment, but when she turned back and saw Yang Zhen's weakened state, a hint of disdain flashed in her eyes, and she scoffed:
Compared to Yun Jie and Zeng Bishu, Yang Zhen is worlds apart from them!
The voice was very soft, but everyone around heard it clearly, especially Shi Feixue, who was startled and lowered her head. She knew in her heart that her senior sister was talking to her.
Liang Qiushui turned her head to look at Shi Feixue, snorted softly, closed her eyes, and focused all her energy on resisting the suppression of her soul.
Princess Changyang and Lu Xueqing were also on the seventh floor, in the same position as Shi Feixue, but a bit further out than Liang Qiushui.
Upon hearing Liang Qiushui's words, Princess Changyang and Lu Xueqing exchanged a glance and both frowned.
The two turned to look at Yang Zhen, seemingly puzzled. Given Yang Zhen's past personality and strength, he shouldn't have been unable to pass through even one level. Could it be that he had never encountered anything related to the soul before?
While everyone was lost in their own thoughts, Yang Zhen suddenly stood up and stretched his limbs thoroughly.
The cultivators who had been watching Yang Zhen all gasped in unison, but most of them wore expressions of schadenfreude.
"Now you should realize how big the gap is between you and a true genius, right?"
"It seems Yang Zhen's cultivation has failed. In this situation, he'll definitely slink away from here to avoid further embarrassment."
"It's a pity, Yang Zhen is quite good in some ways."
"This is the difference between disciples of small sects and true geniuses. Geniuses like Yun Jie and Zeng Bishu excel in every aspect, unlike Yang Zhen, who is only strong in one area but insignificant in others."
"Huh, he's still not giving up, he still wants to try?"
Everyone gasped when they saw Yang Zhen actually walking step by step towards the formation.
Lan Fangyue tugged at Yang Zhen's clothes, saying with some concern, " Yang Zhen, don't be reckless."
Just as Yang Zhen was about to speak, a clear voice rang out. " Yang Zhen... don't force yourself."
Upon hearing this, everyone gasped, staring at Hua Youyue in astonishment. The clear, crisp voice belonged to Hua Youyue.
The level of attention Hua Youyue showed to Yang Zhen was truly baffling to everyone.
Yang Zhen gave Hua Youyue a deep look, then turned around and burst into laughter. To everyone's astonishment, he strode towards the formation.
"I'm a person full of flaws, my only advantage is that I have self-awareness. But in this life, one should be a hero in life and a ghost among heroes in death. If I could swallow this insult from these bastards, wouldn't I have lived in vain?"
Upon hearing this, a burst of energy emanated from Yang Zhen, swirling around his body.
"Soul power? How is that possible?"
"Impossible! Such terrifying soul power... how did he do that?"
Lan Fangyue stared blankly at Yang Zhen, her mouth agape, forgetting to close it. The terrifying divine soul power erupting from Yang Zhen was actually stronger than Yun Jie and Zeng Bishu, no, much stronger.
If the divine soul power emanating from Yun Jie and Zeng Bishu, these two geniuses who were able to enter the eighth level, was like a gentle breeze, then the fluctuations of divine soul power on Yang Zhen's body at this moment were like a raging storm.
On the Cloud Terrace, a look of shock flashed across Hua Youyue's face. She stood up abruptly, looking at Yang Zhen in disbelief.
The Ku Toutuo and the middle-aged scholar both opened their mouths, their eyes flashing with disbelief. They wanted to speak, but nothing came out.
One step, two steps, Yang Zhen's steps were light and quick, seemingly unaffected by the suppression of the formation, and he quickly arrived at the fifth level, causing a gasp from the crowd.
"Oh dear, I'm in; oh dear, I'm out again."
A lazy voice came from behind. Yang Zhen was in front of the cultivator who said he would leave if he touched his clothes. He touched the front of his clothes and then the back of his clothes.
"Hey, how come you've only gotten this far? Can't walk anymore?" Yang Zhen circled the cultivator twice, clicking his tongue in amazement. "You need to exercise more in the future. Look at you, you're slower than a snail. You've only reached the fifth level. Aren't you ashamed?"
"Ouch, I touched a piece of clothing! Huh? I touched a piece of clothing again! I'll touch the left side, then the right side. Are you satisfied now? If not, I'll keep touching!"
puff!
The cultivator's face turned red, and he vomited blood.