Chapter 537: Soul Binding
Chapter 537: Soul Binding
On the other side of the rift, Astrid hid, her equipment missing and the sensory hooks on her armor gone. Without them, it was difficult for her to accurately locate herself, and she had to rely on the signals transmitted from the other side.
With her eyes closed, she took deep breaths, focusing on sensing the rifts that appeared from time to time around her, all the while muttering, "Hurry, hurry..."
This place was part of the rift, and its depths might even connect to another world. Every moment spent here was a potential danger.
At this very moment, she felt her body being invaded by some unknown force.
The armor had provided some protection, but she had to abandon it to escape, leaving her completely exposed and defenseless in this realm.
She believed that Sigrid would find a way to retrieve her. Not only was the company implant in her body irreplaceable, but the combat data from this mission was also invaluable to the company.
Suddenly, she sensed something awakening in the distance behind her, causing a shudder deep within her.
"Hurry, hurry!" she urged.
Just as her anxiety peaked, she felt a familiar signal from an open rift ahead. Without hesitation, she leaped towards it.
Before leaving, she glanced back, trying to identify what was there, but all she saw was a white, hazy light.
Several kilometers away from where she had been, Gong Ying Chang Xiu's headless body lay on the ground, his head a short distance away.
The tentacles that had dragged him into the rift were wrapped around his body, like a plant resembling an octopus, with its tentacles penetrating his torso and head, seemingly sucking something out of him.
After a while, the creature began to shake violently, and its fluids could be seen flowing back into Gong Ying Chang Xiu's body. It tried to break free but was powerless.
Within a few minutes, the creature turned pale and withered, lying motionless on top of him.
Moments later, from the two severed ends of Gong Ying Chang Xiu's neck, tendrils of flesh sprouted and extended outward, slowly exploring the surroundings.
As if drawn to each other, they eventually touched, and his head was pulled back towards his body.
Once the two severed ends of the neck were fully connected, the tentacles twisted and adjusted, fusing the two parts together.
After a few more minutes, Gong Ying Chang Xiu opened his eyes. The lifeless look in his eyes gradually regained focus, and a sinister smile curled the corners of his mouth.
He brushed off the withered tentacles from his body and stood up.
He flexed his neck, and the last traces of blood quickly disappeared.
At this moment, his aura was significantly stronger than before. His eyes were now bottomless, and black smoke seemed to emanate from his body, while his loose hair grew down his back, covering most of his face.
The Wind Forest Pavilion's secret technique, Soul Binding! The spiritual power cultivated by the Wind Forest Pavilion was not used to attack others but to nurture the Wind Forest Ghost. Especially for those who had been to the Ghost Gate, they would cultivate a second consciousness within their bodies.
When one consciousness was lost due to severe injury, the other would take over the body, doing everything possible to repair and revive it.
After experiencing this transformation, one would achieve the "Ghost Body," becoming even stronger than before, especially in terms of spiritual power. However, this came at the cost of a "death crisis."
After achieving the Ghost Body, one must then pass the test of the Heaven Body, transcending the realms of humans, ghosts, and gods, and completing the Divine Body. Only then could one truly embark on the path of the Sword Sect.
To complete this process, one needed both powerful opponents and for their bodies to remain relatively intact after being killed, making the conditions extremely demanding.
Since returning from the Ghost Gate, Gong Ying Chang Xiu had yet to encounter an opponent in the outside world who could kill him. So, he came directly to the central city of Jibei Dao, taking advantage of the opening of the Heavenly Gate to seek opportunities, and the first person he found was Chen Chuan.
He brought four junior disciples with him to ensure that his body would remain mostly intact.
Judging from the situation before him, he must have ended up on the other side of the rift. His four junior disciples had failed to fulfill his request.
He glanced at the withered tentacles on the ground and smiled, but the result was favorable.
His cheeks were now gaunt, and his smile resembled that of a malevolent ghost.
The human body had perished, replaced by the ghost body, and it was not without cost. The fusion of human and ghost required the expenditure of vital blood, but in return, one gained enhanced strength.
He sensed the flickering rift ahead, and with his heightened spiritual power, he soon discerned the correct path. He took a step forward, and with a flash, he emerged from the rift, standing on a street.
However, this was not his original location. He leaped to a higher vantage point, identified the buildings, and compared them to the map in the interdimensional link, confirming his bearings before rushing off in that direction.
Not long after, he arrived at the location of their previous encounter, but the place was now empty, with only a few bloodstains on the ground and a broken sword stuck in the earth.
Here, he didn't sense his Flowing Cut Blade, so he decisively left and returned to the vehicle that had brought him there.
He grabbed the door handle, ripped the entire door off, and tossed it aside. Then, he reached inside and pulled out a cross-shaped lance, turning it over in his hands before slamming it into the ground with a loud bang.
This cross-shaped lance, named "Ghost Dance," was the most suitable weapon for him to use after achieving the Ghost Body.
After the Ghost Body, it was time to seek the Heaven Body.
He rummaged in the vehicle again and took out a briefcase. After opening it, a round-headed flying insect emerged.
The insect's front antennae swayed slightly, as if sensing something. It fluttered its wings, facing the strong wind, and slowly flew into the distant sky. He took a glance and followed it.
Inside the command center, Li Zhuanyuan and others watched as Chen Chuan approached Chang Kuanghai, all with solemn expressions. It could be said that they were all paying close attention to this battle.
To be honest, they didn't insist that Chen Chuan defeat Chang Kuanghai. As long as he could restrain him, when the other personnel arrived, they could enter and retrieve the Split Body.
It was difficult to judge who was stronger between Gong Ying Chang Xiu and Chang Kuanghai because, in a fight between martial artists, besides their foundation and combat skills, it also depended on their individual styles and their decisions during the battle.
Chen Chuan could defeat Gong Ying Chang Xiu, but that didn't guarantee he would defeat Chang Kuanghai. This was because Chang Kuanghai practiced the "Heaven Forgive Fist," a powerful Horizontal Power meant for charging into battle and slaying generals. It couldn't be said that Chang Kuanghai was definitely stronger than Gong Ying Chang Xiu in raw power, but he was certainly the toughest opponent.
Li Zhuanyuan thought for a moment and said, "Remind Chen Captain about the background and characteristics of his opponent."
"Yes."
Although the Field Creature that had just arrived was killed, there were still Field Creatures in nearby vehicles, enough to convey information.
Chen Chuan's Interdimensional Link soon displayed a prompt, which he glanced at, already understanding the situation. He looked up and said to the tall figure, "Are you saying that I should wait for you here?"
Chang Kuanghai spoke in a low voice, "You should remember Wei Wusheng; he and I are from the same sect."
Chen Chuan nodded, and after seeing the information that Chang Kuanghai was from the Heaven Forgive Gang, he had this guess. However, the other party's intention to wait for him was probably not just for revenge but also to share the same goal as him.
At this moment, Chang Kuanghai said, "You should have felt it when the Heavenly Gate opened. For martial artists like us, we need suitable opponents to reach the peak, but finding them is difficult."
He paused slightly, "My teacher watched your battle with Wei Shidi. At that time, he predicted that within two years, you would be able to fight me."
He looked at Chen Chuan and spoke in a low voice, "He was not wrong. If possible, I hope to give you more time, but the opportunity has come, and I can't wait any longer."
Chen Chuan turned to look at him and the massive rift behind him. He gripped the Snow Lady Saber, drew it from its sheath again, and said sincerely, "Mr. Chang, it's unfortunate that I have something to handle today, and I'm afraid I can't accompany you for too long."
At this moment, behind them, a team of the company's mercenaries arrived and found a high vantage point to crouch down.
Not far away was the largest and most stable rift in the central city, where there must be a Split Body. That was their target.
At this moment, they aimed their guns at the two distant figures. Although they were Third Limit Fighters, they could still be shot with long-range firearms.
However, now was not the time to take action because the two figures in front of them undoubtedly still possessed their full combat strength. Moreover, besides them, there were other company mercenary teams nearby, which could be considered competitors, so they had to be cautious in choosing the right time to strike.
Chang Kuanghai reached out, grabbed the axe stuck beside him, and pulled it out. This axe was almost as tall as him, over three meters long, and looked extremely heavy. But when he held it in his hand, it felt as light as a feather. He took a step and walked down from the high ground.
Chen Chuan raised the Snow Lady Saber and approached him.
After Chang Kuanghai walked down, he waited for both sides to get closer. Then, he held the long axe with one hand and swung it towards Chen Chuan. Suddenly, a powerful sound of breaking the air rang out, as if the air had exploded, snowflakes flew, and everything in front seemed to be split open.
Chen Chuan lowered his center of gravity, spread his feet front and back, and held the Snow Lady Saber, ready to strike!
The two weapons collided, and a loud bang erupted, shooting out a stream of air that burst outward, completely sweeping away the accumulated snow on the ground.
Chang Kuanghai was surprised to see Chen Chuan blocking his attack without retreating even half a step. Since achieving Horizontal Power, besides his teacher, Yu Hongming, he had never seen anyone face his axe head-on.
A smile appeared on his long face. This kind of powerful force and fighting style were precisely what he had been expecting from an opponent.
"Good!"
He took a deep breath and shouted, then swung the axe again, sending it back with a howl, ready to strike once more!
...
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(End of Chapter)
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