https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-972-Soul-Severing-Cliff-Yellow-Spring-Sea-Top-Desolate/13463562/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-974-Dao-Sect-s-Ambition-Unifying-Mountains-and-Seas/13463564/
Chapter 973: A Beach of Soulstones, Soulcleaving Mastery
Chapter 973: A Beach of Soulstones, Soulcleaving Mastery
“What is this?”
A handful of crystalline sand grains rested in a thick palm, rustling softly as they fell with the breeze, leaving only one on the tip of his finger.
Luo Chen stared intently at the single grain, as if his entire mind had sunk into it.
His face showed a mix of realization and disbelief.
His gaze wandered, from the precipitous Soulcleft Cliffs to the vast Nethersea, finally settling on the beach beneath his feet, which was covered in black sand that looked like a carpet of precious gems.
“If this is really what the legends say, there’s far too much of it, isn’t there?”
Luo Chen couldn’t help but swallow hard, his usually calm mind now rippling with waves of excitement.
To ensure he wasn’t mistaken, Luo Chen conducted several tests.
He infused it with his magical power, but it remained unaffected.
He dripped a drop of his blood on it, and it shone brilliantly.
He wrapped it in Shenxi, and the black sand grain glowed with a mysterious light, flying from his fingertip like a bee circling around him.
Finally, Luo Chen carefully burned it with True Fire. The black sand grain slowly melted, emitting wisps of blue smoke. He inhaled lightly, and his soul felt as if it were floating, almost losing itself in the sensation.
Luo Chen couldn’t control his excitement and burst out laughing, looking a bit out of sorts.
He had confirmed it—this was exactly what he had been thinking: a Soulstone!
“The Heavenly Refiner Demon Lord did not deceive me; such a miraculous treasure truly exists in the world!”
It wasn’t that Luo Chen was overreacting; Soulstones were incredibly rare and extraordinary treasures.
Their effects were almost divine, allowing people to absorb them directly to strengthen their soul foundation!
Just this one item far surpassed a thousand soul-strengthening techniques and myriad soul-nourishing pills.
In the past, the Heavenly Refiner Demon Lord had a great opportunity and accidentally obtained a fist-sized Soulstone. After absorbing it, his soul achieved great mastery.
Later, he became obsessed with this treasure but could not find more, leading him to develop the recipe for the Grand Soul Pill.
Even the main ingredient, Soul Essence, which he envisioned as merely a substitute for Soulstones, was actually an essence of living souls and spirits.
However, there was a significant difference!
Soul Essence is artificially extracted, limited by the skill of the soul refiner and the strength of the raw materials, often leaving behind a lot of the will of the deceased.
Using this to refine pills comes with many constraints, and the residual will is often difficult to remove completely. When taking the Grand Soul Pill, one must spend a lot of time and energy purifying and suppressing these wills, making it both time-consuming and labor-intensive.
Even with Luo Chen’s powerful soul foundation, it took him one to two months to digest a single Grand Soul Pill in the past.
Moreover, according to the theories of the Buddhist and Daoist schools, using the souls and spirits of the living to cultivate may seem to yield rapid progress, but it carries significant hidden dangers.
The deeper one’s cultivation, the more karma one accumulates, making it extremely easy to fall into madness when breaking through bottlenecks or advancing to higher realms.
But Soulstones were different!
It was as if they had been filtered countless times, discarding all residual will and leaving only the purest essence of souls and spirits, extremely condensed.
Cultivators could either refine them into medicines or absorb them directly to strengthen their soul foundation.
The difference was like a chasm.
According to the Heavenly Refiner Demon Lord, who was also a master in crafting magical treasures, using a large amount of Soulstones to refine magical treasures would certainly result in the finest soul-attacking magical treasures!
In short, if such a treasure exists and there is someone who recognizes its value, they would never miss a single Soulstone.
Luo Chen’s heart pounded, and his mouth felt dry.
The Soulstone in his hand was only the size of a grain of sand, far smaller than the fist-sized one the Heavenly Refiner Demon Lord had obtained in the past.
But...
Looking around, the beach was entirely covered in black sand grains!
The sheer quantity was self-evident.
“If I absorb and refine all the Soulstones here, how much stronger will my soul foundation become?”
“Not to mention, could my nascent soul advance directly to the Spirit Core level?”
His throat moved as he took a deep breath, activating the Dust Essence Technique to stabilize his mind.
In an instant, he regained his usual calm.
Surveying his surroundings, Luo Chen thought carefully.
This place was strange!
The beach was covered in Soulstones, but the waves of the Nethersea did not carry them away; instead, they accumulated more and more.
He had already figured out the pattern of the Nethersea’s waves over the past few months.
Unlike ordinary tides, the Nethersea was extremely violent during the day and calm at night.
If he wanted to collect the treasures, he should avoid the daytime to prevent being swept away again.
Luo Chen dared not risk entering the Nethersea again, unsure if he could survive.
He even suspected that these Soulstones were the result of the Nethersea waves swallowing countless living beings and gradually depositing them on this beach.
If I’m not careful, I might end up as a grain of sand in this vast sea.
"Let’s give it a try and see if the Heavenly Refiner Demon Lord exaggerated the Soulstone’s effects."
With that thought, Luo Chen stood at a high vantage point, and Shenxi swept out.
This Soulstone was different from ordinary materials; the use of origin power had little effect on it. Only the power of the spirit soul could absorb and control it.
It was daytime, and the waves of the Nethersea were still surging, so he had to seize the opportunity to grab a handful with Shenxi.
A handful of Soulstones wasn’t large, and he could easily grab it, but using Shenxi, he felt an inexplicable heaviness.
Fortunately, Luo Chen’s spirit soul was powerful, and he managed to gather a fair amount.
As soon as he got his hands on it, he couldn’t wait to return to his cave abode in the north.
He glanced at the Wilted Flame Spirit, which was still in a state of dormancy in the Purple Mansion, and decided to channel the Nirvana Sacred Flame.
A golden bird flew out of his mouth, circling the grain-sized Soulstone and gently exhaling golden flames, from which green smoke slowly rose.
Luo Chen closed his eyes and slowly absorbed the green smoke.
This time, unlike the previous superficial attempt, he didn’t let a single wisp escape.
Two wisps of green smoke, like dragons or snakes, slowly entered his body through his nostrils.
In his mind’s sea!
Golden ripples spread, and four figures hovered above.
As the green smoke entered, the four figures simultaneously opened their eyes!
...
That night, Luo Chen’s excitement surged once again.
The Heavenly Refiner Demon Lord had indeed not exaggerated the effects of the Soulstone; they were even more miraculous than what was recorded in the alchemical texts.
A single Soulstone had an effect comparable to the Grand Soul Pill, which required a large amount of precious materials to be refined!
Moreover, in terms of absorption and refinement, it was even simpler and more convenient.
"I don’t know if I can reach the Spirit Core realm, but given enough time and enough Soulstones, I will surely achieve the great completion of the Soulcleaving Art!"
"At that time, with nine souls unified, who in the realm below the Transformation of the Soul could have a stronger spirit soul than me? Even Transformation of the Soul experts might not..."
Suppressing the agitation in his heart, Luo Chen began to plan his next steps in cultivation.
There were no spirit veins on this island, making it impossible to practice qi refinement.
The medicinal pills he carried had been consumed over the years, both in daily use and for recovering from two severe injuries.
Therefore, he decided to put qi refinement on hold for now.
After making this decision, Luo Chen subconsciously sighed with relief.
These past few months, the inability to cultivate had left him feeling empty. Now, he had something else to fill that void.
He continued to focus on body tempering.
He still had a small jar of Poison Wine and Spirit Grain, which was highly toxic, and even the King of Hundred Poisons could only digest a small portion each time.
By persistently practicing the Toxic Body Tempering Technique, he could gradually reach the level of a true fifth-stage wild beast.
Of course, he needed to maintain a balance.
The island had few materials, so if anything went wrong with his body, there would be no time to repair it.
Thus, his focus would be on cultivating the Soulcleaving Art!
This incomplete technique from Han Zhan’s memories had, through years of practice, reached a master’s level in terms of proficiency.
Even if Han Zhan were reborn, he would not surpass Luo Chen’s expertise in this technique.
However, proficiency was one thing, and power was another.
Due to the Eastern Wasteland War and the Southern Frontier expedition, the Soulcleaving Art had remained at the three-soul stage, without splitting into a fourth soul.
This was a significant shortcoming.
Back in the day, when Han Zhan had just entered the Nascent Soul realm, he already possessed nine divided souls, though they were not highly advanced.
But the sheer number of divided souls provided a wide range of techniques.
Whether in attack, defense, or survival, his capabilities would be greatly enhanced.
Even the body doubles and second Nascent Souls that Luo Chen had envisioned in the past required a sufficient number of divided souls.
Now, with this opportunity, how could he not seize it?
"My spirit soul’s foundation was strong enough to split into a third soul at the fourth layer of the Nascent Soul realm, but I delayed until the fifth layer."
"Now that I’m at the sixth layer of the Nascent Soul realm, not only can I attempt the fourth soul, but even the fifth soul is within reach."
"Nine souls are just around the corner!"
"Once I achieve the great completion of the nine souls, my spirit soul will reach its peak, and I might even be able to challenge the Transformation of the Soul. And the Transformation of the Soul experts..."
Luo Chen recalled the legend.
The Soul Refining Ancestor of the Primordial Demon Sect had personally entered the Soulcleft Cliffs, gained much, and successfully left the place.
Why not the Bloodsea Ancestor?
Why not the Primordial Demon Ancestor?
Why specifically the Soul Refining Ancestor, known for his powerful spirit soul?
From this perspective, does it mean that the key to leaving this place lies in having a sufficiently powerful spirit soul?
If that’s the case, then he must achieve mastery of the Soulcleaving Art if he doesn’t want to spend his entire life here!
Without hesitation, that night, Luo Chen began dividing his fourth soul.
In the silent, pitch-black night, devoid of any wind or waves, only Luo Chen’s suppressed cries of extreme pain echoed faintly.
...
Under the cover of night.
A figure carrying a green lantern from the Reflection Sect walked along the soft sandy beach.
Golden and red hues emanated from his eyes as he walked, pausing occasionally to bend down and pick up the grains of sand at his feet.
As the sky gradually brightened and the sound of the waves grew distant, the man in the hemp robe stopped his actions, turning to walk towards a nearby mountain with towering peaks.
However, unlike in previous years, this time he didn’t climb the mountain directly. Instead, he stopped at the foot of the mountain, gazing at the surging waves crashing against the steep cliffs.
In his line of sight, the cliffs stood majestically, but faintly, grains of sand could be seen falling from the black cliffs.
As the tide receded, those black grains of sand spread across the beach.
The man’s expression was serious, his eyes filled with evident shock.
He had initially thought that the large number of soulstones on the beach had been swept there by the Nethersea. However, a discovery a few days ago had overturned this assumption.
Upon closer inspection, it was indeed different!
Could it be that all the soulstones originate from this cliff face?
Luo Chen couldn’t help but raise his head to look at the black cliff wall. Despite the lack of any signs of life, it gave him a sense of dread.
If that were true, wouldn’t it mean that the entire cliff was a massive soulstone?
A soulstone the size of a fist had made the Heavenly Refiner Demon Lord reluctant to part with it.
If the towering Soulcleft Cliffs, thousands of feet high, were a single soulstone, what kind of fortune would that be?
How much would his spirit soul grow after absorbing and refining it?
Faced with such great fortune, Luo Chen dared not harbor any desire, only immense fear.
Suppressing his greed, he walked back to his cave abode alone.
He casually placed the soulstones he had collected that night into a jade tray and settled down to meditate.
After his mind and spirit had calmed, Luo Chen examined himself.
In his sea of consciousness, six figures sat in a circle, surrounding a tall figure in the center.
The Soulcleaving Art had already reached the sixth soul division level!
What was even more remarkable was that the strength of each soul division was no less than Luo Chen’s main soul when he first arrived at the Soulcleft Cliffs.
This was truly astonishing.
Luo Chen’s main soul strength at the time was comparable to that of a late-stage nascent soul cultivator.
Now, with all six soul divisions having such strength, it was hard to imagine how powerful his main soul would be.
"Five years of unwavering cultivation have not been in vain!"
Luo Chen sighed, his tone lacking self-satisfaction, instead filled with a sense of desolation.
For even at this level, he still had no confidence in exploring the Nethersea and leaving this place.
"Could it be that I need to condense my spirit core and have a spirit soul comparable to a Huàshén expert to leave here?"
Heaving a sigh, Luo Chen shook his head, dispelling the oppressive emotions in his heart. Years of arduous cultivation had given him the mental fortitude to avoid descending into madness due to loneliness and isolation.
"Tonight, it’s time to divide the seventh soul."
Luo Chen’s gaze fell on the tray of soulstones he had collected, and he skillfully activated the Soulcleaving Art.
His body trembled, and cold sweat dripped from his forehead.
No matter how many times he divided his main soul, the pain was something he could never get used to.
Only endurance!
When the sun rose and set, marking the end of another lonely day and the return of silence.
Luo Chen abruptly opened his eyes, panting heavily.
The Nirvana Sacred Flame appeared once again, burning the soulstones and releasing green smoke.
After swallowing the smoke, the weakness in his body gradually dissipated.
In his sea of consciousness, another ethereal figure appeared.
The green smoke split into two, the thicker part merging with his main soul, and the thinner part being absorbed by the newly formed ethereal soul division.
After absorbing the smoke, both figures stabilized.
In just five years, Luo Chen had divided his soul into seven parts, all thanks to the soulstones!
No matter how good the elixirs and miraculous medicines in the world might be, none could compare to the soulstones.
This pure soul essence allowed Luo Chen to recover quickly and then grow rapidly.
"Once the seventh soul grows, it will be time to divide the eighth and ninth souls."
"When that happens, with nine souls merging into one, and re-entering the nascent soul stage, will I be able to achieve the spirit core?"
Luo Chen didn’t know how other nascent soul cultivators gradually transformed their nascent souls into spirit cores, but he was taking a bold step, aiming to achieve it in one go!
And he firmly believed that the method to leave the Soulcleft Cliffs lay in this process!(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
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