“Rumbling!” Above the sky, thick clouds gathered, lightning surged like silvery serpents, and thunder echoed endlessly through the skies. At the same time, an overwhelming, invisible wave rippled outward — like a storm, originating from a mountain peak — spreading through the air in silent dominance…
“What terrifying soul fluctuation!” on the grand tower of the Starfall Pavilion stood the venerable Pharmacist Elder and his compatriots, gazing up to the bizarre celestial changes above. Their expressions tensed; their eyes brimmed with awe. The soul force at Celestial Apex Stage had surpassed their very expectations.
“Xiao Yan, at this moment, with soul force alone, could easily rival a Second Star Dou Supreme cultivator…” remarked elder Great Stupa Dan gently as he stroked his beard.
Beside him, Zi Yan’s eyes held traces of surprise. Being as formidable as the Void Dragon, The Tian Dragons might be unmatched in physical strength yet inferior in soul might. Still, she, of such great cultivation, felt astonished by such soul oscillation.
“They say that when a soul ascends into Divine Rank, it ceases to be destroyed; even if forcibly shattered, fragments of spirit might yet regrow and coalesce once again — an eternal and immortal being. Though far weaker than Divine Stage, Celestial Apex still possesses immense strength beyond Late-Celestial.”
The venerable Pharmacise added in grave musing; the elder Dan Tower continued: “When a soul reaches the Celestial Apex, its might parallels that of flesh and blood. When engaged in combat, a soul at that level could divide itself, fight co-dependently. Its synchronization in attack rivals nothing else — with power magnified manifold.”
His face bore both admiration and longing as he spoke. “Before attaining the Apex, a soul remains inherently feeble — often concealed deliberately in order to avoid grievous trauma when attacked. However, upon reaching the Celestial Apex, such an essence of one’s spirit attains tangible properties, rivaling one’s very physical body in strength and defensive might — a true and deadly extension. When fighting alongside such a manifestation, combined forces become nigh-insurmountable.”
Though still under the celestial boundary, Celestial Apex stands leagues beyond the power found within the Late-Celestial Realm.
Indeed, reaching the ultimate level signifies possessing another warrior partner perfectly attuned to your intent, an alternate version bound by your personal might—somewhat akin to martial soul-duplication techniques, like the ‘Thousand Lightning Phantom Body’, but still, the essence produced by such techniques paled immensely when placed alongside the tangible soul that solidified at the ultimate stage.
Like undulating water currents, invisible spirit ripples spread from beneath roiling clouds, and the entire Stellar Plane echoed into Xiao Yan’s mind.
In an instant, he could perceive the tiniest shifts of others’ hearts, grasp thoughts and emotions purely by their fluctuation, controlling and sensing the inner states of souls within a grand distance — an incomprehensibly perceptive method now at his mercy by virtue of reaching the ultimate state.
“This is the might of Celestial Apex, huh…” He murmured inwardly. Never before had he felt a difference so profoundly vast from before. If past spirit was nothing much but a juvenile maturing with training, then now it was a seasoned fighter armed with power hard-won — a mature warrior forged by battle.
Whooooosh!
With thought as the trigger, Xiao Yan’s hidden soul energy surged outward like endless tidal waves. Within instants, it stretched from the Stellar realm into the outer skies. Racing in lightning speeds, covering miles upon miles beyond the thousand-square-mile region of the Starfall Pavilion. Every tree, creature, and breath, flashed into Xiao Yan’s vision, with the soul pulse quickening still.
Countless might of masters was passed under the spirit scan. Only a few keen souls noticed subtle, sudden chills creep over their skin. The rest, however, be they mere wanderers or those at Dou Zun’s peak, wandered about unwariness — completely unaware that each of their movements were exposed and observed.
Xiao Yam spirit continued beyond ten thousand miles, encountering several formidable entities. A few rare and profound presences stirred, turning sharp awareness toward his spirit — realizing his presence.
Indeed the Central Continent brims endlessly with hidden, lurking powers!
His pulse continued rapidly until he sensed a prickling sensation deep within his spirit as if his soul flared from within.
Quickly refocusing his energies, he raced them toward the disturbance with swift, lightning movement.
The spirit pulse spread at impossible speeds; in moments, it pierced the source of turbulence deep in the mountains. Above it loomed spatial distortions with strange whiteness radiating from the folds. Contacting its glow, immense torment surged forth violently from the roots of his soul.
“Wh—what is this?”
The sudden torment jolted him, stunned, for within his very consciousness slumbered five unique arcane fires. Ordinary foreign flames held not a thread of discomfort against him. Much less pain.
At once, the mysterious fragment retrieved within him during the quest for The Lotus Fiend Fire erupted violently, pulsing with sudden life.
Realization flashed upon his stunned soul — his eyes gazed heavenward at warped space as whispers arose.
“This… This is the site of The Lotus Fiend Fire’s advent!” Only she — the ultimate Lotus Fire, could awaken his still-dormant fragment after all this time. The one force capable of burning his fire-shielded, soul-encased essence into torment.
BOOM!
As thoughts lingered, the space around him trembled suddenly. Vast spirit waves cascaded outward.
In an instant, the force collided with his pulse. The unexpected attack reverberated through his mind — ears roared like wind as a strange spinning surged within him.
WHO!?
Instant reaction surged forth. Spirit energies recoiled sharply, cries of fury echoed.
This unseen assailant’s skill rivals his own!
“Couldst thou…Be the whelp of House Xiao…Xiao Yan?”
At the soundless, distant question, Xiao Yan bristled, returning spirit resonance:
“Who are ye? Why strike at me like so!?”
“Aha…Then you truly have claimed and devoured those primordial soul elements collected by the Souls’ Temple. Only thus couldst ye ascend as thou now have. Ye have indeed lived true to tales of Xiao Xuan. But thou art but the shadow of the legend…”
No response came from the unseen voice — his message ignored.
“I knew…you were the Master of the Souls’ Church.” Shock overtook Xiao Yan as a resonating cry of energy exploded across.
Who other than that elusive Lord could rival this might within their domain!?
“The primordial essence belongs exclusively to our order… And yet you dare trespass here, peering with your uninvited eyes toward sacred rebirth of the holy fire.”
Cold and hollow, chilling stillness followed.
“With this one act, be thou claimed again to serve the Temple.”
With those parting tones, Xiao Yan could swear the sky itself was sealed. Stillness gripped all within. His very soul halted in movement. Then… From the skies arose shadowy limbs, each hundreds of feet vast, snaring through void like fated death. The hand was closing upon its prey.
“Hun Mingsheng, attacking younglings is unwarranted… even from you.”
Suddenly, amid impending darkness, a new resonating force stirred. A colossal palm, mirroring in power struck out.
With violent collision came soul tempests untamed, rending the air, sundering voids that bound all in stasis.
“Xiao Yan, this fight is not meant to be fought this day… Leave now.”
Before Xiao Yan had recovered fully from the impact of such an unseen confrontation between gods of spirit, a new whisper echoed.
Before he could grasp how, he felt a tremendous force shove him, tossing sensation through his soul. As with that, the world vanished — like speeding gusts, reality blurred in flashes until — at last — he landed amidst reality once more. He gasped breath, skin wet with sweat he had scarcely felt escape.
Moments later, atop plains thousands of miles out west of Starfall’s domain, stood grazing beasts—lumbering and slow. Over fields of grass beneath them rested their tenders—mere youths whose innocence was reflected upon.
One, upon a cow’s hide relaxed upon lush fields, stirred. Gazing far westward toward an unlit horizon. Those crystal eyes—once young, now carried ancient burden.
“Fiends awaken once more — a war is soon upon our skies…”
A sigh from so soft lips, innocent — yet steeped in wisdom long forgotten.
CRACK!—Crackled the wooden cane forward. Forward toward unknown fate did cow and youth meander on—into the distance, vanishing slowly with the winds of fate.
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