Martial Ascent to Divinity-Chapter 600 - 580: The Courtyard

The destructive star power contained within these streaks of lightning is extraordinarily complex, far more so than any destructive star power encountered in the Demon Spirit trials and the Great Battlefield.

This complex destructive star power has triggered the strength of the Undying Star Body.

The Undying Star Body is forced to operate at full capacity, repelling, refining, and absorbing these powers.

The Star Phoenix Rejuvenation Technique’s Star Phoenix Feathers break through the threshold of 8000.

The body’s healing capabilities have already reached their limit.

Yet, the power of the Thunder Mirror is even stronger.

At this moment, the capacity of the True Qi singularity within the body has reached 85 times the original.

Just a little more, and it will ascend to become a Grandmaster.

Hang in there.

The hundred and first bolt of lightning strikes down.

Boom!

A hundred-meter-tall thunder tree descends from the sky.

"Ah..."

Zhou Leng lets out a miserable cry and immediately passes out.

New lightning splits open the flesh, drills into the bones, and flows along the surfaces of all bones throughout the body.

Two seconds later, Zhou Leng abruptly regains consciousness.

An indescribable pain stimulates his entire being.

Every segment along the bone surfaces is covered with lightning.

Zhou Leng’s vision becomes blurred from the agony.

The terrifying pressure constantly descends, relentlessly forcing him to bow, to concede, even pushing him towards death.

Total amount of True Qi singularity: 86 times.

"I can do it!"

Boom!

Passes out again.

Boom!

Boom!

Total amount of True Qi singularity: 87 times.

Hang in there!

Zhou Leng is like a newborn child, waking up for a moment, then falling asleep, repeatedly.

Gradually, his mind becomes more and more disoriented.

Gradually, Zhou Leng’s calm main consciousness begins to disintegrate.

Gradually, that unyielding, stubborn spirit deep within his will begins to coalesce in the Mountain of Will.

This power had appeared under the Star God’s pressure in the Demon Spirit trial and before the Divine Spirit meteor in the Divine Power Land.

Not only hasn’t it weakened, but it has gradually strengthened.

The mindset may collapse, the consciousness may fade, but the will remains long-lasting.

Zhou Leng’s eyes are hollowed, extremely dim, yet a glint deep within his gaze flickers fiercely like a wolf.

This might be the unique chance to ascend to Grandmaster.

Such a vast amount of stellar true energy may be the only Innate kind.

Hang in there!

A completely different Zhou Leng, like a madman, screams in the Will World.

"Can’t even withstand this kind of power, yet want to seal a Saint and ascend to divinity!"

"Is a Martial Saint so easily achieved?"

"Is Ascension to Divinity child’s play?"

"Look at the Azure Sword, missing such a great opportunity, pinning hopes on the enemy, ridiculous!"

"Without the heart of a warrior, not prepared for a thousand trials and tribulations, go suck your thumb and drink milk!"

"I, am not afraid!"

"Whatever thunder or divine might come!"

"Come on! Already passed over a hundred trials, completed preliminary trials, continue!"

Zhou Leng’s consciousness blurred, yet it’s as if he’s released the beast deep inside.

Within the thunder, Zhou Leng’s skin splits open, flesh and bone conduct electricity, his face contorted.

Total amount of True Qi singularity: 90 times!

Hang in there!

Boom!

"I want to devour the thunder, make it my true power!"

Boom!

"I want to suppress the lightning, forge it into my shell!"

Boom!

"I want my body to become like lightning, illuminating the heavens and earth!"

Boom!

"Awesome! Again!"

Boom!

Hang in there...

Boom!

Boom!

Boom...

The three hundred and first bolt of lightning descends.

This is a thunderous pillar three thousand meters tall, with a thickness of a hundred meters.

Like cleansing light of the world, it crashes down, annihilating Zhou Leng’s world.

The entire body’s skin turns to ashes.

The flesh on the surface of the body burns to char.

The trial ends.

Yet, the corner of his mouth slightly curves upward.

Failure is possible, but never conceding.

The lightning erupts like a fountain, lifting Zhou Leng.

The strands of lightning seem like milky streams, slowly flowing into the body, repairing the heavily damaged flesh.

Like a chick pecking grains of rice, the Star Phoenix Rejuvenation Technique pecks at the milky lightning, drawing it into the marrow, consolidating feathers.

The total count of Star Phoenix Feathers rapidly increases.

After a long time, Zhou Leng slowly opens his eyes.

Suddenly, the body rises rapidly.

Turning his head downwards, he sees the Thunder Land growing further away, with an increasing range coming into view.

After a long while, the Thunder Land suddenly has an edge.

The edge is surprisingly a neat arc, like the blade of a curved sword; as he ascends further, more Thunder Continents appear.

Patches of Thunder Continents stretching tens of thousands of miles in area press upon one another, arranged in order.

It doesn’t take long before the world composed of countless Thunder Continents shows new arcs.

Rounded, elongated.

Until ascending to the highest heavens.

Zhou Leng is astounded; an incredibly enormous Eastern Giant Dragon coils in the void, eyes shut, slumbering.

Its body, scales like continents.

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Its body, vast like the sun.

Behind it, divine rings spinning.

In the distant starry sky, massive planets orbit around.

Forming a stellar system of their own.

Perhaps, the Xiao Lei Mirror was crafted by the Ancient River Sect or even a higher realm of divine spirits, imitating the power of this Thunder Dragon God.

A sudden vision of darkness and light, Zhou Leng stands before the Xiao Lei Mirror.

Eyes tightly closed, silently absorbing the power and insights within the Xiao Lei Mirror.

Tian Chao Comet, Kong Feng Planet, Xiao Lei Star.

Each stronger than the last, each more mysterious.

Zhou Leng has a vague feeling.

For ordinary Martial Arts cultivation, the trial of the three mirrors is significant but limited.

However, cultivating the starry sky True Qi system, directly facing the starry sky, directly gazing at divine spirits, this kind of unimaginable direct insight is of great importance.

That Thunder Dragon God is evidently cultivating the starry sky True Qi system.

The starry sky True Qi absorbed from him is likely his residual power.

This form of starry sky True Qi shows a path for my cultivation, leading the way.

Zhou Leng abandons all other insights, focusing solely on the starry sky True Qi refined from the Thunder Dragon God.

Deep within his body, within the infinitely small point.

The two types of starry sky True Qi are distinct.

One type of starry sky True Qi gathers at the core, coiling like a dragon.

The other type of starry sky True Qi spirals nearby, slowly rotating.

The core starry sky True Qi comes from the Thunder Dragon God.

Zhou Leng slowly comprehends, striving to convert the other starry sky True Qi into the form of Dragon God’s starry sky True Qi.

Yet, that’s the origin power of the Star Dragon race, completely transforming it is extremely difficult.

Moreover, the power of the Star Dragon race may not entirely suit the Human Race.

Just like that, Zhou Leng stood in place, standing for three days and three nights.

The Azure Sword and several other Sea Sirens don’t find it strange, resting nearby while planning future actions.

"Next, this human will be our focus."

"Now, the world is pursuing the Azure Royal Family, and there are fewer and fewer trustworthy demons."

"This human is an outsider, paradoxically, they are least likely related to the Blood of Tyranny."

"Next, we will exert force both internally and externally..."

Beside the Xiao Lei Mirror, Zhou Leng slowly opens his eyes.

All the starry sky True Qi within, finally transformed from its natural shape to a new pseudo-cultivation technique form.

Due to the transformation of the starry sky True Qi form, the total amount of true energy within dropped from 98 times to 92 times.

However, when it comes to true energy power, it’s superior.

Zhou Leng raises his hand, the luminescent power filling under his skin, as if ready to flow out at any moment.

This means that, not long from now, starry sky True Qi can, like True Qi, cover the body surface even if it cannot be released.

By then, all cultivation techniques can be reused.

Zhou Leng walks towards the tent.

The Azure Sword hastily stands up, asking, "How was it?"

"Too difficult, only a small part accomplished," Zhou Leng replied.

The Azure Sword and other Sea Sirens fall silent, thinking only the dead have the right to talk of difficulty, while you who survived and reaped benefits, what right do you have to speak of difficulty?

Are you kidding me?

"What’s next?" the Azure Sword asked.

Zhou Leng packs up the tent, glancing at the two side doors of the Thousand Instruments Hall.

At the time, the Blood of Tyranny didn’t specify which door they entered.

Zhou Leng walks straight towards the left side door, saying, "Let’s first see what’s inside."

The Sea Sirens follow behind.

Approaching the left door, the Azure Sword slows down, walking last.

The Sea Sirens have already grown accustomed to the Azure Sword’s caution, understandable, given they are the last remnants of the Azure Royal Family.

Yet... they also slow down.

Finally, Zhou Leng steps through the door, walks several steps inside, encountering no anomalies, allowing them to safely follow inside.

The Azure Sword stops at the entrance, looking inside.

Suddenly, a semi-transparent sword shadow sweeps past, followed by a blanketing white sword Qi, like a swiftly moving white cloud, passing over the courtyard.

Brushing past Zhou Leng, enveloping the entered Sea Sirens, and piercing through.

The sword Qi flies off into the distance, dissipating.

Zhou Leng turns around, seeing the Sea Sirens vanished without a trace, no flesh left, no blood spilled.

Their bodies were shredded by the sword Qi into eye-invisible particles, dispersed into the air.

The Azure Sword stands at the entrance, hair standing on end.

Zhou Leng feels a chill down his spine, but having survived, indicates qualification to enter.

He surveys around.

This courtyard should be vast, but unfortunately, large sections have collapsed, leaving only a corner.

Nearby, stands a blue-black stone.

The stone is anchored deep into the earth, its top arcing, enduring for years, its surface still smooth.

Next to the stone, a dry water pool.

Besides that, nothing else is in the courtyard, it’s empty.

Zhou Leng walks cautiously to the stone, after some thought, guessing this should be a sharpening stone corresponding with the earlier sword shadow.

This place probably served as a sword practicing ground.

Unfortunately, mostly destroyed.

Zhou Leng considers for a while, then removes the Tiger Talisman, bowing to the sharpening stone, saying, "The Ancient River lay dormant for years, uncertain of the path ahead; disciple Zhou Leng, tentatively the interim senior brother, seeks to revitalize the Ancient River’s prestige, but strength is scarce, I humbly request guidance from the sect’s elders."

No response at all.

Zhou Leng inwardly sighs, looks around, feeling somewhat unwilling.

Entering the Treasure Mountain should not be without gain.

If it were someone else’s place, it would be tolerable, but going back home, one cannot act as a stranger.

He extends his hand, looks at the sharpening stone, then retracts it.

Gripping the Tiger Talisman, lets it touch the sharpening stone.

Clang...

The sharpening stone emits a peculiar sword hymn sound, sharp and cloud-cleaving, a long resonance.

A gleam subsequently flashes by.

Zhou Leng blinks, vaguely sensing the glimmer entering the Tiger Talisman, too swiftly for clear sight.

Retrieves the Tiger Talisman, examining it in hand, finding nothing.

Then walks around the courtyard for a long time, finding nothing, and thus reaches into the dry pool beside the sharpening stone, grabs a few stones, and turns to leave the courtyard.

"How was it? I felt you were talking, but I couldn’t hear outside," the Azure Sword asked, trembling with fear.

Zhou Leng shakes his head, saying, "There’s nothing."

"What about them..."

"I’m uncertain, presumably violated some taboo."

The Azure Sword mournfully says, "Certainly it was failing the trial of the three mirrors, seems I can’t enter either of these doors. Alas, so many brothers came with me, and now only I remain. Who’s to blame..."

The two share a glance.

The Azure Sword ponders and says, "Certainly cannot blame you or me, blame lies with the Blood of Tyranny!"