aircannonsinc Chapter 75 Third-Order Divine Soul, Chengcheng Emerges from Seclusion
Chapter 75 Third-Order Divine Soul, Chengcheng Emerges from Seclusion
Chapter 75 Third-Order Divine Soul, Chengcheng Emerges from Seclusion
Qin Chengcheng is currently attempting to break through to the third tier.
After the previous restrictions were broken, Qin Chengcheng's soul was like a bursting dam, and the soul power accumulated over many years was released with a roar!
Her original divine sense had reached the peak of the second level, but due to the restriction, her soul power could not expand and could only be continuously compressed and condensed, making the quality of her divine sense far exceed that of cultivators of the same level.
Now that the shackles are gone, this suppressed power has finally found an outlet, surging like a tidal wave in her mind.
However, that alone is not enough for her to break through to the third tier.
Although Qin Chengcheng's spiritual sense was strong, his magical power and physical body had not kept up. If he forced a breakthrough, it would only lead to an imbalance of his soul.
A cultivator's essence, energy, and spirit must be balanced. If one focuses solely on cultivating spiritual consciousness while neglecting magical power and the physical body, one will eventually have a weak foundation, an imbalance of essence, energy, and spirit, and cause serious hidden dangers.
but--
After the Phoenix Dance in the Nine Heavens, her soul merged with Chen Yi's consciousness, and she absorbed some of the characteristics of the [Minor Five Elements Consciousness].
Chen Yi's divine sense possesses both icy coldness and vitality, and also contains the meaning of the flow of the five elements. Although he has not truly stepped into the third rank, he already possesses some of the mysteries of a high-rank divine sense.
At this moment, deep within Qin Chengcheng's sea of consciousness, strands of the power of the five elements quietly flowed, causing a slight change in her originally pure soul, as if the chaos had just begun and yin and yang had separated.
"I see... Divine consciousness isn't just pure; it also has distinctions of Yin and Yang and the Five Elements!"
She suddenly realized that her previously stagnant spiritual realm was now loosening!
At this moment, her consciousness was in turmoil, her soul power was collapsing, and her divine soul was on the verge of disintegration.
There is only one choice: either break through to the next realm or have your soul destroyed!
At the critical moment of life and death, she no longer hesitated and directly mobilized all her soul power to launch an attack on the third tier!
Deep within his sea of consciousness, Qin Chengcheng's soul core trembled violently, and an unprecedented sense of oppression surged forth from the depths of his soul sea.
Above the Sea of Souls, thunderclouds rolled and accumulated, with flashes of lightning appearing within the thick clouds, brewing a pressure powerful enough to make one's soul tremble.
This is not an external heavenly lightning, but a tribulation that arises spontaneously in the soul sea when the essence of the soul breaks through.
The first bolt of soul lightning struck!
A silent roar exploded in her mind, as if her soul had been struck by an invisible giant hammer.
The slender figure sitting cross-legged on Iceheart Island trembled slightly, her white dress fluttering even without wind.
The sea of soul power surged with towering waves, tearing apart countless tiny soul threads, which then rapidly reformed under the flow of the five elements.
"hiss"
She let out a muffled groan, her long eyelashes fluttering slightly.
The excruciating pain in her soul was like being pierced by a thousand needles, but what was even more terrifying was that the soul lightning did not strike only once, but continued to bombard her until her soul was completely transformed!
The second one! The third one!
The Soul Lightning grew increasingly violent, each strike causing Iceheart Island to tremble slightly.
The green plant beside her swayed violently, but the crystal-clear dewdrop on the budding petal at its top never fell. Instead, it exuded an even richer life force, protecting her mind.
The originally scattered divine consciousness, like mist, was continuously refined in the lightning, impurities were burned away, leaving only the purest essence of the divine soul.
"Not enough? Let's have more!"
Far from being afraid, she actively drew upon the soul lightning.
As the white dress fluttered, lightning flashed across the sky above Iceheart Island, streaks of electricity dancing wildly like silver snakes, piercing through every inch of the sea of consciousness!
boom!
As the fourth bolt of soul lightning struck, cracks appeared in the core of her soul, as if it would collapse at any moment!
At this critical moment, the green plant suddenly burst forth with emerald light, and the power of wood-attribute divine consciousness flowed, with new soul threads sprouting from the cracks, which were more resilient and pure than before.
"I see. Destruction precedes construction!"
She finally understood—the Soul Lightning was not destruction, but tempering! On Iceheart Island, her figure became more and more solid, and starlight faintly flowed on her white dress.
The fifth one! The sixth one!
The soul lightning became increasingly dense, and her soul gradually transformed through repeated tearing and repair.
The soul power that was originally surging like the sea began to collapse inward, condensing into a dazzling "soul core" above Iceheart Island!
The final bolt of soul lightning descends!
This strike was no longer destruction, but sublimation! The instant the lightning pierced the soul core—
"Whoosh!"
Above Iceheart Island, the turbulent sea of souls suddenly froze, and then, like stars exploding, it transformed into a vast starry sky!
The flower bud at the top of that green plant finally bloomed, and dewdrops fell, refracting a rainbow of colors under the starlight.
Qin Chengcheng slowly opened her eyes, her gaze seemingly sparkling with stars.
The starlight on the white dress reflected the starry sky in the sea of consciousness. When the divine sense swept over it, every detail within a radius of two thousand feet was clearly visible, and even the faintest flow of spiritual energy in the world could be clearly detected.
She gently raised her hand, and the seawater beside Ice Heart Island instantly froze into a mirror, reflecting her increasingly ethereal figure.
The blooming green plant swayed gently beside her, radiating a warm life force, forming a mysterious picture with the starry sky and Iceland—her divine consciousness had finally stepped into the third stage!
Qin Chengcheng's soul sea surged, and the breakthrough soul lightning raged, causing the entire sea of consciousness to tremble.
Meanwhile, the wisp of Chen Yi's divine sense hidden in the corner was like a small boat in a storm, constantly being washed away by the aftershocks of the violent soul lightning.
"This is... the transformation of third-order divine consciousness?"
Although Chen Yi did not experience it personally, through that wisp of divine consciousness, he could still clearly feel the destructive and regenerative power contained in the soul thunder.
Each strike of lightning seemed to ignite a spark of inspiration within his mind.
Soul lightning tore through, the five elements flowed, destruction gave way to creation!
He witnessed Qin Chengcheng's soul repeatedly rebuilding itself on the verge of collapse, and each time it was repaired, its soul power became more condensed and pure.
"So, the breakthrough in divine sense is not just a quantitative accumulation, but a qualitative transformation..."
After all, he had only recently raised his divine sense to the second level, and now he had just touched the threshold of the middle stage of the second level. He was still far from having the powerful divine sense of the third level.
At this moment, Qin Chengcheng's breakthrough process was like a beacon, illuminating his path forward.
Simultaneously,
When the soul lightning rages, even the aftershocks are enough to obliterate ordinary divine consciousness.
However, Chen Yi's wisp of divine consciousness, which was already intertwined with Qin Chengcheng's soul, was not completely annihilated. Instead, it was continuously tempered at the edge of the lightning.
"laugh--!"
As the aftershock of a soul lightning bolt swept past, Chen Yi's consciousness felt as if it were being scorched by a raging fire, and he felt intense pain. But the next moment, he was surprised to find that his consciousness had not dissipated, but instead had become even more solid!
"Did I also absorb some of the tempering effects of the Soul Lightning?"
After the excruciating pain subsided, Chen Yi felt mostly overjoyed.
Although it was far less intense than the complete soul lightning baptism that Qin Chengcheng had endured, this wisp of divine consciousness power was still tainted with a trace of third-tier characteristics.
The original [Minor Five Elements Divine Sense] now possessed a touch of "tempering through lightning tribulation," subtly showing a qualitative improvement.
However, he currently does not know the effect of this enhancement, nor what impact it will have on Chen Yi, and he does not have time to study it in detail at the moment.
The moment Qin Chengcheng's divine sense advanced to the third level, her previously collapsing soul sea finally stabilized.
The edges of those fragmented soul seas were now firmly locked by the newly generated third-order divine consciousness power, preventing them from continuing to dissipate.
She slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, and her pale face gradually regained its color.
In the end, they survived this life-or-death crisis by resolutely breaking down the old and building up again.
As Chen Yi watched the scene unfold before him, his tense nerves finally relaxed.
He quietly withdrew the wisp of divine consciousness that was lurking in Qin Chengcheng's soul sea.
Upon returning, he clearly felt that this wisp of divine consciousness was more condensed than before, faintly carrying a trace of the profound aura of the third rank, yet it was too weak and its energy was limited.
"call--"
Chen Yi opened his eyes, a flash of lightning disappearing from them.
Looking at Qin Chengcheng, who was safe and sound, a relieved smile unconsciously appeared on his lips.
After several years of hard work and experiencing so many ups and downs,
It wasn't all for nothing; the female cultivator who had been troubled by the soul restriction for many years has been saved.
That's fine then, it's time for me to leave Miaoyin Pavilion.
Chen Yi pondered to himself, while also considering how to deal with Xu Shixian and Liu Jinjin blocking the door from the outside.
Just as Chen Yi was planning his escape, Qin Chengcheng on the bed suddenly opened her eyes.
"Whoosh—"
A wave of divine sense, almost tangible, swept across the entire room in an instant.
The pressure of the divine sense that had advanced to the third level was like a mountain crashing down. Chen Yi, whose divine sense had only reached the second level, felt his soul tremble and his spiritual power stagnate.
Their eyes met just inches apart.
Qin Chengcheng's eyes were as clear as a cold pool, yet as sharp as lightning.
Her red lips parted slightly, but the words she uttered chilled Chen Yi's heart:
"Who are you? Why are you in my room, and so close to me? Where am I?"
Chen Yi's smile froze instantly, his expression stiffening.
At this moment, outside,
Xu Shixian, holding a recording stone, was attempting to damage the outer perimeter of Qin Chengcheng's cave in hopes of obtaining some evidence.
However, an incredibly terrifying fluctuation of divine consciousness emanated, filling the entire Myriad Sounds Pavilion with dread.
Xu Shixian and Liu Jinjin stood there, pale-faced and stunned, not knowing what had happened.
in the secret room,
Qin Chengcheng frowned as she looked at Chen Yi's handsome face.
She couldn't remember who Chen Yi was at all.
"Yes, Fairy Qin."
Chen Yi's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and he spoke very softly.
"This is the Miaoyin Pavilion in Lake and Sea Market. I am Chen Yi, the spirit chef of this pavilion. For the past few years, I have been specializing in preparing spiritual meals for you, my fairy. I would like to say I am your private chef. I wonder if you still remember me?"
Looking at Qin Chengcheng's confused expression, Chen Yi felt a chill run down his spine.
He realized that a portion of Qin Chengcheng's soul had collapsed at its deepest level; perhaps there lay some important knowledge or abilities within.
But unexpectedly, the other party seemed to have lost some of their memories.
"Lake and Sea Market? The Li Family, a Foundation Building Clan?"
Qin Chengcheng searched the record and read out the name.
"Fairy, the Li family was already scattered eight years ago."
Back then, this place had already been taken over by the Dong family.
Previously, Dong Chang'an was in charge; now, Dong Changqing is in charge.
In recent years, things have changed. A third-order grand formation has appeared at the bottom of the lake, suspected to be the cave dwelling of a late-stage Core Formation cultivator from a thousand years ago. As a result, the cultivators of the Jade Dragon Sect have guarded it, and many Foundation Establishment cultivators from various places have appeared in the market.
Chen Yi briefly explained the current situation.
As a result, Qin Chengcheng couldn't remember anything at all.
Suddenly, Qin Chengcheng's pupils contracted slightly, as if she had realized something extremely important.
She gently raised her hand, and a divine sense swept over her entire body like flowing water.
The fingertips paused abruptly when they touched the space between the eyebrows—the restrictive mark that should have been there had vanished without a trace.
"This," she murmured to herself, her voice filled with disbelief.
Upon closer inspection, the changes within her sea of consciousness were even more alarming.
The previously imprisoned soul not only broke through to the third rank, but also left traces of a tribulation of lightning in its soul sea.
Those fine lightning patterns appeared and disappeared in his sea of consciousness, indicating the earth-shattering transformation he had recently undergone.
What bothered her most was that the crucial memory—the process of how the restriction was broken—was as if it had been gouged out, leaving no trace whatsoever.
Qin Chengcheng raised her eyes, her gaze piercing Chen Yi like a knife: "What happened while I was in seclusion here? Are you really just a cook at Miaoyin Pavilion?"
Chen Yi lowered his head, his posture perfectly respectful: "Fairy, I know nothing about your seclusion. I am just a cook."
He didn't show it on his face, but he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Qin Chengcheng forgot her previous promise to elope and the vow to become Daoist partners with him, which now turned out to be the best outcome.
If she remembered, given her strong-willed nature, she would probably do anything to keep her promise.
Chen Yi will definitely have to run away then; he can't afford the risk of becoming a Daoist partner with such a stunningly beautiful fairy.
That's fine too.
Chen Yi sighed inwardly, at least they could still meet as strangers.
"Then what are your intentions in appearing in my secluded chamber and getting so close to me?"
Qin Chengcheng spread her divine sense to scan the surrounding environment, and her expression gradually turned cold.
Chen Yi smiled wryly and offered a brief explanation:
"The fairy said she wanted to heal herself and asked me to help her prepare some spiritual food and medicine. Later, the fairy fell into a coma, the formation closed, and I couldn't open it, so I can only stay here."
"Hmph, how could a mere Qi Refining cultivator possibly spy on my secluded cultivation!"
Get out!
Qin Chengcheng suddenly let out a cold shout, and her wide sleeves fluttered, bringing with them a chilling wind.
She made a hand seal, and the restrictions on the secret chamber were lifted. At the same time, a stream of icy blue spiritual energy swept towards Chen Yi like a bolt of lightning.
Qin Chengcheng's magical power was neither too strong nor too weak, just enough to cause minor injuries to a Qi Refining cultivator.
Her original intention was to slightly punish this reckless little cook under the Miaoyin Pavilion.
However, Chen Yi possessed the cultivation level of the Foundation Establishment stage, and the spiritual power that was powerful enough to injure Qi Refining cultivators struck Chen Yi's body like a gentle breeze brushing against a mountain rock, without even causing a ripple in the golden patterns under his robes.
However, Qin Chengcheng doesn't seem to be paying attention to Chen Yi right now, and she doesn't know anything about Chen Yi's background.
There were people watching outside the cave. If Chen Yi went out normally now, he would definitely be questioned, and he wouldn't be able to explain himself clearly, which would be very troublesome.
Logically, Chen Yi's most conservative course of action right now would be to immediately use a teleportation talisman to leave from underground.
However, Qin Chengcheng, who has lost her memory, will not understand Chen Yi's actions and will certainly not allow Chen Yi to do so.
Furthermore, after escaping today, he can no longer use the identity of Chen Yi, and there will be a lot of trouble to come.
Now, Chen Yi seems to have other options.
"Sigh, I didn't want this either, but it's already happened. Chengcheng, you've already benefited greatly, so consider it as you helping me one more time."
Chen Yi made his decision in his mind in a flash.
In an instant, Chen Yi's blood and qi surged.
He used a secret technique to completely suppress the golden light of body refinement flowing around him, forcibly pressing every strand of golden blood and energy deep into his bone marrow.
His skin, which was originally as tough as gold and stone, now actively withdrew all its defenses, revealing a vulnerability no different from that of an ordinary cultivator.
He even worried that his physical body had been refined to be powerful enough that the magical power couldn't harm him.
Even as he was flying backwards, he gritted his teeth and secretly channeled his true energy to forcefully shatter the golden light dormant deep within his acupoints.
The three major acupoints, Jianjing, Tanzhong, and Qihai, burst open one after another with muffled thuds, and the golden lines under the skin disintegrated inch by inch like cracked ice.
"Pfft!" Several jets of blood shot out from his acupoints, leaving scarlet trails in their backward flight path.
At the same time, his facial muscles twitched strangely, and his bones made a faint "clicking" sound.
By the time he landed, he had transformed from a handsome young man into a middle-aged man with a sallow complexion.
Then, a figure in green robes was seen coughing up blood and flying out, his magical power in disarray, suffering extremely severe injuries, and his aura plummeting instantly.
As it flew out, it kept shouting:
"Sect Master Qin, you have misunderstood me. I was merely following your orders to prepare spiritual food and was imprisoned in the formation by you. I had no intention of peeking at your cultivation breakthrough!"
Chen Yi's appearance was poor, his breathing was disordered, and he was severely injured, with his meridians almost broken. Without several years of recuperation or the best healing medicine, he would no longer be able to cultivate.
Such a horrific scene landed outside Qin Chengcheng's cave, leaving Liu Jinjin and Xu Shixian, who were waiting there, dumbfounded.
"Chef Chen? What happened? What's going on?" Liu Jinjin quickly stepped forward to ask.
Chen Yi staggered and steadied himself against a pillar, a trickle of crimson blood spilling from the corner of his mouth. His voice was weak but clear:
"Reporting to the Vice Pavilion Master, some time ago the Pavilion Master went into seclusion and ordered me to prepare a spiritual feast for her to nourish her soul."
After she took the medicine, she suddenly went into seclusion, trapping me in a secret room.
"When the Pavilion Master woke up today, he suddenly turned on me and severely injured me."
A simple explanation of Chen Yi vomiting blood:
Then he produced the already burned contract: "According to the agreement, the Vice Pavilion Master, the Myriad Sounds Pavilion should protect me. Now that the Pavilion Master has seriously injured me, this contract is automatically void."
From this day forward, I, Chen, am no longer the spiritual chef of Miaoyin Pavilion. Farewell!
Leaving those words behind, Chen Yi dragged his heavily injured body and forced himself to leave.
Liu Jinjin frowned slightly. She didn't quite believe what Chen Yi said, but it was the truth, and she couldn't say anything about it.
Besides, Chen Yi is only a minor Qi Refining stage cultivator. He's currently out of favor, so it's a good thing he was beaten like this.
As for Xu Shixian, seeing how badly Chen Yi was injured and sent flying, he immediately believed it.
If Zhao Tieshan were here, he might have stepped forward to personally check on Chen Yi's injuries.
However, even so, Chen Yi was not afraid, as his [Illusory Breath Concealing Technique] had already reached the peak of the second tier.
However, such a minor matter as feigning injury was something that even Zhao Tieshan himself could not detect.
Chen Yi had now officially left the Miaoyin Pavilion.
However, Chen Yi was unable to receive the keepsake that Qin Chengcheng promised to give him before she lost her memory, which left him with a great deal of regret.
Chen Yi was not interested in Qin Chengcheng's personal assets.
But the contract regarding the high-quality Foundation Establishment Pill was considered payment from Chen Yi for saving her life.
If given the opportunity, Chen Yi will still try to obtain it in the future.
I wonder if this girl will regain her memories. If she does, will she regret it when she finds out she severely injured me?
No, that's not right. Once she regained her memories, she would know I was a second-tier body cultivator, and that my injury was faked.
Then maybe she shouldn't get rehabilitated.
After I recover, if someone calls me Chen Lang in front of outsiders, especially if the people from Miaoyinfang and Yulongzong find out that I took her first time in spiritual communion, I might be hunted down by the cultivation world.
Several thoughts flashed through Chen Yi's mind. He made a few quick movements and left, eventually buying some healing medicine from Old Hu's pharmacy.
Then he changed his appearance again, rented a cave, and went into seclusion to heal his injuries.
He wanted to observe the subsequent developments of the incident further before deciding whether to leave the market.
His primary career considerations for cultivation are opening a private, high-end spiritual food club, catering only to discerning clients who bring their own Tier 2 ingredients.
The second option is to open a second-hand shop that buys back Buddhist artifacts, but this requires a certain network of contacts, and the matter has not yet been decided.
We'll discuss everything after the marriage alliance between Miaoyinfang and Yulong Sect is over.
After Chen Yi left, Xu Shixian and Liu Jinjin looked at each other, hesitating about how to explain things to Qin Chengcheng, who was about to emerge from seclusion.
Sudden--
"boom!"
An astonishing surge of spiritual energy erupted from the cave, causing the spiritual energy of the entire Lake and Sea Market to surge wildly, and the second-tier spiritual veins to tremble violently.
Countless cultivators in the market looked up in astonishment, only to see a huge vortex of spiritual energy forming above Qin Chengcheng's cave.
"Is this a sign of a breakthrough in the late stage of Foundation Establishment?" Liu Jinjin's beautiful eyes widened.
Xu Shixian, standing to the side, was also astonished and uneasy. If Qin Chengcheng were to break through at this moment, he had a bad feeling.
Soon, the vortex of spiritual energy dissipated abruptly.
The stone door to the cave slowly opened, and a cool, aloof figure stepped out.
Qin Chengcheng was dressed in a plain white robe, the sleeves of which fluttered even without wind.
Qin Chengcheng, dressed in a plain white robe, slowly walked out of the cave. Her beautiful eyes flashed with a chilling light, and her powerful aura as an eighth-level Foundation Establishment cultivator made the surrounding cultivators hold their breath.
Xu Shixian forced himself to step forward and forced a smile: "Chengcheng, I knew you and that cook weren't anything special."
"You must have had a hard time cultivating. We didn't intentionally damage the formations in your cave."
Before he could finish speaking, Qin Chengcheng's gaze suddenly turned cold: "So it was you who destroyed the restrictions on my cave dwelling? Disrupting my cultivation and hindering my breakthrough, your intentions are sinister, you deserve to be executed!"
"No, I..." Xu Shixian tried to explain.
"Boom!" An icy blue palm print struck out without warning, instantly shattering the defensive magic weapon that Xu Shixian had hastily summoned.
He was sent flying backward like a rag doll, crashing through three stone walls before finally stopping, spitting out mouthfuls of blood.
"If there's a next time, I'll take your life."
"As for you—you traitor, you dared to help outsiders destroy my cave."
Qin Chengcheng's icy gaze swept over Liu Jinjin like a blade, and the latter immediately turned pale, her legs went weak, and she knelt on the ground.
"Master, spare me! I..."
Before she finished speaking, Qin Chengcheng lightly tapped her jade finger, and a beam of icy blue spiritual light instantly entered Liu Jinjin's dantian.
"what!"
Liu Jinjin let out a shrill scream, feeling her spiritual energy recede like a tide, and a tearing pain shot through her dantian.
That ray of spiritual light directly froze her cultivation foundation, making it impossible for her to make any further progress.
"Considering you've followed me for so many years, I'll spare your life."
Qin Chengcheng's tone was icy.
"But the crime of betrayal is not to be taken lightly."
Liu Jinjin curled up on the ground in agony, her face filled with disbelief, muttering, "Late Foundation Establishment stage, how can he be so powerful?"
(End of this chapter)