The sky looked as if it had been splattered with thick ink, heavy dark clouds pressing down in layers, stacked so low they seemed within reach. Within the clouds, silver, snake-like flashes of lightning split the darkness; accompanied by ear-splitting thunder, they crashed into a strange, rocky, charred gorge. The air was filled with a strong scent of ozone and a prickling sensation of static electricity on the skin.
Chen Yi stood at the mouth of the canyon, the wind rolling up his sleeves as if on the hunt. He stared up at the apocalyptic scene, then glanced anxiously at Chu Shanhe beside him.
"Sect Master, is that soul beast really in this gorge?"
Chu Shanhe's face was resolute, his eyes as piercing as lightning, his expression unwavering even before the forces of heaven and earth. He nodded lightly and spoke in a calm, powerful voice.
"This place, this gorge, is called the 'Thunder Gorge'. For centuries, it has been plagued by year-round thunderstorms, attracting many powerful thunder-attributed Martial Souls from across the continent, all seeking opportunities here."
There was memory and solemnity in Chu Shanhe's words. "However, anyone who sets foot in this gorge, regardless of their cultivation—whether Soul Sage or Soul Douluo—ends up like a clay ox entering the sea, never to be heard from again."
"As time passed, soul masters came to recognize that there must be an unimaginably powerful thunder-attributed soul beast within Thunder Gorge, a creature so strong that it stirs heavenly phenomena and devours all intruders."
Chu Shanhe continued, his tone heavier. "Later, one of the Three Great Clans, the Azure Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, sent a Soul Douluo with a level 90 cultivation, along with several renowned elders, relying on his formidable Martial Soul and strength to hunt this soul beast and obtain its soul ring and soul bone."
"The result… That incident shook the entire continent at the time, cementing this place's infamy. For the past hundred years, no one has dared approach."
Chen Yi frowned as he listened. A near-Title Douluo and several powerful elders—this was a major event that could shake the Douluo Continent. Would the Spirit Hall just stand and watch? With their abilities, could they not unravel the secrets within?
Chu Shanhe shook his head, a hint of doubt in his eyes. "Of course the Spirit Hall knew. According to our sect's secret records, right after the Azure Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's quasi-Title Douluo disappeared, the then grand worship of the Spirit Hall personally came to investigate."
"The Grand Worship of the Spirit Hall?" Chen Yi was shocked. He didn't know who the Grand Worship was, but he must have been a servant of the Angel God—a peerless Rank 99 Title Douluo.
"That's right," Chu Shanhe confirmed. "He went inside… and came out unharmed."
"Did he say anything about what was inside?" Chen Yi asked anxiously.
Chu Shanhe shook his head again. "No. After coming out, he maintained absolute secrecy and didn't reveal a word to the outside world."
"The Spirit Hall took no further action regarding this place, as if tacitly permitting its existence."
Hearing this, Chen Yi felt somewhat relieved. That Grand Worship had come out alive, and the Spirit Hall hadn't caused any big issues afterward. At least, it suggested one thing: while Thunder Gorge was dangerous enough to keep all soul masters below Title Douluo away, it probably couldn't threaten invincible Title Douluos.
This place was not dangerous for Chu Shanhe—he was now a force to be reckoned with. Moreover, with his hazy memories from his past life, and ancient records he had researched in the sect's library during this era, Chen Yi made a bold guess about the soul beast in the river.
But that guess was almost unbelievable.
"If it's true… that's something from 20,000 years later, in an era of highly developed soul tools and mighty figures, when these beings stood at the pinnacle of the soul beast system. In this era, could it really…"
Chen Yi's heart raced, his expression unreadable.
Naturally, Chu Shanhe didn't know the shocking thoughts swirling in Chen Yi's mind. Seeing Chen Yi's silence, he assumed he was just digesting the information and gathering himself.
Chu Shanhe patted Chen Yi's shoulder and said in a low voice, "Xiao Yi, opportunity often coexists with risk. Since you've decided to find the most suitable thunder-attributed soul ring, this Thunder Gorge is the place most likely to hold your target."
"You… are ready, aren't you?"
Chen Yi took a deep breath, suppressing his scattered thoughts, and his gaze became firm again. "I'm ready."
Chu Shanhe nodded without another word. An invisible wave of soul power spread out, flicking away every stray arc of electricity near the rift. Taking the lead, he stepped into the deep canyon, like entering the maw of a giant beast.
Chen Yi followed close behind, and soon, their figures were swallowed by the darkness of the gorge and the raging thunder.
…
At the same time, in the Body Sect, outside an inconspicuous courtyard at the edge of the sect, an elder stood holding a lunchbox, with Ye Cien beside him. The elder stared at the closed door, a hint of regret flashing in his eyes. He knocked gently and called out softly.
"Xiaoqing, are you there?"
The house was quiet; there was no response. The elder and Ye Cien exchanged glances, seeing helplessness and resignation in each other's eyes. Without hesitation, the elder used a bit of strength to push open the unlocked door.
Creak— The slightly harsh opening of the door broke the courtyard's silence. Light shone into the dim house, illuminating every corner. In a corner's shadow, a middle-aged woman in plain, thin clothes sat curled up, hugging her knees, as if trying to make herself disappear.
Her vacant eyes were fixed on the ground, unresponsive to the door's movement, her whole body like a soulless statue.
The Grand Elder gazed at this scene, his heart feeling as if it were being torn apart. This was once the proud daughter of the Body Sect. He endured his sorrow and called out again.
"Xiaoqing."
Upon hearing her familiar name, Xie Xiaoqing's body trembled almost imperceptibly. She slowly lifted her head, her empty gaze gradually focusing, eventually landing on the Grand Elder's face. When she saw the beautiful face of the rejuvenated Grand Elder, a faint ripple passed through her previously dead eyes—she remembered that face from her youth.
Her mouth twisted into a smile uglier than tears, and her voice was dry and hoarse.
"Yes… Grand Elder… Two days ago, I heard from Sister Jiang that your cultivation has greatly improved and you've recovered… I haven't… I haven't congratulated you yet…"
Her words were intermittent, rusty from disuse, as if she hadn't spoken so much in ages. She tried to act normal, to congratulate him as a junior would, but her forced smile and hollow eyes only made her "normalcy" seem especially tragic.
She paused, as if remembering something, then added, "Oh… a few days ago, the Sect Master completed his Golden Tier 3 Awakening, and the whole sect celebrated… Uncle Kuan has been lying on the Water Mat for over ten days… The taste is as good as ever…"
She mentioned the Water Mat and its familiar taste, but her voice was devoid of joy, filled only with numb detachment, as if she were telling a distant story that had nothing to do with her.
Seeing Xie Xiaoqing trying so hard to maintain her manners, unable to hide the desolation in her heart, the elder sighed even deeper. He did not reply, but quietly placed the lunchbox on the only clean wooden table in the room. Turning, he introduced Ye Cien to Xie Xiaoqing.
"Xiaoqing, this is Ye Cien, the current Clan Leader of the Nine-Hearted Begonia Ye Family. By seniority, you should call him uncle."
Xie Xiaoqing's empty eyes turned to Ye Cien, but left little impression in his eyes. She called out in a low, dry voice, "Uncle Ye." Then she bowed her head again and lapsed into silence.
Ye Cien gazed at the woman, her body as thin as a skeleton, her face ashen, and listened to the elder's tales of her past glory and her current plight. For a moment, he was truly shocked. To see a once-proud daughter of heaven fall from paradise to hell—outsiders could never understand such pain.
The elder walked over to Xie Xiaoqing and crouched down, meeting her gaze. His voice was softer than ever but carried an undeniable gravity.
"Xiaoqing, today Uncle Ye and I came here for no other reason than your Martial Soul."
"…"
Xie Xiaoqing suddenly looked up. The eyes that had been dead and silent for years now shone with a hint of clarity for the first time. She stared in confusion at the elder, as if unable to comprehend the meaning of his words, or as if years of despair had made her incapable of grasping the hope those words might offer.
Seeing her reaction, the elder didn't explain further. Instead, he stood up and walked to the table, opening the multi-layered lunchbox. But inside were not delicacies, but carefully carved jade boxes. Each box radiated a faint ripple of soul power, clearly used to seal the spiritual energy within.
When the last jade box was placed on the table, the entire room seemed to fall silent. The air became suffused with a strange blend of heat and vitality.
Unconsciously, Xie Xiaoqing's eyes were drawn to the jade box. Her broken heart, which had been as dry as a well, now thumped uncontrollably in her chest.
…
Bonus chapter at 100 PS