Soul Emperor Martial God

Chapter 116: Chapter 115: High Grade Spiritual Artifact, Blood Slaughter Sword

Within several hundred meters of the Cold Ice Pool, five hundred Martial Artists felt as if they were submerged in an ocean of Spiritual Energy, entirely comfortable and carefree.

All were immersed in this wonderful sensation and the exhilaration of rapidly enhancing their Cultivation.

Nobody noticed that a figure had suddenly stood up and walked to the other side of the Cold Ice Pool.

The figure was Xiao Yi.

A Spirit Gathering Array was a profound Prohibition technique, which only Mystic Breakthrough Realm Martial Artists could deploy.

Its presence meant that the rich Spiritual Energy within the area was evenly distributed, and people did not need to deliberately choose spots, mostly finding an open space to start cultivating.

Thus, there were no other Martial Artists on the other side of the Cold Ice Pool.

Xiao Yi sat down cross-legged, contentedly smiling as he looked around the empty space and then stimulated his Ice Phoenix Sword Soul and Fire Control Beast Martial Soul to resume cultivating.

Nobody noticed that he was absorbing the surrounding Spiritual Energy at a terrifyingly fast rate, even forming several Spiritual Energy vortexes.

His Cultivation was also rapidly soaring.

Half a day later, his sixth main vein easily condensed into form.

Reflecting back, his breakthrough to the Innate Fifth Layer had been just half a month ago, and now he had reached the Innate Sixth Layer.

Two days later, his seventh main vein successfully formed.

By the fifth day, he had condensed his eighth main vein.

On the final day, he just managed to condense his ninth main vein, reaching the Innate Ninth Layer.

In just seven days, he had leapt four layers, alarmingly fast.

In fact, during these seven days of Cultivation, he was also nurturing the Blood Slaughter Sword.

The Spiritual Energy intake was transformed into True Qi, one-tenth of which was used for solidifying his True Veins, and the rest for nurturing the Blood Slaughter Sword.

If not for the need to nurture the Blood Slaughter Sword, he would have already made a breakthrough to the Mysterious Profundity Realm.

After all, with the frightening density of the Spiritual Energy here and his absorbing speed, one day’s effort could equal a hundred days’.

However, it wasn’t that he didn’t want to break through to the Mysterious Profundity Realm, but his Cultivation had already skyrocketed quickly enough. To rashly break through would be a major taboo in Cultivation.

The Mysterious Profundity Realm was a dividing line on the path of Martial Artists which could affect the direction of a Martial Artist’s entire future life.

Xiao Yi planned, once he had joined the Sky-splitting Sword Sect and gained more systematic and complete Cultivation knowledge, to cautiously consider breaking through to the Mysterious Profundity Realm.

Moreover, Xiao Yi did not regret his choice. Because, after these seven days of effort, the Blood Slaughter Sword had been restored to a High Grade status.

Without leveraging the effects here, who knows how long it would have taken to reach High Grade.

A High Grade Spiritual Artifact, indeed. Carried by an Innate Ninth Layer Martial Artist, it was sufficient to withstand a battle with a Mysterious Profundity Realm Warrior.

Back then, when battling Zhong Wuyou, he had only used the low-grade Spiritual Artifact, the Flame Gloves, and was already so strong.

Now with a High Grade Spiritual Artifact, one could imagine his combat power.

Across the entire Northern Mountain County, there likely weren’t many High Grade Spiritual Artifacts.

Seven days had passed, and Elder Yi returned, awakening everyone still immersed in their Cultivation.

When awakened, everyone initially appeared discontented, but their faces soon turned ecstatic.

”I’ve broken through to the Innate Ninth Layer,” Qin Feiyang boasted, coming over to Xiao Yi.

”Cut it out, show off,” Lin Jin also came over, rolling his eyes and saying, ”I’ve also made a breakthrough, reaching Innate Eighth Layer.”

Tie Niu and Liu Yanran also approached, joyfully saying, ”We’ve also made a breakthrough, reaching Innate Seventh Layer Cultivation.”

Tie Niu heartily said, ”In just seven days, we’ve each made a breakthrough. This Cold Ice Pool is really impressive, and the Sky-splitting Sword Sect is indeed the top sect in Northern Mountain County with such profound foundations.”

It is known that under normal Cultivation, they would need at least several months to make one breakthrough.

”How about you, Xiao Yi?” Liu Yanran asked with curved eyebrows.

”Me?” Xiao Yi smiled and said, ”I’ve improved a bit, I guess.”

In reality, Xiao Yi’s absorption rate was far more than a hundred times faster than theirs.

Compared to him, their Cultivation speeds were incredibly slow.

However, everyone was so caught up in the joy of their breakthroughs that they didn’t dwell too much on Xiao Yi’s comment.

This was when the significance of the Martial Soul became apparent.

This is also why this world uses the rank of Martial Soul to measure the talent of a Martial Artist.

The higher the level of the Martial Soul, the more terrifying the rate at which Spiritual Energy is absorbed, and the quicker one can cultivate.

”Alright, follow me and leave,” Elder Yi said gravely, leading the group of Martial Artists away.

After the five hundred people left, not long after, a young man slowly approached the Cold Ice Pool, frowning deeply.

If Xiao Yi had been there, he would have recognized that the young man was actually the Chief Disciple of the Medicine Hall, Ye Ming.

Ye Ming looked around, frowning and said, ”What’s happening, are this year’s examination Martial Artists that impressive? In just seven days, the potency of the Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures meant to last three months has been almost entirely depleted.”

Every three months, the Sky-splitting Sword Sect had to consume a large amount of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures to maintain the massive release of Spiritual Energy in the Cold Ice Pool.

The more Spiritual Energy that was absorbed, the faster the potency inside the Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures would be depleted.

After a while, Ye Ming shook his head and muttered to himself, ”Never mind, I’d better have my master take a look. This large quantity of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures is beyond what I can handle.”

The Cold Ice Pool was under the management of the Medicine Hall.

The quantities of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures put in every three months were frighteningly huge.

Such lavish consumption was beyond what even general major powers could afford, only the Sky-splitting Sword Sect had such a foundation.

However, no one could have imagined that among the Martial Artists participating in this assessment, there would be one possessing the legendary Purple Martial Soul.

Letting Xiao Yi into this ’treasure land’ was akin to the act of ’leading a wolf into the house.’

Of course, the existence of the Purple Martial Soul was legendary, unseen, and unknown to the extent of its terror.

Moreover, the significant depletion of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures was not just because Xiao Yi had jumped four layers in cultivation but mainly because of the Blood Slaughter Sword.

Within the Spiritual Artifact, a vast power was inherently contained; therefore, when dropping in grade, restoring its grade required tremendous energy.

The amount of power needed almost instantly used up nearly all the large amount of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures meant to last three months in the Cold Ice Pool.

...

Under the leadership of Elder Yi, a group of five hundred people arrived at the enormous square where it all began.

In the center of the square stood a huge martial arts arena.

The second round of the exam was a battle for individual rankings, truly relying on one’s own strength.

Although the first round of the exam had already roughly demonstrated the martial artists’ strength levels,

there had been instances of ”collaboration” in the first round.

Moreover, most of the battles were melees. With a duration of one month, this tested the martial artists’ survival and adaptability.

Each round of the Sky-splitting Sword Sect’s exam was purpose-driven.

The second round, being a series of one-on-one fights, was the real test of a martial artist’s cultivation strength.

The opening of the Cold Ice Pool was to allow martial artists to recover from injuries and confront the battle in their best condition.

This round would proceed in a king-of-the-hill format, where one would enter the arena and continuously accept challenges until defeated.

It could be said that this was a test where individual strength was showcased to the fullest.

On the vast martial arts arena, it was divided into ten areas.

Five hundred people waited. Several deacons were drawing lots, picking ten tokens from five hundred, selecting the first ten to start the contest in their respective areas.

These ten would continuously face challenges in their areas.

To ensure fairness, the drawing of lots was a meticulous and time-consuming process.

At this moment, Lin Jin, Tie Niu, and Liu Yanran suddenly approached Xiao Yi with strange expressions, hesitating in their speech.

”What are you doing?” Xiao Yi looked at them puzzlingly.

”Well, I have something I want to tell you,” said Liu Yanran, looking apologetically at Xiao Yi, Lin Jin, and Tie Niu.

”I also have something to tell you.” Lin Jin expressed similarly with remorse.

Tie Niu didn’t speak, but his expression was the same.

”What’s the matter with the three of you?” Xiao Yi frowned.

”Yanran, you go first,” Lin Jin said.

Tie Niu also turned towards Liu Yanran.

”Okay,” Liu Yanran hesitated slightly before nodding, ”Actually... actually, I have been deceiving everyone these days; I am not that weak.”

Saying this, Liu Yanran turned to Xiao Yi and continued, ”That day, I didn’t need your spiritual artifact because I have one of my own.”

With that, a red whip appeared out of nowhere in Liu Yanran’s hands, surrounded by surging spiritual energy, clearly a spiritual artifact.

”Oh, so that’s what it is,” Xiao Yi realized, and at the same time, he noticed Lin Jin and Tie Niu’s faces turning peculiar.

”So Yanran, you have been hiding your strength too?” Lin Jin widened his eyes and said.

”Also?” Liu Yanran looked slightly surprised.

”Well, that... actually...” Lin Jin, usually a person of strong character and straightforward manners, now stumbled embarrassingly.

”I actually have a spiritual artifact too, and I’m quite strong,” Lin Jin said as he made a heavy sword, also a spiritual artifact, appear with a flash of light in his hands.

Suddenly, Tie Niu burst into laughter, ”So it turns out I’m not the only one bluffing; that soothes my heart.”

As he spoke, a bracelet appeared in Tie Niu’s hands, obviously also a spiritual artifact.

”You guys...” The three looked at each other, faces full of surprise.

”Heh,” Xiao Yi smiled lightly; he had long known that these three were concealing their strength and had roughly guessed that their trump cards were spiritual artifacts.

However, his keen perception surpassed theirs; Lin Jin and the others had not noticed each other’s deceptions.

”It seems, the most honest here, who hasn’t deceived anyone, is Xiao Yi,” Liu Yanran praised.

”The other two guys have also deceived, but I won’t mention that,” Liu Yanran said with guilt, ”As for you, Xiao Yi, sorry, I didn’t mean to hide it from you.”

”Before coming to the Sky-splitting Sword Sect, my family elders taught me never to reveal the spiritual artifact lightly. After all, human hearts are unpredictable, and you also know how tempting spiritual artifacts are to martial artists...”

Liu Yanran continued, then hastily added, ”Of course, I’m not saying you would covet my spiritual artifact...”

”Nor am I saying you guys,” Liu Yanran glanced at Lin Jin and Tie Niu.

”I just didn’t want to...”

”I understand your reasons,” Xiao Yi smiled and interrupted.

”Glad you understand,” Liu Yanran sighed in relief, ”I really cherish our friendship, and I’m afraid to see it potentially ruined over a spiritual artifact.”

”I truly understand, don’t worry,” Xiao Yi said, patting her head nonchalantly.

He certainly understood that Liu Yanran’s concealment of the spiritual artifact was for the same reason he initially misunderstood the three would try to seize his ”Earth Rank Martial Technique.”

This rare and sincere friendship was exceptionally cherished by all of them, and they did not want it to be lost over material possessions.

They dreaded tasting the disappointment in these feelings.

Lin Jin and Tie Niu felt the same.

During the first round of the exam, they thought about just passing the test without exhibiting their full strength.

But now, in the individual ranking battle, they must unleash all their strength.

They were about to reveal all their capabilities, so at this moment, they each confessed their secrets.

However, they also feared that their concealment might lead to misunderstandings between them, thus hesitantly expressing their remorse with embarrassed expressions.

After all, the four of them were 16, 17, or 18 years old, at the most exciting age in life, and exceptionally cherished these emotions.

Lin Jin and Tie Niu also explained their reasons, which were the same.

Simultaneously, looking guiltily at Xiao Yi, they said, ”Brother Xiao Yi, you are an honest man, sorry for that.”

Xiao Yi simply smiled, indicating it was alright, for in reality, he was arguably the least honest among them.

At that moment, Qin Feiyang suddenly came over, surprised, ”Yo, what’s with the gloomy faces? What bad things have you guys been up to?”

Everyone gave him a cold look.

This guy, from the beginning, had been chatting with some girls on the other side and enjoying himself, only now returning.